New Innovations; New Possibilities

With the expansion of social networks also comes the expansion of ideas. New mediums mean there are new ways in which we can reach an audience. Some of these include online gaming, consumer-generated content and branded entertainment, just to name a few. As Rust-Oleum Specialty continues to grow and expand into social media, these three areas will play a strong role in consumer engagement and awareness.

Gaming
Games are no longer just for children; they are slowly becoming a critical tactic in building a brand. As Paul Glazowski points out in a blog post, "the brands behind those platforms [social media networks] – stick around for the long term, its entertainment. And in modern terms, that means games. Games, games, and more games” (Glazowski, 2008).

In 2007 alone, it was estimated that 217 million people played online games with that number predicted to grow according to comScore (Riley, 2007). In fact, Zynga, the social gaming developer who develops games on Facebook surpassed the 10 million daily active users mark in May of 2009 (Parr, 2009). This signifies that there is a tremendous opportunity for Rust-Oleum Specialty to capitalize on this.

For example, once the brand develops its Facebook presence, it can include an online gaming component, which can then further expand to its own Web site. These games might include recreating a dream kitchen with the stainless steel paint, or maybe a game that sees how creative one can get by creating a chalk mural or drawing on the brand’s chalkboard paint. This could be followed by a contest to enter your drawing for free paint or a room makeover. These are just a few initial ideas, but they do demonstrate that there is an opportunity for Rust-Oleum Specialty to engage consumers through online gaming. Gaming is engagement, and since it creates an experience for a consumer, they are more willing to participate.

Consumer-Generated Content
Brands are part of our lives, and the goal of this campaign is to make Rust-Oleum Specialty a part of the lives of consumers. With that said, consumer-generated content could provide a strong outlet for the brand.

Consumer-generated content allows the consumer to be a part of the communications process (Jaffe, 2005). It is a different kind of marketing tactic that allows the consumer to truly embrace the brand and participate in it. With consumer-generated content, the consumer is actually a part of the brand. They can tell why they use it and believe in it; essentially, why it is a part of their lives.

Rust-Oleum Specialty would be able to use consumer-generated content in its social media marketing campaign. My initial idea is to have customers write in via a Facebook page, Twitter account, or possibly even a dedicated Web site and tell how Rust-Oleum Specialty made their house a home. The campaign, “Making Our House Our Home,” allows the customer to tell the story, which includes an experience and promotes how the product can be used. To add another customer engagement component to it, those who log onto the site can vote for their favorite story with the winner receiving a grand prize. Maybe it is something they still need for their home or maybe it is cleaning service for a year. The possibilities truly are endless.

Branded Entertainment
Branded entertainment is frequently called product placement. Whereas some individuals do not think product placement may be beneficial, I believe it could be extremely beneficial for Rust-Oleum Specialty as long as it is strategic and does not look like it is an complete endorsement for the product.

I admit, as a public relations professional, I am weary of the “pay-to-play” concept, but I do believe at times it can work. According to PQ Media, branded entertainment was expected to reach a spend of $25.8 billion in 2008 and continue to grow (PQ Media, 2008). This is due in part because it is not a traditional advertising tactic. For Rust-Oleum Specialty, I envision a possible partnership with HGTV, maybe on a show such as Design to Sell where there is a limited budget available to transform a house. By using the products on this type of programming, consumers will be able to see how they are used as well as the end result.

It is interesting to see how many alternatives there are to traditional media, and it is exciting to see how these alternatives can be beneficial to building a client’s brand both online and on the airwaves.



References
Glazowski, P. (2008). Gaming to carry and grow social networks into the future. Mashable Blog. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://mashable.com/2008/03/02/social-network-gaming/

Riley, D. (2007). 217 people play games online. Tech Crunch. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/07/10/217-million-people-play-online-games/

Parr, B. (2009). Watch out Nintendo. Social gaming is rapidly on the rise. Mashable Blog. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://mashable.com/2009/05/12/zynga-social-gaming


Jaffe, J. (2005). Consumer generated content. iMedia Connection Blog. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/6096.imc

PQ Media (2008). PQ Media Research: Branded Entertainment Market Defies Slowing Economy, Expands 14.7% to $22.3 bil. in 2007. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://www.pqmedia.com/about-press-20080212-bemf.html