The document outlines 11 lessons that whisky firms have learned about using social media effectively. It discusses the importance of being honest, showing relevance to target audiences, starting small with campaigns, developing a unique brand story and voice, planning content calendars, focusing outward engagement over self-promotion, getting buy-in from leadership, keeping content fresh and fun, and prioritizing strategies over new technologies. Specific tactics from whisky brands like Whyte & Mackay and The Macallan using platforms like Twitter, blogs and video are reviewed.
18. @CraigMcGill
WhiskySocialMedia.com
Whyte & Mackay Safari Hunt
• Total rip-off of the Real Radio Renegade concept - but over social media
• One member of staff walked about Glasgow/London with £300 of alcohol
in backpack
• Tweeted/used Google Latitude to give hints to location
• First to find him won a £60 bottle of whisky, then prizes reduced
43. @CraigMcGill
WhiskySocialMedia.com
Whisky at the south pole
• Tale known internally
for years, mentioned in
press once
• Became a podcast and
blog post
• Bloggers ran with it
• Press spotted it (again)
44. @CraigMcGill
WhiskySocialMedia.com
Whisky at the south pole
• Just shy of 10,000
tweets
• CNN ran podcast video
• More than 1000
newspaper articles
• More than 800 news
website stories
• Approx 1200 blog posts
45. @CraigMcGill
WhiskySocialMedia.com
Did social media make £5million?
• YES
– Started with a tweet, a podcast and a blog
– The social media response showed there was demand for product
– The ongoing relationship and sharing of information was carried out via
social media
– For two years, online/social media were prime sources of information
– Social Media kept track of those interested and stayed in touch
• NO
– People didn’t click on a link and suddenly have the whisky
– Process took two years (and may have been done anyway)
– Story only really took off after Scotland on Sunday, then The Daily
Telegraph, then BBC Online news then the world
– Actual selling of product was done by the global marketing and sales
teams, backed by strong PR (and social media) push
73. @CraigMcGill
WhiskySocialMedia.com
• VIDEO
– Keep it simple and short - and have good mics
• WEBSITES
– Pick good domain names - not just brand names
• EXPERIMENT
– Some stuff you do will fail or not be popular. Learn from it
• LINKS
– Always try to find new places to leave links
• WEBSITES
– Don’t have Flash
– Make sure your site works on mobiles/tablets
• THINK LIKE A PUNTER
– Only marketing types use the word ‘inexpensive’
• CONTENT
– Have a mix of evergreen material and topical material
– The internet loves lists