Scott Monty

Brand Haiku: Ford

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/TOC59_byR7I/AAAAAAAACEY/TmhPHRS9054/s1600/haiku.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/TOC59_byR7I/AAAAAAAACEY/TmhPHRS9054/s320/haiku.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>When genuinely pleased or angered, customers express their feelings in a variety of ways. As someone who works for a large company, I'm accustomed to seeing tweets, blog posts, videos, photos and even entire sites built to convey a strong reaction. 
 
But how many use poetry to make their points? Last week, <a href="http://blog.stroutmeister.com/">Aaron Strout</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/AaronStrout">@AaronStrout</a>) approached a group of bloggers with the notion that we should create haikus of brand experiences we've had. And while we debated whether these should or would take the form of positive or negative brand experiences, it quickly became clear that most of us would likely be writing on positive experiences. 
 
One of the reasons for this would seem to be that it takes quite an effort to compose poetry, therefore it's more likely that a brand loyalist would take the time to go to that length. It's probably summed up a little more eloquently by William Butler Yeats who wrote, "Out of the quarrel with others we make rhetoric; out of the quarrel with ourselves we make poetry." 
 
Since I'm associated with a fairly well-known brand, I've decided to create my haiku for Ford: 
<blockquote>Customers love tech. 
Ford's solution? Hands-free <a href="http://www.syncmyride.com/">SYNC</a>. 
A great mobile app.</blockquote> 
In the multiple blogger batting order, my post was preceded by Tamsen McMahon (<a href="http://twitter.com/tamadear">@tamadear</a>) and will be followed by <a href="http://sydneyowen.com/2010/11/15/brand-haiku-chipotle/">Sydney Owen</a>. 
 
Do you have a haiku of your own? Feel free to share it below. 
 
Image credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phunk/4235842734/">funkandjazz</a> (Flickr)

Brand Haiku: Ford

When genuinely pleased or angered, customers express their feelings in a variety of ways. As someone who works for a large company, I'm ...

Want to Lead Corporate Social Strategy? Read This.

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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/TNrM7IqI18I/AAAAAAAACEU/I9o5GlVXGp4/s1600/martian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/TNrM7IqI18I/AAAAAAAACEU/I9o5GlVXGp4/s1600/martian.jpg" /></a></div>
Few people understand the constant pressure that the corporate social strategist is faced with. On any given day, the pressure can include internal challenges such as culture change, demands on proving the worth of programs, program development and execution, vague understanding of the role by some colleagues, the necessity of integrating the function throughout the enterprise, as well as external demands such as interview requests and a constant barrage of questions via email, Facebook and Twitter. 
 
The role is clearly evolving and is one that many companies, small and large, are currently filling. I was lucky enough to be selected to fill the role of global digital & multimedia communications manager (aka head of social media) for Ford Motor Company in July of 2008, and I've witnessed much of the above - and more - in my role. We're definitely at a crossroads in terms of the maturity and evolution of the function, particularly in integrating this nascent field into more business processes and making it live beyond the realm of just a handful of people within the organization. 
 
Now, <a href="http://www.web-strategist.com/blog">Jeremiah Owyang</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/jowyang">@jowyang</a>) of Altimeter, along with <a href="http://www.charleneli.com/">Charlene Li</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/charleneli">@charleneli</a>), <a href="http://www.christineptran.com/">Christine Tran</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/christineptran">@christineptran</a>) and <a href="http://www.andrewmjones.com/">Andrew Jones</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/andrewjns">@andrewjns</a>), has undertaken what I consider to be the definitive report on the challenges, opportunities and future of the corporate social media strategist. After surveying some 140 social strategists, interviewing 50 corporate practitioners of social media and looking through some online resources, they outlined some major findings, including: 
<ul>
<li>Corporations have anointed an <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470597267?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0470597267">Open Leader</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thebakerstree-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0470597267" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, the Social Strategist.</li>
<li>They are overwhelmed with six major challenges - with little relief in sight.</li>
<li>Be proactive - or be relegated to being a Social Media Help Desk.</li>
<li>Senior management must be selective in hiring this role - then give full support as they evolved the corporation.</li>
</ul>
 
 
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<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/jeremiah_owyang/career-social-strategist" title="Report: Career Path of the Corporate Social Strategist: Be Proactive or Become Social Media Help Desk">Report: Career Path of the Corporate Social Strategist: Be Proactive or Become Social Media Help Desk</a><object height="510" id="__sse5721616" width="477"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/doc_player.swf?doc=careersocialstrategist-101109193238-phpapp02&stripped_title=career-social-strategist&userName=jeremiah_owyang" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><embed name="__sse5721616" src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/doc_player.swf?doc=careersocialstrategist-101109193238-phpapp02&stripped_title=career-social-strategist&userName=jeremiah_owyang" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="477" height="510"></embed></object> 
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View more documents from <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/jeremiah_owyang">Jeremiah Owyang</a>.</div>
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Take a look at the report to see what the six challenges of the corporate social strategist are. In addition, Altimeter has 10 executive recommendations for hiring and managing a corporate social strategist that make up a solid checklist for both those new to or seasoned in social media. 
 
Are there other challenges that you've seen that should also be noted? What's your view on the future of this role and the industry? 
 
Also, if you're interested, I regularly bookmark some of Jeremiah's writings. You can find those at <a href="http://delicious.com/scottmonty/jeremiahowyang">http://delicious.com/scottmonty/jeremiahowyang</a>. 
 
Disclosure: I was among those interviewed for this report 
,

Want to Lead Corporate Social Strategy? Read This.

Few people understand the constant pressure that the corporate social strategist is faced with. On any given day, the pressure can include...

Scott Monty - Strategic Communications & Leadership Advisor

Brand Haiku: Ford

Want to Lead Corporate Social Strategy? Read This.

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