Social Media and Bridgestone Tires?

If you watched 2011 Superbowl XLV last night, Packers Vs. Steelers, then you already know the winner. Both teams played well but Green Bay Packers won 21-17 against Pittsburg Steelers. Besides the game, most of us were also eager to watch the newest and innovative commercials from companies such as Mercedes, Audi, Doritos, Budweiser, GoDaddy, Groupon and much more, for the year. After all, these commercials would be the talk around the water cooler the next day or two in the office and social settings.
However, do you know how social media is just like the Bridgestone Tires’ commercial called “Carma?” If you have not seen the video, feel free to watch it by clicking “Watch Carma”. As described by Bridgestone’s Facebook content [here], “It’s the belief that one’s good driving deeds do not go unrewarded. In this memorable tale, a chance encounter on an idyllic woodland road puts one driver’s fate squarely in the paws of a very special little beaver. What happens next may change the way you drive forever.”

How is this video about tires remotely relatable to social media or what is the analogy between Bridgestone Tires, a man and a beaver to social media? Simple, social media is a tool much like the tires in the commercial. The Bridgestone tires caused a reaction between the man and the beaver to communicate in some level. They’ve even formed their own dialogue in the end. Social Media, as a tool, is about developing relationships and allowing you to connect with more people in different levels. Social Media creates an impact in some level, engages relationships anywhere and holds no demographics. Also, much like the Man and the Beaver in this commercial, building relationships in social media requires trust; after all, social media is about building trust and the authentic connection between people.

As I quote Bridgestone’s commercial ending, “It’s Bridgestone or nothing,” and same can be applied to social media, “It’s Social Media or nothing.”What happens next with building relationship and trust may change the way businesses and entrepreneurs think about social media.