2009 Marketing Budgets

Andre Mazerolle's Redbeard Marketing blog entry 2009 Marketing Budgets: Back in the Crosshairs makes an important point that in today's tough economic times companies should increase, rather than decrease, marketing dollars. His blog entry is based on information from the Canadian Marketing Association.

It's often not what you say but how you say it that matters: thoughts on Prime Minister Stephen Harper's interview with CBC

I was very keen to watch Peter Mansbridge’s interview with Prime Minister Stephen Harper last week. Admittedly, the problem with me watching any interview is that I often end up dissecting the person’s ability to communicate rather than fully paying attention to what is being said. So, here are some of my distracted thoughts and, therefore, humble advice for our Prime Minister.

1) Be careful of what I call the President George Bush smile. This is a slight smile (or smirk) that comes out at inappropriate times (like when talking about the economy). Likely, this is a subconscious nervous habit. The problem is that it risks being mistaken with insincerity.

2) Get personal. Connect with the audience by showing that you are one of them. There was nothing “wrong” with the answer regarding the job loss in the auto sector. It possibly was even a very good answer; but it didn’t give the impression of personally understanding and sharing the pain of people facing unemployment. I don’t know if President-elect Barack Obama understands either, but he sure makes Americans feel as if he does. A simple anecdote can go a long way.

3) Lastly, try to avoid starting answers with “Look,….”. This can very easily be interpreted by the reporter and viewers as an irritated response. In addition to it not sounding very polite (which usually doesn’t win points with voters), showing aggravation can suggest a lack of control over the interview.

As I teach in our media training course, it’s often not what you say, but how you say it, that makes all the difference.

Using Contests to Increase Clicks

Fern Stancer: You are my contest saviour!

Thinking up an idea for a contest to draw traffic to a website is easy. Ensuring it runs smoothly and is strategic from a viral marketing perspective is something else.

This is what Fern taught me:

- Look for every opportunity you can to promote your message within the contest.

- Get used to the word “flow”. Make sure the participant’s experience is easy and makes good strategic sense.

- Look for ways to get additional information about your target market, such as a survey, as part of the entry process.

- Make sure all rules and prizing information is drafted by a dedicated contest lawyer (you wouldn’t go to an eye doctor for your heart would you?).

- Identify ways to increase the viral nature of the contest – what built-in mechanism will there be to ensure participants tell everyone they know about this?

- Leave A LOT of days for testing. Make sure it works. Then try to break the system.

Thanks Fern! Check out www.getcentred.com to see our contest. Fern can answer your contest questions at fern.stancer@chasmarketing.ca.

The New Fireside Chats

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican supporter, as marketers we will all study President-elect Barack Obama’s campaign for years to come. His use of the Internet, social networking sites, Twitter, iPhone applications and text messaging to get the vote out transformed the way elections will need to be run in the future.

In another first, on Saturday Barack Obama made his first official broadcast on YouTube. This signals a major turn in YouTube’s evolution, moving into mainstream marketing strategies. Obama plans to continue weekly video addresses in conjunction to traditional weekly radio messages.

The first broadcast focused heavily on the current global financial crisis and has already been viewed by almost 700,000 people. It was also filmed in traditional YouTube style – no fancy editing. Just a guy talking. Brilliant.

The Perfect Interview

Over the years I have media trained hundreds of people from restaurant managers and entrepreneurs to chief executives and seasoned politicians. When teaching, nothing makes a point better than a good example of a skilled interview - or a really bad one. This CP video clip from September 16 of Justin Trudeau's run for Parliament as a Liberal candidate is an example on how to give a perfect interview.

Designing by committee. It just doesn't work.

This hilarious video is posted in great tribute to our creative director, Jason Pivovitch, whose talent and patience amazes me always. It's a must see for all of us in the creative service industry.

Marketing lessons from the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics:

• Controlling the message: There is a fine line between issuing proper conduct protocols and censoring behaviour/content. When you censor, media will find another way to get the story out and it is likely to be less favourable than had you allowed them to cover the story in the first place. The best way to control a message is to be the one delivering it. Don’t run away from the game. It will go on without you!


• People power: Use your strongest resource strategically. People round out ideas when they work in groups, are the source for good stories, have the emotions we want to target, and are the best word of mouth PR.



• Stretch you limit: Average creativity, like average strength, is not enough. Demand excellence of yourself and your team.





• Think about whom else will benefit from your success and have them contribute both economically and creatively. Olympic sponsors had a roster of commercials that were absolutely medal worthy!

Clients who use the V-word

Memo to clients:

You are scaring me with your increasing use of the word “viral”. You like the way it sounds. I do too, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.

You realize that viral means people are talking about you/your company/product/issue and passing on the information. But, you’re not totally comfortable letting people just talk in fear of what can be said.

Just like high yield investments, the bigger the risk (open dialogue), the bigger the potential reward (discussion on your topic and all the peer-to-peer credibility that comes with it!). Perhaps the social media world needs a term akin to a “sophisticated investor” that refers to personal and professional brands that can withstand a few online punches.

My perspective is that companies should start with baby steps: a blogger campaign, integrating videos, integrating social networks, etc. These can be combined with more traditional media relations and marketing. You’ll be surprised how quickly you gain confidence both in the public’s ability to generate meaningful discussion and their ability to stand up for your brand when its credibly is being threatened.

Social Media Survey

This is an interesting survey on attitudes and behaviours with respect to social media and word of mouth, specifically those of Canadians. It takes about 10-15 minutes to fill out and as I hear any results of interest I will post them here. Just going through the survey is an education on the breadth of this emerging industry.

Some results have already been highlighted. Here are a few answers responding to the question of what are the top ways to get it wrong with word of mouth marketing.

Not creating two-way dialogue 51.2%
Lying about identity i.e. fake blogging 51.2%
Not building it over time 7.3%

Click here for the full list .

Setting an Example Lots of Ways

IABC's Communicator lead me to the award-winning 'Lots of Ways' campaign created for the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC).

Lots of Ways promoted social responsibility. To connect with its audience, the campaign created three fictional, entertaining entrepreneurs who could provide a ride home after a night on the town: Burly Joe's Piggyback rides; Wheelbarrow Wilie; and Donnie's Donkeys.

The campaign's success is in large part because of their holistic marketing approach. Multiple communication vehicles with a wide variety of brand-building elements from t-shirt give-a-ways for playing a video game (that reminds me of Frogger – a game that tells you how old I am!) to a video contest for a Sony MPEG4 Net Sharing Camcorder.

I love the idea of getting to know each character through the various online videos, blogs and jingles. The connection to these characters was then expanded using print and radio advertising, soundboards mounted in washrooms in bars and restaurants, Facebook, downloadable ring tones, business cards, etc.

Each communications vehicle kept the message consistent: There are lots of ways to get home safely, all you need is one.

Partnering with important stakeholders such as the RCMP, CAA, and the cell phone service #TAXI added an important educational element, legitimacy, and, I imagine, additional promotional avenues.

According to the IABC article, website traffic for the six-week holiday period was 75,000 hits, almost 6,000 contest entries and the distribution of 100,000 #TAXI key tags at NSLC retail stores.


I am very curious about the budget allocated for this project. While well worth it, resources need to be high when you use traditional marketing to augment a social campaign, something I am finding more and more important in getting a campaign to stand out among so many competing sites today. Congratulations Lots of Ways for your 22 awards and counting!

How would you Break the Ice?

My friend Janice Diner, a mentor in everything to do with Facebook, directed me to the following site created for Hershey's Ice Breakers products. I can't endorse the product - admittedly I have never tried one - but their Facebook group in itself is worth talking about.

- The campaign is centred around the topic of 'breaking the ice' with someone new and the prospect of finding love (or, a good date). How can anyone resist that topic?

- We can all relate to the posted advertisement about dreaming we had the courage to go up to someone and tell them how we felt....and then chickening out.

- Breaking the Ice videos is the most compelling reason people stay on their page. It's a series of interviews with young people in major Canadian cities offering their best pickup line. Each week, fans cast their votes for their favourite video/line. The brilliance, from a PR perspective, is that it is controlled. They aren't waiting for people to send in their own videos, they are doing "streeters" and posting their best ones. This feeds perfectly into another element of the site, the ability to post your best Breaking the Ice tip and get in the game...that is, presuming they missed you on the street!

- Product information is up and centre and while instinctively I would have buried it lower so not to look as promotional, they celebrate their products and its unique shape and make-up and it works.

- What perhaps fits their theme the least is a simple contest for a trip to Ibiza Spain. To enter the contest all you need to do is input some contact information, which you can do up to 5 times a day... while it may be a less connected aspect of their campaign it's likely a good way to get people to come back regularly, so more points for thinking of this too.

I'd be currious to see a case study on the campaign to see if sales went up as a result. But as awareness campaigns go, well done. Thanks Janice.

Conversation trumps broadcast in research but not in budgets

I read with great interest Sean Moffitt's recent Buzz Canuck post that included industry statistics so good that I am going to print it off and carry it with me!

His points, based on research published in Forrester, are the following:

- Known trumps unknown

- Conversation trumps broadcast

- User trumps expert

- Owned site trumps content site

While I can't agree more, the reality is when it comes time to budget allocation (for the majority of industries), media relations and the desire for media endorsement still gets most of the budget.

I'd like to visit this post in a year from now and see if this still holds true. For now, news coverage is still the big client attraction. It's what keeps them happy, or causes them to look elsewhere.

You, may call me SWOMI

I am officially a SWOMI. That's a member of the Society for Word of Mouth.


Visit Society for Word of Mouth


In my first 10 minutes of looking around this online network, I became a fan of a video with great commentary from fellow member Michele Miller on parallels between the video and building a viral campaign for business.



I also found a great recommendation for a new book, David Vinjamuri's "Accidental Branding: How Ordinary People Build Extraordinary Brands".

More on my journeys as a SWOMI to come.... I suppose I've been called worse!

How would you sell underwear?

If you were asked to help boost underwear sales to the masses what would you do? Traditional marketing avenues come to mind - advertising, celebrity endorsement, product placement.... all ideas that are one step removed from the customers we are trying to reach.

Jockey went right to its customer-base with its Underwars dance campaign. A micro site hosts a video competition where individuals shimmy and shake in their favourite Jockey underwear to a list of pre-approved songs for a chance to win $5,000 (and some serious bragging rights).

It's a good example of a campaign well planned. Good design, a defined period of time, easy-to-execute, clear rules, appealingly racy but not in poor taste. Oh, and then there is the ability to 'get the right gear' and buy merchandise online. Did you know Jockey makes women's briefs that are.... it appears this campaign works in getting consumers to click onto their website and peruse their wares!

I'd be very interested to see a follow-up on this project and whether sales were actually increased. For now, an absolutely noteworthy effort and example of the potential of social media.

This book is a great find for anyone looking to get up-to-speed quickly on web 2.0. and how it's being used for marketing and communications. It's an easy and entertaining read with lots of great examples - though you need to look no further than how they marketed this book for the best example of all. There are also some valuable checklists and reminders for those of us already working on social media campaigns.

A strong recommendation for those looking for an introductory, yet comprehensive, resource.

Facebook is good politics

Full credit to Prime Minister Stephen Harper who has embraced web 2.0 - well, almost - with his Facebook profile.

The best part of the profile is his inclusion of three fabulous videos that show a less formal and personable individual. I also like the top of his profile that lists him as Stephen Harper, Member of Parliament rather than Prime Minister - this too goes a long way to bringing him to a level that voters can relate to.

He's so close to connecting with me and you when ....his communications department seem to have bust open the door. The language falls back into:

Mr. Harper has spent his political career standing up and speaking out for Canadians who work hard, pay their taxes and play by the rules....

.

Could one of his 7,623 supporters at the time of this writing help him with the social part of this social media tool? And, after you fix the language, how about suggesting he take a question a week from his Facebook supporters, or start a discussion topic 'Insights From 24 Sussex'?

At least there is room for a comment after each video...this one is my favourite:

What Kind Of World Do You Want.com: Congratulations Five for Fighting

I’ve recently been introducing the use of videos to many of our PR campaigns. The ability to create and post videos effortlessly on the web has made this an affordable option for most budgets and easy to execute. The ability to dust off the skills from my TV days is a personal bonus.

Whether to enhance websites, grab attention at trade shows, educate government or create an online presence, I find it is often easier to get people to watch than read. As communicators, hey, what ever method gets your target audience to listen…

Every once in a while I come across a campaign that takes my breath away. My friend Steve Greenwood, a wonderful marketing and fundraising specialist who worked for the Heart and Stoke Foundation for many years before joining the world-renowned Zareinu Educational Centre, recently introduced me to one of these awe-inspiring initiatives.

The band Five for Fighting has created a video community that raises money for a variety of charities. The concept is great, the execution is even better. This link is to one of my favourite videos on the site benefiting Autism Speaks but so many are well worth watching. Click on the banner below. In addition to it being an outstanding example of a top marketing and fundraising program, just by checking it out you'll be helping great cause.

The art of writing a new business proposal

The delay in getting to this next posting has been due to a heavy amount of new business proposal writing. Which leads to the question of what makes a good proposal, how much time do you spend on a project you might not get, and what do potential clients need to hear?

While each case is different, most RFPs in the PR and GR category need the following:

1. Background: Background on the firm and why they are the best choice for the job. Descriptions of work done for similar clients and industries is key.

2. Objectives: Well defined objectives that are realistic and reflective of the prospective client's needs.

3. Strategies: Several research-based strategy ideas that show your solution for communicating their issues/product/service/organization. These strategies need to be detailed enough that they can be understood from a conceptual and execution standpoint.

4. Team: Information on who is going to be working on the account. This step is often undervalued. Clients what to know upfront who they will be dealing with day-to-day. This means, proposals that only include company principals are not enough.

Good luck pitching!