The Fuss Over FIFA

GOAAAAAAAAAAL!

Did you know that team Brazil, Germany, Argentina and England were not allowed by their coaches to access New Social Media in this year’s FIFA World Cup? Their coaches thought that tweeting about the game or reading tweets about the game was going to ruin the focus of the players and would only add to the anxiety of the players. But while many FIFA players diffused themselves from the social media, FIFA fans and spectators did quite the opposite.

Celebrating Culture, Connecting People

Shakira’s Waka Waka, the FIFA World Cup 2010 official theme song is nearing 99 million hits on YouTube! Soccer fans and enthusiasts from all over the world flocked the new social media in the hype of FIFA World Cup 2010. Even countries who didn’t have representatives to the said football competition cheered for the FIFA players.

FIFA Lanyards

During my first year in college, almost everyone had a FIFA lanyard. But now, soccer enthusiasts have taken their mania to a whole new level. That is, through the New Social Media. Some of my Facebook contacts were posting photos of Cristiano Ronaldo, changing their profile pictures to images of soccer players, even posting cheers for their favorite FIFA teams. Fans were going to their Twitter accounts to celebrate victories, whine over defeats, or maybe rejoice over the hotness of soccer players.

Opportunity for Brand Awareness

Two words: Trending topics. Who would have thought that Vuvuzela, an African instrument would top Twitter’s trending topics for weeks? YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are doing Shakira’s Waka Waka with all these Football fans getting high on the FIFA hype. But soccer fans and enthusiasts weren’t the only ones who flocked to the new social media because of FIFA. Brands and advertisers have long been preparing for this. This sports event has provided big brands the opportunity to maximize New Social Media to get their names out there. We have Nike with

We have Adidas with

We have VISA

 

Potential for Sports and the New Social Media

Malaysian version of Coca-Cola’s FIFA World Cup 2010 campaign

FIFA World Cup 2010 is only one of the big occasions that open up opportunities to build brand awareness internationally. NBA is another. Now, brands and advertisers in the Philippines should learn from these tactics. They can take use sports events whether local or international, to take steps and capitalize on new social media for brand promotion. :)

Now let’s Waka Waka! :>

What Would Chuck Do

Let me start this post with a premise…

THE PREMISE:

Organizations know that communication should be about knowing when to say what to say to who through the most effective and efficient way possible and listening through the most effective and efficient way possible. :)

Now the proposition…

THE PROPOSITION:

Organizations must learn three things from the Nerd Herd. :>

Chuck? Nerd herd? Wait, what?!

Chuck Bartowski, the full-time Nerd Herd-er turned part-time Nerd Herd-er full-time CIA secret spy

Chuck is a Nerd Herd-er (who accidentally absorbs CIA’s government secrets through an e-mail sent by his ex-pal from college [ex-pal because he stole Chuck’s girlfriend] who turns out to be a CIA agent).

The Nerd Herd is the technical support team of Buy More (Nerd Herd because well, they are a herd of nerds, amusing ones at that!). Buy More is the fictional department store in the TV show Chuck.

Buy More's Nerd Herd plus Morgan, a sales associat and their Manager

So what does Chuck and the Nerd Herd have to do with organizational communication and New Social Media? It seems kinda far-fetched that organizations have something to learn from Chuck and the Nerd Herd especially that they’re fictional characters from an action-comedy show, but it will (IT SHOULD!) make sense as you read on. O:)

What to take note from a Nerd Herd-er: :>

1. Getting techie. Them Nerd Herd-ers sure know their gadgets well. And why shouldn’t they? They are the technical support team!

So? It’s time for organizations to get techie! Technology offers tremendous opportunities for communication between organizations and their audiences and they don’t even require expertise. Organizations don’t have to be like the Nerd Herd-ers. They can start by familiarizing themselves with the technology available to them then tinker (with caution!) with them for a little bit. I did mention that effective communication involves utilizing THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE, yes? And what more efficient medium is there than the New Social Media? :)

2. Convenience for customers. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Herder. With the Herder Mobile, Nerd Herd-ers can easily go to their customers whenever a trouble arises.

The Herder Mobile

So? No you silly! Organizations don’t need their own Herder Mobiles to respond to their audiences. New Social Media is making way for convenient communication between organizations and their audiences. Consumers for example can readily reach out to organizations as organizations can readily respond to them.  O:) Organizations also need to devise their own response mechanism in the world of New Social Media to reply to their audiences. This is not just about effectiveness and efficiency, it’s about responsiveness. ;)

3. Tailored assistance. Nerd Herd-ers get different calls from different customers. Some need help in setting up their computers, some need help in installing their home theater, but whatever the need is, a Nerd Herd-er knows how to get the job done.

So? When it comes to communication, organizations must know what to say to whom. The content, style and medium of a message must always depend on their target audience. When it comes to communicating during a crisis, it is even more critical.

The Dream Team

I believe that combining the premise and the proposition with the Wiki principles will create every organization’s dream team. Coupling openness to technology and input, peering and sharing technology and information, and acting globally with the execution of the basic principle of communication and Nerd Herd tips would step up any organization’s competitive advantage and value. O:)

PS. Y’all have to watch Chuck! O:>

Behold the Slinky

My favorite toy (Oh Slinky you had me since I was six!). My model for the Social Media. :) The Slinky and New Social Media have a lot more in common than you might think! Well, aside from the fact that I am fascinated by both, here are some attributes I believe are shared by the two:

• Variety, variety, variety! Slinkies come in different shapes, sizes and colors. There are heart-shaped Slinkies, moon-shaped Slinkies, heart-shaped Slinkies and of course the classic circular Slinkies! With New Social Media, you also have a wide array of options to choose from. From social networking sites to blogs, to podcasts and viral videos, you can choose whatever suits your purpose and preference best. :)

Rainbow Slinkies!!

Social Media Tools to choose from!

• They’re handy tools! Slinkies are tools of joy! Just a few bounces and you’ll find yourself free from boredom and sadness. :> The New Social Media on the other hand is a tool for communication. Communication through the new social media is ubiquitous so it helps you talk with and listen to your different publics instantly and more efficiently. :)
• Exert force on one end you’ll feel something back. Just apply a little force on one end and you’ll have a bouncing Slinky in no time. When you communicate using the New Social Media, you’ll get feedback (one way or another) in no time! The New Social Media makes it’s much easier to obtain feedback through site hits, Likes, Retweets, Shares, and Comments. In the New Social Media, you will be able to at least get a clue of your audience impact and reactions to your communication efforts. :) If I may quote Sir Isaac Newton, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” ;)
• If you stop, you lose the momentum! When playing with a Slinky, you mustn’t stop putting a little force on one end after the other to keep it in motion. This is the same for the New Social Media! It’s never good to allow gaps to grow between you and your audience. Keep the relationship between you and your audience alive through honest and constant communication. And by communication, I don’t just mean talking, but also listening! :)

Just keep it going! :)

• Tricks! With the Slinky and the New Social Media, the possibilities are just endless. Strategy is your bestfriend, but creativity is your true friend. Check out these cool videos! ;)

• Nothing happens to it unless you start playing with it. In the words of Sir Isaac Newton, “Every object in a state of rest tends to remain at rest unless an external force is applied to it.” Without actually using the New Social Media, you won’t enjoy its benefits! Surely the world of New Social Media goes around even without you in it, but it’s different when you engage in it. Slinkies and the New Social Media aren’t just eye candies. They’re meant to be played and experimented with! :)
• Tendency to tangle! Nothing gets me down like a tangled Slinky so be careful! In playing with a Slinky and with using the New Social Media.

It's all fun and games until your Slinky gets tangled. :(

Now dig up your toy cabinet and find your Slinky! :)