Too Social?

Have we as consumers become too social? 

As I look down at my iPhone - connected to GPS and with a camera + voice recorder built-in - and then at all my social apps; Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc...I realize that I have the ability to share my everything with the world. Thankfully, I don’t. But the point is I could and some people do. And what happens when the consumers are too social? Can they be too social? I think so – but what’s the response?

Some companies decide to bury their heads and pretend that social media is a fad that will go away. Some barely accept it into their lives by creating a Facebook page that is never updated and adding ‘like’ buttons to their website, while some jump right in and engage with their audience through live video chat, online events, social promotions, online customer service, etc. But can too much social engagement become detrimental to the brand?

Earlier this month, pro wrestling's Vince McMahon brought his social media event of the year to the screens – emphasis on screen(s) – of millions of wrestling fans! With the pay-per-view event on TV, exclusive content available on YouTube and Facebook and super star interactions on Twitter, it isn’t surprising that Wrestlemania had 110 trending topics in 5 hours, received over 3.9 million views on YouTube, plus an event hashtag that was mentioned more than 600,000 times in less than 24 hours. 

But are all these social add-ons a good thing?

I still remember years ago, when I was sitting with family laughing, screaming and reacting to the matches on TV. I enjoyed every moment of it and became emotionally attached to my favourite wrestlers. And guess what - I wasn’t Tweeting or posting on Facebook while I did it. Sometimes I’d wiki-search for a wrestler’s bio if he was new, but I was experiencing the show with real people and acting like the perfect fan, falling for every stunt and becoming angry when the heel would cheat - and now it’s all changed.

Flash forward to present day. To understand the full story lines of a weekly show, I now need to watch the YouTube channel and listen all week on Twitter to catch up on the latest feud between the Bella Twins and Kelly Kelly. Even when I’m watching on television, there are constant references to something on Twitter that I should have paid more attention to and the experience, as a result, becomes a lot of work. Relaxing with family and friends is hijacked by another 2 hours spent on my mobile screen trying to find out everything I need to know in order to follow the plot. 

So, what happens when a company becomes TOO social? Can a company cross the line of usage when it comes to social media? Or, are fans like me just being a little too resistant to the future of entertainment?

-@mandamwright

My Descent Into Fashion Madness

Like so many others, I recently disappeared into the addictive world of Pinterest! I'd heard a ton about this new social platform - first when I was at the bridal shop trying on dresses, where my lady informed me that I could plan my entire wedding on a "Virtual Pinboard". I honestly had no idea what she was talking about, so I just smiled, nodded, and tried on some more dresses. But then I kept hearing about it at school, at work, and from my friends. Eventually, I just had to check it out.

"INVITATION ONLY!"

Well fine, using my Twitter and Facebook network I eventually found a friend on Pinterest and asked them to send me an invite to this elusive site. Is it really worth all the hassle, you may ask? Well, moments after receiving the invitation and linking it to my Twitter profile, I realized...YES! It really was.

From the first time I signed in to the moment I began "pinning", the entire interface was very intuitive. The layout was clean and simple; very Google-esque and inviting. I spotted an outfit I loved and clicked on the photo. An enlarged version popped up with interactive buttons. I could pin it to my own board, like it, or comment on it. Well, I wanted to buy it later (when I have money), so I decided to pin it to my wish list. It came with pricing and a URL for easy purchase on pay day. After that, I was hooked. For the next two hours my roommate was a little worried as I hadn’t left my screen or said a word - I was too busy pinning. Pinning what, you ask? E-vv-erything! Gift ideas for friends, home decor, and anything else that inspired me or that I intend to buy. But mostly, I was pinning clothes, shoes, accessories and outfits I wanted to own. I mean, come on...what woman doesn’t like to shop?

I started to notice a trend: all the outfits were conveniently priced out for me AND they all linked out to brand sites where I could buy them. This was easier than window shopping! It was all running through a site named Polyvore - a platform that allows users to drag and drop images of clothing to create unique outfits using items from different retailers. Once again, everything linked out to e-commerce sites where you could buy your custom design. And they didn't just offer impractical runway outfits like most fashion magazines; there were many beautiful and practical styles for teenagers, business casual, formal attire, and the occasional Halloween costume.

This is an amazing example of retailers utilizing an emerging platform to enrich and expand the shopper experience. So, what else can retailers do to capitalize on sites like Pinterest and Polyvore?

5 Ways For Retailers To Be Successful Online and on Pinterest

1. Make your website user-friendly and make all products available to purchase online with high quality photos for previewing.
2. Have store managers create Pinterest accounts where they put together their top outfits of the week, new features, lines & items, etc.
3. Make sure all merchandise is not only available online but that it is easily shippable with a return policy for sizing (people are still wary about purchasing clothes online, make it easy and worry free).
4. Have Wi-Fi in stores and the ability to take a picture, or scan a QR code to "Pin" outfits and articles of clothing online while physically in-store.
5. Use Pinterest/Polyvore outfits on your mannequins, take pictures, "Pin" them and share them back with the users to create buzz, deepen relationships, and connect your online presence with your in-store promotions.

-@mandamwright

The Social Event of the Year: #WrestleMania XXVIII

Vince McMahon is ‘obsessed’ with making Wrestle Mania the Social Event of the Year! Is this dangerous to the WWE Franchise or the beginning of a new era of wrestling?

Many WWe fans have expressed some worry on the enjoy-ability and quality of this year’s Wrestle Mania because of the focus on making the event completely social. Many worry that Wrestle Mania XXXVIII will be more about what is trending on Twitter than what is currently happening in the ring.

WWe and wrestling are one of the most social sports who are effectively using their social media presence to connect with friends from Twitter to Youtube. Their success should be mostly attributed to the fan loyalty to many of the stars on Twitter, I know I am following; The Rock [@TheRock], Cena[@JohnCena]. CM Punk [@CMPunk] and a few other of my favourites. But are they going too far with this event?

The night starts with the 1^st ever “Wrestle Mania Pre-Show” broadcast live on YouTube, Facebook and WWe.com. Throughout there will be the Hash-tag battle between #Cenation fans and #TeamBringIt to decide who will ultimately win Wrestle Mania, Cena or The Rock!

In the past most social sporting events tapper off during the live show, when there is no interaction between the stars and the fans, and this is what McMahon is hoping to rectify. But what does that mean exactly…will The Rock stay with his old shtick of communicating with the audience and breaking the fourth wall in a match by tweeting now? How would you feel as a fan if during the match or stand-off your favourite star just stopped to tweet? Would it destroy those rose coloured goggles that allowed you to pretend that wrestling was real and unscripted? Or would it add to the enjoyment?

And not to play the entire in match tweeting short, but for online fans Mike Tyson [@MikeTyson] – WWe Hall of Fame Honouree will be live tweeting the event to give a back stage/behind the scenes look at Wrestle Mania, and specifically the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Are you going to be watching the live PPV of WrestleMania XXXVIII this year? And how does the Social presence affect your WWe experience? For the better or worse?

To Enjoy the Full Social Event here are the Hashtags to keep you in the loop:

                #Wrestlemania

                #Axxess – Wrestle Mania Axxess

                #WWEHOF – Wwe Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

                #WMParty – Wrestle Mania’s Premiere Party: Celebration of Miami Art & Fashion