What's Next: H&R Block And Social Media

I wrote a post a few days ago about "Groundswell", this terrific book I am reading about Social Media.

http://whatsnext.typepad.com/whats_next_in_marketing/2008/05/whats-next-forr.html

Wanted to point you to a good article on adage.com about the recent H&R Block campaign that relied heavily on social media.

http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=127078

There's some good lessons in the article about what to do and what not to do. I thought the most interesting point was the following:

Corral the agencies
Perhaps one of the biggest logistical challenges: Agencies also have to abandon some of their traditional silos, with media, creative and the client working together to craft a social media experience.

"You have to rip up the business card and try to solve the problem," said Art Sindlinger, VP-activation director at Publicis' Starcom USA.

H&R Block used four agencies in total to complete its social media efforts because it was hard to find one that could do it all, said Ms. Worley. But, she added, all the direct communication came from the client."

Interesting because it should not be hard for a client to find an agency to do all of the components of a social media campaign. Other than the actual media component (don't get me started on the tragedy of unbundling media), an agency should be able to handle ALL of the components needed.

That doesn't mean that all of the talent needed to get it done needs to be in house, but your client needs to feel that they can come to their primary marketing partner and that you'll tie it all together for them in a nice bow.

Social Media is now like interactive was a few years ago: it shouldn't be a nice to have, it's a must.