Week 12 - Case Study

Well, I was going to do my case study on Hostess, but then they went out of business. Lol! No, but seriously, after hearing of them going out of business I was curious as to whether they were using social media and how they were using it. All I have to say is B-O-R-I-N-G!! Did they go out of business because they didn't use social media well? I doubt that, but it was interesting to see that their social media was very boring and not very interactive and to know they went under.

SO WE ASK OURSELVES;

Do businesses do well because of social media or are the businesses that are already doing well have the best approach to social media because they already have an outstanding marketing department? And a great customer base for a great following in social media? Kinda like the social media version of the question, "which came first, the chicken or the egg?". Clearly in the Zappos example they truly benefited & grew, in part by using social media so well. But how do we judge this for a company like, say, Skittles??

TASTE THE RAINBOW!

Skittles has a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a Google+ account. They are also on Youtube. All the major players of the social media world are included. They use social media in a very fun way and it seems they are trying to keep their name and awareness out there in cyberspace. Part of Hostesses problem was lack of brand awareness. I think they felt everyone knew who they were since they'd been around for 82 years, and we do/did, but unless & until their name is brought front and center it's easy to "forget" about them. Notice the flurry of active sales once people heard the American icon, Hostess, was going out of business?? Skittles is keeping their name out there and keeping their name related with fun. The interaction keeps the brand name on people's minds and that is what helps get the sales. It keeps them from being forgotten. In this day & age we have almost constant stimulation from the time we wake up to the time we go to bed at night. It's a rush, rush world and you either have to roll with it and keep up, keeping people interested or fall behind and be forgotten. 

Skittles was popular long before this massive social media age we're in, but in order to stay popular they need to keep the awareness going.