Here's a video that captures the essence of why companies should be thinking about social media with regard to customer issues. And it's from no less an old media bastion than the Wall Street Journal.
Interestingly, they advocate for blogging to come from all levels of the organization, citing the oft-quoted fact that people like to hear "from people like them." So, it's not just for the CEO to blog anymore. And it doesn't just end with customer relations, it's also can help with employee relations.
Are you using Jott yet? In my PodCamp Boston presentation, I reviewed a number of Web 2.0 applications that could actually make your life more productive (rather than less).
It's a simple voice-to-email system that allows you to be productive while you're mobile. It's probably just the thing for realtors, road warriors and robber barons alike. You call (866) JOTT-123 to leave a message for yourself, another individual or even a group and things start happening.
But where it really gets interesting is when you use Jott Links. Every time I turn around, I see that Jott has integrated itself with another cool application. For example:
Twitter - you can Jott a message that will appear in your Twitter stream.
Blogger, WordPress and Typepad - you can Jott directly to your blog
Zillow - for all of you realtors, you can look up Zestimates in the car
Google Calendar - make appointments on the go
Remember the Milk - add to your to do list while you're thinking of it
Xpenser - keep track of your expenses while you're out
The list goes on and on. It's really worth checking out and adding to your arsenal.
Did you ever take the time to step back and wonder about the various personas you meet online? They could be long-lost friends, bloggers that you admire, or people in your Facebook network whom you may have never met before. But what do you really know about them?
How many of these folks are truly themselves when they're online? I mean, how many are perhaps bolder in their assertions or less cautious with the language they use because of the less personal nature of the medium?
We spend a lot of time talking about authenticity as one of the tenets of social media - how businesses, brands and the people behind them need to be seen as real. There's no doubt that the masses will sniff out a fraud. But how do we guarantee them authenticity?
While you ponder that, take a look at Brad Paisley's take on it:
"Acting is all about honesty. If you can fake that, you've got it made."
That one-liner often sums up all that is seen as wrong with and disliked about advertising, marketing and public relations - mouthing the words without actually believing what you're saying. Can you blame the public for distrusting advertisers or for thinking of public relations professionals as "spin doctors"?
Many of the other respondents to the LinkedIn question also noted that authenticity is more of a state of being rather than a skill - it's something that has to be imbued throughout one's life rather than taught as a course. Authenticity represents who we are, not what we do. And when we use marketing speak to address our audience, are we being truly authentic, or simply following a corporate protocol out of some antiquated tradition?
I say it's time to step out of those corporate roles and leave behind those traditional templates and speak to our customers as if we're real people talking to other real people. As David Ogilvy once famously said,
"The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife."
How do you learn how to be authentic with your wife? You don't learn it; you simply be yourself - that's why she picked you, right?
Ultimately, it's worth asking how do your customers or your community view you? I hope you're prepared for the answer, because we live in an age where they'll tell you and expect to be heard.
If you haven't seen this video yet, you need to watch it. While it may be a little too close to the truth for some, I had a good laugh.
I guess the question is: does this really apply to you (or me)? I view my online activities as part research, part education, part self-marketing - all of which lead me to new discoveries, realizations and insights that I can then share with clients.
So while the online busy work may seem (and feel) like it's so much fluff, it's what you do with those findings, how you share them and how you impart your unique perspective that makes it time well spent.
Last month, crayon was visited by a crew from ABC News, as they were filming a piece for a series called "The Workplace of the Future." As crayon has offices in Second Life, we were a natural choice to showcase what it's like to be part of a virtual company.
Well, earlier this evening, World News Tonight with Charles Gibson aired a spot that featured crayon in addition to IBM and accenture. Not bad company to keep, eh? My colleagues got some nice coverage, including C.C., Joseph and Greg (voice only). You can watch the video by clicking the player in the upper-right corner of your screen.
The ultimate irony? You're forced to watch a 30-second spot as part of the pre-roll. Here's the YouTube version without the ads:
And in the meantime, you're welcome to join us on Crayonville Island every Thursday morning at 9:00 a.m. EST for Coffee with crayon.
A couple of months ago, I wrote about how effectively the presidential candidates were using social media as part of their campaigns. The conclusion, by and large, was that they were embracing it but that they were using it like any other paid media placement - as a one-way message, rather than as a conversation.
Today, I received a message on Twitter from Fred Thompson that his site I'm With Fred has been updated - it's the 2.0 version, according to the statement. This is somewhat interesting, since he's not a declared candidate yet. Having taken a look at his site, here's what I see that he's doing well. The posts are all enabled with comments, del.icio.us tagging abilities, and Digg and Facebook links. This is now pretty much standard fare among all of the candidates, in addition to having YouTube, MySpace and Flickr accounts. Here are a couple of notable points regarding Fred:
You can get widgets for your site that contain headlines of the latest blog posts and that state "I'm With Fred." There are some alternative ones, like "The Latest from the Fredosphere," which sounds a little too much like The Godfather or "Connect With Fred," which is much more appealing to potential voters.
The other thing that's interesting is the URL of his site: imwithfred.com. I know it's supposed to be "I'm with Fred," but there's a whole generation out there - first-time voters, in fact - who will see this as "IM with Fred." It's a good thing that he's got a Twitter account, but if I were advising the team, I'd implore them to get a Meebo account and to make IM'ing a major feature of the site.
If I'm not mistaken, they ask for your IM address when you register there. They might be planning something yet.
This brings me to one final point. The CNN-YouTube debate has been covered extensively, so I'm not going to rehash it. The one thing that stuck out is the Snowman question. If you haven't had a chance to see it, here you go:
Now, this was a silly appearance but a great question. It undoubtedly highlighted how zany the Internet can allow people to be, but it also made the point that candidates need to take this space seriously. In fact, the Wall Street Journal ran a front-page article called Snowman Video In YouTube Debate Chills Some Politicos, adding the subtitle "Brothers who created it are all the rage, but GOP doesn't entirely get it."
Boy, is that an understatement. Mitt Romney - even though he has a YouTube channel (clearly for push-marketing only) said "I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman." Romney just doesn't get it. The questioner isn't as important as the question in this case.
By and large, the Democrats have been embracing social media and they've been doing a good job with it. Obama has raised millions of dollars online through social networking groups alone.
The Republicans' refusal to completely embrace social media reminds me of the way corporate America has been resistant while their customers are running circles around them. I've often said that those who ignore social media do so at their own peril. Conversations are taking place, whether they like it or not, and joining in will help them in the long run.
I predict that the GOP will lose the White House next year and it will be in no small part because of their lack of enthusiasm with regard to social media.
Let me tell you a little story about podcasting, if I may.
I've been a big follower of podcasts for a couple of years now. I've got my favorites, which span a number of genres, but I've been consistently impressed with the quality of the productions (for the most part) and the great content. When my daily commute was an hour each way, I consumed podcasts regularly and they ruined me for traditional radio.
As I recounted in one of my all-time favorite posts, There Are Riches in Niches, I was mulling over two podcasting ideas with Bryan Person, host of New Comm Road. He gave me some valuable advice, which was to be unique, serve a small audience, and do it well.
So, with that in mind, I took the plunge and started producing a podcast last month.
To be frank, I had very low expectations for it. It is a podcast strictly focused on a sub-segment of the literary world - specifically, of Sherlock Holmes devotees. It's definitely an educated group, but not technologically advanced, so I figured that if I got 35 listeners, I'd be lucky. After all, this is uber-niche.
Imagine my surprise when I checked my stats and saw that my audience is nearly 5 times what I expected!
So What's the Secret? There are a number of factors that went into getting such a large audience, and as I'm only on my third show, I'm sure I'll be learning a great deal more as the show continues to grow. In a post tomorrow, I'll share with you some of the specific actions and steps that I took to achieve what I have.
In the meantime, I was pleased to find a nice blurb on the SplashCast blog today, courtesy of Marshall Kirkpatrick:
I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere is a really neat example of niche audio content with supporting blog posts. Scott Monty and Burt Wolder have also done a great job of leveraging a whole bunch of different services to create the beginnings of their online community. You can even get the show’s intro audio as a ringtone! I am impressed.
Thank, you Marshall. We're pretty impressed ourselves.
Today is the big day! The Age of Conversation has officially launched and you order your copy online. You can select from hardcover, paperback or eBook - or any combination of the three.
Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton are to be commended. This is a project they initiated and shepherded through, toiling long hours beyond their day jobs.. I've perused the book, which I just purchased (authors did not receive free copies) and here's why I think you should consider buying at least one copy for yourself, a friend or a colleague:
Content Great content is what it's all about these days. It's not about 15 minutes of fame any longer; it's about the amount of quality content you can deliver. Well, this book delivers on quality and quantity.
Over 100 authors and a singular topic: conversational marketing. In one location, you've got some heavy-hitters of the blogging world. Some people I 've been following for a long time are included: David Armano, Mack Collier, Mark Goren, Ann Handley, Karl Long, and my fellow crayonista Greg Verdino, to name a few. And there are a rash of new names who have some really great things to say about conversational marketing.
If you're still in doubt (you shouldn't be), you can take a look at the authors' qualifications for yourself. Arun Rajagopal has assembled a brief but comprehensive set of bios.
The Cause From the very beginning of the project, Drew and Gavin were determined to make this a non-profit effort that would support a particular cause. All proceeds from the book will be given to Variety, the Children's Charity.
Variety was founded after a little girl was left at a theater in Pittsburgh on Christmas Eve of 1928, with the following note pinned to her:
"Please take care of my baby. Her name is Catherine. I can no longer take care of her. I have eight others. My husband is out of work. She was born on Thanksgiving Day. I have always heard of the goodness of show business people and pray to God that you will look out for her.” (signed) ‘A Heartbroken Mother’
Eleven people in the theater industry banded together to underwrite the child's support and education and the goodwill spawned an outpouring from the entire city. With more toys and clothing than Chatherine needed, other ophans benefitted from her situation. From this, the Variety organization was formed, so that now their mission statement reads: Variety the Children's Charity is dedicated to improving the lives of children around the world.
Here's the breakdown of pricing / charitable contribution: e-book: $9.99 ($7.99 going to charity) paperback book: $16.95 ($8.10 to charity) hardback book: $29.99 ($8.55 to charity)
Between great content and a great cause, what more do you need? Get your copynow!
We're closing in on the launch of The Age of Conversation. This amazing project, the brainchild of Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton (or Drewvin, as I like to call them), is a result of over 100 marketing authors banding together for a great cause.
The book will be available on Monday, July 16 in three formats: Hardback $29.99 Paperback $16.95 E-book $9.99
And in addition to the power of 100 bloggers, the book has begun to receive mention in some of the trade publications: Advertising Age and Social Computing Magazine have both done pieces on the project. Add to that an Age of Conversation Contributors + Friends group on Facebook, and we're off and running!
"It" being The Age of Conversation. Back in April, I made one of the smartest decisions of my blogging career - I accepted Drew McLellan's & Gavin Heaton's kind invitation to be one of the authors of a book about conversational marketing. And that project, with over 100 influential marketing authors behind it, is now a reality.
On Monday, July 16, you'll be able to purchase your very own copy of the entire volume. While I'm only familiar with one of the chapters, I can assure you that you won't be disappointed with what my colleagues have to say. I plan to buy at least one copy.
After a lot of debating and deliberation, the organizers decided to price the book as follows:
Hardbacks $29.99 Paperbacks $16.95 E-book $9.99
All of the proceeds from the publication will go toward Variety, the Children's Charity and you'll have the opportunity to give more to the charity if you so desire. Keep your eye on this space for developments.
And just in case you wanted a refresher as to who the contributors are, here you go:
In a post on MediaDailyNews, it was noted, according to industry forecaster Bob Coen, that U.S. ad spending is growing at only 3.1%, a slower pace than the U.S. economy is growing. This is a downgrade from the 4.7% predicted by Universal McCann analysts.
The fastest growing segment of the media is the Web, naturally, with a 15% growth rate predicted for 2007, according to Coen. But he doesn't include online video, social networks or search in his numbers.
But here's where it gets interesting. Magna Global's Brian Wieser predicts that those emerging channels as well as mobile marketing, advanced gaming and digital out-of-home networks will grow nearly 32% in 2007. That's quite a wake up call for the traditional advertising industry. In fact, Wieser claims it's a change of the mind-set:
"...advertisers are shifting their money out of media that we define as ad-supported media into marketing."
And it what seems like a real shot in the arm for the new media industry, he predicts that social media ad spending would be more than $1 billion next year, an increase of nearly 50% over 2007's numbers.
That's not to say that traditional advertising is dead. TV, newspapers, outdoor, radio, print - collectively they represent the lion's share of the ad spend. But the fact that additional channels are finally being recognized for their relevancy and permanence is encouraging.
So these are the opinions of just two analysts. What about your opinion? Do you think one is closer to the truth than the other?
Hey - how'd you like to spend some quality time with some crayonistas? Every Thursday from 9:00 -9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, crayon hosts Coffee with crayon at our offices in Second Life. It's your opportunity to join the conversation and pick our brains about whatever you want. It's open to the public, so pop in and check us out.
What typically goes on during Coffee with crayon? It's a wildcard! Usually we get some of the brightest minds from around the social media space who pop in and spark some great conversations with us. You can usually count on:
Discussion around some of the latest goings-on in the new media field, from successes to controversies
Comparing notes on some of the latest tools, applications and sites in the new media field
Features in Second Life
This week, we'll be welcoming our newest members to the group. Why don't you plan on stopping by and seeing what it's all about? After all, new media is all about trying new things.
And if you ever wondered what life at the real crayon office is like, check out this video, by DraftFCB:
I'm very proud to say that one of my fellow bloggers has decided to become a fellow crayonista. I guess you could call him my new new media colleague.
Greg Verdino, most recently VP of Emerging Channels at Digitas and author of Greg Verdino's Marketing Blog (well, who else would author it, really?), is joining crayon tomorrow as Chief Strategy Officer.
Everyone on the team is very excited to have Greg join us. With his ability to assess the latest channels, applications, tools and techniques, combined with his knowledge of marketing, Greg is sure to give crayon a boost.
AdWeek scooped everyone with their coverage over the weekend. But the best announcement comes from Greg himself.
As you know, user-generated / consumer-generated content has been all the rage over the last year. Many pundits have gone so far as to claim that traditional advertising agencies' days are numbered. But the agencies themselves have lumbered forward, continuing to support hundreds and hundreds of creative staff (not to mention a sizable chip on their shoulders), with the confidence that no one can produce high quality creative the way they can.
Earlier this year, the Doritos Super Bowl ad proved otherwise - at least with regard to concepting. The agencies and production houses still have the expertise in execution of the 30-second spot. I think in the end, the creative juice will be found somewhere in the middle - the agencies and their ability to navigate the supply chain, along with active input from consumers, will together create some pretty powerful stuff.
But in the meantime, the takeaway message is the old cliche - don't judge a book by its cover. Agency execs pooh-pooh ideas because they come from "the people," and that is a huge mistake. Good ideas can come from anyone - on your team, from a client, from an agency - hell, stop and ask a few people on the street while you're at it.
Case in point: Paul Potts, a dubious-looking mobile phone salesman goes on ITV's Britain's Got Talent to attempt to sing opera You have to see this video. I think it's one of the best moments in the history of reality TV (okay, okay - not a huge honor, but you get the point) and a great example of how we humans like to judge based on superficialities.
The judges rolled their eyes when they saw the contestant, clearly expecting another feeble performance on this grown-up talent show. In the end, Potts had the audience on their feet, people were crying, and Simon Cowell - yes, the Simon Cowell - was clapping, exclaiming "you are absolutely fantastic."
Using a feedreader that doesn't embed video? Click here.
Take a moment and think about the many assumptions you make on a daily basis - about vendors, clients, colleagues, people you pass on the street or sit next to on the train, the guy you get your coffee from or your newspaper man. The next Pavarotti might be closer than you expect. Have you given him the chance to sing for you?
Occasionally, I'm pleasantly surprised at some of the dividends that my blog pays. For example, at the end of last week, I was contacted by a staffer at BostonNOW, a new local paper that is edgy and is beginning to embrace social media, to see if I'd like to be interviewed as a social media expert, commenting on the use of social networks in the presidential race.
A note: I didn't use a partisan approach in the interview, nor do I intend to use this blog to discuss my political views; they are irrelevant in this forum. My goal is to assess what is being done and to what degree.
I also learned that my friend and new media colleague Doug Haslam was interviewed as well; he's got a nice entry on his blog summing up his point that candidates are not using social media to the fullest potential.
I made that point with the reporter as well, likening the candidates' treatment of MySpace, FaceBook, YouTube, etc. as media buys - they've simply ensured that they have a presence there. There's little to no conversation going on with their constituents.
In many ways, political candidates are very similar to corporations: they have a specific message that they want to push out. At rallies, stump speeches, debates and public appearances - even town hall meetings - they manage to spit out their talking points.
One of the most important points I made with the reporter was this: the candidate that learns to use social media to listen to the people is the candidate that will pull ahead. Social media works best when candidates - or companies - hear what's being said and put themselves in a place to respond accordingly. Even if they can't solve a problem or completely address a concern, the fact that they make their constituents/customers feel as if they've been heard is enough to create brand loyalty.
The other major point I made is that the presidential candidates are using social networks for a different purpose. Rather than to connect to their base, they are allowing the base to connect to each other. This is a pretty shrewd move when you think about it. Create the conditions for a social movement and you'll see a major shift begin to occur.
It's exciting to see this unfolding before us - and to wonder how much it will improve in the run-up to November of 2008. But we're far beyond where we were a short time ago in 2004.
After yesterday's big announcement, I was greeted with a number of comments, emails and tweets from a variety of people in the social media world - some of whom I've met, with whom I've corresponded and in some cases, some whom I've never heard of or heard from before.
And to all of you - if I haven't said so individually yet - allow me to simply say:
Thank you.
I have continued to find and I firmly believe that the positive energy that one expends in a social network is returned in multiples. My friend Greg Verdino thinks so too. (Hey wait, didn't I mention this before?) This week I have been humbled by the outpouring of support and thoughtfulness, not to mention the congratulatory messages that they've extended to both me and my future employer.
I've been writing this blog for nearly a year, and I feel that in so many ways I'm still a novice, with much still to learn. And despite knowing my subject matter, sometimes I wonder if any of the material is resonating with my readers, either on a personal level or for business practices.
For that reason, the kindness you have shown and the confidence you place in me have inspired me with even more positive feelings about my job change and my writing. Even though I'm sure there are some heavy workloads ahead, it is my hope to continue to bring you valuable insights, candid commentary, frank assessments and humor on a regular basis - all designed to further the conversation.
It's the least I can do in return for your praise and respect.
We interrupt this marketing blog to bring you a purely personal post. Well, that's not entirely true. It's a personal post with a marketing twist.
If you stop by my desk, you'll find an assortment of fountain pens, usually kept on a pen holder or in a mahogany and glass display case that my colleagues have deemed the "pen humidor." I prefer to use fountain pens because they're distinctive, elegant and they require me to really focus on what I'm writing.
For about 2 1/2 years I've been at an award-winning traditional agency - in some ways a fountain pen of the marketing world. Staffed with incredibly intelligent and talented people with distinctive personalities, the agency has given me an opportunity to help clients address complex problems for sophisticated audiences.
But as you know, I've been writing about marketing in the social media space for the last year or so and have craved social media marketing projects at every turn. As my agency is small and focused on B2B clients, the opportunities have been limited. So I've managed to educate myself on the subject and to interact with some intelligent, creative and well-connected new media people, both online and in person.
My initial interest in the space was instigated from a keynote presentation at the 2006 Boston Ad Club symposium where I heard Joseph Jaffe speak. From then on, I had the bug, leading to an inexorable flow of RSS feeds and podcasts as well as the formation of my blog (I have still kept my other blog as a social media laboratory of sorts).
So when Jaffe & Co. launched crayon last October, I watched the whole thing unfold. The initial announcements, the variouspodcastplugs, the launch in Second Life - I was excited that new marketing was being given a boost. I even closed that October 20, 2006 blog post with "Talk about a dream job!"
Fast forward to this March, when I heard Joseph speak at the Ad Club Symposium again, this time with C.C. Chapman in tow. I was much more prepared - so much so that C.C. and I were exchanging Twitter messages across the floor of the event. Joseph, C.C. and I connected briefly at the event, followed up with a wave of emails, tweets and phone calls, and finally came to a mutual decision:
On June 4th, I officially join the crayon team.
Dream job, indeed. I'll be working with crayon clients to help them understand new media opportunities and, with the help of the crayon creative & strategic team, to help build new marketing campaigns and social media outreach programs for some major brands.
As you can imagine, I'm incredibly excited about the opportunity - not only do I get to do what I love on a daily basis, but I get to do so with some people I really admire and respect. So now, rather than being filled with lustrous fountain pens, my pen humidor is going to look something like this: There will be a follow up post on "how social media helped me land my new job," in which I'll detail the steps that I took - some of which led to very interesting conversations, others which didn't pan out - all of which were directly linked to being part of the larger new marketing social network. It may even be something of a case study for putting social media to work as a tool in your career development.
Over the next two weeks, I'll be spending time with my family (in particular prepping for Drew's 1st birthday), accomplishing some tasks around the house, getting my home office organized and continuing to delve into this amazingly fertile and fluid world of new media.
If you haven't had a chance yet, hop on over to Technorati and check out the cool new interface. It's not drastically new, but it definitely feels more hip & modern.
When I was checking links to my blog, I noticed that the page which used to show "blogs linking to scottmonty.com" with a variety of search terms such as blog mentions, tags and keywords - now was consolidated in a single page called reactions to The Social Media Marketing Blog.
As Technorati puts it,
The world has changed. This isn't just about blogs anymore. And to be of service to you, we have changed too...[users want] the 360 degree context of the Live Web - blogs of course, but also user-generated video, photos, podcasts, music, games and more.
Hats off to Technorati for responding to change. But they way they went about it is what they really get credit for in my book: they listened to their customers. Power users and hobbyists alike, they collected feedback and incorporated it over the last 6 months in order to produce the streamlined experience they're offering today.
Technorati is an essential tool that any good social media practitioner should have at the ready. It allows you to see who is linking to your site and what they're saying about you - and now in more contexts that just blogs. A daily search of Technorati for your domain is all that it takes to keep these data on your radar. Just hop onto the site, perform a search, put those results in an RSS feed, and voila! You've got a daily update.
A couple of weeks ago, the new marketing company crayon announced a revolutionary campaign undertaken on behalf of their client, The Coca-Cola Company. It's called Virtual Thirst and it invites users to participate in the Coke experience by generating ideas for creating their own vending machines that can do absolutely anything. The winner will see their creation become reality in Second Life.
The folks at crayon have developed a number of social media components to the campaign, including concerts and gatherings at the Coca-Cola Pavillion in Second Life, YouTube videos inviting response/entry videos, the landing page and a panel of celebrity judges to choose the winner. Undoubtedly a creative campaign that is designed to spark user-generated ideas to make the Coke brand come to life. More information is available at VirtualThirst.com.
But you have to wonder when Coke's #1 competitor Pepsi launches a campaign the same month that features...ads on bus shelters? Yes, bus shelters.
It seems a step down from the uber-cool Second Life approach from crayon. Or so I thought when I read the headline. But as I got a little further into the MediaPost piece, my interest grew.
Evidently, the ads feature a technology called LumiGraphics that lights up the ad and the shelter. This is the first time LumiGraphics have been used in the United States; the ads are currently being run in Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Denver, New York and Washington.
But what makes this illuminated outdoor ad stand apart from others is that it also brings Bluetooth technology to the mix. Passersby who are Bluetooth-enabled can download content such as a rap by New York Yankee Johnny Damon (!) or hip-hop artists, if you're a rap purist. The creative also encourages viewers to go to PepsiSmash.com for more music - a site that is driven by Yahoo! Music.
Not bad, not bad. I never was a Pepsi fan myself, except for Mountain Dew. Will this change my mind? Not likely. Will it grab some attention? Definitely. But to me, it doesn't invite the same level of participation - of conversation - that the Coke campaign does. This still smacks of one-way marketing. Which is fine, but I hope for their sake that Pepsi has a little more bubbling.
I say let the Yankees associate themselves with Pepsi. I'll stick with the Boston Red Sox and Coca-Cola, thank you very much.
It was with great interest that I noted the news that is reverberating through the Greater Boston medical device world today: two women's health companies, Hologic and Cytyc are joining forces to form the largest women's health company dedicated to diagnostics.
Hologic is known primarily for its digital mammography and bone densitometry tests, and Cytyc owns the market on new cervical cancer screening kits that surpass the standard Pap smear and can detect the human papillomavirus (HPV). Each has a number of other technologies so that together, the two entities form a formidable enterprise dedicated to the health and wellness of women.
And the connection to social media? I think it's a no-brainer, but in the world of medical devices and diagnostics, things can be a bit more complex. See if you can follow the logic with me.
It's well known that when women are concerned about a health issue - whether it's for themselves or their families - they first go to the Internet as their source of additional information and research. This approach actively gives way to online interaction with other women who have experienced or are living with a similar situation.
How ripe the opportunity then, for CytoLogic to get involved with an existing social network related to women's health - iVillage is a great starting point. It's a health portal dedicated to women's health.
The reason I'm suggesting joining an existing entity rather than creating one from scratch is twofold:
There are already a number of well-established, well populated social networks out there, and it's difficult to drive traffic to a company-hosted destination without a full set of offerings
Busy women have enough to worry about without needing to search, bookmark and follow www.MedicalDeviceCompany.com/onlinecommunity/. Let them get the information where they're already looking.
CytoLogic might look at some standard sponsorships of search ("breast cancer" for starters) and then branch out. They might look into co-hosting a blog that tracks someone's personal battle with cancer - for example, Boston's own Kelley Tuthill, a reporter for WCVB-TV, is sharing her unfolding battle with breast cancer via her employer's site. CytoLogic and iVillage could partner with them or find a high-profile celebrity who could do the same in a blog on the iVillage site.
A podcast for women and by women with cancer could be a powerful addition to the mix as well. Firsthand stories that underscore the importance of proper screening for breast cancer and cervical cancer would be a powerful motivator. Again, the company could host or sponsor such a show.
But here's where it gets tricky. Like it's oft-embattled cousin Pharma, the medical device industry stands at a prickly juncture of the healthcare chain. Technically, hospitals and physicians are the targets of marketing efforts by Hologic and Cytyc. However, I think we've seen a push into the DTC space particularly with Cytyc's ThinPrep system, in their drive to create awareness among women for cervical cancer screening.
Many Pharma companies are hesitant to get involved with social media for very practical purposes: primarily legal concerns that their product being mentioned, discussed and reviewed by the public in a hosted or sponsored environment might be construed as something that the company supports. You can only imagine the lawsuits that might result.
But medical device companies are a breed of a different sort. Even though patients can ask a doctor for a drug by name, they're not likely to as for a particular mammography device nor a cervical cancer screening kit. The point is they'd be seeking care and the salesforce will be there to supply the healthcare system with the demand that will have been generated.
Let's face it: in healthcare, there are no simple answers to social media programs. Each company, each product, each disease deserves its own analysis and understanding. But the forward-thinking companies will embrace new media as an opportunity to help tell their story and, more importantly, to help women get the medical care they need.
As you probably know, I'm a fan of Twitter. I was skeptical at first, but I've found it incredibly useful and versatile as I've continued using it. I think I've been a member of the Twitterati for over 2 months now.
But it's days like Wednesday that really make me want to rethink my stance. Twitter had some serious issues that pretty much crippled it for the entire day. This was directly following a day of spotty service while I was on the road. It was frustrating, to say the least.
One competitor to Twitter, Jaiku, is continuing to attract a lot of attention. Evidently, there has been a wave of registrations as a direct result of yeseterday's Twitter-outage. Even TechCrunch has made the leap and has let its readers know.
This gets right at the heart of an important issue for all new media / Web 2.0 / whatever-you-want-to-call-them companies. They need to really ensure that they've got their technology figured out, because their audience will leave them for a competing application or service because of poor uptime. An entity such as Second Life is probably given a little more slack, simply because there are few virtual reality worlds that compare.
But Twitter can be replicated. There are a number of upstarts out there doing so. And it's fairly easy to drag your network along with you to another provider. Good marketers will try a variety of online communities and social networks and should be properly prepared for a mass shifting, should it occur.
Note to Twitter: please get your act together. You're really great when you work well. But if I have to see that cat much longer, I'll make sure he and the Bloglines plumber start hanging out.
You know, one of the things that I like about new media and social networks is how it's really easy to become part of a community. Even for those who are just starting out, all you need to do is raise your hand and ask a question and someone - and often many people - will reach out and help you.
It's not often that we find ourselves in such a situation. Sure, we've got family and friends who we know we can count on. But think about it for a moment: how often do you find yourself in a room full of strangers who make you feel like you belong and are willing to go the distance for you?
To me, that is one of the true strengths of social media. Which is why it's so important for organizations to remember that you just can't fake it with social media. True connections with your customers, prospects and others happen over time and because you're really part of a community. You're not afforded that special treatment when you just drop in.
Here's an example of a small community that defends one of its own:
Please click here to see the video if you're using a feedreader.
Further evidence that NBC is embracing new media: at yesterday's IAB conference, NBC Universal announced that they are standardizing the length of advertising in short form video to 15-second spots.
According to the MediaPost article, currently there is no set standard for pre-roll advertising, but one-third of the pre-roll ads for 2- to 5-minute videos are 30-second spots. Excuse me? What genius was initially put in charge of that initiative?
In the brave new world of digital marketing and new media you don't simply take an ad format from another channel and slap it on short video. It's akin to the rise of television some 60 years ago, when the network bigwigs were simply calling television "radio with pictures." But was more than an incremental change; television completely changed the way the world consumed entertainment.
And until now, NBC has exhibited parallel thinking to the radio/TV revolution: short-form video is nothing more than television on the Web and subsequently, it deserves the same kind of advertising. Just slap an existing 30-second spot - which in itself ignores the fact that it's failing miserably in its native television environment - onto a video that can be as short as 2 minutes in length.
You've got to give credit to NBC for changing the game, albeit incrementally. But let's just say there's a lack of common sense in the industry - not only regarding the 30-second spot, but with respect to most of social media. According to Peter Naylor, SVP for Digital Media Sales at NBCU, "We did some research with our users," he says. "Short-form clips deserve short-form ads."
Genius. I wonder how much money you spent to figure that one out, Einstein.
I knew I should have been ready for the worst when #1 started off with Advertising Executive:
$$: Ground-level workers with writing ability move quickly to the top, immediately snagging low to mid-six figures; those who can spin mythological concepts surrounding quotidian household objects can command up to seven figures.
The upside: Great expense account living, see your handiwork everywhere, the wonderful feeling of being creative and corporate at the same time.
The downside: Must take meetings with the AFLAC duck.
The dark side: You're considered a dinosaur at forty.
I already knew the profession doesn't command a lot of respect; Bing's assessment crisply underscored it. But then we got to #25: Executive Vice President, New Media and I knew the jig was up. As Bing puts it:
The upside: As long as the bubble is full, you're golden. And there's never any need to prove yourself with real results, because people don't want that, they want simply to feel that there's somebody thinking about all of it, and that's you.
The downside: Hard to see if there is one. Whatever it might be, if you're a really good bullshitter, and I know you are, it will take ten years to discover it.
The dark side: Your entrepreneurial friends in this area, who have the courage to push the envelope on the outside of corporate life, are now multitrillionaires. You are slogging along on less than a million a year.
Uh-oh. These two categories represent my current job and the job I'm looking for. To be in the company of Crumber, Feng Shui Consultant and Boulevardier is a little scary.
All kidding aside, Friday's Wall Street Journal ran a column by Daniel Akst titled False Advertising, with the honest admission of a subtitle, "Pop culture has rarely been kind to the heroic ad man." Akst took up the subject matter after reading Joshua Ferris' novel Then We Came to the End, an account of a fictional Chicago advertising agency in the post dot-com boom.
But the Ferris novel is only the most recent example of the lumps that the advertising profession takes; this grand tradition dates back 60 years to the book The Hucksters and countless movies and television shows that inarticulately, inaccurately and inanely portray advertising executives. And it wouldn't be a commentary about fictional admen if the Executive Doofus himself, Darrin Stevens, didn't get a mention. What was he exactly, a creative or an account guy?
"Message for you, sir."
It's so easy to use the advertising executive as a scapegoat. Advertising appeals to our emotions. "Damn those manipulative admen! They made us feel the emotions that would make us buy more stuff!" Forget about free will or self-control. It's easier to blame someone else.
Even if kids are being barraged with commercials, who makes the purchase decisions for a 10 year-old? In any responsible household, it's the parents. And if there are parents shirking their responsibilities, I'd wager that they'd rather blame an industry for their own lack of parenting skills.
The Globe's sources are clearly outdated. The psychologist they interviewed was quoted as saying that she sings an advertising jingle. "And then I see if they can complete it. If I say, 'You deserve a break today,' they will say, 'McDonald's.' That's as familiar to them as anything else in their lives." The problem with that? McDonald's currently uses "I'm lovin' it" and has since 2003; "You deserve a break today" debuted in 1971 and hasn't been used since 1980. Furthermore, McDonald's has been one of the leaders in trying to give kids - and adults - healthy alternatives on its menu.
The point is that advertising has a poor reputation (shock!). Based on Mr. Bing's list, it would seem that new media is going the same way. But with transparency as a hallmark of new/social media, it would seem the perfect opportunity to marketers to redeem themselves. After all, here are some positive developments made possible by new media:
Responding to customer feedback
Talking with customers and not at them
Incorporating suggestions into product design
Making lives easier through widgets, networks and communities
The ball is in our court. We have the power to change public opinion by giving them more of what they need rather than more of what we think they need. If anything, we need to treat them with more respect.
But in the meantime, let's hope the public doesn't shoot the messenger.
Earlier this month, I mentioned an eBook project with which I am associated. The Age of Conversation is the brainchild of Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton and I'm happy to say that it has really gained some steam. Articles are due to the editors by April 30, and the book is due to be published in early May. Look for more details here.
In the meantime, here's the roster of authors who originally committed to the project:
It looks like things are starting to come around - big media is joining the modern movement and starting to embrace social media as part of their overall communications strategy, not just as a perfunctory move.
For example, USA Today has a Twitter page and has seen a readership jump of 380% since doing a social network makeover. On my local 10 o'clock news and news radio station, I hear them mention their blogs and encourage online feedback from listeners.
But the big media social network that has my attention right now is none other than... ...NBC. Yes, that's right. The peacock network. The network that once boasted "Must See TV." The network that is now #4 in the ratings war and has 22% less revenue than last year to show for it. In addition to some new shows, their social network strategy is one way that they're hoping to gain some loyal viewers.
They are currently previewing the NBC.com Social Networking site and are calling for fans to get involved. "What exactly does NBC feature in the way of a social network?" I hear you asking. Here are a few examples:
Message Boards Yes, it's very 1997 of you, NBC, but it's a basic component of any TV network's infrastructure. Get the fans to your site and let them chat about whatever excites them about your shows and sponsors. Only this time, monitor the hell out of it and figure out how to respond.
Video & Photo Galleries The idea is simple: keep 'em here rather than give up the content to YouTube. Just make sure you enable sharing features and embedded video, so your fans can put the content on their blogs to share with friends, if they wish. Don't keep them tied to your home-grown social network. If you do, you'll lose them altogether.
Blogs Here's where someone got creative. You've got the expected blogs: Jay's Garage by Jay Leno and Late Night Insider by Conan O'Brien. But then you get blogs from some of the popular characters on top shows, such as Dwight Schrute's blog - Schrute-Space (The Office); the Banker's Blog (Deal or No Deal), which takes the faceless, voiceless powermonger and gives us some insights to what makes him tick.
Other features to be rolled out include a personal profile, buddies, groups and widgets. I'll be interested to see how NBC brings this to life, wraps it into the shows, and engages with their fans. It probably helps that they have an Executive Vice President for Digital Entertainment and New Media, Vivi Zigler. It shows that NBC is willing to invest in the latest method of communicating with customers.
But will it result in higher revenue? If NBC can justify the traffic to advertisers, that might be a way to stem some of the lost revenue. And if they're able to effectively integrate advertising efforts into their widgets, they may have a new network advertising revenue model that they can help to pioneer and define.
And just to bring this back to a B2B focus for a moment, that last phrase - pioneer and define - seems to be what's holding so many B2B companies back as they sit on the sidelines and contemplate their corporate navels. They're waiting for proof that social media works in their space, that other companies are doing it and succeeding.
This may or may not be the right strategy. It probably depends on the organization. But they do risk a couple of things: at worst, being left behind and at best, being an also-ran. The point with new media is to get out there and experiment. Joseph Jaffe makes a geat point (#10 in his list to Bud.TV):
Above all...experiment experiment experiment and be prepared to make mistakes. Your reported $30-40 million investment will be well worth it if you learn from your mistakes and innovate intensely.
This is no time for timidity. It's time to get out there and see what sticks.
I recently wrote about Titleist and their customizable golf balls as a type of user-generated content (alright, it's not like making a YouTube video). Now that I think about it, there's nothing stopping anyone from filming what they do with golf balls....
In my post, I mentioned Moo as a company that knows how to give customers a range of options and to customize to their hearts' content. The story continues today, with firsthand experience of how much Moo really understands the social media space.
For those of you who don't know Moo, they create mini business cards that you can customize with your own images. Here's where it gets interesting. Sold in packs of 100, you can get 100 different images, a single image across all cards, or any assortment in between. When you hand cards out to friends & colleagues, you can encourage them to "collect all 100!"
I've listed Moo on my sidebar as a recommended tool/service since they launched. I've done so because I've used their services many times and because I've been impressed with their product and especially their customer service. Many businesses, whether in the social media space or not, can learn from them. They get it It's encouraging when a company aligns itself with other social networking sites. In Moo's case, you can see it's committed to the space because it allows you to import images from Flickr, Bebo, Fotolog, Second Life and Habbo.
And to demonstrate that they understand the power of social media, they've gone one step further: they've integrated a feed/crawler onto their home page called "MOO in the Wild: What you say about us." There you'll see excerpts from blogs around the world that mention Moo. I found out accidentally after I started seeing a jump in traffic following my Titleist post.
Ease of use It's standard fare - drag & drop, zoom & crop. Import or upload your photos, input your text, place your order. That's it.
Exceptional customer service Receive an order of cards that isn't quite right? Smudged ink, blurred image, bent cards - it doesn't matter. Moo takes them back and makes right. They gave me a credit for my initial order and allowed me to place my order again, free of charge.
I would definitely recommend Moo to anyone who asks. The cards are unique in size and feel and they're just cool. Not to mention Moo is at the heart of the social media movement. I can Moo. Can you?
The launch of Stripe Generator - admittedly a one-off with limited appeal - caused Seth Godin to raise a point:
Not a lot of room to make stuff that everyone thinks is great. I think you're a lot better off delighting and amazing the niches.
There's a lot of truth there. When I was recently mulling over two podcasting ideas, I shared my ideas with a new media colleague. Here's roughly how the conversation went:
Me: So I've got a couple of podcast ideas in development. One is for a social media podcast; the other is a literary podcast.
Him: Doing one podcast is a huge commitment; two would be even greater. Let me ask you this: is anyone else doing a literary podcast in the space?
Me: No.
Him: Then make that your focus. There are tons of podcasts about podcasting, blogging and new marketing. But is anyone else doing a podcast about this literary character?
Me: No.
Him: Then you should own it. Be the first. Be the best. You can stand out.
He's absolutely right. If you want to brand yourself, if you want to be remarkable, you need to give people a solution that they need, no matter what the size of the audience. If you're doing what's already been done and you have no unique angle, you aren't going to have many evangelists who will be loyal to you. Plus - if you actually enjoy what you're doing and you're really good at it, you'll be rewarded.
Andy Warhol once famously intoned, "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." Based on the activity in the blogosphere and podosphere today, that number seems ludicrously low, as there are some individuals making names for themselves on a daily basis.
If I had to write it over, I'd say "In the future, everyone will be famous as long as they provide quality content." That is, as long as they have something meaningful to say. Well, the time has arrived. If you have something meaningful to say, here's your opportunity to make an impact.
I am proud to be part of the contributors to this very worthwhile cause. The good news is there's still room for others. Please email Drew (by clicking on the image above) by April 11 to reserve your spot.
The best way to describe Scott is "Renaissance Man." Friends and colleagues that know Scott from one facet of his life are very frequently surprised to learn of his interests and talents in other areas.
Scott is a marketing and communications professional focused on the digital industry — specifically on social media. His career spans a number of industries such as healthcare, pharma, biotech, travel, automotive, tech, and communications, and includes a wide range of clients, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.
Currently on the staff of corporate communications in Ford Motor Company, Scott heads up the social media function and holds the title Global Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager. He is a strategic advisor on all social media activities across the company, from blogger relations to marketing support, customer service to internal communications and more, as social media is being integrated into many facets of Ford business.
Prior to joining Ford, Scott served as Consigliere for crayon and spent a number of years with PJA Advertising + Marketing, a boutique BtoB agency specializing in health sciences & high tech.
In addition to his consulting and agency background, Scott is an active blogger and podcaster. He writes about the intersection of advertising, marketing and PR at The Social Media Marketing Blog and also writes The Baker Street Blog, a literary undertaking. Scott has been featured in numerous news and business publications, on a variety of podcasts, and on national television. Scott is a recognized thought leader in the social media industry and frequently speaks at industry events.
Scott received his Master's in Medical Science from Boston University's School of Medicine concurrently with his MBA from BU's Graduate School of Management. He lives in the greater Detroit area with his wife and two young sons, golfs all too infrequently, and has a hidden talent for voice over work.
Oh, and one last little-known fact: Scott coined the term "tweetup."
Plaid occasionally does web work for me and designed this site
No animals were harmed in the making of this blog.
Speaking Events
Scott speaks on social media at events, seminars and conferences around the world. His topic generally focuses on corporate use of social media, becoming an online spokesperson, and specifically on the progress that Ford has made in the recent past. If you're interested in booking Scott to speak at your event, please send an email to speaking [AT] scottmonty [DOT] com. Scott's bio and headshot can be found in the "About Scott" tab above.
Hi, I'm Scott. I'm the head of social media for Ford Motor Company. This is my personal blog, where I share my perspectives on social media - the convergence of marketing, advertising and PR on the Web - for marketers, agencies, the enterprise and the individual. This blog contains my personal views.
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. Excuse me? What genius was initially put in charge of that initiative?
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, an account of a fictional Chicago advertising agency in the post dot-com boom.
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