In a recent article from Silicon Alley Insider Mark Zuckerberg was euphemistically quoted saying Facebook allows people “to stay updated on what’s happening around them and share with the people in their lives.” Translation? People like to brag about the awesome crap they do via status updates and Tweets.
As a prolific status-updater I am in no way claiming innocence on this (my last status update was VIP at DMB with Carrot Creative, jealous yet?) But seriously, the reason I bring this to our attention is because as a creative agency, working with brands that consumers want to associate themselves with makes our jobs at Carrot a whole lot easier. We encourage “cool” brands to offer viral content users can share, blog, post, whatever you want to call it, giving the consumer more opportunity to “tag their brag.”
Here are a couple of status updates as good examples
(disclaimer we have no relationship with Asics or Bruno)
By using these brands to vindicate their bragging, these people unknowingly promoted the brand in perfect context… textbook marketing. Technology platforms that monitor this kind of “name-dropping” across the web give brands and marketers a direct link to how consumers incorporate the product with their lifestyle. Understanding a brands “social reputation” is an integral part of a marketers job.
So with that, take a minute to think about what brands YOU want to associate yourself with and do them a favor and find them on Twitter, join their Facebook Fan Page, or hey, tattoo their logo on your forearm. A good one to get started with? The Carrot Twitter page and Facebook Fan Page.
What do you think, do you have any examples of shameful bragging that put brands in a good (or bad) light?
