Archive
Going Viral
Emerging media has given the world email, podcasts, mobile advertising, advergaming and yes, the ever-popular viral video. With sites like You Tube that allow just about anyone with a video the opportunity to showcase their handiwork online, the chances of that video going viral are pretty slim. However, when an online video does reach the Holy Grail status of becoming viral, the awareness for that video and any people, products or brands associated with it can take off like wildfire.
Think about all of the You Tube links that get emailed around between friends, posted to Facebook pages or talked about in a blog. Sending your brand’s latest video link to one person can cause a chain reaction that spreads from North Dakota all the way to Hong Kong. Viral videos are emerging media’s new form of traditional word-of-mouth marketing. While a video’s popularity may only last until the next great one to come along, the amount of short-term buzz it generates can be well worth it.
In terms of budget, viral videos don’t have to cost a lot to produce and distribute, making them ideal for businesses of all sizes. Local businesses can now compete in a world of advertising dominated by larger corporations. All it takes is a video and a You Tube account to get rolling. Take for instance this video created for local advertiser Cullman Liquidation:
Visible Measures is an “independent third-party measurement firm for Internet video publishers, advertisers, and viral marketers”, and rates the “Top 10 Viral Video Ads” on a weekly basis for Advertising Age. Here are the results for the week of November 16, 2009:
- The Fun Theory, Volkswagen, DDB
- Live Young, Evian, BETC Euro RSCG
- Best of US Challenge, International Olympic Committee, Cole & Weber United
- Gymkhana Two, DC Shoes, Mad Media
- Xbox Project Natal, Microsoft, World Famous
- Droid Does, Verizon Wireless, mcgarrybowen
- There’s A Map For That, Verizon Wireless, McCann Erickson
- Get It On, Durex, Fitzgerald+CO
- Danny MacAskill April 2009, Inspired Bicycles
- T-Mobile Dance, T-Mobile, Saatchi & Saatchi
New Media Reinvents the Mix Tape
Genius Mix, © 2009 Apple Inc.
As I sit here writing this post I am listening to a mix of music created by iTunes which is synced to my Apple iPod. The
iPod is a permanent staple in myhome office and stays constantly connected to my desktop computer. While I am usually pretty diligent about downloading system updates, I tend to ignore the constant stream of updates to programs like iTunes. For a while it felt as if every time I got around to downloading one version and learning about all of the new features, an even newer version would come out with even more features. Having said that, I have to say that after biting the bullet and downloading the recent version of iTunes, the new ‘Genius’ feature has pleasantly surprised me.
After downloading iTunes 9 I happened to notice the Genius feature in the sidebar. Having peaked my curiosity, I looked into it and learned that by enabling the feature iTunes can automatically generate a playlist, or Genius Mix, based on one of my song selections. Additionally, the program also displays suggestions of songs from the iTunes store that it feels may be of interest to me based on what is currently in my iTunes library.
Music is something that I am always listening to, and being able to have a program that offers suggestions of music based on my taste answers a consumer need of mine. Rather than listening to the radio or browsing through the Internet for suggestions, now I turn to iTunes. Being able to get suggestions and make purchases all in one location is a real time saver as well. I’m sure that the information that is collected from my purchases also helps Apple and iTunes to further hone in on my musical tastes in order to provide relevant suggestions that would appeal to me and entice me to make a purchase. As an example of new media, programs such as iTunes are transforming the way in which we research, select, and purchase music. Consider iTunes the new mix tape.
If you’re interested in learning more about the ‘Genius’ feature, here is a link to a review from Jon Fortt writing for CNNMoney.com: http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/09/12/itunes-genius-feature-is-pure-genius/
Dunkin’ Runs on Social Media
We all spend time on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, and let’s face it, so do the brands that we love. Do a search for your favorite brand and there’s a pretty good chance that they’ve developed their own Facebook page or Twitter account as a way of connecting with consumers. That being said, how many of you have seen these brands actually using these sites as a way to communicate with you? Or are they merely putting up a company page and then proceeding to let it sit there idly taking up space? Do they seem to continue to focus on other forms of consumer communication in an attempt to reach you were they think you spend your time, when in reality your time is spent on Facebook?
Finally some companies are beginning to really embrace the power of social media as a way to meaningfully connect with consumers and promote their brands. For instance, being from the northeastern part of the United States I am a diehard Dunkin’ Donuts coffee girl and as a result, have become a “fan” of their Facebook page. Since becoming a “fan”, I have noticed that Dunkin’ Donuts has really begun harnessing the power of social media to connect with loyal customers like me. For instance, DD now promotes its seasonal items by announcing their in-store arrival dates through sites like Facebook. They have also implemented a “DD Fan of the Week” contest where consumers can post pictures of how they “run on Dunkin’” to the company’s Facebook wall. Every week a winner will be chosen from the photos posted that week and their photo entry will be selected as the official DD Facebook profile photo for the week. Campaigns like this really show how social media can work to generate meaningful interaction between consumers and brands.
As a loyal consumer I enjoy logging into Facebook and seeing the latest offerings from one of my favorite brands. Were DD not utilizing social media I doubt I would know about half of their promotions! DD isn’t the only brand out there realizing this. According to an article in Advertising Age it looks as if Starbucks is beginning to place more emphasis on their social media program as well. Here is a link to today’s article: http://adage.com/article?article_id=140626
Which of your favorite brands is connecting with you via social media?
What drives Edward? Volvo does!
It is no secret that the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer has gained a massive amount of interest among readers and the media. Similar to the Harry Potter phenomena, Twilight has captured the attention of not only teens, but adults as well. Teaming up with the Twilight Saga: New Moon movie, due out in theaters on November 20, Volvo has launched an impressive interactive online contest for its new XC60 model. The “What Drives Edward” promotion offers visitors the chance to compete to win a new Volvo XC60, the same car driven by Edward in the latest Twilight movie.
What makes this promotion a great use of new media? For starters, the campaign provides opportunities for Volvo to communicate with those consumers that have opted in to receive additional information from the company. Second, the campaign combines a variety of integrated new media strategies that work together to form a cohesive campaign.
The initial campaign communication from Volvo was an email rich with graphics that set the mood for the movie and the contest. After clicking on the provided link to the contest within the email (http://www.whatdrivesedward.com), consumers are then taken to a landing page where they are asked to register for the contest by providing basic identification information (name, email, address, etc.). From there the competition begins.
The premise of the “What Drives Edward” contest is that consumers must compete against each other to be the first to solve a series of 5 puzzles to gain a total of 10 moons. The first to complete all 5 phases wins the Volvo XC60. The trick is that Volvo allows access to each puzzle over a staggered period of time running from November 1 through November 23. This allows the company to have continual interaction with consumers who have registered during the contest period by reminding them that a new puzzle is available.
In addition to the email marketing and links to the What Drives Edward website, each phase could be considered a form of advergaming. While the contest has not yet concluded, some of the released puzzles feature a maze that consumers have to navigate Bella through until she reaches Edward, a “rank the XC60 fan favorite features” in their proper order challenge, as well as a word jumble. While the Twilight movie is the basis for the contest, there is no mistaking the fact that the contest is clearly sponsored by Volvo.
From a consumer standpoint, the campaign has been executed very well aside from some slow loading times at the initial release of each puzzle. This may be something the company may want to address in the future. Otherwise, the “What Drives Edward” campaign is a great example of how corporations can generate some buzz in the market with new media.
Interested in competing? Visit www.whatdrivesedward.com to play and tell us what you think.
Arggg! Microsoft takes aim at XBox piracy
In an announcement coinciding with the release of the “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” Xbox 360 game, Microsoft stated that it will be banning up to 1 million players from using the Microsoft Xbox Live gaming service. The ban will apply to those users who have either modified their Xbox consoles or who have played games that have been illegally downloaded. While pirating software is outright illegal, the modification of an Xbox 360 console violates the terms of use for the Xbox Live service, thus resulting in a console’s ban.
Taking a stand on software piracy makes sense for Microsoft as pirated software means lost sales for the company, particularly when a new and highly anticipated game like “Call of Duty” is about to be released. Where concern among critics may lie is in the banning of gamers from Xbox Live for modification of their consoles, as this is a common practice for many who seek to increase the size of the system’s smaller hard drive. Perhaps Microsoft should take a look at how they can aid users in modifying their consoles to increase their storage capacity before they look to ban them from using the Xbox Live service that further connects the company with the consumer. Such a solution may also provide Microsoft with another revenue stream if it provides an easy solution to the problem.
I can certainly understand Microsoft’s stance on piracy and need to ban users who have engaged in such an act, as this has become an increasing problem not only with online gaming, but with movies, music (think Napster), etc. While new technology will always have growing pains, as a consumer I have a problem with banning users for console modifications when Microsoft has not addressed or provided a solution to the problem. As a recent MSNBC article by Susanne Choney discussed, console modifiers account for 1 percent of the Xbox audience, and with 20 million people globally using the Xbox Live service, that number could represent a significant loss in sales should the company lose their brand loyalty. If I were Microsoft I’d be looking into addressing this problem and fast.
To read more on this visit this link to the MSNBC article:
Microsoft bans up to 1 million Xbox Live users
Microsft Xbox Live:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live
Social Networking’s New Networking
Just when you think that social media sites couldn’t possibly connect you with the world anymore, now they are connecting with each other. That’s right, LinkedIn and Twitter now provide users who have accounts on both networks with the ability to simultaneously update their status on both sites.
The link up between the two popular social media sites will essentially streamline the status update process for users with accounts on both networks. As an example, before the link up, users with both a Twitter and a LinkedIn account had to go into both accounts separately in order to update their status. However, with the addition of the new functionality, users will be able to simultaneously update their status on both sites from either their Twitter or LinkedIn accounts. For those professional “tweeters”, this new link will allow them to market themselves on LinkedIn while increasing their professional audience. The same is true for LinkedIn subscribers who post to their accounts as now they will not only be able to reach their followers on Twitter, but also those Twitter users who search for keywords, phrases, etc.
While the linkage between these networks seems to promote a streamlining of the update process and an increase in audience size for users, there is always a word of warning that should be applied when mixing business with pleasure. By linking a site such as LinkedIn where a person’s identity is public with Twitter where the same person can remain anonymous, it may be hard for many users to keep their two identities separate. For instance, some users may say things on their Twitter account that they would never post to LinkedIn and vice versa. With the two networks now being linked it will be important for users to remember where they are posting. Even though the new feature provides an option for dictating what accounts (Twitter, LinkedIn or both) an update gets posted to, users will still need to be aware of what they post and where. After all, one may never know if their future employer is checking out their LinkedIn profile only to see an inappropriate Tweet from their Twitter account that could damage their personal “brand”. While there are many advantages to this new feature, my advice is to be aware as you never know who is reading.
Here is a link to a recent MSNBC article on the new feature: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33833090/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/
Droid Now Landing at Verizon
For all of the smartphone users out there who are lusting over the Apple iPhone, yet are either locked into a contract or don’t want to switch to AT&T, the iPhone’s exclusive service provider, there may be a new phone for you. The new Motorola Droid smartphone went on sale today, November 6, at Verizon Wireless.
With its multitude of features like 3.7 inch screen size (larger than the iPhone), speech recognition capability and 5 megapixel camera, the Droid also provides turn-by-turn directions courtesy of Google Maps Navigation, which may give the iPhone a run for its money. While these features are comparable to the Apple iPhone, the Droid may have its work cut out for itself. The Droid has a price tag of $200 after a $100 rebate making its costs level with the iPhone. Where the Droid will face its toughest challenge will be breaking through the popularity of other, more established smartphones that have tremendous brand loyalty among the public. Brands like Apple had consumers lining up to get an iPhone when it launched in 2007, while users of the Blackberry from Research in Motion are not too far behind when it comes to anticipating the launch of the next greatest model.
In a world where consumers have an increasing desire to have all forms of communication at our fingertips (phone, text, web browsing, camera, etc.), is the main draw to smartphones like the Droid and the iPhone more about functionality? Or is it part of a desire on the part of the consumer to portray a certain image by owning a certain phone? Afterall, products like the iPhone and Blackberry do seem to have a certain “coolness” factor that entices consumers into purchasing them so that they can be associated with a certain crowd.
How do you think Motorola’s Droid will fair in the competitive world of smartphones? Will it become the new “gotta have” product or fall by the wayside like so many others who have tried to compete and failed?
Online Video: Marketer’s Dream or Consumer’s Nightmare?
With the advent of Tivo and the DVR many consumers have found a way to circumvent watching the plethora of commercials that eat up valuable time from their already busy schedules. As marketers continue to spend huge portions of their advertising budgets on traditional television advertising in the hopes of reaching that consumer who doesn’t have a DVR, emerging media is quickly becoming an efficient way for marketers to reach consumers. Sites like Hulu, and networks like CBS and ABC that incorporate online video, are providing marketers with sponsorship opportunities to advertise their goods and a captive audience to receive these messages, unlike traditional formats.
While the online video efforts of marketers are currently much less intrusive on a consumer’s time than the commercial time present during the same show airing in a traditional format, who is to say that the time devoted to online video will not increase as marketers begin to realize its value? Will the host sites like Hulu increase the amount of advertising space available within a program as a way to increase their revenue? I tend to believe that as consumers become accustomed to commercial-free programming thanks to their DVRs, an increase in unavoidable online video advertising may be met with some resistance that could cause it to mimic the fate of traditional television advertising.
Once dominated by the auto industry, online video is gaining ground among consumer-package-goods companies as a viable advertising tool worthy of a larger portion of the marketing budget. According to a recent AdAge.com article by Michael Learmonth, “Online Video’s Sexiest Category: Staid Old Packge-Goods Players”, online video has grown an astounding 41% in 2009 with CPGs leading the way. Once resistant to emerging media, these companies are now realizing the advantages of online video, including its ability to instantly track how well placements are performing. While the percentage of the marketing budget being placed towards online video is still miniscule compared to television, prints, sales promotions, etc. it is likely that this will be reversed as positive results begin to justify an increased expenditure.
As online video evolves of the coming years it will be interesting to see CPG companies further incorporate this element into the marketing mix and conversely, how consumers react to this tactic. While online video may provide marketers with a captive audience, too much online video may only frustrate consumers in the long run, sending them out looking for a way to avoid it. There is a balance that needs to be struck here if online video is going to be utilized as a tool to target and reach consumers in a meaningful way.
Networking with New Media
With 2,000+ people in my professional network on Linked In, new media is helping me gain access to people that I wouldn’t necessarily have been able to meet in a traditional networking environment. Each one of these connections is a potentially valuable resource in the world of professional networking. After all, it can only take that one person who knows someone to help you score that next job.
Yes, the landscape of professional networking is definitely changing, and new social and professional networking tools such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are helping to make this happen. In the age emerging media job seekers and employers are gaining tools to connect with each other, share resources and offer suggestions as to who may be hiring and where to look. Where traditional networking methods would have taken days to track down a name or resource, social networking sites are now accomplishing the same task in a matter of minutes. As an example, let’s take a look at LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is a professional networking site that allows users to create a profile that essentially becomes their online resume. By making a connection with friends, co-workers and classmates one can easily expand their network, and each of their connection’s connections are added to their total network, thus increasing its potential value. For example, let’s say that someone applies for a position at General Mills but do not personally know anyone who works there. They look through their connections and see that their friend Amy has a connection that works there, and in the same department that their next potential job would be in. Instantly they can request an introduction to this person through their mutual friend, Amy. Without this type of networking site the possibility that they would be able to connect directly with this person at General Mills, let alone ever find out about them, would be slim to none. Social networking is now making this all possible with a few clicks of the mouse. Guy Kawasaki has a great post on the Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn and offers advice on how to best utilize the site.
Emerging media is truly changing the way we communicate with each other in both our personal and professional lives. With its popularity increasing exponentially, professionals in a variety of fields now have a way to come together to collaborate, communicate and network with colleagues from all over the world. In the world of professional networking, emerging media is becoming the new Rolodex.
The New Media Revolution
Emerging media. It has become the new way of life for many of us who have become submerged in a world of Facebook, Twitter, blogs, podcasts and email. In a world where posting a status update of Facebook has become second nature, emerging media has become a tool for friends, family and advertisers to connect with us on a 24/7 basis.
Let’s take a look at the effect emerging media has made on our general behavior. How many of you have actually sat down and handwritten a letter in the past year? Or do you simply drop a friend an email or post a comment to their profile as a way of keeping in touch. What about phone calls? Do you actually make phone calls and have a conversation with people or do you text message them instead? According to a 2003 BBC News article, 8 out of 10 people under the age of 25 are more likely to text than make a phone call, showing that emerging media is changing the way we interact with each other and with marketers.
We are becoming a society that is based on convenience and preferences, making emerging media such as mobile, email and web ads an even more important tool for marketers to use when trying to reach us. Those marketers that can engage with us in a manner that is relevant to our lifestyle will be the ones who ultimately have a say in what we buy. No more are the days of hoping that mass advertising reaches the consumer. Instead we will receive targeted messages and content that is relevant to our personal preferences as consumers. Emerging media is the new way of life and it will be interesting to see what the future has to hold.
Emerging Media & The Market 