Once the candy of young adults, social media is now becoming the meat and potatoes of valuable brands and value-oriented consumers.  But it’s no longer enough to stick a logo, some boilerplate marketing copy and a handful of ads on your Twitter, Fourquare or Facebook page and call it a campaign.  As social media becomes analogous with social reality, users want to – you know – socialize with their favorite brands the way they do with their friends: through open dialogue and unique, fun and mutually beneficial exchanges. 
 
Welcome to the age of social commerce. Social media—specifically, a strategic social media presence—not only supports but also shapes consumer and brand behavior and increases brand and personal value.  Why?  Let’s break this down. You allow an entire network to review your Tweets about recent purchases, Tumblr posts about cool finds, or Facebook likes and dislikes.  That network cares about what you have to say, which validates your opinions and amplifies your confidence, your I-have-something -to-add chops.  It’s social currency and makes you a more desirable friend online and offline. Brands are starting to get it, and are giving consumers a reason to feel special and wanted via social media outlets.  Continue reading...

The Independent Fashion Bloggers association has over 10,000 active members. 10,000 fashionistas—or fashionistas in training—hungry for the latest style dish and eager to flavor their blogs with a pinch of Brand A or Product B. Because it’s a network, the exposure can be exponential. Brands are lucky if just one of those fiercely independent top bloggers chooses to praise their products – right?

The answer is: What’s luck got to do with it? Many of those 10,000+ bloggers aren’t so independent anymore, and so brand mentions aren’t necessarily so serendipitous. Respected teen style icon Jane Aldridge, who pens Sea of Shoes, has partnered with both Barney’s and Urban Outfitters. True, she might have mentioned the latest pair of Manolos anyway, not just because they’re available at Barney’s. But now those keystrokes are, well, incentivized. 

Instead of models, ads for J.C. Penney’s summer campaign feature real-girl bloggers Jennine Jacob (proprietress of The Coveted) and Jessica Schroeder (of What I Wore), and the Penney back-to-school campaign includes videos from teen bloggers and vloggers, or video bloggers, such as Bethany (aka MacBarbie07) above.Continue reading...