by Remon Geyser (@remongeyser) The power of sharing experiences is nothing new, although social media has allowed us to amplify our digital voices and tell friends and family what we’re doing and how we’re doing it anytime we want to. Some people use social media to stay in touch, others to get information but, for a host of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media lovers, using these platforms is about posting our own thoughts and ideas, as well as information, photos, videos and more that we think our friends will find interesting.
This is the power of ‘social currency’, a digital popularity contest that allows us to vie for the position of ‘first to know’ and ‘first to share’.
So how are brands using our desire for social currency to sell? Our Springleap panel of creative professionals has identified two campaigns in Kenya that have done just that, one with an offline activation and the other with a below-the-line competition. Our experts explain that, as it turns out, social currency is not just for social media, but reaches far beyond the digital boundaries of our computer screens into the physical world. People want to look good to other people. And, now, brands are helping them do it.
The Heineken Experience
Based on the understanding that people enjoy experiences they engage in together, Heineken created a campaign on Instagram prompting Kenyans to visit Quins, a sports bar in Nairobi, to have a few beers and watch the rugby with five of their closest friends. As a reward for choosing Quins, not only were the targeted rugby-loving consumers rewarded with exclusive Heineken merchandise, but their friends were, too. The result? They gained social currency by being able to give their friends an experience they wouldn’t have otherwise had.
Our Kenyan creatives explain that the brand did a great job in capitalising on ‘group winning’, which created positive brand association for the brand, garnered increased sales for Quins (because, let’s be honest, no one has just one beer, right?) and gave consumers the chance to look good in the eyes of their friends.
And what could the brand have done better? Our creatives think that the brand should have taken its show on the proverbial road. Nationwide activations could also have created more social media opportunities for both consumers and the brand, increasing talkability and brand loyalty.
Then there’s the hashtag, #KOT, which our creative professionals thought could have been improved upon by using a unique, quirky hashtag that consumers would remember, rather than an acronym.
Smartika na 5x Bonus promotion
Following last month’s analysis, Airtel’s Smartika na 5x Bonus promotion is still drawing much attention. This promotion is a celebration of the loyalty the brand has gotten from its customers, loyalty it’s been prepared to reward handsomely with giveaways including 50 cars, cash prizes and airtime. All consumers have to do to throw their hats in the ring was use their phones. The message: Hit the daily airtime usage target and get a 500% airtime bonus, as well as a one-in-50-chance of winning a car
Our specialists pinpointed that the press has played a key role in promoting the competition and the brand is using them well to send its message far and wide. It has been so successful (and the campaign is still ongoing) that our Kenyan creatives say there’s a healthy buzz on social media that makes them believe that people are not just in it for the cars, but for the promotion itself.
In terms of social currency, the campaign has gone viral, according to our panel, and people are talking about it both online and offline. However, it is not the target market that has gained social currency here but the brand and, through its active presence on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, Airtel announces winners and competition information daily, making it a valuable resource to watch if you like winning stuff (and our experts say that Kenyans really do).
Where the brand may have missed a trick, though, is in creating an emotional connection with consumers. By promoting just the prizes and the products, rather than how both could better the lives of consumers, there is an element of connection that is missing, which means that, once the promotion is over, those loyal followers may be persuaded to look for greener pastures grown by other brands.
Advice for international brands
So what do our creative professionals recommend brands focus on if they want to create their own social currency in Kenya and help consumers create theirs? Here are a few of their findings:
- Give people something to talk about, help them look good and they’ll do the same for your brand. But do it with a hashtag that entices those who might see their friends’ shared posts and, if budget allows, go big.
- Freebies are great, prizes are better but emotional connection wins the day, especially in as far as social currency is concerned. Conduct research to find out what matters to your target audience and give them a chance to connect with your brand and share content that will make them look good to others.
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Remon Geyser (@remongeyser) is a burger fanatic, wine connoisseur and eSports enthusiast (yes, a fancy term for playing computer games). He is also the research lead for Springleap, heading up a new global creative research division while obscurely attempting a PhD. Springleap provides instant creative expert feedback to rock marketing ROI. Remon contributes the new weekly “Talk Africa” column, covering Pan-African trends, on MarkLives.com.
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