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Traditional Media Boosts Brand Credibility On Social Media

Joint research from Kinetic [1] and JCDecaux [2] has revealed that Facebook and other social media channels are becoming a natural partner for Out of Home (OOH) advertising in the same way that YouTube has extended the reach of TV commercials.

The Social Pioneers study shows that 16-24 year old consumers see conventional advertising as a significant influence on what they share with friends on Facebook. The research also indicates that traditional media has a more powerful influence over what younger consumers talk about via social media than commercial messages placed on digital media or within social media environments.

David McEvoy, Marketing Director at JCDecaux told us “The study shows that the internet and Out of Home are the key areas that influence our Social Pioneers because these are the two spheres where they socialise. We know that only 7% of brand conversations happen online and 88% happen face-to-face2 so it is an important finding that Social Pioneers welcome Out of Home brand messages, seeing them as an integral part of the street scene and as a catalyst for conversation.”

The study points to a growing synergy between social media and traditional media. It found that while word of mouth approval from close friends is the most powerful influence over brand affiliations, traditional media is playing a significant role; by boosting brand visibility it adds credibility and acts as a conversation starter.

The exponential growth in the numbers of smartphones now being used in the UK is highly significant for OOH media. The study found that what younger consumers see while they are out and about, is influencing their Facebook conversations via mobile apps and they are actively seeking to interact with OOH media via their mobile phones, particularly to access entertaining content.

Nearly half the UK population now access their social network pages on the move. A Kinetic Moving Minds survey in October found that 46% log on to Facebook outside the home, and 48% access Twitter while on the move.

The research provides a unique perspective on a generation that is defined by its behaviour, using social networks to enable self-expression, while previous generations tend to use the sites to reinforce offline relationships. The Social Pioneers spend 8.5 hours per day out of home, which is 90 minutes more than the average consumer.

Nick Mawditt, Global Director of Marketing and Insight at Kinetic told us “This unique perspective on Social Pioneers shows that despite the ever increasing popularity of Facebook and YouTube, there is still a very important role for traditional media to play in building brand trust and respect. There are numerous examples of brands using traditional media to drive engagement with social media.”

Methodology

‘Social Pioneers’ are defined in the study as young people who have grown up with internet/mobile technology, are heavy users of social networking sites and can access sites such as Facebook via smartphones. The research engaged with six frequent users of social media, three female and three male aged between 16 and 24, who recorded their on- and off-line behaviour and attitudes over a six week period through a range of tasks, workshops and assignments. During workshop sessions the participants were asked to gauge their relationships with brands, as well as all media channels. They recorded their feelings about brands that used social networking sites to engage with consumers. The Pioneers were recruited by insight consultancy Work Research.


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1 Comment To "Traditional Media Boosts Brand Credibility On Social Media"

#1 Comment By Al Patrick On 18 November 2010 @ 17:10 @756

“Six frequent users on social media”

That must be the smallest sample size ever, plus given they are already frequent users the study is was always going to prove these results. The Oohgle.com campaign that Posterscope ran was far more robust than this – ok it was quant vs. qual so sample numbers are going to be higher – and still it didn’t provide a conclusive correlation between OOH influencing online behavior, let alone online social media.