Building a brand socially

We are living in a transformative and disruptive era. Widely distributed and accessible tools and services that empower anyone with online access, in conjunction with changing consumer expectations and behaviour on the back of the worst financial crises we have experienced in our lifetime, have created a transformative and disruptive digital era — one rich with opportunity and danger in equal measure. The challenge for brands, whether corporate, FMCG, government, individual or business-to-business is an exciting and complex one, requiring new strategies to navigate evolving consumer touch points within ecosystems. Many brands have learned to adapt and succeed in the new digital world, others are still struggling to leverage and manage the complexities, obstructed by legacy success criteria and traditional marketing and media mindsets. The role of social media in this exhilarating and often intimidating landscape is unique and unequivocally value-based. After all, in all relationships, whether they are personal, professional or commercial, emotional or rational, people need to feel valued. And some might say now more than ever before, given the insecurities and distrust following the global financial crises.