If advertising on social media is like going to a party uninvited, or even as a friend of a guest, marketers really need to see a good tailor. For their digital strategy, that is. Because while advertising on social media is more annoying than on other digital areas, Nielsen and NM Incite, a joint venture between Nielsen and McKinsey, find that a lot of people actually don't mind the ads if they are at least relevant to them. While about a third of social media users find ads on social networks more annoying than ads elsewhere online, the firms report that more than a quarter of users say they don’t mind seeing ads that are tailored based on their individual profile information or shared by a social connection. Furthermore, 26% don't mind ads that are ID'd based on profile information and 17% feel more connected to brands seen on social networking sites. And there are cultural differences. The firm notes that, arguably, the most engaged with social advertising are Asian-American consumers, who are most likely to share, like, or purchase a product after seeing an ad on a social network. Asian-Americans and Hispanics are both more likely to make any type of purchase after seeing a social ad, with the most popular purchase being a coupon through a daily deal or retailer site (28% and 19%, respectively). White consumers are the least likely to take any action after seeing these ads. They are slightly more likely to share an ad (13%) than to make a purchase (12%), and African-Americans are equally likely to share an ad or make a purchase (18%). The Social Media Report 2012 also found that nearly half of social media users engage with global brands for customer care via social. A third of social media users prefer that channel to the phone for customer care, or "social care." The use of apps accounts for a third of social networking time, and consumers have increased that channel usage by 76% this year versus last. On PC's Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, Wordpress, LinkedIn and Pinterest are the top social channels. For mobile apps, it's Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Google+ and Pinterest. "Asian Woman Using Cellphone from Shutterstock"
Lenovo named We Are Social as its global social media agency of record, following a review.
Dunkin’ Donuts is running two simultaneous Facebook promotions around the holidays. In a “Top of the WorlDD” contest, Dunkin’ is encouraging fans to submit photos or videos with happy New Year messages for their friends and families, through a tab on the brand’s Facebook page. The grand-prize winning video and photo entrants will each receive two round-trip JetBlue tickets, and their entries will be featured on Dunkin’s electronic billboard in New York’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve and into New Year’s Day. In addition, 10 first prize photo and 10 first prize video submission winners will each receive a $50 Dunkin’ Donuts Card. In the second, “Dunkin’ K-Cup Packs K-ountDDown” sweeps, Facebook fans can play once per day for the chance to win a prize pack that includes a Keurig K-Cup brewer, a six-month supply of Dunkin’ K-Cup packs and a $20 Dunkin’ card. The sweeps also offers a grand prize of $2,500 to be used toward the winner’s mortgage or rent during 2013.
Writing a letter (or sending an email) to Santa seems so quaint in the 21st century. To bring Santa into modern times, Verizon’s FiOS fiber optic service is giving people a direct line video chat with the big guy. Created by agency B-Reel and B-Reel Films, the interactive program sets up an interface that looks like a video chat with Santa, where they can type in their side of a conversation with Santa about what gifts they want for Christmas (and other questions). Depending on the gifts, Santa responds accordingly before being called away for a toy-making emergency. “We wanted to do something more designed and story-driven than the more direct marketing they had in the past,” Patrick Ehrlund, creative director at B-Reel, tells Marketing Daily. The goal of the campaign is to capture 25,000 FiOS-eligible addresses during this holiday season. So, users are required to enter their address before connecting to Santa (those who could use FiOS are shown an animation of the connection being made, while those who can’t use the service are just connected). Once the connection is made, users are given the opportunity to tell Santa whether they’ve been naughty or nice, ask for a gift and ask Santa any question they’ve always wanted, but have never had the chance. “He’s meant to be a simple playful character,” Ehrlund says. “If you ask him for a basketball, he tells this story about how he used to be quite a baller before his body turned into a basketball.” To accommodate the wide range of requests they seem likely to get, B-Reel created 300 scripts for Santa to use to answer any foreseeable questions. Though the company considered using voice-recognition for the interface, the technology isn’t developed or widespread enough to support it just yet, says Nicole Muniz, executive produce at B-Reel. “We did some prototyping, but the speech recognition isn’t available [on all formats],” she says. “We wanted this to be as broad as possible.” The company is promoting the Direct Line to Santa through FiOS’s social media channels and on Facebook and YouTube. The company is also offering a $200 gift card (packaged as a present from Santa) to help spread the world virally.
Much like a real game of musical chairs, the virtual version also lasts between seven and 10 minutes. Blu Dot, which makes high-end furniture, began hosting a series of musical chairs games on Twitter Dec. 3 with winners receiving one of its new Hot Mesh chairs, valued at $99. This is the third quirky campaign conceived by Blu Dot and its agency, mono. Two years ago, a Real Good Experiment took place in New York when Blu Dot left 25 of its Real Good chairs on the streets of New York, waiting for someone to collect them. The catch of the campaign was, each chair was outfitted with GPS, and the newfound furniture owners were visited by the agency to be interviewed for an 8-minute documentary. See my coverage here. The company also hosted an online swap meet, offering an array of its furniture for odd and creative pieces. Winning swaps included a motorcycle made out of popsicle sticks and a share of Enron stock. A total of 100 games of musical chairs will be played, with 10 players per game, meaning 100 Hot Mesh chairs will find new homes. Those interested can visit musicalchairs.bludot.com to learn more about game rules, along with information on when the next game will be played. So, how does one rush for a virtual seat during a virtual game of musical chairs? Forget the fast feet; players need fast hands and sharp typing skills to grab a seat. Mono worked with the band Doppio to select the music played for each game, using seven of the band’s songs. When the music stops, a phrase appears onscreen that users must quickly type and submit in hopes of making it to the next round. The phrase cannot be copied and pasted. That was the first thing I tried, even though I figured winning a chair couldn’t be that easy. Some examples of secret phrases tweeted include: "140 character dash. #bludot," "Seatstakes. #bludot" and "Music you can sit to. #bludot." “Blu Dot's mission is to bring good design to as many people as possible,” said Michael Hart, co-founder and creative director of mono. “This time, we decided to take a more playful approach to getting good design in the hands of more people. And since they design some of the coolest chairs around, the idea of musical chairs seemed a natural fit. Then it became a question of how to do it in an inventive way. Twitter is the fastest, most immediate and still personal media. Putting the two together seemed right.” Games end Dec.12. Good luck to all!
If advertising on social media is like going to a party uninvited, or even as a friend of a guest, marketers really need to see a good tailor. For their digital strategy, that is. Because while advertising on social media is more annoying than on other digital areas, Nielsen and NM Incite, a joint venture between Nielsen and McKinsey, find that a lot of people actually don't mind the ads if they are at least relevant to them. While about a third of social media users find ads on social networks more annoying than ads elsewhere online, the firms report that more than a quarter of users say they don’t mind seeing ads that are tailored based on their individual profile information or shared by a social connection. Furthermore, 26% don't mind ads that are ID'd based on profile information and 17% feel more connected to brands seen on social networking sites. And there are cultural differences. The firm notes that, arguably, the most engaged with social advertising are Asian-American consumers, who are most likely to share, like, or purchase a product after seeing an ad on a social network. Asian-Americans and Hispanics are both more likely to make any type of purchase after seeing a social ad, with the most popular purchase being a coupon through a daily deal or retailer site (28% and 19%, respectively). White consumers are the least likely to take any action after seeing these ads. They are slightly more likely to share an ad (13%) than to make a purchase (12%), and African-Americans are equally likely to share an ad or make a purchase (18%). The Social Media Report 2012 also found that nearly half of social media users engage with global brands for customer care via social. A third of social media users prefer that channel to the phone for customer care, or "social care." The use of apps accounts for a third of social networking time, and consumers have increased that channel usage by 76% this year versus last. On PC's Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, Wordpress, LinkedIn and Pinterest are the top social channels. For mobile apps, it's Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Google+ and Pinterest. "Asian Woman Using Cellphone from Shutterstock"
Lenovo named We Are Social as its global social media agency of record, following a review.
Dunkin’ Donuts is running two simultaneous Facebook promotions around the holidays. In a “Top of the WorlDD” contest, Dunkin’ is encouraging fans to submit photos or videos with happy New Year messages for their friends and families, through a tab on the brand’s Facebook page. The grand-prize winning video and photo entrants will each receive two round-trip JetBlue tickets, and their entries will be featured on Dunkin’s electronic billboard in New York’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve and into New Year’s Day. In addition, 10 first prize photo and 10 first prize video submission winners will each receive a $50 Dunkin’ Donuts Card. In the second, “Dunkin’ K-Cup Packs K-ountDDown” sweeps, Facebook fans can play once per day for the chance to win a prize pack that includes a Keurig K-Cup brewer, a six-month supply of Dunkin’ K-Cup packs and a $20 Dunkin’ card. The sweeps also offers a grand prize of $2,500 to be used toward the winner’s mortgage or rent during 2013.
Charity runs, walks, rides, triathlons, hikes, climbs, swims and other peer-to-peer fundraising events are a multibillion dollar business, according to the annual surveys conducted by our team at the Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council. There are many ways of measuring the positive impact of such community-based programs, but cash raised has always been the #1 metric. And the basic format of having supporters reach out to their friends with the message “I’m going to participate in this organized activity, please sponsor me” has been the M.O. for years. Fueled by the rise of easily accessible digital media tools, we noticed tremendous experimentation going on around the world in the peer to peer space this year. A few examples: The smartphone app Charity Miles eliminates the need for runners, walkers and bikers to participate in organized events or ask friends for money. Once people install the app on their phone, they can earn money for every mile they cover (25¢ for running or walking, 10¢ for cycling.) New York-based Charity Miles founder Gene Gurkoff and his investors have put up an initial $1 million in sponsorship funds and have challenged athletes around the world to earn it for charities in a year. Charity Miles is seeking corporate sponsors to increase the pool by offering them the chance to have their messages viewed on the smartphones of participating consumers. Over time, the range of charities will expand beyond its 10 nonprofit launch partners, which include Autism Speaks, Feeding America, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Resarch and Pencils of Promise. “By working together, we can all become sponsored athletes,” says Gurkoff. “Just like the pros, but for charity. And there are a lot more of us than there are pro athletes. So, just imagine how we can change the world.” UK-based The DoNation empowers thon participants to ask friends not for money but, rather, to adopt certain behaviors that will reduce their carbon footprint such as cycling to work, installing solar panels or eating less meat. As founder Hermione Taylor puts it, “The DoNation is about making things happen by socializing green issues and supporting friends with meaningful action. CO2 is our currency rather than cash, so people raising sponsorship can set targets, and their friends can see what tangible contribution their supporting action is having, both individually and collectively.” Pledgeit turns the traditional model around by enabling individuals to challenge their friends to do something by offering to make a donation in their honor. I love the low-key British humor contained in the program’s description offered up by its creators at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in the UK: “So we’ve all got mates who sit around saying things like ‘I’ll run that marathon next year,’ ‘I could totally make a gingerbread house if I wanted to’ or ‘One day I’d like to do something to change the world.’ Well, talk is cheap and it’s time for you to get them off that sofa and give them the gift of achievement. “All you have to do is set up a challenge, and pledge that if they complete it, you’ll donate some money to help beat cancer.” None of these upstarts is poised to replace the traditional friends asking friends for cash contributions, but they are fabulous indicators that thon fundraising has not atrophied into a one-size-fits-all coma. Hope to see much more experimentation in 2013!
Writing a letter (or sending an email) to Santa seems so quaint in the 21st century. To bring Santa into modern times, Verizon’s FiOS fiber optic service is giving people a direct line video chat with the big guy. Created by agency B-Reel and B-Reel Films, the interactive program sets up an interface that looks like a video chat with Santa, where they can type in their side of a conversation with Santa about what gifts they want for Christmas (and other questions). Depending on the gifts, Santa responds accordingly before being called away for a toy-making emergency. “We wanted to do something more designed and story-driven than the more direct marketing they had in the past,” Patrick Ehrlund, creative director at B-Reel, tells Marketing Daily. The goal of the campaign is to capture 25,000 FiOS-eligible addresses during this holiday season. So, users are required to enter their address before connecting to Santa (those who could use FiOS are shown an animation of the connection being made, while those who can’t use the service are just connected). Once the connection is made, users are given the opportunity to tell Santa whether they’ve been naughty or nice, ask for a gift and ask Santa any question they’ve always wanted, but have never had the chance. “He’s meant to be a simple playful character,” Ehrlund says. “If you ask him for a basketball, he tells this story about how he used to be quite a baller before his body turned into a basketball.” To accommodate the wide range of requests they seem likely to get, B-Reel created 300 scripts for Santa to use to answer any foreseeable questions. Though the company considered using voice-recognition for the interface, the technology isn’t developed or widespread enough to support it just yet, says Nicole Muniz, executive produce at B-Reel. “We did some prototyping, but the speech recognition isn’t available [on all formats],” she says. “We wanted this to be as broad as possible.” The company is promoting the Direct Line to Santa through FiOS’s social media channels and on Facebook and YouTube. The company is also offering a $200 gift card (packaged as a present from Santa) to help spread the world virally.
Only a few minutes into a Email Insider Summit panel where panelists can't speak the name of the two biggest names in social media -- Facebook and Twitter -- and Loren McDonald, vp of industry relations of Silverpop, the moderator of the panel mention one of the companies names. Things came be that tough for digital media executives -- or the high Utah altitude. The effort is to show how marketers use new social platforms in conjunction with email marketing, as well as boosting other newer social media efforts, such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, Foursquare, Chatter and Instagram. Staten Hansen, marketing communications manager of Bing, Microsoft Corp, says in using social media to connect with email: "We use it as a complement, to further the conversation," says Hansen.
Every relationship worth anything at all is built on trust. Brands - which are trying to be cool and really want to be perceived as human - must earn trust, just the same as any relationship. For consumers, relationships with brands are about getting something in return, and for brands, they are about enabling the touch points that build trust. "Brands want to be people, too," says Evan Shumeyko of the Ogilvy & Mather South CRM & Engagement group (follow @ogilvydigital) in the opening keynote of today's Email Insider Summit. "The opportunity is real, as 72% of US consumers will share data in exchange for value," he says, opening the door for marketers to engage and build that essential trust.While much is made of the billion Facebook accounts, there are also 2.9 B email addresses in use today. Email is still a very important channel in socializing the enterprise, Evan says, because although social, search and web microsites are great ways for customers to be introduced to a branded experience, it's email marketing that is doing the work of follow up with well timed, data-driven, customized content. Evan reports that Ogilvy experience shows that of all the consumer touchpoints launched as part of a multi-channel campaign, the ones that led to a trusted, engaged relationship were enhanced and enabled by email marketing. That's good news for all of us here at the Email Insider Summit, email marketers everywhere, and frankly, also for all online marketers. It's silly to pitch channels against each other. It's not about which channel is "better" - it's about using each channel for what it does best. Evan kept going back and forth between benefits of the different channels - social, online, call centers and email. The point is that each has benefits. The power is in using them well together. In addition to way that email can connect social sentiment results back to individuals, Evan gave some examples of how email marketing campaigns (both B2B and B2C) were optimized with data and content keywords gleaned from social communities and search terms. This allows the email marketing to speak in the same language that the customer speaks. What a wonderful, happy, integrated multi-channel environment that will be! Where marketers can actually provide value across channels and use the data that we have to improve the customer experience. "The difference between consumer expectations and the reality of what is being provided creates stress in the relationship," Evan says. Stress is never good for building trust. "It's not integrated if you have a website and an email campaign," Evan says. Better, integrate information from social and online activity and customer feedback into the email marketing program. "It's about active listening across channels, which allows marketers to being what is often called the Holy Grail of marketing: A dialogue." A dialogue is only successful when it uses data responsibly across channels to create something unique and human about the touchpoints in a program, Evan says. This requires capturing data - both from consumers directly and through behavior -- and using it to customize the experience. Evan reflects that capturing and using data over time becomes true SocialCRM. To make all that work, you must have big ideas, big data and big technology. This allows marketers to use social and email and other clicksteam data in a structured what that opens opportunity. Evan challenges us to remember that We all have the ability to do. Email provides a touch point where consumers hand over information, and that allows us to provide value. Email marketing uses data, not just social inference. It's a strong combination for improving engagement across both channels.
Delivering the keynote at the MediaPost Email Insider Summit, Evan C. Shumeyko, global director of CRM at OgilvyOne, said people's misperceptions become marketing opportunities. The opportunities include tying email to social. One reason: about 47% of adults tap social sites like Facebook. These are the majority of the people who use email. Most teens and young adults use Facebook as email.