Earlier this week, ZDNet’s Social Business blogger, Jennifer Leggio (a.k.a. Mediaphyter on Twitter) posted a list of 2009’s worst Social Media failures (thus far anyway).

Among the listed examples were Denny’s “Nannerpuss” Super Bowl ad (pictured); the oft-discussed Skittles campaign; and Burger King’s “Whopper Sacrifice,” which called on socnet users to unfriend 10 people on Facebook in return for a free hamburger.

These types of initiatives remind us of how Advertising needs to continue to evolve to match the unique dynamics of Social Media.  That’s not intended as a rebuke of Advertising, rather it’s a call to action to the industry, to either a.) put community ahead of cleverness, or, b.) to embrace outrageously good (but interruptive) campaigns that don’t pretend to be about building up a “friendbase.”

The focus of Social Media Marketing should be on the organic growth of long-term relationships.  When you have a long-term relationship with a brand, you’ll give them the benefit of the doubt when they pull off a stunt; you are likely to enjoy it; you might even pass it along.

When a brand with which you have no online relationship attempts to jumpstart a Social Media following via a stunt or campaign, you will usually be skeptical.  You might be wowed initially — the advertising ideas are nearly always fun and innovative! — but, you are not likely to embrace the brand in the long-term.

For example: even if you enjoyed their clever launch into the Social Media sphere, when was the last time you visited skittles.com?  How much more often do Skittles enter your consciousness while in the checkout line?

(Not recently, not often, eh? — See what I mean?)

Long-term relationships don’t start with short-term campaigns.

But short-term campaigns are readily supported by long-term relationships.

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