Altyrian View

I thought the new Batman movie was fantastic. What was really fun was the marketing before the movie. Warner Brothers did a great job of hyping the movie with “fake” graffiti from the Joker. Unfortunately, however, this easy-to-do vandalism has taken on a life of its own. Below are two examples that I came across this morning.

Did Warner Bros. do anything wrong? I don’t think so. They are getting free “advertising” for their motion picture, but I’d bet Chad Perkins isn’t too thrilled about it. I doubt that anyone charged with marketing the movie would have thought that people would start vandalizing using their guerilla tactics. Although I doubt they would have changed the campaign if they had known the consequences, we as marketers have to think ahead.

That’s my Altyrian View.

My good friend Jesse reads news from across the pond and sent me this interesting piece from the Times. It seems that UK bookstores are getting these giant printers that can be used to print books on demand. Think about it: You visit a bookstore and browse for books. You don’t find the one that you are looking for so you go to the back desk. They don’t have a copy of the book in stock, but in less than 10 minutes, they can print you one. The possibilities are endless.

Let’s face it, the Internet and electronic readers are not going to kill printed books. The biggest problem with books in my opinion is they can be painful to get. With the Internet, I can get any information that I need in a few clicks. Sure, I can find any book, but I have to wait a few days to get it in the mail. And that assumes, of course, that the book is still in print. And visiting the bookstore might not yield any results because of the physical limitations to having as many books as online retailers offer. We are to much of a “now” culture to wait for books.

Now, books that are in print, out of print, rare, popular are available to me in less than 10 minutes. What’s more, authors can sell books without printing the first copy. We are about to see another explosion of self-publishing mayhem. It’s my prediction that if these on demand publishers hit the states, we will see a complete shift in the bookstore business model.

And that’s my Altyrian View.

Back in the day (about 8 years ago), I carved out a great little niche in my area creating Web sites. I’m not a techie (well, not a professional one anyway), and I’m not a particularly good designer. I am, however, a good marketer and communicator. In the early days of Web development, Web site projects were generally handled by the IT department. It’s almost laughable today, but the marketing / PR departments were generally not at all involved in a company’s first Web site. Fortunately, companies in this market recognized that they needed marketing’s help in the development of the Web site. Yes, Web sites began to become marketing tools.

Fast forward a few years. Today I read a report that Web sites are declining in Web development standards. In other words, Web sites are becoming less effective as marketing tools. Not because people are using them differently; it’s because the sites themselves have become less consumer centric.

Here’s the reason: communicators (marketing / PR / advertisers / etc) are not keeping up with the technology. Brochureware Web sites (Web sites that are nothing more than an online brochure) are a thing of the past. Every company that has a sales component, needs e-commerce on their Web site. Every company that offers a service, wants to provide direct interaction with their clients – often through some social media component. Now, more than ever, it takes a complete fusion of design, technology and marketing to build a Web site. Because of the early days of Web development, companies are quick to let IT take the wheel again, and communicators don’t know enough to stay at the table. Web sites are being built around the technology and not around their marketing purpose. Unfortunately, many communicators don’t understand the technology or the concepts their customers are demanding be incorporated in their Web sites.

If you’re reading this blog, you are probably a step up on the majority of your communications colleagues. Next time you are at a PRSA or IABC meeting, bring up social media. Sadly, you’ll get some blank stares and lots of “you are such techie.” As an industry, we don’t get it yet. Until we do, expect Web sites to get worse before they get better.

I’m wondering how people get their stuff into Advertising Age (I guess I could find out at their site… nah). Anyway, today I read a viewpoint column by Scott Johnson titled ”Electronic Media: Altering Our Intelligence”. In it he actually states “The media-induced diminution of human intelligence is very real. The good news for those of us in the advertising industry is that, slowly, an entirely new form of intelligence is being born to replace it.”

Let me get this right: We humans are getting more stupid and more intelligent at the same time? Neat trick! Let’s see, I can use the “I’m getting more stupid” part to keep me out of decisions I don’t want to make. Then I can use the “I’m gaining an entirely new form of intelligence” part to win arguments with my co-workers. This is fantastic! If only I even remotely agreed with his premise.

I don’t. In fact, I think it’s a silly and embarassing article to come from someone in our industry.

I recently Googled “spam defininition” and learned something amazing - there are tons of different definitions for spam but none that seem to cover it well. The ones I clicked into talk about “unwanted e-mail” and, true, this was the original application of the word. But ”spam” has expanded into other uses, so the definition should expand as well. To rectify this situation, I now offer what I feel is the true and meaningful definition of spam.

Spam: Any intrusive, annoying and unwanted communication delivered without permission to a large audience.

Consider this - you’re engrossed in your favorite TV show when your TV is taken over by low-quality video and a screeching voice telling you to “apply directly to your forehead!” Think that’s spam? I sure do. Ads for new and used car dealerships (on both TV and radio), pop-ups on Web sites and all other intrusive, annoying and unwanted messages sure seem like spam to me. Likewise, I recently read a post on AdJab and clicked to read the comment someone had posted - but it wasn’t a comment at all. Instead it was a sales pitch for cell phones. Spam? Absolutely.

In this month’s Media magazine, Faris Yakob has a column titled ”Are All Ads Spam?”. In it, he makes a similar argument for the broad definition of spam. He also offers advice on ways to make your message NOT spam. It’s a good article (hey, it agrees with my point here!) and I recommend it. I also recommend that we look at all ads, releases and other communications and ask “is this intrusive, annoying and unwanted?” If it is, I say we call it spam and toss it out.

I just watched the new Folger’s Advertisement that’s playing on the Internet. In it, a crowd of yellow glowing idiots (are they dead spirits?) sing and annoy the inhabitants of a seaside town until - surprise! - those inhabitants drink their coffee. A couple of sips of (you guessed it) Folgers and the townspeople actually tap their fingers along with the singing idiots. Message: drink your coffee and you’ll love mornings.

Heather Green over at BusinessWeek Online describes the spot as “disturbing.” In her blog she posts the Folger’s pitch for the ad. I’m with Heather - I find the ad disturbing as well, considering that the ad’s song includes the line “You can sleep when you are dead.” But, even more than disturbing to me is the horrible lack of strategy behind this ad. At our agency we drink lots and lots of coffee, and we actually drink Folger’s. I love the taste of Folger’s but I really hate this ad.

Come on Folger’s, did you think to ask the question “What’s this ad going to do for our brand?” From where I’m sitting this ad makes your brand silly, annoying and unlikeable. Don’t insult your customers with glowing yellow idiots (singing or otherwise) and don’t remind your customers that someday they’ll be dead. Your product is coffee - COFFEE!  Maybe you should keep your product AND your market in mind next time.

Broadcasted on June 9, 2006

Today, John Mims interviews Tom Gaillard, President of Concentric Direct Marketing. Gaillard discuses the market’s shift toward consumer centric marketing: its strategies and practices.

• The common approach before consumer centric marketing was product marketing where companies were pushing products at consumers, with little input. Now, with consumer centric strategies, companies experience an opposite effect with consumers pulling at products. Successful companies are able to determine, understand, and deliver what the consumer wants.

• Technology is causing the shift toward consumer centric marketing. With large data warehouses, the internet and collection tools, collecting and capturing data has become significantly easier and practical.

• As a result of consumer centric marketing, companies use more real-time and relevant communication with their customers. Consumers naturally create a media barrier, jaded from spam and other irksome advertising attempts, so it is necessary to deliver the right message, at the right time, and the right way.

• Cross selling opportunities are becoming more widespread. Companies target previous customers by analyzing their demographics. For example, if a customer opens a checking account, the next day the bank will send a thank you package with specific promotions and offers which would best apply to the interests of the consumer.

• Specific targeting saves money in the long run by not sending out unnecessary information. Companies now target customers specifically by sending out details and information the customer would be interested in.

Listen to the full broadcast on our iTunes Podcast Marketing Watch.
Feel free to contact us; we welcome ideas and feedback from our audience.

Broadcasted on May 19, 2006

Today’s interview is with Lara Helms, Art Director for Altyris Advertising. Helms discusses the marketing strategies used to promote the TV show “Lost.”

• “Lost” is taking its audience outside the hour long TV show to searching websites and other sponsorships looking for show details. Lost fans search sites such as Sublymonal.com, sponsored by Sprite, to look for “Lost” information.

• “Lost” marketers are taking fans from one medium and driving them into another medium to market their product and message. The Hanso Foundation, a fictional organization created in the “Lost” series, released a commercial that prompted a hotline number and website for curious fans. Those who called the number were put on hold and listened to commercials from Monster.com and Sprite.

• For those who do not have access to the power of marketing through hit TV shows, Podcasts from iTunes, viral marketing, and websites like myspace.com have the same kind of impact and are just as useful.

Listen to the full broadcast on our iTunes Podcast Marketing Watch.

Feel free to contact us; we welcome ideas and feedback from our audience.

Broadcasted May 15, 2006

In today’s broadcast, John Mims, Director of Public Relations for Altyris Advertising, discusses three tips to get the most out of trade show marketing.

1. Make sure the booth fits the brand. The display booth needs to be built as an extension of your brand. Cost should be a consideration, of course, but remember that you are carrying your brand with the booth.

2. Use your display booth more like a billboard and less like a brochure. A quick marketing message will attract people better who will then proceed to pick up a brochure and ask for more information.

3. The booth workers are just as important as the display itself. Those who know the product well and are engaging and friendly with the customers are the best to market your brand.

Listen to the full broadcast on our iTunes Podcast Marketing Watch.

Feel free to contact us; we welcome ideas and feedback from our audience.

Broadcasted on Apr. 28, 2006

Today’s interview is with Larry Hill, President of Altyris Advertising, and Dan Robinette, Creative Director for Altyris Advertising. Hill and Robinette discuss the changes in how creativity is applied throughout the advertising and marketing process, rather than the types of creativity.

• Creativity now not only includes design concepts (font, layout, and color) but rather the areas of problem solving and market penetration.

• Creative strategies are key to a successful advertising, marketing, or public relations exercise. They include developing the strategy around the consumer, product, and/or market.

• One approach for a successful creative strategy is to hold creative sessions. In order to expand originality you need to bring everyone into the creative process from accountants, to copywriters, to art directors, to designers. This is very helpful in exploring and creating new ideas and methods that could break through your market.

Listen to the full broadcast on our iTunes Podcast Marketing Watch.

Feel free to contact us; we welcome ideas and feedback from our audience.