Laurel’s war on social media agencies

Comments

Larry
9 Nov 09
9:33 am



if you ignore her she will go away.

please ignore her.

Jack
9 Nov 09
11:56 am



She is truly a legend in her own lunchtime… but as long as industry groups hire her to speak, in the attempt to gain social media cred and thus put paying bums on seats, Ms Papworth will continue to think she’s more hero rather zero.

Bill
9 Nov 09
2:05 pm



Funniest and most honest video so far featured on Mumbrella – well done Laurel!

Lachy
9 Nov 09
2:49 pm



I did enjoy the last line about the press releases

Brett
9 Nov 09
4:16 pm



What utter nonsense.

Tony
10 Nov 09
1:31 am



Tim I don’t think it’s “Laurel’s War” as you so un-graciously put it. I have come here from Laurel’s site and there are hundreds who agree with her sentiments most globally. For example someone with considerably more insight than most, Jeremiah Owang, agrees with Laurel and states on his blog that there are two approaches two approaches: shotgun and laser distinguish between the agencies who do more harm than good and who should really bow out vs those who approach social media with intelligence and respect of the community.

A little advice as someone overseas. I feel the ’shout ad’ commenters that frequent your site, are the ones who are probably running these local cowboy 1 to many marketing operations and this reflects badly on the country as a whole – if your site is supposed to be an umbrella for Australian marketers. Please clean it up for Australia’s sake and be more considerate for those in your own backyard who are internationally respected. Tony

Stephen Collins
10 Nov 09
8:07 am



Yes, we all know Laurel can be annoying to the agencies.

But it’s because she points out their shortcomings – mostly Johnny-come-lately, mostly with no real research backing for their social media efforts, mostly with no staff on book who actually understand the nature of online communities rather than being smart kids who happen to use social media.

If you people can’t stand the heat and back your social media plays for yourselves and your clients with real research, real ethnographic and psychological insight and real value, then quit your bitching and leave the strategy and implementation of communities to the people who can (I include myself on both sides of that comment – I do work for clients when and where I can back my ideas, if not, I STFU).

mumbrella
10 Nov 09
9:53 am



Hi Stephen,

Fair point, but in this case, I think the video is pretty unfair. It’s more an attack on Toyota than it is on the agencies.

Leaving aside using a tired device like recaptioning Downfall as a way of attacking a brand for lacking original thinking, I don’t think Toyota is guilty of what she accuses them of.

The line that particularly sticks out is the suggestion that Toyota is flaming any negative bloggers. I simply can’t see any evidence of that. If I was Toyota’s marketing manager, I’d be feeling quite offended right now.

But then again, the accusation that Toyota blasts messages out doesn’t hold much water either.

I’ve just done two minutes of research – which appears to be two more minutes than Laurel has done. It’s clear that Toyota is one of the more engaged automotive brands in Australia, with more than 30,000 members of its Facebook group. A quick glance at that group – with enegaged, relevant conversation – appears more like a case study in how to do it. This is not a brand takign its first, blundering steps as she implies.

See the page here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/toyota.aus .

From where i sit, it seems unfair to accuse people of bitching at what is such a misconceived attack on Toyota.

Cheers,

Tim – Mumbrella

Stephen Collins
10 Nov 09
10:40 am



Tim, all for the balance.

Toyota’s Facebook effort, which, like you I’ve spent some real time looking at, is pretty interesting.

I think what Laurel’s on about more is the approach of pitting ridiculous budgets, time and effort at agencies in a silly competition that might actually brown off the communities. On Toyota’s part, it seems disrespectful of both the agencies and the communities they are in (and with that engaged Facebook group, they appear to have a real thing going).

I see where she’s headed, and I see the point she’s making – it’s an extrapolation of possibility from social media missteps here and overseas that started with the sort of approach we’re seeing (or something similar). We all know the case studies.

The extent may be overkill, but we all know Laurel is an extreme personality. It’s her style. It’s what makes her the success she is. And it’s not like she doesn’t know her stuff.

Hell, Laurel pisses me off sometimes, even though she’s a friend and industry colleague (and frankly, competition for my business).

Like you I’m over Downfall (though I am more than keen to see the actual film).

peta
10 Nov 09
11:12 am



Laurel you are a genius!

PRhack
10 Nov 09
12:06 pm



Can someone please point me in the direction of campaign(s) that Laurel has actually done.

Stephen Collins
10 Nov 09
12:21 pm



@PRHack you tread risky waters, friend. Laurel has more than enough CV to fill a big swimming pool – http://laurelpapworth.com/about/

Like I said earlier, she’s a friend and also a competitor.

PRhack
10 Nov 09
12:57 pm



what risky water, i want campaigns, case studies, results please

Granleese
10 Nov 09
1:04 pm



If a tree falls in the social media commentating/consultant forest, does it make a sound?

How on Earth
10 Nov 09
1:11 pm



I have to agree with PR Hack, Laurel’s site is doesn’t seem to have actual case studies of work, or results.

How on Earth
10 Nov 09
1:14 pm



I also have to agree that I have terrible grammar (sic)

Stephen Collins
10 Nov 09
1:20 pm



And Sam Granleese wins for funniest comment of the day.

Gary Hayes
10 Nov 09
2:19 pm



“I’ve just done two minutes of research – which appears to be two more minutes than Laurel has done.” Careful Tim – your starting to sound like some of your anonymous, ghost writer entourage that regularly appear on Laurel bashing posts!

Amazed that no one seems to have appreciated the ’satirical’ nature of the video, rather bizarrely picking up on a line here and there. But this seems to be true of most of the threads on the non press release republishing parts of this blog that can’t see the wood for the trees. I for one (disclaimer groan” I am Laurels partner’ – oh but also number 5 Australian AdAge media/marketing blogger at moment) know for a fact that Laurel did far more than your 2 minutes of research hence the weight of agreement falling on her assessment vs a few in the Oz Digital camp – that frequent the Mumbles echo anon chamber.

But please, please take the video as being a satirical look at the way traditional ad agencies ‘push’ rather than ‘involve’ themselves into social media, and see the keen observations there and for once Tim, stand back and stop picking up on individual lines (in this video and her media140 talk) to back up your own prejudices and anti-blogger positioning – it might start to appear as ‘out of context reporting’ if your not careful. Finally glad to see her ’satire’ has picked up nearly 1300 views in a day – hows Mumbles TV doing at the moment

Grant
10 Nov 09
3:19 pm



Everyone’s talkin’ ’bout Yaris!……Was this the true strategy?

Legosity
10 Nov 09
7:02 pm



@mumbrella – I also had a look at the facebook effort. Pretty much a community right there. Didn’t even take 2 minutes of research to see that

@Laurel – you must admit this is a bit of an oversight on your part

@Gary Hayes – your comment about ‘out of context reporting’ is ironic, given that the Laurel Post appears to have left out some fairly big points and seems to include some inaccurate ones. The video may be satirical, but the post is worded in an authoritative tone, implying that the research has been done, yet its appears in some cases this may not be so.

David
11 Nov 09
11:00 am



Video hit the nail on the head!

When happens when a interruption style marketing over-saturates places people go to escape it? People move elsewhere…

When Twitter gets spammed full of marketing messages, we’ll all start to ignore it…

Although I’m kicking myself that I didn’t get a lift from Wolfy when the train broke down in North Sydney last week – instead walked the harbour bridge in sweltering heat !

Marcus
11 Nov 09
4:02 pm



http://onlinemarketingbanter.c.....-industry/

you’ll all eat yourselves.

i'm interested too
11 Nov 09
6:02 pm



I too would like to see any case studies of actual work done. I can’t find anything.

Legosity
11 Nov 09
6:52 pm



And the award for the smartest thing I’ve read today with thanks to @marcus & James Duthie – http://onlinemarketingbanter.c…..-industry/

“if you have to criticise a campaign, why not make it constructive? Use your ‘expertise’ to open a real discussion about how it could have been improved. Share your knowledge in a manner that is constructive rather than destructive”.

I doubt that tommorow’s masters of this space – yet to be unearthed – wont read any of this banter. They’ll be too busy getting on with getting on to partake in such conversation.

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