Asianate: A Social Media Disaster

At I-COM, we enjoy spending our time thinking of inventive social media strategies to boost your business. So when one of our SEO's discovered 'Asianate', it really got the office talking. The Facebook application, which appears to be a campaign for the brand Amoy, enables you to upload a photograph and 'asianate' yourself. The 'game' darkens skin and offers a variety of backgrounds and silhouettes that will, apparently, give you "an urban Asian look".

It's possible that this is a purposefully controversial idea (although the fact that the app now appears to have been removed suggests otherwise), but is creating an uncomfortable app really a clever marketing tool? 




The page is thought to have been developed by Amoy Netherlands and has left many people wondering how they could get it so wrong. Marketer Gavin Marshall took to his Twitter to question, "Is this the most inappropriate use of Facebook by a brand yet?" As previous I-COM posts have shown, the potential influence of Facebook and social media reputation on your business is increasing all the time. Using social media can elevate your brand, but doing it badly will only cause widespread embarrassment.

Social Media Campaign Success

Examples of successful social media campaigns include last year's Old Spice video phenomenon. The campaign featured comical, interactive videos that cleverly worked to rebrand the product. It was an overnight success and had millions people watching and interacting with the brand. It shows how successful social media is an inexpensive way to promote your business and reach a wider audience.

Somehow I can't see 'Asianate' enjoying the same success.



Old Spice social media figures:

•  Day 1: 6 million views
•  Day 2: 8 of the 11 most popular videos online
•  After week 1: 40 million views

 
So what are the simple rules of social media triumph?

• Encourage interaction - use competitions, giveaways, polls and general conversation.
• Think creatively: A good social media campaign stands out for all the right reasons.
• Take advantage of all the social media platforms relevant top your business e.g. Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, LinkedIn.
• Protect your brand: Don't sacrifice your brand guidelines for a campaign idea. This can often do more harm than good. If somebody mentions your brand in a negative light, make sure you respond to them and address the issue.
• Don’t be too aggressive: deliver your marketing messages in an interesting and creative way.

If you want to know more about what a good social media campaign, can do for your business, get in touch with the team at I-COM by calling 0161 402 3170 or send us an email.