Molson Marketing Case Analysis
Executive Summary
The case is about the unsuccessful attempt at Social Media Marketing by the Molson Brewing Company through Facebook with its Cold Shots Campus Challenge contest. As a result to this it had to pull back its contest on social networking site Facebook, after complaints that MBC promoted Binge drinking and left Molson with a bad taste of social media and think about using social media in future.
We will analyze the objectives and implementation of the campaign, the criticisms the company faced, and the result of action. Based on the SWOT analysis of Molsons Social Media Marketing Strategy, we make recommendations and suggestions to Molson for its future marketing strategy.
Situation Analysis
The Molson Brewing Company was founded by John Molson in 1786 in Montreal. It was the second oldest company in Canada, preceded only by the Hudsons Bay Company. Molson Brewing Company is one of the recognized companies headquartered at Canada holding a significant market share in the beer market.
The objectives of campaign were to use the portal for awareness of its products to the age group 19-24 years, to create a bunch of walking brand ambassadors across the country, and to create a community aiming at brand resonance. Facebook was a popular social networking site among the age demographic of 19-24 years which Molson intended to target for it marketing activities. It provided Molson an opportunity to engage with their target segment. Students could upload pictures of parties in their college to Facebook. There were prized for the highest number of pictures posted by a college. The best pictures had special prizes as well.
As a result of this Campaign, there was huge negative publicity created against the campaign from all quarters. Typical to the social media characterizes, students and other stakeholders openly condemned the campaign through blogs, posts. etc. Molson had no control over it and this highlights the risk involves in social media marketing. Also the administrators of major universities wrote to the company asking them