BankMuscat - the Social Media pioneers in Oman!

Reading an article today I found out that BankMuscat are the pioneers in Oman when it comes to social media! Wow, didn’t know that.

The article says: "BankMuscat has generated buzz, becoming the first corporate in Oman to tap social media to attract tech-savvy customers to the bank’s innovative products and services". 

Apparently BM is using social media for their latest campaign about online trading…"The campaign is building up on all leading social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Wikipedia, YouTube, Flickr and tech blog discussion forums”. The article also mentions that: "…to interact with existing and potential customers and make them feel that their opinion and suggestions on the bank products and services are not only heard but highly valued as well".

Fantastic, so I went on all social media channels used to find out the following: 


Twitter: two accounts, BankMuscat Oman (number of Tweets: 39) and BMBrokerage (number of Tweets: 4). 
Facebook: this is their official page (17 fans). 
YouTube: there are several videos from BM however this is the official channel (total number of videos: 2, total number of views: 12).
Flickr: could not find anything.
Wikipedia: small piece of info on BM quite outdated too. 
Blogs and forums: could not be bothered to look into them all.
So the conclusion is…why? Why sending this info out to the public or did i miss something? Surely, as they are so into social media, they will find this blog post and let me know how their customers' opinions and suggestions are not only heard but highly valued as well as helping me finding this huge buzz i can't seem to find.

A few people are already talking about it on Twitter as I write this post, so this might require an update later. 
You can read the full article here.
(PS: welcome to social media; good luck and thanks for replying to my tweets).


13 comments:

  1. Secret Salalah12 June 2011 at 17:03

    Hmmm.... sounds like the days when press releases are published as articles are not over. Perhaps the PR department does not quite understand that social media has made the public - GASP!!! - no longer mere passive kowtowing consumers.
    Sitting on the edge of our seat for an update.

    ReplyDelete
  2. aalryiami12 June 2011 at 17:06

    Does anyone here still believe in newspapers???

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous12 June 2011 at 19:20

    Lol - Social Media - a new must have 'tag' to give credibility to their "1 million satisfied customers" !!

    whoops - I though being efficient in the services provided did that

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oman Collective Intelligence12 June 2011 at 19:38

    SS...no update, sorry to disappoint you. But you're right, the PR department maybe should wake up and realise we're in 2011.
    Aalryiami, apparently not many but companies still prefer to go the 'safe' and traditional way.
    Ynot, you're spot on, providing great services and satisfy a million customers is not enough anymore, for customers is now important to know that your favourite bank is on YT and FB!

    ReplyDelete
  5. fatewm12 June 2011 at 20:22

    I don't know how, but when I read the headline I knew it wasn't true.. do you mind if I re-post this on my blog? (with a link of course!)

    LOVE the stats, too funny.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oman Collective Intelligence12 June 2011 at 20:26

    Hi fatewm, yes, it's kind of funny. Feel free to share with or without link...:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Linoleum Surfer13 June 2011 at 00:50

    Haha. Nice observation. Opening a Twitter account (and doing nothing with it) apparently counts as a social media campaign. And I bet their PR agents charged them a fortune for it.

    M, you've done more in a week on Merge FM's behalf than the agencies and staff of Bank Muscat (one of Oman's largest companies) have done in a year as far as social media goes.

    Still, best be careful - they are some of your clients' sponsors! Perhaps you should suggest a more extensive cross-marketing campaign as you seem to know what you're doing?!

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  8. MaRia13 June 2011 at 01:09

    that article was the joke of the day really
    too funny!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oman Collective Intelligence13 June 2011 at 07:09

    Hey Lino, thanks and i'm always careful...;). I was hoping someone from their side would leave a comment to enlighten me but no one did so far. Maybe i should pay them a visit?
    Yes Maria, funny story...:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. The Linoleum Surfer13 June 2011 at 10:46

    You should, but get that copy sorted on the Merge site first! (If you're stuck then please contact The Linoleum Surfer's commercial division for scrap metal, superyachts, FMCG concessions or copywriter requirements)

    Respect, seriously. Going after the blogosphere as part of their broader campaign was refreshingly original and bold for this market. Bank Muscat should be asking some serious questions about why their contractors and in house team are providing so little for so much.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oman Collective Intelligence13 June 2011 at 16:34

    Hey Lino, i'd be happy to find out more about your expenses services, feel free to drop me a line when, and if, you have time, thanks...:)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Joao Ludugero, poeta13 June 2011 at 16:50

    Eu vim aqui convidar-te a visitar meu blog de Poesias.Se gostar e quiser me seguir, vou simplesmente gostar de ter por lá seus coments. Seja bem-vindo, pois a casa toda nossa! Saúde e alegrias duradouras.
    Abraços,
    João Ludugero, poeta(eterno aprendiz de,)
    www.ludugero.blogspot.com
    Até mais!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oman Collective Intelligence13 June 2011 at 16:57

    Eu certamente irá visitar sou blog, obrigado por passar por aqui!

    ReplyDelete

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