Smartketing Reflections

MOT (the Moment of Truth)

2012-01-26T07:56:00.002-05:00

Blink:
I am a student of consumerism, especially as it relates to impulse purchasing. I will have the opportunity to share my ideas on this subject at numerous conferences throughout the year. Consequently I have been doing my homework. Today I would like to post about MOT (the Moment of Truth).

Read On:
America’s purchasing decision process is morphing. The traditional model first surfaced back in 2005 when Proctor & Gamble identified three steps:

1.) Stimulus – First consumers are exposed to some form of advertising about a product via TV, print, direct mail, etc. During this first step, occasionally coupons came into play. In addition, smart shoppers also relied on printed reviews (e.g., Consumer Reports).

2.) FMOT – The First Moment of Truth is when the consumer is actually in-store ready to purchase a product. They are influenced by numerous factors – packaging, pricing, shelf marketing (e.g., product positioning at eye level vs. top or bottom, instant promotions, pushy sales associates, etc.).

3.) SMOT – The Second Moment of Truth occurs when the consumer actually uses the product and either has a positive or negative experience.

Great brands according to the marketing gurus at Proctor & Gamble consistently win the first two moments of truth.

Flash forward to 2012. Thanks to the collaborative tools of Web 2.0, consumers now have an influential voice, they are actively engaging online. A fourth step has now been added to the model. Google has titled this fourth step as ZMOT, the Zero Moment of Truth. People are sharing their experiences online and influencing consumer purchasing decisions. So now we are stimulated, then we conduct our fair share of online research (ZMOT) before we buy. Sounds confusing? Not so! Google conducted a study back in April, 2011. They revealed that 70% of Americans look at product reviews before they buy; 79% of consumers indicated they use their smartphones to assist with shopping. When I put the two findings together, my take is our mobile devices will become MOT (the Moment of Truth) accelerators. This will open a huge window of opportunity for savvy marketers to capitalize on intercept marketing strategies, a topic for a future post.

What is your MOT when you shop?

Santa Continues to Go Mobile

2012-01-18T12:04:00.001-05:00

Blink:
The NRF reported that 2011 holiday sales were $471.5 billion, an unadjusted increase of 4.1 percent year-over-year. Lean inventories, strong promotions were contributing factors. Based on the level of discounting I witnessed, I question the margins retailers actually achieved. Regardless, this much I do know – Santa continues to go mobile.

Read On:
There are numerous studies published about the number of smartphone users in the U.S. The resource I usually quote during my mobile presentations is comScore. Recently comSource indicated there are 91.4 million smartphone users (38 percent of all mobile users). Nielsen just released a higher figure and now project 44 percent of all mobile users own smartphones. One fact that is consistent, mobile was a bright spot for retailers this past holiday season. Let me share some facts:

· Google conducted research and revealed that 79 percent of consumers use their smartphones to assist smart shoppers to find product information, locate retailers and perform price comparisons; 70 percent use their smartphones when they are actually in a store.

· Mobile browsing on Black Friday for in-store and online bargains increased from 5.6 percent in 2010 to 14.3 percent in 2011.

· PayPal reported a 397 percent increase in the number of consumers shopping via PayPal Mobile on Cyber Monday 2011 compared to 2010.

· IBM Coremetrics released a study that tracked mobile usage December 25th and 26th; online sales via mobile increased year-over-year 172.9 and 117.8 percent respectively. Note: Traffic from mobile devices accounted for 18.3 percent of overall web traffic during those two days.

· Good news for those monitoring the adaption of QR codes (yours truly) during the past holiday season. A new survey indicated that half of smartphone owners scanned the 2-D codes during their purchasing process; 18 percent ended up making a purchase while 21 percent shared the information with someone.

Another one of my reliable sources, eMarketer estimates that when the final data is tabulated, 2011 mobile advertising spending will be $1.23 billion. No surprise, based on the mobile revolution we are experiencing. These expenditures which include display, search, text ads and video, will reach $4.4 billion by 2015.

Santa continues to be bullish about going mobile. Are you?

Resolution Shopping Season

2012-01-13T06:58:00.002-05:00

Blink:
I am looking forward to next week when the final 2011 holiday season sales numbers are released to corroborate an old post, The Cheesecake Barometer. I predicted consumers would start spending money again. Nevertheless, we are in the midst of new holiday season created by retailers labeled the Resolution Shopping Season.

Read On:
According to the market research firm NPD, the average consumer visits a big-box retailer once every two to three weeks. In contrast, shoppers go to the grocery store every seven to ten days. Consequently big-box retailers are adding grocery items to increase visitation, but they also know that getting people to buy impulsively is key. NPD reported that impulse purchases have dropped from 29% in 2008. down to 15% in 2010. Accordingly, retailers are creating additional seasons beyond Christmas to enhance their merchandising/impulse sales.

The first holiday season officially has kicked in. In recognition that a majority of shoppers made New Year’s resolutions (e.g., health & wellness, personal organization, etc.), retailers are promoting items geared towards these resolutions. No surprise the number one resolution is weight loss. January has always been a good month to get bargains on exercising equipment or health club memberships. A quick check of GNC’s website revealed that they have an abundant number of promotions across their entire product line. Electronic activity monitors which measure calories burned, critical to successful weight loss management, are this year’s rage. Their prices range from $100 (Fitbit Ultra Wireless Activity tracker) to $300 (Motorola’s new Motoactv). Target is heavily promoting their “Storage and Organization” product lines (save up to 25%) for consumers looking to organize their homes. IKEA also has special home organization offers, but for those shoppers that do not care about health & wellness and want to remain a couch potato during the football playoffs, they are promoting their BESTÅ VARA TV/storage combination to help you get organized for game day.

Have you organized your resolutions shopping list yet?

“Big Data” Explosion

2012-01-10T07:08:00.003-05:00

Blink:
Listening to a BBC radio program about Green Clouds, I learned ninety percent of the world’s data was created in the last two years. I.B.M.’s Chairman Samuel Palmisano projects we will reach 35 zettabytes of information by 2020; 44 times of what currently exists today. “Big Data” explosion is here!

Read On:
Business intelligence is exponentially growing at an inconceivably rapid pace while you are reading this post. Companies are struggling to get their hands around this massive amount of external and internal data. Recently, Connotate, a web data monitoring/collection company, revealed that 45% of the companies surveyed believe their number one challenge with “Big Data” is the time and manpower needed to collect and analyze it; 44% indicated the amount of data was too overwhelming for business to effectively leverage. Nevertheless, as a Business Catalyst, I firmly believe we are entering an exciting phase of business, especially when data is mined correctly. We will evolve into smart business leaders who will develop sound strategic initiatives. We will implement cost effective contextual marketing programs that will result in high levels of customer acquisition and retention.

Below is a quick sneak preview of the future I envision for contextual marketing:

You are driving and you decide to check out football scores on ESPN Mobile – two hands, two hands please! Up pops a banner ad for Wendy’s Hot n’ Juicy Burger. You tap on the mobile ad, up pops a video. The next thing you know you crave a burger and you tap for the nearest location; 1.2 miles away. As you pull into Wendy’s, Modell’s Sporting Goods which is located across the street, thanks to the advancement of Near Field Communications (NFC) sends you via SMS text a mobile coupon – a buy one, get one free offer, on NFL jerseys due to the amount of time you spent online (ESPN) the past month checking out football scores. Thirty minutes, plus 1,760 calories later (who‘s counting?), with two Green Bay Packer jerseys on your front seat, you pull into your local 7-Eleven® store for some gas. At the pump you scan the QR code on the poster and find out that Coca Cola has a great deal on Diet Coke. In the store, while checking out with your 7-Eleven® loyalty app, the POS touch screen communicates to you about the sale on Oreo’s new, Peanut Butter Fudge Cremes based on your past six weeks of in-store Oreo purchases. Etc., etc., etc.

Welcome to “Big Data” explosion. Companies, whether they are B2C of B2B, will be able to send the right message, to the right target audience, at the right time.

So what data did you reveal over the weekend that some marketing geek has already analyzed?

Walt E. Disney’s 5 Secrets

2012-01-06T07:10:00.002-05:00

Blink:
As we close out the first week of the New Year, I trust everyone is sticking with their New Year’s resolutions. More importantly, I hope all of you have established some solid goals for 2012. When it comes to setting goals, I am always inspired by Walt E. Disney’s 5 Secrets.

Read On:

1. Think Tomorrow

2. Free Up Your Imagination

3. Strive For Lasting Quality

4. Have “Stick-to-itivity”

5. Have Fun!

What are your secrets for establishing goals?

Champagne & Caviar

2011-12-29T06:31:00.002-05:00

Blink:
Saturday night before you indulge in some champagne and caviar, here is a luxury market update for both treats that you might find interesting.

Read On:
The Chinese are coming!

Have you noticed the recent spike in champagne prices? For some of the more popular brands, I have noticed double-digit increases. The production in Reims, the leading champagne region in France is currently capped at 330 million bottles. Their production costs have skyrocketed due to the increased cost of grapes and land, because most of the major brands do not own vineyards, thus buy their grapes from independent growers. More importantly, due to the growing demand for bubbly amongst emerging countries like Brazil, Russia, India and especially China, global supply is now under extreme pressure. The bad news is Moet Hennessy which markets some of my favorite labels (e.g., Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, Veuve Clicquot Rosé, etc.) is on limited allocation. The good news is they recently partnered with a Chinese company to build a vineyard in northwest China.

On the flipside, caviar despite its luxury status, is maintaining its current market prices. Why? For starters caviar is not a brand name. Did you know that fish eggs other than sturgeon pass for caviar? Furthermore, the Russians and Iranians who cornered black caviar made exclusively from Caspian sturgeon, are being challenged by sturgeon fish farms located in Finland, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and of course China. Google revealed that there are no reliable caviar stats. Production apparently peaked at 550 tons in the 70’s all from wild sturgeon populations which are now an endangered species due to pollution, dam building along the Volga River and poaching. Farm production currently estimated at 250 tons is expected to triple in the next decade.

Bottomline: At the end of the year, higher champagne prices will be offset by lower caviar prices for future New Year’s Eves.

新年快乐
(a.k.a. Happy New Year!)

The Missing App – The Personal Touch

2011-12-21T07:54:00.002-05:00

Blink:
“Before apps, when there were attention spans, before “I’ve got five bars,” when bars were for boozing, before ring-tone selection, when the phone rang, before high-net-worth individuals, when love was all you needed, before hype, when there was Hendrix, we got by just the same.” - Roger Cohen (Globalist)

Read On:
Yesterday I was reminded of the above passage in an op-ed written by Roger Cohen titled Change or Perish. I was on my way to a meeting. It was around 10:15 AM and I spotted a line at least twenty deep outside the Apple Store. The scene validated for me how app crazed we have become.

Fact: The American Dialect Society named “app” the word of the year for 2010 thanks to its popularity. Apps is the abbreviation for application, a piece of specially programmed software that helps us navigate the world and makes our lives more manageable (time). Apps can run on the Internet, our computer, our smartphone, our tablet or other electronic devices like connected TV’s, the next major platform for app growth. Every time a product is developed for a different gizmo, thanks to each platform requiring a different code from developers, it counts as an app. Consequently, Mobilewalla reported that the one millionth app went to market in the beginning of December. Back in May, Apple indicated that 37 percent of their approved 500,000 apps were free and estimated that their paid apps had an average selling price of $3.64. Android operating systems have their own set of apps. Mobilewalla estimated they released over 500 a day earlier this month. 9 out the top 10 paid apps for the iPhone at the Apple store are games; Tetris® and Angry Birds are at the top of the list. The number one grossing app is MLB.com designed for Major League Baseball fans. Facebook, Skype and the Weather Channel are free. Pages is a powerful, useful app for your mobile device that helps organize your documents/reading materials. You can use your Starbucks app (either on your iPhone or Android) to locate the closest Starbucks, pay for your favorite Starbucks drink, then use your smartphone to scan an in-store QR code to watch a video about their Caffe Verona blend, check in on Foursquare in case there are some friends nearby, before you tap your free Epicurious app when you sit down to plan your upcoming dinner party, etc. etc. etc.

At this point there is an app or an app in development for everything except the missing app, the personal touch. Remember handwritten thank you notes, birthday cards or better yet Christmas cards. When was the last time you celled up a really close friend to have a lengthy, one-on-one conversation to catch-up versus posting your latest activity on Facebook? When was the last time you interfaced with the checkout individual at your local supermarket or even the barista at your regular Starbucks? When was the last time you interfaced with a bank teller? Do you know your neighbors names? Disclaimer: I am an urban dweller. I cannot even remember the last time someone got into the elevator in my building, we said hello to each other, exited the elevator and engaged in the lobby, face-to-face for a few minutes.

Have you lost your personal touch?

Zeitgeist

2011-12-13T08:30:00.001-05:00

Blink:
A great new word I learned this year: Zeitgeist – the general, moral and cultural climate that defines an era.

Read On:
1. Mobile – smartphones, tablets, etc.
2. Google
3. Facebook
4. Apple
5. Amazon
6. Starbucks
7. Fast Foods (e.g., McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, etc.)
8. Big Box Retailers (e.g., Walmart, Target, etc.)
9. Sports – arenas, team clothing (e.g., jerseys, hats, etc.), fantasy leagues, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, etc.
10. Celebrities – Lady Gaga, Charlie Sheen, rehab, etc.
11. Reality TV shows
12. Harry Potter
13. Jeans, sneakers and flip flops
14. Earthquakes – Mother Nature, the Financial World
15. BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China)
16. Sound bytes – Twitter, text messaging, YouTube
17. Nanoseconds
18. Millionaires to Billionaires
19. Exotic travel (e.g., Antarctica)
20. Forever Young (e.g., Botex, plastic surgery, etc.)

Welcome to Zeitgeist.

TMI

2011-12-02T07:30:00.002-05:00

Blink:
American writer/poet/art collector Gertrude Stein (February 3, 1874 – July 27, 1946) once said, “Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense." Sometimes I wonder how Gertrude Stein would have dealt with the information age and TMI (Too Much Information).

Read On:
In 2005, according to The Economist magazine, mankind produced 150 exabytes of data. This year they project we will create 1,200 exabytes of data. As a Business Catalyst in the food industry, I must stay ahead of the curve as it relates to industry news (e.g., mergers & acquisitions, bankruptcies, etc.), food trends (e.g., flavors, gastronomic, etc.), supply chain news, consumer trends, etc. Throw into the mix the new world of social media and now mobile marketing. At times I think my brain is going to explode!

Daily I am challenged to decipher the overwhelming avalanche of information. Thanks to an intercept marketing project I am currently working on, I have been studying best practices for QR codes. I am bullish about QR codes. They are still in their infancy, but slowly evolving into the mainstream and being utilized primarily by marketers seeking to instantly engage with their consumers – immediate link to a mobile site, customized content, video, etc. QR codes also facilitate tracking measurement.

Recently I read about Coca-Cola’s first QR code campaign. They have partnered with The World Wildlife Foundation to leverage their polar bear holiday mascot to raise money to protect the bear’s Arctic habitat. Immediately I started processing that with Coca-Cola now entering the game, along with some of the Big Box retailers, Starbucks, to name a few, 2012 will be a breakout year for QR codes. Before I had a chance to finish the article, I was notified of a new comment on my LinkedIn QR code post, an article about NFC (Near Field Communications) titled 2012 Will Be The Year NFC Breaks Big—Just Not U.S. In short, NFC is a new scanning payment technology that will also engage consumers. Argh! TMI; I logged out.

So how does one deal with TMI? Here are three helpful tips:

· Identify information aggregators. Follow the right people on Twitter that tweet relevant content. Engage in LinkedIn discussion groups that post relevant content daily. Identify the people in your inner circle who are active online and solicit their help to feed you relevant content.

· Identify online resources that post relevant information in fields of interest. Alltop, the “online magazine rack” of the web, is a great place to start.

· Walk. That is right. Walk from your computer when you think you have reached the point of saturation. Remember humans are not wired to handle exabytes. That is why we have computers.

Be candid, are you experiencing TMI? Don’t lose your common sense!

Thanksgiving Classics

2011-11-22T07:53:00.002-05:00

Blink:
As I prepare to travel up to New York tomorrow, I was reminded of some memorable Thanksgiving family dinner scenes captured in film.

Read On:

· Home for the Holidays – Directed by Jodie Foster. Great cast; Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning and Dylan McDermott.

· Scent of a Woman – Al Pacino – Whoo-ah!

· Pieces of April – A punk, played by Katie Holmes, invites her suburban family into NYC for Thanksgiving dinner. She even sets her table with little paper turkeys.

· Avalon – Lou Jacobi’s classic line as he walked in late for his family’s Thanksgiving dinner: “You cut the turkey without me!”

· Planes, Trains & Automobiles – Steve Martin and John Candy. A John Hughes classic!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving film scenes? Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

America’s Eating Conundrum – Part II

2011-11-18T07:45:00.002-05:00

Blink:
Earlier this week, I shared the results of a major survey that indicated Americans want to take advantage of the health benefits of food. Conversely, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 33.8% of all U.S. adults and 17% of our children are obese. America’s Eating Conundrum Part II.

Read On:
There is an overabundance of articles postulating why America is fat. Some advocates blame food companies like Kraft, Kellogg’s, Coca Cola, McDonald’s to name a few, for bombarding us with their advertising. As a result, we have become wired, thus desire sugary and fatty foods. Others point their fingers at our schools for not menuing enough healthy options (blame it on budget cuts) given our children are eating one to two meals plus a snack per day at school. Psychologists attribute obesity to societal forces; our increasingly hectic and stressful lifestyles inhibit our ability to make the healthy choices all the time. Then there is the “Big Two” theory, reduced exercise and increased food consumption. Bottomline, Americans are ingesting more and more calories than they are burning.

I decided to google to find out the number of calories the average American consumes per day – 2,700. I also found out some other interesting statistics about our average annual eating consumption detailed below:

· French Fries – 29 lbs./year
· Pizza – 23 lbs./year
· Ice cream – 24 lbs./per year
· Soda – 53 gallons/per year

I am proud of my industry, foodservice, for stepping up to the plate in the fight against obesity by offering more healthful choices. Unfortunately, according to a Technomic report, only 23% of consumers polled are most likely to pick healthful foods when eating out. Again I circle back to the psychologists who attribute obesity to societal forces. Do we eat out for convenience thanks to time deprivation, our busy lifestyles? This much I do know. According to data released by the National Bureau of Economic Research, obesity and obesity-related illness currently costs the US nearly $170 billion a year. Some health official are projecting this dollar amount will more than double to $344 billion by 2018.

So what is it America, are we going to eat foods that are healthy or are we going to continue to eat unhealthy. Sounds like an Eating Conundrum to me.

America’s Eating Conundrum – Part I

2011-11-15T08:24:00.003-05:00

Blink:
The International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) survey indicates that Americans want to take advantage of the health benefits of food. However, approximately one third of all adults in U.S. are obese, trending to 50 per cent by 2030. It seems like we are experiencing an eating conundrum.

Read On:
Today’s post is the first in a two part series about America’s Eating Conundrum. I would like to address the IFIC survey.

Earlier in the year, IFIC conducted an online survey among one thousand randomly selected adults to measure America’s knowledge about the health benefits of functional foods (foods and food components) that provide benefits beyond basic nutrition. In addition, the IFIC wanted to learn whether these foods are part of the respondent’s diet. Detailed below are some interesting findings:

· A majority of U.S. consumers are confident they have control over their health, 67% “a great amount” and 28 % “a moderate amount.” No surprise, the leading factors that play “a great role” in maintaining and improving overall health were food and nutrition (73%), exercise (63%) and family health history (39%).

· 87% of the respondents agreed that certain foods have benefits beyond basic nutrition, 90% can name at least one food. When asked unaided, Fruits/Vegetables topped the list of functional foods (70%). Fish/Fish Oils came in second (18%).

· Good news! 9 out of 10 people (up from just under 8 in the last IFIC survey) can name as least one food and its associated health benefits (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids for reduced risk of heart disease).

· Respondents indicated that they struggle to incorporate key food components into their diets with the top three barriers to more frequent consumption being: expense, taste and availability.

Candidly, I struggle with the last bullet point. When it comes to eating healthy, I firmly believe it is ultimately an individual decision. Expense, taste and availability should not present any barriers here in America, the land of the plentiful. Conversely, if you want to eat unhealthy, there are no barriers here in America, the epicenter of Fast Foods. Consequently, somehow based on the current obesity statistics, the topic of my next post, apparently Americans make unhealthy choices.

Are you eating healthy?

The Cheesecake Barometer

2011-11-11T06:36:00.001-05:00

Blink:
Black Friday is two weeks away, a day that retailers will be monitoring closely to measure holiday sales during our tentative economy. Will consumers continue to be frugal, cut back and buckle down this holiday season? Not according to the Cheesecake Barometer.

Read On:
Leading consumer psychologists and marketing academics indicate that shoppers eventually get tired of exhibiting self-control all the time despite less discretionary income. Eventually they break down and indulge, but will pare back on household staples. Recent retail sales validate their hypothesis. The items that are selling are not high priced, but are considered fun, like cosmetics, premixed cocktails and coolers, wine, handbags, etc., Products associated with household chores are on a downward trend – fertilizer, weed killers, bleach, car wax, shoe polish to name a few.

Thomson Reuters reported that sales for U.S. chain stores rose 3.4% in October compared to October 2010 for the 22 retailers they track. These sales were less than what Wall Street analysts were projecting (4.5%) and the 5.1% recorded in September. However one area of indulgence that exhibited strong retail sales is what I title the “accessorize/makeover category.” Consumers, especially female consumers, might not be able to go out and buy a new outfit, but they can enhance their existing wardrobe by buying a new, expensive handbag or a pair of shoes. Then there are cosmetic accessories which jumped 22 percent in the last year according to the Chicago market research company, the Symphony IRI Group. They also reported that sales of body scrubbers increased 21 percent and nail polish 10 percent. Estée Lauder recently announced that their North America division recorded its strongest business results in a decade. Their major competitor L’Oréal reported their first half profits for 2011 were up 12 percent.

So by now you are probably wondering what the Cheesecake Barometer is. Earlier I stated that consumer physiologists are telling us we cannot be good all the time. We need to treat ourselves and satisfy our urges. What could be better than a slice of cheesecake? Approximately 700 plus calories for a basic slice; 1,326 calories if you visit your local Cheesecake Factory and order a slice of their Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple cheesecake. Yes, Symphony IRI also reported that in the past year sales of cheesecakes have risen 22 percent. Thanks to the Cheesecake Barometer, it appears we are going to experience strong holiday sales.

Will you be treating yourself to a slice of cheesecake on Black Friday?

Elevator Speeches

2011-10-27T08:33:00.001-04:00

Blink:
I grew up in New York City high rises. Outside of a handful of neighbors, I hardly ever talked to anyone when I was riding the elevator. Now everyone asks me: “What is your elevator speech?”

Read On:
I first heard the term “elevator speech” a few years ago when I attended an organized speed networking event. It was explained to me that I needed to be able to describe to someone what I did professionally in thirty to sixty seconds, the length of an average elevator ride. When I researched the origins of the term, I traced it back to a 2007 article written by executive coach Aileen Pincus, The Perfect (Elevator )Pitch. “One of the most important things for a businessperson is to deliver a quick, succinct summation of what their company makes or does that excites others. The “Elevator Pitch” should be a fundamental skill.”

I have lost count how many times I have delivered my “elevator speech” at networking events, conferences, over the phone to people with whom I am connecting via LinkedIn, etc. All I know is I now sound like a fast talking politician. Today I am not going to bore you with my elevator speech, but this much I do know. Not once has anyone ever asked me a follow-up question after I delivered my stump speech. I always use the phrase “assist food manufacturers strategically” in the hope that someone would inquire what that entails, but nothing ever follows. Consequently I have asked myself do people really care. Has the term, what is your elevator speech become another business cliché? Do people really care, but it would take too many nanoseconds to understand the depth of one’s professional achievement. This leads me to wonder what is next? How can we further fine tune our elevator speeches? Maybe an elevator ride is too long. How about limiting everything to the ultimate sound byte, 140 characters or less?

Do you have a business tweet?

Plan Less, Experiment More

2011-10-21T08:16:00.001-04:00

Blink:
Today marks the three year anniversary of SMARTKETING Reflections. I would like to take time out to thank all my readers for your continual interest. My goal in Year IV is to plan less, experiment more.

Read on:
Candidly, I still consider myself a blogging novice. The spine of my postings is to provide relevant content about current trends as it relates to society, consumerism and marketing. Even though I try to plan out the flow of my content, I am continuously experimenting. However, in the process I have learned that blogging is a great way to stay connected with everyone throughout the year.

In closing, your collective feedback has been great. I truly value it. Consequently I am still learning, still experimenting and realize I have a ways to go, but I am definitely having fun. Share the fun. Thank you. I anticipate your continued readership.

Smart Cities

2011-10-18T06:37:00.002-04:00

Blink:
Computer algorithms are now being developed to provide analytics that help city officials develop proactive versus reactive solutions for a programmed emergency. Welcome to the era of Smart Cities.

Read On:
One of the first Smart Cities is Rio de Janeiro. The city began working with I.B.M. back in 2007 to establish an Intelligent Operations Center to predict the outcome of a major crisis like heavy thunderstorms. Data, historical and current, will analyze potential power outages, flooding, mudslides, etc., as well as project the availability of hospital beds, shelters, emergency workers, etc. This center, scheduled to open later this year, integrates 20 departments, from civil defense to traffic, that will be ready to assist in the day-to-day operational efficiency of the city.

I.B.M.’s Global Pubic Sector unit now has approximately 2,000 smarter cities projects in the works. It is projected that the total market opportunity for developing Smart Cities will be worth $34 billion this year and grow at an annual rate of 18.3 percent to $57 billion by 2014. New York City is a smart city and is working with I.B.M. to collect and share real time data for its fire department. Rotterdam has installed smart sensors in their levees to monitor conditions (e.g., water pressure, temperature, etc.) around the clock to minimize or even prevent flooding. Another company that is involved in working with city governments in a wide array of technology is Cisco. They offer a program called Community+ Exchange which streamlines planning and management at the community level. One of their major clients here in the states is San Antonio where law enforcement officials now have the ability to share real time information so their personnel can act more quickly.

With more anticipated natural catastrophes on the horizon, like earthquakes and resulting tsunamis, or even a terrorist event, there is an accelerated movement by city governments to develop Smart City environments. Are you living in a Smart City?

The Second Gretzky

2011-10-13T08:24:00.003-04:00

Blink:
Last year Nestlé won SMARTKETING’s first Gretzky award for skating to where the puck is going to be. This year’s winner of the Gretzky award is Russian technology guru Yuri Milner.

Read On:
Yuri Milner is not a household name despite the fact that this year he made the Forbes Rich List, thanks to an estimated net worth of $1 billion. He has orchestrated his tech spotting from Moscow which is not exactly Silicon Valley when it comes to innovative economic ideas. Mr. Milner was an early investor in Facebook, sinking $200 million into the company for less than a two percent share back in 2009 when everyone thought he was crazy. He also predicted that both Zynga the gaming company and Groupon the daily deals site had great potential.

Recently at an economic conference conducted in Ukraine attended by the “best and brightest” in business discussing global economics and political malpractice, Yuri Milner provided a totally different, optimistic spin about the most pressing issue on Planet Earth – the technology revolution which in his view is just at the starting gate. Detailed below are the most significant changes he predicts we will witness:

• The Internet revolution is the fastest, most accelerated economic change humans have experienced. Today two billion people are online; Mr. Milner predicts the number will double over the next decade.

• Mr. Milner emphasizes that more information is being created than ever before. Specifically more information was created every 48 hours in 2010 as was created between the dawn of time and 2003. By 2020 the same volume of information will be generated every 60 minutes.

• People are sharing this information more frequently. In 2006, 50 billion emails were sent; 300 billion by 2010. Shared content on Facebook will increase from 140 million messages in 2009 to over four billion this year. Mr. Milner points out that the largest newspaper in the United States only reaches 1 percent of the population compared to Internet media platforms being used by 25 percent of the population daily and growing.

• Mr. Milner envisions the “Internet of Things” and the emergence of the global brain. “The Internet is not just about connecting people, it is also about connecting machines. Five billion devices are now connected, by 2020, 20 billion will be connected. The future connectivity/interaction between humans and machines will create an intelligence that will not belong to any single human being or computer.”

Yuri Milner has lived through and experienced major changes in the “offline” world. The collapse of his home country the Soviet Union, the “Great Recession”, the Arab Spring and now the potential for the collapse of the euro. However, based on his cyberspace track record and future predictions, he is continuing to demonstrate that he is skating to where the puck is going to be, the technology revolution. Yuri Milner, congratulations, you are SMARTKETING’s choice for its 2011 Gretzky award.

Autumn Leaves

2011-10-07T01:33:00.007-04:00

Blink:
I do not profess to be a World Traveler, but this much I do know. Right now, there are few more beautiful places to visit than the Storm King Art Center located in the lower Hudson Valley in New York. Why? Long range planning.

Read On:
The Storm King Art Center was founded by the co-owners of the Star Expansion Company, Ralph E. Ogden and his son-in-law H. Peter Stern. The company which specializes in metal fasteners and drills relocated from Bayonne, New Jersey to its current location in Mountainville, New York. In 1958, Ogden bought a 180-acre estate in the area through a family foundation. Concerned about the damage construction of the New York Thruway inflicted on the region’s landscape, Ogden began buying up surrounding land and then in 1960 with H. Peter Stern they opened a non-profit art center to the public. Their initial vision was to exhibit paintings by the Hudson River School. However, one year later they decided to make the art center a sculpture garden, harmonizing the rustic beauty of the landscape with sculpture from prominent artists – David Smith, Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Mark di Suvero, etc. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Storm King Art Center. Thanks to a well managed foundation, it continues to grow and evolve in terms of acreage, landscaping and sculpture. Long range planning at its best.

Now I do recognize, long-range planning has become difficult thanks to our turbulent economy and the fast pace evolution of globalization. For most businesses, long-term planning is now conducted on either a quarterly or annual basis. A two year plan has become a rarity these days. However, there still is one element of business that takes long range planning – branding. Starbucks, Nike, Apple, etc. all great examples of relatively modern brands, each had a long range plan when it came to branding, a subject I addressed last year in a post titled Brand Stamps about Cirque de Soleil. Brands are built one customer at a time, one day at a time, one week at a time, etc., but still reflect an original vision that was part of a long range plan.
I would like to take timeout to thank Ralph E. Ogden, H. Peter Stern and the Storm King Art Center for teaching me the beauty of long range planning.

Roach Baiting 2.0

2011-09-22T03:04:00.009-04:00

Blink:
Social media is all about the conversation/engagement thanks to collaborative Web 2.0 tools. Consequently, social media gurus now advise us to find key individuals that have influence over potential buyers. They call it Influence Marketing. I call it Roach Baiting 2.0.

Read On:
I first learned about roach bait marketing back in 2003 when I read Buzz: Harness the Power of Influence and Create Demand – Salzman, Matathia and O’Reilly. They provided numerous case studies where agencies implemented undercover marketing movements by hiring actors/actresses, models or socially adept people to hype their clients’ products in targeted locations. Clever? Only if you do not get busted! A classic example was when Sony Ericsson hired actors/actresses in major cities to launch their new T68i cell phone that had the capability to take, send and receive pictures. In NYC, posed as tourists, they approached people in Times Square and asked them to take their pictures. Unfortunately Sony Ericsson went public with their campaign. The press had a field day bashing their strategy. One publication even reminded Sony Ericsson that Che Guevara once wrote: “A guerrilla campaign can only be effective if it is a clandestine operation and has the support of the people where it is being conducted.”

Fast forward to 2011. A great story staring Peter Shankman. His Twitter profile reads: My life: Consulting, angel investing, advising, speaking. Founded HARO. Ironman. I'm told I'm knowledgeable about social media.

Last month Peter boards an early morning flight from Newark to Tampa for a lunch meeting. On his return flight, Peter, a steak lover, fan of Morton’s steakhouse jokingly tweets: Hey @Mortons – can you meet me at Newark airport with a porterhouse when I land in two hours? K, thanks :-) Morton’s Hackensack (23.5 miles away from the Newark airport) answered the challenge and showed up with his order. Peter was shocked and started a tweeting tsunami. He got home and posted the story on his blog complete with pictures of his meal and his cat enjoying some small bites of porterhouse steak. How many cat lovers retweeted Peter’s picture of NASA the Wonder Cat? A great move by Morton’s? Absolutely! Especially since they were online listening and realized that Peter and NASA the Wonder Cat had a huge following on Twitter (100,000 plus followers). Welcome to the new world of Roach Baiting 2.0.

In closing, Morton’s if you are listening, I will be celebrating a special anniversary on October 23rd here in Philadelphia.

Big Idea

2011-09-11T12:06:00.006-04:00

Blink:
LinkedIn has afforded me the opportunity to expand the scope of my network. Consequently, I have met and connected with people who are refreshingly entrepreneurial in their thinking. One individual is the Founder of Beer2Buds.com, Libby Tucker.

Read On:
“If I had to guess, social commerce is the next area to really blow up.”
– Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook).

I am not sure when the founder of Facebook made this comment, but after a quick review of the numbers, I realize social commerce is in the midst of a boom. Analysts are projecting social couponing will reach $3.5 billion by 2012, virtual goods $2.5 billion by 2013 and mobile couponing spending $6.5 billion by 2103. A unique social commerce business in the foodservice industry is Beer2Buds.com which is now active in 21 US cities. Beer2Buds.com is even available in three European cities as well as three South American locations. It is real simple, you select an amount of beer money by using a credit card or PayPal, load up your friend’s contact information complete with a note. Your friend then receives a message via email or text linked to a Drink Your Beer page where they receive their drink card which they can either print or save on their smartphone to redeem at a participating restaurant or bar. Oh yes, don’t forget your ID.

I recently caught up with Libby Tucker, the founder of this innovative concept.

How did you conceive the idea of Beer2Buds?
Back in 2001 when I was working in Milwaukee, I received an email from my Swedish friend Mattias whom I met when I studied abroad. It was a short note to say he missed our time together with a picture of a beer. Instantly I had a very powerful memory of all the great times and laughs Mattias and I shared, usually over a few beers. I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if we recaptured those memories even if we were thousands of miles apart! What if, for his birthday or his wedding later in the year, I could send him a beer to say congratulations or just to say remember when. That’s how the concept for Beer2Buds was born.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced as you grow your company?
Great question! Too many! Regulations come to the top of the list, since alcohol laws vary by state. It is even more complicated overseas since there are additional currency and money laundering regulations. Funding is always a challenge. We have operated over the years on a bootstrap budget which sometimes impedes our progress of scaling up. We also have some well funded competitors which always make life interesting. There have been some technical challenges too, but I do not want to bore you.

Who were big influences for you?
My grandfather was a huge influence. Even though he passed away when I was only six months old, his legacy has pushed me to both adventure and entrepreneurship. In business it has been two technology pioneers, Paul Graham and Steve Blank.

Switching reels – I know you like to travel. When did you first catch the travel bug?
When I was 20 years old I went to study abroad in Spain. I immediately felt I had found my true calling, travel. I fell in love with learning new languages, new cultures and realized that real learning came from experiencing life. Less influential and less of an impact are books and classrooms. Then I came back to the States, worked in International Marketing before making the transition into the computer world. That is when I realized with the advent of the Internet, specifically eCommerce, I could begin to travel again, experience more languages and cultures, visit my friends and build a business at the same time. My passion is to evolve into The Anywhere Professional, the title of my blog.

Luxury Plus

2011-09-07T09:10:00.004-04:00

Blink:
The summer is behind us. The good news is our government avoided default. The bad news is the stock market continues its rollercoaster ride. Today’s query: Are we still in an economic funk? Evidently not for the privileged affluent.

Read On:
High end shoppers are spending again. The luxury category has posted 10 consecutive months of sales increases versus a year ago. Analysts indicate that the rich are not spending at the same level as they were before the recession, but close. This group could lead our economic recovery – the top five percent of income earners account for close to one-third spending, the top twenty close to sixty percent of spending. July was an exceptionally good month for luxury spending, consequently exhibiting the largest gain in a year, +11.6%. It helped that Mercedes-Benz reported they sold more cars in the U.S. in the month than it had in any previous July in five years.

What is driving luxury sales? The leader of one luxury retailer labeled it the “snob factor.” Higher prices are considered a mark of quality. SpendingPulse also reported recently that there has been a significant decline in the number of promotions in the luxury sector. People are paying full price again versus at the peak of the recession. Luxury consumers also are willing to pay for something that exhibits individualism, one-of-a-kind and rare.

So what vogue items are the privileged affluent buying besides a new S-Class Mercedes-Benz sedan?

• Christian Louboutin “Bianca” pumps @ $775 a pair. Neiman Marcus reported they sold out almost every size. A bargain given Jimmy Choo is advertising in their back to Autumn/Winter 11 collection Enfield, leopard print pony boots for $1,495.

• How about a Gucci coat selling for approximately $12,000 at Bergdorf Goodman. While you are at Bergdorf Goodman, why not pick up a 16 ounce container of Crème da la Mer (facial cream) for $1,650.

• A Louis Vuitton Nomade leather work bag for your laptop @ $3,825.

• $250 Ermenegildo Zenga ties.

• Top off your shopping spree by stopping at New York’s Wall Street Burger Shop for chef Kevin O’Connell’s 10 ounces of Kobe beef, foie gras, exotic mushrooms, cave-aged Gruyère cheese, with truffle mayonnaise (mixed with some gold flakes) on a brioche bun with a sprinkle of gold on top. $175. Tasty. Priceless.

My last query of the day: Does a dribble of mayonnaise spot a $250 tie any differently than a $10 tie bought on sale at Macy’s?

The New Classroom

2011-09-02T08:39:00.002-04:00

Blink:
Summer is rapidly coming to a close. Students are heading back to their classrooms armed. That is correct, armed as in surgically attached to their mobile devices, tablets and laptops. Welcome to the New Classroom where digital literacy will enhance education.

Read On:
At first educators were skeptical about allowing students to use their gizmos in class – a multi-tasking distraction where they could check text messages, emails, shop online, etc. Now, a new breed of educators is beginning to recognize that if utilized properly, technology can enhance their students’ overall educational experience. Smart move given some of the statistics that have been gathered:

• 98% of college students own a digital device; 38% indicate they cannot go 10 minutes without using a digital device.

• 75% of students claim they wouldn’t be able to study without technology.

• 91% use email to connect with their teachers; 8% use social sites.

So what are some of the different ways technology will be utilized this fall in the New Classroom, specifically as it relates to social media?

For starters, teachers from K-12 (primary and secondary schools) to universities are establishing classroom “backchannels” – real-time digital streams that enhance student engagement. By utilizing Twitter or other microblogging platforms, teachers have found a greater level of participation (e.g., information sharing, questions, etc.) among students, especially those that are normally reticent. Some universities have developed their own backchannel system. One example is Purdue University’s Hotseat which has proven very effective for large lecture halls.

Some schools this year will be replacing their static websites with a Facebook page or are encouraging students to use YouTube to publish their work. Teachers have learned that with careful planning and by encouraging students to post material online, they are witnessing a higher caliber of work. In addition, student/peer collaboration has been enhanced. Unfortunately numerous federal regulations still keep social networking sites off-limits. The American Library Association believes long-term, social media restrictions will constrain education. They advocate librarians and teachers need to educate minors digital literacy, how best to participate online responsibly, ethically and safely.

Welcome to the New Classroom. I am confident that the U.S. Department of Education will sort out all the pros and cons of digital education and reach a middle ground. However, I am beginning to wonder that as we experience the continual evolution of technology, are we going to witness the demise of brick and mortar classrooms.

What do you think?

Mobile Vuvuzela

2011-08-25T13:32:00.006-04:00

Blink:
Earlier this year Nielsen predicted that by the end of 2011 there will be more smartphones than non-smartphones. Watch out, mobile hardware manufacturers, software vendors and carriers are about to create what I title a Mobile Vuvuzela.

Read On:
We are currently experiencing a mobile revolution. Numerous factors are driving the revolution – faster mobile Internet speeds, improved browsing, a highly competitive market, etc. Two that pique my interest are apps and social media. Both will contribute to what I title Mobile Vuvuzela. Let me share some facts:

Apple surpassed their 10 billionth download in February and now has over 425,000 apps. Google’s Android has over 200,000 apps. At a touch of an app, we can check out whatever we want in a nanosecond – the weather, our personal checking account, a restaurant review, sports trivia, a recipe for Saturday’s dinner party. Does the local Target have any Waterford Crystal in stock to buy for a friend’s wedding in two weeks? Don’t forget to tap the Zappos app to shop for a new pair of shoes for the wedding.

Why stop? You are on a roll. Check your updates on Facebook. It is estimated that 200 million of the 750 million plus people on Facebook access via their smartphone. How about Twitter? It is estimated that approximately half of the people tweeting do it from their smartphone. So tweet a friend to hookup at your favorite local Tapas bar tonight for dinner since you know that when you get there, check-in on Foursquare, you will become the restaurant’s Mayor and receive a free pitcher of sangria. Timeout, you might as well check out your LinkedIn updates before you go to the bathroom, then jump into the shower and get ready for work. I think this would be a good time to throw in a bathroom stat. According to a recent AIS Media survey, 27% of Americans report using mobile devices to check Facebook while in the bathroom. Maybe you decided to pass on Facebook, read the latest issue of Wired and used your phone to scan the QR code on the Ford ad.

Post shower, your friend tweets you back: k dinner great @ 7, movie 2? That is when the confusion sets in. There are two multiplex theaters and one art film house, a total of twenty-four film choices within proximity of the restaurant. What is a good movie to see? Should you read films reviews, check out your friends' likes on Facebook, tweet a friend, etc. Stop: Marvin Gaye’s "What’s Going On" your customize ringtone fills the airwaves.

Welcome to the world of Mobile Vuvuzela.

FB Alternatives – Social Curation

2011-08-18T08:19:00.007-04:00

Blink:

I am not surprised by the number of articles now surfacing detailing social media fatigue. A recent global survey conducted by Gartner revealed that 24% of the respondents now use their preferred social media sites less. Opinion: Too much noise. Solution: Curation!

Read On:
Twitter recently announced that they host 200 million tweets a day. There are more than 750 million active Facebook users – 50% usually log on in any given day. Nielsen BlogPulse reported earlier in the year that there are over 156 million public blogs. Bottomline: Social content is growing exponentially as I write this post. Social media leader, Steve Rubel, EVP at Edelman believes we are beginning to witness a shift in web dynamics. We are now entering the Validation Era which is all about acquiring appropriate content or interactions. Consequently we need content curators, people or tools to filter and aggregate content which personally resonates for us.

One social curation tool which is receiving all the buzz lately is Google+ Circles launched at the end of June with a limited, invitation-only beta. You can organize your real-life social connections to share or follow relevant content, everything from family chitchat to favorite wines. Will Google+ give Facebook a run for its money? Time will tell. Articles are already surfacing that early Google+ adapters are ditching Facebook. Experian conducted a study that indicated the fastest growing demographic on the network are “Kids and Cabernet” – affluent people living in suburbia with children. They account for 29% of all visits to Google+, a relatively small number, but this same group only accounts for 0.7% of all Facebook visits. However, I predict Google+ will soon get too big and become a social media platform comparable to Facebook. Consequently some people will seek out smaller, more specialized social curation networks. Here are three tools I recommend that facilitate social curation:

Paper.li – Helps organize content to read like a newspaper shared with followers on a daily basis.

BagTheWeb – You create a virtual bag to collect, publish and share content on a specific topic. In the process you create a network of bags.

Pearltrees – A social curation community where you build a network solely on things you like, known as pearls, with other people. This site also helps organize, share and discover what you have already curated on Facebook and Twitter.

Welcome to the Validation Era. Are you already on information over load reading this post?

People Commerce

2011-08-01T12:46:00.002-04:00

Blink:
We are experiencing a mobile revolution. Nielsen now projects that half the mobile universe will own a smartphone by the end of the year. One implication: sellers will be able to connect with buyers that have an ephemeral need. Welcome to the new world of “people commerce.”

Read On:
I am certain that most of you reading this post have experienced eBay or Craigslist, two services that created a marketplace for buyers and sellers. The difference with “people commerce” is that it’s mobile, location based and all about real time availability. People connect regarding goods and services that normally do not have a marketplace because they are valued differently. A good example is parking. Earlier in the year, two San Franciscans introduced Park Circa. Owners register their parking space, availability and asking price. Buyers who are driving into San Francisco can use their smartphones to locate a space that meet their immediate needs. Travel is going to be a natural for “people commerce”. Airbnb, 9flats Roomarama, etc. are relatively new companies that connect people who are willing to rent a spare room or even a tree house to adventurous travelers on the move who are looking to save a few dollars plus gain insight on how local residents live. One company that has been receiving a lot of ink is Zaarly which was launched at SXSW in Austin in May. Partly funded by Ashton Kutcher, the app enables buyers to enter their need which Zaarly broadcasts via Twitter to line up potential sellers. Buyers can then connect and negotiate with sellers via an anonymous party-line or a face to face rendezvous. So think about it, when iPad 3 is finally introduced, what would you be willing to pay a seller who has been camping out for days at the Apple Store for his or her space?

Oh by the way, I understand the heat wave is going to continue here in Philadelphia this week. I am looking for a backyard with a pool and a Weber cooker for a two day rental.

Social Profiling

2011-07-20T10:16:00.005-04:00

Blink:
Thanks to the Internet, marketers are now conducting archeological digs known as social profiling to get closer to their customers.

Read On:
This is an exciting time to be a marketer. For starters, there is the daily challenge of keeping up with the evolving world of social media. Now, due to the collective intelligence gathered by search outlets and the rise in social network management tools, targeting potential customers is morphing. Demographics, the statistical characteristics of a population (e.g., gender, age, race, education, income, etc.) will no longer have the former relevancy as marketers determine their target market. Instead, marketers are beginning to examine multiple data points known as psychographics.

One critical component of psychographics is social profile data, the information gathered from the numerous social networks we navigate. Tools have been developed to fine tune a consumers’ preferences. Instead of being dropped into the classic demographic bucket of a Mom, age 25-34, college education with a household income of $75k, marketers now overlay psychographic information. New data points: personal interests (e.g., running, yoga, sewing), monthly online purchasing behavior, social class based on purchase behavior (e.g., cars, travel, food & beverage), etc. Sounds confusing? Now throw into the mix how the data can be mined to predict a customer’s lifecycle. Using the above Mom example, marketers will know the exact ages of her children so they can connect when she is ready to buy something like a Nod chair for her three year old or diapers for her two month old baby. Marketers now utilize algorithms to build a closer understanding, better relationship with their customers.

Key Implication: Fragmentation is now the norm. Consequently marketers will need to develop multiple positioning statements. A good example would be cars. Some consumers will view a luxury car for prestige and status, while other potential buyers will buy the car strictly for its interior space for comfort. Social profiling tools will help marketers reach their finite targets.

Can you identify your social profile?

Virtual Stores

2011-07-11T07:53:00.008-04:00

Blink:
Summer is here; time to launch another annual summer series under the umbrella theme of What’s Next USA? Today I will start by addressing Virtual Stores. Future posts are as follows:

- Social Profiling
- People Commerce
- FB Alternatives
- Mobile Vuvuleza
- The New Classroom

Read On:
Back in June, I indicated I am bullish about QR codes. They are a great hybrid marketing tool – intercept marketing (a proven classic marketing strategy) combined with a Web 2.0 collaborative tool. Tesco, headquartered in the United Kingdom, the third largest retailer (revenue wise) globally after Walmart and Carrefour clearly demonstrates my point with the creation of their virtual stores in Korea. Their research revealed Koreans are the second hardest workers in the world. Consequently, finding time to shop for groceries is an arduous task for most Koreans. Tesco, known as Home Plus in Korea decided to recreate the look of their stores by posting large, life size replicas of their food aisles in subway stations complete with QR codes. All commuters have to do is scan the items they want with their smartphones, a grocery shopping cart is created; the items are then shipped immediately to their homes. Great concept!

Are virtual stores on the USA horizon?

De-Tech Time

2011-06-30T10:13:00.001-04:00

Blink:
I would like to take timeout to wish everyone a great holiday weekend, but more importantly enjoy your De-Tech Time.

Read On:
In the past, I have posted on the subject that Americans work longer hours than workers in most other developed countries, thus we have evolved into a “No Vacation Nation.” Now, the Center for American Progress is documenting, not only do we work longer hours per week than elsewhere in the developed world, but we have fewer laws to support working families (e.g., paid maternity leave). Consequently, we are experiencing work-family conflict. Throw into this conflict the amount of time families are wired (internet and mobile usage), I advocate it is De-Tech Time. Let me share with you some amazing statistics that I have read in the past six months:

• Nearly 60 percent of American families with children have two or more computers according to the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. More than 60 percent of these families have either a wired or wireless network. A third of Americans log on from home multiple times per day, twice the number that logged on back in 2004.

• According to the latest Kaiser Family Foundation Study, today’s youth pack in 10 hours and 45 minutes worth of media per day (TV, music/audio, computer, video games, etc.).

• The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project also reported that more than four out of five teens sleep with their mobile phones. Makes sense given the latest Nielsen data: the average teen text messages 3,339 times per month – females 4,050; males 2,539.

• The number of adults using a social networking site has doubled since 2008 – 59% of internet users. No surprise, Facebook dominates the SNS space; on an average day 15% of FB users update their own status, 22% comment on another’s post or status and 26%”like” another users content.

• It was reported in the latest comSource survey that the average American internet user watches 30 minutes of video online per day (a 40 percent increase over 2009) in addition to five hours of television.

I declare it is De-Tech Time. Unplug your computers, power off your mobile phones, go outdoors, fire up your grills and have a bang-up Fourth of July.

Quick Response

2011-06-27T08:49:00.004-04:00

Blink:
Quick response, a.k.a. QR codes – fad or trend?

Read On:
QR codes are rectangular codes that enable smartphone equipped consumers with the proper scanning applications to instantly receive information that has been encoded/decoded. They are slowly evolving into the mainstream and being utilized primarily by marketers seeking to instantly engage with their consumers – immediate link to a mobile site, customized content, video, etc. In addition to outbound messaging, QR codes facilitate tracking measurement.

I am real bullish about QR codes. Why? They are an excellent hybrid marketing tool – intercept marketing (a proven classic marketing strategy) combined with a Web 2.0 collaborative tool that facilitates engagement. Thanks to a project I am currently working on, I have been researching the current utilization of QR codes. When I discuss their unlimited potential, I have been challenged by my peers who believe they are a passing fad. Consequently, I would like to document why I think QR codes will become an integral part of marketing moving forward, a great touch point for both B2C or B2B marketers to engage and get closer to their customers. Rationale:

1. We are in the midst of a learning curve as it relates to QR codes. I apologize for being candid. I deem that the early adapters have misfired in their execution. One major example; too many companies have placed codes without any support copy (call to action) like scan here to get your free widget. As we become more familiar and marketers become more knowledgeable, everyone will know what to do when they spot the funny little rectangular codes.

2. Nielsen projects that half of the mobile phone user population will own a smartphone by the end of the year. More importantly, early smartphone users experienced some confusion about what scanners to download based on their equipment. A majority of the new models already come with a scanner app built in.

3. Google recently reported that 79 percent of smartphone owners use their phones while shopping (product and pricing information) with 90 percent resulting in a purchase or store visitation. In response, Retailers are placing QR codes in their stores to facilitate the shopping experience and provide a platform for engagement.

As most of my readership knows, I am a specialist in the foodservice channel. Restaurant operators utilizing QR codes as a promotional tactic will be a given – couponing, free samples, sweepstakes, etc. I get excited about other future applications – videos that communicate the source of the operator’s food or beverage (e.g., sustainable fish, fair trade coffee, etc.), recommended wine or beer pairings, exhibition cooking of a special dish, etc.

The utilization of QR codes will vary by industry. Once marketers work out the kinks and consumers/buyers become familiar with what they are, QR codes will be a great hybrid marketing tool. 2012 will be the year of the QR code.

Are you ready to scan with me?

The 90:9:1 Principle

2011-06-21T09:06:00.001-04:00

Blink:
LinkedIn, the first major U.S. social networking site to hold an IPO (May 19th), expanded its U.S. user base 6.7 percent in May to 33.4 million. As I have indicated in pervious posts, I am a huge fan of LinkedIn. However, lately I am definitely witnessing the 90:9:1 principle.

Read On:
LinkedIn now reports to have more than 100 million registered users worldwide. The last time I wrote about the site, I indicated that great networks are not built overnight and emphasized the need for commitment. I participate on LinkedIn on a regular basis for myself, as well as for a client. This past month, I even took on a new LI challenge and began a discussion group. Nevertheless, thanks to the amount of time I spend on the site, specifically in numerous discussion groups, it has become evident that there is participation inequality, better known in internet culture as the 90:9:1 principle. The term first surfaced in 2006. Simply stated; 1% of people create content, 9% edit or modify that content and 90% view the content without contribution.

As a LinkedIn advocate, I am both a content creator and modifier. More importantly, I am committed. Three factors motivate me:

1.) Thanks to LinkedIn, in addition to engaging and staying connected with people from my pre-Web 2.0 network, I have connected with new people that I most probably would have never met through my Tribe’s limited circle.

2.) LinkedIn is a great site to aggregate information. Over a year ago I learned about QR codes, a new venture I am embarking on, the subject of my next post.

3.) I am very bullish about the future of LinkedIn, now that it has a war chest (cash). It will continue to grow and improve, thus facilitate for me the opportunity to create a virtual enterprise. A virtual enterprise is a network of independent individuals or companies, linked by technology that will share skills, costs and access to one another’s networks/markets. Thanks to their collaborative synergy, they will organize and work together on a for or non-profit objective (e.g., launch a new product or service, a social movement, political campaign, etc.). Once the goal is achieved, the virtual enterprise dissolves. Since the virtual enterprise is more often than not improvised, it can succeed without formally incorporating or establishing a traditional brick & mortar company.

What is your level of participation on LinkedIn?

My Favorite Holiday

2011-06-16T14:24:00.010-04:00

Blink:
National Martini Day.

Read On:
Foodimentary is a great source for humorous food and drink facts. It was conceived by John-Bryan Hopkins who has received two Twitter Shorty awards (over 370 thousand followers). I use the site regularly to aggregate fun content for my numerous social media platforms. Thanks to Foodimentary, I learned that Sunday, June 19th is National Martini Day, definitely my favorite holiday.

Chilled Grey Goose, dry straight up
Shaken not stirred
Too many produces the hiccups

What is your favorite holiday?

Graffiti 2.0

2011-06-07T08:40:00.002-04:00

Blink:
Are you making plans to celebrate International Yarn Bombing Day Saturday? Yes, “yarn bombing”, sometimes called grandma graffiti, has now evolved into a global phenomenon. I prefer to call it Graffiti 2.0.

Read On:
Street art and graffiti have always been considered male dominated. These types of public markings have existed since ancient times, but became more prominent thanks to the utilization of spray paint and marking pens as contemporary tools. Now “yarn bombing” has surfaced, more feminine in nature – it combines the craft of knitting and nurturing (wrapping something up that is cold in a warm blanket) to the urban streetscape. Nothing is being spared; bus stops, street signs, fountains, fire hydrants, bike racks, etc. Here in Philadelphia, a “yarn bomber” stitched a fuchsia-colored vest on the famous Rocky statue in front of the Philadelphia Museum with the words “Go See the Art” since most tourists visiting my city, only stop at the museum to take a snap of the fictional boxer.

The mother of “yarn bombers” is a Texan, Magda Sayeg who began bombing in 2005. She recalls a slow day at her Houston boutique, thus knitted a cozy for her shop’s door handle. Next she knitted a leg warmer for a stop sign at the end of her street. Before long she was commissioned to do larger pieces. Last year she was paid $20,000 to knit a Christmas sweater for a Toyota Prius promotional video. This past March, she bombed the tree trunks at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin. However, grandma graffiti really gained its popularity when two knitters from Vancouver, Canada published their manifesto: “Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti.” The book doubles as a coffee table art book complete with colorful photographs of creative bombings and a tutorial with tips like wearing “ninja” black to avoid capture. The authors now claim they receive dozen of e-mails a week from “yarn bombers” operating in Russia, the Middle East, London, Paris, Sydney, etc.

So now the bar has been raised. A Canadian knitter declared on Facebook that June 11th is International Yard Bombing Day. We are going to witness a global event Saturday where grandma graffiti artists (I predict both female and male) will take to the streets in their “ninja” outfits armed with needles and yarn. On Sunday morning, I plan to walk the streets of Philadelphia with my camera to document the beginning of a new movement, Graffiti 2.0.

A Fish Tale

2011-06-01T11:06:00.007-04:00

Blink:

Recently I had a craving for fish, thus went to Philadelphia’s leading gourmet food store. The farm raised salmon @ $24.99 per pound looked great. When I asked the individual behind the counter where the salmon came from, I received a puzzled look. Where does our fish come from?

Read On:

Fish facts:

The average American eats approximately 16 pounds of fish and shellfish per year.

84 percent of seafood eaten in the U.S. is imported, only 2% is inspected.

Time to raise the red flag! Last week, Oceana, the international ocean advocacy group located in Washington D.C. released their new report “Bait and Switch: How Seafood Fraud Hurts Our Oceans, Our Wallets and Our Health.” Over the past four years, Oceana conducted DNA tests of 1,000 fish filets from dozens of U.S. cities and concluded that 50 percent of the samples from restaurants and grocery stores were mislabeled.

What are the economic incentives for seafood fraud? For starters it is a way to imitate a more expensive product to avoid tariffs on a particular species – you purchased Mahi Mahi, but you received Yellowtail. Other forms of labeling fraud is short weighing where excess breading, ice or salt water are added so you end up buying a smaller quantity of fish than labeled. According to the 2010 National Conference of Weights and Measures, 40 percent of the weight of many seafood products is actually ice and not fish. The real downside to seafood fraud is it opens the door for illegal species to enter the market. Remember, seafood is a high risk food that requires proper handling and refrigeration. The substitution of illegal species can lead to a broader range of unknown contaminants.

What is the solution? Currently, the FDA just began using a risk based, sequencing DNA bar coding computer system. However, they only screen 50 percent of seafood imports. What about the other 50 percent? To me it sounds like we should get UPS involved in our fish supply chain. They could set up a fish tracking database that tracks down every piece of fish like a UPS package from its source of origin.

So now back to my fish tale. I decided to pass on the salmon, returned to my neighborhood and bought a nice slice of swordfish at my local market @ $9.99 per pound – wild caught, never frozen, imported from Panama. Or was it Mako Shark? Damn, I will never know.

Shrinkage

2011-05-18T08:18:00.004-04:00

Blink:
I was not surprised when I read that Technomic Inc. reported their findings of a new survey that indicated consumers are wary of higher food prices and smaller portions. Specifically, 50 percent noticed smaller supermarket portions. Consequently, I decided to draft my own shrinkage list.

Read On:
I will begin with items I bought recently at the supermarket:

• Milano cookies from Pepperidge Farm on sale for $2.49. No wonder, there were only two sleeves instead of the normal three.
• A can of coffee to pair with the cookies. Opened it to find out it was only three quarters- full.
• Loaves of bread.
• The size of English muffins.
• Salad bags.
• Soap bars.

All others:

• The length of a college school year.
• Vacation time.
• Travel agents.
• The size of airplane seats.
• Smart Cars.
• Gasoline station attendants (the only place I have encountered them this past year were NJ and Oregon).
• Independents – book stores, restaurants, pharmacies, shoe repair stores, etc.
• Daily newspapers.
• Paper towels in restrooms.
• Christmas cards.
• Birthday cards.
• Civility.

Do you have any shrinkage items you would like to add to the above list?

The Wide Gap

2011-05-14T06:13:00.002-04:00

Blink:

Recent headline: Jobs Data Brighten U.S. Economic Outlook. The Labor Department reported 244,000 jobs were added in April, above expectations given March’s gain (221,000), but unemployment crept up to 9.0% from 8.8%. I am confused, especially when I examine the disparity in corporate compensation (a.k.a. The Wide Gap).

Read On:

Occupants of the corner offices are rolling in dough again. After experiencing shrinkage during the recession, according to a study of 200 major companies conducted for the New York Times by a compensation consulting firm, the median pay for the top executives was $9.6 million. This represents a 12 percent increase over 2009 for chief executives. Actually, U.S. businesses are swimming in cash which I first addressed in my January post Shift Happens. In the fourth quarter of 2010 profits were up 29.2 percent, the fastest growth in 60 years – U.S. businesses reported profit at an annual rate of $1.68 trillion.

Consequently why the paradox? The recovery has not trickled down. Unemployment remains high and those that are gainfully employed are still struggling to hang on to their homes and jobs. Recent efforts under the Dodd-Frank financial regulations that empower shareholders has done little to curtail top executive compensation. Leading analysts doubt we will witness any major changes in the near future during proxy season as long as the market continues to perform.

I understand that executives of the corner offices assume the burden of responsibility for making their company successful for their employees, shareholders, customers, suppliers, etc. However, recently I learned that the IPS (Institute for Policy Studies) reported that leading corporations pay their top executives 300 plus times more than what the average American earns. I remember reading Peter Drucker, the father of modern management science indicating that companies should not compensate at more than 20 to 25 times what their workers receive. He believed that widening the gap beyond that would make it difficult to foster the teamwork needed to make a company successful. A controversial stance, but he firmly believed corporate leaders should do what is right for their enterprise first, not for their shareholders alone, and certainly not for themselves. To quote Drucker: “When CEOs pocket huge sums while laying off workers, that kind of action is morally unforgiveable.”

The reality is executive pay packages are soaring and we will continue to experience the Wide Gap. This morning’s query: If we were to put a ceiling on the corner office compensation, say 50 times, twice the rate Drucker proposed, how many more jobs could efficiently be added into the system? What do you think?

Gamification USA

2011-05-10T07:07:00.001-04:00

Blink:

I walked out my door Saturday morning to a frenzy of Millennials running around Independence National Historical Park in their best campers’ attire with their smartphones surgically attached to their hands. Immediately I realized I was witnessing the Gamification of USA.

Read On:

What is gamification? In a nutshell it is the combination of engagement science and game mechanics. As a result, it helps simplifies the processes necessary to obtain personal achievement, as well as improve relationships between constituents and their community. Are you confused yet? Am I talking about participating in Little League baseball or getting together with a bunch of friends to play a good game of Trivial Pursuit or Scrabble? No, I am sharing a new marketing strategy devised by Silicon Valley and Alley. The technology companies are looking at leveraging markets, networks and communities by capitalizing on the competitive nature of consumers and rewarding them with prizes – check-ins to become a “mayor”, loyalty awards, discounts, etc. Technology (web and more importantly mobile sites) facilitates gamifaction and engagement in the form of a game for tasks that are otherwise perceived boring like chores, shopping, surveys or reading websites.

Are you still confused? I am confident most of my readership has heard of or uses Foursquare or better yet Facebook Places. Both are primary examples of gamification. A relatively new player is SCVNGR, a social location-based gaming platform for mobile phones complete with challenges and rewards for their players. Back in March, they partnered nationwide with high-end retailer Neiman Marcus. Imagine winning enough challenges and being rewarded with a $2,500 shopping spree.

So what was happening outside my front door Saturday? A scavenger hunt called The Ultimate Old City Adventure. The hunt was organized by CityHunt whose mission is to make the universe a better place one scavenger hunt at a time, thus inspire people to build great relationships and learn how to have fun together. Founded in 2000, the company will organize public or private (e.g., birthday parties, corporate team building, etc.) hunts.

Is gamification a passing fad or an upcoming trend? I predict a trend given that I just read that the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation will be investing $20 million to develop innovative digital and game based learning tools complete with social networking capabilities for US kids. Fun is our future as we master gamification. A topic for another day since I need to head out now to my local Starbucks to check-in and see where I am on the leader board to be the next “mayor” at 8^th and Walnut. Oh yes, I also want to start working on my next business concept while I enjoy my Cocoa Cappuccino – My Sandbox, a new social location-based mobile game.

RAGD

2011-05-04T08:08:00.001-04:00

Blink:

Do you know your carbon footprint? Better yet, for those reading this post that own dogs, do you know your pup’s waste pawprint? With over 77 million dogs in U.S. households, I recently discovered the RAGD site – Raise a Green Dog.

Read On:

One topic I have explored in the past has been America’s passion for pets, specifically dogs. Consequently, I take time out on a regular basis to find out what is going on out there in Pets USA. Yesterday’s search yielded Raise a Green Dog (RAGD), a site that addresses eco-friendly advice and products of how your dog can live the healthiest, happiest and longest life possible. Click away and you will find everything from dog products, food, clothing, grooming & cleanup, etc. In addition the site addresses the 3-R’s process – reduce, reuse and recycle when it comes to pet care. 3-R suggestions: When buying products for your dogs take into consideration the amount of packaging associated with the product. If you are looking to buy a new collar or leash, donate the old one to a local rescue or shelter.

Heads Up: Leslie May, RADG’s founder will be featured in the upcoming May 2011 issue of Dog Fancy’s Natural Dog. The article entitled “Reduce Your Dog’s Waste Pawprint” addresses how to dispose of your dog’s #2 (a.k.a. dog doo, dog poo, etc.) in the most eco-friendly way possible. An area of focus in the article is the use of biodegradable bags in waste removal.

My closing thought: I know you can google and find numerous carbon footprint calculators. You can even google and find a carbon paw-print calculator for your dog’s air or car travel. However, I finally uncovered that there is one thing you cannot find on google – a dog waste pawprint calculator. Sounds like a business opportunity, given there are over 77 million dogs in America. What do you think?

The Green Conundrum

2011-04-29T09:19:00.003-04:00

Blink:

Last Friday we celebrated the 41^st Earth Day, this year’s theme being A Billion Acts of Green. My query this morning: Why am I beginning to read articles that America’s love affair with “green” products has declined?

Read on:

An online Harris Poll (2,352 U.S. adults ages 18 and over) revealed that in 2010, 36% of the respondents were concerned about the planet they were leaving behind for future generations compared to 43% in 2009. When asked whether environmental issues were important when voting for political candidates, 28% said it was important down from 36% in 2009. Detailed below are other interesting results as it relates to the decline of “green” behavior in 2010 compared to 2009:

Purchasing locally grown produce (33% vs. 39%).

Purchasing organic products (15% vs. 17%) Note: On the other hand, while researching this post, I learned the Organic Trade Association’s (OTA) reported sales of organic products reached $28.6 billion, an increase of approximately 8 percent versus 2009. Organic fruits and vegetables which represent 39.7 percent ($10.6 billion) of total organic sales exhibited the greatest growth – plus 11.8 percent. Makes me question whether those people who already buy organics are now buying more.

Making an effort to use less water (57% vs. 60%).

Purchased a hybrid or more fuel efficient car (8% vs. 13%).

Purchased Energy Star appliances (30% vs. 36%).

Has the recession impacted “green” consumerism as Americans look to cut spending? One category that has exhibited a major decline has been household products like cleaning supplies, especially those marketed by the major companies like Clorox and S.C. Johnson compared to niche players Method and Seventh Generation. Mintel a research firm reported that the number of household cleaners with “green” claims declined from 144 in 2009 to 105 in 2010; “green” dishwashing liquids from 85 to 58. One particular environment-friendly line of cleaning products that has exemplified the decline in “green” products was Clorox’s Sierra Club endorsed Green Works – sales peaked in 2008 at $100 million and has now leveled off to $60 million.

Is it too premature to jump to any conclusions? The Green Conundrum! The same Harris Poll indicated that 20% of those surveyed consider themselves conservationist (compared to 17% in 2009), 18% “green” (compared to 13% in 2009) and 16% environmentalist (compared to 13% in 2009). So have Americans become unpredictable when it comes to buying “green” products?

Stay tuned as my next post addresses how Fido is going green.

Section 154

2011-04-19T08:23:00.020-04:00

Blink:

I just read that on this day back in 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that alcohol content could be listed on beer labels, overturning a 1935 law which had prohibited it. Makes me want to fly out to Cleveland and check out Section 154 in Progressive Field.

Read On:
Earlier in the month I addressed wine consumption in the U.S. I thought it would be a good time to check out beer consumption, since I have been reading numerous articles about the rise of brew pubs and microbreweries. No surprise, beer is America’s most popular alcoholic beverage, accounting for approximately 85% of all alcoholic beverages sold in the United States – generating annual retail sales close to $92 billion. Beer consumption statistics are all over the map, but it is estimated that on the average we consume an estimated 85 liters per year which is equivalent to a little over 22 gallons or 180 pints. Beer drinking is male dominated; men account for 80% of the volume consumed.

So why do I want to go to Progressive Field in Cleveland? Delaware North, a leading contract management company, just opened this year a new Spirits of Ohio stand after extensive testing. The stand is located in Section 154 of the lower deck behind home plate. All of the craft beers are made in the Buckeye State; they range in price from $6.75 to $29.75. That’s correct; a 22- ounce Hoppin’ Frog Bodacious Black and Tan is $29.75. Too expensive for your tastes? You could always settle for a 22-ounce bottle of Hippie IPA for $19.75 or Brew Kettle’s 4 C’s Pale Ale for $15.75.

I will pass on a beer. I just want to check out the alcohol content on the labels, then head over to Your Dad’s Beer located in Section 119 for a 12-ounce can of Blatz for $4.50. Still an expensive beer when I factor in airfare, hotel, rental car, parking, my ticket, one hot dog and one baseball cap. Anyone care to join me?

Deluxe Family Vacations

2011-04-12T06:58:00.005-04:00

Blink:
Back in February I posted about a family trip to Tuscany – Bonding Italian Style. Based on what I have been reading, it appears that pricey family vacations continue to be on the upswing.

Read On:
One company that specializes in planning luxury family travel is My Little Swans founded by Katrina Garnett. The company links families to regional tour operators to over thirty destinations, across six continents that were personally taken by Katrina, her husband and three children. You name it; the Amalfi Coast, an African safari, exploring Inca archeological treasures in Peru, a week’s stay at the Wolgan Valley Resort in the Blue Mountains of Australia, etc. Oh yes, you pay for it. Some of My Little Swans trips can cost a family of five, tens of thousands of dollars for a customized itinerary. Expensive? Not for families that can afford deluxe family vacations. They believe they are teaching their children an invaluable life lesson; a worldly experience. Smithsonian, a competitor, offers a family trip called “Voyage to the Lands of Gods and Heroes.” The cost for a family of five for a ten night, small ship Mediterranean cruise with stops at famous Greek and Italian destinations is approximately $30,000 excluding airfare. Abercombie & Kent is another upscale travel company that is capitalizing on this trend. Recently they indicated that twenty percent of their bookings are now for families compared to five years ago when it was five percent. Tour operators recognize that thanks to the hectic lifestyles associated with people climbing the economic ladders, travel is a way to spend time together, plus share a memorable experience outside the day to day norm. In the words of Abercombie & Kent’s president Scott Wiseman: “It’s not the price of the trip that creates value, but the experience. It’s not about going to China, it’s about hugging a panda bear.” I guess I will have to stick to the Discovery Channel. What about you?

Cheers

2011-04-07T06:37:00.001-04:00

Blink:
I was disappointed to learn last year that the United States ranked 20th out of 148 nations in happiness based on research conducted by sociologist Ruut Veenhoven, Director of the World Database of Happiness. Now that we are the world’s largest wine consuming nation, I suggest Ruut reexamine his research.

Read On:
According to Gomberg, Fredrikson, America’s oldest wine industry consultants, the United States has passed France in wine consumption for the first time. We are officially number one in the world in wine shipments. Hopefully our happiness ranking should improve as a result.

Wine shipments increased 2 percent to 329.7 million cases into U.S. trade channels last year compared to 320.6 million cases for France. This growth can be attributed to the size of our population (311 million which is five times the size of France’s), as well as the evolution of the wine and cheese culture among young Americans. However, the French still surpass Americans in per capita consumption of wine – 12 gallons/year vs. 2-1/2 gallons/year respectively.

FYI: The World Database of Happiness ranks Costa Rica as the number one happiest nation. Does anyone know what they are drinking?

Quality or Quantity?

2011-03-29T10:20:00.004-04:00

Blink:
In previous posts I confessed developing a networking habit pre-Web 2.0. Consequently, the spine of my networking philosophy is to cultivate strong, sustainable relationships, one relationship at a time. Thanks to social networking, people appear to be building looser, situational networks. Quantity is the spine of their networking philosophy.

Read On:
Every time someone that I do not know reaches out to me to connect on LinkedIn and I learn they are a LION (LinkedIn Open Networker), I evaluate how many networking connections can people effectively maintain? I am reminded of Robin Dunbar, a professor of anthropology at Oxford University in England. Thanks to extensive research, he developed Dunbar’s number, the theoretical cognitive number of people with whom we can maintain stable social relationships. He believes that number is 150. To quote Dunbar directly: “Our minds are not designed to allow us to have more than a very limited number of people in our social world. The emotional and psychological investments that a close relationship requires are considerable, and the emotional capital we have available limited.”

Along comes the collaborative world of Web 2.0. Social media gurus are now challenging Dunbar’s number. Some profess that the true value of our network does not come from strong relationships, but from casual ties which are more beneficial since they form bridges to new worlds we are not connected with. Consequently, we now are witnessing people with 500+ LinkedIn connections (LIONS), 1K+ Facebook friends and 4K+ twitter followers.

Back to my original query: How many LinkedIn networking connections can people effectively maintain? Answer: Depends on an individual’s networking philosophy. LIONS believe in quantity, situational connections, thus have learned how to manage their network effectively. Other people value strong, sustainable relationships, most of which were cultivated pre- Web 2.0, thus emphasize quality.

What are your thoughts? Quality or quantity?

Avoid Rarefied Air

2011-03-24T05:41:00.004-04:00

Blink:
“A desk is a dangerous place from which to watch the world.”
– John le Carré (English Novelist)

Read On:
Yesterday, after reading the above quote, I circled back on an old interview I read with Abbe Raven, President and C.E.O. of A&E Television Networks. Her advice regarding leadership – avoid rarefied air. In Abbe’s own words: “There are many executives who only travel on private planes, go from office to car to home to a hotel, and you’re not experiencing the world. I take the train in every day. I look at what people are reading, watching, what devices they’re using. I go shopping. I buy the milk in the house. I watch TV. You want to make sure that you’re in touch with not only your employees, but also your customers and viewers, and what they like and don’t want. Be out there. Don’t let yourself get trapped in your office. You need to be in the world. And the world is not just other executives.”

If I can take a moment to paraphrase Abbe: Circulate, observe and stay informed in order to avoid rarefied air. Start by unplugging and taking a walk at lunchtime.

The Conductor

2011-03-16T08:53:00.004-04:00

Blink:
Companies currently planning their future social media initiatives are weighing the pros and cons of utilizing an in-house team, their agency of record, a social media consultant or a combination of all three – a hybrid approach. Regardless, all successful social media movements will need a conductor.

Read On:
I am still exploring the new world of social media. Based on what I have experienced, I would like to share with you what I believe are the key character traits of a good social media conductor:

• Strategic Thinker – A good conductor has been classically trained, thus recognizes that social media is another marketing tool that will be integrated with the company’s current strategic initiatives to enhance its overall business. As a strategic thinker, a good conductor understands social media accord – the value of establishing rules of engagement, identifying the proper resources and messaging needed to clearly broadcast the company’s voice amongst all the social media clutter.

• Leadership – A good conductor orchestrates all the company’s social media players to collaborate effectively and create harmony. In addition, the conductor leads by example, thus engages with the company’s audience (a.k.a. community).

• Analytical – All social media movements must be measured. Consequently, a good conductor understands how to interpret the data, like reading a newspaper review the day after a performance and recognizes what is working, what is not working.

• Intellectual Curiosity – A good conductor stays informed because we live in a world dominated by technology and information that changes in nanoseconds.

• Improvises – A good conductor understands improvisation. Conductors play to their audience, they are flexible, thus able to switch gears when necessary.

I have named five character traits of a good social media conductor. Do you have any additional suggestions?

Food Truck History Lesson

2011-03-05T08:13:00.004-05:00

Blink:
America is experiencing a “food truck invasion.” Actually, food trucks are an update of an old concept. Consequently, I would like to acknowledge another birthday this week, Charles Goodnight, inventor of a mobile kitchen known as the “Chuckwagon.”

Read On:
Charles Goodnight born March 5th, 1836 was a famous Texas rancher, better known as the “Father of the Texas Panhandle.” In addition to raising cattle, Charles was also a banker, newspaperman, silver miner and founder of Goodnight College which closed its doors in 1917. However, few people know that back in 1866 Charles, in recognition of the need to make meals easier on cattle drives, invented the chuckwagon. He outfitted an old Army wagon with kitchen shelves and drawers stocked with easy-to-preserve items like salted meats, beans, etc.; along with a water barrel, coffee grinder and a sling for kindling wood.

Flash forward to 2011. Food trucks, a contemporary form of mobile kitchens have become popular on both coasts thanks to delivering a wide variety of restaurant quality food, marketed via numerous social media tools. Having grown up in New York, I was familiar with hot dog carts that populated every busy street corner. Then I witnessed a wave of gyros and kebab carts; an occasional catering truck parked outside construction sites that served mystery tuna or chicken salad sandwiches on stale white bread with wilted lettuce. When I first moved to Philadelphia, I sampled the mobile trucks parked outside the University of Pennsylvania that serve ethnic foods like Chinese, Mexican and Caribbean, but were called "roach coaches" thanks to their questionable sanitation. But now the chuck, Goodnight’s slang word for food has gone upscale – everything from grass-fed organic burgers and hot dogs, sushi rolls, falafel, Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches, etc. are being served.

A quick archeological dig revealed that the new wave of food trucks started in Los Angeles by Mark Manguera at a taco stand after a night of bar hopping. Mark, a Filipino married to a Korean had a drunken revelation, Korean barbecue on a taco. He partnered with his sister-in-law Alice Shin and friend Korean chef Roy Choi, enlisted his family and friends to orchestrate a social media movement and created the famous Kogi Korean BBQ taco truck. @kogibbq went viral in 2008. Soon other gourmet roving vehicles started popping up in LA., Portland, Seattle, NYC, South Florida, etc.

What’s next? Food truck lots (food courts) are beginning to surface. I cannot wait until someone organizes the first food truck festival inviting all the best food trucks in America. Maybe they should hold the festival in the Texas Panhandle and call it “Chuckstock” in honor of Charles Goodnight.

Happy Birthday Charles!

Happy B-Day Dr. Seuss

2011-03-02T08:28:00.005-05:00

Blink:
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those that matter don’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

Read On:
Theodore Seuss Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss) was born this day (March 2nd) in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1904. In his lifetime he was recognized for the forty-four children’s books he published as well as being a cartoonist and an illustrator for advertising campaigns, the most notable being Standard Oil. When interviewed he indicated that his imaginative characters, rhyme and children’s verse were inspired by his mother’s unique bedtime ritual. Mrs. Geisel would chant rhymes for remembering the names of pies she had baked earlier in the day at the family bakery in lieu of stories.

In honor of Dr. Seuss, today is the annual date for National Read Across America Day, a reading initiative created by the National Education Association.

Remember, as Dr. Seuss advised us in one of my all time favorite books Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

“You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step,
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.”

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Bonding Italian Style

2011-02-26T12:08:00.003-05:00

Blink:
Bonding, the formation of a close relationship, as with your kids, is morphing. Disney World is no longer enough for your little Baby Einsteins.

Read On:
Remember when you first bonded with your kid(s)? Most probably it first occurred when your spouse decided to go out for the evening (e.g., girls/guys night out). Bonding then escalated when nights out evolved into spouses get away weekends (e.g., fantasy golf outings, spa retreats, etc.). Once your kid(s) started to walk, the whole family headed off to Disney World to bond.

Now flash forward to 2011. People are looking for relaxing, more exotic vacations to bond with their toddlers. One option I read about recently was the Mum and Baby Experience in Tuscany. The child friendly villa is just a short drive from the airport in Perugia. Package deals include yoga, cooking classes and massages for Mom; baby Latino dancing (I kid you not), painting and Italian classes for your children. There is also plenty of free time for parents to relax by the pool, swim, read or take local excursions while your children stay busy. Bonding Italian Style!

As I stated earlier, bonding is morphing, a window of opportunity for the travel industry.

Baby, Baby, Baby

2011-02-22T06:04:00.002-05:00

Blink:
I value the marketing strategy of acquiring and retaining consumers to build a brand long-term. Consequently, I applaud Disney’s recent move to target newborns. Baby, baby, baby!

Read On:
Last month Disney launched its Disney Baby initiative targeting U.S. maternity hospitals. Bilingual representatives visited new mothers and offered a free Disney Cuddly Bodysuit complete with a bedside demonstration highlighting its features and benefits. Disney projects they will give away 200,000 bodysuits by May before Amazon.com begins selling 85 styles; $9.99 for two. Retail giants Target and Nordstrom will follow with more Disney Baby items including hats.

Aggressive move given Disney fielded some heat when they marketed Baby Einstein, their entertainment line of videos and toys for babies and toddlers. The non-profit group Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood challenged Disney asserting that the products did not turn babies into geniuses. The non-profit group even offered some refunds to parents in some select cases.

The negative publicity did not deter Disney since they estimate that the North American, baby market including staples (e.g., baby formula) is worth $36.3 billion. Interesting, Disney’s chairman, Andrew P. Mooney indicated: “Apparel is only a beachhead.” Apparently Disney has ambitious plans to sell bath items, strollers, food, etc. Their Disney Baby initiative will evolve beyond the crib. Long-term they intend to draw parents into the company’s broader web of products and experiences – a loyalty program where pregnant women will receive free theme park tickets for signing up to their e-mail alerts. In the words of Mr. Rooney: “To get that Mom thinking about her family’s first park experience before her baby is even born is a home run. A large number of families do not become consumers of Disney products until their children reach pre-school age, when they start to watch Disney Channel programs like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.”

Once again the critics are surfacing. Children Now, an advocacy group claims Disney is taking advantage of families at an extremely vulnerable time. In addition, they believe having access to maternity hospitals as customer hunting grounds is an invasion of privacy. Regardless, Disney continues to push forward and offer free stuff in their quest to carve out their chunk of the baby market, as they build their brand long-term. Imagine getting a free pink bodysuit adorned with Simba when you take your prenatal sonogram and find out it is a girl!

Ethanol Catch 22

2011-02-17T07:08:00.001-05:00

Blink:
Have you noticed how your meat and dairy prices at your local supermarket have skyrocketed lately? That is because our cars now burn up a third of the nation’s corn crop that normally was utilized as feed for the livestock industry.

Read On:
Federally mandated ethanol standards first came into play in 2005, thanks to high gasoline prices and America’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. Then the bar was raised when
Congress created subsidies paying gasoline blenders for every gallon they blend with ethanol. As a result, over the last five years the percentage of corn used for ethanol rose from 9.5 percent to now approximately one-third of the crop’s total yield. Corn Economics 101 – the increased demand for corn for the production of ethanol drives up the prices for other buyers like livestock producers.

Now let us examine the Catch-22 of ethanol produced from corn. Ethanol now comprises approximately 8 percent of the fuel we consume. We are just beginning to feel it at our dinner table, but long-term how will ethanol as a renewable fuel impact America? For starters there is corn ethanol’s thirst for water. Researchers now estimate ethanol consumes three times more water than originally estimated back in 2005 – water needed to irrigate corn production as it extends to new areas of the country and water needed in the production of ethanol. Second, extensive studies indicate that energy balance between the use of fossil energy in the production of ethanol is just about equal to the energy contained in the ethanol produced. Let us not forget how fossil fuel is used in the logistics of moving the grain to the refinery and then from the refinery to the pump. Third, the fertilizers needed to grow corn are not exactly eco-friendly. Some farmers are trying to capitalize on robust corn prices by not rotating their crops properly which ultimately leads to soil erosion. Last, Americans who want to use ethanol might bear the cost of making their cars e85 compatible.

In closing, I am by no means an energy expert. However, ethanol production has thrown Corn Economics 101 out of sync. I have read about other alternatives out there when it comes to the production of renewable fuels, like cellulosic ethanol made from trash and other useless matter. This much I do know, you will not be witnessing the leaders of the meat industry fraternizing with advocates of corn ethanol in the near future.

Late to the Party

2011-02-08T12:54:00.003-05:00

Blink:
When marketers tend to be laggards as it relates to the new world of social media, it isn’t that they can’t see the solution; it is they are unable to recognize the opportunity.

Read On:
Alterian, a company that specializes in integrated marketing platforms on behalf of its clients (e.g., T-Mobile, Pizza Hut, Harley Davidson, etc.), just published their 8th Annual Survey about brand engagement. At the end of the year they collected feedback from 1,500 Marketers, Agencies and Marketing Services Providers (MSP). Key findings that stood out for me:

• Seven in ten respondents have little understanding of their brand’s social media conversations.

• One third of the respondents indicated that their company’s website’s main focus serves as a brochure; only 11% of the companies surveyed had an element of engagement built in.

• Nearly two thirds indicated they were not comfortable in the area of analytics.

• When taking all factors into consideration (budgets, resources, time management, etc.), three fourths indicated that their brand was at risk for not being engaged with their customers as they should be – 57% of the respondents plan to take action to rectify what they believe is a problem.

Candidly I am not surprised by the above findings. Over the past two years, every time I engage with my peers about social media, I usually field the standard query: “Great Jim, but what is the ROI?” Valid question! I admit it is difficult to tie social media initiatives back to increased sales. However, marketers need to recognize that metrics are morphing thanks to social media and when the dust settles the one measurement that will remain constant is increased customer retention/profitability. Consequently, the new class of companies that are being labeled networked enterprises are utilizing social web technologies to enhance their current CRM initiatives. Remember, the end result is still all about achieving a transaction. Social CRM now facilitates customer interaction/engagement that leads to long-term customer retention.

Conversations about your brand are happening whether you’re participating in them or not. Are you going to begin formulating your plans to engage and seize the opportunity in 2011 or are you going to be late to the party?

More Shift Happens

2011-02-03T09:31:00.002-05:00

Blink:
Back in January I indicated that 2010 U.S. online Internet ad spending established a record – $25.8 billion, a 13.9% increase vs. 2009. Internet ad spending will continue to hit new peaks over the next few years. Why? Shift happens!

Read On:
In a recent report titled U.S. Ad Spending: Online Outshines Other Media, the author David Hallerman detailed increased quarterly spending for 2010. According to his projections, online advertising when the 4th quarter numbers are published, will set a new quarterly record spend of $7.25 billion! Consequently, analysts now predict double digit growth for five consecutive years; total online advertising expenditures will exceed $40 billion by 2014.

I am not surprised that marketers are shifting their advertising spending to online venues given the amount of time people now spend online. For the record, Internet advertising (the record $25.8 billion) just surpassed newspaper advertising to take second place behind TV among measured media. This shift will be further enhanced by the ease of getting online thanks to the growth in smartphones. Nielsen now projects that one in two Americans will have a smartphone by the time we close out 2011. In recognition of smartphones, digital video appeals to brands as a platform to get their messages broadcasted. Social networking sites is another area marketers are targeting to spend their online advertising dollars.

Sunday’s Big Game will further validate my point that advertisers are following the shift in consumer behavior. A leading research company estimates that two-thirds of viewers ages 18 to 34 indicated they plan to use their smartphone during the game to send emails, text messages, check out advertisers’ websites, post comments on a social network, etc. Then there is the day after when everyone will be on YouTube checking out all the Super Bowl ads. I remember reading that Volkswagen, after dropping out from Super Bowl advertising for nine years, had 1 million people view their 2010 ad online after the game; 850,000 views were on YouTube. No wonder online advertising is gearing up for the next level and ready to break more spending numbers. Shift happens!

Hybrid Words

2011-01-28T09:20:00.002-05:00

Blink:
I think it is very clever when marketers merge two words to coin a new concept – portafuel; a portable and nutritious meal or snack. The hybrid word that has piqued my interest of late is “merchantainment.”

Read On:
At the close of 2010, Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation was named Luxury Marketer of the Year. They won the award based on their multichannel marketing strategy that resulted in double-digit growth. The company consistently delivered creative messaging and effective call to action to maintain their luxury aura. CMO David Lauren indicated: “We operate on the principle of “merchantainment” – the blending of culture and commerce. The key concept underlying our philosophy is that the luxury shopping experience is not just about the transaction, but immersion too.” The company’s well crafted, integrated “merchantainment” campaign was further enhanced by their use of the latest technology in digital channels including mobile.
Today’s query: Is the principle of “merchantainment”, the blending of culture and commerce only applicable for luxury products? Answer: Not really. Polo Ralph Lauren will get credit for coining the hybrid word “merchantainment”, but we are beginning to witness the concept evolving in other industries. One example is CKE Restaurants (Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s) launch of Happy Star Rewards, a GPS-enabled loyalty program that rewards users for checking in at the restaurants' locations across the U.S. Now their guests will be able to download the rewards app from an iTunes App Store or Android Market to check in. Four check-ins earns the user a spin on “The Wheel of Awesome” for discounts, gift cards, prizes, etc. A consumer who orders Hardee’s 2/3 lb. Monster Thickburger® (two 1/3 lb. charbroiled 100% Black Angus beef patties, 4 strips of bacon, 3 slices of American cheese and mayonnaise on a sesame seed bun) for 1,320 total calories, 860 calories from fat, might not subscribe to the culture of luxury, but definitely to the culture of fast foods.

The principle of “merchantainment”; sounds like smart marketing to me.

Social Media Hyperbole

2011-01-21T09:09:00.002-05:00

Blink:
Back in November I confessed to being a networking junkie. My habit has gotten more addictive thanks to LinkedIn. Conversely, as a result of my engagement in Discussion Groups and Q&A, I am experiencing LinkedIn fatigue which I credit to social media hyperbole.

Read On:
Disclaimer: Before becoming a Business Catalyst and starting my own company, I was classically trained as a CPG marketer by some highly respected Fortune 500 companies – Unilever, Quaker Oats and the Campbell Soup Company. In total, I have been marketing numerous brands/products for 27 plus years, primarily in the food business. However, marketing is morphing with the advent of social media. Candidly I am learning about these new tools, just like everyone else in the business universe since social media is constantly evolving, even as I write this post. However, it never ceases to amaze me when I engage on LinkedIn, how everyone claims to be a marketing guru and promotes their expertise, especially when it comes to social media. As I stated above, LinkedIn fatigue is setting in due to online social media hyperbole.

Let me share two examples.

• In my Philadelphia Group, an individual advocated the value of Foursquare to drive Retail sales. He indicated that McDonald’s ran a Foursquare promotion in April 2010 and witnessed a 33 percent lift in foot and click traffic for a total investment of $1m. Fact: McDonald’s only ran a one day Foursquare experiment at 100 select restaurants out of their vast empire of 31m plus restaurants. When I challenged his post, I fielded a “get your head out of the sand” comment, social media is the way to go, look at Coca Cola, Victoria Secret, Groupon, etc. Valid point, but we are not all Dell, Best Buy, Comcast, etc., I realized that some local business was going to read his dubious post and reach out to this self acclaimed social media guru for potential consultation based on McDonald’s success. For the record, when I conducted an archeological dig on Mr. Philadelphia Promoter, he had an impressive IT background, but had only been consulting in social media for less than 2 years. Social media hyperbole!

• When it comes to social media, I advocate that you need to work the platforms that work best for you taking the following factors into consideration: identify your community, develop relevant content, calculate your time management, etc. As a result, I have made Facebook a low priority. Because I am currently working on my Facebook strategy I posted a question. An event planner/social media consultant out of Boston provided me with her doctoral thesis on how Facebook has helped her business including her ability to track coupons redeemed that come directly from Facebook. My apologies, but I do not coupon and this individual has only been in social media marketing less than one year. Once again, an example of social media hyperbole!

Are you experiencing social media hyperbole? Please share your stories.

LinkedIn A.D.H.D.

2011-01-18T10:52:00.004-05:00

Blink:
Engagement is the Buzz du Jour among social networkers on LinkedIn. Interesting, as I begin a new year and review my LinkedIn connections, especially those that I made online, I am beginning to recognize the occurrence of LinkedIn A.D.H.D.

Read On:
A.D.H.D. is the psychiatric term for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. So how does that relate to LinkedIn? Think about how many new people you connected with via LinkedIn a year ago with whom you are still actively engaged. I can only think of a handful, all of whom are great people. The remainder of my 2010 connections have evaporated. Otherwise, to my point, online connections appear to have a different engagement shelf life than engagement with people we meet in the real world – neighborhood, associations, church, synagogue, mosque, health clubs, etc.

Are you experiencing LinkedIn A.D.H.D.? Please share your stories.

On The Twelfth Day of the New Year

2011-01-12T10:40:00.004-05:00

Blink:
“Change demands a temporary surrender of security.” - Gail Sheehy

Read On:
The Philadelphia Sports Club was packed this morning. Made me realize it is that time of year when everyone begins adhering to their newly formulated New Year’s resolutions. I have been good for 12 days. However, being a marketing geek, when I got home, I decided to call some friends to survey what their top New Year’s resolutions were. Here is this year’s list of 12 resolutions to break:

1. I will start a new diet and this year is the year I stick to it 24/7/365.
2. I will go to the gym a minimum of three times a week.
3. I will finally quit smoking.
4. I will finally get my colonoscopy this year.
5. I will not bad mouth anyone.
6. I will remember all significant birthdays and anniversaries this year.
7. I will return all emails and phone calls on a timely basis.
8. I will not work on my computer after dinner.
9. I will not incur any late fees on my charge cards.
10. I will finally keep track of and utilize all my frequent flier miles
and credit card rewards.
11. I will get my car inspection on time.
12. I will not spend more than $100 a month at Starbucks.

Shift Happens

2011-01-07T06:57:00.002-05:00

Blink:
Last month, I read about two business records being established. The first was for corporate profits and the other for Internet advertising revenue. I predict both records will be broken in 2011. As a result, American lifestyles will be impacted significantly. Why? Shift happens!

Read On:
Disclaimer: I am not an economist, I am a marketing geek.

Today I am going to focus on the record corporate profits for American companies in the third quarter in 2010; $1.659 trillion. This was the highest figure recorded by the Commerce Department in the 60 years since they have been tracking annual corporate profits. The next highest corporate profit levels on record was back in the third quarter of 2006; $1.655 trillion. I also want to point out that despite the recession; profits have grown seven consecutive quarters, at some of the fastest rates in history. One factor that has been fueling this accelerated pace has been strong productivity growth – companies have been able to produce more with less. What impact will this have on American lifestyles?

For starters, people will continue to work longer hours. Back in February of 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the average work day (and related activities) for employed persons ages 25 to 54 with children was 8.8 hours. Candidly this figure appears understated, especially if the related activities involve commuting. Another reliable source, the National Sleep Foundation indicated that the average employed American works a 46-hour work week, 38% of the respondents in their study revealed that they work more than 50 hours a week. This sounds more realistic. Now throw into the equation the growing trend that Americans are not taking vacations, a topic I addressed early in July 1st 2009 in a post titled No Vacation Nation (http://bit.ly/8jgM6G). Consequently, the organization Take Back Your Time projects Americans on average work 350 more hours than their peers in Europe. Sounds stressful! As a result, will there be an increase of medical problems on the horizon for America?

More work hours will also fuel the need for convenience, both for products and services. Bodes well for the food industry; not just “grab & go”, takeout, frozen & nuke foods, but people will also continue to eat out more since they will need to socialize as a result of working longer hours. New services will continue to evolve, everything from those we are already familiar with like daycare, dog walking, at home personal trainers, etc., to personal assistants, people who will help individuals organize their personal lives.

What will be the end result? A stressed out, time starved, 24/7, wired, no vacation nation in desperate need of a real timeout. Remember, shift happens!

Excess!

2011-01-04T06:24:00.002-05:00

Blink:
When is enough, enough?

Read On:

• Wall Street bonuses.

• Salaries of University Presidents.

• Friends pictures – Club Med, Wedding, Honeymoon, etc.

• Baby pictures – According to the AVG Internet security survey, 92% of U.S. children under the age of 2 have some kind of online digital profile or footprint starting with parents (34%) uploading their prenatal sonograms.

• Mutliplex Theaters.

• Mobile Applications.

• Christie’s in London auctioning off to anonymous bidder a Barbie doll with a 1-carat pink diamond necklace October 20th for $302,500. Oh yes, the previous record for a Barbie was $17,091 in 2006. A bargain!

• LIONs on LinkedIn with 500 + connections.

• Lady Gaga’s 7.6 million plus followers on Twitter.

• Your January credit card bills.

Thks

2010-12-23T08:58:00.003-05:00

Blink:
Thks is the new thank you. Think about the number of characters or all the nanoseconds people save by not typing in the an and replacing the you with a s. What do people do with all the nanoseconds they save using online, real time jargon?

Read On:
Question: If one nanosecond (ns) is one billionth of a second or as one second is to 31.7 years, then how many nanoseconds does a 24/7 individual experience? Answer: A lifetime.

We now live in a fast paced, high speed internet, wireless mobile, text messaging, instant foods (just add hot water), VIA™ society. Technology has driven our culture to the nanosecond. The smartphone you bought last week is already out moded. What you learned yesterday on the Going Mobile 2011 webinar is obsolete. Forget about the great app idea you conceived this morning while showering, someone has already beaten you to market. Remember: Don’t blink or you will miss it. Every nanosecond counts!

Thks 4 reading my post GTG in a ns need my #Starbucks MCAAHNY

National Regifting Day

2010-12-15T08:30:00.002-05:00

Blink:
Ever wonder how you can get rid of the hideous set of Atlantic City placemats your in-laws gave you? How about what to do with the three extra copies of Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point that thoughtful friends gave you? No worries – tomorrow is National Regifting Day.

Read On:
Alright I recognize that some of you people reading this blog are saying to yourself, how crass, how tacky; while others are cracking a smile having regifted or been recipients of a regift. If you think regifting is in bad taste, then I suggest you think about Jacqueline Onassis who was a very classy woman. I once read that back in 1971 she regifted a watch her first husband JFK received from a socialite to her second husband Aristotle Onassis. The watch later auctioned for $150,000. Imagine Onassis’s original reaction when he received the gift – “just what I need another #!!*%$@ watch.”

Let me share two other reasons regifting makes sense. First, you can get a jump start on cutting holiday expenses. Second, you can now claim to be a committed environmentalist resolute in helping save our planet since regifting is technically a form of recycling.

For those reading this blog, I hope I have provided some insight and a suggestion of how to finally get rid of those reindeer slippers you have never worn. Let us all celebrate National Regifting Day.

Bravo

2010-12-07T08:13:00.008-05:00

Blink:
Bottom-line social media is social interaction enhanced by web-based technologies. Furthermore, social media facilities buzz marketing. Hundreds of years ago, the first evidence of buzz marketing was people who were paid to stand up at designated passages of the opera to applaud/yell “Bravo!” These people were known as a claque.

Read On:
I learned this tidbit of information in a great book, Harness the Power of Influence and Create Demand written by Marian Salzman, Ira Matathia and Ann O’Reilly. By means of anecdotes and case studies, the authors explored the subject of buzz marketing, a topic about which I am extremely passionate. P.T. Barnum was a pioneer of buzz marketing. Ford Motor Company was an early adopter of buzz marketing when they introduced the Mustang back in 1964; first at the New York World’s Fair and then by providing free cars to select BMOC (Big Men On Campuses – jocks, DJs, etc.). Fast forward to the digital world of 2010, buzz marketing movements are being executed daily, thanks to the advent of social media platforms.

This past weekend I needed to take a break from my digital cocoon and decided to go see Waste Land (http://www.wastelandmovie.com/) a documentary for the second time. That is correct, a second time. The film follows contemporary artist Vik Muniz's journey back to his native Brazil for a good deeds art project. He recreated out of garbage, photographic images of catadores (people that work picking out recyclable materials at Jardim Gramacho, the world’s largest garbage dump). He then sold his art and gave all the proceeds back to the catadores for equipment and education. Before entering the theater, I slyly suggested to my Mother that we were going to test being a claque and applaud at the end of the film. I am proud to report, we were a successful claque. More importantly, by writing this blog, I hope to further spread the buzz about Vik Muniz, artist, social activist who continues giving back to the impoverished people of Brazil.

Bravo!

Santa Goes Mobile

2010-11-26T06:53:00.001-05:00

Blink:
Today is Black Friday, the day that marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Retailers will be gauging sales to see if we have turned the corner from the recession. Retailers are also on the alert. Ho, Ho, Ho; Santa is going mobile!

Read On:
Mobile marketing is on the rise thanks to more Web-enabled smartphones in the market. According to the October 2010 U.S. Mobile Briefing conducted by The Mobile Marketing Association, 59% of mobile consumers plan to use their mobile phone for holiday shopping compared to 25% in 2009. The briefing also revealed that 64% of the respondents that plan to use their phone to facilitate shopping, will check their phone before even stepping foot into a store. Asians, Hispanics and adults ages 25-34 are the three demographic groups that will use their phones the most; 13% of mobile holiday shoppers expect to use their phones to purchase or pay for their gifts.

Marketers understand the mobile channel facilitates a way to cut through the clutter. Consequently, in recognition of how consumers interact with content, they have geared up to provide an enlightened mobile experience this holiday season. Big-box, mobile commerce pioneer, Target is leading the surge. To demonstrate my point, let us get into the shoes of a typical, 25-year old Target consumer that is going to utilize their iPhone this holiday season. Yesterday, while sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner, under the table they were busy checking out Target.com to prepare for today – store specific maps to better navigate the store to find Black Friday deals; searching the main Christmas category for gift ideas by age group that includes photos, ratings/reviews, availability and aisle location; managing their shopping lists. Today after sleeping in, they will wake up to a notification of Target’s daily deals complete with some scannable mobile coupons and then text their friends to exchange gift ideas. Later, they will check in from their local Starbucks in their weekly quest to become a Foursquare mayor and view Red Robin’s new YouTube video for the Gingerbread shake since there is a Red Robin across from the Target store they previously selected on their store locator. Once they arrive at the store, they will check in and be busy texting, tweeting, updating their Facebook pages, checking out Facebook Places to see the latest Gap deals, etc.

Santa, face reality, technology has taken over. You now live in the new age of social commerce. I suggest you get online to listen to all the social engagement that is influencing consumer behavior since the experts are forecasting that holiday mobile usage for 2011 will jump to 75%. I also suggest, instead of sweating over your gift lists, go down to Red Robin, purchase some gift cards to get your bonus bucks for your bucks and don’t forget to have a Gingerbread shake with your burger. OMG!

Leftovers

2010-11-22T07:20:00.003-05:00

Blink:
Last Thursday I wrote about America’s culinary preferences for their Thanksgiving feasts. Today I would like to address the sober topic, the number of people that are not enjoying the bounty of food in our country. According to the USDA, approximately 50 million Americans are food insecure.

Read On:
Food insecurity: The limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods for all household members. As stated above, in the USDA’s new study, Household Food Security in the United States, 2009, revealed that 50 million (16.6%) Americans are food insecure – 1 in 6 Americans. More alarming, the report indicated 1 in 4 children; 17 million in total are food insecure. In a report commissioned by Feeding America and The ConAgra Foods Foundation, Child Food Insecurity, failing to provide children with adequate nutrition not only results in health and physical developmental issues, but it impairs their cognitive learning development.

The good news – the Senate unanimously approved the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act in August which commits $4.5 billion to various child nutrition programs over the next ten years. The bad news – the bill is currently stalled in Congress. Why has the bill been stalled? Ironically, members of Congress and anti-hunger groups are protesting the funding because the Senate proposed taking money away from the future food stamps program. I apologize for being repetitive, but bottom-line, we have a hunger problem here in America, just ask the 50 million Americans that might not be enjoying turkey with stuffing, sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie Thursday. Maybe Capitol Hill can find the money somewhere else.

So let us all be thankful Thursday for our good fortunes. I wish you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving holiday. I am off to New York to celebrate with my family, but will be back Friday with Santa Goes Mobile.

Turkey Everyone?

2010-11-18T09:51:00.008-05:00

Blink:
Americans will be celebrating Thanksgiving next week. Consequently, I have been inspired to write a two part series about the holiday. Today I would like to address how marketers and trend watchers are gearing up to monitor our nation’s culinary preferences.

Read On:
For those reading my post that are hosting Thanksgiving this year, you are probably beginning to experience “what am I going to serve?” angst. Don’t worry, you are not alone. Last year in a New York Times article I read that searches for Thanksgiving recipes on Google have increased steadily over the past five years, doubling between 2007 and 2008. No surprise, people tend to wait until the last minute, thus by Wednesday there will be a surge in search volume. Allrecipes.com last year reported that by 5 p.m. 410,000 people had queried turkey recipes. According to its President, the site builds its server capacity the day before Thanksgiving to handle their hourly volume of one million page views.

Search data not only reveal Regional preferences, but also give marketers a snapshot of the cook’s age or behavior. Younger cooks tend to view "how to cook or roast a turkey" videos on YouTube (over 7,500 videos), while the exotic chefs check out recipes for turducken (a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey). May I share a few more Thanksgiving bytes:

• Sweet potato casserole continues to be the most popular search nationwide – 37 out of the 50 states.

• Number Two? You guessed it, string bean casserole; 605 out of every 1,000 searches.

• Pies locked up the next three spots on the search list – pumpkin, pecan and apple respectively.

• New Yorkers led the country in the number of searches for caterers; Oregon in the number of searches of how to make Tofurkey.

Why wait until next Wednesday? Just click on Allrecipes.com and save yourself some angst. Monday I will post part two of my Thanksgiving series, Leftovers.

Three Smart LinkedIn Tips for Professionals

2010-11-15T06:23:00.004-05:00

Blink:
Commitment, commitment, commitment.

Read On:
Don’t worry this is not going to be another one of the typical social media posts written by another one of the self proclaimed, online social media gurus. Instead this is a post written by a networking junkie who has failed numerous 12 step programs. I developed my networking habit pre-Web 2.0. Thanks to LinkedIn, my habit has gotten worse.

LinkedIn is a great networking tool that supplements my classic networking modus operandi. The one common principle that pertains to whether I network online or offline, I made the commitment early on. I established a goal to be a long-term sustainable networker who values relationships. So the three smart LinkedIn tips I would like to share are: commitment, commitment, commitment.

Examples:

· Once you start, stay committed. Great networks are not built overnight.

· Once you start because you need to find a job, when you land the job, stay committed. In this turbulent economy, chances are you might get fired again, and again, and ……….

· Once you start because you are looking for a business opportunity that does not yield immediate results, stay committed. One of my best business opportunities surfaced after ten years over a cup of coffee because I was committed and remained connected to the individual who looked me in the eye and said: “You are right, I need a business plan.”

· Once you start participating in a discussion group because you read a whitepaper on How to Use LinkedIn for Business, stay committed. Maybe you will not truly engage/connect with anyone, but worse case you will learn that LinkedIn discussion groups are a great place to learn. The same applies to participating in Q&A.

· If you read a blog about how important it is to engage with people you connect with via LinkedIn, stay committed. Authentic engagement takes time to cultivate.

In closing, I have met my fair share of networkers in my lifetime, but I have only met a handful of great networkers. What makes them great? They make the commitment!

Juking the Stats

2010-11-10T07:38:00.005-05:00

Blink:
Are our social media gurus Juking the Stats?

Read On:
The expression Juking the Stats was made popular by David Simon, creator/writer of the highly successful HBO series, The Wire. Simon believes America is populated by people willing to manipulate the system, make whatever they are doing appear right to achieve their goals.

I am still learning when it comes to social media. Thanks to working with companies that are just beginning to formulate their social media movements, I have disciplined myself to research and experiment in this new media world on a regular basis. Candidly, I sometimes feel overwhelmed when I filter through all the information/data. However, I do concur with all the self-proclaimed experts (a.k.a. social media gurus) that we all need to listen first, act second. Listening equates to finding/building your community. I believe building a community requires hard work and you build an engaged community one member at a time. Others believe in loading the numbers or Juking the Stats. Let me share:

· Consultants are beginning to use third-party software to increase their client’s number of followers like uSocial for Twitter. The more followers you have, the more people instantly know what your business is about or do they? Better yet, are the followers in your target market?

· Rewarding fans for “liking” a brand on Facebook has become common practice. In my industry Einstein Bagels offered a free bagel to new fans. In three days their community exploded from 4,700 to 350,000 fans. Is this a prudent way to recruit an authentic fan base long-term? A recent ExactTarget Study on How and Why Facebook Users Interact with Brands revealed that 39% friend a brand to show support for a company; 40% do so to receive discounts or promotions; 36% to get a “freebie.”

· Be on the alert for Mommy Bloggers who have been recruited to be Brandies and become a Facebook fan. Recently I was monitoring a pizza chain restaurant that offered fans a free gift card if 100,000 signed up by October 31st. By the middle of October, I realized they were falling short of their goal. Then I began to read on their Facebook page that people indicated that the Brand Ambassador or TheMomMaven.com sent me; each new fan was welcomed. Out of curiosity I drilled down and discovered two Mommy Bloggers that posted a contest on their sites, enter to win $25 if you became a fan of the chain. Authentic? Faux? Your call.

· Beware of “Black Hats,” search engine optimization (SEO) tactics that are designed to achieve higher search rankings in an unethical manner – keyword stuffing or using hidden text or links.

Are you honestly building your social media community one member at a time or Juking the Stats?

Opacity

2010-11-04T07:27:00.002-04:00

Blink:
Opacity prevents change.

Read On:
I love words. Consequently I have disciplined myself to utilize the dictionary whenever I come across a word with which I am unfamiliar or uncomfortable. Today, in an op-ed about the current state of affairs in America, the author wrote: “Opacity kills.” I then learned the concise definition of opacity is dullness. I immediately made the connection to two blogs I wrote about the subject of status quo; The Waiting Place and A Lesson From Charlie Bottomline, status quo, doing the same old thing, breeds mediocrity; to me mediocrity is a form of opacity that prevents change.

Recently I received a Pitney Bowes direct mail piece for their new Mailstation 2™ digital mailing system. Made me question: 1.) Marketing is moving to Web 2.0 and utilization of social media tools. What is the market potential for their product; and B.) I hardly use snail mail anymore. Why was I included in their target market? Answer: Pitney Bowes suffers from opacity.

Don’t be the last to change with the times. Remember, opacity prevents change.

Business as Usual

2010-10-28T10:03:00.001-04:00

Blink:
Success, both personal and business, has been the spine of my October blogs. To close out the month, I would like to explore what happens to a successful company that conducts business as usual. Nokia is a great case study.

Read On:
In 2004, three years before Apple introduced the iPhone, Nokia’s series 60 Sybiam development team presented prototypes to their senior management. The Internet-ready, touch screen smartphone prototypes would give Nokia the world’s largest maker of mobile phones at the time a powerful competitive advantage. The software needed to produce the handset would have added an additional cost of $2.05 to each unit. The team also conceived an early design for a Nokia online applications store similar to what Apple launched in 2007. The design team was shot down. As a result, management’s decision opened the door for Apple, Research in Motion of Canada (BlackBerry phones), Samsung and LG of South Korea.

Why did this happen? Nokia’s early success in mobile phones created a top heavy organization that bred a culture of infighting among management teams with competing agendas. The Sybiam series were considered too costly/risky at the time. In addition, Nokia’s top managers came from the network equipment side of business, thus had little knowledge to keep up with the shift in the industry from communications hardware to software-based services. As a result, innovation was killed, Nokia stayed with its playbook too long, complacency set in.

Where does Nokia stand today? According to research firm Strategy Analytics Nokia controls approximately 40.3 percent of the worldwide mobile market. In the U.S., their smartphone share has slipped to 8.1 percent from 9.1 percent from the previous year according to ComScore. However, despite their shortcomings their smartphones will account for 16 percent (approximately 75 million) of the 475 million phones they plan to produce this year. As a point of comparison, Apple reported selling 33 million iPhones through June 26. Nokia also decided to go outside its management ranks and hired its first non-Finnish CEO, Stephen Elop, a Canadian who ran Microsoft’s business software division. His mission will be to address the company’s suffocating bureaucracy and get it back on track.

Will you be conducting business as usual next year?

Enterprise Zimbabwe

2010-10-22T08:21:00.001-04:00

Blink:
Poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: “Success is to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or redeemed social condition.” Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, will leave his mark.

Read On:
Zimbabwe is perceived by many to be one of the most arduous countries in Africa to lend a hand. Its GDP has pummeled to $1.8 billion from a peak of $13 billion. Its unemployment rate is 90%. To further compound matters, its long time leader, President Robert Mugabe is notorious for suppression of his political opponents. Bottomline, Zimbabwe is considered a failed state.

Not to billionaire optimist Richard Branson. Once again he quietly challenged conventional wisdom a year ago by establishing Enterprise Zimbabwe. The founder of the Virgin Group, with the help of several other organizations, has attracted money to open hospitals where nurses are getting paid and distributing textbooks to primary schools. Branson made his organization’s official launch back in mid-September at a gathering of the Clinton Global Initiative to raise more money.

Richard Branson, once again validates his successful optimism.

The First Gretzky

2010-10-19T09:06:00.003-04:00

Blink:
Hockey superstar Wayne Gretsky was asked, what makes you so great? He responded: “I am always skating to where the puck is going to be.” His rebuttal has forever resonated for me. Nestlé is skating to where the puck is going to be, thus becomes SMARTKETING’s first Gretzky award winner.

Read On:
Nestlé announced this past month that they were making two major R&D investments, but will not yield a return on investment for years to come.

The first was that they are planning to build a R&D center and two manufacturing facilities in India. Their plan is to primarily use local ingredients and spices, as well as utilize low-cost Indian research, engineering and labor to make products for India and the rest of the world. The R&D center will be their 30th worldwide. As a marketer I am not surprised by Nestlé’s move. Leading Western companies like Kraft thanks to its acquisition of Cadbury, General Motors, DuPont and Bristol-Myers Squibb have all made the move to India. They are targeting emerging markets where fast growing economies in conjunction with younger populations will expand a consumer base that can afford consumer goods. What does impress me is the commitment that Nestlé made public: A.) Their R&D center will cost an estimated $50 million to build and hold 100 employees. They do not plan to outsource any of their R&D work; and B.) Currently India only accounts for 1% or $1.1 billion of their overall worldwide sales of $108 billion. Their goal is to achieve 45 percent of their total sales from emerging markets by 2020.

Nestlé’s second announcement was about their plan to create Nestlé Health Science and expand into the flourishing health and wellness market. This new wholly owned subsidiary will include an R&D unit in which they plan to invest over $500 million in pioneering a new industry between food and pharmaceuticals. Their products will assist and treat disease prevention that are the leading cause of deaths globally – diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease.

The Swiss food giant is aggressively investing in its future, a great example of planning for long-term results – skating to where the puck is going to be. Nestlé gets the Gretzky.

Long-Term Results

2010-10-13T08:58:00.002-04:00

Blink:
Long-term results are mainly determined by short-term decisions, plus practicing patience and fortitude.

Read On:
As a Business Catalyst that strives to make things happen, I get to work with clients on a wide range of projects – new product introductions, strategic alliances, buzz marketing movements, etc. The one area I enjoy the most is strategic planning, especially now that I have been afforded the opportunity to work with companies that are beginning to formulate their plans as it relates to the new world of social media. The part I like the most about strategic planning is not just the overall process, but providing recommendations that each client then reviews and makes appropriate decisions that will impact their business. As I stated above, once these short-term decisions are made, if a company practices patience and fortitude, long-term results will follow.

I do not choose to write a lengthy blog about the strategic planning process to which my company subscribes. I respect that every company has a process that works best for their needs. Instead, I would like to share five rules that I utilize when developing business plans. They are the following:

Rule One – Do not over process. Remember, you still have customers to service.

Rule Two – Be focused during the planning process. Establish realistic measures.

Rule Three – Execute the plan. Otherwise it will end up on the shelf and gather dust.

Rule Four – Be flexible. “Nothing endures but change.” – Heraclitus

Rule Five – Don’t fear failure. Expect it! Learn from it!

It is time to make those key short-term decisions.

Success

2010-10-04T01:07:00.002-04:00

Blink:
What is success?

Read On:
suc●cess \sək-‘ses noun (1537) 1: outcome, result. 2a: degree of succeeding b: favorable or desired outcome; also the attainment of wealth, favor or eminence 3: one that succeeds.

“The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary.”
- Vidal Sassoon

“It takes twenty years of hard work to become an overnight success.”
- Diane Rankin

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”
- John Wooden

“Success is measured by the memories you create.”
- Unknown

“Success is never final."
- Winston Churchill

Craving & Grazing

2010-09-30T01:43:00.002-04:00

Blink:
We’re walking, we’re talking, we’re craving, and we’re grazing. Having grown up in an era of technology, our mobile/wired Millennials have developed an “of the moment” mentality. No surprise, their snacking behavior is a result of their spontaneous lifestyles.

Read On:
Earlier in the year, Technomic’s released the 2010 Snacking Occasion Consumer Trends Study that documented consumers snacking habits. Versus two years ago, 21 percent indicated that they snack more often; 55 percent of those surveyed indicated that they snack at least once per day. A larger percentage of snacks are bought at retail locations and eaten at home. However, consumers aged 18 to 24 are more likely to snack outside the house. To me this further validates the Millennials 24/7 on the go, got to have it now, craving frame of mind.

The study also indicated that the top three driving snack consumption factors were convenience (62%), portability (59%) and price (48%). All bode well for foodservice operators targeting Millennials, especially by offering an attractive price point. Cost control is a major driver of their food choices, since this group has been hit hardest by the recession – unemployment 19.5% in the first quarter versus the 9.5% average for the entire workforce.

Other relevant snacking information that I read recently was provided in a study conducted by the research company Mintel. Peak snacking occurred between 3 to 6 PM (37 percent of their respondents), but people tend to spend more between 6 to 8 PM, an average of $4.26 per person versus $3.79 across all other time periods. A majority of the people snacking were looking for beverage (64%) or something portable (61%). Over half (52%) craved something indulgent, while a smaller percentage (32%) desired a healthy option.

Closing thought: Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Will Americans have time to sit down for their traditional Thanksgiving meal or will they make the move towards “grab & go?”

Brandies

2010-09-22T03:29:00.003-04:00

Blink:
I find all the recent articles about brand advocates, people that recommend brands (products or services), without being paid to do so, very stimulating. Moving forward, thanks to social networking, aggressive marketers will learn how to better indentify and inoculate these individuals better known as Brandies.

Read On:
The term viral marketing became popular in the late 90’s. It described the new marketing strategies that were being utilized to creatively convey a marketer’s message that ultimately resulted in the message’s exponential growth and overall influence. The analogy to a biological virus was best framed in the 2003 book Buzz: Harness the Power of Influence and Create Demand by Salzman, Mathia and O’Reilly. They documented three definitive stages:

· Inoculation – The point of where an individual is introduced/exposed to a pathogenic organism.

· Incubation – The time period elapsed between exposure and when symptoms/signs of the virus were apparent.

· Infection – Full blown spread of the virus.

No surprise, the social media revolution has further enhanced viral marketing. As I have shared in numerous blogs, tech savvy marketers are actively listening and engaging with their online communities. They are looking to identify brand advocates, people who are the key/mass influencers in your online community. They will move the needle on your business as your virtual sales force, spreading positive word of mouth and attracting new customers. I call these people Brandies. Once Brandies are identified they need to be inoculated.

One simple form of inoculation is recognition which I addressed in my blog Anticipation. Companies are now learning to utilize loyal product users as a source for open innovation. The case study I shared was Kimberly Clark’s Huggies MomInspired Grant Program which is awarding $250 thousand in seed capital and resources to mothers with great ideas to market. In my industry, foodservice, Papa John’s created the Specialty Pizza Challenge. The contest attracted 12,000 Facebook entries; by August the entries were narrowed down to three finalists whose creations were menued. The big winner was Los Angeles Brandie Barbara Hyman. Her “cheesy chicken cordon bleu” pizza creation accounted for 45 percent of the 250,000 specialty pizzas sold by Papa John’s in August. Papa John’s contest was a viral success.

Whether you are a B2C or B2B company, it is time to identify, inoculate via recognition, your Brandies.

Toddler Steps

2010-09-10T07:28:00.005-04:00

Blink:
Numerous articles are surfacing indicating that a majority of companies jumped into the social media frenzy without a cohesive game plan or measurement in place. Being a classically trained marketer, I am a strong advocate of strategic planning, but when it comes to social media, I recommend toddler steps.

Read On:
Back in June, Digital Brand Expressions released findings of a study they conducted among 100 companies – 49% were less than 100 employees, 32% had 50 to 999 employees and the remainder, 19% had more than 1,000 employees. Key Learning: 78% of the respondents indicated that they were utilizing social media; only 41% had a strategic plan in place. If my math is correct, 68% of the business universe does not have a social media plan. What resulted were a plethora of articles providing tips of “how to” formulate the perfect plan. Blogger Parissa Behnia said it best in her piece titled Cosmopolitan and Social Media; we are always reading how to articles to be more successful.

Over the remainder of the summer, all the social media gurus began addressing the need to listen and find your community, engage with your community, find the right content to deliver to your community, find the right platforms, etc. What I did not read were two basic building blocks for the foundation of a solid social media plan that would require toddler steps:

· Culture – Famous adage; "Culture Trumps Strategy." Your entire company has to embrace the need and commitment for social media. Otherwise, you can develop the most brilliant strategy, but if your corporate culture is composed of tree huggers that insist on doing it the same old way, culture will trump strategy every time.

· Resources – How are you going to manage the process? Best practices address that it should be internal, an inner voice, thus the responsibility of a PR department. Not every company can afford these resources, thus need to implement a team approach. Responsibilities and time commitment need to be clearly defined.

Referencing ancient Chinese philosopher Lau Tzu: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Remember when it comes to social media, the journey begins with toddler steps.

Flip Flops

2010-09-01T06:24:00.002-04:00

Blink:
“Velcro parents”, now that you have dropped your children off at college, chill. Even as you review your credit card bills complete with charges from Best Buy, Linen & Things,
Apple Store, etc., put things in perspective, you saved on footwear thanks to Flip Flops.

Read On:
I was motivated by curiosity to pinpoint the origin of modern day flip flops and learned that they evolved from a plant based, flat and thonged Japanese sandal known as a Zōri. It is documented that the production of the rubber soled version were first produced in Kobe, Japan back in the early 1930s. Flip flops first appeared in America after World War II when soldiers bought back the Japanese Zōri, including the cheaper rubber soled editions as souvenirs. Historian Edward Tenner wrote in his book “Our Own Devices” that their low cost of production and consumer demand fueled Japan’s economic recovery post World War II.

The original designs of flip flops have virtually been unchanged for 80 years. It was in the 1950’s as “pop culture” evolved, bright colors were added and the name was coined thanks to the sound they made. At first, flip flops represented the informal lifestyle of California and surfing as kids wore them to the beach or to the pool. Rubber flip flops could be purchased everywhere – dime stores, surf stores and supermarkets. Then platforms became more stylized (e.g., wood, bamboo, leather) and by the 90s they were part of the fashion landscape, thus worn all the time.

Worldwide, especially in many countries with low GDPs, flip flops are a practical, affordable form of footwear that protects the soles of people that would otherwise walk around barefoot. Here in the US; the estimated overall market for footwear is $45 billion with flip flops accounting for $2 billion. One article I read indicated that with an average price of $10 per pair, $5 Wal-Mart specials to designer Gucci’s over $200, there are approximately 200 million pairs sold annually.

What? You just noticed on your credit card bill a $150 charge for a pair of Swarovski crystal studded Jean-Paul Gaultier flip flops. Cheer up! Think about how much money you will save on clothing when Target introduces unisex Kimonos next year.

Senior Boomers

2010-08-27T08:30:00.003-04:00

Blink:
I understand marketers’ obsession targeting youthful consumers between the ages of 18 and 49. Rationale: This group has not yet committed to their favorite consumer goods while older folks have. Marketers, time to shift your focus to Baby Boomers, soon to become Senior Boomers in the next decade.

Read On:
Baby Boomers according to the US Census Bureau is someone born during the Post-World War II baby boom between 1946 and 1964; an estimated seventy-six million Americans who now range in age from 46 to 64. Some facts marketers need to take into account as Baby Boomers mature in the next decade:

· Market researchers forecast that the younger generation known as Millennials or Gen Y will have fewer children, leading to smaller households, thus fewer consumers to lure over the next decade. On the other hand, the over-fifty crowd will grow 21% in numbers.

· Baby Boomers have an estimated annual spending power of $1 trillion. More specifically, the over-50 crowd outspends the under-50 crowd by $400 billion. As a frame of reference, Walmart net sales in 2009 were $401.2 billion.

· Myth: Boomers are too old to embrace technology. Wrong! A recent Forrester study indicated that 60% of Baby Boomers are avid social media users. Their usage is up 40% throughout the various social media platforms versus a year ago. They also account for 40% of customers paying for wireless (don’t forget most are still paying for their children’s mobile phones) and 41% of the customers buying Apple computers.

· An estimated 40% of all Baby Boomers are grandparents; over 55% of all grandparents alive today are Boomers. On the flipside, due to divorce, some grandchildren have more than one set of grandparents. Bodes well for the amount of disposable income spent on grandchildren over the next decade. Advertisers need to evoke the emotional chord of Boomer grandparents.

Sounds like advertisers need to now recognize the shift in demographics/market dynamics and focus their marketing dollars. Senior Boomers are going to be where the buying action is over the next decade. Senior Boomers are going to be the young “old”.

Integrated Generosity

2010-08-18T09:23:00.003-04:00

Blink:
The Chronicle of Philanthropy calculated that fund raising excluding Haiti relief, grew a median of 11 percent in the first quarter of 2010. Despite the economy, America’s giving spirit also continues to proliferate as it relates to consumer products or services with a charitable component – what I title integrated generosity.

Read On:
My first exposure to social enterprise was back in 1982 with Newman’s Own salad dressings. Actor Paul Newman’s food company pioneered the concept when he donated 100% of the proceeds after taxes from the products he marketed to various charities – currently over $300 million and still counting. It was American Express in 1983 that coined the term “cause marketing” with their efforts to support charitable causes, specifically the Statue of Liberty Restoration Project.

Flash forward to 2009 when the term Generation G surfaced. Consumers disgusted by corporate greed and a shaky economy, recognized the importance of “generosity” as a community mindset, thus wanted to support socially responsible businesses. In response corporations are implementing what trend watchers call “embedded generosity” strategies that make giving and donating relevant. A classic example is IKEA’s SUNNAN LED desk lamp powered by solar cells. For every unit they sell worldwide, they will donate an additional unit to UNICEF to give to children living in remote areas without electricity.

What‘s next? Integrated generosity where consumers connect with their communities online via social media to champion a cause. My personal favorite is Tasty TwEats, a cookbook conceived by world travelers that conduct a weekly conversation on Twitter. People submit their favorite recipe or sponsor a page for a minimal donation of $25, with all proceeds going to Planeterra a global grassroots organization that matches each donation 100 percent. People then select the project or cause they want to support. This coming September, integrated generosity will take center stage in the restaurant industry during Share Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out. The mission of this event is to raise funds to end childhood hunger in America by 2015. Restaurateurs will be utilizing numerous social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, etc.) to engage with their guest’s to promote participation in the event running from September 19th through the 25th. Mark your calendar, the
Great American Dine Out tweet-a-thon is scheduled for Monday, September 20th. You can sample integrated generosity first hand and eat some good food too!

Anticipation

2010-08-03T06:45:00.003-04:00

Blink:
The seventh annual Boston Consulting Group survey on innovation indicated that seventy-two percent of respondents revealed that their company considers it a top-three priority this year. However, thanks to the economy; companies are gearing their innovation toward minor improvements to existing products and services. Why is everyone behaving so cautiously?

Read On:
The BCG ratings were the highest in the seven year history of the survey. A majority of the companies, sixty-one percent, indicated their company would boost spending, but only 26 percent planned to raise it significantly (by more than 10 percent). When probed, C-level executives and decision makers revealed that the two biggest factors holding down spending on innovation were a risk-adverse corporate culture or lengthy product development times. I am going to take the liberty and add a third factor – over processing.

Back in 2009 in my blog titled Good Thinking, I wrote that innovation is essentially about making unexpected connections between things (looking for new places to make connections). Unfortunately we are all guilty of getting caught up in the day to day firefighting of maintaining our business or staying on budget. As a result, we tend to overlook making those connections. When companies finally decide it is time to innovate, a majority tend to practice closed innovation and rely on their R&D departments or other key employees to fuel the lengthy process. Henry Chesbrough from the Center of Innovation at UC Berkley challenged our thinking back in 2006 when he published his book Open Innovation: The New Imperative for Creating and Profiting Technology. He advocated that companies need to use external ideas as well as internal.

With the advent of social networks, I now believe open innovation will thrive more than ever. As a result, companies will be able to reduce innovation spending – external online feedback notwithstanding the cost to monitor it, is relatively low cost. Let me share two great examples:

· Outback Steakhouse back in June posted a survey on Facebook asking their fans what favorites from the last twenty two years should they bring back. They fielded 600 comments. This approach appears more streamline than conducting internal brainstorming sessions, product tastings, product testing, etc

· Kimberly-Clark has been tapping into the various communities of young mothers for over a year now. Their listening validated research conducted by Babson College that documented women have been credited with starting businesses at nearly twice the rate of men, but still experience a difficult time raising venture capital. As a result, Kimberly Clark cleverly launched the Huggies MomInspired Grant Program providing $250 thousand in seed capital and resources to bring great ideas to market. Sounds like a great way to fill Huggies innovation pipeline.

Thanks to our “pull” economy, consumers/communities are constantly buzzing daily about products and services. Market leaders, take note, this is not the time to act cautiously. Make innovation your number one strategic priority – listen and anticipate.

Pets USA Revisited

2010-07-22T07:52:00.003-04:00

Blink:
I recently read an interesting tidbit – Americans spent $17.6 billion on pet food in 2009. This figure reminded me of last summer’s blog Pets USA. Time to revisit what is going on with pet ownership.

Read On:
According to the American Pet Products Association, the number of U.S. households that own a pet is still 71.4 million, but spending will increase to an estimated $47.7 billion in 2010 versus $45.4 billion in 2009. Detailed below are some new products/services now available to dog owners:

· PAW SpotLight GPS Pet Locator – Your dog can now wear a business card size device on their collar and you will be notified via text message on your mobile device if he or she leaves one of the zones you have designated. You can then track your dog on your phone to relocate or call AKC Car, a 24/7 recovery service that has partnered with PAW; a monthly service for only $20.

· Maybe the reason your dog wanders is because he or she is wound up. For $17.50 per ounce you can buy HomeoPet’s anti-anxiety formula and spike their water.

· Maybe the reason your dog wanders is because he or she is getting old. May I recommend Purina One Vibrant 7+ Senior Formula, a remixed formula with botanical oils that increases brain function in older dogs – $45 for a 34-pound bag? Better yet, may I suggest you start early with healthy habits by feeding your puppies Stella & Chewy's line of food made from organic fruits and vegetables and meats that are free of antibiotics and hormones. Don’t forget to get a PetZen dog treadmill for $500 to $900 to keep your dog in shape so he or she does not get obese. The American Veterinary Medical Association reported that 40% of U.S. dogs are overweight.

· Want to make a good investment for potential carpet mishaps? Look at companies marketing pet cleaning devices: Proctor & Gamble’s line of Swiffer products (e.g., SweeperVac for dog hairs) or Bissell (e.g., SpotBot Deep Cleaner, a steam cleaner for tough spots). Arm & Hammer’s carpet deodorizer OXICLEAN® still works for those on a tight budget

The anticipated $2.3 billion increase in pet spending represents a 5.1% increase in a down economy. Bow Wow!

Cell Me The Snacks

2010-07-13T08:44:00.009-04:00

Blink:
Today’s post is the first of my annual summer series under the umbrella theme of What’s Next USA? I will start with M-Commerce – Cell Me The Snacks! Other blogs that will follow:

- Pets USA Revisited
- Anticipation
- Integrated Generosity
- Senior Boomers
- Flip Flops

Read On:
I debuted my new stump speech titled Millennial Marketing last month in Boston. Later that evening, I went into Cambridge to treat myself to dinner at Legal Sea Foods. When I looked around the restaurant, I observed several teenagers with their parents, disengaged, busy texting away with their flying fingers. They only validated what I had presented earlier in the day; M-Commerce is ready to explode to the next level.

As a marketing geek, I always enjoy reviewing/evaluating data. Detailed below are some key highlights from my speech that corroborate how M-Commerce is ready to positively impact the foodservice industry:

· According to Nielsen, 13 to 17 year olds now text on average 2,899 times per month. If my math is correct, that equates to 93.5 text messages a day. Given that an average teenager sleeps 8.3 hours per day, do the text math per hour. Earlier in the year, the Kaiser Family Foundation report on media usage for 8 to 18 year olds revealed 118 text messages per day for this group. More importantly, only 14% had parental controls for the amount of time they could spend texting. Apparently there were no parental controls at Legal Sea Foods last month.

· The same Kaiser Family Foundation report revealed that this group packs 10.45 hours of media usage into 7-1/2 hours per day. Imagine their multi-tasking skills in five years time.

· One of my leading sources eMarketer predicts that 49.4% of mobile users will be accessing the Internet from their smartphones by 2013. In the past six months they indicated 40% of smartphone users purchased something besides an application via their units. Age was not factored into these numbers. Personally I think these numbers are light, given that Juniper reported that there were 2.4 billion applications in 2009 and this figure will jump to 36 billion by 2014.

· A study conducted by one of the major contract feeders in America indicated that 35% of the meals eaten by Millennials were snacks; they eat on average 4.3 times a day.

What is the implication for the restaurant industry? A blurring of dayparts – operators need to begin planning their current menus beyond breakfast, lunch and dinner. They will need to develop convenient (grab & go), portion control (400 calories or less) snack items to address the grazing eating habits of our mobile/wired, 24/7 Millennials. M-Commerce will be a great way to drive traffic via SMS promotions, videos, loyalty programs, etc. Cell Me The Snacks!

Disconnect

2010-07-01T09:19:00.006-04:00

Blink:
I am not surprised that I am now beginning to read numerous articles about social media addiction. Given the approach of the July 4th holiday weekend signaling the beginning of summer vacations, now is a good time to re-evaluate how much time you spend on social media. Suggestion: Time to disconnect.

Read On:
By the numbers:

· Facebook with its 400 million plus community would now rank as the fifth largest country in the world, behind China, India, United States and Indonesia. The ongoing Retrevo Gadegetology Report indicated that 56% of its members check in everyday, 12% every couple of hours. The under 25 crowd revealed that 19% of those surveyed definitely check in if they wake up in the middle of the night, 32% as soon as they wake up. No surprise given that the Pew Research Center indicated 83% of Millennials sleep with their mobile phones.

· For those reading this blog over 25, according to the same Retrevo survey, 20% sometimes check their Facebook account if they wake up in the middle of the night, 21% as soon as they get up.

· Experian Simmons just released their 2010 Social Networking Report last week which indicated that 43% of adult Americans check their networking sites multiple times a day.

· The only relevant Twitter numbers I found for this blog was comScore who now estimates that the number of tweets per day has gone from 20 million per day in July of 2009, to over an estimated 50 million per day this year same time.

In closing, my personal Millennial guru, Sharalyn Hartwell wrote a great post earlier this month about a study conducted at the University of Maryland to determine students connection to media. Two hundred students were asked to go without media (mobile phones, laptops, iPods, television, etc.) for twenty-four hours. Conclusion: They felt withdrawn, isolated, dysfunctional, unwilling to be without their links to the world.

So now I challenge everyone to disconnect over the holiday weekend. Take timeout to enjoy your family time, the beach, barbecues, etc. At the end of the weekend ask yourself that tough question: Have I become too addicted to social media? I will be interested in your feedback.

OMG

2010-06-24T05:35:00.003-04:00

Blink:
Interesting tweet: Who wants free late-night shots @ Mercadito? @foodietheapp does! Head in after 10pm, everyone order all-u-can-eat tacos, get shots. Easy.

My query is did Mercadito go beyond their tweet to generate viral buzz better known as OMG.

Read On:
We all agree that Web 2.0 has provided us with the tools that facilitate real time conversation. As a result, we are now experiencing a “pull” economy. Brand marketers are rushing to field their social media presence on the Internet – follow us on Facebook and Twitter being the standard play. What puzzles me is how limited the focus has been on generating positive viral buzz, especially in the food industry. To date most of the viral buzz has been negative word-of-mouth. Two examples that illustrate my point:

- Greenpeace's assault on Nestlé Kit Kat bars usage of palm oil a byproduct from deforestation, thus calling them out on the carpet to clean up their supply chain. Their Have a break videos have been uploaded 1.1 million times and still counting. They have facilitated a community of “not fans” on their Facebook page prompting their Chairman, Peter Brabeck-Letamthe to post a letter calling for a moratorium on destruction of rainforests.

- Danone had to counter a viral attack in Argentina on its Actimel yogurt brand being harmful.

So what about designing movements to generate positive buzz in the food industry? One master is Ramon DeLeon out of Chicago. He learned the hard way when his Domino’s crew made a servicing mistake, thus coined the expression: “Put social media fires out with social media water.” Now, thanks to engaging with his customers via numerous social media tools, Ramon has created positive viral buzz.

Back to Mercadito’s original tweet which was retweeted, a form of viral marketing. However where was the OMG factor (Oh My Gosh; Oh My God!)? Why did they not walk up to a table of all you can eat taco guests and say “Tacos on us”? Imagine if they did, plus videoed/photographed, then posted their reaction on their Facebook location or Flickr. Why did they not announce they would be rewarding another free table at midnight? I bet the tweets/texts would have been flying off their guests’ fingers. Why did they not walk up to an individual and present a $50 gift certificate for being the best dressed? Again a video/photograph of that individual’s reaction would have generated positive viral buzz and potential organic growth for Mercadito and Foodie.

The food industry needs to begin capitalizing on the positive viral buzz that is at their finger tips when it comes to spreading the good news. It is that simple. Oh my gosh! LOL.

LGBT

2010-06-09T00:04:00.003-04:00

Blink:
“Don’t ask, don’t tell”, the controversial military policy will hopefully be resolved by 2011. In the interim, while a majority of Americans are finally recognizing the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community; savvy marketers are meeting today in Los Angeles for AdweekMedia's Gay & Lesbians Consumers Conference.

Read On:
The acronym LGBT originated in the 1990’s, still ignites controversy. Members of the community view the lettering as an attempt to be politically correct or a categorization not truly representative of the issues pertaining to each individual group. Regardless, marketers, especially when targeting consumer groups, always tend to develop buckets that best describe their target audience – demographics like women 35 to 49, college educated, $70 thousand plus income etc. AdweekMedia’s two day Gay & Lesbians Consumers Conference is another convenient bucket created to help businesses across a broad range of industries target the $700 billion gay and lesbian market.

IKEA back in 1994 was the first company that actively targeted gay consumers, when they aired a commercial depicting two men shopping for furniture. Soon after IKEA’s strategic move, it was estimated that 36% of Fortune 100 companies began advertising directly to the gay and lesbian market. Extrapolating data from multiple sources, advertising expenditures targeting LGBT, today are in the neighborhood of $300 million (gay print media, LOGO gay network, B2B, digital, etc.). However, critics argue that targeting gays and lesbians is not an indication of social acceptance, but an attempt to tap into an affluent market. Some research nuggets that advertisers and network executives are spotting – gays and lesbians index over twice as likely to be professionals or managers with an average household income of $85 thousand plus.

Here is the irony of directly targeting the LGBT community. A study released earlier in the year by SF based Community Marketing Inc., revealed that purchase decisions were impacted more by what you do, not by what you say. Only twenty-two percent of the respondents indicated that advertising in LGBT newspapers and magazines influenced their buying behavior in comparison to forty-five percent by a company’s social policies – non-discrimination in hiring or recognition of domestic partners. Top tier companies perceived to be gay-friendly identified in a consumer study (Prime Access/Planet Out Inc.) are Bravo Network, Apple, Levi’s, Absolut, Starbucks to name a few.

As a marketing geek, I always find product positioning, especially when it comes to identifying the target audience challenging. I plan to review the outcome of AdWeekMedia’s conference. For me, when it comes to addressing the needs of the LGBT community, it is not about a company’s advertising, but more about its overall corporate policy. If a company decides to advertise specifically to the LGBT community, then it needs to get its messaging correct, a lesson McDonald’s is now learning, thanks to its controversial French TV ad, "Come as your are."

ATP Revisited

2010-06-02T06:39:00.002-04:00

Blink:
Last month I conducted a radio interview about a networking modus operandi I value, ATP (Authenticity Touch Points). As a result, I was reminded of my 2009 ATP post, specifically as it related to navigating LinkedIn. It is time for a six month ATP review.

Read On:
For starters, LinkedIn has grown by 15 million people and now is a worldwide business oriented community of 65 million registered users and still growing. Personally, I have made numerous new connections, some of which are not even in my immediate sphere of business. Regularly I only engage with a hand full of people. I even engage with an individual on the other side of the globe in Australia. Notice I use the word engage, versus saying that I am connected. That is the spine of why I wanted to revisit my concept of ATP.

I have lost track of my time vested in LinkedIn in the last six months, but this much I have concluded. There are two buckets into which networkers fall: Situational and Sustainable.

Situational networkers are driven by the “what’s in it for me” networking philosophy. They are looking for connections to either expand their personal or company’s network. Situational networkers have bought new definition to the word ephemeral. A typical example: I post a comment to an individual’s discussion in a group, they respond with a thank you, plus an immediate invitation to connect on LinkedIn without even knowing what business I am in. Once we are connected, I invariably receive one of their huckster solicitations. Oh by the way, I am amazed by how many of the situational networkers are coaching gurus with 500+ connections expounding “How to Build Your Business”.

The second bucket, about 10% of the people I have met via LinkedIn are sustainable networkers. People that value people relationships long-term, thus expend the energy to nurture these relationships on a continual basis. Nurturing takes engagement. That is where ATP (Authenticity Touch Points) comes into play. The initial step is to ask questions – classic phone calls or emails are a great way to learn about each other’s businesses, background, etc. Information exchange via articles/links is another element of ATP. Thanks to travel, I even have had the opportunity to physically engage live with LinkedIn connections over drinks or coffee, but unfortunately, Australia is not in my immediate travel plans.

I value being a sustainable networker. Thanks to experimentation, I have honed my ATP skills, which now serve as an excellent filtering tool as I selectively connect and then engage with new people in the LinkedIn community.

ATP Revisited is the first installment of my three blog June Alphabet Series. My next post is titled LGBT.

Breaking the Code

2010-05-18T04:21:00.005-04:00

Blink:
Switch, the new book by the Heath brothers, uses story-telling narrative, to illustrate transformative change. As a Business Catalyst, facilitating change is my mantra. Not an easy task, but it is all about breaking the code.

Read On:
I am heading to Chicago tomorrow for the National Restaurant Show. I will have the opportunity to share with my peers how foodservice needs to move from the status quo and enter the conversations that are going on out there, exclusively with their key customers guests’ conversations. As a result, foodservice must now focus on more “pull” versus “push” marketing strategies – execute hybrid marketing, the topic of my last blog. So how am I going to break the code?

For starters, I am going to keep my message simple: social media is one new strategy that needs to be executed consistently in conjunction with a manufacturer’s current marketing mix. You do not have to be all things to all people. Explore and choose the platforms that works best for you (e.g., company blog, Facebook, YouTube, etc.). It is never too late to implement a social media strategy.

Next, I plan to strike an emotional chord with my audience. I will benchmark success stories from other industries, as well as share some hypothetical examples based on my research. I will advocate “Baby Steps” since change represents a new way of thinking. Back in 1989, who would have guessed that Americans would be paying $3.00 for a cup of coffee – Starbucks anticipated.

Markets are composed of consumers; consumers have to eat in order to survive. Thanks to Web 2.0, consumers are sharing information online about what they eat, where they eat, even as I post this blog. These are the conversations we need to tap into. As I addressed in The Waiting Place, stay away from the status quo and enjoy the places you will go.

Time to fly to Chicago and break the code.

Hybrid Marketing

2010-05-13T06:54:00.007-04:00

Blink:
Marketing boot camps are the current rage – a local gathering of marketing professionals exchanging ideas, more often than not, about the “buzz du jour”, interactive marketing. We now live in a digital age, but the real winners will know how to balance new and classic strategies, thus implement hybrid marketing.

Read On:
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the business classic The Cluetrain Manifesto. The book predicted the end of business as usual. To paraphrase authors Locke, Levine, Weinberger and Searls: "A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and inventing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than most companies." Note this book was released in 2000, pre-Web 2.0.

An established brand that implements hybrid marketing well is M&M’s® candy. First launched in 1941, M&M’s® has utilized classic marketing strategies to grow their business internationally – product extensions (including color), packaging changes, television and print advertising campaigns and multiple channel strategies. The M&M’s® Characters made their debut in 1954 and have evolved into America’s favorite spokes candies. In recognition of their characters popularity, M&M’s® jumped into interactive marketing full force. On their website, in addition to product information, recipes, a merchandise section, M&M’s® Racing club, they have a fun & games section (downloads, e-cards, videos and ads) to engage their customers. People can follow them on Facebook (over 950 thousand people worldwide). They used this social media platform to sample and launch their latest new product, M&M’s® Pretzel (FYI: not all of the comments posted were favorable). There are Twitter accounts for each of their colors/characters since they are currently running an integrated campaign across all medium to have their fans vote (online or via text) for their favorite color. Given that M&M’s® understands hybrid marketing, I would be remiss not to mention that they launched two classic marketing strategies in the past few years – an upscale strategy with premium candies; an exclusivity strategy offering consumers customized M&M’s®.

Marketing is morphing given all the new technology. More importantly, tech savvy consumers now want to engage with their favorite brands; have a voice. In spite of the advancement of Web 2.0, smart marketers understand the balancing act they need to now perform between executing new and classic strategies, better known as hybrid marketing.

I forgot to ask, who is your favorite M&M’s® character?

Perfection Has Its Price

2010-05-05T04:46:00.006-04:00

Blink:
What time is it? I just take out my BlackBerry for the answer. Some people look at their Rolex watches. Perfection Has Its Price.

Read On:
Disclaimer: I am not a watch person.

According to Business Week, Rolex is one of the world’s most valuable brands. Since the Swiss company’s conception in the early 20th century, they have been renowned for manufacturing precision wrist watches – their brand's stamp. Over time they tapped into the luxury market of watches. Their product line is exclusive, synonymous with the timepiece of choice for the wealthy, status-conscious and celebrities. A quick search on the Internet revealed a Presidential line for both men and women timepieces ranging from seven to thirteen thousand dollars. With another pixel, I located on Amazon.com the Rolex Oyster Special Edition Cosmograph Daytona Leopard Men’s Watch for $51,600. I wonder if the owners of these watches are any more punctual than Timex owners.

FYI: Roger Federer is a spokesperson for Rolex. Enough said. Perfection Has Its Price.

Brand Stamps

2010-04-27T15:04:00.003-04:00

Blink:
I would like to share some words of wisdom with all the tech savvy, non-classically trained social media marketing experts out there, specifically as it relates to branding. The message: “Be like a postage stamp – stick to one thing until you get there” – Margaret Carty

Read On:
Marketers are utilizing social media tools to reach their customers enabling them to sustain and build their brand’s reputation. Thanks to the Internet, their ability to reach more consumers globally has increased radically. However, with everyone competing against direct or indirect competitors for consumers’ attention, it is now more important than ever to carefully fine tune your social media strategy. For starters, remember you cannot be all things to all people. Revisit the core essence of your brand, better known as your brand’s DNA, a topic I first addressed in my blog Luxury Brands Rock Asia.

The DNA of a strong brand is all about two significant components. A perfect example is Cirque du Soleil:

Code – What does the brand stand for? What is its core promise? Cirque du Soleil is a theatrical circus, absence of animals, but continuous live music and performers, rather than stage hands changing props.

Cue – The sensory signals that capture the attention of consumers. Consequently, credibility is developed over time, thanks to authentic, consistent performance – 19 shows in 40 plus countries on every continent except Antarctica, spanning 26 years.

Somewhere in the branding process, marketers lose their patience/focus. Brand Ego sets in, brand refreshment ensues. Marketers begin deviating from their brand’s core promise. Remember New Coke? I provided a classic case study back in 2009 with Airwalk.

Social media now provides new platforms to refresh brands. A marketer’s dream! I just would caution all the tech savvy social media experts to remain consistent with their brand’s DNA. Cirque du Soleil has taken that approach by developing a YouTube video of their upcoming 2011 Michael Jackson show which they post on Facebook and Twitter. They also use these tools to talk to their tribe, better known as Cirque Club. Over twenty five years they have stuck with their core promise of reinventing the circus – theatrical street performance without the animals.

Brand stamps! Stick to one thing until you get there.

Big Mobile is Watching

2010-04-20T08:32:00.002-04:00

Blink:
Last weekend I read an article in the NY Times about the advancement of couponing printed from the Internet or sent to mobile phones. Throw in the evolution of geolocation software, your mobile device will enable marketers to profile all your movements. Big Mobile is Watching!

Read On:
There are a lot of numbers floating out there about mobile phone usage, but for this blog I am going to focus in on eMarketer indicating that currently 34.5% of mobile phone users access the mobile Internet at least monthly; 50% by 2013. They also reported that two-fifths of smartphone owners reported buying something nonmobile over their phones in the last six months. According to Motorola’s Global Survey of in-store holiday shopping released in January, 51% of consumers tracked over 11 countries, used their mobile phones for in-store shopping – comparison shopping, product information, coupons, etc. The percentage jumped to 64% for Gen Y (ages 18 to 34) shoppers. In February, Target positioned itself as a leader in mobile retail where consumers can now download their gift cards (Target Mobile GiftCards). Other retailers are now following suit by going mobile with their loyalty rewards programs. Last, there is the rise of Foursquare and other location-based social networking sites that facilitate people to “check in” with each other. Foursquare is a real windfall for marketing savvy Retailers that target and reward “Mayors”, consumers that frequent their locations.

So what am I advocating here? M-Commerce is beginning to rule our lives. Consumer profiling companies are surfacing. They are accumulating mega consumer data based on monitoring your Internet searches via your mobile devices, your geographic Retail preferences (e.g., restaurant and bars you frequent), etc. Your mobile usage is then being coded on the bar code that you eventually swipe from your phone to buy promotional products/services. In the future, with the advancement of geolocation software and the increased marketing knowledge of Retailers, they will touch you every time you are within physical proximity of their location.

As I stated earlier, Big Mobile is Watching. Sounds like the Federal Trade Commission will have its work cut out in the future to tighten online advertising rules.

Let's Move

2010-04-14T06:54:00.004-04:00

Blink:
I first addressed Ms. Obama’s Let's Move campaign February 28th. Thanks to a recent road trip, I have come to the realization that the First Lady has a long road to travel, but at least she has taken the first steps to educate America on healthier habits (eating and physical activity).

Read On:
Let me share with you stop by stop what I witnessed firsthand:

- Campus #1 – Visited a prototype of a new campus C-Store being operated by one of the leading foodservice contract management companies in America. Impressive! It had a separate aisle for organic foods and a refrigerated section for healthier selections like salads, fruit, etc., but both sections paled in comparison to all the snack foods and soda that were being merchandised. My mission was to study the frozen foods section. One out of the four freezer windows had plenty of vegetarian and organic options, but I learned that the most popular items were Bagel Bites (200 calories per 2 piece serving, 50 calories from fat, 4 pieces per package), individual DiGiorno For One frozen pizzas (790 calories, 320 calories from fat) and a box of six White Castle sliders. I wonder what the average college student’s preferred beverage of choice would be for these items. Beer? Sounds like a separate research project.

- Campus #2 – While waiting for my interview, I sat in a campus café watching students inhale their food between classes. Read a recent Technomic snacking report that indicated people have increased their snacking and 35% indicated that their snacks were healthier. I must have witnessed the other 65%. I also noticed a table tent promoting the campus’s Burger challenge: a free T-Shirt plus your photo on the campus’s Burger Wall of Fame if you and a friend can clean your plate in 30 minutes – a 13 lb. burger. I wonder if any of the contestants actually ask for a side of French fries.

- At the Marriott Courtyard in the Baltimore harbor, I observed families of four tackle the $10.95 all you can eat breakfast buffet. In the February blog as referenced above, I indicated that if we were going support Ms. Obama’s campaign, it needed to start at home, thus I quoted an American writer: “Parents teach, institutions instruct.” I did not witness any teaching going on in the restaurant of the Marriott, but I will correct myself, parents were on holiday away from home, so they were entitled to a break.

Time for my closing thought. America, we need to start walking the talk if we are ever going to win the war on obesity. Our First Lady has pointed us in the right direction. We need to start taking those baby steps down the long journey ahead.

Happy Birthday

2010-04-01T01:20:00.004-04:00

Blink:
Today, April 1st, I would like to share with you a unique bio posted on my LinkedIn Boston Marketing Group. An American success story!

Read On:
Today is my 50th birthday. I own a successful interactive marketing company located in a cool loft in South Boston. I lead eight awesome teammates. This year will be a record year. We will book over $6 million. I am 24/7 thanks to my iPhone 3GS with 32 GB complete with 217 apps, but I must confess I have not taken a real vacation in four years.

You can follow me on twitter @ admon81. I have 14,511 followers, I follow 2,367. On LinkedIn I have 500+ connections, 814 to be exact and I participate regularly in 16 groups. I have two Facebook accounts; one corporate, one personal. Candidly I have lost count how many friends I have between the two. I have three blogs; one corporate, one family and one film blog. I love film trivia.

I own a mega mansion in Marblehead, 5,100 square feet complete with five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a state of the art kitchen with 2 refrigerators, 16 cabinets and a walk-in pantry. I have a wine cellar stocked with 189 bottles of choice wine, estimated value $10,000. I eat out on average, six days a week.

I have a three car garage; I own three cars – a 2009 Mercedes CL Coupe, a brand new Lexus Luxury Utility GX 10 and a classic, fully restored 1965 Mustang Convertible. I love my Harley, a 2008 Softail® Deluxe 105th Anniversary Edition.

I have been married twice, divorced twice. I have four beautiful children; one in graduate school, one in college, one in Tibet and one in pre-school. They all texted me today :-) Bday Dude.

I am sitting here solo in my favorite Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown. I just ate two plates of my favorite Dim Sum, one order of Lobster Cantonese, one bowl of brown rice and I drank two bottles of Tsingtao beer.

My fortune cookie read: “Get a life.”

Man’s Best Friend – An Update

2010-03-25T07:37:00.004-04:00

Blink:
Subsequent to suggesting in my previous blog that spring is in the air, I have set up residency in Washington Square Park here in Philadelphia. Plenty of fun observations, but again validated cell phones, not dogs, are now man’s best friend. It’s a good time for an update.

Read On:
CTIA, the International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry is wrapping up its spring show (CTIA 2010) in Las Vegas today. They reported, that as of June 2009, there were 276.6 million wireless subscribers which equates to a wireless penetration of 89% of U.S. Households. That compares to 39% of U.S. Households that own at least one dog; there are approximately 77.5 million dogs in the U.S.

In my original Man's Best Friend blog, I utilized Nielsen statistics that indicated there were 263 million subscribers of which 203 were texting. On average, people were texting more than calling (357 texts vs. 204 calls per month). No surprise, teens lead the pack. Nielsen now indicates American teens send an average 3,146 texts a month, an average of 10 per hour when they are not in school or sleeping. According to Nielsen, overall texting will continue to grow as this segment of the population ages, plus older generations’ text with them to stay in contact.

All these statistics were floating around in my head as I sat in Washington Square Park, since I recently had the opportunity to present my current stump speech Cell Me The Snacks at an industry conference. I addressed how mobile marketing is exploding, based on the potential of short codes, marketing messages sent via text messaging and the advancement of smartphone technology. Consumer behavior will be monitored 24/7. As a result marketers have developed five different psychographics of cell phone users. Two popped to top of mind as I sat in the park observing more people on their phones than walking dogs. The first being mobiratis, 19% of mobile phone owners that represent a generation that has grown up with cell phones and could not imagine life without them. The second being social connectors, 22% of mobile phone owners – communication is central to their lives, their phone is the conduit to their social world.

The mobiratis and social connectors have been out in full force this past week in my local park, but candidly no one appeared as connected as the few dogs that showed up. Observe dogs; they have a nose for connecting.

March Madness

2010-03-22T01:36:00.002-04:00

Blink:
Between following the social media pundits tweeting last week from SXSW 2010 to monitoring the NCAA Tournament, in concurrence with my daily internet surfing, I am experiencing March Madness.

Read On:
Last month I read an article in the Economist titled The Data Deluge. The crux of the piece was how the quantity of information is soaring. One source estimated that the world created 150 exabytes (billion gigabytes) of data in 2005; this year it will create 1,200 exabytes. If my math is correct, the amount of information in the last five years has increased 8 times. The increase resonated for me, since I have committed myself to working the various social media platforms in the last six months. Between navigating discussion groups in LinkedIn, reading numerous daily blogs and following select social media gurus on twitter, I actually think my information intake has far exceeded 8 times the amount I experienced a year ago at this time.

Now it is March 22nd. Thanks to all the tweets from Austin last week, ranting about the benefits of Social Media and the excess of news items related to the NCAA Tournament, I am finally experiencing my own personal March Madness. As a result, I am suffering from a bad case of TMI (too much information) overload. Here is a recommended plan moving forward for all those in a similar situation:

· Time to get back to basics when it comes to marketing. Despite all the buzz regarding Social Media, we must not take our eye off the ball as it relates to the DNA of marketing – listening to our customers, providing solutions for our customers and concisely messaging/communicating our POD (point-of-difference) to our customers.

· We must filter through the staggering mountain of information we are faced with on a daily basis and find those bytes that are relevant to our immediate and future goals. The rest is noise. Let go! One way to filter through the information is to connect with reliable Mavens via twitter or within your valued network you can trust. They will assist you in mining for those special bytes.

· Practice time management. Balance life and Social Media. In regard to college basketball, remember there are still 15 more games until a NCAA Champion is crowned in April. More importantly, remember that spring is in the air. Go down to your local park, sit on a bench and watch your neighborhood come back to life after a long, dreary winter.

One last thought: Don’t forget to listen to the birds chirp. They are not suffering from TMI.

Women’s History Month

2010-03-09T14:16:00.001-05:00

Blink:
March is Women's History Month. To celebrate, below are some words of wisdom from Eleanor Roosevelt.

Read On:
Many people will walk in and out of your life,
But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head,
To handle others, use your heart.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

If someone betrays once, it is his fault,
If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.

Great minds discuss ideas,
Average minds discuss events,
Small minds discuss people.

He who loses money, loses much,
He who loses a friend loses much more,
He who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,
But beautiful old people are works of art.

Learn from the mistakes of others,
You cannot live long enough to make them all yourself.

Friend you and me, you brought another friend and we started our group,
Our circle of friends, and like a circle, there is no beginning or end.

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift.

Portion Distortion

2010-03-05T06:37:00.008-05:00

Blink:
National Nutrition Month initiated by the ADA (American Dietetic Association) in 1973 as a week-long event, morphed into a month long observance by 1980. Their campaign focuses on the importance of making informed food choices, as well as cultivating sound eating and physical activity habits. What about portion distortion?

Read On:
The ADA’s theme for this year is Nutrition From The Ground Up. I recommend spending some time on their website. Great content! A recommended reading list, as well as educational resources covering off on a range of nutrition and lifestyle topics, interactive games (e.g., Nutrition Sudoku), quizzes, promotional ideas, etc. A majority of these materials are also available in Spanish. Good thinking!

In spite of this wealth of great information, there was minimal reference about portion sizes which is now one of the driving forces behind more reliable nutritional labeling being championed by the FDA. It is called portion distortion. Portion size is the amount of food served in a single eating occasion (meal or snack). Serving size is the standardized unit of measuring foods established by the FDA. The FDA is now considering updating the serving sizes listed on nutritional labels in recognition that their portion control recommendations are outdated. One example would be potato chips – a serving size is one ounce or six chips. How many servings did you eat during the Super Bowl? Muffins are usually sold in sizes that constitute two servings. Do you only eat half a muffin with your coffee?

The restaurant industry, despite its attempt to become more responsible by posting nutritionals, tend to offer large or super size portions. Large portions communicate value – value drives customer traffic. Think about the last time you ate a steak in a restaurant. What was its portion size or the size of the bake potato that accompanied it? In my last blog I referenced pizza. A good industry friend Nick Sarillo, founder and owner of Nick's Pizza & Pub challenged my pizza example. He shared with me the nutritionals of Nick’s 14” Cheese pizza: only 240 calories, 80 calories from fat for one slice and then commented: “The point needs to be over consumption and lack of a balanced diet. The point could be made about almost any food group over done is going to be unhealthy in some way.”

Caloric intake (calories in, calories out) is integral to weight management. Beware of Portion Distortion.

Oh by the way, for anyone living in or visiting Chicago, I suggest you go to Nick’s Pizza & Pub. I bet you cannot stop at one slice. His pizza is that good.

Favorite Food USA

2010-02-28T11:41:00.006-05:00

Blink:
Last week I walked by a local private elementary school, spotted two piles of pizza boxes along with some discarded Kool-Aid containers. I thought about First Lady’s Michelle (Let's Move) campaign. How is America ever going to curb obesity?

Read On:
In early February, Michelle Obama launched a new campaign titled Let’s Move designed to encourage kids to participate in more physical activity and for schools to serve healthful foods. Nickelodeon is supporting the Let’s Move campaign by airing TV commercials and posting campaign content on their website. I applaud the First Lady for her initiatives, but if America is ever going to begin addressing obesity, it needs to start at home. Reminds me of a great quote by Adam Gopnik, American writer, “Parents teach, institutions instruct.” Let’s start by cutting back on pizza as a convenient family dinner.

The most current pizza facts:

- America consumes 350 slices of pizza each second. Think about how many slices will be eaten by the time you finish reading this blog.

- An average slice of cheese pizza is 272 calories, 88 calories from fat. An average slice of pepperoni (the number one topping – 36% of all pizza orders) and cheese pizza contains 560 calories, 301 from fat. Does the average American stop at one slice?

- The U.S. per capita consumption of pizza is approximately 23 lbs., or 46 slices, per year.

- According to Gallup, children ages 3-11 prefer pizza over all other foods for lunch and dinner.

I recognize I am not going win a popularity contest among those manufacturers and operators in my industry that profit from pizza, but it is time that we begin to teach our children at home better nutritional guidelines to further assist Ms. Obama’s Let’s Move campaign.

My next blog will further address National Nutrition Month (National Nutrition Month).

IPPC: Improved Personal Productivity Collaboration

2010-02-22T06:07:00.004-05:00

Blink:
At the end of the day, after thinking outside the box, providing proactive, value-added services, that are results driven, leveraging the knowledge base I have acquired over the years benchmarking best practices in the food industry, I realize corporate lingo truly amuses me. The new corporate speak is IPPC.

Read On:
I live within a stone’s throw of several major insurance companies here in Philadelphia. As I was walking back to my apartment the other day, I witnessed several insurance company employees leaving one facility, to go to another site, to attend a 4 PM meeting. I overheard one individual say to the group, “We are going to have to get everyone on board with improved personal productivity collaboration.” I asked myself, what does that mean?

- Get more done with fewer resources, since the insurance companies are now striving to downsize and cut costs?

- New corporate policy – less time spent outside taking cigarette breaks and checking social media sites on your crackberry?

- You better start collaborating with your teammates or hit the highway?

As I said before, corporate lingo amuses me. The next time you are in a meeting or at a conference, I challenge you to draw a large square, divide it into five columns down, five columns across. Fill in the squares with phrases like knowledge base, end of the day, win-win, 24/7, etc. Every time someone uses the appropriate word or phrase check off the appropriate block. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically or diagonally, stand up and yell out Bulls--t! Then hit the highway.

Key learning: If I was walking down the street listening to tunes on my iPod in my Cocoon 2.0, the subject of my last blog, I never would have learned about IPPC.