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	<title>Adventures in Emerging Media</title>
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		<title>Adventures in Emerging Media</title>
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		<title>Blogging: A View From the Inside</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/blogging-a-view-from-the-inside/</link>
		<comments>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/blogging-a-view-from-the-inside/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Jul 2009 20:29:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dialogue]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emerging media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IMC 619]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Internet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online conversation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[postings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[technorati]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cshanley.wordpress.com/?p=210</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After nine weeks of blogging, here’s my take on the whole experience. It is time consuming. It takes time to research topics, locate credible sources to link out to, hunt down free-use photos, apply personal context or analysis, and write and edit it so that it hopefully winds up being interesting. Don’t forget you then [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=210&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align:left;">After nine weeks of blogging, here’s my take on the whole experience.</p>
<div id="attachment_213" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 190px"><a href="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/wine-glass-sm.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-213 " title="wine-glass-sm" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/wine-glass-sm.jpg?w=180&#038;h=241" alt="Ernest von Rosen, www.amgmedia.com" width="180" height="241" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Ernest von Rosen, www.amgmedia.com</p></div>
<p><strong>It <em>is </em>time consuming.</strong> It takes time to research topics, locate credible sources to link out to, hunt down free-use photos, apply personal context or analysis, and write and edit it so that it hopefully winds up being interesting. Don’t forget you then have to promote it.</p>
<p>While this may not seem that difficult, try doing this twice a week while also writing five weekly classroom discussion posts, a weekly class paper, and working anywhere from 65-75 hours a week. It probably won’t come as any surprise to learn I have a love/hate relationship with my blog. But all in all, it’s been fun and interesting and it’s got me thinking about other blog themes.</p>
<p>As for just how much time it takes, that depends on you and your goals. Technorati’s <a href="http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/">State of the Blogosphere</a> shows that the majority of top bloggers spend anywhere from one to 10 hours a week on their blogs.</p>
<p>I spent anywhere from two hours a week, when a really great subject just sort of fell in my lap – like “Okay, Who Pooped?” – on up to five hours when finding a relevant topic took much more digging – like “Is Crowdsourcing A Mass-ive Concern for Marketers or Opportunity?”</p>
<div id="attachment_211" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 460px"><a href="http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/the-how-of-blogging/"><img class="size-full wp-image-211" title="chart-p3-timespent" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/chart-p3-timespent.png?w=450&#038;h=248" alt="Technorati: Time spent blogging each week" width="450" height="248" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Technorati: Time spent blogging each week</p></div>
<p><strong>Frequent postings keep readers engaged and coming back</strong>. Again, I started this blog as a requirement for my graduate class, which specified a minimum of two postings a week. While researching topics each week, I’d run across a lot that interested me and wish I’d had the time to write additional postings about them. I had to rein in my curiosity because I found myself being sidetracked by ideas swirling in my head. There’s no hard and fast rule about frequency – my advice is to be realistic about goals and time constraints.</p>
<div id="attachment_212" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 460px"><a href="http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/the-how-of-blogging/"><img class="size-full wp-image-212" title="chart-p3-postfreq" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/chart-p3-postfreq.png?w=450&#038;h=237" alt="Technorati: Posting frequency" width="450" height="237" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Technorati: Posting frequency</p></div>
<p><strong>Hot topics or controversial subjects tend to draw the most conversation.</strong> Of course this requires a certain amount of courage to be willing to bring them up and give an opinion that others may or may not agree with. But it also is what will attract readers from outside your circle of friends. When “Okay, Who Pooped?” elicited a comment from Talula, who I don’t know and who later returned to read and comment on others’ comments, it really drove home what this medium can do to connect with people. Thank you, Talula!</p>
<p><strong>There are many styles of blogs</strong>. I’ve been reading my classmates blogs and they’ve had some great topics that made me think, gosh, I wish I’d thought of that! Some examples are:</p>
<p> - Joe’s “<a href="http://joefactor.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/the-sixth-sense-great-ready-for-your-jaw-to-drop/">The Sixth Sense</a> – Get Ready for Your Jaw to Drop!” and Anna’s “<a href="http://perspextive.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/wikis-stop-trying-to-boil-in-a-frying-pan/">Wikis</a>… Stop Trying to Boil in a Frying Pan”</p>
<p>- R Petty’s “I May Not Be Famous Here, But I Am Very <a href="http://rpetty09media.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/i-may-not-be-famous-here-but-i-am-very-well-loved-in-prague/">Well-Loved in Prague</a>” and Maureen’s “<a href="http://perspextive.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/wikis-stop-trying-to-boil-in-a-frying-pan/">Bad Video</a> Can Do More Harm than Good” (caution: don’t watch the accompanying video while eating)</p>
<p>- Mitzi’s “<a href="http://mediamouth.wordpress.com/2009/07/12/newsgator-the-corporate-alternative-to-facebook-at-work/">NewsGator</a>: The Corporate Alternative to Facebook at Work” and Shannon’s “<a href="http://shannonclarke.wordpress.com/2009/07/12/542542-is-not-code-for-the-russian-national-security-agency/">542542</a> Is Not Code for the Russian National Security Agency”</p>
<p>And these are just a few. I highly recommend you read my classmates’ blogs linked at right under IMC619.</p>
<p><strong>Appreciate your community.</strong> I’ve been amazed by the people who have returned to read my blog, participated, and told me they’ve found it to be interesting. Thank you for your thoughts and opinions and the dialogue – and turning what started out as a class assignment into a really cool experience.</p>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
	
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			<media:title type="html">Cindy</media:title>
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		<title>Plastic Surgery Company Will Need Brand Facelift After Faking Consumer Reviews</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/plastic-surgery-company-will-need-brand-facelift-after-faking-consumer-reviews/</link>
		<comments>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/plastic-surgery-company-will-need-brand-facelift-after-faking-consumer-reviews/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Jul 2009 07:01:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Internet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Andrew Cuomo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[astroturfing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consumer reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fake reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle Lift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[phony reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TripAdvisor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[word of mouth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cshanley.wordpress.com/?p=202</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Word of Mouth Marketing Association’s ethics code clearly states that “Word of mouth cannot be faked. Deception, infiltration, dishonesty, shilling, and other attempts to manipulate consumers or the conversation are bad. Honest marketers do not do this, will not do this, and will get caught if they try. Sleazy behavior will be exposed by [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=202&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_205" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 190px"><a rel="attachment wp-att-205" href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/18/plastic-surgery-company-will-need-brand-facelift-after-faking-consumer-reviews/lemon-sm/"><img class="size-full wp-image-205" title="lemon-sm" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/lemon-sm.jpg?w=180&#038;h=182" alt="Ernest von Rosen, www.amgmedia.com" width="180" height="182" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Ernest von Rosen, www.amgmedia.com</p></div>
<p>The Word of Mouth Marketing Association’s <a href="http://womma.org/ethics/code/">ethics code</a> clearly states that “<strong>Word of mouth cannot be faked. </strong>Deception, infiltration, dishonesty, shilling, and other attempts to manipulate consumers or the conversation are bad. Honest marketers do not do this, will not do this, and will get caught if they try. Sleazy behavior will be exposed by the public and backfire horribly on anyone who attempts it.”</p>
<p>Let’s hope word of mouth spreads about Lifestyle Lift. This <a href="http://www.lifestylelift.com/">plastic surgery </a>company was caught posting fake consumer reviews online.</p>
<p>New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said this week the company has agreed to a settlement over its phony reviews. As part of the settlement, the company must pay $300,000 in penalties to the state and stop publishing anonymous reviews.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5irzghaXbc4YngJqeGbCZUs6KuREwD99EGK504">Associated Press</a>, the settlement appeared to be one of the first to address so-called astroturf marketing, or creating a bogus grassroots buzz about a product.</p>
<p>Good. As a marketer and a consumer, I’m disgusted by companies that resort to lying, cheating and stealing and to duping the public to enrich themselves. If they put half as much effort into improving their products and services, they wouldn’t need to stoop to such unethical practices.</p>
<p>Internal company e-emails allegedly directing Lifestyle Lift staffers to pretend to be satisfied clients on various Internet message boards was the Attorney General’s <a href="http://www.oag.state.ny.us/media_center/2009/july/july14b_09.html">smoking gun</a>:</p>
<p style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:3pt;"><span style="color:black;">“Friday is going to be a slow day – I need you to devote the day to doing more postings on the web as a satisfied client.” Another internal email directed a Lifestyle Lift employee to “Put your wig and skirt on and tell them about the great experience you had.”</span></p>
<p>As if that isn’t bad enough, the company also registered and created stand-alone Web sites, such as MyFaceliftStory.com, designed to appear as if they were created by independent and satisfied customers of Lifestyle Lift. In reality, however, Lifestyle Lift either provided all the “user comments” itself, or closely monitored and edited third-party comments to skew the discussion in favor of Lifestyle Lift.</p>
<p>In the settlement, Lifestyle Lift did not admit or deny any wrongdoing. The company in a statement said that &#8220;All &#8216;before&#8217; and &#8216;after&#8217; photography is of actual patients and their results. However, as <a href="http://www.abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=8092576&amp;page=1">ABC News reported</a>, &#8220;some of the postings were representative of patient testimonials and comments rather than actual verbatim comments.&#8221; Lifestyle Lift also said that management at the company has changed since the illegal postings and that a new internet policy is in place.</p>
<p>This sort of deception is all too common. Another recent example, also reported by the <a href="http://industry.bnet.com/travel/10002800/travel-roundup-tripadvisors-fake-reviews-travel-channel-for-sale-travel-agents-leaving-business-and-more/">Associated Press</a>, is <a></a>TripAdvisor, the travel Web site that cncourages customers to rate hotels online. It has added disclaimers to warn readers that hotels could be writing fake reviews to improve their rankings or hurt their competition.</p>
<p>Both of these situations reflect the growing influence of Internet review sites and increased efforts by companies to sway public opinion with glowing testimonials about their own products, or harsh critiques of their competition, the <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/healthcare/view/20090717caught_making_baldfaced_lies_plastic_surgery_co_posted_phony_testimonials/srvc=home&amp;position=also">Boston Herald says</a>.</p>
<p>Knowing what you now know about astroturfing, how will it affect your trust in consumer reviews?</p>
<a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/1792549/">View This Poll</a><br/><span style="font-size:10px;"><a href="http://polldaddy.com/features-surveys/">Market Research</a></span>
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			<media:title type="html">Cindy</media:title>
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		<title>The Power of Consumer-Generated Content and Broken Guitars</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/11/the-power-of-word-of-mouth-and-trust/</link>
		<comments>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/11/the-power-of-word-of-mouth-and-trust/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Jul 2009 06:49:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Internet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Viral]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[beccah beushausen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chris brogan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dave carroll]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guy kawasaki]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nielsen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[united breaks guitars]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cshanley.wordpress.com/?p=189</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Trust me, I’m not getting paid a cent to write this blog. Anything you read here has been written by me personally – not by a ghost blogger – and I’m not part of any blog syndication. Nor has anyone offered me the use of “free” products in exchange for coverage. I know this doesn’t put [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=189&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Trust me, I’m not getting paid a cent to write this blog. Anything you read here has been written by me personally – not by a ghost blogger – and I’m not part of any blog syndication. Nor has anyone offered me the use of “free” products in exchange for coverage.</p>
<p>I know this doesn’t put me in the same league as Guy Kawasaki, who reportedly didn’t <a href="http://davefleet.com/2009/03/guy-kawasaki-discloses-ghost-writers-defuses-issue/">disclose</a> he had other writers tweeting for him on Twitter until he was exposed, or Chris Brogan who <a href="http://www.chrisbrogan.com/advertising-and-trust/">accepted $500</a> from Kmart for a “sponsored” post, or <a href="http://www.nj.com/parenting/melysa_schmitt/index.ssf/2009/06/aprils_mom_blog_a_hoax.html">Beccah Beushausen</a>, the blogger who lied about being pregnant with a terminally ill child and received donations from readers.  But I’m okay with not being in their company.</p>
<p>People put a lot of trust in what they read online. Personal recommendations rank at the top, along with consumer opinions, of the online sources consumers worldwide most trust. According to the results of a new <a href="http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/global-advertising-consumers-trust-real-friends-and-virtual-strangers-the-most/">Nielsen survey</a> of 25,000 Internet consumers from 50 countries, 90 percent of the respondents said they trust recommendations from people they know, while 70 percent said they trusted consumer opinions posted online.</p>
<blockquote><p>However, in this new age of consumer control, <a href="http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/pr_global-study_07709.pdf">advertisers will be encouraged</a> by the fact that brand websites are trusted at that same 70 percent level as online consumer opinions … despite the authority of word of mouth when it comes to consumer decision-making, advertisers still have a major say in the process. This is backed up by past Nielsen studies which showed that the majority of people posting comments online went to the advertiser website or emailed feedback to the company before they posted. The website, and monitoring feedback through it, is a golden opportunity for advertisers to shape the tone and content of consumer opinion before it reaches the digital masses</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/global-advertising-consumers-trust-real-friends-and-virtual-strangers-the-most/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-190" title="trust_in_advertising" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/trust_in_advertising.png?w=450&#038;h=363" alt="trust_in_advertising" width="450" height="363" /></a></p>
<p>The growth in consumer-generated media over the past few years is a sign of consumers’ dependence on word of mouth. Handle a customer complaint badly and watch word of it spread throughout the Internet.</p>
<p>United Airlines knows what I’m talking about. Its baggage handlers smashed a guitar belonging to <a href="http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/story/united-breaks-guitars/">Dave Carroll</a> who was traveling with his Sons of Maxwell band mates. Carroll complained several times but got neither sympathy nor compensation from United. So he wrote a song about his experience and filmed a video. His “United Breaks Guitars” has gone viral with 1.8 million views and Carroll has told his story to reporters on the CBS Early Show, CNN, and several newspapers. Here are some of the comments on YouTube about the video:</p>
<blockquote><p>“Hey United? I had a round-trip flight from San Diego to Winnipeg booked for August with you. Guess what? I just cancelled it and rebooked it with someone else. There&#8217;s no way I&#8217;m giving you my money for treating these guys like this. What treatment do you have in store for me? if I&#8217;m your customer?”</p>
<p>“Wow&#8211;United sucks at customer service!! I just had a squabble with them&#8211;Thanks for singing it all for me&#8211; way better﻿ than I could.”</p>
<p>“Outstanding! you&#8217;ve [sic] spoken for all of my dearly departed lost luggage through﻿ the years.”</p>
<p> “Finally, we, the﻿ People, have power! Thanks to technology we can band together around issues from Unted [sic] and customer service, to Iran and human rights. WE need to stick together.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Now take a look at the video:</p>
<span style="text-align:center; display: block;"><a href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/11/the-power-of-word-of-mouth-and-trust/"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/5YGc4zOqozo/2.jpg" alt="" /></a></span>
<p>United is listening now and, well, singing a different tune.  Carroll plans to go forward with two more songs and videos about United anyway.  But the damage for United is already done as a result of this customer service fiasco. People are definitely talking and switching to competitors based on Carroll’s experience and the posted comments.</p>
<p>It bears repeating:  People put a lot of trust in what they read online.</p>
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		<title>Bag It and Tag It &#8211; With Augmented Reality Technology</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/bag-it-and-tag-it-with-augmented-reality-technology/</link>
		<comments>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/09/bag-it-and-tag-it-with-augmented-reality-technology/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:05:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Internet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[3-D]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[augmented reality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[big boi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blink-182]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[doritos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[doritos late night chips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[doritoslatenight.com]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[frito lay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[outkast]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cshanley.wordpress.com/?p=182</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hungry for a blink-182 concert but unable to make it due to other commitments or a cash shortage? Dive into a bag of Doritos for your “ticket” to a virtual concert of 3-D performance. Specially marked bags of Doritos Late Night Chips have markers that are recognizable by augmented reality technology that enhances video imagery [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=182&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_184" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/direct/e3i7d9dbfa38e84e3bbf6963f9a7209f9f5"><img class="size-full wp-image-184" title="96804-Doritos_latenight" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/96804-doritos_latenight1.jpg?w=300&#038;h=248" alt="Source: Brandweek" width="300" height="248" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Source: Brandweek</p></div>
<p>Hungry for a blink-182 concert but unable to make it due to other commitments or a cash shortage? Dive into a bag of Doritos for your “ticket” to a virtual concert of 3-D performance.</p>
<p>Specially marked bags of Doritos Late Night Chips have markers that are recognizable by augmented reality technology that enhances video imagery with computer-generated graphics in real-time. The concerts are being <a href="http://sev.prnewswire.com/food-beverages/20090706/LA4200006072009-1.html">billed by the company</a> as the first-ever augmented reality experiences to showcase live-action video within a 3-D, interactive environment.</p>
<p>Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it?</p>
<p>Here’s how it works. Buy the Doritos Late Night Chips and then logon to Doritoslatenight.com and point a special symbol on the back of the bag at a Web cam to launch the virtual performances that pop directly out of the bag. <em><a href="http://promomagazine.com/interactivemarketing/news/doritos-virtual-concerts-bags-0707/">Promo magazine</a></em> says fans can personalize the performance by the way they hold, move and shake the bag, offering up a new experience each time.</p>
<p>Outkast rapper Big Boi also performs a song using the same augmented reality technology as part of the campaign.</p>
<p>Enlisting famous faces to push products isn’t anything new, but as brands fight for attention in an increasingly saturated media market, advertising campaigns often turn to the Internet and the latest technologies to capture interest. According to Doritos’ parent Frito Lay, young consumers have come to expect the ability to enjoy music 24/7:</p>
<blockquote><p>“That&#8217;s why we&#8217;re putting Doritos lovers in control of when and where they access actual performances by two of the best musical acts across rock, pop and hip-hop, in a totally unprecedented way &#8211; a concert in the palm of your hand.”</p></blockquote>
<p>In a <a href="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/07/07/pm_doritos/">Marketplace interview</a>, Emotional Branding’s CEO Mark Gobe says this goes beyond the typical marketing gimmick:</p>
<blockquote><p>“At a time when traditional media is less powerful, they are trying to make the packaging the message. They are bringing people to a reality and an experience that is unique and can be shared.”</p></blockquote>
<p>This is another good example of the way emerging technology is changing the way consumers get information and marketers present their messages. RSS, video streaming, videopodcasting and podcasting, augmented reality – they’re all rapidly transforming the marketing landscape. It’s an exciting time to be in marketing and a part of what Wall Street Journal and Business 2.0 columnist <a href="http://www.themekgroup.com/whitepapers/whitepaper_I.html">Clay Shirky</a> calls the “greatest revolution in individual expression.”</p>
<p><em> </em></p>
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			<media:title type="html">Cindy</media:title>
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		<title>Is Crowdsourcing A Mass-ive Concern for Marketers or Opportunity?</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/is-crowdsourcing-a-mass-ive-concern-for-marketers/</link>
		<comments>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/is-crowdsourcing-a-mass-ive-concern-for-marketers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Jul 2009 03:12:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crowdsourcing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[don't mess with texas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[logo design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[logos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Microsoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[starbucks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[texas department of transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TxDOT]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cshanley.wordpress.com/?p=176</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[What’s a cost-effective way to create and produce a TV commercial? Do like the Texas Department of Transportation and crowdsource it. Crowdsourcing occurs when a company or institution invites a large pool of external people to perform a function rather than handling it internally.TxDOT has issued an open call to Texans 18 or older giving [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=176&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.clipartguide.com/_pages/0808-0712-3117-5830.html"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-177 aligncenter" title="question0808-0712-3117-5830" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/question0808-0712-3117-5830.jpg?w=150&#038;h=150" alt="question0808-0712-3117-5830" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:left;">What’s a cost-effective way to create and produce a TV commercial? Do like the <a href="http://www.txdot.gov/">Texas Department of Transportation</a> and crowdsource it.</p>
<p>Crowdsourcing occurs when a company or institution invites a large pool of external people to perform a function rather than handling it internally.TxDOT has issued an open call to Texans 18 or older giving them opportunity to submit their own videos in the search for the next Don&#8217;t Mess with Texas<sup>®</sup> TV commercial. The idea behind Car2Can™, a first-ever video contest by Don&#8217;t Mess with Texas, is to creatively show how to get trash from cars to trashcans instead of the side of Texas roadways, according to the <a href="http://woodlandsonline.com/newsarchives/archivedetails.cfm?id=31165">Woodlands Online</a>.</p>
<blockquote><p>-  The grand-prize winner&#8217;s video will air during prime-time television this summer, and the winner will also receive a $500 Wal-Mart gift card.<br />
-  The second-place winner will receive a Gibson Epiphone Les Paul II guitar branded by Sweet Leaf Tea.<br />
-  The third-place winner will receive a prize package from Sweet Leaf Tea.</p></blockquote>
<p>$500 for a TV commercial is pretty cheap considering it normally costs thousands of dollars to produce one.</p>
<p>Crowdsourcing isn’t new, but according to a <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jun2009/id20090615_946326.htm">BusinessWeek</a> opinion piece by Crispin, Porter + Bogusky executive John Winsor, the recession is making it more prevalent. He points to LG’s use of crowdsourcing for a new cell phone design as one of several companies turning to the masses for ideas and solutions:</p>
<blockquote><p>Customers, of course, are increasingly demanding participation. They expect the ability to co-create and lead innovation, and their volubility has forced companies to devise creative solutions to be competitive in a new bottom-up age. Procter &amp; Gamble, Starbucks, Dell, Best Buy, Threadless, and Nike have all created digital platforms that allow customers to help them create new products and messages. Starbucks received over 17,000 coffee ideas in the first 14 months since the launch of its proprietary online forum, <a href="http://www.mystarbucksidea.com/" target="_blank">mystarbucksidea.com</a>.</p></blockquote>
<p>Paula Whitla spells out the pros and cons of crowdsourcing in “<a href="http://www.clickadvisor.com/downloads/Whitla_Crowdsourcing_Application_in_marketing.pdf">Crowdsourcing and its Application in Marketing Activities”</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>The advantages of crowdsourcing are that it gives firms access to a potentially huge amount of labor outside of the firm which can complete necessary tasks often in a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost than if the same activities were conducted in-house. Some of the available ‘crowd’ may have limited skills but they will be willing to take on repetitive, menial tasks which cannot easily be performed by computers. On the other hand selected crowds may have a degree of expertise not available within the firm which can work to solve more complex issues or tasks. With particularly [sic] applicability to the marketing field, crowdsourcing allows firms to harvest ideas from a wide and diverse collection of individuals with experiences and outlooks different from those that exist within the firm.</p></blockquote>
<p>Whitla says there clear disadvantages to crowdsourcing, as well:</p>
<blockquote><p>Although the method works on the principle that ‘two heads are better than one,’ sometimes a crowd can return a vast amount of noise that may be of little relevance. As Jeff Howe has put it ‘sometimes crowds can be wise, but sometimes they can also be stupid’. For crowdsourcing to be effective tasks need to be focused and clearly explained and the firm needs to have procedures in place for effectively filtering and considering ideas that come in. For some types of work crowdsourcing will not be effective, there is a limited ability to use the methodology where the information to be gathered or project being worked on is secretive in nature.</p></blockquote>
<p>Crowdsourcing doesn’t seem to be fading away. Consider the <a href="http://dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/07/06/logo_business.ART_ART_07-06-09_A6_QCEC0I7.html?sid=101">recent launch</a> of <a href="http://www.logomyway.com/">Logomyway.com</a>, a Dublin online company that allows designers to submit entries to contests held by companies looking for new logos. Microsoft’s Task Market is another crowdsourcing platform aimed at buyers and suppliers of business-oriented services such as design, copywriting, and Web site development.</p>
<p>The increasing use of crowdsourcing has the potential to radically change marketing, and I’m not sure it will be for the better even though it may be inevitable.</p>
<p>What do you think?</p>
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		<title>Setting Out on an Advergaming Expedition</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/setting-out-on-an-advergaming-expedition/</link>
		<comments>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/setting-out-on-an-advergaming-expedition/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:40:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[advergaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Expedition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Expedition Africa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The History Channel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cshanley.wordpress.com/?p=157</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Could you guide an expedition on a 970-mile trek from Zanzibar to Ujiji and avoid leopards, snakes, crocs, fever and other obstacles before running out of food, ammunition and porters? This is the challenge posed by The History Channel’s new advergame, Expedition. Advergames are a special type of game created solely for the delivery of [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=157&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_158" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/africa-map.gif?w=150"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-158 " title="africa-map" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/africa-map.gif?w=150&#038;h=167" alt="http://www.CustomDigitalMaps.com/" width="150" height="167" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">CustomDigitalMaps.com</p></div>
<p>Could you guide an expedition on a 970-mile trek from Zanzibar to Ujiji and avoid leopards, snakes, crocs, fever and other obstacles before running out of food, ammunition and porters? This is the challenge posed by <a href="http://www.history.com/">The History Channel</a>’s new advergame, Expedition.</p>
<p>Advergames are a special type of game created solely for the delivery of an advertising message, and they are increasing gaining in popularity among marketers. According to <a href="http://www.parksassociates.com/research/reports/tocs/pdfs/parks-GameAdvertising.pdf">Parks Associates</a>, US spending on in-game advertising is expected to rise from $370 million to $2 billion in 2012.</p>
<p> A 2008 report on The Future of Advergames by <a href="http://www.firsthillmedia.com/Casual%20Connect%20-%20Future%20of%20Advergames%20-%201-2009.pdf">Casual Connect</a>, cites a study by Nielsen BASES and Nielsen Games with insight into why advertisers are becoming more interested in this medium.</p>
<blockquote><p>Among those exposed to ads while playing a game:</p>
<p>-  82% felt the games were just as enjoyable with ads as without</p>
<p>-  61% had more favorable opinions of products advertised after playing the game than they did before exposure</p>
<p>-  Aided recall increased 44% compared to pre-game levels</p>
<p>-  Positive brand attribute association increased 33% across all brands compared to pre-game results</p></blockquote>
<p>Expedition is part of The History Channel’s new interactive Web site promoting the launch of the new show <em>Expedition Africa. </em><em>According to <a href="http://www.dmnews.com/History-debuts-new-interactive-site/article/138980/">DM News</a>, t</em>he site was launched as part of a multiplatform marketing campaign that also includes online video, social media, out-of-home and TV ads.</p>
<blockquote><p>The site features eight interactive promotional landscapes that correspond to each episode of the show, as well as videos, photos and interactive games. The idea behind this design strategy was to bring the show to life on the Web. It is highly interactive and has a lot of Flash and HTML design, without sacrificing search engine optimization.</p></blockquote>
<p>The History Channel is using social media sites to spread the word about its new show and to pull viewers to its site. It’s promoting the game on its Facebook page to its 89,000 fans, for example. There’s buzz about the program among 6,800 Twitter followers.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0;">As marketers work to tie interactivity with social media tools, advergames seem poised to pick up steam as a vehicle for getting a brand out to a broad, receptive audience.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0;"><a href="http://www.history.com/expedition/game/">Try the game</a>. Let me know if you agree. See if you can beat my score</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0;">of 1100.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0;"> </p>
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		<title>Hello, Netflix – Are You Listening to What People Are Saying About Your Pop-Under Ads?</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/hello-netflix-%e2%80%93-are-you-listening-to-what-people-are-saying-about-your-pop-under-ads/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 05:08:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Internet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Networks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bloggers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[complaints]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Netflix]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online discussion forums]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pop-under ads]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twitter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[unofficial company blog]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[What’s up with Netflix? The internet is rife with complaints from Internet users – including current Netflix customers – about the company’s use of pop-under ads. And you can count me among those who are irritated by constantly being bombarded by these ads. Netflix Underground, an unofficial company blog that bills itself as “the dark [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=145&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-148" href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/hello-netflix-%e2%80%93-are-you-listening-to-what-people-are-saying-about-your-pop-under-ads/colorlogo-3/"><img class="size-full wp-image-148  alignright" title="colorlogo" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/colorlogo2.gif?w=129&#038;h=60" alt="colorlogo" width="129" height="60" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:left;">What’s up with <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix</a>? The internet is rife with complaints from Internet users – including current Netflix customers – about the company’s use of pop-under ads. And you can <a href="http://www.sxc.hu/photo/753468"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-149" title="753468_ear" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/753468_ear.jpg?w=132&#038;h=150" alt="753468_ear" width="132" height="150" /></a>count me among those who are irritated by constantly being bombarded by these ads.</p>
<p><a href="http://netflixunderground.blogspot.com/">Netflix Underground</a>, an unofficial company blog that bills itself as “the dark side of Netflix, laments the overuse of these ads, which far surpass the annoyance of all of the company’s other forms of advertising:</p>
<blockquote><p>“Here&#8217;s how it works. You visit a Web site, complete your business, and close the browser window. That should be the end of your experience, but do not be surprised to find another small window remaining on your desktop after you are finished. In bold and bright letters, Netflix beckons you with tantalizing offers of free trials and low introductory pricing. Even though you did not intentionally open the advertisement page, it is there whether you care to see it or not. If you want the obnoxious ad to go away, you must manually close the window. That is when you start to wonder what sort of cookie data is now on your computer and how much extra bandwidth the ad page consumed while loading. If you did not want to see this sneaky Netflix pop-under ad, why were you inconvenienced by it? Sure, you can install software to fight these ads, but the software is not 100% effective. Besides, why should you have to install software on your computer to battle Netflix&#8217;s marketing efforts? Why should you have to take any steps to close or impede a window you did not want to open in the first place?”</p></blockquote>
<p>Another site, <a href="http://www.netflixsux.com/">Netflixsux</a>, urges visitors to complain to Netflix. Netflix pop-under ads are a popular subject on Twitter, as well. Here’s a recent sample from one of its <a href="http://twitter.com/scottsigler/statuses/2211340952">customers</a>:</p>
<p>“Please, you NetFlix pop-under scumbag pieces of garbage, I am ALREADY A CUSTOMER! Stop it, I beg you. I hope you die. Seriously”</p>
<p> Bloggers have <a href="http://www.doobybrain.com/2009/02/06/netflix-pop-under-ads/">plenty to say</a> about it, too:</p>
<blockquote><p>“&#8230; Just got off the phone with Netflix. Apparently they have no control over <em>how</em> their ads are served. The person I spoke with said that <em>anybody</em> can sign up to be an affiliate and as a result they have no way of doing any sort of quality control with their ads. It sounds like the format of the ads are controlled by individual websites and/or ad services. Boo! Looks like we won’t see an end to this anytime soon. However, the person I spoke with did say that they would do an investigation if they get enough concerned calls about this issue, so call in and voice your opinions about these pop-unders!”</p></blockquote>
<p>In looking at the <a href="http://www.netflix.com/">Netflix site</a>, I wasn’t able to find anything that addresses the pop-under issue, which is a shame considering the amount of online complaining. Nor did I run across any replies from Netflix representatives to these complaints.</p>
<p>It may very well be that pop-under ads are pulling traffic to Netflix where they are successfully being converted into customers. I haven’t found any data that indicates just how effective this is for Netflix, so I will assume that is. Nevertheless, I think it is poor strategy on Netflix&#8217; part to ignore what so many people are saying about the use of these ads and the Netflix brand.</p>
<p>Online discussions in forums, on blogs or elsewhere are a modern replacement for customer satisfaction surveys or focus group reports, which can take months to compile and analyze. The discussion is taking place in real time and companies can pick up very quickly on what consumers are saying. Ultimately, the point of tracking what online consumers are saying about brands is to be able to react quickly if something bad happens or learn from the good things people say. Either way, companies are learning they have to pay attention. (Terdiman, 2006)</p>
<p>According to Gillin: (2008)</p>
<p>-  Silence is the worst response to criticism – it simply becomes another negative.</p>
<p>-  Most negative customers simply want to be heard. If you engage with them constructively, you almost always turn them around and they often become your most vocal fans.</p>
<p>-  A few angry customers can’t do much damage and, in fact, they’re usually shouted down by supporters. Negativity is only a problem when a large number of voices are involved; and the earlier you head off that mob the quicker you put down the revolt.</p>
<p>Do you think Netflix should be addressing the issue of its pop-under ads?</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>References</em></p>
<p><em>Gillin, P. (2008, February 11) Learning to live with a bit of negativity. B to B, 93(2), 10. Retrieved June 25, 2009, through the EBSCOhost database.</em></p>
<p><em>Terdiman, D. (2006, January 3) Why companies monitor blogs. CNET News. Retrieved June 26, 2009, from http://news.cnet.com/Why-companies-monitor-blogs&#8212;page-2/2100-1030_3-6006102-2.html?tag=mncol.</em></p>
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		<title>Flash Mobs Can Be a Thriller for Marketers</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/flash-mobs-can-be-a-thriller-for-marketers/</link>
		<comments>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/flash-mobs-can-be-a-thriller-for-marketers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:35:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Viral]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flash mobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hammertime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MC Hammer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Jackson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[T-Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thriller]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cshanley.wordpress.com/?p=138</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[News of pop icon Michael Jackson’s death earlier this week sparked a fast and furious spread of flash mobbing around the world with fans meeting up to sing, dance and connect in his honor. Social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook quickly became a virtual town square for information on where and when to [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=138&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align:left;"><a href="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/33-1205357441iatr1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-140 alignleft" title="33-1205357441iAtR" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/33-1205357441iatr1.jpg?w=100&#038;h=75" alt="33-1205357441iAtR" width="100" height="75" /></a>News of pop icon Michael Jackson’s death earlier this week sparked a fast and furious spread of flash mobbing around the world with fans meeting up to sing, dance and connect in his honor.</p>
<p>Social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook quickly became a virtual town square for information on where and when to celebrate Jackson and his artistry.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/dancing-in-the-streets-to-remember-jackson/">New York Times</a>, one Titter user announced a “spontaneous” <em>Thriller</em> dance at Union Square.  Another dance vigil was planned on the last Brooklyn, New York-bound L Train out of Union Square. “The Facebook group Thriller is making plans to stage a large public dance … in Boston a similar dance-a-long, as well as a mass vigil is being planned.&#8221;</p>
<p>Across the pond, a flash mob was held outside Liverpool Street station. <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/feedarticle/8579153">The Guardian reported</a> the event also was organized through Facebook and Twitter to moonwalk for Michael.</p>
<p>These sorts of large group gatherings organized through social media sites or viral e-mails also are being used by marketers to advertise their products and brands, and in some cases have turned it into carefully orchestrated and choreographed spectacles.</p>
<p>The A&amp;E network, as part of its digital promotional effort for its reality series <a href="http://www.aetv.com/hammertime/about/">Hammertime</a> with MC Hammer, sent a flash mob in gold baggy pants into a Los Angeles clothing store on Sunset Boulevard where they performed some of the rappers moves to the tune of the 1990 hit <em>U Can’t Touch This </em>for a group of surprised shoppers. According to <a href="http://www.adweek.com/aw/index.jsp">AdWeek</a>, the following clip of the flash mob in action – which is hilarious – has generated more than 900,000 views on YouTube and another 200,000 on both MSN and Break.com – which the publication says equals <a href="http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3i3e1dd505ba9ec42edacb07cd850d1275">viral gold</a>.</p>
<span style="text-align:center; display: block;"><a href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/flash-mobs-can-be-a-thriller-for-marketers/"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/vfxCnZ4Dp3c/2.jpg" alt="" /></a></span>
<p>Another example is the “impromptu” airport musical staged by a London discount theater ticket <a href="http://www.lastminute.com/site/main/locale-redirect.html">agency</a> to promote discount tickets.</p>
<span style="text-align:center; display: block;"><a href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/flash-mobs-can-be-a-thriller-for-marketers/"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/3iPwW91m29Y/2.jpg" alt="" /></a></span>
<p>Staying in the musical vein, one of the most spectacular uses of flash mobbing came from <a href="http://www.londontheatrebookings.com/about.php">T-Mobile</a>, which recruited 400 people to perform a coordinated mix of hip-hop, disco and ballroom moves right in the middle of London’s bustling Liverpool Street Station and then vanish. The <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1117183/Dance-Of-The-Commuters-400-strong-flash-mob-gets-funky-Liverpool-Street-Station.html">flash mob event</a> preceded the next-day launch of a TV commercial and YouTube video. T-Mobile’s point? “Dance brings to life the fact that there are often unexpected, wonderful, exciting things that happen that you want to be able to share.” Preferably with a T-Mobile phone.</p>
<span style="text-align:center; display: block;"><a href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/flash-mobs-can-be-a-thriller-for-marketers/"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/VQ3d3KigPQM/2.jpg" alt="" /></a></span>
<p>Clearly there is the expectation that such events will become viral, since they are only in front of whoever happens to be there when the flash mob swarms in, and only for mere minutes. Both of these examples have achieved a viral claim to fame. I can see the appeal for marketers for this relatively new tactic, but I wonder about the effectiveness over time as it becomes less novel, and whether this will also entice companies to cross over the line of what’s ethical and appropriate as they compete for the public’s attention by becoming more and more outlandish.</p>
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		<title>Iconic Brand Puts Rebrand in Customers’ Hands</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/iconic-brand-puts-rebrand-in-customers%e2%80%99-hands/</link>
		<comments>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/iconic-brand-puts-rebrand-in-customers%e2%80%99-hands/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:30:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Social Networks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[branding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer engagement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[focus groups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liz Claiborne]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liz Claiborne Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liz Claiborne New York]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[private online community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rebrand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cshanley.wordpress.com/?p=119</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Liz Claiborne New York turned to social media for its rebrand. In what may be a first in the apparel sector, the women’s clothing manufacturer and retailer created a private online community of 300 customers and non-customers to help re-launch its brand. The members of this actively engaged group played a role in shaping many aspects of [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=119&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-121" href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/iconic-brand-puts-rebrand-in-customers%e2%80%99-hands/110_f_3383852_eqjrtzx8fleb8oh5letw7zk4kisi17-2/"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-121" title="110_F_3383852_EQjRtzx8flEB8oH5lETw7Zk4kiSi17" src="http://cshanley.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/110_f_3383852_eqjrtzx8fleb8oh5letw7zk4kisi171.jpg?w=110&#038;h=62" alt="110_F_3383852_EQjRtzx8flEB8oH5lETw7Zk4kiSi17" width="110" height="62" /></a>Liz Claiborne New York turned to social media for its rebrand.</p>
<p>In what may be a first in the apparel sector, the women’s clothing manufacturer and retailer created a private online community of 300 customers and non-customers to help re-launch its brand.</p>
<p>The members of this actively engaged group played a role in shaping many aspects of the brand re-launch, from functionality of <a href="http://www.lizclaiborne.com/">Liz Claiborne New York</a>’s interactive Web site to the structure of its new loyalty program. Members helped to refine the clothier’s print campaign. In a company <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&amp;newsId=20090617005048&amp;newsLang=en">news release</a>, David McTague, executive vice president of partnered brands for parent company <a href="http://www.lizclaiborneinc.com/">Liz Claiborne Inc</a>., said the company gained invaluable perspective from actual customers into how they want to experience and interact with the brand:</p>
<blockquote><p>“This is a strategic imperative to consistently dialogue with our customer! Who she is, what she thinks and cares about, what influences her and her friends is vital to meeting and exceeding her desires and expectations. This brand is incredibly invested in our woman, and we will relentlessly seek to enrich her life with fashion, ease and great price-value.”</p></blockquote>
<p>In a <a href="http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/retail-restaurants/e3i149b78bd47280165f54286d298e4038d">Brandweek interview</a>, McTague said a private online community was chosen over the traditional focus group because a more contemporary way to stay on the pulse of consumers’ wants, needs, concerns and desires was needed, and because it allows for a deeper, authentic, real-time engagement. The collaboration helped Liz Claiborne clarify the right product mix and assortments and fine-tune the messaging around it.</p>
<p>According to a new study by <a href="http://www.sectorintelligence.com/services.html">Sector Intelligence</a>, social media in the form of private online communities provides deeper customer insight than traditional market research and increases customer advocacy and loyalty. Among the 16 Fortune 500 brands surveyed, 86 percent report than private online communities provide richer insight into customer needs. In addition:</p>
<p>- 33 percent report that community input alone changed product designs and marketing plans</p>
<p>- 43 percent use few focus groups and 36 percent conduct fewer surveys</p>
<p>- 64 percent said the community improved context for decision-making</p>
<p>Marketers are increasing their investment in social media. A <a href="http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2009/04/26/increasingly_marketing_isnt_just_one_way_street/">recent survey</a> by <a href="http://www.forrester.com/rb/research">Forrester Research </a>found that 53 percent of social media marketers expect to increase their spending, even amid the recession and 42 percent expect to stay about the same. One reason is that it is perceived as less expensive and more efficient than traditional marketing.</p>
<p>When it comes to research through private online communities, however, the investment is “hefty,” according to McTague, who sees it well <a href="http://www.retail-merchandiser.com/dailydose/todays-retail-roundup/572-e-branding-technology.html">worth the cost</a>.</p>
<p>Liz Claiborne relaunched its brand in March and hasn’t seen an improvement yet in losses. In fact, the retailer is projecting a bigger <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssRetailDepartmentStores/idUSN1838248720090618">second-quarter loss</a> than analysts’ forecast, which sent its stock price into a 26 percent free fall last week.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the gap between customers and brands is shrinking every day, and the impact that social media is having on how companies interact with their customers is rising. Samantha Skey, general manager of <a href="http://www.thinkpassenger.com/">Passenger</a>, sums up the marketing implications of the trend toward using private online communities to reach inside the minds of customers this way:</p>
<blockquote><p>“… private online communities are shifting the way brands think about communicating with their customers, and the dialogue that results from these communities are proving to be a catalyst for significant change within organizations.”</p></blockquote>
<p>This to me is social media at its finest.  Hopefully, it will be the right change for Liz Claiborne New York. What do <em>you </em>think ?</p>
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			<media:title type="html">Cindy</media:title>
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		<title>Can Advertising Disguised as a Short Film Reel in Consumers?</title>
		<link>http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/can-advertising-disguised-as-a-short-film-reel-in-consumers/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:53:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cindy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Short Films]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[advertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[branded entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kit Kat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[KitKat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Philips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pirelli]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[short film]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://cshanley.wordpress.com/?p=111</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With the increasing popularity of emerging media and technology advancement, companies are turning to short films as an advertising vehicle that can draw visitors to corporate Web sites to keep their brands in front of consumers. You know you’re watching a short film advertisement if it seems more like a movie than an advertisement – [...]<img alt="" border="0" src="http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=cshanley.wordpress.com&amp;blog=7838125&amp;post=111&amp;subd=cshanley&amp;ref=&amp;feed=1" width="1" height="1" />]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With the increasing popularity of emerging media and technology advancement, companies are turning to short films as an advertising vehicle that can draw visitors to corporate Web sites to keep their brands in front of consumers.</p>
<p>You know you’re watching a short film advertisement if it seems more like a movie than an advertisement – meaning the advertising is very subtle – and it has these six elements: a hero, who wants something, takes action, encounters conflict, climax and resolution. (West Virginia University, 2009)</p>
<p>The example I like is KitKat &#8211; The Ultimate Break, a three-minute short about the Kit Kat candy bar.</p>
<span style="text-align:center; display: block;"><a href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/can-advertising-disguised-as-a-short-film-reel-in-consumers/"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/srUeTvxtUsE/2.jpg" alt="" /></a></span> </p>
<p>From a marketing standpoint, the film is effective because it drives home a single, memorable message that people easily relate to – after all, who doesn’t need a break from time to time – and directs viewers to a Web site to continue the interaction. Did you notice how subtly the <a href="http://www.hersheys.com/products/details/kitkat/">Kit Kat bar </a>was woven into the plot and how it advanced the story line?</p>
<p>Another example is The Call Pirelli by the <a href="http://www.us.pirelli.com/web/default.page">tire maker</a>. This is one a bit longer at around 8 minutes, and features Naomi Campbell and John Malkovich. There are a lot of screeching tires and tire close-ups, but the tires are still a background element in this short film.</p>
<p><span style="text-align:center; display: block;"><a href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/can-advertising-disguised-as-a-short-film-reel-in-consumers/"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/Q7T58LqeAEs/2.jpg" alt="" /></a></span>
<p>The KitKat short is my favorite, but a close runner-up is Philips Carousel, a short film made by <a href="http://www.usa.philips.com/">Philips</a> to promote its <a href="http://www.itsartmag.com/features/carousel/">eagerly anticipated Cinema 21:9 LCD TV</a> that gave viewers the opportunity for the first time to enjoy the immersive experience they get when watching movies at the cinema in the comfort of their own home.</p>
<span style="text-align:center; display: block;"><a href="http://cshanley.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/can-advertising-disguised-as-a-short-film-reel-in-consumers/"><img src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/lQ3D4CqHbJM/2.jpg" alt="" /></a></span>
<p>This form of branded entertainment is expensive, though – so much so that one of the pioneers in short films as advertisement, BMW, discontinued its involvement in this genre. A case study by Ameritest that compared the effectiveness of two short films says that these branded short films are a risky investment with the odds of success no better than 50/50. The <a href="http://www.ameritest.net/images/upload/raimg2008625171036648.pdf">conclusion</a> is:</p>
<blockquote><p>“If advertisers are going to be successful in making good branded entertainment … they can’t start in a better place than employing the rigours of research to understand exactly how viewers watch film and process brand stories.”</p></blockquote>
<p><em>Reference</em></p>
<p>Assignment 5: Evolution of emerging media II: podcasts, videos, streaming, mobile technology, online gaming. (2009) West Virginia University. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from https://ecampus.wvu.edu.</p>
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