Is the term “Social Business” relevant, or just more jargon? Geoff Livingston posed this question on Twitter recently and suggested I blog about it when evidently I was the only taker in favor of the term. I am a huge fan, and here’s why.
Social strategy can operate at different levels within an organization:
“Social media” strategy suggests that social plays a small, supporting role — just another media channel. This mentality is from whence where one-way “push” messaging and lame Twitter promotions are born.
“Social marketing” conveys that social has a more significant seat at the table — could impact product plans, pricing, distribution, not just promotion.
“Social business”, at the highest level, communicates “This is an organization that gives a damn. Social responsibility and social communication are at the heart of what we do.” This might not be exactly how others are defining it, but this is how I think it should be used.
Now, take three brands/companies, one functioning at each level. Which do you think is going to have the greatest success using social media channels? BINGO. The one that actually gives a damn.
Take Ben & Jerry’s as an example. Even though they are owned by Unilever, they have, in my opinion both as a consumer and as a marketer, retained their soul. Here’s a nice video interview of Walt Freese, the company’s Chief Euphoria officer, talking about how they have done so.
Instead of having one trite mission statement, the company has three – product, economic, and social – that ring true. This is their social mission: “To operate the company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life locally, nationally and internationally.”
So, when a true Social Business like Ben & Jerry’s launches a Social Marketing or Social Media effort – like changing the name of Chubby Hubby to Hubby Hubby in celebration of Vermont gay marriage (Mashable article on that here) what happens?
Magic. Because it’s strategic. It’s real. It’s talkable. It’s legitimately social, not faux or contrived social.
Best Buy’s Twelpforce is an example I have seen used to define “Social Business”. And while I think their Social Marketing programs like Blue Shirt Nation and Twelpforce are solid, I do not truly think of them as a Social Business. They are doing Social for Marketing purposes, not doing Business with a Social purpose. Likewise, Dell, Zappos, other organizations where social marketing runs through the veins and arteries of the organization, but social values don’t really lie at the heart of it.
The definition of social business – where the line is – is highly debatable. I’m still thinking that through for myself and would value your thoughts. But personally, I do not think whether or not Social Business matters is all that debatable.
Having fun and brand personality matter, too. Stop by Ben & Jerry’s website. There are an awful lot of brands out there that could learn a lot from this one, on many many levels.
This proves that companies that are dabbling in social marketing need to have a story that is “socially marketable” in order to be successful. Too many companies want you to offer them a social media solution when the real solution has nothing to do with social marketing and everything to do with “What are you doing that people actually want to hear about above and beyond the same old shit?” If a company has something worth sharing, then by all means, jump in. If not, stop clogging my feed. I will un-follow you faster than you can say “shill.”
Nick,
Very well said as always. I think, in some cases, agencies have to start being this candid with our clients about social media. I saw some research reported in Ad Age yesterday that “teens” are starting to hide on Facebook and not read their news feeds because it is clogged with much faux-social BS. Non-social content can kill the social channel.
Peace. Sue
Sue, you’ve done a great job of drawing the distinction between co’s that use social media and companies that practice social business. Ben and Jerry’s show that they care about and are involved in the community and the world around them. The renaming of Chubby Hubby was a bold, brilliant move that will only endear them to their customers. In fact, that’s how you turn customers into true fans.
The brands that are going to win in today & tomorrow’s marketplace are the ones who stop being so corporate. The key, as you said, is: Have fun, show personality, — and I’ll add, show that you give a hoot about the people/community that you serve.
Kat, yay, I love it when really smart people agree with me. I feel so validated
(I also love it when they disagree with me, of course, so I can learn.) “Stop being so corporate” – yes. yes. yes. It’s such a huge win-win when companies actually care. I just read the Lorax this morning to my son – remember that book? If you haven’t read it in a while, it’s an awesome Dr. Seuss tale of lack of corporate responsibility…even the Lorax would be proud of Ben & Jerry’s.
What’s your favorite flavor, BTW? I’m a Coffee Toffee Crunch fanatic.
Thanks for visiting.
Sue
Hi Sue!
Don’t know if you’ve seen this post on Harvard Business Publishing by John Quelch on How Corporate Responsibility Can Survive the Recession. http://bit.ly/4c0H6O
Your post and this article got me thinking: Is Corporate Responsibility or Social Business when done in a value-based, genuine and authentic “we give a damn” mentality the ultimate corporate elixir that is potentially recession proof?
You also got me thinking in another direction. Having just left Corporate America marketing to work on the non-profit side I’m struck, after reading your post, that non-profits have an advantage over their corporate counterparts – non-profits’ currency is Social Business – yet they struggle to raise funds and win hearts and minds. Is the non-profit world so strident and so sure about the causes we believe in that we’ve overlooked basic business principles? Perhaps some partnerships between Corporate America and Philanthropic America might yield a more powerful elixir.
Thanks for another brilliant post Sue!
Linda Neff
Linda, thanks for sharing the article – really interesting. So not only are there levels of social, there are levels within social business. Very true. To your point, I for one think that yes, CR or social business is the ultimate elixir for many ailments, from recessionary economics to raging consumer apathy.
And yes, non-profits do have a leg up in social – I’ve been surprised to not see more high profile and truly substantive corporate partnerships. If you spot any – or create any – do share, and I’ll do the same. Always appreciate your solid input.
Sue, such a deliciously compelling example of “social business!” You got me where it matters by choosing Ben & Jerry’s, (Favorite flavor: Coffee Heath™Bar Crunch, Coffee English Toffee now retired.)
Social media and social marketing are intrinsically organic to social business: I love this 30-year-old anecdote from their archives in which they find natural medium for viral conversation: With ice cream and invitations to their make-shift “drive-in”–films projected on the wall of their first scoop shop–the community came, word spread, and the company profited, social roots firmly planted.
Marriage of convenience or soulmates?: Unilever’s recent leadership in promoting real social innovation over defensive CSR validates Freese’s suggestion that a congruence of vision was and remains important, and that the acquisition was intrinsically organic for both. It enabled growth for the acquired from “social entrepreneur” to global commercial “social business” while reinforcing the parent’s own value-driven commitment to social accountability.
About what we do and why: your post reminded me much of a favorite Hugh Macleod’s cartoon, inspired by the “Cluetrain Manifesto,” called, “The market for something to believe in is infinite,” which you undoubtedly know as well as the text he wrote shortly afterwards, his own “HughTrain Manifesto.” It begins:
“We are here to find meaning. We are here to help other people do the same. Everything else is secondary. We humans want to believe in our own species. And we want people, compa¬nies and products in our lives that make it easier to do so. That is human nature.”
Last year, revisiting the art and text he wrote:
“If I have succeeded in marketing in the past, the more I think about it, the more I realize that it was not some form of marketing genius on my part. It was simply because, on some level, I gave a damn.” ( http://bit.ly/14A0M5 )
For me at least, that’s the context that gives social marketing meaning beyond the numbers.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Diane, thank you for the comment. It’s obvious you put a lot of intelligent thought into it and I know you said in a tweet you are studying social business so I suspect we can learn a lot together. It’s definitely something I plan to watch closely, so if you see good new examples, please let me know. Actually, while I have seen some Hugh Mcleod, I was not familiar with the cartoon or these quotes. Thank you so much for sharing them with me – GREAT stuff!
Sue