US retailers looking to social media, says study
Social media marketing is becoming increasingly popular among US retailers targeting teenagers and students ahead of the beginning of the academic year.
This is the conclusion of a new study by JupiterResearch, which showed that retailers such as JC Penney and Sears are making use of platforms including social networks, virtual worlds and visual search to increase brand awareness.
JC Penney has launched an online game in which players help a female character to find the perfect boyfriend, as well as creating a campaign allowing consumers to recreate the outfits seen in popular teen movie The Breakfast Club.
Meanwhile, Sears has devised a campaign where Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame shows off the various styles taken up by characters in the TV movie to promote the retailer’s clothing ranges.
Patti Freeman Evans of JupiterResearch commented: "With the shaky economy expected to impact the amount of money consumers spend on back-to-school shopping, retailers are using social media to capture the attention of younger consumers."
Frank Warren of popular blog PostSecret recently wrote on Mashable that social media is helping to trigger positive change and raise awareness of important issues among users.
