As with most every agency, the addition of social media and networking to our communications arsenal is a priority, and it’s gaining traction. The exciting part is that our clients are increasingly more receptive to development of social media and networking strategies. They see the value of leveraging a more personal consumer interaction with their brands, and coordinating that interaction with traditional marketing approaches.
Consumer involvement in the DNA of a company’s brand is not necessarily a new idea though. Focus groups, surveys, even man-on-the-street interviews have always been the litmus test for everything from product development to marketing concepts for every major brand on the planet. The difference is that social media now allows for a wider net to be cast (excuse the pun), and directly involves the consumer in the brand at an entirely different level and far earlier in the process.
Social media and networks give the consumer, collectively and individually, a platform from which to speak, and subsequently, more clout than ever. What once was an easily dismissed (or missed) letter with a suggestion sent to an address on the back of a cereal box or bottle of laundry detergent, is now a viral video or web-based community with over a million members. As a result, retail players—like Mountain Dew—are evolving their business models to ensure brand integrity and drive loyalty, right down to John and Jane Q. Public, by embracing and respecting the voice of the consumer.
As an autonomous fan-only entity that interacts directly with the Mountain Dew brand team, DEWlabs is a great idea. The campaign’s efforts to leverage social networks and democratize the process of creating new products, accurately reflects the direction that marketing is heading. Not so much the product development aspect, as idea generation and social involvement. Google has been developing tools and applications for years with this model. But while Google’s focus is functionality, DEWlabs use of crowdsourcing is for marketing the Dew brand, first and foremost. Actual product development is how the loop is closed with the consumer—their thumbprint on the new product is the reward for their loyalty.
What’s happening is that Mountain Dew is getting in better touch with its consumers. They have to in order to stay nimble, relative, and win the battle for the increasingly shorter windows of consumer consideration. They are also being pitched new strategies and fresh creative from a seemingly infinite number of sources—boutique shops, animation houses, and freelance teams—as evidenced by the shops that have won the new Dew business. Social media and networking have opened the door to more than just consumers.
The true test of the continued success and longevity of DEWlabs will rely on whether or not the Mountain Dew fan base feels as though they are actually being heard and getting something out of the relationship. So far, so good.
"Honestly, I'm not sure these were the six we would have chosen. There were some in this group we loved and a lot we loved that didn't make the cut," Mr. O'Brien said. "The beauty of reaching out to the consumers is that they see things we don't see. The final three are great thinkers with great pitches. I think we'll get some great stuff, and all three are Dew fanatics, which is awesome."
But does the absence of an advertising agency in the chosen lineup portend the rise of smaller, production-focused shops in traditional advertising? Already, PepsiCo has made waves by tapping shops such as Firstborn to handle its Sobe account, and Huge to handle a piece of its Pepsi business.
"The space itself lends itself to that, the ability of anyone with a video camera or webcam to post content. If that content is funny and gets some buzz behind it, it leaves plenty of opportunity," Mr. O'Brien said. "You're also going to see a lot more aggressive, unique thinking coming out of smaller shops."
Still, Mr. O'Brien believes traditional agencies have a place, noting their ability to work in mass media, like TV, to develop a brand and to tell a story to a broader audience. Indeed, he stopped short of saying that any of the three winners will permanently maintain a piece of the Mtn Dew business, noting that the brand isn't looking to engage in a retainer-based relationship. It's more likely that the brand could occasionally tap one of the shops for work, he said.
But, at least for the next few months, these small shops will have a major beverage brand on their rosters and will be paid accordingly. Mr. O'Brien said that the shops will be paid the same way Mtn Dew would pay any of its roster shops, with a production budget and agency fees.
In the coming weeks, the winners will begin working with the Mtn Dew brand team and the "Flavor Nations" on the 15-second spots. The brand team will present them with a brief, while the Flavor Nations will provide feedback on the concept and creation of the spots. "I hope [the commercials] end up being very, very different," said Mr. O'Brien. "My hope is that they're true 15-second spots against these products."
Come April, the spots will air and the three flavors will hit shelves nationwide. From there, consumers will have 12 weeks to choose their favorite flavor. The winning flavor will become a permanent part of the Mtn Dew lineup and launch in September 2010.
BBDO, Mtn Dew's agency of record, will be working on a spot that gives an overview of Dewmocracy, which will also air in April. Mr. O'Brien said it hadn't been determined yet what kind of interaction would take place between the three winning shops and BBDO.
"The bottom line is we didn't really know how this would turn out," Mr. O'Brien said. "We weren't dangling a huge cash price. We didn't put any advertising behind this. But we've been really excited with what we've seen."
Originally Published Here by Natalie Zmuda
k8johnson Disappearing line between Mktrs & Product Designers + Comments from a DEW Labs member http://lo.ly/i30 ~Curious 2 see post launch results...
kalalea @K8Johnson Interesting comment by Dew Labs - http://bit.ly/8LSquN Real control, hmm? Is this crowd sourcing? How open can brand be?
k8johnson @kalalea I guess you call that controlled crowd sourcing. And there always will be checks & balances, that's what keeps a brand on track...
lifeasatool @kalalea @Mtn_Dew fan input is awesome, but it must be checked. Allowing kids to make huge marketing choices unaided would be irresponsible What stage of the program are you currently in?
We completed the advertising challenge, which is the sixth stage of DEWmocracy, on December 13. DEW fans voted for their favorite advertising submissions, choosing six finalists. The finalists will now create short pitch videos for the Flavor Nations, which will each select which ad creator they would like to work within 2010 to create ads that will run on national TV.
Has any one particular tool been most effective in your marketing efforts?
Several tools have been effective, but we're particularly impressed with the consumer response to our call for video submissions on 12seconds.tv. In total, more than 1,000 videos [were] created by consumers and posted on 12seconds.tv and other social-media outlets. That type of response, coupled with the quality of the video submissions, screams a high level of consumer engagement. Consumer video submissions also enabled DEW loyalists to share content with other DEW drinkers and introduce them to the program not through the voice of the brand, but through the enthusiasm of fellow DEW fans.
How are you measuring success?
The level of engagement among DEW consumers is a key metric. At each stage of the campaign, DEW fans have shown an eagerness to interact with each other as well as the brand. A few key metrics include:
While it's too early to speculate on case sales (a standard metric for the industry) stemming from DEWmocracy 2, Mountain Dew Voltage, the product that consumers developed during DEWmocracy 1 in 2007, already has sold more than 11 million cases of product.
This is a pretty big program. Did you consider smaller options?
DEWmocracy 1, which ran in 2007, engaged consumers in product development on a more limited basis, and was a great foundation to build off of and an important learning opportunity. DEWmocracy 2 is a big program, one that's grown very organically. We didn't completely know how big it was going to be when we started this past June. DEW's consumers embraced partnering with other consumers and the brand to evolve our campaign, which made managing a tremendous undertaking that much easier.
How would Dew suggest other small brands look at social media?
I think the most important thing is to not be afraid to put yourself out there. As important as it is to hear what your consumers have to say, it is equally important for them to get to know the brand by being transparent and honest and engage in dialogue that results in deeper understanding and connection on both sides.
Each stage of DEWmocracy 2 has been a new opportunity to explore and connect with our passionate fans.
Vitaminwater did a similar program. Should we expect more brands to crowdsource things?
Mere crowdsourcing isn't the end game. Frankly, a lot of the current brand and consumers collaboration currently in the marketplace looks a lot like our DEWmocracy 1 program that ran in 2007, which was an outreach to engaging consumers into the process of product development.
DEWmocracy 2 has evolved beyond crowdsourcing to a place where we're working hand-in-hand with our most passionate fans on all aspects of new product development. At its core, our program is about harnessing the passion, interest and know-how of DEW's fans to collaborate and co-create products and campaigns that are mutually owned and embraced.
Technology has advanced so much in just a few years, which makes a program like DEWmocracy 2easier to envision. But the program still relies on an intimate understanding and relationship with DEW's consumers, which may be the biggest obstacle to other brands attempting to replicate the success of DEWmocracy 2
Interview originally published here by Dave Rosenburg. Republished with permission from the author.
In 2010, Mountain Dew will roll out three products developed, designed, and even named by soft drink lovers themselves. Accomplished through the use of social media, dedicated websites, and on-the-street and in-home trials, the products -- if nothing else -- will truly represent the voice of the consumer (at least, the most passionate consumers, that is).
Even the look and messaging surrounding the products were crowd sourced, reports MediaPost. The process took place largely at a website called Dew Labs, where a community of 4,000 brand fans selected colors, messaging, and even created commercials promoting their favorite new flavors. Which begs the question: Who then is to blame should the new products debut to the sound of crickets?
Listening to and reacting to the voice of the consumer is certainly more important than ever. But which consumers should be the ones who dictate the future offerings of your brand? Will the 4,000 consumers most passionate about your brand end up creating and marketing a product that appeals to only themselves? Or can brand fanatics conceive of and build new offerings with broader mass appeal?
I think Lori makes an excellent point about the potential for failure when wild consumers are left to make key decisions. I am a DEW Labs member, have kept a close eye on the way things are run there, and I have learned a lot. I am not a marketing or corporate insider, so all of this has been new and fascinating to me.
The MediaPost press release makes it sound like DEW Labs members have total control, which is far from the truth. Actually, members are given a palette of choices of which any would produce acceptable results. Even then, decisions made are subject to overrule by the moderators (using the Legal Dept. as a scape goat). The idea here is to give the DEW labs members the FEELING like they are in total control, while the real control stays with the brand team. Also, think about the key choices NOT made by DEW Labs... the original flavors to choose from, and the palette of colors to choose from. The names were generated within the community, but the ones voted on were not necessarily the most popular to begin with. DEW labs takes the best of the consumer - their creativity - and combines it with the best of the trained marketer - foresight and restraint.
I can't wait to check out the 6 winning videos and get debating on the winners! As a member of the WhiteOut flavor nation, I hope we can find somebody who will give us a competitive edge over the other flavor nations. - Fellow DEWlabs Member
The DEWmocracy 2.0 campaign has involved regular fans and "Uber Fans" every step of the way; the media event was no exception.DIE-HARD DEWlabs members at the NYC event
PURCHASE, N.Y., Dec. 16, 2009 – PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew today unveiled the details of its DEWmocracy program; a comprehensive open communications platform that relies on the collective intelligence of loyal consumers to shape the direction of the brand and Mountain Dew innovation pipeline. The current project, DEWmocracy 2, which launched in July 2009, is a twelve month, seven stage campaign that will result in the production of a completely user generated Mountain Dew beverage.
An anonymous DEWlabs member answered the questions: What do you like most about DEWmocracy and DEWlabs.
Unlike many democratic actions, in DEWmocracy there are no losers. DEWmocracy is a brilliant idea from PepsiCo and the Mountain Dew brand. PepsiCo gets what it wants, a new product released under a trusted brand to an excited, vocal, and loyal consumer base. At the same time Mountain Dew’s demographic, generation Y and the millennials, get what they want… to feel important, influential, like their small voice actually counts. The collected fans of Mountain Dew get to help shape a product they’ll see on the shelves, produced by a brand they love. I get a sense of pride seeing my influence in a product that will make it to market. But here’s the kicker – what I like best about DEWmocracy – I think it represents the beginning of a shift in corporate marketing thinking. I think the brand team at Mountain Dew has come to care about the consumer more than simply caring if they are going to buy more soda. Sure, gaining market share in the interest of shareholders is still number one along with long term profitability etc. etc. But, I sense a subtle burgeoning respect for the consumer as individuals, a caring outside of future profitability, and I like that.
DEWlabs is the embodiment of the Mountain Dew brand’s new respect for the consumer. Sure, it is still a powerful marketing tool, but it also facilitates and encourages the exchange of ideas directly between the consumer and Dew decision makers. Members are asked for feedback, ideas, and decisions. And, though kept in careful check by the brand team, member decisions hold. In exchange for the viral excitement created by having “die hard fans” function in a limited decision making capacity, the Dew team has surrendered some of their control over the marketing process. Wisely, the power of the consumer decision makers is checked and balanced by the moderating team. As a corporate outsider, it has been fascinating to get a glimpse of what product development and marketing is like in the corporate world. I have paid close attention to the way the Dew brand team has run things, and I have learned a lot. Effective marketing isn’t a textbook operation; it is an intuitive science and an art. The world has turned social over the network, and so must marketing. Social network marketing is trickiest of all because of the dynamic volatile nature of the online community… the marketer has to be flexible and social with the very demographic they are marketing to. The risks/benefits are high. If things go good viral, success is huge… if the campaign turns bad viral the recovery costs are outlandish. Or, you might invest loads of money and find the campaign going nowhere, because the marketer lacks the ability to relate to, be social with, and INVOLVE their demographic.
What I love most about DEWlabs is that I can see this involvement, this surrender of control to the consumer in action, and I get to be part of that action. I helped brainstorm ideas for the flavor descriptors, names, and design of the new products. The DEWlabs community came up with the ideas that are actually being used. The voice of the fans really counts. DEWlabs proves that the DEWteam cares about the consumer outside of the immediate goals of marketing. They have taken the time to be genuinely social with us. They have listened to us when they didn’t have to, made us feel intellectually valuable, and given us power to shape the future of a product we love. Now, THAT is good social network marketing.
I agree completely. The coolest part about DEWmocracy is that it involves consumers in the marketing and decision making process.
