Non-Traditional Media
The Hunger Games teams up against hunger.
Like everyone else's kids, my twelve-year-old daughter is crazy about The Hunger Games. She devoured the book trilogy and she's been making plans for the big opening day for weeks.
I myself have been kind of indifferent to the Hunger craze. I was only grateful that there weren’t any vampires involved. But then I spotted a Hunger Games promotion that made me a fan, too.
As the poster says, the world really will be watching when this much anticipated movie hits screens. So instead of just doing the usual glamorous premieres, magazine covers, and other ways to drum up ticket sales, the film is using its fame (and its theme) to do some good in the world. Through the Facebook page, people can make a donation for food distribution by the World Food Programme,internationally or WFP and Feeding America in this country.
To further entice fans to learn more about the very solvable hunger problem, the site features a quiz that includes facts like:
- “1 in 7, or close to one billion people, go to bed hungry every night.”
- “Hunger kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.”
- “There is enough food today for everyone to have the nourishment needed for a healthy and productive life. The problem is access.”
Finish the quiz—and learn an important thing or two—and you’re entered to win a signed Hunger Games poster.
To me, this is cause marketing at its best. The film not only gets its publicity, it also harnesses all that fan love to do, good work. It’s a win-win. And it’s made me—a formerly indifferent Hunger Games bystander—volunteer to chaperone seven girls to the movie on Friday night.
Sara Blakely, Saving the World One Booty at a Time.
Not so long ago, if you wore a girdle, you didn’t want anybody to know it. Now girlfriends (including the Grand Girlfriend of them all, Oprah) love to dish about smoothing their muffin tops or rounding out their booties with sexy, slimming shapewear.
And it’s all because of Spanx.
Founded 12 years ago, Spanx sells (and sells and sells) not just because it works wonders on women’s bods, but also because it does it with winning sass, from the naughty name to the cute cartoons on the packaging.
And that’s all because of Spanx founder, Sara Blakely. Her force of nature personality, relentless work ethic, and most of all, true understanding of women, have made her a newly minted billionaire at age 41. She’s the youngest self-made woman on Forbes magazine’s “Rich List.”
She’s also my latest girl crush. (For other strong, entrepreneurial women I admire, see my blog post on Sheryl Sandberg and check out my mentor and founder of Brogan & Partners, Marcie Brogan.)
I love Blakely’s back story. She started Spanx with $5000 of her own money. She had an idea to improve upon control top pantyhose and had to practically storm a hosiery mill to get them to make her prototype. She wrote her own patent to save legal fees. She hand-sold Spanx at a folding table at Neiman Marcus using picture of her own disappearing panty lines and stayed up all night filling her own mail orders.
Now that her company—which is debt-free and privately owned—has hit it huge, Blakely’s personality still charmingly infuses everything Spanx does, especially its savvy marketing. The company’s staff is dominated by women who put themselves out there as much as Blakely does. On the Spanx blog, “The Rear View”, for instance, staffers pose for before and after photos in Spanx nipping and tucking swimsuits.
And in a section called “Spanx-Giving,” we hear about charitable work staffers have done for organizations like the Foster Care Support Foundation’s Prom-A-Palooza.
Blakely also gives back with motivational speaking, largely aimed at women, and impulsive gifts of joy, like treating everyone in her favorite restaurant to dinner.
A cute cartoon of Blakely herself, wearing a long blond ponytail, is perched at the top of the every page on the Spanx website. It’s clear that, while her ragtag underwear company has changed immensely, Blakely has remained true to her very feminine self. And that’s the best recipe for success I can think of.
Building brands with Google Plus: new social media essential or just another Facebook?
To be completely honest, my initial reaction to the Google Plus unveiling was less than enthusiastic. Sigh, yet another platform to tell the world I am “at Starbucks, getting a latte.” (I try to convince myself on a daily basis that this is relevant information). Trust me, I’m not complaining. I like having options. But keeping up with the social media rat race can be a little exhausting, regardless of how heavily it impacts our daily lives (or for some of us, our jobs).
Facebook, Twitter and the like are a huge part of what I do Brogan & Partners. I have seen up close and personal how social media can single handedly build a brand, generate buzz and make or break the success of a business. So this forces the question…will Google Plus become as natural as breathing like updating a status on Facebook?
Let’s take a look at the stats. Thus far, Google Plus has about 40 million users, a drop in the bucket compared to its Facebook counterpart of 800 million. This also means that due to Plus’s lack of maturity, it is too soon to say for sure how effective the network will be for marketing and building brands. In terms of cosmetics, both formats appear to be pretty similar at first glance, even though Facebook will be introducing Timeline, their new “Face lift”, in the near future (stay tuned for more on that).
All uncertainties aside, however, Google Plus might have its advantages. Unlike Facebook, Plus users will have the capability to link directly to YouTube while sharing videos without having to shorten URL’s or be shackled by character limits. It will also have the benefit of donning the name “Google” and, of course, in the ultimate form of nepotism, Google Plus brand pages will be promoted to the top of the search engine powerhouses’ results.
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Another benefit to using Google Plus is its current lack of saturation. You may have heard whispers when the new social network debuted that you needed an invitation to join (a great PR ruse used by Facebook when it appeared on the scene, too). It is now open to all users, but because you can customize the circles you share with and vice versa, you won’t get the same mess of information on your home page that you certainly get on Facebook. For now.
Only time will tell how big this social giant will grow. I, of course, jumped on the band wagon and signed Brogan up for a Plus profile. Want to know how to get your brand started on Google Plus?
- Sign in with your Google account, then go the Google Plus Business Page and click “Create your Google + Page.”
- Choose what category your brand falls under (most likely, it will be “Product or Brand”, or if you are unsure you can pick “Company, Institution or Organization)
- Now, enter your page name (your brand name) and your website.
- This next step is where you need to get a little creative. You have to describe your brand/company in 10 words or less. Try to stick to a description that includes buzz words about your business’s core competencies or where you fit in the marketplace. Here are a few things to think about: What makes you unique? What do you really do? If someone is on a search engine, what words would help them find you the fastest?
- Tell your circles. If you are new to Google Plus, then you most likely do not have circles to tell of your new presence. So you can skip this step. If you are a Google Plus vet, then you can share your page with your current Plus contacts.
- Congrats! You have a Google Plus page. Start looking up other brands and add them to your circles, post pictures and beef up the information to your profile page. The more info on your page and posts about your brand, the better.
Created a page already? I gave you my thoughts on Plus...I’d love to hear yours.
Radio gone digital; Pandora vs. IHeartRadio.
I’m sure you listen to some type of streaming music from your computer or phone at some point during the day. But which platform do you use? Pandora is above and beyond the most used online radio service, and has paved the way for online radio with its 100 million registered users. But don’t think that Pandora is the only option for advertisers in regards to an online music platform. Clear Channel Communications, the Nation’s largest broadcast radio operator is taking a swing at Pandora. They are giving a heavy push to their online/mobile platform, IHeartRadio. IHeartRadio has two functions:
1. Consumers can stream any of Clear Channel’s 850 radio stations in 150 markets across the Nation from their computer or mobile device. So, if I am in California and I want to listen to a Detroit station because I like their morning show, I can (and starting in 2012, buyers will be able to place commercials on the new platform).
2. The other function is that you can create your own custom station, much like Pandora- type in an artist to build a station and the same genre of music will play according to your “likes” or “dislikes” per song.
The only catch with IHeartRadio is that in order to build a station you must sign up through your Facebook account. This function is perfect for media buyers because it allows us access to a listener’s key demographic information and the ability to geo-target. Clear Channel is also reinforcing IHeartRadio by using their 850 broadcast radio stations to promote listening online or via mobile device – a promotional option that Pandora does not have.
Just when we wondered if radio was slowly dying as a medium, the leaders reinvent themselves and adapt to the future. As a media buyer, it’s a great option to have IHeartRadio to compliment a traditional radio buy.
Just like almost every other medium, radio too has moved digital. The question is which platform will bring the most success and who will take the lead? Regardless of who wins the battle – It’s a win-win for advertising.
Social media: changing the way the world gives back one slice of bread at a time.
Social media is changing the world and it’s proving itself time and again that its powers can be used for more good than evil. Exhibit A: the Bread Art Project. It’s a really simple concept with hugely impactful results. With the help of Facebook, Twitter and the like, this project has gone from an unknown to a social media sensation.
The Grain Foods Foundation along with Food Network favorite Ted Allen (host of Chopped) are joining forces with Feeding America to provide a whopping one million pounds of food for those who need it the most. And the numbers are staggering. Hunger impacts 48 million Americans, 17 million of which are children. Most of us can’t imagine what it would be like to not be able to feed ourselves or our families.
And now, social media is being used to help feed the hungry, simply by making pieces of digital bread art. Never fancied yourself an artist? All you have to do is upload a picture of yourself, friends, pets, or any image that is important to you. If you’re a regular Picasso, you can even create your own design and the application will generate a personalized piece of bread art just for you. For every slice of bread art, the Grain Food Foundation will donate a $1 to Feeding America. They have already raised over $21,000 for the project and it continues to grow. Bet you never thought a digital piece of bread could be so much fun or could give back to such a great cause. What are some of your favorite causes social media has impacted?
I even tried out my art skills with a picture of me and some of my girls from Brogan & Partners. If I ever wondered what my face would look like toasted to a piece of bread…I just got my answer.
Effective business to business brand sharing.
It's summertime! And research by Pixable estimates that 100 billion photos will be uploaded to Facebook this summer. Not to mention that 48 hours of video are uploaded per minute and there are 3 billion views per day according to YouTube. And the demographics for YouTube? 18-54 year olds.
B2C companies have implemented pictures and videos on their social networks for a while now. But what does that mean for B2B businesses? How can businesses use photo-sharing and video to increase brand recognition and sales in a B2B setting?
Photo-sharing and videos should first be part of an overall social media plan that fits into your marketing goals and objectives.
Both photo-sharing and video sites hold a huge opportunity in regards to conferences. During an event, a session can be uploaded to YouTube or shared via another video conferencing service to extend the reach of proprietary or expert content. You can also set it up before the event to stream live video to desktops for a price. After the event, you can use a photo-sharing site to upload pictures of the event and get participants involved and excited after they leave.
Videos and pictures can give your business a more personal/human appeal. This can be a particular struggle for B2Bs. People like doing business with people, and videos and pictures are one way to humanize a brand to a potential customer.
Uploading pictures with relevant tags and keywords can also help with SEO, but only when you know your target audience and what they are searching for. On Facebook, brands can even be tagged in pictures now. Zappos.com is a B2C company that has implemented this tactic.
Another way pictures and videos can be used is to upload them right from your phone. YouTube has 100 million daily mobile views. This is a great untapped resource for some businesses. The sales team could pull out their phone and show a customer the last conference your company hosted, or play a video on a certain product right from the YouTube channel. Mobile has endless possibilities, and picture and video uploading should be included in what’s to come.
How does your company use pictures and videos to increase sales?
Why women are leading the social media bandwagon.
For generations there has been an endless debate of who rules the world, men or women. During the sixties, James Brown stated his opinion with “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”. In Beyonce’s new song “Run the World” she sings, “Who run the world? Girls, girls”. The debate will continue. But in the world of social media, we have a definitive gender winner. It’s women who rule. Sure, men created most of our social platforms but it is women who are maintaining and growing them.
According to Read Write Web, a study done by an online company rapleaf.com revealed that on most social network platforms “women outnumber men by a considerable amount. On Facebook, the 18-24 age group is the largest, with 1,685,029 women in that age group compared to 977,753 men.”
Why are women the largest contributors to social media? According to Jessica Faye Carter, an award-winning author and owner of Nette Media, it is simply because as mothers, we like to share information, educate others as well as develop new trends.
As expert multi-taskers, women like how easily they can share information with family and hundreds of “friends” simply with a click of a button. And as the leading household purchasing decision-maker, they use social media to share information about products, services, time-saving tips and money-saving offers.
Men want to rule the world. Women want to save the world. So it’s no wonder so many women are using social media to make social change. Whether raising awareness for lead paint or money for the breast cancer 3-day, women are using these social tools to build a better world for all of us.
Who do you think will rule the social media world in the future?
Innovative social media being used for the greater good.
I had a thought yesterday as I was updating my Facebook status... what does my profile convey to the social media world? All of us with a Facebook or Twitter have some sort of online personality... whether you have 50 or 2,000 friends you have some level of presence, and that presence shows your personality (good or bad, truth or lie). But what about those people or causes whose online presence reaches the masses in order to evoke change or ignite social movements? Look at how President Obama created a sense of connection and engagement by tapping into social networks during his presidential campaign. It was an online movement that created offline behavior; producing youth voter turnout that arguably may have supplied the margin of his victory. Twitter and other social media platforms were flooded with links, images and information about the political crisis in Egypt. Did Twitter play a part in the resignation of Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak? Just last week, an online petition emerged to help save lives in Uganda’s homosexual community after the Ugandan Parliament’s attempt to re-introduce an “Anti-Homosexuality” bill that would sentence Ugandan homosexuals to death. As soon as word broke of this bill, an international community jumped to social media to sign petitions and protest the bill.
Social media started with people writing down their thoughts, then evolved to agencies like ours who engage consumers in a conversation about a product or brand. Now it’s gone even further and is being used to mobilize change all over the world. We realize the influence social media can have on people and how it engages consumers in a way that was never possible before. This is why it is important for a social media component to be part of most media plans. If not, your product, brand or cause may be missing out on a valuable conversation.
When is the last time you took part in an important social media conversation?
Social media promotions for mom.
It’s been a crazy past two weeks. Tornadoes ravaged the south, record-breaking flooding in the mid-west, a Royal Wedding last Friday, and Bin Laden’s death on Sunday. The media has been in overdrive.
But for the average American consumer, this weekend is all about moms. While #mothersday will be trending on Sunday, companies have used Facebook and Twitter to offer deals, market brands, and keep social advocacy up – all in the name of moms.
Deals
Some brands used discounts such as free shipping or discount rates to entice consumers to buy gifts for mom online. Others used promotions from bloggers in the community.
Amazon offered free 1-Day shipping in the U.S. on jewelry and watches on Facebook, while Amazon Kindle offered a free gift card for purchasing a Kindle on Twitter. Using this tactic of free shipping/gift cards can lead to customer satisfaction and loyalty, which can lead to more consumer sales later.
Walmart promoted their Build a Basket Beauty Center on their Facebook by using a recommendation written by a mommy blogger. A blogger’s endorsement of a product or service gives it more authority and trust.
Living Social even marketed directly to moms by providing a Living Social Beauty Package. Marketing to moms bypasses targeting the kids and/or husbands.
Sweepstakes
Other brands used a sweepstakes to pull in more ‘likes’ and increase their brand presence on Facebook.
@Target held a sweepstakes to win products from Giada De Laurentiis for mom. The link takes you to their Facebook page which lets you enter the sweepstakes, after you like them first. This tactic increases fanbase.
Kohl’s has a brag about mom contest, where if your picture is picked, you are featured for a week, with the contest stopping on Mother’s Day. The ultimate reward is $500 Kohl’s gift card.
Social Advocacy for Moms
At least one group used a Mother’s Day gift as a way to help fund a social cause.
The Breast Cancer Awareness page is offering Mother’s Day specials to help fund mammograms. Non-profits can increase funds by using creative, nontraditional tactics to fundraise.
Did you cash in on any deals for Mother’s Day?
Leveraging a traditional brand in non-traditional media.
During the era of poodle skirts and pedal pushers, Harry J. Hoenselaar began a tradition that that would be loved by generations. He opened his first HoneyBaked Ham store in Michigan. With the finest-quality ham and mouthwatering sweet glaze, Harry invented Ham, as we know it--through his novel invention of the spiral-slicing machine. For 50 years, the world has loved the tradition of HoneyBaked. So to keep the brand fresh for the next 50 years, we used non-traditional media.
When taking a traditional brand into non-traditional media, it is important to carry through with the emotion of the brand. For HoneyBaked it is the nostalgic memories that takes you back to your first HoneyBaked holiday and makes you want to pass the tradition on to the next generation. People love sharing HoneyBaked with those they love; so social media is a natural environment for HoneyBaked marketing. Through social media, mobile media, mobile advertising and online streaming, HoneyBaked has been able to reach out to their fans more than ever. As a result of marketing efforts of five divisions, HoneyBaked attained nearly 10,000 fans in the first 5 months of launching their national Facebook page.
What are some ways you have discovered traditional brands in non-traditional media?
With Easter, this weekend, you may consider being a fan yourself at facebook.com/HoneyBaked.
