In this episode we discuss Wal-Mart’s MySpace killer, Wired’s 40, the Wall Street Journal decision to allow advertising on the front page, statistics of blog and podcast users, Ford’s launch of the Bold Moves Web site and an interview with Paull Young, fellow PR professional and podcaster, about a new anti-astroturfing initiative.
1:40 Wal-Mart’s MySpace killer
4:15 Wired’s 40
10:33 the Wall Street Journal’s decision to allow advertising on the front page
13:54 statistics of blog and podcast users
18:30 Ford’s launch of the Bold Moves Web site
22:52 interview with Paull Young on anti-astroturfing initiative
As always, we want your feedback. You can send audio comments or email comments to our feedback email.
In this episode we discuss the change in format for our show, GM’s alternate reality game, Tom Cruise’s PR nightmare, MySpace’s move to number 1, myFox.com and the death of advertising. As always, we want your feedback. You can send audio comments or email comments to our feedback email.
4:50 GM’s alternate reality game
7:14 Tom Cruise’s PR nightmare
12:46 MySpace’s move to number 1
17:57 myFox.com
22:10 the death of advertising
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.
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.
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.
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.
Today’s interview is with John Mims, Public Relations Director for Altyris Advertising. Mims discusses the importance of understanding consumers from market research.
• Primary research is defined as collecting original research data, and the two categories of primary research include: quantitative and qualitative research.
• Quantitative research comes from the collection data and is an example of a statistical liability, this includes surveys and polling. Quantitative research can be costlier than qualitative, but is usually more reliable.
• Qualitative research comes from anecdotal information: focus groups or interviews. This is typically less expensive; however there is no statistical liability as in quantitative.
Listen to the full broadcast on our iTunes Podcast Marketing Watch.
Feel free to contact us; we welcome ideas and feedback from our audience.
Today’s interview is with John Mims, Public Relations Director for Altyris Advertising. John discusses the procedures of how to handle a public relations crisis.
• Although some companies do not respond at all, in fear of the media or from lawyer intervention, it is important to keep two rules in mind:
1. Respond Quickly. This usually depends on the crisis, but with events involving safety and injury, people want to hear if the parties involved are safe and if investigations are occurring to prevent any further incident.
2. Respond Completely. It is important to initially respond with as much information as can be given. This avoids the problem of going back out to the media to give additional information which will keep the story alive and lengthen the time the public will hear the bad press.
• A PR Crisis Plan preplans a response team at the time of the crisis and allows you to focus on what you are going to say, rather than who and how you are going to say it.
Listen to the full broadcast on our iTunes Podcast Marketing Watch.
Feel free to contact us; we welcome ideas and feedback from our audience.
Today’s interview is with Larry Hill, President of Altyris Advertisng. Hill discusses the concept of saturation branding, defining it as managing every aspect of the brand image, every channel, and every interaction and experience the customer has with the brand. This boils down to using all aspects of the brand into one focus strategy.
• It is important to keep in mind that every interaction the customer has with the company, must be a positive one to maintain a brand image; this includes everything from interior design, employee representation, customer service, product design and usage, etc.
• Saturation branding for ABC’s show “Lost” included not only TV spots, but posting missing fliers for the characters and messages in bottles on beaches.
• All forms of interaction with consumers need to be made sure that they build the brand in a cohesive manner.
• Saturation Branding is becoming a critical part of the corporate approach to building an image and will only grow as a vital marketing strategy.
Listen to the full broadcast on our iTunes Podcast Marketing Watch.
Feel free to contact us; we welcome ideas and feedback from our audience.
Today’s interview is with Dan Robinette, Creative Director for Altyris Advertising. Dan discusses the latest trend in advertising, viral and guerilla marketing tactics.
• CPB (Crispin Porter + Bogusky), established the entertaining website subservientchicken.com as a viral marketing and branding project for Burger King.
• Burger King, through use of the website, indirectly gets a one-on-one with the consumer.
• Viral and guerilla marketing requires finding creative methods of spreading the message rather than spending money on traditional print ads and billboards.
Listen to the full broadcast on our iTunes Podcast Marketing Watch.
Feel free to contact us; we welcome ideas and feedback from our audience.
