Hit or Miss?: UK Uncut uses social media for tax avoidance protests

Protests took place on high streets across Britain under the banner of UK Uncut, a fast-growing movement that is gathering support via social networking sites. 'What a clever, well-targeted protest,' enthused Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, after both old and new media were quick to cover the story.

HOW I SEE IT - STUART BRUCE, MD, WOLFSTAR CONSULTANCY

The UK Uncut campaign is a good demonstration of how social media can be used to augment traditional campaigning methods. It organises campaigns via Twitter and Facebook, and its website ukuncut.org.uk.

Many of those involved are the 'usual suspects' with a history of similar campaigns, predating social networks.

It is early days with comparatively low levels of social activity. But it is a hit because it has used social media to reach out directly to new supporters and to promote its campaign directly to the public, making it far harder for mainstream media to ignore.

YouTube videos of campaigners singing an alternative 12 Days of Christmas spread the protest far beyond those shoppers who actually saw it. It shows that you should not ditch the old methods, but they work better with the new - HIT.