Last week I analyzed Walgreens’ use of Facebook and how they were potentially harming their brand through the current strategy. Since then, I received a post comment from a Walgreens representative that was both thoughtful and honest–a comment that bodes well for Walgreens’ marketing department. Here’s the comment:
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Josh-
Actually, the 2 Walgreens pages that you are discussing were created by actual fans. We’re thrilled! We absolutely see that our loyal fans want to engage with us and we want to join the conversation.
You make valid points about a big brand, like WAG, needing to have a centralized strategy and brand ownership. As we dip our toe in the social media pool, today we solicited ideas from our fans on better ways to interact with them through facebook, twitter, etc.
I’d love it if you’d weigh in also. You clearly have some strong opinions and great ideas.
Thanks,
Emily
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First, to hear that all pages were fan created, is indeed exciting. It certainly says that people connect with the Walgreens brand and want to be brand champions.
Second, it’s heartening to hear that Walgreens marketers are aware of the cultural shift in social media and are admittedly aware that they need to “join the conversation.” That’s exactly what it is… a conversation.
The old methods for distributing a marketing message doesn’t exactly apply in the social media world. How can you parse a set message in honest, real-time conversations?
Third, Walgreens is “[soliciting] ideas from their fans on better way to interact with them.” A multi-billion dollar company is asking their online fans for advice? Ding-Ding-Ding. We have a winner folks. THEY GET IT!
While they may not have the perfect social media strategy in place YET, it’s obvious that they understand the principles and landscape. Now, it’s just a matter of planning and executing a strategy. And, while many people think it’s all about the strategy and execution, I personal think it’s the ethos you must understand. If you understand your “fans,” you will connect with them and they will respond in kind.
Finally, I think this is a bit of a lesson (at least for me). It’s so easy to think a huge company like Walgreens is negligent in how they use Facebook because surely they know what I know, but just don’t care about their online communities.
But maybe, just maybe, they simply need a little advise from us geeks living on the cutting edge.
You can follow Walgreens on Twitter: @Walgreens
And visit them on the web: www.Walgreens.com