Asian Marketing: A Matter Of Balance.

January 25, 2011

Brands can focus on similarities without bending to stereotypes.

The more than 14 million Asians/Asian-Americans living in the United States represent 24 nationalities and speak 56-plus languages. Marketers should not be dissuaded by this diversity, though; the Asian/Asian-American consumer adheres to tradition while shaping trends.

Authentic, personal and relevant marketing. It’s what all consumers want, but it can seem difficult to achieve when you’re targeting a demographic that is small in number, varied in make-up and considered by many to be ahead of the trending curve. Such are the challenges of marketing to Asians/Asian-Americans, but hey, nobody ever said this business was easy. With the Chinese New Year approaching next week on Feb. 3, my Vertical Marketing Network coworkers and I have been focused on the complexities of marketing to Asians/Asian-Americans. Admittedly, approaching this varied demographic is more difficult than most. With just over 14 million people, Asians/Asian-Americans comprise a mere 4.5 percent of the U.S. population (the Selig Center for Economic Growth projects that number will rise to 5.3 percent by 2013), and what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in diversity. The U.S. Census Bureau reports there are at least 24 nationalities and/or ethnic groups within the Asian/Asian-American community, and its members speak as many as 56 languages. This, and the seeming marketing complications that it implies, has resulted in some dismissing the community’s overall consumer power. But as Advertising Age argued in October 2010, “Asian-Americans do assert their own mark on a wide variety of market drivers, including food, technology, music, dance, fashion, politics, social media and more.” With Asian/Asian-American consumers projected to have $700 billion in spending power by 2014, we’re inclined to agree. Which begs the question: how can the marketing community rise to the challenge and be persuaded to effectively target the Asian/Asian-American community?

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, it seems as if the many faces within the Asian/Asian-American community provide more opportunities than obstacles. Sometimes success is as simple as rethinking your approach.

Last year Vertical Marketing Network looked at ways in which brands such as AT&T, Budweiser, Ford and P&G are tailoring integrated marketing campaigns for the Hispanic/Latino community. Not surprisingly, the same principles can be applied to the Asian/Asian-American community: know your consumer, walk among them, listen to their needs and wants, be authentic and — most importantly — be personal. “You have to know specifically which Asian group your customers belong to,” Michael Soon Lee, president of California-based EthnoConnect, tells New Hope 360. “Asians are happy to talk about their cultures,” Lee says, and knowing the cultural differences between Chinese, Japanese and Korean consumers is important. Savvy marketers, though, need to focus on the commonalities without bending to stereotypes. Education, family, health, technology and even luck are valued within the Asian/Asian-American community. Asians/Asian-Americans have the highest proportion of college graduates of any race or ethnic group in the United States (compare with 27 percent for all Americans 25 and older); 60 percent of Asian/Asian-Americans own their own homes (compared to 67 percent of the total U.S. population); and numbers show that Asian/Asian-Americans have the highest median head of household income over non-Hispanic white Americans. We’ve seen smart brands such as AT&T, IKEA, Priceline and Wells Fargo champion these ideals. Ad Age points to Wells Fargo’s embracement of social networking as an example of a way brands can build lasting relationships with Asian/Asian-American consumers. As a whole, Asians/Asian-Americans are considered “the earliest adopters of technology and are first among American consumers to integrate different media platforms,” so the Internet is a good place to start. But so, too, are offline communities, where Asian/Asian-American consumers celebrate and honor their cultural values.

The line between traditional and trendy is a fine one, but brands that manage the balance will find loyal consumers abound.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: d’n'c

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Posted by JJ Nelson

4 Ways Foursquare Can Extend Your Brand.

January 18, 2011

Social media junkies “check-in” for fun, stay for deals and steals.

Foursquare is one of roughly a dozen location-based social media networks, and on it users vie for top honors of businesses and places. They also share consumer tips, can create to-do lists and cash-in on special deals.

Being mayor isn’t what it used to be. When I boasted to a fellow patron recently of my newly crowned mayorship of our local watering hole, my pride was met with congratulations on one side and a blank stare on the other. The girl of the blank stare then confessed, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Not wanting her to miss out, I explained: I signed up for Foursquare for “business purposes” in November 2010, after having penned a piece for Vertical Marketing Network on location-based social media. My curiosity was piqued, if not my interest. I was afraid Foursquare would become a part of the rest, one more application or website I had to visit on a regular basis in order to keep up. Still, inquiring minds had to know how these media, which allow consumers to “check-in” via Smartphone or Internet to earn virtual badges, points and actual goods, worked. In November, I reported that Foursquare had an estimated 4 million users. One month later, I was one of a network of 5 million, and while many consumers (witness: girl of the blank stare) have yet to tune in to location-based social media, one can hardly argue it’s a passing fad. Facebook’s now famous 500 million users can use its Places feature to connect with brands and business; Yelp reports having 31 million unique visitors per month; and Gowalla, while seeming to be “the little guy” with an estimated 600,000 users, continues to win industry accolades. Social media — especially the location-based variety that encourages consumers to connect with businesses, and vice versa — continue to be all the buzz. And with three months of Foursquare under my belt, the power and pull of location-based promotions is hard to deny.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like in the world of social networking more is more. Savvy businesses would be smart to emulate empowered consumers as they sign up and stimulate the increasingly active alleyways of the Internet.

Location-based social media has consumers rapt, be it for the sweet deals or the sheer thrill of competition. As I noted in November, consumers using location-based social media “can ‘check-in’ using their mobile devices and then connect with businesses, friends and even celebrities, in some cases earning ‘badges,’ points and other rewards, both real and virtual.” In all cases, users are competing for the title of “mayor” of any one business or location. Being mayor is not unlike being crowned Homecoming Queen; it doesn’t really matter, but everyone knows who you are. There are other — perhaps more important — draws for businesses, though. A friend recently told me she uses Foursquare to keep track of new restaurants and stores worth checking out. Another admitted to using the application solely to find deals and specials in her neighborhood. I found the uses for marketers impressive, as witnessed through four types of promotions:

– The First Time Reward — Welcome to Cubana Social Cafe — Half off yucca fries on your first check-in. A small, free giveaway for first-time customers is as inviting as it is enticing.

– The Keep ‘Em Coming Back Freebie — Welcome to Chili’s — Check-in at Chili’s and get free chips and salsa at every check-in. Like the name says, a long-running promotion like this one will keep customers coming back for more.

– The Sizable Seduction – Welcome to skinnyskinny — Topple the current mayor and get 30 percent off every single item in our store. A generous discount like this one, from a luxury skin-care and organics store, is the perfect balance of healthy competition and hearty reward.

– The Prime-Time Present – Welcome to Gap — Check-in at any Gap store and get 30 percent off 1 regular-priced item, and Gap will donate $1 to charity campinteractive.org. A big brand, a big discount and a charitable nod is a win-win for everyone.

With so many ways to engage consumers, smart brands and businesses would be remiss not to explore location-based promotional opportunities. So, log-in. Check-in. And — with luck — cash in.

Has a certain location-based promotion caught your eye? Share your experience in the comments section.
Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: cambodia4kidsorg

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Posted by JJ Nelson

Web Video: See And Be Seen.

January 11, 2011

Consumers use social media to share their — and your — videos.

Home movies aren't what they used to be. Websites ranging from Facebook and Twitter to Vimeo and YouTube are empowering consumers to share video content. Is your brand in the mix?

Ever notice how hard it is to turn off your inner marketer? In the waning days of 2010, it wasn’t New Year’s parties that had my mind buzzing; it was web video, and not just spots like this one, featuring YouTube “phenomenon” Keenan Cahill. Admittedly, Cahill’s videos — in which he dances and lip-syncs to popular music songs — are attention-getting. After his November 2010 appearance on “Chelsea Lately”, during which comedienne Chelsea Handler aired a clip of Cahill’s then-latest Web video featuring a guest appearance from the rapper 50 Cent, hits for said video skyrocketed from 9,000 to 3.2 million views in two days. Numbers like these are impressive, and demonstrate the limitless creativity of the consumer and reach of the medium. Even more persuasive are the statistics from the video-sharing website. In 2010, YouTube topped 1 billion subscriptions, had more than 2 billion views daily and claimed that 24-plus hours of video content was uploaded per minute. In 2011, marketers will witness nothing short of a Video Invasion, and we’re not the only ones who think so. Forrester Research has concluded that online videos are five-times more likely to get a top Google ranking over text pages, and a few weeks ago it was reported that Facebook is second only to Google in driving video traffic online. Simply put, web video is begging to be seen and heard, and wise marketers want in on the broadcast.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems as if there’s some “un-taped” potential in web video. With more consumers acquiring video-capable Smartphones and more social networking sites pushing video features, brands should consider how to see and be seen.

There are countless ways savvy brands can utilize web video. Some of the most obvious include making any video content they do have available online. Set up a YouTube channel, and share web videos not just on Facebook, but also on Twitter, which last year gave users the ability to view web videos in their Twitter feeds, instead of having to click through a link to another site. Vertical Marketing Network and client James Hardie proved to be ahead of the game when they asked consumers to get creative in 2009, running a contest for “Hardie Home” owners to show off their James Hardie siding by submitting YouTube videos that answered “Why I Love My Hardie Home.” Here’s how it worked:

And because I know you want to know, here’s the winning submission.

It’s as if entertainment and information have joined forces for not just the brand’s benefit, but also the consumer’s, as well. Everybody plays, and everybody wins. Moreover, marketers should also consider this: within the last few months, promoted videos on YouTube hit 500 million views. Promoted videos are exactly what they sound like: paid video advertisements, and YouTube claims that since launching them two years ago, “thousands of advertisers have taken advantage of this ad format to entice likely customers with videos about everything from smoked brisket recipes to magnetic jewelry to sneakers. Politicians and political activists have used promoted videos to argue for a proposition or against an issue. And large companies have reached wide audiences with movie trailers, recipes, and ideas for Halloween.” Not only that, but in the last year, there’s been a more than six-fold increase in the number of times viewers have clicked to watch a promoted video.

Whether it’s your idea or that of a loyal consumer, web video can extend your brand “virtually” everywhere. Go ahead: push play.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: John Kratz

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Posted by JJ Nelson

7 Marketing Projections For 2011.

January 4, 2011

Trend watching is essential for savvy businesses looking to grow.

Based on past years, it's easy to look into the future and project some marketing trends for 2011. Coupons, mobile apps and social networking are still on the radar, and is another marketing must: adaptability.

It’s been said that “A new year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other,” and in a way, the same could be said for New Year’s predictions. After all, new ideas and trends don’t simply appear on Jan. 1, run amok for 365 days and disappear when the ball drops on Dec. 31. No, fortunately for brands, consumers and all points in between, the marketplace is a little more organic and, in that, a little less predictable. But that doesn’t stop savvy marketers from staying abreast of the ebbs and flows of current trends. Last year, my Vertical Marketing Network colleagues and I spent a good deal of time identifying industry trends, ranging from coupons to mobile applications, from social networking to good ol’ fashion word of mouth marketing campaigns. As we head into 2011, we’re inclined to make some projections — not predictions — based on what’s happening now.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like adaptability is the spice of life. If the only thing we can rely on is change, then it behooves brands to follow the current, to keep current and not miss an opportunity for growth.

With this in mind, here are seven trends worth watching in 2011:

1. Even Deeper Discounts — Last year, the emerging class of online coupon junkies was christened “Generation Q”, and the marketplace will continue to be theirs in 2011. In 2010, the popular e-newsletter Daily Candy launched Swirl, an online sample sale site offering clothing and accessories from the established and emerging designers at up to 80 percent off, kind of like Groupon for the fashion set. Meanwhile, the real Groupon went global, and location-based social medias such as Facebook Places, Foursquare and Gowalla are giving savvy brands and businesses myriad opportunities to connect with discount-seeking consumers.

2. Mobile Madness — Goodbye e-commerce, hello m-commerce. In early 2010, ABI Research projected that by 2015 shoppers globally will spend an estimated $119 billion on goods and services purchased with their mobile phones. In the U.S. alone, 2010 numbers pushed $2.2 billion. From entertainment to shopping to social networking, smart brands are engaging Smartphone users. Are you?

3. Virtual Advertising, Virtually Everywhere — It was close, but in the end, online advertising spending hit $25.8 billion in 2010, while newspaper ad spending totaled $25.7 billion (interestingly, it’s been noted that $3 billion of the 2010 newspaper take is actually online). It goes without saying that consumers are participating in the virtual marketplace, but is your brand? And if not, why?

4. Channel Surfing — Consider, if you will, the Internet to be like a giant TV, with more channels than Time Warner Cable could ever dream of. Now think of your businesses, and the way you can use this tool to your advantage. Company Web sites, Facebook Fan pages, Foursquare promotions, Twitter feeds and blogs (such as this one) are various “channels” through which forward-thinking businesses can engage existing and potential consumers. Services such as AdKeeper aim to work toward everyone’s advantage. Or, consider partnering with a like-minded agency. Surf around; just don’t forget to hit the “recall” button.

5. Video Invasion – Web sites such as YouTube and Vimeo are already household names, but a handful of agencies are making them marketing resources, as well. Heading into 2011, Web video is all the buzz, and for good reason; Forrester Research recently concluded that online videos are five-times more likely to get a top Google ranking over text pages, and two weeks ago it was reported that Facebook is second to only Google in driving said traffic. More than 500 million users can’t be wrong.

6. Heightened Consumer Awareness — The Internet’s not always fun and games. In the last few weeks, we’ve seen two lawsuits filed against Apple and four mobile application developers for alleged violations of computer fraud and privacy laws, and a recent Gallup poll suggests as many as 67 percent of American consumers do not want to be tracked by online advertisers. Across the pond, U.K. commercial broadcasters will launch an awareness campaign in February that alerts TV audiences to product placement. The takeaway for marketers is clear: the discerning public wants honest advertising and products they can trust.

7. Up In The Air – Web video may be all the rage with consumers, but it’s cloud computing that’s got tech junkies talking. Simply put, cloud computing refers to running computer programs on off-sight servers (for example, Apple, Google and Microsoft), places where people — consumers — can run applications and programs without downloading software. Google Documents is a good example of cloud computing, as is the recently launched Google Chrome OS. If it sounds confusing, it’s because it is. Cloud computing is redefining the way people interact with technology — and each other. What this means for businesses remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the newest generation of consumers is growing up with a whole new Internet and the marketplace has only one option: adapt.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo credit: mort3s

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Posted by JJ Nelson

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