I LOVE the Olympics. Any free time not spent in class or studying, I've spent watching the Olympics. I even like the Olympic ads. My favorite has been the United Airlines ad where Team USA athletes board the plane skating, skiing, etc. It's curious about how the Social Media ad campaigns have been hijacked by LGBT activists and others. Corporations need advertising to promote their products, but Social Media isn't always a medium that they can control. A better strategy might have been for them to pay Olympic athletes to promote their products on their own Facebook, Twitter, etc. accounts. But, that would bring with it other pitfalls. What if their sponsored athlete doesn't do well. Shani Davis was supposed to be big at these games, but he didn't medal at all.
I think that this is an incredibly smart way to reach out with as a company. Developing a central message and promoting that on social networks is cheaper than producing television adds and in many cases will allow the company to reach more people than it would be able to with traditional advertising methods. I love the way the article works toward sticking it to the man (the man being the large corporations with the deepest pockets) and focusing on how smaller and less developed firms are able to spread their message over social media. I also would have never thought about how LGBT activist groups could use social media to work around a media center that is restricted by government. Paying for television ads is expensive and endorsing athletes and celebrities to promote your company can cost just as much. Opening a twitter account is free! I believe that at some point, once big business uses social media to promote themselves too heavily it will eventually become less beneficial. After too many ads, social media users will become indifferent to them, scrolling right over them without reading its content. Once consumers become annoyed by the ads this social media advertising revolution will either come to an end or will need a makeover. Until then, keep sticking it to the man!
I haven't been watching the Olympics very much. The only one I did get a chance to see was the figure skating. I found the article interesting that a lot of companies have underestimated the power of social media. Those who had taken advantage of social media, like McDonald's, having to re-think their approach do to activists is really concerning.
I think social media is where people can express their thoughts about anything. Using social media marketing is dangerous for the companies because it usually bring back negative results. I prefer to use video clips, or banner, or something that avoid talking to consumers. I think the purpose of marketing in the Olympic is letting people recognize the brand name, so let them see the videos or banners.
Both women and African Americans had to advocate through extraordinary ways to be seen as equal. As sad as it may be, many people were physically harmed and psychologically degraded during the process. Now, in today's age, it is interesting to see how the LGBT community is petitioning for equality. Social networking has opened an avenue for people to peacefully protest for their rights in a meaningful, and life altering way. Individuals can start a movement through an online resource, without having to stand in picket lines, or be beaten down by authority figures, all the while ruining the brands of corporations which have such a large say in today's society.
Everyday more and more people sign up for social media sites. I think advertising during the olympics is a great way to get the product/company out there. I do believe that social media has a better way of reaching consumers for the simple fact that people are always on social websites.
This article frustrates me because it reminds me of when a similar issue was raised with Chick-Fil-A (where I work). I'm not a big McDonald's expert, but I feel as though they probably don't have an "anti-gay" stance most of the time. The fact that their participation in ads during the Olympics leads LGBT activists to draw that conclusion is ridiculous to me. I feel that activists realize the power of advertising and that's why they attack companies to get their message across themselves. Sure, you can argue that "if you're not a part of the solution, you're a part of the problem" on an individual level, but I don't think this applies to corporations from the marketing standpoint.
I think its a smart move to advertise in general during the Olympics because so many people are watching and I think the reason LGBT is trying so hard to get attention during the olypmics is because Russia is very against homosexuals along with many other countries. Even though the US is not comepletely for being gay we still have a few states that are open to it. I am on the activists side, its their life and they should have support from their country for what ever sexual preference they have and the US shouldn't be ashamed of the rest of the world to know we have homosexuals welcome in our country.
Regarding the social media with the Olympics, as opposed endorsed ads, the amount of money being paid to these athletes and the amount of air time that the commercials are getting is ridiculous. When compared to just how many people are logged on every day for hours on Facebook (and other sites) and seeing the same amount of non-endorsed ads! It’s amazing how popular social media is getting, and free too. Yes, as some said they just skip over them, but the same goes for anyone getting up and getting a drink when the commercials come on. However, we tend to read what's in front of us, it’s human nature, we absorb. And for those in protest, we do see, read, and hear what they are saying as well.
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
After reading this post, I don't think it's fair that companies who were trying to promote the Olympics were punished for something they had no control over - the location of the Olympics. While it makes sense that activists were looking for a way to get their thoughts heard, it's perhaps the fault of the companies for taking advantage of "customizable" methods of marketing, such as creating an Olympic Coca-Cola can. Capitalizing on the RIGHT marketing strategy during the Olympics is also important, and this may be the fault of the companies for not utilizing appropriate strategies.
I love sports in general so of course I'm always excited for the Olympics, because it gives me a reason to watch sports every day. I think that using the Olympics for marketing and advertising is a great idea, because not only are you promoting your company or product, but you're also showing support for your country. However, when companies like McDonalds and Coke experienced the backlashing of the LGBT community, I was very surprised. I understand why the activists lashed back at the companies, but you can't blame them for wanting to promote their product. In my opinion, just because they're supporting the Olympics doesn't mean they're supporting Russia's decisions concerning LGBT rights. It's a very controversial topic and these things make it hard for companies to advertise using social media, although it may be one of the best and least expensive ways to advertise.
Social media has made it way easier to both praise and criticize brands. I hope the marketing people for McDonald's and Coke weren't shocked at the backlash; if they were, they are way out of touch with society. This was one of the most controversial host sites for the Olympics in recent memory, and there was bound to be some backlash from LGBT activists and others powered by the reach and convenience of social media.
I think it was weak for McDonald's and Coke to pull their strategies and basically admit that it was a bad idea; I'm sure there were at least some feel-good thoughts in those posts, and the Winter Olympics only lasted 2 weeks.
I agree with @Patrick Kline....social media is the wild west of advertising, with brands having very little control over how their strategies are used.
I personally did not watch the Olympics at all. However, I heard from almost everyone I know that they watched the Winter Olympics A LOT. It would be a huge mistake for a company not to take advantage of the advertising opportunity they would have with the Winter Olympics. I definitely think these companies made a mistake! Also, with all the controversy surrounding the Olympics in Sochi, it would be important to be careful about what you do choose to advertise and say in the public eye.
It's very important for companies who are using social media to watch what they are saying. Companies such as Coca-cola, McDonald's, Proctor & Gamble, Visa were hurt by using social media sites during the Sochi Winter Olympics. LGTB activists fought against these companies with some of their support to the Olympics because of Russia's anti-LGTB laws. These companies had to pull in a lot of their campaigns because of how strongly people responded. Site like Facebook and Twitter can absolutely be used to praise a company but also can be used to take them down.
In the past, large corporations have been used to what I would call "one-sided advertising". The company would send a message through tv, radio, or print ad. Now companies are learning that their advertising efforts are open for immediate interaction from consumers. They have to be prepared for negative interaction and have a plan on how they will handle the situation.
Social media is about dialogue, business-to-customer, customer-to business, and customer-customer. Unlike selling an ad in the newspaper or putting one on TV, businesses who engage in social media have the opportunity to respond directly and immediately with feedback. People crave human connections and to be listened to, and businesses who want to be successful should capitalize on this.
Social media is making companies more accountable for their actions. They really have to make sure they are making the right choices about who they sponsor and etc. If they make the wrong choices it can get around very quickly and cause the company to lose business. For example, the article mentioned that LGBT activist caused McDonald's to get rid of a hash tag they created during the Olympics because McDonald's sponsored the Olympics held in an anti-gay Russia. I also think social media is making it harder for companies because they have to be politically correct all the time or people on social media will call them on it.
22 comments:
I LOVE the Olympics. Any free time not spent in class or studying, I've spent watching the Olympics. I even like the Olympic ads. My favorite has been the United Airlines ad where Team USA athletes board the plane skating, skiing, etc. It's curious about how the Social Media ad campaigns have been hijacked by LGBT activists and others. Corporations need advertising to promote their products, but Social Media isn't always a medium that they can control. A better strategy might have been for them to pay Olympic athletes to promote their products on their own Facebook, Twitter, etc. accounts. But, that would bring with it other pitfalls. What if their sponsored athlete doesn't do well. Shani Davis was supposed to be big at these games, but he didn't medal at all.
I think that this is an incredibly smart way to reach out with as a company. Developing a central message and promoting that on social networks is cheaper than producing television adds and in many cases will allow the company to reach more people than it would be able to with traditional advertising methods. I love the way the article works toward sticking it to the man (the man being the large corporations with the deepest pockets) and focusing on how smaller and less developed firms are able to spread their message over social media. I also would have never thought about how LGBT activist groups could use social media to work around a media center that is restricted by government. Paying for television ads is expensive and endorsing athletes and celebrities to promote your company can cost just as much. Opening a twitter account is free! I believe that at some point, once big business uses social media to promote themselves too heavily it will eventually become less beneficial. After too many ads, social media users will become indifferent to them, scrolling right over them without reading its content. Once consumers become annoyed by the ads this social media advertising revolution will either come to an end or will need a makeover. Until then, keep sticking it to the man!
I haven't been watching the Olympics very much. The only one I did get a chance to see was the figure skating. I found the article interesting that a lot of companies have underestimated the power of social media. Those who had taken advantage of social media, like McDonald's, having to re-think their approach do to activists is really concerning.
I think social media is where people can express their thoughts about anything. Using social media marketing is dangerous for the companies because it usually bring back negative results. I prefer to use video clips, or banner, or something that avoid talking to consumers. I think the purpose of marketing in the Olympic is letting people recognize the brand name, so let them see the videos or banners.
Both women and African Americans had to advocate through extraordinary ways to be seen as equal. As sad as it may be, many people were physically harmed and psychologically degraded during the process. Now, in today's age, it is interesting to see how the LGBT community is petitioning for equality. Social networking has opened an avenue for people to peacefully protest for their rights in a meaningful, and life altering way. Individuals can start a movement through an online resource, without having to stand in picket lines, or be beaten down by authority figures, all the while ruining the brands of corporations which have such a large say in today's society.
Everyday more and more people sign up for social media sites. I think advertising during the olympics is a great way to get the product/company out there. I do believe that social media has a better way of reaching consumers for the simple fact that people are always on social websites.
This article frustrates me because it reminds me of when a similar issue was raised with Chick-Fil-A (where I work). I'm not a big McDonald's expert, but I feel as though they probably don't have an "anti-gay" stance most of the time. The fact that their participation in ads during the Olympics leads LGBT activists to draw that conclusion is ridiculous to me. I feel that activists realize the power of advertising and that's why they attack companies to get their message across themselves. Sure, you can argue that "if you're not a part of the solution, you're a part of the problem" on an individual level, but I don't think this applies to corporations from the marketing standpoint.
I think its a smart move to advertise in general during the Olympics because so many people are watching and I think the reason LGBT is trying so hard to get attention during the olypmics is because Russia is very against homosexuals along with many other countries. Even though the US is not comepletely for being gay we still have a few states that are open to it. I am on the activists side, its their life and they should have support from their country for what ever sexual preference they have and the US shouldn't be ashamed of the rest of the world to know we have homosexuals welcome in our country.
Regarding the social media with the Olympics, as opposed endorsed ads, the amount of money being paid to these athletes and the amount of air time that the commercials are getting is ridiculous. When compared to just how many people are logged on every day for hours on Facebook (and other sites) and seeing the same amount of non-endorsed ads! It’s amazing how popular social media is getting, and free too. Yes, as some said they just skip over them, but the same goes for anyone getting up and getting a drink when the commercials come on. However, we tend to read what's in front of us, it’s human nature, we absorb. And for those in protest, we do see, read, and hear what they are saying as well.
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
Using the Olympics to promote a product is a great idea. There are many people around the world watching the events and obviously many people are going to see the comercials that are playing between the events. It was also a very smart move to use the athletes in the commericals because it relates the product to the Olypics even more so. One brand that I was very suprised to see not make good use of the opportunity of the Olympics was Swiffer. While watching a curling event, I thought to myself, "Man, Swiffer could make a good commercial out of the sweepers on the ice to promote their swiffer mops." Perhaps better luck to swiffer in another 4 years
After reading this post, I don't think it's fair that companies who were trying to promote the Olympics were punished for something they had no control over - the location of the Olympics. While it makes sense that activists were looking for a way to get their thoughts heard, it's perhaps the fault of the companies for taking advantage of "customizable" methods of marketing, such as creating an Olympic Coca-Cola can. Capitalizing on the RIGHT marketing strategy during the Olympics is also important, and this may be the fault of the companies for not utilizing appropriate strategies.
I love sports in general so of course I'm always excited for the Olympics, because it gives me a reason to watch sports every day. I think that using the Olympics for marketing and advertising is a great idea, because not only are you promoting your company or product, but you're also showing support for your country. However, when companies like McDonalds and Coke experienced the backlashing of the LGBT community, I was very surprised. I understand why the activists lashed back at the companies, but you can't blame them for wanting to promote their product. In my opinion, just because they're supporting the Olympics doesn't mean they're supporting Russia's decisions concerning LGBT rights. It's a very controversial topic and these things make it hard for companies to advertise using social media, although it may be one of the best and least expensive ways to advertise.
Social media has made it way easier to both praise and criticize brands. I hope the marketing people for McDonald's and Coke weren't shocked at the backlash; if they were, they are way out of touch with society. This was one of the most controversial host sites for the Olympics in recent memory, and there was bound to be some backlash from LGBT activists and others powered by the reach and convenience of social media.
I think it was weak for McDonald's and Coke to pull their strategies and basically admit that it was a bad idea; I'm sure there were at least some feel-good thoughts in those posts, and the Winter Olympics only lasted 2 weeks.
I agree with @Patrick Kline....social media is the wild west of advertising, with brands having very little control over how their strategies are used.
I personally did not watch the Olympics at all. However, I heard from almost everyone I know that they watched the Winter Olympics A LOT. It would be a huge mistake for a company not to take advantage of the advertising opportunity they would have with the Winter Olympics. I definitely think these companies made a mistake! Also, with all the controversy surrounding the Olympics in Sochi, it would be important to be careful about what you do choose to advertise and say in the public eye.
It's very important for companies who are using social media to watch what they are saying. Companies such as Coca-cola, McDonald's, Proctor & Gamble, Visa were hurt by using social media sites during the Sochi Winter Olympics. LGTB activists fought against these companies with some of their support to the Olympics because of Russia's anti-LGTB laws. These companies had to pull in a lot of their campaigns because of how strongly people responded. Site like Facebook and Twitter can absolutely be used to praise a company but also can be used to take them down.
In the past, large corporations have been used to what I would call "one-sided advertising". The company would send a message through tv, radio, or print ad. Now companies are learning that their advertising efforts are open for immediate interaction from consumers. They have to be prepared for negative interaction and have a plan on how they will handle the situation.
Social media is about dialogue, business-to-customer, customer-to business, and customer-customer. Unlike selling an ad in the newspaper or putting one on TV, businesses who engage in social media have the opportunity to respond directly and immediately with feedback. People crave human connections and to be listened to, and businesses who want to be successful should capitalize on this.
Social media is making companies more accountable for their actions. They really have to make sure they are making the right choices about who they sponsor and etc. If they make the wrong choices it can get around very quickly and cause the company to lose business. For example, the article mentioned that LGBT activist caused McDonald's to get rid of a hash tag they created during the Olympics because McDonald's sponsored the Olympics held in an anti-gay Russia. I also think social media is making it harder for companies because they have to be politically correct all the time or people on social media will call them on it.
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