Creating "underground" social-networking sites

Check out this campaign launched recently by Pontiac – centered on building a place for fans of Pontiac to go to talk, share photos, connect to Pontiac fan clubs and receive some info in a casual setting about Pontiac.

For the right brands with a built-in audience of enthusiasts (like the people who love their Canon camera or Sagem Phone), creating a place where they can share their own content and stories, indirectly building brand passion and excitement, is a very smart move.

The challenge will be to counsel clients who make demands to over-brand or over-market something like this; the best social communities like this one thrive by providing the platform and getting out of the way.

 

Published 29 March 2007 07:39 by Ryan Peal

Filed under: Case Studies, Social Networking

Comments

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  Social Networking Bulletin - » Creating "underground" social-networking sites said:

  PingBack from http://sociali.zers.net/2007/03/creating-underground-social-networking-sites/
  March 29, 2007 12:18
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  Peter Imbres said:

  Agreed.  I used to work for a company that built micro social networks and getting the clients more comfortable with the whole idea of social media is the biggest challenge.
  
  As an aside, this Pontiac community does one of the best jobs I've seen of incorporating all the consumer generated media onto the front page without making it an interface nightmare.  Go Yahoo!
  March 29, 2007 15:26
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  gorgeoux said:

  You are right. Orange created an Orange Concept Store in Bucharest, Romania last year. It is about community, not services and phones. Several times a week they provide unique cultural events that they promote via e-mail and SMS. It rocks!
  March 29, 2007 19:41
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  Steven Noble said:

  Here's the direct link to Pontiac Underground for anyone who doesn't have a Media Post membership:
  
  <a href="http://pontiacunderground.autos.yahoo.com/
  ">http://pontiacunderground.autos.yahoo.com/</a>
  
  March 30, 2007 04:30