Nice Job, Viva!

I was watching TV the other night and I saw a commercial for new Viva vantage paper towels (linked below). I have previously seen other products, like Wheat Thins, use positive twitter posts from their pages as a TV marketing tools, but I’ve never seen a company use someone else’s positive posts (especially not a competitors) for their own marketing benefit before, and I found the result remarkably fascinating!

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7Bph/viva-vantage-towels-new-best-friend

After seeing this commercial, I couldn’t seem to shake the contemplation. I wondered first, if you were a Bounty user would this make you think about switching or would it make you feel betrayed? Then I wondered how Bounty felt about it and how Viva got the rights to use their name. The next thought was how do current Viva customers feel about it, maybe “our posts aren’t’ good enough you have to steal Bounty’s”? I eventually came to the conclusion that it didn’t’ matter; I definitely wanted to try this new towel and see what all the hype was about. Believe it or not, the very next time I was at the store I actually bought some Viva Vantage towels!

So I guess all I can say is this - hats off Viva marketers, you did your job, you switched over a competitor’s customer and used relevant social media to boot.. now all I wonder is how many more like me are out there… What do you think? Does this TV spot make you want to try Viva?

Taco Bell Breakfast

The New Taco Bell Breakfast

Finally, for all of those late-night, early morning hungry people in search of breakfast drive-up food besides McDonalds and White Castle.  How clever of Taco Bell and their new marketing campaign to offer breakfast fast-food and finally enter the competition?  Not only are they competing, they even borrowed Ronald McDonalds nationwide to star in their commercials to advertise for Taco Bell.  Openly admitting (without costume) how much they love “Waffle Tacos” for breakfast and LOVE it!  Praising how “crispy the hash browns are in the A.M. Crunch Wrap”, and how Taco Bell has a new breakfast that EVERYONE can love, even Ronald McDonald!  I have seen these commercials on YouTube, direct through their website, comments on Facebook by random consumers, Twitter, and Instagram.  I feel this is one of the most effective marketing campaigns out in the market right now.  This campaign makes me want to try Taco Bell’s breakfast.  Whether I will enjoy it or not is soon to be discovered.  Either way, word of mouth and advertisements seem to give me the impression that this quick, on-the-go breakfast has been very successful.

New Technology and Business application - Debit MasterCard Tag

BMO Harris Bank Debit MasterCard Tag: "You just stick----and go".


This Financial Institution has created an innovative "Debit Tag" for those consumers that are constantly on the go and in need of saving time wherever possible.  It is an excellent idea being offered to market the convenience of banking to consumers.  Instead of the consumer fiddling around with cash, check, or their purse/wallet at the register, it is as easy as scanning the back of your phone at a cash register.  

This MasterCard tag is one that is "stuck" like a sticker on the back of your phone, and is widely accepted at many major retailers.  It allows one to make purchases from a personal checking account, but uses a different number than your regular debit card.  The company claims it is as safe as a regular debit card, and is just as convenient as a regular debit card while shopping in the fact that the phone never leaves your hand during the purchase.  

To ensure consumers feel safe, the organization ensures that you will have the same MasterCard Zero Liability protection if fraud were to take place.  Furthermore, to make matters more convenient, many merchants would forego issuing receipts in order to speed things up a bit more as well.  An email will be sent with the details of the transaction.

https://www.bmoharris.com/promo/debittag/?WT.ac=INT4095_ad6e_BHpp_6s

They are marketing the BMO Harris Debit MasterCard Tag  at local retail branches, on the radio, Google, Twitter Facebook, and directly through their website at www.BMOHarris.com.

Red Bull The Monster Of Social Media

Red Bull has been a social media mogul ever since the popularity of social media took off. Their ever so cool social media presence attracts not only Red Bull drinkers but people who have never drank Red Bull. Red Bull uses all social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Red Bull’s Facebook has nearly 43 million likes on its official page. Red Bull has a constant stream of videos, images, and contests which engages its consumers and draws in a new cliental that enjoys the way that Red Bull interacts with its consumers.

On Twitter Red Bull has a stunning 1.4 million followers. On Twitter Red Bull is known to re-tweet and reply to its followers on a daily basis, showing its interaction with its fans. On Twitter they are known to post pictures of talented athletes demonstrating their bold and dangerous moves. 

Red Bull’s Instagram has a solid 1.2 million followers on its page. On their Instagram page they hold contests, post pictures of famous athletes, and even post about their new events coming to your town. Red Bull’s latest stunt in Chicago was the Red Bull “Crashed Ice” were artists around Chicago created unique ice coolers placed around different locations in the city and provided free Red Bull to anyone who walked by.

From social media to marketing campaigns Red Bull is the leader in this category! They attract Red Bull drinkers, dare-devils, artists, and everyone under the sun for their campaigns. All of Red Bull campaigns are incorporated into their social media, whether it’s a hash-tag or posting a picture, Red Bull wants its consumers to stay happy and most importantly drink Red Bull.

Old Spice Viral Campaign

Many companies dream of executing a viral campaign, yet only a few are successful . One of the companies that was able to create a viral campaign was Procter & Gamble with its brand Old Spice. This campaign, which was launched by the advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy, featured  a former NFL player, Isaiah Mustafa, in unexpected and catchy commercials.The Old Spice campaign also utilized social media sites such as YouTube, uploading short, comical videos of Isaiah Mustafa replying to consumers' tweets.

The results of the campaign were astonishing. Not only did Old Spice get major brand exposure, the YouTube videos received over "236 million views," making the Old Spice YouTube channel "the number one most viewed sponsored channel on YouTube" (Bullas). Furthermore, Old Spice got "80,000 Twitter followers in 2 days, Facebook interaction increase 800%," and "sales increased by 107%" (Bullas).

So what exactly made the Old Spice campaign so successful? 

Much of it was due to the innovative and creative concept the advertising agency came up with. Most of it, however, was due to the fact Old Spice utilized social media to interact and engage consumers, something no other company had done before. In this case, Old Spice made viewers feel they had a voice, seen with the YouTube video responses uploaded on YouTube. This clearly impacted consumers in a positive way, making them eager to share their opinions with Isaiah Mustafa.

In my case, this campaign not only encouraged me to buy Old Spice, but it also made me have a positive brand image of the company. This is due to the fact the campaign was fun, hip, and creative,  which is something I look for in a company. I also liked that the brand interacted with consumers and listened to what they had to say.

I have to admit the campaign, as well as Isaiah Mustafa, will be on my mind when I find myself shopping for body wash!

Schocktop - Final Challenge

My boyfriend and I got into a talk about bucket lists the other day. We started writing down all the things we want to do together and realized that they were kind of boring. So we started coming up with crazy scenarios like "kissing while skydiving and then landing in a boat and floating off while drinking champagne." At first, we were just messing around and then we started thinking about ways that we could actually make some of our ideas happen. Enter, Schocktop!

Shocktop, a beer company, has this awesome contest called the "final challenge." People from all over send in their "last wish" so to speak or "biggest dreams" about what they want to do most. They do it through an application and things like "having a beer at the top of a mountain with friends" are a usual request. Shocktop goes through these "dreams" once a month and they pick the best one and grant the wish.

Using consumer dreams to make your company thrive is GENIUS! Out of this app, they get facebook, twitter, and all other social media recognition. They also get commercials and other advertising out of this one campaign. I think it's brilliant.

Look for me in their next commercial as the contest winner! We will come up with something awesome for this! Hope to see some of your ideas on this as well!

Dream big everyone!

If anyone wants to check out an example of this heres the link:

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7SVu/shock-top

Converse

Converse is a company that is using social media to its advantage. When looking at its Facebook and Twitter, there aren’t many posts that ask questions to have people respond, but what they do instead is just as effective. First, they update on a regular basis, always updating on holidays or showing a new style that someone created. There are tutorials and a generator where you can go online and design your own shoes. These posts give the people a link to where they can design shoes all on their own, and it’s very simple to use.

Converse also keeps up with local music venues, artists, etc. and documents these things, telling people when tickets go on sale and which bands they are hanging out with this week. Most of the concerts and items going on are hosted by converse, but they really reach out to those people who like wearing sneakers and who enjoy music/concerts. Converse also doesn’t have just one hashtag for their company either which allows people to keep a conversation going that doesn’t just have the converse name in it. These hashtags include: #converse, #chuckhack, #WearSneakers, etc. YouTube is also updated on a regular basis and can show the different interviews or advertisements that Converse creates. This vehicle isn’t used as well as Facebook and Twitter, but videos are still uploaded almost every week and over 10,000 people see each video that is posted. Facebook also has a section for videos that are regulated constantly so that makes up for the YouTube channel that may not be used as much or seen by potential customers.

When many people think of chucks, they think of the simple black and white high-tops or ankle shoes. Seeing the posts on Facebook and Twitter just goes to show that converse are diverse, allow creativity with all people, and they are perfect for all people out there. If you need a shoe, converse has created the exact design you need or you can create your ideal look yourself.

I think that since Converse gives this visual aspect of each shoe created and gives you the option to create your own, me and others are likely to go onto the website and play around with the simulator. We may not buy shows right away, but it’s generating likes, followers, and clicks on the Converse website, which will eventually lead to more people buying the products and choosing Converse as their first-stop-shop when purchasing new sneakers.

Google Docs and its business application

Google Docs is a web-based office suite based in Google Drive. Google Docs is a great technology for someone who needs to work on documents on the fly or needs to be able to share them easily. Documents created using Google Docs are stored in the cloud, which is accessed only via the internet. Documents can be shared via the Google Drive, and the creator can determine whether a document is “read-only”, or if it can be edited by another person.

While this technology is basic, and most likely will not completely replace traditional programs and saving methods, it is helpful for people who need to share information to do so without cluttering up e-mail inboxes.

Frozen is Disney's top grossing movie of all time. One would think in order for this to happen the company had to have some amazing marketing. The movie itself can still be found in some theaters but they have mainly been marking for the release of the DVD and Blu-ray. Disney marketed Frozen like no other. An individual could find posters near bus stops, on buses, all over the Internet, commercials on television, and promotions on the radio. The use for all of this marketing is to have as many individuals as possible come see the film, or buy it upon its release. Clearly, Disney did an amazing job. People of all ages love Frozen, and as someone who personally saw the movie multiple times and bought the DVD I can say their marketing was extremely effective. Their trailer alone (before the movie was put in theaters) generated an unbelievable amount of interest. 

My first impression of Disney’s Frozen was nothing but positive. I immediately fell in love with their character Olaf, and loved the idea of a movie focused on two princesses. The concept was different than their other movies (which tend to be repetitive). The music for the film was also an area of interest. Disney spent less time promoting the songs because they had already skyrocketed on the charts after the release of the movie and the Oscars. The Oscars were another contributing factor to the marketing of the movie. Even more individuals went and saw the movie for the simple fact that it was nominated. After winning many awards Disney showed that they were determined to make amazing films. I have personally seen the movie an uncountable number of times. I am obsessed. The theme of the movie in and of itself is one to keep for generations to come. Frozen finally contributes the message that women do not need a man to save them. People of all ages love this movie, which speaks highly to Disney’s marketing strategies.

The use of the trailer (campaign) and many other forms of media to attract attention for the movie was incredible. It made me much more likely to go see Frozen. I was constantly reminded about it. From bus stops to commercials there was not a moment that the movie was not being promoted. Not only that, the strength of word of mouth was another factor. My friends had seen the movie and spoke so highly of it that I wanted to see it as well. Disney in general does an amazing job of promoting any of their products, services, or films. Disney is classic. Most individuals find themselves happy with Disney products and services. From theme parks to Disney Stores, they are considered a place of pure happiness. To be honest, they aren’t even considered real life. When an individual steps foot in a theater to see a Disney movie, in a Disney store, or into a Disney theme park the real world is left behind. People of all ages are free to become a child again and “experience true happiness” or have their “dreams come true”. Disney always captures an audience. They somehow always pull you in.

The reason I think anyone is pulled in is because inside we are all dreamers. Disney gives everyone the ability to believe that each and every one of us can fulfill our dreams if we hold them dear. From Cinderella, to Lady and the Tramp, to Toy Story, we are all dreamers. Disney caters their movies and places to people of all races, genders, audiences, and ages. More recently their messages have been diverse and their characters are experiencing more realistic journeys (with a little touch of imagination). This makes it more relatable to more people. From a girl who grew up with Disney I can honestly say it is kept close to my heart. Disney will always be at the top of the media list as one of the most captivating companies.

Inside the Smart Phone - Eric Courtney

RFMD – Inside the Smart Phone 

I’ve always been fascinated with how things are made.  In thinking about this week’s blog post, and in seeing the commercials for the new Samsung Galaxy 5 phone, I could not help think about what parts go into making a device, and making it better. 

In doing research, I found out there is a company called RFMD which is a manufacturer and supplier of electronic components to the cell/smart phone industry.  Based on their product catalog offered on their website, www.rfmd.com, they offer a variety of components to various different industries.  One of their most recent innovations, worthy of a news release, is a new type of antenna for smart phones, also referred to the company as an ACS or Antenna Control Solution.  The antenna is designed to be more energy efficient which prolongs the life of the battery.  It also has better signal strength which results in faster data transfer.  Though they do not specifically say what phones will have this new technology, they do say it is geared towards the 4G LTE phones and more than likely that includes the new Samsung Galaxy 5, (as Samsung is one of their customers), and other 4G LTE phones coming to market in 2014. 

So when you think about it, it’s not the new ‘packaging’ or ‘skin’ that makes for a  new smart phone, but rather it’s the components and the technology built into the components that make them new. 

Eric Courtney 

Sources 

Wikipedia.  “Smartphone.”  Wikipedia.com, date not given.  Retrieved April 22, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone. 

RFMD.  “RFMD Expands Portfolio of Antenna Control Solutions for 4G LTE Smartphone and Tablets.”  RFMD.com, Feb 26, 2014.  Retrieved April 22, 2014 from http://ir.rfmd.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=828339.

Hitachi Business Microscope - Office Networking Remixed

Companies everywhere are figuring out how to make wearables work for their employees by making them more efficient and monitoring their progress, but also improving the organization. Take for example, Hitachi Business Microscope. This gadget is about the size of a school or company ID and worn around the neck. This device is filled with various sensors that not only monitor a persons movement and speech, but also their surrounding environment such as temperature and lighting. It tracks and analyzes every movement and gesture.

The device tracks where a worker travels within the office, knows their fellow colleagues with whom they are talking to due to recognizing the other persons badge, and it measures how effective the conversation is by analyzing the energy/pitch level in their voice and how many times they nod or gesture. Employees are able to see their productivity level, their communication habits, and whom they seem to have a rapport with. This technology, the Hitachi Business Microscope, can be beneficial to both the employee and employer so long as it is being used for the right reasons.

This particular device has an LCD screen that displays feedback as well as statistics. Through use of this gadget business and employees are able to work more efficiently with those they have a more progressive relationship with, improve collaboration or stalemate amongst team members, and encourage people to reach out and discuss with others that they may not have done with in the past.

Though this is an excellent and innovative technological gadget, their are a few concerns that should be pointed out. The biggest of which is privacy and monitoring. With the information about the NSA monitoring American citizens, people are becoming less trusting and fearful of monitoring devices. It will be important for companies looking to implement this into their organizations for improvement to make sure they give their employees the option of participating, thoroughly explain how the device works and tracks different factors and emphasize that the information provided isn't on an individual bases but aggregate.

For more information, please click on link below:

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303796404579099203059125112

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a relatively new website and mobile app that allows users to upload their resume and connect with other professionals in their field or area.

Users can write recommendation letters of sorts about other users and "endorse" them. This allows employees and employers to make business connections that possible lead to employment or deals in the future.

This technology is another social media tool used by companies to get their name out there and attract employees or business deals. The use of LinkedIn along with other social media sites allows for a company to build a strong online presence which leads to business success.

Personalized Television Adds

Now that we all have the option to record the programs we watch on T.V. service providers are working on a way to even more personalize the advertisements we see during programing.  Direct TV, Comcast, and Charter are just a few providers who have launched what they call "addressable ads" which allow a company to send commercial directed to a particular household, instead of using the potential age of viewers expected to be watching specific programs.

These targeted ads are made possible by the gathering, repacking and trading of personal data.  This Data is collected through the set-top boxes.  Service providers are capable of retrieving information on programs watched, and the time of day when watched most often.  Test confuted have shown viewers turn the channel 32% less in areas where the "Addressable Ads" are being used.

By sung "addressable Ads" companies, and service providers are capable keeping viewers from flipping channels.  Using this technology is more expensive than running traditional ads, but its expected by next year "addressable ads" will total around $11.5 million http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704226504576029871779927478?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052748704226504576029871779927478.html%253Fmod%253De2tw

PonoPlayer, the new player in digital music

PonoPlayer, the new player in digital music

Finally, a new player in the digital music industry has arrived! The PonoPlayer is a new digital music player that allows you hear the music as it was originally meant to be heard. After raising money through Kickstarter and with the help of seasoned rocker Neil Young, $6.2 million dollars has been raised by music fans all over the world. Not just Neil Young fans, but people who are looking for a clearer and cleaner sound from their digital music player.

This player offers 128GB of storage that can hold anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 full length albums, plus has a slot for a memory card should you need more storage. In addition, you do not have to only use PonoPlayer software, you can download music from other mp3 players, your computer, and almost any other music app. This device is for both serious music fans who care about the quality of their music that goes into their ears and for those who just like music.  

Google Invents Smart Contact Lens With Built-In Camera

Google Smart Contact Lenses

Remember when Google Glass was created? Well know Google has gone above and beyond with their newest invention of a “smart contact lens.” This new smart contact lens contains an integrated camera, which allows the contact lens to follow your gaze giving you basically a bionic eye.

The smart contact lens is made so that the camera is be extremely small and sits on the outside edge of the lens so that there would be no distraction. With the camera in your lens it can naturally follow your gaze, spot hazards before your brain does, night-vision, and even facial recognition. This could also be a huge development for the blind and people who are visually impaired. 

Could you imagine taking a picture with your contacts and then having it show up on your smart phone? Or having the ability to be warned about oncoming traffic? Or even being able to scan faces using the facial recognition? These are just some of the amazing features that these Google smart contact lenses offer.

Now these smart contact lenses are not on the market just yet but in the major stages of development. Google is still trying to work out some of the kinks such as battery power and the size/aesthetics of the lenses. This could be revolutionary in not only the technology world but for the world of doctors and their patients who suffer from vision problems and even patients with diabetes!

Exact Target Marketing Cloud

Exact Target Marketing Cloud is technology created for users to connect with customers through email, social, and mobile outlets. They offer monitoring service for businesses to know what's happening anywhere on the web, with insights from more than 650 million sources.This allow users and companies to connect with customers, resolve customer service issues and share expertise, while developing a strong online brand presence. Companies such as Microsoft, Toyota, and Expedia use this service. 

With technology services such as Exact, companies can upload videos, conduct conferences and webinars.  My opinion, this product is an innovative tool for companies to train employees through training videos, interview applicatiants and reach consumers.

-Mario Wilson

Hootsuite For Companies

Both small vendors and major companies use Web 2.0 applications to attract clients and new customers. These companies use social medias to conduct their activities. Some companies use medias such as twitter, facebook, linkedin, and Google+ to monitor their RSS feeds. These feeds allow these companies to respond to the needs of their clients as well market new ideas. Some major companies that use social media are H&M, Tiffany and CO., and IBM. In order for these companies to stay on top of their feeds on each website, they use a management system respectfully named Hootsuite.

HootSuite is a web and mobile social media dashboard that helps individuals and organizations spread messages, monitor conversations and track results across multiple networks including Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin.

The benefit of using this web managing dashboard are the feeds and live updates. This allows companies to respond in real time. The impact of this product allows companies to market reach millions of people and it allows users to market new products.  I can see this product assisting and resolving complaints and negative reviews.

-Mario Wilson

FGS, eVolve, and MarketSync

I work in the technology department at a large print and fulfillment organization, FGS, Inc. At one time, fulfillment houses were considered the paper-pushers of business, making sure valuable information got into the correct hands in a timely manner. Rarely was our industry synonymic with cutting-edge technology or computer services, but I am glad to say that over the past five years my company has revolutionized the way people thing about fulfillment.

Ten years ago, when I started working for FGS, our technology department consisted of two people whose basic jobs revolved around hardware and database management. Since then, our department has grown to a team of over 20, and we have built a suite of six major products that have changed the face of our industry; eVolve, @Access, Centerpoint, Corecom, Crypta, and MarketSync. All of these products are revolutionary in the way they change industry thinking and challenge the market, but MarketSync & eVolve in particular has broken new ground and has given our technology base the capacity to break into new industries.

MarketSync & eVolve, at their core, are order entry and marketing engines, but they are really so much more. They allow users to customize marketing documents, mailings, e-bursts, and communications and then send them out to potential clients with a simple click of the mouse. We have also created APIs that allow companies to integrate our products with CRM applications like SalesForce with nothing more than simple installation using “plug-and-play” technology. 

I expect those of you in the business world, especially those using CRM systems will be hearing more about MarketSync and FGS in the very near future, but in the meantime, feel free to check us out at thinkfgs.com and marketsync.com!