I’ve been doing a little bit of reading about various brands that are using social media as part of their marketing activities. The guy responsible for social media for Ford (in the states) Scott Monty, seems to do a bit of work as a key notes speaker at various conferences and also has his own social media marketing blog (the first search result under the sponsored link when using Google to search for ‘social media marketing blog’ which is impressive).
A lot of what Ford in the states is doing is recognised as working well and it was ranked number 10 in the Top 10 Corporations that have done the best job of using social media in North America (Abrams Research ‘Social Media Survey’, Feb 17, 2009). If you are interested in having a look at what they are doing Think Tank Media has one of Scott’s presentations available to view.
With the sound of race cars zipping along in the background (V8 Supercars on TV I think) I thought I would have a look at what Ford and Holden are doing locally via Facebook and Twitter.
These two bands are iconic, both have passionate enthusiasts (it seems that a lot of people are either ‘Ford” people or ‘Holden’ people) and so have a great opportunity to use social media to build a strong community in the online world like they have in the physical world.
Ford Facebook – Key Points
- 5,794 fans
- References to events like Frankfurt Auto Show
- Integration of media coverage
- Images used well, not too many videos
- Some comments about off shore production are not answered
- Ranger Challenge Voting: competition where visitors can watch a selection of videos of people testing the new Ford Ranger and then are able to vote for their favourite tester to win surfing lesions and fuel cards
Holden Facebook – Key Points
- 23,266 fans
- Interactive vehicle showroom
- Functionality to book a test drive, get a brochure and contact a dealership for a quote
- Featuring Holden Racing Team updates
- Links to relevant news items
- Great use of images and video content
- References to significant events and occasions like Sam Stosur’s win and Fathers Day which keeps the page current
- Virtual Ute Muster: competition where ute owners post a photo of their vehicle which is judged and the winner gets tickets to the Deni Ute Muster
Ford Twitter – Key Points
- 472 followers
- Official responses identified by initial
- Promotion of Facebook Ranger competition
- Offers direction to people seeking product information
- Good use of platform for customer service
- Integration of media coverage
- Links to event information e.g. Frankfurt Auto Show
- Links to influential bloggers
- Retweeting of high profile tweets e.g. Michael Klim
- Retweeting of positive consumer comments
Holden Twitter – Key Points
- 3,223 followers
- Current updates: last post was yesterday (17/09)
- Links to Facebook for photos
- News about new model launches
- Personal responses to customer service issues
- Integration of media coverage and news links
- Communications about Holden’s participation in events (e.g. Deni Ute Muster)
- Recognition of events of national importance (e.e. Sam Stosur’s win)
- Interactive engagement: Virtual Ute Muster competition through Facebook
Having a look at what these brands are doing on line it appears to be apples for apples – competition, photos, comments, customer service, regular posts etc. The quality of the content and frequency is pretty well evenly matched.
The most obvious point of difference is the number – Holden have a much bigger social media community. With the recent Facebook Friends campaign for the new Ford Territory I would have thought that there would be more integration of social media across Ford promotions.
Just the other day I received a Ford DM piece in the mail (snail mail) which had info about a few of the vehicles, including the Territory, and a letter encouraging me to get in touch.....I couldn’t find a mention of any social media engagement opportunities for Ford customers and potential customers.
Surely this can’t be the only reason why Holden are miles ahead in terms of the numbers of people participating in these brand communities. Have you got any insight as to why there is such a difference?
Great Post Amity! You did a lot of research, well done! I think that the difference between Ford and Holden is due to their "brand Personality". I think that some brands try to create a personality around them. Holden has tried to associate their brand with the australian culture over years (well-known AFL football celebrities for example: http://aso.gov.au/titles/collections/general-motors-holden/). I think Holden has a more well-defined personality than Ford. For me Holden is associated with Australia and it has its own personality. This is a car that was created in Australia, then, i think that a lot of people could feel very associated with Holden because it fits with their values. Then, Holden fans feel more connected with the brand, and they want to interact more with the brand through Twitter and Facebook.
ReplyDeleteGood work Amity.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Holden seems top be more Aussie, they position their brand as more of a traditional Aussie brand whereas Ford seems to take the mass marketing approach to positioning. Although Holden is GM, they have tailored their positioning to be more Aussie for the Aussie market. You also see a lot more newer Holdens on the road than fords and this could also potentially explain this.
But the point you raised with the brochure you received, I agree, there doesn't seem to be any drive towards their SM presence.
Ross
Well done!
ReplyDeleteI just want to add something, I think the target market is different as well. I always thought that ford more like an old man cars, whereas holden is more about young generation's first car.
A top post, Amity. Interestingly, there's an article about to appear in the Journal of Business Research on this very topic: Michael T. Ewing, Peter E. Wagstaff, Irene H. Powell. (2011) Brand rivalry and community conflict. Journal of Business Research.
ReplyDeleteScott Monty is a benchmark case study of CEO bloggers. He's done such a good job to connect with all stakeholders via his blog, including customers, suppliers and employees. Brilliant!
Holden is "King of Mountain" and of SM then!
ReplyDelete