Unassuming industries are ripe for leveraging social media

Digital marketing is not just for brands that were started in a dorm room, or brands who live and breathe e-commerce. Big brands, heritage brands, and “old-school” industries need to leverage the power of social media and new-age marketing now more than ever. Digital channels are not optional, or separate, rather they are a new type of channel to add to the marketer’s playbook. MassMutual, the insurance company, knows this well.

For a company founded nearly one hundred years before the telephone was invented, MassMutual has certainly kept with the times. The life insurer recently launched a social media campaign with the theme “Love is a Gift” with the concept that for every photo story uploaded to the microsite LoveisaGift.com or to Instagram with the hashtag #loveisagift, MassMutual will donate $1 to Easter Seals (up to $50,000). It is an aspirational message that promotes what the brand stands for, generates awareness, and increases its Brand Strength as a corporate citizen (corporate social responsibility points, anyone?).

This is not the first time that MassMutual has leveraged social media campaigns for a good cause. Last year, their #SiblingsMatter campaign donated Easter Seal funds in accordance with social media posts related to siblings with disabilities. MassMutual also uses social media as a platform for sharing advice and offering tips for protecting individuals’ financial future.

MassMutual demonstrates that social media is all about creating a conversation and creating encouraging content that matters. The firm also shows that digital marketing is relevant no matter the industry or company heritage. It is critical to join the conversation—and to do it thoughtfully.