filter by author: Research & Insights
New media users follow an average of only 5 companies online: New Cone research
New media adoption is soaring, thanks to older Americans and minorities increasingly moving online, but the competition among companies looking for loyal followers just got tougher. According to our latest research, the 2010 Cone Consumer New Media Study, new media users still choose to demonstrate affinity (e.g., “like” on Facebook, “follow” on Twitter or subscribe to an RSS feed) toward an average of only 4.6 companies online.
Consumers are more open than ever to engaging with companies via new media (86 percent vs. 78 percent in 2009), but it still takes a big effort on the part of the company to reach the upper echelons of the consideration set. To stand out, companies need to incentivize new followers. Before deciding whether to engage with companies online, 77 percent of new media users look for free products, coupons or discounts.
It may be difficult for companies to get to the top, but it’s even harder to stay there. Nearly two-thirds (59%) of new media users say they are satisfied with their online experiences with companies, but that doesn’t mean they won’t hesitate to punish companies by disengaging. More than half of users will stop following a company if it acts irresponsibly toward its consumers (58%), over-communicates with them (58%) or provides irrelevant content (53%). Under-communicating (36%) or censoring user-generated content (28%) is also grounds for falling out of favor.
Companies that can deliver high-quality customer experiences are richly rewarded. Users who engage with companies via new media are more likely to:
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Share information about the company across their own social networks – 62%
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Feel a stronger connection to the company – 61%
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Feel better served by the company – 60%
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Purchase the company’s products or services – 59%
Is your company doing what it takes to stay on top?
Tags: coupons blogs socialmedia research newmedia
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Change doesn’t have to be such a bitter pill to swallow
We’ve all seen what can happen when brands suddenly change their iconic identities. Gap recently succumbed to a not-so-surprising defeat after attempting an update to its 20-year-old logo. After unceremoniously returning to the original, President Marka Hansen is being called into question for allegedly giving the go-ahead for the launch of the new logo against the counsel of her marketing team. Internal strife and lack of respect for its consumers’ opinions have turned fans against Gap as it prepares for the holiday shopping season.
Despites Gap’s obvious missteps, we know the world will keep turning and brands will keep revamping themselves. So what can brands learn from the debacle? Don’t assume your fans are as ready for a change as you are. Consumers’ brand loyalty is often linked to nostalgia and sudden changes can lead to estrangement. In fact, people are so protective of their favorite brands that a recent survey found 52 percent of Americans expect prominent companies to ask for the public’s input before making major changes to their logos, packaging or products. So, forego the shock factor and ease your audience into major overhauls.
One brand taking heed as it prepares for some big changes is Mattel. It seems Ken – Barbie’s longtime love – is feeling dowdy lately and has decided to get a little work done ahead of his 50th birthday. To celebrate the makeover, Mattel is launching an online reality series to find the one man in America who best demonstrates “Ken-ability.” The eight-episode “Genuine Ken: The Search for the Great American Boyfriend,” hosted by Whitney Port of MTV’s “The City,” will feature eight men competing in various elimination challenges to find America’s best Ken. Visitors to the site can nominate and vote for the eight contestants and even download a mobile app. The site also integrates with Ken’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Mattel hopes the series and website will help position Ken to a newer, more mature audience, while turning his 50th anniversary and makeover unveiling into a newsworthy event. Either way, fans have the opportunity to join the brand in celebrating its heritage and looking ahead to the future.
Tags: research bestpractices socialmedia branding
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Out with the old, in with the controversial
Everybody needs a little makeover now and then, but however good the intention, sometimes things just don’t work out for the better. This week, after more than 20 years of standing behind an iconic, all-caps standard, Gap Inc. launched a new Helvetica logo that has drawn the ire of many, especially those with easy access to social media. Blogs and twitter feeds lit up with caustic reactions and relatively little support.
The minimalist redesign, which prompted a letter from Gap President Marka Hansen defending the change, was explained away as a natural evolution for the brand. She even encouraged additional feedback and logo suggestions via Gap's Facebook page – which, incidentally, has not been updated with the new logo – leading many to wonder if this wasn’t part of a larger marketing ploy. Perhaps Gap is stirring up controversy to create buzz for a future crowd-sourcing contest? Hansen won’t confirm or deny.
Marketing machinations or not, Gap seemingly failed to get the big “ah-hah.” The logo isn’t just about Gap. It’s also about all of Gap’s loyal consumers who now can’t even recognize a once-familiar face. Logos are a visual representation of a consumers’ relationship to a brand and advocates eagerly wear logo-emblazoned clothing like they would a merit badge, hoping some of the brand’s ethos will rub off on them. A drastic change is certain to evoke an outcry. Consider Tropicana. Only weeks after the launch of redesigned packaging, the brand cried mea culpa and returned to the old carton. Consumers were so turned off by the unremarkable design – many couldn’t even locate it on the shelf – OJ sales dropped 20 percent. Et tu, Gap?
Gap migh have done well to follow Pepsi’s example. Before launching its new smiley-face logo, Pepsi reached out to online influencers who were given a chance to review the product updates before they went live. This led to positive online conversations that helped shape the public reaction. And if unwilling to share the new logo in advance, Gap could have enlisted its PR execs to set the stage for the change. Clorox, who announced its first new logo in half a century, tied the unveiling to its greater emphasis on sustainability, providing a context for consumers to rally around. Despite what they think of Clorox's logo, consumers can’t fault the brand for improving its business practices.
Whatever the reasons for the change, or eventual outcomes, it seems Gap underestimated the power of its own brand and has taken a very public beating. With store sales already going south, the new logo has not turned out to be the panacea the retail chain was hoping for, but greater attention to consumers’ needs and wants in the future might be just what it needs to right the ship.
Tags: logos bestpractices campaigns PR branding
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New Cone Research: Consumers Need to Verify Product Recommendations
Throw out the old communications models. Consumers are taking back control over their purchasing decisions. Or at least seeking a second opinion.
Before deciding whether to purchase recommended products or services, more than four-out-of-five consumers (81%) will go online to verify those recommendations, even from the most trusted of sources. Increased skepticism of traditional media, technology advancements and growing online connectivity have American consumers turning to online influencers to confirm their opinions prior to making purchase decisions. Heeding this behavior shift, marketers began targeting consumers’ inner circles with word-of-mouth then social media campaigns as the new marketing tipping point for purchase decisions.
Today, these campaigns are no longer enough. Data from the 2010 Cone Online Influence Trend Tracker reveal consumers have added yet another step prior to reaching for the credit card – online verification. Thus, personal recommendations alone are no longer enough to guarantee a purchase, as three-quarters of consumers (77%) agree they are more likely to purchase products or services when they can find additional recommendations about them online. Among 25- to 34-year-olds, online verification is even more vital; 91 percent will go online to verify recommendations before making a purchase and nearly the same number (90%) are more likely to purchase products or services after finding additional online recommendations.
The tone of online information plays a powerful role in the purchase decision, often outweighing the initial recommendation. More than two-thirds of consumers (68%) agree negative product or service information found online can be a mitigating factor in deciding whether to purchase. Conversely, positive information reinforces purchase recommendations for a full 80 percent of Americans.
Online verification may not be required for every product category, but our research shows that there is a wide range of products and services that will be scrutinized via the Internet regardless of price point. Verification is now the deciding factor to drive consumers to that final purchase, and marketers who ignore this behavior shift will miss out on a golden opportunity to influence purchase decisions.
Be sure to check out our fact sheet, and let us know what you think. How often do you go online to confirm purchase recommendations?
Tags: research trend wordofmouth bestpractices socialmedia strategy
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Marketers for LeBron
The hottest, most anticipated sports marketing campaigns of the summer have nothing to do with the World Cup. They’re not being financed by super-brands like Nike or Coke. No, this summer, millions will be talking about the glitzy, celebrity-filled campaigns all aimed at an audience of one.
LeBron James. (That’s King James to you, by the way.)
On Thursday, July 1, the Summer of LeBron officially kicked off with the start of NBA free-agency. James has fulfilled his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and is free to sign with any NBA team he pleases. The two-time MVP and six-time All Star is being wooed in earnest by the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks and, of course, the Cavs. But, many feel New York, Chicago and Cleveland are the true front runners.
So what’s it going to take to get the King? A real marketing smackdown. Let’s take a look at the contenders:
Cleveland: James was born and raised in Cleveland, and the hometown hero rescued his city’s franchise from the doldrums of the NBA. Fearing that nostalgia and loyalty aren’t enough to keep James put, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland joined a group called Clevelanders for LeBron in re-jiggering Live-Aid’s “We Are The World” into “Please Stay LeBron” – cheesy vocals and head sways included. And, a local radio DJ started his own grassroots movement asking every man in Cleveland to grow a beard – Beards for Bron – as a show of support for their man.
Chicago: With the Commander-in-Chief on its side, the Chicago Bulls might have a good shot at landing James. President Obama told TNT in an interview with Marv Albert that he could see “LeBron fitting in pretty well” in Chicago. Just in case James needs more convincing, Bulls fans, led by marketer AJ Barthold, have banded together to create SendLeBrontoChicago.com, a site so popular, it even has a following in China.
New York: Not to be outdone by Governor Strickland, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the city’s tourism board unveiled a video plea of their own as part of the C’mon LeBron marketing campaign to lure James out of Cleveland. Instead of a musical number, Bloomberg invokes the Almighty himself with a quote from the King James Bible. Bloomberg’s not alone in the campaign, either. He’s lately been joined by tennis legend John McEnroe who promises free tennis lessons in exchange for signing with the Knicks.
Our apologies to Cleveland, Chicago and New York, but we’re hoping LeBron holds out as long as he can. Who knows what marketing magic still awaits us in the Summer of LeBron?
What do you think? What city has done the best job marketing to LeBron?
Tags: marketing campaigns celebrity
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Stop and think about going mobile
Mobile is hot right now.
It’s not exactly breaking news, we know. But just in case you haven’t considered integrating mobile into your communications strategies, here’s some recent facts and figures that might make you stop and think.
It’s everywhere you want to be: Apologies to Visa, but thanks to GPS technology, consumers’ favorite brands are literally everywhere they want to be. Mobile apps with geo-targeting technology allow consumers to interact with their favorite brands from anywhere in the world, whether it’s finding the nearest store or checking in at a local hot spot. In fact, companies will spend close to $4 billion on location-based mobile technologies by 2015.
It’s one-stop shopping: It’s not all ringtones and horoscopes. Consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable with using their mobile phones to make non phone-related purchases, too. Ten percent of Americans use their phones to receive coupons and discounts or buy goods and services. The numbers go up for smartphone users. Half of iPhone and BlackBerry owners use their phones for mobile commerce.
It’s better than sex: Is that text message really that important? Apparently it is. According to the Retrevo Gadgetology study, one-in-10 Internet users under the age of 25 claims he or she would answer a text message during sex. One-in-four would even do so while using the restroom. When you gotta text, you gotta text.
It’s memorable: Mobile may be the third screen, but it certainly doesn’t finish last when it comes to advertising recall. Research firm Insight Express found mobile ads to be more effective than online ads in consumer ad awareness and message association. And, not only did consumers remember mobile ads, it turns out mobile ads are more likely than online ads to lead to greater purchase intent and brand favorability.
It’s a nonprofit money-maker: In the wake of January’s devastating earthquake in Haiti, the American Red Cross raised $32 million through its text-to-give campaign – the most successful mobile philanthropy effort of all time. If there is anything good that can come out of the disaster, it’s that Americans have found a new means of donating to important causes. Almost one-in-five are more likely to text donations to their favorite nonprofits after hearing about Haiti's mobile fundraising success and 19 percent would prefer texting to alternative donation methods.
Tags: research nonprofit advertising mobile
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The survey question: What will media cover?
Two-in-five American adults read a newspaper every day. An intriguing statistic, surely, but one you likely won’t find in a newspaper. Though it might be counterintuitive, this statistic was the result of an online survey, and as such, is subject to being easily dismissed by many of the nation’s top media outlets.
Why? Some of the most venerable papers, such as The New York Times and The Washington Post – the list goes on – have strict standards when it comes to covering polling research. Specifically, they “do not publish most Internet polls.” They make a fair case for exclusion, noting that populations surveyed must be based on a probability sample; that is to say, each person in the population should have an equal chance of being selected. Typically, online survey researchers draw from a pre-recruited panel to respond to surveys and then weight the sample to align it statistically with the population being polled.
Random digit dial (RDD), or telephone polling, is believed by many, at least the Times and Post staff, to be the only way to accurately recruit a survey sample that mirrors the U.S. population. That’s because anyone can be reached by landline telephone. Right?
Wrong. In fact, as much as 20 percent of the population is now considered cell-phone only, something becoming a bit of a thorn in the side of RDD proponents. The cellular population is so burgeoning that researchers are forced to supplement RDD with custom samples of cell phone-only households to boost the accuracy of their samples.
To make things even more interesting, a recent study conducted by the Advertising Research Foundation compared RDD and online methodologies to see how each stacked up against demographic data from the U.S. Census. RDD showed no evidence of being more accurate than online methodologies and even turned out to be less accurate when it came to reporting respondents’ ages and cell-phone usages. This isn’t to say online surveys are the most accurate, but they certainly aren’t as “cheap and dirty” as once made out to be.
Nearly 80 percent of U.S. households have a computer with Internet access. And it's a number far more likely to increase than landline telephone usage, thanks in part to the Obama administration's efforts to provide high-speed Internet access to all. As our nation moves closer to realizing universal Internet access, perhaps it’s finally time for media to rethink their standards.
Tags: research media
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Traditional brand marketing makes the cause stand out
Where would Susan G. Komen For the Cure be without the month of October or a pink ribbon? Where would Livestrong be without Lance Armstrong and a yellow bracelet? When it comes to branding, it turns out nonprofits and for-profits aren’t so different – at least in the eyes of the consumer. Whether the dollar goes to the beneficiary or the bottom line, a recognizable brand image is a powerful tool in a marketer’s tool kit.
Our 2009 Cone Nonprofit Power Brand 100 demonstrated that nonprofits who take a for-profit approach to brand management can reap the benefits of additional awareness and increased revenue. So, it shouldn’t surprise you that six of the top 10 nonprofit brands were also top 10 revenue earners. And, our latest research proves nonprofits can use the same principles of branding their own organizations to brand their causes, too. According to our recently released 2010 Cone Nonprofit Marketing Trend Tracker, traditional marketing elements, such as an association with a special event or time period, a memorable color, logo or icon or the involvement of a celebrity or other notable spokesperson, help nonprofit causes stand out in the minds of American consumers.
What else can nonprofits do to ensure their causes break through? Check out our sister blog, “What Do You Stand For?” for more insights. In the meantime, we want to hear from you. What are your favorite examples of a nonprofit that has done a good job branding its cause? What were the marketing factors that left an impression?
Tags: celebrity marketing bestpractices research branding cone nonprofitpowerbrand100 nonprofit cause
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Hit or miss for Super Bowl XLIV ads?
The Super Bowl is the greatest advertising spectacle of the year. But were Sunday's commercials everything we hoped they would be?
Cone folks weighed in on the hits and misses of Super Bowl XLIV's commercials. Check out the video below to hear what they had to say:
What do you think? What made you laugh, cry or just scratch your head? We'd love to hear.
Tags: marketing advertising
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The Super Bowl is the Super Bowl of advertising
One-in-five Americans will be tuning in to this Sunday’s Super Bowl just to watch the commercials. While this may not be good news for Manning and Brees, Madison Avenue couldn’t be happier. You might say the Super Bowl is the Super Bowl of advertising, and brands lucky enough to afford 30 seconds of our time know there is a lot on the line this year, as always.
Viewers’ expectations will be just as high for the Budweisers and the Coca-Colas as they will be for the Colts and the Saints. So the big question is, what can we expect from the commercials? Will advertisers go for the easy laugh? The warm, fuzzy feeling? The sex appeal? We’ll have to wait a little longer to find out, but in the meantime, some early buzz provides some clues.
This year, you can expect advertisers to go:
- Through the roof: At least the costs will. A 30-second commercial in Super Bowl I cost around $40,000. Forty-four years later, advertisers are shelling out $2.6 million.
- Social: If you don’t have a social media presence this year, you don’t have a commercial. Brands are leveraging the hype around the big game to preview commercials on their Web sites and Facebook pages to engage consumers via multiple touch points. Look for online/on-air synergies from Budweiser, Coca-Cola and Monster.com.
- Old school: What’s old is new again. This year we’ll see some old favorites with a modern twist. LeBron James and Dwight Howard take the reigns from Jordan and Bird in McDonald’s “Nothin’ but net” commercial, and Boost Mobile brings back the 1986 Super Bowl Shuffle featuring some of the original Chicago Bears rappers.
- Controversial: Whether it’s CBS’ much maligned Super Bowl PSA or risqué ads banned from the game, this year’s commercials aren’t shying away from controversy. Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow will star in a pro-life PSA for Focus on the Family, but GoDaddy.com got its “Lola” ad nixed. Gay dating Web site ManCrunch.com was turned away because ads were sold out, but site reps are alleging discrimination.
- Consumer-generated: Why pay an ad agency when your consumers can do it for you? Doritos and CareerBuilder.com are hosting contests to find the best consumer-generated commercials. The winner gets the most coveted ad space on earth.
- Au naturel: Although not completely nude, it’s certainly close enough. Dockers, CareerBuilder.com and Bud Light will get as close to naked as possible with a barrage of underdressed advertisements.
- For a drive: Toyota might be mired in a recall crisis, but that’s not stopping the rest of the auto industry from getting in the game. One-in-six commercials this year will be car commercials. Expect to see Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Honda, Dodge and Audi.
- At each other: Indianapolis and New Orleans aren’t the only rivals facing off this Sunday. It’s the battle of the online job-search sites, too. Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com go up against each other, along with Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper, Denny’s and Taco Bell and Doritos and Pop Secret.
- To Hollywood: It will feel like the Academy Awards are being hosted in your living room. Celebrities will be all over this Sunday’s commercials pitching everything from real estate to chocolate bars. Will.i.am, Chevy Chase, Gene Simmons and Abe Vigoda will walk the red carpet.
- Away: Long-time advertiser Pepsi will forego the $2.6 million spot this year to focus its resources on its new cause marketing campaign, the Pepsi Refresh Project. Now that’s money well spent.
Tags: Facebook campaigns contest celebrity socialmedia advertising cause
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Who takes the lead when it comes to social media strategy?
Almost 80 percent of new media users interact with companies or brands online. So, it's pretty much an imperative that your brand have a social media strategy in place. But that poses a puzzling question: Who should take the lead when it comes to developing your social media strategy? PR or digital?
2009 Cone Consumer New Media Study
A recent PRNews article lays out the argument for the PR folks, and our own director of new media, Mike Hollywood, couldn't agree more. "Our channel agnosticism affords us the luxury of looking at the entire media landscape before deciding which channels are best for our client's message AND audience."
Read his take on the debate and get tips for implementing your own social media strategy.* And be sure to tell us what you think. Who should own the strategy?
*Check out our updated new media research, the 2009 Consumer New Media Study.
Tags: research PR cone strategy newmedia bestpractices socialmedia
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Time for newspapers to leave ’09 in the past
Is it a sign the worst is over for the newspaper industry?
An industry that only a few months ago was suffering massive layoffs and closures now sees one of its leaders embarking on an ambitious marketing campaign. The Wall Street Journal announced this week that it will launch a new brand awareness campaign with executions across print, online and broadcast.
The paper’s first marketing initiative in three years is designed to improve people’s perceptions of the quality and breadth of the newspaper’s coverage. With the tagline “Live in the Know,” the campaign stresses the importance of moving beyond bite-sized news briefs to longer, more comprehensive coverage and analysis – like only a newspaper could deliver. WSJ hopes “Live in the Know” will appeal to readers looking to be better informed about current affairs, especially in the wake of the financial crises of the last year.
Despite the shuttering of long-established papers like the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Rocky Mountain News, declining ad spend and 15,000 layoffs in 2009, refocusing on content and quality might be just what the industry needs to get back on track. Although downsizing was the trend for newspapers in 2009, Rich Boehne, CEO of newspaper publisher E.W. Scripps, doesn’t see that as a sustainable business model for the industry. "In the longer run, we will need to add (newsroom) jobs, add content and raise (circulation) rates."
For the sake of all newspapers, and those of us who read them, let’s hope the WSJ will deliver on this promise and lead by example.
Tags: economy campaigns media
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Fast food on trend in the new year
‘Tis the season to get skinny…and fast! The mother of all New Year’s resolutions didn’t disappoint in 2010, as “lose weight” tops the list again this year with 22 percent of consumers who made resolutions looking to shed some extra pounds.
Long on top of the weight-loss trend, fast food restaurants haven’t been shy about pushing lower-calorie/less-fat versions of their standard fare. This has been a boon for consumers who don’t want to make drastic changes to eating habits that may already include fast food indulgences. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, fast food diets can actually help some people lose weight, at least in the short term, if the products provide less fat, sugar, sodium and/or fewer calories.
The latest entrant into the fast-food diet wars is Taco Bell, who recently introduced its Drive-Thru Diet, featuring seven “Fresco” menu options with fewer than nine grams of fat. The campaign stars Christine, a woman who lost 54 lbs. in part by switching to Fresco menu items. Marketing is also supported by new media elements, including an online “Frescolution” pledge to eat less and exercise more, a Twitter contest and e-cards to invite friends to take the pledge. Taco Bell even joined forces with the NBA to promote the diet as part of a fit and healthy lifestyle.
The young campaign has already faced some harsh criticism, but by avoiding words like “healthy” or “weight loss,” Taco Bell is in the clear, at least from a legal standpoint. Marketing healthy foods or diets can be fraught with legal and ethical pitfalls. Below are some tips for authentically communicating your foods’ health messages:
- Provide the facts (even the less desirable ones): Your foods may be low in fat, but are they high in sodium? Let consumers know the whole health-related story. And be sure when using testimonials to provide your consumers with details about dietary and lifestyle habits outside of your diet.
- Avoid claims that aren’t substantiated with research: You could be opening yourself up to criticism, or even worse, liability if your claims are not founded on legitimate scientific research. Take the time to research your claims before slapping them on a Web site or billboard.
- Provide context: There’s no official definition of “health food,” so be careful if positioning foods as healthy vs. unhealthy. Instead, be upfront about the foods’ nutritional contents and how they vary from typical offerings.
- Engage a credible third party: Endorsement by a credible health expert can help communicate the real nutritional value of food offerings and convince skeptical consumers. Have a third-party expert serve as a spokesperson, or at least publicly sign-off on your products and promises, for your marketing campaign.
Tags: campaigns trend health nutrition food bestpractices
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TV losing out to the third screen during the holidays
Brands would be wise to redirect some of their ad spend this holiday season – if the results of the latest Retail Advertising and Marketing Association research mean anything. According to the survey, a mere 17 percent of consumers said their favorite holiday TV commercial motivated them to shop at that retailer. This bleak statistic must be leaving retailers quaking in their boots because, despite expectations that holiday sales in 2009 will beat those of 2008, consumers are sure to be more selective with their money.
When it comes to deciding where to shop, TV commercials just don’t have the oomph they used to. To get customers through the door, the answer isn’t a 30-second spot…it’s money-saving coupons. Nearly half of respondents said coupons were the top media influencer when it came to deciding which retailers to shop. Meaning, a consumer may forego his favorite store if it means saving a little cash.
And it’s not just TV commercials losing out to coupons. Retailers saw a 15 percent decline in visits to their Web sites during Black Friday 2009 versus 2008, but searches for “printable coupons” jumped 50 percent. Few retailers seem to be getting the hint, however, as most are in a stand-off with thrifty customers waiting until the last minute to get the best deals.
JCPenney is one company on top of the trend. It began offering mobile coupons, which let cashiers scan coupons on customers’ mobile phones, back in September. American Greetings is getting on board, too, as it just upgraded its iPhone app to offer coupons, and Gap and Banana Republic are testing mobile coupons at outlet and factory stores in certain markets. The moves should pay off, too. A Deloitte study (client) showed 20 percent of consumers plan to use their mobile phones to assist in holiday shopping.
With only eight shopping days left until Christmas, perhaps now we’ll start to see retailers put a little more marketing muscle – mobile or otherwise – behind stretching customers’ wallets.
Tags: economy research clients mobile coupons
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Keep it in the family when taking luxury online
With a predicted decrease in holiday spending this season, brands are reaching into their marketing coffers and pulling out social media strategies to help boost sales and maybe even beat the grim prognostications. It might just pay off, too. According to our client Deloitte's 24th Annual Holiday Survey, nearly 20 percent of respondents plan to use social media sites to aid in their holiday shopping, largely to find sales, discounts and coupons or to research gift ideas.
But, what’s good for the goose may not be so great for the gander, or in this case, the über-luxury brands. The lifestyles of the rich and famous leave plenty of room for new media – our research shows new media users with the highest HHI are 10 percent more likely than the average population to use these sites and tools – but it's not necessarily in luxury brands’ best interests to develop social media strategies that overemphasize traditional sites, such as Facebook, MySpace or Twitter. The popularity of new media stems from its democratic, community-building traits that bring once-exclusive content to the masses. Something luxury brands, counseled to return to their elitist, indulgent roots, don’t want to see happen to their products.
Brands would do well to remember that when marketing the most luxurious of products and services, the same rules apply whether using on- or offline channels. Remain high-touch, and remain exclusive. Affluent new media users are 20 percent less likely to expect retail brands to use new media to solicit product or service feedback. They want to keep those relationships high-touch and interpersonal. Whereas the average user finds new media an ideal platform to voice opinions once difficult to express in a meaningful way, affluent consumerslikely expect a more direct, face-to-face, line of communication with their favorite brands. Also, whatever experiences luxury brands do create online, they should stillfoster a senseof indulgent exclusivity. Reserve them for only the most preferred customers to enjoy, and make sure they can share the content, but only among peers.
Although popular social media sites may not be the best channels for affluents, it doesn’t mean they still can’t be effective branding tools for luxury goods – among a different audience. Luxury brands need to maintain a certain cachet to hold on to their brand status, and a large Facebook or Twitter following from aspirational fans, perhaps future consumers, can bolster their posh positioning. But keep in mind, affluents and aspirationals are two very different audiences. Learn to play to the strengths of both, and social media have the potential to be very generous this holiday season.
Tags: research clients newmedia bestpractices socialmedia branding
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Another year, another reason to celebrate
What’s one of the best tools in the PR toolkit? The anniversary.
It’s not just an opportunity for happy couples to enjoy a nice dinner. It can also be an opportunity for your brand. In PR, we’re continuously challenged with developing new ways to keep brands fresh and front-of-mind for our consumers. Enter the anniversary. A well-planned anniversary campaign can provide a newsworthy chance to make some noise and maybe garner a few new customers.
Even if it isn’t the happiest of occasions, celebrating an anniversary can be a good means of introducing a brand to a whole new group of consumers. Just look at The Beatles. On the 40th anniversary of the band’s breakup, MTV Network released Beatles Rock Band, a new edition of the popular Rock Band video game franchise. And this isn’t targeted toward Boomers who grew up listening to the band’s music – although they probably bought it anyway. It’s targeted at their kids, born long after we lost John Lennon. Sales of Beatles Rock Band could turn into increased sales of The Beatles music.
But, what if you don’t have a new product to launch? No worries. Anniversaries can also serve as reminders of how integral your brand is to daily life. Jockey International*, the venerable underwear manufacturer, recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of its Jockey Brief, which it invented in 1934. The brief dramatically changed the landscape for the men's underwear category and continues to be one of the most dominant styles of underwear today. Whether you’re a boxers or briefs man, you can all thank Jockey for taking underwear from full-body union suits to something comfortable to wear under clothes.
And sometimes, you just need to celebrate to say "thank you." To demonstrate its ongoing commitment to the breast cancer cause, earlier this year, Yoplait* hosted a free Sheryl Crow concert to commemorate 10 years of its Save Lids to Save Lives program. In 2008, consumer lid collection enabled Yoplaitto donate$1.5 million to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. To keep the momentum and donations going, it held a concertas a thank-you to breast cancer supporters everywhere, reminding them to continue to fight for a cure.
Remember, it’s not enough to just celebrate a milestone. For consumers to pay attention, you need to leverage an anniversary by providing context for a greater story. For The Beatles it was introducing a new way to interact with the band’s music, for Jockey it was reminding people not to take their undergarments for granted and Yoplait took the opportunity to illustrate and further its impact on a worthy cause.
What story will your brand tell?
*Cone client
Tags: campaigns PR strategy clients
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New Cone Research Shows Growing Consumer Interaction with Businesses Online
There’s good news for businesses online!
New media users are increasingly interacting with companies and brand in this environment. In fact, interactions are up 32 percent from 2008 with almost 80 percent (78%) of new media users engaging with businesses through traditional online or social media channels. This is according to our latest research, the 2009 Cone Consumer New Media Study.
The2nd annual new media study, an update of the 2008 Business in Social Media Study, is a three-part survey which explored new media users’ interactions with brands, their support of social and environmental issues and their engagement with corporate responsibility practices. The research also reveals new media users:
- Feel a stronger connection to (72%) and better served by (68%) companies they can interact with via new media
- Believe companies should market to them through traditional online advertising (43%, up from 25% in 2008)
- Believe they can influence corporate responsibility decisions by voicing opinions via new media channels (62%)
- Believe companies and nonprofits should use new media to raise money and awareness for causes (79%)
For additional findings, please visit www.coneinc.com/consumernewmediastudy to download the research fact sheets.
Tags: marketing socialmedia research PR newmedia cause media mobile blogs CR
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When marketing attacks, Apple gives as good as it gets
Not one to shy away from a little “friendly” competition, Verizon is at it again. Instead of its foe-du jour, (Comcast, around these parts) this time the telecommunications giant is taking on Apple and theiPhone. Recent commercials for Verizon mobile phones feature a play on Apple’s “There’s an app for that” tag line. Boasting a far greater coverage network than AT&T – the exclusive cellular provider for iPhone – Verizon heralds, “There’s a map for that,” to show the coverage disparity.
It seems Apple is the punching-bag-of-choice these days. The popularity of the revolutionary iPhone has prompted attacks from the likes of Verizon and BlackBerry, while long-time rival Microsoft launched its “I’m a PC” campaign in direct response to Apple’s Mac computer ads featuring actors Justin Long and John Hodgman. Microsoft’s newest marketing campaigns may be focusing on the launch of its Windows 7 operating system, but they still manage to allude to its self-proclaimed superiority to Macs.
Image Credit: PC World
Taking the opportunity to go on the offensive again, Apple is set to launch attack ads attempting to lure PCers to the Mac by shining a light on Windows’ susceptibility to viruses and complicated interface. If consumers are looking to upgrade old computers, this is as good a time as any for Apple to try to winsome converts. But why the decision to use such contentious marketing messages?
The London Times blames it on the American economy. According to a Times interview, “In tough times, marketers know that people become more rational in their decision-making, so they're somewhat more susceptible to being told straight out: ‘This product is better than the other one.'” Be careful what you say in the heat of battle, however; incense your competitor enough and you could end up with a lawsuit. Gatorade didn’t take kindly to advertising claims from Powerade and ended up going to court and involving the FDA over the matter. Subway even sent Domino’s a cease-and-desist letter (the pizza chain subsequently lighted it on fire in its next commercial).
Although it’s unlikely Apple will sue or be sued, the battle for computing and mobile supremacy rages on as consumers hold tight to their wallets. Who will be the next to take on the world’s most admired company?
Tags: economy marketing campaigns advertising
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Face-to-face creates a better dialogue
When does a meeting need to be face to face?
Fast Company poses this question to our CEO Jens Bang in its online series "30 Second MBA," whichfeatures CEOs andother executive leadership sharing best practices for business management.
As he explains, a face-to-face meeting allows the participants to "express the emotionality behind the communication."
Tags: PR cone bestpractices planning
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Digital Download
Your weekly glimpse into the world of new media
Social: Just because your company uses social media, doesn’t mean people are talking about it. Well, burger chain Red Robin and Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati are doing something about that. After taking a post-meal survey in-restaurant, Red Robin invites diners who opt-in to post recommendations on their Facebook pages, which Red Robin then posts on its own page. In a similar call-to-action, Ducati rewards fans who disseminate a branded quiz, found on its new social networking site, with points that can be redeemed at Amazon.com.
Video: Rather than rely on consumer-generated videos to promote its new Fresh Ideas pre-sliced deli meat, food brand Sara Lee went out and hired actresses and comediennes posing as over-worked moms who manage to fit the sandwich meats into their busy days. The three video spots, available on YouTube and Facebook, feature mini, day-in-the-life vignettes of crazed working moms.
Research: Looking to jump on the iPhone app bandwagon? A recent survey from Compete Smartphone Intelligence reports smartphone owners’ favorite types of apps are entertainment, games, music, social networking and weather. Want more good news? Nearly a third (30%) of all smartphone owners are comfortable receiving targeted marketing on their phones.
Mobile: Speaking of apps, Finnish cellphone maker Nokia is promoting its latest customizable phone, the N97, by allowing consumers to create their own apps. Creators of the top 10 apps will win a free phone pre-installed with their creation.
Misstep: New media are rapidly gaining in popularity, but it seems they’re missing the boat when it comes to being a source of daily news. According to the First Amendment Center, Americans still consider traditional media the top source for news. A VERY distant second are the Internet, Twitter and social networks.
Our favorite: Red Robin and Ducati. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Driving fans to your social network is only half the battle. So engage your consumers and put them to work as brand ambassadors.
Tags: digitaldownload research mobile food socialmedia promotion moms
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The Oprah-KFC effect
Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime. Offer him free fish, and hoards of people will overrun your restaurant so fast you’ll risk food shortages and riots. Or something like that…
It seems there’s no end to restaurants and food brands offering coupons for free meals and products. What’s surprising, however, is just how little the participating companies understand the power of the word “free.” In this economy – or any economy, really – you’ll find people hard-pressed to pass on free food, as any parents visiting their child at college can tell you. Offer to take the roommates to dinner, and suddenly you’re staring at a two-hour wait for a table for 10.
So, why do marketers continue to underestimate the demand? Didn’t the Oprah-KFC incident teach us anything? Apparently, we’re still waiting for the lesson to sink in. Just last week, restaurant chain TGI Friday’s had to face the ire of Facebookers everywhere when coupons for a free Jack Daniel’s burger or chicken sandwich ran out 24 days sooner than expected. To stem the groundswell of negative comments, TGIF hastily extended the promotion. What was initially an offer of free burgers for the first 500,000 Facebook followers of TGIF “fan” Woody, has been opened up to the first million. At the time of this post, Woody is closing in with 970,739 followers.
In a similar incident, Smucker’s launched a promotion offering 20,000 coupons for free packages of Uncrustables Sandwiches. Within hours of going live online, the coupons were gone. The program was slated to run through October, and it didn’t even make it out of September. According to a Smucker’s PR executive, it doesn’t look like the company will make any more coupons available. This hardly seems like a good move, especially as Smucker’s tries to drive moms to its Web site to submit tips on giving their kids and the whole family “a wholesome, satisfying and convenient snack.” Moms can still provide tips, but they shouldn’t expect free sandwiches.
The lesson here? Take a cue from the Oprah-KFC effect. Coupons for free food will inevitably run out – and faster than you think. So, take the time to prepare a contingency that won’t leave consumers feeling cheated. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.
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Tags: Facebook economy food promotion planning
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Digital Download
Your weekly glimpse into the world of new media
Mobile: Starbucks launches an iPhone app and outmaneuvers Dunkin’ by letting you actually pay for coffee with your phone. Mobile barcodes may be the next big marketing trend, as other retailers continue to experiment with them.
Experiential: To promote its Black Pepper Jack and Smoking Cheddar BBQ flavors, Doritos is brining back the Hotel 626 online fright fest – this time as Asylum 626 – to resurrect the retired flavors from the dead.
Social: Fast-casual TGI Friday’s new spokesperson is a lot more likeable than the chain expected. Its new Facebook campaign resulted in 500,000 friends in only six days.
Research: A new report from the e-Tailing Group finds five out of 10 social media tools have been adopted by more than 50 percent of brands and retailers.
Misstep: Google Gmail users were without access to their contacts while the search giant’s email platform suffered another outage.
Our favorite: The Starbucks iPhone app. Some day we’ll be able to run the whole world from our phones.
Tags: Facebook newmedia clients campaigns digitaldownload trend
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Using humor is no joke...for marketers
We all know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but for marketers, it’s more a question of getting to his wallet. And, the answer? Apparently, it’s a good laugh at his friend’s expense. At least that’s what these brands targeting the 18- to 34-year-old male are hoping for:
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Captain Morgan is literally “Calling All Captains" after launching an online tool that that lets users send prank voicemails to their friends. The messages range from angry bartenders and boyfriends to the “hottie” from the bar last night. Messages can be personalized by adding the recipient’s name and even references to clothing worn the previous evening.
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Those who’d rather place live phone calls should download SpoofApp to their phone. SpoofApp lets users change the Caller ID display of the person they're calling and can even alter the caller’s voice to sound like a man or a woman. Every call can be recorded and played back later, just in case it wasn’t funny enough the first time. (iPhone users, however, are out of luck. SpoofApp was rejected by the iPhone App Store.)
As recent research demonstrates, there’s a definite ROI for humor marketing. According to a Canadian study, 67 percent of Canadians say humor is the secret ingredient that makes an advertisement most persuasive, more than overt sexuality and celebrity endorsement. (That’s too bad for Australian beer Skinny Blonde, whose temperature-activated bottle label features a curvy blonde who loses her bikini top as the bottle gets colder.) And, a 2009 behavioral study published in Psychology and Marketing found humor can indeed increase ad and brand recall when it’s unexpected and related to the product.
Using humor in marketing certainly isn’t innovative, but Captain Morgan and SpoofApp have taken an innovative approach to a tried and true tact. By allowing users to continuously interact with their brands, they’ve extended the humorous moment beyond an advertisement and turned it into a memorable (and lasting?) experience.
Tags: marketing campaigns advertising mobile
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Where have all the print editions gone?
A few months ago, account director Byron Calamese lamented the struggling newspaper industry, and consequently, the future of his first job -- paper boy. Now, Carol Cone, our chairman and founder, expresses her own sadness and makes a plea to save print newspapers. Read her thoughts on our sister blog, What Do You Stand For?
Tags: economy media
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What’s the soundtrack to your brand?
Brands all over the world are exploring their inner-musicians. In an attempt to appeal to tweens, teens, Millennials and pretty much any music fan out there, brands have turned up the music in their promotions and programs.
JetBlue recently launched “Live from T5,” an online contest that will choose musical acts to fill the last five slots in its Live from T5 concert series held in its T5 terminal at JFK Airport in New York.
Disney starlet Selena Gomez is the spokestween for Sears’ “Air Band Casting Call,” a competition to find a fifth member for its Arrive Air Band, which will be performing at the MTV Video Music Awards.
In Canada, Bud Light is introducing its “Bud Light Lime Summer Tunes” promotion to reward Facebook fans who petitioned to bring Bud Light Lime to Canada. Facebookers have a chance to win free downloads of the top 10 songs as selected by the brand’s fans.
The “Bacardi Bat Project” commissions new songs from up-and-coming music artists and makes them available for download via popular music blogs.
Not wanting to pay music artists to appear in its Chinese advertising, PepsiCo launched a music label in China to develop its own crop of music stars.
Through its "Adopted Bands" program, Denny's sponsors bands to eat for free and host after parties at local Denny's restaurants while on the road.
These days, an MP3 player is as indispensible an accessory as a cell phone – and in many cases is a cell phone, too – and brands are seizing the opportunity to appeal to a younger, hipper, music-loving crowd. It looks to be a win-win for the brands and the bands, but will it be music to consumers’ ears?
Tags: campaigns celebrity promotion advertising
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Dog owners crave canine companionship more than their daily cup of coffee
Nearly half of all American dog owners say they cannot live without their dogs on a daily basis, according to a new Beneful survey. That means a daily pooch pick-me-up is more important than their morning cup of coffee (35%), television (35%), their car (26%), their cell phone (23%) or even best friends (15%)!
To honor this powerful relationship between dog owners and their best friends, our client, Beneful, launched WagWorld.com, an online destination where dog lovers can find and share new dog-friendly places to visit with their dogs, write reviews, upload pictures and pass along posts to friends and family.
The site allows canine crazies to filter searches by places to eat, places to play or places to sleep. And, all suggestions are rated by WagWorld users on a five-paw scale. WagWorld comes at a good time as branded Web sites and the opinions of others online have become the second most-trusted sources of advertising. In fact, WagWorld may soon be known as Yelp! for dogs.
In celebration of the launch, Beneful is also searching for the Top 10 Most Dog-Friendly Cities in America. Visit WagWorld.com between July 27 and September 27 to add reviews, post photos or upload stories about living life with your dog in your city. The cities with the most buzz will make the top 10 list to be announced this October.
Tags: promotion newmedia socialmedia clients
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5 marketing trends we're seeing everywhere
- Fierce competition: Rivals square off
- All aTwitter: Brands find clever ways to use Twitter
- Everywhere you want to be: Marketers going mobile
- "Video killed the radio star": Marketers are turning to Web video
- I hardly recognized myself: Brand revitalizations
Tags: marketing branding campaigns advertising newmedia Twitter promotion PR
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A recipe for success
Today, everybody’s trying to save a buck, but a guy’s still got to eat. For fast-casual and fast-food chains, it would seem a no-brainer to slash prices on popular offerings and stand back as the crowds rush in. That’s the tact taken by Yum Brands Inc., but the low-priced fare didn’t quite pay off. Taco Bell’s and Pizza Hut’s second-quarter, same-store sales actually declined in spite of economically priced menu items.
So why weren’t consumers attracted to the cheaper eats? According to a recent Performics study, 69 percent of consumers surveyed said they are spending less money on eating out. This means consumers aren’t going to be swayed by low-priced promotions if they are already making a conscious decision to eat more meals at home. In fact, popular restaurant chains are looking to store-bought frozen meals as alternative income. California Pizza Kitchen, Starbucks and Burger King are among the many chains with restaurant menu items for sale in supermarkets' frozen food aisles.
But, restaurants can’t rely on packaged foods for long. To woo customers away from their eat-in kitchens, some restaurant chains are looking to draw crowds with incentive programs. Denny’s introduced a Grand Slam Bahamas Vacation Getaway promotion. Customers can earn scratch-off game cards by purchasing special menu items. Prizes range from free food and beverages to a grand-prize Bahamian vacation for two. Or, for the truly daring, Chick-fil-A honored Cow Appreciation Day by offering a free meal to anyone who stopped by its franchises dressed like a cow.
Restaurants are quickly learning that consumers in this economy are changing their habits and saving at unprecedented levels. To move dinnertime out of the house, restaurant chains are going to have to learn to get creative. Price cuts can’t be the only answer. Give consumers a reason to spend their hard-earned money in your restaurant.
Tags: economy food promotion
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What’s the most offensive ad of all time?
“There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Words to live by for the Burger King advertising folks. The latest entry in a long line of Burger King ads offending consumers takes aim at the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. She is featured sitting atop a ham sandwich in an in-store advertisement captioned, “a snack that is sacred.” Burger King quickly removed the ad after many complaints that it was offensive toward Hindus, many of whom are vegetarians.
But, Burger King is not new to the controversial advertising tactic. Anyone remember the “I like square butts” commercial? If you don’t, it’s probably because it was pulled from the air shortly after its debut, blamed for being sexually overt and targeted toward children. And, how could we overlook the recent BK Super Seven Incher ad?
All this talk of distasteful Burger King ads got us thinking. What’s the most offensive advertisement of all time? We took a quick office poll.
Here are some of our top picks:
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Carl’s Jr. “Paris Hilton Car Wash” commercial
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GM “Robot Suicide Dream” commercial
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GoDaddy.com “Congressional Wardrobe Malfunction” commercial
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Motrin “Mom” commercial
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Pepsi Max “Suicidal Calorie” ad
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Quizno’s “Toasty Torpedo” commercial
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Snickers “Mechanics Kiss” commercial
And, an oldie, but a goodie:
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Marlboro cigarettes baby ad
What’s your pick for most offensive advertisement of all time?
Tags: campaigns food advertising
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How far is Kansas City from Mongolia? One tweet.
Twitter. It’s revolutionary and paradigm-shifting. But, what exactly is it? It’s a little bit Facebook status update, a little bit AOL Instant Messager, a little bit LinkedIn and a little bit RSS feed. Ask a thousand different people what Twitter is, and you will get a thousand different answers.
For the family of 10-year-old Anand of Mongolia, Twitter was an answer to its prayers. After being severely burned by fireworks, Anand and his mom traveled thousands of miles from home to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO to seek treatment. The rest of his family couldn’t afford to make the trip, but what was already a trying time back in Mongolia was made a little easier through Twitter. From across the globe, the family followed along as hospital staff tweeted real-time updates from the operating room giving Anand’s family a way to stay connected from afar.
So, Twitter. Revolutionary, paradigm-shifting and making the world a smaller place. Maybe the genius of Twitter is that it truly can be all things to all people. For some, it’s a professional development tool, and for others it’s a news feed. But for Anand’s family it was a little piece of mind during a difficult ordeal.
How will you use Twitter today?
read more...
Tags: Twitter
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A Late-Night Snack Smackdown
In the battle for Millennials with the midnight munchies, who’s going to win out?
In one corner you have 56-year-old fast-casual heavyweight Denny’s. Standing opposite, at 47 years old, is Yum Brands’ fast-food stalwart Taco Bell. Odds-makers might give the nod to the Bell, as Denny’s continues to lose late-night customers who prefer to "think outside the bun."
But before you place your bets, check this out—Denny’s has a little star power for a cornerman. For the last year, the chain has run its "Allnighter" program, which adopts up-and-coming musicians, provides them with $1,000 in Denny’s gift cards and invites them to create special late-night menu options. Denny’s then uses its social media platforms to advertise the bands’ after-parties and menu items. Alumni include Rascal Flats, Katy Perry and Good Charlotte.
Not to be outdone, however, is the creator of the "Fourthmeal,"—for those who can’t face the foodless hours between dinner and breakfast. Taco Bell’s latest campaign features the video, "It’s All About the Roosevelts," which debuted in movie theaters last week airing before "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." With "Saturday Night Live"’s Andy Samberg and his "Digital Shorts" as its muse, the video features a rap star talking-up the chain’s late-night menu, which can be purchased for only a few "Roosevelts," or dimes.
Both campaigns are heavy on the social media—each features its own microsite—including video downloads, Twitter campaigns and mobile apps. So, this is sure to be a tough bout. Denny’s has the celebrities, but Taco Bell has the reputation. Only time, and the much sought-after youth market, will tell.
Let’s get ready to rumble!
Tags: campaigns food celebrity socialmedia Millennials
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Timberland CEO Interview Wins Clip of the Month
A 24-minute interview with BBC’s HARDtalk host Stephen Sackur is a hard ticket to get. But, Cone Senior Account Executive Jodi Housman made it happen, securing an interview for Timberland CEO Jeffrey Swartz. Congratulations to Jodi, as she takes the Brand Marketing group’s Clip of the Month Award for May.
Honorable mentions go to:
Aryn Ehlow for GQ’s coverage of Barbour
Lindsay Harrington for the Associated Press’ coverage of Deloitte LLP
Lindsey Shumway for the Associated Press’ coverage of Jiffy Lube InternationalTags: media awards mediarelations
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Nonprofit Brands Contribute Millions to Organizational Revenue
Brand—a word often associated with large, consumer-facing companies whose products fill supermarket shelves or suburban shopping malls. But, a brand is just as important to nonprofit organizations, too. After all, a solid brand identity tells an important story. It sets expectations, gains attention, fosters relationships and ultimately helps ensure long-term survival.
In our latest research, The Cone Nonprofit Power Brand 100, conducted in collaboration with Intangible Business, we looked at the relationship between nonprofits’ brand images and their revenues. What we found might surprise you. Nonprofit brands can contribute millions, and sometimes billions, of dollars to organizations’ revenues!
Check out our sister blog, What Do You Stand For?, to find out more.
And tell us, what do you think are the major differences between for-profit and nonprofit brand management?
Tags: research cone nonprofitpowerbrand100
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This Isn’t Your Grandfather’s Media Anymore
Apparently, it’s not all gloom and doom for the newspaper industry. Amid continuous news of long-established papers being forced to fold, the city of Detroit is actually gaining a daily—The Detroit Daily Press.
This might be welcome news for media relations practitioners well-versed in the art of pitching traditional news outlets, but it hardly signals a return to business-as-usual for a media sector once dominated by newspapers. The landscape has changed. Newsrooms are cutting staff, closing bureaus and more and more, transitioning to “online-only” outlets.
Here are some quick tips for securing print coverage in these turbulent times:
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Don’t wait until Monday morning: The 24/7 online-news cycle means stories don’t have to wait for the work week to start
- Take advantage of news wires: Newspapers are losing staff and are often pulling stores right from the wire services
- Connect with reporters through new channels: Follow a reporter’s blog or Twitter page to see another side of the person you’re trying to pitch
- Consider paid PR content: Fewer staff doesn’t equal less news, meaning media may be more inclined to run with packaged content like a MAT release or satellite media tour (SMT)
- Have video content and b-roll available: Despite your efforts, not all stories will make it to print, but having video can improve chances of an online story
Tags: media bestpractices mediarelations
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Companies Can Wear Many Hats in Social Media
For consumer-facing companies for whom new media truly is new, building a presence on social networks can be fraught with anxiety. And, the results of a recent study will only add to that tension. According to a Knowledge Networks survey “How People Use® Social Media,” only five percent of social media users turn to these sites for guidance on purchase decisions.
Ouch! With results like that, a social media presence may suddenly seem irrational. But, before you reach for the phone to cancel any campaigns, take a breath and remember—there is more to a social media strategy than influencing purchase behaviors.
A robust social media presence can offer consumers another touch point for interacting with your brand in ways they otherwise wouldn’t. According to our 2008 Business in Social Media Study, when asked about specific types of interactions, Americans who use social media believe:
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Companies should use social networks to solve my problems (43%)
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Companies should solicit feedback on their products and services (41%)
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Companies should develop new ways for consumers to interact with their brand (37%)
Just last week, clothing retailer Old Navy learned of growing consumer discontent with its coupon offerings by monitoring blog conversations. By doing so, Gap Inc., Old Navy’s parent company, was able to stem the flow of negative comments by altering its policy.
And this situation isn’t unique. Marketers are increasingly realizing the customer service—and ultimately crisis prevention—potential of social media. As a recent Brandweek article explains, “Consumers also expect marketers to respond quickly no matter the issue.” As a result, many companies are establishing a presence on Twitter to provide consumers with an instant point of contact, allowing them to circumvent traditional customer-service hotlines.
It’s true. Consumers may not be turning to your Facebook or Twitter pages looking for purchasing advice. But, by just being there you’re providing opportunities to engage with your brand and maybe even make a lasting impression. And that might be just the push they need the next time they’re faced with a purchase decision.
Tags: research socialmedia
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With New Media, Outcomes Are Never Certain
Recently, we shared our excitement for Starbucks’ latest social media campaign. The coffee giant asked its consumers to photograph Starbucks’ outdoor advertisements and upload the Twitpic to their Twitter feeds using the campaign’s hashtag.
This was all well and good until anti-Starbucks activists “hijacked” the campaign and uploaded their own Twitpics. Instead of pictures of the Starbucks’ advertising, the activists’ pictures featured homemade banners protesting the chain’s stance on union representation for its employees.
The lesson for Starbucks, or any company embarking on a new media campaign, is to recognize that when it comes to new media, you don’t really control the conversation or the outcome. If you understand and accept this, you can prepare yourself for negative dialogue. And, you may even learn something that can turn into a positive.
Tags: clients newmedia socialmedia
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FIRST on ABC Takes Clip of the Month
At Cone, we love to recognize all the hard work of our brilliant, creative staff. One such recognition is the Clip of the Month Award. Each month we honor the employee who secured the best media placement, as voted on by peers, on behalf of his or her client.
Congratulations to the April Clip of the Month winner, Maureen O’Connell, for securing coverage of FIRST—a nonprofit started by Segway inventor Dean Kamen to foster science, engineering and technology skills in young people—on ABC World News Tonight on April 20, 2009.
Honorable mentions go to:
Anjala Gulati for Working Mother’s coverage of Lindt
Aryn Ehlow for Forbes.com’s coverage of Ben & Jerry’s
Chrissy Redmond for Ideal Bite’s coverage of Guayaki
Hilary Blowers for CBS Early Show’s coverage of Lindt
Jodi Housman for The New York Times “Green Inc.” blog’s coverage of Timberland
Kimberly Leistinger for CNN.com’s coverage of FIRST
Tags: awards media mediarelations
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Bulldog Media Relations Summit Recap
Cone’s EVP of Crisis Prevention & Management, Mike Lawrence, recently had the privilege of speaking at the 2009 Bulldog Media Relations Summit in New York, NY. His presentation, entitled “Lightning Response: Surviving the First 24 Hours of Crisis” can be viewed below.
Thank you to everyone who attended!
Tags: newmedia socialmedia crisis
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Starbucks Engages Gen Y Via Twitter
No stranger to social media marketing—think revolutionary customer service/social media site My Starbucks Idea, launched in 2008—Starbucks is rolling out a new campaign that taps into the surging popularity of Twitter. Aimed at Gen Y coffee drinkers, the outdoor advertisements challenge consumers to be the first to snap and post a picture of the ads to Twitter using the campaign hashtag.
The particular genius behind this campaign, or any social media campaign done right, is that rather than attempt to draw consumers into a Starbucks store before interacting with them, the coffee chain is making an effort to interact with Gen Y consumers where they already are—on Twitter. And, the timing couldn’t be better. With close to 60 percent of social media users feeling a stronger connection to and better served by companies when they can interact with them via social media, according to Cone’s 2008 Business in Social Media Study, meeting consumers on their own turf and tapping into what they are already doing can foster a more effective brand relationship than talking at them through traditional advertising. The idea behind social media is to take risks by relinquishing control of the brand message, and in so doing, forge a deeper, more dialogue-based relationship with customers.
By the way, Twitter isn’t the only social media tool Starbucks is tapping. Part of this latest campaign is a series of YouTube interviews with coffee experts and a contest for employees to submit headlines for future Starbucks ads. Past social media efforts include My Starbucks Idea and Shared Planet, the full online version of its Global Responsibility Report, which infuses social media and interactive elements into the Web site.*
We look forward to hearing the results of Starbucks’ latest social media endeavors.
*Cone provided the strategy for the Starbucks Global Responsibility Report and consulted on the Web site development.
Tags: clients socialmedia
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Lay's Goes Local
“We grow potatoes in Florida, and Lays makes potato chips in Florida…It’s a pretty good fit,” says Hastings, FL farmer Steve Singleton in a new Frito-Lay ad heralding Lay’s potato chips as a “local food.” Although a seemingly sound argument, long-time followers of the local food movement, “locavores,” fear the claim will dilute what it means to truly be a local food—which “is about an ethic of food that values reviving small scale, ecological, place-based, and relationship-based food systems.”
With increased consumer demand for environmentally friendly products—our own research shows that 35 percent of consumers have higher expectations of companies to make and sell environmentally responsible products during economic downturns—it’s no wonder Lay’s is joining the local food movement, even if it isn’t a perfect fit. The association, however, may seem disingenuous to some. Especially for a mass-market product that gets shipped all over the country, not just Hastings, FL.
We can’t fault Frito-Lay for wanting to reach new audiences, and the company's committment to envrionmental responsibility appears authentic, but this latest product claim risks alienating more people than it attracts. It’s important for CPGs to understand that they can’t be all things to all people. Riding the coattails of a fast-growing movement when it doesn’t suit your product not only damages the credibility of the movement and invites unwanted criticism from true-believers, but could ultimately leave consumers scratching their heads.
Tags: local branding
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Grilled Chicken and the Oprah Effect
Oprah is the holy grail of celebrity endorsements, so it shouldn’t have come as such a shock to KFC when its local franchises were inundated with customers eager to collect on a promise of a free two-piece grilled chicken meal.
To help launch its new grilled chicken line as a healthier alternative to fried chicken, KFC brought in Oprah, who is very publicly struggling with weight management, to promote the grilled chicken on her show. As part of the deal, Oprah viewers could visit her Web site and download a coupon for a free two-piece grilled chicken meal. Unprepared for the hoards of Oprah fans, KFC franchises were overwhelmed by the traffic. Customers complained of long lines, stores refusing the coupons, and Internet rumors surfaced about an alleged riot at a Manhattan KFC, which the chain is denying.
Marketing execs at KFC hit a home run when they signed Oprah, but could have better prepared franchisees for the increased demand that comes with an Oprah endorsement. The following are some simple tips for communicating nationwide promotions to local franchises.
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Communicate promotions as far in advance as possible: Give franchisees the opportunity to prepare their stores for crowds by ordering extra product or scheduling additional staff.
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Provide promotion activation guides or tool kits: Ensure franchisees are communicating the right messages to customers by supplying message guides and background information on the promotion, and give them tips for marketing the promotion locally.
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Set expectations: Provide traffic data from past promotions, or proxy data, so franchisees won’t be caught off-guard during the campaign.
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Measure ROI: Use this as an opportunity to gauge consumers’ attitudes about the company and the promotion. This will help not only in determining the success of the promotion in changing customers’ opinions, but guiding decision-making about future promotions.
Tags: crisis promotion
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Seven Ways to Step Up: PR Firms Should Lead Social Media Strategy—Here's How
Social media rule and now everybody wants to be on Facebook. In fact, our recent 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study reveals that 60 percent of Americans are using social media and of those, 59 percent are already interacting with companies online; 25 percent interact more than once per week. Expect your phone to ring any second with your clients demanding you augment their communications campaign with an innovative digital strategy.
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Tags: PR strategy socialmedia
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Trust in media?
From today's eMarketer newsletter comes some very interesting stats regarding trust of various media:
- Not surprisingly, recommendations from friends (word of mouth) is #1 at 48%.
- Online news is slightly more trusted than newspapers.
- Trust of private blogs is DISMAL. (Fewer than 1 in 10 people say they are an 8, 9 or 10 on a scale of 1-10 where 1 = "don't trust at all" and 10 = "trust completely")
What does this mean?
My gut reaction is BALANCE. A balance of: online and offline media; traditional and non-traditional; media focus and direct-to-consumer buzz generation through social networks. A program that garners millions of blog impressions but does not inspire consumer trust may be less likely to move the business needle than a well executed online media relations campaign and direct-to-consumer outreach.
Mike Hollywood, Director of New Media
Tags: Trust media wordofmouth blogs
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