Piggybacking on its recent decision to step back from targeted Facebook ads, Procter & Gamble continues to reach out to niche groups on other platforms, such as with a Twitter party that invites college students to participate for a chance to win a gift card.

P&G is ramping up to advertise its products to students entering college this fall by leveraging social influencers and bloggers as well as establishing a stronger presence on Twitter, as evidenced by its forthcoming Twitter party this week to discuss going-away tips. The consumer packaged goods marketer?s decision to scale back on Facebook suggests that younger consumers are increasingly moving away from this social network in favor of flocking toward popular platforms such as Instagram and Twitter.

?It appears that P&G is taking a two-pronged approach, leveraging social media to achieve broad reach as well as targeted engagement,? said Michael Becker, managing partner at mCordis. ?These objectives are not mutually exclusive, especially with social media, and P&G clearly understands the importance of this insight as it looks to serve the connected individual.  

?Every social media platform has its unique ability to help marketers achieve reach and engagement,? he said. ?Facebook enables both. P&G, by reaching broadly across Facebook, is generating reach while quite possibly pushing aside the competition at this critical time of the year. 

?It?s then using Twitter as an ideal medium for empowering individual communication, at scale, and for capturing audience sentiment.?

Back-to-school beauty shopping
Earlier this week, the CPG brand revealed that it will begin limiting its Facebook targeted ad spend. According to a Wall Street Journal report, P&G will still focus its advertising dollars on ads geared toward specific demographics, such as expectant mothers, but its previously teen-centric marketing strategies will likely be employed elsewhere.

P&G?s decision to step back from Facebook ads that target specific consumers highlights how mobile data can drive precision advertising, which is not necessarily a good thing if scale is lost along the way (see story).

The shift away from Facebook also indicates that younger consumers and millennials are forgoing the social media behemoth in favor of photo-heavy applications, such as Instagram, and platforms better-suited to short-form content, such as Twitter.

Additionally, with back-to-school shopping season in full swing, P&G is taking note of younger consumers? proclivity for following social influencers and bloggers by entering into more partnerships with these individuals.

The marketer promoted its upcoming #CollegeSpeak Twitter party, which is slated to occur this Wednesday between 12 pm and 12:45 pm ET, by teaming up with several college-aged bloggers and commissioning them for sponsored blog and social media posts.

For example, P&G tapped teen bloggers Caroline Yauck of Citrus & Style and Frannie Acciardo of The Blonde Prep to write sponsored posts detailing their favorite shower caddy essentials from P&G brands, all of which are available in the Harmon section of Bed Bath & Beyond.

The bloggers? favorite products, which included Herbal Essences shampoo, Tide pods and Oral B toothbrushes, were featured in several Instagram posts alongside the campaign hashtag #CollegeSpeak.

Instagram users interested in reading the blog posts could click on the influencers? links in their bios. The posts also alerted readers to the upcoming P&G Twitter party.

P&G also sponsored posts on several mom blogs, including Joy?s Life and Wondermom Wannabe, to spread its social media reach to parents of college students.

Organic mobile marketing
Procter & Gamble is spotlighting the Harmon section of Bed Bath & Beyond as college-aged consumers prepare to stock up on essentials before move-in day.

In a bid to highlight its CPG products for this demographic, P&G is sponsoring a Twitter party on Wednesday to discuss college preparation tips. Parents of college-aged students are also welcome to join.

Twitter users wanting to participate in the party can follow its host, @SITSGirls, a community for bloggers and influencers. Any user who Tweets during the 45-minute party with the hashtag #CollegeSpeak will be entered to win a prize.

One winner will earn a $250 Bed Bath & Beyond gift card, while three other winners will receive a $100 gift card.

P&G is likely to reach more of its target consumers through the Twitter party, since the event enables users to pop in and out at their leisure.

If the party sees high engagement and participation rates, it could fuel P&G ? alongside other competing brands ? to employ this tactic for future marketing initiatives geared toward millennials and younger individuals.

?In addition to looking to social media platforms, like Twitter, as a way to engage with younger audiences, brands?from large companies like P&G to startups?can?t ignore mobile messaging apps,? said Evan Wray, vice president and co-founder of Swyft Media.

?They really need to be an integral part of any mobile marketing strategy, which makes sense when you consider there are more people collectively on the top four messaging apps compared to the top four social media sites. Add to that the fact that mobile messaging offers a way to deliver targeted, personalized and effective brand engagement (e.g., branded stickers, photo frames, chat bots, etc.) among the coveted Gen Z/millennial audience, it?s really a win/win.?