EURSSMarketing

Emoticons for brands: The dos and don'ts

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:53:59 GMT

Are you a serial emoticon user?

I’ve been known to include a smiley face or two in my tweets and Facebook posts. It’s a sign of humor, a signal to my recipients that I may be stating something a little tongue in cheek.

Emoticons have become part of the online lexicon. Whether it’s on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, you name it, emoticons show up in some way, shape, or form. As more people have used emoticons online, the trend has spilled over into business communications.

We’ve all seen it—an email or note from a colleague with a smiley face at the end. But does that mean it’s acceptable, or should be?

That depends. Let me lay out a few scenarios and when I think it is and isn’t appropriate in business.

Appropriate uses

Scenario 1: I’m sending a private message on Facebook to a partner I work with closely on a project. I want to share a funny anecdote as part of the note and include a smiley face.

Scenario 2: I write a tweet that is lighthearted and pokes fun at a mainstream trend for a fun-loving client I work with; it includes a smiley face with a wink at the end.

Scenario 3: I’m sending a text to a business colleague I know well, asking him about a potential partner I’m considering. I add a quick joke at the tail end of the note with a smiley face.

In my view, appropriate uses fall into two big camps: When you’re emailing/texting/private-messaging someone you know very well in business, or when it makes sense for a playful brand or company you represent.

Inappropriate uses

Scenario 1: You’re sending an email to your manager discussing client work and you throw a smiley face in as you make a joke about the client.

Scenario 2: You’re writing a short article for your company’s intranet, and you decide to insert a smiley face in the post to convey some humor, even though it’s a serious topic.

Scenario 3: You’re penning a short email to your client wishing a great Memorial Day weekend, and you add a smiley face to the end simply out of habit.

In general, I would probably refrain from using the emoticons anytime you’re communicating with your manager or boss, communicating with your client (unless you know them very well), or communicating with a mass audience, internally or externally, about a serious topic. The same goes for a brand that is generally more serious in its tone.

So, what do you think? When is it appropriate or inappropriate to use emoticons in work situations?

Arik Hanson is principal of ACH Communications. A version of this article originally ran on his blog, Communications Conversations.

Distinguishing paid, owned, earned, traded, and shared media

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:51:10 GMT

Even seasoned PR pros sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between different forms of media in the digital age. That’s because they all bleed into each other, blurring the lines.

So, what is shared media versus earned media versus owned media versus paid media? And what exactly is shared media?

The nuances can be especially challenging for junior folks cutting their teeth at PR agencies. I’ve seen more than a few otherwise bright eyes go full Cookie-Monster-googly when I discuss this topic in meetings.

An easy way to understand and remember the differences within the media landscape is an acronym Matter Communications came up with called: “POETS” (Paid, Owned, Earned, Traded, Shared). There are exceptions to all of these, and some of them can peacefully co-exist within other categories, but this will get you smart enough to be dangerous:

Paid: If you buy a banner ad or place an ad in a magazine or on the radio, that’s called paid media. You didn’t earn it; you paid for it. No matter how good or bad your product is, the audience will see/read/hear exactly what you want them to. Paid Facebook and LinkedIn ads fall into this camp, as does (in some instances) rewarding bloggers for coverage. In general, consumers are growing more distrustful of ads than ever, because it’s obvious the media was bought and paid for by a company with its own best interests in mind. That’s where native advertising comes in (in which an ad ostensibly poses as valuable content), but that’s a column for a different day.

Owned: If a company has a blog, pumps out e-books or newsletters, creates infographics or “think pieces,” these are all forms of media they “own” and can use to attract eyeballs to their respective websites or landing pages. These typically fall into the content marketing bucket, and, like Paid media, this helps companies keep control of the brand (to an extent).

Earned: This form of media is synonymous with traditional public relations. A company hires a PR agency, the agency weaves a narrative around the company’s products and/or services, and then the agency pitches that story to online and offline publications, blogs, or news outlets. The resulting editorial articles, broadcast hits, or blog posts are called “earned” media, because the company didn’t pay the outlets to write about them. The coverage, therefore, was earned.

Traded: Sometimes two companies will agree to do guest posts on one another’s blogs or will work together on a video series on the same topics. Perhaps they’ll even share booth space at trade show or team up for speaking gigs. In these cases, one company is yielding part of the discussion to another entity, betting that trading part of the stage will return bigger results from a larger network of interested parties. Here’s where it gets nuanced, but many companies are working with influencers and bloggers to garner coverage or social media love in exchange for access, information, or input on a company’s product, etc. The lines can become blurred.

Shared: This one is trickiest to explain and can take on many forms, but essentially, consumers are working in concert with a brand to create and share/promote the brand’s content. For this to happen, the brand must have fans and followers who feel passionately about the brand and want to engage, or the brand has to be giving away something of significant value. A recent example is Lay’s “Do us a Flavor” contest, in which the company asked fans to help pick the next flavor of potato chips. I participated in this form of shared media, and I happened to recommend Sriracha as a flavor. Alas, Cheesy Garlic Bread won.

Parry Headrick is vice president of marketing and communications at Matter Communications. A version of this article first appeared on the company’s blog.

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Why controversies might be good for brands—study

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:48:43 GMT

A lot of brands have taken flak over taking stands on political issues.

There was Chick-fil-A’s flap over the COO’s anti-gay marriage statements last summer. Starbucks, meanwhile, has publicly supported gay marriage. Hobby Lobby has chosen not to offer its employees contraception coverage. The list goes on.

Though PR people certainly remember those incidents, most in the public forget them soon after they happen, according to a report from marketing consulting firm WrightIMC. It found that, largely, brands that stick to their positions may face an initial dip in sales in the month or so after a controversy, but soon afterward, the increased attention the stance brought the brand is actually beneficial.

“Because a brand takes a stand, they get attention,” says Tony Wright, founder and CEO of WrightIMC. “You can’t buy that kind of press.”

As long as brands can tough out the initial pain, stay aware of who their audiences are, and don’t waffle, the outcome might be positive, he says.

Audience awareness

“In the research, one of the things that was very obvious to me was that there are a lot of people that agreed that a brand’s stand affected their purchasing decisions, but not a lot that strongly agreed,” Wright says.

What does that mean? People who aren’t really passionate about the importance of a brand stance will come back, if what you have to sell is good enough.

“Most of the ones that disagreed with you initially will drop off and forget. If your product is high-quality enough, they’ll continue to buy from you down the road,” he says.

Wright offers a caveat, though: Certain audiences care more about political stances than others. For example, consumers in the South tend to agree that stances are important, but not too strongly. In the Northeast, passions run a little higher. Age and income can make a big difference, too, he says.

The long-lasting effect of taking a political stand, Wright says, is lots of online articles about the brand. For companies that have a smart search engine optimization plan in place, that means an increased Internet presence that can supersede the controversy, if the right links make it to the top of search engines.

Making the right moves

Before stepping into the political arena, brands should make sure they have the resources to ride out the month or so of media coverage that will come from it. That includes having crisis plans in place.

“Chick-fil-A and Hobby Lobby, specifically, had more of a framework for how they were going to respond to things based on their culture and their company ethics,” Wright says.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure, which revoked its funding for Planned Parenthood, then restored it, erred in doing a complete 180 on its position. That’s the worst thing you can do, he says.

“Companies need to have a personality,” Wright says. “It’s not enough anymore just to be a fly on the wall. Not everyone is going to like you, and that’s OK.”

With more conversation between customers and brands on social media, consumers have an expectation to hear what their favorite brands stand for.

“If you like a company and like what they stand for, you’re much more likely to have a brand affinity,” Wright says. “If a company stands for nothing, they very likely do not have passionate brand advocates.”

Companies shouldn’t force things, though; public stances have to come from the company culture.

“If your company doesn’t have a strong opinion on a specific item, I would not recommend taking a stand,” Wright says. “The point of the white paper is to not be afraid to take a stand because it’s something your company strongly believes.”

More research needed

One interesting detail about WrightIMC’s survey of 3,000 consumers is that the most common answer—about 35 percent of the total—was that respondents said they “neither agree nor disagree” with the questions.

Wright says that answer likely equates to “I don’t know” or “undecided.” WrightIMC used Google Consumer Surveys to collect the data, and the questions were a gateway to premium content. Quite a few users probably chose the middle-ground answer to get through the survey as quickly as possible, Wright theorized.

Because of that, more research is needed on the topic—research that doesn’t come with the limitations of the tool WrightIMC used.

“I would hope, down the road, that someone else would take this up, maybe in academia,” Wright says.

Matt Wilson is a staff writer for Ragan.com.

(Image via, via & via)

5 questions brands should ask before using any social media tool

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:52:40 GMT

I’ve often heard this question from clients: Should we be on (insert shiny, new social media platform here)? My instinct is to say yes, because we want to expand our scope of work with them, and we’re always looking to be innovative. But being a good social media partner requires much more in-depth analysis.

When I was overseeing content strategy and execution for my clients, we would generally work on a POV for each new platform that would come into play. We did this for Pinterest, Instagram, and Vine (among others) over the last few years. Part of that POV was assessing which brands would be a good fit for the platform.

That doesn’t mean the client would automatically sign on for that platform, but it was incumbent upon us to make sure we at least made the recommendation (sometimes over and over and over).

Here are five key questions:

1. Are people using this platform to talk about your brand, your industry, or your competition?

This is easy enough on platforms that use hashtags. I can search #Starbucks on Instagram, for example, and see that nearly 1.9 million photos bear that hashtag. If I’m managing the brand’s social media presence, this tells me that there are 1.9 million potential conversations and pieces of user-generated content out there. This is definitely the right move for that brand to be using that platform (and Starbucks is using it—quite effectively as it turns out).

Part of your research on new platforms should be to assess not just who is talking about your brand but how they’re talking about your brand. If people are actively complaining or bringing up customer service issues on this platform, your strategy will differ from what you’ll do if people are raving about you.

When it comes to your competition, just because they jump off a cliff doesn’t mean you should follow—unless they’re jumping off a cliff into a crystal clear pool of water filled with your current and potential customers.

2. Does this platform align with your demographic?

Maybe people aren’t talking about your brand (or perhaps they’re talking about you sparingly). That certainly shouldn’t preclude you from entering into that platform—especially if it’s used by a demographic that you’re looking to target.

For instance, if you’re looking to reach influential, educated, millennial women, Pinterest is a platform you should strongly consider. Instagram might not be your best bet if that’s the only group you’re looking to target.

3. Is there an opportunity to tell your brand’s story in a new/unique way on this platform?

Brands that are using Vine in an interesting ways—Lowe’s, Smart Car USA, General Electric (sometimes)—are using the platform to tell a good brand story that goes beyond “buy this.”

When Smart Car wanted to show how easy it is to charge its new electric version, a six-second video was the perfect way to do it:

Lowe’s went beyond providing DIY tips in text to show their users how to do things like unscrewing a stripped screw:

If your team can find a way to use a new platform in an interesting fashion, that’s half the battle. So often brands will launch their presence in a new platform, and it’s just a dud.

4. Do you have the resources to maintain a robust presence on this platform?

The days of launching a social media presence to cover an event or product launch are over. Unless you’re going to commit your brand to building and maintaining a robust presence on a platform, don’t do it. It’s up to each individual brand to decide what “robust” means for them, but launching an event-specific account and then shutting it down no longer makes sense.

5. Does this platform logically fit in with your existing digital ecosystem?

Consider the rest of your digital presence, and whether this new platform logically integrates or if it would be on an island. If you can’t fit your always-on and campaign strategies into this platform, it’s probably worth waiting until you jump into it.

These questions certainly aren’t exhaustive, but they can at least get the conversation started. Remember: Any foray into a new platform will require your team to perform a risk assessment and understand any potential pitfalls. Your legal team will want to get involved (and will likely work tirelessly to quash your dreams, as they are wont to do).

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Why marketers choose certain colors

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:51:39 GMT

It’s no secret that different colors evoke different emotions in us, and that marketers have been taking advantage of this for years.

But which colors spur which emotions?

Perhaps most notably, it is said that red stimulates the appetite. That’s why the color is so prevalent with national food chains like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, Wendy’s, Popeye’s and Chipotle.

Blue, meanwhile, is the color most preferred by men, and corporations often use it because it is thought to be productive and not invasive.

These and other color-related insights can be found in this infographic from CertaPro Painters:

(via Social Media Chimps)

KFC gets free buzz—from Gaza, of all places

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:54:04 GMT

Just how crave-worthy is KFC’s chicken? In the Middle East, they’re tunneling under the Egyptian border to deliver it to Gaza, according to a New York Times story.

The Times’ Fares Akran explains why something so common to some is revered by others:

Palestinians generally refer to Gaza as being under siege or blockade by Israel, and isolation from the world is among the most common complaints of people here. That can create an intense longing for what those outside Gaza see as mundane, or ordinary.

The story describes the complicated four-hour journey to get from El Arish, Egypt, past the Israeli blockade and into Gaza. There, customers are paying nearly three times what it would cost in stores.

Khalil Efrangi, a 31-year-old entrepreneur, started the delivery business. To avoid complication, his KFC orders are limited to chicken pieces, fries, and cole slaw.

In other finger-lickin’-good news…

The fast-food chain’s “I ate the bones” campaign has met with a positive response—notably from millennials—so KFC’s original recipe might go completely boneless in the near future, according to Fast Company.

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7 marketing words to use (and 5 to lose)

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:48:17 GMT

Recently, food marketers targeting millennials have been using "crazy " or "loco," the Spanish word for crazy.

Pizza Hut has Crazy Cheesy Crust pizza. Taco Bell serves Doritos Locos Tacos. Pop-Tarts uses the slogan “Crazy good.”

Though “crazy” is probably a fad, marketing has go-to words that help create conversion regardless of age, industry, or era.

Here are seven words to use in marketing copy to earn better results.

1. Because—People are more likely to do something for you if you give them a reason, even if it’s a crappy one.

A study tested the power of “because” by having participants interrupt someone waiting to use a copy machine.

Sixty percent of people allowed someone to cut in front of them when they said, “Excuse me, I have five pages, may I use the Xerox machine?”

That number jumped to 90 percent when the line cutter said, “I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine, because I am in a rush?”

2. Value—When considering a product, people want value. They will pay more for something if it provides lasts longer, performs better, etc.

Whereas “value” implies that customers gain something, the words “price” and “cost” (two no-nos listed below) imply that your customers are losing something, most often money.

3. Free—“Free” is a word powerful enough to grab your customers’ attention and even change their buying habits.

Consider a study that offered participants a truffle for 15 cents or a Hershey Kiss for 1 cent. Three-quarters of participants bought the truffle.

When the study dropped the price of both candies a penny, making the Kisses free and the truffles 14 cents, two-thirds of participants chose the Kiss.

4. Secret—Everyone wants to be in on a secret. Using “secret” will draw customers in and make them feel special.

A bonus for using “secret”? It makes content more shareable. Jonah Berger notes that once people learn something is a secret, they have the urge to spread the word.

5. You—Using the second person makes customers feel that you’re speaking directly to them, creating a powerful subconscious connection.

According to StartupNation, “you” is “listed as the No. 1 most powerful word in every study reviewed.”

Use “you” in your headlines, ledes, and anywhere else you can fit it. Many marketers will discard a headline that doesn’t use the second person.

6. The—When analyzing The Economist, two colleagues of mine noticed a theme among the headlines on the cover: “The.”

They determined that using “The” at the beginning of headlines makes it sound like the definitive answer to a question.

Compare these two sentences: Five Secrets of Making Sales on Twitter / The Five Secrets of Making Sales on Twitter

7. Instantly—People like immediate results, a line of thinking unlikely to change in a world of smartphones and Twitter. “Instantly,” “now,” “immediately,” and similar words appeal to this need for instant gratification.

Other words to use: Amazing, Understand, Easy, Free, How to, New, Now, Love, Discovery, Deserve, Happy, Fun.

Five words you should lose

1. Will—“Will” puts customers in the future. Instead, make the benefit of the product appear in the present, enabling your customer to envision using the product here and now. The more connected they are, the more likely they will be to buy.

Example: Your computer will run faster with this new software. / Your computer runs faster with this new software.

2. Exceed expectations—When saying a product or service will exceed expectations, you automatically raise customer expectations. Instead focus your content on what the product does.

Case studies are an exception to this rule. You can certainly quote customers who talk about receiving surprising results.

3. Seasoned, experienced, veteran—Experience doesn’t always equal success. Just because someone cooks dinner every night for the past 10 years, doesn’t mean they make good food. Instead of talking about experience, use concrete evidence to show the effectiveness of your product or service.

4. Noncommittal words (generally, relatively, sometimes, somewhat, etc.)—Copy that sells is authoritative. Customers research because they are informed or have doubts or concerns. Be the authority that delivers the answer.

Note: Avoid noncommittal words in calls to action, especially.

5. Adjectives—Writing copy without adjectives makes copy shorter and more straightforward. Eliminate adjectives whenever possible, especially when giving instructions. If compelled to use an adjective, make sure it enhances the copy.

Other words to lose: Deal, Cost, Pay, Contract, Worry, Loss, Lose, Hurt, Buy, Bad, Sell, Sold, Price, Decision, Hard, Difficult, Obligation, Liable, Fail

Brian Conlin is a copywriter at Vocus. A version of this story first appeared on The Vocus Blog.

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4 lessons marketers can learn from yoga

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:53:26 GMT

As a yoga practitioner and a marketing professional, I have come to see parallels between these two seemingly unrelated practices. The foundational principles associated with yoga can direct our day-to-day and even high-level strategies as marketers.

Read on to learn four marketing lessons from this ancient practice. No headstands or lotus poses required.

1. When the foundation is clear, the execution is successful

In essence, yoga is the continuum of theory and practice. As a marketer, isn’t it our job to create a theory (or strategy) through marketing research and execute upon the theory’s key findings or practice?

A successful marketer does not use one or the other; the back-end research is needed to support the execution. Extensive knowledge of your brand’s intangibles (demographic or psychographic customer insights) drives the tangibles (revenue, product development, sales). Marketing theory and practice can be executed with the smallest tasks or biggest campaigns. When the foundation is clear, the execution is successful—ergo the transference of yoga’s theory and practice to marketing.

2. A mental clean slate helps you think without preconceptions

Yoga is what is traditionally called a liberation teaching (or moksha-shâstra). Liberations of any kind seek to admonish any notions of “why we are” or “what we know.” Liberation allows for a mental clean slate, which allows us to think more clearly and profoundly.

Think of the transference to marketing. We are often clouded by preconceived notions of how we should be communicating with our end customer, even though those notions may not even be relevant or effective. It’s just the time-tested way within your organization to do something, so we continue to do it.

I was in a client meeting last week, and I asked, “Have you ever polled your current customers on how they view your company?” The answer was no. Many companies have a hard time trekking out of their offices into the “field” to chat with folks who have firsthand experience with your business—your customers.

Having a clean slate or a liberated notion of your business will allow you to uncover brand promises that could be one step away coming right from the mouth of your valued customer.

Why do you think consultants exist—for an unadulterated perspective, right? From there, you will be able to move forward with marketing activities that allow you to better reach your current customer. It all starts with a clean slate, free from preconceived notions.

3. Small gestures of kindness can establish customer loyalty

A yogic life is guided by the principle of dharma, which means “law,” “order,” and “virtue.”

Just last week I watched a TED Times Square lecture by HARO founder Peter Shankman. His presentation was “Why Nice Finishes First.” He shared cases of corporations going the extra mile to make small gestures of kindness—and how these gestures turn one-time customers into brand advocates for life. Those gestures seemed to be founded in virtue and morality.

So what can you learn from the principle of dharma? Not only should we be virtuous for the sake of being virtuous, but we should also transfer the principle of kindness and morality to our marketing and business practices. It pays off with customer loyalty in the end.

4. Simplicity helps consumers know your brand better

Yoga teaches us to get back to basics; the more we untangle our lives the better off we are said to become. That yoga principle transfers to marketing perfectly. Are our marketing messages or campaigns clouded by “too much”? Too many graphics, too much copy on our websites, too many calls to action—just general clutter?

Think about the most famed advertising taglines. They are simple yet memorable: Nike’s Just Do It, Apple’s Think Smarter, the Dairy Council’s Got Milk? and Avis’s We Try Harder.

Their websites are equally as succinct with simple, profound, and uncluttered content. That simplicity allows for a clear understanding by consumers of what the brand is all about. As a result, those brands have saturation in just about every home in America.

Allie Gray Freeland is the PR director at iAcquire, a digital marketing agency based in New York City and Phoenix. A version of this article originally appeared on Marketing Profs.

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Edgy ads or just really bad taste?

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:58:19 GMT

Should advertising agencies start calling in PR firms before embarking on edgy mass-awareness campaigns?

After three renowned agencies recently developed advertisements resulting in public humiliation for their blue chip clients, one would think so.

In recent weeks, heads rolled over at JWT India for the apparent leak of an ad depicting the controversial Silvio Berlusconi driving a Ford Figo with three women bound and gagged in the trunk. Ford followed up with a public apology, setting sensitivities on high over potentially offensive campaigns.

Yet in the past two weeks, Hyundai Europe, Pepsico, and General Motors have all circulated public apologies for ads that fueled public disgust instead of piquing consumers’ interest.

“I believe that today, more than ever it is important to have a check and balance before pushing messages out to the public,” says Karen Swim, PR and marketing communications professional. “PR can help identify potential landmines and ensure that content does not diminish a brand’s reputation and credibility with the intended audience.”

Recently, Hyundai Europe generated a tsunami of negative buzz over its ad, Pipe Job. The ad, created by Innocean Europe, showed in harrowing detail a man’s failed suicide attempt while sitting in the eponymous car as exhaust fumes filled his closed garage.

Thanks to Hyundai’s clean emissions technology, the suicide fails.

As soon as the ad aired, the manufacturer took a public beating as consumers lit up their Twitter and Facebook feeds with messages of disbelief—including this poignant blog post from a woman who lost her father through similar circumstances.

“This ad is incredibly insensitive,” says Jodi Echakowitz, owner of Toronto-based Echo Communications. “I get the company has evolved somewhat and they want to be edgy in how they promote their vehicles, but to do so in such a hurtful way is not acceptable for any business.”

Then last week, Pepsico aired a Mountain Dew commercial now known as “the most racist ad ever” featuring a woman who was asked to pick out a criminal suspect from a lineup of black men and a goat. After mainstream and social media channels railed against the implications of the content, the soft-drink manufacturer pulled the ad and apologized.

General Motors quickly followed suit ending an ad purchase for Chevrolet featuring the song “In the Land of Fu Manchu,” in which the girls sing “ching, ching, chop suey.”

“These ads became car wrecks that could have and should have been prevented,” says Jeremy Pepper, public relations and social media consultant. “From the outside it appears these were situations where advertising wasn't aligned with public relations or social media and no one thought beyond the clip for award season.”

Do you think ad agencies are ignoring the implications of bad PR for their clients in search of over-the-top creativity?

(Image via)

'Likes' don't save lives, says UNICEF Sweden

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:56:57 GMT

There's been a lot of talk on and around social media in the past few years about "slacktivism," the practice of helping social causes through "liking" a Facebook page, changing a Twitter icon, or sharing a photo on Pinterest.

Some professional activists have praised so-called slacktivists for drawing attention to big issues facing the world, but UNICEF's Sweden branch started a campaign last month that asserts slacktivism is no cure-all.

The "Likes don't save lives" campaign boldly states, through YouTube videos and print advertising, that it takes donations, not just social-media gestures, to vaccinate children against preventable diseases and help orphans get out of poverty.

Though UNICEF Sweden didn't share whether the campaign has actually led to increased donations, copious media coverage of the campaign and nearly 42,000 views of the video would suggest the campaign is getting a lot of attention.

Ongoing debate

UNICEF Sweden and its advertising agency, Forsman and Bodenfors, felt compelled to step into the big slacktivism discussion, said the organization's director of communications, Petra Hallebrant. Based on some research the organization did in conjunction with the market research institute YouGov, there seemed to be some misconceptions among Swedes about the good a "like" does.

"One in five thinks that a 'like' on Facebook is a good way of supporting an organization," she says. "Two in three have 'liked' something on Facebook without caring about the message or issue. One in seven thinks that 'liking' an organization on Facebook is as good as donating money."

The campaign is intended to clear up those misconceptions, as well as bring in extra money for UNICEF Sweden. Hallebrant says she hopes the campaign will drive people with good intentions to rethink the role of social media in creating social good. Maybe if they do, they'll get more involved in other ways.

Getting out the message

The campaign is made up of TV advertisements, PR outreach, radio commercials, and, of course, social media outreach through UNICEF Sweden's Facebook page.

Hallebrant says the organization has been careful not to bash Facebook, nor its fans who use it, through Facebook. It doesn't have anything against "likes"—the UNICEF Sweden page has gotten the thumbs-up more than 183,000 times—but that can't be the whole process of supporting a nonprofit organization.

"Social media is a very good tool to get attention to a specific topic immediately, to spread the word, and for advocacy purposes," she says. "It could be a good first step to get involved, but it cannot stop there. 'Likes' don't save children's lives. We need money to buy vaccines, for instance."

The organization's English-language "Likes don't save lives" YouTube video (there are two others in Swedish that have a somewhat different tone) makes its point with a hard, satirical edge, however. It features an orphaned 10-year-old boy standing in a disheveled room, worrying about whether he'll get sick, as his mother did.

"Today, UNICEF Sweden has 177,000 'likes' on Facebook," he says in subtitled Urdu. "Maybe they will reach 200,000 by summer. Then we should be all right."

Results

Again, UNICEF Sweden didn't offer donation figures, but Hallebrant says most of the comments the organization has received in response to the campaign have been positive. A few small nonprofit organizations have said "likes" are more important for than they are for UNICEF, for outreach purposes.

The campaign's English YouTube video has netted 30-plus comments, in an array of languages. Some are jokes about "liking" the video, pointing out the irony of using social media to assert that social media isn't a cure-all. Others ask about how to donate, or how much of UNICEF's donations are actually put toward work in the field.

Hallebrant was quick to point out the campaign is limited to Sweden, though it's garnering quite a bit of worldwide attention.

On a post to the blog The Verge about the campaign—one of many posts bringing attention to it—commenters engaged in a healthy debate about how to help charity organizations through donations and through social media.

"Good on UNICEF," one commenter wrote. "I'm tired of all these 'Like this to _______' posts."

Matt Wilson is a staff writer for Ragan.com.

(Image via)

‘Snikcers’ teams with ‘Googel’ for latest campaign effort

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:49:47 GMT

For once, human error has worked to someone’s advantage—or at least Snickers’.

As part of the candy maker’s “You’re not you when you’re hungry” campaign, the brand turned to Google and a quirky innovation.

Snickers worked with the SEO giant to identify the top 500 most commonly misspelled words that people enter into the search engine. After the two companies came up with an algorithm for common misspellings of those words (25,000+), Snickers then bought online ads based around those misspelled search terms.

When people misspelled any of those words while using Google, they were presented with an ad reminding them that “yu cant spel properlie wen hungrie,” so “Grab yourself a Snikkers.”

According to BBDO, half a million people saw the campaign. (I saw it, and I remember thinking that some poor SEO copywriter was going to lose his job.)

For more on how the campaign worked, check out this video:

New Tumblr crushes ad creatives one put-down at a time

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:51:06 GMT

The 90s called. They said “’Yo mama’ jokes are so dumb, they took a consumer survey and failed.”

In today’s modern world, one might think that the advancement of our technology would also extend to an upturn in the level of intellect behind our playground-inspired insults.

It hasn't.

Case in point: The Daily Ad Put-Down, a new Tumblr account chronicling “all the witty, sharp, nose bleedingly funny, spirit crushingly truthful put-downs that you wish you said” to young, industry hopefuls, “but never did.”

Let the professional public shaming begin. Check out more here.

RELATED: Clever PR Tumblrs to waste time on

(via BuzzFeed)

The 15 commandments of social media marketing

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:48:00 GMT

When it comes to developing outstanding marketing strategies, you and your marketing partner should always remain “tactic and channel agnostic.” That means, don't get married to any one communications vehicle.

Instead, use the medium or media that can best convey your brand to your core target audience and move them to take a desired action. Often, and ideally, this involves different tactics working in concert, including social media, to get the optimum result.

So what would Moses say about social media? I'll channel my best Charlton Heston voice to offer the following 15 commandments as a (tongue-in-cheek) guide for staying on the righteous path.

1. Thou shalt confirm a clearly articulated and agreed upon brand, including clarity of target audiences in order of priority.

2. Thou shalt have agreed upon business goals before creating social media campaigns—so is the law.

3. Thou shalt first empower your internal audience to live thy brand and be thy brand ambassadors.

4. Thou shalt create brand-centric social media campaigns that emotionally connect to your core target audience, or thou shalt perish in the wilderness.

5. Thou shalt always be authentic, credible, and transparent.

6. Thou shalt not confuse a communications vehicle or tactic with a marketing strategy upon risk of stoning.

7. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s strategy—for a good strategy or tactic that serveth thy neighbor does not mean thou should do it, too.

8. Thou shalt not confuse media buzz or numbers of “likes” with building thy brand and achieving thy business goals.

9. Thou shalt not indulge in random acts of social media—ensure thou dost it consistently and well by following a strategic, goal-oriented plan.

10. Thou shalt not try to create the next viral video—the odds of favor being bestowed upon thee are exceedingly poor.

11. Thou shalt create “hub and spoke” integrated campaigns—a big, strategic idea that employs multiple marketing communication disciplines will make you strong and mighty among the nations.

12. Thou shalt appoint a dedicated and highly competent high-tech priest or priestess to oversee, run, monitor, measure, and always improve it.

13. Thou shalt empower thy target audience to do the work for thee—grant them the tools to take things into social media for thee, for this shall imbue credibility upon thee.

14. Thou shalt strive for engagement and interactivity—merely posting or pushing out information is an abomination.

15. Thou shalt make peace with letting go of ultimate control of your brand. For if you cannot, then do not tarry in this land.

David Warschawski is CEO and founder of Warschawski, a brand-centric marketing communications agency based in Baltimore.

(Image via)

Critics squeal over billboard of man having sex with a pig

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:56:50 GMT

Perhaps the creative team just misunderstood the client’s briefing.

“Oink, oink” does sound remarkably similar to “boink, boink,” after all.

Regardless, cable provider Foxtel certainly achieved the “WTF” moment it was after with a recent billboard ad posted in Sydney for Australian TV network Studio.

Produced by SBS, and to the shocking dismay of many passersby, the outdoor ad depicts an offensive and bewildering image of a man having sex with a pig.

Expains News.com.au, the imagery was lifted from the controversial UK television program “Black Mirror,” which will air in June as part of Studio’s "Festival of WTF!"

Junkee reports that Foxtel quickly apologized, vowing that it would take swift action to take down the advertisement:

“It was intended to provoke, but it is clearly in appalling taste and demonstrates a lapse of judgment by Studio, and a failure in the approvals process at Foxtel … We [have] instructed Studio to remove and replace the billboard. This will happen as soon as possible.”

According to Campaign Brief, Studio general manager Chris Keely also added:

"While art can sometimes be divisive or provocative, we certainly did not intend to upset anyone with this campaign. We apologise for any offense that was caused by the billboard. We will be immediately replacing it overnight with another piece of our campaign."

RELATED: Brewer roils controversy with gay-marriage billboard

(via Adweek)

(Image via)

Personal app assistants: A guide for marketers

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:46:34 GMT

Every marketer needs an assistant: someone who can handle the groundwork of reaching new customers while you concentrate on the big tasks like telling your story.

If your business isn’t big enough to hire that person yet, technology is here to help. There’s a range of software assistants out there that can automate, help with, and even guide you through every aspect of your marketing.

Here are some of the most useful:

1. Social media assistants

Developing and maintaining a strong social media presence can seem an overwhelming task. But don’t worry. There are solutions out there to help you make the most of your business’ social presence and increase your ROI. For example, Vocus provides a suite of easy Facebook apps to fuel your brand page, ranging from sweepstakes, coupons, contests, and promotions, to video and viral downloads.

For Twitter, sites like Hootsuite and Tweetdeck make it easy to schedule, post, and monitor multiple accounts at the same time. Did you know the optimal time to tweet might be over the weekend? These tools let you schedule tweets in advance so you can focus on other areas of your marketing, knowing that your social channels will stay up to date.

2. Time management assistants

If your business bills hourly, it’s vital to know where you’re allocating your time. Even if that’s not the case, you should know how much time you’re spending on social media versus other marketing tasks, for example. This will help you determine which activities are producing the biggest return. Tools like TraxTime, Harvest, and timeEdition are easy and affordable time-management apps that can help you to be more productive.

3. Email assistants

Email marketing campaigns can seem daunting. As well as making sure your email stands out above the clutter, you need to add value for your business and your customers. There are several software products that can make email marketing pain-free, including iContact, which takes the work out of designing and delivering newsletters and email campaigns. It also incorporates social media components to help you reach more customers in more places.

4. Analytics assistants:

Measuring the results of your efforts is essential to building an effective marketing strategy and for getting the most out of your campaigns. Google Analytics provides an easy, free platform that can help you digest some of that data—such as how people found your site, how they interacted with your site, and how you can make your site better.

The Vocus Marketing Suite gives you an integrated analytics dashboard to track your social media results alongside measurements like Google Analytics. Meanwhile, PRWeb provides analytics about who opened, read, or shared your last news release.

Stacey Acevero is the social media manager for Vocus/PRWeb. A version of this article first appeared on PR Web.