Life at Oak Grove

As I go through the 100 Personal Branding Tactics article that is included in my Social Media course, I started thinking about the numerous companies who are using the social media for promotion.

Take Aunt Jemima for example. Everyone has seen it on the shelves at the grocery store. Personally, I don’t recall trying it but it has been an icon for many families for years. In this time of technological advancement, the company has recently decided to launch a social media campaign on facebook and twitter. The campaign involves a series of videos where employees describe the homemade process of creating the product. Talk about making the product personal for people. The word homemade is probably the key ingredient in this whole campaign.

Other companies are following suit. I have heard/saw many campaigns on the facebook world in the past few months. Mostly limited to the US. But in the past week, I have heard of two Canadian campaigns going on.

Swiss Chalet has launched his Rotisserie Channel on facebook and on Rogers Channel 208. Based on the fireplace channel where you could watch a fireplace all day long on television, Swiss Chalet has decided to create a Rotisserie Channel where you watch chickens getting cook for a period of time. If you are patient enough to wait longer, you will receive an offer code which will give you …. But beware a new offer code is released each day and an expiry date is attached to the offer. So if you feel like watching chickens turning in front of you for 2 minutes or more. Hop over to the Swiss Chalet website and get your offer code.

The other campaign is from a very popular chain of restaurant for the promotion of the Free Coffee campaign. McDonald’s is at it again. All you have to do is like their facebook page and follow their instruction! It is as simple as the click of your mouse...

I suspect that more and more companies will take advantage of instantaneous marketing with the social media.   After all, offering offers like rebates or free samples on facebook will attrack consumers and is definitevely cheaper on the marketing budget than spending thousands of dollars to put advertising on billboards.   Mind you, I don't see the day where a company will only advertize on the social media just yet.

My question today for you is: What do you think of these new initiative of marketing that Canadian companies are putting in place?   Are you finding this interesting or will you stay away from it knowing that facebook might share your personal information with these companies?