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Consumer choice is determined by so much more than just brand advertising today, and as people’s communication preferences evolve, brands also need to adapt.
Social media has kicked open the doors for customers to make their voices heard like never before – something that presents both a challenge and opportunity for brands.
Reddit, in partnership with Campaign, brought together senior media leaders into a roundtable conversation at CES in Las Vegas to discuss how brands do just that.
Information overload
Consumer trust has shifted to a greater reliance on the wisdom of the crowd - even if the crowd includes brands. And in some sectors, such as healthcare, authority can be vested as much in individuals as in governments or corporations.
Making sense of who to trust is tough. But David Mataranglo, CEO at Kinesso US, believes it presents a great opportunity for brands to insert themselves into online communities and provide clarity and an additional voice. “[Consumers] need a trustworthy source in these spaces to reduce clutter and to help us move forward.”
Users looking for answers they can trust are turning to platforms like Reddit to hear from real humans who are passionate and knowledgeable. Brands can earn a place as a trusted source of information there, but they can't simply buy an audience. They must contribute meaningfully.
“If brands can be relevant to what people are talking about, and speak in their language, it’s really powerful,” said Matt Simpson, EVP chief digital officer at Omnicom Media Group Global. However, it’s easy to get it wrong in a high risk, high reward environment and brands have to step carefully.
Liz Vance, chief client officer at iProspect US, recommends keeping the message simple. “Consumers need clear, concise messaging – and visuals – to ensure creative is seen, heard, and understood,” she said. “Creative that isn’t clear and easy adds to the consumer’s very congested cognitive load.”
Reviews rule
Getting consumers onside with advocacy is now one of the most crucial parts of marketing. Reviews are the first port of call for many shoppers.
“The reviews on a product page are the most important thing after price and availability,” said Ali Amarsy, chief strategy officer at Digitas US. “Reddit is the comments section of the internet and [for a brand] to not be there - to not address it, to not let [engagement] thrive and have both sides of the coin - would be as detrimental as turning off ratings and reviews for a product detail page, which essentially would kill sales.”
It is also an opportunity to really connect with consumers at a deep level. “For other platforms it’s all about me,” said Simpson. “But this is all about us - it’s community - and I think that really does give a brand a different way of being able to conduct a conversation.”
A case in point: the Digitas social team unearthed a Crocs fan’s comment about how crazy it would be if the brand - a Digitas client - made a cowboy boot. Crocs ran with the idea and the product is now available.
“It was like a love letter back to the Crocs fan to say, ‘you think you're crazy, we’re just as crazy’,” said Amarsy.
Don’t panic – talk
Savvy brands are developing a more nuanced approach to social. Whereas they might have been panicked into action by negative feedback a few years ago, they now realise that they can confront issues head on to build relationships, fix things or change the conversation.
Hershey responded to complaints online about Peanut Butter Cups having no peanut butter in them with a limited edition, deconstructed Peanut Butter Cup Kit which thrilled fans and generated a ton of approving media coverage.
Using the right tone, real language and an unpolished approach to lean into a conversation can pay dividends.
Balancing act
Presenting in an authentic way in communities where respect has to be earned can be seen as daunting for marketers.
“The number one question I get from agencies and brands is how do we show up in an authentic way,” said Alex Underwood, global head of agency development at Reddit. “Oftentimes I say: be a human first and be a brand second. A brand can bring a lot to the conversation if it shows up in a normal way.”
Within the influencer space, brands have to pick the right partners to be their voice. They can give talent guidelines, but they can’t dictate or the content won’t resonate with the audience that follows them day to day.
But, in fact, new research finds that conversation is becoming an important influencer during the purchase journey, with 42% of social media users surveyed finding Reddit more valuable in a purchase decision than all other forms of recommendation.
To Underwood’s point, it is possible for brands to show up authentically and still to keep aligned to their own brand values. And brands don’t need to force themselves to be part of a conversation that doesn’t feel natural to them. It’s OK to acknowledge that sometimes it is not the right place for your brand.
It’s also important for brands to pick their moments. Not every conversation needs a brand to chip in, said Chloe Pastore, president, creator solutions, Publicis Media Exchange (PMX) US. “Consumers expect authenticity from the brands they know and trust and being in the spaces they need, with relevance, will further strengthen a brand’s connection to their audience.”
Turn it up
According to Brandwatch research for Reddit, only 3% of feedback on the channel moves outside of the community, which shows paid media could have a valuable role in amplifying a message beyond the community. If a message tracks well with an audience then brands should take the opportunity to scale it.
Listen up
Ultimately, nothing is more valuable for brands than the unfiltered voice of consumers that comes through on social platforms.
“We’ve talked about the quality of conversation [on Reddit] a lot, and that's not typical when you talk about digital channels and platforms,” said Amanda Grant, EVP, global head of partnerships at Choreograph Global. “It's an opportunity because the richness of conversation is there."
That richness is also powered by redditors’ anonymity. “Feedback is a gift that is very hard to get in many cases,” said Pastore. “What I appreciate about the anonymous audience of Reddit is that it takes that layer of the person out and it makes it about the feedback. When it’s just about the facts vs. the emotion, audiences are more receptive to sharing their thoughts in a helpful manner. That makes it much easier and simpler for us to have those conversations with our clients, with our partners and oftentimes with ourselves.”
That’s a conversation that’s sure to drive decisions.
From left to right: Alex Underwood, global head of agency development, Reddit; Shauna Lewis, moderator, deputy media editor, Campaign; David Mataranglo, chief executive officer, Kinesso US; Amanda Grant, EVP global head of partnerships, Choreograph Global; Matt Simpson, EVP chief digital operations officer, Omnicom Media Group Global; Chloe Pastore, creator solutions, Publicis Media Exchange (PMX) US; Ali Amarsy, chief strategy officer, Digitas US.