Last Wednesday, the Marketing Association of BC presented Last Chance to Catch the Worm: The Strategy of Engagement in Social Marketing, a presentation by Stephen Webster, Director of Marketing at the Vancouver Film School. The session used the VFS social media strategy as a case study and highlighted a contest they created titled What Matters to You. In partnership with Youtube, the contest asked potential students to submit videos with the theme being “what matters to you”. The top three prospective students won entrance scholarships. Webster screened Jorge R. Canedo Estrada’s winning entry (see below) and I was almost brought to tears in amazement.
Since the session, I have been brainstorming how organizations can engage people in the social realm. The tactics are different based on the desired outcome and the channel, but as Webster said, “we should think of social media as the ‘first handshake’ with our audience”. It should peak their interest, make them care, and keep them engaged with relevant and engaging content. We need to stay away from the hard sell. No one connects with the strange guy who asks you to marry him on the first date. The key to social media, much like a new dating partner, is to slowly establish a trust-filled relationship founded on common interests and goals, then to foster that relationship over time. Only then can the offspring of that relationship be successful. – Ruby Virk
See more of the genius behind the Vancouver Film School on their Youtube page.
