Here Are Six Reasons Why It Will in 2010

By Judy Shapiro

Published in Advertising Age;  December 16, 2009

http://adage.com/digitalnext/post?article_id=141109

Remember the children’s story “The Little Engine That Could”? It told of how the big shiny engines were not up to the task of getting up over the hill to deliver the toys to the kids in time for the holidays. Instead, despite the skeptics, it was the little engine in an act of pure will, that kept telling itself, “I think I can, I think I can,” who was able to get over the big hill to get the job done.

In some ways, social media is like that little engine (and I use the term social media in its broadest sense to encompass digital and social media). Everyone is playing with social media, but there is a deeply held perception that social media lacks mass audience reach, measurability and depth to get the job done. This perception fuels the debate of whether digital agencies are “ready to lead,” which as been a hot topic even within this very forum. Some digital agencies contend that social media is mature enough to be the leading vehicle whereas big agencies stay true to the law of large numbers that traditional media reliably delivers.

But the debate about who should lead seems rather irrelevant, because the key concern should be what will work to get over that “awareness hill” that every advertiser must scale to achieve business results. Is the little social media engine ready to scale the big hill?

“I think it can” and here’s why.

When social media exploded on the scene (and I think that’s a fair characterization), it garnered attention because it held the promise of microtargeting in combination with a new level of engagement that one-way traditional advertising could never duplicate. No one doubted the value of reaching people in these highly engaged environments, but no one really knew how to do it efficiently en masse. Large agencies operated within the traditional ad model that delivered numbers while digital agencies tended to rely on the “viral” nature of their tactics to deliver large numbers. That approach was too hit-and-miss to satisfy most businesses and rightfully so.

This is why, until now, social media has not captured a larger share of big advertisers’ budgets — it seems oxymoronic that social media’s microtargeting capability can ever deliver mass audiences.

But like our little engine, I believe 2010 will be the year where the social media finally says “I think I can” to deliver large audiences because the technology pieces are coming together to create the formula for audience reach, measurability and interactivity that yield intent and business results. There is a new maturity in this space as represented, for example, by marketers who now understand that thousands of Twitter followers has no direct relevance to effectiveness or that Facebook alone can not launch campaigns.

Here’s how the social media engine can be used to deliver mass audiences efficiently:

• Think about creating “content campaigns” to drive a focused message using a multichannel approach, e.g video, mobile marketing, social networks and even traditional media. This approach puts the value on content as an audience builder but in a very strategic way. And to help content campaigns along, there are innovative new technology companies, like WebCollage, that offer content syndication and management services to make this task very efficient on a large scale.
• Tap into the power of your customer service organization to be your social-media front-line soldiers. It is one of the most powerful ways to achieve mass reach within current organizational resources. JetBlue is a great example here as they make it a point to respond to every tweet within minutes.
• Create mobile apps to propel new interactions while allowing you to bake in the viral looping element. Gap Style Mixer is a great example; the app gets you in-store discounts while letting you share the discounts with friends.
• Use behaviorally appropriate ad networks as the “carpet layer” of a social-media campaign to deliver large number of impressions similar to the old fashioned GRP (gross rating points) of TV. But to ensure that impressions deliver interactivity, weave in a diversity of behavioral targeting opportunities and retargeting programs from companies like FetchBack or SearchIgnite (this is where you re-present ad an to a target who did not respond the first time).
• Adapt real-world social networks to extend the reach of your social media campaigns. One innovative company in this space is called HouseParty, which allows people to host real world parties for product sampling (think Tupperware parties or Avon Ladies). This company cleverly utilizes social media so they can deliver large scale numbers quickly and efficiently.
• Introduce new tools to measure social media that focus on engagement, interactivity and intent. One great example is a company called Nuconomy, which provides new tools to understand how interactivity drives intent and sales.

As in our story, when the little engine scaled over the hill, it gleefully said “I thought I could, I thought I could.” Perhaps 2010 will be the year when the social media is able to say the same.

Judy Shapiro

The objective behind this presentation (created and presented as part of my final project for Digital Communications) is to give insight on how brand communication and awareness must be done in the social web where people have a voice and seek a dialogue with brands.  Included also is a clear strategy as well as defined actions on how Iberia can reach and engage their customers.  I will let the presentation speak for itself, enjoy!

Before a startup company arrives at a decision to spend on marketing, the company has to evaluate their business model thoroughly before they go to the market. These are the five most important things to be analyzed to verify your business model:

• Is there a real Problem?
• Is the solution offered by you the right one?
• Is there a market for your solution?
• Fix your sales strategy.
• Get in a good revenue model.

“Spend on lead generation campaigns rather than on Brand awareness campaigns”. A Startup company needs to spend more money on lead generation campaigns rather than on Brand awareness to grab their first few good customers who would give them fixed revenue on a month on month to sustain.

One common mistake done by startups is that the CEO delegates the marketing function to a marketer and then forgets it. The best marketer for any startup company is the CEO himself. In case if the CEO delegates the Marketing function then make sure that the CEO spends enough time with the Marketer, brainstorming ideas and getting the right marketing campaigns in place.

Organic growth is the best way to get more new customers. The Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) just doubles in a pay per click campaign when compared to driving traffic organically. Today most online marketers buy on tracked ROI.  So if you are considering an advertising model, I highly encourage you to develop one that delivers results that will minimize the need for a sales team. Hence startup should start off with a lead generation campaign rather than a branding campaign.

ServoSell can help you evaluate your business model and get you start with your first few clients. We understand the importance of revenue generation for your business so that get our pie from you as a valued customer. We also help you get the right strategic alliance to get you the right business mix for your Go to Market strategy.

PS: ServoSell is a group of independent Marketing & Software Consultants, helping small and large businesses grow. ServoSell enables you to forget your “Marketing-Operational” issues and helps you focus on your core competencies, Strategies and Sales. Visit us here: http://www.servosell.com

Recent studies show that in challenging economic times, it is vital to continue marketing your brand. Economic cycles are just that, cyclical. Similar to the Wall Street phrase, “buy when other’s are selling and sell when other’s are buying,” the same can hold true in the marketing arena. Many studies do show though that companies often cut their marketing budgets first and assume a defensive posture. This is great…For your competitors.

View this recent piece from the New Yorker that compares the strategies of Kellogg’s & Post during the Great Depression. Can you see some parallels with right now?

www.shoewalletpromogear.com/kelloggvspost

Watch for our upcoming piece that ranks the most cost effective media marketing tools available. This one will surprise you (it surprised us & we’re in the business).

Found at http://www.conversationagent.com/2009/12/marketing-in-2010-free-ebook.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ConversationAgent+%28Conversation+Agent%29

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Read more at http://www.conversationagent.com/2009/12/marketing-in-2010-free-ebook.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ConversationAgent+%28Conversation+Agent%29

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It is the child of television and internet marketing, but surpasses either parent in ways that are sometimes surprising. Welcome to Video Advertising.

According to Comscore, 140 + American consumers tuned to “online videos” in 2009, multiplying the consumer base by 700 %. Average monthly consumption rose from 6 to10 hours, with more than 26 billion views on a given month. The facts about growing usage actually understate the promise of online video advertising.

So, what does this mean for Businesses & Internet Marketing?
According to video marketing expert, Bob Clarke, “it is very difficult to establish trust through written words. People will trust you more if they have a face and voice to associate with your name.” While this new marketing channel shows greater promise for consumer purchase, what unique attributes does online video advertising reveal?

• Online video ads are short and mandatory. Some videos allow fast-forwarding promotions post 10 seconds, allowing a business to create a basic brand imprint within the consumer’s brain.
• Video advertising allows immediate, “call to action” such as “click here to receive 20% off your next purchase”.
• The advent of internet marketing has created a whole new realm of targeted consumer behavior analysis & advertising, which allows businesses the ability capture demographic data and cater their promotions to specific consumer groups.
• Social Media Marketing in tangent with Video Advertising takes brand exposure to a whole new level. The “click here to post video on profile” transformed the traditional “word of mouth” in ways that words cannot express.

Research firm e-Marketer projects 35 to 45 percent growth for online video advertising for each of the next five years. This simply means that businesses have a brand new internet marketing channel that they must consider in their upcoming budgets.

By Bruce Lacey

“A 2.5 hour interactive training, Digital Promotions Strategy, beginning in January and based in New York City, is the first of its kind to incorporate the entire spectrum of creating, engaging & expanding a business’ online network. Extracted from online scientific principles, the live seminar will provide business professionals the knowledge, structure, and tools to track consumer behavior & campaign effectiveness – an internet marketing strategy that will give attendees the confidence to manage their online marketing in-house.

The seminar follows the life cycle of creating a convincing online presence, while identifying the key components of branding, drawing an audience to a firm’s online portal, engaging an established network through viral promotions, and expanding consumer base through extensive internet marketing campaigns.”

Author : TEJA;, EDWIN

PT. Bina Adidaya merupakan sebuah perusahaan yang memproduksi berbagai cat produk yang berada di daerah Jakarta. Permasalahan yang kami teliti adalah lemahnya kesadaran masyarakat terhadap merek yang dimiliki oleh cat Polaris. Tujuan rekomendasi penulis adalah untuk menciptakan citra baru dan kesadaran merek Polaris. Adapun metode penelitian yang kami gunakan adalah dengan kualitatif deskriptif.

Keyword : new image, brand awareness

Sumber : http://repository.petra.ac.id/2929/

Author : HARIYONO;, MELISSA

Globalisasi yang telah melanda dunia, membuat persaingan dalam dunia bisnis menjadi semakin ketat dan semakin sulit. Hal inilah yang mendorong P.T National Panasonic Gobel, yang bertanggung jawab atas pemasaran produkproduk elektronik dengan merek National maupun merek Panasonic, melakukan strategi pemasaran global, yaitu dengan merubah merek National untuk dilebur menjadi satu merek yaitu Panasonic. Perusahaan ini menggunakan iklan di berbagai media dan juga pemilihan Duta Panasonic sebagai bagian dari upaya mensosialisasikan perubahan merek ini. Pemilihan Duta Panasonic dilakukan dengan cara memilih seorang public figure untuk dijadikan sebagai Brand Model perusahaan. Brand Model adalah model yang dipilih oleh perusahaan sebagai ikon untuk mewakili merek perusahaan di masyarakat luas. Skripsi ini berisi penelitian tentang pengaruh Brand Model Panasonic terhadap Brand Awareness masyarakat pada produk televisi Panasonic Dian Series serta kesesuaian antara karakteristik dari Brand Model Panasonic dengan kepribadian merek (Brand Personality) dari televisi Panasonic Dian Series. Dalam skripsi ini respondennya adalah individu yang berada di Surabaya dan telah memiliki dan menggunakan televisi merek Panasonic Dian Series. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kredibilitas Brand Model memberikan pengaruh secara signifikan terhadap Brand Awareness masyarakat dan terdapat kesesuaian antara karakteristik Brand Model panasonic dengan Brand Personality televisi merek Panasonic Dian Series.

Keyword : brand model, credibility, brand awareness, brand personality

Sumber : http://repository.petra.ac.id/1493/

Unfortunately, it has become commonplace in the entertainment industry that very few upcoming, talented artists are given opportunities for exposure. The artistic management agencies go and hand pick a limited number of people they want to represent; often these selected artists are chosen for representation for reasons that are unrelated to the amount of talent they have. As a result, many artists, poets, musicians, and comedians find that it is an incredibly difficult road to the top. These incredibly talented, creative individuals discover that they were never given the opportunity to connect with new fans; this connection is necessary to develop a following and increase exposure.

Due to this inequity, we developed IM Radio. Artists can post their acts and try to develop brand awareness using our internet radio station. We specialize in our radio rotation of independent musicians. As a radio station that circulates online, we have discovered that our unusually eclectic mix of talented acts are able to have air play time and work on developing fans. In a way, IM Radio was developed by people in the music industry who wanted to see indie radio help create exposure for artists who are under-represented.

Through our songs, music videos, and radio rotation, we have developed a following of fans that seek alternatives to mainstream entertainers. Our fans want diversity, and also aim to locate acts before they hit it big. This way the fans are able to connect with artists prior to their becoming over-exposed. After locating new talent through our internet radio station, many of our fans end up attending local small venues and watching their favorite artists perform.

Through IM Radio, you should also take the opportunity to locate new, incredibly talented artists, poets, musicians and comedians. After searching through our extensive selection of performed acts, you can find artists that appeal to you. Best yet, you can locate talented individuals based on recommendations from other IM Radio users. What an incredible way to enrich your list of favorite entertainers.

Please visit IMRadio.com in order to obtain more information and learn about new, undiscovered talented performers. Please go ahead and visit the IM Radio website; there you will develop further appreciation for internet radio.

To all who may be wondering, the King is doing just fine. All mental issues are currently resolved. I took the high road babies! And it feels SOOO good!

It is an unfortunate commonplace trend in the entertainment industry that very few artists are ever allowed the opportunity for exposure. Artistic management agencies hand-select a limited number of people to represent, and often the artists are chosen for reasons completely unrelated to the size of their talent. As a result of this process, it can be incredibly difficult for upcoming artists, musicians, comedians, and poets to find their way to the top. These incredibly talented, creative individuals discover that they were never given the opportunity to connect with new fans; this connection is necessary to develop a following and increase exposure.

We developed IM Radio as a result of this unfair commonplace industry practice. Through our internet radio station, artists can post their acts and try to develop brand awareness. We have a commitment to our radio rotation of independent musicians. Because our radio station is online, we found that our unusual assortments of incredibly talented artists are able to have air play time and develop fans. You see, IM Radio was created by individuals in the music industry that wanted to give back; they knew that indie radio would help create exposure for under-represented artists.

We have developed a fan following through our songs, music videos, and radio rotation; our fans are actively searching for alternatives to the mainstream entertainers. Not only do our fans crave diversity, but they also desire to locate acts before they get picked up by a major industry talent management group. Through this, IM Radio’s fans are capable of connecting with artists prior to their becoming over-exposed. Many of our fans locate new talent through our internet radio station; they may end up watching their new favorite artists perform by attending local small venues.

Through IM Radio, you should also take the opportunity to locate new, incredibly talented artists, poets, musicians and comedians. After you conduct a search of our extensive selection of performed acts, you are able to find artists that appeal to you. Even better, you have the opportunity to use other IM Radio users’ recommendations to locate talented individuals. This is an incredible way to develop your diverse list of favorite entertainers.

Please visit IMRadio.com in order to obtain more information and learn about new, undiscovered talented performers. I encourage you to go ahead and visit IM Radio; you’ll wind up developing a further appreciation for quality internet radio.

Today, at a networking meeting, I met someone involved in marketing and branding. We got to talking about social media, and quicker than you can type a tweet, this guy brought up return on investment.

He asserted, unless you can clearly identify the monetary payback on social media, many brand managers won’t give it the time of day.

Now, I understand that ROI and the bottom-line matter; a lot. Nevertheless, it’s curious how when the subject of social media comes up, you can often count the seconds till ROI is mentioned. Why is that?

What’s with the double-standard?

I’ve not heard a hue and cry over what’s the absolute dollars and cents return on investment for numerous other aspects of marketing communications. Like a sales kit. Or a press release. Or an event sponsorship. Or even a website (unless the site is e-commerce based, though for the sake of this example, I’m referring to a corporate/brand website).

And I shall defer from quibbling over what the exact definition of ROI is — used in this context, the general understanding is that it relates to how much profit are we going to make?

The point isn’t what is or is not ROI, but rather why you must know from the get-go what’s the end-measure for a social media program, when other types of marketing and public relations are not all held to this same standard.

“Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted” – Albert Einstein

No one’s come up with a formula to accurately surmise the precise profits gained from buzz, brand affinity, or word of mouth. It’s iffy to assign a cash value to a news story that appears about your company, product or service. You don’t necessarily know how much money is generated by a TV or print campaign, either.

I’m not suggesting there’s no reason to gather metrics for social media. There are ways to monitor social media activity and impact. You should benchmark and keep track of how the program is going, and, where possible, identify the return.

It’s more that I’m baffled by this tendency to immediately raise a “where’s the ROI?” beef at the very mention of social media. Which, for those who don’t already know, can drive sales as well as do wonders for brand awareness, customer service, reputation management and search engine optimization (among other things), when properly executed.

A smokescreen tactic?

I wish I had a buck for every article I’ve seen in just these last few months about the ROI of social media. I could take a nice vacation with the windfall.

My hunch is show-me-the-money-or-forget-about-it brand managers/marketers are comfortable with how they’ve been doing things for years. They like the old ways; which are one-way. Social media is two-way. They’re unaccustomed to direct engagement and are terrified of what might come back at them. They fear losing control of their brand.

So a smokescreen gets thrown up due to fear of the new, aversion to risk, and an inability to admit you just plum don’t understand something.

Looks like it boils down to oh-me oh-my rather than ROI.

- Deni Kasrel

Is ROI truly a relevant measure to determine the effectiveness of social media? Do you have experience in calculating the ROI of social media? Please share your stories. Comments welcome.

By Irina Skaya

Facebook was among the hundred words of the Top Marketing Buzz Words of 2008.  Many brands have been on Facebook for a couple of years now, but only a handful are successful in this social platform, meaning only a few have active fans who engage with the fan page on a regular basis.  Some marketers approach my agency to help them build brand awareness and customer loyalty on Facebook, while others already have a presence in the world’s largest social network, but are not sure how to acquire more fans or engage existing fans.  Based on my experience with managing our clients’ Facebook fan pages, I’ve developed the following ten best practices for Facebook fan page management:

1. Dedicate a social media manager to monitor the page several times a day, in order to remove any comments that illustrate abusive, obscene, or defamatory language. Develop a crisis management plan in order to respond to inflammatory comments in a timely manner.
2. Determine the brand voice of the page and integrate fans’ wall posts with the brands’ posts in order to encourage conversation between fans and foster a community.
3. Include a legal disclaimer on the fan page that encourages fans to respect other community members and refrain from using abusive, obscene, or defamatory language.  Examples: www.facebook.com/dove, www.facebook.com/halls
4. Comment on fan posts rather than just drop a post, a link, or a picture periodically on the page is crucial in order to add value to the posts with additional information and foster conversations.
5. Integrate other web properties and Facebook applications in order to enable fans to do more and spread the message about your brand.  Examples include fan page badges, applications to the brand’s blog, Twitter handle, etc.  (See www.facebook.com/cocacola)
6. Leverage company celebrities/spokespeople to communicate with fans, speak on behalf of the brand about the brand, and its unique selling proposition. If the CEO has a corporate video blog, it can be integrated into the Facebook fan page.  Examples: www.facebook.com/yobabyyogurt
7. Provide fans with incentives, including coupons, product locator application, tips, new product announcements, news, and other resource information.  Offering an informational resource allows a brand to target a new demographic, outside of those that already know and love the business. Examples: http://www.facebook.com/herbalessences; http://facebook.com/internationaldelight; http://facebook.com/redmango.
8. Pay attention to the Facebook insights in order to understand which posts are truly motivating your fans to interact.
9. Make your fans feel special. Reward fans for participating, let them know you are watching and foster further engagement.  Make a fan of the week, allowing fans to badge their page and site with something that clearly marks them as an extended member of the brand family.  Example: http://www.facebook.com/dunkindonuts
10. Don’t assume your Twitter audiences are your Facebook fans, too. You will have a healthy minority who are on Twitter, but the community that participates on Facebook trends to be different than those on Twitter.

Do you have any best practices for managing brand Facebook Fan Pages or successful case studies? Feel free to share them here!

Your brand says a lot about you and your company. Your brand is more than your business name, logo or promotional materials; it is your corporate identity.  An effective brand tells your clients and prospects who you are, what you do and how you do it, while at the same time establishing your relevance and credibility in the minds of your clients and prospects.   

Your brand is how your business is perceived, and if your brand has a high perceived value you will enjoy an advantage over your competition. Perceived value can be achieved as a result of an effective brand promotion and high brand awareness within your niche. 

If you would like more information on how we can assist you in implementing an effective branding campaign please contact us.

The Cola Marketing Group is a results-oriented marketing firm with over 15 years of experience. We provide top talent in all facets of marketing in an efficient, friendly, and affordable manner while focusing on creating measurable change for our clients.

For more information visit  www.colamg.com or contact Najat Cola at (206) 992-9125 or najat@colamg.com.

Promotional Clothing creates a good company image, brings in pride to the company, increases brand awareness and is capable of reaping successful results by generating revenue. Given below are some ideas for this promotional product:
Caps
Camp Shirts
T-Shirts
Sweaters
Sweat Shirts
Mock and Turtlenecks
Hooded Sweatshirts
Sport & Golf Polo ShirtsBranded apparel is much more affordable than you would assume – it has a minimum order requirement and it can even be the ideal promotional product even for the smallest home-based business.

can choose an apparel of your choice, and invariably you would assume – it has reduced a number of reasons: Business Gifts Employee Incentives Generate IncomeBusiness Gifts: These are given out to potential customers with the sole intention for promoting brand awareness. Generate Income: There are many online stores that specialise in this trade. The range is wide and you can choose an apparel of your choice, and invariably you would assume – it has reduced a number of other dealers who usually get involved.

In case your current supplier gets the clothing from a wholesaler and then pays a printer separately, the chances are that you will have the opportunity to select the colour of your choice, and invariably you would choose your company colours. Most of these sites have the facility of uploading your business message, brand logo and company name. The process is very easy and with the sole intention for promoting brand awareness. Generate Income: There are a great number of reasons: Business Gifts Employee Incentives Generate IncomeBusiness Gifts: These are mainly targeted for influential persons and decision makers, with the final product.

Therefore, it is best that you try and get closer to the company, increases brand awareness and is capable of reaping successful results by generating revenue. Given below are some ideas for this promotional product: Caps Camp Shirts T-Shirts Sweaters Sweat Shirts Mock and Turtlenecks Hooded Sweatshirts Sport & Golf Polo ShirtsBranded apparel is much more affordable than you would choose your company colours. Most of these sites have the opportunity to advertise their brand name and also create brand visibility by wearing the branded clothing everywhere they go.

Imprinted clothing is worn they too will be a part of promoting brand awareness. Generate Income: There are many online stores that specialise in this trade. The range is wide and you can choose an apparel of your choice and elegantly design your Promotional Clothing. You will have to face a large bill for the final objective being to increase revenue. Employee Incentives: These are mainly targeted for influential persons and decision makers, with the completion of a few steps your will have the facility of uploading your business message, brand logo and company name.

Our intrepid reporter Dave the Penguin yesterday attended the Big Mouth Media Social Survey Summit (in conjunction with econsultancy). He had a great time and wanted to share some of the facts from the survey results. The survey had 1100 respondents of which 458 were client side and 522 came from agencies/suppliers. The survey was across various industries including financial services, retail and publishing.

• When it comes to Social Media activity, 64% stated they were ‘experimenters’

• 73% were looking to gain brand awareness from SM alongside 71% wanting increased engagement

• 61% of individuals see it as a tremendous opportunity whilst only 31% would agree that their organisation believes the same

• When it comes to tactics employed 78% were using twitter,

• 65% facebook (and other networks)

• 60% have video content and 47% a brand blog

• 39% were engaging in social bookmarking (digg, stumbleupon).

The highest function of the above was for listening and buzz monitoring

• With regards to Resourcing – 90% more time is being taken up by SMM than one year ago – no real surprise there, Dave would have bet his next batch of halibut on that one!

• Watch out agencies – only 42% stated they were happy with the SMM knowledge levels within agencies/suppliers

• Now the nasty Budget part – 31% are not using any for SMM purposes

• Half are spending up to 10% (hey big spenders!) on SMM

• 25% feel they have gained tangible value from SMM

• 60% fell they have gained ’some’ value

• Now on to every Penguins’ favourite – Twitter

• 31% see it as a tremendous opportunity

• 50% are open minded

• 13% see it as a major risk (and are also scared of pink fluffy bunnies with bows in their hair)

• 62% of those surveyed publish new content pointers via twitter

• 27% are using it as a customer service tool

• 50% have an overall company profile with 28% having separate profiles for individuals

• So what are their main Barriers?

• 54% state a lack of resource

• 34% a lack of understanding (they need to employ some Penguins!)

• 20% blame a lack of ‘buy in’ from senior figures

• 23% think their company culture is a barrier

So that is a brief summary of the stats for you all. Dave stated that it was a very informative day and that he feels there is a ‘real appetite for progress’ amongst the people he waddled up to and had a chat with (the Penguins have electronic voice simulators, a bit like Stephen Hawkins but they sound a little cuter) but does feel there is a need for further engaging education across the board. Stats are so important to us marketers so to get a real views from a decent and diverse cross section is great.

The full report can be downloaded from www.bigmouthmedia.com

Happy engaging!

Aol’s traffic statistics above show the downward trend in number of page views throughout the past year.  The have recently prepared to split from Time Warner, added lowercase letters to their logo, and launched this new re-branding campaign:

With users increasingly switching to other internet providers and other search engines, Aol seems to be desperately rebuilding their brand.  When the internet first became popular, Aol was arguably one of the most popular internet providers and it seems they have failed to keep up with the times.  What do you think of their new campaign?  Do you think comparing themselves artsy images, skateboarders, and back flips will help drive consumer acquisition, OR is this tactic too little too late?

The ads on YouTube Suck.  I was checking out some old R.E.M music ”The End of The World as We Know It,”  at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmxyj6iInMc&feature=fvw and son of a biatch there is a pop up ads from Wal-Mart. 

The nerve of the bastards to post the word Advertisement.  No Shit, Sherlock, really WTF? Christmas for sale or the end of the free Internet as we know it. 

How much branding do you need when everyone else has gone out of business?  Kmart is still around but most products suck anyway and the 3rd qtr report doesn’t leave a lot of buck for ads on YouTube. 

Get a life Wal-Mart and pass the saving on to consumers.

Toshiba a creat o reclama ce intra mai mult in zona de marketing viral decat in cea de reclama traditionala. Desi filmul are aceeasi lungime cu o reclama clasica de lansare de campanie sau de brand, un minut, te incita caci incepe cu imagini pe care nu te-ai astepta sa le vezi, te atrage sa vezi ce se intampla, te incanta cand imaginile arata lucruri pe care muritorii nu le vor vedea pe viu vreodata pentru ca, in timp ce se deruleaza secundele de promovare a produsului la sfarsitul reclamei, sa ai deja in minte ideea de a-l vedea inca o data sau de a-l da mai departe.

Ajungem in felul acesta la marketingul viral care prin definitie este o tehnica de marketing ce foloseste retele sociale existente pentru replicarea mesajului si pentru a creste brand awareness-ul produsului sau marcii vizate dar si pentru a atinge alte obiective strategice (de exemplu vanzari). Marketingul viral ia forme diverse printre care clipuri video, jocuri interactive in timpul navigarii pe Internet, jocuri publicitare, carti electronice, software branduit, imagini si chiar text.

Scaunul a ajuns la altitudinea de 30.256 metri.