The force is strong with this one

I’ve been told many times that i can be a little obsessive when it comes to things i’m passionate about. Rugby falls into this category, as does old school progressive house, Adidas originals trainers, and Star Wars. You can only imagine my absolute joy when i found out that the latter two are joining forces to release a new range of street wear in Jan 2010.

Adidas originals have always been seen as a brand that is in touch with all things cool, so the partnership makes sense. I’m not the only one who’s pleased, as upon news of the release, fashion blogs and message boards lit up with cheers of approval.

However, some marketing experts have the opinion that Adidas have cheapened the brand through the association, as it drifts away from its trademark athletic heritage, and risks alienating its sports focused buyers. Although the brand has only recently introduced a music and art strand with their originals product; the shoe has always had a strong following with musicians and artists for a number of years. Most notably was rap group RUN DMC with their single ‘My Adidas’. This act of advocacy contributed to a major spike in sales of the Adidas originals shell toes, a style that still remains as the product champion.

So, having Star Wars team up with the brand not only maintains its successful history with pop culture partners, it has also tapped into a channel that has nostalgic relevance with the brands target audience, and as a result has caused a little bit if hysteria with yours truly. I’ve already picked out a pair of Skywalkers that will go perfectly with my current threads. Nice kicks.

Merry Christmas everyone!

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Online news – What are we paying for?

News Corporation announced this week that it would be delaying the move to implement paid for content within its online news sites, which was originally intended for a June 2010 launch. Reasons for the delay consisted of falling profits for the year, and having a clear process for implementing the paywall system for the service.

http://www.brandrepublic.com/Discipline/Media/News/964397/Murdoch-reveals-delay-switch-paid-for-content/

News Corp stated that they are currently working on a trial website that would include content from the Sunday Times, however a date for this release was not provided.
In the same week The New York Times announced that a decision would be made within weeks regarding an introduction of paid for content within their news sites. The issue was supposed to be settled in the summer, however the decision to charge users for content was not as clear cut as originally thought, and a general agreement within the company has not yet been made. Bill Keller, the executive editor stated, "There is no clear consensus on the right way to go"

http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/949951/New-York-Times-wrestles-online-charge-method/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH

No doubt we’ll see some kind of paid subscription news service in the future, as it’s becoming clear that publishers aren’t generating enough revenue from the current advertising model.
However, how can companies assure users that the content they pay for is premium? Consumers aren’t going to pay for blogs and articles that can be sourced from a different site for free. How are these publishers going to make this model work?

The reality is, until corporations ensure that paid for content is valuable and exclusive, consumers aren’t going to participate in subscriptions.

If you’d like to know more about digital, email me at nickb@polestarcommunications.com

Follow us on Twitter too: www.twitter.com/PolestarComms

iPhone apps - Perfect mix of product & entertainment

Apple iPhone apps – Perfect mix of product & entertainment

It is becoming increasingly challenging for a brand to create awareness in a digital environment without having to offer consumers something of value. Gone are the days where a brand could wave a big juicy carrot in a banner ad, and then expect a user to click through. Digital consumers are becoming more intuitive when it comes to offers, and are less likely to connect, in exchange for an application that transforms them into a South Park character. There has to be something of value.

http://www.sp-studio.de/

Having recognised the shift in thinking, brands have now turned to Apple’s iPhone application engine to provide a solution. Through Apple’s App store, companies can now deliver brand sponsored applications that are available as free downloads. The aim is to provide the consumer with a utility that is entertaining, simple, buzz-worthy, and most importantly, not perceived as advertising.

Check out some great examples:

Becks gig finder
http://www.brandrepublic.com/Discipline/Digital/News/948972/Becks-launches-iPhone-app-help-music-fans-find-gigs/

Audi A4 Driving challenge – 370,000 downloads in first 2 weeks of campaign
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/04/audi-ships-a4-driving-challenge-iphone-game-v2-0/

Zippo virtual lighter – Held No. 1 ranking in App store
http://downloads.cnet.co.uk/0,39100207,39317803s,00.htm

So, has this exercise been a success so far?
The answer is definitely yes. Since July 2008, 500 million iPhone apps have been downloaded, with an average of 1 million downloads per day. The great news for marketing managers is that apps can be produced in a matter of weeks rather than months, and are a fraction of a cost to produce when compared to traditional branding executions.

If you want to know more about mobile applications, drop me a line at nickb@polestarcommunications.com

Are you following us on twitter: www.twitter.com/PolestarComms

The power to persuade people?

It’s not just politicians like David Cameron and Barack Obama reading ‘Nudge’ (Richard Thaler & Cass Sunstein), marketers are also turning to it to discover how persuasion is no longer an art but is now a science.

Studies have shown that most of the time we like to follow the crowd. If we are asked, we insist that we are not swayed by others opinions and that we make our own minds up however our behaviour and evolution belie this. Initially we have evolved to live in groups and with similar aims, so similar behaviour and co-operation become a lot more likely.

An example of when group norms have persuaded people to behave in a certain way was in a hotel bathroom. When people read the signs in their rooms asking them to help save the environment (and the hotel’s laundry bill) by keeping their towels for more than a day, many people complied. But not everyone. When the sign was changed to say that most people who stayed re-used their towels, people were significantly more likely to keep their towels.

There is a still a feeling that you are acting on free will however you are being subtly pushed in a particular direction. This only works if you feel that you have something in common with the rest of the group otherwise you won’t want to fit in with them.

Advertisers are already using this in a number of ways – including it in copy (‘thousands of people like you are already singing up to this offer’) and allowing people to badge themselves so that there is a collective visible momentum (charity ribbons/ armbands). Is social media now the ultimate way to showcase behaviours of our peers and thus influence the behaviour of others like them?

Moderators en mass

Last week the Daily Mail retracted a number of display ads featured in a comment piece on the death of ex Boyzone member Stephen Gately. The columnist who wrote the piece, Jan Moir, caused an uproar due to her insensitive comments regarding civil partnerships, with readers replying immediately to the content of the article.

Within minutes of receiving these comments, the Daily Mail pulled both the skyscraper and rich media display placements from the page, leaving the advertising space blank. Daily Mail responded to the ad retraction by stating “We removed the advertising within minutes of the article being published as we saw the strong reaction”.

http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/946413/Ads-pulled-columnist-Jan-Moirs-article-amid-gay-backlash/

What we have seen here is an example of how the readers became moderators of the published content. The Daily Mail editor didn’t recognise the potential danger of the piece, but thankfully the readers did, and made the paper well aware of it. As a result, advertising was removed, prompting the paper to make a statement regarding the retraction of the ads. "This is done frequently and by other newspapers. For example, we wouldn't want a mobile phone ad next to an article about mobile phone masts."

Due to the papers response to their readers, will we see a change in how content is published in future? No doubt publishers will take more consideration in what they deem appropriate for consumption, but will it ever get to a stage where authors and editors approve content with advertisers, or even more drastically, readers before going live?

If you’d like to know more about Social Media, you can reach me at nickb@polestarcommunications.com

You should also follow Polestar on Twitter – www.twitter.com/PolestarComms

Social Media - When negative content produces positive results

Businesses are more likely to cringe at the thought of receiving negative feedback about their brand, prompting marketing managers to panic at the thought of users posting damaging information on social media sites relating to their business.

However in some cases, we are beginning to see companies take a different approach in the way they view social media sites, and the implications of negative feedback. Some marketing teams now view it as a way of addressing a problem, and more importantly, providing a solution.

Optus telecommunications have now utilised their Twitter page not only as a news feed for updates regarding the brand, but as an extra resource for servicing their customers. Optus have recognised that users are communicating with each other outside traditional channels, and have harnessed Twitter as a portal where they can provide solutions to customer enquiries and complaints, and as a result increase customer loyalty and satisfaction.

http://willscullypower.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/customer-loyalty-optus-well-done/

Banking institution First Direct have also utilised Twitter for receiving comments and feedback, enabling them to communicate more effectively with their audience. First direct are quoted as saying that this is ‘heralding a new wave of openness’ between the bank and its customers.

http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/3005576.article#&nl=BN&ln=15100906

The development of this new communication channel has generated positive dialogue amongst other social media sites, and has enhanced both Optus’ and First Direct's online reputation as companies who understand their audience and are ready to move forward with them in the way they communicate.

If you’d like to learn more about social media, drop me a line at nickb@polestarcommunications.com

You should also follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nickbrauer

6 of our best

Right, we've hidden our Polestar under a bushel for too long. A week on from our event, we wanted to share a few thoughts of our own on how to harness the power of advocacy:

• First of all it's NOT the ONLY answer; advertising, sampling, PR, content etc all still play a vital role....but only as part of a wider, integrated strategy for advocacy creation.

• We believe that doing the right thing must increasingly come before saying the right thing. This can take multiple guises and involve anything from relevant charity links and innovative promotions through to mobile apps, genuinely value add web services or a differentiated customer service experience.

• Driving advocacy is not an after-thought - it needs to be a fundamental part of your planning. Start the planning process from brand thinking & design. After all, the brand is the message and often the strategic development of the brand itself can create a platform for advocacy.

• After, and only after, this first stage turn your focus to how communications can amplify the 'advocacy advantages' created by your product or service.

• Yes the internet and other interactive media are playing an increasingly important role here, but there is no reason why traditional mass media can't also play their part. And just to be clear, this isn't consumers talking about the ads - an over-valued and in business terms often irrelevant measure - it's about how communications can better seed relevant brand stories into conversation.

• Innovate, innovate, innovate. Conventional and template thinking will only leave you way down the line behind a hundred more established brands in the sector. It's vital to 'start your own queue'.
  

P.S. If you're interested in hearing more about how we can help to activate advocacy for your brand, feel free to get in touch

Fab event winners

Congratulations to all the R&R Fab team who just won the Silver prize in the Campaign of the Decade category at last night's Field Marketing and Brand Experience awards.

By our reckoning as we are still in the first decade of this century that makes us almost winners of the Best Campaign of the Century too!

Understanding the power of advocacy

Last night's event was hugely instructive, inspiring and rather good fun; great speakers, excellent company and a chance to taste the next big thing in global spirits, Pink Pigeon.

Emmanuel Rosen, author of 'The Anatomy of Buzz Revisited' treated us to highlights from his recent book around generating and managing customer conversations. Key thoughts that emerged included:

• Whilst online channels has certainly played a role in accelerating buzz, offline (person to person) buzz continues to outstrip online buzz 7 to 1.

• Advertising and mass media still have a role to play when generating buzz. On any given day in the US, for example, 55% of people will have at least one conversation related to media or entertainment (Source: Keller Fay group). Brands such as Vaseline Intensive Rescue have simulated buzz as an integral part of their campaign and have encouraged over 3 million 'prescriptions' in the last year.

• Make no mistake, the biggest driver of buzz is your product itself. It's the basis for a great story, and brands that have stories are more likely to be talked about. Witness Tom's Shoes.

• Marketers looking to create buzz should bear in mind that buzz isn’t communication between a brand and a consumer but it is the conversations between consumers. It is not enough to have a blog and to open up dialogue with consumers. Make it easy for consumers to pass the story on with visual cues, materials and opportunities for self-expression.

• Given the show of hands, last night’s audience were surprised (but heartened) to learn that there is more positive than negative buzz circulating. Negative buzz, whilst spreading faster also tends to peter out faster. It is however critical to have contingency plans in place to help present a balanced argument.

• Not all hubs (influencers) are equal. Whilst some hubs may be very vocal they are not necessarily connected to other hubs so you still need mass media to broaden your reach and increase the intensity of buzz. The use of barbers in Chicago to publicise the importance of prostate screening to an Afro-American community proved the power of thinking laterally about who these hubs might be.

• Association with certain hubs of consumers can amplify or accelerate your campaign however if you are seen to be associated with the ‘wrong’ hub too early on then your success among other hubs may be negatively affected. Equally, brand loyalists may not be your most vocal advocates as they may have already done their buzzing. To reinvigorate these hubs you will need to find a trigger to get people talking again.

• People drop in and out of hubs. It is important to keep listening to your audience and refreshing your contacts – someone who was once an expert on digital cameras may have changed hobbies or lost touch with the market now that they have bought their camera.

• Make more of your assets. Brands often have material that they don’t use to its full potential – don’t just hold an event, film it, ask for attendees to contribute images and footage, invite them to the screening – create a virtuous circle. So, to demonstrate we’ve been good listeners, the film is coming soon and we’d encourage you to leave your thoughts and comments below please!

David King, Marketing Director at Berry Brothers & Rudd Spirits, in sharing with us the story of Pink Pigeon, provided a top draw example of how to hard wire advocacy into your brand. By making it a focus of everything they have done - from the brand story and name through to the packaging - they’ve created a product that not only changes the way people think about rum, but created a brand capable of creating the requisite buzz to help them take on high spending competitors.

P.S. Given how well received the event was we've decided to make it a regular feature - watch this space.

Have you heard the news yet?

Advocacy.

Buzz.

Whatever your preferred term, it's become a critical aspect of any marketing strategy. Indeed we'd go as far as to suggest that it's never more important.

Why? Well clearly there are multiple factors at play, not least of which:

• The return on investment crunch -
  we seem to always either be in a period of media inflation (which always outstrips RPI) or there's restricted capital available to support marketing because we're in a recession. Either way, it's a fact that just delivering the same old, same old, will offer increasingly less good returns.
• The demise of mass communications coupled with the growth in commercial messaging - this alone means that the balance has had to change between what brands and organisations actually do in terms of products, services and value over and what they say.
• The explosion of brands -
  fuelled by the growth in cheap investment capital (during the peaks) and the forthcoming growth in takeovers (during the post recessionary era) relatively unsupported brands are being pushed to the fore
• Consumers changing views of brands - with consumers increasingly relishing their new found control, brands need to think, feel and act in different ways.
• A significant breakdown in trust between the public and big business....the reasons behind which are glaringly obvious!
• A genuine concern for the environment & real interest in corporate attitudes to CSR. Yes these factors may have taken a temporary step backwards for economic reasons but they are clearly on the rise.
• A greater degree of transparency and consumer vociferousness. Clearly this is not exclusively driven by technology but it's certainly been the catalyst and leant greater creativity to the consumer voice.
  

P.S. On Tuesday we've got one of the guru's of advocacy , Emanuel Rosen author of The Anatomy of Buzz and David King of Berry Brothers & Rudd Spirits talking to a select bunch of clients and agency partners at our Polestar launch event about best practice activation of buzz. A great opportunity to compare notes. More later.