Find Your Sound

As I watch the 2011-2012 NCAA College Bowl Season I am inspired by Nelly's "The Champ", the soundtrack to this year's season.  This anthem will forever mark these events for these young athletes and forever be a reminder of their joys and triumphs.  I'm sure many of us upon hearing a song or a sound are reminded of events long past.  For instance, for me "Eternal Flame" is a reminder of my 6th grade Spring Dance in my school's gymnasium and Extreme's "More than Words" also reminds me of my Middle School Days.



Music and sound sparks a strong response from most people. It's why football teams travel with their marching bands and so much is put into the sound effects and scores for movies and television shows.  As marketers we have an opportunity to include a music bed behind most electronic media.  Put care into making these decisions.  Make sure the sound matches your message, evokes the desired emotion and compliments the products/services.  A great example of one brand doing this is Corona in the "Find Your Beach" series. The beach sounds transport the viewer to...the beach.


So think about your sound choices and don't wast a great opportunity to identify with your consumer and make an impact.

Ahhhh, the holidays

Holiday ads have started airing and its only November 8th.  It is hard to predict if consumer spending will increase or decrease this season.  What about holiday event ticket sales for The Nutcracker, Christmas Jubilees and other special presentations? Anyone out there have any thoughts?

9-11 Commemorative Commercials: Classy or Tacky?

On Sunday, September 11, 2011, State Farm, Budweiser and Verizon, among others, aired 9/11 tribute commercials.  I found these ads to be very genuine and moving homages to that historic day.  Some people will argue that creating and airing such commercials is taking advantage and seeking financial gain off a tragedy.  I couldn't disagree more.  I was sitting watching NFL and fiddling on my laptop when I heard the children begin to sing "New York State of Mind."   It made me pause, look up and take a moment of reflection on what was lost ten years ago.  And I believe that was the sole intent of State Farm.  At that moment I posted the following tweet:

Today I received the following response:

This has made me curious as to the opinions of the masses. Do you support the creation and airing of these 9/11 tribute commercials or do you believe they are in bad taste?

Oddly enough, I believe the point my responder was trying to make was negated by the fact that he was doing exactly what he is accusing others of doing.  Looking at his twitter feed, he seeked out posts to which he could respond to with links back to this one site, no doubt as advertising to build page views for his own agenda.

The State Farm, Budweiser and Verizon ads may be viewed at http://www.tvguide.com/News/911-Tribute-Commercials-1037241.aspx.

2011 Ace Get Your Weekend Back

Clever...

Announcing Official Website

It's official, I'm in business.  Please visit my new website at www.adgrlsu.com.  AdgrlSu Social Media Management is an agency devoted to digital media and more specifically social media.  If you need help organizing and managing your social media marketing, contact me for a consultation.

Eathquakepocolypse

On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, a 5.9 earthquake hit the east coast and within minutes, and perhaps seconds, various social media platforms were abuzz with the chatter.  

From Facebook:

"I thought I was just imagining an earthquake until I just logged onto Facebook and everyone is talking about our earthquake!!!! I have never felt anything like that before!!!" Angela Roberts

"Freaking EARTHQUAKE!! We lost stuff off our top shelves and it scared the hell outta the cats! HOLY CRAP!!!!" Christopher Carothers

From Twitter:

"#BreakingNews: 5.8-magnitude #earthquake strikes #Virginia, with tremors felt along the east coast" @Foxnews

"Yup! We felt it here. RT @ariannahuff did you feel earthquake in ny? It started in richmondva! #nyc #earthquake" @Forbes

And my favorite:

"And right at 10 minutes for the earthquake to reach Epic Swarm status. That's absolutely insane. http://4sq.com/pH90eQ" @aboutfoursquare

Almost immediately a venue was created for Eathquakepocolypse.  Check-ins at this freshly created venue were quickly in the thousands, the fastest swarm in foursquare history. Dozens of photos were also being uploaded.

Visit Foursquare for more about the record-breaking stats.

What can we learn from this?  We are addicted to our social media.  Even in the face of a natural disaster we want our twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and everything else.  I would venture to say it helps us feel safe and comforted to still be able to connect, even if its with virtual strangers.  

It is important to note that minimal damage was reported in connection with this earthquake.

New Posts coming soon!

I've been super busy, but will be writing again soon!

California Riverside Ballet Site Re-Design

In the spring of this year, the California Riverside Ballet entrusted its website re-design project to students at the Art Institute of California-Inland Empire in San Bernardino, CA.  The students had just 11 weeks to create new branding for the ballet.  Their work included a new logo, stationery, website and twitter background.  The image to your left was the existing site.  The image below is the newly re-designed site.

During the course of the project the students were able to meet with Artistic Director, Mario Nugara, and Executive Director, Janet Rose, to receive direction on the project.

The result is a much more dynamic site that shows off the beauty and artistry that the ballet offers.  The re-design also allowed for a more prominent placement of calls to action, including ticket purchasing and donations.

Remember to pay attention to these attributes in the design of your own sites.

New Media Distribution & Execution of Content

Great piece from Jon Burgess of RedFusion Media.

Check out all their videos at

http://www.youtube.com/user/redfusionvideo

or visit them at

http://www.redfusionmedia.com.

Recycled Creative Ideas

I have spent the majority of my career in advertising.  And during that time I have seen a few agencies recycle creative from one client to the next and within the same designated market area (DMA), to the same type of client while using the same mediums to deliver the message.

There are so many things wrong with this practice that I don't know where to begin.  Clients are paying these agencies for creative.  Fresh, new, effective creative.  If it's been done before (especially in the same DMA), it will lose its effectiveness.  It may be confused with the prior, original ad.  Lending more effectiveness to the first client, thus making it a waste of dollars for the others.

Plus, the first client to have paid for it should be upset as well.  If they have paid for the creative service, don't they now own it?  I would consider it an infringement for others to use the same concept.  It is understandable that common themes will be shared throughout every small business' creative concepts. But what I have seen are exact matches sold to everyone who will buy.

I would like to urge small, local business to demand fresh, new creative from your advertising agencies.  If your agency is trying to advise you to sign on to a recycled idea, drop them.  They are only there to make a quick buck, not to support your business.  In fact, these are typically the agencies that use one business as a pawn in a game to get better rates for another, larger client.  I've seen that happen as well.  Personal politics do not have a place when marketing decisions need to be made on behalf of small businesses. But that should be another blog post.

What are your thoughts on recycled creative ideas?

Riverside Arts Walk Logo Re-Design Contest

Direct all question and comments to the Riverside Cultural Consortium.  Please note there is an official entry form.

SNL Skit: Paid Product Placement?

Ever since I saw this skit on SNL I've been wondering if this was paid product placement on behalf of the new Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides movie. If so, it was brilliant. This piece has all the components of a great viral post. Its funny, its contagious, its an innovative approach to product placement and this is something I want to share. My husband has it saved on our DVR and watches it every few days. If Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer (the Lonely Island) weren't paid by Disney, they should be.

Talking m&m's: Cute or Disturbing

How Google Reader Changed My Life

 I manage social media accounts for multiple organizations and have found that using Google Reader has changed my life and if you're not using it or one of its equivalents, you are probably losing valuable time.

As part of being part of the community of the organizations I serve it is imperative that I stay up to date on industry news from national/regional sources as well as be aware of what is happening within the local landscape of similar organizations.  I use Google Reader to do this.  I track keywords, subscribe to feed from trusted sources and follow relevant blogs.  Google Reader delivers all this information in an organized format right to one place.  No more random searches, no more navigating to each and every pertinent website.  I save valuable time because they all come to me per my specifications. 

If you don't use it, it is quite simple to set up.  First you need a Gmail account.  You can set one up at https://mail.google.com/.

Then go to www.google.com/reader to get started.  It will prompt you to select keywords to help you get started.  Then, as you visit your favorite websites and blogs, subscribe to them via Google Reader.  How and where the subscription opt-ins are will vary by site, but look for it, it's there.

Following your favorites on Facebook and Twitter is also a way to learn good information but it doesn't happen on in your own time.  Stay current, save time and be a leader within your industry with a little assistance from Google Reader.

Quick Guide for Social Media Beginners to Contribute to their Organization's Strategy

Not everyone within an organization is a social media savvy as the next person.  The following provides a guide for those who wish to contribute to the social media presence and strategy of an organization.

When implementing a social media strategy each member of an organization (Board Members, employees, etc.) has a responsibility to participate and interact and further the efforts of that strategy.  This means "liking" a Facebook page and "liking" posts written on the page as they appear.  This allows your friends to see those posts and make a decision as to their opinion on the subject matter and business.  If they decide to "like" that page then their friends are now presented with the same opportunities and the viral possibilities go on from there.

On Twitter, the process starts with "Following" the organization and "Retweeting" its posts so that those "Following" you can see the original posts.  You can also tweet a message back to the organization and include its name in your tweet to, again, put that organization's name in front of your followers.  This is done by using the @username format. 

If you are new to Twitter and don't have many followers, your first order of business should be to go find those individuals or businesses that interest you and "Follow" them.  In turn, they may in turn follow you.  Be careful not to only focus only on national brands and personalities, look at local businesses, organizations, personalities and entertainment options from your community.  Also, remember to use that account and tweet about things that interest you.  You need to be interesting to grow your follower base.

In Summary:
"Like" Facebook fan pages
"Like" Facebook posts
"Follow" on Twitter
"Retweet" posts
Tweet to the organization using @username

Not Wanting to Meet Customers Face to Face = Bad Business

Note actually left on a business door as seen and photgraphed by a friend of mine.  They won't be in business for long with this attitude.  If your clients want to see you face to face, make time and show up.

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

NASCAR rolls right around the corner from me into the California Speedway this weekend.  Millions are spent by corporations on sponsorships each year.  Do they pay off?  You betcha!

Check out these studies:

http://www.hlglicensing.com/nascar.htm

http://jimc.medill.northwestern.edu/JIMCWebsite/2003/corbett.pdf

http://www.performanceresearch.com/nascar-racestat.htm

Social Media Strategy: Do you have one?

I've recently taken on the responsibility of developing and maintaining the social media strategy for a local non-profit arts organization of which I happen to be a board member.  As I have started organizing and strategizing it has become apparent that not many local and regional arts programs have social media strategies.  Many have Facebook pages, but they are poorly utilized.  Many only post around peak times and events.  Here are a few key pointers to keep you on track and engaging your audience.

• Consistently post to your Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc. accounts.  Your audience wants to stay in touch or they wouldn't follow you in the first place.  Post behind the scenes snapshots of rehearsals, set building, load-ins or share interesting facts about your artists.  Anything to "touch" your audience on a regular basis.
• Connect with other arts organizations in your community by following their Twitter accounts and "liking" their Facebook pages.  By supporting each other you'll strengthen the impact the arts have on your community and beyond.  You'll also stay informed of what they are doing and maybe gain some ideas.  Re-tweet and share their posts to show you're support.  I'm sure they'll do the same for you.
• Send direct messages to your followers; let them know that they are appreciated.  Building relationships and good customer service goes a long way.
• Get creative.  By implementing fun contests you can grow your audience and reward your current one.
• Keep your websites current.  You'll want to refer traffic back to your site so you can share complete information.
• Learn as much as you can about SEO, Blogging, Podcasting, etc.  You should try to incorporate as many of these into your strategy as possible.
• Be willing to spend money when you need to and be willing to try new things.  The landscape of advertising and marketing have changed.  The things you did 2 years ago may not work today.
• Get help.  If you're unfamiliar with social networking sites and tools, ask around or invest in a class at a local college.  The investment will pay off.

Digital Banner Ads

Digital advertising is becoming more and more important.  Are today's banner ads making a large enough impact to move the consumer into action?  Below is a sampling of price point and special offer ads.  Both the creative and placement will determine the success of any ad campaign, but what makes a successful combination?  Color, typography, clarity, branding, it truly is a complex formula.  Here are my pointers for a successful digital campaign.

• Simplicity - the ads have such a small voice on a page that you have to get your message to stand out clearly.  That means not muddling it up with too many words, pictures or messages.
• Clear Branding - the consumer needs to identify your brand on sight, if any time is required to figure out who this ad is for, you've failed.
• Call to Action - What's in it for the consumer?  Make it clear and you'll earn a click thru.
• Do your research - Define your target, seek to understand them, determine what will appeal to them and how to speak to them.
• Targeted Placement - You cannot create a market where one doesn't exist, place to target your core demographic. 
• Strategize - Determine your goals.  Are you planning to reach new consumer, target existing ones, promote a specific event or price point, etc.  But don't try to do it all at once.
• Commit- Be prepared to commit to enough time to allow your campaign to develop and to return results.

When in doubt, work with a professional and listen to the ad sales professionals.  They want your campaigns to be as successful as you do.

$49 iPhone from At&T

Great price point ad, and it's not just because it is for an iPhone. Sorry about the poor quality video, best one I could find.

Foursquare Slogan-Vote Now

Chrysler "Imported from Detroit"

The Chrysler "Imported from Detroit Ad" is one of my all-time favorite auto ads. This commercial sends a simple message. One that we, as Americans, can relate to. It doesn't inundate us with product features and a variety of models and prices and offers and such. It sends a clear, simple message. Chrysler vehicles come from Detroit, from home. And Detroit knows how to make a high quality vehicle because it's what they've done for years. They are the Motor City. The addition of a high profile celebrity, Eminem, just cements the message.

Pajama Jeans

For Rebecca.

Pajama jeans are real...no energizer bunny is going to come crashing through the ad. You may be asking yourself "How can they afford to air these ads?"
This is a per inqury (PI) ad which means that the host network/cable company gets paid a set amount for every call or order placed from the ad, not for the air time. Depending on the product, these can do well. I would be curious to see the stats on this one. Are any of my cable ad managers out there airing this ad? If so, how is it doing?

Bud Light: Real Men of Genius

Bud Light's series of radio ads that started in 1999 should go down in history as one of the best ad campaigns ever. They are memorable because they are funny and they are funny because they are true. Each spot takes a look at everyday characters in our lives such as Mr. Multi-color Sweater Wearer Guy and Mr. Beach Medal Detector Guy.

These were the type of ads you stopped on while flipping through stations trying to find music and looked forward to every break. Great use of audio, imagery and music....you're the real men of genius, Anheuser Busch ad guys.

There are well over 80 spots in this series and the complete list can be found at http://budlight.whipnet.com/ .

That's a Good Car Paw Paw

From time to time on this blog I will focus on local commercials. This one is actually from my childhood but I still remember it today. It is hokey, the video and audio quality are poor but it is part of one of the most memorable series of commercials that I've come across. Even after *mumble mumble* years, I still remember it. Check it out below.

USM: Creative. Bold. Determined. and Freeing the Power of the Individual

During each NCAA televised match-up, each participating university receives access to ad time to proudly display its brand. These commercials are not only a recruiting opportunity but crucial to helping instill pride and determination in the current students, faculty and alumni.

These ads have greatly improved over the years and I hope they continue to evolve. Below are two from the University of Southern Mississippi. Both call upon the strengths and accomplishments of the university by using images and audio to covey emotions. It is these emotions which are most likely to resonate with the audience create recall and inspire new generations to attend the university. SMTTT!

Volkswagen The Force

Volkswagen's The Force ad debuted during the 2011 Super Bowl and was definetly a crowd pleaser. The Star Wars theme resonated with it's core audience and will certainly be remembered. But will we remember the brand or the product? The fact that the ad was for Volkwagen will probably be recalled, but recalling the model featured was a Passat, well I'm doubtful. Overall, the concept was good but I feel this ad falls a little short on both branding and product recall. If the ad had not premiered during the Super Bowl, would the message have been lost?

Luvs Blow Out

This is perhaps one of the most memorable diaper commercials I have seen in a long time. The "blow out" has happened to all mothers and can be as horrifying as it is hilarious if it happens in public. This ad instills confidence that Luvs can stand up to the test of the most powerfull blow outs even though it is done via animation. We've seen many ads of happy babies crawling around to show how well they move with your baby and control leaks and they can be very boring. This Luvs ad is entertaining, sends a clear message and is one that will stick with you.