The dangers of sharing personal information on the internet may not be as serious as in Mexico but brands can learn much from that country’s caution, Angelica del Valle says.
We Latins are a wonderfully social breed: we are a society that loves to party and is in constant hunger for recognition. We are natural voyeurs and we love to watch and to be seen.
So it’s no surprise that visiting our friends online has become such an incredibly popular way to stay in touch before the partying starts.
Updating our social profiles is now an important part of our everyday activities. A great profile lets you strut your stuff even before you arrive as well as adding to the gossip and sense of occasion.
Sadly, however, this is one party that might be over and for serious reasons. Recent investigations revealed that social networks have become authentic paradises for kidnappers who have a profitable business in Mexico.
The media verdict has been delivered by national TV: avoid problems by not using these sites. They warned that criminals can use such information to select future victims and even join their friends’ networks to learn more about them.
Social networks have become the security-free back door that has left the rich vulnerable. Some social networks, such as MySpace and Facebook, have responded by sending newsletters recommending how and what to publish as well as encouraging consumers to use the privacy settings that are a built-in, but rarely used, feature of these sites.
Such concerns have forced us to become extremely innovative if we want to connect brands and consumers in what is now a complicated security-focused environment. We’ve developed four guidelines for digital planning in social media in Mexico, but they apply to any market where privacy concerns are rising.
They reflect the reality that the era of being free and easy with personal information on social networks is over.
Build trust. Always remember to separate interaction from database capture. Don’t force users to give you their information before they can get to know you. Give, give, give and only then ask. Once users are confident that you are honest, then they will trust you.
Be security obsessed and brag about it. Talk about how much you will protect consumer information and promise to keep it to yourself.
But stay relaxed. Nobody likes a brand that freaks them out about personal information: it creates doubts. Just be simple, firm and friendly.
Your brand is an endorsement. Great brands can generate an “I belong” feeling. A strong brand can be your best security credentials.
Here in Mexico these lessons are hard won. As digital leaders, we need to educate our brands, our consumers and sometimes, even the social networks on how to regain what we as a society have lost … the freedom to trust strangers online.
Angelica del Valle is the digital project manager Mexico for Universal McCann.
source: Campaign Magazine
Publicis Worldwide has appointed the chief operating officer of Publicis Latin America and president of Mexico’s Publicis-branded agencies, Alejandro Cardoso, as the chief executive of Publicis Latin America.
Cardoso, who joined Publicis in 2003 when he became the chief executive of Publicis Dialog in Mexico, replaces Paulo Salles in the role. He has been made a non-executive chairman of Publicis Latam.
In his new position, Cardoso will be responsible for leading Latin America as a region and overseeing regional relationships with key clients. He will also continue to lead Mexico as country chairman from his base in Mexico City.
Mexico City, Mexico–(HISPANIC PR WIRE – BUSINESS WIRE)–February 25, 2008–AOL today launched a dedicated Web destination in Mexico, http://www.aol.com.mx, which combines industry-leading safety features with free e-mail, instant messaging and localized content in Spanish. AOL has partnered with Alestra to provide distribution and Grupo Editorial Expansion for content. AOL also will leverage its worldwide distribution partnership with HP to deliver a co-branded local language portal and search solution for Mexico. AOL will continue to add content and features over the coming months.
“Mexico is an important market in the Latin American region and we’re committed to delivering a strong local offering that meets the needs of Mexican online consumers,” said Maneesh Dhir, Executive Vice President, AOL International. “This launch also advances AOL’s global strategy to bring great products and services, along with customized content, to more countries in Latin America and around the world.”
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