“Word of mouth is the best advertising” is a term we’ve all grown up hearing. How about “There’s no such thing as bad publicity”? In this age where everyone has the opportunity to broadcast their opinions to anyone who wants to hear, are either one of these cliches still valid? I see social media, blogs, etc. as yet another reason why businesses would work even harder to provide outstanding customer experiences. A company such as Zappos, which happens to be an online company, have built their business with a laser sharp focus on not only providing outstanding service to their customers, but making it the core of their brand. Obviously by doing that, they need to back it up. One company that I work with that does things the right way is 37 signals, makers of Basecamp, Highrise, and other productive software products. The company is constantly improving their offerings and giving us more without ever raising the price. How can they do it? Well I’m sure I’m not the only person singing their praises, which will inevitably lead to new customers for them. So maybe word of mouth is alive and well. But what about bad publicity? Is there so much noise on the internet now that no one hears it? Review sites such as Yelp are helpful when checking out a new restaurant, but are unhappy customer rants encouraging businesses to pay more attention to details and improve? I have a client that was told by someone “If you don’t give me what I want I’ll write bad things about you on the internet!”. That seems the new age equivalent of finding a hair in your soup. Bad behavior will always exist, and chances are intelligent people will be able to discern between legitimate criticism and personal vendettas. I just had a bad experience with an online retailer and posted a simple tweet about it. Chances are nobody’s listening, but I’m human and I got it off my chest.
The bottom line for me is simple. Great customer service will always be rewarded, regardless of how the word gets out.
There’s a lot of conversation happening right now regarding Tiger Woods. Many jokes, many emotions, much opinion and speculation. What is most interesting to me is the amount of talk focused around Tiger’s endorsements. I don’t recall the public having so much insight as to the financial agreement between Joe DiMaggio and Mr Coffee. The fact that Tiger has earned a billion dollars is front page news. The fact that he has put that type of earning potential in jeopardy supports the argument about where most men do their thinking. So, if the world’s most bankable spokesperson can fall from grace, what chance does anyone else have of representing your brand with dignity? In this day and age of a “build ‘em up to knock ‘em down” media, perhaps the age of a spokesperson to represent your brand is over? I don’t think so. Like everything else in business, you simply need to do your homework. Our firm has been fortunate to work with several athletes to represent clients, and had great results. I think it is the responsibility of the client and the agents to know who you are working with before going to the dance. Start slow. Do some smaller promotions and charity events before committing to a full scale campaign. In light of the daily revelations that are coming out about Tiger, you will have a hard time selling me on the idea that “nobody knew” about any of this. I suspect that in the weeks to come, we’ll learn about those who felt the rewards outweighed the risks, and drove the Tiger money machine all the way to the bank.
Still think O’bama wants those 10 tips from Tiger?
A few observations while trying to find the remote:
Why would Microsoft boost Apple’s profile by having people claim “I’m a PC” in their ads? I guess Bob’s Discount Furniture must have a copyright on “Nah nah na nah na”?
Is GM taking a big chance by having Howie Long seem so smug in their spots? A little Avis “we try harder” seems more appropriate than “we’re so much better than Honda and Toyota”. Anyone buying that?
Do the “Coor’s Coaches” spots work? Are they selling beer? I have to assume they do, why else would anyone keep producing these? Not only is it a stupid idea, they are so lazy that nobody seems concerned that the copy makes no sense.
Is there a better campaign out there than the Mac vs PC? Check out the one where PC claims that Windows 7 will have no issues. Apple (now) really understands that no matter how great your products are, you need equally great marketing.
The “new media” and with it, smarter marketers, have changed the rules of marketing forever. There is no need to spend money promoting your product or service to audiences that will never buy. The marketplace has always been incredibly segmented, but media outlets did a great job of inventing demographics such as “Women 18-49″. Do you know any 18 year old women who have a lot in common with 49 year old women? Perhaps they will buy the same shampoo, but the same music? clothing? The playing field has been leveled a bit. A huge budget will still hide mistakes, but it is an exciting time to have great ideas, an innovative product or service, and a smart team planning your targeted strategy.
Curious to see how long the new Dunkin Donuts spots stay on the air. They have introduced a toasted Italian sandwich, and have used the lowest common denominator approach of a “Godfather” theme. One character, in a Brando accent, says “I may ask you to eliminate one of my enemies” to a co-worker. How many times have we heard this? Can you imagine the reaction if someone wrote a campaign that picked on the cultural stereotypes of Irish, Asian or African Americans? Why is it acceptable to promote the idea that Italy’s largest contribution to the world is organized crime? At least Dunkin did tell me that the sandwich was “to good to refuse”.
The marketing clutter that fills our lives on a daily basis is nearly unmeasurable. Add to that every Tom, Dick and Kanye on earth trying to remain “relevant” with cries for constant attention. With top of mind shelf space getting more crowded everyday, examine every avenue you invest your marketing time and money wisely. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
As part of my follow up calls with potential clients this week, one gent told me that they were still “waiting on the sidelines” to see where the economy goes. So, I guess if everyone does that, the game will just end in a forfeit? I spent enough time on the bench in high school gym class. We are in the middle of the field, doing whatever it takes to win. And it’s working. 25 Years in business means a lot of ups and downs, but like your parents and your kindergarten teacher said, perseverance pays off. It’s been tough, but making your own comeback can be fun if you put it in perspective. As we all make our own comebacks, the economy will improve. Not everyone will make it. Some will remain waiting on the sidelines long after the game is over and the crowd has gone home.
Everyone loves to blog online about the ads they hate. How about the ads you love? I love ads that are fun, offer a value proposition for the consumer and solidify the brand. One of my favs right now is Dos Equis Beer. Through mid-June, a period when imported beer sales dropped 11%, sales of Dos Equis rose more than 17% according to an idustry source.
So, let’s hear it-what ads are you loving right now, and why?
We recently jumped onto Twitter and are trying to employ common sense while trying to fit this tool into Open Skye’s media mix. So far, so good I guess. There is a lot of discussion about how to use this tool, including a great pro/con debate on BusinessWeek. It’s fun to learn new things, and to decide what works for you and what doesn’t. Technology can be distracting. We all need to learn how it fits into our lives and when the gadgets need to be put away. (Like while driving, on a date, actually trying to live in a moment…). I love seeing signs that ask people to “refrain from cell phone use”. I hate knowing via Facebook or Twitter that someone is in line at the supermarket. To me, this all boils down to common sense. There’s no gadget or platform that can replace that. At least not yet.
As the parent of an 8 year old, I get to go to Friendly’s Ice Cream on a pretty regular basis. This is an establishment I grew up with. I even tried to work there as a teen, but wouldn’t do the haircut! I have observed their troubles for many years. For the longest time, their advertising and offerings were unfocused and unappealing. Lately, they seemed to have picked up a lot of momentum. Just yesterday my family stopped in for a late lunch and there was a wait! I have commented to my wife about their fun new themes, focus on kids and young parents (this chain has always been very popular with seniors). Friendly’s is working with Zimmerman Advertising. Seems this group has done a great job of re-branding the company on television, all the way through point of purchase, web and social networking. I did search on twitter pulled up hundreds of messages about Friendly’s. That’s not a coincidence. Friendly’s gave away more than half a million scoops of ice cream during a promotion on June 6. (200,000 more than the previous year). Friendly’s attributed the increase to “blog coverage and the company’s social media presence.”
If your marketing is still doing things the old way, maybe you need new people working on it? If your brand is getting stale, why not mix things up? As this old chain has learned, it can be done!
