Social Media Coming of Age

Despite some reports to the contrary — or maybe it’s wishful thinking? — social media is not a passing fad. According to research sponsored by TNS Media Intelligence/Cymfony, for example, 50 percent of senior marketing executives in several countries believe the use of social media for corporate, brand and product marketing is a vital component of corporate communications that should be monitored at the executive level and allocated significant resources. And that’s not all. Mike Spataro wrote in his Feb. 22 blog post, “The Demand for Social Media Experience,” on the VisInsights blog: “Everywhere I go these days it seems like I run into people who are scrambling to fill what appears to be the trendiest new job in corporate America today — head of social media … In 2007, more dollars started shifting to social media, but the big turning point for many companies is the movement in the form of existing employees or new hires to drive strategies across multiple functional areas within a company. The leading brands in social media understand that corporate integration across the entire organization is crucial to success.” True words, indeed. Social media also might be a bright spot amid the current doubts about ad spending as the threat of a recession looms. In a February report — and subsequent blog post — Forrester Research vice president and principal analyst Josh Bernoff made the case that since social applications such as communities and social networking sites are cost effective and have a measurable impact on prospects’ decisions in the consideration stage, they actually can thrive in a recession. We discuss the recession possibly looming on the horizon in this issue of eM+C as well. In her feature, “The Search is On,” author Lisa Wehr of Oneupweb explains that search marketing took off at the height of the post-Sept. 11, 2001, recession, during the worst fallout from the dot-com bust. The latest economic downturn, she reasons, offers even greater opportunities for search marketing and the companies that aggressively put it to work. I think she makes a compelling case. Traditional, interactive marketing But eM+C isn’t only about social media and search. Our cover story, for example, focuses on TV Guide, the iconic magazine that has had to change with the times — and with its evolving subscriber base. In this issue, you’ll learn how TV Guide is using online promotions and other interactive marketing tactics to reach a whole new audience. Enjoy! Melissa Campanelli Editor-in-Chief mcampanelli@napco.com

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Social Media Coming of Age

Melissa Campanelli

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Melissa Campanelli