I primarily rely on digital sources, mostly from my social networks, for information these days, and tend to be highly influenced by the digital content that comes my way.

When I spotted Alice in Wonderland’s nicely managed Facebook fan page, I simply had to go and watch that movie. It’s not the first time social media influences my decision-making process, especially when it comes to the film/entertainment industry.

I did some research to find how Alice in Wonderland had been promoted in other EU countries, and what I found reinforced the need to think global, yet act local, something which is, from my experience, often (not always) neglected in social media campaigns.

The French still went down the traditional PR route by sending journalists a limited-edition Alice in Wonderland book containing a USB key with “exclusive” digital content, whilst the Italians organised a “flashmob” in Milan which found its way on YouTube.

One size doesn’t fit all, and if you’re planning on executing a European social media campaign, you should work with local consultants who know their markets inside out. The Brits favour social networks such as Facebook or Twitter, the French are hard-core bloggers, whilst FriendFeed is the network of choice in Italy.

The Trendstream folks also sent me some very useful data a little while back highlighting these nuances in various European markets which is also worth checking out.

Expect more European social media posts in the coming months based on my personal  experience of working on the French and Italian markets. We should all learn from one another ;)