Today’s world is overwhelmed with interactivity and online capabilities through the different available mediums such as Facebook and Bebo. Many companies have encouraged this move to the online virtual world and indeed it now plays a massive part in their marketing plans. Pat the Baker too has embraced the developments in online technology and has carved out an identity for itself through Bebo, Youtube and of course Facebook.
Social Networking has opened many doors of communication in our world and has allowed many people around the globe to come together to express interest in common topics. While acknowledging these benefits Pat the Baker is making a move to push this new found sense of online community back into the real world, to promote a sense of involvement in communities reminiscent of times gone by. Their goal is to tap into this sense of togetherness and translate it into real happenings in real communities.
One of the ways which they have used social networking mediums can be seen in their recent development and release of online videos via Youtube to help promote the idea of a ‘Scone In’. The hope is to use technology like this more and more to interact with communities and also motivate communities to interact with themselves. “We feel that as a well placed product within the Irish consumer market we are in a unique position that will hopefully allow us to translate some of the sense of togetherness and communication seen today online back into real communities around the country for the good of these areas.” says Oliver Durkin, Brand Manager for Pat the Baker.
The development of implementing the idea of a ‘Scone In’ into the Irish psyche is a move forward to encourage people to get to know their neighbours once again. By introducing incentives such as their ‘Sambos 4 Schools’ programme, Pat the Baker are actively encouraging community interaction in the real world whilst using the tools of online social networks to increase awareness of their efforts. The ‘Sambos 4 Schools’ programme is a competition set out by Pat the Baker which gives national schools from around the country the chance to win a €5000 prize for their school. It involves students, parents and teachers hosting a ‘Sambo In’ and registering with Pat the Baker online. This competition will be launched on a regional level in the coming weeks.
While balancing the use of online social networking and real world challenges, Pat the Baker are aspiring to generate a true sense of community in towns, villages and cities around Ireland in these modern changing times.
