While common wisdom says that “nice guys finish last,” this is not necessarily true in the branding arena, according to new analysis from trendwatching.com. In particular, trendwatching.com says “random acts of kindness,” rather than distributing free samples or providing specific rewards for actions such as posting a positive social network review, can pay big dividends for brand marketers.

trendwatching.com says that consumers long used to distant, inflexible and self-serving corporations will gratefully receive any random act of kindness performed by a brand. Increasingly open communication between consumers and brands, especially online, make performing random acts of kindness easier than ever before.

Random Acts of Kindness Spur Positive Reactions

The Human Touch Appeals to Gen G

trendwatching.com advises there is new generation of consumers it calls Generation G (for “generosity”) who seek brands that are socially, ethically and environmentally responsible. Generation G is disgusted with traditional business priorities and practices and prefers to enjoyably interact with businesses that show compassion, personality and humanity.

Consumers Are Putting It Out There

More people are now publicly and knowingly disclosing more personal information than ever before via social networks and blogs about their daily lives, their moods or their whereabouts. All this personal information increasingly enables brands to actually know what’s happening in consumers’ lives.

Passing It On Via the Web

A random acts of kindness strategy can now be cost-efficiently applied by all brands, because rather than having to call, text or even see people personally, social networks’ streams allow users to easily broadcast information to a wide range of people without interrupting or intruding. The explosion in both the volume and reach of connections creates huge opportunities for brands that create interesting, meaningful, funny, uplifting moments that people love to share.

Social Media Creates Brand Advocates

In another example of reaching out to consumers online, retailers can use social media to turn consumers who have had a negative experience with their brand into brand advocates, according to a new report from RightNow and Harris Interactive. Data from “The Retail Consumer Report” indicates 68% of US consumers who posted a complaint or negative review of a holiday shopping experience during the 2010 holiday season were contacted by the retailer. Two-thirds (67%) of them wound up taking an action that would be considered positive for the brand. Read more at www.marketingcharts.com

For almost four years, since the Facebook Platform was launched, I have been involved in delivering Facebook apps for top brands such as CBS, NBC, Lifetime, Universal Music, Visa and more. Here’s what we have learned doesn’t work, and more importantly, what does work.

First, deep campaigns don’t work. Digital agencies love deep, expensive campaigns on Facebook, with tons of pages, interaction, and art. It fits in with how agencies build microsites and websites, and justifies the $100,000-plus price tag that they like to charge. Examples include lightweight games, prediction contests, treasure hunts where you include friends, and such. Unfortunately for agencies and the brands that drop a lot of cash, Facebook users decidedly don’t like deep campaigns.

It is easy to think of a Facebook tab like a Web page, and throw a bunch of features on it - such as a poll, gifting, and some videos - all on one tab. However, most users do not show up on a Facebook tab like they do on a Web page. They are usually coming in by clicking on a page’s newsfeed posting (“What kind of traveller are you? Take the quiz!”), a friend’s newsfeed posting (“I’m a cranky traveller! What kind of traveller are you? Take the quiz?”), or a Facebook ad (“Find out what kind of traveller you are!”).

After an initial onslaught of Facebook sweepstakes promotions, marketers are learning that sweepstakes have very low conversion rates and almost no viral uptake. We’re also learning that they attract unengaged users who are there for the prize rather than a relationship with the brand.

A lot of brands like to do photo and video contests, but unfortunately they do not have the user base that likes to submit photos and videos. Travel and photography brands? For sure. Mobile carrier? Beverage brand? Not likely. Even clothing brands can’t pull this off.

Uploading a photo or video is a big investment on the part of the user, and they do not expect to do it for the vast majority of businesses. These campaigns also require the labor to moderate the submissions. If you must run a photo or video Facebook campaign, the best way to do it is actually NOT in an app. Read more at www.readwriteweb.com