Nissan has finished the second year as automotive sponsor of the Amgen Tour of California. The automaker used the event to put the spotlight on several vehicles, but principally the new Altima mid-sized sedan, which was the pace car for the race. Jay Schaffer, Nissan North America's promotions manager, talks to Marketing Daily about the race, the company's hiring of local-market event and marketing consultants (dubbed Nissan Next Launch Managers), and a road show called Nissan Next. Nissan Next will bring the Altima, the new Pathfinder, forthcoming Sentra and other vehicles to 20 major U.S. markets with a “Nissan Next Innovation Center” experience that include a test-drive opportunity, rich-media exhibits, technology displays showing the car's engineering innovations, social-media elements, and TED-style presentations and panels. Q: What did the Tour of California look like in terms of the turnout? Does it seem to be getting bigger each year?A: I think so. They have had more coverage on NBC, so that's helping on a national perspective. The crowds to me seemed really big. We've been there for three years, and on Sunday wrapping up in L.A. it was crazy because that morning we had the bike race and immediately after it ended the hockey game -- the Kings game -- took place at same venue, and that night there was the Clippers game. So downtown L.A. was crazy for the entire day. Q: You are doing it again next year? What vehicles got the focus?A: We did a two-year deal with the Tour of California. It's a combination of three or four vehicles that were popular. A GTR wrapped in team colors, so that was cool, and a lot of people taking photos of the car. And since we had the Altima as pace car that got a lot of visibility too. For the cycling crowds even having the MV's (Nissan's new utility van) out there got a lot of attention, especially for organizations and other teams curious about the vehicle's functionality. I think just getting that story out about functionality and that we are selling it is still news to people. Q: What's the genesis of the Nissan Next tour?A: It was a couple of things that got us moving in this direction. One is we have done a couple of tours with the Leaf, called "Drive Electric" tours the last two years and we felt that was pretty successful in telling the Leaf story and giving people the first opportunity to try it. And then we really started talking about this last summer, the Year of Innovation with all these launches coming up, that we needed to do something along those lines but maybe on a bigger scale that would impact the entire Nissan lineup. That was sort of the genesis of this Nissan Next program, which will launch in the next three weeks. The whole idea came about from the Leaf Tour and the Year of Innovation and the need to tell the portfolio story for innovation. That's what we are trying to accomplish with this tour. Q: A little about the 30 in-market consultants you are hiring for Nissan's 20 key markets. So they have to actually live in those markets already, right? A: Correct. There are two key components. One is we are going to hire these 30 individuals who will help dealers in local markets to launch first the Altima and then we will have the Nissan Next touring property, a bigger tour experience along the lines of the Leaf Tour that will go city to city with a big ride-and-drive component. The consultants will be involved in that in each town. In the L.A. market, for instance, there are three consultants. When the touring property is there they will help us with that. Otherwise, they will help the local dealer body with the new Altima. Q: Why do you need these consultants for this?A: A lot has changed with the field organization over time. Because of the importance of Altima, our largest-volume model, we needed people locally to engage with the regional office of the dealers and help them with launch parties and events in the local community and so that's how we came up with the concept. Q: So they are like the liaison with Nissan corporate?A: Right. So our regular field office has lots of different responsibilities, and this will just give them some arms and legs to make local promotions more effective. Q: What kinds of people are you looking for to fill these roles?A: We are looking for people that have auto experience, are passionate about our industry and also have experience doing events and promotions. We aren't relocating people and want people with social marketing savvy so they can use Twitter, Facebook, etc. to help us promote these products. Q: They don't have to have an auto background?A: Not necessarily, but that's one thing we are looking for: do they have experience working with dealers or a real passion for cars, so that we know they will be connected and passionate about what we are asking them to do. We have literally thousands apply for this, and we are actively in the hiring process; we are feverishly working on it right now. Q: Who's handling it?A: GMR is the company that is our vendor for this whole project, both for hiring the 30 in-market consultants, and for handling the tour as well. We are doing phone interviews right now with the candidates. GMR is meeting them in person. Q: Are you looking for younger people?A: That is not really one of the determinants. It's more based on passion for the industry, and hopefully they have some experience in the business, plus events and promotions too, since event planning will be a big part of the role. We don't want to spend the next two months training them how to do that -- they have to have that already in the skill set. Q: Do they have a marketing budget? A: They do have a small budget for activation of the events and promotions. Q: What's the next big bike race Nissan is involved in?A: There's the U.S. Pro Championship in Greenville, S.C. this weekend, so our team will be there. And then the next big race will be Tour of Utah and Tour of Colorado in August, and the Tour de France is the next really big race and that's in June.
Target says it is taking its relationship with Shopkick national, and will now accept the app at all its stores. Shopkick allows users to earn points as they shop, redeeming them for rewards and discounts at participating stores, nationwide. The Minneapolis-based retailer had been testing the app in seven cities, and says in its release that the pilot project received “rave reviews.” Other retailers are already partnering with Shopkick, including Best Buy, Macy’s, Old Navy and Toys R Us; Target is its largest. The free app, available for both iPhone and Android, rewards shoppers with “kicks” just for walking in the store, and in some cases, simply scanning items, without purchase, can also generate points. Kicks can then be redeemed for Target gift cards, Facebook credits, dining gift certificates, iTunes downloads, even charitable donations. Users, who can link the app to their Visa card, also receive special in-store deals including coupons and discounts. Shopkick claims to be largest location-based shopping app in the world, and has partnered with Procter & Gamble’s Futureworks to develop functions it says benefit consumers, retailers, and brands. (P&G has been embedded in the company’s Palo Alto, Calif. offices for the past 18 months.) It competes with such companies as Foursquare, Google and Groupon. Retailers are keenly aware of the growing threat posed by m-commerce, with Forrester predicting it will reach $10 billion this year. The Shopkick announcement is just one more way Target is aiming to leverage mobile technology inside its stores: It was the first company to introduce a nationwide mobile couponing effort, enabling every Target checkout to scan barcodes from shoppers’ phones.
Skinnygirl Cocktails is looking to build on its considerable momentum with new brand extensions and a new campaign dubbed “Drink Like a Lady.” The multimillion-dollar campaign, spanning television, print and digital, represents a tripling of the brand’s 2011 marketing investment, according to parent Beam Inc. The creative, from the Walton Isaacson agency, celebrates women “making their own rules” through a tongue-in-cheek approach to modern social etiquette. The first TV spot, for example, shows a prim woman from the 50’s stating that “a lady always wears sensible shoes,” followed by a cut to a scene of modern young women enjoying Skinnygirl at an informal gathering where “sensible shoes” translate to flip-flops. Women “know what they want…and the art of socializing should be on their own terms,” says Skinnygirls Cocktails founder Bethenny Frankel. Both the brand and the new campaign are about “reinventing the art of cocktailing,” she adds. The campaign also promotes the brand’s new and expanded products, including ready-to-mix Skinnygirl Vodka with Natural Flavors, Skinnygirl The Wine Collection, and new Piña Colada and White Peach Margarita flavors of its ready-to-serve cocktails. “Skinnygirl now has all of the wine, vodka and ready-to-serve options you need, without the extra calories you don’t,” says the first TV ad’s voiceover. The TV spots will run in prime time through the summer on cable channels including Bravo, HGTV, Food Network and E!. Print and digital elements will continue throughout 2012. Magazines in the schedule include Cosmopolitan, Food Network Magazine, Marie Claire and Redbook. Paid digital ads on sites including Weight Watchers, Pandora, Glo, Meebo and Hulu will complement the brand’s social media strategy on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Last year, Skinnygirl Cocktails had the fastest volume growth, in percentage terms, among all spirits brands, according to the SpiritsTAB Report from Technomic’s Adult Beverage Resource Group. The brand sold 586,000 9-liter cases, a 388.3% jump over 2010’s volume.
The California Mental Health Services Authority is launching a social media campaign aimed at dispelling the stigma and discrimination experienced by residents with mental illness. Research, feedback from medical and social service experts, guidance by communications specialists and input from consumers of services, were evaluated in preparation for the launch, says Wayne Clark, Monterey County's director of behavior health and board president of CalMHSA. May was selected for the campaign’s launch because it is Mental Health Month, initiated nationally in 1949 to raise awareness of the impact of mental health issues. The consequences of mental illness for the individual and society can be staggering, including unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, even suicide, Clark says. The campaign aims to dispel the misconceptions many Californians have about people living with mental illness, since misunderstandings and misconceptions can prevent people from getting help. The target is Californians who are transitioning from their mid-teens into their mid-20s and adulthood. It is one of three age-specific media campaigns targeting California's diverse audiences throughout the lifespan. All three media campaigns will make use of online, radio, public relations and social media. Later media efforts will focus on 9- to 13-year-olds to stop stigma before it starts by increasing awareness and understanding of mental health issues, and on adults ages 25 and older who make decisions around housing, jobs and relationships and influence how people affected by mental health challenges are socially included, valued, and supported. The initial phase of the campaign will link young people to tools and resources that can help at ReachOutHere.com. The site offers visitors a safe, anonymous, peer-to-peer experience where they can discuss a range of social and mental health and health-related issues and receive support when going through tough times. ReachOutHere.com forums and other resources on ReachOut.com will serve as how-to guides for problems like anxiety, depression, becoming independent and dealing with school pressure. These resources promote health and well-being by de-stigmatizing mental illness, encouraging help-seeking, increasing social connectivity and building resilience. CalMHSA is a joint powers authority of county governments that seeks improvement of mental health outcomes for individuals, families and communities. It is funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), Proposition 63, passed by California voters in November 2004 and responsible for a major shift in the way California provides mental health services, which is away from crisis care and costly institutionalization and more toward an emphasis on prevention and early intervention. The anti-stigma and discrimination campaign is one of several prevention and early intervention initiatives funded by the MHSA and administered by CalMHSA. The other two focus on suicide prevention and student mental health needs. A new study conducted by Field Research shows the majority of California adults are unsure about whether treatment is possible and whether people with mental illness are dangerous. According to the research, Californians are accepting of people with mental illness as friends, family members, students and patients in health care settings. They are much less accepting of them as job applicants, tenants, next-door-neighbors and coworkers. Those in transition from youth to adulthood are especially vulnerable to stigma and discrimination, because they are heavily influenced by peer opinion and media messages and because 75% of all lifetime mental health disorders start by age 24. A separate study, examining attitudes about mental illness in the 14-24 age group, shows adolescents and young adults care deeply about each other. They want to contribute to society, and they want to be involved in social issues. The more they become aware of mental health issues, the more they care and want to be involved.
There is a disturbingly misguided popularity contest among brands being hosted on Facebook these days. The frenzy among brand marketers looking to engage consumers in social dialogue has created an unhealthy new benchmark of brand health -- the number of Likes they have. Social media is indeed revolutionizing the way that brands and consumers interact. Marketers should be investing in new and better ways to listen, share, co-create and otherwise communicate with consumers. But the end goal cannot be to amass Likes as if they are votes of brand equity, because they are not. In fact, I don’t know any good brand manager who wants everyone to “like” his or her brand. They should want a growing group to love their brand -- even if that means another group doesn’t. Simply being liked is not really the point of branding. From Harley-Davidson to Horizon Organic to GoDaddy.com, successful brands often appeal deeply to one consumer group -- in some cases forming an identity with cult-like status -- while completely turning off other consumers who simply don’t get the point or even actively dislike the brand’s values. Polarity can be good branding. Standing firmly for something (like every brand should) also means not standing for something else. Having a strong purpose, set of values and beliefs is what builds genuine equity, not some quasi-measure of popularity. It’s too bad Facebook doesn’t offer a Love or Hate button, which might be more telling about just how influential a brand really is. Of course, the real area of concern is the brands that people in general just don’t care about. They offer nothing special to anybody in particular. This is a troubling situation, but one that can be remedied. Some previously ignored brands that have reawakened and found new purpose (and marketplace success) include Burberry’s, Old Spice and Mountain Dew. These reinventions worked because the brands offer more than product features and benefits -- they solve consumer needs in a compelling and unique way and offer a clear point of view. Take Mountain Dew -- formerly a kind of quirky, rural refresher relegated to a fringe existence and now an icon of young energy and extreme sports, proudly thriving on the edge. For high school kids, Mountain Dew is part of the conversation -- and not about soft drinks -- about the extreme lifestyle that it foments. And it has successfully leveraged social media and co-creation in so many great ways. But there are plenty of people they shouldn’t want liking them -- say, my great aunt Rae. What is deeply concerning is just how out of control Liking has gotten. A simple Internet search for “Facebook likes” produces dozens of companies offering to sell me the fans I need to appear popular. One company promises “750+ guaranteed Facebook Likes Delivered Within 48 Hours” for only $19.99. They reassuringly promise that these likes will be “all humans.” Awesome. Now I can go sell! If you believe that brands should passionately stand for something -- even if that means alienating a group of potential consumers -- then please don’t Like this post.