Micro-Multinationals

Found this great post by the folks at Cause Global about the rapid growth of Micro-multinationals. I find this very interesting as it correlates to the topic of crowdsourcing (previously shared my thoughts on this here).

Thanks to the internet, we have unprecedented access and tools to connecting people and ideas from all around the globe. Now, social media has bridged the geographical gaps that used to define us and people from all over the world get to collaborate on a real-time basis. Essentially, making it possible for "small" businesses to hold their own against corporate giants. Now, if we could work on just one time zone...

Where's Rob?

Next time your out at a sporting event, see if you can get Rob's attention ... with the help of an entire section (or two, or three).

Thanks to groups like Improv Everywhere, you will soon be caught in so-called flash mobs. If you live in NYC, you're probably more familiar with them. No Pants Subway Ride. Frozen Grand Central. It didn't take long for companies to capitalize on this movement, check out this T-Mobile dance in Liverpool, England.

My initial thought when watching these videos was "I wish I would've been there." Certainly these events are meant to create unique experiences and lasting impressions, ask anyone involved (participant or bystander) in any of the above videos.

However, what I did not realize what the power of mobile devices in making this happen. These gatherings are organized via mobile devices, social media, or viral emails. Makes you wish you had more friends on Facebook in order to increase your chances of joining in the next flash mob. Think worldwide pillow fight - it's already happened.

The power of mobile 2.0 is scary. The negatives are obvious with security concerns about GPS enabled smart phones and Big Brother watching over you, hackers, stalkers, etc. But then you think of how thousands of people can gather in an organized fashion in a matter of minutes or hours to carry out an unusual (and most times, pointless) act for a short amount time and the real power to social media comes to life.

Most recently, a snowball fight erupted in DuPont Circle last weekend after the Snowmageddon made its way through DC. As everyone in DC knows, this is a town that is well-practiced in using social media to rally supporters at political events...but in this case, why not use Facebook and Twitter to host a few harmless snowball fights?

Corporate Blogging: listen, learn, engage...

BREAKING NEWS: Corporate America agrees that social media is essential to successfully communicating (and engaging consumers with) your brand in today's ever-changing global marketplace.

As consumers become more diverse, demanding, and connected than ever before, it's important for firms to understand the global trends and local conditions that define their environment (and the consumer's too!).

The new marketplace is now being defined in consumer terms. As such, blogs are an important tool in this new two-way communications world. With traditional media such as newspapers appearing to be that of Neanderthals (my apologies to the Geico cavemen), brands now use blogs to tell their story. And more importantly, they CONTROL the content.

However, just as important, firms cannot miss out on the CONVERSATION part. Blogging, or social media in general, is another promotional platform but it is as much about listening as it is about publishing content. Firms must understand that in order to catch the attention of their target audience, they need to be informative (or even entertaining), engaging, and true to the brands they represent.

Blogs. Facebook. Twitter. Flickr. Digg. YouTube. They're all great communications and marketing tools but they must be used efficiently. Firms should not SPAM social media, it will backfire. Instead, prioritize your efforts on sites where your audience may be looking for you and integrate/connect these back to your blog. This way, the brand message will be more authentic and meaningful to the consumer.


Articles:

Beckford, Avil. On Corporate Blogging: Interview with Don Martelli of MS&L. November 9, 2009.

Brogan, Chris. Shut Up - You're Helping the Customer! November 4, 2008.

Image from Savage Brands.