Television, radio and print are no longer the most invested and active media space for advertisers and marketing geeks. Social networks are raking in the moolah. But what is the secret behind attracting mainstream advertisers to social networking sites?
“It is the credibility of the social networking media. People today, particularly youngsters who are the actual spenders don’t believe in advertisers,” says Supreeth Sudhakaran, editorial assistant at Campaign India. The latest Tropicana campaign from advertising giant JWT Delhi has caught on the internet. The Tropicana Breakfast Club on a social network site is the newest initiative that aims at bringing in loyal consumers.
“Social networks are highly effective. Therein lies a very big opportunity for us to make the brand bigger,” says Jaideep Mahajan, VP and executive creative director, JWT Delhi. The idea is clear—get the people to interact with the brand daily and make the brand their friend, not a product. “Earlier people just saw the product on television through commercials and in print ads. But now the product will answer your queries and there isn’t a time lag. The questions get answered immediately,” adds Mahajan.
Most of these who are hooked onto such brand pages and clubs are youngsters, office-goers, students -—who fall in the category of young urban Indians. “Being on a social network ensures you are not ignorant about what you purchase. Interactivity is freely available and the young buyer gets all the information he requires online,” says Victor Lazaro, professor of media studies.
Today social networking is a tool to lead a better life. “A cousin in the US who used to play games on FB and was following brands, just happened to get lucky and won a contest. He got to dine with Aishwarya and Abhishek. So for youngsters who spend time on such sites, it’s not just about the fun, winning is what they aim at,” says Aritra Bhattacharya, senior copy writer. But brands and advertisers haven’t won the battle yet. After getting loyalists onboard, the next big challenge they face is to keep these youngsters engaged.