Why Brands Need Stronger Checks and Balances on Digital Platforms!
Every single print ad, outdoor campaign, or catalog goes through rigorous proof check by smallest to biggest agencies. Clients seek out an agency with best practices and experience who can handle their brand communication with necessary maturity but when the time comes for digital narrative lax attitude kicks in.
I have often heard from brands “it is ok we will delete the post, how bad can it be?”
Case Reference -1 Your Chairman will end up apologizing for your social media posts.
This social media campaign posted by Kent RO Systems went viral for all the wrong reasons just because the agency and brand team clearly missed out on how derogatory it was.
Not just KENT RO, celebrities endorsing the brand were also at the receeiving end of people’s wrath.
This ended with the chairman of the company coming out and owning the mistake and apologizing which is good leadership with onus.
But from a close look at this issue, this is a process gone wrong with the social media team/agency team and brand team. Lack of proper checks and balances or approvals, and planning.
Key takeaway: If you take your brand’s digital presence seriously please take the smallest post, campaign, story, or profile details with great details and better planning.
Case Reference – 2 Don’t Turn Your Influencer Against Your Brand.
A classic fashion and lifestyle brand team member’s day goes in getting in touch with stylists and the PR team who manages celebrities and influencers. Getting a brand integration as natural, refreshing, and with popular trending celeb is better.
https://twitter.com/maanvigagroo/status/1265917818635194370?s=21
Because such collaborations go in abundance, almost every other day there are no proper written agreements or drawn lines, rather mutually agreed unsaid rules between stylists and brand managers or agencies managing them. Pictures of clothes or jewelry or accessories worn by celebrities and influencers are to be only reposted or put on stories. Brands can use them for promotion or not is always dotted line.
( Image Courtesy: Stylist Dhaaga from her interaction with House of Fett )
As an agency or brand team, if you work with any one of them, the following are classic mistakes that a copy or promotion team can make. But this comes to light when it gets widely criticized by a series of stylists and nightmare when the influencer herself criticizes it.
The only way to avoid such mishaps is via proper checks and balances, approval, and agreements in place
Key Take Away: No visual, no copy, no campaign on digital is too small for detailed review and approval process. Don’t depend or leave your brand communication / messaging on interns and junior in your team who knows digital.
A simple classic mistake with visuals and copy can cost big to brands. Another good reason to not cut corners while choosing your digital team and agency.