Pinterest - one simple tip to avoid faliure

If you are (or know) a stressed [business owner/brand/agency/marketer/online strategist/social media guru...you get the point] driven by the fear and panic of missing out on the next BIG thing that is the Pinterest bandwagon, today I offer you escape from failure via one simple tip.  

TIP: BEFORE you DO anything, ask yourself the question - is the brand I'm 'pinning' a lovemark? ...I suspect your answer is no/not sure.....so take a look at my personal list of #lovemark brands (below) and hundreds more - curated at  lovemarkscampus. 

Immerse in the stories, exercise your right brain.   Have the courage to tell [yourself/Director/CEO/VP/Manager/yourself] .........why you're not doing something with Pinterest right now.  Because you've got fundamental strategic stuff to take care of first....right ?

Music

Lamb

Sade

Tortured Soul

Underworld

Food



Chocolate Sushi

Cubanitas - Milwaukee

Places

Hong Kong - Taxis

Hong Kong - Langham Place Hotel

My Life

Sports

Manchester United

P.S. if your answer was yes....will it be tomorrow ?

Really superficial

Really ! 3 visits to Klout is not an achievement and does not make me an addict. It's a rather superficial attempt at engagement that turns me off this brand. Does this work for you ?

The surest way to get people talking

When have you been positively surprised by a brand ? What was the situation ? Why were you surprised ? What did the brand do so well ? I posed this question on Linked In and here's one of my favourite responses -  from Rashi Mittal today:

"Extensive Psychological Research Studies show that 'Surprise' is actually one of the 'strongest' and most 'surest' ways to get people 'talking'. Schemas is the scientific term used for the way that we understand the world. Whenever a 'schema' is broken, people are likely to talk about it. (eg. when a plane lands in water, when a girl wins a hand-fight with a boy and so on.). I'm not even surprised that a discussion on 'how have brands surprised you' has led to so many more answers on linked in, than most average questions. :)

In any case, my favourite of the most recent ones has to be Benetton's Unhate campaign. A lot of positive energy. Breaks schemas like no other campaign in recent times. A conversation-starter like no-other. Viral Marketing at its best?".

here's my email to Rashi:

"Thanks for helping me with your answer. I wanted to re-open this question in 2012 to see how people would respond, and which brands could be part of the conversation.

You rightly made me exercise my 'left' brain, and I'm going to dig up my Psychology books - for a timely refresher on some of the basics of human cognition, perception, and behaviour. I'm intrigued to see if Benetton can build momentum on their campaign and continue to stay part of the conversation and become relevant.

By the way, I love your concept of brandripples.com Its such a great universal metaphor; simple to understand and has that little piece of magic - by being able to visualise its meaning when hearing the name ! Love it."

What are your thoughts ? Join the conversation, get talking and share your answer on Linked In here.

RE: Awareness vs Preference

I exchanged the following email with a former colleague....agree ? Let me know..

Colleague:
Awareness vs preference campaign - "Do you have a good definition? I am confused, in need of some good advice"

Me:
Hi, it could be semantics [of the client] or a true ask so I suggest to use a tried and tested model of advertising.

Awareness will drive recognition/attention - if you are a brand that wants to get people to know you or what you do that's fine but it doesn't pay the bills.

Preference would be an activity that gets people to choose your brand, or at least have the brand  amongst a considered set of competitors.

Hence in the AIDA model (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action) - Awareness is the first step, with preference between Desire and Action.

So in summary, I don't think anybody really wants a brand preference campaign,  they want a Brand Action campaign with metrics that clearly deliver against the need of the client.

I would align a definition of what success looks like before doing anything - that way you will know if   million facebook fans is success or increasing sales by $10,000 per quarter... Hope this helps..

You're in Luck

If you want to gain attention for your message, compel the receiver to act now. Make it is simple, relevant and impactful on both the right and left parts of the brain. I hope you will also get someone on your Black Friday and holiday shopping lists something at Kiva.org/gifts today.

Commercial Break. We'll be right back

Watching ESPN on my iPad has led to extreme agitation and frustration, because I can't see the commercials. Yes, you heard correctly - ads are a key role in my experience.  With my changed viewing context, broadcasters, advertisers and brands need to tackle new insights in order to meet my needs.

Self  Determination

Context:  I've chosen to watch ESPN Football via my iPad app

Insight: I'm enjoying the novelty and the complete control to watch it on my terms

Need: Acknowledge me 

Hyper-Attention

Context: The screen is c. 12 inches from my face, I'm not doing anything else

Insight:  I want to be entertained, I'm open to a message  

Need: Stimulate me, entertain me

Inertia and Anticipation

Context: Exiting the app is a hassle, and I don't know when the game will will restart

Insight: I feel a bit stuck, I don't want to miss the next play, I guess i will just wait for you

Need: Entertain me, reassure me

Okay so on ocassions  you get a ticker..........or a static graphic....

 Stop Press: Read more here where it was reported in April that ESPN would have the technology in August ready to serve ads ....on the iPad

its the tingle of the bubbles...

..."on my tongue and the cool blast of refreshment....Ahhh, my thirst quenched". A story that  delights me, and I want to hear when I buy a Sprite at Mcdonalds!

....By pushing the envelope beyond the norm McDonalds gained a little more attention and a hint of brand love by doing this.....

...."Its those moments I crave. My Time to indulge...." amazing how you can improve the consumer experience by using the space on the disposable cup just that little bit more creatively.... If on the other hand your focus is for that caffiene hit, well, this all might pass you by as marketing blah blah....

Re: HxHxH = #Lovemark - an apology

I put this idea out without a good explanation...Better now ?

• H1 = Head: its what you THINK about a brand or collection of brands, perhaps interested and aware of some more than others. This is dangerous territory for a brand - as on the journey to a choice the consumer can easily be swayed by logic, price, time, convenience, competition,out of stocks, bad service..... and all other sorts of everyday distraction. 

• H2  = Heart: its how you FEEL  about a brand...a huge step forward, because this is where you find the brands you love, those you simply cant live without...and lead you to.....

• H3 = Hands: its what you DO with your... money/wallet/purse/credit card/time/attention... And because your so loyal you cant really explain why you do what you do, you can't justify why you upgraded to the new IPhone model, why you have the ltd edition version of the coffee maker, why you payed $150 to see Sade. 3 nights in a row !....Well not in a rational way........Those, unfortunately are symptoms of a #Lovemark as defined by Kevin Roberts work at Lovemarkscampus.com

H x H x H = #Lovemark

Did you win $1,000,000?

On the off chance that this #brandcurious blog post passes your spam filter..

Then you're able to see the beautiful art direction in this Lotto advertising creative.

........Stopped me in my tracks at Citgo. Bravo to the agency/Marketing folks.

My Reckless Experience

No, not a story of remorse and regret, but instead the story of my discovery of Reckless Records in Chicago.

How does Reckless Records remain relevant In an era of instant downloads ? 

How does it compete with virtual access to the worlds largest music libraries ?

Why is it still here when technology from brands such as Itunes, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon render this place obsolete?

I believe it's because I can:

1. Discover and explore music with (almost) all of my senses.
2. Be certain that popularity is not the only arbiter of taste.
3. Buy VHS and cassette tapes. (I didn't as I don't have anything to play them on - but was honestly surprised, that people still do !)
4. Ask the staff questions about music and musicians - which they are more than keen to answer.
5. Immerse in the feeling that I can't get this anywhere else
6. Leave with the belief that whatever I buy here is more valuable, meaningful and important than getting it from somewhere else.
7. Be certain that I will tell people about it
8. Be certain that I will go back.

This brand is not in the business of selling music. Its value comes from facilitating community via music, and an experience beyond the function of selling things.

Breaking News - Landscape is the new Portrait

In search of marketing innovation for your brand ? 

This Kia car ad has an authentic picture of....well a Kia car (no-less), with a disruptive landscape placement that compelled me to rotate the page to look at it and share it (remarkable).

Innovate, disrupt, and become remarkable, seize the patently  obvious opportunity to be landscape in the portrait world !

An empty box of Roses

 Cadbury's Roses  are a British institution, a delicacy on par with Tea, Worcestershire Sauce and yes Fish and Chips. 

This battered box of chocolates lasted 10 mins in my office before being devoured by my colleagues in Hoffman estates (nr. Chicago, IL). Coincidentally, its near to the US HQ of Kraft  - the new owners of Cadbury.

Dear Kraft US - your market research is complete...launch this brand in the US and I'm sure it will be huge. 

What Marketers can learn from #RoyalWedding, Twitter & #cnntv

Its 4.53 AM CST (10.53 in London) and I've just been woken up by wife's alarm as she dashes to the tv and logs into facebook, while I remain in bed and bleary eyed fumble for my phone and  onto twitter.

The royal wedding proves that when you have a remarkable event and a motivated community people will connect and participate. This ranges from the truly devastating events in Japan, uprisings and political upheavals in the middle east and Africa and well yes who designed Kate Middleton's dress.

Right now the top 10 trending topics (aka brands) are of course all British including #BuckinghamPalace #ClarenceHouse #Royal Wedding and...... #Cnntv !!!???

So, despite the fact it's a (pardon the pun) Royal Flush, CNN have mastered the art and science of motivating their global audience of (consumers) to act, and simply use a hashtag. To be honest, I was expecting to see BBC.

I'm surprised at my own behavior, as well as the masterstroke of CNN. It goes to show that brands which understand their equity and consumer will thrive in this diverse new media web 2.0 age.......

Now ive woken up a bit I'm off to see that dress live...

Stop press.......Its BBC America on the TV....British marketers may once again rejoice.

Marshall Headphones - watch out Bose

In a 'sea of sameness'  - and dominated by plastic see through packaging,  the possession of a distinctive brand equity will help you win.

The genius move by Marshall Headphones is to hide their product in a brown cubed box design.... that provokes instant curiosity. 

My compulsion  to discover - and open the box proved insatiable. Although I like my Bose, I really want these as well! Marshall simply oozes lovemarks status.