ANA Marketing Maestros

Listen. Engage. Respond.

By Guest Blogger Lisa Neary

According to Arianna Huffington, a part of the Huffington Post's success has been based on that simple strategy: Listen. Engage. Respond. It's no secret that the general sentiment towards Corporate America is at an all-time low. Couple consumer doubt with the economic hardships that the majority of Americans are facing and marketers are now faced with using their conversations in social media to help public relations initiatives to foster trust and loyalty to the brand, product or company.

For The Huffington Post part of building this trust has been through creating content around topics that the readership cares about. How do they know what their readers want? They listen and ask then they act. Arianna reminded us that, self-expression has become the new form of entertainment and they foster this dialogue to further nurture reader relations. Leveraging these insights has enabled The Huffington Post to cultivate a participatory and loyal readership. Here are four other ways they continue to differentiate:

a.     Watch the trends. With a small internal staff, THP leverages a vast pool of talent who contribute to the internet newspaper through blog posts.

b.     Get a cause. Create a pulse, a personality, a value system for your brand. Customers want a connection to your brand that resonates with them.

c.     Accept failure. Or run the risk of becoming stale. The biggest risks come with the biggest rewards. Experiment.

d.     Be nimble. Operate as flat as possible and encourage input from all levels of the organization.

While these ideas may not be new, they are the tenets to developing a successful presence in the social media presence where your audience is savvy, is easily distracted and demands a more personal relationship. As Arianna explains, "Time is long. Life is short." Slow down, start having some meaningful conversations with your audience, and be sure to take notes. 

Have You Heard?

By Guest Blogger Lisa Neary

The digital landscape is changing. That was no clearer than after hearing Geoff Ramsey, CEO, Co-Founder eMarketer present at the ANA Digital and Social Media Conference last week. The downturned economy has decreased traditional media spend almost 20%. Marketers are being asked to do more with less and that has meant shifting discretionary dollars to digital initiatives.

With more than 57% of the US population participating in social media, many companies are attempting to leverage this space, but there is still confusion as marketers wonder if it is overrated. That is shocking considering that Geoff did note that only 10% of companies are effectively measuring the success of their social media programs.

While it still may be premature to tell, that fact is this: with a 60/40 split in terms of companies using social media to those not, you are behind the curve if you are at least exploring how to create an authentic dialogue with your audience and more importantly, you are at a severe competitive disadvantage if you are not listening to the buzz about your company, products or services across social media platforms.

With an ever-growing number of tools out there for "listening" to what your customers have to say, there's no excuse to not be taking advantage of this resource.  This valuable information is readily available and more importantly: free. Whether it's listening to what words they use to describe your product or brand or gaining a better understanding about their interests, intentions, real or perceived problems, the insights gained from harvesting this information can have a drastic effect on your messaging, product development and marketing strategy.

If you are still wondering if social media is a fad, watch this video, and make sure you listen.

Who Owns the Information on Your Facebook Page?

By Cara Brooke Schultz

Social media can be defined as "activities, practices, and behaviors among communities of people who gather online to share information, knowledge, and opinions using conversational media," according to The Social Media Bible. Just a few months ago you might have read about Facebook’s privacy transition. With the transition, Facebook users’ names, profile photos, gender, and hometown suddenly became publicly available information, when previously only your name and network were publicly available.

 

Now Canada has slapped Facebook with a class-action suit saying the transition violated Canadian privacy and consumer protection laws. The class-action suit claims that Facebook made money from its customers’ personal data by letting third parties use it for targeted online advertising campaigns.

How do you feel about these new privacy transitions? Do you feel like you own the information on your Facebook page, or does Facebook own that information?

Chime in with your thoughts!

3GTV—The New Advertising Medium?

By Cara Brooke Schultz

How many commercials leave a lasting impression, so much so, that they play out in your head while you are shopping at your local grocery store? Soon those commercials maybe viewable while you are doing your shopping. According to a recent article by The New York Times a company called, “Automated Media Services has been working on a system that would deliver television in retail environments in a way that would allow media agencies to plan and buy commercial time in stores just as they do on the networks.” The product is deemed 3GTV and will give advertisers an environment similar to what they had in the days of only three television networks—an effective way to reach audiences without distractions.

© The New York Times

Stephen Grubbs, a media guru who held positions at agencies owned by the Omnicom Group said, “The presence of the 3GTV screens near or in front of the products advertised in the commercials represents an advantage, compared with existing systems in stores that use TV screen at or above check-out counters, after purchase decisions have already been made.” As an advertiser, what type of commercials would your company broadcast on 3GTV? Would they be 10-second catchy commercials or a 30 second spot? 

Advice from the “Celebrity CMO”

By Adrienne Tallacksen

I recently had the opportunity to see Jeffrey Hayzlett, now former CMO of Eastman Kodak, speak at an industry event for a second time. His presentation was one of the most popular at ANA’s 2009 Masters of Marketing Conference last year, and he spoke again at a recent forum of the Mobile Marketing Association. Hayzlett is an engaging and dynamic speaker who is known as the “Celebrity CMO” and who challenges marketers to be leaders and grow the bottom line. If they’re not doing those things, why are they even around, he asks. Hayzlett introduced a couple of new themes in his most recent speech.
 
The 118 Speech: This is the new elevator pitch. Marketers have to have a value proposition, and they have to be able to sell it. The average adult attention span is just eight seconds; the average elevator ride in New York City is 110 seconds. With the 118 speech, you’ve got eight seconds to hook your listeners and 110 seconds to sell your value proposition. 

Be a Change Agent: When asked how people who haven’t yet reached the rank of CMO can be change agents in their organizations, Hayzlett told the story of the weekend he spent cleaning carpets at his company and then tearing up the carpets after finding beautiful marble floors underneath all because he was told that it was too expensive to get the carpets cleaned. Don’t just stand around saying “woe is me, I’m not powerful enough to change anything.” If clean carpets are what’s needed to grow the bottom line, get a six-pack and some friends and spend the weekend cleaning the carpets. Hayzlett advises marketers to be the change they want to see, and if they get fired for doing the right thing, all the better.

Videos: The Trend of the Moment or Here to Stay?

By Cara Brooke Schultz

Viral videos seem to be the “trend” of the moment in the social media world, but will it last? Most websites from CNN.com to HomeDepot.com are using videos for numerous reasons like broadcasting information, tutorials, or pure entertainment. And then you have YouTube—a video community where anyone can become an Internet star by simply uploading a homegrown video.

Recently, I stumbled upon craigslist TV on YouTube.  At first I wasn’t sure if these videos were real, they look professionally produced, and the personalities of the people in the videos seems so outlandish I thought they had to be actors.

 

According to the craigslist channel on YouTube, “craigslist tv is a new documentary series that follows real craigslist users, in real time, as they use craigslist to make things happen. The project remains active today. Interested craigslist users click an opt-in button if they think their posting deserves to be seen. The episodes in this series are the results of the project to date.”

Do you find yourself watching more videos online? If so, what do you watch online—news, entertainment, educational tutorials? 

The iPad Gets Wired

By Susan Burke

Wired magazine is now available on the iPad via a rich app, which enables users to read all content available in the print edition of the magazine and enjoy additional multi-media enhancements for $4.99 per issue. According to an article in the May 26, 2010 edition of The New York Times, examples of these multi-media enhancements include:

A Lamborghini Gallardos made of Legos…, which has six images in the print magazine, is shown being constructed in the app through a slide show of 180 images that a user can scroll through like a flip-book. The two images of Mars that ran in the print version become a rotating 3-D version on the app.

 However, content published on Wired.com will remain different and separate from the content in the printed magazine or on the iPad. In terms of the advertisers featured in the magazine, all advertisers who participated in the print version were part of the iPad version as well, which launched with the June issue of Wired (pictured above).
Condé Nast, which publishes Wired, worked with the makers of Adobe’s InDesign program for a year to develop this app. The resulting new Adobe feature will be made available to other publishers for purchase.   According to The New York Times, this addition to InDesign “allows the magazine’s editorial team to easily move the print design into the iPad design and vice versa. “

Wired’s work with the iPad is an important step for the print industry and an example as to how other magazines can start to blend more digital content into their existing offerings. Click here to read a piece from the ANA’s Marketing Insights Center on the future of magazines.

Facebook (And Other Websites) Banned from Pakistan

By Cara Brooke Schultz

Social media is popular in Pakistan with about 25 million people regular Internet users, however those 25 million people will need to live without Facebook and other social networking sites for an indefinite amount of time.

According to an article on CNN.com, “Pakistan is blocking access to Facebook in response to an online group calling on people to draw the Prophet Mohammed.”  The telecommunication authority in Pakistan said the site has been blocked for an indefinite amount of time.  The group could be considered offensive to devout Muslims—they consider it disrespectful to depict Mohammed.

Originally the creator of the Facebook group established the group as a means of protest. She was quoted in the CNN.com article as saying, “This is something I have felt strongly about for a long time: bullying by certain Muslim groups will not be tolerated in a free country.”

Facebook responded by saying that although the group may be considered objectionable to some people it does not violate Facebook policies.  Currently Facebook is looking into the situation.

From a marketing standpoint, how do you think Facebook should deal with the current situation and any future situations that may arise?  Share your thoughts!

The FTC Gives Tweens an “Ad-ucation”

By Cara Brooke Schultz

Can a video game be used as an educational tool? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would like to think so. They recently developed a new campaign—an educational video game—to educate kids about marketing and advertising. The FTC launched this campaign for three main reasons: to raise awareness of advertising messages among children ages 8 to 12; teach critical thinking skills that will allow tweens to analyze and interpret advertisements; and demonstrate the benefits of being an informed consumer.  

 

The FTC is hoping that not only will this video game help “ad-ucate” young consumers, but that it will help to enhance critical thinking skills.  The campaign’s website gives teachers educational tools to help raise advertising awareness among students. For example, teachers can download a lesson that invites students to explore what advertising is, what ads do, and who’s responsible for the messages being projected in the ads.  

The video game isn’t the most graphically enhanced, and with all the video-entertainment out there for tweens, I’m not sure how this will effectively hold their attention (although I’m sure they will find this video game more enjoyable then any old lesson plan).  However, I think it’s a great concept, tweens should understand advertising and anything that helps to generate critical thinking skills is a plus! Test out your ad-skills at admongo.

Procure This!

By Bill Duggan

ANA’s Advertising Financial Management runs Sunday-Wednesday in Florida. For the first time ever, this annual event is sold out. 400+ people will be in attendance and many of these attendees will be client procurement/sourcing people.

One of the conference sessions is entitled, “Procurement: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly” and will debut results of a survey among (a) client procurement; (b) client marketing; and (c) agencies on the state of marketing procurement.  We can’t reveal the juicy stuff until the conference, but in the meantime, here are the survey findings that cover information such as the background/level of experience of procurement professionals and reporting structure.

• Marketing procurement has been in existence, on average, for 10 years. 
• Meanwhile, a marketing procurement professional has an average of 7 years in marketing procurement and 12 years total experience as procurement professional.

A common critique is that many procurement professionals lack proper marketing training—but the numbers above show that marketing procurement is still in its infancy (at many companies) and the fact that there is 7 years average experience in marketing procurement versus 10 years average existence for the department is impressive.

The backgrounds of marketing procurement people are pretty equally divided:

• 43% were previously in another procurement role, non-marketing
• 38% were previously in a marketing or agency role

A debate we’ve heard – “Is it better to have a procurement person go into marketing procurement or a marketing person go into procurement?"  There is no clear answer but it’s an interesting debate. 

Finally, here’s where procurement reports: (percentages add to greater than 100% due to multiple reporting structures):
    Supply Chain Management or Strategic Sourcing: 38%
    Finance or Accounting: 30%
    Stand-Alone Purchasing or Procurement Group: 20%
    Advertising, Marketing and/or Marketing Communications: 12%
    Operations: 8%
    Corporate Services: 7%
    Other Groups: 3%

Stay tuned as there’s more to come!