Tyler Durden said it best: “Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need.”
The New Economics Foundation is a think tank based in the UK who recently published a spectacular document that calculates the “real value to society of different professions” (http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/bit-rich).
Their calculations estimate the share of social and environmental damage caused by overconsumption that is attributable to advertising, and advertising executives rank spectacularly low in their research in terms of their net benefit to society. The math suggests that a daycare worker generates at least £7 of societal benefit for every £1 they are paid, while an advertising executive destroys £11 of value for every pound they are paid. It goes without saying that ad execs earn much more than daycare workers.
The suggestion is that advertising “encourages high consumer spending and indebtedness. It can create insatiable aspirations, fuelling feelings of dissatisfaction, inadequacy and stress.” This study quantifies what we all suspect – advertising may be a necessary evil if we want to be entertained with “free” radio and television, but at its foundation the job of advertising is to keep us “chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need.” By igniting consumer stress, advertisers are in fact generating negative value.
I run a marketing agency, so I guess that makes me an “ad exec” of sorts. I do keep my clients branding efforts as “human” as the brand will allow (that’s the “Sociable” element of the company name), but the fact is that I am working to sell more “units” of whatever my client is “selling”. This New Economics Foundation paper has me thinking about my prospective client base, but also about marketing strategy. Is all marketing and advertising evil?
In difficult economic times, people need to cut back and purchase only essential items. Cars and clothes are necessary, but perhaps the designer labels can be cut back? Perhaps it makes sense to buy a used car instead of new? Nobody will put these thoughts on a billboard, but we all know it makes sense – and when was the last time you felt remorseful for a smart decision?
If someone buys something they don’t really need they will likely feel an eventual degree of buyer’s remorse. I therefore have to wonder - how the hell anyone can build a sustainable brand or product line in the long-term if consumer remorse, pain and stress are built into the brand promise?
I don’t question The New Economics Foundations’ results, but I do believe these results are driven by lazy marketing and lazy marketers. Before a business fabricates an illusion to support sales, how about developing an understanding of how the product can provide real, quantifiable value in the lives of your consumers? Instead of scaring your customers into a purchase decision, how about revealing a genuine significance? You may not sell as many units this quarter, but your business may still be here in twenty years. It is a big world, and consumer needs are as diverse as its population. Unless your business goal is to dump a load of consumer crap on the world and pack your business in next year, you need to get past the greed of generating immediate cash flow, and generate real value to a targeted consumer.
Otherwise, in the words of Tyler Durden, your customers will be thinking…. “we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.” A twenty-year-plus return will almost definitely be greater than a one-year fast burn – and you may even generate some incremental societal value along the way.
Sociable Communications was a strategic planning, communications and media production agency based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The business was renamed Kazolu in 2015 - please visit www.Kazolu.com.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
“Free Social Media Seminar in Guelph” - When Value and Education are ignited by a Buzzword
The Guelph Chamber of Commerce recently ran a survey of community small business owners to gain a sense of interest for a proposed all-day information-exchange event to be titled "Guelph Leadership in Information Technology and the New Economy".
The key insight I had in reviewing desired breakout session topics was that almost every respondent requested a session on either Search Engine Optimization, or on leveraging social media. Business people want to know more about social media, and they want more traffic to their websites – but the structure and process to accomplish this remains (perhaps understandably) mysterious.
So, when I partnered with Cam Guthrie of HJM Insurance to present a free seminar on “Marketing with Social Media” as a value-add to his clients, we had strong hopes for a big turnout. And, as it turns out, the initial response has been so strong that we’ve had to change venues from the HJM Insurance boardroom (capacity 40) to the Lakeside Church (7654 Conservation Road in Guelph, Ontario), which holds well over 250 people (the seminar runs from 7:00pm-8:30pm if you are interested – everyone is welcome).
I’m not suggesting that we’ll get 250 bodies in the door, but I am intrigued by the power of a buzzword: “social media” is what everyone is talking about, but few have a sense of how to leverage it for business applications.
The key message that I hope people will take away from the seminar is to not get worried or scared by “social media”. In fact, it is entirely likely that many small- to mid-sized businesses in Guelph would not gain much benefit from social media engagement – at least not unless they really dive in. The fact remains however that people are concerned that they are somehow missing out on something big - and they are pretty motivated to learn more… which brings me to the other thing that intrigues me here: the common desire for education.
The very nature of social media is that it is people interacting with other people. A seminar (or a classroom) is just an internet forum staged live – people exchanging ideas with other people in real time. If you tack the word “free” onto a buzzword that generates motivation and mix it into a public, interactive forum, you draw a crowd quickly.
What is my point? This is all about nurturing dialogue between people – the best marketing efforts are about establishing and nurturing human relationships – without that, you have nothing. That is why this seminar is “free” (and there will be more to come). Cam Guthrie and I both believe that the best “business model” is to be honest, transparent, and informative…
“Sociable”, I guess you could say….
The key insight I had in reviewing desired breakout session topics was that almost every respondent requested a session on either Search Engine Optimization, or on leveraging social media. Business people want to know more about social media, and they want more traffic to their websites – but the structure and process to accomplish this remains (perhaps understandably) mysterious.
So, when I partnered with Cam Guthrie of HJM Insurance to present a free seminar on “Marketing with Social Media” as a value-add to his clients, we had strong hopes for a big turnout. And, as it turns out, the initial response has been so strong that we’ve had to change venues from the HJM Insurance boardroom (capacity 40) to the Lakeside Church (7654 Conservation Road in Guelph, Ontario), which holds well over 250 people (the seminar runs from 7:00pm-8:30pm if you are interested – everyone is welcome).
I’m not suggesting that we’ll get 250 bodies in the door, but I am intrigued by the power of a buzzword: “social media” is what everyone is talking about, but few have a sense of how to leverage it for business applications.
The key message that I hope people will take away from the seminar is to not get worried or scared by “social media”. In fact, it is entirely likely that many small- to mid-sized businesses in Guelph would not gain much benefit from social media engagement – at least not unless they really dive in. The fact remains however that people are concerned that they are somehow missing out on something big - and they are pretty motivated to learn more… which brings me to the other thing that intrigues me here: the common desire for education.
The very nature of social media is that it is people interacting with other people. A seminar (or a classroom) is just an internet forum staged live – people exchanging ideas with other people in real time. If you tack the word “free” onto a buzzword that generates motivation and mix it into a public, interactive forum, you draw a crowd quickly.
What is my point? This is all about nurturing dialogue between people – the best marketing efforts are about establishing and nurturing human relationships – without that, you have nothing. That is why this seminar is “free” (and there will be more to come). Cam Guthrie and I both believe that the best “business model” is to be honest, transparent, and informative…
“Sociable”, I guess you could say….
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Communications Strategy: Get the basics right before going social.
Why would anyone consider social media for business without a clearly defined communications strategy? People are scrambling just to keep up with day-to-day stuff, let alone making the time to nail down the fundamentals of strategic communications planning, which leads me to ask the same question of media or public relations engagement too – why consider anything without a clearly defined communications strategy? And yet, with an existing palette of misguided non-strategic marketing approaches that shift with each fiscal year (or with each revolving-door Marketing Manager), so many businesses now believe they must get into social media too.
If this sounds familiar, first ask what your company’s communications goals are. Who are you trying to reach? Why? Do you have your goals written in a formal document that has been viewed and approved by all stakeholders? If not, go and do that. If yes, then ask how social media engagement will align with those goals. Why do it? Who are you speaking to? What are you going to say? Do you have anything relevant or compelling that will spark and sustain a dialogue? If yes to all of these, then write a plan. Then write a policy. Then do it, and keep on doing it because nothing looks worse than a corporate blog or twitter account with two postings. This isn’t a quarterly campaign – you basically just posted a new hotline to the company decision makers – you’d better answer the phone over the long-term.
Social media is just another tool in the marketer’s box, but it can deliver some communications opportunities to a business that other media and PR vehicles can’t. However, social media is fundamentally just a messaging distribution mechanism – though with the opportunity for consumer reciprocity. Do you publish a newsletter? E-mail blasts? If so, you should create a blog too and repost the information – the text has already been created for the newsletter. Not everyone will see your newsletter, and not everyone will see your blog – but it’s one more way to reach out. Face it, not many people heard your radio ad either – you need to take advantage of every possible communications vehicle. The blogged newsletter will also allows a mediated opportunity for people to comment on your “newsletter” postings – think of it as letters to the editor, but you are the editor. And if you care to listen, you may find that you gain significant consumer insights.
If you don’t want your business or brand to be conversational, then don’t consider social media – but if you see value in customer loyalty, extending your messaging reach, and enhancing your brand’s personality, then you may want to consider it.
However, if after reading this you are still unsure about your communications strategy, then do your company a favour: set a chunk of time aside, ensure that all relevant stakeholders on your team join you, and get to the core of your brand’s essence. Ensure that everyone turns off email, Facebook and Twitter accounts and Blackberries. Reach consensus on a brand strategy. Then write a marketing & communications strategic plan. Then ask which communications vehicles will most efficiently deliver your integrated brand message. Then do it. You will likely be surprised at how much money you wasted in earlier plans – but you may at least stop the bleeding now. You will also be surprised to find that your brand health will improve measurably. Basic stuff, but who has time to focus on the fundamentals these days?
If this sounds familiar, first ask what your company’s communications goals are. Who are you trying to reach? Why? Do you have your goals written in a formal document that has been viewed and approved by all stakeholders? If not, go and do that. If yes, then ask how social media engagement will align with those goals. Why do it? Who are you speaking to? What are you going to say? Do you have anything relevant or compelling that will spark and sustain a dialogue? If yes to all of these, then write a plan. Then write a policy. Then do it, and keep on doing it because nothing looks worse than a corporate blog or twitter account with two postings. This isn’t a quarterly campaign – you basically just posted a new hotline to the company decision makers – you’d better answer the phone over the long-term.
Social media is just another tool in the marketer’s box, but it can deliver some communications opportunities to a business that other media and PR vehicles can’t. However, social media is fundamentally just a messaging distribution mechanism – though with the opportunity for consumer reciprocity. Do you publish a newsletter? E-mail blasts? If so, you should create a blog too and repost the information – the text has already been created for the newsletter. Not everyone will see your newsletter, and not everyone will see your blog – but it’s one more way to reach out. Face it, not many people heard your radio ad either – you need to take advantage of every possible communications vehicle. The blogged newsletter will also allows a mediated opportunity for people to comment on your “newsletter” postings – think of it as letters to the editor, but you are the editor. And if you care to listen, you may find that you gain significant consumer insights.
If you don’t want your business or brand to be conversational, then don’t consider social media – but if you see value in customer loyalty, extending your messaging reach, and enhancing your brand’s personality, then you may want to consider it.
However, if after reading this you are still unsure about your communications strategy, then do your company a favour: set a chunk of time aside, ensure that all relevant stakeholders on your team join you, and get to the core of your brand’s essence. Ensure that everyone turns off email, Facebook and Twitter accounts and Blackberries. Reach consensus on a brand strategy. Then write a marketing & communications strategic plan. Then ask which communications vehicles will most efficiently deliver your integrated brand message. Then do it. You will likely be surprised at how much money you wasted in earlier plans – but you may at least stop the bleeding now. You will also be surprised to find that your brand health will improve measurably. Basic stuff, but who has time to focus on the fundamentals these days?
Monday, August 24, 2009
Advertising in the Fifties - 'Mad Men' Ain't just Blowin' Smoke
Did advertisers in the Fifties even think about consumer demographics? This ad proves they did not – I mean, The Flintstones was a kid’s cartoon, wasn’t it?
Are kids supposed to care that “Winston tastes good like a cigarette should”? You can picture the scene in ‘Mad Men’ (or on 50s Madison Avenue in reality) – the advertising weasels barking “kids are as good a customer as any! At worst, we’ll put it in their head that Winston is the way to go! At best, we get ‘em smoking Winston right now. Pack a day!!”
Of course, Camel Cigarettes had a cartoon as its mascot (remember “Joe Camel”?). Camel Cigarettes also went one better than Winston in the 50s, discounting the pesky health concerns of smoking with the tagline “More Doctors smoke Camel than any other cigarette”.
Awesome. And, as far as functional benefits, they go right to telling us “how good-tasting and mild a cigarette can be”. Even Barney Rubble gets into the features and benefits of Winston saying that “Winston’s got that flavour blend that makes the big flavour distance, up-front where it counts.” I guess the filter (what’s in back) was the hurdle to get around in those days... they probably hadn’t yet figured out how to get fibreglass tasty. That, and the health concerns….
Awesome. And to think – you can’t even name a Canadian arts or music festival after du Maurier anymore. You can’t even get into a website for Winston cigarettes today without a rather involved login process requiring third-party age verification (https://winston.tobaccopleasure.com/modules/security/Login.aspx?brand=WIN). Googling “Winston cigarettes” doesn’t even lead you to any specific corporate messaging at all until you are dozens of results into the list.
Of course, this isn’t a bad thing for the general public, but it does open some interesting challenges to advertising edgy (or deadly) products. So what’s a poor advertiser to do when their product is addictive and deadly? That’s right! Black Market! It surely isn’t a coincidence that heroin and cocaine are two of the leading revenue-generating consumer products in North America, is it? Prohibition did wonders for alcohol manufacturers in the Thirties, didn’t it? I suspect that with widespread consolidation in their industry, tobacco manufacturers are likely thrilled to save the advertising spend (Winston and Camel are now both owned by R.J. Reynolds) and put it right back to the bottom line. They still have plenty of consumers, regardless of no media messaging.
And the ‘Madison Avenue’ geniuses? What are they left to do without those lucrative contracts? C’mon…. have you seen mainstream beer advertising lately? If only they could get away with Dora the Explorer in a bikini pounding a six-pack of Schlitz while Boots the Monkey holds the beer bong, they’d be all over it. It’s only an inch away from sodapop, isn’t it?
Are kids supposed to care that “Winston tastes good like a cigarette should”? You can picture the scene in ‘Mad Men’ (or on 50s Madison Avenue in reality) – the advertising weasels barking “kids are as good a customer as any! At worst, we’ll put it in their head that Winston is the way to go! At best, we get ‘em smoking Winston right now. Pack a day!!”
Of course, Camel Cigarettes had a cartoon as its mascot (remember “Joe Camel”?). Camel Cigarettes also went one better than Winston in the 50s, discounting the pesky health concerns of smoking with the tagline “More Doctors smoke Camel than any other cigarette”.
Awesome. And, as far as functional benefits, they go right to telling us “how good-tasting and mild a cigarette can be”. Even Barney Rubble gets into the features and benefits of Winston saying that “Winston’s got that flavour blend that makes the big flavour distance, up-front where it counts.” I guess the filter (what’s in back) was the hurdle to get around in those days... they probably hadn’t yet figured out how to get fibreglass tasty. That, and the health concerns….
Awesome. And to think – you can’t even name a Canadian arts or music festival after du Maurier anymore. You can’t even get into a website for Winston cigarettes today without a rather involved login process requiring third-party age verification (https://winston.tobaccopleasure.com/modules/security/Login.aspx?brand=WIN). Googling “Winston cigarettes” doesn’t even lead you to any specific corporate messaging at all until you are dozens of results into the list.
Of course, this isn’t a bad thing for the general public, but it does open some interesting challenges to advertising edgy (or deadly) products. So what’s a poor advertiser to do when their product is addictive and deadly? That’s right! Black Market! It surely isn’t a coincidence that heroin and cocaine are two of the leading revenue-generating consumer products in North America, is it? Prohibition did wonders for alcohol manufacturers in the Thirties, didn’t it? I suspect that with widespread consolidation in their industry, tobacco manufacturers are likely thrilled to save the advertising spend (Winston and Camel are now both owned by R.J. Reynolds) and put it right back to the bottom line. They still have plenty of consumers, regardless of no media messaging.
And the ‘Madison Avenue’ geniuses? What are they left to do without those lucrative contracts? C’mon…. have you seen mainstream beer advertising lately? If only they could get away with Dora the Explorer in a bikini pounding a six-pack of Schlitz while Boots the Monkey holds the beer bong, they’d be all over it. It’s only an inch away from sodapop, isn’t it?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Social Media is the NEW PUNK ROCK!
Yeah, this one speaks to me in a BIG way. A video by Engage ORM, an Australian agency - defining the spirit of punk DIY as the missing link to social media communication and messaging distribution networks that run parallel to the mainstream (if not completely counter to the mainstream). The key is that the spirit of social media, like the sprit of DIY punk, is about reaching out to an audience with compelling, relevant, timely messaging.... and #%*% you if you don't like it! Fantastic analogy.
Ad Agencies and Social Media
Yesterday's Advertising Age article (http://adage.com/agencynews/article?article_id=137724) seems to confirm my recent suspicion that many marketing/advertising/creative agencies simply don't "get" how a social media plan will work alongside a traditional marketing/media/public relations plan. I don't think this is too great a problem right now for most agencies, since most clients' marketing plans follow a fiscal year budget plan, but when the fiscal years run out, a lot of agencies are going to be srambling to meet or address new client demands for a social media component in their marketing strategy. As the article states, it's not surprising that digital agencies currently have the edge over traditional agencies, but I am surprised that the old guard isn't falling all over themselves to get educated immediately. Third-party agency engagement, anyone? Easier than learning (or hiring)..... which suits me fine if they want to hire me to manage this element, but if it were me, I'd prefer to keep this competency (and my clients' work) in-house.
I have recently taken great interest in following tweets with searchable, identifiable corporate names - it's kind of my new hobby, and I am always surprised at how often a consumer with hundreds of followers will post a "complaint" that goes fully unanswered by the corporation (to say nothing of answering brand-supportive tweets). This is where public relations can intersect with marketing messaging, and it is fairly simple to manage - with the right tools and skill-sets. I wonder if these corporate managers have considered the idea that this is akin to a DJ slamming their brand over the microphone through a mega-wattt PA in a crowded nightclub, with 800 clubgoers listening - "don't drink the crappy martinis - the Gin 'n' Tonics are waaay better" - except that in the case of a Tweet, the "brand owner" has the opportunity to reply. To my thinking, no reply equates acceptance of the comment as is - throwing in the proverbial towel. At worst, it shows that the company simply doesn't care about consumer views.
But hey, they are still racking up GRPs with the latest billboard and online campaign!! Great reach and frequency with a targeted demographic!! Great work!! "We're a 'Build Phase' brand - to hell with Grass Roots!" And yet, people (corporations and the agencies they hire) are wondering why brand equity continues to erode.... yikes.
I have recently taken great interest in following tweets with searchable, identifiable corporate names - it's kind of my new hobby, and I am always surprised at how often a consumer with hundreds of followers will post a "complaint" that goes fully unanswered by the corporation (to say nothing of answering brand-supportive tweets). This is where public relations can intersect with marketing messaging, and it is fairly simple to manage - with the right tools and skill-sets. I wonder if these corporate managers have considered the idea that this is akin to a DJ slamming their brand over the microphone through a mega-wattt PA in a crowded nightclub, with 800 clubgoers listening - "don't drink the crappy martinis - the Gin 'n' Tonics are waaay better" - except that in the case of a Tweet, the "brand owner" has the opportunity to reply. To my thinking, no reply equates acceptance of the comment as is - throwing in the proverbial towel. At worst, it shows that the company simply doesn't care about consumer views.
But hey, they are still racking up GRPs with the latest billboard and online campaign!! Great reach and frequency with a targeted demographic!! Great work!! "We're a 'Build Phase' brand - to hell with Grass Roots!" And yet, people (corporations and the agencies they hire) are wondering why brand equity continues to erode.... yikes.
Friday, June 12, 2009
The “Make It Seven” Soundtrack
At the start of this week, I posted a song/video to YouTube as a bit of an experiment. The song was written with a band I play with called The GMOs. I often joke that some guys play “beer league hockey”, while The GMOs are a “beer league band”. We wrote the song on Thursday night in support of the “Make It Seven” campaign (www.makeitseven.ca) that is working to bring a seventh NHL franchise to Canada. I recorded the song in my basement studio on Monday morning, and posted a PowerPoint slideshow video to YouTube later that afternoon. By Tuesday afternoon, it seemed to be everywhere.
I must admit that I saw this song/video as a potential experiment in content distribution via social media. The message is extremely relevant to many, and the launch was very timely since a major court decision was scheduled for Tuesday to determine the fate of the campaign. My theory with social media (or any media, for that matter) is that relevancy of the message is critical – without a strong and relevant story, nobody will engage the communication, let alone internalize it.
The “Make It Seven” experiment proved to be far more successful than I ever could have anticipated. The song/video was posted directly to the official “Make It Seven” website (www.makeitseven.ca) and the “Make It Seven” Facebook fan site on Tuesday morning (as opposed to posting a YouTube link). Communication blasts immediately went out to all site members (155,000 at makeitseven.ca, and 23,000 on Facebook). While these sites surely received the bulk of views, YouTube continued to click past 10,000 views by Friday morning as the various video links were tweeted and re-tweeted dozens of times, and the song was discussed in numerous sports blogs. By Wednesday it was being called the “official campaign song”.
However, what I find really interesting is the fact that the message carried over to conventional media as well. There have been at least three print stories specifically about the song with more to come – we are only four days out from the posting, after all. The band members were also involved with four radio interviews, and the video, rough as it is, was even played on television news programs. And the biggest kicker – the band is now booked to perform at a downtown Hamilton “Bring NHL to Hamilton” rally on Friday, June 19th, which is planned to be “National Make It Seven Day” across the country. The crowd is expected to reach well over 5000 people. I definitely didn’t see that one coming.
I expected that the reach of this song would be limited to friends of friends who are hockey fans – and that alone would have been “successful” in my mind in terms of shared relevant content. I think the song it alright, and the audio recording stands up well, but the video is extremely amateurish. The fact that this has gone far, far beyond friends of friends suggests that its amateurishness may in fact be its appeal in this context. At the very least, this message hit the right note at the right time, and brought a little more focus and discussion to the core “Make It Seven” campaign. It is just one small piece of the overall picture, but it seems to provide a “soundtrack” to the effort, and music can strike emotional chords that many other communications don’t always hit.
At the end of the day, a strong message and a strong story will transcend any one medium. The immediacy of social media as a medium for message distribution is critical, but like ripples in a pond, the dropped pebble of social media can have a distant reach if the waters are clear. I don’t think this story is finished yet….
I must admit that I saw this song/video as a potential experiment in content distribution via social media. The message is extremely relevant to many, and the launch was very timely since a major court decision was scheduled for Tuesday to determine the fate of the campaign. My theory with social media (or any media, for that matter) is that relevancy of the message is critical – without a strong and relevant story, nobody will engage the communication, let alone internalize it.
The “Make It Seven” experiment proved to be far more successful than I ever could have anticipated. The song/video was posted directly to the official “Make It Seven” website (www.makeitseven.ca) and the “Make It Seven” Facebook fan site on Tuesday morning (as opposed to posting a YouTube link). Communication blasts immediately went out to all site members (155,000 at makeitseven.ca, and 23,000 on Facebook). While these sites surely received the bulk of views, YouTube continued to click past 10,000 views by Friday morning as the various video links were tweeted and re-tweeted dozens of times, and the song was discussed in numerous sports blogs. By Wednesday it was being called the “official campaign song”.
However, what I find really interesting is the fact that the message carried over to conventional media as well. There have been at least three print stories specifically about the song with more to come – we are only four days out from the posting, after all. The band members were also involved with four radio interviews, and the video, rough as it is, was even played on television news programs. And the biggest kicker – the band is now booked to perform at a downtown Hamilton “Bring NHL to Hamilton” rally on Friday, June 19th, which is planned to be “National Make It Seven Day” across the country. The crowd is expected to reach well over 5000 people. I definitely didn’t see that one coming.
I expected that the reach of this song would be limited to friends of friends who are hockey fans – and that alone would have been “successful” in my mind in terms of shared relevant content. I think the song it alright, and the audio recording stands up well, but the video is extremely amateurish. The fact that this has gone far, far beyond friends of friends suggests that its amateurishness may in fact be its appeal in this context. At the very least, this message hit the right note at the right time, and brought a little more focus and discussion to the core “Make It Seven” campaign. It is just one small piece of the overall picture, but it seems to provide a “soundtrack” to the effort, and music can strike emotional chords that many other communications don’t always hit.
At the end of the day, a strong message and a strong story will transcend any one medium. The immediacy of social media as a medium for message distribution is critical, but like ripples in a pond, the dropped pebble of social media can have a distant reach if the waters are clear. I don’t think this story is finished yet….
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Lorax - Environmental Awareness supports Sustainable Business Practises
Dr. Seuss's classic story "The Lorax" is a well-known treatise on the effects of negative industrial environmental practises, and has inspired many excellent initiatives http://lorax.conservation.org/, http://www.loraxsociety.com/.
As I read "The Lorax" to my daughter last night (re-printed with recycled paper and vegetable inks of course), it hit me like a Super-Axe-Hacker that the subtext in the great Doctor's tale could be about sustainable business practises. As the Once-ler killed off the Truffula trees, he ravaged the local environment - perhaps irreparably (though that remains to be seen.... was there ever a sequel?).
However, as you may remember, the story ends with the promise that the Truffula trees can be re-established, if only the boy takes the last Truffula seed and cultivates a new forest.
"Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with care.
Give it clean water. And feed it fresh air.
Grow a forest. Protect it from axes that hack.
The suggestion is that the forest will live again, the animals will return, and everything will be fine again (which begs the question of why the hell the Once-ler didn't do the same thing years ago).
The sub-text that interests me is the fact that the Once-ler grew his "thneed" business at a rampant, unsustainable rate. The business depended entirely on the wild Truffula trees. He didn't diversify, investigate sustainable business growth strategies, nor did he investigate alternate production materials. He didn't even think to replant what he hacked down. He kept growing his business (under the burden of high debt, no doubt), until the primary component of thneed production was exhausted. He had no fallback - which killed the business (to say nothing of the forest and the environment).
The Once-ler wasn't just a bad person and a bad environmentalist - he was a horrible business person too. This is the part of the story that really interests me - and there are plenty of real-world examples of this kind of shoddy business practice (most of pre-Glastnost Soviet Union comes to mind...).
The Once-ler was a slave to immediate consumer demand, but he had no long-term vision, no strategic plan, and no apparent marketing plan. Crazy stuff. The story doesn't even mention the competitive textile magnate that likely planted a Truffula forest in China to fill the gap in thneed production when the Once-ler's business crashed... but I digress.
I love apparently simple parables like these. There can be so many layers - and so many lessons.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Evolution of Social Networking
This is a great video posted by Carl Anderson, pointing out the evolution of communication media, and the essential two-way nature of modern social networking/social media. Carl's quote: "Teaching students how to use the internet without letting them publish, blog, tweet, etc. is like teaching them how to read without allowing them to write." It's a bit lengthy, but it is a great presentation - take the time to watch.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Social Media 101
I have had a fair amount of success with explaining the value of "Social Media" in person... here is my Web 2.o 101 online version. Please note that there is an audio file here alongside the video, so turn up your speakers!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Embedding Audio in Your Blog
Just press "play" on the little arrrow above. However, if you are sitting somewhere where you can't listen to the audio.......
As simple as it is to embed video onto a blog, I was having a heck of a time over the past few months finding a reliable way to embed audio – just straight, MP3 audio. I actually wanted audio feeds for my other blog, robmcleanmusic.blogspot.com, but it occurred to me there might be uses for it here too. I was getting ready to just post audio onto youtube with a static image in the background, until I discovered a blog by Jane Nicholls in New Zealand with this helpful tip.
It’s all pretty simple – you just go to edublogs.tv, and set yourself up with a free account. The site seems to be pretty similar to youtube, though it is dedicated to educational uses, and more importantly, you can post audio files. It only takes MP3s, but that’s not a big deal.
Once you have uploaded your file, you post it to your account, and voila – an embed code is provided. You just past that into the “edit HTML” box on your new blog posting, and you are off to the sonic races.
One note important though…. The audio feed is set up to start automatically when a visitor arrives at your website – you can imagine this would get annoying if you have multiple audio files on the same page. There if a solution though…. When you have pasted the embed code into your “edit HTML” box, you will see something in the code itself that says "autostart=yes". You simply need change the "yes" to "no", and autostart is disabled, and the audio will play only when a viewer clicks on the play button.
Enjoy!
Advertiser vs. Consumer Pt. 2
I love these guys.... I have been in that meeting before. Always alarming.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Static Business Websites – The Irrelevant Sales Brochure
As a means of mass communication, the internet was the greatest technological revolution since the rise of television. Websites are now an essential communications medium for all levels of business – as elemental as a business card. Unfortunately, like business cards, they are often viewed only a few times by any one potential customer. At best, they may be bookmarked, but are rarely seen thereafter. If website information remains as static and unchanging as a sales brochure, a newspaper flyer, or a business card, then there is no motivation for repeated site visits. A significant business investment becomes a one-off consumer messaging tool – and an enormous opportunity lost.
Television and radio are effective advertising mediums because they attract repeated use with interesting, compelling, and relevant content, which is framed by brand messages – advertising. Without constantly-refreshed content, there would be little reason for repeated consumer engagement, and no consequent platform for advertising. It is curious that few websites provide routinely updated content to keep people coming back again. The adage “Content is King” doesn’t acknowledge the fact that a great message delivered once does not always stick. Content must deliver the right message, but repetition of the core message is essential too.
Social Media applications such as well-managed blogs and twitter feeds allow individuals and businesses the opportunity to regularly update web content, encouraging ongoing, repeated website viewings in a manner that is relatively simple and cost-effective. This opportunity for core message repetition is particularly efficient when it leveraged as part of an overall united marketing and media strategy.
Social media applications also allow a heightened opportunity for search engine optimization that may drive greater traffic to a business website. When greater traffic and recurring visits to a business website are encouraged, two things are accomplished. First, the static “branded content” of the website will enjoy repeated viewings over time, offering repetition and reaffirmation of the formal brand message. Second, anyone who revisits a site for the sake of gaining relevant, timely brand information will likely be susceptible to emotional engagement with that brand. As an individual spends more time with the brand and its message, it is more likely that the message will gain relevancy and acceptance in that consumer’s mind. They will be more likely to trust it, purchase it, and share the experience with their social networks, online or otherwise.
Many are predicting “the death of advertising”, or even “the death of print” as social media applications earn greater acceptance. Neither will die, but they will necessarily evolve. Television did not kill radio, nor did the internet kill television - each new medium was leveraged alongside the old as one of many expanding communications options. Social media must be similarly leveraged alongside conventional advertising mediums (including static websites) in order to keep your business abreast of evolving media communications trends.
Social media is no technical revolution, but it does demand strategic evolution when applied to your marketing mix. It has a place in the communications strategy of every business that chooses to engage any level of internet marketing, and can bridge opportunities in marketing, public relations, and even market research. A static internet business presence is just advertising, and advertising alone is rarely interesting or relevant - but when paired with appropriate, conversational and informative content, its relevancy and effectiveness compound exponentially.
Television and radio are effective advertising mediums because they attract repeated use with interesting, compelling, and relevant content, which is framed by brand messages – advertising. Without constantly-refreshed content, there would be little reason for repeated consumer engagement, and no consequent platform for advertising. It is curious that few websites provide routinely updated content to keep people coming back again. The adage “Content is King” doesn’t acknowledge the fact that a great message delivered once does not always stick. Content must deliver the right message, but repetition of the core message is essential too.
Social Media applications such as well-managed blogs and twitter feeds allow individuals and businesses the opportunity to regularly update web content, encouraging ongoing, repeated website viewings in a manner that is relatively simple and cost-effective. This opportunity for core message repetition is particularly efficient when it leveraged as part of an overall united marketing and media strategy.
Social media applications also allow a heightened opportunity for search engine optimization that may drive greater traffic to a business website. When greater traffic and recurring visits to a business website are encouraged, two things are accomplished. First, the static “branded content” of the website will enjoy repeated viewings over time, offering repetition and reaffirmation of the formal brand message. Second, anyone who revisits a site for the sake of gaining relevant, timely brand information will likely be susceptible to emotional engagement with that brand. As an individual spends more time with the brand and its message, it is more likely that the message will gain relevancy and acceptance in that consumer’s mind. They will be more likely to trust it, purchase it, and share the experience with their social networks, online or otherwise.
Many are predicting “the death of advertising”, or even “the death of print” as social media applications earn greater acceptance. Neither will die, but they will necessarily evolve. Television did not kill radio, nor did the internet kill television - each new medium was leveraged alongside the old as one of many expanding communications options. Social media must be similarly leveraged alongside conventional advertising mediums (including static websites) in order to keep your business abreast of evolving media communications trends.
Social media is no technical revolution, but it does demand strategic evolution when applied to your marketing mix. It has a place in the communications strategy of every business that chooses to engage any level of internet marketing, and can bridge opportunities in marketing, public relations, and even market research. A static internet business presence is just advertising, and advertising alone is rarely interesting or relevant - but when paired with appropriate, conversational and informative content, its relevancy and effectiveness compound exponentially.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Shake it Like a Sociable Polaroid
I am fascinated by the fact that a Canadian group of investors paid US$87.6 Million for Polaroid - even though the company was bankrupt, and holds few (if any) tangible assets, other than the Polaroid brand name.
Kenny Finkelstein, CEO of Kinght's Bridge, the purchaser, says "the Polaroid name is one of the most iconic brand names and has almost 100% global awareness." I agree, and if they plan to spin the Polaroid name off into a variety of consumer products (as they apparently plan to do), I would take notice of the new product lines. A desktop printer with the Polaroid name, for example, would offer a significant level of consumer relevance, and promises a fun spin standing against the staid printer brands that currently exist. A home 4x6 photo printer, of course, would also be great, to say nothing of digital cameras - particularly when matched with the aforementioned photo printer. I could even see office products (everything from printer paper to mouse pads to laptops) as branded options.
My one concern is this: who among us under the age of 35 sees any relevance whatsoever in the Polaroid name? As I am pushing 40, I feel that I am still on the edge of the Polaroid brand-awareness bubble. I had a Polaroid camera in the late-90s, but it was retro-chic even then, and the photos were certainly nothing more than curiosities. It was great for candid shots at parties, but you weren't going to take any panoramic vista photos.
I am pulling for these guys - I agree that the Polaroid Brand is hugely iconic, if only to an older demographic - but hey, that demo alone could make these guys rich, if they get a good-quality product line, and if they approach this opportunity in a way that resonates with the "retro-chic" vibe of the Polaroid brand. They can't lose a sense of fun though - that will be critical. Polaroid cameras were simply fun in a box - a means to capture your sociable moments, and shaking out the candid shots was an essential part of the process. If the brand stops being fun, then the brand will die.
That would be a hell of a waste of US$87.6 Million bucks - but at the same time, it could be a bargain price for a very cool Brand name. I think they should launch a Polaroid digital camera and call it the "Polaroid Sociable". Any takers?
Kenny Finkelstein, CEO of Kinght's Bridge, the purchaser, says "the Polaroid name is one of the most iconic brand names and has almost 100% global awareness." I agree, and if they plan to spin the Polaroid name off into a variety of consumer products (as they apparently plan to do), I would take notice of the new product lines. A desktop printer with the Polaroid name, for example, would offer a significant level of consumer relevance, and promises a fun spin standing against the staid printer brands that currently exist. A home 4x6 photo printer, of course, would also be great, to say nothing of digital cameras - particularly when matched with the aforementioned photo printer. I could even see office products (everything from printer paper to mouse pads to laptops) as branded options.
My one concern is this: who among us under the age of 35 sees any relevance whatsoever in the Polaroid name? As I am pushing 40, I feel that I am still on the edge of the Polaroid brand-awareness bubble. I had a Polaroid camera in the late-90s, but it was retro-chic even then, and the photos were certainly nothing more than curiosities. It was great for candid shots at parties, but you weren't going to take any panoramic vista photos.
I am pulling for these guys - I agree that the Polaroid Brand is hugely iconic, if only to an older demographic - but hey, that demo alone could make these guys rich, if they get a good-quality product line, and if they approach this opportunity in a way that resonates with the "retro-chic" vibe of the Polaroid brand. They can't lose a sense of fun though - that will be critical. Polaroid cameras were simply fun in a box - a means to capture your sociable moments, and shaking out the candid shots was an essential part of the process. If the brand stops being fun, then the brand will die.
That would be a hell of a waste of US$87.6 Million bucks - but at the same time, it could be a bargain price for a very cool Brand name. I think they should launch a Polaroid digital camera and call it the "Polaroid Sociable". Any takers?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Being Sociable Loses Meaning Online
Interesting thoughts... I like where Hawkins goes here. I also believe that the value of social media connections is in what you do with them - how you choose to reach out to engage the connection. Otherwise, it's just clutter in an already-busy day. I'm also liking the idea of Facebook as the Past, and Twitter as the Future - that's how I feel too, and I think that maintaining that viewpoint is the best way to get the most out of both. At the end of the day, Social Media may be best engaged as just a step towards true "Sociability" - human interaction is still the endgame.
The following article was originally posted by Will Hawkins at: http://arryawke.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/being-sociable-loses-meaning-online/
Relationships are made face to face
Is it just me? Social networking is all the rage but it is so shallow. Don’t get me wrong. It’s terrific for finding information and making connections with interesting people. But most relationships are transitory within these tools. I expect I have made more connections and had more chats people through Twitter since 1st January this year than my ancestors had in their lives.
I just get to the point when my head is frying with the amount of information (or tweets) that I have to sift through that I want to reach for the brilliantly titled book ‘Taming the Information Tsunami‘ by Bill Bruck to cool it down. And I have learnt that I am not being rude when I ‘unfollow’ people so that I can get my life back under control and keep the guilt in check for not reading all those damn tweets.
I have noticed that whenever I join up to a social networking tool or site such as the business networking site, ecademy.com, I get a small wave of people sending a message saying something like “Hi, I’m Greg. Let me know how I can help you“. What? Are you mad or just socially inept? I have seen this today on Twitter too. “Let me know what I can do to make your day!” You can get real for a start!
I’m afraid that’s a big turn off for me when someone gushes how they want to make my life extra-super-special. It feels like the unwanted attentions of someone who fancied you at school but from whom you could not run away fast enough.
But, I am hooked by the usefulness of all the tools such as FaceBook and Twitter. FaceBook helps me keep up with my past and Twitter helps me keep up with my future. I have been in touch with some terrific old friends and workmates through FaceBook. And with Twitter, I have managed to learn vital lessons in connecting with people with shared interests, and even experience contributing to a radio programme.
For instance, the highly skilled radio presenter (William Wright at BBC Radio Lincolnshire) reminded me, unwittingly, of something very important last night on his show. Technology is poor at helping to make meaningful bonds with other people.
At the end of the section to which I had contributed, William took his headphones off, looked me in the eye and said thank you. He then asked me if I had done any radio work like this before , to which I said that I hadn’t. He then suggested that if it was easier for me, we could speak over the phone or through the internet next time rather than come into the studio.
But, the reality is that I got to know about William through Twitter. And I got to know William by sitting in his studio with him. And that is human. Connections can be made now through the internet and relationships are made face to face.
- Will Hawkins
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Social Media Revelations
I had two interesting discussions today about social media with "non-users". I must admit, before I dug a bit deeper into social media opportunities, I didn't get it either - the common suggestions were along the lines of "if I have Facebook, then why do I need Twitter?" Or, "I don't need LinkedIn - I'm already have a MySpace page, and it hasn't changed in months".
Well, Facebook is nice 'n' all, but at the end of the day, it is populated with people I already know, and who know me. It is handy for drumming up new business among friends and ex-colleagues, for example, but the more advanced social media sites (as well as tweets and blogs) are chasing me down now (which is the "social" point of media, of course). LinkedIn and Twitter, when used well, open up a whole new world of opportunities, ideas, and innovative people with common thoughts and goals. With this comes ample opportunity for new business, as well as the opportunity to make existing business better and more effiecient with the most cutting-edge ideas and tools.
Using Tweeter as a search engine, and using LinkedIn as a huge resource for information are but two ways to sift through the clutter to get to useful information quickly - it's a big ol' WWW out there - it's nice to have much better help than a Google search.
I imagine that the most common thought among "non-users" is that they "don't have enough time" to engage social media. Funny thing - I don't think I can afford not to make the time for it. How about you?
Well, Facebook is nice 'n' all, but at the end of the day, it is populated with people I already know, and who know me. It is handy for drumming up new business among friends and ex-colleagues, for example, but the more advanced social media sites (as well as tweets and blogs) are chasing me down now (which is the "social" point of media, of course). LinkedIn and Twitter, when used well, open up a whole new world of opportunities, ideas, and innovative people with common thoughts and goals. With this comes ample opportunity for new business, as well as the opportunity to make existing business better and more effiecient with the most cutting-edge ideas and tools.
Using Tweeter as a search engine, and using LinkedIn as a huge resource for information are but two ways to sift through the clutter to get to useful information quickly - it's a big ol' WWW out there - it's nice to have much better help than a Google search.
I imagine that the most common thought among "non-users" is that they "don't have enough time" to engage social media. Funny thing - I don't think I can afford not to make the time for it. How about you?
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Scalable Intimacy
This is a great piece posted by Mike Troiano, discussing the importance of developing a relationship between a brand and a consumer set. I particularly appreciate the illustration of how ineffective conventional media advertising can be - it has always bugged me that "reach" and "frequency" were placed ahead of actual, quantifiable motivation to purchase. To my mind, the end result of any consumer contact is the important point (either purchase or brand engagement) - the emotional resonance and relevance that is triggered by your brand is the important thing.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Skittles: taste the social media rainbow
Have you heard what Skittles is up to? They've abandoned the traditional corporate website for a small toolbar that relies entirely on what's in the public domain. Want to know about their flavours? Click on the link and it takes you to a Wikipedia article about skittles. Want to watch their media? The link takes you to YouTube for both skittles- and user-generated videos. Curious to know what people are saying about Skittles? It directs you to Twitter for realtime updates where you can monitor everything anyone tweets about regarding skittles.
It's a brave move for a major brand to make, because it relies entirely on what's in the public domain. They're relying on user-generated content about their brand. Marketers are quickly realizing that it's difficult to control the message when it comes to social media. They're finding new ways to join the conversation, and learn more about their demographic along the way. How sociable...
It's a brave move for a major brand to make, because it relies entirely on what's in the public domain. They're relying on user-generated content about their brand. Marketers are quickly realizing that it's difficult to control the message when it comes to social media. They're finding new ways to join the conversation, and learn more about their demographic along the way. How sociable...
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
A Sociable Brand
I've been playing around with the idea of a brand as a "sociable" entity - and I believe that effective brand communication must be fundamentally 'sociable'. If a consumer doesn't feel engaged with a brand in a way that pleases them, they won't want to pursue a relationship with that brand.
It sounds a bit strange, but the fact is that if you meet someone who weirds you out, you will actively find ways to get yourself out of the situation. But, if you meet someone who interests you, you may actually go out of your way to discover more about them.
Think of this as it relates to consumer products: if something about a product weirds you out, you certainly won't buy it - but if something genuinely intrigues you, you may pick it up, you may read the label, and you may indeed take it home and "begin a relationship" with that product or brand. This is the fundamental nature of commercialism - and it is human nature to repeatedly choose products that are relevant to you.
Is this a bad thing? Of course it isn't - because you want to surround yourself with products and necessities that you feel good about, and which make you feel good in turn. If a product or service makes you feel genuinely (and justifiably) good about your day, your week, your life, or this moment, then that is a very great thing, isn't it?
It is the job of Sociable Communications to assist consumer goods and services to become as recognizable and relevant as possible within the local community that they hope to serve.
So, welcome to Sociable Communications - a community-focused communications and marketing company for local business, at http://www.sociablecommunications.com/.
It sounds a bit strange, but the fact is that if you meet someone who weirds you out, you will actively find ways to get yourself out of the situation. But, if you meet someone who interests you, you may actually go out of your way to discover more about them.
Think of this as it relates to consumer products: if something about a product weirds you out, you certainly won't buy it - but if something genuinely intrigues you, you may pick it up, you may read the label, and you may indeed take it home and "begin a relationship" with that product or brand. This is the fundamental nature of commercialism - and it is human nature to repeatedly choose products that are relevant to you.
Is this a bad thing? Of course it isn't - because you want to surround yourself with products and necessities that you feel good about, and which make you feel good in turn. If a product or service makes you feel genuinely (and justifiably) good about your day, your week, your life, or this moment, then that is a very great thing, isn't it?
It is the job of Sociable Communications to assist consumer goods and services to become as recognizable and relevant as possible within the local community that they hope to serve.
So, welcome to Sociable Communications - a community-focused communications and marketing company for local business, at http://www.sociablecommunications.com/.
Monday, January 19, 2009
ROB offers advice for small businesses
In our previous life we had the pleasure of doing some business with venues in Toronto's historic Distillery District and we wish them well in this economic uncertainty.
But even if your business isn't targetting high end clientele that the Distillery District attracts, read on in this article from the Globe's Report on Business to hear some sage advice about small business survival - and benefits - when times are tight.
But even if your business isn't targetting high end clientele that the Distillery District attracts, read on in this article from the Globe's Report on Business to hear some sage advice about small business survival - and benefits - when times are tight.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Learning to tweet
We're embarking on expanding our knowledge of the wide world of social media. A little behind the times perhaps, but among our social and professional circles we're savvy to the extreme. Time to expand the social network, you say? We agree. The slightest tweet has our friends saying "yes, I agree - Spring can't come fast enough." They're still finding their way around Facebook while we're mastering Twitter. It's not much, but we'll get there.
Okay, so we're not leading the pack. But we're doing what we can to watch the leaders and take in the possibilities of this wide, exciting world of what blogs, microblogs and social news sites are doing to change the landscape of the public conscioussness. There are exciting opportunities to have real discussion about issues that matter. If they're smart, marketers and communicators will see what's coming and jump on the bandwagon to join - not control - the discussion, and work as part of a community to meet common goals.
Okay, so we're not leading the pack. But we're doing what we can to watch the leaders and take in the possibilities of this wide, exciting world of what blogs, microblogs and social news sites are doing to change the landscape of the public conscioussness. There are exciting opportunities to have real discussion about issues that matter. If they're smart, marketers and communicators will see what's coming and jump on the bandwagon to join - not control - the discussion, and work as part of a community to meet common goals.
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