Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – CADBURY ADR
This article forms part of a study on social media usage amongst FTSE 100 companies.
Each company in the FTSE 100 index was reviewed on its usage of such social media tools as RSS feeds*, blogs, online video, podcasts and social media platforms like Flickr and Facebook on its main website and on occasion, on websites of well-known subsidiary companies.
*RSS feeds are a simple way of delivering fresh versions of a website’s content to online readers automatically.
According to the Guardian.co.uk Business Glossary:
“The FTSE 100 index comprises the 100 most highly capitalised blue chip companies on the London Stock Exchange, representing approximately 81% of the UK market.”
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Here’s how confectionary giant, Cadbury ADR (CBRY.L) fared.
| FTSE 100 Company | RSS | Podcast | Blog | Online Video | Audio | Facebook, Flickr, etc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadbury ADR | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
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Online Video/Webcasts: Yes, registration required
Usage of Social Media platforms: No
(Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, del.icio.us, Twitter, Digg etc)
According to Yahoo! Finance:
“In 1783, in Switzerland, a certain Jacob Schweppes developed a special mineral water and, in Britain, John Cadbury first began to sell tea and coffee and then chocolates from 1824. Their merger in 1969, gave birth to a global giant in the candy and non-alcoholic drinks sector, Cadbury Schweppes.”
My pre-evaluation expectation of how the company will fare:
Cadbury’s Gorilla ad has reinvigorated sales of the brand’s Dairy Milk chocolates. I expect a well designed accessible site with RSS features at the very least.
Commentary:
Cadbury’s www.cadburyschweppes.com site redirects to a splash page indicating the group has demerged into two entities, www.cadbury.com and
www.drpeppersnapple.com. For the purposes of this analysis of social media usage, the former site has been analysed.
The solitary online video page features an interview with Cadbury CEO, Todd Sitzer which is thankfully now available as a streaming video.
Just a few days ago, when this article was being written that video was being delivered using Windows Media and didn’t load. Thankfully that is no longer the case.
Having said that, the almost obligatory half year results webcast lies hidden behind a registration wall.
There are also no RSS feeds for either Corporate News or within the Media page.
The Investor relations page is a little more promising. There are podcasts of interim trading updates and management statements. Strictly audio however.
Recommendations:
- RSS feeds of content would be excellent - I am very surprised by Cadbury’s social media ‘step backwards’, to be honest. When I last visited www.cadburyschweppes.com a few months ago, the Cadbury’s corporate site boasted a slick, cartoon style design with copious RSS feeds. It seems like much has been lost in the demerger of the two websites. Hopefully this will be rectified soon.
- More online video, please - I for one would love a Willy Wonka style series of factory tour videos showing how Cadbury’s excellent confectionary is made. Crunchie anyone?
- Cadbury’s should blog more - The old site also featured blogs by new graduates on the Cadbury’s Graduate Scheme. It was relatively well maintained and years ahead of any other recruiter in the UK, so much so that I often used it as an example of best practice to clients! Here is an example.
All in all, it looks like the recent demerger of the Cadbury’s brand from Cadbury Schweppes to Cadbury and Dr Pepper Snapple has meant the confectionary giant’s website is going through a transition. Hopefully the best features of the old site, including RSS feeds and employee blogs will return soon.
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What do you think?
Are you a customer, employee, shareholder or stakeholder of Cadbury? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this review. What would you like to see Cadbury doing more of in terms of social media? More online video about its history? More high level executive blogs, maybe?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Need any help?
Do you work for Cadbury and want some insight into some of the ideas published here?
Or perhaps you look after marketing for Cadbury and would like a quick chat about putting some of those recommendations into practice. Contact us.
Related posts:
- Social Media Usage amongst FTSE 100 companies – Companies 16 To 20: BHP Billiton to Cadbury ADR
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – Bunzl
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – BHP Billiton
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – BT Group
- Social Media Usage in the FTSE 100: Company Profile – British Energy
