The Marketing Diner

Is Geo-Social the New, Hot Marketing Playground for Brands?

Jared Degnan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:55:02 +0000

A week or two ago I ended up doing a story on the emerging opportunity presented to that businesses on Foursquare. In it, I basically said that geo-social networking sites like Foursquare present great opportunities for smaller businesses but that larger chains have yet to tap what is rapidly becoming the latest consumer obsession.

If to only magnify my point; I decided to do a little digging about marketing through geo-social networking applications. My search resulted not only the recent news that Foursquare has added some incredibly robust statistics for businesses but that some brands, mainly in the entertainment space, are exploring the space as well.

In particular, many entertainment brands like Bravo TV are partnering with Foursquare to create their own badges, the popular yet addictive payoff for playing the location-based game.

As entertainment brands are usually the first to jump on big social marketing trends, the question emerges about how addictive will this be for consumers?

As far as I can tell, here are the three big road-blocks to adoption:

Privacy – Users are starting to see the downsides of letting everyone know where they are at all times. Need evidence? Check out PleaseRobMe.com.
Novelty – As with any application, geo-social may just be a flash in the pan. Users may get really excited about this for a couple of months, making the first movers a lot of money then leave brands holding the bag on marketing opportunities no one takes advantage of.
Over-Saturation – Finally, if anyone can get their own badge, what’s the “get” for consumers? Suddenly there might be 1,000 badges and no longer are any of them exclusive. There goes your reason for trying to check-in at more locations than your friends.

What other angles, for or against, can you guys can see to geo-social networking sites like Foursquare becoming the next big thing for consumer brands?

CPG’s Love/Hate Relationship With Social Media

Jared Degnan — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:57:02 +0000

This post was previously featured on the New Media Strategies Blog. Click here to read other posts from my co-workers, the other “undisputed bad asses of social media.”

In terms of progress in social media, 2009 was a rough one for Consumer Packaged Goods Brands – otherwise known as CPGs. From Motrin Moms to the Skittles Interweb, it’s no wonder some CPG marketers are apt to describe their relationship with their product’s social media strategy as “complicated.”

On one hand, CPG marketers have always been wary of social media because they love control and predictability. They are used to drawing on decades of market data to tell them that if they put X amount of dollars into a traditional ad buy on television, radio and/or print, they have a pretty good chance of getting Y level of return. Social media, as a relatively young and evolving channel, doesn’t have that kind of predictability. That tradeoff tends to weigh heavily when it comes to determining marketing spend for a brand with sales expectations upwards of $1 billion per year.

On the other hand, social media has also always held an allure for CPG marketers. It appeals to an aspirational desire for consumers to take ownership of the brand. Diet Coke and Zappos are prime examples of instances where consumers have created their own messages on behalf of a brand because and in doing so create a sense of ownership for themselves. Not only does this type of messaging and behavior tend to benefit a brands’ reputation; once a consumer feels they “own” a brand, it is very hard for them to be convinced to switch to a competitor.

The question is, will CPG ever be able to truly embrace social media not only for what it is, but also for the unique balance of risk and calculation that it takes to really succeed in it?

Here at NMS, we’re definitely working towards that goal with all of our CPG clients. Though there may not be a single right answer that applies to all brands, but we can say that there are three things we know for certain:

1 – Social Media can be measured

Despite reports to the contrary, the impact of social media is not impossible to track – you just have to know what they are looking for. Sure, data sources like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights and the measurement of online sentiment may not tell you much on their own. However, once you start folding data on top of data and actively experimenting with things like online coupons; you are able to see a much clearer picture of how consumer dialogue in social media affects in-store purchases.

2 – You have to take smart risks to win

In the modern marketplace, it’s no longer enough to have a brand and a message. Market leaders, particularly those aspiring to consumer ownership of their brands, must have a personality. That means some consumers might not relate to that personality and yes, you might have to give up the ability to target all demographics at once. However, by selecting the right kind of personality and the right social media platforms to compete on, you can hedge your bet that consumers will react favorably to your brand’s presence in social media.

3 – Social media is the ultimate barometer of brand health

Though some CPG marketers may not like to hear it, one of the most prevalent reasons products don’t succeed in social media is because the products just aren’t that good. You might be able to spin the positive attributes of a so-so product in a television ad but when it comes to consumers, social media is absolutely a “no-spin zone.” Regardless of what category you’re in, if you have a good product that consumers actually like and a smart social media strategy for appealing to their online behaviors, consumers are going to want to talk about it.

Social media has a different set of rules. CPG brands wanting to compete in this space need a different toolkit than in traditional media. However, despite the differences, social media really is an excellent match for the goals and needs of CPGs brands. Now that we are in 2010, it will be fascinating to see what transpires as consumers continue to move more of their dialogue into the social media space.

MD Episode #4.5: The Ups, Downs & Genius of Crowsourcing w/Peter LaMotte of GeniusRocket

Jared Degnan — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 13:27:54 +0000

Is crowdsourcing really the consumer empowerment and creative development tool marketers make it out to be? GeniusRocket EVP Peter LaMotte co-hosts and discusses the nuances of what makes great crowdsourcing work and where it’s hit the wrong note for companies and their brands.

Listen Now!

Download audio file (MD02162010.mp3)

To respond, leave us a comment on the show notes or leave us an audio comment at (202) 596-7220.

Referenced Links:

A Marketer’s Rant On Valentine’s Day (AKA the infamous Valentine’s Day Post)
Follow Social Media MBA on Twitter – Job Listings For MBAs
Genius Rocket – Creative Asset Crowdsourcing
Viral Video for al fresco All Natural Chicken Sausage® -(via GeniusRocket)
Follow Peter LaMotte on Twitter

Download Episode:

Right Click Here and Save As To Download Full Episode

For More Marketing Diner Fun:

Subscribe via iTunes | RSS Feed | Send Us E-Mail

Twitter Adds Local Trends, Leaves Some Of Us Scratching Our Heads

Jared Degnan — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:05:31 +0000

It’s said that everything in politics is local. I guess twitter decided to test that notion on a larger scale when they rolled out the ability to view top trending topics by location early this morning.

For me, it seems like Twitter is having a little too much fin with those little little pop-ups.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for new ways to parse the conversation and understand what my local tweeps are up to. I just think the feature is a little too self-serving.

We’ve already gotten to a point where “twitter trends” are filling in for real news. Now, Twitter is bringing the looking glass even closer to our faces with a new way to find hard-hitting trending topics like #nowthatsghetto.

It might be different if the search feature actually zoomed in on local twitterers. Instead though, it draws from the same general twitter stream global trends are drawn from.

What you end up with is just another “oh, look at how cool I am, I wrote about something popular” moment.

If Twitter is supposed to be a collective reflection of the real musings of the online masses, then search needs to remain largely organic. Adding one more layer of “what’s popular now” will only draw the walls of the echo chamber ever closer.

MD Episode #4.4: The 2010 Resolutions Episode

Jared Degnan — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:24:07 +0000

The annual tradition continues with ways to make 2010 better than 2009.

Listen Now!

Download audio file (MD01012010.mp3)

To respond, leave us a comment on the show notes or leave us an audio comment at (202) 596-7220.

Download Episode:

Right Click Here and Save As To Download Full Episode

For More Marketing Diner Fun:

Subscribe via iTunes | RSS Feed | Send Us E-Mail

MD Episode #4.3: Tales Of A Very Agency Christmass

Jared Degnan — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:19:23 +0000

Holiday party madness, a fun-filled feed of 2010 predictions on consumer trends and a surprising by product of sharing negative information.

Listen Now!

Download audio file (MD12192009.mp3)

To respond, leave us a comment on the show notes or leave us an audio comment at (202) 596-7220.

Referenced Links:

Coverage of the 2009 NMS Holiday Party (via Politico)
Top 2010 Consumer Buying Preditions (via Nielsen)
That Idiotic Twitteratti 20 List (via INQ)
Labatt Wants To Santa To Get Boozey (via AdFreak)

Download Episode:

Right Click Here and Save As To Download Full Episode

For More Marketing Diner Fun:

Subscribe via iTunes | RSS Feed | Send Us E-Mail

What are your geekiest time savers at work?

Jared Degnan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:50:11 +0000

I think I out-did myself this weekend. I was supposed to read 17 pages of analysis for compilation into an executive summary but I also wanted to desperately take a run.

My solution? Use iSpeak It to convert the analysis text into an MP3 and listen to it during my run…the geekiest way to save time I think I have ever come up with.

I believe this makes for a perfect BRANDstorming question for the Week of December 7, 2009:

What are your geekiest time savers at work?

Weigh in on the comments or via our Google Voice comment line at (202) 596-7220. Answers will be featured on the marketingdiner this coming Saturday!

MD Episode #4.2: Of Media Mergers And Managerial Courage

Jared Degnan — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:47:34 +0000

Does the Comcast -- NBCU deal spell doom for network television or might it have a surprising upside for consumers? Also, how management is more then a title and leadership is more than just a buzzword.

Listen Now!

Download audio file (MD12052009.mp3)

To respond, leave us a comment on the show notes or leave us an audio comment at (202) 596-7220.

Referenced Videos:

Diane Savino’s speech communicating with both eloquence and managerial courage.

Referenced Links:

FusedFilm.com
MixerCast -- Episode #5 w/Guest Segment
Google Droid Ad (via YouTube)
Kara Swisher’s Views On The Google Driod Ad (via All Thing Digital)
Friendster Deal Rumors (via Mashable)
The Epic Article & Graph Showing Consumers -- GASP! -- Don’t Hate Grocery Shopping (via Nielson Wire)
Comcast -- NBCU Merger Details (via CNNMoney)

Download Episode:

Right Click Here and Save As To Download Full Episode

For More Marketing Diner Fun:

Subscribe via iTunes | RSS Feed | Send Us E-Mail

When does our drive for client satisfaction turn into being taken advantage of?

Jared Degnan — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:34:18 +0000

Here’s your BRANDstorming question for the Week of November 23, 2009:

When does our drive for client satisfaction
turn into being taken advantage of?

Tell us what you think by weighing in on the comments or via our Google Voice comment line at (202) 596-7220. Answers will be featured on the marketingdiner this coming Saturday!

MD Episode #4.1: XMas Comes Early, Ad Council and Experimentation As You Go

Jared Degnan — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:04:58 +0000

Your thoughts on if marketers are making Christmas come too early, interview with Leslie Bradshaw on Ad Council’s new web initiative and how to balance innovation, experimentation and a steady brand.

Listen Now!

Download audio file (MD11212009.mp3)

To respond, leave us a comment on the show notes or leave us an audio comment at (202) 596-7220.

Referenced Links:

My.AdCouncil.org
Aardvark Question – “Is now too soon for a business to be marketing their Christmas specials?”
Study On Fortune 100 Companies’ Twitter Personalities (via Mashable)
Ferrero, Hershey Mull Cadbury Bid Possibilities, Cadbury/Kraft Bid Challenge (via CNNMoney, NY Times)
White Paper: The New Female Consumer – (via AdAge)

Download Episode:

Right Click Here and Save As To Download Full Episode

For More Marketing Diner Fun:

Subscribe via iTunes | RSS Feed | Send Us E-Mail