A deep dive into digital marketing

Let’s get social

Posted by Chris under Advertising, Chicago, Community, Conference, Google, Social Networking, Twitter

Last week Google, at their Chicago office, hosted an afternoon event on social marketing along with a rawkstar party later that evening.

The event featured two keynote speakers: Jeremiah Owyang, Sr. Analyst Forrester and Paula Drum, VP, marketing, H&R Block. It was great to meet both of them as I’d spoken with them via phone, email and twitter but not met face to face. Both of their presentations were great, as expected.

Prior to Jeremiah’s presentation he sent a tweet that I’d be tweeting the presentation and thanks to Mrs. Naslund’s Freshman typing my typing speed allowed me to keep followers up to date. Interestingly his one tweet added about 30 followers, again showing the power of social networking.

Dick Costello, that’s right of Feedburner hosted a panel discussion, which unfortunately I couldn’t stay for however you can catch the photos of the even here (thanks Kate for posting on Picasso). And in addition to the photo’s Google has also posted PDF’s of the presentation which are here as well.

If you want to see the archive of tweets from the presentations they are here, but you’ll have to go back a few pages as well.

Shake it up baby

Posted by Chris under Advertising, Flash

A good friend of mine just sent this advert for Wii that’s running on YouTube. Check it out. And more here on Adrants blog.

First blush, wow how the heck did they do this. Second look, ahh it’s one big flash file.

Next thought, very cool they made it look like a YouTube page, I wonder if it all works. Drat it doesn’t. So points for keeping the traditional functionality look but a ding for not actually making it work.

Still kudos for the work and to Google/YouTube for letting them do it.

CNMS08

Posted by Chris under Advertising, CNMS08, Chicago, Community, Conference

Tomorrow is the first day of CNMS08 and there’s going to be a lot to take in as the schedule is jam packed. There’s lot’s of great local talent presenting Monday and Tuesday and if you can’t make the full conference you might want to check out the CNMS08 social event tomorrow night from 6-10pm.

I’ll be tweeting the sessions, for as long as the battery lasts, or hopefully I can grab a seat near an outlet. And you can catch it here.

Here’s a link to the PDF of the summit schedule or the PDF itself cnms08_planner_v6

Gates, better than Seinfeld?

Posted by Chris under Advertising, Microsoft, Technology

Just a quick note and then you’ll have to click through to Venture Beat, for their take, on the latest and uncut or long form version of the second spot.

More thoughts on it later but hmm, to quote the old Wendy’s stuff, where’s the beef.

But hey, for the (third) richest man on the planet he can sure carry his acting weight along with Seinfeld. And you can’t buy that with microsoft stock!

or stick around and watch it here.

There is no I in team but there is a me

Posted by Chris under Advertising, Community, I wish I'd thought of that, Research

crowdSPRING at DEMO

Posted by Chris under Advertising, Awards, Chicago, Community, Conference

Check out the great presentation from the guys from crowdSPRING at DEMO. My good friends from crowdSPRING, Ross, Mike, Pete (running the demo) and dennis Ryan, CCO from Element79. Then vote for them here, I think they deserve best DEMO presentation!

oh and pass it on!

Mad Men leaves TV

Posted by Chris under Advertising, I wish I'd thought of that, Social Networking, Twitter

Well not really but they did jump on Twitter. A few days ago, when I was slightly checked out on vacation; yes I was hitting the tables in Vegas and yes did leave with more then I arrived with. Something happened in the twitter space.

Man Men characters, no not the actors, the characters started twittering. I noted it the other day, and thought wow what a great campaign by AMC. Plenty of people tweeted that it not only wasn’t AMC but it was passionate fans that were then shut down by AMC.

But then smartly brought back.

I’m in a brainstorm right now and we’re talking about how to create, tap into and use word of mouth marketing and fan passion. But can we really, as marketer, create this?

David Armano blogged about how this is creating new rules. I’ll build on this it’s not just rule changing and another nod to the power of consumers; it can not just be created, as in let’s create word of mouth marketing.

The people behind, part of, and living wearesterlingcooper.com are not only fans, they are spot on writers, characters and create an interaction the brings to show to life.

Now I’m an ad guy, have been since I sold sweet corn to local grocery stores when I was 11 and there are times that I can be pretty darn cynical about the business. But I love Mad Men. The writing, the sets, the cinematography and even the pacing, it almost feels like a guilty pleasure to watch. And it’s even more a guilty pleasure to take the time out to tweet with the characters. And I have to admit it’s been quite fun to tweet with Betty Draper.   What started as a coffee stained shirt turned into Betty giving me advice on how to clean it with alcohol and later comments on my new cufflinks, which my wife echoed when I got home.

And you know, I love the show even more now. I’m part of the feedback loop and have told at least a dozen people this morning alone about the show and the twittering. A few haven’t seen the show, but they are interested now.

So one person told ten people who told…

If only we could “make” passionate fans but we can’t. But we can create a great experience and one in which we can hope to ignite and then fan the flames our our passionate audience.

Because when you have a fan base who writes a manifesto (below) like the folks at wearesteerlingcooper you truly have created something beautiful

Fan fiction. Brand hijacking. Copyright misuse. Sheer devotion. Call it what you will, but we call it the blurred line between content creators and content consumers, and it’s not going away. We’re your biggest fans, your die-hard proponents, and when your show gets cancelled we’ll be among the first to pass around the petition. Talk to us. Befriend us. Engage us. But please, don’t treat us like criminals.

This site exists to catalogue the conversation around AMC’s Mad Men and its fanbase across the social web. But it’s just the beginning. ‘We are Sterling Cooper’ is a rallying cry to brands and fans alike to come together and create together.

Mad Men on Twitter

Posted by Chris under Advertising, Social Networking, Twitter

In what starts to feel a bit to real, its like the 60’s meets the new millenium. The characters from Mad Men are on twitter. And it’s a little to real.

And I have to say I love it!

Follow along

http://twitter.com/Don_Draper

http://twitter.com/Betty_Draper

http://twitter.com/Roger_Sterling

http://twitter.com/peggyolson

http://twitter.com/pete_campbell

and more

There appear to me two of each both a first_last and firstlast. so we’ll see which are the “real” ones, maybe both

Ok I got on vacation for a few days and I miss out on the fun, I assumed (wrongly) that this was the work of AMC. Instead it’s fan fiction done one better and done right. Crap I’m even more of a fan of the show then I was before.

More here wearesterlingcooper.com

Today’s time waster and great online advertising

Posted by Chris under Advertising, Flash, I wish I'd thought of that

How can you resist yearbook yourself. Check it out here but as you are playing note that hey this is also advertising. The links go to actual stores in an actual mall. Seeming done by Taubman a property investment/mgmt. company, not only is this super fun to play with but what a great way to get the word out about your stores.

Kudos!

Social Media, look in the mirror first

Posted by Chris under Advertising, I wish I'd thought of that, Social Networking

The other day, Greg Verdino wrote a great post yesterday entitled “Social media: lipstick on a pig or total makeover?” Can I say spot on.

In summary the article is about the hypocrisy of companies using social media or wanting to use social media for marketing when they don’t use it themselves. Thanks Greg I couldn’t agree more!

He goes on to say “If you ask me, starting with social media marketing can often amount to nothing more than putting lipstick on the pig (and yep, the pig in this case is your old school “anti-social” company.)  I can’t tell you how often marketers ask me for advice on how to use social media to reach new customers and sell more stuff, yet have never even considered how they can use the very same (or similar) tools to work better, smarter and cheaper themselves.  Worse still are those companies that seem hell-bent on marketing through social media yet can’t even access social media sites from within their firewalls.”

Then lists seven points that we should all be asking ourselves and our companies.

His point #3 is a big flag waver for me. “How might a private online community enable me to collaborate more seamlessly with my clients, investors and outside business partners?” Tools like Ning can change the way we collaborate not only with clients but also with our audience. Forrester has had some great white papers regarding the connected agency or help wanted 21st century agency, both of which I’d submit are must reads.

But as Greg points out if we don’t use/act/do internally we’re not only missing out we’re selling ourselves short. So let’s all wake up or wake up those around us!