The global market is increasingly competitive, but in the age of social media, companies are given the chance to stand out, once and for all. Brands have the option of connecting with consumers on their level – be it through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat. The number of social media platforms available makes it seem like anything goes, with visually compelling, creative, and flashy campaigns taking the spotlight. Although it seems like an easy nut to crack, countless companies struggle with their social media campaigns and capabilities. For inspiration, we’ve gathered a few of the most unique campaigns below.
Whole Foods
A premium priced supermarket for health and organic food, Whole Foods has gone from $400,000 in sales (1980) to an astonishing $ $14.63B (2014). This is largely thanks to their social media campaigns, which generate relevant content to over 1.8 million Facebook likers and 4.81 million Twitter followers. Those following Whole Food’s social media platforms are treated to a daily dose of recipes and how-to-videos. Not only is this a customer oriented approach, but it is also a great way for the supermarket to feature items sold in stores. Additionally, Whole Foods possesses a willingness to take risks- they know their brand voice, and aren’t afraid of taking a casual approach. Instead of standing in the shadows and observing their competitors, they’ve shown that being bold has its benefits.
TOMS
In 2015, TOMS climbed up the social media ladder after announcing their “One Day without Shoes” initiative. The company vowed to donate one pair of shoes to charity for every person who took a picture of their bare feet and shared it on Instagram with the #withoutshoes hashtag. This campaign not only spread the word about TOMS to hundreds and thousands of people around the world, but also tied the corporation’s products to a greater good.
LOT Polish Airlines
In the holiday spirit and name of old traditions, this overseas airline headed to YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook to promote the “KISSaLOT campaign. The airline equipped their planes with mistletoe and encouraged people on the ground to track flights and share a kiss when the plane was overhead. Not only was this a good a way to encourage love and unity amongst people around the world, but it also effectively increased traffic to the airline’s website.
It’s not a question anymore of whether businesses need to take advantage of social media – it’s a question of how, when, and through what means. Although Whole Foods, TOMS, and LOT Polish Airlines all used different strategies, they were well-executed and aware of how they wanted to interact with their customer-base. It may take some time before your company is crowned kind of social media, but with focus on both strategy and execution, anything is possible.