After the environmental group Greenpeace adopted a humpback whale during a campaign against the whaling industry, they turned to their online supporters to select a name. Users were asked to select from a number of contemplative names, coming from several differently languages, such as Anahi (Farsi meaning Forever or Immortal), and Kaimana (divine power of the ocean). Jokingly, Greenpeace also included another name.
Mr. Splashy Pants.
Once details of this poll were posted on social networking sites, the internet took over and increased voting for Mr. Splashy Pants from 5% to 70% of the total vote count. Not wanting such a juvenile name to be selected over its highbrow alternatives, the organization extended voting for another week. Unsurprisingly, this resulted only in strengthened support for Mr. Splashy Pants, the name that ended up with 78 per cent of all votes cast.
The lesson here is clear. Connecting with the completely democratized culture of the social internet means a change in the way that organizations and businesses relate to supporters. Traditionally, the most prominent corporate citizens took great care about protecting their brand identity and intellectual property at all cost, It was critical to control the company’s image. In a complete contradiction, the modus operandi on the internet is to relinquish control, to allow the people to have their say and decide various aspects of an organizations direction. It is listening to the clicks of the people.
On the web, all entities have been created equal. Individuals have equal opportunity to publish their thoughts and criticisms and dreams as do large organizations. The difference is in how each gets promoted. In the old (top down communication) media world, bigger budgets mean louder voices. This culminates during large sporting events when companies willing to pay millions for thirty seconds of advertising may be rewarded with the eyes and ears of those who have not left the room for refill their stash of snacks or stretch their legs. In the new (interactive communication) media world, budgets are irrelevant. Every movement, every cause, every product has equal stature. A small blog post in a far-off, seldom visited portion of the internet that perks the interest of a Facebook user can be posted and shared and tweeted to prominence.
Perhaps is a innocent, silly video that results in 15 minutes of fame for the creator (Evolution of Dance man, I’m looking at you!). Perhaps its a blog that gets noticed by a publisher who signs the author to a book deal. Or, perhaps it is an idea that can change the world.
Connections will be made between users and organizations via the causes the organizations promote. Of the more than 100,000 people that voted in the Greenpeace poll, it’s safe to assume that several thousands of them had no relationship with Greenpeace in the past. Within a matter of days there are new people who are willing to work for a cause, promote it by purchasing and wearing a T Shirt. This is diametrically opposed to traditional means of direct mail, email blasts, and outdoor advertising.
And these connections start on the basis of a passionate attachment to a single cause. The tendency is away from a general appreciation of the work of an organization at large and towards specific efforts with measurable results. Organizations will not be able to rely on public standing or a good reputation – support will come and go based on the causes that it promotes.
In the end, Greenpeace succumbed to this meme and enveloped their anti-whaling campaign in a Mr. Splashy Pants marketing strategy – with shirts, and pins, and even e-cards. More surprising, the anti-whaling campaign was successful resulting in some world governments calling off their whaling efforts.
These are drastic, potentially dangerous, but incredibly exciting changes. These are complete shifts in the way that we think about and deal with garnering public support. Surrendering control of some aspect of an organizations identity was heretical just a few years ago. Suddenly, the degree to which we are willing to do so will determine how successful we are going forward.
