Check out the interview for some best practices on building your brand.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/show.aspx?userurl=Ecom-Phenom&year=2009&month=06&day=03&url=Brand-Building-with-Li-Evans

Related posts:

1. Your Brand Here
2. Li Evans on Search Engine Watch
3. Brand Sluts and Brand Evangelists
4. How to measure brand awareness
5. Take Charge of Your Brand or Lose It

Well, have no fear….Twitter’s here!

All you need to do is sign into your Twitter account and follow the Twitter accounts of the organizations listed below.  Before you know it,  you’ll have access to news from around the world.  When you see something posted that sounds interesting to you, simply click on the link in the tweet, and away you go.

TV News Twitter Feeds
CNN	NBC News
CBS News	ABC News OK, it’s the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
FOX News	MSNBC News
SKY News	BBC News
Newspaper Twitter Feeds
New York Times	USA Today
USA Today On Politics	Washington Post
Wall Street Journal	Chicago Tribune
LATimes	International Herald Tribune
Daily Mirror	Financial Times
Radio Twitter Feeds
NPR News
Web Based News Service Twitter Feeds
Google News US	Drudge_Report
Yahoo News (no custom logo)	CNET News

I’m sure there are plenty more news services on Twitter, so feel free to add your favorite in the comments.

Related posts:

1. Beyond Email Marketing – Twitter and Blog.
2. Social Media in the News
3. Twitter “Lists”
4. Using Twitter in your Social Media Strategy
5. Creating a Twitter Profile

“Twitter isn’t something that we plan to use right now.”

“We don’t have the resources to invest in a site like Digg or Mixx.”

“Plurk? Never heard of it, not something that we want to bother with until it reaches some kind of critical mass.”

Do any of these sound familiar? These aren’t a problem.  Not every company is ready for each social network, and not every social network is ready for your company. It may be that your company and social networks (some or all) never meet, because they’re just not a real fit.  So, what’s my point with this post?

Even if your company decides not to use a social network, you should make sure to secure your brand on each through user names. Because, if you don’t, the chance is that someone else will.  And, the potential is that that someone may be a detractor, someone who dislikes your brand, and uses that profile to spread messages contrary to your corporate message.

True, when you notice that someone is doing that you can, depending on the strength of our brand and the policies of the social network in question, have them turn that ID over to you  But, damage to your reputation may already be done.

So, you need to go out to social networks and secure your brand name(s). …and you might want to point this post out to a certain former President…

Related posts:

1. Brand Sluts and Brand Evangelists
2. Beyond Word-of-Mouth; Getting Your Customers to Participate in Your Brand
3. Brand Building: An Interview with Li Evans on Ecom Phenom
4. LinkedIn – Social Media Overview
5. Your Brand Here

Originally, I was going to write about ways to encourage your customers to participate in your brand. I thought about some brands that I happily participate in. For example, having long been a Seth Godin fan, not just reading all his books and his blog daily, but occasionally posting a quote from him on our blog or recommending a book.  I’ve joined his ‘fan club’ and received his book ‘Tribes’ before it was officially released.

There are many examples in that one brand alone of great ways to encourage participation with your brand in a positive way.

But then, yesterday. Sure, it was election day. And, I was thrilled with the outcome (yay!!!). But then, it was also the day that I had quite possibly my worst ever experience as a customer (well, as a potential customer)…

Being relatively new to the area, I took the lazy, convenient way of finding a place to board my dogs (the Petsmart across the street). I won’t bore you with the exhaustive details but it started with three phone calls to their veterinary department, Banfield, to schedule a shot. (One that they are current on for every other kennel I have talked to since, but that is another story.) They ‘lost’ my information (apparently twice because I had to fill out a form that reiterated what I had told two other employees). 

I was forced (before any vet would see them) to watch their sales video (Sure, I get advertising to a captive audience [stuck in the exam room].  But please, this was more torturous than a time share experience).  I was told that my dogs (who, did I mention are current on all of their vaccines) needed hundreds of dollars of shots that Banfield recommends, ugh. I declined the ‘recommended vaccines.’  But, it got worse (didn’t think it could, but it did). So, I left.

I can’t think of any experience that I’ve EVER had as a customer that was worse. Apparently, Banfield has a system to generate the most revenue based on annoying sales tactics (the video), deceptive tactics (pulling up a list of vaccines that are not necessary), and trying other ways to charge for services that are unneccesary. So, I will participate in their brand. I will tell every pet owner who I talk to about my experience and never, ever even shop in Petsmart, as they must see this practice as not a problem.

My point is that there are two ways that customers who will participate in your brand can participate – and there are not that many customers who will. So, you can choose.  Choose by the way you treat your customers (or mistreat them).

Related posts:

1. 3 Easy Ways to Encourage Word of Mouth Traffic
2. 5 Simple Ways to Start Tracking Word of Mouth Traffic
3. Authentic Engagement with Word of Mouth Marketing
4. Brand Sluts and Brand Evangelists
5. How to measure brand awareness

This four part series will discuss To Play or Not to Play i.e. whether you should embark on this perilous yet rewarding journey (Part 1); those who have gone before i.e. companies who have succeeded and failed at this endeavor (Part 2); What do I do now? …or the types of decisions you need to make on how your game is going to look, feel, play, operate, and perform (Part 3).  And finally, The pitfalls (Part 4)…or the things to look out for along the way.

So let’s get down to it: is this a good idea?  Here are seven things to consider:

1. Know your audience.

Rolex should probably not make a video game.  Why?  Because their target demographics are generally not the type that would be interested in games.  Worse yet, a Rolex game would probably be a catastrophe as it would juvenilize their brand - making it irrelevant to the high-end customers they cater to.

So, make sure that your audience is one that would be interested in a game.  At the same time, do some research before assuming that your audience wouldn’t be interested.  The Entertainment Software Association in their 2008 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry states that “women 18 or older represent a significantly greater portion of the game playing population (33%) than boys age 17 or younger (18%).”

2. Know your product.

Not every product should have a video game based around it.  Mortuary services seems to me a rather bad idea for a game.  Cotton swabs too seem like a bad idea.  But, if you can build a character or story around the cotton swabs, then it might be the perfect way to add depth and interest to a dull product. (No offense to any cotton swab makers who might be reading.)

3. It’s expensive.

Even with advent of Flash, Silverlight, and other technologies that vastly cut costs on design and development, it’s still no cheap beast to tame.  With artwork, programming, and interactive design, even the smallest of games will take time and money to produce whether you do it in-house or have an agency do it.  That being said if customers enjoy the game, it’ll be worth it.

4. Don’t expect direct revenue.

Directly selling the game is generally a bad idea.  Although, if you go so far as to create a console game, there’s probably room for a low-cost price tag to help reclaim some costs.  The best idea is to give this game away to your customers and perhaps, more importantly, to your potential customers.  This push of authenticity and good will can pay dividends for years to come.

5. It will be fun.

The whole point of this is to inject fun and entertainment into your brand/company.  If you don’t have fun making it, no one will enjoy playing it.

6. Thinly veiled marketing sucks.

Don’t make a game so you can stuff your product/service down your customers’ throat.  You seem manipulative and customers feels used.  No one wins.

7. They’re already interacting with you.

If customers take time to play your game you’re – by the nature of gaming - interacting with them.  Slap on a forum or game player blog and you’ve got a community of engaged people who are loyal to your brand.

***Warning*** Do not just tack on any portion of this experience.  Everything must be intelligently measured and decided on before you take any steps toward adding features.  Blundering through a campaign adding every Web 2.0 buzz word you can think of only makes you look bad.  Promise quality and deliver quality – just like you do with your products and services.

So, you’re cautiously optimistic about creating a video game.  Good.  Next time, we’ll discuss the trials, travails, and triumphs of marketing games in Those Who Have Gone Before.

Related posts:

1. Video Games as a Marketing Technique Part 3: What Do I Do Now?
2. Video Games as a Marketing Technique Part 4: Pitfalls
3. Video Games as a Marketing Technique Part 2: Those Who Have Gone Before?
4. Video Games as a Marketing Technique: Part 5 Standing on the Shoulders of Open Source Giants
5. Effective, Integrated Multi-Channel Marketing

Last week, I had the great opportunity to go to the XM offices (the COOLEST offices I’ve ever seen – even cooler than the Turner Broadcasting offices in Atlanta) and meet the band Safety Suit .  Their first hit song, ‘Someone Like You,’ has been popular since even before they officially released their album mid-May.

I was blown away by how nice, friendly, humble, and appreciative all four guys were.  But, I was more surprised by what I experienced.  The band was there as sort of a ‘meet and greet’ for some of the Program Directors from some of XM’s 170 digital channels.

After being friendly and gracious to everyone they met, the band eventually ended up in a conference room with their acoustic instruments.  After introducing themselves to a room full of strangers, they performed a few songs.

When they were done, they immediately began to work the room.  I am not saying that in a negative or condescending way.  Each band member made sure that they introduced themselves to each person in the room, and not just with a passing ‘hello’ but with a decent, funny, interesting conversation.

I’ve seen a LOT of concerts and up till now, I had always figured (like I assume most people do) that famous bands have some combination of talent and luck.  That may have been true at one time, but not today.  With all of the competition, the only way to be a hit (or frontlist) and not part lost in the tail - a band must have:

• Talent – Listening to any song on the album, you will hear the talent

• Personality – Funny, funny, funny guys

• Willingness to work harder than they ever imagined – The first time I heard of Safety Suit was back in April when I was driving through Columbia, SC.  They had stopped by a radio station there to do an on-air performance.  If you Google Safety Suit, you will see that the station in Columbia is one of MANY.

• Embraced the concept of networking/marketing in a traditional sense – Using their funny personalities and humility to win over person after person as they tour and promote their album

• Embraced even more the concept of social marketing – MySpace, Facebook, YouTube – they have it covered

In talking with Doug, the singer, he mentioned that if he weren’t ‘doing what he was currently doing’ that he’d be in Advertising/Marketing.  Then, he laughed and said jokingly… ‘Well, I guess this is being in advertising.’   Not only could a lot of bands learn a lot from these guys, so could a lot of companies.

Related posts:

1. AC/DC Music Video in Excel
2. K.I.S.S.S. Marketing
3. Video Games as a Marketing Technique Part 1: To Play or Not to Play?
4. What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and…Latent Conversions
5. Beyond Email Marketing – Twitter and Blog.

I don’t recall seeing anything online from John McCain, and really nothing memorable in traditional media except his television ads comparing Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.

The candidates’ online presence and lack thereof clearly illustrates the key difference between them: one is young, forward-thinking, open to change, innovative, and relates to me on my turf (aka the Internet). The other is old school with traditional campaign tactics. There are great learnings in Obama’s campaign strategy for businesses attempting to enter the online marketing arena.

• Know your audience and relate to them where they already are visiting.
• Find out the tools that they use and weave your way into their online experience.
• Don’t overlook the potential in media such as text messaging and email.
• Be real, open, and accessible.

Related posts:

1. Political Emails Gone Wild
2. Digital Marketing, Social Media and the Presidential Primaries
3. The Democratic and GOP Party Conventions Impact on the Candidates Search Volume
4. Get Set for the 2008 Presidential Election with Tools and Mapplets from Google
5. Presidential Candidates and Social Networks

Hydrox Cookie

So why now? Was it the huge outpouring of protest ( if 1000 petition signatures and 1300 phone calls constitutes a protest)? Or, perhaps Kellogg’s saw the opportunity to generate some press – which it has. I still question the reasoning behind bringing back a brand that has failed miserably. It just seems futile. Sales numbers from 1998 really say it all — $374 million for Oreos; $16 million for Hydrox.

I am a huge fan of cookies, especially the dunkable, chocolate variety, but I was never drawn to Hydrox. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a Hydrox and don’t think I would if offered. I certainly wouldn’t give them to my kids. Why?

The name! It just sounds artificial and chemically. Rule of thumb, if your cookie rhymes with a major brand of bleach, you might want to think about another name. They knew they had a branding issue and even changed the name to Droxies in 1999. Good try Kellogg’s, but changing the name of a product is really the kiss of death. I can’t think of one that has survived it. Can you?

Kellogg’s does a lot of things right – Cheeze-Its and anything touched by Elfin magic for example – but I wish they would just throw in the towel on the Hydrox brand for good. I don’t even like seeing them near my Oreos on the shelf.

No related posts.

Over the last twenty years, a major shift in product placement has occurred. Advertisers and media realized how valuable subtle placement and outright endorsements could be. Slowly, brands made their way into movies, TV, and even video games.

Brands pay directly for product placement or they can pay “in kind” where companies hand over free goods/services in exchange for promotion. The producers of Cast Away, basically a glorified FedEx commercial, claim FedEx did not pay directly for inclusion.

Although product placement started subtly, movie-makers are now very comfortable with a “hit-them-over-the-head” approach, as was seen in You’ve Got Mail (AOL) and The Italian Job (MINI Coopers).

TV had still shied away from the shameless plug – the king of all product placements – until recently when TV powerhouse American Idol broke that mold. Simon, Paula and Randy sip from Coke cups and artists (yes, I’m talking to you George Michael) agree to sellout performances to hawk their latest CDs. But what I love about American Idol, is that they are completely open and unapologetic with their sponsorships.

I’ve worked with companies who question the ROI of product placement. I assure them, it works. Here is one startling example:

I was driving my five year old daughter to school the other day and we were playing “I Spy” to pass the time. Typically, we play with school busses, or the cars we own (Sequoia, Prius). This time, my girl throws out “I Spy an American Idol Car.” I looked around quizzically not knowing what she meant. Right in front of us was a Ford truck. She had seen the Ford logo and associated that with the Ford product placements she had seen on American Idol.

Now, all Fords are American Idol cars. Ford has planted their brand into the mind of a five year old and associated themselves with a TV show our family loves and watches together. That is powerful and invalauble. So yes, it does work. Now the challenge for Ford is to continue to reinforce that positive brand associaton for the next ten years until my daughter starts driving and purchasing cars.

Related posts:

1. Brand Sluts and Brand Evangelists
2. Brand Building: An Interview with Li Evans on Ecom Phenom
3. Beyond Word-of-Mouth; Getting Your Customers to Participate in Your Brand
4. Take Charge of Your Brand or Lose It
5. How to measure brand awareness