Consumers hear more than they listen
By: Bob Diakow |
August 26, 2010
The last time you spoke to someone, especially a younger person, did it seem like they where hearing you but not exactly listening? Don’t feel alone. Today’s consumers are bombarded with thousands of messages a day and have become quite selective about what they actually “listen” to and truly comprehend and remember.
Just as important to marketers, is where elusive consumers choose to concentrate their activities and free time. Data has shown that the Internet has caused a shift away from traditional channels in effectively connecting with consumers. In fact, 3 out of 4 Americans use social technology* which has become the #1 activity on the web**. Furthermore, social channels such as Facebook, and most recently Twitter, have dramatically changed social behavior that influences brands. Facebook has now surpassed Yahoo and Google as the world’s most visited site sending more traffic to news sites than Google.
How does this impact my business or organization? Beyond the obvious of creating a connection with a brand’s audience, social media (Facebook in particular), offers a variety of opportunities to get your brand message communicated to specific audiences efficiently and effectively where they live. More important are the integrated opportunities that social media provides:
- Additional product information
- Viral marketing strategies
- Coupons, contests & sweepstakes and links to supporting web sites
- Product sample opportunities
- Feedback pools
- Mobile phone apps, widgets and plug-ins
- Calendar of sponsored events
At the end of the day Facebook Fans are 68% very likely to recommend a product and spend $71.84 more per year on the brand sites they follow†.
As you can see, it isn’t only what your customers hear, it’s where they hear it.
Were you listening or did you merely hear me?
*(Forrester, The Growth of Social Technology Adoption, 2008)
**(Neilson, Global Faces & Networked Places, 2009)
†(Syncapse “Value of the Facebook Fan”)
From face paint to Facebook…It’s interaction, not Internet
By: Bob Diakow |
August 18, 2010
How many times have you had a message impact you that came in a unique non-traditional way? With the continued development of web 2.0 technologies, it is becoming increasing critical that brands interact with their audience, not just push out content.
Nike was looking for a new idea to impact their market in a big way and yet seem to be part of a bigger idea that had consumer support. Something that had not been done before, yet was cool enough to be clearly noticed, remembered and have the potential to go immediately viral. A pretty tall order considering the venue, 3,642 kilometres of various grades of roads in both rural and urban settings. Nike’s agency, Wieden Kennedy’s New York office was up for the challenge and created the Nike “Chalk Box Project.” The agency developed an idea where messages were able to be “tagged” along the route of the Tour DeFrance Race as if they were part of the landscape of the race. These inspirational messages were sent in via text messages to a vehicle ahead of the riders competing. The program resulted in Nike demonstrating their continued support of both Lance Armstrong’s comeback as well as all riders in the race. Additionally, Nike was able to insert their brand outside of the traditional advertising channels resulting in viewers being able to continue to follow the race as well as be impacted by the brand. Brands like Nike, continue to place themselves squarely in front of their target audience at every turn, literally. These unconventional strategies continue to provide greater opportunities that are part of a bigger idea that has high value and high returns on investment and builds sustainable brand awareness.
“Guerilla” or “grass roots marketing,” continues to give brands more opportunities to reach their audiences through non-traditional channels, resulting in bigger, expansive ideas that reach consumers where they congregate most. Interaction between brands and targeted markets continues to grow at a rapid pace and only strategies that go outside the traditional channels will have continued success to truly have an impact. The Internet as we now know it, will continue to act as a starting point or catalyst to wider based strategies that include multiple touch points with brands and their audiences through broad based channels.
As Nike and many others demonstrated, the most efficient way to reach audiences may start with the Internet, but finish with broad based customer interaction in various forms, venues and tactics – from face paint to Facebook.
Ideas make the needle move
By: Bob Diakow |
August 12, 2010
Tactics that aren’t measurable no longer have a place in the fast changing world of today’s business. With ROI (return on investment) being a key and sometimes only factor for measuring success, businesses look for ideas that can be unique while being fiscally responsible at the same time.
This is where creative ideas live. Businesses are always on the lookout for innovative and creative game changing strategies that move a company to a sustainable leadership position.
This is achieved by working well past the obvious. Creative partners that have the ability to drill deep into a company’s DNA and demonstrate monetary and/or market share increases, have the chance to build a new experience or brand for companies with which they engage. However, these opportunities rarely see the light of day without supportive ROI data. Additionally, these strategies can go a long way in directing the entire experience of a company both internally and externally.
Companies continue to discover that unless tactics are part of a well thought out plan they are destined for failure. Those that embrace this idea such as Apple and others, are the ones that continue to lead their industries by setting the standard and setting themselves apart.