Media
Industry News
Cole Haan trying on digital for size
February 17th, 2012 from AdAge
In a short interview with Ivan Wicksteed, Cole Haan’s new CMO, AdAge talks about Haan’s move into the digital arena:
“Coming into the world of fashion, pretty much every fashion company behaves in exactly the same way. It's very print-driven, very much about the models and photographers and styling... So I pretty much killed the entire traditional print budget in my first week and channeled all of that into content development, social media and digital.”
We’re interested to see how Cole Haan uses digital to create brand awareness, a job often left to print media.
http://adage.com/article/cmo-interviews/questions-cole-haan-s-cmo-ivan-wicksteed/232786/
Fab makes eCommerce fabulous
February 14th, 2012 from Fast Company
Fab.com, a flash sale site, just launched 5 new site verticals to accommodate its 2 million and growing user base, reports Fast Company. Just another example of users attracted to sites that provide a more well rounded user experience:
"Whether it's us, Pinterest, or Flipboard, you're seeing a change in the way content, commerce, and social are blending," Goldberg says. "Media is not just about commerce or content or social. The new reality is that it's all of the above, and we're creating that every day."
Is your business in the business of content marketing?
February 08th, 2012 from CMO.com
CMO.com reports on how companies need to think of themselves as content companies in a movement towards forms of advertising that engage with consumers:
“That’s why the big players, like Coke, have created entire divisions that are tasked with making compelling content in all forms. Coke’s Content Factory works directly with artists, writers, directors, game makers, and just about any other discipline you can imagine to produce a steady stream of content that will connect the brand to consumers.”
As users move away from traditional adversting and spend more time online, how do you plan on engaging them?
http://www.cmo.com/strategy/it-or-not-youre-content-business
Will the 2012 Presidential race depend on lifestyle data?
February 06th, 2012 from AdAge
AdAge reports on how digital advertising can be leveraged by political candidates to target voters in the digital space:
“For starters, voters in swing states should prepare to be inundated -- not only by the expected phone bank calls, robocalls, mailers and TV ads, but also by an onslaught of online ads from every digital corner (search, display, email, pre-roll).”
http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/2012-presidential-race-defined-data/232487/
Amazon to open brick-and-mortar stores?
February 03rd, 2012 from NY Times
NYT reports on rumors that Amazon might be moving into retail spaces at some point in the near future. After expanding its warehouses to increase delivery speed, a retail store may be the next step:
“Instead of using everyone else’s store as a showroom for e-commerce, the retailer could control the process and operate its own showroom. “There wouldn’t have to be any inventory, you would simply play with the stuff, talk to a professional and swipe your Amazon Prime credit card (or Amazon phone) and have it at your house in the next 24 to 48 hours,” Jason Calacanis wrote in a recent blog post...”
Can online video do everything better than TV?
February 02nd, 2012 from AdAge
Online videos targeting capabilities, real-time bidding and user engagement data make it a medium that should be surpassing TV, reports AdAge. Instead of being sold as an add-on, online video’s strengths need to be leveraged and sold as a medium that drives sales:
The most obvious game-changer for brand marketers is the power of audience targeting combined with real-time bidding. Large-scale TV campaigns may be easy to execute, but buying American Idol and hoping its audience approximately matches your target customer's demographics is a little like shooting blindfolded. Never has the old adage been more true than when applied to TV: "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half".
Online’s lifestyle and geographic targeting capabilities are serious strengths, and agencies need to sell them that way.
http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/time-video-step-tv-s-shadow/232455/
JCPenney bets big on new store strategy
January 30th, 2012 from AdAge
JCPenney will be promoting “fair and square” pricing, a new strategy that all but eliminates their sales promotions, but are they alienating their core customer? AdAge reports:
"No matter how successful the new book and other forms of advertising are, we do think there will be pushback in the current über-promotional environment as consumers adjust," said Michael Exstein, an analyst with Credit Suisse. In addition, he said "since improved marketing is a much quicker fix than the actual in-store experience, we think the company is at risk of overpromising the in-store experience, at least initially, with the new … advertising."
After recently changing their big book catalog with 25 specialty “look books”, JCPenney is making big changes, and need to make sure they are still connecting with their core customer.
http://adage.com/article/news/jc-penney-reinvention-bold-bet-fail-safe/232406/
Keeping the customer in the room
Fast Company reports on how executives need to think about the customer at every stage of their business process, and shares the Siemens story of the “man with the folding chair”:
“The manager replied that his chair would change the whole character of the discussion at the meeting. “Just watch,” the manager said, as they both entered the conference room. Several people, including sales reps, were already gathered in the room when the manager came in with his chair, unfolded it, and set it down empty next to his own chair.
“Who are you expecting to join us?” asked some of the sales reps. “Shouldn’t we just get some more chairs brought in here?” others asked, as they leaped up to see where more chairs might be found.
“No,” the manager replied, “this is my customer’s chair. I brought it to the meeting so my customer can sit right here and listen to our discussion.” Then, with a nod to the empty chair, the manager said the meeting could begin. But, as he had predicted, the character of the discussion was indeed quite different from the typical sales gathering. Several times during the meeting, participants found themselves asking whether a particular point would be made in the same way if the customer were actually sitting there and listening. Would we say this in front of our own customer?”
In marketing, it’s all the more important for companies to keep customer behaviors, lifestyle and patterns in mind to speak to them at the right time, with the right message.
http://www.fastcompany.com/1811671/make-room-at-the-meeting-table-for-your-customer
Consumers more interested in product’s Parent companies
January 26th, 2012 from Harvard Business Review
HBR reports that 70% of consumers have avoided making a purchase because of the products parent company.
Parent companies are learning fast how to manage their new consumer relevance. Aware that information about them can be a key stroke away, they are disclosing more in the name of transparency.
Marketers need to understand how company and brand reputation are intertwined, and how it affects the customer journey.
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/01/in_a_new_era_for_marketing_par.html
It’s All About what you know
January 25th, 2012 from AdWeek
Subway, Amazon, and The History Channel top the list of brands with the most positive buzz according to YouGov’s BrandIndex. Based on consumer surveys, brand preference is shown to vary based on demographic segment such as “Parents” or “Independents”.
Would knowing this information affect your marketing mix for particular customer segments?
(Source: http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/data-points-sandwich-hero-137637)
Can Yahoo’s new CEO save the company?
January 20th, 2012 from AdAge
Scott Thompson, Yahoo’s new chief executive is charged with the task of making the Yahoo! brand more relevant and useful to users. AdAge writer Raj claims:
“Yahoo! gives you lots of options on the landing page and then says, "Have at it." That's too complicated to become part of my daily routine. I don't want to work harder, I want to work smarter.”
As customer behaviors online evolve, there is an increasing need for sites like Yahoo! and AOL to innovate and provide value to customers:
http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/yahoo-a-brand-ritual/232204/
Super Bowl spots and Why traditional media still reigns King
January 19th, 2012 from Forbes
Forbes article raises a good question:
“In an era where some may proclaim that TV is dead, how does this example of super premium TV advertising command such a high price tag?”
While online media may be able to propel customers towards purchase, companies need to consider the entire customer journey. For more on the subject, visit our Customer Journey Approach page.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/keithlevy/2012/01/19/despite-super-price-tag-super-bowl-xlvi-advertising-time-still-super-valuable/
New trends in consumer data
Adweek reports on the trend of consumer-controlled personal data, a business model where individuals manage their personal data such as shopping behaviors in exchange for cash or points:
“Through so-called “data lockers” or similar kinds of online destinations—places, in essence, where selected streams of information can be deposited and managed—they offer tools that help consumers decide how much data they want to share, with whom and for what purpose. Describing it as a win-win situation, these companies say that in exchange for sharing data, consumers can receive deals and, in some cases, cash, while marketers can reach consumers on their terms, gaining the insights that will make their offers even more relevant and effective.”
While there are numerous concerns about privacy and consumer engagement with such services, users will be quick to adopt if offered monetary gain.
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/whose-life-it-anyway-137537