Celebrity Endorsements in the Year of the Tiger

In the media maelstrom that has overtaken Tiger Woods, one question has somehow gone unasked: “Where was the Buick in all of this?”
 
I realize that Tiger is technically an endorser for GM, but for the last few years he has been filmed and photographed pimping one brand only: Buick. Yeah, that Buick.  But when it comes to driving around the neighborhood and running over fire hydrants, Mr. Woods opts for the sexier, brasher, better-appointed Cadillac Escalade.  The cad!
 
This of course raises a problem many of us in the marketing business have with celebrity endorsements – they are obscenely expensive and 9 times out of 10 are utterly unbelievable.
 
Don’t get me wrong, when it comes to sports figures endorsing sports related equipment (especially shoes that bear their name), I get it. There are even some believable food and beverage endorsements; Jen Anniston with the ever-present Smart Water bottle, Jamie-lee Curtis yogurting her way to better digestion, and of course Wilford Brimley for Quaker Oats (I’d bet that guy eats oatmeal 5 times a day). But Tiger Woods – billionaire, icon, reasonably stylish dresser – driving a Buick Enclave?  How stupid do we look?  
 
John Daly and a case of Bud.  Phil Mickelson and a box of Twinkies. These are endorsements I can believe in. Tiger, it’s time to step out of your Enclave and sell us something we can believe in (on many counts).

10 Tips for Implementing Corporate Social Media Strategies

Navigating the vast social media landscape can be a daunting task – especially if you are just starting out. While there is no shortage of information on the topic, we’ve created a cheat-sheet that will hopefully be of use to newbies and veterans alike.

1. Let go. You’ve already lost control, accept it.
2. Dip your toes in.  Don’t try and swallow the entire social media watermelon in one sitting. Pick one or two initiatives to start with, learn from them, and adjust/ expand accordingly.
3. You can’t fake it. Social media is all about being transparent and authentic.
4. Know your audience. Know their interests and affinities. Monitor their reactions. Adjust accordingly. Rinse and repeat.
5. Be creative. Social media is not about the status-quo. Have fun with the medium and be inventive.      
6. Give more than you take. Trend very lightly with any blatant marketing – offer people something of value. (e.g. information, access, deals)
7. Make it personal. Nobody wants a relationship with a logo. If you have several tweeters – say so. Let your brand stewards have their voice, face and name.
8. Develop guidelines. Create a road map of do’s and don’ts – for employees engaged in social media on behalf of your brand.
9. Don’t assume that social media is free. While many of the applications are free, don’t be fooled – implementing and monitoring a successful social media plan requires a significant time investment ($$).
10. Allocate proper resources. While many of the upfront tasks can be handled by a good agency partner, internal team members should be dedicated to the program’s success. Remember, these people are acting as the voice of the brand, so they should be well informed from all levels including; upper management, sales, marketing, and PR, and clearly know the limits of what is acceptable to say (i.e. not the intern).