September 22nd, 2009
Fortune 500 Series: FedEx delivers success through social media
When I first started sourcing my Fortune 500 Series I put out a query on Help A Reporter Out (HARO) to seek out interesting companies and found a bunch. However, one public relations person sent me a nasty email saying that I was “negating the nature of social media” by highlighting large companies instead of small ones. I disagreed.
The importance, and purpose, of this series is to show that even goliaths are flexing to social media. Even if their programs might be raw, they are moving to embrace the model. And if a large company with hundreds of thousands of employees can flex, so can a smaller business. Sometimes, it also helps to know how they did it.
One such goliath is FedEx, a household name worldwide. The company began its trip down the social media path two years ago and has begun a phase of rapid growth. From multiple blogs to multiple service-oriented Twitter feeds and even community sponsorship, FedEx has made social media a priority.
I spoke with Matthew Ceniceros of FedEx’s media relations team to find out more about how the giant is reaping the benefits - and staying competitive - with social media.
Q. [Jennifer] How is FedEx using social media? How is your strategy defined?
A. [Matthew] Our general strategy is to form positive perceptions among key audiences by encouraging meaningful conversations about FedEx around the globe. This is done in a variety of ways by different groups at FedEx. While I sit inside the Corporate Communications organization, my colleagues in Marketing and IT have also used social networks to communicate to both internal and external audiences.
Our specific strategy for the FedEx Citizenship blog is to:
- Engage in a conversation with key audiences about citizenship
- Introduce transparency into how, why and what FedEx does in citizenship areas
- Empower stakeholders to help tell our story for us
- Build equity and association for FedEx against citizenship platforms
The Citizenship blog (blog.fedex.com) covers the areas where we focus our corporate citizenship efforts: Community & Disaster Relief , Economics & Access, Environment & Efficiency and People & Workplace.
Q. What tactics are you using? Where are your digital properties?
A. The FedEx Citizenship blog provides insights from our people into FedEx global citizenship programs and the The FedEx Cares Week blog is an internal blog that chronicles the annual global philanthropy event by having team members share their stories about the community service projects. We have an official FedEx Facebook page that allows us to post news and information about the company and for fans and team members to post photos and comments on the world of FedEx. Our advertising group created the wildly popular FedEx Launch A Package app. The week of launch it was one of the most popular apps on Facebook.
Next: Digital properties and Brown Bailout –>
Jennifer Leggio, aka "Mediaphyter," writes about the "social business" side of social media - including enterprise, security and reputation issues. See her full profile and disclosure of her industry affiliations.
For daily updates on Jennifer's activities, follow her on Twitter.
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| 09/22/09
