How Vine is Democratizing Marketing

The social media tool I studied for this class is the new Vine app for smart phones which was introduced just one year ago. Like most social media, Vine "is a great equalizer and it's leveling the playing field for those who can adapt and lead" (Solis 2011, xv). With only a smartphone and one’s imagination, one can create video content anywhere and anytime. Vine places video production in the hands of the grassroots.

Best of all? Vine is free!

At first glance there is at least one drawback -- videos can only be up to 6 seconds in length. However, individuals and brands are learning how to tell stories and market products within this constraint and in doing so are revolutionizing marketing. Dunkin Donuts was the first brand to broadcast a Vine-created video, on September 8, 2013, during ESPN’s Monday Night football. View Dunkin’s video here.

Ford Motor Company has now taken up Vining with ads like this one. With this simple, 6 second video, Ford engaged emotionally with potential customers by reminding them of playing with trucks as children. For the male customer, in particular, this ad drives home the fun of owning a truck.

Vine could not be simpler to use. To create a video:

1.     Point your phone in the desired direction.

2.     Place your finger on the screen.

3.     The camera records until you lift your finger.

If you want to include several shots in a video, simply press and lift your finger at intervals until you capture all the desired shots. Remember though, you only have 6 seconds!

Vine is so simple to use that even my technology-challenged father can figure it out! And with a free social tool that’s this user-friendly, the door is now wide open for individuals and brands of all sizes to take advantage of the power of Vining.

The advent of Vine is yet another example of social media leveling the playing field by creating opportunities for inexpensive outreach to audiences. While Ford and Dunkin Donuts can use Vine as a creative extensive of larger marketing campaigns, with Vine even small mom-and-pop operations with limited budgets can play.