Is
Social Media Driving Car Brands?
Luxury
car makers are not using the full potential of social media in their
communications campaigns, according to a new study announced today (Oct.
12) by independent New York-based consultancies MH Group Communications
and Forum Strategies & Communications.
The
study, "Luxury Auto Brands and their Presence in Social Media," is an
analysis of luxury auto brands and their presence within social
networks.
The
study covered activity level of communities around specific auto brands
across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. It says German automakers
dominate the luxury auto business category, while Japanese and American
brands are largely absent and unimpressive within social media.
In the
study's overall rating, the nine luxury auto brands considered ranked as
follows in terms of their engagement in social networks:
1.
BMW
2.
Porsche
3.
Audi
4.
Mercedes
5.
Cadillac
6.
Lexus
7.
Acura
8.
Infiniti
9.
Lincoln
The
study found that the task of breaking through in social media for luxury
car brands is complicated by the fact that all the brands face an
extraordinary amount of online clutter, as they try to attract a focused
social media community.
Unofficial Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, YouTube channels and Flickr
communities created and managed by fans, vehicle dealers, and
individuals who incorporate a vehicle name in their online identities
siphon attention and offer conflicting brand messages.
"In
this environment, a successful campaign within one social media platform
is not sufficient to advance and protect the brand online. Luxury auto
companies need to harness the synergies of using multiple social media
platforms in an integrated campaign to obtain the full benefits of the
technology," said Mark Hass, CEO of MH Group Communications.
The
study revealed that social media conversations around luxury auto brands
focused on four key topics, each of which offer specific
challenges/opportunities:
-
Admiration: The luxury auto sector enjoys a privileged admiration
consumers express for most luxury brands. Being part of an "exclusive"
club, these owners and fans err on the side of adoration when
discussing their vehicles. Challenge: Where is the tipping point,
when the club no longer feels so exclusive because of the social
media involvement of everyday consumers?
-
Sales and Deals: The auto industry's huge investments into
e-commerce and the dealer-based, decentralized sales network make deal
talk the dominant topic of social media conversation. Challenge: Brand
management in this environment is a challenge, given that the
community drives the conversation, rather than the brand, in contrast
to pre-social media days, when sales messaging was focused around
brand web sites.
-
Questions about Features, Service, Availability: Social media are
a powerful tool for brands to monitor questions about their vehicles
and address them directly and immediately. Opportunity: This should be
viewed as an opportunity to extend a brand's customer service
commitment, rather than just treat social media as a marketing tool.
-
News and Vehicle Announcements: There is a virtuous cycle of
amplification among these brands, auto bloggers, and social media
networks, in which news is shared by the brands with influential
bloggers, reposted or tweeted within social networks by readers of
those blogs, and further echoed within smaller SM groups. Opportunity:
Links to blog posts, rather than traditional media, are shared most
often by consumers.
Goodwill persists for luxury auto brands in the social media
conversation:
While
most other business sectors have brands that have been damaged by
negative social media commentary, most luxury goods brands, including
autos, enjoy mostly positive social media relationships. In fact, 90% of
the commentary and content created about these brands is positive, since
luxury brand consumers perceive that they receive a high-level of
service and value by being associated with the brand.
"Given
the positive online dialogue regarding luxury auto brands, the use of
social media can no longer be regarded as an afterthought, but must be
viewed as a foundational element that is part of any holistic
communications strategy," said Jeffrey Sindone, president of Forum
Media, Forum Strategies & Communications.
For
this study, the top-selling luxury auto brands and luxury brands owned
by major global automakers, including Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac,
Infiniti, Lincoln, Lexus, Mercedes, and Porsche were studied to assess
their level of involvement and success in using social media.
Researchers examined social media activity during August 2009 by the
brands, as well as activity about the brands initiated by consumers,
dealers, or others.
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