social washing

I sat on a panel and helped judge the Social Brands 100 recently. The panel thing was last Friday and got me to thinking about if there could be such a thing as 'social washing', like we currently see 'green washing', either now of in the future.

 

 

Looking at the top 10 there are no real surprises, which is how you'd imagine it when the short list was crowd sourced. The stuff that has been front of mind for the last 12 months and constantly references will by its very nature come out on top. In unpacking things a bit more though you could argue that the number 1 (Dell) has just opened itself up to suggestions, ideas and feedback. And that this is far from anything new. Gransfors Burks Axe's have been inviting feedback and ideas (all be it in an off line format through the below yellow cards included with every purchase) and then making real world business actions off the back of the feedback for quite some time. And they weren't in the 100.

 

 

The point being that it's of more and more business value to be seen as a social brand. And this can be achieved by taking a few quite simple steps in reality. And then making a bit of a song and dance about it. So maybe brands will start to look at ticking the social boxes to make it look like they're walking the walk in social, and potentially even putting some resource and comitment into it the back up the image. Or perhaps they already even are.

Comments

[Tom Harle]

I had a go at some thoughts on this a little while ago, would love to know what you think?

http://aspire2enquire.typepad.com/aspire_to_enquire/2009/10/what-does-social-look-like.html

I guess I'd be a little concerned that people will try to tick the boxes without putting resource into it, or just completely miss the opportunity by using the new channels to repeat what they already have, rather than complementing it

[ted]

Hello Tom, thanks for dropping by and commenting.

I haven't properly worked out my thoughts on it all yet. It's a mixture of people doing social for social's sake (usually badly). An equivalent to green washing where doing social well, or before others, has a positive halo effect on a brand. And the fact that a lot of the most interesting new and small business's are social by default, but just don't shout about it or even be social in the same places or ways as others. So hence don't get noticed, like by axe making friends.

[Valentina]

Hi at all, I'm an Italian student and I don't found the definition of Social washing... so In few word... what is the "socialwashing"?