The brand and publicity surrounding the Royal Wedding reverberates around the internet and the social channels such as Twitter, much of this being driven by the US.
For more ways check out PCMag's Complete Guide to Watching the Royal Wedding Online and here are a few more:
- ABC News is focusing much of its social media efforts on Twitter for both storytelling and engagement. To capture what people are thinking to help shape the online conversation, they are experimenting with “hashtag polls.”
- The BBC has its royal wedding Facebook page. And The Associated Press is featuring a live video feed on AP Live’s Facebook page.
- CNN is issuing an open invitation for people to share their royal wedding experiences via iReport, and it will then share what it collects through the Open Story feature.
- Euro RSCG Worldwide will debut a Royal Wedding microsite (http://bit.ly/f2xud4)
- The Royal Hashtag, by the way, seems to be #royalwedding — that’s what Clarence House has been using the most but others have adopted the hashtag #rw2011
- The official Royal Wedding site - http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/
- Some people will use TV and others Facebook or both (infographic)
So what is the sentiment so far
Some will have some moments of fame
The Birth of Brand Kate
We can only wish the royals the best for the future, but that future could be a precarious balance between public and private life as the media seek to feed the growing global interest in Kate and William.
During the build up to the wedding Kate has been constantly in the news with much of the attention focusing on her choices in fashion. Kate's young and vibrant image seems to have made a real connection with many women; everything she wears benefits from a huge boost in sales and rafts of copycat outfits rapidly flood the high street.
It is estimated according to ABC News, the wedding itself is expected to cost between $20 and $70 million. Yet this can easily be offset by the estimated boost to retail sales alone of £620 million. However, the Mirror expects the loss of £6Bn as a result of the effect of the additional holiday. So whilst the short term debate over the financials there is an undeniable in the young couple that will drive a longer term momentum in the economy; some estimate the value of this to UK economy is over 2Bn. The Kate Middleton brand is now established and has been seeded internationally.
What do you think should someone like Kate Middleton now be viewed as a brand and asset to market? What do you think her role should be?
Brand Coverage
The royal wedding will be watched by over 2Bn people across a multitude of channels and formats: TV, YouTube (www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel), mobile...
At least 9,000 comments a day are being posted online generally, according to Internet research firm Greenlight, with a 700 per cent surge in interest since March, and "fans" of the wedding outweigh opponents by a ratio of six to one. Already there is a best selling dolls of Kate Middleton for sale, the largest retail search on the internet for w/e April 16th, one of the latest in a growing selection of Royal Wedding memorabilia that already includes tea towels, mugs, plates, coins, stamps cakes and, err, condoms. So how do you start to understand and manage this new and growing brand?
Managing the Kate (Catherine Windsor) Brand Socially
As the Daily Mail reports courtiers plan to warn businesses that using Kate Middleton's (Windsor or Princess Kate/Catherine) full name on products could put them in violation of copyright laws. Whilst many are making comparisions to Princess Diana's turbulent relationship with the press it is clear that the world has changed.
Managing a brand is far more about openness, honesty and transparency. The Kate brand will be tracked through social media for it is there that the tone of the relationship with the public will tempered. The Royal Family has already embraced and started to use these channels to at least provide some level of content and engagement that satisfies the public interest and curiosity.
But the question remains as to how that will continue after the hype of the wedding dies down. Whilst sentiment can be tracked and reputation managed and responses made it will be interesting to see how or if they adopt and pro-actively use social media to manage the new Duchess Catherine brand.
How do you think royalty should use social media to manage the Kate brand?
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