Canadian Marketing Blog

Podcast: Worst Term Ever

It's no secret I'm a huge proponent of podcasting. What may come as surprise is that I think the term "podcast" is a horrible name for this new medium.

Although I've since left MacLaren MRM to take on a new role at a different company later this month, one of the projects I'm most proud to have worked on during my time at the agency is a podcast series for the Buick division of General Motors of Canada. Aesthetic Intent quietly launched during my final week at the agency, and to the best of my knowledge is the first ever podcast by a Canadian automotive manufacturer. Even more noteworthy, in my opinion, is that this podcast is not about cars.

As proud as I am of this initiative, one thing that became glaringly obvious during its production was how problematic the term "podcast" is.

First there's the "pod" part of the word, which to many people implies an association with Apple's popular iPod MP3 player. I can't begin to tell you how many people I spoke with during the course of this project thought you needed an iPod, or some other portable MP3 player, to listen to a podcast. I don't blame anyone for this misunderstanding - I used to think that as well - I blame the word itself.

Then there's the "cast" part of the word. When I mentioned to Canadian artist Jane Martin, one of the people interviewed for Aesthetic Intent, that the podcast had launched, she remarked to me that she was away that week and would therefore miss it. I was puzzled by her comment at first, and then I realized that the "cast" part of "podcast" had given her the impression that the podcast episode was like a traditional radio broadcast that is aired only once at a particular date and time. Once again, nothing could be further from the truth (podcast episodes are available anytime, on-demand), yet I completely understand how someone might get this (wrong) impression.

There's probably no point in me griping about the term "podcast" since we're stuck with it. And I don't have any suggestions for a better word (yet), although when I find myself explaining podcasts to people I usually end up saying something like, "it's an on-demand audio-visual program delivered via the Internet." I do sometimes wonder, however, how much the growth of podcasting has been hindered by its confusing name.

Free digital signage software

This may be something new or the concept just new to some of us .....a quick google search did not show any 'reviews' from users on the product discussed below, but here's the topline from the source:

Digital signage is growing, but until now it has largely been avoided by small(er) businesses and non-profits due to its cost & complexity. Digital Recall (an Australian Company) has recently introduced free digital signage software that is simply downloaded from their website. User uses his own equipment, as well as his own internet or LAN connection. Comprehensive manuals make this (almost) a "no brainer" even for non-technical types. The product is in wide-use world wide by businesses and has also been listed in techfinder.org - a website to assist non-profits. In fact, quite a few Canadian businesses are already using it. It's also featured in About Retail.

We all know about the benefits of "properly deployed digital signage networks" - increased revenue and brand awareness. Now its available to ALL businesses of ALL sizes. Some things simply must be available to everyone. This is one.

Regards, Michael Marcus

Great Moments in Advertising

1982 Gates and Gibbons
Jerry Gibbons, President of Doyle Bane Bernbach Advertising met with client Bill Gates of Microsoft in 1982. ‘Our feeling is that you’re not spending at a level that’s appropriate for your company right now’ Gibbons told Gates, whose advertising budget was $250,000. Gibbons took a bar napkin, drew a circle – ‘this is your industry today’ – marked out a pie section, saying ‘this is your current share, and as you know, the industry is going to be growing’.

Gibbons drew a larger circle to represent the difference between $1.5 billion and $5 billion. ‘This is how it’s going to be growing in the next few years, and good strategy for your company would be to capture as much share of the market as you can now while share points are cheap. Share points are cheap because the market size is small. As the market grows the cost of acquiring share points is going to increase greatly. If you can increase your share, then when it becomes more competitive, all you’ll have to do is protect your share.’

Gates grasped that concept pretty quickly and went back to Seattle – to double his advertising budget. (Source: Chuck Pettis, Technobrands, p145).

Whether marketing myth or truth, here’s one fact not in dispute - BusinessWeek and Interbrand recently released their annual list of the world's top brands. Coca-Cola retains the number one spot and Microsoft is in the number 2 position, with a brand value of more than $58.7 billion dollars.

After reviewing the list, there are some surprising omissions such as Procter & Gamble and Wal-Mart; however Interbrand explains it this way – they consider many factors when ranking a value of a brand and to qualify, each brand must derive at least a third of its earnings outside its home country, be recognizable outside of its base of customers and have publicly available marketing and financial data. Those criteria eliminate heavyweights like Visa, which is privately-held, and Wal-Mart (WMT ), which sometimes operates under different brand names internationally. Interbrand only ranks the strength of individual brand names, not portfolios of brands, which is why Procter & Gamble (PG ) doesn't show up.

A truly modern TV spot
The new US Sprint Ahead television advertising campaign is a great example of how a simple idea, uniquely executed in a compelling way, can cut through our crowded and over stimulated media world to reach us and make an impression.

Supporting the SprintSpeed™ service, we watch folks drag a light source around frame to create finger paintings made of light - of our home, our friends, our dreams. In the end, we’ve watched the spot with childlike wonder – and Sprint has succeeded in avoiding us fast forwarding through it on our PVR or TiVO in order to get back to the game. It’s mesmerizing in its simplicity. Watch the spots or get in on the action and send your own e-Card– it’s a hoot!

Apple’s Dirty Secret – Deja Vu?

With all the anticipated fanfare and then some (read about the guy who forgot at the border to declare his much visible iPhone) the long awaited iPhone hit US stores just over a month ago. Although an official launch date for Canada has not been set, analysts expect the phone to be in stores before Christmas. Yes, this phone is going to sell like crazy here in Canada, it sold over 270,000 units in its first two on sale days in the US, but I for one, will not be buying one.

Now let me preface the rest of what you are about to read with the following disclaimer:

I love Apple, I love the creative work that their long time agency TBWA does. One of my favorite vices when I travel is watching episodes of Entourage on my iPod and learning new profanities from Jeremy Piven’s “Ari Gold” (see Season 3 episode 26). I know a fellow CMA’er that recently started working at Apple and I couldn’t be happier for him. Any brand that can inspire a high school teacher from Orange County (now infamous George Masters 2004 Ad) to create such good work is A OK with me.

But here is the thing – the new iPhone has it’s own dirty “not so secret” secret that is ironically related to, of all things, the battery. For a refresher on the original dirty secret, click here.

Although the impact of the Neistat brother’s initiative on Apple’s decision to expand their battery replacement policy is debatable, there is no denying the reach of the short film that was covered worldwide by over 130 sources and his been viewed millions of times since.

So back to the iPhone – the issue at hand is the fact that as sexy as this device is, the battery, which is sealed inside the phone, instead of being attached as a removable piece like most CE products, can only be replaced by Apple, for a $79 USD charge. Purchasers of this est. $600 piece of hardware will also have to pay an additional $29 USD fee to rent a temporary replacement during the phone repair period. Apple estimates the battery should last well over a year, delivering approximately 300 - 400 full efficiency charges before any decline battery effectiveness.

I don’t get it, what was Apple thinking?

I accept that batteries within CE devices eventually will need to be replaced, but in most cases, I have the CHOICE to do this myself and multiple suppliers to call upon for the needed hardware. Yes I said it, CHOICE (use of this word not meant in the context of a painful buzzword, as in the following vexatious terms: “engagement” “consumer control” “ROMI” etc). But here is the icing on the cake – as with the case of the iPod battery, Apple never reveled beforehand that the battery would not be removable or replaceable by the end-user until July 2nd (est.) days after the product launched and only after mass backlash. This latter point is debatable, other sources claim that the battery issue was reported long before the launch – a classic case of he said she said. I think Phillip Elmer-Dewitt does a good job detailing the timeline. It doesn’t seem to matter though because it turns out that quite a few people are unhappy about the battery replacement issue. A class action law suit was filed in Illinois along with complaints from various consumer advocacy groups.

When all is said and done, I still like Apple, but why does this brand or (Caution: PAINFUL BUT SMART COMPANY CREATED TERM TO FOLLOW) lovemark, if you will, have to hurt me so?

Funny thing is, corporate mistakes such as the iPhone battery issue happen all the time, they are even, for the most part, expected. But this is Apple that we are talking about. It is human nature to be harder on the ones we love because there are expectations.

In this case, I'm not keeping it a secret, my love for a brand has negated the sale. Go figure.

Prepping Salespeople for Battle

In a recent conversation with a marketing executive he recognized in his organization there lacked a strong connection between product marketing and sales, and that there was a lack of leverage/socialization of product marketing knowledge.

Every b-to-b organization should create and adhere to a “product launch model,” where it formally sets out the support that will be provided to the sales team upon the launch of a new product or service. This support commonly includes training materials, sales materials, public relations releases and any investor relations-related documents. It also should include what many organizations are referring to as “battle cards,” or competitive information/comparison sheets. These battle cards should include common competitors the salesperson can expect to run across; features of competing products/services; and key differentiators. Over time, these battle cards should be revamped to include additional competitors not initially identified; common sticking points that salespeople have experienced; typical “audiences” that bring up the objection; responses that have worked to ease the objection; and responses that have failed to ease the objection. This fairly simple deliverable can open up a regular, candid dialogue between sales and product marketing, and help product marketing to augment its initial support plan for new products and services.

Is Green Marketing Still Golden?

So, just when you thought you couldn’t handle seeing another pink marketing campaign without going crazy, along comes green.

Taking top spot among marketer’s colour palates recently, green has been utilized in branding and re-branding across a surfeit of sectors and channels. Although a few wayward companies have placed a green veneer on not so green operating practices, true green marketing means going much deeper and actually evolving your corporate culture, implementing sustainable business practices and giving back to the communities in which you work and live. Businesses should realize the economic and moral imperatives they face regarding green marketing in our current society; a society where green can lead to gold.

With the environment on the top of mind for consumers, boomers, industry captains, organizations and politicians, green looks like its got legs. One word of caution though, don’t talk the talk if your brand can’t also walk the walk.

So, the question is, does green have a viable future as a unique selling proposition for your brand?

Are You Ready to WIKI?

Many organizations in Canada are starting to investigate if it makes sense to set up a WIKI for their employees. Nowadays, with so many people working remotely from different regions of the country, or different countries around the world, establishing a WIKI is a great way to facilitate collaboration and discussion, regardless of where people are located.

Take the Wiki Wiki?
“WikiWikiWeb” was the first site to be called a wiki by Ward Cunningham, a U.S. computer programmer who invented the concept in 1994. It began when a counter employee at the Hawaii International airport told him to take the "Wiki Wiki" shuttle that runs between the airport's terminals. A Hawaiian – language word meaning fast or quick, "wiki wiki" is useful to know at any airport come to think of it.

What is a WIKI?
Simply put, a wiki is a database used for creating, browsing and searching web pages. A wiki enables documents to be written collaboratively, in a simple language using your web browser. A defining characteristic of the technology is the ease with which pages can be created, updated and linked to other content areas in an organization. Today, Wikipedia, is arguably the most well known online wiki, used by millions of people around the world.

Doing it WIKI-style!
Any project that requires collaboration or input from more than one person in an organization is a WIKI candidate. For example, a national sales director based in Toronto wants to build a resource of winning selling techniques to share with the Chicago office.

He kicks off the project by creating a WIKI page on the company intranet site. Together with a his team, they write about proven tools, methods and techniques to close deals for a particular product or selling cycle. They also include a section on handling customer objections plus links to internal resources, competitive documents and sales visuals.

In short order, the sales director and his team have built a centralized resource of best practices that can be added to and updated easily and quickly. Plus it’s a great training resource for new employees.

What about Security?
With any collaborative tool, there are safeguards you can follow to ensure only high value information is included. To manage security or check for inappropriate content, companies assign folder managers who review incoming files before they go live. However a WIKI can be set up to include comments in real-time and appear almost instantaneously online.

The possibilities are impressive - a Vancouver based software company collaborates with their technology partner in India and builds a WIKI of product specifications and local market user testing feedback. Or a Toronto advertising agency sets up a wiki for the retail detail team to log store check reports and competitor activity by market.

Walk before you Wiki.
Setting up a wiki is surprisingly straightforward and doesn’t require large technology investments, expensive software or long lead times. For an excellent overview, read WIKINOMICS, by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams. You can download the software for FREE at mediawiki.org.

Will you be a Johnny today?

Why do small companies often provide the best Customer Service? Think of a privately owned businesses that you often go to (hairdresser/restaurant/corner store/specialty shop etc.) where you get to see the owner regularly. He or She will often recognize you and will usually have a personal connection to you that helps keep you coming back for more.

Small business owners have a vested interest in the success of their business. Successful small businesses recognize that there is nothing more important than catering to the Customer and their individual needs. The owner will go out of their way to do special things for their Customers. Customers return the favour with their loyalty.

Large companies have a huge challenge in this area. How do you get your staff to provide that personal service that is critical to your organizations success?

What more and more companies are realizing is that they need to provide their front line staff with the same tools that a small business owner has in their tool belt to keep their Customers happy.

Examples?

1. Issuing credits without asking for approvals
2. Giving the Customer something extra when things don't go right (a more expensive item at a reduced price when the cheaper item is sold out)
3. Sending a card/flowers or anything else appropriate when the front line person feels it is necessary
4. Encouraging your staff to call Customers for any reason when it would be in the best interest of the Customer

The examples go on and on...but the theme is the same. It's not just about allowing this to happen, but to encourage creativity in each Employee. These are things any owner can and will do when it means the difference between keeping and losing a Customer.

There are endless volumes of articles about how to encourage your staff to do more, and what a difference doing more can make to the Employee, the Customer and ultimately the organization.

I have not come across anything that nails the message so quickly, concisely and as touching as this one.... Please click here and enjoy the short video story.

Will you be a Johnny today?

Crossing swords with Johnson & Johnson

Who would care to take on Johnson & Johnson, a multinational corpartion, in a trademark dispute? Why, the "do-gooders" at the American Red Cross, of course.

Seems that the Red Cross is using its historic red logo on products such as first aid kits, which J & J claims they do not have the rights to. Instead, J & J has had a trademark over these products for over a hundred hears.

As the New York Magazine points out, there was a live-and-let-live agreement between the two, where the Red Cross agreed it "wouldn't go into retail (and that the conglomerate wouldn't go solving health crises, we suppose)."

Now, call me a big bad corporate lawyer, but if a deal was struck and honoured for over a century, why is the Red Cross now marketing products?

J & J claim they offered to mediate their claim against the Red Cross, but the Red Cross refused. In my experience, the charitable sector can be more litigious than the private sector. Perhaps not-for-profit executives think they are above the law because they are trying to make the world a better place, or perhaps because they don't have experience paying legal fees.

Jumping in Fees First

While the Canadian banks are tight-lipped, some sources estimate they took in $420 million last year in ABM fees alone, on their way to accumulating a record $19 billion in total profit. After a renewed public outcry over price gouging earlier this year, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty suggested that some banks would be making changes to how they charge fees for their automated banking machines, especially those fees charged at ABMs other than the customer's own bank.

I, for one, will cross the street to use by own bank’s ABM, in order to avoid paying the $1.50 fee charged by other institutions’ ABMs.

Finally, I thought, the tides have changed. Some innovative bank seeking to differentiate itself from the rest of the pack will break ranks, do the right thing and waive these fees.

And yet last month, one bank that has built its reputation on placing customers “first” missed a golden opportunity by announcing in their recent TV ads they would waive “their portion” of the ABM fee. Their portion only. In the ads, there is no mention of the percentage that represents of the overall fee, though the creative execution implies the bank is sympathetic to our challenge in crossing the street (amidst joggers, cars and other obstacles) to get to our own bank’s ABM.

More like fees first, not customers first.

In an effort to jump into the fray, they have missed an opportunity to create goodwill with customers and instead reinforced the cynicism that already exists towards the banks.

Do ya DIGG?

Fifteen of the world’s largest interactive marketing firms were recently asked which emerging technologies will have the greatest impact on the future of their design practices. The results put forth in a Forrester Research study were recently released in a report entitled "The Emerging Technologies That Matter Most to Interactive Agencies". The results, although not surprising, give marketers a heads up on where to focus their efforts.

Mobile Devices made the top of the list, as being the most important area of focus and growth for interactive agencies. All you have to do is look around to get a sense of how influential mobile marketing can be. From sponsored shows like American Idol, where voters text in their vote for the candidate they want to win, to grassroots experiential mobile campaigns, mobile is here to stay and is increasing in influence and reach.

Online Video was next on the “what matters most” list. It’s no secret that viral video campaigns can be highly effective. Look at the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, or the Philips Shave Everywhere campaign. These are hugely successful examples of how a strong video campaign can launch a brand into super stardom. Another CNN YouTube debate has now been scheduled for just after Thanksgiving, proving further that video is a beloved medium for the masses.

AJAX was another area of importance for interactive marketers, topping the RIA list, beating out Flash. Next month the AJAX World Conference & Expo will take place in Santa Clara and is being touted the i-technology conference of the year. In less than 18 months, the AJAX World event has grown from a single day seminar to a 4 day international conference.

Social Networking technology naturally made the list. Internet apps like Facebook and DIGG are changing the way we interact on the internet and demonstrating our willingness as a culture to share and exchange information freely. A new social networking site called Sk*rt was launched this week, which is in essence a DIGG of sorts for women. The site, which was launched by four female bloggers, is a social ranking platform that acts as a portal for women to discover cool ideas, articles, information, and products that are female relevant.

Marketers are already discovering that Social Networking campaigns don’t follow the same traditional marketing protocol. Successful campaigns in this arena mean developing a personal intimate relationship with the end users and allowing them to have a voice, which can sometimes be scary for marketers, but gives brands a more human face resulting in a deeper connection.

With all of these emerging technologies floating around in the ever-changing world of marketing, it’s a daunting (but necessary) task to keep on top of the trends that are shaping our world. Even if you are focusing on just one of these four areas, you are on the right track.

Burning through all the agency hours before your project is done. What a buzz kill.

Right now, you’re thinking back to that moment. It was 2 months ago and you were sitting in the agency’s boardroom, listening to the creative team present concepts for the new product launch this fall. The ideas were excellent –any one of them could deliver the results you need. Your boss is smiling… everyone is taking lots of notes. You can’t wait to tuck a sample copy into your portfolio.

Cut to this morning – you’ve been in the throes of production for the better part of summer. It’s consisted mostly of eating lunch at your desk and steering through endless conversations. You’re ready to sign off the boards when you get the call – the agency has logged way more production hours than anticipated – and the account director is asking for more money. How did this happen? How did we get here? What a buzz kill.

Project fees are an effective way to manage costs.
From a client`s perspective, fees are a good way to manage project costs. Agencies provide an estimate that summarizes the number of hours by department (creative, account services, production studio, etc.) that it thinks is required to produce the concept and generate a measure of profit. However until you get into the project details, it`s just that – an estimate, subject to change.

So how do hours get out of control?
I`ve seen product managers stop at nothing to ensure their work is 100% tight and locked down. All the pieces must harmonize together. Every copy point spoken aloud to ensure key messages roll off the tongue. Layouts are scrutinized and colour choices re-evaluated. It has to be perfect. And this manic commitment usually results in a total disregard for the number of hours the agency estimated to get your job done.

Set the ground rules up front - what do I get for my money?
In my experience, in order for the fee model to work, ground rules need to be clearly established about service levels up front – before the first boards are marched down to production. Here are some of my best practice points to ponder:

1. Establish how many rounds of revisions are included in the estimate. Make sure it’s spelled out in writing and communicated to everyone on the team. It’s also helpful to give a distinct name to each round. For example:

Round 1 – Copy Deck Approval
Round 2 – Initial Layout Stage
Round 3 – Working Art Design
Round 4 – Final Art / Lock

Knowing you have a finite number of chances to review the work has a way of ensuring close scrutiny at every round. And sign off the boards after each approval stage.

2. Make sure the copy deck is approved by all stakeholders before layouts begin. I guarantee revising copy after it’s been laid out is the fastest way to burn through agency hours.

3. Typos and mistakes a client finds, or layouts judged sloppy and requiring additional studio time should not be logged against the estimate. A client who feels like the agency proof reader is a relationship irritant that can lead to a conversation about “value for money.”

4. Have a ‘did well / do better’ chat with the agency at the project’s completion. It’s a useful way to acknowledge exceptional work and identify process areas that can be improved next time round.

5. Deal with issues as they arise today. Don't put off a conversation like project hours and profitability - it could damage the relationship long term. And nothing pulls oxygen out of a room faster than a discussion about the past. Always be current and future focused in discussions with the account team.

If you add a few of these techniques to your next project, I can`t guarantee you`ll never have one of those conversations with your agency. But when they do call, more likely than not it will be about making lunch plans.

Yahoo! take a bow!
Thomas Claburn from InformationWeek reported recently that Yahoo! has reason to smile: the company took the top spot in the University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report on e-business Web sites. Yahoo gained four points to reach 79 on the ACSI's 100 point scale. In a written analysis of the study, Larry Freed, President and CEO of online satisfaction management company ForeSee Results, observed that the report's results bode well for Yahoo's bid to improve its profitability. "Yahoo is emerging as the leading portal, fighting Google for the search business. Wahoo!

QR codes (a.k.a. 3 D codes) - The holy grail for mobile marketers?

Despite recent attention spurred on primarily by a couple of agencies that all of a sudden were mobile marketers, QR codes will not make many waves in 2007 or 2008. Don’t get me wrong, the technology will eventually make a huge impact and I applaud the recent efforts by Vespa to incorporate the technology but as the old saying goes – you need to walk before you run. For an explanation of QR codes visit a smart microsite developed by Dentsu Canada.

Very cool isn’t it? This scenario will happen, however I feel compelled to address some barriers and assumptions to this model. They are:

Handset limitations. Keep in mind handsets must be web enabled and able to send/receive picture messages - which isn't a substantial barrier. However more challenging is the software application that must be downloaded to receive and process the codes. I tried to snap a picture of the Vespa QR code recently but the fine print instructed me to visit a WAP site to download the app. A bit of a pain, but I was a very motivated consumer. Unfortunately my Nokia 6265i (which is less than a year old) was not supported and I was unable to enter the contest. What the Denstu website failed to point out in their Japanese example was that the Government, wireless carriers and manufacturers all got together and decided to pre-load the app in most phones.

Entry mechanism. I don’t understand why taking a picture of a code is easier than sending a keyword to a shortcode and receiving a WAP push (WAP push will facilitate a WAP session where the QR code is hosted). I am extremely confident that a SMS call to action will yield a much higher response rate vs. a “take a picture” call to action. Because the audience is asked to take a picture this raises a proximity barrier. Let’s not forget that part of the appeal of mobile is the viral benefits. How would one enter this contest without being near the media execution? This proximity shortcoming is also my beef with Bluetooth transmitters.

QR Readers. No doubt the greatest barrier to the scenario described in the microsite is the redemption of these codes. Imagine for a second retrofitting hundreds, or even thousands, of Coke machines with one of these readers. Needless to say, I won’t hold my breath. North America is at least 3-4 years away from having m-commerce enabled vending machines that can support a campaign of this nature. Once again this is a similar infrastructure challenge to Bluetooth technology. The reach is just not there.

Mobile Ticketing is the first step.
We’ve already started to see some examples of QR in action, most notably with Rogers wireless at one of the Toronto Raptor playoff games this past season (see Strategy Magazine sponsored supplement, August 2007) This foray into QR was viable because redemption occurred at one physical location. In my opinion, POS terminals and back office software vendors will be a catalyst contributor to moving this technology further.

One last note, why are these called 3 D codes? Last time I checked my mobile screen was flat...

It's only plastic right?

A coworker recently brought some compelling US stats to my attention on the impact plastic bags have on our environment. Although reusable, recyclable fabric bags are on the market, Canada has a long way to go . Many of us don't give much thought to our plastic bag consumption. After all, they are only plastic bags right?

Wrong.

Petroleum-based grocery bags hit the checkout aisle in 1977. Presented as a revolutionary idea, they are now recognized as an environmental hazard. Just like bottled water, plastic bags are made from crude oil, contributing to global warming.

The numbers are astounding.

Up to 1000 - Estimated years for a plastic bag to decompose.

1460 - Plastic bags used in a year by an average family of four in the U.S.

12 million - Barrels of oil used to make the plastic bags that the U.S. consumes annually.

Less than 1% - Percentage of all plastic bags that get recycled in the U.S.

88.5 billion – Plastic bags consumed in the U.S. last year.

500 billion – Estimated plastic bags sold worldwide each year.

The Countries

San Francisco has banned non-biodegradable plastic bags in large grocery stores.

Ireland has a $.20 tax per bag.

France is banning plastic bags starting 2010 and starting 2008 in Paris.

South Africa has banned thin plastic bags

Uganda has banned thin plastic bags and has taxes on thicker ones.

Kenya is banning plastic bags starting 2008.

Zanzibar Islands have banned all plastic bags.

Mumbai, New Delhi, and two states in India have banned all plastic bags.

Bangladesh has banned all plastic bags.

Taiwan has banned all plastic bags as well as disposable plastic plates, cups, and cutlery.

What can we do about this? As marketers, we can encourage our clients to do their part. Perhaps incorporate a recyclable bag into a promotion or DM piece or reward consumers with bringing their own bags. As individuals, we can reuse our existing plastic bags and use recyclable cloth bags when we do our grocery shop.
We have a voice. Let's use it.

Google Universal Search Or Google 2.0… The Future Of Search Engines

This past May, Google talked about the pending launch of their new universal search. Some, like Search Engine guru, Danny Sullivan, called it Google 2.0.

So is this hype or necessity, and where are we at with Google Universal Search?

If you’re still trying to understand what, exactly, Google Universal Search is, you’ve probably already experienced it (and didn’t even know it). Traditionally, all of the searches one does on Google returns text-based results. If you want to do an image, news or other vertical search, you have to select the vertical and work from there. Universal search is the aggregation of all content on the Internet into one universal search page.

So, imagine, I do a search for “Tim Hortons” and I get all of the website mentions along with addresses (from the local vertical of Google), images, press releases, maps, videos and more… all on one centralized page of results. It makes perfect sense. Google agrees, and this is the direction they’re going in.

For instance, lately on searches I’ve done, there have been instances where results from Google Maps or Google Images appear either ahead of the text-based (standard) search results or in between the text results.

Top level, it makes the user experience all the more engaging, but it has dramatic effect on Marketers.

For the past decade-plus Marketers have pushed to optimize their website content and copy for search engines (hence the term SEO – Search Engine Optimization). Now, in a world of tagging , User Generated Content, Blogs, Podcasts, etc… Marketers are being forced to re-look at this strategy and optimize all content (text, images, audio and video) for the Web. It’s a lot more work, and nobody knows how Google’s algorithms will adjust in the coming months and years as search goes from vertical to universal. What we do know is that it is happening, and Marketers need to make sure we’re tagging all of our content properly. Suddenly, everything from the filename of our photos to the ID3 tags on our audio files need to be optimized with core keywords to make sure that when the Google Spider comes by, our content is primed and optimized.

With all of its public gallantry, Google is still very private when it comes to how the search engine works. Marketers are smart (and getting smarter) as to what it takes to make content climb to the top of the organic search results page. The challenge (and question) of universal search will be less about what the content says and more about what type of content it is.

So, what do Marketers need to know about Google Universal Search? Ultimately, you need to sleep at night knowing that if Google decides tomorrow that images should appear ahead of Website content that you’ve done everything you can to make your Marketing collateral findable and likeable to the engine that gets about seventy percent of all searches worldwide.

CMA eMarketing Professional Certificate Course Starts In One Month.

Quick reminder that the fall semester of the Canadian Marketing Association's eMarketing Professional Certificate Course is just one month away.

I have taken on the responsibility of instructing the course from Ken Schafer of Tucows and have also revamped the course materials, updating the outstanding sessions originally crafted by Ken.

The course covers web site best practices, usability, social media, email, search, eCommerce, privacy, analytics and online advertising with practical examples, case studies and stimulating discussions over a 15 week period. Students will leave with a solid foundation of today's digital landscape and a superior marketing skill set in order to go forth and make their own mark in the growing medium.

It starts up September 26, 2007 and there are only a few spaces left. For those interested in taking a deep dive into the ever evolving world of digital marketing, don't delay.

Kick start your future with the CMA's eMarketing course. For more information, or to register for the course, please visit the CMA website. I hope to see you there.

UPDATE: I forgot to mention the course is available in Toronto and Montreal. Mitch Joel, and Dave Haber of Twist Image will be the course instructors in Montreal.

The New Math and Capturing the True Value of Your Advertising

Today there are many paths a customer can take to respond to your advertising. If you're not considering all the available off and online channels in your ROI calculations, you'll probably be understating the true value that advertising brings to your program.

It comes down to understanding the value of leads from different media sources and having the right plumbing in place to identify primary from secondary responses.

Call Now!
In the not too distant past, there were just a few basic ways consumers could be tracked and counted - primarily by telephone or Canada Post. It was a binary process to count BRE’s (business replay envelopes) and unique phone numbers to arrive at a fairly accurate return on marketing investment.

Fast forward to today and the tools available for Canadians to seek out information as part of their shopping experience is infinitely more complex. New communication channels are being invented and tested in developer labs, then launched as new portal features virtually every month.

Call Us Now has evolved to Contact Us Now!
In addition to offline media like print and TV, online connection points after hearing your advertising come from social media sites, blogs, RSS feeds and bookmarks, texting, web URLs, organic and paid search – to name but a few. So what is the true value of these leads? Does one generate a higher conversion rate than the other? Do some produce slower responses to your campaign than others?

To track how traditional media drive people online, some advertisers manage the situation by using a suffix on their call to action URL, like bestoffer.ca/daily. Studies have shown this is a somewhat futile effort, as fully 25% of people type in the wrong address - and end up at a “404 page not found” dead end. And it underestimates the value that advertising has on generating responses from other online tools.

Any Lunch Plans?
The first step in planning a multi-pronged tracking plan is to make nice with the company webmaster and go for lunch. They are invaluable in helping you understand site traffic and can usually provide extensive details on ‘typical’ weekly activity, including referring domains, organic and paid search, and net new or bookmarked visitors. Then,

1. Present advertising media selections to the webmaster so she can set up the right tracking URLs. Then you can follow customers from referring domains as well as leads from offline media.

2. Always drive traffic to unique “campaign” landing pages not the company home page. It's just way easier to track your responses.

3. Track conversion rates by referring source. This helps you understand which channels deliver more qualified buyers so you can refine your media investments and improve efficiencies next time out.

4. Understand the typical rate of traffic buildup and decline to your website when a program is in market. Then you can justify how long to count inbound leads – even after the program has ended.

If you’re looking for some starting advice and counsel in this area here, it’s worth a visit to the Marketing Management Analytics website based in Wilton, CT. They’ve been developing some innovative new measurement tools to help marketers assess and track the combined impact of sales from offline and online media.

I'm sure they'll know where you came from.

Brand Momentum

Peppers and Rogers in their book “Return on Customer: Creating Maximum Value from your Scarcest Resource” brought to the forefront a number of the key vexing issues/problems faced in boardrooms and cubicles around the world.

“Company managers are expected to strive for long-term value and growth in order to increase true share holder value, even while they are also pressured to deliver against more and more aggressive short-term goals.” (pg 3.)

“The problem is that the more short-term a company’s focus becomes, the more likely the firm will be to engage in behavior that actually destroys long-term value." (pg 4)

To remedy this they put forward a new metric - Return on Customer

ROC = Period 1 [Cash flow + change in customer equity]/customer equity at period t-1

The metric and its underlying assumptions attempts to help enterprises understand their customers in a new light – viewed not only for their current period purchases but also for the increases or decreases in value to the enterprises over the longer term.

Customer trust, determining customer needs, treating different customers differently, and determining a customer’s potential value are some of the key platforms they see as driving LTV calculations. They propose that leading indicators (lifestyle changes, behavioral cues and customer attitudes) can be used to help predict future changes.

Despite the guidelines and case studies, the metric has been criticized in some quarters for not having enough of a prescriptive foundation to help enterprises chart a future course.

However if we approach the problem from a different perspective and invoke the notion of momentum we might yield a more practical solution. Using the same variables as Newton’s formula where:

Mass = NPV of the financial stream generated by its brand’s customers

Direction = the noteworthy positive and negative experiences along the brand experience chain that customers are having with the brand which will impact (enhance or detract) on their share of wallet expenditures with the brand

Velocity = the degree of brand engagement – as measured by depth/frequency of purchase and size of shopping basket

With these few simple measures – I believe it is possible to measure a brand’s momentum and with it begin to understand the tradeoffs between different courses of action to begin charting that future course.

For those interested, more detail on these ideas are at http://miroslodki.wordpress.com

The 2007 Digital Marketing Conference Site is Live!

Create, Connect and Communicate at the 10th annual DMC, the premier digital conference of the year October 25th and 26th! It's an action packed, 1.5 days with leading digerati from across North America. Keynote speakers this year include Mark Hurst from Creative Good, Mike Murphy from Facebook, and Chuck Porter from Crispin Porter + Bogusky. But that's not all - we've got Simon Assad, co-founder of Heavy.com, Steve Levy from Ipsos-Reid is back with yet another year of digital marketplace research conducted exclusively for/to be released at the conference, and this year Tara O'Doherty joins us for a interactive session guaranteed to send you back to the office with a dozen ideas on how to improve the usability of your site.

Also back by popular demand is the Experience Exchange an exclusive opportunity for you to personally and directly exchange insights with your peers on one of 15 topics - hosted by an industry recognized subject matter expert.

Don't wait ('cause it drives all the volunteers and CMA staff who organize the event crazy when you wait until the last minute!) - Register Today for the digital event of the year!