by Miriam Hara | Nov 26, 2013 | Latest, Marketing
Who would have thought? The year 2013 and holiday greeting cards are a thing of the past. Or are they? I believe that sending out holiday greeting cards may be perceived as a blast from the past: I refer to it as retro marketing. I also happen to believe it’s a good thing… on many levels.
We all know that retro is running with a “1960”s style and design and making it contemporary. I like being thought of as retro.
At the risk of being obvious, retro marketing takes that idea and applies it the the principles of marketing.
Making a way of communicating or reaching out to business partners that is so “60’s, and making it contemporary and hip…again! An old fashioned way of saying” hey remember us….see what we can do”.
For as long as I have been in business, this time of year, I have always looked forward to receiving holiday greeting cards. Those of us in the creative, marketing and advertising fields, have always gone the extra mile to show how creative we can be. I always thought that our clients – existing and potential – business partners and contacts enjoyed seeing what we could come up with…. year after year.
A few years ago, we had this great internal debate on whether we should go the digital route, to showcase our digital savvy-ness… Some felt that sending a traditional paper greeting card made us look passé and not keeping up with the times. Others felt that a card went so much further in establishing our relationship with the recipient and showcased our creativity for all to see… There were good points made on both sides.
So what did we do? We did what we do best…we pondered the challenge creatively…. and brainstormed. Why does this have to be an either or scenario? Why couldn’t we do both? So, we sent out our creative Holiday Greeting card… and added a digital components, which was beautifully designed and executed for people to register online… and for each registration received, we donated funds to the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation… another retro marketing initiative!
I believe that this time of year is personal… and having a card to open with a personalized message in that card says a great deal to the person on the receiving end. Let’s admit this…most of us get so many emails that sometimes we miss a few… rushing about to get through them all. Business, in spite of its speed and ever increasing demands, is still very much about the personal. Taking the time of the hectic, and making the time to be personal… is well, retro marketing at it’s best, don’t you think?
Will you go retro marketing or not this holiday season? Do you dare? Let me know!
by Belinda Lui | Nov 25, 2013 | Advertising, Latest
Soon after Halloween passes (literally, November 1), the Christmas paraphernalia goes up. I used to be nauseated by how money-driven retailers must be to shove money-spending down our throats. Then, I remember that the Christmas music also starts soon after on the radio, and most importantly, the Christmas-themed commercials.
Seasonal advertising is probably one of my favourite type of advertising – it gives copywriters and art directors an opportunity to encapsulate the emotions felt during every holiday and prompt some sort of response from its viewers/listeners.
Here are a few of my most anticipated Christmas advertising:
1. Coca-Cola
From their seasonal packaging to their feel-good advertisement spots, Coca-Cola is definitely number one on my list of favourite Seasonal Advertising Campaigns.
2. M&Ms
Who wouldn’t love the two M&M characters? Seeing these animated chocolates, with whom a lot of us have grown a kinship with over the years, live out the innocence of preparing for Santa Clause’s arrival – brings back the memories in 30 seconds (or less).
3. Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons definitely gets the “feel-good”, “patriotism”, and “family” notions spot-on. Who doesn’t like a bit of those things during the holidays?
4. Old Navy
If you’re the type of person (and who isn’t?) that appreciates an upbeat, jolly, dance number – then you would look forward to these commercials too.
5. Target
Still considered to be fairly new to the Canadian market, Target has the ability to capture feel-good and “hip and trendy” in the same ad spot.
While the underlying goal in every advertisement is to push sales, it is no wonder why marketers spend most of their ad money in the fourth quarter: people are more willing to spend during the holiday season and are vulnerable to the emotions that come along with Christmas. Still, if only for the appreciation of great creative work: I thoroughly look forward to Seasonal Advertising Campaigns.
What are some of your favourite Seasonal Advertising Campaigns?
by Belinda Lui | Nov 22, 2013 | Latest, Social Media
In light of all the Rob Ford news that has gone viral (making international headlines), I thought it would be a good opportunity to shed light on some videos/stories that have also gained international traction on today’s post. Viral Marketing campaigns usually involve a story or cause that has the effect of evoking emotion or that the mass community can relate to. This can be beneficial to your business if the emotion evoked is a positive one – consequently reflecting well on your brand.
Here are a few examples of videos that spread a great message:
1. Dove:
Dove’s Beauty Campaign is one of my favourites. They started their campaign with using real women to model for their advertisements, suggesting that beauty can come in all shapes and sizes. This year, they launched a video called “Beauty Sketches” that spoke to women and the, often misguided, way we see ourselves.
2. Pharell Williams: “Happy”
The U.S. musician/producer/fashion icon released a 24-hour music video that promotes being happy and has gained close to 1M views. Now, that’s something to be cheerful of.
3. The Right To Love:
In March, the Human Rights Campaign had a redesign of their logo and encouraged users on Facebook to change their profile picture to support it. It is a red square box with two thick pink horizontal lines and was used among the online community as a way to support the right to same-sex marriage.
These are just a few ways that companies and people have used viral marketing to increase awareness of a cause or their brand. In some ways, viral marketing campaigns are an excellent tool in comparison to traditional forms of advertising. This method is measurable with social metrics, regardless of which platform you choose to use.
What are some of the viral marketing campaigns that you liked most this year?
by Belinda Lui | Nov 20, 2013 | Latest, Management
I started at 3H not too long ago – and during my job interview with Miriam Hara (Partner, 3H Communications), I already got the sense that she was a force to be reckoned with. I’ve worked with quite a few female executives in leadership roles over the past decade and I always observe the types of people they are and how they achieved such success.
While I’m not an expert on how to be a leader (I’ll write another post when I become one), I’ve been given fine examples to aspire to. With a particular interest in influential women, I wanted to write this post on Miriam Hara and the specific qualities she possesses that, I believe, make her as successful as she is:
1. Client-Focused
Some people are solely business-focused (ROI, efficiencies, strategy), which are all good things, but what sets leaders apart from associate-level, is that the leader recognizes that the client IS the business – thus, everything should surround that.
2. Innovative
Knowing the best practices in your industry is important, but knowing how to stay ahead and be an expert at what you do, is what sets you apart. Know what’s trending in popular culture; what types of activations deliver the most engagement; what is visually appealing and makes the most sense.
3. Unrelenting
If Miriam gave up the first time something didn’t go her way, she wouldn’t be where she is today: Partner at 3H Communications, Author of 3 e-books (Marketing Understood, Branding Understood, and Social Media Understood), and a true expert of all things Marketing & Advertising.
4. Assertiveness
She doesn’t take no for an answer. She doesn’t give up when things get hard. She is right there in the trenches with her team when there is a deadline to be met. She will tell you exactly what is on her mind so that there is little left to confusion. Miriam knows what she wants and how to get it.
5. Fostering Growth
It isn’t enough to just be great if the people working under you aren’t learning from you. It’s important to lead by example but it’s also important to be the hand that guides your employees in the right direction. Having smart and effective thinkers working for you is an excellent ROI.
Of all these qualities, though, I think the most important one is the impression and legacy that you leave behind.
Like most things, it isn’t any good to be in leadership if it doesn’t improve the quality of work or life of those around you.
There are different personalities among the employees here at 3H, but what we all have in common is: dedication and commitment to excellence – something we’ve learned from Miriam. What are some examples you might have of leadership?
by Miriam Hara | Oct 15, 2013 | Branding, Business Success, Latest
A recently shared post written by a colleague about branding promise hit a nerve among marketing professionals. Brand identity value has been a growing cause of concern and debate among those who are in charge of managing and growing brands. Let me say this:
Branding is not dead. And brand identity value is very much alive and changing.
What is required for developing and building a brand identity has evolved. This should not come as a surprise… the market landscape that brands have to communicate effectively in has changed. In the post outlining the importance of brand promise cited above, some felt that the evolving customer journey had left brand, brand identity value and brand premise in the dust. But how accurate is that?
The popularity of social media combined with brand advocates are at the crux of the changing market environment. The customer journey has become a key factor in the implementation of any successful strategies involving brand development and increasing brand identity value. Suffice to say that the social media channel has allowed for the rise of so many niche communities within the social media arena enabling relevant brand advocates. In order to resonate with the evolving and very “vocal” consumer, brand makers and the art of branding itself have been forced to forge new ground.
The fact that consumers now have a voice and can easily “hurt” a brand is true. But the flip side to that argument is that consumers can also use their voice to propel a brand forward. Marketers and the brands who embrace that knowledge while treading cautiously within this channel can reap substantial brand identity wins.
The premise of brand identity value has become increasingly dimensional as it now encompasses brand voice and brand tone to round out its brand persona. No longer are those characteristics reserved to a few brands with hefty budgets. Today any brand, big or small, can dive in and become a dimensional brand. That doesn’t mean that adherence to the basics of building a brand and its identity should go by the wayside – quite the opposite. Due to the immediacy of social media and the often reactionary, volatile nature of the channel, the establishment of brand identity, its guidelines and adherence to character and tone play a significant role in achieving and building a relevant brand identity.
So what do you feel is necessary for a brand to do to keep up its value and relevancy in this market environment?
