Summary
Despite the growth in the number of brands with a presence on social media such as Facebook and YouTube, questions remain about how to conceptualise and measure people’s experiences with brands’ content on social media, and how to measure the value of people’s behaviour around such content to brands. By interrogating quantitative data garnered from 6,400 respondents we sent to Facebook pages belonging to 27 brands across six brand categories during June 2011, this paper presents an overview of how we designed two sets of metrics, and some of the findings from these metrics: (1) a series of ‘value of experience’ metrics based on the likelihood of people who claim to have had positive experiences with a brand’s content on Facebook to say they are likely to do different social media, purchase funnel and brand advocacy actions for that same brand; and (2) a series of ‘value of a fan’ metrics that measure the likelihood of people who say they are likely to do different social media actions on a brand’s page (such as post positive comments or share content) to say they are also likely to do different purchase funnel and advocacy actions for that brand.

Summary
These conference notes from the Research Association 2012 annual conference look at the advantages and disadvantages of using data from social media and the ethical implications associated with the practice. They suggest that there will be more social media data used in research in the future but development of theories that would use this data usefully is necessary.

Summary
The National Centre for Research Methods’ (NCRM) Networks for Methodological Innovation programme funds several Networks to promote debate, innovation and the dissemination of methodological skills in the social sciences. Both Networks discussed here, Digital Methods as Mainstream Methodology and Blurring­ the Boundaries – New Social Media, New Social Science, are concerned with the implications of the tools and possibilities offered by digital methods and social media for social science researchers. We summarise a plenary session of the Social Research Association Annual Conference where Drs Yvette Morey and Grant Blank, respectively, described the events and activities of each Network team. Please refer to the links at the end of the paper for further information about the NCRM and the Networks for Methodological Innovation. Information about the projects and their respective team members can also be found by following­ the links provided.

Summary
This article reports on the Future Foundation's research on "The Big Lie" - the difference between what British consumers say and what they do. It examines the social norms that people feel compelled to conform to, while also desiring to meet their personal needs and interests. The topics covered include mass customisation, attitudes to modern constant connectivity, the internet of things, celebrity influence, maximising and consumer radicalism. Brands are encouraged to meet customer's secret desires while simultaneously allowing them to save face in public.

Summary
This article suggests that marketers' increasing preference for the term "prosumer" (fusing "consumer" with "professional" or "producer") over "advocate" is a reaction against the growing commercialisation of online opinion and the growth of negative connotations around advocacy. The article outlines two likely responses to this trend. One will involve a redefinition of online advocates, with great distinction between different types, such as paid promoters, sponsored brand ambassadors and journalist-bloggers. Secondly, the nature of how brands interact with advocates will evolve, with greater disclosure about the nature and basis of the relationship.

Summary
This article challenges the popular belief that a social media strategy is essential for building brands and consumer engagement. It is based on a 10-year longitudinal US behavioural study, that investigates consumer behaviour, media use and brand preferences. Instead, it recommends adopting a cautious approach when implementing social media and proposes a 'trial and test' approach, rather than wholesale conversion.

Summary
This article looks into social media usage trends among the Hispanic population in the US, based on analysis of Wave, a global tracking study run by UM, the media agency. Hispanics have been leading the way in social media uptake in the US and are ahead of other groups in their level of interactivity. This is due to Hispanics' comparatively high smartphone ownership and their desire to share content aimed at their communities - a trend which opens the door for marketers. The key point of difference is their general communal attraction to one another - Hispanic populations cluster in large cities - and pride in their culture. Two key trends are also discussed: social shopping and geo-location sharing. The article concludes with advice for marketers in reaching Hispanic consumers via social touchpoints.

Summary
This event report, from Engage 2013, an event organised by analytics firm Socialbakers, looked into planning for and measuring successful marketing on social media platforms. On the client side, major global brands Nestlé and KLM are using social media as a rapid response customer service and brand management device, and to create highly personalised ads. Non-profits can also use clever social media strategies to gather volunteers and donations for good causes. However, despite overall enthusiasm for social media across the marketing industry, some believe it is time to focus on nurturing existing online communities, rather than chasing the next big thing.

Summary
This analysis of USA Touchpoints data looks at Americans' social media use across channels, including where people are most social, the hierarchy of devices and adoption of social TV. It finds that most social media use takes place at home in the evening, with 78% of respondents engaging with it this way. Computers remain the most commonly-used device (33% of respondents), followed by mobile devices (23%) and tablets (6%), with both roughly split between app and internet-based access. Social TV - the watching TV and engaging with social media simultaneously - accounts for only 2% of TV viewing but, within social media use itself, accounts for 30% of activity.

Summary
This paper provides some general advice for brand owners planning a global launch, and features insights from experts and senior leaders at ANA member companies on creating, developing, and maintaining lasting brand value globally. Many marketers remain unsatisfied with their global strategy, meaning that executing a multi-market launch remains difficult. But there are some general points of advice to follow: use a fixed brand positioning, focus on universal truths, tell a powerful story, find the right organisational structure and be open to ideas from offices around the world. Examples of successful brand launch strategies cited by the paper include Coca-Cola, Mazda, Magnum and Terracycle.