Discussion, ideas and musings on everything your business can or should be doing to sell more stuff. From traditional advertising to social media and digital marketing, we've got information, opinions and ideas to help you invigorate sales.
Here at Atomic Ink Idea Factory, we like to dig up weird, wacky, fascinating or just plain dumb ad factoids. Not sure where this one falls, but in searching for "the world's largest ad," we stumbled across this in, where else, Dubai - the poster country for wretched excess! But hey, turns out it was for a good cause.
The ad was "placed" by Sorouh Real Estate by UK based company,
Ad-Air in 2007. It is 215,278 square feet (about three soccer fields) and was designed to be viewed by passengers arriving at or flying out of Dubai International Airport.
Just to make it all legit, the ad was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records
as the largest "banner" in the world. Impressive! Impressions? Supposedly about 15
million cramped, peanut-munching people will see the advertisement every year.
But wait. There was a "digital" component to it, too. The plan was to urge people to upload head shots and fill the banner with a million faces (and a charity component) with $1 U.S. for each upload going to UAE Red Crescent organization, the equivalent of The Red Cross in the States.
In case you are wondering, they reached their goal!
While it may seem you've heard it a million times these days, the fact remains your brand is defined by its consumer perception. While companies and brand managers try to control and influence how a brand is perceived, it is the consumer that determines a brand's position in the market. And that is why understanding the voice of the consumer is paramount to developing and managing a brand.
The number of avenues open to consumer market research is ever evolving.
From mail surveys, to in-person intercepts, to telephone, to Internet, to panels, to focus groups, to anthropological interviews, to social media analysis, market research can take many paths. Too often the methodology choice is reflective of what is the latest and greatest, regardless of whether or not it is the best practice. All research techniques have pros and cons, and it is necessary to select the tool which maximizes the pros and minimizes the cons.
Are traditional techniques headed for extinction?
I say no. Much has been written and hypothesized that traditional research techniques are quickly becoming dinosaurs and the key is to maximize analysis of social media. Check out this article on the subject by Adam T. Sutton on MarketingSherpa. However well-meaning that thought process, in my opinion, it is not necessarily correct. Social Media research is very important, but like all research techniques it is most effective when used properly; is responsive to a clear set of objectives and the respondent base reflects a core set of demographics. There is a significant amount of discussion surrounding the idea of replacing traditional research tools with in-depth analytics on Internet activity, especially blogging posts. While this should be an important tool in understanding how some consumers are reacting to a product, retailer or service, it should not be the sole source of future consumer intelligence as some have suggested. The important factor is to understand who is blogging. Is it your core customer? Are they potential evangelists who you want to spend more time listening to? Or are they just a small core of disgruntled customers who do not represent the majority and whose voice is limited and just appears loud to you because you are following them? Traditional market research tools are no more dying than Social Media research is the panacea to understanding a brand. An interesting article on this discussion can be found right here.
Evolution of the species.
The palette of tools available to smart marketers is simply evolving. The key is understanding how to use the information and not be blinded by the glitz of the technology. Just as a company should evaluate and make use of multiple media outlets to maximize its reach and communication, its market research efforts should also be diverse.
Evaluation and integration can lead to higher-order research.
Clearly, utilizing social media research should be a key element of understanding your customer point of view. However, traditional surveys (whether executed through the Internet, telephone or other techniques) and focus groups can still be important as they can focus information collection in a manner that can yield insights that may not be uncovered through analysis of social media. Just as it is important to have a strategic communication goal with a diverse execution, you need a strategic research plan that clearly defines key issues for evaluation:
What is it that I need to learn?
What do I need to know for developing marketing objectives?
How should I evaluate whether or not the consumer views my brand the way I want them to, etc?
And, just as you understand that different media options have can have different levels of effectiveness, not all research tools are appropriate to answer all questions. In other words, a research plan should be flexible and utilize all the tools available. The value of the research is often found with the practitioner of the research and how they can work with the information and condense it into meaningful information that can be used to move a brand to the next level.
Those are my thoughts. Let me know what you think.
I felt compelled to write this post after a rather delightful and frankly unexpected customer experience this morning... me being the customer. If you want to be a breakaway brand these days, you've got to know that's it's all about the customer, right? You're reading stuff everywhere that's telling you customers are shaping brands, customers are driving product development and innovation, customers are driving everything! So it stands to reason that any brand's customer service that isn't up to snuff these days is going to suffer. Screw it up, and you're screwed. The blogosphere will snap it up and turn you and your customer service minions into monsters and pariahs within minutes. And if you're not paying someone to monitor all that stuff or doing it yourself, you'll be caught with your pants down feeling like you just got shelled by the Taliban - and for what? Just because your customer service isn't up to the Zappos Internet Standard of Excellence (okay, I made that up)?. Of course, if you don't know the Zappos story (bone up here before it's too late) and the reason they are indeed a standard for excellence in customer service, you're behind the eight ball anyway.
But enough of that, back to my delightful customer experience. Why was it unexpected? Because I was calling American Express. Now, I've been a Amex customer for twenty-three years, both personal and business. I've called them on a number of occasions and the service has been pretty good... but not delightful. But hey, they are a gigantohumongous company that's been around since the dawn of mankind. So you wouldn't really expect them to be delightful, and neither did I. This morning I actually had three different issues I had to deal with; one personal and two business. So I was expecting it to be a pain in the proverbial buttocks. Please don't think me hoity-toity, but the first thing I wanted to do was downgrade my Platinum card to a ego-shattering green one. I just can't justify the exorbitant annual fee anymore (although, if you use them, the benefits are phenomenal). Of course I figured that would require hours of explanation, negotiation and roadblocks. Next, I needed to get another Business Gold Card (to offset the ego-shattering downgrade of my personal card), and authorize my wife and business partner as an authorized user of the account - so I wouldn't have to call and deal with them ever again. Third, I needed to get the reward points I should have received for all the use my unauthorized wife had blessed Amex with on her card - about 300,000 of them, of which we were only getting credit for 25,000 (actual amounts may vary).
So you can understand my trepidation (there I go using a big word when a diminutive one would have sufficed) when I called. Here's what happened.
The automated voice menu system was outstanding and the voice recognition excellent. The "digital assistant's" rather sexy female voice actually sounded real; it even seemed like she liked me. Now that's technology that works! I'm thinking about calling back in the morning just to go through the menu again.
Anyway, it flawlessly took me to the first of three people I had to talk to to get all this done - not in twenty minutes as I or you might have expected, more like twenty seconds. The woman who answered was incredibly friendly, asking me how I was, acknowledging my tenure as a "member" and connecting me with a guy named Phillip who could help me dump my prized Platinum card. Phillip too was an absolute gem. Instead of trying to sell me off the switch, he never even questioned it - and we're talking $470 a year to Amex versus $65. Not a pittance if many other similarly financially-challenged in these trying times folks like me are doing the same thing. Regardless, no questions, no pressure and he got it done - in about three minutes! He then sent me on to the most friendly representative of all over on the business-side of things. She was so nice, I could have talked to her all day. She solved my business issues in about five minutes. I probably spent another two (because I knew I was being recorded) telling her what a spectacular experience it was for me. So really, from dialing the number to solving three separate issue took a grand total of about twelve minutes (including my kudos) and left me with a smile on my face.
Unexpected. Delightful. And that's the point of this rather long, but hopefully entertaining story. To be a break-away brand in this day and age, you have to deliver the unexpected. You have to delight your customers. Not just at the customer service level, at every level. I felt like I was talking to people at the little shop down the street. Their technology worked flawlessly and so did their people. American Express is stepping up to the plate. Is your company?
We've been asked a lot about Twitter lately. After all, Ashton Kutcher uses it, so shouldn't you? Well, maybe... but not if you're trying to connect with Generation Y.
According to an article at Mediapost's Online Media Daily and new study from the Participatory Marketing Network (PMN), 18-26 year olds haven't figured out what the value of Twitter is and generally bypass it as a social networking tool. Here are some highlights from the study:
Of those, 85% said they follow friends,
54% follow celebrities, 29% follow family, and 29% follow companies.
When asked about social networks, nearly all who participated in the
survey revealed having an active profile on at least one site.
Eighty-nine percent have downloaded an application to their profile
page; 89%, photos; 53%, games; 51%, entertainment; 32%, news; and 29%,
weather.
The article does point out some additional food for thought:
"Mobile social networking is heating up for Millennials, too.
Thirty-eight percent have an iPhone or iPod Touch. More than 50% have
downloaded games; 35%, entertainment; 31%, lifestyle; 28% have
downloaded free financial applications, and 7% have paid financial
applications. More than one-quarter -- 26 percent -- indicated that
they have not downloaded any."
Twitter is growing, but it remains to be seen how much of that growth has been fueled by media hype and whether or not the momentum will continue. Suffice to say though, if you want to reach younger generation, you better stick to Facebook and take a good long look at mobile social.
Ok, first of all, what the heck is a "decision engine? Anyone who can help me figure out from Microsoft's new commercials for bing exactly how bing makes decision making so much easier than say, Google, will get a big pat on the back.
The commercials are well produced, and probably cost enough with media placement to feed all the starving folk in in Ethiopia (surely a more pressing need than another search engine). But, after basically blaming Google (by implication) for all the ills of the world, they don't really tell me what a decision engine is, why it should matter to me, or how bing will save the world by overcoming Google's 99.8% share of the search market (okay, an exaggeration).
So, like many I suppose, I went to site. Instead of going there as myself, a techno-weenie bordering on geek type (very sexy these days by the way), I pretended to be a normal, "just need to find a recipe for meatloaf" consumer. Lo and behold, to all appearances there wasn't anything ground breakingly different to the experience according to my untrained eyes and fingers. The pop ups beside the results are nice help a little, but nothing that whacked me over the head and said, "dude, you should pick the tomato scicilliano meatloaf over all the other results on the page because it's the best damn meatloaf recipe ever, damnit!" 'Cause, see, that would be really cool (maybe ratings, even) and that's sort of what I was expecting from a "Decision Engine." Search for "Decision Engine" on bing and you not surprisingly get a page full of mostly Microsoft articles on why a decision engine is going to make your life easier - meaning you have to waste a whole bunch of your valuable time reading stuff to find out what it can do for you, 'cause using the darn thing isn't so obvious. Hmm. At this point it's time to get serious.
This is just another bad brand introduction from Microsoft (where's my Zune - oh yeah, I own an iPod?). First of all, an article in AdAge is happy to point out that bing is a chinese word for disease. LOL. Second, did Microsoft and JWT, the agency that created the spots think any of this through? There are indeed some interesting features on bing, but as the ad age article points out, it ain't no Google killer. So far, Google has remained silent under the advertising onslaught. And why shouldn't they. They own search, after all.
I think that the average consumer could care less about a decision engine. Most of them have probably never experienced "search overload." I know I haven't, and I sometimes do hundreds of searches a day. Surprisingly, most of these searches return the information I'm looking for, and yes, help me make decisions if need be. So why would Microsoft try to confuse the issue by trumpeting something new, but not explaining what it means, or how to make it work for me. What's the benefit? It's not immediately apparent in their commercials or, more importantly, in the experience on their site.
Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm dumb. But I say that without a BINGO moment for consumers, bing will be a bust. Why in the world should they care enough to give up on Google? Over-promising and under-delivering have killed many brands. Oh, by the way, as the AdAge article also points out, Microsoft's last search effort Live, is Evil spelled backwards. Of course nobody really thinks Microsoft's evil, just a little branding-illiterate. As always, this is just my opinion. What do you think?
I know I could use a good laugh right about now and this video does the job. Sung to Don McLean's tune American Pie, it lampoons a rather serious subject... namely the largely Internet induced ills affecting traditional media. Serious or not, the lyrics are great and you can't help but laugh. Enjoy!
On one of the stops along the way in my career, I was involved in the re-branding of Kar's Nuts (including their website). But the lion's share of the time was spent on redesigning all their packaging. Ever since, I've had a fascination for snack food packaging and often find myself perusing the fare at the local convenience store and grocery store aisles to see what's new or innovative.
Tonight I ran across Uncle Ray's. His Cheddar & Sour Cream chips caught my eye. What was on the back made me buy them. It wasn't the usual, "We only select the finest potatoes," etc., etc. It was something completely different that didn't have anything directly to do with Uncle Ray's product. Instead, it was "Chapter 32" in the wisdom and life-lessons of Ray. This is what was printed on the back of the bag:
Chapter 32 - Value of Gratefulness
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings, I am grateful, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf.
Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible, I am grateful, that I can see. Many are blind.
Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising, I am grateful, that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden.
Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned and tempers are short, my children are so loud, I am grateful for my family. There are many who are lonely.
Even though our breakfast table never looks like the table in the magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced, I am grateful, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry.
Even though the routine of my job often is monotonous, I am grateful, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job.
Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day, I am grateful, for life!
When was the last time you were grateful for the air you breathe? What about the sunshine, are you thankful for it?
It is a constant struggle to be grateful every day. On my website, there are examples of how gratefulness has benefitted me in my life and in my business. Also, check out the useful tips to help you remember how to always be thankful.
Gratefulness - "Making known to others in what ways they have benefited my life."
Here are simple things to remember to help you demonstrate Gratefulness in every day life.
I Will: - Show others that I appreciate them - Write thank you notes - Take care of my things - Be content with what I have - Count my benefits rather than my burdens
So I went ahead and bought Uncle Ray's - just to try them out. In fact, I was moved to buy Uncle Ray's. And guess what, the chips were pretty damn good.
To me, this is an outstanding example of doing something different to engage and connect with people. If Uncle Ray's had told me how fabulous their chips were like everyone else does, I probably would have passed and stuck to the tried and true brands I'm used to. Call me a convert. I've got 31 more chapters and about 20,000 calories to go!
Atomic Ink is lucky to have a client with a great little animated tire dude who's become an icon in Michigan and Ohio since we first animated him the old fashioned way back in 1997. The client is Belle Tire and now Tireman is a fully-realized 3D ball of energy and has become a featured player in the TV commercials we concept and produce for Belle Tire.
Tonight I came across an animation demo posted by the guy who's been bringing him to life for the last few years, Matt Campbell at HD Studios here in Detroit. So as a shout out to him (and them) and just for fun I'm posting them here... because, hey, I just can't get enough of seeing Tireman in a diaper.
We just completed a brand new campaign for Belle Tire and the little guy plays a big role in those spots too. We'll be talking about them posting them here soon, so check back.
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