Share
Thursday, March 05, 2009

Advertising to Gen Y on Social Networks
The other day, I remarked that Ford is "not interested in advertising on social networks. We're interested in getting in there and interacting with people." Here's why:

The Good News


The Bad News

So once again we hear that advertising on social networks is not effective when you're trying to reach Millennials. This is according to the Participatory Marketing Network, Pace University's Lubin School of Business' Interactive and Direct Marketing Lab, and IDC (Source: MarketingCharts.com).

Not a big surprise.

The Important Stuff
Here's where it gets interesting. Wanna know what Millennials do care about on social networks? (Of course you do - that's why you're here.)
  • Getting news or product updates (67%)
  • Having access to promotions (64%)
  • Viewing or downloading music or videos (41%)
  • Submitting opinions (36%)
  • Connecting with other consumers (33%)
There's an opportunity here for you, marketers. If you want to make a splash on a social network where your customers are, make it worth their while. Give people updates about your products - perhaps information that they can't get elsewhere, or make it the first place you place the updates. Give them an offer that can only be gotten from the social network.

In other words, provide value and be contextually relevant to why they're there in the first place. Don't interrupt them with your ads and expect results.

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 6:03 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Friday, January 09, 2009

Tactically Speaking
While I like to spend a lot of time reinforcing the importance of strategy, at some point, it gets down to tactics. In other words, how are you actually going to put those great ideas to work?

A recent headline from eMarketer trumpeted Marketers Eye Online Video in 2009. While that shouldn't be a surprise (I think we can all agree that this particular visual medium is advancing and will be a more important part of our ADD-affected lives on a regular basis), as usual, it's some of the associated details that interest me.



As you can see, video gets the attention of about two-thirds of marketers. Pretty significant. But more than 4 out of 10 are also eyeing social media. Not bad for a niche channel that seemed to be fighting for attention over the past couple of years.

I'm happy to see that podcasts are part of more mainstream thinking, and that marketers haven't forgotten about that bellweather, search. I'd be interested to see what the plans are with a tried-but-true methodology: email marketing.

Have you got any unusual - or perhaps even back-to-basics - plans for 2009? I'd love to hear about them.

Photo credit: dbking

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 9:54 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

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 study from Break Media and Hall and Partners (which came to me via Marketing Charts), they surveyed over 500 men from 18-34 years of age, and made some interesting discoveries - not the least of which was that 69% say they can’t live without the Internet, versus just 31% for television.

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.

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.

Well, okay. Maybe they are geeks - these stats merely noted what they'd prefer not what they do. And when given the choice of "sex" or "web," I wonder how many chose both? ;-)

In addition, here are some salient facts about this demographic:
  • 63% have a smart phone and one in four use their mobile device to connect to the Web
  • 40% use the Internet for more than 22 hours a week
  • 36% say they can’t live without the Internet for socializing
  • 33% say they can’t live without online entertainment
  • 59% notice online ads
  • 35% like ads that allow them to play a game
  • 34% like online ads that allow them to participate in a contest
Hmm...digital marketing is looking a little more attractive now, isn't it?

And for those of you marketers looking for personality attributes that may tie to your brands, you might consider:
  • Conformist: Only 26% think they are trendsetters.
  • Responsible: Only 18% agree that having fun is more important than being responsible.
  • Green: 53% say they care about the environment.
  • Social: 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.
  • Adventuresome: 68% enjoy traveling to new places; 61% enjoy spending time outdoors.
  • Laid back: Only 38% say they live a fast-paced life.
  • Not wellness-centric: 38% claim to lead a healthy lifestyle; however 45% say their appearance is very important to them.
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.

Or, you could follow the indicators and create some engaging and shareable digital interactions that get results.

Is there anything about the above statistics that surprises you?

Photo credit: thepollen

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 11:54 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Sunday, August 03, 2008

Advertising Age Hopelessly Stuck in the Past
I've had it with AdAge.com. Don't get me wrong - they've got great content and are always exploring trends and issues in the advertising and marketing world in the way that few other publications can or do.

But for all of the space they give to digital marketing, it's clear that they just don't get it. I suppose I can't fault them; they're a publisher that, like every other publisher these days, is concerned about revenue. But as they try to protect their position and demonstrate effectiveness to their supporters, I think AdAge is missing the bigger picture.

And just to show that I'm not using my blog to mount a snarky complaint, I'll offer some free constructive criticism in this note to AdAge:

Dear Advertising Age,

You've been the mainstay of the advertising and marketing industry for a long time - nearly 80 years, in fact. Crain Communications (which interestingly is headquartered near my new home base in Michigan) has a vast empire of publications that are respected across the globe.

But you need to loosen the reins on AdAge. Here are three ways you could make it a little more tolerable.

RSS feeds
You employ RSS feeds on your web site - bravo! But you know what? I don't find them of much use because the feeds are only partial; if I want to read the full article, I'm forced to click through to your site. Yes, I realize that this is because you want me to pay attention to all of the banner ads and interruptions you place in my way while I'm there.

But you know what? As someone who is savvy enough to use RSS feeds, I'm also savvy enough to ignore your annoying advertising - or even better - I employ a Firefox add-on that blocks them. If you just give me the option to consume your content the way I want, I guarantee I'll be a more interested / loyal reader.

Online Video
I found a pulled TV commercial that I wanted to see on your site - just a short 30-second spot, nothing more. But before I could watch it, you forced me to watch a 15-second spot about some advertiser of yours (I can't remember who) that was pitching targeted video ads. I, someone who despises pre-roll advertising, was being targeted with a pre-roll ad about targeted video. Are you getting the irony here?

Lose the video advertising. It shows a lack of respect for your readers.

Secondly, your sharing features suck. I can grab a link or send someone an email (presumably of the link), but I can't embed your video. Which is incredibly short-sighted on your part, especially since you'd think your pre-roll advertisers would want to be seen elsewhere! Give me a chance to share your content with other people who might be interested.


Power 150
Finally, this is more of a personal suggestion. If you really cared about the digital space, you'd embrace that list of the Power 150 marketing bloggers that you acquired from Todd Andrlik. A good way to start is to give the top 150 bloggers a free subscription to Advertising Age. You've already got your badge sitting on most of their blogs - free advertising - why not show us that you appreciate our service to your publication by giving us a free subscription? It's not that difficult.


It's 2008, people - get with the program. If we've learned anything, it's that you'll have more to gain by giving something away. AdAge stands stuck in the era that is more concerned with the control of its content, and as a result is stingy with its willingness to let content be free.

And it's evident from every page I see on your site, where the top links above the article are "print" "buy reprints" and "email," that you're not as concerned with current techniques. These functions are important, no doubt, but they're as antiquated as pop-up ads. Oh, and your registration process for commenting on a blog post is laughable.

AdAge, please do us all a favor and open up a little. You might find us more willing to open up to you.

Sincerely,
Scott Monty


Photo credit: Simon Davison

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 8:48 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Why I Won't Make A Viral Video for You
This is something of a public service announcement. I can't tell you how many times I've heard clients/companies say "we'd like you to make a viral video for us." As Greg Verdino would say, "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little."

People, people. It just doesn't work that way. You can't will something to be viral, any more than you can tell an author to go write a bestseller, a director to direct a blockbuster, or an 8 year-old to be a major-league ballplayer.

Virality (if there is such a term) lies in results. It means that if you've created something worthy of passing along and comment, it will be more likely to reach epic heights on YouTube or whatever other way you're choosing to measure it.

For companies looking to create the next viral video sensation, David Meerman Scott recommends creating 10-20 videos in the hopes that maybe one of them will work. If you look at the how many videos actually reach viral status, he's probably right - if not even a little conservative.

I hate to tell you, but you're probably not going to have a viral sensation on your hands. The best you can do is to create content that matters to your customers and prospects and give them the ability to share that content around.

Oh, and the image above? It's taken from the January 1973 issue of National Lampoon magazine. The original caption was "If You Don't Buy This Magazine, We'll Kill This Dog."

Related posts:
"A Mind-Blowing New Advertising Model"
If You're Going to Do Viral, Do It Right
Research + Entertainment = Wildly Successful Campaign
Psst! Want the Secret to Viral Marketing?

Update (7/16 at 2:45 p.m.):
This video was released by the guys at JibJab just 6 hours ago, and currently has bout 2,200 views on YouTube. I think it has qualities that will make it go viral - it's universally funny, it's topical, and you can pass it along. Let's track the numbers and see how they do over the course of the next week.


Update (7/23 at 5:10 p.m.):
It's now a week since the release of the video, and I'll let you be the judge of the results. It stands at over 517,000 views. That's already more than their video from the 2004 election, This Land.

Labels: , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 5:37 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Monday, June 23, 2008

Think Banner Ads Are Effective?
While many marketing executives may tout banner ads because they're so easy to track, that doesn't necessarily take into account how annoying they can be.

Well, to be fair, banner ads that are targeted and relevant to the content you're reading may be a little more palatable. But in most cases, it's you vs. them. You take your life into your own hands when you click on some enticing offer.

Here's a little gem from Current.tv's "infomania" show:



Labels: ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 1:59 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Saturday, March 08, 2008

The Suxorz: Worst Social Media of 2007

I'm here at SXSWi - South by Southwest Interactive - in Austin, TX and I just sat in on a panel called "The Suxorz - the Worst of the Worst in Social Media Marketing for 2007."

The panelists included Charlotte Selles (brand perspective), Jeff Jarvis, Rebecca Lieb, Steve Hall, and the moderator was Henry Copeland. While this may not seem like a who's-who of the social media industry, they did come at it with a pretty broad perspective of advertisers & marketers using common sense. You'll see a number of selections that were based on poor opinions of creative execution, as well as those that don't follow good social media practice.

Here's how the session worked: each panelist nominated a campaign; after three rounds, the "winner" was selected.

Round 1
  • Selles: Molson asked individuals to use Facebook to share pictures of themselves using the product; the winner would get a trip for 5 to Cancun.
  • Lieb: Carlton Beer "big ad" video - it's just a bad ad. This is the type of ad where you remember the activity within the ad, but not the product. So much so that people didn't even get the name of the product right in some YouTube videos.
  • Jarvis: HP PayPerPost - mom accepts $1000 to have her kids destroy a Fuji camera in favor of HP. Got moms to use their kids as shills to make a splog. Just. Plain. Evil.
  • Hall: Wal-Marting Across America used a real journalist and real photographer, but set them up as simply Wal-Mart fans, traveling across America, parking their RV at Wal-Mart parking lots.
Round 1 voting: HP wins

Round 2
  • Selles: Rahodeb - Whole Foods CEO John Mackey uses an alias to ding detractors on forums
  • Jarvis: Cisco's Human Network - wrote all Cisco-related Wikipedia entries; had vloggers try to write about the Human Network. Got themselves to #2 in Google organic search.
  • Hall: Mentos/Diet Coke - the extension campaign that Coke undertook after the original video was not nearly as authentic and spontaneous as the first
  • Lieb: Vespa's corporate advertising "blog"
Round 2 voting: Cisco's Human Powered Network wins

Round 3
  • Lieb: Agency.com going to work for Subway - "when we roll, we roll big". Made a laughingstock of.
  • Hall: Target Rounders on Facebook - shhh! Don't tell anyone you're a Rounder, but be a Target fan.
  • Selles: Sony PSP - all I want for Christmas is a PSP. 550+ negative posts on this blog that was created by their marketing agency, but professed to be a real fan blog.
  • Jarvis: Giuliani campaign - he wasn't afraid of terrorists, but his MySpace page was closed to friend adds.
Round 3 voting: Subway/Agency.com wins

The winners of the three rounds were put against each other and the final winner was selected:
Hewlett Packard.

According the the panelists, some of the criteria they used in judging what qualified as a "bad" social media campaign:
  • Advertisers acting like asses
  • Out and out lying to customers
  • Corrupting authentic voices
Steve Hall concluded with this statement, which I think more marketers should keep in mind: "It's not hard to tell the truth; if you don't, it's just a matter of time before the public finds out." Agencies typically take the fall for the client ("the client didn't know about this") because they don't want to lose the business.

The bottom line, according to the panelists is: treat people as people, not as a mass. You'll be forgiven if you're honest with people.

What do you think? Do these campaigns represent the worst of the worst? Are there others that you might nominate? Do you think there are other criteria to consider or other lessons to be learned? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Labels: , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 5:22 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Sunday, February 17, 2008

Drive Attention with Context & Relevance
A couple of weeks ago, I was introduced to a new web app that I think is going to be a major force in the digital/social media/web video space this year. It leverages web video and consumer-generated content, but in a new and different way that doesn't require much in the way of new content development. They call it Overlay.tv. I call it fully interactive and annotated video that has the power to change the way advertisers think about online video.

You're probably familiar with Viddler, where you can make comments in the flow/context of a video. But that's only text and it only works if the original video appears on Viddler.

The beauty of Overlay is that you can comment, call out products, make video & iconographic comments, link to other sites, and more (these are called "overlays") that work directly on top of videos from pretty much any video sharing site. Because Overlay.tv allows viewers to rate overlays, the creator can see what works and what doesn't. Bottom line: using existing videos, overlayers can call out what matters to them. Overlay.tv puts the power of context & relevance into the hands of its users, which will drive attention to things they want to highlight.

But simply telling you about it isn't going to convince you of how cool this app is; take a look at a video that my friend Mitch Joel created (which at last count was closing in on 4,000 views on YouTube since Wednesday). Take I look at how I added to it:


(If the video isn't running, here's the direct link.)

While I was watching the demo of the product by Rob Lane, CEO of Overlay.tv, I jotted down a note:
Advertising that's contextually relevant AND part of the content.
This may very well be the solution to the pre-roll spots that advertisers have been looking for when it comes to online video. We all know that it's a pain to sit through a 15-second spot (let alone a 30-second spot) before a 2-minute video. But what's an advertiser to do? Answer: go where the people want you to go.

I understand that there are opportunities for brands to work with Overlay.tv, to offer their products or custom-made fun items to be used in overlays, skin videos and more. And in addition, they may be privy to statistics around views, ratings, click-throughs, purchases and other interactions with overlays. I could even envision brands or agencies offering content that people can experiment with.

While Firebrand positions itself as a repository of great ads, Overlay is more of a portable play that lets people make the content their own. And when you consider the ability to bake in affiliate programs to the program, it could be a huge win for Overlay members as well.

Labels: , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 11:23 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Sunday, January 27, 2008

Where My Money Is on the Super Bowl
It never fails. Every year, the Hail Mary of marketers is the Super Bowl. And this year is no exception, as we continue to see the price for a 30-second spot on national television eclipse Donald Trump's annual hairspray budget. (For the record it's $2.7 million for an ad).

In recent years, we've seen more interactivity built into the ad process, with Doritos' contest for a consumer-generated ad being the most notorious. This year, we're seeing some interesting angles as well.

Some of my favorite commercials during the Super Bowl have always been from Anheuser-Busch. Whether it was the once-funny "True" series (aka Wassup) or the very touching Clydesdales' tribute to September 11, 2001, Budweiser has rarely disappointed during the big game.

A-B actually has a channel on YouTube where they're previewing a number of their ads - you can see where some of them are going, but you'll have to tune into the game (or any Web site the day after) to see if you predicted the story line. You can check them out in the badge below.


But here's where it gets moderately interesting: there's a mobile promotion running simultaneously. Over the next two weeks, visitors to BudBowl.com, BudLight.com and Budweiser.com will be invited to participate in an interactive program during Super Bowl where they can rate the Super Bowl ads.
  • Following each of the commercials, you'll receive a text message to your cell phone prompting you to reply with a rating
  • Following the final ad, you'll receive a final text message with a code that allows you to unlock the secret 11th spot available via your video-enabled cell phone or on BudBowl.com
  • Anyone who views the secret spot will be invited to send a customized message to their friends inviting them to view the secret spot
As far as as contest goes, that's pretty cool. But more than that, Budweiser is going even further in terms of distributed content:
  • All of the ads will be available for download to PDAs, phones and iPods on Budbowl.com
  • For the first time, they include a widget that allows you to post your favorite ads on your own site - blog, MySpace page, Facebook profile, etc.
A couple of years ago, I found a site that made about 85 of those hilarious Real Men of Genius radio spots available as mp3s. I grabbed them, but later found the site was the victim of a classic cease-and-desist order from the Anheuser-Busch lawyers. Understandable from a rights-management standpoint, but when you think about branding and free content distribution platform, it was a shortsighted move.

So it goes almost without saying that I'm impressed with what they've managed to put together for Super Bowl XLII. Let's hope that the Patriots manage to pull off a perfect season and make the game something to remember.

Labels: , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 10:02 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Friday, November 09, 2007

How to Teach Marketers to Be Authentic
Did you ever take the time to step back and wonder about the various personas you meet online? They could be long-lost friends, bloggers that you admire, or people in your Facebook network whom you may have never met before. But what do you really know about them?

How many of these folks are truly themselves when they're online? I mean, how many are perhaps bolder in their assertions or less cautious with the language they use because of the less personal nature of the medium?

We spend a lot of time talking about authenticity as one of the tenets of social media - how businesses, brands and the people behind them need to be seen as real. There's no doubt that the masses will sniff out a fraud. But how do we guarantee them authenticity?

While you ponder that, take a look at Brad Paisley's take on it:

video

As recently as this week, someone in my LinkedIn network posed the following question: What disciplines should marketers be training within to ensure authenticity? My first thought, was, "You've got to be kidding, right? You want to teach authenticity?"

It reminded me of the old George Burns quote:
"Acting is all about honesty. If you can fake that, you've got it made."
That one-liner often sums up all that is seen as wrong with and disliked about advertising, marketing and public relations - mouthing the words without actually believing what you're saying. Can you blame the public for distrusting advertisers or for thinking of public relations professionals as "spin doctors"?

Many of the other respondents to the LinkedIn question also noted that authenticity is more of a state of being rather than a skill - it's something that has to be imbued throughout one's life rather than taught as a course. Authenticity represents who we are, not what we do. And when we use marketing speak to address our audience, are we being truly authentic, or simply following a corporate protocol out of some antiquated tradition?

I say it's time to step out of those corporate roles and leave behind those traditional templates and speak to our customers as if we're real people talking to other real people. As David Ogilvy once famously said,
"The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife."
How do you learn how to be authentic with your wife? You don't learn it; you simply be yourself - that's why she picked you, right?

Ultimately, it's worth asking how do your customers or your community view you? I hope you're prepared for the answer, because we live in an age where they'll tell you and expect to be heard.


Labels: , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 6:34 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Life After Life After the 30-Second Spot
A couple of weeks ago, I was in New York to participate in a press conference for Firebrand, one of our clients at crayon.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about the features of Firebrand, as they've been covered by Joe and Greg, among others. Before I tell you about the event, here's a thumbnail sketch of Firebrand. Essentially, Firebrand offers Web, TV and mobile viewing of top-notch television commercials, but with a twist that sets it apart from other online video properties: they're all-commercials, all the time; and the site allows you to actually participate in contests, giveaways and offers from the very brands that you're watching.

While it may seem counterintuitive that crayon, the company whose founder bemoans the tired old 30-second spot, was involved, there was a method to our madness. You see, in this case, the ads are not interruptions of the feature program: they are the feature program. Commercials as content. And we can support entertainment and engagement.

Now let me tell you a little bit about the event itself.

Firebrand planned a press conference for September 25, during Advertising Week - perfect timing, as lots of industry people would be in town and journalists would be in the mood to talk about marketing & advertising. Held at the Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of Television and Radio), it was the perfect spot for debuting a brand that is multimedia in nature.

In addition to a nod to the past and present, Firebrand also looked to the future, by virtue of the invitation list. There were probably about 75 people in attendance in the hall - mostly traditional journalists - and I was impressed with the turnout. But here's the interesting part: I was one of a handful of bloggers who were there as well (many more were invited, but unable to attend). When you consider that Firebrand's target audience is Millennials, having the news break on blogs is a natural move.

The bloggers - who were treated the same as the traditional press - were given press kits, including glossies and a traditional press release, as well as links to the social media news release for the event. The SMNR had links to pages on YouTube, Flickr and del.icio.us and even a Facebook group. Based on what I've seen from some prominent bloggers, the SMNR was widely used, as video links and quotes continue to pop up everywhere. And the Facebook group has already garnered over 500 members.

All this, and the site doesn't even go live until October 22! Not bad. Stay tuned for the beta release...

Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 11:29 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Monday, September 17, 2007

Truly, Madly, Deeply
When I first heard about AMC's series Mad Men, I was going to pass. I thought, "Uh oh. Here's a chance for a network to unleash all that's unholy on the industry that it already forces to bend over and take it in the upfronts every year."

I've seen Hollywood try to recreate the Madison Avenue scene before - from Darrin Stevens on Bewitched to Bruce Willis' role in Perfect Stranger, the ad man goes from bumbling to evil. And somehow, the TV and movie industry doesn't understand the divide between creatives and account executives.

So it was with great trepidation that I programmed the DVR for Mad Men. But I was pleasantly surprised, for a number of reasons.

First off, it's fair to say that the production value is top-notch. The wardrobe, props, setting, etc. are all genuine, so that it really feels like you're looking through a window to 1960. Even the title sequence is vintage 1950s-60s, echoing a homier yet hipper time. While the smoking may be overdone, the habit of drinking in the office leaves me feeling a little nostalgic...

And the writing - from a former Sopranos executive producer - is stellar. There's lots going on underneath the shiny surface of this period piece, and you can tell it's going to get pretty dark.

So much for the nuts and bolts of the production. Let's move on to advertising and social media and how those come in to play.

As I began to fast-forward through my recorded episode 30 seconds at a time, I noticed an interesting feature. Done in the same font and style of the title sequence, there are little 10-second facts and trivia about many of the advertisers for the show. Things like:
  • Jack Daniels took the meaning of 'Old No. 7' to the grave
  • More dollars are spent on drug advertising than soda advertising
  • Bud Light debuted nationally in: 1982
And then they throw in some industry wisdom such as:
  • "The enemies of advertising are the enemies of freedom" - David Olgivy
  • "I'll put the accuracy of the average ad in this country up against the accuracy of the average news story any time" - Jef I. Richards
  • "An advertising agency is 85% confusion and 15% commission" - Fred Allen
Let me tell you, as someone who typically tries to avoid the 30-second spot in my TV viewing, this innovative approach is really getting me to stop. I may or may not watch the ads after the trivia, but I'm more likely to, just to see how they're following it up.

I'm also impressed with the interactive / social media components on the show's web site. Clearly, they're looking to make themselves part of their viewers' everyday lives, with the likes of typical downloads such as wallpapers and screensavers. But they go one farther with offering instant messaging icons.

And while many shows feature a discussion board or community forum, Man Men has decided to build its community via...a blog. There's typically a summary of each show, as well as announcements or interviews, and the commenting started out slowly. But the last two posts about the episodes garnered 300-400 comments each, as of this posting.

I'm looking forward to the story arc and to seeing more of a glimpse into the past of the storied Madison Avenue game. Just call me a mad man.


Labels: , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 12:10 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Monday, September 10, 2007

Ad Age Hates Innovation
You have to wonder about the ability of the marketing profession to move forward when a mainstream medium such as Advertising Age seems dead-set against it.

Here are just three examples:
  1. Even though they're embracing new media by offering RSS feeds, you can't read the entire posts in your feedreader. Ad Age makes you visit their site for the full content. Yes, they probably want the traffic so they can support the site with (ahem) ads, but you know what? You can run ads in feeds too, guys.
  2. Today Jonah Bloom decided that he'd call out a small company and rant against it. In this case, he was talking about my company's recent announcement. I couldn't find any instance of him berating any other small companies, but then again, I got tired of scrolling through the archives since the Adages blog doesn't have tags.
  3. Finally (and this one's a doozy), Mark Simon gives us his take on trends by recommending that CMOs Ditch the Lunatic Web Content Crazes in the CMO Strategy column. He particularly calls out Twitter as nothing more than a personal update application; it's clear he hasn't spent any time on it or developed a network. As the very astute Karl Long puts it:
Even more ironic this is under “CMO Strategy”, yep this is exactly the kind of advice you need if you’re a CMO, ignore new things, don’t experiment, don’t participate and your world will be simpler, safer and easier to understand.
Maybe the folks over at Ad Age don't think this whole Internet thing is going to catch on.

Labels: , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 9:26 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Monday, August 06, 2007

We Have Entered the Advertising Age
Welcome to readers who have reached this site via the AdAge Power 150 List. I'm proud to be part of the top 150 marketing blogs in the English-speaking world and will do my best to continue to give you the valued posts that have gotten ranked as high as I have.

For those of you who are new to all of this, I'm Scott Monty and I write about where marketing is headed (or in some cases should be headed) in this digital age, including blogs, podcasts, customer service, public relations, virutal worlds, consumer-generated content and other cutting edge developments that are constantly changing the face of marketing.

By day, I work for crayon, a conversational marketing company, where I hold the title of Consiglieri. It sounds daunting, but really, I'm just like you. Only I order hits on my enemies. Oh, and in case you haven't caught on yet, I also have a dry sense of humor.

Take a look around, try not to break anything, and enjoy yourself. And if you run into any trouble, let me know.

Labels: , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 11:37 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Ad Placement: Unfortunate, Lucky, or Savvy?
For those of you who appreciate humor in marketing, here's something that's bound to cheer you up, no matter how your day is going:


When marketing humor is unintentional, it's even funnier. But humor is one of the most difficult types of writing and speaking styles to pull off. It takes a sense of humor, an understanding of what your audience finds humorous, the ability to set up the concept and a good sense of timing - or in the case of print ads and banners, proper placement.

And that's not easy. When it fails, it's a huge flop. But when it's successful, you've captured the entertainment value that seems to be at the core of so many great campaigns. I've previously extolled entertainment value as a key component in viral campaigns, and we've seen a few notables that have been comment-worthy, including Shave Everywhere, Subservient Chicken and Tea Partay.

What have you seen that's got entertainment value and causes you to "send to a friend"?

Coda: the output from the iPhone/Will It Blend experiment is for sale on eBay. Bidding closes on July 20 at 16:06:59 PDT. Current bid: $1,126.00. I guess their video series does sell blenders.

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 8:11 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Ad Spending Shifts from Traditional to Emerging Channels
In a post on MediaDailyNews, it was noted, according to industry forecaster Bob Coen, that U.S. ad spending is growing at only 3.1%, a slower pace than the U.S. economy is growing. This is a downgrade from the 4.7% predicted by Universal McCann analysts.

The fastest growing segment of the media is the Web, naturally, with a 15% growth rate predicted for 2007, according to Coen. But he doesn't include online video, social networks or search in his numbers.

But here's where it gets interesting. Magna Global's Brian Wieser predicts that those emerging channels as well as mobile marketing, advanced gaming and digital out-of-home networks will grow nearly 32% in 2007. That's quite a wake up call for the traditional advertising industry. In fact, Wieser claims it's a change of the mind-set:
"...advertisers are shifting their money out of media that we define as ad-supported media into marketing."
And it what seems like a real shot in the arm for the new media industry, he predicts that social media ad spending would be more than $1 billion next year, an increase of nearly 50% over 2007's numbers.

That's not to say that traditional advertising is dead. TV, newspapers, outdoor, radio, print - collectively they represent the lion's share of the ad spend. But the fact that additional channels are finally being recognized for their relevancy and permanence is encouraging.

So these are the opinions of just two analysts. What about your opinion? Do you think one is closer to the truth than the other?

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 9:11 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Friday, June 22, 2007

Help! I'm Being Held Hostage by Marketing
I've made something of a tradition out of my Friday posts on this blog - my Friday Fun Video series. Long weeks, hard work and frayed nerves by the end of the week usually give rise to a little pawky humor that lends itself to Friday posts. But seeing as I've kept you awash in video posts this past week, I'm going to keep away from it today.

But I can promise you that I've got a real winner of a video to share with you next week.

For this week, I'll give you a thought about push marketing as inspired by the famous National Lampoon cover from January 1973 (full disclosure: I used to work just down the street from the Harvard Lampoon. The twisted humor probably rubbed off on me). How often have you felt like you've been held hostage by advertising or marketing?

More recently, this concept was illustrated by a Dilbert strip. Too many marketers, when they've exhausted the traditional lead generation, direct mail and sales-intensive efforts, seem to espouse this mentality:


And I've seen it happen with marketers who, after they've exhausted their lead generation, direct mail and trade show efforts (and budgets!), want to start a social media campaign in order to pick up the slack. Common phrases include:
  • "Which social networks should I join / which blogs should I comment on to help sell more product?"
  • "I'm going to measure ROI on my [blog/podcast/other social media effort] by measuring sales."
Bzzzzt! Sorry, wrong answer. That's not how it works.

With a social media strategy, your goal should be to become part of the conversation, to allow a community to form as a result of the conversation and the tools that you make available. If you really want to become indispensable in your customers' eyes, you need to understand them, you need to listen to them, you need to let them tell you what they need.

Maybe they'll tell you that you'll have to reconfigure your packaging or develop an improvement to your product or face a major overhaul of your website. Is this a pain? Sure. Is it expensive? Sometimes, but not necessarily, and let me tell you why.

The money you spend on these short term fixes, on listening - yes, actually listening to your customers - and taking action will be one of the smartest investments you could ever make. Think I'm overstating it? If your customers perceive your product to be inferior or the information on your website too confusing, they'll leave you for a competitor who can give them a better product and a more enjoyable Web experience.

The money you spend on making improvements - the very improvements that your customers ask for - will be goodwill that you can't buy any other way. They'll know that their opinion mattered and that a company actually listened to them, rather than forcing them to buy more crap. With a conversation that you've fostered or a community that you've nurtured, you'll have a committed and long-term focus group that will be able to tell you what you need to know.

Now, that's not to say that you should take every last recommendation or spend a huge budget on changes. But you should be open to hearing about your customers' points of view. After all, they're the ones that have to live with your products.

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 12:15 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Monday, June 11, 2007

Your Next Creative Genius May Be Closer Than You Think
As you know, user-generated / consumer-generated content has been all the rage over the last year. Many pundits have gone so far as to claim that traditional advertising agencies' days are numbered. But the agencies themselves have lumbered forward, continuing to support hundreds and hundreds of creative staff (not to mention a sizable chip on their shoulders), with the confidence that no one can produce high quality creative the way they can.

Earlier this year, the Doritos Super Bowl ad proved otherwise - at least with regard to concepting. The agencies and production houses still have the expertise in execution of the 30-second spot. I think in the end, the creative juice will be found somewhere in the middle - the agencies and their ability to navigate the supply chain, along with active input from consumers, will together create some pretty powerful stuff.

But in the meantime, the takeaway message is the old cliche - don't judge a book by its cover. Agency execs pooh-pooh ideas because they come from "the people," and that is a huge mistake. Good ideas can come from anyone - on your team, from a client, from an agency - hell, stop and ask a few people on the street while you're at it.

Case in point: Paul Potts, a dubious-looking mobile phone salesman goes on ITV's Britain's Got Talent to attempt to sing opera
You have to see this video. I think it's one of the best moments in the history of reality TV (okay, okay - not a huge honor, but you get the point) and a great example of how we humans like to judge based on superficialities.

The judges rolled their eyes when they saw the contestant, clearly expecting another feeble performance on this grown-up talent show. In the end, Potts had the audience on their feet, people were crying, and Simon Cowell - yes, the Simon Cowell - was clapping, exclaiming "you are absolutely fantastic."



Using a feedreader that doesn't embed video? Click here.

Take a moment and think about the many assumptions you make on a daily basis - about vendors, clients, colleagues, people you pass on the street or sit next to on the train, the guy you get your coffee from or your newspaper man. The next Pavarotti might be closer than you expect. Have you given him the chance to sing for you?

Here's some context on the aria, "Nessun Dorma," as well as Pavarotti singing it for comparison.

Labels: , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 5:17 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Friday, May 18, 2007

Getting Smaller All the Time
Greg Verdino just posted a great blog entry about the consolidation that have been taking place in the online advertising space. Of recent interest:
  1. Microsoft buys aQuantive for $6 billion on 5/18
  2. WPP Group buys 24/7 RealMedia for $649 million on 5/17
  3. Yahoo buys Right Media for $680 million on 4/30
  4. Google buys DoubleClick for $3.1 billion
I left a long comment on his blog that can be summed up with a couple of questions that marketers might want to ask themselves:
  • If this results in lower ad buys or agency services (unlikely), that might be a positive to shareholders; customers might not benefit, as the realist in me thinks that marketers would simply pad their P&L with wider margins rather than pass along the savings.
  • If we see a more intelligent approach to online marketing and a more comprehensive and unified method of ad creation, behavioral targeting and measurement of results we could expect a much more tightly controlled and better understood ROI, not to mention an audience that receives marketing it truly cares about.
All in all, it's a troubling trend that leaves more decisions in fewer hands. If we were to play out this trend to the extreme, we'd be left with a monolith of a media company (or perhaps a small handful) that controls everything. Scary.

To hammer the point home, you might want to check out a video that I posted on this blog last September that predicts the future of online media. While it doesn't call into account the activity of the ad agencies, it's very eerie, as it predicts the same sort of impact on the world as the latest activities.

Labels: , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 11:29 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Nothing Lasts Forever
This has to be one of the funniest videos I've placed on this blog. Usually I keep this kind of fun reserved for Friday, but by then it'll be everywhere, as it totally skewers the advertising world. Let's start the weekend a little early!



The video, called The Break Up, is about the end of a relationship - in this case the relationship between an advertiser and a consumer. Things have changed, but Advertising is still the same unidirectional self-absorbed jerk. Consumer isn't pleased, as she wants genuine love, affection and conversation.

Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions initiated this project and has a blog running called Bring the Love Back to promote the process and ideas, and both the marketing manager and the agency are contributing to it. It's genius.

And one of the coolest parts? It was inspired/supported by David Armano's BusinessWeek article It's the Conversation Economy, Stupid.

Via David Armano at Logic + Emotion.

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 8:04 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Common Sense Isn't Universal
Further evidence that NBC is embracing new media: at yesterday's IAB conference, NBC Universal announced that they are standardizing the length of advertising in short form video to 15-second spots.

According to the MediaPost article, currently there is no set standard for pre-roll advertising, but one-third of the pre-roll ads for 2- to 5-minute videos are 30-second spots. Excuse me? What genius was initially put in charge of that initiative?

In the brave new world of digital marketing and new media you don't simply take an ad format from another channel and slap it on short video. It's akin to the rise of television some 60 years ago, when the network bigwigs were simply calling television "radio with pictures." But was more than an incremental change; television completely changed the way the world consumed entertainment.

And until now, NBC has exhibited parallel thinking to the radio/TV revolution: short-form video is nothing more than television on the Web and subsequently, it deserves the same kind of advertising. Just slap an existing 30-second spot - which in itself ignores the fact that it's failing miserably in its native television environment - onto a video that can be as short as 2 minutes in length.

You've got to give credit to NBC for changing the game, albeit incrementally. But let's just say there's a lack of common sense in the industry - not only regarding the 30-second spot, but with respect to most of social media. According to Peter Naylor, SVP for Digital Media Sales at NBCU, "We did some research with our users," he says. "Short-form clips deserve short-form ads."

Genius. I wonder how much money you spent to figure that one out, Einstein.

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 7:00 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Sunday, April 29, 2007

What Can You Do About the Reputation of the Ad Industry?
Stanley Bing has a pretty comprehensive list of 50 Bulls**t Jobs. These are a subset of his larger work - a book (what every aspiring A-list blogger needs) called 100 Bullshit Jobs...And How to Get Them.

I knew I should have been ready for the worst when #1 started off with Advertising Executive:
$$: Ground-level workers with writing ability move quickly to the top, immediately snagging low to mid-six figures; those who can spin mythological concepts surrounding quotidian household objects can command up to seven figures.

The upside: Great expense account living, see your handiwork everywhere, the wonderful feeling of being creative and corporate at the same time.

The downside: Must take meetings with the AFLAC duck.

The dark side: You're considered a dinosaur at forty.

I already knew the profession doesn't command a lot of respect; Bing's assessment crisply underscored it. But then we got to #25: Executive Vice President, New Media and I knew the jig was up. As Bing puts it:
The upside: As long as the bubble is full, you're golden. And there's never any need to prove yourself with real results, because people don't want that, they want simply to feel that there's somebody thinking about all of it, and that's you.

The downside: Hard to see if there is one. Whatever it might be, if you're a really good bullshitter, and I know you are, it will take ten years to discover it.

The dark side: Your entrepreneurial friends in this area, who have the courage to push the envelope on the outside of corporate life, are now multitrillionaires. You are slogging along on less than a million a year.

Uh-oh. These two categories represent my current job and the job I'm looking for. To be in the company of Crumber, Feng Shui Consultant and Boulevardier is a little scary.

All kidding aside, Friday's Wall Street Journal ran a column by Daniel Akst titled False Advertising, with the honest admission of a subtitle, "Pop culture has rarely been kind to the heroic ad man." Akst took up the subject matter after reading Joshua Ferris' novel Then We Came to the End, an account of a fictional Chicago advertising agency in the post dot-com boom.

But the Ferris novel is only the most recent example of the lumps that the advertising profession takes; this grand tradition dates back 60 years to the book The Hucksters and countless movies and television shows that inarticulately, inaccurately and inanely portray advertising executives. And it wouldn't be a commentary about fictional admen if the Executive Doofus himself, Darrin Stevens, didn't get a mention. What was he exactly, a creative or an account guy?
"Message for you, sir."

It's so easy to use the advertising executive as a scapegoat. Advertising appeals to our emotions. "Damn those manipulative admen! They made us feel the emotions that would make us buy more stuff!" Forget about free will or self-control. It's easier to blame someone else.

Case in point: the Boston Globe ran a story last Wednesday that claimed advertising is taking the blame for pediatric obesity. I had two major problems with this article:
  1. Even if kids are being barraged with commercials, who makes the purchase decisions for a 10 year-old? In any responsible household, it's the parents. And if there are parents shirking their responsibilities, I'd wager that they'd rather blame an industry for their own lack of parenting skills.
  2. The Globe's sources are clearly outdated. The psychologist they interviewed was quoted as saying that she sings an advertising jingle. "And then I see if they can complete it. If I say, 'You deserve a break today,' they will say, 'McDonald's.' That's as familiar to them as anything else in their lives."
    The problem with that? McDonald's currently uses "I'm lovin' it" and has since 2003; "You deserve a break today" debuted in 1971 and hasn't been used since 1980. Furthermore, McDonald's has been one of the leaders in trying to give kids - and adults - healthy alternatives on its menu.
The point is that advertising has a poor reputation (shock!). Based on Mr. Bing's list, it would seem that new media is going the same way. But with transparency as a hallmark of new/social media, it would seem the perfect opportunity to marketers to redeem themselves. After all, here are some positive developments made possible by new media:
  • Responding to customer feedback
  • Talking with customers and not at them
  • Incorporating suggestions into product design
  • Making lives easier through widgets, networks and communities
The ball is in our court. We have the power to change public opinion by giving them more of what they need rather than more of what we think they need. If anything, we need to treat them with more respect.

But in the meantime, let's hope the public doesn't shoot the messenger.

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 8:47 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Tuesday, April 03, 2007

What Would David Ogilvy Twitter?
This is highly irregular - picking up on your own meme. Just Friday, I issued a challenge: a Twittermeme. "What Would ___ Twitter?"

Well, my post below about David Ogilvy and what he might make of the social media space prompted one of my meme-meisters to ask what would David Ogilvy Twitter? I'm not one to back away from an intellectual challenge, so here we go:

What Would David Ogilvy Twitter?
  1. L: Madison Avenue
  2. At noon on Twitter, the quietest thing is...Twitter
  3. @Scobleizer is that an eye patch you're wearing?
  4. New app for everything: TwitteResearch
  5. Giving a Twitter Magic Lantern presentation to WPP board
  6. Gotta run. The Man from Schweppes is here.
  7. @SirMartinSorrell you odious little sh*t
  8. L: Castle in France
  9. New book being released: Confessions of a Twittering Man
  10. Can someone help me make the background color of my Twitter page red?

Labels: , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 10:48 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share

Try It, You'll Like It
What would David Ogilvy do? That's the question I've been asking myself, and I think I've got the answer.

First, a little background. One of the social media colleagues I've had a chance to meet over the last couple of weeks was Greg Verdino. His recent blog post mentions his attendance at Virtual Worlds 2007 conference, in which he noted how few marketers and agency executives were present. So profound was it that David Armano made it his Thought of the Day.

Far from surprising Greg (or me), it reinforced what we both discussed when we met: the majority of marketers are trying to figure out ways t harness the field of new marketing strategies (blogging / podcasting / Second Life / social network) without the benefit of actually using the technologies. When did this - giving advice on something you don't understand - become the hallmark of a successful marketer?

Think about it for a minute: would an agency exec work on a television commercial without ever having seen one? Would any good creative director design a print ad without looking through a magazine to see what the surrounding material is like? Not on your life. Yet they throw the social media terms around as if they just represent another channel.

If you've ever read the seminal book Ogilvy on Advertising, you'll know that David Ogilvy made two very important points in the book - points that defined his career:
  1. Research is crucial. Understand the client, understand their customer and what motivates them. This was so important that he named himself Research Director at his agency.
  2. Live the brand. It didn't matter if the client was Rolls Royce, Schweppes or Sears, Ogilvy always bought his clients' products and experienced them just as any customer would, which made him much more effective when he wrote about them.
So, if David Ogilvy were to counsel a client on the social media space today, would he have a blog? A MySpace profile? Would he listen to podcasts? You bet your life he would.

While social media is considered as just another facet to an integrated marketing program (and rightfully so), it's a more complex than most agency execs and marketers think. This is a conversation medium, one that requires understanding and finessing. You wouldn't show up at a sophisticated cocktail party dressed poorly and proceed to interrupt a conversation, grab a handful of hors d'oeuvres and smash your face down in the punch bowl, would you?

Well that's the equivalent of a marketer inexperienced in the field of new marketing / social media showing up to Second Life, starting a blog, etc. without having taken the time to participate in and understand the space.


Labels: , , , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 8:50 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Friday, March 30, 2007

Behold the Power of the Wonderbra
I had originally planned something a little more intellectual for today's Friday Fun video, but then I found this. Plus, I figured, "What the hell?" it's Friday!

Who knew that outdoor advertising could be so stopping?

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 12:11 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Thursday, March 29, 2007

Schwag for Your Next Unconference
I was flipping through the Wall Street Journal today (Heaven forfend! I'm still reading print!), ready to fold it up and toss it in the recycling bin, when a 4C full page ad on the back of the Marketplace section caught my eye.

It was an ad for Titleist featuring 20 golf balls with different logos sitting on newsprint. The headline was "Excellence is the best investment" and the golf balls had logos from a wide variety of well-known brands such as Fidelity, Marriott, Lexus, EMC, Ocean Spray, Timberland and FedEx. In an effort to entice readers to associate their own brands with Titleist, the ad encouraged readers to go to titleist.com/customball to create logoed golf balls of their own.

It may be an old cliche, but there's still a ring of truth to it: a good deal of the business world uses golf as part of deepening relationships. Prospects, customers, employees, board members - essentially any constituency that matters - can be drawn into the conversation and engaged on a more personal and human level while on the golf course. But what does that have to do with the Titleist ad and social media?


This is a great example of an old-school company adapting to the world of new marketing and new technology as part of its branding efforts. Titleist gets the benefit of being able to run an ad with 20 well known brands that have created custom logos, thus strengthening their own, and they get wider exposure by encouraging what is essentially consumer-generated content (i.e. your own logo on a golf ball).

Here's my take on how their service delivers.

The Good
I had never before thought of or desired to visit the Titleist Web site. Golf balls are very nearly a commodity (or should be, the way I golf!) and in my mind don't offer much in the way of differentiation. Even though they aren't marketed this way, I think all golf balls are pretty much equivalent. For my money, the clubs (and the lessons) make the difference.

So I give Titleist full credit for getting me to visit their site based on a nice piece of creative with a compelling call to action.

Once there, you can select from event-related balls (birthdays, launches, etc.) or simply design your own ball. The interface is very smooth with - its Flash-enabled - and it allows you do quickly navigate through the steps.
  1. Choose the type of cusomtomization - name, logo, name & logo, etc.
  2. One, two or three lines of text in your choice of 4 colors
  3. Your logo
  4. Type of Titleist ball you'd like
  5. Standard or customized packaging
It's as easy as drag & drop, and you can resize and crop your logo so it fits on the face of the ball.

Room for Improvement
Here's where Titleist falls down on this otherwise cool site:
  1. Logo balls require a minimum order of 12 boxes (144 balls). That may be fine if you're going to a lot of shows, have a lot of customers, or you lose a lot of balls. But if you're looking to do something on the small end, it's not really an option. An example of a company that does it right with small orders of highly customized material is Moo.
  2. There's no pricing information.
  3. Once you're done with your design and are ready to place your order, it's not as simple as clicking "order now." You need to physically print out your order, gather a high-res file of your logo and track down your nearest "authorized Titleist golf shop or promotional products distributor." At least you can go back to the main site and click on their Golf Shop Locator to find one near you.
All in all, this is not a bad service. And like Moo, it's an interesting and unique way to brand yourself at smaller events like unconferences.

Note: I am in no way affiliated with Titleist nor was I paid or approached by Titleist to write this post. I'm simply a social media expert with golf on the brain as spring rolls around.

Labels: , , , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 3:40 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Sunday, March 04, 2007

The Ultimate in Viral Marketing
Now here's a great lesson in creating marketing that's worthy of becoming viral.

We all know that one essential ingredient in a successful viral campaign is content that's entertaining. Only then will you guarantee pass-alongs.

Case in point: the Geico Cavemen created by The Martin Agency. Over the last year, the TV campaign for Geico.com ("So easy even a caveman can do it") has generated a remarkable following. Now, in the ultimate acknowledgment of entertaining ads, ABC is developing a sitcom for the cavemen.

According to Variety.com:
"Cavemen" will revolve around three pre-historic men who must battle prejudice as they attempt to live as normal thirtysomethings in modern Atlanta.
So easy even ABC can do it.

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 9:41 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Friday, February 23, 2007

The Grey Poupon Passes
In a nod to the recent death of screen and stage star Ian Richardson, I'd like to share this gem from Lowe & Partners, done in the 1980s:


Labels: , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 8:03 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Thursday, December 21, 2006

Friday Fun Video
The holidays are upon us! Where did the year go? As we begin to wrap up the year, I offer the "Goodwill" video from the Apple/PC commercial series. For the full series - which is an extraordinarily well done one - check this out.

Labels: , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 10:40 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Friday, November 10, 2006

Friday Fun Video
This week in Friday Fun Video, before we get to the fun part, I need to share some information about online video advertising with you.

According to emarketer, online video advertising is on the verge of a boom. In 2006, spending will reach $410 million, at 82% jump over 2005 numbers. And by 2010, you're looking at about $3 billion in online video advertising spending.



(This link was made possible by Debbie Weil, via Paul Gillin)

And now, on with the show...

As a colleague wrote when he forwarded this video, "if you don''t laugh at this, you have no soul."

Labels: , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 12:01 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Monday, October 30, 2006

A Word About Online Advertising
If you had any doubts that the future of advertising lies with more online presence, this should dispel some of those doubts. The Audit Bureau of Circulations reported the following statistics at the end of September.
1. USA Today: 2,269509, (-1.3%)
2. The Wall Street Journal: 2,043235, (-1.9%)
3. The New York Times: 1,086,798, (-3.5%)
4. Los Angeles Times: 775,766, (-8.0%)
5. The New York Post: 704,011, 5.3%
6. Daily News: 693,382, 1.0%
7. The Washington Post: 656,297, (-3.3%)
8. Chicago Tribune: 576,132, (-1.7%)
9. Houston Chronicle: 508,097, (-3.6%)
10. Newsday: 413,579, (-4.9%)
11. The Arizona Republic, Phoenix: 397,294, (-2.5%)
12. The Boston Globe: 386,415, (-6.7%)
13. The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J.: 378,100, (-5.5%)
14. San Francisco Chronicle: 373,805, (-5.3%)
15. The Star Tribune, Minneapolis: 358,887, (-4.1%)
16. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 350,157, (-3.4%)
17. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland: 336,939, (-0.6%)
18. The Philadelphia Inquirer: 330,622, (-7.5%)
19. Detroit Free Press: 328,628, (-3.6%)
20. The Oregonian, Portland: 310,803, (-6.8%)
21. The San Diego Union-Tribune: 304,334, (-3.1%)
22. St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times: 288,676, (-3.2%)
23. The Orange County (Calif.) Register: 287,204, (-3.7%)
24. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch: 276,588, 0.6%
25. The Sacramento (Calif.) Bee: 273,609, (-5.4%)
While not a nail in the coffin of newspapers, it demonstrates what is a continued trend away from print-only media. The future lies with those entities that are able to pull off a truly integrated approach, placing the right message in the right place at the right time.

As Online Spin notes, we're at a point of severe fragmentation, consumers who are already time-crunching and the advent of many easy to use tools and services.

So put down that newspaper and get to work!

Labels: ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 4:15 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Monday, October 23, 2006

Color Me Impressed
I recently blogged about giving Second Life a second chance. It seems that there's more to Second Life than I initially thought. Consider the following:
  • IBM recently broke ground in Second Life for hosting corporate meetings;
  • The Economist did a piece on living a Second Life;
  • InfoWorld remarks on the uniqueness of this "fundamentally social" outlet;
  • According to current statistics on the home page, there are currently 1,097,422 residents who have spent US$580,371 on the site in the last 24 hours
And, perhaps most significantly of all, Joseph Jaffe, C.C. Chapman, Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz are the first to found a company completely within Second Life called crayon. Neville notes that crayon is "both a real and a virtual company," which will be housed on Crayonville Island in Second Life, but will operate in the real world as "a true mash-up that combines the best in traditional and new thinking about marketing, advertising and PR."

Shel also covers it well on his blog, noting that crayon is "a startup that features a killer team of communicators and a laser-like focus on New Marketing."
crayon is something of a mashup...not an agency or a consulting firm...We’ll approach our assignments with fresh eyes that see the new environment in which traditional marketing and advertising is failing so dismally...Engagement, conversation, co-creation, involvement—these are the approaches that we are anxious to bring to our assignments. Not as an afterthought or add-on, mind you, but as the cornerstone of our work.
If you've never listened to C.C.'s shows or read his blog, his enthusiasm is incredible - you can really sense how excited he is to be part of this entity. I'd be just as excited if I were in his shoes. This is groundbreaking stuff.

The official launch of crayon in Second Life is scheduled for Thursday. Stay tuned to see how this A-list team leads new marketing to new heights.

Labels: , , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 11:20 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Friday, October 20, 2006

A New World Order
Congratulations to the crew at Jaffe, Holtz, Hobson and Chapman on the new entity they have created to bring new marketing/social media to the boardroom.

Personally, I think this is a watershed event in the marketing world. With these four powerhouses working together to shape the future of new marketing, I'm confident that the concepts of new marketing/new media will be brought into the forefront of business and that more BtoB and BtoC companies will embrace the techniques.

Talk about a dream job!

Labels: , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 12:01 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Do You Want New Media with That?
As usual, David Armano at Logic+Emotion makes a great case by analogy, both in writing and with one of his really cool images. He's a creative type, and does this much better than this humble account guy, so I'll let his work speak for itself:


"Today’s marketing mix has its own challenges. RSS feeds, Podcasts, Blogs, Viral content—it all sounds so yummy and immediately gratifying. Just like fast food. But We all know what fast food leads to. Putting together a marketing mix that looks like “one Social Media Network with a side of Viral, hold the mayo”—may not be the best thing for your business and brand."

I've said it before on these pages, but allow me to reiterate it by extending Armano's analogy. If you think of your marketing plan like a diet, we all know that it's best to strive for a well-balanced diet. To live only on junk food - or on a single food group - is unhealthy.

Now, there are certain individuals who can't eat sugar, or who are allergic to gluten, nuts or lactose. And there are those who make a conscious choice to abtain from eating meat or carbohydrates. Any good nutritionist (or in this case marketing advisor) needs to have a conversation with the patient (client) to understand what is feasible and what is not, before recommending an approach.

For example, I have a client in the biotech/pharma space who is very open to hearing about new media. However, she steers clear of a corporate blog, because of the legal and regulatory issues that would be overwhelming in that industry. Creating an informative podcast is another story - one that is much better suited to their disposition, needs and strategy. But this is all backed up with a solid and comprehensive marketing plan across all media.

In western Massachusetts, there's an annual food/agriculture/cultural festival called The Big E. It just wrapped up its nearly 3-week stint, but not without offering a handy guide "The Big E Diet -- how to survive on 5,000 calories/day." From the morning sticky bun (560 calories) to the large fries at lunch (578 calories), to the modest snack of a turkey leg (148 calories), all the way through a late-night dessert of a cream puff (a whopping 618 calories), it's a mashup of comfort food and a cardiologist's nightmare.

The point is you just can't live like that. For normal people, a pork chop sandwich with a side of cream of broccoli soup in a bread bowl is an anomoly or a curiosity. So do a frank assessment of your marketing diet and see what you have the appetite for. Maybe every once in a while, a cream puff is just the thing the doctor ordered.

But please, make sure you keep eating apples.

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 9:38 AM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


Share
Sunday, October 01, 2006

Giving Second Life a Second Chance
I first took a look at Second Life about four months ago, when I created an identity and promptly didn't do anything with it. Frankly, the concept of creating a persona in a "meta" universe just didn't do it for me - it was too similar to Dungeons & Dragons.

Lately, I've been hearing about Second Life at every turn: advertisers such as Toyota, Sun Microsystems and Wells Fargo are turning up there; Leo Burnett just added a presence, evidently to link their creatives and to better understand the space.

What's all this about, then? Real entities setting up shop in a virtual world? I suppose it's the next logical step from MySpace, in which it's a two-dimensional world. Second Life, in short, could be considered a mashup of MySpace and SimCity. Take the social networking aspect of the former and combine it with the ability to create something physical in the latter, and you've got the setting for unlimited advertising.

The Economist does the subject a bit of justice with Living a second life.

I think it's a little early to expect masses of people to create critical mass on Second Life, especially with so many other forms of social media that are easier to understand and implement. I can see the future potential of a BtoC advertising presence. At this point it's tough to see a strong BtoB application. One might be a life sciences company setting up a virtual call-in site or center of excellence for customers to interact with their experts for advice.

But mainstream this is not. Let's face it: some individuals are still striving to get a first life.

Labels: , , , ,

Posted by Scott Monty at 11:41 PM
 Comments |  LINKS TO THIS POST |


About Scott

For hi-res, click here

The best way to describe Scott is "Renaissance Man." Friends and colleagues that know Scott from one facet of his life are very frequently surprised to learn of his interests and talents in other areas.

Scott is a marketing and communications professional focused on the digital industry — specifically on social media. His career spans a number of industries such as healthcare, pharma, biotech, travel, automotive, tech, and communications, and includes a wide range of clients, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

Currently on the staff of corporate communications in Ford Motor Company, Scott heads up the social media function and holds the title Global Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager. He is a strategic advisor on all social media activities across the company, from blogger relations to marketing support, customer service to internal communications and more, as social media is being integrated into many facets of Ford business.


Prior to joining Ford, Scott served as Consigliere for crayon and spent a number of years with PJA Advertising + Marketing, a boutique BtoB agency specializing in health sciences & high tech.

In addition to his consulting and agency background, Scott is an active blogger and podcaster. He writes about the intersection of advertising, marketing and PR at The Social Media Marketing Blog and also writes The Baker Street Blog, a literary undertaking. Scott has been featured in numerous news and business publications, on a variety of podcasts, and on national television. Scott is a recognized thought leader in the social media industry and frequently speaks at industry events.

Scott received his Master's in Medical Science from Boston University's School of Medicine concurrently with his MBA from BU's Graduate School of Management. He lives in the greater Detroit area with his wife and two young sons, golfs all too infrequently, and has a hidden talent for voice over work.

Oh, and one last little-known fact: Scott coined the term "tweetup."

You may download a headshot here, courtesy of C.C. Chapman and a PDF version of Scott's bio here.


Books in which Scott's work is featured:
The New Rules of Marketing & PR
Twitterville
Six Pixels of Separation
Monkeys with Typewriters
Read This First
World Wide Rave
Get Seen

Disclosures/Relationships

Speaking Events

Scott speaks on social media at events, seminars and conferences around the world. His topic generally focuses on corporate use of social media, becoming an online spokesperson, and specifically on the progress that Ford has made in the recent past. If you're interested in booking Scott to speak at your event, please send an email to speaking [AT] scottmonty [DOT] com. Scott's bio and headshot can be found in the "About Scott" tab above.






Some previous engagements include:

BlogWell - How Big Companies Use Social Media - Minneapolis - August 13 Keynote at OMMA Global Sept. 21, 2009

MIMA Summit

Brand Camp '09 "I am Speaking at" Widget 135px Direct Marketing Association International conference, Oct. 18-22, 2009



What I like

Facebook

TOOLS

  Trailfire
  MOO
  CrazyEgg
  ShareThis
  StumbleUpon
  Twitter
  Jott

The Webware 100 for 2008

BLOGS
bub.blicio.us
Mashable!
TechCrunch
Read/WriteWeb
Web Worker Daily
Lifehacker
Global Neighbourhoods
Community Guy - Jake McKee
/Message
The Engaging Brand
Web Ink Now
PR Squared
theshortestblogintheworld
How to Change the World
CatchUp Lady
WOMMA
Digital Influence Mapping Project
Logic+Emotion
[chrisbrogan.com]
Adrants
Web Strategy by Jeremiah
indexed
The Buzz Bin
Citizen Marketer 2.1
PR 2.0
Influential Interactive Marketing
The Viral Garden
Marketing Profs Daily Fix
Conversational Media Marketing
Servant of Chaos
Conversation Agent
Seth's Blog
Social Media Explorer
Six Pixels of Separation - Marketing and Communications Insights Blog and Podcast - By Mitch Joel at Twist Image
Marketing Over Coffee Marketing Podcast
 Media Bullseye
Doug Haslam
Marketing Edge
gary vaynerchuk
Jaffe Juice
Copyblogger
Advertising Age - DigitalNext
The Marketing Minute
Pistachio Consulting Inc.
The Marketing Fresh Peel
The Social Organization
Greg Verdino's Marketing Blog
Church of the Customer Blog
Forrester's Marketing Blog
Twitter Facts
ThirdWay Advertising Blog
Paul Gillin's blog - Social Media and the Open Enterprise
Bryper's Blog
Social Blogworking Magazine
Note to CMO:
Citizen Marketer
Groundswell
MediaJoltz
Vlog Soup
THE AD-VOCATE
The Lonely Marketer
Sparxoo

 

Podcasts

For Immediate Release
HBR IdeaCast
Knowledge@Wharton
Manager Tools
Managing the Gray
Marketing Edge
Marketing Over Coffee
Six Pixels of Separation
TrafCom News Podcast

Contact Scott





  Facebook

  Twitter


Who is Scott Monty?

Hi, I'm Scott. I'm the head of social media for Ford Motor Company. This is my personal blog, where I share my perspectives on social media - the convergence of marketing, advertising and PR on the Web - for marketers, agencies, the enterprise and the individual. This blog contains my personal views.

Subscribe


BY RSS BY EMAIL

Search

Alltop, all the cool kids (and me)
Top Marketer of 2009
PostRank Topblogs 2009 - #65 in Social Media


Big List - Search Marketing Blogs




View blog authority


 

Community



Interviews / Speaking





Full clipsheet
Video clips
Audio clips
The Wall Street Journal
BusinessWeek | Innovators in Social Media

Where I'll Be


Need Voice Over Help?
I'm Not Just a Pretty Face


Sponsors


Wordpress Hosting at GoDaddy.com



www.godaddy.com

 





LinkShare Referral Prg


Online Advertising


Scott's Shared Items




You Might be Interested In...




Social Media as a Career




Copyright, etc.


Creative Commons License
The Social Media Marketing Blog by Scott Monty is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin