Are organisations being held back in their social media outreach by fear of attack? This may be the case according to the PRCA survey results.
When asked about the reasons behind their organisation’s social media presence, most in house PR respondents cite driving awareness (85%) as the main purpose. Unsurprising considering the millions of potential consumers who can be reach through the ever expanding social networks.
However, fear of reputational attacks may be a barrier to communication. 12% of companies citied fear of attack from campaigners as a reason why they are not using social media more often – a whopping rise of 9% from the previous year.
Consider this – It is now all too easy to hide behind the screen and vent opinions. Is this a reflection of the anonymity these platforms offer, or perhaps the fact consumers’ growing cynicism towards brands and their marketing tactics?
You might have thought that big brands would have learned their lesson by now – even the best ideas can get away from you when social media users get their hands on them.

Getting a pizza the action

Domino’s recently called off a promotion in Russia that offered 100 free pizzas per year for 100 years to fans who agreed to get a tattoo of the brand’s logo and share it on social media.
A franchisee launched the stunt to drive social media traffic but the pizza chain pulled the promotion after it escalated in scale – about 350 people got a logo tattoo and qualified for the free pizzas.
That consumers would go to such permanent lengths for free pizza for life could be an indication that Domino’s has some serious fans in Russia — or that tattoos aren’t a big deal for some, but free pizza is. Mostly, the social media promotion is an indication of how brands can take their marketing stunts a little too far and possibly harm a brand’s reputation – an important lesson in an era where the tendency is for brands to be less risk-averse.
Marketers often embrace gimmicks to drum up social media traffic and garner media attention, which they hope will translate into sales. The Domino’s tattoo promotion may have boosted social media engagement, but the franchise could now take a hit with having to serve so many free pizzas. Not to mention, the brand may generate bad will by pulling the offer.

Social media success

The truth is, social media — when used strategically over time — is one the most powerful communication channels. But it’s not a magic bean that grows overnight into business success. It’s a platform for real work.
Here’s where PR comes in. With careful planning, robust messaging and solid business awareness, it can work. The art is knowing the best places to put that work so you get results. Want to know more? Chat to one of our team!