Social Media Policy- Kodak

Kodak’s social media policy is interesting because it  is generalized so other businesses can use it as well. Kodak is willing to share their policy with everyone and encourages other organizations to use it as a model. For example, in the document heading it says, “We developed a social media policy for Kodak employees that you might find helpful for your organization.” So Kodak is open and willing to share their ideas.

Kodak’s social media policy is part of a larger document called “Social Media Tips”. It includes general facts and information on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Blogs. It also includes a section on Social Media Tips from the Chief Blogger for Kodak and lists additional social tips and media tactics.

Their social media policy is organized by steps to “Maintaining a good reputation-yours and Kodak’s”. The policy lists 10 rules and gives details under each. For example, rule number one is “live the Kodak values”. Under this rule, they expand by stating “always express ideas and opinions in a respectful manner, be sensitive about linking to content, make sure your communications are in good taste, and do not denigrate or insult others, including competitors.” This basic structure is easy to read and understand which is crucial if people are to follow the rules of the company.

Although Kodak created this document so it could be shared amongst many different types of businesses, some sections are far too general. For example, their rule about “keeping your cool” is not as detailed as it should be. Kodak says not everyone will agree on what it said on their Facebook or Twitter accounts. However, employees should not pick fights, but should correct mistakes when needed. They also say it may also be best to “ignore a comment and not give it credibility by acknowledging it with a response.” These guidelines are good, but situations on social media are not always that cut and dry. How does one choose what comments should be ignored and which should be answered. Examples on how a complaint should be addressed might be helpful this section of the policy also. Additionally, when talking about posting other people’s pictures, the rules simply say “obtain permission before posting pictures of others, or before posting copyrighted information.” Since this business surrounds pictures, whether they are Kodak’s or consumers’, there should be a more detailed policy on how to post pictures and all the information need to credit the pictures origins. Thus, for this social media policy, I suggest Kodak to be more specific in some of these rules.

Social media policies should be a vital part of a company’s policy. Social media is such a huge part of companies, and it can be difficult to make sure everyone is following the same rules and regulations. These policies are there to make sure that everyone is on the same page and informed of the same guidelines.

Case Study #1 Whole Foods Market On Pintrest

The first Whole Foods Market was opened in 1980 in Austin Texas. It began with a staff of only 19 people, however it has since expanded and Whole Foods can be found all of the United States and in the United Kingdom. Whole Foods’ mission is about sustainability, organic farming, fair trade and caring for the community. Whole Foods is very community and people oriented, so it only makes sense that they can be found on many social media channels as well. They have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Pintrest, Instagram and Youtube.

Whole Foods is active and engaging on all of these platforms, however their Pintrest account is most intriguing to me. I am not the only one who is attracted to their 53 boards and 1,825 pins. Whole Foodsf has 118,000 other followers and are widely talked about on various blogs and articles. For example, Mashable praises Whole Foods’ activity on Pintrest and says they ” communicate the lifestyle that the Whole Foods team aspires to…”. Not only do they display bright colors and tasty looking food, but they also have boards titled ” How Does Your Garden Grow” and “Kids: Move That Body”. Whole foods promotes a healthy lifestyle whether that is eating healthy, growing your own food or just getting some excercise. Shown below are all 53 boards on their account. 

According to Anna Washenko on Sprout Social, Whole Foods is setting an example for all other brands on Pintrest. One of the things Whole Foods does well according to this article is that they  stay engaged with their followers. This is one of the reasons I was attracted to this platform. They are constantly repinning and uploading new pins for their consumeers to enjoy. This tells me they really want their fans to stay engaged with them on Pintrest. I also noticed that Whole Foods will comment on some replies on various pins. An example of this is shown below. One consumer found that the link to a pin was not working, and Whole Foods responding saying they will work on getting it fixed. This shows consumers that the brand cares about them and wants to give them the best experience on Pintrest that they can provide.

PR Daily also praised Whole Foods for their activity on Pintrest. This article addresses Whole Foods’ global community manager, Michael Aaron Bepko and his thoughts about Pintrest. One of the tings Bepko mentions  is how Pintrest is great for outreach and metions their “Why Austin board.” Prior to reading this artcile, the whe “Why Austin” board caught my eye as well. This board talks about all the great things Austin has to offer. According to this board, Austin has great music, food, attractions and an overall great environment. I thought this was a great way to promote the city Whole Foods was founded in. It gives consumers an insight into life in Austin and all that it has to offer. It gives the impression that Austin is an active, healthy and beautiful place, whose values are not far off from the values of the brand itself. I thought it was very clever to make a board to promote this city. It shows that Whole Foods cares about the community it started in and is encouraging their consumers to visit this wonderful place.

Overall, I am impressed with the number of pins and board they have. Although they do have a variety of boards, each one is relevant to the average Whole Foods Consumer. The brand is staying true to their mission  by endorsing healthy and sustainable living, while also providing an enjoyable and interactive atmosphere for their followers. Through their presence on Pintrest, followers are able to get an even better look into the brand and are able to see they are dedicated to their mission and want to interact with follower and consumers as best as they can. That being said, Whole Foods knows their auidence and knows whats types of things attract them. This is a key part of success in social media and Whole Foods does it well. They are able to attract their consumers in unqiue ways and do not just talk about food, but can draw them in through the lifestyle that surrounds Whole Foods itself.

From doing this case study, I realized just how important consistency is. It can be hard to have the same tone of voice and themes between all a brand’s account on social media, but Whole Foods makes it look easy. They never stray from their mission and values which only gives them more credibility as a brand looking out for the world and communities around them.

Case Study #2 Sanuk On Facebook

Sanuk was founded in 1997, in Southern California by a man named Jeff Kelley. Kelly had been a part of the surfing industry for years before he got the itch to start his own brand. According to Sanuk’s website, Kelly stated, “…I decided to start my own brand done my way using new and interesting materials from all over the world.” Eventually he created Sanuk, which is a brand focused on footwear made from unique materials for both men and women.  The first shoe created was called “Fur Real” which was made out of indoor carpet.

Saunk means “fun” in Tai  and their company slogan is “Smile, Pass it on!”. This fun-loving, energetic brand has a consistent voice throughout all of their social media channels. Each channel gives off a goofy and spirited sense of humor. Fun and happiness is what this brand strives for and Sanuk can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, tumblr, Pintrest , Instagram and google plus.

Based on their Twitter page, consumers can see what a laid back and humorous brand they are. They have 11,204 followers and tweet several times a day about various events that their consumers would enjoy or that the brand is involved in.

Saunk also has a great Pintrest page with 2, 779 pins and 4,586 followers. They pin images of their own products as well as videos, quotes, songs etc.

Although they are present on many channels, Saunk’s Facebook fan page is phenomenal. Like Wordofmouth.org says, their page is simple, yet they have spectacular content that connects consumers to the brand. They have 147,083 likes  and they always post at lest once a day. According to Sysamos, they have a 99% favorable sentiment on Facebook and 54 wall posts with 5571 likes & 271 comments in the last seven days. They had103.2 likes and 5 comments per wall post as well. This brand is small compared to some of the other major footwear brands, but it is able to hold its own weight and bond with consumers well through social media.

Saunk is able to create engaging content that is relevant to all their consumers. For example, they often post bright, vibrant pictures of consumers enjoying their shoes out in nature. The picture below had 961 likes and  is simple, yet shows a consumer relaxing among nature,just enjoying life. This type of post embodies the mission of the brand and consumers love to see others enjoying the product as it should be enjoyed.

  

Sanuk also is able to promote their brand on Facebook without directly advertising their products. Simple posts like the two below are entertaining and sharable without directly promoting their shoes. Again, their sense of humor is also enjoyable and people are likely to pass the content on to their friends. The first picture received almost 550 likes and 23 shares and the second received 803 likes and 26 shares.

Another great thing that Sanuk does is that they do not only focus on their own products. As seen below, the brand is addressing a leader who is a “Champion of Change”. They get to go to The White House and are recognized for their work on fighting climate change. Although this does not have to do directly with their products, this piece of news is interesting to their consumers. They also provide links in which consumers can watch the event which can create even more awareness for the brand and its humanitarian goals. Content like this is great because consumers are able to see that the brand has other interests outside of their products and are able to take time out of their day to promote someone else.

I did not know much about the brand prior to this case study, but looking at Sanuk’s social media pages made me want to be one of their consumers as well. I loved interacting with their social media pages and each one drew me in. I learned that this brand also is partnered with organizations that are doing great things for our world and the people in it. For example, they are partnered with Operation Smile, wich gives free reconstructive surgery for kids who have various facial deformities. The more I look into Sanuk, who they are and what the stand for, the more I want to be apart of their community and get more involved with their mission. Their social strategy is successful if it is able to entice people who have not been very engaged with the brand prior to connecting to them on social media platforms.