Return to College
Last Thursday my colleague Carlyn and I represented The Borenstein Group at the George Washington University Communications Expo. As a graduate of the GW School of Business, I was especially looking forward to seeing what the students had to offer. The expo brought together representatives from companies in the communications industry to meet with students eager to explore this field, to network with industry professionals, and to learn about the different companies in the DC metro area.
Overall the event was an opportunity to introduce The Borenstein Group to the next generation of communications industry professionals and alternately to meet students about the enter the field. We gathered an impressive stack of resumes and writing samples from students in all schools within the University. I think I speak for both Carlyn and myself when I say that we were extremely impressed with those who approached and engaged us during the expo and wanted to extend our gratitude to all those who attended.
The Borenstein Group booth
Master of Your Domain
Our esteemed founder and CEO showed me the back of a frozen food box this morning that proudly sent customers to its new Web domain EatYourBest.com.
“I’d hate to think what they do to their lesser employees,” was the obvious rejoinder. And it got us thinking: If there’s one thing the Internet is good for, it’s preserving humiliating mistakes for the world to laugh at again and again for all eternity.
So with that said, here’s our three favorites:
www.mofo.com
(Alleged law firm Morrison & Foerster allegedly uses this alleged domain as a marketing tool. Memorable, to say the least. Allegedly that is. Please don’t sue.)
www.whorepresents.com
(I came across this site while shopping for a gift for my… friend. Turns out it’s a listing of celebrity agents and publicists. Talk about false advertising. Or… maybe not…)
www.penisland.net
(Ah, the world famous Pen Island Pen Company. Not to be confused with www.penisland.com which is… pretty much what you think.)
That 70’s Post
You didn’t have to be there to love the 1970’s. Case in point:
- Elton John
- Battleship
- Star Wars
- Jimi Hendrix
- Personal computer
- Aerosmith
- Charlie’s Angels
- Robert Redford AND Clint Eastwood!
You also didn’t have to be there to be happy the 70’s are behind us:
- Waterbeds
- Polyester
- Beatle’s breakup
- The Exorcist (personal opinion)
- Woody Allen (personal opinion)
You may or may not agree with my list arrangements but one thing is indisputable, there has been a definite progression from the 1970’s to today in all sorts of trends and industries. Advertising is no exception.
Some companies may say “we’ve been doing the same thing for XX years, why do we need some ‘expert’ to come in and tell us how to deliver our message differently?” Well, keeping progression in mind, do you think that as big as the three brands below are, could they sell thier products today with these same ads they used in the 1970s?
The Gap, 1978
The tone in the Gap ad is idealistic and full of promise, a message which was very important during this peace and answer-seeking era.
Herbal Essences, 1975
This Herbal Essences advertisement acknowledges the “new” awareness of the environment that occurred in the 1970’s.
Jordache, 1979
Thanks to the 1960s “free love” spirit and the advent of feminism, advertisers in the 1970’s were not shy about using images of full or partially nude men and women, as well as images of people sharing sexual embraces. This is not the most brash of examples, but it was what I thought most appropriate for this blog.
As you can see, advertising in the 1970’s really reflected what was happening to society in that day. All of these brands still see success and recognition today, but not without changing with the times. We all need to embrace progression if for no other reason than because it will give us something to learn from and even laugh at almost 40 years later…
Company Twitter Can Make Customers Hate You Less
Recently, I switched from one cable provider to another. I was fed up with the lousy customer service, overpriced cable packages and mediocre reception and internet speed that this particular, let’s call them Bombast, provider gave me. I switched to a different, let’s call them Horizon, company with the promise of faster speed, better picture and sound quality and customer service that doesn’t make you want to start polishing your rifle and head to the nearest bell-tower. Needless to say, in the switch, there was some equipment that was not installed properly. It looked like my days of having to deal with customer relations call centers were not yet behind me. And I would probably still be on hold waiting for the next supervisor in the line of command had I simply used the phone. Instead, I sent a quick Twitter update expressing my frustration, and within minutes, had several replies telling me what I needed to do, how my order was being expedited and a service technician would make our issues their first visit the following day. The two Twitterers from the company gave me status updates, and let me know when the issue had been resolved. We haven’t had any problems since.
Twitter, as with any other communications platform, sees a gradual acceptance of use among businesses. From my experience with the two different cable providers, Twitter offers better and faster customer service than I ever received while spending an evening on the phone to a call center. Companies looking for a competitive advantage should embrace the service, and engage with their customers and potential customers, in a way that is beneficial to both. Had the fictional company Horizon not had responsive representatives on Twitter to help me, I may very well have switched to yet a different company.
Verizon’s Naming of the Droid Deserves Preparation-H for WTH?
Full disclosure: I don’t use an iPhone. I still believe that coverage is more important than gadgetry, so I’m keeping my reliable, trusty Verizon Blackberry by my side, and no, I will not be switching service providers just to pay more money for less coverage.
But in any case, I just happened to catch the ad campaign for Verizon’s new iPhone killer, the Motorola Droid, and I found myself asking: What were they thinking? From a branding perspective, this new product name is about as inspirational as hemorrhoid cream.
What’s in a product name? Everything. When I hear the word “droid,” it doesn’t make me feel happy, content, inspired, fun, or anything remotely related to personal or workplace productivity.
The brand persona initiated by the “droid” name is the exact opposite of what Verizon needs when competing against Apple’s brand of user-friendliness, easy navigation, clean design, and personable identity.
With “Droid,” it sounds like Verizon should have used Preparation-H for their naming scheme. Moreover, the whole notion that they can take a bite out of Apple by highlighting features—like full keyboard, simultaneous apps, and open development—just reinforces Verizon’s lack of understanding about what makes the iPhone so popular.
It’s the brand persona, stupid.
Sorry, Verizon. Love your service, but your product naming needs help.
Just give it away, why don’t you?
Yesterday I listened to a Newfangled webinar entitled “The Modern Marketing Website.” It was so simple, yet so true. The one main message that really stood out to me was the message of generosity. Too many times we covet our knowledge, or are afraid to give too much away. But in the world of social media, it is all about sharing. No longer can we work behind closed doors and expect to gain the respect of others. Now is the time to really show your generosity and knowledge. I think we can agree on these two things: People like free stuff and people (especially professionals) like to learn. So, what better way than to do that through the Internet? Whether that is your website, blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, newsletter, or any other form of communication of your choosing—anyone can do it. Once you have the customer engaged in your content, you automatically build respect and confidence, and they now come to you. Granted, it isn’t a quick process, but imagine the clients that you can acquire.
So, what have we learned? Be generous and don’t ask for too much in return. Or, as in the famous line, “build it, and they will come.”
Measurably Ineffective
Today I’m introducing a new, extremely measurable form of advertising that’s sure to catch fire around the country. I call it the “swift kick in the groin.” Our salesmen run up to customers in the street, yell our slogan, and then kick them in the groin. If the customer presses charges, we know we’re making an impact.
Here’s what I think: Metrics are trying to destroy advertising with their gosh-darn holy grail promises of career indemnity. And it’s breeding an industry of cowards, who’d rather cover their behinds than cover their sales quotas.
So instead of time-tested advertising techniques that have worked for the past 60 years, companies are running to embrace a host of shaky, digital solutions. Again, not because they’re more effective. Because they’re easier to measure.
Am I the only one who sees the absurdity of this? Should we cease the space program simply because it’s hard to quantify the value of interstellar exploration in terms of EBITDA?
Data is a means to an end.
It’s not an end in itself. Never was, never will be. Not to mention that it’s the most easily manipulated substance on the planet.
So let’s evaluate tools on their actual merits, not on how easily they can populate impressive-looking charts.
I think we know all this, instinctively. Sometimes we just need a swift kick in the groin.
In Case You’re Still Thinking Social Media is Inconsequential to Your Brand
I fully admit, until as recently as this year, I held the firm belief that social media was nothing more than the faddish playground of teenyboppers and techno-geeks. This, despite the urgings of colleagues and peers that social media is in fact, a game changing brand management tool. I have come to see the light (evidenced by my participation in this blog), and here is a prime example why: Google Sidewiki.
Sidewiki is a relatively new tool that allows any user with a Google login to post comments (positive or negative, benign or mischievous) about any webpage that will appear in a sidebar frame of the browser for any other user to see. Furthermore, the owners of the website have no power to remove said comments (Google reserves sole moderation rights). Imagine if you will, the din of a flame war going on directly adjacent to your homepage for the world, and more importantly your prospects, to see. Yikes! (see The Google Sidewiki Controversy) Even more scary, the idea that these posters are now given the power to define your brand for you if you are not monitoring carefully and maintaining a steady stream of corrective comments. (see Don’t Blame Google Sidewiki if Your Brand Takes Another Hit) Brand management in the age of social media is not really a new idea anymore, but this particular application brings into shocking clarity the need for such management due to its extreme proximity to your most important outward facing channel, your website.
Google Sidewiki is still relatively new and adoption rates are unclear at this point but regardless of any personal feelings I may hold about Google overstepping here, the point is clear, social media, while no panacea, is a force that must be recognized in strategic brand management for the foreseeable future.
Google Sidewiki may just be the flavor of the month social media tool, but make no mistake; other tools are currently under development in some garage somewhere in the world that will one day be the next outlet demanding your direct and immediate attention. The only way to truly prepare for the onslaught is to make sure you have a well thought out and defensible brand platform and a strategy that allows for the rapid adoption of new channels to manage that brand.
Nature’s Robots in Waiting
First, a shameless plug: Wired is a great magazine. It is one of those magazines that makes you feel like a little kid, wanting to enthusiastically point out all the new facts and interesting articles you discover with anybody you can. Last Friday, for example, Wired posted an article on how robotics engineers find inspiration in nature. No, Wired has not started to steal National Geographic’s market share. What the article does explain is how scientists and engineers look to nature and their surroundings for inspiration. As the old saw goes, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Similarly, you don’t need to reinvent a gecko’s feet in order to develop a robot that can scale practically any surface…And don’t even get me started on this little lady’s sense of smell:
As communicators, it is our job is to know a client’s business, target audience and services offered and seek inspiration for the most resonant messages – be it for a PR campaign, marketing strategy or social media initiative – through our understanding of their business environment.
Like the robotics engineers looking to nature to help them develop the next generation of robots, business ideas can come from anywhere, and often come from observing what is around you. Once sparked, it is the job of communicators to help that business grow and thrive – to give potentially innovative ideas the support they need to become truly innovative.
Weekly Lab Roundup
This week in the Lab:
- Chris McGurn became the hero of nerds everywhere, citing recent data showing that more women than men use social media.
- Jonathan Katz wants to thin out crowdsourcing – by violence if necessary.
- Taryn Johnson joins Chris in talking about the feminine appeal of the social web by highlighting a great new campaign by Estee Lauder.
- Gal Borenstein explores why trusting no one is better left to spies and assassins than brand managers.
- Michael Johnson has Facebook lay down on the couch and talk about its feelings.
- Taryn Johnson and Jonathan Katz show us what they would look like. As Playmobiles. In the world of Tron.