The Byte

Marketers Can’t Be Blushing Wallflowers in Online Social World

2009-04-06T10:25:00.001-05:00

Marketing Matters
by David Bohan, CEO
BOHAN Advertising | Marketing

First Publication: The Tennessean - April 5, 2009

Marketers Can’t Be Blushing Wallflowers in Online Social World

C’mon. Join the brave new world of marketers who use online social networks. I had hoped business would keep pace with our increasingly wired world, but Nielsen reports that only 44 percent of small businesses even have Web sites.

If your business hasn’t made the commitment to be online, you need to do so—today. If you have built your Web site, congratulations. Your work has just begun.

Social media are one way that businesses can build both traffic and conversation about their brands.

“Social Networkers US,” a recent study from Netpop Research, reported that 76 percent of American broadband users are active contributors to the Web via social media. That means that more than 105 million of us are online communicating through Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and other social sites.

Typical social networkers spend more than one-third of their online time talking and sharing. They communicate weekly with 18 people one-to-one and with 110 people through one-to-many groups.

Don’t think these folks are just chatty teens exchanging instant messages. Of active social networkers—defined as people who have posted profiles on two to three sites—25.6 percent are ages 18 to 24, another 23 percent are 25 to 35 and almost half (48.7 percent) are 35 to 64.

Business author Seth Godin recently outlined in his blog the reasons people visit social sites. Godin says their thoughts follow these questions:

1. Who likes me?
2. Is everything okay?
3. How can I become more popular?
4. What’s new?
5. I’m bored; let’s make some noise.

While none of these might be the primary reason for businesses to get on the social media bandwagon, understanding online consumer behavior can help you build a community via social networks.

Starting an online community without loyal customers is a path to frustration.

“If you don’t have a community built around your brand, you may as well set your Internet budget on fire, because you’re faking it,” said Jason Falls, director of social media at Doe-Anderson, a Louisville advertising agency.

So start your social network with your brand loyalists, and don’t worry about big numbers. Instead, focus on creating your network one person at a time. Engage in a conversation with folks that know you. Create ambassadors to help spread the word.

An example of a business that’s using social media to boost customer loyalty is Victoria’s Secret Pink. More than 1.1 million friends are registered in the company’s Facebook community.

“The community is a self-selecting loyalty program. Pink has been careful to provide tools that not only help to manage the brand’s identity, but communicate with loyal ‘friends’ and strengthen the brand’s relevance,” said Brad Vettese, executive vice president and managing director of Ipsh, a San Francisco mobile marketing agency,

Apple Students is another. It is consistently one of the most popular Facebook pages, with more than 1.3 million fans and more than 15,000 active conversations on its discussion board.

“If consumers have something to gain from social media, they are more likely to engage. The Apple Student Fan Page integrates links to Apple deals, news updates and Facebook applications, and it provides links to top movies, television shows and songs for iTunes download,” said Joe Fullman, senior analyst at Greater Than One, a New York interactive firm.

So get out there, get social and get your share of the business.

Caring, sharing set good tone for marketers

2009-03-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

First published in The Tennessean - March 22, 2009

Marketing Matters
by David Bohan, CEO
BOHAN Advertising | Marketing

Caring, sharing set good tone for marketers

The mood of Americans is clearly not pro big business. From the outrage over bonuses at AIG to calls for ousting management on Wall Street, consumers are disgusted.

According to Trend Watching, which has more than 8,000 people monitoring consumer trends around the world,

o Only 13 percent of Americans trust big business;
o Just 39 percent of employees trust their companies’ senior leadership;
o Three-fourths of American consumers feel that advertising by big companies bends the truth;
o Seven in ten employees in big companies observed violations of the law or company standards in the last 12 months.

So how do you gain consumer confidence in your company, regardless of whether you are big or small?

One tested method is cause marketing. According to the 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Study, 83 percent of Americans believe that companies have a responsibility to support causes, and 92 percent report a more positive image of a company that supports a cause they care about.

The goal is giving consumer a warm and fuzzy feeling. The goal is developing consumer relationships. Almost 90 percent of consumers said they would switch to a brand that is associated with a worthy cause if price and quality are equal.

The American Marketing Association reported recently that 40 percent of women are more likely to buy a product or service if they know a portion of the purchase price is donated to a cause.

An Alloy Media + Marketing survey found that one-third of all college students prefer buying socially conscious brands.

Causes take on many shapes, sizes and even colors.

Have you heard of colony collapse disorder? It’s an epidemic that has decimated honey bee populations nationwide over the last two years. This may not be high on your personal agenda, but it is a major issue for food producers.

The “Help the Honey Bees” campaign from Haagen-Dazs at first may sound far out, but it actually makes great sense. Forty percent of the company’s flavors are dependent on plants pollinated by bees, and healthy bees mean healthy profits.

In addition to raising awareness, the campaign helps fund research grants at universities studying the problem.

The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement has become the cause-marketing partner for many brands.

Macy’s sells Sweetheart teddy bears and Love tee shirts year round, with proceeds going to the Go Red for Women fund. Kellogg’s donates $1 from each specially marked box of Smart Start cereal to the Heart Association, and Hamilton Beach created a Red Ensemble product line of kitchen appliances tied to the campaign.

Not to be outdone, Kitchen Aid developed a line of pink appliances for its Cook for the Cure promotion that benefits the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Since 2001, Kitchen Aid sales have generated more than $3 million for the foundation.

Pink also shows up in other product categories. Seagate offered a pink external hard drive, Polaroid served up a pink digital camera and Campbell’s Soup changed labels from red to pink for National Brest Cancer Awareness Month.

So pick a cause that is meaningful to you, your employees and your customers. Develop a marketing program that will build a connection between your business and the cause. Reap the benefits of doing well for your company and for a cause in the world outside your company.

Podcamp Nashville 2009

2009-03-22T19:40:00.004-05:00

PODCAMP NASHVILLE 2009 - #pcn09
by Bayard Saunders

PodCamp is growing up... The challenge was to become less chaotic, perhaps just a little more organized, without losing the original spirit. This PodCamp Nashville 2009 walked that tightrope pretty well.

Some people groused about the level of content (some always will), but nobody threw any beer bottles at any speakers, and there were no fist-fights to see who presented next (I know, call me nostalgic).

Requiring specific mention and thanks and applause - the sponsorship from Yazoo with the fresh beer that left no appreciable hangover - incredible, and everyone should run out and buy a case right after you finish reading this. I'm not kidding, don't wait...

Wonderful meeting people in-person that I had only followed on Twitter. Fascinating to put faces to names. Gave me an idea for a Halloween party: Make masks out of your Twitter or Facebook profile picture or avatar. Shared that with @tronnash at a Centre{source} http://www.centresource.com mixer (you should go next month if you haven't been to one yet).

The presentation by Gavin Richardson on Spirituality and Social Media posed some interesting questions:

- How are new prophets emerging in society? Same as they always have, using the media common to their time - examples of art, music and storytelling through the ages.

- How is the church and its spectrum of users, from early adopters to laggards to luddites, using social media? Poorly, if they are guarding their knowledge like private property, or practicing exclusion or worse yet trying to censor the existing channels of conversation.

- Why is satirical communication (where you must follow the news to get the joke) so popular? Satire is easy, and for Gen-Y and younger, a staple of daily communications.

- Why are the comments on YouTube posted by that community in response to videos relatively (vs. written blogs) more weird and mean-spirited and odd (passionate)? No good answer for this observation/question.

- Can we really talk to an institution on Twitter or friend a building on Facebook? No, the media is just one tool to connect human beings so they can build meaningful relationships

- How do we begin the dialog online? Start listening. Then cultivate whatever media or technology is needed to facilitate communication.

I think Gavin will be more excited than most to see the new digital campaign from the United Methodist Church - stay tuned for the announcement next month!

Also thanks for the reminder about the website "Old Jews Who Tell Jokes" - I'd seen some on YouTube but this is a nice collection... "A woman walks into a store and asks for broccoli..." Look it up.

Listened to a presentation about groups on Twitter from http://www.ReTweetBot.com, the company that makes Twitter identities that:
- reposts anything that is Twittered on that account
- invisible to user
- intuitive for novice users
- accessible from anywhere

Mostly meaningless even to Twitter users until you experience it - actually "follow pcnChat" or "follow NashTraffic" or "follow NashPreds" - all will be revealed to you... This is a great way for groups of people to Twitter about a topic on a continuing basis.

Also enjoyed the Ethos3 http://www.ethos3.com presentation on Storytelling to Gen-Y. Brilliant observation: Gen-Y'ers are like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - full of distrust and facing a lot of adversity in their lives.

To reach Gen-Y, be like the Jabbawockeez (from America's Best Dance Crew television show):
- well branded - masks, the presentation is your brand
- showmanship - bring your A game, are you credible?, do your homework
- consistency - expect a powerful performance each week
- innovation, not imitation - diverse new ways to approach, not status quo

More tips:
- Use sardonic wit, high-sarcasm like on Family Guy
- Video needs quick cuts, like Bourne Ultimatum (2-second clips)
- Make succinct points and move on, like a Morgan Freeman commercial voiceover
- Cut the fat out of your presentation, like Biggest Loser, 30% the night before
- Help your audience "go elsewhere" or lose themselves in your presentation, like Lost, with the flashbacks and side-stories

There were so many excellent presentations to choose from, I had to just pop my head into some and go on. People have mentioned CC from Firepit Friday was entertaining (see her video on her blog - www.firepitfriday.com) and also Dave Delaney gave good information as always. Saw Kate O'Neil run a miniature MIT Forum style, shoot-from-the-hip website analysis session - I wish more developers had the courage to put their work up. Best takeaway: You're never too small for analytics.

Thanks to the PodCamp Nashville 2009 volunteers who were the crew and made the day a success for the Nashville technology, business and podcasting community.

Special marketing language needed for 20-Somethings

2009-03-10T15:51:00.005-05:00

Published March 8, 2009

by David Bohan, CEO - BOHAN Advertising | Marketing

The 20-Somethings. There are 217,607 of these elusive consumers in the Nashville economic market, according to the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

They’re called Generation Y or Millennials, depending on which researcher you ask. But for my purposes, I’ll call them 20-Somethings, children of baby boomers who are becoming a very desirable consumer segment.

First, at little background on this demographic.

While many of us know of boomerang babies (left home for college but later moved back in with their baby boomer parents), 20-Somethings might be better known as a decade of late bloomers.

In what many consider measures of adulthood—finishing school, leaving home, getting married, having a child or reaching financial independence—the 20-Somethings lag behind previous generations. According to the American Sociological Association, only 46 percent of women and 31 percent of men in there 20s are “acting like adults.”

Although they may be taking longer to graduate, more students are enrolled. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 17 million undergraduates were attending college. This is more than double the number in 1970.

Once in the workplace, this generation doesn’t seek a lifetime job and the reward of a gold watch at retirement. They expect to have multiple jobs and even multiple careers. Settling down and settling in are not a priority.

Having grown up with technology, the 20-Somethings are heavy users of social media, which you probably expect. Staying in touch and being informed are important to them.

This group is a tremendous recruiting pool for the not-for profit community. John Burnett of the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business says, “They are far more socially conscious than any generation since World War II. They believe in giving, participating in nonprofits and in donations of time and resources.”

Why should your business be concerned with the 20-Somethings? Betsy Gelb of the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business focuses on lifetime profitability, and she points to three primary issues important to businesses that court 20-Somethings:

+ The needs of this generation are primarily first-time needs.

+The group is less likely to have fixed preferences for brands.

+ The lifetime value of the customer relationship is significant.

Some brands that have successfully targeted them are venerable brands such as Old Spice, State Farm and ultra-hip retailer Urban Outfitters, soon to open in the Nashville Gulch.

Old Spice has used decidedly different humor to pitch its retro brand to young males. At OldSpice.com you can learn how NASCAR driver went from being “a wheezing nerd with embarrassing clothes” to a guy who has “made tons of money for driving in a circle really fast.” It has something to do with an Old Spice deodorant, and it’s a far cry from Old Spice old-fashioned commercials from several years ago.

Nowwhat.com is State Farm’s effort to make insurance relevant to 20-Somethings. For instance, there is “driver’s-ed” training film about liability insurance titled “It’s All Your Fault.” Concert promotion, television and social media augmented this Web-based effort.

Urban Outfitters lets the customer do the talking. Through its Web site, blogs and social networks, consumers help make the conversation more genuine.

Here are some tips for your business:

+ Make your communications fun. Straightforward ads that only stress a product’s features will fail.

+ Engage your customers, rather than give them the old hard sell. Talk to them, not at them.

+ The 20-Something group values authenticity. Retro can be cool.

+ Dare to break the rules. Be lighthearted. The use of sex appeal is expected.

+ Figure out how your brand helps this generation make a statement.

As with all successful marketing, invest in research. Research plus creativity plus appropriate media channels equal success.

Marketers need to create stimulus packages for themselves

2009-03-02T09:03:00.005-06:00

Published February 22, 2009

Marketers need to create stimulus packages for themselves
by David Bohan, CEO - BOHAN Advertising | Marketing

Who would have thought that an increased American saving rate would be such a bad thing for the economy?

According to Justin Fox in Time Magazine, the paradox of thrift is real. The slowdown in American consumer spending is the No. 1 culprit in the world’s economic downturn.

Just how have American consumers changed their spending habits? According to the National Retail Federation, we are committed to being wired and in touch. More than 80 percent of us wouldn’t give up Internet access. Almost two-thirds wouldn’t forego a cell phone and more than 60 percent would never drop cable or satellite television.

Nine in ten Americans voted the most expendable purchases to be high-end handbags, satellite radio and specialty shopping for apparel. Cosmetics, maid service and facials weren’t far behind.

According to the Global Strategy Group, both men and women have cut back on clothing purchases in the last six months. Home décor, cosmetics and consumer electronics are other categories that also were hit hard.

According to a broad survey done for the Consumer Electronics Association, more than half of all Americans plan to cut back spending at restaurants, and one-third will cut back on vacation spending this year.

Retail consulting firm Miller Zell reported that women are leading the charge for tighter fiscal discipline in family budgets, including trading down in quality or brands. They’re also planning purchases more diligently. More consumers are coming to retailers armed with online research about price, product and competitors.

The short-term outlook isn’t bright. Consumer confidence is approaching its lowest level since 1980, personal income is contracting due to job and credit conditions remain extremely tight. In fact, Michael Darda, chief economist at MKM Partners in Greenwich, Conn., said, “There is no imminent upturn in consumer spending on the horizon. It’s going to be rough sledding for at least the next two quarters.”

So how can you create your own business stimulus package?

First and foremost, focus on your product and service. Make sure you have differentiated your business from your competition. Too many “me too” products exist.

Second, work on your value proposition. Don’t simply put yourself on sale. Everybody can drop prices. And while consumers are very sale conscious, more than two-thirds of us will gladly pay full price for products we really want.

Third, with the increase in planning, beef up your Web presence. Provide consumers with the ability to interact and play with your product before coming to your place of business.

Fourth, be consistent with your messaging, both in external communication and at your business.

Fifth, don’ forget employee training. Employee training often is the most important—yet most overlooked—marketing tactic.

A final tip: Don’t forget to tell your story aggressively with advertising. Research the media channels that work for you, and use them effectively.

Marketing in 2009

2009-01-17T09:06:00.002-06:00

Marketing soothsayers peer into 2009, largely online
by David Bohan, CEO - BOHAN Advertising | Marketing

Most businesses are happy to kiss 2008 goodbye, but they’re anxious about starting the new relationship with 2009. A look ahead done by Karl Albrecht International for the Destination Marketing Association International may reduce some of the anxiety.

It’s called the 2008 Futures Study, and it provides some helpful insight and tips for marketing planning. It identified trends for consumers, the economy and technology and assessed the implications.

On the consumer front:

+ Consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable ordering products online.

+ Nearly all teen-aged children of middle- and upper-income families have cell phones and Internet access.

+ People increasingly expect businesses and organizations to “know it is me” and deliver an individualized value package (offers, products and services that appeal “directly to me”).

+ Ethnic minorities in the U.S. are acquiring ever-higher buying power and consumer influence.

Consumers desire access to businesses beyond normal operating locations and hours. They want 24-7 access, and that primarily means online. The next generation’s expectations will only increase.

You are behind the curve if you are not building or improving a “smart” customer relationship management (CRM) system to enhance your marketing and customer service.

Product design and marketing programs must embrace all American consumers. According to the Selig Center at the University of Georgia, spending by African-American and Hispanic consumers outstrips the gross domestic product of all but nine countries in the world.

Predictions and observations about the economy:

+ Despite the decline in gasoline prices in recent weeks, the era of cheap oil is over; prices of petroleum-based products will increasingly dominate economic development, energy allocation and international politics.

+ Baby boomers are entering the retirement zone in ever-increasing numbers.

+ Growing consumer debt makes the U.S. economy more susceptible to economic swings.

+ Americans continue to amass credit card debt, while saving at the lowest rate of any developed country.

Economic uncertainty, tight credit and energy are not short-term issues. Expect many people to delay retirement. Look for retailers in all categories to embrace layaway programs. Anticipate increasing consumer demand for energy-efficient products.

Ensure that your marketing program is culturally relevant. Focusing on value in times of economic turmoil is always appropriate. Institute programs to reward frequent customers.

Develop an annual plan, but be willing to rethink your strategy if market conditions change.

Looking at technology:

+ Web site design and implementation will be increasingly important.

+ The massive shift of “content” to the Internet continues to accelerate.

+ There is more information clutter, more “noise.”

+ Social networking and blogs are creating stealth competitors to traditional information-based enterprises

Design and functionality must be a priority, not only for your product or store but also for your Web site. Conduct research with your customers and prospects before beginning the design. Invest the time and money to make your Web site stand out.

Make sure you use search to insure customers can find your Web site. Without proper optimization and marketing, even the best site will not generate enough traffic to make your investment worthwhile.

Social networks and blogs can be catalysts for spreading your word online. In fact, the Internet Advertising Bureau called social networking “ the ultimate manifestation of user-generated content, and as such, holds more potential for growth than any other form of content on the Web today.”

Sites such as LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook and YouTube are social networks that have become mainstream media for advertising. Ponder this finding from Jupiter Research—one-fourth of all Web users visit social networks at least once per month.

Consider these trends as you finalize your business plans for next year. Your “blind date” with 2009 might be more pleasant than you first thought.

Where The Big Dogs Go - Barcamp Nashville 2008

2008-10-18T22:40:00.013-05:00

Where the Big Dogs Go
BARCAMP NASHVILLE 2008

On Saturday, October 18, 2008 at Barcamp Nashville 2008, BOHAN Advertising led a panel of digital executives from the largest media companies in Nashville discussing their current breakthrough work online and their visions for the future…

My first impression walking into the Sommet Center downtown was that this Barcamp was nothing like the early Barcamp meetings I’d attended in San Francisco and New York (or the Barcamp Nashville 2007). Kudos to the organizers for actually organizing this event! Shout-out to the roving master-of-ceremonies, Nicholas Holland, CEO of Centresource, (http://www.centresource.com) who also made a killer presentation on, “Crowdsourcing” – if you don’t know the term, Google it, then call Nicholas.

As the day went on, I did have some nostalgia for the drunken hecklers that filled the later-afternoon sessions of Barcamps past – always an entertainment. But the generous sponsors should be thanked profusely and you should give them all your business.

PRESENTATIONS

Dave Delaney of Griffin Technologies gave the most cogent presentation I’ve seen yet on Twitter and the merits of blogging via TXT message. Note: he started a campaign to raise money for a charity and by the afternoon announced that he had surpassed his goal… This was must-see-TV for marketing and communications professionals -
http://blog.davemadethat.com/2008/10/21/video-microblogging-fast-fast-good-good/

I caught part of an excellent presentation about Public Relations, called “PR 2.0, Now the Deer Have Guns” or something like that… Great concept, very important to remember it’s not just a jaded media audience we are speaking to, but also one where each person has the power of global communications tools and social networks at their fingertips. Don’t be afraid of it… use it!

I had the privilege of introducing Tod Fetherling, the new President of the Nashville Technology Council, for his presentation, “Can’t We All Just Get Along?” This was Tod’s third day of employment with the Council, and he was (and still is) soliciting ideas from Nashville’s disparate groups of digeratti (Digital Nashville, Geek Breakfast, Startup Weekend, LinkToNashville, NAF, AMA, PRSA, etc.) about how the Council can provide more relevant programs and a stronger voice for tech companies’ interests here. Note: he announced the Council has a Ning site, and while he was speaking, a large number of the audience joined online – you should too - http://nashvilletechnologycouncil.ning.com/

WHERE THE BIG DOGS GO

Our presentation “WHERE THE BIG DOGS GO” started with a giant technology fail… Apologies to the Barcamp audience and The Tennessean and Comcast for not being able to show your links – they are all included here…

I felt like that guy who reaches the heart attack victim first onstage at the surgeon’s convention and yells: “Is there a doctor in the house?” …Except that I was asking for a laptop with a functioning internet connection…

THE TENNESSEAN

Fred Menko, VP Digital at The Tennessean forged-ahead without the benefit of audio-visual aids and described some of the challenges and strategies that The Tennessean and other Gannett publications are pursuing. Gannett Co., Inc. is a leading international news and information company that publishes 85 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation's largest-selling daily newspaper.

Note: The popular “MusicCityMoms” website is being expanded to a national network of similar websites (presumably WindyCityMoms, and TheCityThatNeverSleepsMoms, etc.)… They will all now reside at the new online community – http://www.MomsLikeMe.com

Fred also generously answered audience questions while the technology continued to evade us. He graciously took flack from a Barcamper who was very passionate about the content choices and timing of previous news coverage. As my father would have said, “The time to worry is when people stop caring about what you publish.” I saw it as a validation of the continued importance of the newspaper in people’s lives.

COMCAST

Next up was Kathy Himmelberg, Digital Sales Manager for South Central Area, which is comprised of 15 markets in Southeast for Comcast "Spotlight" (http://www.comcastspotlight.com/) - the advertising sales division of Comcast. As mentioned earlier, Comcast customer service operates the Twitter channel “ComcastCares.” If you follow him or send him a message through Twitter, you will see, a real human being named Frank will get you the information you need or find someone who can help you.

Kathy was also hindered by the final part of our technical struggle, and was forced to describe rather than show examples of Comcast’s new Auto Ad Network of national websites, and Video on Demand, and of course, Banner Video on Comcast.net such as:

Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
http://www.mixpo.com/videoad/The-Phantom-of-the-Opera/IRHUUyuRQYSzTrjB7hyGdg

Boy Scouts of America
http://www.mixpo.com/videoad/Tre/wgBcrbEGSMW0i4ljsJ06yA

CLEAR CHANNEL

At this point, the employee of The Tennessean came to the rescue and we were able to continue with the presentation by Scott Winchell, Online Sales Manager for Clear Channel in Nashville. Scott has spent 25 years in the Nashville market, is a graduate of Trevecca, has a music industry background and six years with Clear Channel: 1059 The Rock, 101.1 The Beat, The River, The Big 98...

http://1075theriver.com/main.html
http://1075theriver.com/pages/thegarage.html
http://1075theriver.com/pages/personality_internadam.html
http://1075theriver.com/pages/babyidol2008.html
http://www.wlac.com/pages/ATE_laserone.html
http://www.1011thebeat.com/main.html
http://www.1011thebeat.com/pages/personality_dolewitescooby.html
http://www.1059therock.com/cc-common/babes/
http://wsix.com/main.html
http://iheartmusic.com/main.html
http://erockster.com/main.html

ABC-TV

Then Christian Grantham, Web Manager at WKRN, ABC-TV Channel 2 in Nashville, alumni speaker from Barcamp Nashville 2007, who blogs on NashvilleIsTalking.com, and ran a commercially licensed webcast company that created two music channels on Apple’s iTunes, shared sites that included a Twitter channel:

http://www.WKRN.com/
http://www.NashFlix.com
http://www.NashvilleIsTalking.com/

As he was speaking, members of the audience were sending Twitter messages or “tweeting” about his presentation, and the messages were appearing on the website he was showing. It was a very surreal experience, better than when I watched the political debates with the laptop browsing http://election.twitter.com side-by-side next to the TV.

SOUTH CENTRAL RADIO GROUP

Last but not least on our panel, John Tuminello, Interactive Marketing Director for South Central Radio Group, manages the interactive marketing activities for two radio stations, Mix 92.9 and 96.3 JACK-fm, and is the co-creator of MusicCityUnsigned.com…

http://www.MusicCityUnsigned.com/
http://www.963jackfm.com/
http://www.mix929.com/

BOHAN ADVERTISING

It was initially David Bohan of Bohan Advertising|Marketing (http://www.bohanideas.com and TWITTER http://www.twitter.com/bohanideas) who had inspired me to present this panel at Barcamp Nashville 2008. David has recognized the digital talent developing here in Nashville, and has said more than once, “We need to convince ourselves that we are ready.” If we had more time, we would have presented Bohan’s new campaign for Ebonite, ‘They Ruined Bowling” (http://www.theyruinedbowling.com) - in the spirit of the video “mockumentary,” comedian Dale Jenkins rants and mockublogs and mockutubes (he doesn’t mockutwitter yet) and creates buzz in bowling circles on ESPN-TV and online.

I have also been impressed with Cricket locally (represented by The Bradford Group – http://www.bradfordgrp.com/), and the community they continue building on MySpace using the fuel of musicians’ egos here in Nashville (local bands submit songs, are featured on the Cricket MySpace site, and a free downloadable ring-tone is created for their fans) – http://www.myspace.com/cricketnashvillemusicshowcase

[We had some incredible questions from the audience, and when the video is available this paragraph will be edited to include a link!] There were so many excellent presentations throughout the day; I hope that you will take the time to review the videos and other people’s blogs about Barcamp Nashville 2008 – http://www.barcampnashville.com.

OTHER PRESENTATIONS

One of my other favorite presentations was “My Most Fabulous Geek Life: For Geekettes Only!” Thanks to Katy Kirby, Alison Groves, Elin Eifler, Raquel Maddox, Kate O’Neill, Rachael Qualls, Kim Hatcher and Julie Moore for all the sharing.

Another was “Make Google Your B*tch!”…And not just for the vote-winning, attention-seeking, irreverent title. John Henshaw, Internet Strategist at Sitening (http://www.sitening.com/) gets it (SEO that is, along with other principles of effective online communications), and shares it well (he’s in good company now – Kate O’Neill is their new Managing Director).

Some equally incredible folks in the three different presentation rooms, the hallways and café/bar... Smile you're on Candid Blogger Camera! Here's a few of the 600 or so people who attended...

Jackson Miller, Statzen (http://www.statzen.com);
Karen Parmelee, Producer/Writer (http://parmcharm.com);
Donna Mattick, Nashville Chamber of Commerce (http://www.nashvillechamber.com);
Milt Capps, Venture Nashville Connections (http://www.venturenashville.com);
Paige Presley, Dealerskins (http://www.dealerskins.com);
Nick Bradbury, NewsGator (http://newsgator.com);
Ken Russell, Nexus Group (http:/www.nxs.net);
Michelle McManus, OHL (http://www.ohl.com);
Lisa Kelley, White Chocolate Video Productions (http://www.wcvp.com);
Jennifer Leeda, Atkinson Public Relations (http://www.atkinsonpr.com);
Alex Lavidge, Knoxville Overground (http://knoxvilleoverground.com);
John Carney, Shelbyville Times-Gazette (http://www.t-g.com)

Hope to see all you ‘campers next year!

---
Bayard Saunders
Director, Digital & Alternative Strategies
BOHAN Advertising|Marketing
bsaunders@bohanideas.com
www.BohanIdeas.com
www.twitter.com/miiacom

BOHAN Drum Off! 2008

2008-04-22T14:53:00.005-05:00

First Annual BOHANnual Drum Off! Drum Circle and Percussion Exhibition Extraordinaire!

Come celebrate with us the rhythm of life in the brand villages of Bohan!

Consumers might not care that your product is wrapped in the flag

2008-04-15T15:45:00.002-05:00

Consumers might not care that your product is wrapped in the flag
by David Bohan, CEO BOHAN Advertising

Red state or blue state, many advertisers wrap themselves in the red, white and blue to lure customers—but is it a sure-fire marketing strategy?

Car dealerships, possibly even some that sell cars made in Asia or whose headquarters are there, proudly wave giant American flags, and furniture retailers work hard to convince us a three-day weekend shopping experience is a patriotic act.

For some companies, waving the flag in their advertising and promotional efforts comes naturally.

Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest defense contractor, launched a campaign that might have been mistaken for an armed forces recruiting effort. Johnson & Wales professor Mark Brand commented, “Whether you are a supporter of the war or not, you are supportive of the men and women in uniform.”

The fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger has always shown its colors. An “Earn your stripes and be a star” contest urged aspiring filmmakers to submit videos demonstrating what the American flag meant to them.

Despite all this, recent studies might suggest advertisers re-think the Americanization of their brands.

Yankelovich Partners, a Chapel Hill, N.C.-based research firm, studied brands that expressed themselves as American. The results: Consumers don’t seem to care. Yankelovich also found that the notion of being American is not a factor when it comes to evaluating performance.

Anderson Analytics discovered that—especially among college-age consumers—a product’s country of origin usually is unknown; it’s also not a factor in the buying decision. Many younger, educated consumers are cynical of patriotic trappings. Some flag-draped promotions are seen as heavy-handed or outdated.

Jupiter Research reports that as consumers age, value for quality becomes a significant concern. At that point, geographic association plays a greater role in purchase decision-making.

Consider the difference between two advertising offerings from Chevrolet and Saturn, both of which are General Motors products.

Chevrolet Silverado trucks use the “ Our Country, Our Truck” theme that features music from baby-boomer rocker John Mellencamp. This GM campaign is designed to appeal to older buyers. The message is aimed at those of us who were raised with the “us -versus-them” mentality of the 1950s and 1960s.

Saturn, on the other hand, takes a different approach with its “Rethink American” campaign. Here, GM wants younger audiences to change their thinking that rates the quality of Japanese products very highly. One ad goes as far as to say, “Don’t buy it because it’s American. Buy it because it’s amazing.”

The definition of the country of origin for brands continues to change. Consider these factors: American companies have a global presence; foreign-based brands have significant U.S. facilities and American employees; and the Internet makes international borders disappear. All of this makes a product’s country of origin seem less relevant.

Nissan, Bridgestone and Toshiba are significant to Middle Tennessee. Mention those companies, a few of us think first of their Japanese parent companies. And not many of us would blink an eye if a local Nissan dealer offered Memorial Day specials.

BOHAN Wins 30 ADDY Awards!

2008-03-22T00:44:00.005-05:00

Bohan Advertising wins 30 ADDY Awards including 5 Gold, 7 Silver and 2 Judges' Choice Awards - March 1, 2008 - Nashville Advertising Federation... See the home movies...

Thanks to the judges and the Nashville Advertising Federation for this recognition of the excellent work by all Bohan's creative and professional staff... And thanks to our clients who make it all possible!

Wonderful Widget Wonderland Number One

2008-03-05T12:06:00.001-06:00

Widgets, widgets everywhere, and soon we will all understand the value of these portable channels...

Bayard Saunders
Director, Digital & Alternative
BOHAN

BOHAN Byte - Google via TXT Message

2008-02-08T16:17:00.000-06:00

This is the first BOHAN Byte blog post produced concurrently as a video log, or "vlog." Click on the video box here to see it.

The idea to do the BOHAN Byte as a vlog came from work on a sales PowerPoint for a new client, which is interactive in design, allowing viewers to navigate to any section of the presentation rather than see the slides presented in a linear order (increases both comprehension and retention rates). If PowerPoint is the new web, then video is becoming the new PowerPoint (or Keynote for you MAC users), because video remains a linear presentation medium (beginning, middle, end).

And now for the topic: Google via TXT...

Even in the digital world, "everything old is new again." Take for example the venerable Google, at one time a mere startup, now the unquestionably the industry leader, despite what Microsoft or Yahoo! may do in the near future.

In an increasingly mobile world, how is Google responding? Of course, you can access the Google website on internet-enabled cell phones and other mobile devices. But that still leaves out the majority of cell phone users who do not have internet access on their phones.

So Google is beta-testing a TXT messaging service that works like this:

Create a TXT message on your cellphone that includes a keyword (or phrase) and a ZIP code. Send that TXT message to phone number 46645 or "GOOGL" (the "E" is excluded). In a few moments you will receive two reply TXT messages from Google, with the name, address and phone number of the first few businesses that match your keyword(s) and ZIP code.

For example, send the TXT message "PIZZA 37203" to GOOGL and the system will reply TXT you with the name, address and phone numbers for Mellow Mushroom, DaVinci's and Papa John's pizza, all in the same ZIP code as our office.

Why is this important for our clients? If this GOOGL TXT program ever comes out of beta development and becomes more popular, we may want to help clients optimize their websites and improve their Google ranking to be sure they appear in this type of search.

In a broader sense, the use of TXT messaging is becoming more common, certainly with younger generations and teens for whom TXT is a very large part of their peer communications, and we should know how to use it effectively. Also, TXT messages like email can be forwarded and shared with others, so the more viral the message, the better.

Restaurants and destinations could use the technology to send TXT alerts about new menu items or promotions or special events to customers and prospects who have either given permission previously for us to send them TXT messages, or who send a TXT message in response to an advertisement or POS display.

TXT a message with a month/date/year to "PALMBCH" and receive a reply TXT with a list of events for that date in Palm Beach County. Or TXT a message with your ZIP code to "FAZOLIS" and receive the nearest restaurant contact information along with a code for a discount or the latest promotion.

Imagine the possibilities...

TTFN! Your BFF,
Bayard

Bayard Saunders
Director, Digital & Alternative
BOHAN
www.bohanideas.com

Bohan's best and worst Super Bowl ads

2008-02-04T10:57:00.000-06:00

Originally published in The Tennessean - February 4, 2008:

From Amp to Yukon, advertisers lined up on Super Bowl Sunday, putting up $2.7 million for 30 seconds of fame or infamy. Thirteen brave brands bet more than $5 million for sixty seconds of this rarified airtime.

(To watch this year's Super Bowl ads, visit http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/admeter/2008admeter.htm.)

Companies with Tennessee ties were well represented. Bridgestone’s two 30-second spots featured critters, Alice Cooper and Richard Simmons. Do we notice a theme? Dell featured a cause marketing tie-in with its AIDS fund-raising effort, Red.

And Super Bowl staple FedEx told a pigeon tale.

Former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., made his Super Bowl TV commercial debut for Coca-Cola, along with Democratic political consultant James Carville. And Justin Timberlake was back at the Super Bowl hawking Pepsi-Cola. No wardrobe malfunctions appeared this time around.

Now for my winners and losers.

Top dogs on Super Sunday

Budweiser and Bud Lite were again up for the big game. The Dalmatian as a personal trainer was a nice twist in the classic Clydesdale series.

Bud Lite’s humor was on display. I especially enjoyed the wine tasting party and the Carlos Mencia repeat performance as an English as a second language teacher.

Planters also had a big hit. Cashews as perfume had men in a trance.

Memphis-based FedEx used sumo carrier pigeons and the games only 45-second spot to score big points.

Sales Genie’s pre-game spots turned out to be an indication of bad things to come. The two animated spots were by far the worst use of $5 million in the history of television. I hope their product is good because their advertising is not.

Controversy continued to be the theme for GoDaddy.com. The 2008 commercial encouraged viewers to visit their Web site to view the spot FOX network censors rejected. Race car driver Danica Patrick might have taken racy to new heights.

What were they thinking?

The worst use of celebrities award would be a tie between Ice Breakers and Sunsilk. Carmen Electra, Madonna and Shakira’s agents should have looked at the scripts.

For local advertisers, the big winner was Fifth Third Bank with a story of the 42-year-old paperboy. And despite some stiff competition, Nissan of Rivergate gave everyone the chance to make a run to the buffet table.

Compare my opinion to a national consumer panel and watch the commercials at admeter.usatoday.com. USA Today’s Ad Meter has consumer’s top picks and pans plus a 20-year history of the Super Bowl of Advertising.

A great contest kept the audience glued to the game to the end. While the Giants came away the game winner, Amp, the energy drink was also victorious. They bought a lower-cost fourth quarter spot betting the audience would stay tuned. And they did.

David Bohan
BOHAN Advertising|Marketing
www.bohanideas.com

Best bet for your next retail location may be on the Internet

2008-01-24T09:52:00.000-06:00

Originally published in The Tennessean - January 20, 2008:
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801200352

Best bet for your next retail location may be on the Internet
By David Bohan

Online retail is a reality no one can ignore. Consumers spent $733 million on Cyber Monday 2007, the Monday after Thanksgiving. That’s 21 percent more than in 2006. Online retail grew by 20 percent to more than $1.2 billion in 2007, according to comScore Inc. (This total excludes online purchases of travel.)

It might surprise you that J. C. Penney attracts more shoppers to its online store than any other multi-channel retailer. Penney’s has developed an Internet strategy that nicely complements its retail store operation. It offers a wider selection online, nearly three times the number of products than in its stores, and it uses its Web site to lure customers into the stores.

Part of the rationale is that its online shoppers are younger, ages 25 to 35, than its regular retail customers. Online sales accounted for 6 percent of Penney’s total sales this year.

Online sales are important, but consider this fact—the share of total online sales that went to retailers that exist only online declined in 2007, just as it did in 2006. Seven of the top ten retail Web sites during the just-ended holiday season belonged to traditional brick-and-mortar retailers.

A study by the J. C. Williams Group and StartSampling focused on multi-channel shopping. It found the most frequent shopping path started online, either when the consumer visited a Web site or when the consumer received an email or an online offer, and ended with the consumer in a store.

The most likely cross-channel shoppers are men ages 25 to 34 who have incomes of more than $50,000.

Another successful online retail tactic is the Web site-to-store model. Many traditional retailers, including Circuit City and Wal-Mart, allow customers to order online and pick up the merchandise at stores convenient to them. More than one-third of Wal-Mart’s online sales resulted from this initiative.

A bonus: 60 percent of Wal-Mart’s site-to-store customers spent an additional $60 when they got to a store to pick up merchandise ordered online.

Of course cyberspace is not limited to computer and electronics retailers and discounters. Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Armani are expanding their Web presence and successfully marketing high-fashion products at luxury price points.

What are consumers looking for in a Web store? The ability to search within the site must be robust. Consumers want store information, they want to learn what’s new and they want special offers.

Consumers want better imagery and more product descriptions so they can “feel” the products online, and they want checking out to be easy. Hint: Let them add an item to their shopping carts without leaving the page they are on.

So before you start seeking real estate for your next location, make sure your cyberspace location is working well.

David Bohan
BOHAN Advertising|Marketing
www.bohanideas.com

BOHAN Byte - CES, GPS, and the new Post-It Note

2008-01-23T16:55:00.000-06:00

Every technology has its time. Nowhere is that more apparent than at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Earlier this month manufacturers introduced a tsunami of new concepts and technologies, as they do every year, some certainly more “ready” than others for the current market. I’ll bring you a few highlights of the best and most likely to succeed in later blogs, but just like the American Idol TV show, there are a few that can be dismissed after a quick audition. This year’s clear loser? The combination MP3-Player/Taser Gun. Perhaps it’s ahead of its time, or more likely it will never have a right time, let’s hope… If you can’t wait, some of the best reviews are on www.engadget.com and also on www.cnet.com

Over the past holiday, consumer spending on digital appliances was led by the “GPS” sales – clearly a technology whose time has come (www.garmin.com, www.magellangps.com, www.tomtom.com, www.navico.com). Since the introduction of a new evolutionary software last year, the GPS experience has become far more like a trusted friend with a map in the front seat than their previous more complicated incarnation (released at CES before its time). So consumers are responding now, and the winners are those companies (restaurants & shops) who were early adopters, investing in advertising placements on those GPS software maps (www.mapinfo.com, www.esri.com) before anyone could even guess at how to calculate their value.

Thanks for the feedback last week on “Tell Me” (1-800-555-TELL, www.tellme.com)… Two people said they used the Driving Directions and another echoed the research that women’s voices aren’t as clearly understood yet. But continuing on last week’s theme of useful speech recognition technology, I wanted to share my favorite and most-used technology from last year – the Post-It Note for a new century – www.jott.com

This is another completely free service. You call an 800# and dictate any message for up to 30 seconds. That message is then translated into text and you can choose to have it emailed to you, or to someone else, or to a group of people, or even have it posted to your blog or Twitter.* Go ahead and register then jott yourself a note – see for yourself. In the interest of fairness, there are other competitors who offer the same or similar services: www.yap.com, www.pinger.com, www.bubblemotion.com, www.simulscribe.com, www.spinvox.com, etc…

* Twitter – Staying “hyper-connected” has never been easier, but it sure is hard to explain if you haven’t experienced it. For more information, see the next BOHAN Byte or check it out yourself at www.twitter.com

Bayard Saunders
Director, Digital & Alternative
BOHAN
www.bohanideas.com
(615) 327-1189 ext.234
bsaunders@bohanideas.com

Tell Me - Ending the Tyranny of the Keyboard

2008-01-10T11:28:00.000-06:00

With all the advances in digital technology, many people still complain about the “tyranny of the keyboard.” At first we were limited to the use of typing skills to access information from computers, and even with advances like the mouse and touch-screens, the problem is that we human beings are required to learn and adapt, rather than technology adapting to us. Mobile devices like palm-sized computers and cell phones with internet access have freed users from the desk, but most still require some type of manual input.

However, recent advances in speech recognition technology are changing this. More and more, mobile phones and other devices have integrated speech recognition software and hardware that allows you to automatically dial someone in your contact list by simply speaking their name. Most 411 directory information systems and some airlines and hotels have also begun using the technology.

The most advanced system available now, and the clear winner in the battle for consumer acceptance of the new technology, is produced by a company called “Tell Me.” And you don’t need a keyboard or a computer to try it. Just call (800) 555-8355 – they advertise it in the easier-to-remember format: “(800) 555-TELL” – and speak to it just as you would a person.

There are many useful features, but the one that I’ve found most useful is “Driving Directions.” Just like Yahoo or Google Maps will give you turn-by-turn directions from one address to another, the Tell Me system will read them to you step-by-step after you’ve told it your starting and ending addresses.

Other features are current stock quotes, sports scores & news, weather information, connection to airlines or hotels or rental car or taxi services, movie information from Fandango, horoscopes, lottery results, soap operas plot summaries, a 411 business directory, business-world-entertainment news, and a black-jack game (voiced by a wicked Sean Connery imitation).

Hope you will find the technology useful as so many companies are adopting these systems, and, of course, adding their own audio advertising into the mix, so it may be a good idea for clients who are upgrading from the old telephone tree systems “Press 1 for this, press 2 for that.”