About two weeks ago Old Spice produced a Social Media Campaign that many loved but questioned if it would help build sales for the company. The campaign consisted of “The Old Spice Guy” (Mustafa) responding to questions from Twitter and a blog with personalized videos on the Old Spice YouTube channel in real time. This ended after three production days and over 180 videos.

AdWeek reported  that the response videos received over 40 million views, with the Old Spice YouTube channel receiving over 94 million views and 120,000 subscribers. Mustafa also made four Old Spice TV commercials that have run since February and have now been watched on YouTube over 30 million times. With over 90,000 Twitter followers and more than 675,000 Facebook fans, P&G said that fan interaction climbed 800 percent after the responsive videos were made.

So yes, we knew the campaign was big hit and a lot of people were following it but did it result in sales for Old Spice?

Yes, yes it did.

AdWeek reported,

“According to Nielsen data provided by Old Spice, overall sales for Old Spice body-wash products are up 11 percent in the last 12 months; up 27 percent in the last six months; up 55 percent in the last three months; and in the last month, with two new TV spots and the online response videos, up a whopping 107 percent.”

Not only was the campaign a hit online, but to my surprise and I’m sure others as well, it did help Old Spice sales. The campaign was an overall success, reaching customers and increasing sales. These results are going to affect the way companies perform social media campaigns in the future. I am curious to see who will try to compete and come out with a similar campaign. Old Spice was the first but I’m sure they will not be the last brand to try a different kind of social media campaign.

Posted by: Megan/@meganjlemoi

The economy crisis will be affecting all aspects of holiday shopping this year.  Sales and coupons will be consumer’s biggest buys while regular priced items may collect dust on the shelves.  People have even voiced that second hand shops for close friends and family will not be out of the question to buying gifts.  Last year’s holiday decorations will be dusted off and reused before the purchase of new ones. 

People will be more opt to buying practical gifts such as clothing and necessities rather than toys and novelty items.  If people are creative that will give them even more options to make gifts this year.  Homemade calendars with pictures printed right from your computer would make a great thoughtful gift.  Joint gifts and secret Santa’s will probably be more popular this year as well.  A ConsumerReports survey on 1,000 adults said that two-thirds of the U.S. plan to spend less this year and that 6 percent are still paying of last year’s holiday debt. 

Some stores have already began trying to make sure that the smaller percent of people who will be shopping, shop at their stores by making sure they market themselves perfectly.  Target.com has begun their free shipping promotion two weeks earlier this year and also has expanded the number of items available for free shipping.  Some stores who have been already affected by last year’s lack of holiday spending might not have the funds to do as much advertising as the bigger stores. 

Barry Judge the chief marketing director of Best Buy has began targeting young consumers this holiday season.  By placing ads on Twitter and Facebook.  By using these social media networks Best Buy can focus on the younger consumers and that is where they are, not looking in the newspaper.  

The key to financially effective shopping this year is to start the season with a budget and a list.  Start with your budget first, how much realistically can you spend this season.  When doing so remember mostly everyone will be cutting back this season.  Then make a list and next to each name and write the amount you want to spend on each person.  Be creative and talk with siblings about secret Santa’s so you only need to buy for one family member than all five.  Try to use cash unless you know factually you can pay your credit card off after each purchase.  Holiday shopping shouldn’t put you in debt it should be fun!

By Kate Kiselka

Lots of companies, especially smaller ones, are a little freaked out by social media. They might not fully comprehend the purpose. They may feel it is a risky, uncontrollable venture. They may view it as the domain of the young and those with too much time on their hands. They may consider it a potential time-waster, or they may not see the value in devoting money and human resources to it, especially when they can still invest money in the tried and true marketing methods they have employed for years and, in some cases, decades.

It is time for businesses of every size to throw all of these caveats out the window. A lack of participation in social media at this point is akin to a lack of a web site or e-mail. Social media offers a terrific, relatively low-cost opportunity for every sort of business that wants to build stronger, more interactive relationships with its customers and spread the good word about its products and services.

Still, admittedly, social media can be a little overwhelming. Where to start?

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