Social Media had undoubtedly changed the way consumers are exposed to brand messages. In the span of our lifetime no other aspect of business has changed as drastically as marketing. From the traditional “push” method, where marketers and advertisers interrupt our television shows with commercials, and place flashy ads in magazines, to the new interactive method where consumers have the ability to directly interact with companies through vehicles such as Facebook, and Twitter. Companies have had to adapt to more savvy consumers, and people who want more out of what there is to offer in a traditional marketing sense. David Meerman Scott emphasizes the need for companies to supply consumers with more meaningful content, rather than just a traditional one-way advertising. 

One industry that has experienced astounding growth in the past few years has been craft beer. Perhaps you have seen an advertisement for Blue Moon, or Sam Adams, but those are only two of the 2,100+ breweries operating in the United States. Those two brands are some of the largest players in the craft beer market and have the ability to launch national, traditional advertising campaigns. What about everyone else? Well they turn to social media! And as it turns out, craft beer drinkers tend to be more active and savvy with social media.

Take, well, the 61 breweries operating in North Carolina alone! None of these breweries have the ability to launch advertising campaigns like the larger national craft beer brands, so they have turned to social media to interact with their customers.  The North Carolina Brewer’s Guild is an association that collectively represents and markets NC breweries and craft beer events. Through Facebook and Twitter, the NC Brewers Guild has been promoting the idea of local craft beer and encouraging “Beer Tourism,” and it’s easy to see how that could be done in North Carolina. 

Now with 61 different breweries operating within this state they all must cater their social media techniques so that they can differentiate themselves. In a blog post from Mr. Scott dating back to 2008, he tells readers that marketers must craft marketing techniques like their beer. If one does a little research, it is easy to see what themes breweries use to differentiate themselves. It may also take a little knowledge about beer to understand all the techniques used, but if one simply peruses the websites of NC breweries it is easy to see the themes they use to differentiate themselves from one another. 

This week we have continued learning about non-profit marketing, and how these organizations face different challenges when it comes to getting their message out or even selling their products like ABAN. One of the main ways for an organization to get its message across is through what we have learned in sales classes as an Elevator Pitch, or as David Williams says: Elevator Test.

In the care of non-profits, the Elevator Test is simply a brief and concise statement that tells someone the organizations name, what kind of organization you are, who your program serves or aids, what social problem you are addressing or trying to eliminate, how you differentiate yourself from others, and why anyone should even care about your cause. The last one may seem a little blunt, but you have to remember that certain people will find your cause relevant to them, while others will simply not care. Non-profits must be able to sum up this information in a concise, coherent statement in order to gain support and funding.

Another portion of Mr. Williams’ article told readers about the differences between non-profit marketing and non-profit communications. Mr. Williams did a wonderful job explaining the difference. Marketing, for a non-profit, starts with the customer. Using a “pull” strategy, a non-profit marketer will attempt to steer consumers in the direction they want. Communications, on the other hand, uses a push strategy. Communications activities will push a message or data out in an attempt to win over customers or donations to help out the cause.

When the time comes to design and implement a marketing and communications strategy, one must look back on the basics. Audience, message, and vehicle are the most basic and the most important. Like I said earlier, you must find the way to best identify the people who will care most about your cause. Without people to support you, your cause isn’t going anywhere. Next is your message. Your message serves as a call to action. You can motivate people to support your cause through an effective message. Finally, the vehicle that delivers your message must be effective as well.  If you don’t chose the right channels to funnel your message down, then you might as well give up. What’s the point of even running an organization if the people you want to reach out to aren’t getting your message.

What exactly comes to mind when you think of a company’s corporate image or their brand image? Could it be Coca Cola’s distinctive red cans, or GE’s slogan “Imagination at Work?” These examples both play a role in shaping the companies’ images but do not embody the companies’ entire image.  Much more goes into an image than what may be immediately apparent. 

-Crow p.24

This quote by our book author dives a little deeper into the idea of brand image. The part of the quote “what the company stands for” is a loaded statement. There aren’t too many companies, if any at all, that will outright say what they stand for. A person looking for an answer to this statement is likely to have to draw a conclusion based on what they already know about a particular organization, especially if that person has no previous exposure to the brand itself. Traditionally people would have turned to commercials, or word-of-mouth to better understand a brand, but in the age of fast information, the internet, and social media consumers have many more options to get information about their brand.

“One thing I learned from my days in traditional advertising is that a brand doesn’t exist on shelves—it exists in the hearts and minds of people.”

-Murthy, WSJ**

People now have the ability to become familiar with a brand on their own terms. No longer is it commercials telling you what to think about their goods or services, but now its one’s fellow consumers who engage in social interaction via Facebook, and Twitter that have almost more power over a company’s image than the company itself.

“Habitat is a wonderful organization. They contribute so much to the community and directly improve the lives of those who they help. Also, the Habitat model has been applied to other countries from a variety of different organizations.”

“The Red Cross does so much, in so many places to improve the lives of people affected by a wide range of disasters. Whether it’s providing disaster relief to hurricane victims, or running blood drives for local hospitals the Red Cross has been and will continue to be one of the best non-profits in the country.”

“The concept of Goodwill is something that has always been appealing to me. Giving used clothing a second chance rather than just throwing it away is good for the environment. Discounted clothing goes to benefit those who cannot afford to shop at traditional stores. And the jobs created at the stores give people the opportunity to gain work experience.”

**http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703791504575079151291532366.html