Key Considerations for Launching a Social Media Strategy
More and more companies are embracing digital and social media as an opportunity to engage and deepen relationships with customers, augmenting or even replacing traditional marketing strategies. A recent example, rather move forward with a traditional Super Bowl TV spot, Pepsi launched the Pepsi Refresh Project. Through the $20 million crowdsourcing initiative, which will no doubt be a marketing case study, people are enticed to submit and vote on ideas that will have a positive impact on society. The best ideas will receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 each.
Pepsi is just one many companies endeavoring to be more innovative in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. Such innovation is now a necessity, as brands strive to break through and achieve relevancy in the mindset of modern consumers. However, before going full on in digital and social media, there are some very important questions companies must ask themselves.
1. Is the strategy aligned with the brand and overall marketing plan?
An interactive social media strategy should be created and executed in proper alignment with the overall brand strategy. Keeping in mind that social media is based on two-way dialogue, companies must ensure that the brand identity is upheld and in each and every interaction. Like any medium, desired messaging must be consistent with other components of the marketing plan. Social media should not be a standalone strategy, where possible companies should consider integrating it with other mediums. For example, a print ad could drive people to a Facebook fan page, with a proper incentive that consumers find to be of value.
2. How will the social media efforts be measured?
As with any marketing strategy, metrics are important. While it is always valuable to determine ROI on a given campaign, social media measurement should be considered a bit differently. Effective social media engagement strategies rely on word-of-mouth. As such, companies need to monitor the conversation that is occurring. What is being discussed? What is their share of the conversation, for a particular market segment? How often is their product and/or service being recommended?
The 4Ps have evolved into the 4Cs – content, connections, community and conversations.
Here is an overview of online buzz generated from this year’s Super Bowl commercials, courtesy of Mashable.
3. Are the necessary resources available to execute?
Companies need to consider whether they have the knowledge and skills necessary to properly execute a social media strategy, either internally or with partner agencies. Social media is much, much more than possessing an understanding of Facebook and Twitter – companies that rely on that as a basis for “expertise” are only setting themselves up for failure. As a side note, in May 2009 a search of Twitter profiles revealed that there are 4,487 self-proclaimed social media experts. As of December 2009, there were 15,740. This represents a three and a half fold increase, within just six months! Yikes! Drawing a parallel, I’ve been skiing most of my life, so I suppose I should be trying out for the World Cup circuit right now, shouldn’t I?
Of course, there are many top social media pros who stand out from the crowd, I am fortunate to know some of them. In building resources to execute social media program, an understanding of both social media and marketing fundamentals is important.
What are your thoughts? What should companies consider when developing a social media strategy?
Eric Buchegger is the BCAMA Director of Social Media. Read his marketing insights blog at www.ericbuchegger.com.
Vancouver 2010 Olympics – Everybody Wants a Piece
Locals, tourists, media, sponsors and non-sponsors will be descending onto this Village of Vancouver over the next few weeks for one of the world’s biggest sporting events. And while this blog’s title may or may not be a veiled reference to the 100,000 free condoms distributed to the participants, it’s clear that marketers are pulling out all the stops in order to align their brand with the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
First up on the docket is Subway, who’s manoeuvring around the whole ‘non-sponsor thing’ is downright comical. In fact, I’m inventing a term for their particular style of ambush marketing – ‘overt covertness’. The commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGJ8Q84L4I) has US Olympian and Speedo-clad Michael Phelps – a summer sport participant no less – swimming his way toward Vancouver. There is no actual mention of Vancouver or the Olympic Games, but it shows a map of the Pacific Northwest with Phelps clearly heading through Washington and toward Vancouver, with the narrator chiming in ‘so he can get to where the action is this winter’. I suppose we can only assume he’s heading to the Puyallup Sewing and Stitchery Festival.
Closer to home, Edgewater Casino have unveiled their ‘Our Games Are 24/7’ campaign at bus shelters across the city. Howe Sound Brewing made news with the release of their latest beer, an imperial red ale that features three beavers adorning gold, silver and bronze medals. Lululemon have gone a step further and unveiled a clothing line cheekily entitled ‘Cool Sporting Event That Takes Place in British Columbia Between 2009 and 2011’.
Clearly VANOC’s concerns are well-warranted and they have a lot to watch out for. This isn’t just a random event company controlling their logo usage to protect their brand and sponsor interests. VANOC is charged with the enormous and difficult task of developing and implementing a brand that not only speaks to their organization; but also a brand that will demonstrate to the world what it is to be Canadian. Caley Denton, VP, Ticketing & Consumer Marketing at VANOC, said at a recent luncheon “The impression of the games and what it says about Vancouver and Canada will be our legacy.” A tall order indeed.
Caley’s words may seem grandiose but they couldn’t be more on mark. We are far beyond maple syrup and Mounties; we are a compassionate, tolerant, multicultural and spirited bunch who take pride in the natural theatre in which we live. Too often an afterthought on the world scene, Canada will emerge from these games with new meaning and Vanoc’s message of “with glowing hearts” will deliver that. I attended the BCAMA’s Speaker Series event – The Art of Storytelling – and among speaker Bill Baker’s many insights was the following quote: “To be human is to have a story”. Well, to be Canadian is to have a story as well, and now is our chance to tell it.
So in reality, chasing down an ambush marketer or besmirching a local companies’ attempt at good old Canadian wit is the least of Vanoc’s worries. The public are pretty marketing savvy in today’s world anyway, and they will hardly be fooled by imposters.
The challenge, therefore, is not in wrestling their brand rights from rogue ambushers, but rather quite the opposite: taking the brand and infecting everyone so they may embrace and live it. Every interaction a tourist encounters upon arriving in Vancouver will play a role: the customs officer, the cab driver, the hotel clerk, the waitress, the nightclub bouncer, the museum guide. From Zulu to Roots, from Japadog to Roxy, we are all brand ambassadors. Storytellers, you might say.
Let’s just hope Michael Phelps is arriving in more than a Speedo.
Written by Ryan McKee, Manager, Marketing & New Media at Vancouver Whitecaps FC and BCAMA Director of Special Events
Traditional versus Creative Sponsorship
In a thesaurus, the word “sponsorship” has a variety of synonyms, including backing, support, funding, aid, finance and protection. I am yawning as I write this. But in the world of marketing, it truly means a way to reach out to a potential new target market with the aim of making more sales and building your reputation. Not so tiresome, but not far behind. OK, what I really mean to say is sponsorship can be creative, fun, inspiring and most importantly, it can get you new business!
Traditional sponsorship is still out there, but the best innovative minds will want to pull together a unique, jaw dropping marketing adventure that will get the attention of your audience. Didn’t know sponsorship could be so cool, eh? Well let me give you a couple of past sponsorship initiatives I have been involved with.
I was working on an event with zero budget and was in desperate need of creative design. At the time, designers were in very high demand and unavailable. Finding a designer to sponsor and donate their talent in kind was a big challenge. I was connected to this brilliant designer who had a banking day job and did design part time after hours. We approached her employer, a large credit union. The company ended up sponsoring the event by donating her days at work to creative days of work on the event. A win win for everyone!
Another innovative story is on sponsorship recognition. Gone should be the days of the rolling PowerPoint with logos (I am back yawning again). Instead of recognizing sponsors this way in front of a large audience, we did messaging throughout the day for each sponsor on what philanthropic achievements they achieved in their business. The crowd loved it, it was engaging, it was educational and it really highlighted their business! So, over to you savvy marketing minded readers … traditional or creative?
Treena Innes
BCAMA Director of Sponsorship
PS. Get in contact with me anytime to talk creative sponsorship, would love to hear from you: tkm1313@shaw.ca
Eye Candy – January
We are excited to introduce a new monthly feature for our blog. The following quick hits of inspiration are provided by Trina Mousseau, Creative Account Specialist at Inventa, and Director of Membership for the BCAMA.
1) SAFETY SONG ON MELODY ROAD
To promote safety awareness DUNLOP created a road that plays a melody when you drive the speed limit.
By making grooves in the road, a melody is played by the friction of tires. If the car is going too fast, it won’t work.
The road was featured in Japanese media and became a popular tourist attraction.
Agency: Dentsu Razorfish, Tokyo, Japan.
2) GUERRILLA THEATER AT CROSSWALKS
All the world’s a stage! Cell phone company and Internet provider Movistar showed just how speedy and mobile they are through flash performances on city crosswalks. The light turns red and the show begins; the light turns green and cars continue on their way. It’s a clever production that you must see for yourself. Click http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/speedy_mobile_mail to view the video.
Agency: Young & Rubicam Perú.
3) TOYOTA PRUIS SOLAR POWER FLOWERS
As part of the launch of the 2010 Toyota Prius, Toyota placed five 18-foot high “Solar Flowers” in Boston. The flower sculptures have solar power petals which offer consumers free electricity and free Wi-Fi. The installation toured major US cities including Boston, New York, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
4) LAUNDRY SOFTENER’S IDEA SMELLS SWEET
To create awareness for Lenor flower-scented laundry softener, they replaced the flower buckets of Romanian florists with Lenor bottle-shaped buckets. This creative media space, that highlights the product benefit so perfectly, was secured free of charge.
Agency: Grey Bucharest, Romania.
5) MAGNETIC BILLBOARD PROMOTES TV CHANNEL
To position HOT cable TV as the network with the best shows and the hottest stars to offer its customers they created a campaign entitled “At Home with the Stars.” A 140 meter long magnetic billboard was created and affixed with over 6,000 magnetic cut-outs of entertainment celebrities. The public was invited to peel off a celebrity and take it home with them. The entire display was stripped bare within two hours of launch, and was consequently restocked several times. The event became an instant hit and was picked up by leading media channels, including live coverage on Breakfast TV.
Agency: BBR Saatchi & Saatchi Tel Aviv, Israel.
If you like these, sign up for Trina’s bi-monthly Eye Candy reports at www.inventaworld.com/news.
Crowdsourcing: An Overview
Crowdsourcing is a term that many people have heard of over the last couple of years, yet there still seems to be some unfamiliarity with what it is. I thought I would provide an overview, with some contextual examples as they apply to marketing.
Made possible by Web 2.0 technologies and social media, the term was coined by Jeff Howe in a 2006 Wired magazine article. In essence, crowdsourcing is a problem-solving model in which particular issues are communicated to an audience of unknown participants, as an open call for solutions. The audience submits proposed solutions to the problem, and often times is tasked with sorting through the solutions, selecting the best one. For a full overview of crowdsourcing, Wikipedia has an excellent article.
From a marketing standpoint, executed properly, crowdsourcing can be an excellent method of engaging audiences with a brand. By providing a mechanism for feedback and interaction, brands can foster greater loyalty and sense of ownership. The caveat, however, is that for crowdsourcing to work, companies must show that they are willing to embrace and enact on the solutions that audiences propose. Companies can also go further by rewarding those who submit solutions that are implemented.
Several companies have successfully leveraged crowdsourcing as part of their marketing efforts.
Dell, some time after having suffered an online PR disaster, created a forum for participants to contribute and vote on ideas – www.ideastorm.com. The website currently attracts 15,000 users a month. So far, they have implemented over 350 of 13,000 ideas submitted. Here is a promotional video for the website.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0SOXW_K56w]
Venerable consumer giant Procter and Gamble has also made a foray into crowdsourcing. They host contests on online research and development communities, inviting the public to submit solutions related to product design or new ideas on it’s connect + develop website. So far, more than 30% of problems posted on InnoCentive, one of the community sites P&G uses, have been solved. The Swiffer, a major revenue generating product, came from P&G’s crowdsourcing initiatives.
Have you implemented or contemplated implementing a crowdsourcing strategy for your brand? Do you have any crowdsourcing examples that you’d like to share?
We would love to hear from you.
Special thanks to chaordix for providing crowdsourcing case studies. They have more available on their website.
October Member Spotlight: Martin Reed
Each month, we will be featuring BCAMA members on our blog, highlighting some of the innovators, trendsetters and leaders in BC’s marketing community.
This month’s interview is with Martin Reed, the Director of Marketing and Creative Services at Central 1 Credit Union.
 Martin Reed |
How long have you been a BCAMA member? Three years What type of marketing do you employ? B2B and B2C marketing and communication. Have you attended any BCAMA events? If so, which ones? Breakfasts, speakers and the annual Marketer of the Year Gala Have you used the network that BCAMA provides, for job searching or Not really – mostly educational and a bit of networking What is unique about BCAMA? The association provides good quality and value for marketers |
| What school did you attend and what degree did you achieve?
Bachelor of Commerce, Major Marketing (with Distinction) Concordia University, Montreal Do you have a LinkedIn profile we can refer to for additional information? Interview conducted by Camilla Crawfurd, BCAMA Member Appreciation Manager. If you would like to be featured in Member Spotlight, please contact us at bcama.membership@gmail.com. |
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Are You Up To Speed?
Like all things in life these days, time is short and always of the essence. This rings true for marketers. We seem to always find ourselves under constant time constraints and burning the midnight oil to make tight deadlines.
But like all good business people, marketers also understand the power of networking. We all know it takes only one good relationship to open opportunities for sales or advance one’s career, but finding the time to network can be extremely tough. So at times, you have to make the best use of your time and work the floor to meet as many people as possible.
At the BCAMA AGM, we had our first Speed Networking event. Patricia Wu, our director of Special Events kindly passed along some tips from the event. They make for great pointers for anyone looking to speed network or, at the very least, refresh themselves on some basics.
10 Tips For Speed Networking Success
1. Have the right tools
Bring lots of business cards, a pen and the right mindset (smile, make eye contact, and remember a firm handshake)
2. Think about your goals
Be prepared to have one or two. Are you looking to hire? Looking for general contacts in the marketing industry? Are you promoting your business?
Make it easy for someone to help you. The more concise you are in the descriptions of yourself and your goals, the better your odds for success.
3. Know short statements about yourself
Just like elevator pitches, it pays to prepare a few lines about yourself and your business/company/service. Think about what you are looking for and how you can benefit others as well.
4. Practice the art of the business card
Always have yours ready to give out. After meeting someone, read the business card of the person while chatting. This shows interest and helps you to remember his/her name. Take the time to write a brief note while the other person is talking. And try to separate yours from the ones you receive.
5. Help others and get leads yourself
Goodwill goes a long way. After meeting someone, if you see an opportunity to help them with their goals, please do. Chances are the favour will be returned. It might not be tomorrow, but you might benefit in the months to come.
6. Make time after an event
You might only have enough time to chat for a few minutes, so ask people to talk in greater detail after initial introductions. This opens more time to meet more people and sets up a quick next step in nurturing a business relationship.
7. Don’t miss potential synergy
Always think about future endeavors. Be direct and propose a date and time.
8. Follow up
It’s easy to brush it off, but take the time to send a thank you email to initiate additional communication. If relevant, think about inviting new contacts into your social media networks like LinkedIn.
9. Be professional and courteous
No brainer here. This isn’t speed dating, so remember to keep your level of professionalism high.
10. Have fun and be yourself
Networking is about making a connection, so have fun and your positive vibes will be infectious.
So if you have the need for speed, remember some of the points above as they will go a long way to helping you achieve your goals.
bing.com
Without much fanfare (outside technology circles), Microsoft launched bing.com, their new search engine designed to help people make better decisions. I know I can sure use the help at times.
It’s no secret that Microsoft wanted to increase its position in the online search world. Just think back to last year’s Yahoo! drama. So, it should come as no surprise that they moved forward with their own online property.
Launched on May 28, 2009 (deployed worldwide on June 3), bing.com is dubbed as a ‘Decision Engine’, as opposed to a search engine. Interesting positioning indeed, and in some ways quite ingenious as it helps to focus on what users do online.
First, we surfed. Then, we searched. Now, we decide. Over the past few years, there have been numerous reports stating that users (consumers and business) use the Internet to research items so they can make more informed purchase decisions, whether online or in-store. I know I do this as well.
But, regardless of my thoughts on their positioning, it’s time to focus on the real questions at hand:
Does it really work better than the rest?
It’s still pretty early, but some prelim tests (very informal) performed by yours truly seems to suggest it’s results are comparable with Google and Yahoo!.
Will online users switch, or at least incorporate bing.com into their search mix?
Good question. I know in the past, I used to use a number engines in my quest for information, but lately, I’ve been using one. But understanding that bing.com focuses on four key vertical areas (making a purchase decision, planning a trip, researching a health condition or finding a local business), I might be inclined to try. Though I’m iffy on this right now.
The user experience seems to be similar to the others. But, they have included an additional navigation feature on the left side of each page that offers helpful search options for the user. Plus, each search result is categorized on the page so finding the right type of info is, I must say, easier.
Can marketers gain advantage using this tool over its established competitors?
Another good question. I can’t help but think of the saying, “If you build it, they will come.” Let’s face it, if people come, then marketers will incorporate bing.com into their search marketing and SEO (search engine optimization) mix. Without a doubt. Moreover, since it’s focused on purchase related decisions it certainly lends itself well to advertising efforts. In fact, there are already sponsored sites (akin to Google Adwords) at the top and sides of each results page.
But I must admit, although I checked out the back-end admin (adCenter) for marketers to use to manage their ads, I didn’t spend a lot of time playing around with it, let alone create a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ad campaign. Like its competitors, it was easy-to-use and offers the right type of intelligence we need to continually improve our work. They do offer case studies to review as well.
I’m always amazed at the incredible pace of change technology has brought to our marketing lives. Since I started using Yahoo! In the mid/late 90s, I’ve had the chance to see search engines, and marketing tactics using them, evolve over time. It’ll be interesting to see the type of response Microsoft’s entry will garner from the big players. At the end of the day, if we all can make one better decision a day, then it must have some value.
At this time, I would like to ask for your thoughts on bing.com. Will you use it? Do you like it better? Have you already created a campaign?
- editor
Social Networking Forecast: Success can depend on your Circle of Friends
A recent report by eMarketer suggests that US social networking ad spending will fall by 3% to US$1.14 billion in 2009 from US$1.18 billion in 2008. Significant if one considers that year-over-year spending grew by an estimated 33% in 2008 and 129% in 2007.
The major culprit for the overall decrease? MySpace. Due to a drop in recent traffic figures, eMarketer predicts revenue for MySpace to drop 15% this year to US$495 million compared to an estimated $585 million in 2008. However, there is some positive news out of this as Facebook is expected to increase its ad revenue to about US$230 million, a 9.5% over 2008.
So, what does this mean to marketers? Two things:
First, not all social networking sites are created equal. Investing in a social networking ad campaign requires careful planning on targeting the right audiences, which means putting in the time to carefully weigh out your options and prioritize your dollars. Basic marketing fundamentals, I know. But it’s easy to get caught up in the social media frenzy and target sites based on their overall member numbers without looking deeper at the quality and relevancy of their demographics in regard to your objectives.
Ask yourself, “Which site has the right members (demo + size) for our campaign?”; “Which site offers the right ad formats and placements to help deliver better results?”; “Are there case studies available (from the site itself or from customers)?”
Second, now that social networking has been the buzz for a few years, people are getting savvy in creating and delivering their messages. Everyone understands that social networking sites are based on creating and maintaining friendships. No arguing that point. But it’s a key one to remember. For like all friendships, they take time to develop and nurture. Which means that most marketers who are successfully leveraging these sites are putting in time and resources into building lasting, interactive relationships with members based on trust and two-way communication. Rather than relying on ads (which still work for various types of campaigns), marketers are including social media relations in their strategy* and allocating budgets for people (in-house or outsourced) to manage these activities.
Case in point, eMarketer mentions a survey by Forrester Research, which found that 54% of marketers plan to increase their investment in social media in 2009. So, although ad spending will decrease by 3% this year, marketers are still looking to increase their overall investment… interesting. This certainly highlights the importance of including social media relations initiatives, above and beyond ads, as part of your overall social networking strategy.
So, whether you’re new to social networking or a veteran looking to enhance your programs, keep in mind the old adage they say in the investment world, “the trend is your friend.” And in this case, invest in your ‘friends’ wisely.
* Through an informal survey amongst some colleagues, it’s interesting to note that there are mixed opinions on which strategy social media relations falls under: online marketing or public relations. Of course, diehards will support the notion that it’s in a league of its own… regardless, this raises an important issue of budgeting and resource allocation. Time will tell.
- editor
Getting past the seven stages of economic grief
by Jim Carroll
Given the economic challenges that swirl around us and the rapidity with which the events of the fall of 2008 unfolded, a unique and challenging mindset seemed to quickly envelope many organizations:corporate idea factories were turned off, and innovation paralysis settled in.
The result is that we’re not just in an economic recession – we’re entering another idea recession, similar to what occurred with the last downturn starting in 2001.
And when it comes to marketing and branding, there couldn’t be a worse time to let this happen, given the fast-paced now occurring. There’s a flood of new ideas around interaction, advertising methodologies, social networking opportunities, branding micro-sites. We’ve got a flood of ideas, but are people prepared to pursue them?
Here’s a reality : while many organizations are focused on hunkering down and micro-managing their way through the recession, others are busy pursuing breakthrough ideas that will vault them into the forefront as the inevitable economic recovery comes our way. This has happened many times before: many people miss the fact that an economic downturn provides a great opportunity for innovation. After all, companies like Burger King, Microsoft, CNN and FedEx all started up during a recession. Many of the ideas that led to Web 2.0 started during the dot.com downturn — Facebook, Youtube and Myspace come to mind.
Recession a perfect opportunity for “disruptive innovation”
In November 2008, right as events were at a fever pitch, Wharton Universities Innovation and Entrepreneurship group released a provocative article strongly suggesting that a recession provided the perfect timing for “disruptive innovation” – that is, stepping into an industry and rewriting the business model so as to achieve significant growth. Think of Steve Jobs and the iPod – which he first released during the recession of 2002.
That’s the message I’ve been focused on for the last six months. I’ve been busy doing high level keynotes and CEO level meetings with organizations like Burger King, Yum Brands, Ingersoll Rand, Rockwell Collins and others. The key theme? Now is the time to move forward with aggressive, innovative ideas.
So what do organizations need to do?
Move past the “shock” and “denial” phases
Events happened so fast that many organizations still find themselves in the “shock” and “denial” phase. They will be the innovation laggards.
First, move to the “acceptance” stage earlier. I began to relate the fast-paced events of the last few months in the context of the “stages of economic grief,” an emotional reaction that seems closely related to the “stages of bereavement.
Then there are the innovation leaders who are prepared to innovate despite the uncertainty. They are prepared to keep their idea factory running – maybe not at full tilt – but running nevertheless.
These leaders know that despite the vast sections of the economy in stress, there are still plenty of opportunities for innovative thinking. They know there are still growth markets; and opportunities for marketplace, distribution channel, and operational innovation.
Despite vast sections of the economy in stress, there are still opportunities for innovative thinking. There are still growth markets.
Innovation leaders are aware that ongoing change in consumer behavior also means that there continue to be new ways to brand, grab customer mindshare and forge unique and distinct relationships. One of my clients, Yum! Brands (owner of 50,000 restaurants – KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut) just launched a new micro-site, UnThinkKFC.com, which is already gaining attention as an innovative way of shifting brand perceptions. There’s an undeniable need for creative thinking like this out there — so what are you waiting for?
There are plenty of opportunities to turn ideas into innovation. It all depends on where you want to place yourself on the scale of the seven stages of economic grief.
Bold moves and integrated elements
The key decision is whether now is the time for innovation, and if so, how to move. It is critical that organizations begin to undertake a series of bold actions that re-orients them to face these future challenges. This series of actions should include several integratedelements:
- Undertake a regular number of experience-focused projects aimed at boosting the “experiential capital” of the organization.
- Identify specific areas of capability weakness, product line, skills or structure that should be addressed through specific.
- Articulate key opportunistic strategies through a variety of risk-oriented initiatives and align the organization to explore those strategies.
- These actions should aim to develop needed capabilities and realign the corporate mindset away from the current risk-adverse culture towards re-orienting the organization for the future.
- The greatest mistake that any organization can make right now is to avoid action. Inertia – real or implied – establishes a culture of inaction, and that can lead insurance organizations down another slippery slope.
Clearly, that’s why today, innovation isn’t an option, it’s critical – because it is the key method by which we can gain traction.
