I know, I know, in my earlier post I attacked advertising on social media, but I have noticed, much to my liking, that social media sites seem to have managed their ever-growing ad placements in a very subtle & non invasive manner. No screaming, oversized banners, or that ultimate epitome of annoyance - the pop-up window! In any case, I take my hat off to their restraint, professionalism and empathy of user experience.
It's old news that advertising on social media sites is a lucrative & cost effective channel. What's new is the sectors and businesses that at one time dismissed the media as superfluous and purely consumer oriented, are beginning to take notice of the benefits, not to mention their appeal to a wider range of users than just the plain old consumer (like me).
Lest we forget, CEO's also tend to have laptops and smart phones. And believe it or not, a surprising majority of them EVEN have Facebook & Twitter accounts. And quite a few of these key decision makers are running B2B brands and companies. They are also realizing the potential in social media. They also understand that key decision makers, their friends and families also very much lie within their either existing or potential client database.
The question is how to do this in an online advertising environment that is being increasingly regulated and monitored to ensure optimal levels of user experience and less downtime.
One example of a well orchestrated social media campaign was recently executed by Cisco - a well known brand and a leader in the technology industry. As part of a product launch for the ASR 9000 router, they created a campaign around a bumbling tech reporter who is assigned to break the story of the new product. Even their CEO, John Chambers, shows he can play along. The initial video was combined with a blog, Facebook group, Twitter account, YouTube and a preview launch site to build awareness of the product launch. You can read more about the success of the campaign and the importance of cross-promoting video content on Dianna Huff’s B2B Marcom blog.
The above is one example, but the possibilities for effective & creative B2B marketing via social media are ours for the taking. Facebook, for example. is allowing for sponsored applications that, with the right segmentation, can become a very powerful vehicle for an array of B2B marcom activities - CSR, brand awareness, product placement & awareness, leads generation... my mouth waters at the prospects!
All that needs to be done is to find B2B companies willing to do so. 44% of B2B companies aren't using social media yet. But 66% are, and that's not a bad start...
torsdag 13 augusti 2009
måndag 20 juli 2009
We Cannes too....
Summer greetings to all of you. And there's nothing that kicks off the summer of advertising like the Cannes Lions Awards. You won't see any Hollywood stars, but you will rub shoulders with the finesr talents that the ad world has to offer.....
...as well as being able to sample the best work that today's Mad Men have to show for themselves. Sexy brands and savvy agencies. From print to outdoor to digital. Consumer and B2B... "B2B??!!!?" I hear you cough and sputter.
Yes, even some obscure B2B brands with un-sexy products, and a small unkonown agency can produce some world class work that competes with the best in the business.
My favourite is this- the bronze winner in the Cannes Direct category. The brand/client is Komatsu ("who???"). The product is a compact excavator ("what???") and the campaign was masterminded by an agency called Duval Guillaume based in Antwerp, Belgium ("WHERE??!!")
It's not sexy. But it's simple. And it's brilliant. And it worked.
Simply put, They Cannes too.
Check it out here:
http://www.duvalguillaume.com/news/2009/bronze-lion-for-komatsu
Wishing you all a pleasant summer / The Icebreaker
...as well as being able to sample the best work that today's Mad Men have to show for themselves. Sexy brands and savvy agencies. From print to outdoor to digital. Consumer and B2B... "B2B??!!!?" I hear you cough and sputter.
Yes, even some obscure B2B brands with un-sexy products, and a small unkonown agency can produce some world class work that competes with the best in the business.
My favourite is this- the bronze winner in the Cannes Direct category. The brand/client is Komatsu ("who???"). The product is a compact excavator ("what???") and the campaign was masterminded by an agency called Duval Guillaume based in Antwerp, Belgium ("WHERE??!!")
It's not sexy. But it's simple. And it's brilliant. And it worked.
Simply put, They Cannes too.
Check it out here:
http://www.duvalguillaume.com/news/2009/bronze-lion-for-komatsu
Wishing you all a pleasant summer / The Icebreaker
måndag 8 juni 2009
The worst is over..... So what's best now?
The general feeling in some areas of global economy believe that the dust has now settled after the latest financial crisis.
In the UK, The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s latest Marketing Trends Survey (Spring 2009) reveals that many marketers believe the worst of the recession is over.
The survey, conducted for The Institute by Ipsos MORI, reveals that “the number of marketers who believe the UK economy will worsen in the next 12 months has halved to 34 per cent (down from 70 per cent in the Autumn 2008 survey)"
This is certainly interesting and positive news, not merely because the UK is such an important European market, but also because the UK is a leading benchmark in marketing trends and practices. So while we begin to dust ourselves off, it’s interesting to see what effect this crisis has had on their choice of communications activities, and what kind of indicators these provide for the upcoming post recession.
As it looks right now, marketing spend is increasingly being focused on the activities that UK marketers believe deliver the best return on investment – Customer Relationship Management, Public Relations and email/online marketing.
In contrast, marketing spend on advertising (excluding online) is down 4.9 per cent, reflecting the fact that 23 per cent of those surveyed believed it delivers the worst return on investment.
Not a good omen for us ad-people, but is this a trend that is destined to linger? One can obviously argue that an upswing in the economy will bring more ad money and better budgets, but a gut feeling tells me that some of the smarter marketers out there will be looking at the results of their activity during a recession, seeing what worked, and probably sticking to it for some time to come.
In fact, David Thorp, director of research and information at The Chartered Institute of Marketing said;
“Despite fears over the economy and job prospects for the rest of 2009, it is clear that we are turning a corner in marketers’ confidence about the future. For now, marketers are wisely concentrating their spend in the most effective activities, and as we move into 2010, I’m convinced this more professional approach will stand them in good stead when the economy recovers....”
So where will this leave the ad-industry? What’s our next best move?
Time will tell, but one thing is for sure, this latest recession has re-dimensioned our industry, the question is just how much, and how this will affect us in the years that follow.....
In the UK, The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s latest Marketing Trends Survey (Spring 2009) reveals that many marketers believe the worst of the recession is over.
The survey, conducted for The Institute by Ipsos MORI, reveals that “the number of marketers who believe the UK economy will worsen in the next 12 months has halved to 34 per cent (down from 70 per cent in the Autumn 2008 survey)"
This is certainly interesting and positive news, not merely because the UK is such an important European market, but also because the UK is a leading benchmark in marketing trends and practices. So while we begin to dust ourselves off, it’s interesting to see what effect this crisis has had on their choice of communications activities, and what kind of indicators these provide for the upcoming post recession.
As it looks right now, marketing spend is increasingly being focused on the activities that UK marketers believe deliver the best return on investment – Customer Relationship Management, Public Relations and email/online marketing.
In contrast, marketing spend on advertising (excluding online) is down 4.9 per cent, reflecting the fact that 23 per cent of those surveyed believed it delivers the worst return on investment.
Not a good omen for us ad-people, but is this a trend that is destined to linger? One can obviously argue that an upswing in the economy will bring more ad money and better budgets, but a gut feeling tells me that some of the smarter marketers out there will be looking at the results of their activity during a recession, seeing what worked, and probably sticking to it for some time to come.
In fact, David Thorp, director of research and information at The Chartered Institute of Marketing said;
“Despite fears over the economy and job prospects for the rest of 2009, it is clear that we are turning a corner in marketers’ confidence about the future. For now, marketers are wisely concentrating their spend in the most effective activities, and as we move into 2010, I’m convinced this more professional approach will stand them in good stead when the economy recovers....”
So where will this leave the ad-industry? What’s our next best move?
Time will tell, but one thing is for sure, this latest recession has re-dimensioned our industry, the question is just how much, and how this will affect us in the years that follow.....
fredag 29 maj 2009
R.O.E.I
Return On Eco Investment.
I formulated this acronym off the cuff as I was interviewed the other day regarding my opinions on the environment and energy issues.
Naturally I had a very marketing biased point of view, especially when I was first asked if I thought that energy corporations were doing enough for the environment?
My reply was that it was really hard to tell. Sure, there are a lot of good "greenwashing" campaigns out there, but I pointed out that it was almost impossible for me, whether as an ad-man or consumer to detect any tangible positive effects that the considerable investments these corporations have poured into pro-environmental technology and communication should have, or will have had.
Simply put, I would need serious proof of ROEI to give a good reply to their first question.
Then when asked if I, as a consumer, would be willing to spend more on energy utilities if these were pro-environmental I replied, where's the proof of ROEI? I was then asked to describe what I would advise corporations to do in order to prove what they are getting out of their ROEI, and how I would promote ROEI to their consumers...
I gave a few examples and thus ended the interview, I then rushed back to the office to start studying "my" new acronym and how it could be applied in marketing and communication. 12 hours later, I had a logo, a 12 slide PPT, and a ROEI methodology. Now I'm dying to try it out, and hopefully will do soon.
ROEI. Remember where you heard it first. If you're curious, just email me at jc@icebreaker.se and I'll be glad to share more of my ROEI findings with you...
Back soon,
THE ICEBREAKER
I formulated this acronym off the cuff as I was interviewed the other day regarding my opinions on the environment and energy issues.
Naturally I had a very marketing biased point of view, especially when I was first asked if I thought that energy corporations were doing enough for the environment?
My reply was that it was really hard to tell. Sure, there are a lot of good "greenwashing" campaigns out there, but I pointed out that it was almost impossible for me, whether as an ad-man or consumer to detect any tangible positive effects that the considerable investments these corporations have poured into pro-environmental technology and communication should have, or will have had.
Simply put, I would need serious proof of ROEI to give a good reply to their first question.
Then when asked if I, as a consumer, would be willing to spend more on energy utilities if these were pro-environmental I replied, where's the proof of ROEI? I was then asked to describe what I would advise corporations to do in order to prove what they are getting out of their ROEI, and how I would promote ROEI to their consumers...
I gave a few examples and thus ended the interview, I then rushed back to the office to start studying "my" new acronym and how it could be applied in marketing and communication. 12 hours later, I had a logo, a 12 slide PPT, and a ROEI methodology. Now I'm dying to try it out, and hopefully will do soon.
ROEI. Remember where you heard it first. If you're curious, just email me at jc@icebreaker.se and I'll be glad to share more of my ROEI findings with you...
Back soon,
THE ICEBREAKER
måndag 25 maj 2009
Are you killing or billing?
The credentials presentation. It's the first chance your agency gets to make a good impression on a new prospect. Problem is that most ad agencies spend too much time talking about the wrong thing.
Themselves.
In fact the biggest complaint I've read about and heard firsthand from marketers on the buyers side is that they're tired of the "who we are, awards, unique methodology, how creative we are, how we love ROI, case study case study case study case study etc etc"
Because when they agreed to meet the agency, they Googled them, Checked their website. Saw the case studies. Saw that they won an Effie. That they hired a well respected creative director. They already knew pretty much all they needed to know about the agency by the time they got to shake hands.
What they really were hoping to hear was how the agency was going to help THEM. That the agency had done their homework. Had already tried to identify any business challenges they may be facing- and hinting at a solution. Tried to understand their brand, product or service and show insight.
Secondly, a credentials presentation isn't just about presenting the agency. It's also about presenting yourself, the ambassador of the agency, and trying to get to know the potential client. Talk to them, with them, but not AT them.
Third, try to use other presentation software than Power Point. You can get a flash presentation done for very reasonable fees these days, and trust me, what a difference it makes!! With a flash introduction to your agency, you can keep perfect timing, talk less and add an element of excitement that Power Point just can't deliver. You can then definitely use Power Point to tailor a presentation of your findings and insights regarding your prospect.
Last but not least- LISTEN to what the potential client is saying. You've got this person's company for a limited time, they have the power to make or break your financial year- so take my advice, hang on every word!
These are just a few hints that'll help you start billing and stop killing your prospects- but if you want to know more about good new business practices, check here: http://www.newbusinesslessons.org
Best Wishes,
THE ICEBREAKER
Themselves.
In fact the biggest complaint I've read about and heard firsthand from marketers on the buyers side is that they're tired of the "who we are, awards, unique methodology, how creative we are, how we love ROI, case study case study case study case study etc etc"
Because when they agreed to meet the agency, they Googled them, Checked their website. Saw the case studies. Saw that they won an Effie. That they hired a well respected creative director. They already knew pretty much all they needed to know about the agency by the time they got to shake hands.
What they really were hoping to hear was how the agency was going to help THEM. That the agency had done their homework. Had already tried to identify any business challenges they may be facing- and hinting at a solution. Tried to understand their brand, product or service and show insight.
Secondly, a credentials presentation isn't just about presenting the agency. It's also about presenting yourself, the ambassador of the agency, and trying to get to know the potential client. Talk to them, with them, but not AT them.
Third, try to use other presentation software than Power Point. You can get a flash presentation done for very reasonable fees these days, and trust me, what a difference it makes!! With a flash introduction to your agency, you can keep perfect timing, talk less and add an element of excitement that Power Point just can't deliver. You can then definitely use Power Point to tailor a presentation of your findings and insights regarding your prospect.
Last but not least- LISTEN to what the potential client is saying. You've got this person's company for a limited time, they have the power to make or break your financial year- so take my advice, hang on every word!
These are just a few hints that'll help you start billing and stop killing your prospects- but if you want to know more about good new business practices, check here: http://www.newbusinesslessons.org
Best Wishes,
THE ICEBREAKER
torsdag 14 maj 2009
Anti-social media...
Social media. It's the big buzzword on every marketers lips these days.
Every marketer, every ad-agency, brand manager, CMO, you name it.. are all striving to capitalize on this media channel. Which is understandable. And not annoying at all....
Not yet anyway. But chances are that it will. And soon
As soon as we ad-people get the hang of it, by mastering the art, by writing the first "Social media for dummies", or "Social Media = ROI", or by creating business cards / positions with "Social Media Director" as a title, holding seminars and starting niched social media digital agencies... is when we will have spurned the term "Anti-Social Media"
I hate to play Nostradamus, but much as target audiences these days are becoming more and more intolerant towards TV & radio advertising, and are consequently choosing to watch and listen on demand, the same will be true of social media.
Data traffic towards social media sites will drastically decrease as users around the world will disactivate notification settings and limit usage in general in order to avoid commercial messages.
YouTube users, tiresome of ad placement and ad influence in content, will soon find other ways to source video over the internet.
Peer to peer instant messaging will soon boom (again) as users try to find a way back to the inimate, undisturbed realms of sharing details of their lives to only the chosen few, and off the radar of the marketing community.
The scenario described above is of course hypothetical, however it is not completely impossible.
Unless, of course, we marketeers do our part in giving the consumers what they came for- relevant content that gives them the power of choice, that keeps them entertained, perhaps even serving as a catalyst for their digital social experience.
There's nothing wrong with finding ways for consumers to engage with a brand in a new way, but we have to make sure that we are as non-invasive and pro-interactive as possible. A difficult balance to achieve, but in the end it's "their" (the consumers) choice, not ours....
Every marketer, every ad-agency, brand manager, CMO, you name it.. are all striving to capitalize on this media channel. Which is understandable. And not annoying at all....
Not yet anyway. But chances are that it will. And soon
As soon as we ad-people get the hang of it, by mastering the art, by writing the first "Social media for dummies", or "Social Media = ROI", or by creating business cards / positions with "Social Media Director" as a title, holding seminars and starting niched social media digital agencies... is when we will have spurned the term "Anti-Social Media"
I hate to play Nostradamus, but much as target audiences these days are becoming more and more intolerant towards TV & radio advertising, and are consequently choosing to watch and listen on demand, the same will be true of social media.
Data traffic towards social media sites will drastically decrease as users around the world will disactivate notification settings and limit usage in general in order to avoid commercial messages.
YouTube users, tiresome of ad placement and ad influence in content, will soon find other ways to source video over the internet.
Peer to peer instant messaging will soon boom (again) as users try to find a way back to the inimate, undisturbed realms of sharing details of their lives to only the chosen few, and off the radar of the marketing community.
The scenario described above is of course hypothetical, however it is not completely impossible.
Unless, of course, we marketeers do our part in giving the consumers what they came for- relevant content that gives them the power of choice, that keeps them entertained, perhaps even serving as a catalyst for their digital social experience.
There's nothing wrong with finding ways for consumers to engage with a brand in a new way, but we have to make sure that we are as non-invasive and pro-interactive as possible. A difficult balance to achieve, but in the end it's "their" (the consumers) choice, not ours....
tisdag 5 maj 2009
to pitch or not to pitch, that is the que$tion....
I've never been a big fan of pitches.
Let's be honest- how many of us good agency folk actually REALLY enjoy that gruelling process, starting with the RFI, then the RFP, the RFQ, then that mother of all presentations -THE CREATIVE PITCH!
You and your agency have just spent an untold number of days, hours, sleepless nights, exchanging ideas, criticism, insults, pats on the back, cursing color printers that run out of toner at 3am, cursing the art director, copywriter, planner, CEO, potential new client, Spray Mount, delivery guy, receptionist....
....all for the sake of one, maybe one and a half hours in front of the potential client(s).
I know you know how that feels, or if you don't, you can probably imagine walking into a (usually) hot and stuffy boardroom, being met by a group of people that most of the time look like they would rather be elsewhere (especially if you've gotten that lousy Friday afternoon final slot).
You feel (and probably look) as if you haven't slept in days, yet strive to project an image of vigour, wisdom, love for the clients brand, love for the creative response to their brief. You then pull out and turn over the first board...
The room either falls to a painful hush... blank expressions... or maybe a set of blank gazes transform into mild interest, or mirth, or maybe that magical moment when you KNOW you've won it- you see an instant sparkle in their eyes... the mood in the room is suddenly electric... and you leave the pitch feeling like you've just conquered Everest... exhausted and ecstatic.
OR... as is often the case, you leave feeling mildly optimistic and hanging on every word, every glance from the guys on the other side of the table. one, maybe two weeks of cautious excitement follow.... then you get... THE CALL. Sometimes even THE E-MAIL (yes, it does happen..)
From that moment on, you've either won or lost the pitch. And either way, after every result, I find myself asking a series of questions;
Was this really the best way to gauge my agency's competence?
Was this really the best way to test if we can do business over the next 12, 24, 36, etc months?
Can this truly be the ultimate test to see if we, and you, our potential clients, have chemistry?
Why is it that we only get one shot, one performance, to show how creative we can be?
Why is it that we get only one shot to demonstrate our strategic capacity?
Surely we would best solve these two above issues together? Through a working process, and not just one brief?
Maybe there's a less costly way, both in terms of time and money, to find if we're a good match?
On my next pitch, I'll probably be asking myself the same questions, and still striving to create the answers.
Best Regards / The Icebreaker
Let's be honest- how many of us good agency folk actually REALLY enjoy that gruelling process, starting with the RFI, then the RFP, the RFQ, then that mother of all presentations -THE CREATIVE PITCH!
You and your agency have just spent an untold number of days, hours, sleepless nights, exchanging ideas, criticism, insults, pats on the back, cursing color printers that run out of toner at 3am, cursing the art director, copywriter, planner, CEO, potential new client, Spray Mount, delivery guy, receptionist....
....all for the sake of one, maybe one and a half hours in front of the potential client(s).
I know you know how that feels, or if you don't, you can probably imagine walking into a (usually) hot and stuffy boardroom, being met by a group of people that most of the time look like they would rather be elsewhere (especially if you've gotten that lousy Friday afternoon final slot).
You feel (and probably look) as if you haven't slept in days, yet strive to project an image of vigour, wisdom, love for the clients brand, love for the creative response to their brief. You then pull out and turn over the first board...
The room either falls to a painful hush... blank expressions... or maybe a set of blank gazes transform into mild interest, or mirth, or maybe that magical moment when you KNOW you've won it- you see an instant sparkle in their eyes... the mood in the room is suddenly electric... and you leave the pitch feeling like you've just conquered Everest... exhausted and ecstatic.
OR... as is often the case, you leave feeling mildly optimistic and hanging on every word, every glance from the guys on the other side of the table. one, maybe two weeks of cautious excitement follow.... then you get... THE CALL. Sometimes even THE E-MAIL (yes, it does happen..)
From that moment on, you've either won or lost the pitch. And either way, after every result, I find myself asking a series of questions;
Was this really the best way to gauge my agency's competence?
Was this really the best way to test if we can do business over the next 12, 24, 36, etc months?
Can this truly be the ultimate test to see if we, and you, our potential clients, have chemistry?
Why is it that we only get one shot, one performance, to show how creative we can be?
Why is it that we get only one shot to demonstrate our strategic capacity?
Surely we would best solve these two above issues together? Through a working process, and not just one brief?
Maybe there's a less costly way, both in terms of time and money, to find if we're a good match?
On my next pitch, I'll probably be asking myself the same questions, and still striving to create the answers.
Best Regards / The Icebreaker
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