Influx Insights Tag Feed: marketing

great ideas matter more than fast ideas

Influx Insights — 2008-10-23T08:43:14Z

There's a recent article in Ad Age that talks about the ANA meeting where CMOs vented their frustration with ad agencies over their responsiveness and the increasing opportunity they believe exists with media companies.

"Agencies and ad networks came in for some rough treatment at a CMO roundtable during the Association of National Advertisers' annual conference on Saturday as executives vented their dissatisfaction with agency models and ad-network performance.

The chief marketing officers of Hewlett-Packard and Charles Schwab openly mulled the attractiveness of bypassing agencies to work directly with media companies and other experiments as they look to fix an agency model they see as broken."

In my view there's some truth to the argument that agencies are somewhat tied to a time intensive process that has to change, but in terms of thinking and ideas, I don't believe media companies can replace agencies.

The reality today is that great ideas matter way more than fast ideas.

Creativity is needed more than ever.

The reason for this is the massive increase in the volume of micro-interactions (emails, Tweets, Facebook updates, viral videos, channel surfing, radio surfing,etc...). I am not going to suggest we are reaching "Information Overload", or that we are suffering from "Future Shock", because I believe in our ability to adapt and manage. However, it's a simple fact that the more stuff you have the harder it's going to be to remember it and just "being there" in a media sense, I believe is no longer sufficient to generate interest, recall and to persuade.

This isn't about just showing up in a media, it's about placing a brilliant idea in media that is contextually right and relevant.

Brilliance has become a mandatory, because without it, there's no way your brand is going to be recalled or make an impact, it will simply be just another message that's ignored and goes in the trash, most of our email.

It's likely the CMOs in the article are merely reflecting back the pressure they are under and things taking time to get to market can add to that. However, the ad industry employs some of the smartest, brightest idea creators around and if clients aren't demanding and using that brilliance, they are missing something that's essential in today's tough times.

Posted by Ed Cotton

is homogeneity dead?

Influx Insights — 2008-08-05T00:23:35Z

Homogeneity and it's close relative, consistency are cited as critical components of brand success.

Many analysts tell us that brands have to deliver consistent experiences if they want succeed and that homogeneity is what consumers want and desire.

It's therefore interesting to read about the demise of Starbucks in Australia.

According to the BBC..

"The mighty Starbucks coffee empire has been handed a heavy defeat by thousands of small Australian cafes in the fight for a nation's taste buds.

Eight years after it began selling its espressos and frappucinos in Australia, the US giant has succumbed to powerful financial and cultural pressures and has closed 61 of its 85 shops across the country.

Savouring a morning cup of coffee has become a ritual for millions of Australians - yet one that Starbucks failed to capitalise on, in spite of the way the chain had become a global cultural phenomenon during the 1990s.

"It was maybe too standardised," says Michael Edwardson, a consumer psychologist in Melbourne.

"Early on it was unique and different, but as it became a global chain the standardisation made it lose some of that coolness and edginess. It was quickly copied and lost its lustre.”

What does this suggest for brands?

Perhaps brands need both consistency and inconsistency; they need to flex and play with both elements. It's clear that consumers today probably need a mix of both. Certainly parts of brands need standardized elements, but they also need to surprise and delight their customers. They need to get ahead of the curve, rather than behind it.

This is incredibly demanding and challenging for brands; the idea of staying ahead and bringing surprise to consumers depends on having great intelligence and brilliant execution, not to mention the investment required to support change.

Too often, brands sit back and wait too long to make changes. Instead of getting ahead, they wait until the last minute to do something. They try to get away for the longest possible time without making changes.

As this story shows, culture has the power to move much faster than brands. Brands need to recognize the rapid pace of change and invest not just in the intelligence to stay ahead, but act on it before it's too late.

Posted by Ed Cotton

invite your customers to come and see you

Influx Insights — 2008-03-02T11:55:50Z

Innocent Drinks has always thought differently about the relationship it has with its customers.

It's constantly looking to level the playing field, which can be something of a challenge as the company grows.

However, they are continuing to innovate in this area of outreach, as witnessed by its announcement for an AGM in April.

"We’ve always liked to know what you think of our drinks. That’s why we ask you to ring the banana phone or pop into Fruit Towers. And it’s great when you do because we get to have a chat, and find out what you’d like to see innocent doing next.

This year, we thought we’d go a step further and have our very own AGM. It’s not going to be particularly formal (no men in suits telling you about profit engineering). We see it as being more like a get together in a village hall where you find out what’s going on, have a bit of a debate and then vote on a few things.

We’ve never done anything like this before, but the general idea is to try and get about a hundred of our drinkers to come along and find out a bit more about life at Fruit Towers. And, more importantly, get involved in voting on what we should be doing next as a business.

So you get to tell us what to do, and we’ll give you lots of free smoothies. And that’s it really. It would be great if we could get every single person who ever drank a smoothie to come along, but we think it might be a bit of a squeeze. Which means we’re going to have a ballot where everyone who fancies it lets us know their name, and says why they’d be a good person to have along on the day.

It would be great to hear your thoughts about what you’d like to know about most. And if you don’t get picked, we promise to make sure we update you on everything that happened on the day, and give you a chance to have your say too."

Posted by Ed Cotton

what are your top 5 marketing and branding predictions for 2008?

Influx Insights — 2007-12-01T19:40:33Z

Please share your top 5 predictions for marketing and brands in 2008.

Post your thoughts in the comments section and we will publish them in a forthcoming series of blog posts.

Posted by Ed Cotton

the marketing, people hate

Influx Insights — 2007-11-03T11:10:46Z

Via Fresh Creation

Posted by Ed Cotton

branding through creative class association

Influx Insights — 2007-10-02T16:03:50Z

Dopplr, the social networky travel site has done something very clever, they've associated themselves with some of the smartest, most creative companies around by launching the Dopplr 100.

While you may not have heard of Dopplr, you've certainly heard of many of the companies on the 100- including the likes of McKinsey, Muji, Red Bull and many others, including ad agencies, the names of which I can't possibly mention.

Individuals working at any of the Dopplr 100 with a valid email address get the invitation to join.

It's branding by creative class association, it's the company you keep.

We are certainly upset that BSSP didn't make the list of 100 and I am sure hundreds of other folks feel the same way and that's exactly what Dopplr wants.

It's a nice way to get your company out there and to build a network where people can be certain that "people like them" will be a part of it. There's an in-built social incentive to join up.

Posted by Ed Cotton

book launch- the age of conversation

Influx Insights — 2007-07-10T10:49:37Z

A few months back, I found myself included on an author list for the Age of Conversation. It's a brilliant concept hatched by Gavin Heaton and Drew McLelllan; 100 blogger authors each writing a chapter about conversation. At the time, I wasn't sure what to think and what would become of it. Now it's alive and kicking and launches on July 16th. Most important, all the proceeds will be donated to Variety, the Children’s Charity.

Project info can be found here.

Formats/Prices:

Hardbacks $29.99
Paperbacks $16.95

Here's the list of authors- with a bunch of strategists/planners in the mix including- Emily Reed, David Armano, Mark Earls, Gareth Kay and Faris Yakob.

Gavin Heaton
Drew McLellan
CK
Valeria Maltoni
Emily Reed
Katie Chatfield
Greg Verdino
Mack Collier
Lewis Green
Sacrum
Ann Handley
Mike Sansone
Paul McEnany
Roger von Oech
Anna Farmery
David Armano
Bob Glaza
Mark Goren
Matt Dickman
Scott Monty
Richard Huntington
Cam Beck
David Reich
Mindblob (Luc)
Sean Howard
Tim Jackson
Patrick Schaber
Roberta Rosenberg
Uwe Hook
Tony D. Clark
Todd Andrlik
Toby Bloomberg
Steve Woodruff
Steve Bannister
Steve Roesler
Stanley Johnson
Spike Jones
Nathan Snell
Simon Payn
Ryan Rasmussen
Ron Shevlin
Roger Anderson
Bob Hruzek
Rishi Desai
Phil Gerbyshak
Peter Corbett
Pete Deutschman
Nick Rice
Nick Wright
Michael Morton
Mark Earls
Mark Blair
Mario Vellandi
Lori Magno
Kristin Gorski
Kris Hoet
Kofl Annan
Kimberly Dawn Wells
Karl Long
Julie Fleischer
Jordan Behan
John La Grou
Joe Raasch
Jim Kukral
Jessica Hagy
Janet Green
Jamey Shiel s
Dr. Graham Hill
Gia Facchini
Geert Desager
Gaurav Mishra
Gary Schoeniger
Gareth Kay
Faris Yakob
Emily Clasper
Ed Cotton
Dustin Jacobsen
Tom Clifford
David Polinchock
David Koopmans
David Brazeal
David Berkowitz
Carolyn Manning
Craig Wilson
Cord Silverstein
Connie Reece
Colin McKay
Chris Newlan
Chris Corrigan
Cedric Giorgi
Brian Reich
Becky Carroll
Arun Rajagopal
Andy Nulman
Amy Jussel
AJ James
Kim Klaver
Sandy Renshaw
Susan Bird
Ryan Barrett
Troy Worman
S. Neil Vineberg
C.B. Whittemore

Posted by Ed Cotton

diageo- get consumers to be interested in you

Influx Insights — 2007-04-30T14:31:20Z

Yesterday, beverage giant Diageo, held an annual investors conference, where it into considerable detail about all aspects of its global business.

Marketing got a seat at the top table and considerable time and attention to explaining the company’s thinking about the new environment and how it’s responding to the challenges.

4 things emerged from the presentation.

1. The company clearly understands the new challenges of the marketplace.

2. It has a new marketing model.

3. It knows the implications.

4. It’s acting on it.

Diageo is be forging ahead of its competition with marketing innovations in viral, digital and experience based platforms. The work for Smirnoff Iced Tea received special recognition; according to Diageo’s data, the viral “Tea Party” film generated 3 million+ internet views and 48 million PR media impressions.

us twentysomethings growing up faster

Influx Insights — 2007-04-27T09:07:18Z

“There is evidence that the 25-29 year olds have grown up quicker than previous generations as a result of 9/11, terrorist threats and two wars. As a result they have adopted so-called ‘mature products,’ such as premium scotch whiskey, earlier than usual. Additionally, 25-29 year olds are switching from quantity to quality further fueling premiumization and further benefiting our brands.”

Diageo Investors Conference- April 26th-2007

london psfk conference- june 1st

Influx Insights — 2007-04-25T00:47:07Z

Lots of smart folks speaking at this one.

On 1st June, PSFK presents a series of presentations and discussions by leading innovators over the course of a day. The morning will focus on evolving new trends and ideas; the afternoon will look at future design and new marketing.

Confirmed Speakers

Niku Banaie, Naked Communications
Mike Butcher, TBites
Russell Davies, Open Intelligence Agency
R�gine Debatty, We Make Money Not Art
Jeremy Ettinghausen, Penguin Books
John Grant
Tamara Giltsoff, OZOlab brand
Beeker Northam
George Parker, Madscam
Iain Tait, Poke
Diana Verde Nieto, Clownfish
Faris Yakob, Naked Communications
Johnny Vulkan, Anomaly

Many more speakers to be confirmed. Register your interest in attending this conference here.

new ebook- the conversation age

Influx Insights — 2007-04-23T10:34:24Z

We are delighted to have been included on the list of 100 bloggers selected to write a "chapter" for the new ebook, The Conversation Age.

This is an idea developed by Gavin Heaton and Drew McLellan.

The other contributors are listed below and includes a number of planners.

Gavin Heaton
Drew McLellan
CK
Valeria Maltoni
Emily Reed
Katie Chatfield
Greg Verdino
Mack Collier
Lewis Green
Sacrum
Ann Handley
Mike Sansone
Paul McEnany
Roger von Oech
Anna Farmery
David Armano
Bob Glaza
Mark Goren
Matt Dickman
Scott Monty
Richard Huntington
Cam Beck
David Reich
Mindblob (Luc)
Sean Howard
Tim Jackson
Patrick Schaber
Roberta Rosenberg
Uwe Hook
Tony D. Clark
Todd Andrlik
Toby Bloomberg
Steve Woodruff
Steve Bannister
Steve Roesler
Stanley Johnson
Spike Jones
Nathan Snell
Simon Payn
Ryan Rasmussen
Ron Shevlin
Roger Anderson
Bob Hruzek
Rishi Desai
Phil Gerbyshak
Peter Corbett
Pete Deutschman
Nick Rice
Nick Wright
Mitch Joel
Michael Morton
Mark Earls
Mark Blair
Mario Vellandi
Lori Magno
Kristin Gorski
Krishna De
Kris Hoet
Kofl Annan
Kimberly Dawn Wells
Karl Long
Julie Fleischer
Jordan Behan
John La Grou
Joe Raasch
Jim Kukral
Jessica Hagy
Janet Green
Jamey Shiels
Dr. Graham Hill
Gia Facchini
Geert Desager
Gaurav Mishra
Gary Schoeniger
Gareth Kay
Faris Yakob
Emily Clasper
Dustin Jacobsen
Tom Clifford
David Pollinchock
David Koopmans
David Brazeal
David Berkowitz
Carolyn Manning
Craig Wilson
Cord Silverstein
Connie Reece
Colin McKay
Chris Newlan
Chris Corrigan
Cedric Giorgi
Brian Reich
Becky Carroll
Arun Rajagopal
Andy Nulman
Amy Jussel
AJ James
Kim Klaver
Sandy Renshaw
Susan Bird
Ryan Barrett
Troy Worman

marketing's panacea- creative risk and accountability

Influx Insights — 2007-04-20T10:32:04Z

“Our objective is to reduce uncertainty so we can take more creative risks.”

This is a quote from an agency chairman given at yesterday's AAAAs conference and it sums up the challenge that faces every marketer today.

The problem with the statement is that it’s a little nebulous; it looks like a couple of starter questions for a 20,000 word mid-term paper.

Q: Define the reduction of uncertainty in a complex world

Q: What is creative and what is risk?

The debate about the demise of traditional marketing has been raging for at least a decade, but the threats that eat at its core, seem stronger these days.

While many boil the debate down to the simplicity of two camps, “new school” vs. “old school”, it’s just not like that.

Here’s the problem; the old world doesn’t work and the new one provides us with even fewer guarantees, no certainty and even more risk.

Instead of becoming a “black box”, marketing has become a “black hole”

Stephen Hawking recently described his new theory of Black Holes.

"Information is not lost, but it is not returned in a useful way. It is like burning an encyclopedia. Information is not lost, but it is very hard to read."

One can happily seduce ourselves into thinking that we have great ROI toolsets and sophisticated tracking mechanisms, at best, they are guides.

The problem is that many clients don’t even know what success looks like. They don’t even have any real goals or objectives for their communication.

So, what are we supposed to measuring?

Then there’s the issue of taking a creative risk- are we talking about copying the user-generated program someone else did a week ago, or something revolutionary?

Marketing has now become like the record industry trying anything to get a radio hit and falsely thinking it could predict one.

This new world requires and demands failure and unfortunately because many companies still live in the industrial age where failure can’t be tolerated, CMOs and agencies will be fired with increasing regularity.

The marketing world today isn’t binary it’s schizoid.

Dealing with a schizoid, needs passion, guts, a level head and the willingness to accept failure.

Sure communication needs more creativity and accountability (whatever that is?), but that’s not all, it needs brave clients, clients ready to accept failure and learn from it, clients give their CMO the freedom to experiment, clients willing to understand that there’s nothing advertising can do to help sell their crappy product and clients with the guts and imagination to create something new.

Here are some pointers, from a client.

"I guess that when it started to spread on the web, it became 'viral'. 'Viral' is my least favourite term in the pantheon of adspeak, but it did make me take five minutes to have a think about how stuff 'becomes' viral? How does it spread?

The answer is, of course, that nobody really knows. Nobody can guarantee viralness. In this case, the fact that it's a bit weird and that it's also at odds (tonally) with what people have seen from us before means that it's interesting/unusual. Sometimes weird is good. Unexpected is good.

So I'm guessing that some people are more likely to want to watch it than an Innocent ad that features a pile of fruit and a packshot. People like new and unusual, especially on the web.

Of course, I'm still extremely wary of those who talk about 'viral'. I believe that the people who email me every day, telling me that they can make us excellent viral clips at the drop of a hat, are missing the point. You can't make things viral to order.

But you can do something else if you want to make stuff that people will send to their friends and post on their blogs. I think it's fairly simple. The more stuff you make, the more chance there is of something turning out to be good. And then people will watch it.

So in 2007 we will be making more stuff, writing more stuff, posting more stuff and filming more stuff. Some of it will be rubbish and some of it might work. And seeing as we don't know which bits will work until we've done them, I guess we'd better get cracking."

Dan Germain-Innocent Drinks

brands and online video- 7 new rules

Influx Insights — 2007-03-26T19:24:06Z

Here are 7 new rules for brands wanting to play in the new landscape of online video, it's a follow up to the previous post on big brands experimenting with online video.

1.    Creativity Rules- The bar has been raised to 11

In the past, when brands used to look at creativity, they were comparing themselves to each other, so the bar was pretty low, often anything that got people to laugh, was deemed a success.

Now, engagement has gotten so much harder. The competition is that much tougher and new modes of consumption place new pressures on content to be compelling. The switching cost is very low.

Brands are used to competing in a war that was often based on throwing lots of money going at the best talent and the best and most media. The playing field has changed. With such low barriers to entry- everyone with an imagination is now a potential competitor for your audience's attention.

2.    Brands Must Push Boundaries

Consumers are flocking to entertainment that pushes extremes.

a.    realness and rawness- reality tv
b.    violence and language- premium cable-like HBO
c.    speed and spontaneity- user generated

Brands have to be prepared to go there; otherwise their content will always be second-tier in comparison to the competition.

3.    Give Up Control of Content

Consumers want content distributed in the places they inhabit, they don’t want to be forced to consume it on your website. Content needs to be widely distributed and consumers should be allowed to place it in their own social media environments, like on My Space pages.

4.    Study the Landscape

Brands must have their pulse on this rapidly changing landscape. This isn’t about knowing who the next YouTube is, but learning how consumers consume this new media and understanding what forms of content appear to be working best.

5.    Partner

There’s a lot of merit in what Coke did, they went directly to the source with a proven track record of viral success and worked with them. Imagine if Budweiser, instead of trying to build it’s own network, had given some seed money to dozens of people who had already achieved viral success, the result of BudTV might have been different.

6.    Encourage the User to Engage

Brands are so used to the broadcast model, that they forget the internet offers countless opportunities for the audience to interact with the content. Whether this is just simply allowing them to comment on the content or remixing it, you have to let the user in.

7.    Simpler is Better

It’s easy to get carried away with the belief that your content is so compelling you can create multiple layers around it. Make it too complex and you will end up turning people away. Think video games, the best sports games have an instant play function, where you can just play, they also have layers and added complexity, if strategy is your bag.

Overall, brands face a radically transformed landscape and in order to play, they have to be prepared to experiment and be willing to learn from failure.