Canada Goose Epitomizes Social Media

Canada Goose (you know, those mega warm, increasingly hip down-filled jackets) has been running the most successful social media campaign for the last 10 years. The best thing is, they've done it without even really trying, and they probably don't have a member on they're staff that knows what social media is. They don't advertise traditionally, and don't need to. Here's why:

They got lucky. A dangling tag on they're jackets and a stack of pamphlets is all that consists of their in store display. Somebody who probably never received credit for their genius, came up with the line on the tag and pamphlet. It's simply: Ask anyone who knows. 

That's just what social media experts want you to do when they develop a social media campaign.

Have an experience with the brand, talk to your friends about it, see if somebody knows more than you, then spread that knowledge to others.

These days, an experience means an online one. But the Canada Goose experience can never be anything better than putting one of their jackets on. It doesn't hurt to have a product that's the best in show. The goose and duck down is premium and WARM. Almost too hot to even wear through a sizing session in the store. Justifiably so, the jackets were originally developed for arctic explorers and researchers. Dennis Quaide has the noticeable Goose patch on his yellow expedition model in the movie The Day After Tomorrow. And the picture to illustrate their persuasion to ask someone who knows: a fierce looking arctic explorer's face, genuine coyote fur trimmed hood around his frost-stubbled face.

In fashion conscious Toronto, where the coats are made, models made less-intense and more everyday friendly are sported more and more by the every day consumer trying to beat the winter bite. The people they ask, the anyones who know: bouncers, of course. Who else fights the winter season as hard as these guys? Thus, and again without really trying, their jackets have a real life, informative, interactive display at the entrance to many of the hipest night spots.

If only all social media was as easy to develop.  

Social media really works hard to be the jump-off point of a larger conversation. Of course, an executer of strategy exists to mold an authentic conversation, and someone needs to be there influence the influencers, and it doesn't hurt if the product has a wow factor that can be easily demonstrated, but social media really is the new and most organic form of advertising.