A while back, I espoused my philosophy in an Op-Ed for PRWeek that today, everyone is a reporter and smart brands will speak to their target audience the same way they speak to the press. Well, once again, I find myself giving in to the whole “no-politics-on-my-blog” rule because one of the U.S. Presidential nominees has so perfectly embraced this notion.
I’m sure many of you have already heard Sen. Barack Obama will announce his VP candidate through TXT message sent – not to the traditional media covering his campaign, but – to his supporters. Mobile micro-blog sites like Twitter will also allow people to distribute the news instantly and personally. (You can sign up for the text alert by texting VP to 62262.)
Some traditional media, including the LA Times call it “high tech gimmick” and others criticize the Senator for “treating the office like American Idol.”
But, the fact is Obama’s campaign knows its bread and butter is the young vote and that demographic lives through their mobile devices, blogs, vlogs and tweets. And, the Senator has certainly shown himself to be proficient with these communication tools throughout his campaign. As you may recall, this is not the first time he has given a big scoop to the general public; he announced his plans to run via a video on his site, which bypassed the usual traditional media channels to deliver the message directly to his target audience.
Politics aside, this marks a significant moment in the transition from traditional to new media and it perfectly embodies my philosophy. By “speaking media” fluently to your audience; talking to them the way you would a reporter, giving them scoops and leads and stories to share, you ensure they will share it. And, as we’ve seen time and again, traditional media will too.
In many ways, social media has become stronger, louder and faster than traditional channels. And, whether you’re a political candidate, a consumer product, a pharmaceutical or an airline, if you truly embrace this and give your own brand fans that “exclusive” you will see great rewards.
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