R U Ready 4 Mobile Marketing?

January 17, 2012

Consumers prefer SMS to email when receiving promotional deals.

The past decade has seen cell phones grow sleeker and “smarter”; most boast bells and whistles such as cameras, email, Internet accessibility and even video cameras. Yet for all the technological advancements, one cell phone feature has remained virtually the same: the text message. In November 2011, ComScore estimated 234 million Americans ages 13 and older own mobile devices (globally, that number is at 5.3 billion). Of the U.S. subscribers, 72.6% send and receive text messages. According to CTIA, the mobile industry trade group, some 3-5 billion text messages are sent and received every year, and 97% of those messages are opened. When compared to the 33% of U.S. mobile users who use their devices to access social media websites and blogs, the obvious is revealed: it might not be the fanciest trick in the bag, but SMS, or text messaging is an effective and popular way to engage consumers. Or, as Naushad Huda, from Vertical Marketing Network’s mobile marketing partner agency Textopoly adds: SMS should be part of every brand’s mobile strategy. “It’s more of a promotional tool than a branding tool,” he concedes, but “it’s a driver. It drives consumers to a mobile campaign.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like cell phones and mobile marketing campaigns have a lot in common. While once they were accessories, now they are necessities.

SMS (short message service) enables cell phone users to exchange information, but it also can act as a gateway for consumers to learn more about a brand or promotion. Huda used last year’s VitaminWater campaign featuring none other than Gary Busey playing Fantasy Football lawyer Norman Tugwater as an example of how far a SMS campaign can reach. The VitaminWater campaign launched with a billboard in Times Square, which prompted fans to text message a code to receive a reward. That “reward” was a phone call from Tugwater himself, followed by a text message back that contained a link to an online video featuring Busey as the fictional Tugwater and real-life football star Adrian Peterson (there’s even a cameo from Shaq). At the close of the video, consumers had the option of sharing the video on social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. In other words, the SMS was a gateway to a multi-faceted mobile marketing campaign. It created brand awareness, it entertained, it engaged consumers and it prompted them to share their enthusiasm, all via their cell phones. But not all mobile marketing campaigns need be so involved. Vertical Marketing Network is currently working on a client campaign that will be more basic in structure, but suits the needs of the brand by promoting retail and special events. Research shows that SMS promotions such as these are effective. The Direct Marketing Association recently conducted a study that found that among mobile users text messaging remains the preferred vehicle for receiving promotional offers: 33% prefer text messaging; 21% prefer the Internet; 11% prefer mobile apps; and 8% prefer voice mail.

Mobile marketing: 160-character messaging, and a clutter-free marketer’s dream.

Brought to you by Vertical Marketing Network, a Leading Integrated Marketing Agency.
Photo: Anthony Dodd

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Posted by JJ Nelson

5 Marketing Tips For Your Brand’s X-Factor.

September 27, 2011

New show engages consumers on all levels; marketers can, too.

Television's newest show it ripe with marketing lessons. Brands can -- and should -- unlock their own x-factor.

Simon Cowell was back last week with the much-hyped premiere of The X-Factor and while ratings might not have been as high as he wanted, there’s no denying that the creative minds behind the latest singing-competition show are breathing new life into what increasingly feels like an old genre. The X-Factor could reshape the ways consumers engage with a brand on multiple levels. The X-Factor goes beyond “the American Idol effect” in that it is not just about the singing voices of a few; the show is giving fans voice, too, especially online. Marketers can learn a lot by “tuning in.” Head over to the show’s website, and you’ll see that fans of The X-Factor are getting almost as much screen time as the show’s celebrity judges and budding stars. The X-Factor Community presented by Pepsi is essentially a loyalty rewards program that encourages fans of the show to join in and earn points for tasks as simple as daily logins and connecting to the show on Facebook and Twitter. Although the points have no actual value, some 3.5 million fans have connected to the show via Facebook and the “newsfeed” of fan activity on the show’s website indicates a little healthy competition can go a long way. Beyond existing social networks, fans can use The X-Factor Community itself to connect with other fans and actual friends. It’s a show-specific social network, and consumers are using it. PepsiCo hopes their also picking up cans of its namesake soda. The brand has partnered with FOX to promote the show and is running a campaign that uses image recognition and SMS. Just when my Vertical Marketing Network colleagues and I were debating the potential of QR codes, a PepsiCo executive tells Mobile Marketer the decision was based on research that shows more people have SMS and camera phones than QR code reader apps. Either way, the reward for the Pepsi campaign will likely fuel competition and participation: Pepsi is giving away grand prize trips for two to L.A. to watch a taping of The X-Factor each day though Oct. 29. That’s a lot of soda…

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like marketers have a ‘x-factor’, too. In our increasingly technology driven world, winning campaigns seek to engage consumers on all levels.

Successful marketing campaigns create buzz and excitement; sometimes, they’ll even drum up a little healthy competition. Below, 5 marketing takeaways from The X-Factor:

1. Consumers like rewards, even virtual ones. Witness the aforementioned “fan-feed” as proof.

2. Social media is a tool marketers can use to fuel healthy competition and –repeatedly — bring attention full-circle, back to the brand.

3. Successful partnership marketing is mutually beneficial.

4. Brands can — and should — engage consumers online in new and interesting ways.

5. The cell phone isn’t just the ultimate accessory; for marketers, it’s a gateway — to consumers, to technology and to the allusive, yet essential, Factor X.

With increasing ways to activate your brand’s potential, marketers are wise to give voice to their own X-Factor.

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

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Posted by JJ Nelson

Back Talk: Have You Gone QR?

September 20, 2011

For brands and marketers looking to tap new technologies, it's hip to be square, as in QR code square. The 2-D bar codes can be used as gateways for consumers to access special information.

About a year ago, Vertical Marketing Network blogged about what some industry insiders were touting as the Next Big Thing. While they may not be as ubiquitous as Facebook fan pages and Twitter feeds, there’s no denying that QR codes are popping up with more regularity, on packaging and in publications, on billboards and even the sides of taxi cabs. Short for Quick Response code, QR codes are 2-D bar codes that can be scanned using a smartphone camera to then transmit information, and they (along with 3-D technologies such as WiMO) are helping brands in the auto (Ford, Chevy), beauty and fashion (Calvin Klein) and entertainment (CBS, HBO) industries engage consumers and redirect them to company websites, product and promotional content, and special features. Toys ‘R’ Us is using them on in-store product signage, where they’ll likely attract young consumers with their video game-like graphic. Meanwhile, Quaker Oats has gone QR in a different vain, placing them on in-store signage and product packaging to encourage parents – not kids – to scan them to then send young fans personalized messages from teen heartthrob Nick Jonas. And in perhaps the boldest indicator of the potential for QR codes, a supermarket recently set up a “virtual grocery” in a South Korean subway stop, in which consumers could “shop” with a quick point and scan; then, after checkout, the virtual goods were made real and delivered to the homes of surely happy shoppers.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like now more than ever it’s hip to be square. QR codes are effective and forward-thinking, not to mention fashionable and fun. As technologies continue to develop, so too will opportunities to implement them.

Which prompts the question: Do you think this hype is justified? What interesting campaigns have caught your marketing eye and caused you to go QR?

Please share you thoughts.

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

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Posted by JJ Nelson

Mobile Money Goes Mainstream.

August 30, 2011

New applications promise to change the ways we spend forever.

Forget cash. Soon-to-be-released platforms from Google, Isis, Visa and others will allow consumers to leave their cash, plastic and coupons at home, and spend and save with the wave of a smartphone.

After last week’s smattering of seasonal storms, “change” is a term likely to remain closely associated with the climate. That is until next month, when Google is expected to release its highly anticipated Google Wallet application, one in a series of apps from commerce and media outlets rumored to be coming soon to a smartphone near you. Smartphone use and m-commerce continue to grow rapidly; recent numbers from Forrester Research suggest U.S. m-commerce will reach $31 billion by 2016 (that’s quite an increase from the $2.2 billion Americans spent on m-commerce in 2010). For brands and marketers, the only thing more exciting than this projected growth is m-commerce’s imminent makeover, as Google, Isis (a joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon) and even Visa prepare to unveil platforms that will allow consumers to abandon cash, plastic and coupons completely, in favor of their trusty smartphones. In its early stages, m-commerce was an alternative to home computer and in-store shopping, allowing smartphone consumers to browse and make purchases by either surfing the web or using site-specific applications, such as those from eBay and Fandango. But this new wave of technology, and the new face of mobile money — which will allow consumers to do all that, and more — promises to redefine the ways in which consumers spend forever. And while the effects on marketers remain to be seen, one thing is certain: change is taking us all by storm, and smart brands and marketers should get prepared.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems as if mobile money enables brands to shine and consumers to spend in new and exciting ways. Tech-savvy marketers should make the most of changing technologies.

The fact that much of that change has yet to be seen hasn’t stopped my Vertical Marketing Network coworkers and I from buzzing with anticipation. When Google revealed its Wallet app in the spring, it merely promised the service was coming soon; rumors have pinned “soon” as September. Google’s recent acquisition of Motorola certainly seems a relevant precursor to the company’s ambitious mobile technology rollout. In addition to buying Motorola Mobility, which runs Google’s Android operating system, Google plans to manage Motorola Mobility separately and keep Android open for use by competing mobile brands. This, no doubt, was part of what inspired the Isis venture, which will launch in Austin and Salt Lake City in early 2012. Like Google Wallet, Isis technology will allow consumers to pay for goods using their smartphones; abandon their cash, cards and coupons; set up alerts for online deals; and track their spending. In addition, Google Wallet plans to offer businesses various types of purchase data, and plans to incorporate location-based advertising and personalized promotional content. And Google’s not just stopping there. Two weeks ago, the company announced the expansion of its Google+ social network to include gaming applications, which drum up interest as well as dollars. No doubt this onslaught of change will redefine the landscape, be it mobile, monetary, online or otherwise.

Finally, change to be excited about.

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

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Posted by JJ Nelson

Back Talk: Is The Tide Changing Brand Spending?

April 26, 2011

Research suggests a strong tidal shift in the way marketers are budgeting their dollars. Social media is becoming a bigger fish, and brands such as Converse, Lexus and Dell are responding. Are you?

Some things we can control, some things we can’t. For marketers, brand building should fall into the former category. A recent study from Forrester Research projects “search marketing, online display advertising, email marketing, social media, and mobile marketing collectively to grow to nearly $55 billion by 2014.” And another study from eMarketer estimates that social media marketing is up 42 percent since as recently as 2008. Then a few weeks ago, Ad Age reported that at its own Digital Conference, major brands such as Converse, Lexus, Dell and Best Buy revealed their current digital strategies and the reasons behind them. The universal priority: shifting dollars away from traditional marketing and embracing social opportunities. “Social media is unavoidable,” said Converse CMO Geoff Cottrill, who went on to point out that on certain platforms — such as Facebook — brand managers no longer have control over their brand’s image. Whether that’s true or not, research indicates a strong shift. The tide may be turning…but it doesn’t mean marketers should throw in the towel.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud, but it seems like the current “social” economy — not to mention the literal “economy” economy — has produced a shift in power dynamics. Social media has created loyal and passionate consumers — “accidental” ambassadors, who can help dictate what’s hot…and what’s not.

Which begs the question: are your marketing dollars shifting with the tide? If so, how? And if not, why not?

We would like to hear your thoughts!

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

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Posted by JJ Nelson

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

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

Conan Cashes In On Checking In.

November 2, 2010

Location-based social networking can help extend smart brands.

Location-based social networking is the latest "tangled web" in social media, and it's taking off. More than 4 million people use Foursquare -- one of the most popular social networking sites -- and smart brands are taking notice.

Thanks to cable network TBS, everybody’s favorite comedian, Conan O’Brien, is slated at long last to return to television screens next week on Nov. 8. While O’Brien’s departure last year from NBC had both fans and media junkies talking (“The drama! The intrigue! The politics!”), we’ve all but forgotten that debacle, thanks to Team Coco’s aggressive campaign to promote the new show — titled simply Conan – and engage fans online. When O’Brien joined Twitter in February 2010, the Huffington Post reported he had 15,000 followers within 30 minutes. Today, he has 1.7 million followers (Jay Leno, incidentally, has 93,496). O’Brien and Team Coco are also active on the other usual suspects, namely Facebook and YouTube, where fans can get their funny fix with webisodes like this. More interestingly to marketers should be the YouTube spots promoting The Conan Blimp, which launched from Philadelphia in early October and has been touring the East Coast since. Fans can track the blimp’s location via O’Brien’s always hilarious Twitter feed; but more impressively and dare I say genius, they can also use location-based social networking site Foursquare to earn The Conan Blimp Spotter Badge. Now, that’s taking marketing to a whole new level!

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud here, but it seems like smart brands need to cash in on the power of “checking in.” Location-based social networking is taking off, and as we’ve seen with The Conan Blimp, for smart brands the sky is the limit.

There are at least a dozen (if not more) location-based social networking sites, but Foursquare, Gowalla and the recently launched Facebook Places are the frontrunners, and while they vary slightly in appearance and execution, their concepts are essentially the same: users 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. It’s equal parts chat room, game and popularity contest, and consumers love it. Politicos love it, too, as witnessed by Foursquare’s “I Voted” feature. An estimated 4 million people use Foursquare, a number that pales in comparison to Facebook’s 500 million users, but suggests the scope of the concept’s influence and power over consumers. Gowalla, while smaller in user size, still managed to nab the Mobile Award at the 2010 SXSW’s Interactive Awards, considered by entrepreneurs and techies alike to be indicative of the Next Big Thing (case in point: Twitter launched at SXSW in 2007). To boot, Facebook jumped on the location-based concept as recently as August, a move to not only compete with sites such as Foursquare and Gowalla, but to partner with them. As Vertical Marketing Network mentioned last month, “It’s a brilliant move on Facebook’s part, essentially making itself the ‘one-stop-shopping’ site of social networking and online interaction.” But it’s not just consumers, Facebook, Foursquare and Gowalla that win big, it’s also businesses, who can use these networks to — in the words of Facebook — “generate powerful, organic impressions…[while] extending your brand’s reach to new customers.”

Conan O’Brien’s in on the joke. But more importantly, are you?

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

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Posted by JJ Nelson

Brave New Advertising.

October 5, 2010

New media has consumers turning to the Internet over television, and smart brands are reflecting this change and looking forward.

With studies showing we're spending more time online, a new wave of advertising is moving on up and integrating social media.

New York’s seventh annual Advertising Week wrapped on Friday, and those who missed it need not look further than the program for the conference’s main message and what should be the industry’s credo for the future. This year’s slogan “Get out of your head” might as well have been “Out of your mind and online.” After all, that’s where the action is, and the impressive number of discussions focused on social media drove that point home. As we discussed last week, Facebook is The Social Network for some 500 million users and smart brands are taking advantage. But Facebook isn’t the only game in town. An information-packed article aptly named “What Do We Want? Media! When Do We Want It? Now!” in the current edition of Advertising Age, reports that Twitter now boasts an estimated 100 million users, and the social networking site for working professionals, LinkedIn, has tripled in size in over the past two years. There are approximately 75 million users on the network, up from 50 million in October 2009. Moreover, the article reports that “in the past year and a half, we’ve added two more hours per week to our at-home TV diet (via Deloitte), sent and received half a trillion more text messages (CTIA) and spent 1.3 more hours per week online (Forrester Research).” These numbers not only signal change, but also opportunity. While Mad Men’s Don Draper would be lost in this sea of technological possibility, modern day Mad Men and Women are being celebrated for embracing it.

Maybe I’m just blogging out loud here, but it seems like the secret to successful advertising is in adaptation. A catchy jingle is no longer enough to win the hearts of consumers, today’s advertisers need to get online, get social, and meet consumers on their terms. As always, cleverness and creativity are key.

According to research from NewMediaMetrics, nine out of the top 10 most engaging media outlets — that is, the media outlets that draw the most involvement — are based online. Google’s search engine, AOL, YouTube and Facebook top the list, respectively, with retailers such as Amazon.com, eBay and iTunes also making the list. Television network ABC — the only traditional outlet in the top 10 — is ranked No. 9. The lesson to be learned here by advertisers and marketers is clear: advertising is no longer simply about the best 30-second spot or print ads for Ladies Home Journal. While Nielsen reports that 116 million American households have at least one television (and 55 percent of those households own three or more televisions), Pew Research Center says that 78 percent of Americans go online daily. Yesterday’s Marlboro Man is today’s Jason Schwartzman, who made Internet waves last week with his quirky online spot for The New Yorker application for iPad. Of course, we’ve come to expect attention-grabbing and trendy ads from Apple, but what about Old Spice? The men’s body care maker has done an excellent job of adapting to the new marketplace. Yes, it still runs traditional commercials (which are not only oh-so-charming, but also target both men and women), but the brand has also integrated the Big Three of Social Media — Facebook, Twitter and YouTube — into their campaign. There’s also a blog. In August, we saw Unilever strike a new kind of deal with AMC, home to the aforementioned Mad Men. Believed to be the first deal of its kind, the season-long marketing agreement included six Mad Men-style commercials for different Unilever products to air on the network, as well as on YouTube and other Web sites — a cool concept with great results. This is an excellent morphing of a traditional medium; when print ads and commercials — especially commercials — can be shared via so many social networks and embedded in blogs, they need to be fun, edgy and not just tied to program content, but have a touch on the consumer pulse. It’s no wonder that clients have hired marketing agencies such as Vertical Marketing Network to create, integrate and manage social media content for their brands.

Advertising reflects us and it shapes us. Really smart advertising sticks with us for our lifetimes. Catchy jingles will always have their place (who among us can hum a nostalgic “ho-ho-ho” a la the Jolly Green Giant, or quote McDonald’s ads from the late-80s verbatim?), but today’s ads need to think outside the box — literally. Like the brands above (and to quote a popular ad campaign of yesteryear), we’ve come a long way, baby! And I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens next.

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

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Posted by JJ Nelson

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