The Klog

The Power of One Little Yellow Card

2009-10-07T20:11:00.000-07:00

On the way to work this morning, I ran by my neighborhood grocery store to pick up a few items for the day. When I got to work, I unpacked my wares, and staring back at me was one little, yellow card.

This little card was not a coupon, it was not a receipt, or even a renegade label. Instead, there were 5 little words staring up at me- "Sacked with pride by Mark".

Now, I don't know the story behind the little yellow card, nor do I know when they started doing this. But, there was something touching about it- and the minute I saw the hand signed scrap of paper, this local grocery store somehow felt like MY local grocery store.

Reaching out to customers doesn't take much- a name remembered, an offer of assistance, or even a tiny yellow card. But reaching out in what seems like a little way can actually be one huge stride forward.

Fall Premiere Reviews #4- Modern Family

2009-09-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

This is what I have been waiting for- my HOME RUN of the season. I actually watched the first episode last week, and laughed so hard, I wanted to watch the second one to make sure it wasn't a one trick pony. All three families are charming, and I think almost everyone can relate to their awkward quirkiness and dysfunctionality.

I think it is partially this that makes it a great fit for a variety of audiences. Young, old, men, women- I have heard positive feedback from everyone. Humor combined with heart touching story lines- combined in a documentary style format.

This all combined makes it a great program to include in any of your upcoming buys.

Modern Family- on ABC, Wednesdays at 8pm CST.

It's a must watch, and a must buy.

Fall Premiere Reviews #3- Jay Leno Show

2009-09-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

I, like many of you have been bombarded the last few weeks with mega-promotion around the Jay Leno Show. I even heard someone say they (NBC) was hoping that Jay Leno moving to prime time would REVOLUTIONALIZE televeision.

Revolutionize? Wow! Not since MTV launched the Real World have I seen anything that I would call revolutionary. And, as familiar as we all are with the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the promos just seemed extensions of that format. Just because it runs an hour and a half earlier, doesn't mean that is ground breaking.

The best thing about the show I saw tonight was there were some good guest appearances. I mean Kayne- great luck with that one. And, Oprah/Seinfeld- all good with the older crowd. But, any season premiere would garner great guests. What is the show's potential long term?

I am sure that the Jay Leno Show will hold on for a while- but I don't see it being much more than mediocre in the long run.

When will I look to buy the Jay Leno Show- well, I think it will be a very efficeint buy for prime. So, if you are looking for an inexpensive way to get some exposure in prime, I think this will be it. But, it will not replace any of the premium programming you should be looking at.

Also, this will probably not be a good buy if you are buying younger demos- I would anticipate this will skew older, while the younger ages move toward cable programming during this hour if there is nothing on broadcast that catches their attention.

Fall Premiere Reviews #2- Glee

2009-09-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

Glee- How the same guy who created Nip/Tuck be responsible for this program, I will not know.

Glee, on FOX Wednesday nights, is a strange combination of candy-dripping "High School Musical" teenage story lines- but with some pretty offensive stereo types. I am not sure how many times I heard the word "gay" in relation to those participating in the Glee Club, or boys who may sleep in pink rooms, but it was one too many.

The tunes themselves are actually pretty catchy- but in a way that will haunt me for days until my ears bleed.

So- enough of my personal feelings. This is about how new programming will fit with any upcoming media strategies.

Definitely an extension of the High School Musical scene for obvious reasons. Young Adults, will probably not get enough of it. The program will definitely skew younger, so the older your customer, the less likely Glee will be a good fit for your advertising message.

Glee would be a good fit for many of the same categories we touched on last night with Melrose.

* Entertainment
* Movies
* Quick Service Restaurants

If I had to make a recommendation, I would say get your spots bought early in the show's schedule. Because no matter what, I think it will garner a lot of buzz, and a lot of sampling.

Fall Premiere Reviews #1- Melrose Place

2009-09-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

As we are gearing up for the next round of media buys, the new Fall programming is premiering. So, we thought it would be fun to watch some of the new lineup, and give you, from a media buyer's perspective, what shows we will be looking at for our clients.

First up: Melrose Place. Showing on Tuesdays on the CW. Now, I was excited about this because I was obsessed with the original. I was hesitant because anything with Ashlee Simpson-Wentz is usually not my thing.

It opens with a quick glimpse at most of the players- Auggie, Riley, David, to name a few. Cut to the same apartment complex we all knew and loved, cheesy marriage proposal, and yep, dead body in the pool. Oops- guess I should warn you there might be a few spoilers.

All in all, it was pretty much what I expected. Definitely a "chick" show- probably tweens through about 35. (Typing this as the show wraps, so no idea what the overnights will be.)

This media buy may be good for the following potential clients:
* Boutiques
* Beauty Salons
* Entertainment- Movies, Concerts, etc.
* Higher Education

To name a few.

However, just a note- if you have concerns about adult behavior, or content that may not be family-friendly, I would pass on this one. Just to be safe.

New Tools for Outdoor and Mobile Marketing

2009-09-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

Mobile marketing tied to outdoor advertising is not new, but CBS Outdoor has a piece of technology that has made it easier for marketers to see their results mobile/outdoor results.

Called txt2go, advertisers put a unique keyword on each board they post in a market. Via SMS, consumers text in this keyword, to get special offers or information, which allows clients to see what boards are generating the highest level of success.

Some types of messages include:
1) Special discounts
2) Enter to win sweepstakes
3) Requests for more information

Another plus is that advertisers then receive a database of respondents, allowing them to follow up with them at a later date.

This gives outdoor a advantage similar to online advertising- it allows it to be highly trackable. Campaigns that generate results will likely lead to bigger and more complex outdoor campaigns, helping the medium grow with emerging technologies.

Top Klog of the Week- 6/5

2009-06-04T18:52:00.000-07:00

In honor of the upcoming season premiere of one of my favorite shows, True Blood, I am highlighting one of the out of home tactics they used last year.

This idea is inspired by the "Roommate Wanted" or "Guitar Lessons" signage we have all seen in grocery stores and college dorms. But, it definitely has that vampire twist to it.

Bailouts- Just My Two Cents

2009-06-04T07:28:00.000-07:00

I don't have all the answers, but I am personally tired of all the talk about bailouts. First the banks, then auto dealers, now newspapers.

The bottom line is when people do not run their businesses properly, they fail. Why are these companies treated differently?

Part of me understood the banking industry. I sympathized with the factory workers during the auto industry's bailout. But, when newspapers got in line with their hand out, that was the last straw for me.

I am a media buyer, so I can tell you from experience about the dwindling circulation numbers, but yet undeserved higher rates. The fact that clients in all industries are cutting their print budgets for more affective forms of advertising- often for options that are online.

And yet, even though this has been slowly happening over the last several years, the newspapers have been slow to change. In some cases, refusing to change altogether. I heard a story from a newspaper lately where they told me of a board meeting that was held recently. The 60 year-old executives flat out said they didn't believe these trends would continue, and that they were staunchly against changing one aspect of their business plan. Enough said.

So no newspapers, you do not deserve a bailout. The fact that it has even come up in conversation floors me.

Let the companies who make poor decisions and refuse to change fail Then, give their bailout money to the vendors who are left holding the bag for their mistakes. We will still have news outlets and car manufacturers but, in the end, I would wager those left standing will be strong, adaptable, and able to sustain themselves.

Looking at the Pros and Cons of Radio

2009-05-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

All media are going through a transition, and radio is no different. Yesterday, I was having a discussion with a new client about TV and DVRS, Radio and MP3 players, etc. It got me thinking about radio, and why, as marketers, its popularity has fallen off.

First of all, the quality of the spots has fallen off, especially at a local level. Commercials have started sounding the same, and frankly, have started to become slightly in your face and annoying.

There are especially few excellent branding executions. Most are call to action driven, so unless you have a specific price point or event to promote, there are more attractive alternatives for brand building goals.

Then, consider the fragmenting- ipods, Sirius Satellite, CDs- the perception is that these have eroded the audience base slowly over the last several years, particularly with the younger demographic. Before, there was only one choice to hear your favorite music in your car, etc. Now, there are alternatives everywhere.

We continue to utilize radio for local clients. Radio is efficient, we can tailor our messages relatively easy to specific niche demographics, and commuters and rural citizens alike all have access to it.

However, now that Pandora can be streamed on a mobile device, cars are being built with better MP3 capabilities (as well as Internet!), radio, like all mediums, will have to continue their evolution.

Top Klog of the Week- 5/29

2009-05-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

Local mobile marketing can be tricky- a while back, I worked on a client who was testing the concept out. Unfortunately, it failed, partially due to a lack luster offer.

Our Top Klog idea this week features a restaurant chain in Central Florida who did a stellar job of combining a traditional outlet (radio) with the non-traditional route of mobile marketing.

The Taco Maker is a popular fast food chain based in Puerto Rico, but didn't have as much brand recognition when they launched in Florida. Their agency, BxP Marketing, set out to create some buzz and drive sales when they created a new mascot- Juan Maker.

Juan Maker was a gruff character with a thick accent and zingy personality who make radio appearances with local DJs around the area. These appearances turned into a series of 60 second spots, which ran for 6 weeks and offered a free one-pound Maker burrito to customers who sent in a variety of text messages.

The texts were then tracked back to station, time of day, and even DJ, allowing them to do a high-level analysis of the results. Over 5,000 texts were received, converting to 2,500 free burritos, and a sales increase of 21%.

Just another example of how successful campaigns can be built on a blend of traditional and non-traditional ideas.

Big or Small- DVRs are Game Changing

2009-04-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

I was a hold out. When DVRs first came on the scene, I refused to get one. Mostly because I didn't want TV to rule my existence. When I found out DVRs actually give you freedom, I broke down and got one. A few weeks ago, we became a two DVR household. That's right....two. As I am typing this now, I am tucked away in my own little space, watching my trashy reality TV that is too awful for our "main" DVR.

I write this because this week there has been a lot of research released regarding DVRs and the time shifting phenomenon. In five years, Interpublic Group of Co.'s Magna forecasts DVR usage will grow more than 70%, to 51.1 million U.S. TV homes. Tivo also just released a study stating that the majority of time shifting is occurring around the "Family Hour", or 7pm-8pm CST.

Creatives all over are starting to realize their campaigns need to take this trend into account. One second spots were all the buzz during the Super Bowl. I didn't actually see them- I guess I blinked.

But, locally, advertisers are getting creative as well. Fifteen second ads- bookended for example- are getting to be common place.

But because these are more and more common, creative is going to have to continue to evolve. Creative that delivers a message, even while fast forwarding, for example, should be something everyone considers.

I don't know about anyone else, but I watch more TV than ever. And, outside of news or sports, most of my viewing is time-shifted. But interesting creative still stands out. You can call me the Nannerpus, Nannerpus......

Top Klog of the Week- 4/10

2009-04-12T08:28:00.000-07:00

Aerial advertising is nothing new, but using bubbles to create logos in the sky certainly is. Flogos, which can best be described as foamy clouds that have been formed into logos/letters/graphics, have used a technology originally created for NASA to take aerial advertising to a new level.

Flogos can last for about 30 minutes and travel as high as 20,000 feet. They can also be tinted, so image appears in a solid color, rather than just the standard white foam.

Not all logos are good candidates to become a Flogo, depending on the extent of curves the image has. But, Nike, Nintendo, and McDonald's have all utilized the technology thus far.

Interested? Well, the company that developed the Flogo has offices around the world, but they currently receive about 28,000 inquiries a week. So, be prepare to get in line for this unique medium.

For a look at this technology, as used by Nintendo- click here.

Top Klog of the Week- 4/3

2009-04-05T17:40:00.000-07:00

I am one of those people who constantly has a notebook nearby, because if I don't write down a thought or idea, my world moves so fast that it slips right by.

My favorite idea this week takes that concept and translates it into an ad campaign. New York's School of Visual Arts distributed various items with the "lined paper look" to diners, bars, delis, and other public places around the area. Some of the items were napkins, tray liners, and yes, even toilet paper.

Frank Anselmo, creative director at New York's KNARF and also the instructor of a course at the school titled "Unconventional Advertising," came up with the idea when the school asked him to create a campaign to promote the school. He wanted to stress that the most important thing is the process- or the thinking. So, they went with the slogan "Think: The School of Visual Arts."

Simple, but engaging, this campaign drove home a simple idea that everyone can relate to.

Twitterfied

2009-04-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

It seems like the Twitterverse is blowing up- I can barely turn on the TV without the site being mentioned on the Today Show, CNN, Colbert Report, you name it. In Kansas City, it is no different. Many of the local news stations are doing informational segments, and you can find at least one seminar covering Twitter every week.

But, regardless of the buzz, what does Twitter mean to local businesses? I have attended many of these local sessions, because even though I Twitter, I want to hear from all perspectives. I have heard from older women who "don't get it" to young ad professionals who rely on Twitter as their main method of communication.

Turns out, there are a lot of opportunities out there for local businesses and non-profit organizations. But, don't start bombarding your audience with sales and specials. Instead, provide them with unique content that is relevant to your brand, and you will start to gain their trust as an expert- not as someone just out to make a buck.

Right now, it is mostly national companies seeing success, but that means the local market still has a lot of growth potential.

In the end- it goes back to one solid advertising principle- know your audience. For example, many are surprised to find the average age of Twitter is 37, not younger as some expected. And, with all the coverage Twitter is getting nationally, this demographic will continue to change.

Like other forms of social media, Twitter has some basic principles that help aid success. Do a little on-line research before you start out, including monitoring the Twitterverse.

Good luck!

(you can find Cindy at www.twitter.com/auggy)

Top Klog of the Week- 3/27

2009-03-27T16:45:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, we wrote about Original Juan, a specialty foods store here in Kansas City.

This week's idea reminds us a little bit of that brand, and this execution was ingenious. Le Cactus, a wings restaurant in Quebec, was looking for a way to promote it's Hot Wing Mondays. They were working on a tight budget (who isn't these days!) and charged their agency Lg2 to come up with a creative way to market to young adults around Quebec.

The idea was a large sticker, of a man's face, mouth open, that was placed on the back of taxi minivans. When the brake lights come on, the man's mouth lights up in a "blaze." A sticker on the upper right corner of the window reads: "Monday hot wings. Le Cactus."

Simple, creative, and gets the message across.

Sign of the Good Times?

2009-03-26T12:52:00.001-07:00

My youngest brother Jason is in retail, and he is always analyzing things. Yesterday he called to ask me if the declining advertising rates were a sign of the economy getting worse.

We talked a while about the auto industry and how in communities across the country, local dealers spend a lot of money in print and broadcast. And how even if this was the only industry hurting, their budget cuts alone would impact media locally and nationally.

Today, I started going through some e-newsletters, and I saw some glimmers of hope:
* Television and cable companies are starting to see auto dealers increase their spending again.
* E-commerce grew 2% in January and February.
* The media upfronts (where national advertisers/networks meet to discuss budget commitments) are looking good- and prices may be higher than anticipated, indicating more ad dollars coming down the pipeline.

What does this mean to you?

If you have been on the fence about making some advertising decisions, this may be the time to do it.

Prices are good, even great, right now. And, we know those who market in down times tend to come out stronger than those who didn't. Take a look at your marketing plan, and start executing your strategies while the getting is good!

This Week's Top Klog- 3/20

2009-03-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

Soccer fans are fanatic. And, for reasons I don't know, they like to wear scarves. Which leads into my favorite idea this week.

If you happened to be in Seattle, Washington this week, you probably noticed many brightly colored scarves hanging around. Hanging on trees, towers, and even bridges.

These scarves were ushering in a new soccer team, the Seattle Sounders FC. Blazoned with the web address ScarfSeattle.com, folks around Seattle were encouraged to take pictures of themselves while wearing the scarves, and upload them to the site.

The “Scarf Seattle” effort ended with a huge version of the scarf on the famous space needle.

Along side the online and guerrilla efforts was a supplemental traditional media execution, giving the campaign the type of layered execution we love to see. Kudos to the agency- Wexley School For Girls.

Business Cards That Are Toys? AWESOME!

2009-03-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

I get a lot of "average" business cards, and that is probably why I am always excited when we re-do our cards. I love having something that sticks out from the crowd, but even we wouldn't have thought of this idea from Lego.

Not easy to fit in the Rolodex, but we have a feeling these cards get some prime real estate on people's shelves.

My favorite feature is that they are supposedly design to psychically resemble the employee as well- genius!

New Feature- My Favorite Idea of the Week!

2009-03-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

I LOVE ideas that are out of the box ideas- either just completely guerrilla, or that take traditional avenues and turn them on their heads.

So, I am going to try and pick out a new inspirational idea every week- something that doesn't necessarily take a huge budget to execute.

The first one comes from across the pond, and is a campaign to raise awareness of the homeless issue in the UK.

Advertising Agency: Rapp, London, UK
Creative Director: Chad Warner
Art Director: Jon Owens
Copywriter: Rob Prangle

Rainbow of Flavors Explosion

2009-03-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

Everyone the last few days has been in an uproar over the new social media strategy by Skittles. Social Media experts everywhere are wagging their fingers at the brand- telling them they are "doing it all wrong." Instead of encouraging teens to talk about Skittles, they are encouraging "false conversations" about the brand instead. In other words- people are just throwing the word "Skittles" in their tweets just to be noticed, or worse, using the brand name and profanity together.

OK- let's take a breath here. How many teens are just going to talk about Skittles calmly and in a way that is organized and organic? A few, but the overall risk of social media is that you have to be prepared to take the good with the bad. If someone wants to tweet that "Skittles Sucks"- well, maybe they really believe that, and that is the risk of having a Facebook Page, etc.

But, let's face it- people all over are noticing the Skittles campaign. They are blogging about, writing articles about, and analyzing Skittles. When was the last time I wrote about the brand- right- never. I am a measly little media planner and buyer, but still.

They have taken a risk, and it has gotten people talking. And, that, is much more than many brands can say these days.

If You Won't Change, Why Should I Care?

2009-02-18T18:12:00.000-08:00

Be warned- this is a venting post. I am venting because every day I hear how bad the newspaper industry is. But, almost everyday, I hear about or have an experience with a newspaper that makes my blood boil. I have written about this before, and I continue to be surprised at their business sense.

From a Subscriber's Perspective:
I admit, I subscribe to the newspaper. But, if I were not a media planner/buyer, it would be one of the first things I would cut from my household budget. As a person in their 30's, I am bored with the paper. Outside of the front page, and a section here or there, the only thing I enjoy about the paper is the Target insert that comes every Sunday. I keep thinking newspapers will get the hint- make their content and formats change with the times. But, it is essentially the exact same paper my mom and dad were reading 30 years ago.

And, on top of that, every year my rates go up. So, I pay more for less. Or, at least for less appealing content.

From an Advertiser's Perspective:
This is where I have the biggest issue. Currently, I am drowning in media buying and negotiations. And, all across the board, I am seeing media outlets dropping rates to be in line with the current economic situation. Not only do they have more inventory open, but they realize that their clients are hurting too. And, without lower rates and more innovative ideas, those clients will leave, leaving more open inventory, and thus, the domino affect.

But, not so with newsprint. I can cite instant after instant where long-time advertisers have been pushed into signing more expensive and in-flexible contracts. Today, I even had a situation in which a paper refused to honor a previously quoted price because they made a mistake on their side..... a simple $100 mistake.

If they are not able to cut $100 off of an ad for someone that has been running newsprint for 50 years, then why should we be willing to sign away such large chunks of our budget when all we get is a shrinking audience?

Obviously, not all of my experiences are like this, but I am tired of the doom and gloom from the newspaper industry, when I see very little innovation, flexibility, or customer service from them.

WHOA! Someone is Actually Spending More?

2009-02-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

Budgets have been a big topic for me lately, mostly because we are wrapping up the planning on several 2009 plans. There have been two big trends I have seen this year:

Everyone has been slow getting 2009 up and running.
No one wants to tell us what their real budget is.

Number two is what has been giving us the most trouble, because it means we spend a lot of time trying to guess where we should land. And, we hardly ever get it right, so it results in constant revisions.

With our current clients, I think the biggest reason they are hesitant to give us that magic number is because the economy is so unpredictable right now, and they are worried about spending more money and getting fewer sales.

But, marketing professionals know the tough times are not the right time to cut budgets. In fact, because it is harder to get that piece of the pie, you may have to spend more. Scary- I know.

Wal-Mart is proving this theory right. The giant retail chain has been one of the few out there that have been seeing successes in these trying times. And, today, it was released that their measured media budget has increased by over 50%. Now, let's not kid ourselves- their low prices are contributing to their success as well, but in a time that would be easy to be conservative, they have ramped up their advertising.

While increasing budgets by 50% are not realistic for local businesses, staying flat is minimally what you should do. Fighting for the market share now will result in success now and in the future.

Where are the Successful Facebook Campaigns?

2009-02-11T05:46:00.000-08:00

Several times a day, I hop onto Facebook, and check in on my various acquaintances, to see what is going on in the world- or at least, in THEIR worlds.

This morning, while checking what new events I have been invited to, it occurred to me, there are not very many people I know who are NOT on Facebook.

There has also been a lot of studies lately into the expanding demographics of the site, the increasing traffic, and the exodus away from MySpace.

That being the case, why are we not hearing about any success stories from marketers using Facebook? I have visited with others who have ventured into this arena, and their reactions are always ho-hum. Many of my clients have inquired about Facebook, but the lack of results make me hesitant to recommend it.

Have we just not found the sweet spot with consumers, or do they look at the space as their private arena, and therefore, are turned off by the pitches to learn more about laundry detergent or buy shoes?

Until we know, we advise cautious curiosity with your marketing dollars.

My Two Favorite Things- At Least This Week

2009-01-20T16:34:00.000-08:00

I love out of the box ideas- and here are two that I have seen this week that I think are genius!

First, "thought bubbles", a project that Katie Sokoler and Matt Adams undertook in Brooklyn. OH, think of the advertising possibilities!

Second, a "Bring Your Kids to Work Day" piece by BBDO. These monitor "clings" for a lack of a better word, were found on everyone's computer when they came in to work in the morning.

Kudos- both are very inspirational!

Battle Between Good Placement and Good Creative

2009-01-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

My biggest pet peeve is convincing a local client to upgrade their media plan, only to have the creative come in and widely miss the mark.

Page dominance is great- but there are two things to note:

1) White space is eye catching......Just because you have half a page allotted, doesn't mean you have to increase photos/ font sizes so that every square centimeter is utilized.

2) If you are going to use dominant images, make sure they are professional looking. Increasing low rez photos to the point where you can see pixels makes the ad look cheap- and what does that say about your product?

If you can't afford both the big ad and a professional looking one, re-evaluate. Find a balance between it dominating the page with it's size and its professional, polished look.

Hit 'Em in the Mall

2008-12-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

I love out of home advertising, but often, those of us who work with local clients have a hard time getting clients to appreciate the value in it.

The other day, I was finishing up my Christmas shopping, and was surprised to see a branded playground in the middle of the shopping center. Two advertisers- Community America Credit Union and Aristocrat Motors- had branded playground equipment. One was a bank (pictured) and the other was a car.

It was subtle, and didn't take away from the experience that the kids were having, but was a great way to get a brand name in front of their parents. Kudos!

Kind of Feels Like Stalking

2008-12-17T07:10:00.000-08:00

Since we focus primarily on local and regional media planning and buying in the Kansas City area, there are not too many times my clients have needed me to monitor the blogosphere for them. But, I have heard about this phenomenon many times from folks who are concerned about their national buzz.

In my head, I have it envisioned as some solitary person, in a corner closet, hunched over their computer refreshing their Google Reader/Twitter, etc. every thirty seconds, waiting on that single mention of their corporate boss.

But, I have never experienced it until yesterday. I was having problems with some NING accounts- a site where smaller organizations can set up their own "social sites". So, I sent out a Twitter message- thinking that if someone else was having an issue, I would at least hear about it.

And, within a minute, I was being followed by a NING Customer Service person, and had a direct message from them inquiring me about my issue. Laura invited me to send her a message, detailing my problem and she would look into it. IMPRESSIVE. By the end of the day, she had responded, and although I haven't had a chance to see if her feedback was indeed the problem (user error I am sad to say), I was satisfied she was concerned enough to actually look into it.

It is amazing that customer service has evolved into an almost instantaneous process. Although it took Laura just 60 seconds, instead of the 30 I imagined, in my mind, I think I will still envision her hunched over the computer, waiting for that moment when she can leap to attention.

And, Laura, if you find this post in the Blogosphere--- HELLO!

Props to a Kansas City Original!

2008-12-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

It's gift giving time, and I love looking through all the "hot" lists for inspiration for my loved ones.

Recently, I was browsing through Real Simple magazine, and found a Kansas City product featured, so thought I would throw out some props to them for getting such a tremendous hit.

Original Juan- a specialty foods company which carries various hot and barbeque sauces and more- can easily be identified on grocery shelves, because of the unique and eye-catching label. It has long been one of my favorite brands here in KC, and would encourage those who haven't tried it to give it a taste!

Great job Original Juan- and hope your warehouse has been buzzing after this feature!

The Flexability of Paper

2008-11-18T06:34:00.000-08:00

All across the country, we hear about layoffs, and the media world is no different. Recently, our local paper has had several rounds, across all departments.

Many local media planners and buyers incorporate newspaper into their initiatives, and at Kazoo we are no different. We purchase newsprint across the region, and there are many things I have seen emerging over the last few years.

Newspapers often seem to be on the defense with marketers. Instead of working together to tailor an aggressive rate package, they continue to raise their rates every year, and spend most of their time defending their cost increase, instead of making themselves flexible.

Subscription numbers are down, the demographic is continually getting older, and now, with major layoffs across the board, the content is going to start to suffer.

More and more, it begs the question- if major changes are not made at the print level, what IS the future of newsprint?

Obama- Marketing Machine

2008-11-04T13:19:00.001-08:00

On this historic day, I thought I would reflect back a little bit on the marketing efforts put forth by Barack Obama. He has been revolutionary in many ways, not the least bit of which is all the new mediums he has dabbled in.

Of course, traditional media has been used a lot, but on top of that, Obama has noted the importance of the youth vote, and therefore, has explored many areas others have not dreamed of. These, partnered up with more main stream targets might be what propels him to victory (it is 3:30pm, so still too early to tell.)

* Twitter- if you follow Obama, you not only got updates on his campaign stops, but you were also notified of his pick of Joe Biden as the Vice-Presidential nominee.
* Email Blasts- practically every day, email blasts were sent out from the Obamas or Bidens, touting milestones and events throughout the campaign.
* Video Games- Obama is the first candidate to run advertising in some popular video games.
* Infomercial- In an last effort to get his message out to the masses, Obama purchased a 30 minute commercial on several networks, drawing in 30+ million viewers.
* Social Groups on Facebook/ MySpace- fans were able to share their love of Obama through various ways, including "flair", etc.
* Banner Ads- targeted demographically and geographically, banner ads ran on many sites across the Internet.

I am sure there are more, but these are the ones that come to mind first. Obama, with his logo, message, advertising campaign, etc. created a brand for himself. This brand has infused a passion into his followers like I have never seen in my lifetime, but one that I hope to see again and again.

Getting What You DON'T Pay For

2008-10-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

For the second time today, I had a conversation with someone about a website. And, for the second time today, the topic turned to the idea of going the "economic" route, and having someone internally putting the site together.

I cringe every time I hear someone say they have an accountant or a sales person who "dabbles" in web, or graphic design, or whatever it may be. Because 90% of the time, they make the decision to put that person in charge of the project, most of the time to save money.

I have an ex-client who did this not once, but from my count, 3 times. And, if they were to look back, and if they were honest with themselves, I am sure they would see that the cost and the heartache of this decision in the end was not worth it.

If you want to pay the neighborhood kid to do your website, that is fine. But, it will look like the work of a neighborhood kid did.

There are many great small agencies and freelancers out there, and I believe that it is worth doing it right the first time. Need some contacts- visit www.kcfreelanceexchange.com for starters (disclaimer- I am a member and the president). They have a lot of remarkable talent.

You do get what you pay for, and in this case, you get what you don't pay for.

The Lost Sale

2008-10-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to a lot of random email newsletters- for both personal and business purposes. There is one I am particularly fond of, that feeds my shopping habit on a daily basis.

A variety of companies use this email blast to promote their sites, or new products they are coming out with. The other day, I received an email from them, with a new product that I just had to have. I clicked on the site, and all I got was a screen that said OUT OF STOCK. Now, I know that businesses can not keep an infinite number of items on hand. But, I checked the site within minutes of getting the email. I thought surely there was an error, so I checked back the next day. Same screen.

There have been other times when I have clicked through newsletters, only to get the error that the site is down, due to high traffic, etc. So, I delete the email, never to return.

This should be a reminder to all of us that online marketing is extremely affective, but you have to be prepared for it. Otherwise, the customer experience is frustrating, and I would wager, these potential clients will never find their way back to you.

Diversify Your Investments and Your Business

2008-10-06T05:39:00.001-07:00

Diversification is a term we have all been hearing a lot lately, with the financial crisis we are facing today. This crisis is causing a lot of struggle with business owners, but, I have also been seeing businesses on the positive end of this spectrum.

There have been a lot of examples of how being "niche" has helped companies stand out from their competition, and I am not discounting that. But, in times of turmoil, it is those that have a little broader aim that seem to weather the storm a little easier.

Take for example September 11th- anyone who worked in the travel industry suffered for years afterward. Being at an agency who worked on an aircraft manufacturer, I was able to see that first hand. But, what got us through was all the other categories we had in our portfolio.

Today, it is the same phenomenon. Times are harder. And although record sales numbers may not be the norm, there are those who are still in the black.

The new year is approaching, and now is the time that many of us are analyzing our strategies, preparing for the new year. Think about your target audience, and what the potentials are not only in good times, but in bad. Walking a fine line between niche and diversified may be difficult, but worth it in the end.

Cut the Cord

2008-09-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

When I bought my house 4 years ago, I made the decision to start relying 100% on my cell phone. Seems like the only people that actually used the land line previously were telemarketers, and I certainly didn't care about keeping in contact with them.

At the time, this was a new phenomenon, but not anymore. Today, 20 million households have cut the dependence on their land line.

Currently, it seems that the majority of people who have done this are lower income and younger, but I predict the trend to expand rapidly in the older, more affluent demographics. My mom is a perfect example. When we need to get a hold of her, we first call her cell phone. Most of the time it doesn't even occur to me to try her home phone first, because 90% of the time, she doesn't answer, and then I am just going to try the cell anyway.

Between the decline in Yellow Page usage, and now land lines, traditional phone companies are going to have to keep looking for innovative ways to keep income flowing in.

No Easy Answer

2008-09-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

It seems like you can hardly turn on the news anymore without hearing about the price of gas, or the economy in general. Whenever pocket books tightened up, I often feel the tension exuding out of those I work with.

It's at these times we all need to remember there is no miracle cure. There is no ONE THING that is going to come down on you like a bolt of lightening, causing customers to break your door down.

Instead, it is even more imperative that you evaluate your long-term marketing plan and commit to it. It sounds like an easy answer to pull back a little bit of advertising here and a little bit of marketing there. But, when you do that, your sales will erode as well.

And, above all- make sure you are tracking each and every lead. Because if you can identify what is working, then you have the justification to tweak and move dollars around.

And, although there is no easy answer, it is this dedication that will lead you around the bend.

The Smallest Gestures

2008-09-09T19:41:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I ventured over to a new dry cleaner in my neighborhood. There was no particular reason for the switch, other than I had been going to a "bargain basement" place, and something about it had me crossing my fingers every time I dropped something off there.

The new place is more expensive, and a little further drive, but I thought I would try it out. I dropped off my items, picked them up a few days later, and normally, that would be the end of the interaction until the next time I spilled salsa on my wool coat.

But, a few days ago, I received a hand addressed envelope in the mail. I thought, "It's not my birthday," so I curiously opened the envelope. Inside was a Thank You card. A card from my new dry cleaner. Personally signed by one of the employees.

I won't repeat the entire note, but basically, it welcomed me as a new customer, and told me they appreciated me entrusting them with my items. And, it offered me $5 off my next visit.

WOW! I don't even remember giving them my information, let alone telling them I was new. But they noticed. And, they remembered. And they told me thank you.

I was impressed. And, even though it is a little more expensive, and a little further drive, I will be going back.

It reminded me of all the little things we should be doing for our customers. A small gesture, one that doesn't cost a lot of money, can speak volumes. And, create a long-term customer in the process.

Pry the Insert Out of My Cold Dead Hands!

2008-08-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

I read a study this morning, talking about local online advertising and how it translates to the local consumer. Essentially, the findings showed advertising on local websites is more influential than advertising we see elsewhere on the web. Makes sense- these local properties have worked years at building trust with their communities. The successful ones have taken this trust and extended it beyond their traditional boundaries.

Some of the data talked about the % of people who turned to the web for local dining, banking, and grocery information. The numbers were impressive. And, it made me think of that newspaper today- stuffed to the brim with grocery inserts. Do local businesses, of all types, have the foresight to forgo the comfortable?

Change is scary, but as marketers, we must do it. Our consumers are moving forward, and if we don't, we are left behind. It's hard- especially at the local level- to take that leap. So, if you are not comfortable leaping, tip toe. But starting doing it today!

GoDaddy- The Worst Site Ever?

2008-08-20T09:43:00.001-07:00

GoDaddy is a concept that I love. It makes it possible for us layman to buy domain names, set up simple hosting, email, etc. What I don't love is them is their website.

Is there any reason why it has to be the most complicated website I have ever seen? Today I had to go in and renew something on my account. In theory, this should be a very simple process. Click here, click renew, pick payment, done. But instead, I found myself confused, in some sort of loop that I couldn't get out of.

Sales pitches and price points slap you in the face every place you turn. I get it- you have a lot to offer. But, if you condense things down, make it a little more clear where I am supposed to focus my attention, you may get me to react. Instead, I go in, try to figure out the one thing I am supposed to do, and get out like I am being exposed to the plague.

Being user friendly is clearly not something GoDaddy has mastered.

I have had several clients re-vamp their websites lately. The one thing I find myself repeating in every case, is the fact they need to be clear, concise, and user friendly. Otherwise, people will click on and click off as fast as they can.

Barack Gets It

2008-08-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

This is not a post to talk about the candidates from a for/against standpoint. This is a commentary on a Twitter message I received from Barack Obama today. A few months ago, when I signed up for Twitter, I was thrilled when I found Obama, and I immediately started following him. OK, following one of his staffers posting on his behalf, but whatevs.

I loved hearing about where he was campaigning, as this was still in the midst of the Clinton/Obama battle. I liked the updates on upcoming speaches, and links to where I could see them live. But today, I received a post that blew me away. The Twitter said, "Announcing the VP candidate sometime between now and the Convention by txt msg & email. Text VP to 62262 or visit www.barackobama.com/vp."

You better believe I sent that text! I, like the rest of the country, am dying to know. And, just the mere possibility of me being "in the know" before any one else is exciting! It makes me feel involved in his campaign, invested somehow.

I have had lots of conversations lately with clients and industry folks about Twitter. What it is, how it works, but most importantly, how it can work for them. I think this is a perfect example. With a message that took 5 seconds to send, I become excited, intrigued, and more interested in Barack Obama.

This is something that local companies can easily do as well. In fact, they can Twitter far easier than all of the other social media out there. When you have something interesting to say, your fans WANT to know about it. When they have an inside scoop, it makes them feel important, almost invested in the goings-on of you business. And, when customers feel invested, it is very likely they feel loyal at the same time.

Catching Up, Every Two Years

2008-08-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

I am a TV addict. There! I said it. The DVR has become my enabler. It single handily has stretched my addiction from "appointment TV" to now including every cheesy piece of reality TV I can get my hands on. And, yes, that includes recording Cheaters at 1am.

As a media buyer, I justify my addiction on my job. I mean, in order to sufficiently buy for every demo under the sun, I NEED to watch every program I can get my hands on. That is the only way I will understand the mom, teenager, empty nester, young professional (list goes on) I am trying to reach. OK, obviously all the research and reading I do plays a big part in that, but that is how I justify the over-loaded DVR to myself.

It used to be, my to-do list was the only thing that piled up around me. Now, it is also my to-watch list. That is why I am so glad the Olympics are here. Not because I am excited to watch them..... I have never been a big fan from a personal level. No, it is because I know that as the entire world is tuned in to the diving and the sand volleyball, many of the other networks will be running re-runs and awful TV specials.

It's my chance! My chance to finally get caught up on all those shows I have been taping over the last few months. No new programs to distract me! Well, unless you count Project Runway, Mad Men, Swingtown, Sunset Tan........

Maybe I can even get to those Netflix DVDs I have had for the last 4 weeks. And, I have some library books piling up. Not to mention the photos that need cataloged. Oh well, maybe I won't catch up after all, but I will give it the best shot I have.

Is that Kazoo, like the martian on the Flintstones?

2008-07-31T12:11:00.000-07:00

For me, picking my company name was the hardest part about starting my own business. I didn't want to use the traditional last name. I wanted it to be symbolic, memorable, and fun.

For a while, I was stuck on color combinations..... Red This, or Blue That. And then one day, while watching Lost, of all things, Kazoo came tumbling over the air waves and I knew right then and there it was the perfect fit.

Memorable- yes. Fun- of course! But, most importantly, symbolic. I am in advertising- specifically media. And, my job has always been to make my clients' messages stand out in the crowd. And the sweet noise of a kazoo- well, no matter how crowded the room, that sound would carry up and above all the noise.

When people meet me for the first time, and I tell them I am from Kazoo, I either get a puzzled look, or a big smile. Either way, I almost always get the question- where did you come up with that name? Somebody even asked me once if it was from the Flintstones character. You know, the obscure little martian. But, his name was actually GAZOO- not KAZOO.

Since then, I have been smitten with the kazoo- especially the old metal ones. Very retro. And, I even set up a Google Alert- to be updated on all the goings-on with kazoos. It has been since then I have realized the easiest, and therefore, probably the most attempted record in the Guinness Book of World Records, must be for the largest kazoo ensemble.

* July 24, 2007- Attempt in Harlem. Supplied by Kazoobie Kazoos.
* December 2007- Kazoo band in Rochester, NY sets record.
* May 1, 2008- Springfield, MO Cardinals fans set world record.
* July 4, 2008- Attempt in St. Louis, at the Landing's 4th of July celebration.
* Next Attempt? August 2 at the Hillsboro Civic Center.

So, I have already started planning..... mark your calendar for 2012. Date TBD. That will be our 5 year anniversary, and a perfect time to bring the record to good old KC.