Social Media’s Mount Everest, Helping Toxic Brands

Branding

Social Media’s Mount Everest, Helping Toxic Brands

By Ken Burbary ⋅ January 13, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Filed Under case study, chris brogan, detroit lions, mack collier

During the past 6 months, I’ve talked and written a lot about how engaging in Social Media can help your brand. There can be numerous benefits. In fact, Social Media Maven Chris Brogan has already written what Social Media does best. And expert Mack Collier wrote a thoughtful article some time ago, describing how Dell has successfully integrated social media into its marketing communications and culture. Both are worth your time to read.

We’re delirious with Social Media mania right now. For good reason, in most cases. However, there is one important question that a brand needs to ask before jumping into Social Media. Is it right for my brand? How and where can it be useful for us? Translation: Does it make sense to engage in Social Media.

Sure, for many brands the answers may come easily. A strategy will emerge, tactics will follow. The excitement and energy that comes with entering a new channel will also.

However, what if you’re a toxic brand? What is your current brand perception is in the dumps? What if your current customers are your most bitter and harshest critics? What if your product is far inferior to the competition? How can Social Media help you under these circumstances (and I believe it can)?

What brand could I possibly be describing? Sadly, I’m using my favorite, and home town, NFL Franchise as my test subject. The Detroit Lions brand is at an all time low. They set an NFL record for the 2008-2009 season by losing every regular season game, finishing 0-16. Ticket sales are down. Home games are blacked out on local television because of it. The Lions franchise is the laughing stock of the league. And I, like many other thousands of fans, DO NOT LIKE IT. I’m a life long fan (I know, I know, spare the glutton for punishment jokes) and want to see them succeed, so much so that I’m devoting this time & energy to blogging about it.

I have my own ideas but am looking for your perspectives. I’m hoping to tap into the collective wisdom of the Social Media crowd, and answer these 3 questions:

How can the Detroit Lions effectively engage in Social Media to help improve their brand image?
How can the Detroit Lions effectively engage in Social Media to increase sales of tickets and merchandise?
How can the Detroit Lions effectively engage in Social Media to improve the relationship with their customers and fans?

Couldn’t this become the perfect case study? If Social Media can help save a brand like the Lions, lifting them out of the brand perception toilet, then one could argue the right Social Media strategy, integrated into an overall marketing strategy, could be a difference maker for any brand? And collectively, we have an opportunity to help make that happen.

I am VERY interested in hearing your input. Please share your ideas and opinions in the comments. With any luck, maybe…..just maybe…the Lions will be listening. And if they aren’t, I’ll do what is necessary to take the answers to their doorstep. Viva La Lions!

http://twitter.com/yoni yoni

frankly, at this point, the lions might best use social media to make organizational decisions. their current management is clearly not up to the task.
http://www.dix-eaton.com/blogs/measurementpr-spectives/ Chuck

Ken – a truly fascinating set of questions, but particularly for the sports fan! My knee jerk reaction is that the Lions brand reputation can really only be saved by one thing: winning more games.

Take a look at this study conducted by Turnkey Sports & Entertainment – http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/125987

What is the common thread amongst the top 10? They all have an AMAZING tradition of winning. Sure, the Lions had some good years with Barry Sanders but the pickings are slim beyond that.

Maybe they could do something similar to what other B2B and B2C brands do on Twitter – i.e. provide discounts for followers, and other special opportunities. Maybe have one of the players (perferably one of the better players – Calvin Johnson?) interact with the fans. Show the human side of these guys a little more. Show they are commited to winning in DETROIT. Anyway, just a quick take.
http://recruitingindustrybrandingandsourcing.blogspot.com/ David Benjamin

The Lions need to do what the Red Wings are doing, actually devote resources to social media. There are many things they could do: Allow the fans to get to know the personal side of players, coaches.

As for ticket sale increases, it comes down to winning and showing promise. Social media could do contests, give-aways, and special promotions. Economy is down, relate to the community and show that you understand, care, and are trying to do your part.
http://www.johnwphillips.com/ John Phillips

It's pretty challenging to answer those questions. This topic also came up on Twitter yesterday, but how can you improve the perception of the team if they really aren't getting better? Luckily for the Lions, the only way is up, but for fans of the team who watch them day in and out, I find it hard to believe that you can change peoples' perceptions when they see how bad the team is, and failing to improve. Wouldn't the Lions have to become a better playing team before perception changes?

In terms of engaging in social media, they need to find where people are talking about the Lions and communicate with those people. Give those people honest answers as to what is really going on with the Lions, from an internal perspective (as much as possible). People aren't dumb and they can see through when companies/organizations aren't being genuine about information.

Scott Monty is a good example of engaging with people and letting them know facts about Ford, and correcting peoples misconceptions. The Lions could use the same type of people. So that's a good starting point.
http://www.kenburbary.com Ken Burbary

Some good ideas for SM tactics to engage with fans in there. Outside of the Red Wings, have you seen any other professional sports teams doing so?
http://www.kenburbary.com Ken Burbary

@John – Ultimately, you're right. Without improving the core product with WINS, emphasizing on services that improve the micro-interactions with customers will be limited. That said, the Lions brand has such a tall mountain to climb, initiating and improving the micro-interactions could help a lot.
http://recruitingindustrybrandingandsourcing.blogspot.com/ David Benjamin

You'll always have those fans that will not embrace sm because all they care about is winning. To start, I would think the brand rep should focus on just getting to know the players. Make it non-confrontational, difficult to scorn. Everything would have to have a positive spin, good things that are happening.

You can never please all of the people and they shouldn't worry about that. There is an entire generation that has never seen a playoff or at best one playoff win. The team needs to build community-friendly equity, things that will take once the winning starts. The good news is that there is no where to go but up.
http://www.brandonchesnutt.com Brandon Chesnutt

(Poor Lions. They can't escape the wrath of anyone!)

Here is where I think the Lions can be successful with using social media.

Leverage bloggers: It seems that many professional sports organizations (I know the NHL is one for sure) are doing everything they can to extend their influence. And, one thing I do know, Detroit Lions fans are EXTREMELY passionate. The Lions should consider giving bloggers press credentials if they aren't already. Identify those key influencers and give them the same access and respect as the main stream media. It is those die hard fans which are going to help save the reputation of the organization.

Twitter – know it and love it: Red Wings are doing it. The Pistons are doing it. I bet we see the Tigers doing it too this next season. The Lions should devote resources to a Twitter handle and put someone in that seat that knows the game and understand social media. It would also work as a great tool for communicating ticket deals (ala @davebenjamin's suggestion) and clicks via Twitter to the sales process can be measured!

“Apology” application for Facebook? – ha… I'm just kidding… or am I?

Thanks for your insight Ken. Great topic!

Brandon
http://adamcohen.typepad.com adamcohen

Hey Ken – I recently put out a call on http://BigPapelbon.com to do the same thing for the Red Sox – almost the opposite problem. Passionate fans with a well loved brand. Jim Storer has a great comment there on a general theme of “access” – I'd argue that the Lions could benefit from the same. Being able to get access to players, inside the locker room, in the front office for interviews, photos, general content that fans couldn't get to any other way. While you'd say the Lions are a toxic brand, they have a very passionate fan base at the same time. I'm sure those fans have already developed communities, blogs, etc related to their beloved franchise. The Lions organization would need to differentiate itself and the first thing that comes to mind is the level of access. I'm sure there will be more to come and I'll pop back in to see this evolve. Great idea Ken.
http://www.johnwphillips.com/ John Phillips

This might be a good example of someone from a sports team engaging with fans: http://www.twitter.com/phoenixsunsgirl
http://www.kenburbary.com Ken Burbary

@David – How do you think the community will react? With more scorn or by embracing the brand representative?
jstorerj

Adam beat me to the punch, but I'd argue that all sports teams (even successful teams) could boost their popularity (and bottom line) by opening up more to fans. The one example I didn't mention in the comment mentioned above is pitching mound conversations (or the football equivalent… sideline conversations during a timeout). You don't need to make it available in game (although that would be cool) for fans to derive value. Record the audio and make it (or the transcript) available along with commentary from the coach and/or players involved. That would be fascinating!

Jim | @jstorerj
http://scalableintimacy.com miketrap

As a lifelong Patriots fan, I feel your pain. When I was a kid we were where you are… and look what happened

Anyway, my thoughts:

1. How can the Detroit Lions effectively engage in Social Media to help improve their brand image?
By reaching out to them. Others feel as you do – diehard fans of the team abandoned by their friends and ridiculed by outsiders. There's an emotional core to build on, you just need to create a place where these folks can interact with one another, or complain in a forum that doesn't make them feel disloyal.

2. How can the Detroit Lions effectively engage in Social Media to increase sales of tickets and merchandise?
Once you've collected that group, help them understand that logo merchandise is the way to bring their membership in this persecuted minority into the physical world. Viva la revolucion!

3. How can the Detroit Lions effectively engage in Social Media to improve the relationship with their customers and fans?
BY EXPLAINING THE PLAN TO TURN THINGS AROUND AND WIN. Content strategy is the foundation of social strategy, and in the end, this is what these people want.

Good luck. But Go Pats.

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