Brains on Fire

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  A Tale of Two Facebook Pages (Guest Post from Shannon Kohn)

  Posted on May 31st, 2011 by Eric Dodds and currently 1 commenting.

  This is a guest post from Shannon Kohn, one of our rockstar community managers.

  
  

  Those of you who know me are well aware of the fact that, even though I adore my role as a Community Manager here at Brains on Fire, my passion is food.  Writing about it.  Reading about it.  Looking at it.  Eating LOTS of it.

  That being said (and me being human), I am a fan of many food-related pages on Facebook.  Last week I had the opportunity to watch, from my food-loving perch, two different dramas unfold on two of these fan pages.  I also had the chance to witness, through my Community Manager goggles, how the folks in charge of those pages dealt with a potentially brand-harmful situation and responded (or didn’t respond) to negativity from fans.

  I admit I stopped to say a special prayer for the Community Manager of the Fresh Express Salads Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FreshExpressSalads) early last week.  A coupon promotion that launched last Monday from the page was not working for all the folks who tried to access it.  Though most fans simply posted comments to the “wall” to let the powers that be know that they couldn’t print the coupon, some fans were down-right angry (or as one poster self-proclaimed, “ILL”).  There were many, many posts.  But, you know what?  The Fresh Express folks were THERE for the duration—replying to comments, apologizing for confusion, assuring fans they were trying to remedy the problem through (almost) hourly wall posts.  Fresh Express understands that community is about the two-way conversation.  They appreciate their fans.  FRESH EXPRESS GETS IT.

  Now, compare that great example of Community Management with the week-long drama over on Bon Appétit Magazine’s Facebook page that had folks threatening to throw away the current issue of the magazine or even cancel their subscriptions altogether.

  What could cause so much drama, you ask?  After years and years and cover after cover of beautiful, delectable, eat-the-photo food, Bon Appétit decided to put a celebrity on the cover of their June 2011 issue.  You can check out some of the fan comments and criticisms here:  https://www.facebook.com/bonappetitmag (you’ll have to scroll back a bit, it’s a pretty post-heavy page).  To be fair, there are some non-negative posts from fans mixed in, but they are the minority.

  The foodie in me knows not to turn up the heat on a pot, cover the lid, and walk away.  The Community Manager in me saw that very thing happen, metaphorically, on Bon Appétit Magazine’s Facebook page.  Where were the replies to the many fan comments, negative or otherwise?  Where was the two-way conversation?  Neither of those proven ways to connect with fans were anywhere to be found.

  Where was the assurance to Bon Appétit fans that they were being heard and that their concerns were valid?  My answer came in a single wall post from the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Adam Rapoport.  Gratitude was given for the abundance of fan comments.  Assurance was delivered that Bon Appétit would not be turning into a celebrity magazine.

  Mr. Rapoport also committed to checking back in with fans again at a later date.  He kept his promise with a follow-up post later proclaiming, “We love reading your comments—all of them, really! We think the best magazines are a conversation between the readers and the editors, so we’ll continue to check in with you as Bon Appetit evolves. Thanks.”  Conversation? Wow.  Check in?  Ugh.

  Conversation obviously means something different to the folks at Bon Appétit, as evidenced by the fact that they have yet to reply to any comments (even the ones prompted by Mr. Rapoport’s own posts) or engage with their fans on any level other than the obvious “here’s what we have to say, you need to listen” spin speak.

  So, what can YOU take away from this Tale of Two Facebook Pages?

  1.)   Copping to a mistake or issue, and authentically apologizing for it IN FRONT of your audience makes you human—and your brand approachable.

  2.)   If you REALLY want to touch a nerve with die-hard fans of any brand, change something that’s comfortable to them and tell them they have no choice but to like it.  Yikes.

  3.)   One or two posts, however tactfully worded (even if it is delivered straight from the powers that be), do not a conversation make.

  Tags: bon apetit, community management, Conversation, cooking, coupon, Facebook, fans, food, fresh express salad, Shannon Kohn
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  On Simplicity, Part 2: A Few Examples

  Posted on May 27th, 2011 by Eric Dodds and currently 2 commenting.

  Earlier this week I posted about simplicity, and what it means for marketers. Here’s a short re-cap:

  I thought about how I often forget that each person our clients communicates with battles complexity and desires more simplicity. How often we want to fill our messages to the brim with features, technology, connection, offers, advantages. (1)

  So here are a few examples of messaging that simplifies. They are imperfect, but they’re good reminders nonetheless.

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  Geico - No features, no price comparisons, not even any marketing speak. Just one simple message – SAVE MONEY.

  

  Apple - Simplicity seems to be their strong suit. The iPad is a phenomenal, multi-functional device, but this ad only highlights one feature: the cover.

  Volkswagon - Again, the message is clear and simple: this vehicle holds a whole lot of people.

  

  (1) – You can read the original post, “Simplicity, Part 1,” here.

  Tags: advertisign, Apple, clarity, examples, geico, ipad, Messaging, simplicity, Volkswagon
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  The Twitter Bird is Dead: An Anecdotal Tale from the Firesphere

  Posted on May 26th, 2011 by amy and currently 3 commenting.

  As the newbie at Brains on Fire, one of the questions I am most often asked these days is “What is like to work in the Firesphere?” And while there are many (delightful) adjectives I could use to describe my hours and days at 148 River Street, as a writer, I prefer to paint my pictures through the power of story.

  So today I’m not going to impart any profound wisdom upon you, reader. I’m not going to channel my inner Yoda or get philosophical. Instead, I’d like to share a little anecdote from the place we lovingly refer to as The Firesphere.

  First, let me set the scene.

  It’s 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday – a beautiful morning in Greenville. Inside the building all the BOFers are settling in for a hard day’s work, the scent of coffee wafting through the air, the first rays of morning sunshine peeking between the buildings, basking downtown in a soft, golden glow.

  [Cue track one]

  Whether it was Dodds or Cordell, I can’t recall.

  “Look! A hawk!” (or maybe it was a falcon, who knows?) someone exclaimed, the BOFers shuffling quickly to the window to behold the majestic beast.

  [Before I continue, it would be prudent to issue a disclaimer: this story doesn’t end well, and what you’re about to hear is not for the faint of heart. If you are easily offended by graphic bird-on-bird violence, now is the time to stop reading this post and watch this instead. If you are the kind of person who tears up (or suddenly "gets something in your eye") during the “homeless dogs” Pedigree commercials (don’t feel bad, I do, too…stupid "allergies") this is NOT going to leave you with warm fuzzies. You have been advised.]

  So there we were, faces pressed against the window, beholding the mighty hawk-falcon perched on the telephone pole a hundred feet from our building. For a brief and glorious moment, it felt like we had been transported into an episode from some show on Animal Planet. We looked on with the sense of wonderment and awe one only experiences when privy to nature’s flora and fauna in their full glory. And then….. [cue track 2] …..the hawk-falcon-pterodactyl began brutally de-feathering and devouring the carcass of the smaller (presumably sweeter) bird he had kung-fu death-grasped in his talons (which we hadn’t noticed up until this point.)

  I learned a hard life lesson yesterday: It’s a bird-eat-bird world out there.

  Hours later, still shaken, I posted something on Facebook about our somewhat atypical (if not mentally and emotionally scarring) morning. No sooner had I hit “submit” and Facebook chimed in with a helpful observation…

  

  Who knew Facebook had such an advanced sense of humor?

  Social media – 1. Amy – 0.

  ps: on the upside, Dodds did get some amazing photos of the hawk-falcon. (These are the gore-free set…)

  

  

  

  Tags: Brains on Fire, Twitter

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  On Simplicity, Part 1

  Posted on May 25th, 2011 by Eric Dodds and currently 5 commenting.

  This past weekend my family went to an outdoor graduation party for my youngest brother. Summer has already knocked on our door in the South, so watermelon was appropriately accompanied by giant, ice-filled buckets of water, soda and sweet tea. I was amazed at how captivated my niece and nephew were with the sweating metal tubs. At two-and-a-half and 16 months, I know that it doesn’t take much to make them happy (when they’re well slept, at least), but they stopped a few of us in our tracks with their unrestrained cries of elation. I think the adults watching them splash in the mini-arctic were jealous of how easy it was for children to find satisfaction in the commonplace.

  As I thought about it more, I began to think that one reason we look back on childhood with such fondness is the overwhelming simplicity of our lives at that stage.

  Our parents’ care shielded us from the responsibility and reality awaiting us on the other side of adolescence. For a season, joy was less elusive. We could find satisfaction in diving boards, candy, and late-night sleepovers. Buckets of ice gave us hours of fun.

  When the light at the end of our juvenile passage began to twinkle, however, our navigation through life became much more complicated. We faced the reality of responsibility, relationships, and maturity. Even when we emerged into the sunlit day of adulthood, the current of complication steadily worked to pull us further from the coast. (And it still does.)

  That night I reminisced about the cardboard boxes and trampolines of my youth. Simple pleasures. And I thought about how most days at work I fight complexity for our clients in some way or another.

  I thought about how I often forget that each person our clients communicates with battles complexity and desires more simplicity. How often we want to fill our messages to the brim with features, technology, connection, offers, advantages.

  We would do well to remember Walt Whitman’s wise words:

  “Simplicity is the glory of expression.”

  In the next post, we’ll look at a few examples of simple communication.

  Tags: adolescence, adulthood, children, Clients, communication, complex, complexity, Marketing, messages, party, simplicity, Walt Whitman
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  Rules from Zombieland applied to Community Building

  Posted on May 23rd, 2011 by Geno and currently 3 commenting.

  
  I’m a Zombie junkie, if a character looks like a Zombie, I turn into a couch potato. I’ve spent many late nights watching Shaun of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead, The Walking Dead, and my favorite—Zombieland—instead of sleeping.

  I think all my Zombie watching has it’s rewards… lighthearted paranoia, killer soundtracks, and rules for survival. Evidently the CDC thinks so too (see link).

  In my opinion, Zombieland is the best of the best, a tasty movie (no pun intended) full of humor, zombie killings, and rules to live by. In my twisted mind, I saw brilliance in the survival rules of Zombieland. I also saw a challenge: Can those same rules be applied to community building? Here’s a cherry-picked list of seven “Rules from Zombieland” that I feel fit the bill:

  Rule #1: Cardio. This rule is not PC, basically larger people always die first in a Zombie Apocalypse. Cardio is a good thing, and in the case of community building, cardio is about pacing for the long run. Prepare for a journey not a sprint (or apply Rule #20: It’s a marathon, not a sprint, unless it’s a sprint, then sprint).

  Rule #2: Double Tap. To make sure a Zombie is dead, you double tap (two shots, not just one). How does this relate to community building? It’s about reaching out; doing a double tap. Most of the time companies say, “hello” (at best) and go off to get more likes, members, or customers. A Double Tap plan means having more than one meaningful touchpoint, having a backup plan.

  Rule #5: No attachments. Here comes my social media agnostic speech. It’s easy to get caught up in having a go-to social media strategy. This rule is about dropping your attachments, finding your customer’s attachments then building what they need.

  Rule #8: Get a Kick Ass Partner. Just like in buddy cop movies, communities eventually will need a good cop and a bad cop. It’s hard for a brand to be good cop and bad cop. It can make for community bad feelings. I know a certain community manager with the nickname “The Velvet Hammer” given to her by the community. Brand = good cop, Third-Party or Community Manager = gentle, tactful bad cop.

  Rule #17: Don’t be a Hero. To many times we (the brand, the agency) want to be the Hero. Folks, the customer is the hero, the advocate is the hero, the volunteer is the hero.

  Rule # 30: Pack Your Stain Stick. Communities are built and powered by people. So it’s messy business. Just like surviving a Zombie Apocalypse, you’re probably not going to come out clean. Communities require a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (I happen to think that’s the best part).

  Rule #32: Enjoy the little things. I know you need ROI, measuring eyeballs and ears, body counting, sales, etc., but a community is comprised of living human beings not zombies. Take the time to talk and listen to your communities’ neighbors. Don’t take for granted the people and all the little things that make them care about your brand, your product, your cause.

  Tags: Brains on Fire, Community, Community Building, geno church, Zombies