Guest Column: Facebook was misread to be 'media'
Integral PR’s CEO Sharif Rangnekar writes that content is what matters more on social networks as content can lead to conversations
Close to 50 per cent Americans stated that Facebook (FB) is a passing fad! These findings of a survey, conducted during the first week of May 2012, by AP-CNBC were followed by General Motors pulling out ads worth US $10 million from FB. The IPO still went off well but the share price tanked leading to questions on the business model of FB and whether hype and misinformation led to the ‘success’ of initial offer.
No matter what federal agencies of the US may find on the allegations against the managers of its public issue, it is sure that people have misread FB for being a typical form of media – just like television or print or internet – when it is primarily a social networking platform. Social networks depend entirely on the network and the views of individuals that create linkages of personal choices and preferences. It is these networks, just like in our lives before FB was born, that word-of-mouth becomes the key influencing factor and not an ad or necessarily a paid-for view or opinion.
That being core to FB with the added advantages of technology and the web, it is surprising that many believed that advertising could drive business and others referred to the network as media. Interestingly even traditional media referred to FB and platforms such as Twitter as media (social media), perhaps forgetting what they themselves stood for – the Fourth Estate. Maybe for some moments the media actually felt threatened by the information flowing within these networks where content and communications was core to all that happened there and that advertising was actually relegated to the sidelines forced by the elements of democracy that social network creators on FB often profess. Media also may have felt that social networks had the potential to form opinions and keep people informed.
With these important characteristics being similar to the Fourth Estate and the desire for freedom of speech, the Fourth Estate led itself to call FB ‘social media’ giving up in many ways its own role to networks. The media missed out on the fact that the Fourth Estate had gatekeepers and were always under scrutiny for what it did or said. It had a history of existence that has led even social network users to verify information from websites run by media houses.
Yet the hype around the power of FB and its reference to be media (by the Fourth Estate) and not a medium where millions of people engaged, has led advertisers and brands to believe that you can do what you did with people, the way you reached out to them in other forms of media (read traditional in common parlance) and ‘experts’ in this space never corrected the approach. FB is less about you and I and more about I ahead of you. The user that is ‘I’ comes first. I add you, I like you, I spite you, block you or even abuse you. I carry my opinion, express it and have the right to ridicule yours. It is me and how I wish to engage. After all I am there for my own personal need or even addiction to connect or see what my ‘friends’ are up to. Any intrusion is rarely welcome. I need to invite you to let you in. That’s the attitude of the user.
The media (Fourth Estate), as such, has similar powers but as a norm puts the public up first and believes that news is to be reported above one’s own personal. That in itself makes it meaningful to the role it is supposed to play. This is perhaps why, Rich Karlgaard, a contributor to Forbes in a report said the social networking site “is not integral to the global economy and its cool brand is rapidly fading” – a reflection of what the AP-CNBC survey found. “There is that much talking, chatting and networking one can do, people do want to listen and obtain information from verified sources,” an anthropologist following this space pointed out.
Moreover, intrusions to private spaces or chosen spaces by individuals is not easily received or appreciated and social networks are private spaces amplified on an FB. “We as people have always had problems with intrusions if the space is ours. We have never liked spam mails or messages or pop-ups as they always intruded our purpose,” points out a social scientist. This could then explain why GM cut back on FB ads and has continued to invest US $30million on paid-content as per reports, clearly indicating that content is what matters more on social networks as content can lead to conversations more often than not. Ads, if any, are part of an integrated approach keeping at core content on FB. And like GM which also indulges in free content, several others brands such as Toyota, Hippo and Deloitte, amongst others, take pains to generate content that leads to conversations and the opening up of people towards their brands.
Jack Hollis, Vice President of the Scion brand, is quoted on the Forbes website saying that brands tend to spend too much getting people to like them (what they advertise). “If you ‘like’ us, it is best to “have a relationship with us via content,” he has argued. However, what gets underlined is the importance of material that engages and finds its way into the intrinsic nature of FB – that of conversations, breaking through networks speaking as a friend rather than as an intruder or someone who is forcing a thought or idea or product into the eyes of the user. Acting as a by-stander like a side ad on an FB page could compare well with lampposts on a street – rarely noticed unless they illuminate.
Agreeing with Hollis, “This is not a space where you can own the message like advertisers do through slip ads or pages,” points out Jean Leopold Schuybroek, Founder of Interel and President of the International Communications Consultancy Association (ICCO). This is the space for communications, he says, “Communicators are better placed managing and engaging this space since they have traditionally engaged with people in a non-commercial manner.”
An Indiabiz News and Research Services survey finds that most Indians were on FB for engaging and connecting with friends. Ads had little meaning to them and were indifferent to their presence which would mean an uncertain return on investment for any corporate. They also said that their views on brands were often influenced by their friends. They ‘liked’ brand pages only if they related to them in their ‘normal’ lives or were asked to by a friend. They followed such pages only if they were engaged with through content and not advertising. This pattern reflected in their approach to information and news as well.
That being the case, it is obvious that the commercial viability and the utility of FB has been misread while the power of communications not truly realised in a space that thrives on word-of-mouth driven by content – information and views. Still, while ads may slip off FB and Americans may see the space as a fad, the behaviour of the individual may be an indication on how it ‘consumes’ the Fourth Estate on a daily or hourly basis – be it in print, TV or the internet. This could mean a greater emphasis on the quality of content and engagement and perhaps even changing ratios of commerce over editorial. And even if editorial may be sliced by the likes and dislikes of the empowered user of the digital space, it is more than likely that content drives the person in and out and not mere commercials.
The author is the CEO of Integral PR
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Patodia holds PG Diploma in Public Relations & Corporate Communications from the Xavier’s Institute of Mass Communications, Mumbai and Bachelors in Business Administration from BIT, Mesra.
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Aditya Birla Group appoints Sandeep Gurumurthi as Head of Corporate Comm. and Brand
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Yaap appoints Deepak Singh as Chief Creative Officer
Singh is one of the most awarded creative talents in the country and has won over 1000 national and international awards
Rainmaker Ventures-backed Yaap, the digital advertising agency has appointed Deepak Singh as their Chief Creative Officer. Deepak will be based in the Mumbai office and will oversee all creative functions across the Yaap network in Mumbai, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Shillong, Dubai, Singapore & Jakarta. He will report directly to the Board of Directors at Yaap.
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For the past 3 consecutive years, Singh has led a young team from The Social Street, which has gone on to give an exhilarating performance. He has been instrumental in securing the Creative Agency of the year title for the agency, several times during 2018.
Commenting on his new role, he added, “Saying yes to Yaap was actually not a very tough decision to make for me. Right from the time we first met, Atul had a clear picture of why he wanted to hire me. I am glad he has chalked out a much bigger role for me. Being a young and vibrant company with expertise in Digital Content, Design and Influencer Marketing, Yaap I believe will be a great learning experience for me. I’m raring to go “
Atul Hegde, co-founder Rainmaker Ventures added “Deepak is a welcome addition to the array of Partners we have at Yaap, which has a unique non CEO model, our aim as investors, is to ensure that we are able to attract the best & brightest of talent into the senior management pool at Yap. Within a short span of fewer than 3 Years, Yaap has grown into 70+ people across 7 offices in South East Asia, India & the Middle East and it was the right time for us to bring in a Senior Creative talent. I wish Deepak all the very best and I’m sure he will be a great asset to Yaap. “
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Leo Burnett India promotes Rakesh Hinduja to COO, West
He has been leading the operations of Leo Burnett’s head office in Mumbai as the Executive Director and Branch Head
Leo Burnett has announced the promotion of Rakesh Hinduja to Chief Operating Officer, West. He will continue to report to Dheeraj Sinha, Managing Director, India and Chief Strategy Officer, South Asia and Rajdeepak Das, Managing Director, India and Chief Creative Officer, South Asia.
Hinduja has been leading the operations of Leo Burnett’s head office in Mumbai as the Executive Director and Branch Head.
Speaking about the elevation, Dheeraj Sinha said, “Rakesh is the perfect role model for the new-age agency we are building. His leadership on all the three parameters of People, Product and Profit has been stellar. Under his watch, we have consistently seen spectacular work that has won our brands market-share, and glory at platforms such as Cannes Lions, Spikes and Effies. He has delivered high-quality growth for the Mumbai office, leading the teams to win a new business almost every two weeks. The momentum and buzz at Leo Burnett Mumbai are palpable. Rakesh has been an amazing team player, helping push the Publicis Groupe’s Power of One agenda. Leo Burnett Mumbai’s contribution to our services such as Prodigious has helped Prodigious to become the number one ‘agency production house’ in the country within a span of two years. More than anything else, Rakesh has a never-say-die attitude and he always plays the game with a sense of camaraderie that we really value at Leo Burnett.”
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Commenting on Rakesh’s promotion, Rajdeepak Das said, “Rakesh is always there, backing great creative work and making integrated thinking happen for our clients. He has been an essential part of the journey to get where we are today. This elevation is much-deserved and will take all of us to greater heights.”
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Publicis India appoints Neeraj Bassi as Managing Partner & Chief Strategy Officer
Along with Srija Chatterjee and Bobby Pawar, Bassi will help in fostering collaboration and delivering on the Power of One synergy across the Groupe
Publicis India has announced the appointment of Neeraj Bassi as Managing Partner & Chief Strategy Officer. Neeraj will work from the agency’s New Delhi office. Along with Srija Chatterjee and Bobby Pawar, Neeraj will help in fostering collaboration and delivering on the Power of One synergy across the Groupe.
With over two decades of professional experience, Neeraj has worked with some of the world’s most renowned brands including Coca-Cola, Asian Paints, Cadbury, BMW, KFC, Adidas, Samsung, British Airways, WeChat, Voltas, Audi, HSBC, Max Life and Tata Singapore Airlines – Vistara among others.
He joins Publicis after a brief stint as an independent Consultant where he provided strategic guidance and brand solutions for multiple clients across various categories. Neeraj has worked with some of the top market research networks such as TNS, IMRB, and NFO and led the Strategic Planning function in advertising agencies including Cheil, Ogilvy, JWT, McCann in India and abroad. Neeraj has also won multiple awards across reputed award festivals that recognise effectiveness such as Effies (India & APAC), AMES, WARC, etc.
Announcing the new appointment and welcoming Neeraj aboard, Saurabh Varma, CEO, Publicis Communications, South Asia said: “In Neeraj, we found a partner with a shared vision of driving a deeper level of integration within the Groupe by leveraging the Power of One model. Neeraj’s vast experience and media neutral planning approach will help clients in building a holistic brand experience which will aim to create one-to-one consumer engagement, at scale. I look forward to working with Neeraj and wish him the best of luck.”
Welcoming Neeraj to the Publicis family, Srija Chatterjee, Managing Director - Publicis Worldwide, India said: “Neeraj joins at a time when the Groupe is implementing a profound transformation which puts our clients front and centre of everything that we do. His wealth of experience of working across diverse sectors and with cross-functional teams will help build a narrative around our clients’ business and marketing transformation that connects data, content and technology in an omnichannel world. I’m excited to welcome Neeraj to the Publicis Groupe family, and we look forward to him riding the next strategic wave at the agency.”
Bobby Pawar, MD & CCO - Publicis Worldwide, India added: “I’ve always believed great work is born out of a strong partnership between strategy, creative and clients. Neeraj Bassi has a history of creating strategic platforms that killer ideas can springboard from. His cross-platform approach to planning will also be a huge asset to our march towards the future of creativity. It also helps that he is fun to be around. I can chat with him for hours; the chemistry is very important when you are going to be more or less living out of each other’s metaphorical pockets.”
Commenting on his appointment, and his plans for the agency, Neeraj Bassi said: “I am really excited to be part of Publicis India and looking forward to partnering Bobby and Srija to create stellar work that stands out in the market. Working with clients as an independent consultant has given me insight on the primary concerns of CXOs and how communication can help resolve them. Clients today need an omnichannel approach to planning that focuses on identifying and solving their business problems holistically, rather than getting trapped in a discipline-specific approach. I am fascinated by the way all Groupe companies have come together at Publicis to create Power of One, and I look forward to wielding this power to build successful campaigns for our clients.”
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Airbnb appoints Google's Aristotle Balogh as Chief Technology Officer
Balogh formerly served as Vice President of Engineering, Application Storage, Indexing and Serving at Google
Airbnb has announced the appointment of Aristotle Balogh as Chief Technology Officer, according to media reports.
Balogh is expected to begin his tenure with Airbnb in November and will head the engineering and data science teams. He will also be in charge of infrastructure, information security and IT, as well as engineering for payments and community support.
Balogh formerly served as Vice President of Engineering, Application Storage, Indexing and Serving at Google, where he was instrumental in developing the infrastructure and data platforms of Google Search. He also worked as Chief Technology Officer at Yahoo and VeriSign.
According to reports, the company is expected to file for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) next year and Balogh's appointment comes at a time when Airbnb is still without a Chief Financial Officer after Laurence Tosi stepped down from the role earlier this year.
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