I know I said this blog is an archive, but this post doesn't fit on ConverStations.
First, what was Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger thinking, riding a motorcycle without a helmet? I'm glad his injury isn't life-threatening. I hope for a quick and healthy recovery - football or no football.
Second, is this the best story to advertise a motorcycle on? Maybe motorcycle gear (like helmets!), but a motorcycle?
Tip of the helmet to Ballbug
When I first heard the term "Pinko Marketing," I paused...and kept moving on. This morning, with a helpful reminder from Robert Scoble's post, I read backwards and forwards the mission of Pinko Marketing: Commons Based UnMarketing. Tara Hunt (aka Miss Rogue) is waving the right kind of flag - and it's a warning signal.
To my marketing and PR friends and copywriting colleagues, fellow business communicators and wanna-be salespeople: If you plan on being in business the rest of this decade: Read the ongoing draft of the Pinko Marketing Manifesto before you write your next word or launch your next product.
WARNING: Don't make the mistake I almost made and skip over it. Read it. Subscribe to the feed. Take a journey.
Content may be King, but Community (or the commons) is the kingdom it serves. (Design is Queen)
One more thought: Before we start a lynch mob on the name of this project, let's work together to change it - if that's what is necessary. It's a community project, after all.
Technorati Tags: Pinko Marketing, Advertising, Sales, Copywriting, PR, Community,
The Hershey Company is returning to its roots in advertising habits with the Take 5 bar - consumer generated buzz.
While AdJab may think Hershey doesn't understand "buzz marketing" these days, the company was one of the leaders of word-of-mouth advertising. According to Milton Hershey, "Give them quality and that’s the best kind of advertising in the world."
According to ChipTin.com, although Hershey had forms of advertising and marketing, such as the Tin Can campaign, they didn't start purchasing ads nationally until 1970s. The relied on word-of-mouth.
You can read more about the Hershey history of advertising in this excerpt (pdf) from The Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising.
What's your favorite Hershey candy? For me? I'm glad that guy got peanut butter in his chocolate.
Technorati Tags: Hersheys, Take 5, Buzz Marketing, AdJab
Earlier this month, I suggested how Sprint could make amends with Allan Jenkins at Desirable Roasted Coffee.
In a nutshell, Sprint offered Allan an opportunity to take part in their Ambassador program. Problems with this include that Sprint doesn't offer coverage in Allan's neighborhood (Denmark) and they broke a few laws in their manner of contact. When Allan tried to open a dialogue, Sprint shut it down.
Finally, Sprint extended an apology. Allan says that's good enough. To Sprint's credit, the letter came from a person rather than a "team." But they still fell short...and wasted their money.
Last fall, if you were to pick up any business magazine, you'd have run across the Sprint ad campaign "Reinventing the Yes-man." Granted, they were talking about the customer, not the company. But the message puts across that Sprint/Nextel was about the word YES.
They missed out on a tremendous amount of good will by not following my suggestion to give three Ambassador trials to people Allan chose stateside. Think how that would have played out. Sprint - Reinventing the Yes-man! Makes up for mistake threefold.
A bad precedent that other bloggers would emulate? Not really. Sprint made the first move (mistake) in their contact. It's not like Allan threw a bone to pick out of the blue (wow,-back-to-back cliche use).
The concern here is whether companies are using/manipulating the blogosphere as simply a marketing tool? If so, "reaching out" to bloggers is nothing new or brilliant. Just a different tool.
The question in the board room should not be, "How can we tap into this blogging thing to make money?"
The question must be, "How can we engage in the conversation with bloggers to develop meaningful, long-lasting relationships?"
So yes, reach out. But have a complete plan. If things go bad in this new form of marketing, use new forms of resolution too. The message Sprint deliveres in this circmstance is inconsistent with the message they delivered in their advertising.
Technorati Tags: Sprint Ambassadors, Advertising Campaign, Lame Pitches, Blog Relations
I missed the American Express commercial during the Oscars last night, but it was what many were talking about around the Panera Bread coffee bar this morning.
M. Night Shyamalan shares his story in the latest My Life - My Card series - and he shares it his way. Aside from the commercials, each star has a postcard/profile on the site. Cool.
The reason this campaign works is because their stories resonate. As a society, we want to craft our own experiences. And share them. And learn from others.
It's why we may see Cable TV a la carte someday. It's why there seems to be a Web 2.0 launch every day. It's why webfeeds are so powerful. It's why the HuHot Mongolian Grill ALWAYS has a line.
Customers are saying "It's my life" and "I want choices" and "I want to share my story" and "I want to learn from others."
There are two trains of thought. Cluetrain or Mule Train. Which one is your company riding?
Technorati Tags: American Express, M. Night Shyamalan, Cable TV, Web 2.0, HuHot, Cluetrain
Mike Sansone
Conversation Conductor
515-778-8527
www.MikeSansone.com
Des Moines, Iowa
