Winner: Discovery Communications Social Media Team
Established in 2009, Discovery Communications’ nine-person social media team is guided by four goals: build community among fans across platforms; drive tune-in to its TV shows; generate pages views, video streams and sales on Discovery’s Web sites; and gather insights to inform all areas of the business. Led by Gayle Weiswasser, VP of social media communications, and Matt Crenshaw, VP of marketing and analytics, the team ensures that fans of all of Discovery’s brands are presented with compelling content on a regular basis. Fully integrated with its network and business unit clients, Discovery’s social media efforts are never an afterthought—they are always a key part of overall campaign strategies. The results bear that out: more than 40 million “likes” across 70 Facebook pages (a +567% jump since Jan. 2010; the second largest footprint in cable TV [behind Viacom]); and over 2 million Twitter followers—a 100% increase since January 2010. —SVC