• March 19, 2012

Companies are all over the map when it comes to marketing across the digital platforms. Some are having great success with social, while others are better with blogs. Still others have strong gaming presences or web portals.

According to brand and customer loyalty engagement company Brand Keys, which unveiled its new Digital Platform GPS tracking service at OMMA Global Digital Moneyball conference in San Francisco. Coca-Cola and McDonald’s are very strong on social networks, while Hilton Hotels is strong on search. Major League Baseball and Netflix are strong on blogs, while Macy’s and Amazon have strong brand web sites.

“The truth is, most brands have not yet answered the ‘should we be on Facebook?’ question. They participate by default because they’re afraid not to, putting their most friendly face forward,” said Brand Keys president and founder Robert Passikoff. “But behind closed doors, CMOs don’t really know if social media matters to brands. Or, if it does, exactly how it should link to the drivers of loyalty and engagement in their category. And, that's just Facebook. Those questions exist for the other digital platforms and must be solved if brands are to finally operate strategically in the digital space.”

After evaluating 598 brands across 14 digital communications platforms, the brands that scored the best in each category were:

Blogs: Major League Baseball, Netflix
Brand Websites: Macy’s, Amazon
Browsing Portals: Samsung Flat-Screen TVs
Classified: Hyundai, FORD
Digital Magazine: Home Depot
Digital Newspaper: Expedia
Email: Costco, AT&T Wireless
Gaming: Patron Tequila, Coors
Mobile Apps: Apple iPhone
Music: Coke
Online Video: Call of Duty, Kindle
Search: Hilton Hotels
Shopping Portals: Skechers
Social Networks: Coke, McDonald's