What's Next In Marketing

No Blogging For One Month. Did I Miss It?

Here's and interesting post about not Tweeting for a month. Jeremiah spent his 20 days away from Twitter blogging more.

http://tinyurl.com/7lf9c8

While I spent the past 30 days or so doing no blogging, but instead have done all of my posting via Twitter.

@mcaplan70

It's been an interesting experience and an informative one in how brands and companies can or should not use social networking to build a relationship with consumers.

With a blog, you clearly need to give your posts much more thought. Yes, you can simply post a URL and a quick comment, but I think users have grown accustomed to a more in depth experience. More editorial comment. It's what gives a blog it's personality.

An article reprinted in a Bangkok newspaper from the Straits Times in Singapore offers an answer with "Blogging is so last year." What's replacing them are micro-blogs Twitter and Plurk, which can be sent from a mobile phone as well as a computer, and are limited to no more than 140 characters in length. And says one Twitter/Plurk devotee, "Blogging is getting to be a hassle. I think about and write a lengthy post, and then only get three comments."

With Twitter it's ready, (skip aim), fire). Like a post? TinyURL it and it's there.

Some folks become obsessed with Twitter.

http://tinyurl.com/ctdvlp

For someone "following" me (I have a couple hundred at this point...my blog was getting about 1000 visits a week), you can figure out quickly what my interests are. but I don't think you can get a quick feel for how I feel about them.

I've noticed this in most of the cases where I am following someone on Twitter, I know what they may be interested in, but not what their deeper opinion is.

For clients, what's clear is that Twitter absolutely has deep hooks for retailers. The Dell example is a great one:

http://tinyurl.com/nenmvh

My friend Bob Pearson (http://twitter.com/BobPearson1845) got Dell started on Twitter. Now they say they are making real money off it.

But for a deeper relationship with consumers, I don't think brands have quite figured it out. Sort of like when building their first website: if I build it will they come? Why will they come? I think the same thought process needs to be carried out with Twitter vs. a blog.

What are you strategic goals? What kind of consumer are you targeting?

It's something agency folks need to get acclimated with.

Twitter

Light blogging past few weeks. Heavy work load main culprit. But I have also been using Twitter quite a bit more. You can follow me at @mcaplan70

Facebook: Fleeting Fancy Or Long Realtionship

An old colleague of mine who is a very prominent creative director posted his last Facebook message over the weekend.

It seems his acct was hacked and his "Friends" were all sent a spam message. I received it. Was a bit of gibberish and harmless But my friend, who is up on social networking and was a reasonably regular user of Facebook says he's out.

I often find people (and also clients who are figuring out what to do with Facebook) saying that now that they are users of the network they can't imagine being without it. My friend who dropped out obviously doesn't feel the same. People made the same type of pronouncements about MySpace. And Twitter is the new darling app. So is it the public that has the short attention span or he media?

MySpace still has more than 100 million users globally but you hardly hear a word about it. The answer, I think, is in between. Just as the TV networks (the Big Three originally) emerged, and then added Fox and all of the cable channels to the choices consumers have, and I think we'll see the same in the social network space. Therefore it's important to keep in mind that we are still in the infancy of these platforms.

MySpace is five years old. Facebook is three. Twitter two. It's important that agencies and their clients continually monitor these platforms. It's also just as important to do some testing. Put a toe into the water. Feel out what it's like to put your brand in the middle of these communities. These social platforms have become part of the cultural fabric and conversation. Are you or your clients a part of it?

Why I Am In This Business

When I see this kind of work it reminds me of how much I enjoy being in the agency business.

From the Latin America Wave Festival, their largest creative awards show.

The outdoor Grand Prix went to DM9DDB, Sao Paulo, for an unusual use of the medium: The agency promoted sound-production company Saxsofunny with the concept "Every image has a sound," using signs made of materials that replicate the sound suggested by the picture on the sign. One ad depicting black logs on crumpled red paper crackles like fire. A drawing of a black typewriter with white keys is covered with bubble wrap that sounds like the tapping of the keys when pushed. In another execution, black clouds and a lightning bolt are drawn on a shiny silver aluminum sheet that rattles like thunder.

What's Next: It's About Ideas

A quick follow up to my post from yesterday about the speech Tony Granger (our Global Creative Director) gave at the Clio's in which he said the agency business was now about "ideas" (no matter from where or on what platform), not just ads.

http://tinyurl.com/rcbcf3

My friend Ben Palmer, the amazing Creative Director of The Barbarian Group, has a piece on adweek.com that echo's that thought, but focuses on how ideas are needed in regard to how creative agencies leverage social media for their clients. A good argument for what's needed, and a shout out to the social networks for more collaboration.

http://tinyurl.com/o3zreq

What's Next: Miracle Whip Social App?

Just asking: is this really money well spent?

http://tinyurl.com/pxomub

What's Next: How Important Having The Right Casting Is To A Presentation

My friend Chris Shumaker, the brilliant CMO of Publicis North Maerica, taught me early on that casting in a new business pitch, or important client meeting, is as important as the content being presented.

The video released by Domino's in response to the "Cheese Up The Nose" incident is a great example of that principle.

Does anyone really feel comforted after seeing this? He look awful. Sounds awful. And doesn't even have the ability (or guidance) to look directly into the camera. Total lack of credibility in my opinion. Nice piece on AdAge by Bob Garfield on how Domino's missed the boat.

http://adage.com/garfield/post?article_id=136083

What's Next: Great BMW Outdoor Ad

What's Next: Does Data And Analytics Really Help When You Need A Big Idea

I posted a quick tweet on Facebook this AM about the fact I was going into a meeting to discuss a client need around data.

I'm a big believer in data as a valuable tool to inform the decisions we make about marketing. One friend of mine argued that I was off base...that big ideas are more important and that they are developed intuitively, not through analysis of info.

I land in between. Still believe that our job as marketers is to develop the big idea...to tell a great story...to engage consumers on their terms. But I also believe that the decisions we make about what to say should be informed by the massive amount of consumer data we have.

Interesting thread.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=781883645&v=feed&story_fbid=78083125871

What's Next: Shopping Habits Are Changed For Good

Good article on economist.com about how the recession has changed consumer shopping habits. For good.

http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13415207