Last year Coca-Cola created a new office of Digital Communications and Social Strategy under their Public Affairs and Communication Department.  Below are some interesting insights from  Adam Brown the Digital Communications Director over at Coca-Cola  on how a global company operating across 206 countries is managing Social Media & Communications.   Coke appears to have the start to a solid Social Marketing strategy. They have created Social Communication guidelines for the entire company of 100,000+  direct employees and it’s partners including the botteling plants which takes that number up to over 1 million people worldwide.  They have created a Social Marketing Certification program for their employees and partners with key guidelines that must be followed by employees and partners who wish to speak on behalf of Coca-Cola on Social Networking environments.

Andy  Brown speaks about what he calls his 4R Social Marketing Strategy:

1. Review – Constant monitoring of the social buzz
2. Respond – Thoughtful responses  remembering that everthing said on Social Networks is evergreen and will be up for ever!
3. Resource – Commit to putting the appropriate level of resources behind your companies Social Marketing
4. Redirect – Take the conversation in the direction you want to drive it either to your company website, blogs, YouTube channels etc.