ClickZ Holiday Social Showdown: Vote Your Picks!

Who will win the ClickZ Holiday Social Showdown? Join in the fun as we choose winners each week from an initial roster of 16 brands we expect to go big with social media this holiday season. We’ll watch how brands like eBay, Coca-Cola, Absolut, and PlayStation use Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and pit them head-to-head bracket style.

Then, each week in December we’ll choose winners and losers based on campaign innovation, social engagement data from SocialBakers, and expert insight from Ken Kraemer, executive creative director at social media marketing agency Deep Focus.*

The best part: Each week, you’ll get to vote for the brands you think will win! And yes, we’ll take the voting into consideration when making the official ClickZ choice. To get started, we chose two brands from each of eight verticals with strong ties to holiday shopping and merriment: E-commerce, Consumer Electronics, Retail, Toy Retail, Apparel, Video Games, Food and Drink, and Alcoholic Beverages.

The brand matchups: eBay vs. Etsy, AT&T vs. Verizon Wireless, Best Buy vs. Target, Build-a Bear-Workshop vs. Toys “R” Us , Converse vs. Gap, PlayStation vs. Xbox, Betty Crocker vs. Coca-Cola, and Absolut vs. Bacardi.

“What I’m most interested in is how effectively these brands are really making a valuable connection with people,” said Kraemer. “That value can be in the form of discounts, sure, but what else? Is their content great and supplying delightful moments that make the holidays better? Are people responding well? How innovative are they being? And are they being authentic? All of this will weigh into my thinking.”

In this first round, we’ll match up the two brands in each category. Then, each following week in December we’ll make our cuts as the competition heats up. The winner of the ClickZ Holiday Social Showdown will be crowned on December 29.

Vote below, or make more educated picks by checking out our list of brand social media page links:

eBay: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Etsy: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
AT&T: Facebook Twitter, YouTube
Verizon Wireless: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Best Buy: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Target: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Build-A-Bear Workshop: Facebook, Twitter
Toys “R” Us: Facebook, Twitter
Converse: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Gap: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
PlayStation: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Xbox: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Betty Crocker: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Coca-Cola: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Absolut: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Bacardi: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube

First Round voting has ended. Round two voting will begin 12/8.

*Note: Coca-Cola competitor Pepsi is a Deep Focus client.