The JaffeBLEND Blog

Social Media Update

With a mountain of workload, paperwork, never-ending to do lists, social events, an injured ankle and a nasty cold (which 70% of London seems to have), I have neglected my blogging.

Shame on me. But really, there are only 24 hours in each day. Respect to those who keep blogging amidst other pressures. Thanks though to some of my loyal followers who pulled me out of my blogging hiatus with email and Twitter S.O.S calls.

Luckily I haven't neglected my passion for digital marketing and I've tried to keep up abreast of developments. On that note, this post is a compilation of some of the interesting things that have crossed my path recently. I find myself continually fascinated with social media, specifically with Twitter, trying to get my head around it as a Twitterer and a marketer.

Social Media is Growing

..but revenue lags behind. Consumers are embracing social media but the rules for marketers and brands have yet to be written. There is loads of experimentation going on e.g. on Twitter @Zappos, @Comcastcares, @Delloutlet and even @BarackObama have successfully harnessed it as a channel for connecting and broadcasting with audiences.

I personally have been contacted by @Norton and @MarketingProfs as a result of my tweets about both companies.

The next stage is a clear monetisation model, and unfortunately just as 30-second spots are to TV as banners are to websites, there is no "quick" revenue fix yet for social media. When we still rely on display advertising for revenue, lower click rates on social media sites like MySpace, Facebook and Bebo do not paint a rosy picture. Read more on this topic here on MediaPost.

Social media can help sales significantly. Richard Shepherd predicts it could be a big earner in 2009 as the recession keeps people indoors. For ROI and success his tips are to use social media to Raise awareness, Listen, Engage, Respond and Control. The full article can be found here.

Steve Semelsberger, SVP of Global Sales and Business Development, Pluck, believes that Social Media will be the second largest area of spend increase by advertisers and piblishers, next to Search. Read an interesting interview with him here.

Social Media for Publishers

I was privileged to attend a webinar by Chris Brogan on Social Media for Publishers. With my online background, I immediately thought it would be attended by bloggers and online media publishers, however I was pleasantly surprised to discover loads of traditional publishers in attendance and the topic of books in discussion. In the spirit of social media, the Webex LiveMeeting had constant chatter and it was fascinating to partake in a virtual webinar and still be connecting with so many people! It was exhilarating listening in to great content while I hovered over my laptop from my kitchen as I cooked dinner (we females pride ourselves in our multitasking abilities). The value was heightened by the combined ability to fire away questions (and get an immediate response from Chris) while getting some new Twitter folks to follow and followers e.g. John Byrne, Editor-in-Chief, Businessweek.com. You can view it here.

2009 Social Media Predictions

Thanks to Rohit Bargava, who highlighted this document on his blog about the 2009 social media predictions from BeingPeterKim.com, with key view points from top thought leaders and bloggers. An interesting, easy read.

Social Media Research & Measurement

Traditional market research and online research gets a new twist with social media. Duncan Southgate outlines YouBuild and YouTrawl as 2 new techniques. Essentially, YouBuild is the research version of "crowd-sourcing" and YouTrawl involves doing secondary research or "trawling" social media for insights and valuable conversations about brands or products. You can read the full article here.

Everyone seems to want to talk about measurement, but before diving into tools and metrics, we are reminded by Laura Patterson, on MarketingProfs, to look to outputs (e.g. number of positive reviews relative to the campaign cost), outcomes (e.g. behavioural changes like increase/decrease in number of reviews) and business results (e.g. how a specific business objective in achieved). The whole article can be found here.

Twitter

Aaaah Twitter. I could write an entirely new post on this, but in the interest of keeping it short, I have consumed by trying out 100 of the best Twitter tools from the ComMetrics blog. The Sharon Jaffe jury is still not out on Tweetdeck – I love the extra functionality but just struggle to scan and read tweets as comfortably as say in Outtwit or simply on Twitter.com.

Some Cool Stuff

• 12Seconds.TV: I discovered this video microblogging service thanks to Neville Hobson. It can best be described as YouTube meets Twitter with a nifty iPhone app. I would have tried it out if I didn't get such a shock seeing my face on my PC's webcam before applying any make-up first thing in the morning.
• Masher.com: This is a nifty mashing site with clips and apps essentially allowing you to do the same as Apple iMovie, but online and with a community element. The term "mash ups" seems to refer to both 1) the combination of content consisting of music and/or pictures and/or text or 2) the integration of applications e.g. Twitter with Google Earth like in Twittervision. This site represents the former.

   

So that's the end of my social media update for 2008. As the year draws to a close, I hope this post gives you some food for thought on Social Media, an exciting area for growth and experimentation in the near future (and my favourite part of digital marketing at the moment)!

Social Networks Across Geographies

It's interesting to see that while many don't know what social networking is, we're all doing it! In a post by Scott Monty, 58% of 18-65 year olds interviewed across 17 markets did not know what Social Networking was. These are the results from a recent Synovate study also reported on by Emarketer.

Am I surprised? Not really. I don't think my mother or any of my non new-media friends know the term while we're all using social networks.

Even more interesting is the penetration of the different networks across the globe:

From a personal perspective, I have family, friends and associates spread across the world and many on different networks. In The Netherlands, I continually get Hyves requess (I lived there for 10 years), however being active on LinkedIn and Facebook doesn't leave me with much bandwidth for yet another social networks. Lately, I've also been meeting folks from Switzerland, Gemany and Austria. Am I on Xing? No. Will I subscribe to Xing? Not likely.

The foundation of social networking is not the presence but the participation. This participation requires actively logging in to read/post/forward/watch/write etc. I can barely keep up with Facebook! How many times has someone told me something about their personal life to which I've reacted with great surprise ... only to have them respond nonchalantly "well, I did announce it on Facebook!". Who finds the time to login daily or check out the photo albums of their 300 friends?

The implication for advertisers and commercial opportunities in this space is clear. For multinational campaigns, you need to include a variety of social networks in your strategy. It's not a once-size-fits-all solution alas. Forget partnering with MySpace for your global campaign! You'll only reach Bulgarians ... and Americans, of course.

It will be interesting to see in the next 5-10 years which of these networks are still around or if people will defect to other networks. If Facebook keep changing their interface, it may just happen even sooner.

 

Twitter Mad about Mad Men

When I heard about the TV series "Mad Men" ( AMC), I wasn't too keen on a programme about a bunch of crazy men. It wasn't until saw that it got a ridiculous amount of Golden Globe and Emmy nominations and awards, AND that it was about the advertising industry (Mad – Madison Ave) in the '60's, that I felt compelled to check it out. I picked up a DVD set promptly and churned through Series 1 in a marathon binge (personal tip: stop at 3 episodes each time). Now that my fix is over, I am waiting with a massive void for Series 2 to begin in the UK. BBC 4 has secured it though it seems as if it may only air next year. Pray tell it'll come sooner than that.

Where does digital marketing and social media connection come into play?

For starters, the void was somewhat filled when, much to my amusement:

1. I saw the Mad Men characters pop up in Twitter: @don_draper (with 1,749 followers!), @roger_sterling, @pete_campbell (and his wife @trudy_campbell), @joan_holloway, @betty_draper and I'm sure there are more. There's even @dick-whitman – Don Draper's old identity!
2. I discovered that the advertising agency in question, Sterling Cooper, had its own website (WeAreSterlingCooper.com).
3. I was even introduced to new characters e.g. @Bud_Melman (who works in the mailroom at Sterling Cooper). Bud has a linked-in page and has asked me for a recommendation! He's trying to move up at Sterling Cooper.

Why does it work?

1. Authenticity: The Mad Men characters remain fairly true to life – even with their language usage (we should bring back the word "swell" into our daily vernacular).
2. Interaction: They also follow their followers on Twitter, allowing for interaction with their "fans".
3. Engagement: This is the first time I've encountered characters from a show extend their persona's into the so-called real world that you and I interact in. In fact, this interaction with the characters is humorous, strangely real and very engaging!
4. Intimacy: The Twitter environment is very person as the messaging feels very much like sms or IM. I am almost tempted to direct message @don_draper and ask him questions which I can't do when sitting on the sofa. Of course, I remind myself that it isn't the real person and merely someone operating the Twitter account (my rational side always trumps). Still, maybe I'll ask Trudy Campbell what she see's in Pete Campbell but I don't want to burst her bubble.
5. Extension: Madison Ave in the 60's means that David Ogilvy must have been in the picture. While he isn't in the TV series, on twitter @david_ogilvy shares his insights and thoughts. My personal favourite is "Advice for @pete_campbell I despise toadies who suck up to their bosses; they are generally the same people who bully their subordinates 03:50 PM August 29, 2008 from web".

Why do I love it?

What has happened here is the use of social media in an un-controlled way to elevate and celebrate the brand "Mad Men". Its an environment for the fans, by the fans (although I really don't know who is behind it) and only has a positive impact on:

• The buzz around the show
• The fans and their loyalty

This impact has just touched on the potential for utilising social media to market and enhance the awareness and consumer base for an entertainment brand and product.

So what's the problem?

AMC are not behind this. AMC tried to take it down. AMC changed their minds (apparently on advice from their Agency Deep Focus). Read more about it on Silicon Alley Insider. They needed to be convinced that the "Twitterers assuming the names of Mad Men characters are actually brand ambassadors meant to be cultivated, not thwarted" according to Michael Learmonth. Of course, we understand that AMC is also concerned about controlling this so that it is true to the show's characters and integrity. It's a shame that legal action had to follow and not creativity to harness the power of social media and the fan base.

What should AMC be doing?

Here are some ideas how this could be further built upon in order to drive further awareness and buzz for the show with a greater audience while pull the existing fan base in even more.

• More Content: The current conversation on Twitter just scratches the surface of what is possible. I recommend giving the fans more to talk about and engage with, such as:
  • Some exclusive content e.g. a piece of footage not shown on TV
  • Even more insight into the characters e.g. What else does Betty talk about in her therapy sessions? What big pitches are happening at Sterling Cooper?
  • More play on the theme "advertising in the 60's" e.g. What research as become available about TV advertising (the new thing back then)? What did a 30-second spot cost?
• Fans as Evangelists: Satisfied customers and fans tell other people about their passions and this represents untapped potential in enhancing the audience and fan base even further. More should be done to a) activate the fan base and b) use other channels like Facebook, Bebo, MySpace to further the buzz and content distribution. Bud Melman on Linked In represents a good start in this direction. Of course, I also don't want my Linked In mailbox clogged with fake characters and endorsement requests so this space should be entered into delicately.
• Official Marketing Communication: Separate to the character Twitter feeds, AMC could set up a @MadMenFans feed informing fans on:
  • Show Content:
    • When will the series be out in the UK?
    • Sneak preview episodes
    • Some insight into the storyline and clips from Series 2 (these are floating around illegally on the web )
  • Era Content:
    • More on advertising in the 60's, life in the 60's (values, themes, trends), New York in the 60's etc.
    • Background to some of the truths in the series e.g. Lucky Strike - "It's Toasted" campaign was apparently created exactly as the scene played out.
  • Awareness: There's actually a lot hidden on the AMC site. While I'm a fan, I would never have gone to the site and surfed around to find such gems as video's of people doing Mad Men characters (to win a walk on role). Check out this Joan Holloway or my favourite video, which is Rich Sommer acting as Peggy Olson.

Advertising was certainly simpler in the 60's and the folks at Sterling Cooper didn't have to worry about audience fragmentation, the integration of digital channels and social media. If they were around today, I'm sure they would be up to the challenge, although the scotch-free no smoking environment would be a whole different ballgame for them!

Facebook is more useful than I thought

Thanks toTangerineToad on Twitter for directing me to this article: How to make facebook useful again. Guess I am not entirely the right generation or just don't have enough time to delve into this although I certainly will try out some of the things mentioned in the article.

I admit to being recently rather charmed an cheered by Facebook as a result of postings of school pictures from about 25-30 years ago! Even funnier was the resulting time-shifted commentary from the same people in the photo but spanning several continents. It was a form of enjoyment from social interaction which would never have been possible without Facebook. I honestly don't think I would ever have spoken to many of these folks again. If you've added me as a friend, then you can check out the photos and spot me. This week I LOVE Facebook. Next week, who knows ? :-)

Twitter101 for Twits

As a newbie to Twitter, I spent the first few weeks a wee bit perplexed. How did I find new people to follow? How were people finding me? What should I be saying to people? The twitter question says “what are you doing now?” yet people are actually sending URL’s and questions. How come I’m witnessing conversations on Twitter? What’s a Tweetup?

If you’re reading my intro you’re either nodding in agreement or wondering why I am such a dumb blonde. Having said that, I’m sure there’s at least 1 other dumb blonde out there, so I thought I’d share some of my tips to newbies to Twitter to help them get acquainted.

Definition: Twitter is actually a micro-blogging service, making it much more proactive and pointed than Facebook and other social networks. Users create a free account at Twitter.com, then make posts (called "tweets") of 140 or fewer characters, which answer the question "what are you doing?" These postings can be made at Twitter.com or by texting/emailing from a mobile/cell.

Twitter for dummies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddO9idmax0o

"Background: Evan Williams, Jack Dorsey and Biz Stone launched Twitter Inc. in April 2007. A year, many awards and constant media attention later, Twitter now has well over 1 million users, including some famous ones. Most followed stream: Barack Obama with 15,094 (vs Hillary Clinton with 1,907), humorist Stephen Colbert with 5,529 and Apple CEO Steve Jobs with 4,660. 

Relevance: Adopted commercially and by institutions due to its characteristic as a broadcast medium with immediacy. CNN, The New York Times, the BBC and al Jazeera all Twitter their breaking news headlines with links back to their stories; the Los Angeles Fire Department uses it to communicate with its firefighters, and the University of Texas at San Antonio sends updates to its students via tweets."

Type of information shared: URL’s (thank heavens for www.tinyurl.com), tips, information, Q & A, social (tweetup = meetup) and of course, arbitrary information (actually answering the question “what are you doing now?”).

Useful twitter tools and sites:

·         www.twitdir.com: to find top to follow

·         OutTwit: a twitter updater in outlook

·         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkd-Kft1xy8 (how to use twitter)

·         http://www.twitterlocal.net/ : filter out feeds for a certain geographical area

·         www.tweetscan.com : search for topics mentioned in all tweets eg. Comscore 

Since posting this, I have some new twitter links:

• www.twittersnooze.com : hit the snooze button on your hyperactive twitterati
• twistori.com: an interesting web social experiment searching and scrolling feeds based on emotive words like "love, hate, wish, believe, etc). Quite freaky!
• www.tweetdeck.com: good desktop software
• www.twitteriffic.com: iPhone app
• www.qwitter.com: get updates on who has decided to quit following you (grrr)
• twitter.com/mrtweet: great tool to get recommendation for new people to follow

UK readers: get a free Caffe Nero coffee! (or not)

Caffe Nero and BT are offering "buy one get one free" vouchers if you register on this link. It gets sent to you in 2 weeks (which is disappointing considering the 'instant gratification' offered by the web). Since its limited to 20,000 folks, I'm guessing they didn't build a smart tool to manually check addresses and quota's for the vouchers. People are still wary of the story of a UK wine merchant whose emails were spread virally offering 20% discount to the extent that they were unable to honour the offer (so I hear). There are those who believe the whole thing was a cleverly orchestrated PR stunt as well. I digress, go enjoy your free cuppa Nero blend now...

Or not!

UPDATE 30 APRIL: Since posting this, I have yet to receive notification of my voucher (today is April 30th). How ... pathetic! I've since checked my junk mail as well. What a shame that they successfully activated me to subscribe to this offer and then it fails on execution. Please do let me know if you have received such a voucher as I am interested to see if perhaps it just didn't work out for me. Sigh .... its back to Costa and Starbucks this week. 

UPDATE 1 MAY: I came home after posting the above paragraph to find a plastic clad brochure with card for a free coffee for redemption. Some direct marketer out there should consider a career change. How can it be a good thing to spend on printing, paper and postage .... while also making a consumer wait 20 days (!!) for just a free cuppa Java. The decision ws probably routed in fraud-prevention however its a shame that this or back office fulfillment resulted in poor execution.

Rick Rocking and Rolling

After I was Rickrolled this week by my brother (I was hoping to read about a cool presentation on new innovation at Google), today I discovered the Rickmob. Completely silly and equally hilarious. I coincidentally have a business meeting at Liverpool street on the afternoon of April 11th. Is anyone tempted to join me there? Would anyone like me to cover this event? I am so curious I just have to check it out. Also heard that even CNN have covered the upcoming event!

Better go and learn the words, just in case.... Join the facebook group.

Know Your Meme: The Rickroll - More amazing video clips are a click away

Do you prefer a virus or a bacteria?

I read in the Guardian on March 24th 2008, that the most eagerly awaited commercial of 2008 is the follow-up Cadbury's commercial of the gorilla playing the drums to Phil Collins' "Something in the air tonight".

The gorilla ad was created by Fallon. Without a single mention of chocolate, it was shared millions of times on the web. This must have been tremendous to all marketers at Cadbury's after a year in which Cadbury's had a salmonella outbreak, a recall of a £5m Trident gum campaign which was so offensive and a recall of Easter Eggs lacking in nut allergy warnings. My personal favourite is the Easter Egg hunt in the US which led people to a graveyard in Boston containing the remains of historic American figures!

So the ad created some positivity for Cadbury's although a mate of mine summed it up when he said "loved the ad and the viral marketing success story, still don't want to get the salmonella bacteria".

There's no doubt that this ad contained that X-factor that makes people want to watch it and share it. I'm also pretty sure that it created some positive company and brand equity for Cadbury's when it was much needed. I am left wondering 2 things at the moment:

• What impact did it actually have on brand equity and sales?
• How can the second ad try to replicate the same x-factor? (nice challenge for Fallon)
• How will it do? 
• What will the second ad sell more chocolates?
• Will there be a third ad? When do you stop?

My feeling at the moment is that there HAS been a positive impact on brand equity and sales, and I hope that Fallon can replicate the magic. I have just bought a second Bravia TV although I don't know if this is attributed to my belief in Sony's brand, design and superior quality or perhaps the results of consumer tests  which I read (the Bravia came out top) or maybe it *IS* my belief in it having colour.like.no.other (thanks to the balls, paint and rabbits ads).

What do YOU think about the questions above? Do you think I was influenced by the Sony Bravia advertising? I'd like to invite you to comment on this. Please, pretty please? Don't be shy.

Hot or Not (interested)?

On hearing about Facebook fatigue, I admit to being somewhat less interested in Facebook thesedays. My primary annoyance being the Superwall posts which are a (futile?) attempt to see who accesses your profile by forwarding a useless picture of something (e.g. a puppy) to EVERYONE on their friends list. Now if this actually works, please let me know, as I haven't had the guts to spam my entire list of friends whilst admitting my curiousity at the same time.

While I am also relieved to be given cocktails and voted someone's top best friend, I just don't know where people find the time. Moving right along, I guess I'm not the only one. Check out this Anti-Facebook anthem:

On a more serious note, people are using the different applications to different degrees. Thanks to Daria Radota Rasmussen at Social Hallucinations and Greg Verdino for providing some insight into how people use Facebook.

"Enhanced Communication" is in the number one spot .... but guess what's in the number 2 spot? A: "Social Comparison". Tsk tsk. What does that say about society? Next is "Playing Social Games" and in 4th position, "Social Selection". What??? I'll be honest, I'm not quite sure what this means, but it reeks of my high school basketball field (playground) where we used to hang in school breaks. The sweat starts to break on my forehead...

But moving back to the implications for marketing (and wrapping up), although Einstein once said, “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” I feel that insight like this is another feather in the web's measurability cap when data like this becomes available!

Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and BEEEEEEP

The power of the web has provided a distribution channel for one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. Sarah Silverman, girlfriend of Jimmy Kimmel (US talk show host) first released this video entitled "I'm F***ing Matt Damon".

8 Million views later .... Jimmy Kimmel released a response called "I'm F***ing Ben Affleck". I challenge you not to end up laughing at this one! Enjoy.