Oops! New Media Strategies Sacked Over Chrysler Tweet

[Laurie Halter]

Chris - I agree with you. Chrysler could have spun it even more in their favor. The Red Cross example is a great one.

 

[Laurie Halter]

Ed- Great, GREAT comments. Yes, I by far prefer to have the heads of a company have their own presence on social media, blogs, Twitter, Facebook etc. I think the people at the top are the epitomy of a dealership or company brand. We help facilitate ideas for posts and monitor Twitter and other sites for content and responses, but we believe fimly in having company and marketing execs be themselves on social sites. Afterall, that's the point, right?

 

[Jeff Kershner]

Ed, I enjoyed your comment. It's all Top down.

"This lesson translates to the dealer level as well. Does it mean there is no place for agencies or PR firms? Not at all. But it does mean that dealer management should have a high level engagement and involvement."

A high level engagement, involvement and the willingness to learn more than they already know.

 

[Ed Brooks]

Ed Garsten gave an interview to Diva Marketing Blog yesterday. Mr. Garsten confirmed that their (now ex) agency was hired be Chrysler's voice on Twitter. There was apparently a bit of a struggle between Communications and Marketing. Marketing won and contracted out the twitter account to an agency. Mr. Garsten sounds none too happy about that.

Conversely, tweets from @Ford are generated mostly by two folks, @ScottMonty Digital Communications & @AHall32 Technology Communications, with occasional help from their agency team.

Is there a lesson here about keeping a tight rein on your digital voice? I think there is.

You can find the interview here: http://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com...ntry-or-unplugged-from-social-media-dur.html?

 

[Laurie Halter]

Just wanted to post a quick follow up to this post with a video clip of the fired tweeter. I feel so badly for him, but still stand behind my earlier comments and agree with Ed above - a company must be responsible for their own voice online.

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www.v3im.com

 

[Toby Bloomberg]

Ed - Thanks for the shout out about Ed Garsten's interview on Diva Marketing. What I continue to find ironic is that if we agree that "the person who holds the conversation holds the relationship" why would a brand, any brand, willing to give up that critical customer face time? To say it "costs too much" is a cop out. What a huge missed opportunity .. reinforces that agencies and so many clients don't get social media. Why not just put up a web page or another ad?

 

[Ed Brooks]

Great question Toby; "...why would a brand, any brand, willing to give up that critical customer face time?" I have another question; why would any company put their Twitter account solely in the hands of Marketing - in-house or subbed out? For most big companies Marketing handles the long-term messaging, creates campaigns, devises promotions, etc. Whereas Communications handles the immediate; company news, public relations, crisis communications, etc.

The immediacy of Twitter lends itself to being much more a Communications tool than a Marketing tool. That said, the occasional marketing message about a promotion may very well be in order. So doesn't it make sense to give both departments access to the account?

 

[Toby Bloomberg]

Ed .. I guess what we do is redefine "marketing." I once heard Phil Kotler speak and what he said has colored my perspective of marketing "meeting the needs of your customer at a profit." So if that's true a customer's Twitter need differs from her need to "play with the brand" in terms of gaming social promotions.

The other question that begs for an answer is what you alluded to .. How should social be structured w/in an enterprise esp one as large as a Chrysler? Is it a across functional activity led by a team? Does Marketing hold the keys but other areas execute? Should there be a Chief of Social Media? For each organization the answer will be different. What I do know is that social media impacts every single aspect of the enterprise and esp so those that have direct customer contact. To make it work silos have to be opened. And that my friend, is not as easy as it seems.

Will get off my soap box