Social Marketing

As one of the digital thought leaders at Brogan & Partners, I was excited to attend this year's SXSW conference and see where the future of digital design was heading. Often, I feel like the "usability police" and for years I have been making sure our web sites, rich media and social media designs where intuitive so the user knows where to click and what they'll get. But with Touch UI gaining momentum, it begs the question: Is Touch UI the Click UI killer? After all, video killed the radio star... During my week of Interactive sessions at SXSW, I realized that the focus of conventional Click UI was pretty much obsolete. If anything, it was only mentioned in passing. And I also didn't hear the word "usability" mentioned at all. It was all about the touch or gesture experience.

 I joke that my kids don't know what a mouse is, but it's true. Their first experience and exposure to computers were a laptop, iPhone, and iPad. None of these devices uses a mouse or has to be clicked. We do have desktop computers around, but it's avoided because there's a feeling of entrapment compare to our mobile devices. Our expectations of how we experience the web has gone way beyond just the conventional and intuitive navigations.

 Whether we believe conventional Click UI is a passing phase or not, it is paramount to consider the visual interface as part of the brand. As designers, we'll need to build an easy and memorable experience for our users. And to stay on top of our competitors, those experiences will need to be unique. This is what Nike Myers described in his "The Visual Interface Is Now Your Brand" session at SXSW. Where do you think the user interface is heading?

Here's a little taste of things to come when the visual is the interface.

South by Southwest or better known as SXSW, is an interactive, music and film festival.  A few of us, Broganites, set off on our travels to take part in the interactive portion of the festival.  In particular, I was a SXSW virgin.  However, I was excited to lose my v-card and participate in networking events, panel discussions and other social activities surrounding tech innovations.

My first thought was that it all was extremely overwhelming.  There were probably over 50 events or sessions you could choose from per day.  And there were always going to be 1 or 2 that you could tell would be a waste of time once you sat in them for the first 10 minutes.  But overall, the tech leaders that made up the panel discussions and sessions were really insightful.  They made you think.  After a session you would feel more empowered, more knowledgeable and maybe even invincible.  There was also the feeling of: When I get home I am going to be the first one in my office to know about the next great tech idea!

I had a few favorite sessions and here’s what I learned from them:  

I Used Data Analytics to Game Online Dating – I was under the assumption that this solo speaker, Amy Webb, was using the title as a metaphor.  I thought I was going to a session about social media analytics.  Boy was I wrong!  It really was about her dating life.  This woman created an algorithm to find her husband on an online dating platform.  It was even considered rated “R” according to the SXSW organizers – only because she used colorful, raunchy-ish language.  Even though it wasn’t what I expected, I really found it very entertaining and humorous.  And I may even buy Webb’s book, Data: A Love Story, once it is released in 2013.  

What’s So [Bleeping] Hard About Social ROI? – There isn’t one!  Or at least there isn’t a universal social media ROI.  The panel from this session discussed that you shouldn’t use sales as a goal for social media.  Social media is about building relationships directly with the consumer.  For those folks who have created their own ROI for social – your formula should be used as a benchmark.  However, it’s not an absolute science or equation.  My favorite quote from this panel was “What’s the ROI in not doing social?” from Craig Daitch a Social Media Manager for Ford Motor Company.  

Social Media Is a Bubble and SXSW Is a Fad – This panel of 5 had lots to say.  It was a combination of humor and opinions.  All but one of the panelists agreed that social media was a bubble.  They were preaching that the social community should figure out how to manage the bubble once it bursts.  How do we create value from the burst?  I think the creative talent that comes out of this burst will need to be placed in new companies.  However, this could be good because they will bring new and fresh ideas to wherever they land.  This was by far my favorite, because these people who are looked at as social leaders were being realistic and having a real conversation about the social phenomenon.  It is here to stay; the question is when will it become just another medium?  After the bubble bursts?

 
So there you have it, those were my favorite sessions from SXSW.  And I can now say…I am no longer a virgin, and it was mind blowing!  If you were in Austin last week, what would you say was your favorite session?  If you weren’t in Austin last week, does this sound like something you would want to be a part of next year?

Every once in a while, a big retail chain reinvents itself, and I always find it fun to watch. Remember, for instance, when Abercrombie & Fitch  was a place for great, white hunters to shop? Or when Banana Republic was all about safari chic?

The latest store to do a big switcheroo is JCPenney. This reboot isn’t a simple case of hipping up the middle-American staple and shortening its name to JCP (though of course, they have shortened the name to JCP).

According to this piece in the Wall Street Journal, JCP’s new CEO, Ron Johnson, is trying to turn the whole concept of a department store on its ear. The store’s main floor is no longer a sea of cosmetic counters. Now, it’s a wide-open “town square,” surrounded by dozens of tiny specialty shops. The ubiquitous .99 has been lopped off of price tags. And instead of pricing items high, then holding sale after sale after sale, all merchandise will now be offered at lower prices from the get-go, and there will be regular sales two Fridays/month. (For a full breakdown of JCP’s new pricing structure, check out this great blog.

All of these changes seem made for busy women who can’t exactly plan for spontaneous sales, and don’t like to be toyed with when it comes to pricing. Considering that a majority of department store shoppers are women, this seems like a smart move.

My favorite part of the new JCP is its marketing. Ellen Degeneres, whom I adore, has been hired as spokesperson. She and the company were both the picture of grace in the face of a recent anti-gay protest by the group One Million Moms. And Ellen’s JCP commercials were one of the only entertaining parts of the recent Oscar broadcast!

In addition to advertising the store’s new game—which includes no coupons and no receipt necessary for returns—Ellen’s commercials introduce the chain’s new motto: “Fair and Square.”

I love the cleverness of this phrase. Not only does it refer to the classic community gathering place that is the small town square, it also pokes a bit of fun at JCP’s old image—which was definitely square. Such sweet, self-deprecating marketing is winning, and I hope it works. Next time I’m at the mall, I plan to check out the new JCP. I’ll also be curious to see if their rebrand impacts other department stores, which are all suffering in this economy. Johnson is the genius behind the futuristic Apple Store, so the odds are in his favor.    

However it goes, I admire JCP for shaking things up, and for following through with some great marketing to women.

Have you been to the new JCP yet? What do you think?

As a breast cancer survivor, nothing makes me happier than media that really gets women to check their breasts. After all, it was Brogan & Partners’ spot for St. John Health that inspired me to be more diligent about checking my own breasts. Soon after we created that commercial more than four years ago, I discovered a lump and caught my cancer early.

This PSA from Rethink Breast Cancer makes me doubly happy. Not only is it a great two-and-a-half minute tutorial on checking your breasts, it’s also hilarious! Not to mention easy on the eyes. The PSA stars Anthony, a spokesmodel with sparkly eyes and bare, washboard abs. He demonstrates how to examine your breasts with TLC: Touch, Look, Check.

So if this message is aimed at women, why do we see a man palpating his pecs in the shower (complete with pink shower cap)?

Because, explains Anthony’s co-star, a gray-haired doctor, “Studies have shown that women are more likely to watch a video if it features a hot guy.”

Clearly, that’s true. The PSA has gotten more than 1.5 million views on YouTube.

Rethink Breast Cancer has also produced a great, free app called the Your Man Reminder. Users customize their regularly-scheduled reminders to feature the hottie of their choice. They can even  alter his pose. He’ll send sexy/cute messages to remind them to do their breast-checks.

I think this is great. It calls to mind another irreverent (and effective) breast-check prompt, Check Your Boobies.

But I don’t just like Rethink’s PSA because it gives me a laugh. I think its humor makes it more effective. Good advertising makes an emotional connection. Some move you tears, like our St. John Health TV Spot for breast cancer. Others make you laugh like our Michigan Department of Community Health TV Spot to remind women to get regular pap tests.

And when you’re talking about a breast check reminder, memorable is as good as it gets.

What do you think of the Your Man Reminder? Can you think of other breast cancer prevention spots that have lodged in your memory?