Storms that swept through the Oklahoma City earlier this year generated an EF5 tornado and violent flash floods. The tornado was the widest one ever recorded – 2.6 miles long. It came as no surprise to me that as we started to absorb the devastation “Oklahoma,” “Oklahoma Tornado,” and “Twisters” were the most used terms for users of Facebook in the United States, and that #tornado and #oklahomatornado were the most popular tags on Twitter and Instagram. That the communication that ensued was as fast and furious as the topic, itself, was also no surprise. While television networks tried–and continue to try–to keep up with the numerous and complex events of this monstrous storm, it has been the social networking community that has proven the most helpful to those who need to know what’s really happening. There is no question that social media has become the most powerful source–and resource–for those in search of anything, and who want to share anything. And there is no question that social media has had an enormous effect on brands and the way brands get built. The Internet and all things digital have amplified what consumers are saying and doing about the things that make them happy and the things that make them mad. Everything is out there under one big magnifying glass. Proof of this fact became even more evident during the past week as companies and their brands reacted to the tragedy. Stories of how companies both big and small, and brands both local and national, pitched in to help made the round of cyberspace in quick order. From Duracell’s “Power Forward” centers, set up to give storm victims the chance to charge phones and pick up batteries, to Anheuser-Busch which offered up cans of water (not beer!) to those in need, to P&G which provided laundry services through its Tide Loads of Hope truck, to neighborhood fitness centers who opened their doors to anyone, not just members, looking for a hot shower, the businesses and brands that rose to the occasion...
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:10:51 +0000
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