Why Video Will Be So Important in 2009

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/3150075245_4b8d19482d_d.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/3150075245_4b8d19482d_d.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 257px; height: 177px;" /></a>One of the principles that Web 2.0 affords us all is that, thanks to the ease of self-publishing, we can create content in pretty much any form we want. And if you don't know exactly how your customers like to consume information, I'd argue that you should make every version available.<br /><br />This became pretty clear to me today, when we made an announcement at Ford that we're launching a new feature in the Lincoln MKS called Active Park Assist - which means you can parallel park hands-free. Sounds cool.<br /><br />We launched a <a href="http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=29625">traditional press release</a> along with a <a href="http://ford.digitalsnippets.com/technology/#active-park-assist">social media press release</a>. There were mainstream online articles about it which got some pickup, including Engadget, the Wall Street Journal, and Yahoo. And the reaction was mostly people passing along the headlines on Twitter.<br /><br />But it wasn't until we launched the video that we had that "a-ha" moment. People saw the technology in action and immediately understood what the text-based pieces and the image above were trying to convey.<br /><br /><center><object height="245" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xW-MhoLImqg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xW-MhoLImqg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="245"></embed></object></center><br /><br />In this case, we had a story that was more easily understood by observing how technology worked firsthand. When you couple an image-intensive story with an audience's need for quick information, video is a great solution.<br /><br />So when it's time to make your own announcement, launch a campaign, or build awareness, you should ask yourself: what's the most effective way of telling your story?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fordmotorcompany/3150075245/">Ford Motor Company</a>

Why Video Will Be So Important in 2009

One of the principles that Web 2.0 affords us all is that, thanks to the ease of self-publishing, we can create content in pretty much any f...

Read more »

Case Study: Social Media for Crisis Communications

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/womanofscorn/43079919/" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282845271699412994" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SVBvyO7-2AI/AAAAAAAABlU/IbZ1WyGMSvw/s200/match-blow.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 105px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a>A couple of weeks ago on the heels of Ford's appearance before some Congressional committees, I had to deal with a major firestorm online.<br /> <br /> In short, the issue was that there was a Ford fansite called TheRangerStation.com that received a cease & desist letter from Ford, and the owner posted that Ford was asking for $5,000 and the URL to be turned over. It turns out there was much more to the story. The owner was selling counterfeit Ford goods, and together, we reached a reasonable solution to the situation.<br /> <br /> Ron Ploof, a B-to-B social media consultant, has created <a href="http://ronamok.com/2008/12/17/ford-fansites-and-firefighting/">a completely masterful case study</a> of what happened here. I'll leave it to him to set it up, tell the story, and draw out the lessons, here in this Scribd document.<br /> <br /> Feel free to embed it, share it, rate it, etc.<br /> <br /> <div style="display: block; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;"> <a href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/9204719/The-Ranger-Station-Fire#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View The Ranger Station Fire on Scribd">The Ranger Station Fire</a> by <a href="https://www.scribd.com/user/404496/Scott-Monty#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Scott Monty's profile on Scribd">Scott Monty</a> on Scribd</div> <iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.75" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_49460" scrolling="no" src="https://www.scribd.com/embeds/9204719/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-2hunyjqx4wmsxfdy3xyb&show_recommendations=true&show_upsell=true" width="100%"></iframe><br /> <br /> <br /> In the end, it's created a point of conversation for us internally (and externally, I might add). I've committed to creating a more fluid conversation between Ford's Communications area and Office of General Counsel, so we don't run into these surprise situations again. We'll still need to protect the brand and our licensees, but if we can work with enthusiast sites, we'll be in a much better place.<br /> <br /> Related links:<br /> <br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.forimmediaterelease.biz/index.php?/weblog/comments/fir_interview_scott_monty_head_of_social_media_ford_motor_company/">Interview on For Immediate Release</a></li> <li><a href="http://voltagecreative.com/blog/2008/12/pr-disaster-ford-suing-people-who-about-ford-cars/">Real-time review of the day's events on Voltage Blog</a></li> <li><a href="http://leftthebox.com/archive/how-scott-monty-stopped-a-ford-pr-disaster/">Left the Box's assessment</a></li> </ul> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">What are your thoughts? Would you have done anything differently?</span><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/womanofscorn/43079919/" style="font-style: italic;">Woman of Scorn</a><br /> <br /> --<br /> <br />

Case Study: Social Media for Crisis Communications

A couple of weeks ago on the heels of Ford's appearance before some Congressional committees, I had to deal with a major firestorm onlin...

Read more »

As If You Really Wondered...

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheeshoo/16996172/"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282487832321618818" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SU8qshfac4I/AAAAAAAABlM/WSjOKsA0_eY/s200/seven.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" /></a>If there's one thing I'm not a fan of in the social web, it's the peer pressure surrounding memes. On the one hand, it's a forced post that I'd rather not write; then again, if I don't write it, I feel like I'm letting a friend down.<br /><br />In this case, that friend was Aaron Strout, a social media and marketing colleague from back in Boston. Aaron has recently relocated to Austin (joining a <a href="http://www.engageinpr.com/">number</a> of <a href="http://originalcomment.blogspot.com/">other</a> Boston <a href="http://www.bryanperson.com/">illuminati</a>) and is heading up marketing for Powered. And he told us <a href="http://blog.stroutmeister.com/2008/12/7-things-you-may-or-may-not-know-about.html">seven things we may not know about him</a> and challenged others.<br /><br />So, here are the seven things you may not know about me (keep in mind I've done this <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2008/01/eight-things-you-probably-didnt-know.html">a couple</a> of <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2007/07/crazy-eights.html">times before</a>). That means if you do your research, you'll know 23 things about me.<br /><span id="fullpost"><br /><ol><li>I worked as a writer for the Department of Veterans Affairs during the Clinton healthcare reform proposal era. The thought was that the VA would need to compete with the Johns Hopkins and Mass Generals of the world, so they needed their own reform project. Industry and government leaders met and our group wrote the plan. I also wrote for another project <a href="http://www.ostp.gov/cs/meeting_the_challenge">Meeting the Challenge: A Research Agenda for Health, Safety and Food for America</a>. I later went on to become a speechwriter for the Director of Medical Research.<br /></li><br /><li>Speaking of medical research, I hold a Master's in Medical Science from Boston University <a href="http://www.bumc.bu.edu/gms/">School of Medicine</a> and an M.B.A. with an concentration in healthcare management from Boston University <a href="http://management.bu.edu/admissions/graduate.html">Graduate School of Management</a>.</li><br /><li>I was an altar boy for 10 years, serving under Father Ted, a very old-school priest. He was a no-nonsense guy and he expected things to be orderly. I kind of cringe every time I seen an altar server wearing sneakers at mass - Fr. Ted would have excommunicated them.<br /></li><br /><li>When I participate in karaoke, to disguise my inability to perform current hits, I typically choose older songs and impersonate the singers. My favorite - it's a tie betweetn "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" as a duet between Willie Nelson & Julio Iglesias and "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.<br /></li><br /><li>Before I joined Ford, I had only driven one American car - and a GM one at that. When I was in high school, I inherited a Vette. No, it's not what you're thinking. It was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Chevette">Chevette</a>.<br /></li><br /><li>If you told me that I could only have a single kind of candy for the rest of my life, it would be <a href="http://www.m-ms.com/us/about/products/peanutmms/">Peanut M&M's</a>. And yes, I'm old enough to remember when light brown was a color of regular M&M's.<br /></li><br /><li>I won't be doing another one of these memes for at least another year.<br /></li><br /></ol>Now, in keeping with the rules of the game, I nominate these seven unsuspecting souls. These are all people whom I've met or interacted with for the first time throughout the course of 2008. It's my goal to break out of the echo chamber a bit and extend your reading, if you're not already aware of them:<br /><a href="http://altitudebranding.com/">Amber Naslund</a><br /><a href="http://primecutsblog.com/">Justin Levy</a><br /><a href="http://leftthebox.com/">Samir Belwani</a><br /><a href="http://beancast.us/">Bob Knorpp</a><br /><a href="http://www.tweetpr.com/">David Alston</a><br /><a href="http://www.mattjmcd.com/">Matt McDonald</a><br /><a href="http://veryofficialblog.com/">Shannon Paul<br /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sheeshoo/16996172/">sheeshoo</a><br /></span>

As If You Really Wondered...

If there's one thing I'm not a fan of in the social web, it's the peer pressure surrounding memes. On the one hand, it's a f...

Read more »

Ford's CEO Takes to Twitter

<center> <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280499441412939218" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SUgaQ8IRHdI/AAAAAAAABlE/nc5is-AHmM0/s1600/mulally.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></center> I was at a preview event that Ford was holding for media prior to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), when in strolled our CEO, Alan Mulally. He was immediately swarmed by journalists, who formed the traditional <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_scrum">scrum</a>.<br /> <br /> When they dispersed, I got his attention and asked if he wanted to take some questions on Twitter. "What's Twitter?" he asked. Fair question. When I explained it to him briefly (and what I had been doing on Twitter recently), he was all for it.<br /> <br /> [I've said before and I'll say it again: Alan Mulally is a down-to-earth, affable and smart guy who's interested in new technology and passionate about Ford. I'm proud to be serving with him.]<br /> <br /> Here's a sampling of questions and answers from the exchange. Mind you, I was thumbing away on my Blackberry as Alan spoke.<br /> <center> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> Any questions for Alan Mulally?<br /> — Scott Monty (@ScottMonty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty/statuses/1061061880">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty">@ScottMonty</a> Q. for Mulally: In hindsight, wd he have changed Ford's strategy in 2007/08 if he'd known we'd be in recession by now?<br /> — Tim Walker (@TWalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/TWalk/statuses/1061065934">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/TWalk">@TWalk</a> No. Matter of fact, we've accelerated the strategy with the safest most fuel-efficient vehicles ever. - Alan Mulally<br /> — Scott Monty (@ScottMonty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty/statuses/1061075563">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty">@ScottMonty</a> what is Mullaly's commitment to sustainability, both personal and professional?<br /> — Asheen Phansey (@asheen) <a href="https://twitter.com/asheen/statuses/1061066473">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/asheen">@asheen</a> I've spent my entire career focused on safe & efficient transport; sutainability is the future. The future is now. -Alan Mulally<br /> — Scott Monty (@ScottMonty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty/statuses/1061070305">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty">@ScottMonty</a> yeah, what does it feel like to be LEADING the industry rather than sticking with the status quo?<br /> — Tyler Hurst (@tdhurst) <a href="https://twitter.com/tdhurst/statuses/1061068625">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/tdhurst">@tdhurst</a> Exhilirating. Ford rocks! - Alan Mulally<br /> — Scott Monty (@ScottMonty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty/statuses/1061076863">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty">@ScottMonty</a> What's Alan currently driving?<br /> — Julius Marchwicki (@idamaster) <a href="https://twitter.com/idamaster/statuses/1061077290">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/idamaster">@idamaster</a> Alan makes it a point to drive a diff vehicle every day - including the competition - b/c it's impt to understand cust's view<br /> — Scott Monty (@ScottMonty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty/statuses/1061089705">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> Any questions for Alan Mulally?<br /> — Scott Monty (@ScottMonty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty/statuses/1061061880">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/jdarkstar">@JDARKSTAR</a> I’m really looking to find a good balance of folder structure versus depth, factoring in ease-of-use.<br /> — Michael Critz (@mike_critz) <a href="https://twitter.com/mike_critz/statuses/1061120547">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> That closes this Q&A session with Ford CEO Alan Mulally. We may try this again some time.<br /> — Scott Monty (@ScottMonty) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMonty/statuses/1061123209">December 16, 2008</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /> <br /> </center> Not bad for a first-timer. He was pretty succinct, too. <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">What do you think? Is this an interesting way to connect directly to a Fortune 100 CEO?</span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fordmotorcompany/3076222674/">Ford Motor Company</a></span><br /> --

Ford's CEO Takes to Twitter

I was at a preview event that Ford was holding for media prior to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), when in strolled our...

Read more »

Social Media Predictions 2009

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SUZ3B423z9I/AAAAAAAABk8/fQL6rX8lhTU/s1600-h/predictions.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280038487464595410" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SUZ3B423z9I/AAAAAAAABk8/fQL6rX8lhTU/s200/predictions.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 144px;" /></a>I was honored to receive an email from <a href="http://www.beingpeterkim.com/">Peter Kim</a> couple of weeks ago, asking for my predictions for social media in 2009. Peter is a former analyst for Forrester Research and he's now part of a VC that's focusing on social computing.<br /><br />The reason I was honored is not just because Peter is a smart guy whom I've always admired, but he included me in some pretty distinguished company. In the end, 14 of us responded and came up with some fairly interesting and bold takeaways for 2009.<br /><br />Some are:<br /><ul><li>"Although it is now cheaper to launch an initiative leveraging Web 2.0 technology - it requires qualified and passionate people to make them successful." - <a href="http://darmano.typepad.com/">David Armano</a></li><li><span>"You may not always start the year as a leader, but you can certainly finish it that way." - <a href="http://www.influentialmarketingblog.com/">Rohit Bhargava</a> </span> </li><li>"Intimacy touches emotion; emotion powers conversation." - <a href="http://notetaker.typepad.com/cgm/">Pete Blackshaw</a></li><li>"Doors are going to close all over the social web. Why? Because the money didn't come the way people thought it would." - <a href="http://www.chrisbrogan.com/">Chris Brogan</a> </li><li><span>"The tipping point has not only *not* been reached, but could still tilt *away* from Social Media." - <a href="http://www.pr-squared.com/">Todd Defren</a></span></li><li>"There's a lot of fixing that needs to be done." - <a href="http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/">Jason Falls</a> </li><li>"Dwindling budgets suddenly make low-cost social media look like the pretty girl at the ball." - <a href="http://www.marketingprofs.com/">Ann Handley</a> </li><li>"We're going to develop a set of better metrics to help guide, direct and validate 'commitment'." - <a href="http://www.jaffejuice.com/">Joseph Jaffe</a> </li><li>"The movement is rooted in a desire to have quality, not quantity, as people cocoon in the face of the economic crisis." - <a href="http://blog.altimetergroup.com/">Charlene Li</a> </li><li>"After a pre-qualifying wrestling match..." - <a href="http://www.churchofthecustomer.com/">Ben McConnell</a></li><li><span>"These will be cumulative events and interactions that will build brand loyalty for the companies that pay attention to them." - <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/">Scott Monty</a> </span> </li><li>"The recession will force revenue results out of social technologies." - <a href="http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/">Jeremiah Owyang</a></li><li>"Companies that focus on earning love will thrive during hard times, and kick ass when good times return." - <a href="http://www.damniwish.com/">Andy Sernovitz</a></li><li>"Suddenly, being Facebook friends with your mom will seem less ridiculous than following 4,000 strangers on Twitter." - <a href="http://gregverdino.typepad.com/">Greg Verdino</a><br /></li></ul><br />Here's the full paper, via Scribd, a service that I really like and that' I've been using <a href="http://www.scribd.com/people/view/5048557">for Ford initiatives</a>. Feel free to embed, pass it along, comment on it, or whatever.<br /><br /><a title="View Social Media 2009 document on Scribd" href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/8944081/Social-Media-2009" style="margin: 12px auto 6px; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; display: block; text-decoration: underline;">Social Media 2009</a> <object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="500" id="doc_256707645665950" name="doc_256707645665950" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://documents.scribd.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=8944081&access_key=key-2nug4v9b4fjt8fnjtb66&page=1&version=1&viewMode="> <param name="quality" value="high"> <param name="play" value="true"> <param name="loop" value="true"> <param name="scale" value="showall"> <param name="wmode" value="opaque"> <param name="devicefont" value="false"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"> <param name="menu" value="true"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <param name="salign" value=""> <embed src="http://documents.scribd.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=8944081&access_key=key-2nug4v9b4fjt8fnjtb66&page=1&version=1&viewMode=" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" play="true" loop="true" scale="showall" wmode="opaque" devicefont="false" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="doc_256707645665950_object" menu="true" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" salign="" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" width="100%" height="500"></embed> </object> <div style="margin: 6px auto 3px; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; display: block;"> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/upload" style="text-decoration: underline;">Publish at Scribd</a> or <a href="http://www.scribd.com/browse" style="text-decoration: underline;">explore</a> others: <a href="http://www.scribd.com/browse?c=131-management" style="text-decoration: underline;">Management</a> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/browse?c=123-business" style="text-decoration: underline;">Business</a> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/tag/social%20media%202009" style="text-decoration: underline;">social media 2009</a> </div><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/circulating/2238715683%3C/span%3E/">circulating</a><br /></span>

Social Media Predictions 2009

I was honored to receive an email from Peter Kim couple of weeks ago, asking for my predictions for social media in 2009. Peter is a forme...

Read more »

How You Can Use Social Media to Help the U.S. Auto Industry

<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SSnAU8y35CI/AAAAAAAABks/HwB7JIxDXCk/s1600-h/Spirit+of+Detroit.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271956304963298338" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SSnAU8y35CI/AAAAAAAABks/HwB7JIxDXCk/s200/Spirit+of+Detroit.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 125px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a><b>UPDATE</b>: Since I wrote this post, we've created a site that has much of this comprehensive information on it. You can find it at <a href="http://thefordstory.com/"><b>The Ford Story</b></a>. It would be great if you could check it out & share it.<br /> <br /> It's been a rough week. And for someone who is new to the auto industry, this is truly a test.<br /> <br /> I don't usually talk directly about my work unless it's something truly worth sharing. As such, I'd like you to indulge me a little here, because there's some important information that I would like to share.<br /> <br /> Throughout the past week, I've been engaging directly with people <a href="http://search.twitter.com/search?q=&ands=scottmonty+timoreilly&phrase=&ors=&nots=&tag=&lang=all&from=&to=&ref=&near=&within=15&units=mi&since=&until=&rpp=50">on Twitter</a> and where possible <a href="http://scobleizer.com/2008/11/22/why-i-love-the-us-auto-industry/#comment-2000707">on blog posts</a>. Because I was at the L.A. Auto Show, my exposure to all of the conversation wasn't as broad as it might have been.<br /> <br /> And at Ford, our social media efforts are just in their nascency. <a href="http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/">My colleagues at GM</a> have a pretty strong team in place, while I'm just one guy doing what I can. Since Ford doesn't yet have a robust public platform in the social media space, it's largely been a matter of individual engagement. And for much of the week, it's been like fighting a forest fire with a squirt gun.<br /> <br /> So I'm resorting to my blog to share what I know and what my own perspective is, and hopefully, with your cooperation, to help the ailing U.S. auto industry in the process. While I'm supportive of the whole industry, my views will naturally be skewed to Ford, because it's the topic I'm most familiar with and loyal to. So, let's begin at the beginning.<br /> <span id="fullpost"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spring 2008</span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SSnrCibqTDI/AAAAAAAABk0/aQdH-5oRGG8/s1600-h/Ford_logo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272003267648965682" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SSnrCibqTDI/AAAAAAAABk0/aQdH-5oRGG8/s200/Ford_logo.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 96px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />When I interviewed with Ford, it was at an exciting time: Ford has <a href="http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28104">just announced a first-quarter profit</a>, its first in a long time, on the way to CEO Alan Mulally's plan to make the company profitable by 2009. One of the reasons I took the job was because of the innovation and exciting product developments that I discovered as part of the hiring process. [<span style="font-style: italic;">Aside: It was enough to make me move from Boston to Detroit - and believe me, I had a healthy dose of East Coast snobbery that didn't think to highly of Detroit. I obviously learned enough to overcome that.</span>]<br /><br />But now, we stand in a much different place, after gas prices spiked, the commodity markets doubled, the housing crunch hit, and the credit markets dried up. All of those negatively impacted the auto industry and they happened <span style="font-style: italic;">in less than one fiscal quarter</span>. It was a rapid and stunning downturn that no one could have predicted.<br /><br />Could I ever have guessed that the industry and the economy would have stalled? Hardly. Yet I remain incredibly optimistic about Ford's future and commitment to making great cars that people want and value.<br /><br />The problem is, our story hasn't had the chance to be fully (and fairly) told yet. We're getting beaten down daily by the media, Congress, and everywhere I turn online. We're not <a href="http://www.autoobserver.com/2008/11/chryslers-nardelli-running-out-of-cash.html">desperate for cash</a>, nor are we trying to scare the public with <a href="http://www.autoobserver.com/2008/11/gms-wagoner-industry-collapse-would-represent-a-massive-economic-dislocation.html">scenarios of doom & gloom</a>. Ours is a story of <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=852985753">transformation that's already underway</a></span> that means <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.autoobserver.com/2008/11/fords-mulally-needs-cash-available-to-complete-transformation.html">we're poised for success</a></span>.<br /><br />My goal here is not to get into a semantic discussion about how a Chapter 11 filing might look (or the possibility of a Chapter 7 liquidation), or to debate supply and demand economics; nor is it to pick apart any public relations gaffes that may have occurred; nor is it to point fingers and try to lay the blame squarely at any one of the myriad players in this tragic drama.<br /><br />My hope is that you'll read on and take in some of the information I'm going to share. In the end, you'll have to make up your own mind. But I'm asking you to do it in an informed way, rather than making an emotionally-charged knee-jerk reaction to what's going on in Detroit and Washington.<br /><br />And in addition to reading, watching and listening to the content I'm sharing, I sincerely ask you to do this:<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 110%;"></span></span><br /> <center> <span id="fullpost"><span style="font-size: 110%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Some time, in the near future, get out there, visit a local <br />Ford | Lincoln | Mercury dealership and actually try out one of our latest vehicles and decide for yourself. <a href="http://www.fordvehicles.com/forddriveone">Drive One</a>.</span></span></span></center> <span id="fullpost"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Advances at Ford</span><br />Let me share with you a few facts about Ford which you may not be aware of. Many of them are centered around our <a href="http://www.fordvehicles.com/forddriveone">Drive One campaign</a>: Drive Safe. Drive Green. Drive Quality. Drive Smart. And we're making progress in every area.<br /><br /><ul> <li>Ford's CEO, Alan Mulally is just 2 years on the job. He was recruited from Boeing and is highly respected (and wholly likable). It is his vision for ONE Ford - a truly global company - that is driving much of the transformation that is currently under way.</li> <br /><br /> <li>Ford's vehicle mix was about 70% trucks & SUVs (largely because we were giving people exactly what they demanded in times of cheap gas); we have restructured to produce 60% cars & crossovers.</li> <br /><br /> <li>We're changing over some of our truck & SUV manufacturing facilities <a href="http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080827/AUTO01/808270408/1148/rss25">to become car plants</a>, with the flexible manufacturing capability; that is, if we need to change from car to truck or back again, it can be done in a matter of hours rather than a matter of months.</li> <br /><br /> <li>We're using our successful European & South American manufacturing models to bring the more of those outstanding small cars to the United States.<br /></li> <li>We're committed to being best-in-class or among the best-in-class in fuel economy in <span style="font-style: italic;">every</span> vehicle we produce.<br /></li> <li>We've <a href="http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=29448">doubled the number of hybrids</a> we offer - these include the Ford Escape Hybrid, the most fuel-efficient SUV in the world; and the Ford Fusion Hybrid, which will beat the Toyota Camry hybrid by at least 6 mpg.</li> <br /><br /> <li>We're launching the <a href="http://ford.digitalsnippets.com/2008/01/05/introducing-ecoboost/">Eco-Boost engine</a>, which will scale across most of our fleet, increasing fuel economy by up to 20% and reducing CO2 emissions by up to 15%</li> <br /><br /> <li>None of Ford's vehicles require premium gasoline.</li> <br /><br /> <li>We're actively testing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), battery-powered electric vehicles (BEV), hydrogen, compressed natural gas, and more. We won't release new products until we know that we have the capacity to produce them in a way that people can afford them.</li> <br /><br /><center> <span style="font-size: 110%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ford is committed to <span style="font-style: italic;">affordable</span> fuel economy for millions of people</span></span></center> <br /><br /> <li>We're environmentally friendly in many, many aspects of our business. It not only includes the vehicles we make, but the before and after effects as well. For example:</li> <br /><blockquote> <br /> <li>We're using soy in creating seat cushions</li> <br /> <br /> <li>Replacing petroleum-based manufactured parts with plant-based polyol in (thus reducing our carbon footprint</li> <br /> <br /> <li>Creating materials that more easily <a href="http://ford.digitalsnippets.com/environment/#vehicle-recycling-101">biodegrade at the end of the car's life</a></li> <br /> <br /> <li>The lights shut off at the World Headquarters at 6:30 and I have to dial a code on the phone if I want more power, and tell the system how many more minutes I need</li> <br /> <br /> <li>I use Ford pencils made from recycled denim</li> <br /> <br /> <li>Our Rouge factory has the largest green roof in the world</li> <br /> <br /> <li>Our Dagenham, UK facilities are powered by wind turbines</li> <br /> <br /> <li>Facilities in Spain have solar panels</li> </blockquote> <br /><br /> <li>Overall, take a look at the company's <a href="http://www.ford.com/microsites/sustainability-report-2007-08/default"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blueprint for Sustainability</span></a>, available both as a microsite as well as a <a href="http://www.ford.com/doc/sr07-ford-sustainability.pdf"><span style="font-weight: bold;">downloadable PDF</span></a>. Take the time to peruse what's there. You may be surprised.<br /></li> <li>Our SYNC technology integrating most phones and mp3 players (including iPods and the iPhone) into the sound system of the car.</li> <br /><center> <object height="319" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kjQVn5cmqlg&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kjQVn5cmqlg&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="319"></embed></object></center> <br /><br /> <li>The next generation of SYNC with Sirius Travel link gets you real-time updates on gas prices, weather, sports scores, traffic and more.</li> <br /><br /> <li>SYNC's new 911 assist will call for help automatically in the event of a crash, using your cellphone and connecting you <span style="font-style: italic;">directly</span> to emergency personnel</li> <br /><br /> <li>Ford is now <a href="http://ford.digitalsnippets.com/quality/#fords-domestic-brand-quality-on-the-rise">equal to Toyota & Honda in initial quality</a>, according to both J.D. Powers & Associates and Consumer Reports</li> <br /><br /> <li>Ford's vehicles have <a href="http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28911">more 5-star safety ratings</a> than any other automaker. Ever.</li> <br /><br /> <li>The new <a href="http://ford.digitalsnippets.com/safety/#new-safe-driving-innovations">Ford MyKey system</a> will create opportunities for parents to communicate with their teenage drivers about safe driving skills.</li> <br /><br /> <li>Developments such as the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fordmotorcompany/2921982438/">Blind Spot Information System</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fordmotorcompany/2921138655/">Collision Warning with Brake Support</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fordmotorcompany/2921133895/">Lane Departure Warning</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fordmotorcompany/2921140697/">Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Sensing System</a> will give drivers more warning when they need to take evasive action in order to avoid an accident.</li> </ul> <br /><br />For more about the current developments at Ford, check out <a href="http://ford.digitalsnippets.com/">Ford Digital Snippets</a> and subscribe via RSS and follow <a href="http://twitter.com/FordDriveOne">@FordDriveOne</a> on Twitter.<br /><br />Aside from the remarkable developments being made daily at Ford, there's another aspect to this that concerns me. Throughout all of this turmoil, I think we're forgetting that there have been sacrifices made on all sides:<br /><ul> <li>The UAW - much vilified in many circles - has made concessions and continues to be willing to work with management on progress. This is no longer a "we vs. them" mentality, from what I've seen.</li> <br /> <li>In early 2008, Ford made a 15% cut to its workforce (white collar and blue collar) and another 10% will be cut in January 2009.</li> <br /> <li>No one - <span style="font-weight: bold;">no one</span> - will receive bonuses in 2008, nor will they receive raises in 2009</li> <br /> <li>Ford's Chairman, Bill Ford, has not taken a salary since 2005, and he has pledged not to take one until the company returns to profitability.</li> <br /> <li><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATED</span>: Furthermore, Bill Ford has not received any dividends since the company stopped giving them; and any bonuses he received he donated to charity - specifically Ford scholarships for college-bound high school graduates.</li> </ul> <br /><br />Personally, I have seen and met most, if not all, of the executive team at Ford, and I can strongly vouch for them being hardworking, decent people who honestly want the best for the company, our customers, and every employee. I'm a pretty good judge of character, and I wouldn't be so loyal to Ford if I didn't completely believe in this team and the leadership.<br /><br />Finally, I'd like to leave you with a thought about America being there for the U.S. auto industry. Let's not forget that in tougher times, the auto industry has always been there for the country. In World War II, factories were converted into airplane and ship manufacturing facilities, <span style="font-style: italic;">forgoing automotive manufacturing</span>. Just after September 11, all of the auto companies offered 0% financing to the American public, to get us through the difficult economic times.<br /><br />What is America doing for the auto industry today?<br /><br /><b>What You Can Do to Help</b><br />Here are a few suggestions I've got where we might be able to band together. If you have others, please leave a comment below.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Share what you discover</span><br />I've established <a href="http://delicious.com/US_Auto_Industry?setcount=50">a Delicious page for the U.S. Auto Industry</a>; if you see any articles, videos, audio files or anything related to the support or the industry, please tag it "for:US_Auto_Industry" in your Delicious account and I'll add it to the list.<br /><br />Oh, and perhaps you'd care to Digg/Stumble/etc. this post.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Get active</span><br />My colleagues at GM commissioned the Facebook cause <a href="http://apps.facebook.com/causes/150318?m=6e246d57&recruiter_id=4936962">Support the U.S. Economy by Supporting the U.S. Auto Industry</a>. If you add this cause to your Facebook profile, you can invite others to join as well. There are already 6,500 members, but there should be more.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Educate yourself</span><br />As I noted above, there's a stunning lack of knowledge or understanding about the complexities of the auto industry and what affects it. I don't profess to be completely aware of all of it myself. But if you'd like to read a few articles that dispel some of the myths, you can start with these:<br /><ul> <li><a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20081117/COL14/811170379/?imw=Y">Six Myths About the Detroit 3</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/15/opinion/15herbert.html">NY Times Op-Ed: 'Drop Dead' Is Not an Option</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.autoobserver.com/2008/11/congress-vote-yes-on-automaker-loans.html">Edmunds: Congress: Vote Yes on Automaker Loans</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/autos/autobeat/archives/2008/11/romney_on_auto.html">Analysis of Romney's NY Times Op-Ed piece (BusinessWeek)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/autos/autobeat/archives/2008/11/taking_on_the_n.html">Taking on NY Times' Tom Friedman's Indictment of Detroit (BusinessWeek)</a></li> </ul> <br />There are more available on the <a href="http://delicious.com/US_Auto_Industry?setcount=50"><span style="font-weight: bold;">US Auto Industry</span></a> Delicious page.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Drive One.</span><br />As I said before, the best way to understand what I'm talking about here is to physically try one of our products. If you haven't been in one recently, you may be pleasantly surprised.<br /><br />Go to our <a href="http://www.fordvehicles.com/forddriveone"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Drive One</span></a> site and check out the webisodes there. Share them. Embed them. Tell people how Ford is already innovating.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Watch and share this video</span><br />This is an amazing example of a real-life Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Everyone should see this.<br /><br /><center> <object height="320" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/U7YBjjLKLd0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/U7YBjjLKLd0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="320"></embed></object></center> <br />Below is a transcript of the Rep. McCotter's opening remarks. You may also <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/8311638/2008-11-19-McCotter-Transcript">download it directly here</a>.<br /><br /><center> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/8311638/McCotter-Transcript" style="display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px; text-decoration: underline;" title="View McCotter Transcript document on Scribd">McCotter Transcript</a> <object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="500" id="doc_766995164419397" name="doc_766995164419397" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://documents.scribd.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=8311638&access_key=key-1k4jrgm1dsd7d4pjj4e3&page=1&version=1&viewMode="> <param name="quality" value="high"> <param name="play" value="true"> <param name="loop" value="true"> <param name="scale" value="showall"> <param name="wmode" value="opaque"> <param name="devicefont" value="false"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"> <param name="menu" value="true"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <param name="salign" value=""> <embed src="http://documents.scribd.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=8311638&access_key=key-1k4jrgm1dsd7d4pjj4e3&page=1&version=1&viewMode=" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" play="true" loop="true" scale="showall" wmode="opaque" devicefont="false" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="doc_766995164419397_object" menu="true" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" salign="" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" width="100%" height="500"></embed> </object> <div style="display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 6px auto 3px;"> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/upload" style="text-decoration: underline;">Get your own</a> at Scribd or <a href="http://www.scribd.com/browse" style="text-decoration: underline;">explore</a> others: <a href="http://www.scribd.com/browse?c=123-business" style="text-decoration: underline;">Business</a> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/browse?c=186-trade-and-commerce" style="text-decoration: underline;">Trade and Commerce</a> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/tag/economy" style="text-decoration: underline;">economy</a> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/tag/automotive" style="text-decoration: underline;">automotive</a> </div> </center> <br /><br />Thank you for your time in reading this rather lengthy post. It's obviously something I'm passionate about. I hope you can do your part.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/detroitderek/1801238697/">detroitderek</a></span></span>

How You Can Use Social Media to Help the U.S. Auto Industry

UPDATE : Since I wrote this post, we've created a site that has much of this comprehensive information on it. You can find it at The For...

Read more »

Young and (Un)Impressionable

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SRPFjLXJgqI/AAAAAAAAA7c/nOg90uhWdbI/s1600-h/shocker.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265769597462217378" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SRPFjLXJgqI/AAAAAAAAA7c/nOg90uhWdbI/s200/shocker.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" /></a>Hey, here's a shocker:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"Social network ads can seem intrusive." </span><br /><br />It shouldn't be news to you if you're a student of social media. But it's something I said - probably even more forcefully - to a whole room of agencies and advertisers at the <a href="http://www.socialtimes.com/2008/09/social-ad-summit-branded-experiences-on-social-networks/">Social Ad Summit</a> a couple of months ago.<br /><br />Let's face it: no one is on a social network to read ads. They're there to connect with friends and share interests.<br /><br />As <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1006657">reported on eMarketer</a> recently (via that headline stating the obvious), a study by <a href="http://www.exacttarget.com">Exact Target</a> and <span id="lblBody" class="grey_text2"><a href="http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/CentersandInstitutes/CMD.aspx/" target="blank">Ball State University Center for Media Design</a> </span>showed that young adults indicated that as you would expect, word-of-mouth was considered the most effective type of marketing to the 18-30 year-old crowd.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SRPRBpna8LI/AAAAAAAAA7k/iYQMNQzNFkc/s1600-h/UsefulYouthfulAdvertising.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265782215607513266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SRPRBpna8LI/AAAAAAAAA7k/iYQMNQzNFkc/s400/UsefulYouthfulAdvertising.gif" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Reachable, but protective</span><br />Slightly surprising was that email and direct mail were bigger influencers on their purchasing habits than social networks. Why? Because these are expected marketing channels. But they indicated that SMS, private messages and social networks are considered <span style="font-style: italic;">verboten</span> for advertising. If there isn't at least implied permission, don't even bother showing up with your marketing message.<br /><br />In other words, just because this media-savvy group is using a particular tool or form of communication doesn't mean it's okay for you to intrude, Mr. & Ms. Marketer.<br /><br />If you have an opportunity, I recommend heading over to the Exact Target web site and downloading the October 28, 2008 white paper <a href="http://email.exacttarget.com/Resources/Whitepapers/PersonasWhitepaper.html">Messaging Behaviors, Preferences and Personas</a>. There are some fascinating observations there about the habits of a number of personas: wired, retirees, teens, young homemakers, college students, and established pros.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Are there unwritten rules of engagement that you operate by in your preferred communications channels? Let me know.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eaglemoss/3007149719/">EagleMoss</a>

Young and (Un)Impressionable

Hey, here's a shocker: "Social network ads can seem intrusive." It shouldn't be news to you if you're a student of soc...

Read more »

Taking the "Me" Out of Social Media

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SP5uprfbSiI/AAAAAAAAA5k/YWkMr8T_cWQ/s1600-h/mirror+mirror.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259763077143546402" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SP5uprfbSiI/AAAAAAAAA5k/YWkMr8T_cWQ/s200/mirror+mirror.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>If you've spent any time reading marketing & social media blogs, you may have noticed a common trait that each of the authors share: we love to talk about ourselves. I don't know if it's because I read a lot of material in this space, or if it's just because I'm too close to these people, but it's gotten to the point where it's bordering on egotism, hubris and narcissism.<br /><br />It's an ugly accusation, but not one that I make lightly. But I'm tired of seeing social media bloggers focusing inward. Whether it's a laundry list of the latest appearances, self-referential links to previous entries in the blog, or thought leadership that feeds an overinflated ego, their sites become a great monument to...themselves.<br /><br /><span id="fullpost"><br />I'm not going to name names (because I don't want to embarrass anyone, and partially because I'm probably just as guilty as the next guy), but I do want to raise an important point about social media - a point we try to make clear to companies all the time. No one cares how many followers we have on Twitter, they're not interested in our blog statistics, and they probably don't like gratiuitous name-dropping.<br /><br />News flash: social media is less about <i>you</i> than it is about <i>the other guy</i>.<br /><br /><b>Listen up</b><br />The first rule that social media consultants/experts/gurus/whatever-you-want-to-call-them will tell companies is that they need to listen. "Understand the communities you wish to be a part of," we tell them, "and then you'll be able to participate with credibility." Old school marketers wonder about their message, and how it'll be conveyed, essentially asking, "What about <i>me</i>?"<br /><br />Perhaps some will even spout that you can't spell social media without "me." Maybe so. But then again, you can't spell customer without "u."<br /><br /><b>Karma works</b><br />Recently, David Armano (a fellow blogger whom I've admired since the early days of my own blog) <a href="http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2008/10/the-4-kinds-of.html"><b>wrote about karmic marketing</b></a>. The essence was that if you truly want peoples' attention, you need to give before you get.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SP5tJnsPx1I/AAAAAAAAA5c/s4RV_CamLJQ/s1600-h/fourkindsoffree100608.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259761426856134482" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SP5tJnsPx1I/AAAAAAAAA5c/s4RV_CamLJQ/s400/fourkindsoffree100608.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />Building a relationship with your customers really isn't that much different than having a relationship with another person in real life - the best ones are based on each party giving to the other. When you feel like you're not getting something in return from your partner, you're more likely to withdraw; but when you sense that your partner is giving freely of themselves, you'll reciprocate.<br /><br />I'm reminded of a cranky old couple from my childhood days. My grandparents always had a variety of friends at their house, whether it was for coffee, chats in the shaded driveway in the summer, or at parties. There was this one couple that never seemed to be happy, and I'll never forget what the wife said: <span style="font-style: italic;">"We have the perfect give-and-take relationship. I give, and he takes."</span><br /><br /><b>Learn from the best</b><br />I've already mentioned Dave's article. But there are many more people who go out of their way to be generous with praise for others, keeping the main focus off of themselves. These are people who share links in their blogs or are active on Twitter, suggesting great sources of information that we can all learn from, and they do it in such a way that you can tell it's part of their DNA. Here are some examples:<br /><br /><b>Aaron Strout</b> (<a href="http://twitter.com/astrout">@astrout on Twitter</a>) <a href="http://www.mzinga.com/en/Community/Blogs/Aaron-Strout/Im-a-Leavin-on-a-Jet-Plane.../">recently announced that he was leaving Mzinga</a> - and this is a guy who was so prominent and active in the social networking space that he <b><i>was</i></b> Mzinga - and he made a great list of suggestions, including one where he made it a point to encourage people to spend time on other blogs and to get beyond themselves.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cc-chapman.com/"><b>C.C. Chapman</b></a> has a larger than life personality; he's impossible not to like. I think one of the biggest reasons is because of his natural curiosity and his gregariousness. Together, they result in someone who is always learning and always sharing, and as a result, is always admired.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chrisbrogan.com/"><b>Chris Brogan</b></a>'s star has risen fast, and it's for a number of reasons: (1) he churns out content at an amazing rate; (2) he's everywhere, attending more conferences than you knew any single person could attend; (3) he is extremely generous with his time, his advice, his praise, and his discoveries. When you add to that a self-effacing and affable personality, what's not to like?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smallbizsurvival.com/"><b>Becky McCray</b></a> may live in a small town in the Oklahoma panhandle and write about small business, but her ideas are as big as her heart. She instituted a regular feature on her blog that proves it. Each Friday, she creates a post called the <a href="http://www.smallbizsurvival.com/search/label/brag%20basket">Brag Basket</a> where she encourages anyone to share something they're proud of, whether it's their own accomplishment or something that a friend did.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://moblogsmoproblems.blogspot.com/">Mack Collier</a></span> is a blogging consultant who knows his stuff. And in addition to reviewing corporate blogs, he performs a service by listing the Top 25 Marketing & Social Media blogs, <b>and</b> he calls out some of the people he sees as up & comers.<br /><br />As I said, these are just a few examples off the top of my head. But it's clear that each of of them, by ensuring that they heap praise on others in addition to sharing their own knowledge, are providing more value in the long run. I hope I can reach their level of selflessness as I continue to develop this blog.<br /><br />I've been long overdue in this matter, but in some future posts, I'll be sharing some interviews of some of my Twitter community that showcase them. There are some really cool & interesting people out there that I think you should know. Stay tuned.<br /><br /><b>In the meantime, do you know any bloggers who go out of their way to praise and highlight the work of others? Drop a note here an let us all know.</b><br /><br />Photo credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/harpers/2187573835/">Harpersbizarre</a> and <a href="http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/">David Armano</a>.<br /></span>

Taking the "Me" Out of Social Media

If you've spent any time reading marketing & social media blogs, you may have noticed a common trait that each of the authors share:...

Read more »

What's Greater Than Sex?

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SPVl0ngSOQI/AAAAAAAAA5U/fiHJ0Z6_kLU/s1600-h/surprise.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257220094656919810" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SPVl0ngSOQI/AAAAAAAAA5U/fiHJ0Z6_kLU/s200/surprise.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Well, if you're a male between the ages of 18 and 34, it should be obvious: <span style="font-style: italic;">nothing</span>. But the Internet sure comes close.<br /><br />In <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://breakmedia.break.com/file_download/21/Break+men+and+online+advertising+announcement_10+06+08.pdf">a recent study</a> from <a href="http://breakmedia.break.com/">Break Media</a> and <a href="http://www.hall-and-partners.com/">Hall and Partners</a> (which came to me via <a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/television/men-value-internet-over-tv-sex-trumps-internet-6371/?camp=newsletter&src=mc&type=textlink">Marketing Charts</a>), they surveyed over 500 men from 18-34 years of age, and made some interesting discoveries - not the least of which was that <span style="font-weight: bold;">69% say they can’t live without the Internet, versus just 31% for television</span>.<br /><br />That's more than a 2:1 margin of the Web over TV. Are you listening, traditional marketers? I'd suggest it's time to look at how you're spreading your media buys.<br /><br />These aren't total geeks, though: 79% would rather meet a woman out on the town than online, 71% prefer "a date with a hot girl to a poker game with the boys" and - here's the definitive number - 74% would rather have sex than surf the web.<br /><br />Well, okay. Maybe they <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> geeks - these stats merely noted what they'd <span style="font-style: italic;">prefer</span> not what they <span style="font-style: italic;">do</span>. And when given the choice of "sex" or "web," I wonder how many chose both? ;-)<br /><br />In addition, here are some salient facts about this demographic:<br /><ul><li>63% have a smart phone and one in four use their mobile device to connect to the Web</li><li>40% use the Internet for more than 22 hours a week</li><li>36% say they can’t live without the Internet for socializing</li><li>33% say they can’t live without online entertainment</li><li>59% notice online ads</li><li>35% like ads that allow them to play a game</li><li>34% like online ads that allow them to participate in a contest<br /></li></ul>Hmm...digital marketing is looking a little more attractive now, isn't it?<br /><br />And for those of you marketers looking for personality attributes that may tie to your brands, you might consider:<br /><ul><li><strong>Conformist:</strong> Only 26% think they are trendsetters.</li><li><strong>Responsible:</strong> Only 18% agree that having fun is more important than being responsible.</li><li><strong>Green:</strong> 53% say they care about the environment.</li><li><strong>Social:</strong> 49% claim to have no trouble meeting new people; 51% like to spend as much time hanging out with friends as possible; only 20% said they valued appearance over personality when it comes to attraction.</li><li><strong>Adventuresome:</strong> 68% enjoy traveling to new places; 61% enjoy spending time outdoors.</li><li><strong>Laid back:</strong> Only 38% say they live a fast-paced life.</li><li><strong>Not wellness-centric:</strong> 38% claim to lead a healthy lifestyle; however 45% say their appearance is very important to them.</li></ul>If you don't care as much about targeting your media spend and you want to apply the mass marketing approach and go for the majority, here's your ideal target: an outdoorsy non-chalant traveling tree hugger who doesn't care how he or his date look, as evidenced by his flabby gut.<br /><br />Or, you could follow the indicators and create some engaging and shareable digital interactions that get results.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Is there anything about the above statistics that surprises you?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollen/2925320833/">thepollen</a>

What's Greater Than Sex?

Well, if you're a male between the ages of 18 and 34, it should be obvious: nothing . But the Internet sure comes close. In a recent stu...

Read more »

Please, Sir, May I Have Some More (Budget)?

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Twist"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254619261887679922" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SOwoYOa9jbI/AAAAAAAAA5E/yN1UXCXwbME/s200/Dickens_oliver_twist.gif" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Are you begging for a social media budget? Do you show up to the powers-that-be, hat in hand, and present a humbled version of yourself or your idea, nearly apologizing for asking for funding?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't!</span><br /><br />While any number of marketers may think of social media as "free," the clear fact is that it does require funding - mostly around labor rather than production. There <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> a cost associated with social media activities, but it's far less than the money being spent on traditional media buys.<br /><br />Does that mean you should think of the quality of your idea and the relevance of your budget request in a lower tier? Not at all! In fact, because of the effectiveness of some social media programs, there may be measurable results that are <span style="font-style: italic;">more</span> significant than a newspaper ad, billboard or 30-second spot.<br /><br />The forward-thinking marketers and budget directors should be open-minded enough to apply enough funding to innovative thinking - at least to test the waters. By taking a <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">fraction</span> of a large media buy and applying it to a social media initiative, marketers can create a disproportionate impact.<br /><br />Done repeatedly, this can result in real traction for a brand. All it takes is a little bit of risk and a bit of creative thinking when it comes to budgets.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Twist">Wikipedia</a></span>

Please, Sir, May I Have Some More (Budget)?

Are you begging for a social media budget? Do you show up to the powers-that-be, hat in hand, and present a humbled version of yourself or y...

Read more »

Global Social Media News

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SOlmn_7I7LI/AAAAAAAAA48/opMHuF-NtKk/s1600-h/DMNews-Monty-sm.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253843277664808114" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SOlmn_7I7LI/AAAAAAAAA48/opMHuF-NtKk/s200/DMNews-Monty-sm.JPG" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Part of my responsibility at Ford is to set strategy for the company globally on social media activities. So when DM News called to ask for an interview, I talked about what some of the challenges are at a multinational corporation.<br /><br />Recently, I discovered that my interview was front page news over at <a href="http://www.DMNews.com">DMNews.com</a>. Called "<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.dmnews.com/Social-media-goes-global/article/118726/">Social Media Goes Global</a>," I was quoted, along with Shiv Singh, VP of media and global strategies at Avenue A/Razorfish and Bob Pearson, VP of communities and con­versations at Dell. Here are some excerpts from the piece:<br /><blockquote>Ford is not the only company that realizes the marketing opportuni­ties of social media — from social networks and blogs to videos and photo-sharing — as it expands to every region of the world. However, US brands looking to leverage social networks internationally know that while their messages need to stay con­sistent regardless of the region, the language, cultural reference points, platform and tactics all need to be tailored for each market.<br /><br />“There are different social media sites used in Brazil than in India or in the UK,” [Monty] says. “So we need to be sensitive what the most popular social media sites in these regions are [as well as] the region-specific differences in the ways people consume content and interact with each other online.”<br /><br />“We're interested in the global aspect of social media, but we also realized it has applications across the company,” Monty says. “Whether it is customer service, IT, HR, or prod­uct development, there are a number of uses for social media. And when you add to that all of our constituents — customers, employees, sharehold­ers, dealers, retirees — it becomes a very complex assignment.”</blockquote><br />You may recall <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2008/09/social-what.html">an earlier post titled Social What?</a> which had a handy graphic delineating the top social networks in many countries. It's worth checking out as a handy guide.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Any global advice or experience you'd care to share?</span>

Global Social Media News

Part of my responsibility at Ford is to set strategy for the company globally on social media activities. So when DM News called to ask for ...

Read more »

Some Hope for the Sartorially-Challenged

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SOhCPslhZTI/AAAAAAAAA40/yeMyyq4zxtk/s1600-h/Morning-hope.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253521802761692466" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SOhCPslhZTI/AAAAAAAAA40/yeMyyq4zxtk/s200/Morning-hope.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>I take my personal appearance seriously. It's part of who I am and how people perceive me. I'm proud that someone like <a href="http://twitter.com/DmitriGunn">Dmitri Gunn</a> has called me "the sharpest dressed man in social media today."<br /><br />Even when I was working at an agency and when I was consulting with <a href="http://www.crayonville.com/">crayon</a> - workplaces that were business casual - I took pride in what I wore and how I presented myself. It's part of my personal brand.<br /><br />But looking sharp and business casual are not mutually exclusive. In this day of open collars, one fashion pet peeve (among many) is the total disregard for collar stays (or stiffeners). The result? You've seen it - collars on button-down shirts that curl up or seem to be flying away.<br /><br />It's a minor detail, but it sends a message to those around you that perhaps you don't care about details. Or that you haven't entered the "grown-up" world of business attire yet.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Solution</span><br />Luckily, I'm here with the answer to the problem you didn't know you had. <a href="http://www.wurkinstiffs.com/Power-Stays-C1.aspx">Wurkin Stiffs</a> has developed the magnetic collar stay that they call Power Stays. Place the Power Stays™ into your shirt’s collar stay pockets and place the super-strong magnets on the inside of the shirt… It’s that easy!<br /><br />And just in case you thought that this post had nothing to do with social media (other than that lots of social media types work in casual environments), here's their YouTube video explaining it:<br /><br /><center><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pj2cO64Kv2U&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Pj2cO64Kv2U&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br /><br />If you're accustomed to wearing your shirts without a tie, I highly recommend that you consider buying a set of these. Or make it a gift to a friend or family member this holiday season. They'll thank you.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Do you have any modern-day fashion tips or suggestions? I'm sure we'd all like to learn.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22856604@N05/2900355370/">believer9</a></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span>

Some Hope for the Sartorially-Challenged

I take my personal appearance seriously. It's part of who I am and how people perceive me. I'm proud that someone like Dmitri Gunn ...

Read more »

Personal Branding and Your Career

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zenia/2007646400/"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5253038900934286466" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SOaLDHF_HII/AAAAAAAAA4s/rxC64vqWzEU/s200/career_pants.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>I was at a career fair representing Ford recently, and one thing struck me: there's a lack of truly decent personal presentation skills out there.<br /><br />For example, to any number of college seniors who said they were interested in getting into sales, I said: "Great. Sell yourself to me."<br /><br />The reaction I got was a stunned look, followed immediately by a rambling choice of words that didn't really convince me of much. Well, maybe they convinced me of <span style="font-style: italic;">something</span>, but it wasn't to hire them.<br /><br />I had just made a presentation to <a href="http://www.brandcamp.us/">Brand Camp University</a>, so perhaps presentations and personal branding was on my mind, but it got me to thinking: there could be a number of people who might benefit from some suggestions.<br /><br />I know I've got a lot of followers on Twitter and here on the blog who are college students (hello Golf Management program at Ferris State (what a <span style="font-weight: bold;">cool </span>major!); hello students of <a href="http://publicrelationsmatters.com/">Barbara Nixon</a> at GSU), so I thought I might help out with some specific suggestions to consider.<br /><br />Before I get into the steps I recommend, here's the deck I presented. I hope to have the video of my presentation at a future date.<br /><br /><center><div style="width: 425px; text-align: left;" id="__ss_634858"><a style="margin: 12px 0pt 3px; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; display: block; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/scottmonty/social-media-personal-branding-and-your-career-presentation?type=powerpoint" title="Social Media, Personal Branding and Your Career">Social Media, Personal Branding and Your Career</a><object height="355" style="margin: 0px;" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slideshare.net/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=brandcampu2008-1223067904739098-9&stripped_title=social-media-personal-branding-and-your-career-presentation"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://static.slideshare.net/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=brandcampu2008-1223067904739098-9&stripped_title=social-media-personal-branding-and-your-career-presentation" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><div style="font-size: 11px; font-family: tahoma,arial; height: 26px; padding-top: 2px;">View SlideShare <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/scottmonty/social-media-personal-branding-and-your-career-presentation?type=powerpoint" title="View Social Media, Personal Branding and Your Career on SlideShare">presentation</a> or <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/upload?type=powerpoint">Upload</a> your own. (tags: <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://slideshare.net/tag/bcu08">bcu08</a> <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="http://slideshare.net/tag/brandcamp">brandcamp</a>)</div></div></center><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tips for success in your career</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">1. Prepare yourself</span><br />Darwin said "Chance favors the trained mind," and Henry Ford said "Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success." This means being careful of everything you do in public. While you may already know not to post racy pictures of yourself or make lewd comments on Facebook, others can tag you in photos and years later, due to the everlasting memory of the Internet, you may find that there's information out there about you that is less than flattering.<br /><br />According to a recent <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=knowledge_center&articleId=9114560&taxonomyId=1&intsrc=kc_top">CareerBuilder survey</a>, one out of five employers is turning to social networks to find out about you (not to mention the 80% who already Google you). Some startling facts that were posted on socnet profiles:<br /><ul><li>Information about alcohol or drug use (41% of managers said this was a top concern)</li><li>Inappropriate photos or information posted on a candidate's page (40%)</li><li>Poor communication skills (29%)</li><li>Bad-mouthing of former employers or fellow employees (28%)</li><li>Inaccurate qualifications (27%)</li><li>Unprofessional screen names (22%)</li><li>Notes showing links to criminal behavior (21%)</li><li>Confidential information about past employers (19%)</li></ul>Always be thinking with the future in mind.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">2. Have a personal presence on the Web</span><br />Have you bought your own domain name yet? What are you waiting for? I purchased the domain names for my sons when they were born, lest someone else scoop them on their own brand. I suggest you buy yourname.com (<a href="http://h1.ripway.com/wsmonty/SocialMediaMarketing/istate.wav">not <span style="font-style: italic;">literally</span>, Animal House fans</a>) and register your preferred name on the sites & social networks that matter to you.<br /><br />Choose the networks that matter the most to you - or more importantly - that you think matter to your employer or industry of choice. The social networks I use the most are <a href="http://twitter.com/scottmonty">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com">Facebook </a>and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com">LinkedIn</a>. As I've explained before, <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2008/05/how-i-think-about-my-social-networks.html">I have standards for friending</a> on each - the loosest being Twitter, context needed for Facebook, and a personal interaction required for LinkedIn.<br /><br />While I'm at it - get on out there and friend me up if you haven't already! I'd love to interact with you in different ways.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">3. Be compelling</span><br />Not everyone is a thought leader. Not everyone can create videos. That's okay. The first thing you should do is listen. Odds are you already read blogs (you're <span style="font-style: italic;">here</span>, aren't you?). Take the time to get a sense for what's being said and figure out how you want to add to it.<br /><br />If you choose to create your own site/blog/profile, figure out what you want to focus on. It could be lollipop manufacturing or knitting scarves for abandoned penguins - whatever it is, pick your topic and be the best at it.<br /><br />And while it's important to write well for your own site, I usually recommend spending 2-3 times longer commenting on other sites than you do writing your own. It's like your grandmother used to say, "You've got two ears and one mouth; use them in that proportion."<br /><br />Every comment you make it a stamp of your brand on someone else's site. Your perspective is valuable, and eventually, it will drive eyeballs back to your site. Just be consisent in who you are and be yourself.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">4. Know what you want</span><br />When I first graduated from business school, I wanted to be a strategist. The problem was, no one was hiring inexperienced B-school grads to do strategy. It takes time to truly understand markets, trends, industries, and clients - something that is built over years. I always had that in the back of my mind as my career zigged here and zagged there, but now I'm in a job where I get to craft and execute on strategy.<br /><br />While your initial job out of school may not be your dream job (but good for you if it is), keep your goal in mind as you navigate your career. When someone asks you what you want to do, have it at the top of your mind, and succinctly state it. Or, as <a href="http://garyvaynerchuk.com/">Gary Vaynerchuk</a> likes to say, "CRUSH it!"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">5. Practice, practice, practice</span><br />Usually, it takes a long time to be truly great at something. Sure, someone like Mozart was an anomaly, but for most of us, you need to keep doing something over and over to hone your skills. Please, <span style="font-style: italic;">PLEASE </span>practice your presentation skills, whether it's formal presentations, personal introductions, your elevator pitch - whatever.<br /><br /><br />In the end, it's all up to you. The only one who will look out for you in your career is <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">you</span>. And you need to be confident about who you are, where you're going, and what you want.<br /><br />Henry Ford knew what he was talking about:<br /><blockquote>"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right."<br /></blockquote>Get ready. Be the best you that you can be. Do it over and over.<br /><br />You'll do great.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zenia/2007646400/">zenia</a>

Personal Branding and Your Career

I was at a career fair representing Ford recently, and one thing struck me: there's a lack of truly decent personal presentation skills ...

Read more »

Social Media On the Road

<div style="text-align: left;">If you happen to swing by this site, you may have noticed on my sidebar that I've had quite a number of speaking engagements lately.<br /></div><br />Below is a short video of <a href="http://www.toprankblog.com/2008/09/scott-monty-interview/">an interview I did with Lee Odden</a> while I was at Blog World Expo last weekend. While my panel wasn't recorded, this is a short and succinct insight into social media and large corporations - in particular, my experience with Ford Motor Company.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="b-hbp-video b-uploaded" frameborder="0" height="266" id="BLOGGER-video-1b24a8e70e8e6610-4491" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx9iYlFOMUmQrxIalgq-xJtJhOSZ4ZtdRjwIqMHLcy1_s6Y-XJt3EXDT6gtOcQK1bvxwMav06BGYoxbvLaFIru4OlUwh85HSOT1YC2pcgme7M2NhGT6LTQvfgAjXAfLtCLGcRw" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe><br /></div><br />In the meantime, here's a 45 minute-long video of my panel last Monday at the Social Ad Summit. It was moderated by <a href="http://www.ianschafer.com/2008/09/22/watch-my-panel-on-branded-experiences-in-social-networks/">Ian Schafer</a> and my co-panelists were Deborah Korb from J.P. Morgan and Don Steele from Comedy Central. One of my key observations was around 8:00 mark - where I mentioned<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/community/columns/other-columns/e3ibd29ae66455c7a706f59fe59993cf6b7"> Your Brand Is Not My Friend</a>, is by my friend <a href="http://tangerinetoad.blogspot.com/">Alan Wolk</a>.<br /><center><embed src="http://services.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/271552597" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=1805615907&playerId=271552597&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" width="365" height="309"></embed></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Anything you'd add?</span>

Social Media On the Road

If you happen to swing by this site, you may have noticed on my sidebar that I've had quite a number of speaking engagements lately. Bel...

Read more »

Opportunity Knocks

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SNm5beDbyyI/AAAAAAAAA4M/lejTlOlw0Ac/s1600-h/1iheartmyjob.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249430722252098338" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SNm5beDbyyI/AAAAAAAAA4M/lejTlOlw0Ac/s200/1iheartmyjob.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Are you ready to open the door? If so, have I got an offer for you.<br /><br />It's been about 9 weeks since I <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2008/06/why-im-blue.html">joined the team at Ford Motor Company</a>, and what a ride it's been. I'm working with an amazing team of people in Communications; I get to tap into the strategic and creative brains at <a href="http://www.socialmediagroup.ca/">Social Media Group</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;">;</span> I interact with teams from IT, Marketing, Product Development, Customer Service, and many others; and I'm responsible for leading the company forward in digital communications.<br /><br />Does this sound like something you'd like to be involved in? Then come work for me.<br /><br />I've got an opening for a Digital Communications Manager on my team, and you'd be my right-hand person. You'd be responsible for:<br /><ul><li>Overseeing online publishing staff responsible for content on media, public affairs and employee communications sites.</li><li>Managing Corporate Communications Team Connect web site including wikis, blogs and share documents.</li><li>Actively managing the capital project to redesign key media and employee websites to ensure on-time and on-budget delivery with content that reflects forward thinking social media applications, tools and practices.</li><li>Providing strategic thinking and support around Ford's social media efforts that extends to all areas of the company, coupled with creative solutions that will put the company on the cutting edge of digital communications.</li><li>Implementing tactics that flow from the social media strategy, coordinating efforts of our external agency and staff members, including the development of a blogger relations program.</li><li>Managing and mentoring staff, and managing vendor relationships including financial responsibilities.</li></ul>If you've got about 8-10 years of business experience, you know your way around the social media space, and can handle project management (preferably experienced managing IT projects), then this may be the right fit for you.<br /><br />You can check out the full job description and submit your resume on the <a href="http://mycareer.ford.com/">Ford Careers</a> website. If you have any questions, feel free to be in touch.<br /><br />P.S. I know there's going to be a lot of "I'm not moving to Detroit." Well, I thought that when I was first approached by Ford. There's obviously a lot going on here and a lot that impressed me to make me leave Boston.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2005/12/i-heart-my-job-what-about-you.html">Scott Ginsburg</a>

Opportunity Knocks

Are you ready to open the door? If so, have I got an offer for you. It's been about 9 weeks since I joined the team at Ford Motor Compan...

Read more »

That's #%*ing Awesome

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1134/619525432_2276877a76_m.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1134/619525432_2276877a76_m.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" /></a>Pardon the expletive, but it's for a good cause. You see, Bud Light has won its first Emmy Award.<br /><br />I received the following announcement via email:<br /><blockquote>The 60th Creative Arts Emmy® Awards were held this past weekend, and Bud Light’s "Swear Jar" received an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Commercial," marking the first time Anheuser-Busch has won an Emmy. The 60-second spot was created by DDB Chicago and directed by David Shane through Hungry Man.</blockquote><br />I used Swear Jar as an example when I was debating the proper use of <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2007/12/is-it-viral-or-wom-whats-difference.html">WOM vs. Viral</a>. According to this version on YouTube, it's gotten about 3.5 million views. According to Anheuser-Busch Communications, the aggregate total is over 12 million. Not bad for Bud.tv.<br /><br />(Incidentally, I believe that the difference is measured in the outcome, because <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2008/07/why-i-wont-make-viral-video-for-you.html">you can't accurately predict virality</a>.)<br /><br />Here it is again for your enjoyment.<br /><center><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EJJL5dxgVaM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EJJL5dxgVaM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br /><br />If you want to see what I have to say about the use of expletives in the marketplace, check out <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2008/03/watch-your-frickin-mouth.html">Watch Your Frickin' Mouth</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maubrowncow/619525432/">maubrowncow</a> </span>

That's #%*ing Awesome

Pardon the expletive, but it's for a good cause. You see, Bud Light has won its first Emmy Award. I received the following announcement ...

Read more »

Social Media Encourages Co-opetition

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/2554435239_801404d65c_m.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/2554435239_801404d65c_m.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" /></a>One of the things that's always struck me about social media is the level of sharing that occurs on the many networks, sites, blogs, etc.<br /><br />I'm not talking about the ceaseless flow of status updates, geographical show & tells, or video postings. I mean how willing we are as professionals to be completely candid about our work in very public areas, and how open we are about sharing our successes, failures and lessons.<br /><br />While those mired in the old way of doing things bristle at the idea of giving away information, the savvy marketer knows that in the current search-heavy environment, customers don't necessarily care <span style="font-style: italic;">where</span> they get information from; they just want it. And the company that provides the information without restriction is the one that will command attention. Chris Brogan cleverly refers to this dichotomy as <a href="http://www.chrisbrogan.com/gatekeepers-vs-gatejumpers/">Gatekeepers vs. Gatejumpers</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gate Jumping in Michigan</span><br />When I announced my intention of moving to Detroit to join the automotive industry, I was greeted with open arms by my counterparts at GM. Christopher Barger and his able team leading social media efforts there were very excited about having another social media colleague in the area.<br /><br />We all agreed that rather than being in direct competition, GM and Ford could benefit from the collective brainpower that social media would bring to the area. Because we've both been busy with a number of work-related commitments, Chris and I didn't get to meet up for dinner until I was nearly 8 weeks into my job, but we both reaffirmed our commitment to the industry as well as to our respective companies.<br /><br />We noted that we should think of this as "co-opetition" - a mash-up of cooperation and competition. While we'll be competing for vehicle sales, we'll also be able to advance the auto industry in the social media space.<br /><br />And speaking of co-opetition, here's Ford's gesture to GM on its 100th anniversary today:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SM_wUq5wcLI/AAAAAAAAA4E/EQVlsvdyenc/s1600-h/Happy-100-To-GM.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246676328814506162" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SM_wUq5wcLI/AAAAAAAAA4E/EQVlsvdyenc/s400/Happy-100-To-GM.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a><br />This is the kind of corporate magnanimity that makes be proud to be associated with Ford Motor Company. Happy anniversary to my friends at GM. May our companies continue working together throughout the next 100 years.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credits: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/buglugs/2554435239/">buglug</a> (top) <a href="http://jalopnik.com/5050325/ford-wishes-gm-happy-100th-birthday-on-side-of-world-headquarters-saves-money-on-card-cake#loggedin"></a>Ford Motor Company (bottom)<br /><br /></span>

Social Media Encourages Co-opetition

One of the things that's always struck me about social media is the level of sharing that occurs on the many networks, sites, blogs, etc...

Read more »

A Word About Personal Branding

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/381161436_35f23d5116.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/381161436_35f23d5116.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" /></a>As social media has continued its rise in the past few years, there's been an increasing need for education on personal branding - that is, the <span style="font-style: italic;">you</span> that people experience online.<br /><br />The things that you do, say and post on Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, your blog, and any other public-facing social network are part of your reputation. Are your profiles consistent with each other and with who you are? Does your online persona reflect what you want it to? How do all of these come into play with your professional life? The savvy and thoughtful digital professional will give this due consideration.<br /><br />These and many other questions and issues are being addressed by a number of people in the social media space. People like <a href="http://www.chrisbrogan.com/">Chris Brogan</a>, <a href="http://www.twistimage.com/blog/">Mitch Joel</a>, and <a href="http://personalbrandingblog.wordpress.com/">Dan Schawbel</a>, to name just three. They're all worth checking out, if you don't follow them already.<br /><br />Since I moved to Michigan, I've been introduced to another personal branding expert - one who is really taking it to the next level. His name is <a href="http://www.hajjflemings.com/blog">Hajj Flemings</a> and I'm proud to call him a colleague.<br /><br />Hajj has written a book on the subject, called <a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0977138801/105-7545913-9318847?ie=UTF8&tag=thebakerstree-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0977138801">Brand YU Life: re-thinking who you are through personal brand management</a>. I've been reading it and I'm very impressed with the message he conveys, broken down into seven easy to remember sections and peppered with some very compelling visuals and notes sections. Hajj recommends the following steps:<br /><ol><li>Identify your passion</li><li>Definie your mission</li><li>Count the cost</li><li>Create your voice</li><li>Develop your core</li><li>Be authentic</li><li>Shift to now<br /></li></ol>In addition, he has created and is producing an event called <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://brandcamp.us/">Brand Camp University</a> in the Detroit area on September 27. I'm honored to be one of the speakers there, where I'll be talking about the importance and impact of social media and your career.<br /><br />If you're in the area or planning on being in the area on September 27, I'd urge you to <a href="http://brandcampuniversity.eventbrite.com/">sign up for the event</a>. And if you can't be there, you should order a copy of Hajj's book. The personal journey he shares is worth it, let alone the solid personal branding advice that comes along with it.<br /><center><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0977138801&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=FFFFFF&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></center><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahmedrabea/">Ahmed Rabea on Flickr</a></span>

A Word About Personal Branding

As social media has continued its rise in the past few years, there's been an increasing need for education on personal branding - that ...

Read more »

All Things in Moderation

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/major_clanger/142402770/"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242899494821757554" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SMKFT_3tAnI/AAAAAAAAA30/1nNXviFggEw/s200/moderation.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>My good friend Aaron Strout (<a href="http://twitter.com/astrout">@astrout</a>) at Mzinga asked me to participate in a webinar on moderation and community management.<br /><br />This is an important topic that is important for companies to understand, whether they write a corporate blog or manage an enthusiast community. Knowing how to engage with commenters, leaders and detractors alike, and how to understand what's appropriate to post and what's fair game to ban - these are key items for community managers and brand managers everywhere.<br /><br />I'll be joined by Mike Pasucci, Director of Moderation Services at Mzinga, who was formerly part of eBay, and Aaron Strout, VP of Community at Mzinga will act as moderator. I'd be delighted if you tuned in as well, because we'll have some time for Q&A during the webinar.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Details</span>:<br />Tuesday, September 9 at 2:30 p.m. EDT<br />Learn about:<br /><ul><li>Key components of effective community management</li><li>Multiple moderation techniques and advice on which are best for your business</li><li>Industry statistics on the link between effective moderation and management, and community success</li><li>Featured case studies from leading brands with thriving communities</li></ul>Register by <a href="http://www.mzinga.com/en/AboutUs/Events/Register.asp?eid=155&evt=Managing+%26+Moderating+Online+Conversations">clicking here</a>.<br /><br />I hope to see you there!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/major_clanger/">Major Clanger on Flickr</a></span>

All Things in Moderation

My good friend Aaron Strout ( @astrout ) at Mzinga asked me to participate in a webinar on moderation and community management. This is an i...

Read more »

Social What?

The news is in . And it may upset some of you.<br /><br />Turns out that only slightly more than half of adults know what social networking is.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SQfxmSCmlAI/AAAAAAAAA5s/AxXVTC-mXZU/s1600-h/socialnetworkingStats.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262440329585792002" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SQfxmSCmlAI/AAAAAAAAA5s/AxXVTC-mXZU/s400/socialnetworkingStats.gif" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 232px;" /></a><br />According to <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1006513&src=article1_newsltr">eMarketer's reporting on a recent Synovate study</a>, only 58% of the multinational respondents knew what social networking is. While some of you might be thinking, "How can that be? I spend my life on Facebook/MySpace/Hi5/Bebo/Orkut."<br /><br />What's interesting to me is the specific geographical breakouts - the Dutch, Japanese, and Americans all had the highest percentages of recognition - 89%, 71%, and 70%, respectively.<br /><br />And specific social networking penetration in countries peaked with the Netherlands at 49%, the United Aram Emirates at 46%, and the United States at 40%. This tracks fairly closely with results that were featured in the April 2008 Universal McCann survey. The U.S. clearly leads in raw numbers.<br /><br />If you're interested in how social networks rank in international circles, here's a table of the top 3 social networking sites by membership in various countries.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SQfx1KH8tNI/AAAAAAAAA50/MWqmFEfCL8c/s1600-h/SocialNetworkRanks.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262440585158767826" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SQfx1KH8tNI/AAAAAAAAA50/MWqmFEfCL8c/s400/SocialNetworkRanks.gif" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 376px;" /></a><br />Also worthy of note is that the UAE, Indonesia, India and Bulgaria all rank at the top of countries where social networkers register for multiple sites. Other countries consisted of respondents who registered for one or two main sites.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For my international readers, does this fit with your reality? Are there sites that you favor (or favour) that aren't listed here? Have you noted any trends in your own work?</span>

Social What?

The news is in . And it may upset some of you. Turns out that only slightly more than half of adults know what social networking is. Accordi...

Read more »

Pretended, Recommended, Offended, Suspended, Contended, Amended

<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SLTHpjRCdNI/AAAAAAAAA3s/F-fFpqTOUuA/s1600-h/madmen_bobbie_don_crash.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239031783193998546" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wgi7DTsDt2g/SLTHpjRCdNI/AAAAAAAAA3s/F-fFpqTOUuA/s200/madmen_bobbie_don_crash.jpg" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" /></a>Well, this is splendid.<br /><br />I recently wrote about the Mad Men craze that had taken over Twitter. Characters from the hit television program sprang to life on the chattiest of social networks - including Don Draper, Peggy Olson, Roger Sterling, Bert Cooper, Paul Kinsey, Pete Campbell, Bud Melman, Bobbie Barrett, Sal Romano and Joan Holloway.<br /><br />But as of about 2:00 p.m. EDT this afternoon, the jig was up. Evidently, AMC marketers discovered that their show had been <a href="http://mediabullseye.com/mb/2008/08/brandjacking-vs-good-fun-where.html">brandjacked</a>, and they quickly <a href="http://www.patchchord.com/blog/2008/08/26/mad-men-kicked-off-twitter/">put an end to the fun</a>, citing the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millennium_Copyright_Act">Digital Millennium Copyright Act</a> (DMAC).<br /><br />Given <a href="http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2008/08/01/how-janet-fooled-the-twittersphere-shes-the-voice-of-exxon-mobil/">a recent high-profile</a> <a href="http://blog.holtz.com/index.php/exxonmobil_situation_shows_brandjacking_is_for_real/">Twitterjacking of a brand</a>, it's not surprising that Twitter and AMC would have this reaction. But AMC should have been prepared for <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080826/wr_nm/madmen_dc">the backlash</a> that the account suspension created. These are characters that inspired a cult following on Twitter - in some cases, garnering nearly 1,000 followers in nearly a week of twittering; and they're featured in one of the most critically acclaimed television shows of all time.<br /><br />But this is where it gets interesting. By about 6:45 p.m. EDT, AMC's agency, Deep Focus, convinced them that they should be playing along, and <a href="http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/8/twitter-amc-wise-up-restore-mad-men-">the accounts were reinstated</a>. Evidently, the advice that the hip agency gave their client was that it's "better to embrace the community than negate their efforts."<br /><br />I suppose it raises a valid concern. In this day and age when we're seeing more opportunities for brand ambassadorship, both sponsored and consumer-generated, when should it be embraced and when should it be shunned? If fans are being faithful to the brand and encouraging interest in the brand, clearly the brand is benefitting from the increased attention and interplay.<br /><br />But it's got to be incredibly unnerving for brand managers and marketing managers watch this happen. At any point, a fan with less than enough restraint might do something "off-brand" and jeopardize how people think of the company or its products. And then there's a problem.<br /><br />Which is why savvy marketers should be on the cutting edge of social media. If AMC had the foresight with which I had credited them, <span style="font-style: italic;">they</span> would have been the ones who established these accounts. But the fact that their fans did so on their behalf shows how dedicated the fans are. To quash the effort just as it was getting off the ground was foolhardy.<br /><br />What do you think? Did AMC make a big mistake (or two)? When should a brand be concerned with brandjacking and when should it embrace passionate fans? Is there necessarily a fine line, or is it a gray area?

Pretended, Recommended, Offended, Suspended, Contended, Amended

Well, this is splendid. I recently wrote about the Mad Men craze that had taken over Twitter. Characters from the hit television program spr...

Read more »