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Twittiquette

Deana Paulson — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:49:21 GMT

As a marketer I strive to keep up with the growing trends in the marketing world, so I’ve ventured out into the Twittersphere. Twitter is one of the dominant and fastest growing social media sites around today. By no means do I claim to be a Twitter expert, in fact a Twitter novice is probably more accurate, but I am learning and have developed a fondness for Twitter.

Though there are no official rules to my knowledge for Twitter usage and the appeal of this social media site is that you have 140 characters to say whatever it is you’d like to say, I do feel it’d be nice to establish a bit of Twitteriquette if you will.

Knowing full well my opinions will not likely influence a noticeable change on Twitter, I do want to throw out the top 3 rules I try to follow in my tweeting…so here it goes:

Rule 1: Twitter is a place for you to voice your opinions, but please tread lightly on your political views. I feel very uneasy when I see a war of politics taking place between two of my fellow Tweeters. Could it just suffice to say the same “real life” rule of not talking about politics and religion can be applied to Twitter?

Rule 2: You have 140 characters to say something uplifting, enlightening, relevant, etc., do you really want your tweet for the day to be “I’m hungry” or “I’ve got to pee”? It may just be me, but this seems like useless and unnecessary information to give your followers.

Rule 3: Nothing too personal please! I don’t think I need to give an example of what I’m talking about here because we’ve all seen these uber personal tweets that we’d have preferred our eyes skip over. In fact, I think this rule could easily be applied to Facebook as well, especially in reference to uploaded Facebook photos.

What are some of the Twittiquette rules you try to follow?

VI Marketing and Branding Named Finalist for Jay Chiat Global Advertising Award: Company Recognized for 5320 Campaign

Larry McAlister — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 20:20:09 GMT

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – VI Marketing and Branding has been named a finalist for a 2011 Jay Chiat Award, the global advertising awards that recognize brilliant strategic thinking presented by the American Association of Advertising Agencies each year.

VI, an Oklahoma City integrated marketing firm is one of eight finalists in the Communications / Media Strategy category for its 5320 campaign for the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) and the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH).

Other finalists in the category include BBDO India for Proctor & Gamble’s Mach 3, Campbell Mithum for Chipotle, Draga5 for Microsoft Bing, Goodby Silverstein & Partners for Adobe, OMD for Pepsi and Optimedia for Citibank, all international ad agencies.

“Not to borrow a line from Academy Award night, but when looking at the other finalists in our category, we are honored to have made the shortlist for a Jay Chiat,” said VI President Tim Berney. “First and foremost we are extremely proud of the VI team that created a hugely successful campaign for our clients, TSET and OSDH. The recognition at an international level not only speaks to the quality of our work and our people, but also extends the life of the 5320 campaign, bringing even more awareness to the healthy lifestyle needs of our state.”

The awards will be presented on the night of October 13, 2011 in New York City.

About the 5320 Campaign: Ranking near the bottom in public health statistics, TSET and OSDH called on VI to create an awareness campaign that would encourage Oklahomans to eat healthy, exercise more and smoke less. We determined if Oklahoma could reach the “average” level of public health in the U.S., that 5320 less Oklahomans would die each year.

A seven-week teaser campaign featuring paid media, social media, digital media, public relations and guerilla marketing culminated with a 5320 reveal event creating statewide media and public awareness.

About VI Marketing and Branding: VI Marketing and Branding is a 22-year old marketing communications firm headquartered in Oklahoma City. Formerly a full-service advertising agency, VI has evolved into a marketing communications firm with expertise in developing marketing programs, strategic planning, branding, public relations and digital media, in addition to the traditional creative and media services of advertising agencies. The company also has offices in Colorado Springs, CO and Kansas City, MO.

Put some personality in your blah, blah, social media, blah.

Blake Behrens — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:49:21 GMT

Yes. You should have a social media brand position. And yes. You should establish yourself as the thought leader in your industry. And yes. You should utilize your online presence to drive traffic to your site to sell your products and services. But you’re not going to achieve ANY of these goals if the only thing you’re posting is:

“Have you seen our blah blah doohickey? http://is.gd/UBJZWa”

“It’s lunch time and we’re selling an extra large doohickey with a side of blah blah blah for $6.99 http://is.gd/UBJZWa”

or my personal least favorite
“30 doohickey’s that are sure to blah your blah http://is.gd/UBJZWa”

I mean... good gravy! I just bored myself just writing these things. Seriously! Who’s gonna click on any of those links? You may have a particularly amazing doohickey that I would love and would undoubtably tell the world about if only I had the chance to try it, but your social media time is completely and utterly wasted if these forgettable marketing posts are all that you’ve been posting. Saying something unrelated to your company’s product or service is a good thing! The person operating your social media should be putting themselves in to everything they post for your company.

You need to interact with people on a personal level. Don’t wait for them to ask you a question about your product. Ask them about a movie they just tweeted about. Suggest a fantastic off-the-beaten-path restaurant in the city they just Gowalla’d in to. If you’re knowledgable about something they’re talking about.. chime in! These are the personal connections that marketers should be striving for. Modern consumers, i.e. your friends and followers, want to feel like they’re connected to brands, not like they’re being marketed to.

Here are a few examples of social media done right in the local area:

Elena of @WedgePizza. Elena not only manages the Wedge Pizza on Western, but she handles all her business social media. Not only have I had a conversation with her about Batman style utility belts this week. But because we had such a long conversation about how wonderful the figs are on the Wedge’s Bruschetta pizza, that she brought the company a stack of pizza’s this past Wednesday AND she brought me a custom made delicacy. Fig and Feta Bruschetta. I literally have never tasted anything so tasty. And all of this came from a silly conversation about Batman. Elena does a particularly wonderful job of taking her social media interactions to a personal level. Typically if you check in to the Wedge she’ll come up and personally say hello. Seriously. I’m impressed!

Gary of @BlackOptical. Gary has had a shop in Tulsa, Black Optical, selling eye wear for years. A while before he opened his new shop on Classen Curve, I started talking to him about music on Twitter. Turns out Gary used to DJ and has just as immaculate taste and knowledge of music as he does of eye wear. Because of this, I was extremely excited to hear he was opening up a shop in OKC. So, I gladly spread the word and told everyone I know that there was a killer new spec joint in OKC that they need to visit, on and off the social networks.

Samantha of @Cork_and_Bottle. Cork and Bottle is a liquor store in Edmond that is quite a bit out of my way. But I make the longer trip to pick up beer from them. Simply because I’ve had so many fun conversations with Sam about anything from home brew to movies to kissing angels (my topic, not hers). And not only does her social media personal interaction go a long way, but what they really do well is tie in their product to popular culture. When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the first half, anyway) came out they posted recipes for mixed Hogwarts drinks. ‘The Dark Mark’ ‘Polyjuice Potion’ and ‘Veritiserum’ were just a few that they posted in the weeks leading up to the movies release. Does that appeal to my inner-nerd? Yes. But what a great tie in! If you can figure out a way to connect your products with things people are talking about, do so. You’ll be sure to get more attention.

What’s happened here? Just now? The personal online interaction I’ve had with these three companies has led me to not only buy their products, but I’m now going to share on Twitter and Facebook the blog post I’ve written about them. So, yes. Ultimately your friends and followers can become not only valuable customers, but avid spokespeople for your brand. Yes. You build that brand loyalty with meaningful personal interaction. Not with a trite statement with a link to a website.

VI Marketing and Branding Acquires Kansas City’s Pearcy Dunning Advertising & PR

Larry McAlister — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:28:37 GMT

Addition Compliments VI’s Transition To Fully Integrated Marketing Shop

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – In a move to bolster its emphasis on fully integrated marketing services, as well as expand its national footprint, VI Marketing and Branding has acquired Kansas City-based advertising and public relations firm Pearcy Dunning, it was announced today.

By acquiring the well-established Pearcy Dunning, VI not only gains a presence in the number 33 market in the US, but more importantly gains a “like” partner who utilizes all disciplines of the marketing mix to provide a broad marketing scope philosophy and results-based services to clients nationwide.

“What attracted us to Pearcy Dunning was their deep understanding of modern marketing. They are strategic at every level,” said VI President Tim Berney. “We share the same philosophy that the role of an advertising campaign is to support a broader marketing program. It took us a while to find a firm that understands that and can execute the bigger picture.”

Rob Pearcy will continue to manage and expand the new VI offices in the Arts District of downtown Kansas City. As Senior Marketing Strategist, Pearcy will lead strategic planning for new and existing clients as well as continue to develop new relationships with prospects who have rapid growth plans.

“We are proud to be a part of the VI family. Throughout this process, I have been amazed at the amount of talent they have under one roof,” said Pearcy. “With our combined resources, we’re on the leading edge of modern communications services and can comfortably compete for business on a national level.”

The acquisition of Pearcy Dunning highlights a strong growth period for VI, which will also add four new staffers in the headquarters office during the third-quarter of 2011.

“Our growth strategy is to ensure exceptional service through trained specialists in all marketing disciplines, and continue to develop unique creative concepts,” said VI Partner and Creative Director Steve Sturges. “Pearcy Dunning was a natural fit with our marketing philosophy and the new team members we are hiring in Oklahoma City will address our escalating needs in public relations, digital, and social media.”

About VI Marketing and Branding: VI Marketing and Branding is a 22-year old marketing communications firm headquartered in Oklahoma City. Formerly a full-service advertising agency, VI has evolved into a marketing communications firm with expertise in developing marketing programs, strategic planning, branding, public relations and digital media, in addition to the traditional creative and media services of advertising agencies. The company also has offices in Colorado Springs, CO and Kansas City, MO.

For more information visit www.vimarketingandbranding.com.

Will Learn For Food

Jessica Chamberlain — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:35:53 GMT

Every week on Wednesday, our agency gathers in the "Jigsaw" (pictured above) for lunch and a training session…in the great words of the Culps, we “roll up a fatty of fellowship and fun” in the spirit of learning! I would like to share a few tidbits from our agency training last week...

There is no doubt that good content drives demand generation. In our training session, the speaker highlighted three different ways in which relevant content can accomplish this. (1) Regularly performing content audits across multiple vectors will reveal gaps that need improvement. This is where (2) content repurposing comes into play. In those gaps, content is not being leveraged to its full potential. For instance, why post a blog if no one is reading your blog? It is possible that other practices need to be put in place, including content repurposing, to start leveraging your content as the premier purveyor of information relatable to the industry you are in. Finally, (3) connecting your content to your business goals will naturally generate revenue. By assigning stakeholders to thoughtfully develop content that aligns with your marketing message, you are organically growing your business and producing demand.

After the training session, we discussed how we could continue putting these ideas into play for demand generation. The idea of content repurposing struck everyone as a significant point in the presentation. As an agency, we can take intellectual property we have created and use it in a different way to reach a new audience. One could say we are “going green” with our content! In fact, I’m repurposing content right now with this blog post…

All That Glitter Is Not Gold

Jennifer Manning — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:40:08 GMT

People in the media business know that research gathered from local stations, regardless of medium, are without a doubt skewed to show that particular station or group of stations in the best light possible.

That leads us to the question is that good selling or is that just misleading?

If I were selling a car for example, I'd push all the benefits, luxury, navigation, power everything, but on the other hand, I might not point out that the gas mileage of a competitor's car is better, or that the maintenance will be sky-high. I'd make comparisons to other vehicles that put my car in a better light. This is the case with any sales whether it be car or media sales. Why is that? Well, sales-people work on commission and have sales goals. If a buyer hasn't done his/her homework, then is that really the sales person's fault?

As a buyer, it's my responsibility to do the research and find the right mix of media that achieves our client's goals. If a particular station works for my client's current campaign, then it will be included on the plan. Just because it looks shiny, all wrapped up with a bow doesn't mean it's a fit. Do the research, know your goals and your target. Then make a smart buy.

Throw Your Red Away

Steven Schwartz — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:04:47 GMT

VI recently purchased a Canon 5D Mark II for shooting stills and video. So are we seriously saying it will replace high end production cameras? Of course not, but the quality and capabilities of the 5D forces us to critically evaluate our decisions when spending $1000’s to rent a professional quality production camera package.

Why has the 5D received so much attention over the last few years? There are many great qualities that the camera brings to the table, but, what really sets it apart, what really has everyone so excited is how damn good the images look. I’ll highlight some of the strengths and weaknesses of the 5D:

Strengths:
Image quality - this is really what all the buzz is about, you can’t come close to the rich film look video the 5D produces without spending much MUCH more.

Lens selection - The proven series of Canon L prime lenses are reasonably priced and readily available. Again, cost compare lenses for the Canon to the competition at 10X the price.

Low light performance

Lightweight

Compact

Durable

Weaknesses:
Stabilization - The camera body is not primarily designed for video so it’s almost impossible to shoot anything handheld. But, over the last year or two several companies have created outstanding “rigs” and mounts that address this issue and more.

Audio - The audio input of the 5D is very limited and really isn’t suitable for any broadcast production. We capture audio using a independent digital recorder then sync in post.

Limited recording time - The 5D has a maximum file size of 4GB so you can only record for a little more that 10 minutes without restarting.

Ease of use - This weakness is a little misleading, the 5D is actually very user friendly and simple to use. Open the box, slide in a battery and BAM, you’re shooting HD video. But, to consistently capture professional quality video and audio requires an experienced operator.

DP’s like Vincent Laforet and Phillip Bloom were some of the first professionals to start using the 5D. They quickly realized the potential of the 5D and accepted it’s limitations. The story behind how Laforet shot Reverie is amazing. 72 hours with a 5D prototype, a $5,000 budget and a skeleton crew. A pretty cool story if you have time to check it out.

The 5D has gained acceptance in many mainstream projects. Hollywood blockbusters like Iron Man 2, sucessful TV programs like House MD, Californication and Mad Men and of course televisions commercials from local to national.

The Canon 5D Mark II can’t do everything that a full blown professional camera like the RED One can do, BUT, at about 1/10 the price it gives the RED some serious competition and puts a truly capable camera in the hands of many creative people that couldn’t afford to participate.

If you Don't Have Customers You Don't Have a Company

Tim Berney — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:38:00 GMT

First, let me state the obvious. If you don't have any customers, you don't have a company. That means you don't need your operations people, your managers, your cashiers or anybody else. So, that makes your customers the absolute most important thing in your business, no matter what it is.

My family moved to a new house a few months ago, which has naturally introduced me to some new stores close to home. So (with sincere apologies to my friend who owns 7-Eleven Stores), I visited Circle K for my morning caffeine.

Day 1: I waited in line to pay for several minutes- a line that didn't move because the cashier was helping someone in the post office that, in theory, is a good idea. I left.

Day 2: I already knew better. But, this store is convenient to me (at least in location), so I tried again. Once more there was nobody behind the counter. This time, because a vendor had arrived with a load of product that needed to be checked in. That's more important than my purchase? Thankfully, the other clerk appeared- albeit eating a pig-in-a-blanket, and eventually I made my purchase.

Day 3: I think it went pretty smoothly.

Day 4: I had perfect timing with the vendor truck again, but the clerk had not yet begun checking them in... until I had grabbed my drink and was just about to the counter. The good mannered clerk excused herself from the register and started reviewing the invoice for coke products that I won't be buying there anymore. I now go out of my way to hit a 7-Eleven that wants my money more than anything (I mean that in a good way Jim).

It's easy for all of us to get caught up in our operations. In fact, most companies put more effort into ops than customer service. Chances are you have a VP of Operations. How about that VP of Customer Touch points? Marketing can get them there, but whose job is it to keep them?

Google Minuses… and Pluses

Clay Miller — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 15:09:53 GMT

Okay, let’s get this out of the way right up front. I’m no social butterfly, and I’m certainly no social media expert. Indeed, I’m one of a dying breed – those curmudgeonly misanthropes who view social media with skepticism and a healthy tinge of paranoia. I find Facebook, in particular, symptomatic of an increasingly shallow, narcissistic, privacy-free social fabric. Is it revolutionary? Sure. The Iranian Revolution was revolutionary too. And look how that turned out.

But I digress.

In early 2010, I logged onto my Gmail account and watched in horror as Google Buzz unfurled before my eyes. After years of avoiding Facebook and its Farmville-ing, Bejeweled legions, here were my email contacts, my chat buddies, my real social circle splayed out for the world to see. In its infinite wisdom, Google had “friended” every single individual I had ever spoken with via Gmail.

Frothing and incensed, my outrage paled in comparison to the public outpouring of venom directed at Google. Its ill-fated initial foray into the social media segment had connected women with abusive ex-husbands, revealed user locations, and exposed dissidents in China and Iran. All without the slightest warning or permission, of course.

Let’s call it Google being Google.

A multi-million-dollar settlement, government investigation, and 16 months later, Google Plus is making its debut. And if the damage from the Buzz debacle can be undone, it might just give Facebook a run for its money. Google Plus offers a feature-packed interfacethat out-Facebooks Facebook on several fronts.

For starters, the basic social unit of Google Plus is the “circle,” not the “friend list.” This means real-world social circles that would normally remain discrete can remain so in the virtual space. Grandma and Grampa can exist in a virtual world of puppy dogs and gingerbread houses. There, they can share photos of your college graduation with Uncle Phil in Cincinnati – safely shielded from photos of your latestTequila–fueled bender that would drain granny’s cheeks of blood. The Tequila Chuggers can see those photos. Grandma can’t.

Google one. Facebook none.

Next up, Hangouts. The hangout feature lets up to 10 users conduct a group video chat. Simply fire up a hangout session and let specific individuals or entire circles know you’re available for a chat. All participants appear in a tiled interface in real-time, and everyone can see everyone else.

Beats the hell out of a wall post, if you ask me.

And then there’s Huddle. Huddle is a group texting feature for mobile devices. Moving beyond the traditional one-to-one text, it allows multiple friends to participate in a collective texting session. Think of it as a chat room for your phone. Huddle’s value lies in its ability to streamline group conversations and activities. Say you’re trying to finalize plans for Friday night. No need to manage 18 different text threads. Just Huddle up and iron it out.

Google Plus offers privacy-protected, automated uploads from your phone (Instant Uploads) and Sparks, a StumbleUpon-like feature that suggests content based on user preferences. With plans for even more features in the offing, Google Plus promises to jack-slap Facebook out of its smug, yawning complacency.

If not, beware, Facebook users. You might be logging onto MySpace 2.0.

A Small Town Girl in the Big City

Greta Puckett — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:06:38 GMT

I have a list of things I want to accomplish in my life. Things to do, see, experience, give, etc. One thing on the list that I got to cross off at the end of the year was seeing New York City at Christmas.

It was actually my first time in New York, and everyone said it would be overwhelming. They were right. Working in advertising makes you appreciate New York on a whole other level.

I was standing in Times Square thinking about the digital possibilities, the cost of producing the gigantic vinyls, the continuation of boards from one to the other. The visual insanity completely clouds your thinking.

We are hit with over 3,000 messages a day, so how do you stand out in that visual space? How do you stand out when there is so much to see? You know what? You probably don’t.

I always recommend to our clients to not purchase signage that is stuck right along hundreds of signs, for example, at an arena. You want to actually be worked into that game, to be a part of the experience. Take, for example, the TSET sponsorship that we do with the Thunder. Our signage with them is the only signage in the OKC Arena bathrooms (no competition!), and we also sponsor the honorary captains – so our logo is on the court at a specific time, we are announced, and we are all over the LED’s. We also get PA announcements during the game. Money so much better spent than just placing a logo in the arena somewhere, hoping eyes will see it.

What would I recommend to advertisers that just have to be in Times Square? More interaction. I didn’t see much at Christmas. QR codes, text in options, something that justifies spending so much for placement.

I will be visiting New York again at the end of the month; maybe strategies have improved by then. I’ll report back.

80s From the Future

Preston Herring — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:35:04 GMT

Recently I was at a family function where I ran into my stepbrother who I hadn’t seen in a couple years. We are both huge 80’s Action movie fans and just like old times, we started hypothesizing about things like:

Could mud really hide you from the Predator’s thermal vision? Better movie: Rambo or Commando? Can Detective John McClane kick Robocop’s ass? (A: No, Commando, and Absolutely.)

Upon further discussion he revealed to me that he doesn’t have cable any more. He said he canceled it about 2 years ago because “…I only watch 2 or 3 channels anyway.” If this were 3 years ago I might have been surprised, but Instead I said “ME TOO DUDE !!” and gave him a high five.

I canceled my cable for the same reasons he did. I was burned out on paying for a whole package and only utilizing 1/10th of it, especially now that most content is offered online. The cable company has become little more to me than a company that provides me with internet service that I use to watch my shows. Most networks offer their programming on their sites and if I want to watch something, chances are I’ll find it in one form or another.

I have noticed a trend, at least in the realm in which I operate, of people looking for a more customized way to consume their media. It’s as if people are actually starting to resent the cable provider for force feeding them stupid programming that they don’t want to watch, much less pay for.

So how do I get my 80’s Action fix? Netflix. Netflix has all kinds of sweet 80’s flicks ready to instant view on my iPhone, Mac or home theatre. Netflix understands the future of entertainment media consumption. They GET IT. I can add what I want, when I want, and watch wherever I want. They don’t tell me “here is your package…” They say “Pay us this X$ and you can pick what you want to watch… A la Carte… The Future...

Netflix is in cahoots with “BIG Internet” (My conspiracy term) and they are GUILTY of MURDER! Guilty of murdering 3 chains of dvd rental stores within a 3 mile radius of me: Blockbuster Video, Hollywood Video, and Randy’s M&M’s. We called this trend from the beginning in an earlier blog post.

The old-fashioned cable package model is next on the hit list. Cox Cable, Direct TV, Dish Network and the like need to wake up and start offering A la carte selection, or they WILL FACE huge losses if not extinction like the Dodo… er, like Blockbuster Video.

Yippee Kay Yay Mother…….!

A Message From the Lord and Master of the Copier

Jessica Chamberlain — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:25:49 GMT

Sometimes life takes advantage of me. And by life, I mean our extremely dubious copier, whom I lovingly refer to as “Carol”. Carol has served our office well making copies, printing, scanning, sorting, and even stapling. Only recently, has Carol let her mood swings and personal life affect her work. She crunches paper angrily, sends us error messages, screeches, and sprinkles black toner on our white pants.

Almost daily, I yell choice phrases at Carol. “Dag-nab-bit, Carol!” I have even swung a few punches and faked a few Chuck Norris uppercuts at her face paper feed.

You know that feeling of gripping a Louisville slugger so tightly in your hands that your palms sweat and the adrenaline rushes to the back of your eyes until tears form? Even more familiar is the feeling of swinging that slugger and hitting a baseball, mailbox, or slamming it so hard into the keypad of a copy machine that sparks burst out of the paper tray. The past few weeks, I have dreamt about the ultimate destruction of our copy machine. Whether it’s the apocalypse or a band of zombies, Carol is going down someday.

Until that day, straighten up, Carol…we have work to do.

Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Jacquelyn Shannonhouse — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:50:00 GMT

We've been super busy the last few weeks with little time to venture out of the office, so we've been eating a lot of takeout. Breakfast, lunch, dinner – no matter what it tastes like, we devour it. That said, all of this eating out has made us quite the connoisseurs and we have a growing list of favorites who are receiving hundreds of dollars in repeat business.

Yesterday morning, one of our awesome media reps brought us 2 dozen yummy breakfast muffins. These muffins were incredible in every way and definitely something we would like to order again. One problem – where the heck were they from? Our rep was smart and rather than leaving a card with someone or just handing them to her contact here, she'd written a sweet message to all of us on the plain white box the muffins came in. Every single person who grabbed a muffin knew who brought them. The bakery, on the other hand, completely missed the boat. No name, logo, web address, or phone number anywhere.

It's obviously not difficult for us to call and ask where they were purchased and honestly they were so good that we probably will. But think about how many other groups have been given these muffins, loved them too, and the next time they bought breakfast went somewhere else just because they didn’t know where to get them? I realize that in some cases costs outweigh the benefits and beautiful custom boxes just aren't in the budget. But a sticker, an ink stamp or a muffin cup would have done the trick and Monday I would buy 2 more dozen for my meeting!

My advice to you: Evaluate each of your consumer touchpoints and make sure you aren't missing out.

New Marketing = Man Hours

Tim Berney — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 19:13:00 GMT

Take out a red pen and cut your paid media budget by 10 percent right now. But don't put that money back in the general fund. You need it to compete for customers and to keep the ones that you have.

In the modern marketing era, you need to engage your prospects and customers where they live, work, play, etc. That 10 percent of your media budget should pay for man hours. Man hours that help you take your message to the people and engage them. Man hours that let you do something unique at the trade show. Man hours that help you activate your sponsorship of the golf tournament, football game, or concert. Man hours that let you market, not just advertise.

It's not easy. It takes a new way of thinking and a commitment to NOT do things the way you always have. Get out and connect with the people. Be memorable. Do something that allows you to collect their contact information, or makes them want to visit your website.

Paid media is the beginning. It's support. It introduces you before you meet in person. So, keep doing it. Just 10 percent less. Your marketing efforts will go 50 percent further.

Who’s Gonna Pay for News? You, for starters…

Tim Berney — Mon, 16 May 2011 18:35:00 GMT

A few years ago I wrote in our newsletter that the news industry could not survive in its current form if it did not begin to charge for online content. What is now called a paywall, would allow the news organization to keep its reporters employed, which results in original content. And, it would prevent the news aggregator sites from repackaging the content in a more attractive form, but not having to pay for the content itself, giving the aggregator a significant advantage in attracting site visits.

The Wall Street Journal was the first major news site to adopt the model, allowing it to gain subscribers while dropping site visits at an acceptable, single-digit rate. The New York Times installed a paywall of their own earlier this year. Analysts said the break even for NYT was 107,000 new subscribers to replace the traffic of what it expected to lose. Thus far, about 100,000 subscribers have been added. Looks like a successful decision.

This is not just a dilemma for print publications making their way online, but they are certainly the most desperate right now. There is a significant cost in gathering news and information. If nobody can afford to gather it, we won’t have it. But because there’s demand, there can be a price. It is not unlike any other consumer good or service. In the past, we have paid a nominal fee for newspapers and magazines – a bit more lately. But, advertising revenue covered the majority of the cost. With advertising revenue down for most communications channels, especially print, the cost has to be made up somewhere. It was inevitable to me that the pay model would come into play.

Further, as the news aggregators have less and less news that they can re-purpose, traffic to the publication sites is likely to creep back up. Talk radio needs to learn from this scenario. Unfortunately radio over the airwaves can’t have a similar paywall. The obvious solution for them is to dump their reporters altogether and partner with TV and/or online news organizations – something that music stations figured out long ago. Jack Welch said, "If things are changing faster on the outside than they are on the inside, the end is near." Print pubs are making the change just in the nick of time.

Markidding?

Tim Berney — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:20:00 GMT

The back porch light in my new house is broken. Or the light switch, which is more of a square button, is broken. Sometimes I can’t get the porch light to come on. And, more often, I can’t get it to turn off. (The electricians say it’s not that easy to fix — different story). I am truly bothered by it and can be heard moaning about it almost nightly. “It’s better than nothing” my son told me. Is it really? It’s a waste of both energy and money for it to be on at both 1pm and 1am the way I see it.

I think poor marketing is a waste of both energy and money too. Further, I think far too much marketing qualifies as poor. The largest reason is that so many people get the responsibility of marketing assigned to them. As if it’s an afterthought. “Who’s got time to handle the marketing?" "How about Austin — he’s done a good job of cleaning up the TPS report mess." "Good idea — tell him.” Really? "Dale did a good job of getting those warehouse guys in line, why don’t we put him in charge of accounting?" "And Stacey’s really got the reception area humming, can we give her legal?"

Now, I’m not here to claim that marketing requires any more (or less) skill than being an attorney or an accountant. But, it does require skill. Marketing skill. Skill beyond having an opinion about commercials. Or buying signage at the little league park where your kid plays. Or picking the location of your booth at the trade show. That’s hardly marketing. We used to use a term for ill-conceived advertisements: Badvertising. Lousy marketing needs one too. Maybe Markidding. Or Marcrudding. Or Aargheting. Or throwmymoney awayketing.

Realize this: EVERY organization is a marketing organization. We’re all marketing something, whether it’s tangible or not. Without some bit of selling- be it an idea, a grant request, a service, or a job, you won’t get by. If these folks contributing to marcrudding just realized the value (and potential return) of their marketing activities, they would certainly sell more of something. Marketing’s job is to communicate with the right people, at the right time, with right message. And to stand out while doing so. Marketing activity for the sake of marketing activity is a waste of time and energy.

That fixture on my back porch is putting out light — just not when I need it. Kind of like a lot of people assigned to marketing these days.

Free Marketing Tip: Don’t put signage up backwards

Alison Abbott — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:38:00 GMT

There’s a saying in the construction business: Measure twice. Cut once. But apparently that never made it to the signage industry. VI Marketing Strategist Deana Paulson noticed that two men across the street were adhering signage to a window ‑ backwards. We watched for about five minutes waiting for their reactions when they would realize that the sign was placed incorrectly. We waited….. a bit longer…. Nothing. Finally another coworker rationalized that perhaps there was a rhyme to their reason. He dared me to go across the street and tell them. Five dollars if I would. That won’t buy much, but I have an affinity for Grande Cinnamon Dolce Latte from Starbucks (major rule of marketing: it’s all in how you present it, if only in your own mind)

Me: “This might sound bizarre, but I work across the street and wondered, Is that sign supposed to be readable from the outside?Him: “Can you not read it from the outside?”

Me: “No, it is backwards.”

Him: “Oh”

Him #2 still intently pressing out any last bubbles: “It ain't right?”

Him: Hmmmmm…

After a bit more staring they peeled the sign off, thankful that I’d told them before the paint had dried. I was happy to help and even happier about the coffee I just earned.

As good marketers, we are always giving out free tips, and yes, some of them are better than others. Click here to get them.

Let Go of Your Covered Wagon

Tim Berney — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:45:00 GMT

One of the most difficult things to understand is change. It’s just hard for humans. Whether it is moving to a new home, getting a new job, or even losing a family pet. Change is hard to deal with.

The marketing and communications industry has been going through rather drastic change the last few years. Not that it’s been too steady during my entire 22 year career. But, the addition of cable channels wasn’t nearly as drastic as the digital revolution has been- this has been real change. Change in how we spend our time; what we consider leisure; where we consume news; and most importantly how we relate to other people and other businesses.

But, how we react (or fail to) to that change is more important. I have always seen change in our business as opportunity. We always look to exploit what’s going on for the benefit of our clients. It makes perfect sense I think. But apparently not to everyone. Edmond Life & Leisure ran an article this week about VI’s rebrand which took place last fall. In the article the author (Ray Hibbard), who is also the publisher, mentioned that several people in his industry contacted him with the notion of ‘circling the wagons’ (And then what? Shooting the messenger?) They had obviously misinterpreted our statements about traditional advertising being dead (and hence, why we took it out of our name). Traditional advertising is a one-way conversation. We didn’t say any one particular medium, and certainly not all traditional mediums are dead. Just the way that they have traditionally been used: Again, a one-way conversation.

That’s not how consumers are interacting with brands. The digital revolution has allowed them to interact with brands in numerous ways- giving them the power to choose. Given the choice, nobody wants to have a one-way conversation. That’s the essence of the change that has occurred. It’s not temporary, embrace it. And expect more change.

Super Opportunity

Tim Berney — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:57:00 GMT

The Super Bowl is considered advertising's biggest day. Some brands put forth their biggest effort on Super Bowl Sunday. In fact Master Lock used to spend it's entire budget that one day alone (remember the lock that survived the bullet spot?). My hope is that more (all) of those involved in the game this year will make it marketing's biggest day. In other words, they'll use their ads as part of a much larger marketing program that initiates and supports relationships with consumers. Here are some random thoughts on the Super Bowl:

The Fox Network gets the game this year. They are reportedly running 4 minutes of ads during the game to promote their own programming. With about 100 million viewers tuning in, Fox has the opportunity to expose their programming to those that don't normally watch the network. The opportunity that comes with the Super Bowl is much greater than the revenue they will generate ($3mm per 30 second spot). If they can increase viewers to their other programs, the long-term benefit dwarfs the one day opportunity. Larger audiences bring more revenues. Every week. 4 minutes isn't taking full advantage of the opportunity.

General Motors directed their agencies to ignore the ad polls (which ads consumers like best) and focus on the brand. That's good direction every day. However, they need to recognize the stage they're on and not show up as milquetoast. As you watch the ads on Sunday, pay attention to who is supporting their brand and who is just trying to be the funniest. The ones that do both gain the most.

I have tended to skip buying ads in the game from a local market level because the local affiliate doesn't get a break until halftime. I have always felt that people stop paying as much attention to the ads by halftime for a variety of reasons (the game, they eventually take breaks during the breaks, etc). But, a new study by Millward Brown Optimor (MBO) says that recall is not affected by the time or quarter in which an ad runs. That's pretty significant data and will certainly influence my attitude going forward.

The same study said that in order to get the same brand lift that a spot in the Super Bowl provides, you'd have to spend about $9 million (about 250 spots). To me, this means an engaged audience is more important than a large one. Obviously the Super Bowl has both. But, we have been talking for two years about switching ads to live shows for this very reason. An engaged consumer is key to any effort. I'll say it again and again: Your marketing plans need to have ways to engage your prospects.

The MBO study also said that a spot for a particular product within a brand family lifts the entire brand. Last year, Skechers ran a spot with Joe Montana for their Shape-up toning shoes (yes, Joe had his man card revoked shortly after). That effort lifted the entire brand and sales across the Skechers family of products were up 30% last year.

What's in a brand?

Jacquelyn Shannonhouse — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 20:30:00 GMT

In case you mentioned Tim's article in okcBIZ this month. Here it is!

Imitation is the most sincere form of … stupidity — in marketing, anyway.

Take two competing brands in any industry that you can think of. Same product. Same target, of course. Similar price. The natural inclination is that their branding efforts would be similar, as well. At least the one in second place would imitate the leader, doing what it does to reap the same rewards. That imitation inclination would be a mistake.

The bad news is that No. 2 can never have the same brand position in the consumer’s mind as No. 1. A brand can’t own a position that is already taken by another. The good news is that No. 1 can’t own the brand position that No. 2 occupies either. And while it’s only good for second place today, the brand can be repositioned and claim the top spot while maintaining a distinct identity that doesn’t emulate its competitors.

Click here to read more.