by cassie | Aug 8, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Creative, Events, Social Media
The internet and social media have created a venue for open marketing. It’s called the Blog. No longer are “readers” designated to print alone. Reading is now accessible to anyone that has connection to the web. Social Media has enabled more people to read up on their points of interests. People are turning to the views of bloggers for information on a specific topic and because they are seen as a trusted source. Added to that, bloggers are perceived as everyday people – one of “us” – and essentially they are. Bloggers tend to be very upfront about the experience they have with various products, stating whether or not they were paid or if they are acting as a brand ambassador. Transparency is what makes them trustworthy. Knowing that that there is no hidden agenda helps bloggers create a very loyal following. The beauty of blogging is that anyone, anywhere can do it; but, it must be done well, especially when we are speaking about brands and brand voice.
So why are blogs worth considering?
That’s an easy one… and is part of Marketing 101: Bloggers are another channel through which brands can reach their target markets based on psychographics. That in itself is exciting. Bloggers are a great way to reach a niche target market that may not be accessible with traditional media. There are blogs on everything, from cooking to parenting and even someone chronicling their journey in the Himalayan Mountains. Marketers can make use of bloggers by having them write reviews for products and services, promote contests and events, or even establish the forum themselves and engage with their audience one on one.
So why aren’t bloggers included in more marketing campaigns?
Much like traditional PR, there is no guarantee that a blogger will be interested in your product or service and if they do agree to a review, you can’t control what they’ll say. However, there is a way to overcome this obstacle. You can buy advertising space on blogs that garner attention from your target audience. Although, the most effective outreach happens when bloggers write review posts of their own accord. You have to EARN that review by convincing the blogger that your product or service is worth writing about.
How to identify appropriate bloggers?
Social Media isn’t easy and it isn’t inexpensive, there is a significant amount of time and energy involved when doing research. The first step is to identify influential bloggers. This can prove to be difficult depending on how specific your target audience is. There are a few different methods a brand can take when trying to locate bloggers:
- Look within: Brands may already be connected to bloggers and not even know it. Checking Twitter and Facebook followers and looking through website comment sections is one way brands can find bloggers that may already be tuned in to them. If a blogger has already engaged with a brand, they are more likely to get on board.
- Simply search: Running a search of brand keywords and images can be a good way for brands to identify bloggers. If a brand has been mentioned on top influencing blogs chances are it will come up in a search. Searching competitors is also a good idea. If the competition has been mentioned on any blogs, it may be a good idea to approach those blogs.
- Turn to tools: Online tools that rank and organize websites and blogs are everywhere. Turning to sites such as Bloglovin, Technorati, BlogCatalog and Alexa can prove helpful in finding influential bloggers. Tools that specialize in blogger outreach are also great to take advantage of. There are a number of tools out there such as BlogDash and GoupHigh that help brands find, research, and track blogger outreach efforts.
5 things you should know to help you fine tune and optimize your results on your blog:
- Where is the blog located? This one can be tricky, most bloggers don’t include a physical address in their profile description. But it is worth knowing, if you are trying to get a product promoted that is only available in certain locations, you want to avoid blogs that are outside those area. For example if a product is only available in Canada, you don’t want to reach out to bloggers from the States. If it isn’t mentioned on the site, email and ask.
- What topics do they cover? Make sure that the topics featured within the blog are relevant to your brand or its target audience.
- Are they PR/marketing friendly? Not all blogs accept product from PR or marketing firms. Look at some of their previous posts and see if any reviews or promotions have been included, if not, reaching out to them may be a waste of time.
- Is your product or service a good “fit”? Blogs can fall into a general category, but take a specific stance. For example, there are a lot of food blogs, but some cater to a vegan-organic-gluten free audience. Be sure to determine the bloggers point-of-view and make sure your brand falls within it.
- What is their audience reach? If a blog is PR/marketing friendly or accepts advertising, they usually have a media kit with site stats such as audience reach, demographics etc. This is important to know, because you want to create as much awareness as possible. Try targeting those with a high number of unique visitors per month. If there isn’t a media kit available to download, just ask.
Once you have all the required information, put it to use and tailor your pitch to the individual blog: mention past posts, say why you think your product is a good fit for their blog and why their readers need to know about it. Also be sure to mention what’s in it for them, whether it be free product (because who doesn’t love free stuff!) or some sort of kick back.
Blogger outreach doesn’t have to be difficult, you just need to pay attention to the details and put yourself out there. How do you successfully integrate blogs into your marketing campaign? We’d like to hear about it here!
by cassie | Jul 24, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Creative
It’s all around us. Stars, personalities and with the Olympics around the corner, athletes, persuading us to buy into a brand. This isn’t anything new. In the world of social media and twitter, celebrity influence is becoming stronger,marketers are able to quantify their following and influence. The fact that many brands get celebrities to act as their brand spokesperson, appearing in commercials, using their products in music videos, etc… has always been a true and tried marketing strategy. It’s an easy leap from personality to brand… someone who represents and speaks on behalf of the brand to the public and literally becomes the brand personified.
A celebrity brand spokeperson/ambassador can help a brand relate to their target audience as it’s easier to connect with another human being than an abstract notion of what a brand is. The spokesperson brand strategy really became prevalent and mainstream when Nike used Michael Jordan in 1984. Today you see Jennifer Hudson in ads for Weightwatchers, Jennifer Aniston promoting Smart Water and various music artists signing along to Pepsi.
However, a spokesperson can also be someone from within the brand itself. Many brands chose the founders to act as spokespersons. Presidents’ Choice does it with Galen Weston. Franchise operation Liquid Nutrition combines the two. Liquid Nutrition is backed and enable by owners/spokespersons such as Steve Nash, Suzann Pettersen, Russell Martin, Torah Bright, Matt Ryan, Vincent Lecavalier and Elaine Hastings.
When choosing a spokesperson, it’s important to keep these steps in mind:
- Identify the key values of the brand. What is your brands positioning statement? How do you want the public to perceive your brand? How does your brand identify itself in the marketplace?
- Research possible candidates who might embody those values. A spokesperson can’t be just anybody. They have to fit in with the brand. Any associations with scandal-ridden individuals can have negative results for a brand. Remember what happened with Kate Moss and Tiger Woods?
- Develop key messages. What specifically do you want the public to know about your brand? It will be the job of the spokesperson to deliver those messages.
- Don’t make the spokesperson the brand. The spokesperson must embody the brand, represent the brand and build brand momentum. But the brand must be able to stand, grow and develop a persona on its own. The spokesperson is just another channel through which the brand spreads its message. Nike did this well…
- Make sure the spokesperson is media trained. It is essential that the spokesperson knows the key messages and is comfortable engaging with the various channels through which consumers get their information, whether it be print, television, social media or radio. A spokesperson has to be able to speak and correctly deliver the message based on the medium. If not, the message gets lost.
What has your experience working with a brand spokesperson been like? What steps did you take to find an appropriate spokesperson?
by Miriam Hara | May 29, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
With mobile technology and the rapid integration of Social Media the world is speeding… no longer respecting any speed limit! In a blink of an eye the business landscape changes and many businesses are at a loss of what comes next. All business types are affected however it seems that B2B businesses are more at a loss of what solutions to employ. In a world that is speaking to each other 24/7, the lines are increasingly blurry on what is a B2B or a B2C strategy. It has been my experience that the strategies employed for B2B or B2C were always similar. It was the employment of tactics and the weight of each of those tactics that differed. In today’s environment I would say the tactics are now the same. Social Media and technology has allowed for niche marketing at a whole no new level.
Business resistant change is the symptom of change resistant individuals. Unfortunately or fortunately, a business in today’s world hinges on its ability to adapt, change and adopt new channels of communications. The market conditions have shifted and many who hold key roles in the B2B arena have no idea how the game is being played and what is the picture of success. So what to do?
1) Determine your objective. What will be your “picture of success”? How else will you measure?
2) Implement a strategy… one with a 360° degree viewpoint. Not one that does away with all traditional (classic) tactics just because everyone saying that print and direct mail are dead… but one that introduces some of the properties of social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, Mobile Apps, Blogging, Twitter, etc… The key word is some and not all…. there needs to be a good assessment of what will work for your business and what won’t.
3) Assess your web site. No longer is it enough to just have a brochure type of site. Your site needs to reflect your business’ social conscious and ability. You can’t create any sort of social metric if your site doesn’t support the initiatives. Remember, your strategy must be holistic.
4) Implement a 15-month plan with built in schedule measurement reports allowing for the possibility of changing, adding or modifying the existing creative properties to ensure success. Feedback is important for resonance. You need your marketing plan to reflect your audience as intimately as possible. The beauty of these new channels is the ability to adapt… to change… quickly!
5) This may sound like a Marketing 101, but here goes…. don’t do it yourself or in-house. You’re in the business of your business. You can’t assume to know everything, that is why community reach out, tests, surveys and all those old marketing tricks are important not only for accuracy, but for the growth of your strategy and a leg up on your competition. The business of branding, advertising and social media is a profession. At the risk of sounding like a rant: Just because you speak and write English, that doesn’t make you a writer… and just because you have a Facebook Page or a LinkedIn page, doesn’t make you a social media expert. Contact a Marketing Advertising agency and leave it to them to make your business shine. Your business will be their priority as opposed to fitting it in.
For any type of business an environment of much talk that “it” doesn’t own can be pretty scary. One of my Marketing Understood biz-ims (#23) is “Get bent!”… Yes! Flexibility is a must! There’s no use burying your head in the sand. That won’t help your business. At the speed of business and of life you need to get a handle (twitter) and a pulse (social engagement) before your target stops you or pulls your business over for not keeping your business up to speed.
by Madi Secareanu | Mar 29, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Social Media
Pinterest is the new and exciting kid on the social media block – and everyone wants to get to know it better. “What is it?” and “how do I use it?” has quickly become “I’m always on Pinterest!” so it’s no surprise that brands should be, and are, starting to pay attention in order to stay ahead of the social media game. Pinterest, for brands, has become the new place to be, so what should brands be aware of before capitalizing on Pinterest?
How Pinterest works….
The social networking site allows users to share, curate, and discover new things by “pinning” images or videos to their own or others’ pinboards. Users use pinboards, which are collections of images or videos, to organize, plan and inspire everything from tonight’s dinner to grand events. Users are encouraged to pin their own content, uploaded or found online, or “repin” and “like” other users’ pins.
Who uses Pinterest…
If your planning a marketing campaign on Pinterest it’s important to know your audience. According to Mashable.com and January 2012 data from Google’s Doubleclick Ad Planner, 87% of users are female and 80% of users are between the ages of 25-54, however Pinterest’s user-base is still growing.
If Pinterest is right for your brand…
- Decide if your brand and Pinterest are a match. Pinterest is very visual; will this approach fit with your brand strategy? According to the their best practices, Pinterest recommends that brands create several pinboards with visuals that cover a broad range of interests and pin from various sites, not just a specific one.
- Think about your followers, their interests and how, through Pinterest, you can create more of an experience around your brand.
- Do some competitive research. See what other brands are doing on Pinterest and what makes their Pinterest campaigns so successful.
What kind of visual content to share Pinterest….
Think about sharing product shots, infographics, brand inspirations, how-to graphics, and maybe even images of your customers engaging with your brand. You can even share eBooks. Recently, 3H launched our “Marketing Understood: 33 Biz-isms you need for success” eBook. Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing visuals from our eBook on our Pinterest profile.
You can also allow followers to pin images to your boards and encourage them to share stories about their experiences with your brand. You could also run fun contests on Pinterest to keep your followers engaged.
Promotion…
Make sure you let people know that your brand is on Pinterest. Add a button to your website and link your Pinterest account to your brand’s Facebook and Twitter as well.
What’s working and what’s not…
When pinning, leverage your traditional analytics tools to identify the content that really gets your followers excited about your brand and drives traffic to your sites. You can also gage interest levels by the amount of “Likes” and “Repins” you’ve received.
What do you think? As more and more brands get on board, will it change the way brands approach their social media marketing campaigns?
Follow 3H on Pinterest!
by Miriam Hara | Feb 6, 2012 | Advertising, Branding
Last week there was much talk about the Super Bowl and specifically, of the Super Bowl TV commercials, which is the reason for this post. Over the years, the Super Bowl TV advertisements have been conceptualized beautifully and superbly executed. They have made us laugh, made us talk about them around the “water cooler” and now they have made us “share” them.
The best advertising campaigns are those that show the brand’s features by illustrating the benefits into a memorable 30 second TV commercial, print advertisement, radio advertising, or an online/social media initiative. In short, the ads must be developed to have a one track mind: Brand Recall. Has the creative raised the Brand to be the ultimate star or did the storyline and the execution or special effects become the star? If there are too many creative elements; creative, copy, special effects, design, or information which intrude on the “space”, then you may not necessarily lose your target audience… but you will lose the opportunity of making sure your ad builds brand awareness and recall. This is true of a 30 second TV commercial, billboard campaign, print campaign or online initiative.
Developing campaigns is part of the marketing process, so it’s important that advertising strategies are in line with the marketing plan. It is an extension of the Brand. It must communicate the marketing message though Brand’s persona and its reason to believe. It must without any exception make the brand memorable… not the ad. The objective of any creative commercial advertisement is to Brand Recall. A couple that come to mind are:
Almond Joy and Mounds Ads created an advertising jingle that became their slogan.
“Feel Like a Nut” 1980
Apple
Apple 1984
Bud Light Magic Fridge
“The Magic Fridge” Super Bowl XL Commercial
Chrysler Halftime in America
Chrysler “Halftime In America” Super Bowl XL Commercial
In all of these the creative integration of the features, the promise and the benefits and concept all in one. The Brand is totally integrated.
Next time you are involved in assessing a brand campaign for any media… ask yourself if the proposed concept asks of its audience to do too much to get to the creative message and to your Brand. Here’s a quick checklist:
- Is your Brand Logo and Brand Name prominently featured?
You really don’t want your target audience to say….what was that ad for?
- Does it speak to your Brand’s persona?
Is it too funny? Is it too casual? Is the ad fresh, innovative within the context of your brand?Does it use the right colours?
- Does the creative premise take the product’s features as the main theme?
What is your brand’s competitive edge…its unique selling point and does the advertisement speak to it.
- Does the ad have a single focused message?
You really can’t say it all. Make sure there aren’t too many messages vying for attention. Equally important, is the ad taking off on a creative track that has nothing to do with the intended message. Does the ad show the benefit/experience/promise. Don’t forget, what’s in it for the our intended audience and their psychographics.
- Is the message on brief?
Don’t get caught up in the beauty of the copy or the cleverness of the ad. If it’s not on brief. Then it’s off.
Share with me what you feel is the best advertising campaign (TV, Radio, Social Media, Billboard or Print) you’ve seen that show fabulous creative concept with strong brand recall.
