Save 50% on a 3-month Digiday+ membership. Ends Dec 5.
Social media has enormous potential for blue-chip companies, but it also has plenty of hot air. Walgreen’s director of social media Adam Kmiec took to the stage at Digiday Social. That’s why one of the most valuable role he plays in Walgreen’s is serving as a reality check. Kmiec compares the social media today to the overheated expectations of the Web back in 1997. That’s led to the rise of social media gurus, such as Chris Brogran, who charges $22,000 per day for consulting and is already writing a book on Google Plus for business. “We have consultants, agencies, we have ‘strategery’ groups who are all selling this hype internally on a daily basis,” says Kmiec. But much of the promises don’t add up. Look at social wunderkind Dell’s performance against Apple over the past few years. “Do you know what Apple’s social strategy is,” Kmiec says, “great freaking products.” Watch his full presentation below.
More in Media
Digiday+ Research Subscription Index 2025: Subscription strategies from Bloomberg, The New York Times, Vox and others
Digiday’s third annual Subscription Index examines and measures publishers’ subscription strategies to identify common approaches and key tactics among Bloomberg, The New York Times, Vox and others.
From lawsuits to lobbying: How publishers are fighting AI
We may be closing out 2025, but publishers aren’t retreating from the battle of AI search — some are escalating it, and they expect the fight to stretch deep into 2026.
Media Briefing: Publishers turn to vertical video to compete with creators and grow ad revenue in 2026
Publishers add vertical video feeds to their sites to boost engagement, attract video ad spend and compete with news creators.
Ad position: web_bfu