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Going viral
Posted by admin | Filed under Branding & competitive advantage, Great publicity campaigns, New media and e-marketing
Do you know who was born on May 14, 2005? While they are now just 5 years old, they have in a short time changed the way we communicate and share information as global citizens. If you guessed Youtube, you are correct. Acquired by Google in 2006, Youtube quickly has become THE vehicle for sharing online video with mass audiences. It has also quickly become a major tool for viral advertising messages; essentially content created with the intent that consumers will share it with others and help spread the message. This ‘consumer to consumer’ model rather than ‘business to consumer’ is a key to the success of social media.
You’re likely familiar with some of the most widely viewed shared viral spots: Dove’s ‘Evolution’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U), one of the first truly viral campaigns featuring the girl next door turning into a fashion beauty through makeup and photo retouching. Launched in 2006, it has garnered over 11 million views. You may have been one of the 25 million who viewed the Evian ‘Roller Babies’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQcVllWpwGs) featuring digitally manipulated roller skating infants. While most online commercials were created for TV and then garnered a second life online, the Evian spot was created exclusively for online sharing. Make no mistake, the costs they saved in a TV media buy were easily exceeded in the production of the spot, but it is one of the first commercials created for online that, due to its success, is now being aired on TV. We could go on: ‘Charlie bit my finger’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he5fpsmH_2g) a piece of home movie featuring two British toddlers, now at 299 million views; Susan Boyle, the frumpy singing sensation on Britain’s Got Talent, now at 95 million views (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY). It becomes quickly evident that pieces that are shared by email, Twitter, Facebook, or linked to and blogged about have a number of things in common. For those who would like to use social media, and Youtube in particular, as a marketing driver, here is a list of 5 things you should consider to increase the likelihood of your video going viral.
1. Humour works. Let’s face it, there’s enough disaster and drama in the world. If we can view something that brightens our day, and better yet, share it with other, the chances are good that we will.
2. Stir emotions. If you can’t make them laugh, then make them cry. Or at least tear up long enough to feel compelled to share it with others who need a good emotional outburst. Women love to share online content with other women. Emotional content can be a major touch point.
3. Keep it short. Although your online video needn’t be limited to the traditional 30 second or one minute commercial length, many successful videos are, simply because that is the medium they were originally created for. This has programmed us as to what we will sit through before seeking the next bit of entertainment. Call it the plague of a severely attention deficit disordered generation.
4. Headlines matter. Make your title catchy. The sound bite generation wants entertainment to grab their attention. A play-on-words, a sensationalized promise, or anything that begs “I have to see this” response is what you’re after.
5. Keep it simple. One single and simple message will create maximum impact.
Finally, understand that parodies can be both good and bad. If you can create your own parody of a well-known spot to somehow profile your own brand, you can springboard off the popularity of the original. Specsavers in the UK did a very successful parody of an Axe ad for men’s’ deodorant featuring bikini-clad women flocking to a guy spraying himself with Axe on the beach. Only when he dons some cheesy glasses and sees the ultimate male fantasy unfolding before him, is he revealed as the geek who should have visited Specsavers. Watch the original here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNm4weMuufs). View the parody here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvpO4Ll-rXg)
If you somehow become the object of a parody, make sure you have people monitoring the online world, and respond selectively if at all. The way you handle this public relations challenge will be critical. Motrin learned this the hard way with their ad aimed at Mom’s with backaches that carry their children in baby slings. Here’s the ad: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmykFKjNpdY) Link to some of the controversy here: http://www.techworld.com.au/article/267694/motrin_maker_feels_pain_from_social_media_backlash
The 35-divide
Posted by admin | Filed under Branding & competitive advantage, New media and e-marketing
In 1964 a student at the University of California Berkeley named Jack Weinberg coined the immortal phrase, “Don’t trust anyone over 30.” When he invoked that sentiment in 1964, Mr. Weinberg was a civil rights activist frustrated by bureaucratic inaction. Yet today, curiously that line still exists, in particular with respect to technology. I call it the 35-divide.
My company recently completed a study on media use habits with TNS Canadian Facts. Results were based on 1,017 responses from across Canada. We looked at where the primary sources of news and information were, as well as measuring the growth of various online digital activities. Although there were exceptions in many areas, there was a definite line in the sand at 35 years. Those under 35 have different media habits from those over 35. We also busted some myths around just how important (or not) some digital media vehicles actually are. The Coles notes? Before abandoning traditional media for the digital bandwagon, consider your target group carefully.
TV ranked highest overall as both a primary and secondary source followed by newspapers. Online news sites were third highest followed by radio as a primary source. The strength of online news sites was considerable for those 18-34yrs. The question then becomes; which side of the sandy line does your primary target fall? If it falls under 35yrs, online is your growth area, but TV and newspapers are still a very viable vehicle. If it falls over 35yrs, online has its merits, but TV, newspapers and radio are still your best primary vehicle.
Are you all a twitter about Twitter? Consider the 35-divide again and your primary target audience. We asked respondents if they were spending more, the same or less time than a year ago micro blogging with Twitter. Overall 2% were spending more time, 6% the same, and 13% were spending less time. 33% of those 18-34yrs and 37% of those 25-34yrs used Twitter. Contrast this to 19% of 35-49yrs and 16% of 50-64yrs who Tweet. The use of Twitter with its limit of 140 characters clearly favours mobile devices, and it appears to be a tool dominated by young urban audiences in our research. The question then becomes; is that your audience?
Are you busting your butt to post to your blog regularly? Consider this fact: 73% of Canadians don’t blog. Those that do are spending less time on it than a year ago. However for the 27% of the population who do, the largest number are found under 35yrs. 63% of those 18-24yrs and 39% of those 25-34yrs engage in this activity. “There is a perception that blogging and using Twitter are bigger than they actually are,” notes Raymond Gee, Senior Researcher, TNS Canadian Facts.
Text messaging has grown, but is still a technology divided by age. While 53% of Canadians overall are sending text messages, 85% of 18-24yrs and 80% of 25-34yrs are doing it.
The trend towards smart phones such as the iPhone and Blackberry has gowning tremendously. In fact a recent Deloitte study estimates that smart phones will out number computers in the US by the first half of 2010. So just who is accessing information and news on their mobile device? Overall 40% of Canadians engage in this activity. But here again the 35-divide plays out. 70% of 18-24yrs and 57% of 25-34yrs are doing it. Instinctively I would have thought more professionals, and a greater representation of those over 35yrs, would be relying on their device for news information. The take away here? Digital tools offer tremendous opportunity, but the euphoria over them shouldn’t cloud the assessment of whether they are the right choice to reach your target group.
Want more insights? Visit my website: www.charleson.ca and hit the newsletter subscribe button top left. Marketing trends and research will be delivered to your inbox regularly.
Marketing faces a year of major changes in 2010
Posted by mc | Filed under New media and e-marketing
5 predictions for marketing in 2010:
1. Digital will continue grow. It hardly seems to be going out on a limb to forecast that one; however, the degree to which it will take over our lives will be considerable. Marketing is a lagging indicator. Forrester Research estimates our TV viewing at 35% of entertainment time. Currently 31% of marketing budgets are spent on TV. While 34% of time is spent on the internet, only 12% of advertising is allocated there. Expect that gap to continue to close in 2010 as marketing dollars follow where consumers are increasingly spending their time. This is likely to manifest through increasing use of social networks and interactive web based content being included in marketing strategies. As consumers are more able to influence brands in the digital space, it will become even more important to focus on the basics of good marketing: appeal to a market segment, have a distinct advantage, innovate and stay ahead of competition and practice unbelievably good customer service.
2. Mobile will explode. Currently 80% of phones in North America are used for voice only. The phone is being used as a phone. It’s a novel concept. Although it may seem everyone around you is a slave to their Blackberry, in reality, market penetration for smart phones and data plans has a way to go to reach full potential. However, Deloitte and Touche estimate that smart phones will out number computers in the US by the first half of 2010. As they become commonplace, we will see a shift of marketing strategy and budgets towards this medium. Count on Google to figure prominently. With their Android mobile operating system, a new phone being sold direct to consumers, and a near monopoly as content aggregator, and advertising server, Google will be a game changer.
3. Print will evolve. Print’s fundamental challenges really don’t revolved around print itself. Digital media has been changing the game from the outside. We can expect a few titans to become shadows of their former self as this medium responds to market pressures. Those who provide commodity content, such as breaking news and non-exclusive stories, will struggle. Those who have differentiating content, such as critical analysis, exclusive stories and a targeted product for a particular market niche will do just fine. 2010 may mark the year where print publishers will try to garner revenue from online ads plus paid content. In a world where a lot of good stuff is free, this will be a challenge. The Wall Street Journal has succeeded in getting readers to pay for content. So has the Harvard Business Review. Both dominate a niche market and provide exclusive stories. However, consumers have already demonstrated that they will pay for content and apps on cell phones. Electronic editions tailored for display on smart phones might be an intriguing avenue for publishers to consider.
4. Advertising agencies will struggle to monetize the new digital media model. Digital media has caused marketing to evolve from one-way communication to where consumers now take part in blogs and social networks and influence the brand on a consumer-to-consumer level. Advertisers no longer control the message to the extent that they once did. Add compensation to the mix. Existing pricing models, based on front end costs and paid media are still dominant, but with social media and other forms of earned media increasingly playing a pivotal role, ad agencies will need to reconsider how to price their services, and restructure exactly where they will fit in as clients demand social media solutions and digital strategies. Expect some major shifts in this business model.
5. TV will increasingly become a precision niche-marketing tool rather than a blunt instrument of mass media. Although TV has traditionally reached the masses, with the exception of major sporting event coverage, or a worldwide news event, it just doesn’t garner the mass audience it used to. And in 2010 we’ll accept that and begin to use it to our advantage. As smaller groups watch increasingly niche programming, advertisers will be able to take advantage of commercials designed for specific episodes or a distinct group of viewers. Increasingly advertisers will be shaping content to the audience and then driving viewers online.
Mobile media - the new frontier
Posted by mc | Filed under New media and e-marketing
The Federal Government has allowed Globalive Wireless to become the countries newest cell phone company. Significant in that this move breaks from the previous ruling to prohibit foreign owned companies from setting up shop here. Previously Telus, Rogers and Bell had it pretty much sewn up. Clearly, this signals a move to increased competition. Expect more. Apple recently forced the hand of Rogers, previously its exclusive distributor. Now the Apple iPhone is available on Telus and Bell networks. Could it be that these industry players expect a major battle in the coming year? You betcha.
A recent Deloitte and Touche survey reports that smart phones will out number computers in the US by the first half of 2010. That is a significant development. Marketing is a lagging indicator, following where consumers spend their time. We know they are increasingly spending it with digital media. And mobile media is about to take over. Very soon mobile will be the primary way consumers access and interact with the web. This folks, is the new frontier.
Google, whose fortunes come from advertising, launched their own phone today, bypassing wireless carriers and selling directly to consumers. You can bet they intend to reap ad dollars from mobile. EMarketer.com predicts online advertising revenue will grow 6% next year, compared to 40% for mobile. By controlling the handset, applications and the user experience, Google could control their own mobile destiny. Currently handset makers and telecom carriers have the most say in the user experience, and carriers subsidize handsets in order to harvest the proceeds of a long-term data plan contract.
So what if Google leaned on advertising to recoup its handset development costs, in order to control the end user application experience? What if under this disruptive model Google gave away voice, data and text services in order to capture and monetize the resulting traffic? This model would lead to price compression in exchange for locked-in connectivity that guarantees sizable audiences for advertisers. Smart phones and data plans would simply become a commodity, subject to price wars. Sitting on top, as a content aggregator, would be Google.
Of course this direct distribution model is similar to the one that Apple initially took with iPhone, and it wasn’t until they sold handsets subsidized through carriers that they achieved market penetration. The same could hold true for Google.
We can say with some certainty that with increased competition and potentially disruptive distribution models, that the mobile space is about to get very interesting. Soon the only phone available will be the smart phone, and in increasing numbers consumers will have it in their pocket or bag and be able to access it 24/7. That is going to fundamentally change they way we connect with them. Be it pushed out messages, ambient awareness tied to your location or offers based on known interests, mobile has the ability to connect one on one at a personal level. Applications that seamlessly integrate information from Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Youtube accounts into you address book will make social networking a breeze. Suddenly ‘word of mobile’ will be just as important as word of mouth and word of mouse for getting others to spread your message.
What’s the take away here? Marketers need a mobile strategy. Where the investment should be is on the development of content that provokes interaction with customers causing them to willingly spread your message. But remember, you need to be good if you want positive talk. You are no longer fully in control of your message, and that’s a major shift. Advertising agencies are still struggling with how to monetize this model. This is indeed interesting territory.
Word of mouth, mouse and mobile
Posted by mc | Filed under Great publicity campaigns, New media and e-marketing
I teach a media course at one of our local universities. Recently I brought some newspapers in to my class for the students to look at. My father was a “newspaper historian” and had saved papers from noteworthy events over time such the Halifax Chronicle the day WW11 ended, and the Toronto Star marking man’s first walk on the moon and Paul Henderson’s goal
I watched with fascination as these 20 something’s approached the papers like historical artifacts. There was confusion over the Radio Shack 8-track player ad, and disbelief at the Vancity ad for 15.5% interest rates in the 80s.
Why the fascination? Papers of this size and editorial detail were a foreign experience for them. They were a generation that gets their information primarily from digital means.
This story is relevant for marketers today for a number of reasons. There’s a fundamental shift taking place. Marketing is a “lagging” indicator. It follows the places people spend their time – and they are increasingly spending more time with digital.
Forrester Research recorded some interesting comparisons in a September 2009 poll. The amount of time we are spending with digital media is increasing, but the % of marketing budgets being spent on it has not kept up. 34% of our time is spent on the internet, yet only 12% of advertising spending is allocated there. In contrast, TV viewing was 35% and commanded 31% of marketing budgets.
There are three stages consumers go through when purchasing – brand awareness, brand consideration, and brand purchase. Digital has been good at facilitating the first and last steps. Search ads, blogs and emails are used to create awareness just like ads. E-commerce has made purchases quick, easy and available to worldwide markets. But the real opportunity, and where we’re seeing a fundamental shift, is in the middle – the consideration and preference stage. This is where people seek out information and reasons to buy. This is the stage where word of mouth, mouse and mobile are very important.
Word of mouth is human nature. People love to share stories. Word of mouse is a logical progression in a world with readily available wireless and 24/7 computer access. We pass a lot of information on to others via our computers. But it’s the word of mobile that is about to explode. Soon smart phones like the iPhone and Blackberry will be the only phone style available. Once that happens, everyone will have the internet on their hip or in their pierce all the time. And that is going to change how we approach marketing.
Let’s take a look at an example to illustrate.
Who knew our Prime Minister could play the piano? Few. But that all changed after an October performance at the National Arts Centre Gala. He practiced for a week and didn’t tell anyone. His handlers only found out about it two days before, and actually tried to stop it– fearing a Stockwell Day wetsuit fiasco. The video was shot on an iPhone by an audience member and posted to Youtube. Another audience member with 612 followers scanned Youtube and then Tweeted about it during the concert. It then spread virally online via texts, email, Tweets, social networking sites. Mainstream media picked it up. Within 3 days it was the 3rd highest viewed video on Youtube – worldwide with over 500,000 views. View it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOt2Qp0H9G8
Why did it work?
It was unexpected. Few knew he could play and sing. Few thought he’d make himself vulnerable.
It was emotional. He showed his human side. “Getting buy with a little help from my friends” was in contrast to his distant, aloof façade.
It was authentic. Although the event was planned, the way it spread was not. It was not spun. It just as easily could have bombed.
These three attributes, unexpected, emotional and authentic, are key to having others spread your message for you. And that’s the power of digital for marketers. These attributes are the basis of a good story, and come to think of it what reporters have always looked for in traditional media. Maybe there’s nothing new happening here at all, just a change of vehicle.
As I was reminded by my class of students, almost all with their smart phones – the digital world is our new reality. Welcome to the world of mouth, mouse and mobile.
Causing social change by making it fun
Posted by mc | Filed under Branding & competitive advantage, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), New media and e-marketing
Check out this #1 viewed Youtube video for the week ending Oct 30, 2009 with 2.5 million views.
It’s a great viral campaign sponsored by Volkswagon, Sweden. The video leads viewers to the website: www.thefuntheory.com where you can learn about a contest they are sponsoring to get people to submit ideas on how to cause social change by making it fun. You can also view “the bottomless garbage can” and the “bottle return arcade game.” The contest is running Oct 1-Dec 15, 2009. Winners will be selected at receive 2500 Euro.
Why does it work?
This is a great use of social media and viral marketing. By allowing word of mouth and mouse to spread the idea, VW is allowing consumers to self select themselves for involvement. They are aligning with a cause that they know their customers care about. It social media meets green marketing, wrapped up in a pull strategy using the latest digital tools available. It will be interesting to see how they tie this back to vehicle promotion, or if they just leave it as a brand building strategy.
Internet ad spending out paces TV
Posted by mc | Filed under New media and e-marketing
Internet ad spending in the UK out paced TV ad spending for the first time ever in history. While TV ad spending commanded 22%, the internet took up 24% of advertising expenditures. While some were quick to write the obituary for traditional media, the UK market is a bit of an anomaly with its restricted advertising on the BBC and an abundance of broadband penetration. However, it does signal a significant shift. Let’s call it a disruption. And it’s happened before. The printing press disrupted oral communications. Radio and film disrupted newspapers and live theater. TV in the 1950s disrupted radio. Cable TV and specialty channels in the 60/70s disrupted network TV. What is common with all these is this: The disruption fragmented the audience and caused new patterns of media consumption. The other thing that is common is that none of the previous communication vehicles went away, they simply took on a different role. I think that’s what’s happening with the internet and mobile media these days. Traditional media will be around for a long time to come, but with a refined focus and purpose.
Check out the full article on the UK findings here: http://adage.com/globalnews/article?article_id=139345
An enlightened use of social and traditional media
Posted by mc | Filed under Uncategorized
Seems the Vancouver Sun is seeking enlightenment on many fronts with their latest cross-promotional effort involving the Dalai Lama, Twitter, Facebook, CKNW radio, print advertising and guerilla based publicity. In the face of dwindling readership, it is this type of effort that signals a truly enlightened approach to media choices: use the best tool in your kit to get noticed, be it online traditional or a combination.
The Dalai Lama will be the guest editor of the Vancouver Sun on Saturday, Sept 26. The paper is also hoping to boost paper sales on that day, by offering enlightenment for $2.
The multi-media campaign includes a 30-second radio spot on CKNW 980am poking fun at road rage as one commuter yells at another, only to thank him for letting him enter a lane. Print ads will feature the tagline, “Enlightenment for just $2.00.” The spots bring attention to ridiculous behaviour and the need to embrace the thoughts and words of the Dalai Lama. Print ads, and the use of Facebook and Twitter, will encourage people to commit random acts of kindness and then submit them to the paper. Street teams will be handing out Dalai Lama buttons and committing random acts of kindness in an effort to garner publicity.
An enlightened approach to the use of new and traditional media - yes. Will it sell more papers over the long term? Likely not. But I like the concept and the attempt to drag themselves into this century. Newspapers are great content providers. We need to hear their voice. Any effort that shows they are in the information and entertainment business, not just the newspaper business should be commended.
The rise of the RENEGADE and the EVERYMAN
Posted by mc | Filed under Branding & competitive advantage
Meet the renegade and the everyman. The renegade is a challenger. He does things differently. Frequently seen as the underdog initially, he can often grow to become quite powerful. Never one to shy away from a dust-up, he is at his best when matched with a challenger, knowing he has identified an underserved populist niche.
The everyman is synonymous with the common masses. He is likeable, fun loving and down to earth. Although he started out small, and may have grown to considerable stature, an air of modesty prevails. The everyman wears a ball cap and drinks coffee with his buddies. The renegade figures out how to serve them coffee in a new and revolutionary way.
The renegade and the everyman are brand positions that hold much promise these days. Why? Recent outrage over CEO’s petitioning for bailouts and investment companies accepting bonuses in the wake of mismanagement has made for a belligerent consumer sentiment toward big business. Being seen as common folk has never been more popular. And if you can play David, while filling a market niche, and take a run at a Goliath style company, who may have lost that common touch, all the better in the eye of today’s consumer.
Renegades are on the rise, and in many categories. Education had the University of Waterloo back in the 1980s, when they revolutionized universities with their co-op work/study program. Ivey league institutions scoffed at the time, but no longer. Waterloo based Research in Motion, the designer of Blackberry, was a prodigy of this approach. Locally University Canada West offers BCom and MBA students smaller classes, the ability to finish faster, and save a significant amount of money. Dismissed initially by bigger institutions, they are filling a growing niche. Westjet’s biggest feat, besides streamlining an incredibly efficient cost model, was the fact that they WERE NOT Air Canada. A likeable renegade is hard to resist. Mr.Lube revolutionized the car care market. By keying in on everything that the dealer experience was not, they showed that fast, efficient, inexpensive and convenient service was possible. And locally based credit union Vancity effectively challenged the traditional position of banks, by profit sharing with their customers and supporting community ventures. However their renegade spirit may have been tarnished of late with the decision to raise line of credit rates, seen by many to be non-Vancity like, which was later retracted after media and member uproar. Likewise the decision to part with the insurance arm of the company, and to now serve members through the Co-operators, an Ontario based company, was seen as a big-bank-like move, not typical of the renegade they thought they knew. A renegade can be a hard position to maintain with company growth or market force changes.
Everyman brands now have the power to connect more than ever before. The challenge for everyman brands is to maintain the position as they grow. Easily achieved in business infancy, it can be hard to maintain a common touch with growth. Tim Hortons is an everyman brand. Offering a basic consumable in big cities and small towns across the country, they ARE NOT Starbucks, a decidedly urban brand, and proud of it. They support their local communities, offer a meeting place for people to connect, and they are with Canadians in hand as they go about everyday activities such as taking kids to soccer or hockey practice.
Motel 6 is another everyman brand. With their awe-shucks radio ad narrator, Tom Bodett, charming audiences with humourous commentary, down-home fiddle music in the background, and a final gesture, “We’ll leave the light on for you,”they have effectively shown that Joe Average can have some luxury without too much flash, and save money. In fact, they’re a bit of an everyman AND a renegade wrapped into one. Check out their latest radio ad, a winner at the 2009 Radio Mercury Awards: http://www.radiomercuryawards.com/rma2009/finalistdetail.cfm?id=5547
Although it would be foolish to abandon a current marketing position for the latest flavour of the month, you should consider how elements of the everyman or renegade spirit can be incorporated in your efforts. Brands who are not aligned in some way with these values right now will struggle.
Backvertising hits Kits Beach
Posted by mc | Filed under Great publicity campaigns
Think you’ve seen it all when it comes to clever delivery of advertising messages? Think again. Enter to latest human ad platform: backvertising. Take one very hairy man, carve out your message on his follicle-enhanced slate, and send him strolling down Kits Beach handing out Parissa Wax Strip samples on July 25. It was sure to be a head turner, and generate talk both on the beach and online, amongst the primary target market: beach going men and women in search of a smooth body. The publicity stunt was the brainchild of Vancouver advertising agency Rethink for North Vancouver based Parissa, a supplier of hair removal products throughout North America. Marketing and media types were given a heads up to the exercise the day before through a teaser release and seeded mentions in various blogs and on Twitter. Well done Rethink
Backvertising hits Kits Beach - Vancouver, BC