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Snapshot of Social Buzz for Auto Brands

Monday, May 10th, 2010

AutoWeek recently reported on the automobile industry’s most valuable automotive brand on data from market research company Millward Brown.  The rankings revealed that BMW AG was No. 1, taking over the top spot occupied by the Toyota Motor Corporation last year.  Toyota was second followed by Honda, Mercedes and Porsche. The venerable American automotive brand Ford was seventh on the list.

Vitrue wanted to see how these rankings compared to the social media world.  We used the Vitrue SMI (Social Media Index) to determine a social share of voice for automotive brands, essentially measuring what brand was most buzzed about across the social media world including Facebook, Twitter and blogs. We used the Vitrue SMI just to take a quick snapshot of the brands listed in the study to see how their social buzz ranked today.

Ford was tops on the Vitrue SMI, followed by BMW, Mercedes, Honda and Nissan.  The complete rankings can be found here.

It was no real surprise that Ford was No. 1 on our list.  After all, Ford has truly embraced social media and engages with their consumer base in an ongoing and authentic manner.  Ford was one of the first automotive companies to appoint a head of social media.  An individual completely dedicated to social media communications.  And Ford’s executives are often made available via social media, truly putting a face to the Ford Company.  The transparent, two-way communication gives a brand, in this case Ford, an advantage in gaining and retaining consumer loyalty.

Last year our CEO, Reggie Bradford, spoke on the opportunity that auto brands had with social media. Check out his commentary as he explains how auto brands need to harness social media to drive the industry forward.

Social media is a powerful platform for communication; perhaps the most powerful and effective way for brand’s to communicate with their consumers.  The bottom line: social media is truly essential and should be a part of a brand’s ongoing marketing-communications plan.

How social is your brand?

Check out the Vitrue SMI to find out.

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Posted by Gretchen Miller in Social Media Index, Vitrue |

The South Dominates College Football Social Buzz

Friday, December 4th, 2009
Vitrue SMI - Top Social College Teams 11.24.09 to 12.2.09

  1. USC
  2. Ohio State
  3. Florida
  4. LSU
  5. Mississippi
  6. Auburn
  7. Texas
  8. Georgia Tech
  9. Michigan State
  10. Missouri
  11. Alabama
  12. Michigan
  13. Oklahoma
  14. Georgia
  15. West Virginia
  16. Nebraska
  17. Clemson
  18. Florida State
  19. UCLA
  20. Oregon
  21. Cincinnati
  22. Standford
  23. Iowa
  24. Boise State
  25. Virginia Tech
BCS Ranking 12.2.09

  1. Florida
  2. Alabama
  3. Texas
  4. TCU
  5. Cincinnati
  6. Boise State
  7. Oregon
  8. Ohio State
  9. Iowa
  10. Georgia Tech
  11. Penn State
  12. Virginia Tech
  13. LSU
  14. BYU
  15. Pittsburgh
  16. Oregon State
  17. Miami (FL)
  18. USC
  19. California
  20. Oklahoma State
  21. Houston
  22. Nebraska
  23. West Virginia
  24. Stanford
  25. Utah

We worked with “USA Today” to release our updated college football social buzz ranking.  Preseason we reported how the field was shaping up. Now as the BCS closes in, no better time to see what the social web is most passionate about as we head into the almighty national play-offs.

What strikes me about the social ranking is the Southeastern Conference presence and how their teams are really generating buzz and attention through their on-field performance.  The other interesting note is the SEC garners excellent TV exposure that results with a great track record of success.

Another point is Florida State’s social ranking  at #18 despite their 6-6 season, they ranked high on the SMI all season- especially during the last weeks – perhaps you can attribute that to the Bobby Bowden situation - had the entire country talking…and the “demise” of FSU football?

Auburn peaked during the last seven days with build up to the Alabama game as last week it was the featured game with huge TV exposure…possibly had everyone talking about a huge possible upset.

One thing I have state as my Catholic upbringing and my old nun teachers would be upset if I didn’t set the record straight….I essentially said Notre Dame is no longer part of the BCS conversation on a national title basis, they have become irrelevant – my grandparents would be furious if they heard that quote!

And my Dawgs….although not in play-off contention – we did finish the season strong by beating Tech last week and are still high on what people are talking about on the social web.

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Posted by Reggie Bradford in Social Media Index, Vitrue, Vitrue STATs |

The World Series of Social

Friday, October 30th, 2009

Joe DiMaggio's Glove, attribution to Glenda Bautista link to http://glenda.be/

Joe DiMaggio's Glove, attribution to Glenda Bautista link to http://glenda.be/

Baseball is a game of numbers.  We might talk about A-Rod’s game winning home run like we talk about that hilarious television advert we saw during the Super Bowl, but in this business we know that good advertising and marketing requires more than a big hit. The front office achieves results by analyzing reams of data and getting the right folks to assess needs, fill the right positions, and make the right changes at the right time. Having money to spend doesn’t hurt either.

And so, I started to dig into the tools we use to analyze social buzz around this fantastic east coast World Series matchup. Would the buzz trends end up being an accurate reflection of the outcome?

Then I thought, “That’s no fun. Besides, everybody hates the Yankees. And everyone in LA? Well, I can imagine they’re tweeting about the Lakers these days, and just pretending they didn’t get their butts handed to them this October.” Using the Vitrue SMI, The Yanks win for overall buzz, as phrases like “Yankees win the World Series” are more prevalent,  but they also win in the “sucks” category. No surprise there.  Let’s face it: position by position, it’s a tossup. Cold hard baseball data doesn’t tell us much more for this matchup. It’s going to be a close series, folks.

What might be more interesting is to dig into their personalities a little more. After all, every baseball aficionado knows that personalities are what make a team – not bloated salaries (OK…so the Yankees have both).

So I did a little digging into which Yanks and which Phils are engaging the most with their fans. Apologies for missing anyone, but here are the most active Twitterers I came across who are playing in the series, along with their followers:

Nick Swisher: @NickSwisher – over 1 million followers
CC Sabathia: @CC_Sabathia –  over 34,000 followers
Chad Durbin: @chaddurbin – over 5,100 followers (he points to @ShowcaseU now)
Jorge Posada: @newjorgeposada – 4,000 followers
Brad Lidge:  @bradlidge -192followers
Chien-Ming Wang (on the DL): @ChienMingWang - 970 followers

Jamie Moyer may not be playing for the Phils in the series, but he is also using Twitter to promote philanthropy with The Moyer Foundation – a non-profit he runs to benefit children in extreme stress, including bereavement camps. You can find him at @moyerfoundation. Nice work Jamie!

Jamie Moyer isn’t the only one using Twitter to promote a cause or a business. Chad Durbin is promoting his sports recruiting business, Showcase U, while Jorge Posada is promoting a book and a community around keeping fit. Nick Swisher is selling T-Shirts and other gear for a number of charities via Swish’s Wishes, dedicated to “enriching lives and lifting the spirits of children who are facing vital health issues”.

I think I’m going to follow these guys and keep an eye on their tweets. I don’t expect anything earth shattering, nor controversial, though. It’s also great to know that some of these guys are doing some great charity and community work.

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Posted by Bryan Pocius in Social Media Index, Vitrue |

Top Social College Football Teams – Time for Pig Skins and Pork Rinds

Thursday, August 27th, 2009
USA Today Preseason Ranking - Coaches’ Poll

  1. Florida
  2. Texas
  3. Oklahoma
  4. USC
  5. Alabama
  6. Ohio State
  7. Virginia Tech
  8. Penn State
  9. LSU
  10. Mississippi
  11. Oklahoma State
  12. California
  13. Georgia
  14. Oregon
  15. Georgia Tech
  16. Boise State
  17. TCU
  18. Utah
  19. Florida State
  20. North Carolina
  21. Iowa
  22. Nebraska
  23. Notre Dame
  24. Brigham Young
  25. Oregon State
Vitrue SMI - Top Social College Football Teams

  1. USC
  2. Ohio State
  3. Florida
  4. LSU
  5. Auburn
  6. Michigan State
  7. Texas
  8. Oklahoma
  9. Georgia Tech
  10. UCLA
  11. Georgia
  12. Alabama
  13. Michigan
  14. Clemson
  15. Ball State
  16. Missouri
  17. Oregon
  18. Virginia Tech
  19. Florida State
  20. East Carolina
  21. Brigham Young
  22. Miami
  23. West Virginia
  24. Iowa
  25. Penn State

Social media and college football - two of my biggest passions are coming together.

In conjunction with USA Today we are excited to announce the first annual ranking for college football teams getting the most buzz on the social web as the 2009 season gets ready to kick off.

Using the Vitrue SMI we ranked the teams and listed the top 25 most social teams. There are a few surprises when compared to the USA Today’s coaches poll.

USC scored first in terms of social buzz, with great anticipation riding on the shoulders of true Freshman QB Matt Barkley. The Florida Gators, coming into the season as the most anticipated consensus #1 favorite in years, was surprisingly only #3 in social ranking.

In addition, fans believe the storied programs Michigan and UCLA will snap back into form after underwhelming initial seasons under new coaches Rich Rodriguez and Rick Neuheisel respectively.  Coming off rough seasons last year, the buzz could be attributed to fans hoping they bounce back this year. It is also interesting that Ball State ranks #15 on the social ranking, despite not being a big-time “football” school. They are coming off a great season and were undefeated in the 2008 regular season for the first time since 1949. Although they lost their championship game and Bowl game, their fans are chatting it up across the social web.  Fellow Sigma-Chi David Lettermen frequently boasts his alma mater - perhaps he is pushing some of the conversation as well.

I apologize to my SEC friends as Ole Miss and Tennessee (under full disclose Georgia is my alma mater) did not rank socially - just reporting the data folks. Also, to my WAC/Mountain West friends, sorry to say we don’t see Boise State, TCU or Utah rank socially either (I did play a year for University of New Mexico Lobos).

The point is - social media is a fascinating medium allowing unprecedented conversations.  It enables fans not just to cheer their teams on from the stands or in front of their TVs but to share their personal experiences and passions with their social circles - creating vibrant community and ongoing conversation.  Social media gives fans access, a playbook, whistle and a megaphone unlike ever before.

Get behind your teams and generate some buzz - it is going to be an awesome season!

We will be tracking the teams throughout the season and will provide some updates along the way, so be sure to shout out for your team in your status updates.

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Posted by Reggie Bradford in Social Media Index, Vitrue, Vitrue STATs | 2 Comments »

The Vitrue 25 Top Social Athletes - July Snapshot

Thursday, July 16th, 2009
The Vitrue 25 Top Social Athletes - July Snapshot

  1. Lance Armstrong
  2. Tony Hawk
  3. Roger Federer
  4. Ronaldinho Gaúcho
  5. Michael Phelps
  6. Dwight Howard
  7. David Beckham
  8. Valentino Rossi
  9. Lebron James
  10. Michael Jordan
  11. Maria Sharapova
  12. Serena Williams
  13. Rafael Nadal
  14. Kobe Bryant
  15. Paul Pierce
  16. Usain Bolt
  17. Tiger Woods
  18. Ryan Sheckler
  19. Shaquille O’Neal
  20. Manny Pacquiao
  21. Yao Ming
  22. Dwyane Wade
  23. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  24. Stewart Cink
  25. Muhammad Ali

The Vitrue 25 Top Social Athletes - July Snapshot

Sports for many of us are a way of life.  Sports unite us and create epic battle cries we rally around to be part of a team and it becomes part of our DNA to a large degree.

Our passion for sports also transcends boundaries from geographic regions to culture, race and sex.

We thought it would be not only interesting but also fun to take a look at the top social athletes to see who is being most buzzed about on the social web.

The Vitrue 25 Top Social Athlete ranking, as covered in USA Today, helps shed light on how truly social our society has become and is meant to provide a simple, directional snapshot of what is being most talked about on the social web – from social networks to photo and video sharing sites to blogs and microblogs, the list represents a week’s average of data in July and is most likely impacted by seasonality with such events as the Tour De France and Wimbledon.

You will no doubt notice the list is heavily occupied by athletes whose appeal transcends borders and the higher propensity for athletes who participate in individual versus team sports.

As a traditional sports guy, I was disappointed no NFL players made the list as I am a huge fan. That said, if you take a step back, many of the athletes on the list participate in sports which are played on a global level and is illustrative of the phenomenon social media has become connecting us all.

Sports stars are in and of themselves brands which build followings that create buzz not to mention legacies.  This social currency is extremely valuable with its far reaching and powerful effects.  As marketers continue to look to more tightly couple their sponsored athletes and sporting events with their social media presence, we would expect these numbers to continue to grow across the spectrum. We all are getting more social at an exponential rate and to reach the hearts and minds of consumers you have to be social.

We know the list may strike healthy debate because competition is what drive us.  One thing we also wanted to note, some stars are active social media users as we see from the velocity of Michael Phelps’s tweets to Dwight Howard’s multi-faceted social approach, some too have made the list not because they actively push content themselves but because they are just currently popular personas on the social web.

Want to check out your favorite?  Enter their name and see their score.  You can easily share and debate….long live rivalry!

For more on the Vitrue Social Media Index methodology

how social is your advertising?
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Enter one or two brand names, phrases, or keywords
Vitrue Social Media Index. Measuring your online conversations.
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Posted by Reggie Bradford in Social Media Index, Vitrue, Vitrue STATs | 3 Comments »

Vitrue Social Media Index - Version 1.0 Released

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

I’m extremely excited to announce the Vitrue Social Media Index Version 1.0. Yes, we have officially moved from Beta with our 1.0 release. It was just a year ago this month, when we started developing the Vitrue Social Media Index (SMI) and released our first public Beta in October 2008.

The past nine months have brought many accolades for the Vitrue SMI, from the Forbes coverage of Fey/Palin to the ever popular Vitrue 100 - Most Social Brands of 2008, the Vitrue SMI has caught the attention of some of the top marketing influencers and executives. All told the Vitrue SMI provided a great foundation for what it set out to do - help the industry define social media measurement.  You can read more about the Vitrue SMI in the news at  http://vitrue.com/press-room

But, most importantly the Vitrue SMI has cemented Vitrue as a leading expert on social media buzz and offered marketers priceless information about their brands. So, it comes as no surprise that we continue our investment in the Vitrue SMI.

As the social media landscape continues to evolve, so must the Vitrue SMI. To keep up with the evolution, we have re-calibrated the algorithm to reflect site growth, decline and popularity from the major social networks. In addition we have added share functionality of reports directly to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and as well as blog/site embed codes.

How social is your brand? Try the new Vitrue Social Media Index:

how social is your advertising?
vs.
Enter one or two brand names, phrases, or keywords
Vitrue Social Media Index. Measuring your online conversations.

One of the coolest new features of the Vitrue SMI are “Live Charts”. You can now share or post a “Live Chart” of your Vitrue SMI score and everyday the chart will dynamically update with the current Vitrue SMI score. This can be handy to include on a blog, presentation or intranet. In addition, you can share a static chart called “Today’s Chart”. Sharing or posting “Today’s Chart” will only display the score when you shared it (it’s static). Here’s a couple of live charts for Coke and Pepsi:

About the Vitrue Social Media Index Methodology:

Each day, Vitrue analyzes the online conversations on a variety of social networks, blogs, status updates (aka micro-blogs), photo and video sharing sites.

The Vitrue SMI calculates scores about the brand’s social conversations. We apply a series of algorithms to reflect the frequency of usage, the size of the social media environment, and the magnitude of the conversation. The result is a single numeric score for each brand: the Vitrue Social Media Index (SMI).

Vitrue SMI scores to provide a simple, relative measure of conversations on the web.

The two most common uses are:

  1. Tracking movement of a single brand over time
  2. Comparing a brand with its competitors, either at an individual point in time or over a period of weeks or months

The changing world of online conversations results in significant movements up and down for brands.

Vitrue’s SMI reflects a combination of patent-pending technology, proprietary methodologies, and continuous refinement based on daily feedback and calibration. It provides the marketer with the industry’s simplest, most direct snapshot of conversations on the social web.

Questions or feedback? Join the conversation and leave a comment below.

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Posted by Michael Strutton in Social Media Index, Social Media Measurement, Vitrue |

Hollywood Goes Social

Friday, April 24th, 2009
Vitrue’s Most Social Celebrities

  1. Britney Spears
  2. John Mayer
  3. Ellen Degeneres
  4. Ashton Kutcher
  5. Demi Moore
  6. Oprah Winfrey
  7. Ryan Seacrest
  8. Miley Cyrus
  9. Jonas Brothers
  10. Pete Wentz
  11. Kim Kardashian
  12. Chris Brown
  13. Kanye West
  14. Vanessa Hudgens
  15. Paris Hilton
  16. Madonna
  17. Beyonce
  18. Taylor Swift
  19. Heidi Montag
  20. Justin Timberlake
  21. Diddy
  22. Mariah Carey
  23. Rihanna
  24. Ashlee Simpson-Wentz
  25. Kelly Clarkson
  26. Nicole Richie
  27. Will Smith
  28. Robert Pattinson
  29. Mandy Moore
  30. Avril Lavigne
  31. Selena Gomez
  32. Kristen Stewart
  33. Angelina Jolie
  34. Usher
  35. Kelly Ripa
  36. Hugh Jackman
  37. Johnny Depp
  38. Ashley Tisdale
  39. Alicia Keys
  40. Brad Pitt
  41. Tom Cruise
  42. David Cook
  43. Lindsay Lohan
  44. Joel Madden
  45. Tyra Banks
  46. Jessica Alba
  47. Hilary Duff
  48. Mischa Barton
  49. Amy Winehouse
  50. Jessica Simpson

Social media is changing our landscape and has gone truly mainstream. Last week alone we saw Ashton Kutcher challenge CNN to 1 million followers on Twitter.

Ashton championed the power of social media as a great equalizer – giving the ability to one person to have the same stage as an entire global news network. Commenting on the power we all now have to create, edit and broadcast content – what he referred to as the uprising of the Internet.

As Hollywood is actively promoting what they feel is powerful about social media – from Ashton to Diddy, to Ryan Seacrest, to Jimmy Fallon – all had a lively discussion with Larry King this past Friday and how they are using social media to be part of the conversation.

Oprah posts her first tweet on air.

Oprah posts her first tweet on air.

Oprah too has entered social media with an active Facebook presence and now sending out her own “tweets” even this past Monday Barbra Walters issued her first “tweet” live on The View

These are profound changes in the way we communicate and social media offers celebrity a megaphone to champion their social causes, combat inaccuracies in the tabloids and directly interact with their fans.

What is amazing about what has happened with Hollywood going social, is the platform it provides for not only the personalization of the stars but also that they can use their celebrity for the greater good. CNN and Ashton’s Twitter race to one million followers raised incredible awareness for Malaria No More and tens of thousands of mosquito nets for people in great need.

Using the Vitrue Social Media Index we wanted to look at which celebrities most popular on the social web. The first time we know of any social media ranking for Hollywood has been issued.

So digging down a bit on the top 50 most social celebs, what an amazing outlet for the causes and brands they endorse to be amplified.

From Beyonce’s work for Hurricane Katrina victims and the Phoenix House to Johnny Depp’s anti-AIDS campaign efforts in third world countries to Will Smith’s focus on the education and welfare of inner city families, social media provides a great mega phone for these celebrities to broadcast through to make us more aware of key social causes and how we can take action.

But celebs can also use this medium of authenticity to disintermediate the media and help clarify what is real and what they want the world to know. They can reach out to their fans and engage them to be part of the collaborative process of content creation.

The brands that these celebs also endorse will want to know how social they are as more and more stats are showing us that 8 out of 10 purchasing decisions are being made because of a peer or friend’s recommendation. Social media puts celebs on a level playing field and we can hear and see what they are not only thinking but endorsing form Beyonce’s L’Oreal lipstick to Madonna’s Louis Vuitton fashion to Ashton’s Nikon camera.

We think this is an interesting topic and will be reporting on more in the coming months.

Let us know who you think is using their social voice most effectively.

how social is your advertising?
vs.
Enter one or two brand names, phrases, or keywords
Vitrue Social Media Index. Measuring your online conversations.
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Posted by Reggie Bradford in Industry News, Social Media Index | 3 Comments »

Pharmaceutical Marketing and Social Media – Empower Us

Monday, April 13th, 2009

I was recently contacted by MediaPost to comment on an very interesting story as initially reported on by The New York Times. The MediaPost article also examined the issues around RealAge  and pharmaceutical marketing.  Certainly a complicated issue – as it is a tremendously regulated industry and most all of us as consumers, closely guard our health.

What was fascinating about the articles, was the concept of the Real Age test – by taking 150 or so questions I can receive my “real age” in terms of my lifestyle. The site also then provides me tips and tools to live younger – from flossing to vitamins.

So peeling back the debate around the issue of marketing to consumers using the answers to their questions, I think there is an additional dimension and opportunity here where pharmaceutical brands need to take focus.  As former CMO of WedMD, I have some experience around these issues.  As an early pioneer of on line communities, WebMD empowered consumers to find health information on line – at the time many critics thought this would not work but today is a thriving and trusted resource for information.

As we all know, in the past five years the web began to go truly  social and empowered consumers to participate.  With the rapid and only increasing adoption of social media by consumers, brands need to take notice and get involved in the conversation.  Many brands are leading the next wave of marketing and pharmaceuticals need to figure out how to get in and get more social.

I think pharmaceutical companies need to determine how to be part of a community and conversation. Living better is a popular topic that is thriving on the social web today.  Using our Social Media Index, we looked at key terms to see how much people were talking about the topics that impact healthy living.

Vitrue Social Share of Voice on Health Topics

Vitrue Social Share of Voice on Health Topics

Active conversation is taking place around topics of sleep, diet, stress, exercise and nutrition. All of these personal and cultural topics fell within our range of most social brands of 2008 – as popular as iPhone, CNN and  Starbucks. Pharma brands need to deploy robust environments where these topics and solutions from peers can be discussed.

When we look at the pharmaceutical brands’ social share of voice we see there is great discrepancy between this need and endorsed information.  We look to our peers and family and friends for buying decisions (according to Nielsen, 78% of consumers trust the opinions of peers over all other information sources and advertising) and our health is no different.  I value my circle’s input and would take their input over all methods of messaging.  So in these great dialogues pharma companies have the opportunity to foster and cultivate forms where this dialog can thrive and information about their solutions can be surfaced.

Pharmaceutical Companies Social Share of Voice

Pharmaceutical Companies Social Share of Voice

Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and Novartis are off to a solid start, but have a ways to go as it is a low base compared to more social brands like Coke, Disney and McDonald’s.

We will be reviewing this vertical in more detail in coming months but wanted to share my thoughts on where we should be focusing some of this debate.

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Posted by Reggie Bradford in Social Media Index, Vitrue | 1 Comment »

Vitrue SMI Predicts #1 Seeds Will Be Toppled This Weekend

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

This weekend proves to be another epic weekend of college basketball as March Madness continues with the Sweet 16.  Excited to see who will be in the Final Four and if my social picks will get me closer to winning the office pool.

Using the Vitrue Social Media Index (SMI) we pulled new data after this past weekend’s games to see which teams are now most social in terms of web chatter so we can make our picks for the Final Four Showdown.

Vitrue SMI Picks for the Final Four
UConn (1), UNC (1), Kansas (3), Duke (2)

This should be interesting to see as last year there were four #1 seeds in the Final Four.  The Vitrue SMI is predicting an upset to this as we see Kansas and Duke able to make the final cut while the two #1 seeds of Louisville and Pittsburgh will be out of contention.

Time will tell but I am ready for the ride and want so see who makes it.

We have also listed the Sweet 16 teams in order of social rank and it is interesting to see the most social chatter is  coming out of the West followed by the South with the East far behind.

NCAA Basketball Tournament Social Share of Voice by Region

NCAA Basketball Tournament Social Share of Voice by Region

Vitrue SMI Ranking of Sweet 16

  1. UConn Huskies (1)
  2. UNC Tar Heels (1)
  3. Kansas Jayhawks (3)
  4. Syracuse Orange (3)
  5. Missouri Tigers (3)
  6. Memphis Tigers (2)
  7. Michigan State Spartans (2)
  8. Duke Blue Devils (2)
  9. Louisville Cardinals (1)
  10. Arizona Wildcats (12)
  11. Oklahoma Sooners (2)
  12. Purdue Boilermakers (5)
  13. Pittsburgh Panthers (1)
  14. Gonzaga Bulldogs (4)
  15. Villanova Wildcats (3)
  16. Xavier Musketeers (4)

Based on our social picks last week, the Vitrue SMI accurately predicted 6 out of 10 (60%) upsets in the first round.
Two of the most notable predictions were Arizona (as #12 seed over  #5 seed Utah ) and Dayton (as #11 seed over #6 seed West Virginia).  While the Arizona/Utah game was tight the whole way through – they pulled it out while Dayton had little issue stomping over West Virginia.

We also wanted to look at the 10 biggest movers and losers of overall social chatter of the 64 teams since the tourney started for additional insights.

Top 10 Social Gainers
There are 4 teams in the Sweet 16 (**) who are getting a real morale boost from their fans based on increased social chatter.  UConn has the biggest point improvement overall, most likely due to the fact they entered the tournament perceived as a weaker #1 seed but have outperformed expectations with two very commanding wins in the opening rounds.  Dayton also surprised everybody (except the SMI rankings) with a win in the first round and saw significant increase in social chatter as a result.

1.  ** UConn Huskies
2.  Dayton Flyers
3.  ** Syracuse Orange
4.  Texas Longhorns
5.  ** Kansas Jayhawks
6.  USC Trojans
7.  ** Memphis Tigers
8.  Siena Saints
9.  Maryland Terrapins
10.  LSU Tigers

All top 10 social gainer teams this week won at least one game in the opening rounds.

Top 10 Social Losers
For most of this list, losing games and being out of the tournament is the reason for the drop-off in social chatter, with Boston College fans being the most disappointed.  Close behind, also with disappointed fans are the UCLA Bruins, the #1 ranked social team before the tournament started.  But what about Michigan State and Arizona, who are in the Sweet 16 (**) and still have a shot at the title?  Where are those fans?  Also, the prize for the most consistent fans go to the Washington Huskies and Cal State Northridge Matadors, whose fans love their teams just the same, win or lose.

1.  Boston College Eagles
2.  UCLA Bruins
3.  Utah Utes
4.  West Virginia Mountaineers
5.  ** Michigan State Spartans
6.  ** Arizona Wildcats
7.  East Tennessee State Buccaneers
8.  Washington Huskies
9.  Cal State Northridge Matadors
10.  Chattanooga Mocs

6 out of 10 of these teams lost in the first round.

Who do you think will make it to the Final Four?

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Posted by Reggie Bradford in Social Media Index, Vitrue, Vitrue STATs |

Does social value translate to overall brand value?

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

Many people question if a brand’s marketing efforts in social media are going to deliver results.  That’s a good question, but what kind of results?  Brands use marketing to accomplish a number of different objectives from brand awareness to direct response sales.  There’s also general brand loyalty and customer retention to consider.

Interbrand developed its own method for valuating the best global brands and it does so on an annual basis.  The result is a ranking of the 100 most “valuable” brands, which includes the likes of Coca-Cola, IBM and Microsoft.  Vitrue also released its own list, The Vitrue 100, which is a ranking of the 100 most “social” brands.

We thought it would be very interesting to do a thorough comparison  of the two lists to see if social value translates into overall brand value.  After all – doesn’t a brand want people talking about their brand and products?  Isn’t that why big brands spend millions on Super Bowl commercials, so people will talk about their brand and eventually buy their products as a result of those discussions?

Some interesting findings were discovered from our comparison of the 2008 rankings of the Vitrue 100 and the Interbrand 100:

  1. 68% of the Interbrand 25 are also in the Vitrue 100.  Key examples include Coca-Cola (Interbrand #1 and Vitrue #22); Microsoft (Interbrand #3 and Vitrue #11); Apple (Interbrand #24 and Vitrue #3)
  2. Some key brands with a large percentage change in Interbrand’s ranking from 2007 are ranked highly in the Vitrue 100.  For example, BlackBerry wasn’t even on Interbrand’s list in 2007 but jumped into spot #73 in 2008 and sits at #20 on the Vitrue 100.  Could their recent social activity be playing a part in the brand’s overall value?
  3. A number of brands have VERY similar ranking on both lists, further demonstrating a correlation between the two lists:
  • Disney = Interbrand #9 and Vitrue #4
  • Honda = Interbrand #20 and Vitrue #25
  • Pepsi = Interbrand #26 and Vitrue #30
  • Volkswagen = Interbrand #53 and Vitrue #58
  • Porsche = Interbrand #75 and Vitrue #74
  • BP = Interbrand #84 and Vitrue #86

So to answer the original question, “Does social value translate to overall brand value?”  The answer is YES!

Just ask Aaron Strout, who heard about the Vitrue 100 and compared the Interbrand (retail) rank and Vitrue rank of Best Buy in his MediaPost blog update noting that “[being social] does play a key role behind the prestigious “most valuable brand” ranking.”

While social activity does not represent the entire picture of a brand’s overall perception in the marketplace or overall value, it’s already become an extremely important component.  Purchase decisions on many products and services in today’s market are largely driven by personal recommendations rather than traditional forms of advertising and marketing.

According to a Forrester Media & Marketing Survey, “83% of online consumers turn to friends or acquaintances” regarding purchase decisions.  This holds true for me personally too.  I’m in the market for a new SUV and have received great feedback from friends on Facebook, which is influencing my decision far more than commercials on TV.

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Posted by Chad Estes in Social Media Index, Social Media Measurement, Vitrue | 4 Comments »

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