Question

Topic: Student Questions

Social Media Taking Over Traditional Media?

Posted by Anonymous on 6/6/2011 at 3:26 PM ET 250 Points
Hi,
I'm hoping you can help.
I want to do a research dissertation in to the way in which social media could be more persuasive than traditional communication forms/PR techniques and the way in which it can change the attitudes of individuals.

As a secondary question I wanted to link it to celebrity endorsement and how this can further change the attitude. - Would this work?

Obviously this has been done and I'm struggling to find a way to make it different and how to make it an actual research dissertation.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 6/8/2011 at 10:43 PM Accepted
    Dear princesscodie,

    Look, sorry to be boring about this and all, but here's
    the thing, and this really is pretty simple. Social media
    is NOT about selling. It's about being social. Got it? The sooner that marketing students the world over wake the hell up and realize this the better for all concerned.

    Social media will not, has not and won't ever replace traditional media, in the same way that the Nook and the Kindle will not replace traditional, printed books.

    These things might make a dent in their respective worlds, but really? .... all this talk about death knells and "the end" of this media and that media is utter bollocks.

    Trust me on this. Traditional media isn't going anywhere. It's declined in certain sectors, yes. But know this and note this well: a piece of my direct mail will kick the ass of your e-mail campaign any day of the week.

    Or next week, Or next year, Or five years from now.

    Forget the media. The media—the delivery vehicle—that's not what's important, it's the MESSAGE that matters: always has, always will.

    Every year it's the same: students write in, pretending to ask a question about the thesis they think no one else has written on social media but then, and usually too late to back peddle, they realize that their thesis on how social media is used to sell stuff, or to overthrow traditional media is flawed. Or that it's been done. Or that they haven't got a clue what they're going to write about.

    It's not your fault. Really, it's not. The blame? Oh, that's easy: it can be laid firmly at the door of your tutors.

    Instead of talking about death knells and the like, why not write about the ways in which social media builds support, how it wrangles people into clusters of common interest, feeling, want, voice, desire and so one, and about the ways social media creates feelings of kinsmanship, belonging, significance, togetherness, and, dare I say it: community.

    Hence the primary use of the word social. The media? It comes second and always has done. That old chestnut about the medium being the message? That's bollocks too. The medium IS THE MEDIUM. Use it for good, and do so by crafting great messages that move, inspire, uplift, and celebrate people (social beings) and their stellar, world-changing, ground-breaking achievements.

    Good luck to you.

    Gary Bloomer
    The Direct Response Marketing Guy™
    Princeton, NJ, USA
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 6/8/2011 at 11:48 PM Accepted
    In my experience, posting short sample videos on youtube.com can lead to increased DVD sales. I think youtube is classified as a social media site (oh, and yes, you can post the youtube videos on a facebook fan page to get even more views)

    Steve
  • Posted by telemoxie on 6/11/2011 at 5:53 PM Accepted
    here's a way you could become more specific: rather than exploring the impact of individuals in general, you could research the effectiveness and impact of programs designed to reach CXOs.

    Generally speaking, senior executives of large corporations are not on twitter or Facebook or linkedin
  • Posted on 6/13/2011 at 5:24 AM Author
    Hi,

    Thanks for everyone's help. Gary you've definitely got me thinking now - I'm going to do some extra research and maybe take the spin of the need to concentrate on the "social" aspect of social media. Looking closely at the way in which this aspect has diminished.

    I might also discuss how I think some corporate brands are using social media sites incorrectly just for hard sell. However I can investigate other companies that are using it to their advantage. I think it was Gap who a week after changing their logo changed it back within a week after a number of negative comments were posted about it online.

    I'd like to do a research report so I might ask questions to see if consumers do like engaging with brands online or do they think social media is losing it's social aspect.

    Do you think this will be a good starting point?
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 6/15/2011 at 7:46 AM Accepted
    Yes. Good place to begin. Now, get busy.
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Student Questions)