#IPASocial Fun Fun Fun

I went along to the IPA Social gig last night. I didn’t have a ticket and managed to gate crash at the last minute thanks to @tompgibson

It was a fun fun fun and dare I say interactive evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the speakers (Mark, Amelia, and Neil) and the brilliant host (James), but even more so the chance to join in the conversation, rather than just listen to it. I guess it’s important to live what you sing! Here are just some of the conversation starters…

Is this all about ’social media campaigns’ or are we actually striving for ’social campaigns’?

I love this because it moves the conversation on. Social Media is not as easy as creating a Facebook fan page, setting up a Twitter account, and ticking it off your to-do list. Social ideas can live and breathe on their own, both in the digital and the real-world. Just look at our dear friend the Meerkat.

Be interested, and interesting.

Take ‘Doritos iD3′ for example – not only did we openly engage in conversations across key social platforms, but created a memorable and entertaining brand experience. Being interested is as important as being interesting.

Technology changes, humans don’t.

Actually I believe that human behaviour does change and adapt, but the motivations and fundamental nature of human beings stays the same. It’s common sense right? But we often need reminding of it. There is a need for brands to ‘humanize’ – it’s kind of odd having to remind clients how to speak like a regular human being when it comes to social media.

Is it about conversations AND campaigns?

IPA Social’s “Conversations not campaigns” was meant as a conversation starter, and it certainly got me talking. Is it necessary to separate the two? Can conversations without campaigns work for all brands? ‘Campaign’ is NOT a dirty word. Or at least it doesn’t have to be . Campaigns like ‘Walkers ‘Do us a Flavour’ are engaging and involving, and worked as a brilliant conversation starter. Of course brands need to engage in continuous conversations, but employing social media to activate and amplify big campaign ideas still seems like a good idea to me.

Interested? Join the Facebook group, and read all the tweets #ipasocial.

It really felt like the IPA Social was the start of a bigger conversation, so watch this unfold…

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