enter: new media
enter: new media has worked for: Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, Virgin Mobile, MTV, VH1, and RealSimple.
Something cool:
"Brands know by now that they need to be on Facebook, but 'being on Facebook' certainly does not always mean that the brand is using Facebook in the savviest way," says Mark Curtis, president of enter, who points to his agency's work on behalf of VH1 as an example of true social media engagement.
"First off, VH1's Facebook public profile has been custom designed and developed based on various show priorities. In particular, there are two custom tabs -- 'Featured' and 'Sneak Peek' -- that house exclusive content that is viewable by VH1 fans only. If a non-fan goes to one of these two tabs, he/she will see a red carpet with a velvet rope, saying 'For Fans Only.' Once the user becomes a fan, the canvas of the custom tab is then revealed."
"Another tab is dedicated to the most recent VH1 Facebook application: 'Framed You.' The Framed You app lets users put their head on the body of the VH1 show character in both video and still image form," Curtis adds. "Since one of VH1's current priorities is 'Daisy of Love,' Framed You users can put their head on Daisy's bodacious body and watch themselves sing and dance like Daisy. Users can of course share the video with friends, or even put their friends' heads in the video. It is important to mention that new images are consistently added to the application (such as when a new show premieres), which brings users back and lets VH1 continue to use this application, as opposed to having to develop a one-off app for each new show."
Put yourself in the shoes of a brand marketer. How would you go about choosing a social media agency?
Curtis says:
A brand marketer must question the following: What timeline do they talk in? How much do they know about you and your overall marketing strategy? Do they make you feel like social media is a big mystery that only they can help you decipher?
I wouldn't select an agency because they have a good idea for an application or quick hit campaign. Nor would I trust an agency that tried to hide behind the smoke and mirrors of social media. Finally, I wouldn't select an agency unless it brought together all the pieces needed for success -- media, development, community management, outreach, publicity, and reporting. One-trick ponies won't cut it.
I would require a team that I could build an effective relationship with over a period of time -- one that I could trust to work with me to translate my strategic and tactical priorities into the specific social actions needed to add value. Remember, social media success isn't the product of "the big idea" -- it's the product of a solid strategy driven by a ton of good ideas, backed by a lot of real work by real people.
