Tisk Tisk Kraft, Tisk Tisk….

{ June 11, 2010 @ 1:03 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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It’s been a while but I’ve been following an interesting PR situation that has caught my attention. Apparently a woman in Florida found “something” in a leaky pouch of Apple Capri Sun. She posted the pictures and her negative experience with the Kraft company on Facebook and now their fan page (http://www.facebook.com/KraftFoods?v=wall&ref=ts) is covered in a heated debate. Though apparently the issue has not sparked enough controversy to initiate any media attention or even a recall, it certainly is a big deal to hundreds on Facebook.

There are two reasons why I find this interesting. One, is that it shows the true power of Facebook. Hundreds of comments have been posted on the page, the woman who found the- whatever the hell it is- has hit her cap of Facebook friends, and new Facebook pages have been created- where you can see the pictures for yourself- in response as well (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ummm-Kraft-WTF-IS-THAT/128841170470137?v=wall&ref=ts). People are boycotting Kraft foods and throwing out Capri Suns all over the country. Without this form of social media- I’m sure no one would have every really known….

Secondly, I think that Kraft’s reaction to this situation is interesting. Late yesterday, after their lab results came in, the issued a statement on their Facebook page that says the object found was simply mold created by a puncture in the pouch (look at the pictures, I don’t want that kind of mold anywhere near me!). But that was it! There is a heated debate going on over the quality and integrity of your brand, and you decide to update your status with new summer cake recipes?!? Not smart in my opinion. I understand that they don’t see this as a large problem and are probably just hoping that it goes away, but some damage control needs to be done here. I fear they’re underestimating the powerful, viral, word-of-mouth effect Facebook can have. Never underestimate the power of Facebook….

Policing the Internet

{ May 17, 2010 @ 8:36 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Whenever I write my blog posts, I hope that someone is reading them- let alone copying them! But this is a real concern for many who post content to the Internet. Digital information makes it so easy to simply copy and paste something off of the Internet and use it somewhere else. If not cited properly, it’s classified as stealing and abusing someone else’s intellectual property.

The vast amount of information available on the web makes it hard to keep track of where your information is being used. This is where the topic of “policing” the Internet for plagiarism comes into play. Is something like this even possible? We’ve learned through numerous years of schooling that if you’re going to use someone else’s ideas, you need to site them and give credit where credit is due. This was easy to monitor when it’s one teacher reading 30 papers, but on the Internet where there are millions of new articles, posts etc daily- who’s to monitor that?

I think it all depends on the content, and it’s up to the author to go out and search for plagiarism. While I would probably be more flattered than upset if someone copied one of my blog posts, there are a lot of people who put their personal art, research and more on the web that would be offended and quite upset if someone used their ideas without permission. If someone’s intellectual property is stolen, there should be a process to prosecute those people, but an agency to monitor the web in that manner seems a little far fetched to me. Thoughts??

Till Next Time Blogger Friends!

Spotlight On: Red Bull

{ May 16, 2010 @ 8:12 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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One of my favorite social media blogs is Mashable.com. Less than a year ago they did a study on “5 Killer Facebook Pages“, one including Red Bull. Now I am a big fan of the brand, and it seems that they have found social media gold in Facebook. About two weeks ago I became a fan of their Facebook page and they had just under 3 million followers. Today, they have close to 3.5 million!

They have proven to be an example to other businesses trying to tap into the Facebook market with their innovative use of their Facebook page. Red Bull has profiles on almost every other social media site including Twitter, MySpace and YouTube; but none have been as effective as Facebook. So what do they do that’s so unique? They have personalized their page to include a spotlight on athletes (integrated with Twitter), embedded “Red Bull TV”, created their own advergames and even included a link to apply for any open position. They’ve stepped outside the traditional “info, photos, boxes” tab and created a profile that shows the true abilities of Facebook.

So what can other companies learn from Red Bull?

1. Customize your profile with content that relevant to your target. Red Bull highlights athletes in any sport and connects  their fans with the athletes Twitter and personal web pages. Which leads me to …

2. Integrate! Connect your social media profiles. If you have fans on one site, they’re likely to follow you on another.

3. Create content that will engage your target. Red Bull created their own online TV channel, games, and more. There’s enough content on their page to keep you busy for hours!

4. Stay active. You’ll hear this advice from just about anyone. If you communicate with your followers and keep updating fresh content, you’ll give them a reason to come back and to tell their friends. Facebook is the ultimate two way marketing tool- you have to give to get!

5. Stay true to your brand. Red Bull is unconventional. So is their content. They’ve made their fan page their own- and their fans obviously appreciate it!

Good luck :)

Till Next Time Blogger Friends!

Meet “Fan It”, The “Like” Button’s Cousin…

{ May 13, 2010 @ 9:57 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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You watch TV right? Obviously. Well, according to NBC, you can now be rewarded for it! This weekend (May 17, 2010) NBC is launching a rewards program in an effort to encourage  viewers to interact with their favorite shows online. The more content viewers watch online the more points they get. You can also earn points by participating Tweeting about NBC shows or “Liking” an NBC show on Facebook. So what do all of these fabulous points get you? VIP access to unaired shows, entry into sweepstakes and of course, NBC merchandise.

What’s interesting is that you can use an existing MySpace, Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare account to log into and register for this program at www.NBC.com/fanit. It’s very smart of NBC to integrate all of the most popular social media sites for ease of use, and to boost their online presence on said sites. This is a great example of a brand using IMC principles effectively.

I must say, I think I’m liking this concept. After all, it did get me to visit NBC.com for the very first time just for curiosity sake. It will be very interesting to see the statistics on the increase of traffic on NBC.com and increase of “fans” on MySpace, Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare. The media giant does have some experience in this area however, according to NBC.com, a “Chuck” inspired social media game entitled “Mission: Chuck Me Out” resulted in “tens of millions of social media impressions”.  So tell me, do you think you’ll “Fan It”???

Till Next Time Blogger Friends!

Virtual Real Estate

{ May 12, 2010 @ 10:49 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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One of the best things about the Internet is that anyone can do it. Anyone can publish their thoughts in cyberspace for millions to read. Before the Internet, you had to be a writer and get into a magazine or get published for anyone outside your family and friends to read your work. But today it’s a different story. Same goes for a business. If I want to start an online bumper sticker company- I can! (And for the record, I don’t…)

The first step to having your own online business, or personal space to broadcast all of my thoughts and opinions? Purchase what I like to call virtual real estate, or a domain. A domain is a web address, and is typically purchased at a yearly rate. Depending on the name and if someone “owns” it determines the price.  My personal favorite website to look up available domain names is Register.com. The site allows you to look up any domain with any extension  to determine if it is available, and for how much.

I know people to purchase domains and never use them, but keep them just like they would a condo at the beach. It’s an investment- and maybe one day someone will come along and pay top dollar for what they consider prime virtual real estate. So, what do you think- is holding virtual real estate a good investment? Vote below!

Keeping Up With Podcasts

{ May 11, 2010 @ 8:58 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Now I am not a huge sports fan, but when it comes to MY teams (GO CAVS!!) there is an exception. Living in South Carolina, and unwilling to purchase a NBA all access pass from my cable company, I tend to rely on the internet for my real time scores for those games that aren’t broadcasted in my area.

One of the tools used to keep up with my favorite sports team is a Podcast. Podcasting is basically like radio for the Internet- but better. You listen to what you want, when you want, without commercials.  They can be talk-show type formats, new artist releases, rants about life or someone’s commentary about a French film festival, it’s up to the creator! They are then loaded into cyberspace for download by anyone. They can be loaded onto an iPod or even be sent straight to your phone, once it’s downloaded it’s a typical MP3.

The best thing about podcasts, are that they can be done by anyone. I can listen to an official NBA podcast about my favorite game or I can listen to an energetic fan for a different take. The NBA podcasts for instance also have subscriptions, so any time there is a new podcast about my beloved Cavs, it’s automatically downloaded straight to my iTunes. If you already have iTunes, you can find podcasts right from there. If not, you can find podcasts at places like podcast.com and podcastalley.com. Enjoy!

Till Next Time Blogger Friends

Extend Your Brand With Brand Ambassadors

{ May 10, 2010 @ 1:35 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Brand Ambassadors (Street Team, Promotional Team etc) have become a crucial part of grass-roots marketing campaigns. A Brand Ambassador is an extension of the brand; a person who not only “sells” your brand, but believes in it and can provide their peers with a real and positive testimony of the product. I’ve seen many brand ambassadors- and there are companies that do them well: Red Bull and liquor companies are the first that come to mind.

My favorite however, was  a group of brand ambassadors at a state carnival sampling Kellogs cereal straws. Mind you, this was taking place in the middle of a hot summer day and they were pushing a product used with milk. But they over came that challenge in a creative way by walked around the carnival with chilled back packs full of milk giving people samples of milk with the cereal straws. By the end of the three day weekend, they had sampled thousands of cereal straws and even I was sold.

The key was that their brand ambassadors were friendly, personable and approachable. While there was a uniform, there were individuals and that came through in their outgoing personality. So what does it take to make a successful brand ambassador team? You need to find people that will represent your brand the way you want it. Often, these teams go out independently. So they need to be trustworthy, professional and able to sell your brand.

Regardless if the brand is a high end liquor or a health care company, brand ambassadors are a great tool for many companies. They tend to be more approachable than a traditional sales person and can really give a brand a fun, positive image. Thoughts??

Till Next Time Blogger Friends

Do you MySpace?

{ April 30, 2010 @ 10:34 am } · { Uncategorized }
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When the social networking site trend started in 2002 it was new and exciting to everyone. MySpace, which originated as an online storage space for pictures, video etc, launched in 2003 and quickly beat out “Friendster”, the original social networking site. Soon came Facebook, LinkedIn, Classmates.com, Twitter and more. But what every happened to the first big site, MySpace? Yes, I know it is still up and running- but how many of you are actually still active?

Seeing the decline of popularity in MySpace makes me think about whether these social sites will have real staying power, or if they will be replaced as quickly as they started. After logging in to MySpace after several months (and several failed log-in attempts) the shift has been more towards promoting music, movies and events rather than connecting friends. It seems Facebook has cornered that market and MySpace had to adjust. To me, MySpace just became a bit too much and the simplicity of Facebook is what won me over.

My biggest MySpace pet peeve (warning: mini rant)… is how hard it is to cancel the account! I signed up for the site my freshman year of college with my college e-mail. Little did I know, you need access to that college e-mail to cancel your account! Therefore, I have an empty profile, taking up space, that still comes up in a Google search.

But at the end of the day, what do social networking sites need to do to stay relevant? And at what point, will the majority begin to walk away??

Till Next Time Blogger Friends!

The Fine-print of Facebook

{ April 27, 2010 @ 10:20 am } · { Uncategorized }
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The other day, I saw a few friends Facebook status’ stating the following…

“Regarding your personal information: As of today, there is a new privacy setting called “Instant Personalization” that shares data with non-facebook websites and it is automatically set to “Allow.” Go to Account > Privacy Settings > Applications and Websites>Instant Personalization [Edit Setting] and uncheck “Allow”.”

Now, I’m sure there was a Facebook notification about the change in privacy, but how many of you just clicked the little “X” without really reading it? I know I did. In short, Facebook has teamed up with test partner sites, Microsoft Docs.com, Pandora and Yelp, to “personalize your experience using your public Facebook information.” A banner will be displayed on the top of these sites linking you back to your friends on Facebook. And even if you decide to not allow this, your friends may still use your public Facebook information to personalize their own experience on these outside websites unless you block the application. While the program is still a pilot, I’m sure there are many sites who will jump at the chance to link their pages back to the social media site which boasts over 400 million members.

Facebook also changed the act of being a “fan” of products, companies etc, and replaced it with “liking” the said page. Just seems like semantics, no? Well in reality, Facebook has used this “like” button to essentially send the information into a database about individual preferences. Once you “like” one of these company pages, the administrator of that pages gets a link to your page, and  has permission to publish to your newsfeed at any point. Though companies can not share this data with each other, Facebook itself is collecting a HUGE database that could be very valuable to a lot of companies in the future.

Lessons Learned? CHECK YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS!! If you’re going to be active on Facebook, check your privacy settings often and think twice before “liking” every page in site, because your personal information could be being used for more than keeping up with old friends. Oh, and remember to read the fine print…

Till Next Time Blogger Friends!

Going Viral

{ April 24, 2010 @ 8:29 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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With the launch of sites such as YouTube, viral videos have become a favorite among the digital world. Millions have seen viral hits such as “Charlie bit my finger – again!” and ” The Evolution of Dance.” While this unintentional web starts have become household names, is there any place for brands to make their mark in this market?

Take a look at the Evian Roller Babies. In 2009, this commercial made it into the Guinness World Records as the most-viewed online advertisement in history- pretty cool huh?!? Though the brand saw a decrease in US sales, the company attributes the loss to economic reasons as opposed to marketing reasons. But look at all the free advertising they received from these adorable skating babies!

Brand recognition seems to be the ideal outcome from these viral brand videos. The extra play time and millions of views increases search engine optimization and drives website traffic. The key is to produce something entertaining enough early adaptors, or trend setters,  to want to share and have the lasting power to then become main stream viral.

The entities that seem to benefit most from online videos are personal brands, in particular musical artists. In the Top 10 Watched YouTube Videos of All Time, 5 of the 10 are music videos. Many artists have been discovered and enhanced their careers via sites such as YouTube and MySpace. Just another example of how social media sites have opened a new opportunity for brands across the board to gain brand recognition and make their mark on consumers.

Till Next Time Blogger Friends!

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