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Archive for the ‘Marketing’ CategoryA Highly Recommended Read: ZAGFriday, February 27th, 2009
You can purchase the book on Amazon.com (click here) or check out the official ZAG website by clicking (here)
Must Read: Twitter Search - The New Kid on the BlockThursday, February 26th, 2009If you use Google exclusively for all your Internet searches, you must take a look at a new phenomenon that is the fastest growing search among teens and tech savvy adults. Whether or not you understand how twitter works, the fact is that millions of people are sending sms-type messages to groups of friends about their seemingly unimportant events throughout the day. Everything from letting their “friends” know that “I just boarded the Q train at times square to brooklyn,” to “I’m eating cabbage soup at Mike’s Diner” or “Delta Air Lines 1212 from lax to atl is delayed.” These seemingly useless conversations (or “tweets”) between thousands of groups of friends are all saved by Twitter and avilable through search to the genral public. What does this mean to you? While you may not be intersted in cabbage soup, what if you wanted to know the weather in Chicago right now? While the weather service will give you tempatures and general conditons, there is a way to see exactly what people in Chicago are saying about the weather this moment (see screenshot below). To take this a step further, when a new flash happens anywhere in the world, a twitter search is the quickest way to get first-hand reports from people on the scene as it happens. When a plane landed in the Hudson river, twitter had it first. The same goes for the Mumbai attack and every recent newsworthy event. Many businesses are even monitoring Twitter to see what customers are saying about their products as well as contributing their own buzz about promotions they are running and more. I encourage you to bookmark http://search.twitter.com to try it for yourself. While Google is great for many daily searches, Twitter is the best way to get a pulse right now on things that are importnant to you. (Click here for a quick video overview of twitter)
What is Guerilla Marketing?Wednesday, February 25th, 2009Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Typically, guerrilla marketing tactics are unexpected and unconventional; consumers are targeted in unexpected places, which can make the idea that’s being marketed memorable, generate buzz, and even spread virally.” -Wikipedia Here are two quick slide shows with some fantastic examples of how these tactics are applied: Why you may want to consider Twitter…Monday, February 23rd, 2009
Here’s what Holly Buchanan from marketingtowomenonline had to say: Your customers are talking about you on Twitter. You need to join in the conversation. Here’s a news flash - Twitter is turning into the new Google. More and more people are using Twitter Search. @lewmoorman says: Google used to get 100% of my queries. Today, I bet Twitter is getting at least 10% of them. There are some things Twitter is just flat out better at for getting information than Google. Here are just a few: researching companies, products and services for real customer feedback, breaking news and live events/conference updates. It is not a total threat but Twitter is so superior in these areas that people will indeed make the effort to search somewhere new to get the information. I do. Instead of going to your big flashy website, customers may be going to Twitter to get the real scoop. For example - I was curious about a new no calorie sweetener Truvia. (I suspect this company uses the same product naming service as the drug companies.) So what did I do? I went to Twitter Search to see what people are saying about it.
Imagine how nice it would have been if someone from Truvia was on Twitter. When I tweeted about it, they could reach out to me - answer any questions I had, maybe even give me some free samples to send to my friends, or prompt me to talk to my local Starbucks manager to request they carry Truvia. Calling all brands. Your customers are on Twitter. They are talking about you. Is it going to be a one way conversation or a two-way conversation? The choice is yours. Trackback: http://marketingtowomenonline.typepad.com/ Pepsi/Coke Competitor RivalrySunday, February 22nd, 2009Making up and pointing out a competitor’s flaws doesn’t have to be vicious. Strange humor used to target junk food-fueled teens.Friday, February 20th, 2009A somewhat recent trend over the past 2-3 years is making no sense to adults, but companies targeting teens through advertisements on the web and television are laughing their way to the bank! “Random humor” as teens might refer to it, is being used to sell anything from Skittles to Burger King, Mountain Dew to Starburst. Teens find them hilarious and relate to the characters and humor depicted in the ads: Didn’t get it? Maybe you shouldn’t, which is why they find it funny. It makes little sense with a dash of irony thrown in - a perfect recipe for advertising targeting teenagers. Many strange things are funny in the gawky and awkward life of a teenager, and the more they have to talk about and relate with each other, the better. These commercials are definitely fuel for conversation (whether you find them funny or not) How to sell soap.Friday, February 20th, 2009A short movie about viral marketing. Mac VS. PC campaignFriday, February 20th, 2009Branding Macintosh by using a Human analogy and some casual conversation - just another unique way Macintosh creates a niche for itself through marketing. Branding: TargetFriday, February 20th, 2009The bull’s eye design, a well-known universal icon, has become an instant reminder of Target’s Brand. Unlike other discount stores, such as Kmart, Ames, and Walmart, Target provides its customers with a comforting sensory experience through design. This is encouraging and supportive in the sense that it shows faith in the consumer that they have good taste. Wal-Mart provides little actual “experience.” It’s stores are filled with overstocked inventory is their weakness as Target gains its momentum. The visuals and overall sensory experience of Target’s commercials drive traffic but they would never work alone. There is a corresponding store environment that is in place to welcome customers and provide comfort through familiarity. The aesthetics which are reminiscent of the 50s and 60s are specifically appealing to baby boomers. The Target Bull’s Eye dog, is a take-off of “Our Gang”, a TV sitcom that baby boomers watched as kids. Everything about Target’s brand ties in to the consumer. It’s inviting, friendly, and unobtrusive. Consumers don’t feel forced to buy by the use of pushy messages and dominating design elements; they are invited to shop and if they make a purchase they expect to get more and pay less. This is how great design and branding has lead to Target’s success. | ||||||||||||||||
In an age of me-too products and instant comminications, keeping up with the competition is no longer a winning strategy. Today you have to out-position, out maneuver, and out-design the competition. Author Marty Neumeier illustrates the number one strategy of high-performance brands—radical differentiation.
