The hashtag wave appears to have gripped emblem marketing plans. Whether one talks of making awareness, increasing visibility, showcasing content, or encouraging audience participation, brands an increasing number of trust that is growing a hashtag, or even latching onto trending user-generated ones, works wonders.
Looking again, the #IceBucketChallenge in 2014, the longest strolling social media task, is an excellent example of the prowess of a hashtag. Over 17 million humans participated in it. The hashtag was created to sell consciousness of approximately the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) ailment. Closer home, #HumFitTohIndiaFit, initiated via Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, might be credited for stirring a fitness movement in India — celebrities, manufacturers, and commoners participated with a lot of gusto.
Tagging along
Brands have been quick to piggyback on trending hashtags. The cutting-edge #10YearChallenge has seen brands which include McDonald’s, Durex, Acer, Oppo Mobile, Airtel, Amul, and Fevicol, amongst others, put up their respective ‘earlier than and after’ updates on social media.
Treating the #10YearChallenge differently, McDonald’s slashed its menu expenses to what they had been 10 years returned, for 10 days, trying to cross past just posting an image. “We wanted to boost that at the same time as we’ve got developed over the last decade, we retain to deliver extraordinary cost,” stocks Akshay Jatia, GM, emblem extensions, Hardcastle Restaurants.
Or take into account how in September 2018, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance started a purchaser engagement initiative called #36SecPlankChallenge, to promote its 36 critical illnesses insurance. The viral marketing campaign garnered 1.23 lakh mentions.
Examples of interesting hashtag campaigns by way of brands are aplenty: from Coca-Cola’s a hit #ShareACoke to Lay’s’ #DoUsAFlavor, L’Oreal Paris’#WorthSharing, and Disney’s #ShareYourEars. Then, there may also be a hard and fast of brands that overtly carry their names in a hashtag. Cases in point? Calvin Klein’s #MyCalvins and Audi’s #WantAnR8.
Clearly, building engagement is one of the top motives for brands to use hashtags. Chandramohan Mehra, CMO, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, says, “The content material must be applied to the medium and for the audience. An offline strategy will now not work on social media.”
Cost, or the shortage of it, is any other draw for entrepreneurs. “Hashtags generate interest, and brands are benefitted without investing an extensive sum of money,” provides Mehra. But the benefit can closing simplest so long as manufacturers hold the conversation going.
Latching on to a trending hashtag has it deserves, says Harish Bijoor, Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. “By doing so, the emblem gives itself the very width of that hashtag in phrases of viewership. It is critical these days to be seen first after which probed and heard,” he provides. However, a hashtag could do lots greater than assist brands in living applicable inside customers’ minds. “When you’re constantly inside the consideration set of capacity and current customers, that in itself is part of a long-time period approach,” Bijoor says.
Experts agree that a hashtag makes sense for all brands as long as it’s timely, suitable, and applicable. “A hashtag isn’t always a printed; it’s a narrowcast to a target audience and, consequently, some distance extra powerful,” says Jagdeep Kapoor, chairman, and MD, Samsika Marketing Consultants.
There is a concentrated attempt to sell, and for this reason, the take into account turns into very strong. “A hashtag is a tactic. However, a series of hashtags may be a method. It builds cognizance, popularity, keep in mind, and income for an emblem,” Kapoor provides.
A phrase of caution
Crafting a hashtag in a manner that doesn’t get misinterpreted or ruffle feathers is fundamental.
Recently, Gillette released an effective campaign titled ‘Boys can be Boys? Isn’t it time we stopped excusing awful conduct?’ that has garnered 29.8 million views thus far? The campaign, pushed by using #TheBestMenCanBe, became Gillette’s appeal to ‘shave off toxic masculinity’ and dissuade men and the following era from harassing, mistreating, and bullying humans. While many favored the idea behind the campaign, it also received backlash by using men who idea it promoted stereotypes and maligned masculinity.
“The widespread tendency of a logo is to be visible, but what if it’s visible inside the incorrect sense? Brands have to be cautious approximately which fashion they select up. While it appears very ordinary for a brand like Gillette to comment on this issue, specifically after the #MeToo movement, it may also be visible as insensitive,” points out N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA.
Striking the proper balance is vital. As Chandramouli says, “You can’t simply tag yourself to the entirety. People will be aware, and you will probably discover extra naysayers than appreciators.”
