Ten years ago, a company displaying a web URL instead of a phone number on a television commercial would have probably been considered insane. Now companies are starting to move past displaying their corporate website links and instead starting to show the URL for their profile on popular social networking websites like Facebook and YouTube. Insane? I don’t think so. Here’s some examples:
Vitamin Water has a series of commercials with famous athletes which direct viewers to their Facebook page:
Volkswagen directs users to go to their YouTube channel after their Meet the Volkswagen commercials:
SoBe Lifewater has a commercial with a Twitter URL at the end:
Coldwell Banker has a commercial currently on the air that directs viewers to their YouTube channel:
(Sidebar: I couldn’t find this video so I asked the @coldwellbnkr Twitter account for a link and they got it to me within 30 minutes - great job)
Advertising the URL for social media profile might just get passive commercial viewers attention by asking us to do something different - going to a page on our favorite social networks rather than going to a company’s website. Why the hell would I ever go to vitaminwater.com? But Facebook…
Additionally, the branded pages on Facebook/YouTube/Twitter/etc give fans or curious visitors something to DO - connect, chat, post - in a format we’re used to interacting with.
The instant benefit to the company is obvious, because if I become a “fan” of your company on Facebook, all of my contacts will see that. If I tweet with your company, all of my contacts will see that. If I favorite one of your company’s videos on YouTube, all of my contacts will see that.
Have you seen any other commercials that direct viewers to a social network?
Do you think social network pages will replace company websites? (I don’t)
gorkon says:
Not commercials, but I noticed the Weather Channel is using twitter for their weekend show. Maybe others too.
Jun 23, 2009, 1:25 pmBrent LaLonde says:
I think it makes perfect sense. Social media, in essence, allows brands to take their Web sites TO the people instead of waiting for people to come to their sites. Stats also show that corporate sites are increasingly being linked to from SM sites (still not as often as from search engines, but the gap is closing and closing fast)
Jun 23, 2009, 2:14 pmJulie Castell says:
I, for one, am tired of being bombarded with this type of thing. I use social media to be social, not to buy stuff I don’t need. I understand Businesses are just taking advantage of the “Gravy Train” of free marketing, I don’t fault them for that. I will not become a “fan” on FB or anywhere else.
Jun 23, 2009, 3:06 pm