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Has this happened to anyone else? One day, I signed in to Facebook to see what my friends were up to and I didn’t recognize anyone’s profile pic. My Facebook page had been taken over by a bunch of babies. The moms and dads I know have every reason to be proud of those very cute baby faces, but there’s something wrong about seeing the face of a 2-year old next to a hangover-themed status update, or an ultrasound picture having a case of the Mondays. That’s not to mention the babies that now have their own accounts or this strange phenomenon of fetuses tweeting from the womb. (Personal rule – you must be at least 3 feet tall and able to form complete sentences before I will follow or friend you.)
Before they even type in their first www dot, the digital footprint of this next generation is going to be huge. With all the discussion around the permanence of anything uploaded to Facebook, Twitter or elsewhere on the Interwebs – will there soon be whole industries dedicated to pulling and cataloging someone’s digital journey, from their mom and dad’s first tweet or status update that baby was on the way? Or will there be entire industries devoted to creating blank digital slates for kids whose parents have shared every detail of their early lives? Potty and bathtub pictures used to be the ultimate in parental embarrassment, but they have nothing on some of the TMI details parents share, today.
I’m looking forward to following this trend over the next several years and seeing where and how I draw the lines, myself. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go update my cat’s blog.
Image by TedsBlog on Flickr
Most anyone who really knows me knows that I am (moderately) obsessed with getting an iPhone. While trying to wait patiently for my current cell phone contract to expire, I have researched AT&T, previous iPhone models and now the new iPhone 4.
Now with just under a month left in my contract, I am seriously considering taking the leap and signing on the dotted line for the new iPhone 4. As a consumer, I am moving closer to purchasing it. However, with all of the news and talk about the issues it’s having, I continue to weigh my options and consider what the best choice is for me. I also find it interesting what has happened and what is happening in terms of marketing to persuade me in this decision.
Beginning with the product itself, there are many, many reasons why I’d love to have an iPhone. After receiving an iPod Touch last year, I have become very attached to how easy to use and convenient it is. The personal experience I have had with a product very similar to the iPhone is so powerful in getting me to adopt and become familiar with the iPhone itself. It would be so much easier to use an iPhone than a new and different smartphone. Plus, the apps have helped me organize my life, save money and keep up with what’s going on in the news and in social media. I could easily move them onto an iPhone and only have one device instead of both a phone and an iPod Touch.
In terms of word of mouth and consumer recommendations, almost everyone I know who has an iPhone couldn’t live without it. They, too, find it extremely helpful in their daily lives beyond the basics of it just being another smartphone.
The advertising for the iPhone 4 has been overwhelming. Apple’s branding has always resonated with me. The very first FaceTime app commercial was very heartwarming. I’ve seen positive comments about it across Facebook and Twitter.
Of course the iPhone 4 has been plagued with issues in the news. “Antennagate” has seen some iPhone 4 owners struggle with poor reception and dropped calls. Apple’s decision to provide free cases seems to be only a temporary solution. With Consumer Reports not recommending it and competitors joining in the disapproval, the public relations firestorm surrounding iPhone 4’s problems has only increased. And on top of that, the iPhone is still only available through AT&T, which continues to receive complaints about its poor coverage.
In regards to statistics, a recent survey by the International Data Corporation shows 66 percent of current iPhone owners are delaying purchase of the new iPhone 4 due to its antenna problems. However, the issue has not stopped the 74 percent of non-iPhone owners who are moving ahead with purchasing it.
Overall, the experience I’ve had with the iPod Touch, the friends that I know who love their iPhones and the research that I’ve done push me closer to getting one sooner rather than later. I’d love to wait for Verizon to finally provide it through their network, but that has been an unrealized possibility for awhile now. I have to weigh out all of the messages—the great brand and product advertising, the social media talk, the press it has received and the way Apple is handling their public relations issues―with my own perceptions, needs and desires as a consumer. Maybe it’s time for me to take the risk and finally see for myself what all the (good and bad) fuss is all about.
If you are reading blogs and articles about social media, you have probably come across what brands are calling the next evolution of social media, Social CRM (SCRM). Even within our Trone blog, Doug Barton wrote a post entitled “Social Media and CRM: Which Will Survive” , where he discussed Dove’s Ambassador program that combined both social and CRM initiatives to drive brand experience and loyalty.
At the LiNC 2010 Conference in May, experts discussed Social CRM and where it’s going. Paul Greenburg, a leading CRM expert, was interviewed to discuss the changing dynamics.
He quickly points out that companies are not yet aligned for the changes that this marketing shift can cause within their organizations. Very few companies deliver a consistent experience across all of their social media touchpoints. Do you know any companies that are poised for each employee to embrace every single customer touchpoint? As we emerge into the 2011 planning period, all companies should be thinking about what they are doing to deliver one-to-one, relationship-building experiences with their customers.
There has been a large amount of conversation recently about Social Media and CRM. There are some that are saying we do not need CRM if we have Social Media. I have also heard it said, “Social Media, the death of CRM”. I find it interesting that this conversation is even happening. Both of these are really tried and true marketing programs that have been enhanced with new technology and some new names. It is clear to me that both Social Media and CRM are both here to stay, and both of them have very important roles to play in the marketing mix. I think the better question is how do we best utilize both strategies together to maximize the engagement of the customer and the ROI of the marketing program. Well, I came across a program last week that might be classified as the new buzz , ”A Social CRM” program.
Recently my wife received an invitation from Dove to be part of the ”Dove Ambassador” program for their new line of hair products. She received a series of four emails, a survey and a direct mail package. When she received the package it contained a free product for my wife to use, and it also contained five samples of the product for her to give to her friends. The trial packets for her to share with her friends also included a coupon good for their next purchase of Dove hair products. The series of emails and instructions in the direct mail package spelled out the directions for the program and how to tell others.
I think that the “Dove Ambassador” program has successfully created a social media platform to create “word of mouth” for the brand and they have also leveraged CRM through their use of targeted correspondence and their ability to measure success of the program through the coupon redemption metrics. I can see why this program might be classified as a “Social CRM” program but you know it really is not that new of an idea. Ten or Fifteen years ago it might have been called a ”a direct mail sampling” program and now it been dusted off and rebuilt leveraging new technology. Regardless of what we call it, “direct mail sampling”, “Social CRM” or the “Dove Ambassador Program”, good strategically grounded programs like this one will survive and be around for many years to come.
We recently conducted a study of internet use among 1800 members of our opinions@trone consumer panel. Among the key findings was the projected increase in the number of internet-enabled phones. With their next phone purchase, consumers will more than double the collective penetration of iphone, itouch, Android-based and other smart phones. Once this purchase cycle completes itself, we’ll have the majority of adults with mobile internet access for the first time. This certainly bodes well for the continued success of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter and suggests an increasing opportunity for many other internet-based services.
Having internet access does not necessarily mean that consumers will be engaged. The behavior of those who currently have internet access, however, suggests use will be significant. Measured by a top 2 box response to frequency of use, 65% are currently checking email, 39% are doing local-based searches and 31% are updating their status on social media sites.
There is no way to judge what the full impact of that many internet enabled users might be on brands and products but certainly the venues to which they’ll have access are affecting both brands and products today. An example is Saturday Night Live acquiescing to the 1,000,000 plus fans who utilized Facebook to lobby for Betty White as the guest host.
White as the host was a big win for SNL with over 12.5M households tuning in. This represents about a 35% lift over a typical SNL audience. While NBC was undoubtedly appreciative of Facebook and its many fans, White conveyed her old, immutable self with her remarks.
“I have to thank Facebook. I didn’t know what Facebook was before this, and I have to tell you, it seems like a waste of time”
A waste of time? Maybe. But, a popular one with nearly 2/3 of the adult internet enabled population spending a portion of their time on social networks. With that type of penetration, the ease of access provided by new technology and the power demonstrated by the SNL example this is a medium that marketers need take some risk to stay ahead of.
Just as people are beginning to learn about location-based tools, Foursquare announces that it has reached 40 million checkins. Within five weeks, Foursquare’s checkins have doubled showing its increased popularity. But is the quick growth about to come to an abrupt end?
Facebook has announced that later this month, it will launch its own location-based features. Leveraging all of Facebook’s users, this might be enough to crush the growth of Foursquare and the other emerging location-based tools such as Gowalla, Whrrl and TriOut. In late April, Trone launched an online usage study that measured the popularity of these tools. The study showed that the tools mentioned above each had 6% top two box response when asked “how often do you use the following location-based tools on your mobile phone”. The data will serve as a great benchmark when understanding the impact of the Facebook features launch.
As the penetration of internet-based phones increases, one thing that we can expect is that the popularity of location-based tools will grow. In the upcoming months, it will be interesting to see how each fights for its own niche market position in combating the Facebook giant.
We recently reported some preliminary results of a study fielded to 425 moms in February, 2010. A significant portion of that study was dedicated to respondents’ interaction with wholesale clubs. And, some surprising facts came to the fore.
Our interest in clubs was driven by two key factors. The first was the notable shift in mom’s shopping behavior as a result of the economy. The second was the unique communication challenges of a member-only environment.
As expected, clubs have benefitted from the economic downturn.
46% of the moms in our sample are members of a club, with one in nine club members belonging to two or more. Of those members, just over half (54%) visit the club one or more times a month. And, 52% of the members indicated that they had increased the volume of their purchases at clubs as a means of controlling their spending during the economic downturn.
For members, the rise in club purchases approached the most popular money-saving activities identified by moms at large. In the aggregate, the two most popular means of controlling spending were using more coupons (63%) and paying more attention to in-store offers (72%).
Club shoppers still favor “old school” communication.
When queried about their preferences regarding communication from their club(s) on a range of subject matter, moms adopted a very traditional stance. General, top 2 box interest in the media were:
Twitter – 11%
Club blogs – 14%
Facebook page – 21%
Email – 51%
Direct Mail – 56%
Somewhat surprisingly, among those interested in specific topics, the disparity between the preference for “old media” and “new media” actually grew—categorically. For example, as it related to notification of upcoming promotions, top two box interest in the communication vehicles was:
Twitter – 7%
Club blogs – 8%
Facebook page – 14%
Email – 58%
Direct Mail – 75%
Even in lower-interest categories such as “money saving tips for their home,” club shoppers displayed a preference for being communicated to via a traditional medium over the more contemporary options. Of note in this category was the interest shift between email and direct mail.
Twitter – 5%
Club blogs – 11%
Facebook page – 17%
Email – 68%
Direct Mail – 49%
This study establishes an important framework for understanding the value of various communication vehicles, specifically for the club channel but, with implications for other retail and product brands. It does not, however, account for all the marketplace dynamics.
All customers are not created equal.
Retailers have long known that some customers are of substantially greater value than others based on the volume of their purchases. In recent years great strides have been made in leveraging that knowledge. Supermarkets, airlines, hotels and many other industries have successfully (or less so) created loyalty programs to track and reward customer purchase behavior.
All brands, be they retail, product or service, have also gained an appreciation of the value of their customers as brand advocates. For example, in this study, moms were half again as likely to identify family and friends as important sources of information on children’s products than any other source. The difficulty lies in identifying who the advocates are and how to provide them the necessary information and motivation to become active disciples for the brand.
Clearly, the results of the study referenced above indicate that while “new media” has some value for wholesale clubs, traditional vehicles such as email and direct mail offer a substantially greater opportunity. What the study does not take into account, but a future study will, is the importance of the various media to those moms who are most likely to influence others.
Organizations like Trone® and Forrester have identified that a relatively small group of people (~ 25%) are the primary contributors in social media environments. These moms can have an exponential impact on a brand’s spending. However, before they can disseminate information, they must first accumulate it and it will be the brands (retail, product or service) that best understand how and where to reach them that will be most successful.
For decades, print publicity has been a mainstay in consumer public relations. Getting your story before the millions of eyes reading print media was just about the most important measure of success. Indeed, many of us–before public relations courses and majors appeared on college campuses–were educated as journalists and aspired to be publicists. With good reason; newspapers and news magazines were the gold standard in news gathering and reporting, and the most respected source of information.
It’s a bit sad to see how print news outlets are suffering. Since the first of the year some of the most well-known and respected newspaper mastheads have either ended print editions (Rocky Mountain News, Seattle Post-Intelligencer) or have filed for bankrupcy like the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Others, like the Boston Globe and Miami Herald, are bleeding money. Even the venerable San Francisco Chronicle is in serious trouble.
In many instances all that remains or may remain is the online version of print newspapers. We’re not only becoming consumers of online news–watch out CNN, you may be next!–but also ”unmassed” news consumers. Mobile devices and platforms instantaneously push just the news we want. And mass media’s coveted role as unbiased third-party endorser is being taken over by social media: online communities are respected and trusted not because they’re right, but simply because they represent shared interests and values.
What does this hold for the future of publicity as an important PR tool? It’s doubtful that all newspapers and print publications will go away, nor will they be removed from the marketing communication mix. The situation has created an opportunity for traditional print reporters to broaden their practice of journalism; many now tap into the online space as bloggers. PR professionals are no longer just pitching content and racking up media impressions, we’re building relationships and engagement with targeted influential online journalists and bloggers. We’re facilitating and when appropriate, transparently participating in social media conversations. We’re being forced to re-think media relations, and that’s good, powerful and more effective for the brands we represent.
With the Winter Olympics just under our belt, it’s a great opportunity to discuss the power of media during this event. There were many firsts during the Olympics- not only in terms of medals but also with regards to the audiences.
From the beginning, it was clear these games were held in North America. This was evident with the opening ceremony. Whether it was the aboriginal dancers, the Canadian singers or the customs, we knew these were our Olympics. Throughout the games, there were differences between this Olympics and the summer Olympics from 2008, where China was the host. China brought their own style and beauty to them. However, China is a communist country and the differences from a media perspective were quite apparent. China has strict regulations on internet usage and has recently implemented guidelines for Google. Of course Google is questioning them. But could you imagine America without Google? We are very dependent on it. But alas, I digress.
The Canadian games were completely represented in the media. In the US, NBC owned the rights to the games but by contrast, in Canada, there were over ten networks (CTV, TSN, RDS, RIS Infosports, Rogers, OMNI, OLN, V, APTN, ATN, etc…) that carried them. Granted there are certain factors to take into consideration. First, Canada was the host country. Second, there are two official languages in Canada, thus needing to be aired in both. And probably the most relevant factor, it’s fair to assume that not one of those stations could afford to buy the rights outright. So what does this mean for the audience? Well, we could say we were not as lucky because if you were tired of watching the umpteenth time Apollo sped around the rink – too bad! Yes I am giving away a secret here; technically the games on NBC were not live. In Canada, if you did not want to watch skating, you could simply change to another station for different coverage. I am not revealing a deep dark secret here, as this was completely obvious through whichever means of social media you were following. Although I am a big believer in the power of social media, at times I found it difficult to follow them. It is hard to watch a sport, when you know the outcome. However, the benefit was that you never felt like you were missing anything. The added bonus to social media is that you can follow the athletes on Twitter for instance. This gives you the extra sensation of being involved in the games. You can feel their angst, their excitement, their fear… Imagine if it was your child competing and you could not be there with them. What a great way to share this special moment with them.
All in all, NBC did a great job, but more importantly so did our athletes. Congrats to all!
After years of blocking their contestants from online outreach to fans, American Idol has released a statement saying that they will allow contestants to communicate via their “Idol-managed” Facebook, Twitter and MySpace pages. Sounds like a fantastic idea, but how will it change the competition?
Here are a few things I will be watching out for:
- The influence of social media on the outcome
As the Top 24 is narrowed to 12, we should see indication of popularity by visiting each participant’s social media site. Can you imagine how much influence each site will hold as fans of the show try to rally their friends and family to support each contestant? However, a new dynamic may enter as fans might become complacent and not vote if they see that their favorite has millions of supporters on their sites. - Each contestant’s ability to rally fans
It will be interesting to see how each contestant uses their outlets to rally support. This year’s winner could be decided on an artist’s ability to engage with fans to drive votes. A contestant’s social media savvy will be exposed. - Additional pressure on the contestants
There is no doubt that each contestant feels pressure from the judges and live audience. Will comments that critics place on the forums create more anxiety for the singers? - How much will Idol manage the forums?
The true beauty of social media is unfiltered, transparent conversations. I will be interested to see how much Idol allows.
Every year American Idol hooks me somehow, and now with this new dynamic, they have done it again. How do you think the new social media policy will change the competition?
