(Original Content) (250 words per reply) (APA citations)
You must respond to at least 2 of your classmates original posts with a reply of at least
250 words. Your replies must do the following:
a. Answer the question posed by the classmate.
b. Respond to the practical example in the classmates post with a practical example that
differs from the one in the classmates post.
c. Reference at least 1 scholarly source in addition to the course textbook
1. Discussion Thread: Defending the Practice of Social Media Marketing
The Concept:
Social media marketing is a relatively newer concept in the world of marketing management, yet it has become one of the most important aspects within the portfolio of the promotion mix. As the world continues to become more and more digitized, and social media becomes more engrained into the fabric of society, social media marketing will only grow to be all the more crucial in the implementation of the overall marketing strategy. At its core, social media marketing is another type of promotion that relies on various digital technologies and not an actual salesperson, and it allows the customer to connect directly with the company in a two-way exchange (Johnston & Marshall, 2022). This two-way exchange is what sets social media marketing apart from other forms of promotion in that the customer is actively engaging in the process. The other major difference is the fact that with social media marketing, companies are not able to control all of the dialogue that takes place. They may prompt, participate in, and monitor exchanges, but that is the extent of what theyre able to do if they are participating on a truly open platform, which most social media platforms claim to be. With the obvious risk being the inability to control any sort of negative dialogue about the company, some marketing managers might be hesitant to test the waters of social media. However, with the right amount of social media-savvy, the rewards can far exceed the risk. The potential benefits that social media marketing presents in areas such as building brand awareness, connecting with potential customers, and promoting customer engagement is what makes it such a lucrative concept. Another way social media marketing can benefit a company is through many of the metrics and data that social media provides. This allows marketing managers to obtain relevant feedback about the effectiveness of any given social media marketing strategy and enables them to make future decisions that are driven by the acquired data.
The Application:
One company that has taken advantage of social media and used it to benefit greatly is the fast-food chain Wendys. Back in 2017, Wendys Twitter account took an unconventional approach for a business on social media and began to roast other brands and individuals on Twitter, to the absolute hilarity of the general public. Wendys antics grew to such a legendary status that people on Twitter began flocking to the account requesting to have the honor of being roasted by the fast-food restaurant themselves, for many to whom Wendys happily obliged. Outside of Twitter, Wendys activity spread to other outlets in the form of screenshots, reactions, and video collages posted to other social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube. It also led to the account receiving mentions in the news, including an entire segment dedicated to it on the Today Show (Callahan, 2022). Aside from causing laughs and creating a lot of buzz, Wendys clowning was able to increase their bottom line as well. During the one-year period from when they started their unusual Twitter strategy, Wendys saw their net income increase from $129.6 million to $194 million, which equated to 49.7% growth in just one year (Thorne, 2020). Additionally, Wendys increased its Twitter following by 400,000 followers in just six months (Thorne, 2020). The end result for Wendys was increased profits and increased brand equity through brand association, all form simply having an unusual and humorous presence on social media. Not a bad strategy.
The Question:
Given the seemingly increasing sensitivity of many on social media today, do you think it would be worth the risk to take a similar brazen approach on social media like Wendys? If not, what would be another unconventional approach a business might take?
2. Product Strategy, Distribution, Social Media Marketing
