Social vs. Anti-Social Media

By John Malmo

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkno/local-wkno-897395.mp3

04-07-2010: Social vs. Anti-Social Media, by John Malmo.

Memphis, TN – People in advertising are nuts over social media. If you sell traditional advertising time or space, the inroads of social media keep you awake at night. If you're an advertiser, you're trying to figure out who knows how to use social media effectively. If you make advertising, like in an advertising agency, you're losing sleep trying to learn what to recommend to clients.

But from where I sit, the best thing about social media is that it will remind ad writers what they should be writing in ads. On social media, people ask and answer important questions with each other about products, places, and services. Like what's really good on the menu? How much does it cost? Is there plenty of free parking? Is the restaurant loud? Does it have a bar? What are people wearing?

So many people have turned to social media because we've had so many years of disconnect with advertising in commercial media. Advertising that hasn't said anything important. Now ad writers can just go to the internet and see what people are asking each other. About everything.

To writers who have lost sight of what advertising should say, just take a look at all the texting and tweeting. Call it an end to anti-social media.

John Malmo is a Memphis marketing consultant with more than fifty years experience. He is former chairman of Archer Malmo Advertising and specializes today in helping small businesses grow. To reach Mr. Malmo - or to buy a copy of his book When on the Mountain There is no Tiger, Monkey Is King - go to http://www.johnmalmo.com.