Week 2: Social Listening

Topic 1: Social Listening

My Favorite Murder is a comedy podcast that was started in January of 2016 and is hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Every week on the podcast Hardstark & Kilgariff exchange stories about different murders that they researched the week before. The podcast has grown in popularity since it began and is currently the #1 Comedy Podcast on iTunes.

My Favorite Murder offers a unique take on the subject of gruesome murders and serial killers that sets it apart from other "crime" podcasts. For those of us interested in true crime, My Favorite Murder is a pleasant break from the heavy handed and darker podcasts like Sword and Scale, Criminal, and Serial. Hardstark & Kilgariff created the podcast because as friends they discovered they both had an interest in true crime, and wanted an outlet to share the murder stories they were the most obsessed with. It turns out, there are a lot of people, including myself, who share the same sentiments.

My Favorite Murder has become very popular on social media. There is a very active Facebook fan page and regularly post on Instagram and Twitter. On their accounts, they share news about the Podcast as well as updates on true crime stories in the media. On Instagram, a search of the hashtag #MyFavoriteMurder brings up a lot of pictures. The most prominent posts are of people sharing selfies of themselves wearing the newly released branded apparel. People often share arts and crafts that are inspired by the podcast. Also popular, is people sharing when they are listening to the podcast. Below are examples of these posts.

#1: A user shares a selfie of herself in her new t shirt for the podcast

#2: A user shares a photo of a mug she designed that was inspired by a popular quote from the podcast

#3: A user shares a photo of a time when she was listening to the podcast

If I were the brand manager, I'd at the very least be reacting to these photos by liking them. If appropriate, I'd leave a comment. As the brand manager, I'd reshare these photos onto the official My Favorite Murder Instagram page, which is actually something that they do a lot. Since podcasts are a product of the "social generation" I think it is important that the hosts engage with their users through Instagram and other social media outlets. They often repost artworks that people have made based on things they've said on the podcast, and I think they should continue to do that to engage their audience. The more people are posting these photos, the more popular the podcast will grow.

Topic 2: Marketing in the News

Tomb Raider Experiential Billboard

Out of Home America Wilkins Media and Liquid Advertising erected a 64 foot tall billboard in New York City to celebrate the release of "Rise of the Tomb Raider," a new Lara Croft game for Playstation 4. The billboard features a Jeep Wrangler hanging from the side of the building and produces fake snow. There is a competition associated with the game where fans can post on Facebook, Twitter, tumblr, and Instagram with the hashtag #PrizeoftheTombRaider for a chance to win the Jeep on display in the billboard.

The challenge here was the get people excited about a new Lara Croft game after being around for almost 20 years. Times Square is plastered in advertisements, so this one really needed to stand out. Putting a 2000 pound Jeep Wrangler on the side of the building definitely fits the bill. The snow produced by this billboard gets people looking up, where they take in the entire scene. Patrick Runco, VP and Executive Creative Director at Liquid Advertising said of the scene, "the Jeep is in a parking spot that maybe only Lara Croft could possibly get."

This ad speaks to the importance of standing out in the crowded advertising market. People are used to seeing bigger and brighter ads. This definitely raises that bar. It created something unique that got people looking at it and posting about it. creating a way for your audience to engage with you and your product is important. The tie in with Jeep for this billboard is really why it stands out. This was created because the game makers want people to post about this. Every time this photo is shared, more people see it and share it. This billboard creates buzz and word of mouth marketing.

Liquid Advertising
#PrizeoftheTombRaider