A World of Strangers

Three things to take away• A period of massive change. Future is consumer

driven • Information and purchasing is powered by the

stranger network• Fundamental change to PR

Research Sources• Global Web Index pilot study.

USA & UK

• Universal McCann. When Did we Start Trusting Strangers. Global

• Online research. Active users. 16-64.

Back to a time pre-media:You need to go back to

appreciate how big this is

Pre Media: Networks were local

Family Neighbour Market trader

Information + influence top down

Rulers Religion Landowners

Outlook was very local• Myths• Hatred• War

Mass media changed everything

1605Newspaper

Radio

Television

1897

1936

1500 approx

Printed books

Transformed society• Distributed knowledge• Democracy• Wealth• Entertainment

• Mass media enforced the nation concept• Built collective outlook and perceptions• Informed a nation on what to think and buy• Foundation of the easy advertising model

Nations and markets established

• Limited gatekeepers• Controlled networks• High costs of entry• Regulation• Who you know

Mass media was easy to control

Created fear of strangers

But networks stayed the same

Friends Family

NeighboursWork

Colleagues

ME Mass MediaMass Media

Then along came the internet

• Too slow• Too technical • Not enough people

online• Just another retail

channel? > 2000 bubble

Nothing much REALLY changed

• Broadband• Global reach • Simple & free to access• All about users (no

money!)

Mid 2000s = a revolution

• A movement• Consumer driven

– Network– Content – Knowledge

• Everything socialised

Social Media

Social Media: everyday usage

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%72%

46%41% 39%

32%

19%

Monthly reach %Total online in December 08: 167m

Watching video: 120m

Reading a blog: 86m

Social Network: 61m

Sharing a video: 44m

Upload a Video Clip: 31m

Writing a blog: 23m

Source: Global Web Index, Pilot survey. January 2009

Global phenomenon

Italy3.9m

Germany8.2m

Switzerland0.9m

USA43m

Spain4.7m

France4.2m

Japan12.4m

Czech0.8m

Denmark0.6m

Austria0.6m Greece

0.5m

Turkey3.3m

China39m

India11.7m

South Korea9.4m

Romania1.4m

Netherlands3.7m

CANADA4.2m

UK11m

Australia2.6m

Hong Kong1m

MEXICO5.1m

BRAZIL11.4m

Pakistan1.8m

Poland2.7m

Taiwan3.9m

Philippines3m

Hungary1m

Russia6.1m

% joined a social network

70%+

60% -69%

50%-59%

<49%

Source: Universal McCann, Wave 3 2008

Networks have exploded in sizePRE MEDIA AGE MASS MEDIA AGE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE

Networks are massive

Friends Face to Face:

32

Work colleagues:

Face to Face

28

Social Network:

88

Microblog

43

Forum

62Friends Face to Face:

17

Work colleagues:

Face to Face

28Social

Network:

31 Microblog

45

Forum

42

18-24 45-54

Source: Global Web Index, Pilot survey. UK data. January 2009

Networks of strangers

Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

9% 5% 1%

• Old friends• Weak friends• Virtual friends• Distant face to face

network• Now from birth!

Changes the nature of connections

• Reptile forum UK• 28,000 users• 4million posts

– 600K posts on snakes– 500K posts on lizards– 900K posts on “other

business”

Connect through interests

• Fusion of personal and work

• Rise of personal branding

• No space for the shy

Changes collective behaviour

In Strangers we trust

Your country’s leader / politicians

A journalist for a national newspaper

A radio presenter

Store worker

A neighbour

A family member

0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00

How much do you trust 1- 5

Trust strongly

When you seek an opinion on a brand you are considering buying. Which of the following people do you trust to provide you the most accurate opinion?

Source: Global Web Index, Pilot survey. UK data. January 2009

In Strangers we trust18-24 55+

1 A family member A family member

2 A close friend A close friend

3 A work colleague A work colleague

4 A consumer who reviews on a retail website A neighbour

5 A good contact on a social network A good contact on a social network

6 A neighbour A consumer who reviews on a retail website

7 The author of a blog you read regularly Store worker

8 Store worker A television news reader

9 A television news reader A radio presenter

10 A radio presenter The author of a blog you read regularly

Source: Global Web Index, Pilot survey. UK data. January 2009

• Trust total and complete strangers• Globally connected • Strangers drive our knowledge, ideas and

decisions

New perspective on the world

We spend ALOT of time with them

8 – 12 hours a day ;-(

Network is transforming influencePRE MEDIA AGE MASS MEDIA AGE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE

Consult a professional

Readers letters

Phone in; TV / Radio

Talk to shop worker

Personal blog

Social network page

Widgets

Photo sharing site

Chat rooms

Message boards

Video sharing site

Comments on blogs

Comments on websites

Viral emails

Wish lists

Ratings on retail sites

Reviews on retail sites

Auction websites

Social Bookmarking

Chat room

Price comparison sites

Social shopping sites

Talk face to face

Consult a professional

Readers Letters

Phone in; TV / Radio

Talk to shop worker Phone call

Talk face to face

Phone call

SMS

Email

Instant Messenger

Talk face to face

Talk to shop worker

Source: Universal McCann, When Did We Start Trusting Strangers 2008

• Everything social• Ratings, reviews, text• Behaviour becomes

recommendation

We now Influence without trying

We actively talk about brands

Post a video clip featuring a product/service

Write review on retail site

Post opinion on social network

Recommend a product/ service on blog/ weblog

Tell someone about a product/service by messenger

Tell someone about a product/service by email

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

12%

17%

17%

18%

25%

36%

Have done last month %

The network

Wider-world

Source: Universal McCann, When Did We Start Trusting Strangers 2008

In all categories

Utilities e.g gas

Cosmetics

Non alcoholic beverages

Financial products

Home appliances e.g Fridges/freezers

Groceries (food)

Fashion (clothing/shoes)

Mobile phone service

Computer Software

Books

Home Technology e.g TV's/PC

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Have reviewed online

Source: Universal McCann, When Did We Start Trusting Strangers 2008

2 way process: we source there

brand / company blog

Read peoples wish/ favs lists on retail websites

Comments on a social network profile

Read reviews by consumers on retail sites e.g Amazon.com

Company/brand website

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Have researched products and brands last month

Source: Universal McCann, When Did We Start Trusting Strangers 2008

The impact

• Hudson river crash• Turkish airlines crash at

Schipol airport• Mumbai terrorist attacks

Traditional follows social

• Irish blogger Jason Roe complained about a glitch in the Ryanair website

• Ryanair: “pathetic” “idiot” “lunatic”

• Covered in press world-wide

Brand response in the public eye

• Susan Boyle– Village star to global star in

18 days so far– Local TV made global

• 100m+ views• Featured on ABC, NBC ....

Drives global hype

Individuals make or break products

• 83% use search to research purchases

• Search increasingly dominated by consumer driven media

Influences everyone

Ultimate transparency: UK PM

“No matter how big your advertising spending, small groups of consumers on

tiny budget might hijack the conversation”

Unilever CMO Simon Clift

Level playing field

• We know global people as individuals

• Connected across borders

• Erodes mistrust and nation concept

Drive global understanding

What does it mean for PR?

• 1 Billion commentators• No guaranteed success • Success not based on professional contacts

but on building your stranger network

The challenge

• The future of marketing is PR driven• Consumer is the distributor not the media

spend• Always on

And the good news

• Formal buzz tracking• Informal buzz tracking

Start by listening

• Need to understand behaviour, motivations and influences

• Niche requires a new approach

Use research to understand

Identify super influencersWatch Video Share Video Share with 10+ people

72% 39% 2%

Video influencer = Share with 10+ people • 25-34

• Educated• Affluent• Positive• Social

offline

• Its ok to directly engage• Be open, upfront and honest• People want cool content and inside

knowledge to share• They like professional input

Reach out

Reach out: Drives business

• Talk• Discuss and promote in their platforms• Reward

– Provide unique content– Provide access to experience– Provide inside knowledge

Not about press releases

• Drive consumer advocacy • Get them to represent the brand• They talk, they write and they promote• Think long term

Building lifetime advocacy

• Traditional media metrics guaranteed scale– Potential exposures

(readership / circulation etc)

• Social media tracks direct interactions / Engagement

Small is beautiful

Small thinking in actionPotential Audience Relevant Engaged Action

Traditional Media

Social Media

• Its how you handle them that counts

• In a world of ultra transparency nobody is expected to be perfect

Its OK to make mistakes

Social PR Checklist

• Listen > Reach out• Build your network• Converse with the network in their space• Think content and experience• Reward your network

Next

• Television moves online• E-Readers • The rise of mobile

stranger networks

The future is consumer driven

Just another screen

iPhone GPhone Blackberry

• Online behaviour• Real world behaviour

Our actions will inform the network

• Strangers drive out decision making • Consumers not professionals shape the

landscape• Embrace it - its the future

A world of strangers

Tom Smithtom@trendstream.net

Trendstream.net

Thank you!