While social networks can be great places to engage customers, many brands still haven’t found their footing on Facebook, Twitter, and the like. Producing meaningful content that customers want to share poses a perennial problem. What’s more, the social networks aren’t waiting for any brand to catch up. Just take Vine, Twitter’s new six-second video publishing platform.
Luckily, some clever brands have found a way to produce Vine content that is both visually appealing and helpful to customers. That’s like a social media home run!
Below are seven forward-thinking brands that use Vine to reinforce their images and inform their customers of sales, contests, and other goings-on.
1. French Connection
French Connection’s Vine finds the sweet spot between fun and chic. The video features shots of the brand’s clothing interspersed with footage of French Connection events, like concerts and photo shoots, creating a window into the company’s fashionably fun side. The best part: French Connection has recruited Vine superstar Meagan Cignoli to direct the brand’s stop-motion style clothing Vines. The entire channel is refreshing and inspiring to follow, just as a fashion Vine account should be.
2. Virgin Mobile USA
True to its young and daredevilish image, Virgin Mobile USA’s Vine channel features a number of comedic personalities turning everyday things like feeding their dogs into laughs and using Vine in ways the world’s never seen before. Viners recruited include Curtis Lepore and Vincent Marcus. In this way, Virgin Mobile USA’s Vines reach beyond current fads to show users that Virgin Mobile isn’t just a gimmick, but the real deal. The company is currently asking for user submissions to its #HappyAccidents contest, featuring users’ best accidents resulting from addiction to their phones. The winners will be featured on TV and the company re-vines its favorites daily. How’s that for customer engagement?
3. Chick-Fil-A
With only two videos to date, Chick-Fil-A isn’t the most active company on Vine. Fans, though, are begging for more. My hope is that, seeing itself listed here, the fast food giant will remember its abandoned Vine and bring us some more fire-breathing cows and Chick-Fil-A inspired arts and crafts.
4. MTV
MTV’s Vine posts, though all over the place when it comes to theme, are all entertaining and informative. Last week the network announced the nominees for the Video Music Awards by posting a new Vine every hour, the first time nominations for any award show were announced through Vine. MTV also uses its Vine to post concert clips and funny scenes from shows, to announce new products like its iPad app, and more. My favorite MTV Vines support ItsYourSexLife.com, raising awareness for safe sex and urging people to get tested. Many of these Vines are produced by Khoa Phan, a popular Vine user.
5. Snapple
MTV isn’t the only brand to commission talented Phan for Vine work. Snapple enlisted Phan to produce its Re-enFACTments Vine series, which brought Snapple real facts to life. In the Vine above, Phan illustrates Snapple “Real Fact” #754, “An alligator can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime.”
6. Honda
When it comes to connecting with users on Vine, Honda is simply willing to put itself out there and just go for it. While the car company’s Vines may not be the most artistic of those listed here, it’s obvious Honda’s Vines were created by an enthusiastic team, one ready to make genuine connections with Honda’s customers. Last week Honda promoted its Summer Clearance Event by launching the #WantNewCar campaign on Twitter and Vine. The brand promised to respond to customers’ tweets about Honda vehicles in real-time with Vine videos – talk about commitment to customer satisfaction. The resulting Vines were cute and showed that sometimes it really is the thought that counts.
7. Lowe’s
I featured Lowe’s fantastically useful Vines back in May, but my love for the home improvement chain’s work leads me sing its praises again in this post. Lowe’s fills its Vine channel with home improvement tips for simplifying ordinarily cumbersome tasks. The Vines are done so well I could spend hours browsing Lowe’s channel…
If you manage a B2C (or even a B2B!) company, what ways could you use Vine to connect with your customers?
Wow! Lowes Home Improvement seems to be the company making the most of Vine so far. Really great ideas!