If you feel that you may have been dismissive about the marketing power of social media, “Cheer” up. Stem the “Tide” of negativity. I’m going to let you in on a little “Secret.” Because, the reality is, many marketers shared this point of view. But perhaps none so famously as Procter & Gamble’s Ted McConnell.
Who’s Ted McConnell? He’s the “general manager-interactive marketing and innovation” for one of the world’s top consumer goods companies — makers of everything from potato crisps to detergents to personal care products. And in a talk at a digital media forum back in November 2008, he was quoted as saying:
I have a reaction to [Facebook] as a consumer advocate and an advertiser: What in heaven’s name made you think you could monetize the real estate in which somebody is breaking up with their girlfriend?
Ted also reportedly said:
Who said this is media? Media is something you can buy and sell. Media contains inventory. Media contains blank spaces. Consumers weren’t trying to generate media. They were trying to talk to somebody. So it just seems a bit arrogant. We hijack their own conversations, their own thoughts and feelings, and try to monetize it.
Ah, monetizing. That’s old-school advertising thinking. Fourteen months later (an eternity from a technological and consumer adoption standpoint), we know that conversation-centric marketing is not about buying ads around the conversation… it’s about spurring and participating in the conversation.
But back then, Ted’s sentiments were greeted by some as refreshingly honest and true, as in this blogger’s reaction. Finally, someone would expose social media as the marketing fad du jour.
Well, things have changed.
In fact, P&G just announced that it will be making a major push in social media in 2010. You may also want to check out P&G’s Pringles fan page on Facebook, home to nearly 3 million fans!
Now, to be clear, this is not about mocking Ted’s certainty about the frivolousness of social media as a marketing channel. It’s to point out one simple truth — a lot of people felt that way. Just like they did when “this internet thing” was getting started. And it’s less important to dwell on the past, and more important to see the opportunity now.
I think we should offer kudos to P&G for joining the party, in a very big way. Heck, you may even want to send a congrats message to Ted.
Related articles:
- Mike Fruchter: P&G Embraces Facebook as Big Part of Its Marketing Plan (adage.com)
- Proctor and Gamble embraces Facebook (nevillehobson.com)
- Facebook, Twitter and P&G (ventureblog.com)
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