avkthinks

How To: Get More Out of LinkedIn

2011-12-28T11:06:00.000-08:00

I think constantly improving your LinkedIn profile is key.

And people often ask me "how to" and "when to" improve, so here is my response with massive plug for the company I co-founded.

First, there is a lot of good advice on improving your profile, so check it out:
Savvy Sugar. GLO. RealMenRealStyle. Blogging4Jobs.

Even LinkedIn has made smart efforts with the Improve Your Profile feature.

But once your picture is perfect and keywords are optimized - how do you give hiring managers more? How do you increase your chances of good connections?

One way is to add meaningful and new information previously not available via TruYuu.

Join TruYuu and add your TruMee (loud and terrible voice provided by me):

Simple, free way to help you deepen the information on your LinkedIn profile to better reflect all that you bring to the table.

Yes, LinkedIn is only one professional network but they are huge, helpful and growing. LinkedIn's fairly new apply button shows their role will only increase in the job search game. Cheering or Fearing?

But no matter how you apply or where you promote yourself, you should give people more - more than keywords, pretty pictures, skills. Let people see you in all your awesomeness -your values, talents and more in a simple snapshot like your TruMee.

Do you agree that adding deeper insight into LinkedIn profile improves the process for all?

Note: As stated earlier, I am a co-founder of TruYuu. Please know that I believe adding your TruMee or other validated data on your talents to your profile is the way to go. It's the future. So if not TruYuu, consider adding more depth to help you find or stay in a satisfying and productive career.

How To: Ultimate Holiday Gift at Work

2011-12-21T10:41:00.000-08:00

Ideas & Kissing: How to Ensure Success

2011-12-18T19:32:00.001-08:00

I think I have the key to delivering a successful first kiss.

Not an expert here, and note, my first kiss took place in the living room curtains - romantic?

And one kiss behind Spring Creek Elementary with a bunch of people circled up to watch - was, eh, yeah.

So I have botched a ton of kisses and I have botched a lot of firsts at work.

And when I reflect upon the botching versus the well executed there is a clear theme.

Keep It Simple Stupid - K.I.S.S.

We fail when we do too much. We put too much into "it". Too many services, widgets...just too much complexity. Stay away from going early to neck, ears, tongue or grabbing. You get it.

Just don't over due it.

Stay simple and you can add more / do more next time.

You try to get too complex out of the gate and you might not get a next time.

If you didn't like my first acronym, let's try a super popular one - Minimal Viable Product (M.V.P.).

QStart Labs, Poke NY and Startup Giraffe all get putting out a M.V.P. and each in their own style and with their own models to help you do it.

Check out this video by Amit Klien at NYU where M.V.P. gets coverage starting at the 4:40ish mark.

My advice is whether you have an idea as an entrepreneur, our launching a new product for a huge firm or other - you will be better served with an M.V.P.

Make your first a simple tender kiss and then the real opportunity begins.

But some like Seth Godin are raising warning signals about the M.V.P. craze.

What do you think?

Birthday Marketing: 2 Examples, 1 Winner.

2011-11-22T13:12:00.001-08:00

I think birthday wishes are awesome and birthday marketing is underused.

Birthday wishes...we all appreciate them - come on? It feels good.

My FB wall today made me feel incredibly positive and lucky.

But the opportunity to market is just that an opportunity.

Others agree.

Email or social actions saying HBD - make us smile. Points on the board for recognition. Use the data people give you to make their life better. Nice.

But opportunities are can be seized or missed.

Here are two examples - one missed and one seized - from my day today.

ESPN - brand I admire a ton - missed. The positive was some fun content. Bill Walton and Mark Sanchez both have birthdays in November. Kind of fun. The negative was the offer. Look I am not stingy or looking for handouts. So an offer to have an ESPN ring tone? I LOVE ESPN. I enjoy ESPN every day across every device. Every day.

But "Duh-nuh-NUH...duh-nuh-NUH!" on my phone. And there was a link to see more but led to the dreaded "404" - bummer. This was the wan-wan-WAN moment for ESPN. Kind of the $100 play and the 2 cent throw...happy birthday, be our advertising. No thanks but appreciate you acknowledging my day of birth.

NFL - see a trend? - seized. So same shtick as above - happy birthday Andy - yay, cred for you NFL. But the offer...was legit. 15% off a purchase with a picture of a customized Dallas Cowboys jersey. BOOM goes the dynamite. I love me some Cowboys and the line - "Now, go pick up that personalized jersey you wished for!" - just smart. I don't have one but even if I did. Big time personalization. Love it.

What? NFL has my purchase data and ESPN doesn't? Should be a tie?

Not really - I maintain an ESPN account and live on the ESPN Dallas site raved about it back in 2009.

Moral here - keep it personal when you use personal data.

Have you ever received birthday marketing that missed or seized the opportunity?

Where do you fit in an ad agency?

2011-10-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

I think this image tells many truths about agency life.

Found the post on AgencySpy - funny and very true infographic of the MadMan world.

And for people considering the ad world, let me provide a quick joke/case for some context to answering the question of what is my agency DNA? Where will I fit?

Five agency friends were standing outside of a PACKED bar with a line out the door. They were dying for some tequila to down the weeks sorrows. Problem was how would they get their Tequila?!

So the Creative, Project Manger, Finance Director, Planner and Account Exec were forced to jump into the action agreeing to regroup in 7 minutes.

At the regroup:

The Creative shared some emotional high level sketches of the fun to be had with the tequila including celebrities in remote locations. But he really needed more time to flush this out.

The Project Manger had created a solid project plan including gantt chart showing the tequila could be had but would require 45 more minutes and another 25% of a creative give or take 10% on both time and resources.

The Finance Director provided a new job code and made sure the team understood the previous 7 minutes WERE billable.

The Planner was able to tell us the absolute BEST tequila for us to drink including multiple attributes from after taste to brand equity by doing some down and dirty research / anthro-work / man-on-the-street interviews with the people waiting to get into the bar.

The Account Exec walked over, lifted up the side of her skirt and pulled out a bottle of tequila explaining quickly how she made out with the door man, shoved three people, danced with an overweight has-been and tipped the bar keep to get the bottle. And then hid it under her skirt as she crawled over the fence on the back patio of the bar.

All are valuable.

All are different.

Which sounds more like you?

Want Home Runs? Don't Focus on Home Runs.

2011-10-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

I think the key maybe in not working towards a goal.

Nelson Cruz, Texas Rangers
(www.baseballguys.com)

Huh?

For real, have goals. Revisit them. Hold yourself accountable.

Just don't focus solely on the ultimate goal.

WTH? You say.

You want to hit a home run - do NOT focus on hitting home runs.

You focus on the necessary behaviors for smart pitch selection, front side locked in, quick hands, shoulder to shoulder...lots to focus on - nothing about the home run. But all these can lead you to home runs.

Similarly, you want to hit your numbers at work - do NOT focus on hitting your numbers.

You don't drive revenue by focusing on revenue.

You drive revenue by focusing on behaviors that lead to, or create revenue.

Focus on what you can impact, the details that sum to success.

And by all means, go for big success - like Ted Williams:

"A man has to have goals - for a day, for a lifetime - and that was mine, to have people say, 'There goes Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived."

Do you agree? How do you achieve your larger goals?

HR Tech Conference 2011: A Virgin's Perspective

2011-10-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

I think my first HR conference was a home run.

After attending the HRTech Conference 2011 in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay I can say for certain, I learned a lot.

I had a wonderful time, met smart people, got educated on multiple topics and hopefully opened some new professional doors.

So before I get judgmental – thank you to all participants and remember these are the sole opinions of one vertically challenged HRTech first-timer.

Scanning. I allowed anyone to scan me in who wanted to. But this was sometimes so unwanted, forced and almost dirty. Would mom approve?

iPad2 drawings. Every other booth seemed to offer you an iPad2 drawing. Delayed gratification, failed strategy or good bait? Either way, variety is an opportunity?

Tweetmyjobs was pleasant surprise. The team was intelligent, engaging and brought more to the table than job promotion via Twitter. Cool.

Talent. Just the OVER use of the word – over and over. Just take ‘talent’ + [insert business word in front or back]. Sigh. Am I wrong here?

Dice won the best booth experience. These guys had more “crap because that is what people want” (as Dice management put it). I am flying home with a couple large squishy dice, a dog chewy and coozie. Not to mention the “pimp your pic” station allowing you to customize your photo (like mine?). Dice’s booth was professional and smoothly branded. Indeed also had a nicely branded small booth – professional, demo friendly (Kerri didn’t seem to mind me giving a demo to 7 people, very nice of her) and AWESOME mints, gift that keeps on giving.

Charging stations - missed opportunity? Didn’t see one booth offering power. Power for super phones, computers. Could be a winner. Did anyone do this?

Snagajob was my favorite find. Converted to a fan via positive brand experience: visible central location, interactive, individual demo, group/big screen demo, seating, positive energy and helpful staff – key. Snagajob gave great booth. Period.

Starr Conspiracy was an awesome physical manifestation of their digital presence. Nice bar but smartly dressed staff appeared not as interested/helpful – great peeps but I was assumedly not their ‘mark.’

Broadlook had, at least for this rookie, interesting content for lead generation. Just a straight time saver – maybe dangerous in the wrong hands but used correctly and you could win.

Missed connecting with some of my friends in person: Blogging4Jobs, TalentCulture, TheOneCrystal and more. Everyone else, great to see you live.

Wanted Analytics was a sneak attack surprise. Analytics in the name – not my cup-o-tea. But combined humble smarts with a smooth sounding portfolio of options to bring value. Hmm.

Little mechanical and possibly overly outsourced. Monster seemed the biggest offender. Probably a victim of their own success and many years of attending conferences. The over-planned, over-staffed, over-processed leaves the attendees feeling a litte…empty? But big props to the massage stations! ;-)

Rypple – denied me a photo with their team!?! Offered to do their “rock on” hand symbol for HRTech FB page. Looked at me like I had four heads? Sup with no pic?

And the last but not least was the great openness of all participants to ask you “hey what do you do?” The collaborative vibe was consistent and impressive. The desire for collective intelligence was impressive and leaves me encouraged that the space will move forward.

If you attended HRTech – what did you think?

Am I dead wrong, accurate as hell or whatever.

Love your thoughts and fill in gaps as I surely did NOT do it right.

Virgins never do.

Thank you, Omnicom Group. Moving on.

2011-08-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

I think change is necessary.

For real, change is awesome and keeps us all moving forward.

So after nearly eight years on and around Madison Avenue with Omnicom Group, time for a change.

But let’s be clear, I could NEVER go start a company without my time at Omnicom.

Never.

So here is my quick list of parting thoughts.

Thank you Omnicom Group for:

Allowing me to train, grow and contribute for nearly eight years – I can be a pain in the ass as many of you reminded me often.

Investing in my peers and me via – Omnicom University’s SMP: best program out there. Great memories at Babson and beyond with that crew.

Giving me a platform to create amazing work with people smarter than me.

Treating me to some of the best friends and mentors anyone could ever dream of. You know who you are. I love you and, no doubt, do not deserve you.

Showing me first hand the harsh lessons of running a professional services firm.

So Omnicom Group – I say thank you.

What a fun run we had.

NBC's The Voice Wins w/ Blind Judging

2011-07-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

I think NBC’s The Voice served up a mean dish of tasty.

Yes, late getting this out but been dying to get this done.

From afar, you may say “Oh, a late entry in an over saturated schedule of reality kobe, prime, loin and spam.”

How much more reality can we really swallow?

A ton when it is done like The Voice.

The Voice attained Whopper status with some of the best ratings NBC has seen in some time.

The Voice had authentic people.

People are key to all reality and these are similar to Idol. But these are not just models and not idiots. These people want to make it on their talents not their abs, real people. So expected and key but not the “secret sauce”.

The Voice had dynamic personalities.

Personalities also helped drive the success. Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, Chritina Aguilera and Blake Shelton are critical ingredients for sure but again, not the secret sauce. They ROCKED and were authentic, famous and performed. They rolled up their sleeves –coached and showed their own performing talents. Cool contributing factor but was not the “secret sauce”.

And it wasn't just Mark Burnett. (love his work and yes another key ingredient)

The secret sauce was a fresh take on democracy...or meritocracy if you will.

The fresh take was the 'blind judging'.

Select people based on talent.

Not looks. Not body shape. Can’t see them – just hear them.

Equal playing field.

Mandi agreed!

Power to the people - talents and abilities.

But the power to the people continues when the people get to select their coach to work with them - famous artists.

Select them to own making you better, hands dirty and now we get some personal relationships to thicken the narrative of the performers story arc.

Coaches not judges for people selected on talent alone.

BOOM goes the dynamite!

Power to the people.

Private judging based on talent, not stereotypes.

Love it...and like the Dutch, looks like you did too.

Twilight: Genius Steals

2011-07-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

I think I literally watched all three Twilight movies in a couple days.

Twilight is marketing genius.

Didn’t read the books but I had heard all the hype.

“Dreamy boys.”

“Vampires”

“Team this and team that.”

And, well, I found Twilight to be AWESOME.

I loved the movies and appreciated them beyond just the “brain candy” element.

Here is how they nailed it.

1) Dangerous Boy

Fonzie in his leather jacket. Rebel without a cause. Jake Ryan in his Porsche. Ren McCormack jamming Quiet Riot. A known entity, right? But what if the rebel was actually a killer. A vampire! A monster! But wait, a monster that looks like Morrissey and has a softer emo side than a poet. He hates being a monster. Ahhh. The avid reading and music-celebrating beast is a quiet lover. Sniff sniff. A lover that can protect you while you sleep and save your life in no time. HOT!

2) Troubled Girl

Again, textbook. Parents divorced. Has friends but yearns for more. Deep thinker with a knack for finding trouble. She wants to love and needs a friend. Super attractive but approachable. Needy but strong. Deep down, she wants to help and she loves the danger.

3) Love Story

This is easy – high school love rules. Story line never gets old. Who doesn’t love a pulling into the high school parking lot scene?

4) Viable Love Options

Jacob is no Ducky but he is the other option. In Breakfast Club you could go with Bender or Andrew Clark. Somekind of Wonderful you had Amanda Jones or Watts. Vanilla and chocolate – tastes have to be met. Warm abs versus deep thinker. Nod to my favorite, John Hughes.

5) Need to Belong

The Sharks to the Jets. The Greasers to the Soces. The T-Birds to the Scorpians. We have conflict. We have sides. We have the ability to belong.

There you have it – genius steals.

Bravo team Twilight.

Can’t wait for the next two.

5 Tips to Giving Better Interview: Don't Cost Nothin'

2011-06-23T16:52:00.000-07:00

I think college taught me a lot.

And there is no better movie than Animal House to capture the college experience...for some.

"Grab a brew...don't cost nothin" - ah so true, and like those brews, I think some advice should also be free.

Not because it has no value but because we can all benefit.

In the past few months due to graduation season, I find myself giving some basic advice repeatedly. Though fundamental, these tips work. I like to remind myself of these things and everyone seems to appreciate them - or people are too polite to me. ;)

Regardless, here are five basic but effective tips to giving better interview:

1) Do your homework.

Read the last ten press releases, the upfront of their last annual report, check out competitors and use this wicked awesome tool called "google". The information should inform your questions, your story and frame up why you are interested or not. The interview is about them - not you.

2) Use a mirror.

OK, applies to phone interviews. If you are asked to do a phone interview, ask for SKYPE. If denied, do the call in front of a mirror. You need to smile and be conscious of your non-verbal communications. Your non-verbal communication WILL be 'seen' via phone, promise. SMILE. :)

3) Create key messages.

PR people media train (sorry, had to link) politicians, celebrities, athletes and business folks everyday. It is all rehearsed. So rehearse. As much as possible. And create talking points you want to cover including questions, your story points and other cues. This is NOT a script but a list of words which will trigger your brain and you can tick them off as you go. Can be done with small type in person or with a mental picture.

4) Answer with S-A-R.

Answer questions - especially case based - but all questions using the simple SAR framework. Stole this from DPSU days - Go DP! Be a Pepper! S = Situation A = Action R = Result. The framework allows you to effectively communicate your answers, quickly. Time is ticking so efficiency wins. This is HUGE for me as I can get excited and go too long on answers. Mistake. Give them what they need and then shut it. The more they talk - the better you will look. Just works that way.

5. Cater to them.

Yes, I mean be polite, well dressed and send prompt thank you communications. But help them get their goals achieved. Interviewers often have a "score card" to complete and on the phone they will be filling it out as they go. Always ask "did I answer you question?" or "did I give you what you needed?" or "was that what you were looking for?" The majority of the time you will be ticking one thing off but have missed what they wanted. And they will tell you. Help them get what they need and allow yourself to optimize on the fly with their verbal and non-verbal feedback.

There you have it. Like 5 fast tips to better abs, you now have five fast tips to giving better interview.

Pass it along.

Interview well and if this fails, well...

Kidding...now go be awesome.

Another Brand Framework?!? Needed No But Enjoy.

2011-05-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

I think 9,300,000 results on Google is impressive.

In .41 seconds, I found approximately 9,300,000 results for "brand framework."

And if you check out the images, you see everything you would ever need.

Way beyond a "brand key", ladder or onion - Google has it all.

This blog shows you pie pieces and Dharma station looking frameworks.

You can see chevrons or venn diagrams - here.

So after all this time, here is one more (see pic).

Because:

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" - Leonardo da Vinci

BTW - www.simplesapien.com has a great list of 'simple' quotes. Cool.

The key to the "brand magic framework" - not magic framework - but brand magic is simplicity.

Simplicity through a value exchange.

When a brand can deliver on financial, emotional and physical value...you have magic.

If you get two of three, you might win.

You can win with one but you will live a limited life.

This is so much harder to do than to create on a fake yellow sticky for a blog.

It requires deep understanding of cultural context, audiences, cross functional integration and typically no one in an organization can impact all three values - physical, emotional and financial.

Who in your mind has achieved brand magic?

Do you agree that financial doesn't mean "deal" and exist at a high price point?

Go make magic people.

Client Demands Category Experience: Help Them. Say No.

2011-03-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

I think clients and agencies over obsess on category experience.

Both sides know what I am referring to – an industry convention - a convention, which can bring the opposite results desired.

The pitch decision is about to be made this week.

A phone call is made from the client or consultant to probable winner.

“Hello. Yes, how are you? So this call is off the record but I need to ask you a question. Will you be able to hire a VP, Account Director with fifteen plus years experience in the Pet Insurance industry? We want to ensure a proper level of industry knowledge to be effective from day 1 of this potential partnership.”

And as we have all seen or done, the answer is simple – HELL YES. We will happily poach/acquire/hire/woo (if we haven’t already) the person or team with the required category or competitor experience.

How can you say anything but YES?

You want the business. You need the business. You will benefit from the industry knowledge. Everyone wins?

I disagree.

Bad decision based on only backward looking information

I see agencies caving and clients being short sighted.

The decision makes all parties feel better initially, first six weeks.

The hired “expert” feels the best typically earning an unjustified premium that the agency will likely have to absorb and the client feels safe and in control. But if the hire is in a leadership role…trouble can follow.

Sure the agency has won or kept the account.

But what does the “expert” bring to the table in the long term?

When it goes south, it happens quickly and here are five symptoms to look out for:

1) Not a cultural contributor. No agency involvement – he never came for the agency. He came for the money.

2) Overuses the “When I was at XYZ.” Deep down knows her experience got her the job so feels the need to keep reminding her colleagues.

3) Trouble leading. Teams do not buy in over time as they all come up the category knowledge curve.

4) Lack of innovation. The ideas, solutions, best practices and processes are all in category. Conventions can start to infest the team.

5) Client turns on her. Yes, I typed it. Without fail, the client(s) will eventually experience a disconnection between the agency and the leader brought in with category knowledge. Ouch.

How do we avoid this sub-optimal outcome?

Agencies:

Be strong and only hire for you, especially in leadership roles.

When hiring look at the whole candidate – not just the backward looking CV.

CV matters but is only one piece.

Consider the CV/experience along with cultural “fit” and where the individual wants to go career wise.

Look back at experience, inside and ahead of your candidates.

Clients:

Help get your agencies up the knowledge curve and let agencies do what they need to do to be the agency you hired.

Break the industry convention and get the results you desire by hiring right for today and tomorrow.

How Do I Pick an Agency?

2011-03-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

I think I want to work at an agency.

But what agency should I go to?

Big global, medium or small?

Full-service, specialist, creative, media or digital?

Client portfolio?

Independent or holding?

Or should I go where my friends are because it’s really all about happy hour anyway?

All of these questions are legitimate and should weigh into your decision and there are probably others not captured here.

In my always-humble opinion after living with agencies for the past 25 years and the last 7 years on Madison Avenue, there is one question to start with when looking for a new or first agency home.

Disclaimer, the question is a validated strategic question as referenced by HBR.

But rest assured, my perspective is coming from an agency lens. Lens? Eye-roll mixed with vomit. The perspective is mine as an, oh boy wait for it, agency guy.

The question:

How doest the agency prioritize its core values: work, clients, finances?

Is the agency you are considering: work, client or financially led?

Yes, it is that simple.

Answering the simple is anything but simple. The nature of this deep-rooted question will determine everything about an agency. Many struggle with this concept and love to respond with “My agency values all three! We do fantastic work for our clients and that keeps us financially stable.”

OK if you say so but culturally agencies are led by one philosophical compass.

If an agency does not commit, they are left with a far worse scenario of confused or no culture. Ouch. D.O.A.

Like in the HBR case, Pfizer and Merck face the same situation but make markedly different decisions based upon their answer to the strategic question around prioritization of core values. Neither are wrong - just different.

Here are some quick synopses of each.

WORK LED:

Creatives lead these agencies. (note this is the reality not the org chart)

Creatives as in the traditional department and creative people in general. Everyone from the mail person to the CEO want to talk about the work and the work will always be the first thing brought up. The office is typically displaying work and every client hires them for their work.

Clients will say: “every time they present I am completely in ah of their creative ideas and thinking”

CLIENT LED:

Suites lead these agencies.

The bar, phones and planes are critical to this agency. They live for the Sunday flight and there is not a client problem, personal or professional, that they can’t solve for their clients. From the intern to the CFO, these people know more about their clients then their own mothers.

Clients will say: “the agency is an extension of us knowing our opportunities weeks before we do. They are indispensable”

FINANCE LED:

COO or CFO leads these agencies.

Discipline rules the day in these shops. They live for efficiencies and the margins kicked off. From the Junior Art Director to the CCO, they will tell you they are one of the most profitable agencies and their bonuses prove it.

Clients will say: “they give us an excellent blended rate and help give us scale”

None of these are wrong.

And you can add to the list: Employee Led.

All can be successful.

The key is where do YOU want to work.

And is the agency clear on how they prioritize their core values.

Understanding your past experiences, your goals and your personal fit, will allow you to make a smarter choice based on identifying an agencies strategic compass.

Ask questions in the interview process to unveil the agencies direction.

Talk to current and past employees.

You can possibly save yourself time and help you make an awesome decision.

Good luck.

Scanning-In vs Mobile App: Consumer In-store Activation

2010-08-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

I think mobile in-store marketing is going to be huge, a massive opportunity to engage (entertain, educate)

Not just brand expressions or paid media here folks.

Standing in front of an end-cap or display - BAM - your mobile device gets hit with information, demo or an offer.

REAL value...brand experiences or possibly even brand services.

Owned media informed by data wows and engages - just think of how the experiences could be driven and tailored by so many factors:

Consumer's past shopping behaviors?

Specific to that store? Aisle?

Weather dependent? Seasonal?

Based on macro-economic factors?

Store sales or inventory?

But how do we activate in the U.S.?

Two typical barriers:

#1. In the states we have struggled in the mobile space to scale and provide meaningful innovation due to carrier structure and related service structures. Been that way for years.

#2. And retailers or CPG partners data and systems infrastructures typically are out-dated and/or fragmented.

Could we activate mobile in-store by capitalizing on the scanning-in behavior?

Scanning-in referring to the understood and accepted practice of scanning your "card" or "key fob" when entering a gym, library or the like.

Why not ask your customers to scan-in when entering NikeTown? Or Target? most retailers?

You then have them scan out at checkout. Another accepted practice.

This empowers you to bring your consumers more value through knowing when they arrive, time in-store and basket details.

If they opted-in for mobile communications, you could then text offers based on all or any mix of the factors listed above - right?

You could test, test and test more. Offer sizes? Informational only? Thank yous?

You could sell partnerships. Exclusive offers for CPG partners?

You could promote. Lucky text every Tuesday night at 7:07p?

Imagine the club channel - they already ask to "see" you card so why not scan in and start wowing your members.

There are still barriers but this is doable.

But if the barriers feel too big - what about applications?

Applications have evened the playing field a bit helping work across device almost as an after-market addition - kind of like whistle tips - OK not really.

But applications have exploded and some forward-thinking firms are using applications as owned media to drive experiences - Pepsi Loot being more aggressive while most retailers offer a store finder as a minimum service via app.

Now some retail folks are working on another option for similar in-store activation - Shopkick (Forrester POV and co-founder video).

Shopkick = location based rewards.

Positives:

- easy to activate for retailers and consumers (FB)

- consolidation of numerous brands in one app

- Easy activation on device

Concerns:

- feels more like an experience than service (entertainment more than smart utility)

- coupon feel could distract and/or feel too "gamey" for valuable audiences

- all inclusive, democratic but which audience will use this?

Similar to picking between ice creams, I am say do BOTH a custom mobile program and participating with Shopkicks.

I see a need or room for both the all-inclusive gaming application (Shopkick for example) for one audience and a more personalized and exclusive option for other audiences (member's only ).

So maybe the Shopkick becomes a relevant value via experience and entertainment while the TBA retail/product specific program is a service.

Or get in the game with Shopkick while you make larger investments and test in to a customized program.

Either way start challenging your teams to add more value with mobile.

And congratulations to BestBuy and Macy's for testing out Shopkick.

Posterous - Timely Technology.

2010-06-13T07:48:00.001-07:00

I think Posterous is fantastic and timely.

Check it out - www.posterous.com.

So Steve Rubel's endorsement did a ton for Posterous and I am here to say "Harrumph!"

(Though I owe thanks to Iain for indirectly introducing me.)

Here is a simple take on Posterous:

What is it?

Convenient way to blog leveraging email for mobile posting. Offers most standard publishing features including sharing across platforms.

Why use it?

Email allows for quick mobile posting. Take a picture or video. Attach to an email. Subject line is your title. Body of the email is the post. Includes all your attachments. HELPFUL.

How to use it?

Your call.

Lifestream - sure. Tumlr competitor - definitely. Full time blog - works.

Self-cenetered example:

I am currently running three platforms for avkthinks. Twitter = small thinks, unfiltered, higher propensity for crap. Posterous = medium thinks, less work, more photos, thought through daily inspirations. Blogspot (here) = large thinks, stuff I think through and then write - hopefully.

But the success or future success of Posterous in my eyes is based on the use of email.

The email functionality is simple (do you know how to email?) and fast (how fast can you send an email?).

Simple + Fast = Convenient (how many times have you had a super post but by the time you logged in to your "account" you forgot it or never even got there - EXACTLY?)

So until email loses steam, I expect Posterous to be a timely option.

Will CPG Follow the Soft Lines Evolution? NFL's?

2010-06-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

I think private label products are really solid.

The days of hiding in your closet while eating a "private label" cereal or cutting out the private label tags are gone. IRI showed that in 2009 nearly 25% of the CPG units sold were private label.

Long gone.

Quality parity. Great recession. Power shift to consumers.

There have been several driving forces but the fact is that private label in grocery stores are...well...good. And in some cases even better than the brand name alternative.

One excellent example is Whole Foods 365 brand - well done.

But what about the big CPG players - Unilever, Kraft, PepsiCo, Coke, General Mills???

Can they really be winning?

Consumers care less and see less value between branded and store brand.

Recession has consumers counting pennies.

Stores have slotting and display fees that seem to never end.

Customers (stores) have a ton of power - can you say DATA.

Do you think one way out could be similar to soft lines?

By soft lines, I mean clothing and apparel - Nike, Adidas, Abercrombie and the rest.

Back in the day, people shopped at department stores and found a variety of brands.

People trusted Sears, Macy's, Dillards and the like.

Soon came the "store within a store" where the Ralph Lauren section had its own look and feel.

We have seen some of this in the grocery and mass merchandiser aisles.

So why not have a P&G, General Mills or Unilever store?

What if they partnered up with each other? PepsiCo + Kraft? Holy potential.

Or even more interesting what if a retailer and monster CPG got together.

Expertise in retail and the innovation, branding and marketing of a CPG. Exciting.

Things that make you go, hmmm.

Similar to the NFL in some ways, no?

NFL is ready to sell ads against more and more games on their media properties.

And who can blame them - we all need those dollar dollar bills y'all.

But the broadcast networks really put the NFL on the map. Similar to how CPG companies rely on their customers to distribute their content (products).

The NFL is taking it slow and working closely with their partners. Being cool. Playing smart.

And I think CPG's will also play it smart and testing into some brick and mortar could be on the horizon.

LOST: Establishing Discovery-led Engagement and More

2010-05-24T08:09:00.000-07:00

I think LOST was one of the best television shows of all time.

Not better than Sopranos or Lonesome Dove for me but an excellent six year run. For a nice recap, check out this post in the NYTimes (thanks for pointing this one out, Jazmin). This post helps frame-up some of the hating, loving and meh for the finale which aired last night (May 23, 2010).

Why did I love it?

Because I love to be challenged and inspired.

I dig emotions, emotional scenes and complex crazy people.

Really dig on passion.

LOST often brought it all.

Thank you.

But LOST also delivered some notable marketing lessons, case studies or just plain old "hmmmms".

LOST got clients and agencies to think differently. Beautiful.

Here are a few of the ways in which LOST inspired fans and the marketing industry.

1. Discovery-led Engagement - Seems like terms like "easter -egg" and "alternative reality games" were officially launched to the main stream by LOST with the Hanso Foundation (LOST Experience) and on sites like Oceanic-air.com and Flyoceanicair.com. LOST taught us that great entertainment now exists in deep multi-way mutli-platform discovery-led experiences created with the user in mind.

Thank you.

2. Corporate Support - In May 2006 LOST and Jeep reset the marketing expectation landscape with www.letyourcompassguideyou.com. Corporate Support was the game - not just sponsorship, more than integration...Jeep was supporting the experience. Television to micro-site to easter-eggs to Youtube to micro-sites and I probably missed half of it. But the point is other brands (Verizon) followed suit and LOST allowed fans to discover experiences and extend their engagement down paths previously not taken or not taken so well.

Thank you.

3. Interruptus Maximus - The model is simple. ABC sells advertisements in advance throughout the entire finale. The game has not changed. But in a world with US HH penetration of DVRs just over 30% (Nielsen) and growing, the pain of interruption advertising was AWFUL and OFTEN. Take us to 2.5 hours to reward the fans not just create classic interruption breaks - Jack and Smoke just pre-fight felt like 1982. But two brands, Target and Verizon, stepped out to give a nod to fans.

See below starting with Target:

Target gave you the wink-wink sell with the admirable use of Geronimo Jackson's "Dharma Lady." Though I tweeted in real time that I think and still do that Verizon's was better. Target was just a little, well, bad. Next time maybe just use the music?

Verizon ad:

Verizon allowed people to use their favorite communication medium, SMS (some 2.5 billion texts are sent each day in the US (Neustar)), to express their admiration and love for LOST.

So different mechanism, Target gets credit for failing forward attempting to be an insider, while Verizon gave insiders a relevant canvas to express themselves with the other Losties.

These were the bright spots of the Interruptus Maximus which allowed some of us to avoid water works on the couch.

Whew and thank you.

LOST made fans and marketers think.

LOST encouraged clients to ask new questions, agencies to bring new solutions and media partners to offer more. Awesome.

Thus, I have to think...any missed opportunities with the finale? (besides the obvious explanation of the island, hehe)

Here are three thoughts - not ideas - in 25 words or less each.

1. Theater party anyone? Why not take four cities (wink, wink) and throw LOST viewing party at movie theaters? Sell tickets...clients support. Engage. Connect. Share. Remember.

2. Video post party? Mash-me-up some chatroullette or skype or somthing and let the LOSTies have at it? LOST fans only. Let me cry with you! (warning! last link is f&cking creepy)

3. Action figures! Can you say limited edition? Can you say "on my/your dresser?" I guess these count. But ask Mr. Lucas how his rights deal worked out for him.

Again, thank you LOST for the entertaining and inspiring six years.

Your audience numbers (approx. 13.5 million) may have not match NCIS (thx Mr Steinberg) but the way you reached the audience was epic.

Off to push the button...

Bakery: Cookie for Clients & Doughnut for Agencies

2010-05-13T07:19:00.000-07:00

I think analogies help make the world go round.

Look if Plato (looking smart in b/w) and Aristotle used them...maybe we can too?

Or if you are me, you use them everyday, multiple times, leaving people wincing, laughing and agreeing along the way.

So today we will think about two analogies that no matter if they fall short or deliver will definitely give us something to continue to chew on...I will keep them high-level but these are two serious shifts for agencies and clients.

1. Mini-donuts

Starbucks recently began offering mini-donuts.

These little guys bring EXACTLY the same quality and yum factor as the bigger ones.

But these mini treats come with only 120 calories.

They can be bought in any number but a single is now possible for 120 calories.

Starbucks did this to meet the desire of their customers. Customers needs changed with a desire to get the same quality but in a smaller portion. Customers have a desire to manage calories and keep their calorie count down.

Starbucks created a way to meet the need while still making margin.

Starbucks altered their offering.

Today's marketing services clients have experienced a similar change in appetite.

Clients want all the quality but in smaller portions.

Budgets are tight and they want the flexibility to monitor and change their "diet" on the fly.

This requires agency partners to find a way to deliver "the mini-donut."

2. Bread Crumb Theory

I have heard several takes on the theory but here is simple one.

"Let's say that for whatever reason you were trying to catch some wild birds, which method do you think would be most productive?

Get a blanket and run wildly around a field waving it in the air until you catch one?

Spread some breadcrumbs on the lawn and wait for them to come around?

The same is true in promoting online. People don't want to have ads shoved in their face, so it's much more productive if you can figure out ways that they can find you instead. If they show up at your page because they are actively seeking what you have, it puts them in a totally different frame-of-mind. Now you become the trusted advisor instead of just another pushy salesperson." - oldbuddy

Wow, what a difference.

Do NOT run around yelling your message but add value in small ways in many places.

NOT a single over investment in one area but a handful of strategic small investments in multiple areas.

Listen and watch the small investments and throw down more bread in the valuable areas.

Let that bread be portable and facilitate sharing.

These two bakery analogies do not solve the problem.

But they hopefully bring out the Plato-minded side in all marketers to reinvent our way of:

1) working together as partners (clients and agencies)

2) beginning and maintaining relationships between brands and people.

Agency Side or Client Side: 3 Simple Steps

2010-01-19T09:51:00.000-08:00

I think working in advertising and marketing is a fantastic way to make a living.

And thank you to either the tumultuous job market or the wild success of Sterling Cooper...

Because more and more people are asking me about getting into this crazy fun game.

But before they jump into the game they are asking themselves, me and maybe you the "question."

Am I a client or an agency person?

I hear this OFTEN from marketing professionals of all ages and levels.

Whether someone is a recent graduate, happily employed or just out looking for a job...people want to know.

What is the real difference between client and agency side jobs? Where do I fit best?

You can see it in some client's eyes when they come to NYC.

Nights out. The "talent" around the office. The buzz in the hallways. This grass looks pretty green baby.

And ironically you can see it in the agency's eyes when they go to Purchase, Minneapolis, Kansas, Plano and the like.

Nights at home. Everything is on the "campus". More consistent schedules. This grass looks pretty green baby.

Some have said it is just, well personal?

So if you are thinking about coming over to the "sex, drugs and rock-n-roll" side of business (advertising & marketing), where should you go?

Follow these three simple steps to help find your way.

STEP 1

Here are some general questions that hold some truth as provided by anonymous agency and client stars.

- You like to tell people what to do? (client)

- You like to wear t-shirts to work? (agency)

- You like to manage budgets and make decisions? (client)

- You like to create solutions under deadlines? (agency)

- Apple? (agency) PC? (client)

Though superficial, these still draw smiles while holding grains of truth, but for most of us the decision runs a bit deeper or seems more complex.

So first let's address a few things that have changed - especially since the glory days of Mad Men.

Here are a few dynamics to consider in 2010.

SPOILER WARNING - could burst your bubble.

Client life is NOT easier.

Not true anymore or not a given. Marketing departments shrank (Bubble burst, Global Recession) driving longer hours, hand-held addictions and loss of a desire to have fun. Clients are grinding it out in many cases as hard as their agency partners.

Agency life is NOT necessarily more fun.

Agencies have been decimated by clients slashing budgets and working with procurement, driving layoffs, leaner staffing, grumpier over-worked clients and cutbacks on employee perks - think whole bagels become bagel "quarters". Agencies are doing more with less.

Relax. Relativity still plays in here...so agencies are still more fun and clients do have it easier BUT the gap has shrunk dramatically.

STEP 2

Now watch the these short educational videos:

1. Why agency life.

2. What it takes.

3. How it works.

STEP 3

So after considering the gap shrinkage and enjoying some short educational videos, here is an unofficial guide on how to determine your marketing DNA.

DISCLAIMER - Quiz is based on my experience working as a client and an agency person and working with some of the most amazing and worst agency and client people on the planet.

Answer this 5 question marketing self-assessment quiz:

1. Do you prefer team sports or individual sports?

2. Have you ever successfully waited tables? Or would you like to?

3. Head or gut? (Works both ways people - where to take a punch? what do you trust more?)

4. Where do you sit in a school classroom?

5. Do you like slow and steady or fast and inconsistent?

Answers to these questions can help direct you toward your marketing DNA - client or agency.

Think about your answers.

Acknowledge that your answers may change over time.

Be honest.

We need passionate people on both sides so answer, reflect and jump in.

P.S. - Check out e. My favorite book on the agency business. Must read. Hilarious.

Gift of Feedback. Accept the Gift Today

2009-04-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

I think PepsiCo taught me a ton.

One of the first lesson's was the "gift of feedback."

My wife yawns when I bring this one up but the PepsiCo people were correct.

Feedback is a gift.

You, and of course brands, should welcome and process all feedback as a gift.

Gift giving can be tough in real life but in the communications business it can be easy.

Facebook showed this a few months back with their redesign.

Yes the redesign had issues but check out the two red boxed areas.

Facebook serves users ads and gives them the option to say "I like it" (thumbs up), "I don't like it" (thumbs down) or "bye-bye" (delete). This is the smaller red box on the right.

Should a user choose to give a thumbs down, Facebook serves a pop-up shown in the red box on the left.

Facebook then takes the gift a step further asking why users didn't like the ad offering some half a dozen options from irrelevant, repetitive, misleading, offensive and more.

I love this.

Excellent data capture.

Nice value exchange.

So not all brands are serving ads as a platform.

But all communication touch points offer the ability for your most important constituents - your consumers, customers or clients - to give you the gift, the gift of feedback.

Digital executions could mirror the example above but any channel could feature a URL for feedback.

Or offer the section for feedback on your site.

Make sure call centers or brick and mortar locations facilitate gift giving.

Might not be the holidays but giving the gift pays off year round.

Ask for feedback, listen, analyze, learn and improve.

Getting the gift will extend your return on communication investments even further.

Local Media is DEAD: Brands Will Rule the Day.

2009-04-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

I think local media is dead.

OK, not dead, dying.

Endangered.

The concept of a "local" newspaper or magazine is in trouble unless there is a material brand built.

Five years from now high school kids in the US will not be looking at their local news paper.

Local information, communications and content will still be around but the forms in which it is consumed will be completely different.

Example of the day is ESPN for sports.

ESPN could rule.

From Dallas, San Francisco, Kansas City to Nashville the ESPN brand will dominate providing all local sports fanatics their needs.

Print is not the only victim as radio will also become brand focused.

Will Clear Channel's efforts in radio fight off Sirius XM, on-demand music and online radio?

Why not ESPN radio with local coverage?

Cable is closing in on broadcast.

Is Nip/Tuck cable or broadcast original content? How about The Closer?

The content is closer in quality than ever and clear brands are emerging.

Discovery - Science

Spike - Action

TBS - Comedy

TNT- Drama

And newspapers are the leaders of doom.

Do people born after 1980 (Gen Y) even care to read papers?

Pew Research and many others say no.

My bet is brands will matter more.

Do you see a "back to the future" with affiliates now being born out of focused brand?

Let's watch ESPN Chicago and see.

Twitter: Consider Use

2009-04-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

I think Twitter works for me.

I really like Twitter.

When I heard Matt Lauer laughing about Twitter on the Today Show which hits nearly 6 million viewers every day, I knew Twitter was no longer underground.

And as this simple graph shows, more people visit Twitter than NYtimes.com.

Wow, one of those headlines that are just fun to say.

So everyone and every company is "in" or debating jumping "in."

So here is the one thing to think about, peak at the chart.

OK, its a bit dated but the point is clear.

People use Twitter differently.

Taking your brand to Twitter is not like taking your brand to the Super Bowl.

Taking your brand to Twitter is more like taking your brand to television.

I recommend you view Twitter as a media.

Television can be used in a ton of different ways:

- buy an advertisement (numerous options)

- pitch to be featured in the news/talk show

- buy an integration

- sponsor an on-going program or special

- create your own show or special

- look at cable, broadcast, local, national, DRTV...

Twitter can be used in a ton of different ways too:

- help you sell buns or product

- facilitate executive team members communications

- engage customers like Southwest Airlines and many others

Twitter allows you to search and there are other sites like TweetScan.

I vote you get in to Twitter.

Fun part is how Twitter can/should work for you and your brand.

Analyzing your brand's communication plans, your category and you objectives and remember, every brand doesn't need to communicate with customers in 140 character bursts.

US Pressures Demand 5 Marketing Basics

2009-04-01T17:50:00.000-07:00

I think the 2009 pressure is incredible.

Your audience is not the same.

Irrespective of your industry your sales probably reflect their change.

But we are not just reminded with emotional jolts but also amazing economic realities.

Here are two recent items which clarified the impact of the recession for me.

Look at Walgreen’s Chief Executive’s recent comments in the Wall Street Journal:

"Consumer behavior has changed dramatically in recent months, beyond just the kinds of products they are purchasing…customers seem to be delaying filling prescriptions and cutting pills in half to save money.” - WSJ, March 24, 2009

Not trading down but swapping priorities. Life and health altering priorities.

And the pressure...

“Alex Rodriguez (Confronting A-Rod, SI Feb. 16) says that he took performance enhancing drugs because he felt the pressure to live up to his $252 million contract. My colleague, who has a five-month-old baby, will be out of work in six months because the Boston public school system is cutting jobs. I have students who are in and out of foster care...And this guy wants to talk about pressure? Give me his kind of pressure, and I’ll do a lot more with it than use it as an excuse to become a national embarrassment.” - Pata Dibinga, Boston

We are not talking about trading up, trading down or switching brands.

What are you doing about this?

1. Reassess your current actual audience.

2. Analyze with fresh data your prospective audience.

3. Examine your brands' categories and competitive set - again.

4. Evaluate your brands' value proposition and core DNA

5. Refresh and rerun all of your predictive modeling assumptions.

These five basics are more important than ever.

Using last year or older data and assumptions will kill your brand and business.

If you haven't already, run your brand through a major reset before the pressure gets you.

Managing Value Exchange

2009-03-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

I think life is all about balance.

Balancing meat and veggies.

Balancing work and life.

Balancing your budget.

Balancing your needs and your family needs.

Today, balance applies more than ever in maintaining the relationship between your brands and their audiences.

You must think about, manage and create balance before you panic creating poor experiences due to economic pressures.

The graph puts perceived brand investment on the y-axis and perceived audience investment on the x-axis with respective low and high ends. Every point reflects the exchange between brand and audience investment. The red zones are (surprise) the "bad" areas.

So the top left corner reminds you that too much from the brand at no cost to the audience creates concern among the audience. Your brand comes across desperate. The audience questions the brand's need to "buy" their attention or business. This corner is a trap prestigious brands need to avoid during tough economic times. The damage of this trap can last for some time.

The bottom right red is the more traditional imbalance.

Brands offer little and ask a lot.

Strive to keep the relationship 1:1.

Or close to 1:1 (white band in the graph where positive experiences and higher response rates live).

This is a simple helpful framework.

One complexity to consider is the length of the relationship.

The value exchange between brand and audience often doesn't occur in a vacuum.

Great example is Disney's new community site, D23.

To join the community you pay $74.99.

Is the value worth the money?

If you have been a fan of the brand for 20+ years and given $1,000s to Disney for endless products, is $74.99 fair? a steal? a robbery?

Time will tell if this is a balanced value exchange.

Because like never before has the power switched to people empowering them to mark brands to market.

Run through the simple framework and tweak to balance.

Stay out of the red in the graph and hopefully you will stay out of the red long term.

Mobile Should Expand Touchpoints - Tags and Napkins

2009-03-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

I think my napkin asked me to text.

I also think you don't read this blog for the savvy image posting.

But regardless the two examples above show how brands are using mobile in many new ways.

The grey image (both images were snapped with my phone) was a clothing line tag hanging in a store. The brand for females offered me and others to text in to play a game. Few things done well:

1. Strong call to action

2. Celebrity integration

3. Clothes are intimate purchases, could be a good "moment"

Potential miss:

1. Should provide numerical code for DIVA (3482)

2. Fancy font...plays to brand but legibility?

Now for the US Airway napkin - white image, taken at 30,0000 feet.

I like this one a lot.

Clear call to action.

Allows for people to opt in to loyalty platform at contextual moment.

Clear communication with "fun" headline.

Oh, but wait...mobile should be OFF on the plane - DOH.

Seems brands are extending their experiences with mobile.

Are you?

6 Successful Elements to a Useful Retail Application

2009-01-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

I think ShopRite got it right.

Similar when you cried for a pod cast, something like Subservient Chicken, or viral, you are all now screaming for a widget, gadget...just give me a killer application, you know, that can be viral.

I don't have the ShopRite data (other than limited usage) but I do have admiration for Shop Rite.

ShopRite, like all other retail brands, knows that their audience is using applications.

Objectives for ShopRite haven't really changed (I presume) BUT audience behaviors have.

So here are the 6 things ShopRite got right to capitalize on new growing audience behaviors - women spending time online with applications and less time with paper circulars.

1) Clean branding...clearly ShopRite, not over crowded or complicated

2) Clearly communicates timing, sense of urgency - 7 days sale ends

3) Dynamic creative rotation of sale items allows for partnership

4) Search for what you want, the audience is in control

5) Customize the information for your local store - Norwalk, CT here

6) Lastly, tell us what you think - (feedback)

Bravo, a lot accomplished in a little space with nearly everything there to improve user experience.

Disclaimer is the ShopRite Gadget still shows limited reach but ShopRite is set for success.

Lesson here is that applications will continue to grow in prevalence.

You don't have to have a talking, walking, dancing, laughing application...you just need one to help grow your brand and your business.

The watch out is once your out there you can be "aggregated". Sites and portals, will continue to bring users multiple options - Yahoo! Deals, AOL shopping, and blogs.

So shopping behaviors continue to evolve and the retail circular days continue to change, do you?

$5 foot longs! Renting volume? Or life cycle necessity?

2009-01-04T18:42:00.000-08:00

I think you can sing it.

Lots of GRPs invested into this brand message.

Simple, come spend $5 for a foot long sandwich ("double stacked" not included).

Love the execution of this simple value promotion.

High points for simplicity...clear relevant message for Americans in 2008.

I bet the campaign has driven sales. Lots of sales.

But here is what I keep thinking about - renting volume and brand journey.

Since working at Frito Lay, I have been sensitive to the addictive practice of discounting - renting volume.

A practice where companies get the volume...but they pay (rent) it.

Many consumer package goods companies, especially CSD, salty snacks, etc. struggle with letting go of BOGO (buy one get one free) addiction.

So that is the obvious business concern - how do you sustain the margin hit over time.

I assume Subway has analyzed this concern thoroughly prior to running the campaign and price point.

Will $5 dollar foot longs last forever?

How do you over-lap the 6 months of $5 foot long mania - 2 for $9 foot longs?

No answer here, just thinking on it.

The second thought - brand journey.

Did Subway have a choice?

Sold foot longs on the dream of weight loss.

Sold foot longs on the attribute of "fresh" supported by their "process".

Sold foot longs on weight loss and "eat fresh".

Used some celebrities.

Was it just time to go "value"?

Not economy time - that works well though.

Time to play "value" because the other messages ran dry.

Love to see the data.

Message here, is really just to keep an eye on the long game as we all play in a high-pressure short game focused world.

Will the right decision for now be the right decision in two years?

Where is your brand in its life journey? What are you doing about it?

Oh, and be thankful this wasn't a "saved by zero" post - tough times mean a lot of the same ads.

Corona Got Smart? Or Got Beached?

2008-12-12T18:21:00.000-08:00

I think managing a brand is tough.

Like parenting it requires saying "no", sometime a lot.

Also like parenting, managing a brand requires you to accept the limitations of your brand.

Understanding allows you to not force fit your brand into the mainstream and allows your brand to maximize its full potential - even if maximizing your full potential means being happy with XX amount of sales, distribution, etc.

But once again the dreaded pressures of life and the human condition leads to change which sometimes is a miss step, sometimes.

Corona

Give the new site the "hand test".

You know put your hand over the beer bottle and see if this still feels like a Corona experience.

Or is it Heineken? Amstel Light? Bud Light for that matter?

Corona decided to evolve beyond the beach beer after years of feet, ocean and solid equity.

Is this own-able? Differentiating in a relevant way? Or did Corona just move into the general water-downed partying center?

Common cause of such change:

1) new management making "their mark"

2) sales pressure (think politics) pushes you to try to appeal to a broader audience

3) need to overcome new audience, business and/or brand situations

My advice? Just make sure you change for the right reasons and you don't walk from brilliant equities established over many years.

Let's see how this plays for Corona.

Hopefully data-based insights led them to make this move (#3) and it will pay off.

Time will tell.

Social Video - Consider It

2008-10-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

I think pushing the limits of trying new things for some brands is critical.

Look, I didn't ride my bike perfectly the first time so I believe in and have a history of improving on the fly.

Try, test, sample, explore, fail, win big.

All part of the game.

Something to think about - social video.

Commentating on TV is not a new past time in the US:

But social video (overlaying social media with video) is gaining some momentum.

Interested?

Here are 3 examples to learn from or test with:

1. Current TV and Twitter make US Presidential debate more fun

If you weren't watching real time reactions on Facebook via status updates, aka "DM thinks if this was a little league game it would have been called and all would have been sent for ice cream." then you hopefully were watching the debate on Current. You could see the thoughts of people around the globe floating up on the screen and vanishing. Entertaining.

2. CBS's social viewing rooms

So CBS is allowing folks to join rooms, watch their shows and comment to their buddies in the room. Way better than calling a girl to watch 90210 season 1 and discuss via land line. Keep an eye on this one as well as their competitors. NBC has been a rock star in the digital space but all the conglomerates are improving (ABC.com and ESPN360). I personally would enjoy commenting on Discovery's Dirty Jobs...hilarious.

3. Joost latest version

I haven't played with it yet but there will be ways to see what your friends are watching. Communicate, rate, interact...should be interesting. Not sure this validates Joost but we will see.

There will be an opportunity in the near future to buy ads against key words in the conversations in the social viewing rooms. Of course this will be error filled at first but the logic could lead to cool value add with sample offers, more information and demos all there for people to enjoy now...or later. But the audience would be so much more qualified.

Additionally, if you find my thoughts on ad serving offensive or intrusive, just think about the insights and observations available. Might take time to master but lots to learn from the real time comments and the people making them. I am sure firms like Visible Measures or Divinity Metrics will be all over helping us learn the space.

TV will not go away but it looks like video may be getting a bit more social.

Attention Economics? Blame the Microwave

2008-10-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

I think the microwave is to blame for attention economics.

Seriously and amplified by the television remote.

Both inventions have nurtured, no, catalyzed, an instant gratification multi-tasking world.

ADD.

ADHD.

My colleagues inability to do one thing for more than 30 seconds without IMing, reading updates, tweeting, etc.

Driving, texting, listening to music, drinking coffee...all at the same time.

Multi-tasking and short attention spans are a reality.

So when building brand experiences or adding to your brands story prepare for people's bouncing focus.

3 quick ways to do so:

1. Get to the point.

Don't need to explain instant gratification just be sure to remember the environment of the message.

2. Give them control.

Control could be ability to pause, turn down the volume, turn up the volume, ability to move on, etc.

3. Understand the environment.

Create messages and content that can be shared in an ADD world and enjoyed while bouncing between 8 other activities. Don't expect 100% of any one's attention.

Key thing here is to work with not against this dynamic.

Because instant gratification and multi-tasking all began some 20 odd years ago with popcorn in 3 minutes.

How do brands measure promotional success?

2008-10-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

I think measuring marketing investments is paramount.

So when I read Promo Magazine's October 2008 edition of Promo Lite, I leaned forward and grabbed a pen.

I leaned forward and prepared to read the section titled:

How do brands measure promotional success?

First the article asked to put sales aside.

OK, fine...what are we looking at in 2008.

Number one metric...awareness followed by ROI.

Thud.

Yawn, disappointment.

Four variables were cited: incremental sales, response rates, lead generation and increased customer knowledge.

Wait...awareness, increased knowledge, response rates, lead generation, incremental sales.

Hmm, sounds a lot like Elmo's AIDA model.

Awareness -> Interest -> Desire -> Action

Or the Hierarchy of Effects Model:

Awareness -> Knowledge/Comprehension -> Liking -> Preference -> Conviction/Trial -> Purchase

And then we can layer on experience feeding back into the model creating affinity and repeat purchase or not.

Or maybe you used the 1980's Richard Vaugn's FCB Grid to explain decision making - a little high involvement versus low involvement anyone.

So in 2008, it looks like we still measure success as we have for years.

The data is more abundant, lives are busier, messaging is non-stop but I think the game is largely the same.

Why?

The human side of the equation remains in place.

People may not trust brand advertising like they used to.

People may be talking and trusting each other more than they used to.

People may be empowered by a flattened world.

But people still determine the success of our brands.

Our job is to keep measuring, learning and improving.

Art of Competitive Response

2008-09-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

I think the new "PC" ad is smart.

Little late, yes.

But better late than never in my book.

I noted the in-vogue use of email addresses.

Here is the response I got from emailing "bill@windows.com":

Thanks for checking in. I hope you're beginning to get an appreciation of the broad scope of human beings that take pride in using and being called a "PC".

Yes, this is one of those auto-response emails.

Nothing impersonal. It's just a tribute to the fact that so, so many of you have taken the opportunity to look deeper.

I can't promise to answer every question or respond to every comment.

But, I (with a lot of help from the team here) will do my best.

In the meantime, feel free to join in to tell your own story at windows.com.

And please keep watching and connecting the dots in the campaign.

We're all getting a real kick out of it.

Sincerely,

BILL

So what do you think?

Me, well I think the response is a bit.

Well, PC. Hope this was by design - last two lines in particular.

Good for PC for "owning it" and responding.

But is this real.

Remember authentic matters today.

Little slow to respond, questions around authenticity but you showed up.

Always give points for showing up.

Secret to viral?

2008-09-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

I think I have the secret to viral.

You have asked your agencies for viral?

Admit it.

You have asked your team for viral?

Admit it.

Something like..."this really needs to be viral" has come out of your mouth.

Look I wore parachute pants so its OK that you asked for "viral."

Here is the secret.

You don't determine what's viral...the people do.

And if you try to make it viral...its not.

Be authentic.

Be prepared for viral.

Inspired, reminded by Jeff Taylor as quoted in AdAge.

Is your brand an expert?

2008-09-07T20:40:00.000-07:00

I think we all have a a lot of experts in our lives.

"I got a guy"

Do you know what I mean?

Computer issues? You have someone you call.

Not sure which spice to add to the recipe? You have someone to text.

Is this the right outfit? You have some one to send a quick photo to.

Point is these people play an important role in your life.

Similarly, brands often play this role.

In fact, a few brands have pushed to make being the expert and/or the educator a way to stay relevant.

Expertise can be a way to get to an emotional connection.

Not the place I get coffee but the place that makes me feel global because I know how and when to order a cappuccino. Think Starbucks direct piece explaining their language and products.

Not the website that sells me shirts but the brand that allows me to know the differences in the cuts of pants and how to tie a bow tie. Think Brooks Brothers direct mail piece this Fall 2008.

Not the channel that entertains me alone but that empowers all of my travel needs. Think Travel Channel offering travel guides, booking engines, and ideas.

As many of you continue to look to drive deeper relationships between people and your brands consider expertise and education.

You may forget the one time purchase but you will never forget the brand that made you better, smarter, happier. Your brand can and should add value on a deeper level than caffeine, warmth or brain candy.

Only caution, do not bite off more than you can chew. The under delivery on an over promise can be painful to correct.

Graco gets it.

2008-08-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

I think Graco gets it.

Please read this article.

OK, if you don't want to here's the deal.

Everyone - agencies, clients, researchers, press, your ex-lover - is talking "social media."

Most get it way wrong, here is Scott's thoughts on 2007 losers.

But like the Olympics, Graco seems to have an inspirational story for us all to enjoy.

Quick highlights from the article you just read - maybe read - which outline a road map to success:

"Graco has pursued a more long-term, community-building approach in an effort to establish more meaningful relationships with the tech-savvy mothers of today."

"Based on the information they gathered, the agency and clients formed a strategy to make Graco an accepted and welcomed brand in the online parenting conversation. They also attempted to "humanize" the Graco brand, and to build lasting relationships with the community by demonstrating that behind the brand are concerned and engaged parents."

"The core components of that campaign included a series of Graco blogger "Get-Together" events across the country to lay the groundwork for the launch of a corporate Graco parenting blog authored by a team of Graco employees. The blog was designed to focus on "parent first" issues, stories, advice. The blogging effort was supported with the complementary use of other social media tools, including Flickr, YouTube and Twitter."

Similar to my "two ears" post, the point is to listen and then participate.

The bold sections above are clear:
- a more long-term, community-building approach (think beyond the quarter)
- Based on the information (think if your team gathered all the data possible)
- build lasting relationships (think lifetime value based on dollars and influence)
- "Get-Together" events across the country (think about online and offline community)
- supported with the complementary use of other social media tools (think about social media as amplifiers not stand-alones)

Bravo to Graco who saw an opportunity with their audiences and seized it.

Well played...may much revenue come Graco's way.

No Expiration Date in Sight.

2008-08-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

I think the days of moving on have moved on.

Jordan and Brandi are my living examples.

Never thought I would ever hear or think of either of them again.

And BOOM...they are right back in my life thanks to the social web sharing memories of many days gone by.

So the power of the internet is not news...it has been a few years since everyone read The World is Flat.

But the power of accountability manifesting online will impact marketers' brands, eh, and individuals.

Think election 2020 - fun stuff.

Flickr, MySpace, Qik, Facebook, Bebo, GMail and the proliferation of cameras being available at all moments...everything is being captured and distributed.

It may be fun to post short videos to Qik.

Or to run a UGC contest. (As noted AdRANTS - viral map is interesting.)

But this content is then there for "all" to see.

Forever.

Catalogued.

Noted by bloggers.

Remember...

Well it didn't ruin Apple...but it will never be forgotten.

Point?

Not only must we consider the damage our marketing mistakes will incur today but we must be prepared to live with them forever.

Good news...brilliant marketing investments can live on forever and spread faster.

That one's for Roger...just imagine if your work had been spread virally with mocumentaries and all.

Planning for proliferation has been in the mix for a while...I just am really getting my arms around the potentially endless shelf life for our personal and professional wins and losses.

My thoughts - continue to plan for proliferation and be aware that your marketing investments may not ever expire, for better or for worse.

How are you using your real estate?

2008-07-21T19:33:00.000-07:00

I think your front yard or equivalent says a lot about you, the individual.

Same holds for brands.

We all judge books or people or brands by their covers.

The judging wont change but the scorecards (conscious and unconscious) people use to judge will...and have.

Do you remember:

Frito-Lay used to talk to people about their chips in terms of taste, texture and crunch!

Celebrities like Jay Leno or Chevy Chase validated, entertained and influenced.

Partnerships with movies like Star Wars generated excitement and no doubt sales volume for this and other CPGs.

But scorecards (unconscious and not) seem to not be focusing on celebrity smiles and self proclamations of "we are number 1".

The times have changed and so has the billion dollar brand, Doritos

bag this summer.

The real estate - the Doritos bags have taken a new look.

Remember, the actual packaging is the number one opportunity to communicate about the brand.

The bags are everywhere. All the distribution channels - every club store, mass merch, grocery, drug, UDS (up and down the street) - AND the bags are in peoples homes, cars, backpacks and the list goes on.

This summer no Darth Vadar or Spidey or Shrek...no "NEW", "SPICY, TANGY...", or "THE BOLDEST TASTE ON EARTH"...heck, Frito even used "cash" in the bag.

These types of statements used to dominate Doritos real estate.

Not this summer.

Doritos is using the real estate this summer to promote young people doing good with a partnership with www.dosomething.org.

Go see the details.

Doritors bags are now clean fronts - just the facts, star burst free.

And the backs of the bags feature images of teenagers who are making a difference.

Doritos website doesn't push chips or taste benefits...the site entertains and adds value with partners like Xbox.

This is a whole sale change in approach and one that plays to brand behaviors versus grand standing.

Doritos is recognizing. Doritos is entertaining. Doritos is adding value.

And if they hold true to this path...the authenticity will pay off.

Remember, today we are all accountable...no hiding.

So the question for you is how are you using your brand's biggest assets?

Does your free real estate say "buy me"? Or "free"? Or "benefit"?

Or are you using the real estate as an opportunity to add value and connect with people by reinforcing what you value.

People who when they trust, like and believe in your brand will buy more, more often.

Do media agencies see the light? Do they care?

2008-07-15T08:05:00.000-07:00

I think agency hierarchy is changing.

Candidly, you are already in the mix of this change so this will be a two parter due to my views on direct.

First up...you guessed it - let's look at media.

Media agencies may let their day pass.

Once upon a time, media sent one person to your meetings.

They sat in the back or at the end of the table, carried a calculator and did NOT speak.

The media person's job was to take up the last 5 minutes, if that, of the meeting reviewing an incomprehensible flow chart. Lots of blocks and lines...and out.

In fact, media people were so mistreated, misunderstood and frankly disrespected...they got spun off. The cool creative kids basically said, "See you."

Media equalled cost center...not profit generator or thought leader.

Either way, media folks were now - "king of the castle, king of the castle".

And as media investments have changed and people got control - MP3s, DVRs, online shopping - their world became on-demand and advertising became optional.

My 2cents...this is the light.

This is when media gets pulled to the front of the line, the key seat at the table, the first 30 minutes of the meeting...media becomes the hero.

But do they want it?

I hope they do.

Media can take us all through the line.

Not sure if old cafeteria social rules and scars from days old are too deep?

Not sure if it is maybe not a DNA thing? Do media people just prefer to be behind the scenes?

A fantastic media colleague once told me - late at a bar in DC - that (paraphrasing) the suits are suits - loud, aggressive, etc., creatives want to be in the movies, planners want to be creatives and media people...well they want to practice media and kind of be left alone. He described how their first reaction is to think/analyze, reflect...more introvert.

Wow. Really?

Hey Mr Seiler? Ms Desmond? Mr Cohen? I say take the lead or get to the front.

Or at a minimum, smart clients need to pull the media thinking up front.

Or maybe we need to get media back in the building with creative...the lesson?

Make sure you are leaning on your media partners to collaborate if not help lead the creative process.

Be Authentic.

2008-07-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

I think being authentic goes a long way today.

Brands, like people, are judged more on behaviors than words.

Brand behaviors mean getting away from one-way communications.

"Marketing investments" and "ideas" can no longer be a tag line or a tune.

Surprising and smart example - Olive Garden.

Olive Garden's current television spots reference their Culinary Institute of Tuscany.

What?

A chain restaurant known for endless salad and bread sticks for the sprawling suburbs of America...train their people in Tuscany!?!

Now that is buzz-worthy, differentiating and validating.

Also, allows for Olive Garden fans to engage and participate.

Brilliant investment which not only motivates employees but builds a brand.

Smart?

Only if authentic.

Remember people will talk...so authenticity is everything.

Holistic segmentation - try it.

2008-06-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

I think segmenting and analyzing the people who purchase and interact with your brand is smart.

Kind of a "no duh"? Right?

But I recently have seen that segmentation has strayed a bit down a counterproductive road.

Many brands and thus categories, such as airlines, technology and car rental, first segment the people buying their products/services into business and personal. The result is often different brand behaviors catering to the business or leisure interaction. The programs often cause confusion and definitely fail to recognize the cross-over.

That is offering different experience for different occasion is smart. Failing to recognize that your brand is the same brand to people despite the occasion is a missed opportunity.

Cross-over is the fact that Joe flies Delta for work and play. Thus, Joe's relationship with the brand crosses over between his need states.

This seems totally obvious but many marketers miss this getting bogged down in the segmentation thinking.

Point is remember that your brand is offering experiences to people.

People who will need or want the brand at different times.

Turn these multiple need state interactions into opportunities for seamless delight that amplify the positives of choosing the brand.

Quick example, Apple is a brand in my professional and personal life. Apple just replaced my LCD screen on my Mac Book Pro for free in less than 24 hours. Now my firm pays for AppleCare but the fix was fast and free. Painless.

Way to go Apple.

Do you think this helped my relationship with Apple? Personal or professional?

Get it?

Look at your existing CRM programs.

Are they built for people? Or business and leisure customers?

Go, be smart.

Build better solutions for people - not for overly rigid segments.

Channel - no. Discipline - YES.

2008-06-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

I think direct marketing is a discipline.

Direct marketing is a "sub discipline" according to Wikipedia - my most visited source online - of marketing. But even Wikipedia ends up reading more like the conventional thought.

Conventional thought?

Well that direct marketing is a channel. A channel consisting of direct mail, e-mail, telemarketing and other 1:1 communications.

This is dead.

OK, fine. You can still call it your direct marketing group if you must BUT you better start applying the discipline of direct marketing to all of your marketing investments.

I am just observing.

Three observations:

1. Technology now allows for all investments to be tracked and optimized to some extent. Data is just more available than ever.

2. People expect brands to deliver value not just noise. Amazon helped start this fire.

3. Your CEO demands you provide not a story but accountability. Budgets, tight. Demands, growing.

The collision of these three dynamics have allowed for all marketing investments to be data driven or analytics led.

And the data does not only kick-off the direct marketing discipline but it becomes the constant being used for optimization and learnings.

Look at how the "channels" of old are all feeling a bit more "direct" - Stacy's Pita Chips

wins a REGGIE

But wait, direct channel Cannes winners are starting to look like promotions.

Just evidence that direct marketing is no longer a channel...it is a discipline.

Be disciplined.

Want to make a statement?

2008-06-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

I think "no" can save your brand.

After reading that "Social networking sites represent a new mass medium..." I swallowed hard.

Say "no."

A new mass medium...are any of you really looking for a new mass medium?

Um, no.

Seriously, I think the point here, my interpretation and the headline of the story, is that social media can not be ignored.

Fair point, my "add", my "build" if I may is that paying attention and saying "no" is OK.

Objective-based experimentation sounds good.

Running to Facebook because you didn't say "no" when "it" didn't fit, is irresponsible.

Social networks and social media may be a taking up a large part of your audience's day but this doesn't mean you HAVE to be there as an advertiser.

In sum, please track, learn, be present, listen and participate, do not just run into the new room and start talking. Please.

Are you participating?

2008-05-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

I think US citizens thrive on participation.

Huh?

Ask this guy.

OK, so in the social media space we are more voyeur than Koreans and Europeans who create.

But think about these shifts in yesterday versus today…

Number one television show was Friends, today it’s American Idol.

Video games were sedentary one-player, today it’s Wii.

Scarface and Goodfellas showed you gangsters and street violence, today you can be Niko Bellic in GTA 4.

Play Monopoly or Life at the table; today build a city, home or more in Sims Online, Second Life, There, Gaia or any of the numerous options.

People are participating and experiencing in ways never seen before. Having fun. Learning. Experimenting.

Smart brands are opening the doors for co-creation and participation.

Pepsi has been great with participation.

Two quick examples:

Doritos Superbowl "crash the SB"commercial promotion.

Pepsi allowed people to design their 12 oz cans. Wow. Bold. Participation.

Pepsi not only allowed for participation but as any good marketer should, benefited from a ton of press and buzz.

So maybe your brand is ripe for a "participation" opportunity that is OK.

But what is not OK is to not plan knowing your audience now lives in a participatory world.

Before you run another one-way communication (static print, :30 sec spot sans-URL or invitation), think about your objectives and how an audience living in a participatory world will react.

Beware of over video saturation, pls

2008-05-12T14:48:00.000-07:00

I think showing the same content over, and over, and over...is dangerous or maybe brutal or just dumb.

Such a missed opportunity.

You are not stretching the return on your investment in a "spot"...you are being lame, boring and irresponsible.

Quick example: CBS's Survivor and P&G's Crest.

Strong integration opportunity.

CBS had exclusive content (nice). Use a far reaching medium of broadcast television to ignite and offer the audience more experiences and participation online (loving it). The audience was invited to go to a unique URL and see the voted off survivors first moments back in "civilization" (Survivor is an elimination based reality show.). Hear voted-off survivors' reactions to being voted off and see them use products as they acclimated to "normal" life.

Good stuff...but the brand participation in the experience was a miss.

Here is the problem.

The ad shown on television was essentially the same pre-roll ad (annoying, intrusive, first-generation online video ad format) on the site. The audience was forced to watch the same :15 pre-roll for every 2 to 5 minute video watched. Commenting section, good. Same :15, not good.

Did the research team say to maximize efficacy show the same :15 clip, over, and over, and over again? Doubtful. Disappointing.

Maybe consider an AdBrite solution?

And P&G is listed as a partner of ScanScout so I hold them to a higher standard of online video advertisements - if not to a higher standard for being, well, P&G.

Either way, don't be annoying but be beneficial or interesting.

Use the :15 pre-rolls to tell a story, rotate content but don't be the brand who just repeats themselves. People will walk away with a negative impression.

Be the brand that offers the content or experience in an interesting way.

Strong example?

How about Discovery Channel's integration with Xbox's Gears of War?

Discovery Channel launched a new season of Future Weapons via an deep integration with Xbox providing content and experiences to Xbox users. Discovery added value in multiple formats - opportunities for currency, new game experiences, new hints, exclusive content. Same premise of providing content as Crest/Survivor, just better execution. (Yes, Discovery was a client but this is still a solid example.)

Kudos to Crest for adding value through sponsoring the exclusive, new content.

Boo Hiss for boring your audience with repetitive "ad". Did it work?

Think through your audience's experience and strive to delight.

Two ears, one mouth. Do you listen?

2008-05-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

I think the marketing budget of the future will look different.

Today marketers talk in terms of marketing as budgets to "talk" via paid advertisements to their audiences.

For years and even today audiences listen.

But today the "talking" has turned into never-ending pestering chatter with people tuning out more and talking more. Bummer. What do you do?

Well if brands are like humans, than maybe marketing should start to include listening.

Maybe you could structure your marketing department by audience?

Instead of having an SVP of Advertising, CRM, Online and Promotions...you would have SVPs of Prospects, Acquaintances, Friends and Family? Each would be charged with objectives for their people using their budgets to invest in these relationships.

And if your team is now the stewards of developing relationships (recurring sales and positive evangelism), maybe they should leverage the most powerful tool in any relationship whether personal or professional - listening.

Ask your team/department leads why they are not taking a piece of their marketing investment to listen?

A brand should be very close with your "family" (heavy users/purchasers/evangelists) so consider investing in a platform to treat them like gold...not a reward program but a platform for listening, engaging and interacting. Give Passenger or Communispace a look (note there are many options here or build your own), they allow you to ask your best customers to join an invite only exclusive forum. You can then offer them to get inside information, express their opinions and shape the future of the brand(s) they love - powerful.

They can provide feedback, comments, opinions while you share exclusive content - demos, new products, advertising, new features, etc. Using these types of platforms allows for offline community extensions and on-going synchronous and asynchronous brand interactions for qualified brand advocates (as defined by your team).

Friends of the brand may not be invited but you give them tools too. Your public website should invite them to email feedback, post comments and hold conversations (for a few examples) with whomever wants to participate while also tracking involvement with the site. Key is you are listening and paying attention.

Acquaintances and maybe detractors should be monitored across the web.

Hey, don't trust me?

Ask WOMMA.

You have many options here including but not limited to iCrossing, Collective Intellect, BuzzMetrics with many more. And there are options when it comes to setting strategy - my favorite (full disclosure an Omnicom company and I am an OMC employee) Zocalo Group. My experience is that the Zocalo Group is very smart, accessible and understandable. But the bottom line is no brands can afford to not monitor the number of conversations, their sentiments and their participants. And then, key thought here, the brand must proactively engage, react and participate as appropriate. Visit WOMMA to learn more if you are not already there.

As for your prospects, my gut tells me you are already holding focus groups, doing panel research, primary research or other appropriate steps to continuously monitor them for insight.

The rub here is to listen.

Listen to all of the people engaging with your brand and just like in your personal life take each groups words for what they are worth to you.

I think companies that listen to employees, win.

I think couples that listen to each other, win.

So no big surprise that I think brands that listen to the people buying lots, buying some, buying little and buying none of what they offer, win.

Start listening.

Remember the truth may hurt but it sure as hell can set you free.

Best Acronym of 2007! UCaPP...

2008-04-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

I think it is a bit late for this announcement but here goes...

The 2007 marketing acronym of the year is (drum roll pls)...UCaPP. (Despite the acronym floating around since at least 2005 )

ubiquitous connectivity and pervasive proximity

Love it...you had me at ubiquitous connectivity.

Biggest movement to shake up marketing communications - on demand, in reach, empowered, all the time.

UCaPP is my self-assessed with no proper methodology or third party validation acronym of 2007.

Few examples of UCaPP continuing to grow:

1. You are at dinner. You don't know what wine to select. You text your dinner selection to 411511 and instantly receive a txt message back with an appropriate wine pairing for your meal selection. - UCaPP

2. Hate typing txt messages? Just call 800-2ChaCha and ask your wine pairing question and you will instantly get an answer back via txt. - UCaPP

3. Prefer the internet? Use your mobile web browser (iphone? aircard?). You get it...the information is there - UCaPP.

4. And starting next month another partnership between AT&T and Starbucks will bring WiFi to some 12 million AT&T/Starbucks customers. - UCaPP

5. More is on the horizon ensuring a UCaPP world.

So now that we see the world this way and people have more ways to experience UCaPP...

Marketers must realize the days of running an advertisement - online display, television, radio, whatever - and people caring or believing without quickly validating are long gone.

Provide people opportunities to learn about, experience and enjoy your brand in relevant value adding way in a ubiquitously connected context.

Prepare for them (unique dynamic web experience, short-code offering, IM service, human service, etc.) to be able to look for you when they need you...which will be following your paid placement ads and during numerous other moments - on their terms.

The marketing world will be a better place if we all stop and ask "is this strategy - creative - plan - idea - tactic appropriate or does it hold value in a UCaPP world?"

Are you helping your brands live in a ubiquitously connected world of pervasive proximity?

Target...no. People...maybe?

2008-04-27T12:52:00.001-07:00

I think the movement towards better marketing is underway. As an industry, we are seeing big efforts to go away from loud and towards smart or away from annoying and towards beneficial.

Want to keep the movement going?

Lose the marketing term "target." Lose it. Flush it. Deep six it. Bye-bye.

Or it should come with a disclaimer that it must be used with another term...never in isolation.

Marketers, agencies, board rooms, etc. you hear things like "our target will like this", "do you think our target enjoys..." and so on.

OK this might be pragmatism at its best but this is a symbol of old thinking.

Define a target. Hit it. Kill it. Maybe I am from Texas but "target" denotes a one way message - think, "I am going to blast the shit out of my target". Not good for anyone.

How about "consumers"?

Ogilvy, Mintel and many others (if not all) use consumers. Consumers works but is awfully American and lacks a humanistic element. And combined to make "target consumer" feels a little wrong though very familiar.

How about "audience"?

tbwa uses audience and I give them credit for it. Audience is a step in the correct direction. Just need to be sure that this is an interactive or participatory audience...not a lean back audience.

"people", "friends" - simple language might make the most sense in my eyes.

But the point is really to acknowledge that change starts with you.

We need to get away from the message/target and continue to move to value/people.

So while the debate rages on for proper metrics and the vast majority of clients and agencies fight to break out of old ways.

I say take what you can control and contribute to the change.

So please, watch you language today.

Don't buy ads...invest in experiences

2008-04-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

I think we should never sell or buy another ad. OK, we can buy ads if we really have something to say but otherwise let's invest in experiences.

Sound cliche'?

Bravo to the brothers from other mothers. Fat Pig Chocolate offers an experience. The chocolates got them a ton of press and is a pure example of a brand behavior. The Brooklyn Brothers could have bought ads saying "We are creative" but instead they offered an experience. Oink! Oink!

Remember Target's experience offered in the New Yorker. So maybe this is buying a lot of ads, but the ads add up to an experience.

Or how about the hype building site for season 4 of LOST. The site provided over a month of pre-season hype...not an ad, an experience.

Don't sell and buy ads.

But add value.

Invest in experiences.

Maybe this advice works for agencies approach to clients too...clients don't want ads. They too want good experiences.

My better could have been better...

2008-04-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

I think every once in a while a television ad does almost everything right. Emotional, powerful, on audience, visuals, music, words, passion, human - well orchestrated, bravo, hats off to you Nike for giving us "My Better"...

">

But now where do we go?

I searched "my better"....nothing...

You grabbed me, I bought the song, and wasn't alone.

I watch the ad on youtube for fun, told my friends about the ad, etc.

Give me more.

More to interact, engage, play, learn and buy.

Beautiful television spot.

But I didn't want it to stop there.