An Insider's View of Media Negotiation

by Michele Safar, Media Supervisor

Often I get the question “how does the media team negotiates rates?” Is there a rate card rate and that’s the rate we pay? Or is it something else? I find the car analogy works well. The dealers put a sticker price on the car (their rate card) knowing you'll likely feel good about making the purchase if you get them below that MSRP. Media companies operate much the same way. The rate card is there but 99% of the time they never get that price.

I love negotiating. The first round is a no brainer – no rate card. But then it really gets fun. The second round "special" rate can be presented by one rep as "because you've been a long-time advertiser" and yet the next might say “because you are a new advertiser.” In the end, it's all code for “ok, here is the more realistic price that will still allow us a nice commission”. That still doesn't work for me. I want my media partners to make a reasonable profit but not at the expense of my client. And so I will push them as far as I can. Not by bullying, but rather by providing more information than other buyers/agencies. It seems to have worked for me. I'm proud of the deep discounts and added value I get for clients. I won't give away all of my secrets in this blog- but just know the AMP media team does not take a rate they are quoted and turn it around as part of their plan – first round or even second round.

And sure, I will come with you next time you are in the market for a new car...for a small negotiable fee. Read more!

World’s Largest Elf Party

by Kristin Schweizer, Group Director

What do you get when you mix a scenic NYC holiday environment, stars for an upcoming holiday movie and 607 elf-outfitted people? A Guinness World Record of course!

AMP in partnership with ABC Family staged the “World’s Largest Elf Party” at The Pond in Bryant Park on Monday, December 7th. In support of ABC Family’s release of Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe, AMP pulled off this world-record setting gathering of Santa’s Elves. The movie's stars, Jenny McCarthy, Dean McDermott, Candace Cameron Bure and Peri Gilpin were all on hand to take part in the day’s stunt.

General consumer “Party” participants were invited through “Elf” street teams to take part in the event. All participants received a full elf costume, boxed lunches and earned giveaways from our stage activities including caroling with Emcee “Honkey” Lange and DJ Mike Roc under the lit Christmas Tree at Bryant Park. At 1:00PM EST all “elves” were moved onto the ice rink, and a ten-minute countdown began in order to establish a new Guinness World Record. After only a 15-minute adjudication period to confirm and qualify the total number of participants, Danny Girton from Guinness World Records presented the movie’s stars, Jenny McCarthy and Dean McDermott with an Official Guinness plaque commemorating the accomplishment.

The stunt proved to be a press hit with ABC Family receiving press coverage from multiple media sources including, “The View”, “Access Hollywood”, “The Insider”, AP, People.com, In Touch Magazine, Media Life and even global sources such as the BBC and NTDTV in China!

Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe was broadcast on Sunday, December 13th on ABC Family and became the #1 rated cable movie for the season and was the evening's #1 scripted cable program in total viewers and core demographic 18-49 year olds* (*Nielson Media Research) Read more!

Holy Cow, Facebook Bans Milk! Sorta...

by Matt Rainone, Manager, Strategic Marketing

According to Facebook’s new regulations, you are no longer allowed to conduct a promotion whose purpose is to “promote any of the following product categories: gambling, tobacco, dairy, firearms, prescription drugs, or gasoline”. Wait, dairy? As in milk and cheese? Dairy is treated in the same context as gambling, firearms and tobacco? This REALLY brings a new meaning to lactose intolerance.

As it turns out, this really isn’t that far off from rules that many states already employ with regards to sweepstakes. Many state laws prohibit companies from offering dairy as prize according to this Chicago Tribune article, on the same topic. This is also included in Facebook’s regulations.

So what are our friends in the dairy industry to do? It seems for now, that they should just wait. It appears that Facebook will soon be updating the regulations to remove dairy from the naughty list. Which is great because it will give AMP just enough time to launch our new Cheese Wheel Promotional Capabilities in early 2010. Read more!

Am I a Greedy Consumer?

By Whitney Hardy, VP, Account Management

Retailers have very effectively trained me when and how to shop and I sometimes wonder whether I will I ever pay full-price again.

I live very close to the Natick Collection and go there often. I shop like I’m a woman on a mission – when I’m at the mall, I know when to go and where to go to get the best deals and savings . You’ve seen it and probably have been trained, too – every store has their discount on display in their window and their e-marketing teams are working overtime. When I logged into my Yahoo account yesterday, I counted 20+ emails from retailers begging for my business that day. Subject lines included: “30% off all Outerwear ,” “Take 20% off a single item – 1 Day Only!,” and “Whitney, Only two Days Left! 20% OFF Ends Tomorrow!”

By keeping an eagle-eye on my email box, scouring sale racks, and faithfully perusing off-price department stores, I walk away with clothes and labels that I’ve spotted on celebrities in some of my favorite magazines. I honestly don’t remember the last time that I bought something full-price. I know that my expectation for buying quality goods at discounted prices has been a gradual development – the economy (of course), greater financial responsibility with a growing family, and maturity were probably all nails in the full-price retail coffin in my life.

I wonder if this will ever change. Will there be a day that I comfortably and confidently walk out of the mall with a big, glossy, luxury department store shopping bag full of full-price stuff? Is that ten years down the road? Twenty years? Ever?

For a believer in the power of building a strong, aspirational brand, I struggle with what retailers and brands will need to do to stop the cycle and train us to be full-price shoppers again? How will they deliver value that is as meaningful to consumers as “dollars off”? Convenience? Service? Quality? But what if we’ve been trained to expect it all? Read more!

5 Reminders, Tips, and Lessons about Social Media Strategy from the Ad Club Panel

by Ally Moehring, Integrated PR Strategist

This morning, a couple of us had coffee and some OJ with the Ad Club and their three panelists talking about social media strategy: “Dunkin’” Dave Puner of Dunkin’ Brands, Inc. (@dunkindonuts), Tom Matlack, co-editor of The Good Men Project (@TMatlack) and Janet Swaysland of Monster Worldwide. Listening to these social media rock stars, I was reminded of a few fundamentals that all too often we forget:

1. Even the pros were once newbies.
   Up until a little over a year ago, even Dunkin’ Dave was new to Twitter and Facebook and claims, of the entry into the social media space, “we knew there were conversations happening about our brand, we just didn’t know if we would be welcomed by our consumers to join the conversation.” The lesson? They were welcome and indeed it is still better to try to guide and be a part of those discussions that are happening about your brand. To date, @DunkinDonuts has gained nearly 40,000 followers on Twitter and over 950,000 Facebook fans. The other lesson? It’s natural to be hesitant, but you have to trust (Janet’s advice) that it will work if done right and know your brand (Dave’s advice) and your intentions.
   
   
2. Don’t forget to find your evangelists and show them some love.
   Much like the problem child getting all the attention, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the negative comments – and you will hear them – from consumers instead of paying attention to the people who <3 you. Remember – your loyalists need love too, maybe even more attention than the problem child. Never forget to thank the people who share their love for your brand and remember, when things get rowdy with a negative comment or two, it’s usually your loyalists that will come to your defense.
   
   
3. Treat each community differently.
   Streamlining is great, but remember that consumers use each of the spaces differently. Think about what you personally (not professionally) do on Facebook v. how you use Twitter v. what and how you’re really (don’t lie) watching and sharing on YouTube. Now think about your brand’s professional strategy and how you approach each of them. Are you thinking about the content you are creating (oh, and, you ARE creating content by the way) and the purpose of your brand’s use of each space? Do it.
   
   
4. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize.
   It’s easy to get excited about the ways you can use social media. OOH OOH! Customer service! Oh wait!! Recruiting! OOH we should try a direct drive to sales and share exclusive deals! Especially when getting started, be sure to prioritize and know your purpose for being there. What conversations are happening already? Are you leveraging them? Or do you want to start entirely new conversations?
   
   
5. ROI is tricky.
   There are an abundance of ways to measure influence in social media…at AMP we call a combination of those measurements a return on engagement (ROE) or return on relationship (ROR), but a traditional ROI can be tricky – often do-able, sure, but always tricky. Plunging into social media may require a shift in economics for your marketing plan. It’s not all dollar signs, there really is a direct benefit of engaging directly with your consumers, but it may be difficult to directly measure its monetary value. Based on your goals, identify how you want to measure the effects of your brand’s presence – if your goal is customer service, then how quickly was the customer issue resolved on Twitter? How efficiently? How happy was the customer in the end? If your goal is sales, what technology are you leveraging to track this? Measurement will always be an enormous part of any social media strategy, but it’s important to understand that the way you have traditionally measured success in your other marketing plans may need a tweak or two. Trust us…if you can get your business into this new mindset, it will be worth it.

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The FDA Opens the Floor for Change

by Josh Pike, SVP Search
This past week I had the pleasure of attending the 2 day FDA hearing on the use of the Internet and social media for the marketing of pharmaceuticals. The purpose of the hearing was to open discussions about updating the current guidelines set forth by the FDA.The hearing format was interesting. Speakers, which included agencies, drug companies, public advocacy groups, site publishers and private citizens, addressed the FDA panel to provide feedback to 5 specified topics:

1. What parameters or criteria should be applied to determine when third-party communications occurring on the Internet and through social media technologies are subject to substantive influence by companies that market products related to the communication or discussion?
2. In particular, when should third-party discussions be treated as being performed by, or on behalf of, the companies that market the product, as opposed to being performed independent of the influence of the companies marketing the products?
3. How should companies disclose their involvement or influence over discussions or material, particularly discussions or material on third-party sites?
4. Are there different considerations that should be weighed depending on the specific social media platform that is used or based on the intended audience? If so, what are these considerations?
5. With regard to the potential for company communications to be altered by third parties, what is the experience to date with respect to the unauthorized dissemination of modified product information (originally created by a company) by noncompany users of the Internet?Many of the agencies and drug companies shared their findings from private and funded research.

There were several consistent themes that emerged from these studies:

• The Internet is a growing and significant source of information for people researching health information.
• The current lack of clear direction from the FDA is keeping legitimate pharma companies on the sidelines of getting involved with social media and many forms of online advertising. This leaves a void that is frequently being filled by less desirable and often illegal advertisers.
• Consumers and medical professionals want drug companies to participate in an open, non-promotional way to share their knowledge and research in the discussions that are happening across social media channels.

While not as prevalent, some of the most interesting discussions where those that questioned the efficacy of the FDA guidelines in general. It would seem that in many cases, the issues of including fair balance between risk/benefit and access to prescribing information in marketing materials, as mandated by the FDA, is not what is putting consumers at risk. The problem is that this ‘required’ information often exceeds the level of comprehension for most consumers. So including a link to important safety information from a Tweet or search ad may satisfy the requirements of the FDA, but it is completely failing the objective of the FDA, which is to protect the public health.

Likely the result of years of lawyering and policy making, the FDA approved language that makes up the small print in magazine and online ads and quick speak at the end of TV commercials has warped into something that exceeds the health literacy of the general public. The language needs to be simplified in order to be effective and the FDA needs to create a standard for displaying important safety information across health sites to aid in consumer recognition and accessibility.

These changes would not require the FDA to introduce new policy to address the challenges posed by the Internet and social media. The current policies are sufficiently obtuse and can be morphed to apply to new media. Instead, the FDA needs to work with drug companies to provide the guidance necessary for acceptable participation across social media. Without this, we will continue to see an onslaught of unregulated online pharmacies and snake oil salesman, a situation that is both confusing and hazardous for the general public. Without clear guidance from the FDA, legitimate drug companies will be forced to sit on their hands for fear of overstepping the murky lines of compliance and the wealth of information that they possess will remain unavailable to consumers.
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Mobile Marketing – Test and Learn

by Sonny Kim - VP, Interactive

We’ve been talking about mobile marketing for over a decade now, yet we still don’t see the mass adoption for marketers to include mobile in their marketing mix. The share of marketing dollars toward mobile is only 1.8% (MMA market survey 2009), yet it has established itself as a dominant communications channel. Over 200 million Americans own a mobile device and the adoption of smartphones has increased the opportunities for marketers to go beyond text messaging and ring tones to engage with consumers. Given these evolutions, coupled with a recent report showing rapid mobile internet adoption (Morgan Stanley 2009), the opportunity to jump in and learn now seems stronger than ever. So where do you start? Dipping your toes into mobile marketing can be very simple. Here are three easy ways you can get started.

SMS is still king - Text messaging by adults is outstripping the growth rate among younger generations. Adoption of text messaging between ages 45 to 54 has increased 130%. Favorite venues for texting are: The movies (58%); loud sports games or concerts (41%); lectures or classes (39%). Marketers can build a communication strategy around their target’s lifestyle interests.

Test and learn: Try a text to vote to get user input on your product or service.

How about a WAP, do you have one yet? Contrary to popular opinion, Americans use the mobile web in large numbers. Actually 15.5% of ALL MOBILE consumers use the internet –that equates to 40 million people (according to Nielsen). The growth rates are most notable among two segments, young adults 18 to 25 (as expected) and new smart phone buyers. Smartphone penetration in the US is 13.5% of all handsets.

Test and learn. Build a WAP page (1). Think about some key information bits you can provide the mobile consumer. Keep it simple.

Mobile App: News, weather and entertainment are top categories for frequency and loyalty of usage. This application doesn’t have to be an iPhone app. Your application can be created to be utilized by the majority of phones. It can be the coolest apps that enable consumers to search your inventory, create recipes, or your application du jour can be as simple as a game. It might be helpful to ask your consumers how they would engage with your brand and what kind of information your consumer is seeking. Mobile apps development costs can start as low as $5,000.

Test and learn. Build a Ping pong game.

Good luck, if you’re already ahead of the game, let’s discuss how we can collaborate to build a robust mobile marketing strategy.

Additional resource:

http://blog.flurry.com/bid/26376/Mobile-Apps-Models-Money-and-Loyalty

sources: Market-research firm, M:Metrics, 2009, CTIA, consumer survey 2008, Research report, Nielsen, 2009
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The Next Wave of User Generated Content?

by Allison Marsh - VP, Consumer Insights
In July, Japanese band sour released a new video for its song “Hibi no Neiro” (Tone of Everyday). As of today, the video has received over 1.6 million hits on YouTube and even for those of us that don’t understand Japanese it is something that you must see. The video was directed by Masashi Kawamur, Hal Kirkland, Magico Nakamura, and Masayoshi Nakamura and by (and of) the band’s fans only using their webcams.

Clearly there was a script or set of guidelines for the fans to follow, which allowed the band to maintain control over the finished product but still allowed fans to participate and experience the band in a new and exciting way.

Is this the next wave of user generated content? Could be… it seems to have worked for reality TV (i.e. The Hills, The City, etc) and it is a way for brands to maintain their integrity and essence while still inviting consumers participate in creating a brand experience. What do you think? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfBlUQguvyw&fmt=18


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Twitter to the Rescue

By Jason Rivera, Director, Consumer Insights and Ally Moehring, Integrated PR Strategist

We’re not sure if you’re aware, but on Tuesday of last week, T-Mobile had another major snafu. This time, it was a 6-hour service outage that was nationwide. Some users had no voice or data service for all 6 hours, some had loss of either data or voice, some lost one or both services for less than 6 hours and some were not affected at all. T-Mobile says it only affected 5% of their customers, but was certainly noticed by every one of their customers (and potential customers) on Twitter.

The outage dominated 4 of the 10 trending topics that day and therefore a large percentage of the conversations on Twitter. During all the hullabaloo, customers were trying to figure out what was going on and some major things happened:

• Both of T-Mobile’s telephone support lines were jammed with callers, making the lines stop functioning (customers would try to call, only to have the number become inoperable)
  
• Their online customer service crashed due to the amount of people trying to talk to a customer service rep
  
• Their entire website crashed intermittently with the amount of traffic received
  

So with no classical means of customer communications, how did they alert these folks, you ask? Twitter. Yes, Twitter. They posted a tweet about the issue and it quickly disseminated through the masses, spreading like wildfire. This is huge deal for social media, particularly in the wireless space. Relying on Twitter to spread the message illustrates several things:

• T-Mobile has a social media strategy
  
• T-Mobile has a strong following on Twitter
  
• T-Mobile believes in Twitter enough that it was the medium they used to outreach to consumers

Like many other brands on Twitter and other social media channels like Facebook, having a presence in these popular social media channels allows them to leverage these spaces to deliver customer service – whether it’s part of their daily strategy or a “when all else fails” tactic. Having a voice on Twitter allowed T-Mobile to inform their customers and helped them put out the firestorm.

It will be interesting to see how brands like T-Mobile continue to intermix social media into their repertoires to interact with consumers in times of need. This is surely a sign of things to come.



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Crossing Moats and Scaling Castles

by Gary Colen, President
Here is something to think about. Consider two brands in the electronics category. Brand A has clearly defined technical superiority, a 30 year + history, as well as dominant brand awareness and distribution at retail. Brand B has an entrepreneurial bent, clear brand positioning as a ‘cool’ challenger brand, secondary retail placement and is a smaller business.

Brand A spends 10x what Brand B spends in marketing. Brand A focuses on traditional media; print, broadcast and newspaper. Brand A spends on digital; display and PPC. Brand A spends $0 on social. Brand A spends zero time on social. Brand A has not one person assigned to social. Brand B spends $0 on traditional. Brand B has six full-time employees dedicated to social. Brand B is measuring the efficacy of their investment in dollar based ROI.

As I approached the display at retail featuring both brands with questions regarding respective effictiveness and quality, I couldn’t find an employee to discuss (brief note to thank our nation’s wonderful electronic’s retailers 2010 – topic for another time). So with no in-store sales assistance, I took out my mobile, queried vark, and asked each brand’s respective social presence, Facebook and Twitter specifically, and got perspectives from my own social network. I immediately received feedback from each of the brands. One gave me their feedback through lack of response. One responded back immediately. The feedback was clear, appeared honest and open to me and most importantly, was provided in my specific time of need. And that, was the difference maker. 10 minutes from start to finish, I left with Brand B.

So, Brand A spends 0% of their budget on social and Brand B spends almost 100% of their budget on social. Someone is making a poor decision…I have a thought on which. Brand A is in a castle under attack worrying about keeping the castle, while Brand B is building a bigger castle right next door. Welcome to the neighborhood.

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Twitter gets younger, Facebook gets older

by Ally Moehring - Integrated PR Strategist
According to the latest Pew Internet & American Life research results, contrary to recent reports Twitter is quickly being adopted by a younger demographic with the average age of Twitter users at 31, compared to Facebook’s average user age of 33, up from 26. The average age of a MySpace user is 26 and LinkedIn, 39.

A shift was bound to happen at some point this year with both Facebook and Twitter expanding its user base rapidly, but Facebook from being a college-specific social networking site to something that parents and grandparents use to stay connected and Twitter from a microblogging service that was initially adopted by an older 30-something demographic, but trending to grow a younger demographic base.

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Economy Down, Education Up

by Ellen Rienzi - Associate Planner, Insights
I’m sure you’re getting sick of hearing about the draining effects of the recession – the layoffs, the ups and downs of the market… it’s exhausting! But, since we’re still in the midst of it, here’s an interesting fact that may be a positive result of a messy economy. According to Pew Research, college enrollment has hit an all-time high. In October 2008, about 40% of 18-24 year olds (11.5 million) in the U.S. were enrolled. Driving this upward trend? Two-year college enrollment levels.

With unemployment reaching its highest levels in decades, people are turning to these cost-efficient education venues as an alternative to the more expensive 4-year options, and as a way to advance (or change) their now-stalled careers. Traditionally, enrollment in 2-year colleges rise as the economy dwindles, but as more students try to balance some work with their schooling, this trend may continue to grow even after the economy stabilizes.

Another condition that is affecting these enrollment levels is the fact that the pool of college-eligible students has expanded. More young adults are finishing high school than ever before. High school dropout rates fell to a record 9.3% in 2008. In fact, by October 2008 almost 85% of all 18-24 year olds had completed high school.

So while the country may seem to be in an endless cycle of budget cuts, job losses, and down markets, rest assured we’ll come out on the other side a more educated society.

Source: http://pewsocialtrends.org/pubs/747/college-enrollment-hits-all-time-high-fueled-by-community-college-surge#prc-jump


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The Full Social Media Story: A Return on Relationships

by Victoria Shaw - VP, Integrated Public Relations

In social media, traditional result measurement tools often leave holes and we are left with a set of quantitative metrics (such as impression numbers and advertising equivalency value) that help tell a story but often skirt around the main plot point. Such ROI metrics can fail to take into account the true value of social media – the relationship value. We were recently challenged with such a case – a campaign that heavily leveraged a group of bloggers, a particularly tightly-knit niche, with the goal of reaching this group and creating relationships between them and our client (a brand specializing in products that also fall into this niche category). Like all true relationships, this one took time to cultivate and grow. Through the course of many months filled with emails and exchanges we knew we met the goal and had successfully developed a group of brand advocates that would pay off with many years of loyalty, purchasing and recommendations to others.

Now the next challenge: measuring the value of these relationships! Our traditional ROI model looked good – indeed the campaign had impressive numbers on the quant side with total impressions, engagements and ad equivalency value all tallying strongly. But the heart of the matter was the story told in the emails from bloggers that raved about their newfound love for the brand, and the posts from their readers that confirmed these blogger/influencers were powerful advocates. To tell this story we had to use a ROR (return on relationship) model.

To do so we turned to our new advocates, the bloggers, and asked them to complete a short survey on their brand perceptions before and after we made contact with them and on the likelihood of their advocacy down the road. While we expected favorable comments back, we couldn’t have predicted how strong their response was! All confirmed that as a result of our relationship-building campaign they now felt they knew the brand well and would be much more likely to purchase it in the future. And as an added bonus: they had all told others about the brand - many others in fact, as many as several hundred word-of-mouth recommendations per blogger!! (And all this in addition to what they had written publicly on their blogs!)

So what was our ROR? Well, we found that our outreach to these influencers had yielded several hundred positive brand mentions per blogger. And we also know that the recommendations of influencers (like friends, social network peers, and ‘experts’) are a powerful and direct driver in the purchase cycle. Measuring ROR isn’t an exact science, it’s an essential aspect of telling the full story about the performance of any social media campaign.

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The Pulse - Tech Savvy Consumers

Every month we survey our Pulse Network, a network of over 10,000 milllennials. We had responses from over 100 students (high school and college) and here is what we learned this month.

With smartphones becoming more prevalent and popular, we wanted to get a sense of how students feel about these new gadgets and what they thought were the biggest benefits of having one. While the majority of students know what a smartphone is, only 26% of the respondents own one. Students have limited budgets and during these harder economic times, not all parents can afford to go out and buy the latest and greatest technology.
While only a few have smartphones, the features and applications that are offered with the smartphone are very appealing. The ability to check email and browse the internet are the biggest benefits to students. We asked all respondents the following question.

What are some reasons you purchased a smartphone or want to purchase one?
• 61% stated I can access my email and internet
• 51% stated I can play music on it
• 50% stated I can take pictures with it
• 42% stated it’s a mini-computer
• 41% stated it has a touch screen
• 41% stated I can view video clips
• 38% stated it has a miniature keyboard
• 12% stated I don’t think there is anything really special with it

That said, the feature they would use the most is the internet. Students want to get information instantaneously, so having the internet at their disposal has high appeal.

What smartphone feature you would use the most?
• 44% Internet
• 23% Music
• 17% Email
• 8% Pictures
• 1% Video

In terms of brand choice, Apple is the top rated among students if they were to purchase a smartphone, followed by the BlackBerry.
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What are Market Researchers Doing in Vegas?

By Angelika Kazakaitis, Senior Planner, Consumer Insights

I just spent the week in Las Vegas. I know…you’re probably expecting to hear a crazy story, but remember, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” so I’m just going to share a few things I learned at The Market Research Event. (Maybe you can convince me to tell you about cocktail hour or the speaker who fell off the stage another time.)

Over the course of three days, I listened to many inspirational speakers. Mega brands like Coca Cola, Toyota, and Procter & Gamble had interesting case studies to share, but my key takeaways came from a combination of sessions I attended. Here’s some advice I collected for you marketing people:

Inspire brands: We as market researchers often like to play it safe, but it’s okay to take risks and go where no man has gone before! Consumer insights should never state the obvious – brands want new perspectives. We should all work together to inspire change and not just follow it.

Innovate by thinking through consumers’ needs: Ideas and insights are usually very simple. For example, a few years ago, Coppertone was looking to come out with the next big thing in sun care. Consumers continuously complained that “sunscreen is messy.” So what happened? The brand took a look at insect repellants, hair care, and other skin care products and BAM! Consumers can now spray on their sunscreen without ever rubbing it in.

Less is more. Brand logos don’t always need to be present: Martin Lindstrom, author of “Buyology” blew my mind with his presentation about Neuromarketing. Brands are finding ways to stimulate consumer’s minds without ever revealing who they are. Consumers can identify brands through scents, sounds, and other visual cues. Studies have proved that if you show images of rugged cowboys or even camels to cigarette smokers, the “craving” part of the brain gets stimulated and consumers don’t even know it.

Know your consumer AND your shopper: Dr Pepper Snapple Group pointed out that clients are often way too focused on the target consumer. Sure, the consumer is important, but he or she is not always the one shopping for our client’s products. For example, take Mott’s apple juice. Moms are the ones buying it, but their kids are the ones consuming it. When conducting research, it’s important to know how Mott’s can appeal to kids, but it’s just as important to understand how to get mom’s attention on store shelves.

Test concepts and messages - overexposure to a brand does not necessarily drive purchase: If an offer is not compelling, multiple exposures to that message won’t influence a call to action. It is extremely important to test messages with consumers before spending thousands of dollars on an advertising campaign. A good ad motivates consumers to do something the first time around.

The next time you’re drafting a survey, writing a creative brief, brainstorming, or figuring out how to market a product, keep these things in mind. To be the best, sometimes, we just need to stick to the basics. Read more!

Teach Your Pet a New Trick… or Treat

by Matt Jacobs, Senior Manager, Strategic Marketing

“Tricks” and “treats” are two words synonymous with dog owners. As a dog, you learn early in life that if you do a trick – e.g., roll over, shake hands, sit – you’re rewarded with a treat. But as Halloween nears, it seems like the pairing of “tricks” and “treats" is turning into “trick or treat” for many pets/owners.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), American consumers are expected to spend $4.75 billion on Halloween this year. A slight decrease from last year’s Halloween spending, some are saying the drop would have been more significant due to overarching economic factors if it weren’t for the booming pet industry. The American Pet Products Association reports that pet related spending will reach $45.4 billion this year – with Halloween becoming a key time period for brands to cash in on pet consumerism.

The biggest Halloween pet trends: costumes and Halloween treats. Buzz around the office this year is not only about who will win the best costume contest on Friday (for humans), but also, what Duffer will be wearing (Prince Charming) or if Josey will be posing as the Bone Collector or as Peyton Dogging.


Gourmet dog bakeries like Three Dog and Healthy Hound are featuring special Halloween themed treats to ensure you don’t forget about the four-legged trick-or-treaters.

And if your pet packs on a few extra Halloween pounds, don’t worry – the pending installment of Wii Fit lets you create an avatar for your dog or cat and track their weight loss. I’m sure a paw remote is already in development.


In case you’re wondering, NRF is predicting that top pet costumes this year will be:
1. Pumpkin
2. Devil
3. Bowties/Fancy Collars
4. Witch
5. Superdog/Supercat
6. Princess
7. Bat
8. Dog
9. Angel
10. Bee Read more!

Getting to Know Consumers

by Allison Marsh, Vice President, Consumer Insights

As part of the Consumer Insights team, I field a lot of very specific and sometimes obscure questions. Ranging from “how many 18 year old college students that live on campus are interested in renting furniture?” to “how many moms between the ages of 28 to 35 read newspapers?” to “what are the hotspots for tween boys?” Surprisingly, I usually have, or can dig up, the answers to most of these questions. Not surprisingly, those answers don’t always get our clients what they are looking for. So I always strive to provide more.

Most clients start off thinking that they need facts about a given consumer segment: demographic information: age, household income, education level, etc and quantifiable behaviors: favorite websites, discretionary spending, number of times they go out to eat, etc. While this type of information is very important, it does not provide the complete picture of who that consumer is and what will motivate them to buy products or services. Think about it, I am 5’7”, a college graduate and I eat out about once a week. What does that tell you about me? It gives you some idea as to where to put messages, but there is little to go on to establish a relationship.

As you know at AMP, our mission is to create brand experiences that become part of consumers’ live experiences. We believe that in order to do that we really need to get to know consumers. To truly connect with consumers, as a brand, you need to understand what they think, feel, and believe. To get to that level of understanding the AMP Consumer Insights team leverages some creative and non-traditional research methodologies.

For example, we recently did some work for a footwear company that was looking to launch a new line of shoes. We intercepted consumers on their turf (in this case skate parks) and held discussion groups in their homes. We even bought shoes off their feet. These methodologies combined to give us a view of how these consumers play, how they live and how they really use a product (sneakers in this case). It provided the color that was lacking from the black and white facts. Our client not only went on to use this information to develop a new product line but also used it to determine how to connect with those consumers, and ultimately how to launch that line.

Consumer demographics and quantifiable behaviors are very important but they only tell half the story. We strive to tell the full story by integrating ourselves into consumers’ lives. If you are having trouble with figuring out your consumer’s story, let me know. We would love to tell you how we would go about learning more and adding color via a creative and effective research plan. I can be reached at amarsh@ampagency.com Read more!

Tracking Growth on Twitter

The Pew Internet folks released a new study on Twitter this week and the AMP Integrated Public Relations team did a topline analysis of the findings. As you’ll see it's certainly a growing space!

Summary:

• A Pew Internet Project report released this week (10/21/09) reveals rapid growth on Twitter


• 19% of U.S. Internet users are on Twitter or similar microblogging services (Twitter being the dominant service) - up from 11% in April 2009


• While Twitter usage has grown among all age demographics, usage among 18 - 24 year-olds has grown most rapidly

Growth among age demographics since December 2008:

• Twitter and other status services were most popular among those 18-24; usage nearly doubled from 19% in December 2008 to 37%


• 25 - 35 year-olds rapidly joined the fray - up 20 points to 31% of this age demographic using Twitter


• Usage among 35 - 44 year-olds jumped 10 points to 19%


• Older demographics were slower to adopt Twitter use, but still grew with 45 - 54 and 55 - 64 age brackets totaling 10% each


• Only 4% of the 65+ demo is on Twitter


• Despite lower numbers, these age brackets have still increased by 5%, 6%, and 2% respectively since December 2008

What this information tells us:

• The definition of "active" on Twitter is shifting - many consumers are on Twitter and are considered active despite the fact that they do not always contribute to the conversation - they are on Twitter following celebrities, news, and brands and seeking information and news on Twitter though they may not always be contributing to the conversation by Tweeting. It is being used as a news and search tool


• Twitter is trending for continued growth and expanded use, especially among a younger demographic

Read more!

What’s Your Favorite Play-Doh Recipe?

By Angelika Kazakaitis, Senior Planner, Consumer Insights

Just about every mom and kid is familiar with Play-Doh’s memorable scent and soft and squishy texture. It’s a classic molding compound that has encouraged fun and hands-on creative play with kids in homes and classrooms around the world for over 50 years. Bright yellow tubs that contain an assortment of colors have inspired kids to create whatever their minds imagine: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, ice cream cones with sprinkles, and now, tropical cakes, sushi, and pasta salads.

AMP has buddied up with Play-Doh to inspire moms and kids across the country to create Play-Doh recipes that look good enough to eat! Check out the top ten finalists and vote for your favorite creation today! On November 1st, one lucky kid will receive a $5,000 Playroom Makeover and a $5,000 School Doh-nation.

Vote here: http://hasbro.promotions.com/playdoh/votegallery.do Read more!

AMP Sprints Down the Hall with Puma

In addition to providing full-service agency capabilities - experiential, creative, consumer insights, interactive, PR, search, media services - AMP also provides speed. Check out our sprinting!

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5 Warnings Marketers Can Heed From Horror Movies

by Ellis Watts - Manager, Strategic Marketing

Every year in the weeks leading up to Halloween I try to work a steady amount of horror movies into my entertainment diet. This week I have been thinking about some of my favorite slasher flicks and I realized that horror movies draw interesting parallels to strategic approaches in the marketing arena.

Disclaimer: The following post contains many links to classic scenes from horror movies.

PR Stunts Can Generate Great Buzz but Can Also Go Horribly, Horribly Wrong (Carrie, 1976) – Sure a fun little stunt may seem like a good idea at the time but the next thing you know you’re locked in a high school gymnasium being burned alive by a telekinetic social outcast. Or you might even be wishing that as the best possible outcome (right Richard Heene?). Take for example Snapple’s attempt to erect the world’s largest popsicle (17.5 tons, mind you)…on an 80 degree day in Manhattan. You can guess how that one ended up. Before jumping in with both feet, make sure you are working with a partner that has experience (and insurance) to make sure every single detail is well thought-out and accounted for.


Viral Videos: Proceed with Caution (The Ring, 2002) – Viral videos can be effective if they catch on (and by “effective”, I don’t mean “a follow-up phone call, then killing the viewer seven days later). However there is an inherent amount of risk to be had when rolling the dice with a viral video play. There is no way to guarantee it will catch on. For every Cadbury Gorilla video that has blown up, there’s a dozen video that haven’t. Side note: thank God YouTube wasn’t around during either of The Ring movies, that clip would have totally blown the doors off of this video.


“You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Boat” (Jaws, 1975) – We field a good number of requests from clients interested in our “Brand ChAMPion” campus ambassador programs. One thing we’ve found through execution is that in order to be successful, we must commit the appropriate resources to our campus ambassadors. We like to surround our reps with as many resources as possible including but not limited to: campus PR, campus media, social media and a local marketing budget. The more we can commit to them, the higher chance for success. Without this kind of support, it’s easy for a campus ambassador program to fall flat. Think of trying to catch Jaws from a canoe. That’s what it’s like trying to force a campus ambassador program with a tight budget. Sometimes, you just need a bigger boat.


Find Creative Ways to Engage with Your Audience (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Various: 1984 – 2010) – One of my favorite things about Freddy Krueger is that he didn’t just kill people like a Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers, but rather he created a unique nightmare experience. Whether he’s transporting sleepy teens into video games or comic books or turning them into cockroaches, Freddy has a always had a knack for creating an over-the-top experience for his victims. Here at AMP, we find that deep, experiential consumer engagements can have a lasting effect on your victims…er, uh, consumers. Consumers.


User Generated Content Can Be a Risky Proposition (The Blair Witch Project, 1999) – Some brands have stars in their eyes when they think of the concept of UGC – a consumer, spending all of this time engaging with their brand sounds incredible. Brands can then use that content which saves money that would otherwise be paid out to a Creative department to develop. Sounds too good to be true, right? Often times, it is. Because content development is so accessible, content quality has become inflated as a result. Some may think an average consumer is capable of filming and editing a brief movie, but what really ends up happening? Three kids get lost in the woods and all hell breaks loose. Uncomfortably close nasal close-ups ensue.
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Asking that Simple Question

by Julie Chin, Planner, Consumer Insights

Little kids have it down pat – they are the ones that constantly ask the one question that carries so much weight and can shed light to the answers that we seek. I’ll give you a hint; it’s only one word. No, its not “how,” although that’s a close second. If you guessed “why?” then you are right on point.

In my line of work, that question is key to uncovering findings that are instrumental to business and to success. For me, “why” is that one question that ultimately gets you the answers you are looking for. I have always been interested in and curious about human nature –what really makes people tick, what influences people to make certain decisions, what makes them choose one brand over another. The questions are endless for me. It is the “whys” in life that inspired me to pursue my career.

You are probably wondering what it is that I do. I am a detective. Well not literally, but my job revolves around getting to the bottom of things and really understanding people.

As a Planner with the Consumer Insights team here at AMP, we are constantly trying to understand people’s behaviors, feelings and actions. These insights are the key to the effective brand strategies from which winning campaigns are built upon. We talk to the consumers – that’s right, we go straight up to the source and ask them “why”. We listen to what the consumers want, how they feel, and what speaks to them, to get the answers our clients are looking for.

This knowledge can go a long way and is extremely beneficial. When a campaign talks to the consumer, instead of “at” them, an emotional connection is created. Consumers feel valued, appreciated and understood. With this connection, your brand will build loyalty and more than likely, consumers will spread the word about your product. I truly believe that consumers are your best advertisers.

As many would expect, human nature is not always easily readable, unless you dig deeper and ask questions. So next time, you stumble across something interesting or compelling, make sure you ask “why” cause you never know what you’ll find out. It could be so inspirational that it might very well land you that next big break. Read more!

We’re green, we’re cost conscious, and we’re social. What’s Next?

by Matt Rainone, Manager, Strategic Marketing

There’s been an interesting change in the marketplace over the past 4-5 few years that has basically happened out of a mixture of necessity and coincidence and has yielded some long-lasting outcomes. I remember interviewing a potential intern candidate about 2 ½ years ago and we began talking about how every company out there is “going green”. The skeptic in me pointed out that it was all too easy to want to save the environment when gas was $4.10 per gallon. I predicted that, in time as energy costs began to go back to normal, the whole green movement might lose some steam, yet the idea of environmental stewardship would remain as a “must have” for every company because it became engrained with everyone during that time. Which I suppose is what happened. Gas prices dropped, and being environmentally responsible was no longer a market differentiator, but an expectation.

But just as gas prices dropped, the stock market imploded and people started losing their jobs. The green movement could have lost steam, but luckily for the earth, reducing our impact on the environment is directly connected to reducing the impact on our wallet; the “use less, spend less” ideology. Simply put, the recession acted as an enforcer of green practices. It also, and very obviously, made everyone extremely cost conscious. In addition to corporate expense accounts getting slashed, marketing budgets also took a hit. Marketers asked agencies to produce similar results with sometimes a fraction of the money, which caused us all to rethink the most effective and cost-efficient ways to do things. Something that, like green practices, will become an expectation from here on out.

With reduced marketing budgets, the most logical way to get your message out there is with unpaid media. The emergence of social media in the marketing mix couldn’t have come around at a better time. Although, imagining George Washington tweeting “RT: @BennyFranklin In a room w/ 60 dudes … Hancock needs a shower” might have been amazing as well. We’ve all now seen that being able to have a conversation with your consumers at practically no cost has become invaluable. Once again, it’s something that is going to become a must have for any brand out there.

So that’s where we are now. We’ve learned to be more environmentally friendly, do more with less, and create killer digital strategies that include social media. But what’s next? What’s the next big trend? All signs point to the next big thing showing up somewhere in the social media space, whether it’s a new technology, or simply an update to an old one. What new trends have you heard about that could change the face of marketing? Read more!

Excessibility

by Adriann Fonstein, Consumer Strategist, Insights

Some people think I’m crazy, but I like to make up words. I think I’ve said that before, but I’ll fearlessly say it again as I introduce my latest epiphany – “excessibility.” I define it as ‘excess available to the masses;’ accessible excess. It’s a concept many high-end designer-low-end-retailer pairs have sold consumers on. Put a low-end cashmere scarf donning Isaac Mizrahi’s name in Targét, where before cashmere had never seen the light of day, and you have some new excess or luxuriousness consumers are privy to. It’s cheap, low-quality luxuriousness, yes, but I want the real Mizrahi for $30. I want some of the high-fashion experience.

H&M to the rescue!! The fast-fashion retailer and Parisian high-fashion designer Sonia Rykiel are launching a new line available in December at both H&M stores and Sonia Rykiel boutiques. Finally, consumers can get a real, high-fashion piece – or at least one worthy of being sold at Rykiel’s stores. The lingerie and knitwear collections are said to be inspired by what walked the runway in Rykiel’s 40th Anniversary show last October (above).

So on December 5th, tell your man about this accessible, yet excessive lingerie. The recession-friendly line arrives just in time to for him to do some last minute holiday shopping.
Read more!

Fun Facts

Every month we survey our Pulse Network, a network of over 10,000 milllennials. We had responses from just under 100 students (high school and college) and here is what we learned this month.

Still Fans of Facebook
85% of respondents are on Facebook and they are on it often. We asked them how often they check Facebook and the answer is a lot.

• 10% stated I am on it all day long
• 54% stated they check it multiple times a day
• 20% stated they check it once a day
• 12% stated they check it once every few days
• 4% stated they check it once every few weeks

With that said, they are still not sure whether or not they want mom and dad to invade this world. We asked whether or not they have “friended” their parents on Facebook.

• 42% stated of course I have friended my parents
• 47% stated no way am I friending my parents
• And the remaining 12% are still deciding

Dorm Life
Given the fact that September meant back to school, we wanted to learn a little bit more about students’ expectations for life on campus (whether they were still in high school or already in college). We asked all respondents the following question.

Are you currently or planning to live in a collage dorm?

• 47% said yes
• 53% said no

For those that are planning to / already live in a dorm, dorms mean freedom, independence and more access to the entire college experience. We asked, what is most enticing about living in a dorm? Here is what they said.

• 93% Closer to class
• 83% Feel more part of the school
• 75% Meet new friends
• 70% More freedom
• 68% More independence
• 60% Can be involved in more extra-curricular activities
• 50% Live away from my family
• 50% Stay on campus later

We survey our Pulse network every month. If you have some questions, let us know and we will try to help you find the answers – email thefreq@ampagency.com. Read more!

Halloween Costume Planning From The Search Desk

by Stephen Anderson, SVP, Search

I’m addicted to Google Insights for Search. For those who are not familiar, Google Insights provides an index comparing popularity of a search term vs. overall Google searches. So, whenever I have a question on public opinion it’s one of the first sources I turn to get a general sense of what is on peoples’ minds. Who is leading in American Idol? According to Google Insights Adam and Kris were clearly locks for the finale.

Now it’s October and Idol is long over; leaves are turning, pumpkins are on front stoops and the annual question of what to be for Halloween is starting to surface. With the recent passing of Michael Jackson, there is no doubt there will be more than a few Michaels on the trick or treat tour. So, if you seek to honor the King of Pop but want to keep it original here’s a quick tip from Google Insights. Smooth Criminal and Thriller costume searches are on the rise. There’s a pretty good chance you will run into a few of those. If you want to be unique, bust out your glove for the Billie Jean or Bad look and you are far more likely to avoid your long lost twin. Who’s Bad?
Read more!

Blunt is the new Black.

by Nikki Raffenetti, VP Creative

I am constantly inundated by numerous emails from photographers, illustrators and freelancers. If you’re like me, you don’t have the time to filter through the mumble jumble and I generally delete them immediately. Then, two weeks later, I’m scrambling three hours before a presentation, looking for an illustrator that can help me out. Where was that email I received last week and who sent it?

The few names that I neatly file away, need to get me within the first 1.5 seconds of opening the email. Call it my Attention Deficit Disorder or my incessant need to get through all of my emails in one day. But the truth is, I am time-starved like most of us in the agency business.
Here is an email I received a week ago.

Hi Nikki, I need work. I have created two illustrations for you as a form of work bait... An illustration of some big ass girls lying on the beach. (worked on to the great Stranglers tune of "walking on the beaches looking at the peaces") this is actually a classy piece. And a piece that celebrates the 80s music scene in all its big shoulder pad splendor.. I have injected a bit of Cindi lauper in there for good measure. Any way If you have an illustration I can help you with let me know, as it would be a nice break from drawing all the madness that is in my own mind. Maybe my madness might just fit your madness. All this and much more can be viewed on my folio. Cheerio Migy

My first reaction, “Is this person serious? Who would start off an email like this and expect me to call?” But then I read through the email just to see what else I would find and found myself clicking the link to her website. She got me. The extreme bluntness (or honesty) of that first line, “I need work” got my attention. Migy is now filed for future work at AMP.

The AMP Creative team is always recruiting for new talent. Here are some things that I recommend you do to get noticed.

• Be creative and get your audience’s attention. Go the extra mile and think about your potential employer’s business. What ideas, thoughts, creativity can you add that will make you stand out from the crowd? Do spec work, it shows that you’re thinking beyond the resume and up for a challenge.
• Find ways to share your personality. One of the most interesting resumes I ever received was from a junior designer who created a book of his life through design. I felt like I knew him before I even met him and it got him an interview that week.
• Be blunt, get to the point and be honest, you might just end up with a new gig. It’s about quality, not quantity. If I had a penny for all of the cover letters that start off with “I am applying for the copywriter position posted on your website. At your convenience, I'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss the position and my candidacy with you. You can find my resume attached to this e-mail.”, I’d be a millionaire.

Oh, and one more important point that everyone should consider. This was an email I received from a copywriter, who has worked with some big name clients like Sony, Toyota, American Express and MTV. According to him, he has worked on hundreds of campaigns, can concept, write, lead, direct and has quick wit.

Subject line read: “Top Copywrtier”

Unfortunately, his talent won’t supersede his proofreading skills. Needless to say, his email was deleted immediately.

Read more!

Putting Points on the Board

by Steve McCall – VP, Strategic Marketing

As we slowly move from summer into fall, the changing of the seasons means many things; leaves changing colors, apple picking season, new TV shows, 2010 planning, and FANTASY FOOTBALL SEASON IS BACK BABY!!

This is the year I will completely dominate my league in a flurry of trash talk and virtual high stepping as I mock and embarrass any team that is pitted against WWDD (What Would Ditka Do?). I spent hours upon hours researching who the 3rd string running back for the Cleveland Browns is in preparation for a 4 hour live draft, and track injury reports weekly to see if Anquan Boldin’s hamstring is feeling any better today. Why do I do this? Well, if I win, I receive a bobblehead doll that is likely valued at about .73 cents, of course!

At least I know I’m not alone in my ridiculous pursuit of Fantasy Football greatness. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association there are approximately 27 to 40MM people in the US playing fantasy sports. And Fantasy Football is big business – with an economic impact of approximately $1 to $2 billion annually. There’s even a TV show launching on FX this Fall called “The League”, which is centered entirely around Fantasy Football.

So, as marketers, what can we learn from people who spend huge amounts of time pretending to be a General Manager of a pretend football franchise? Outside of starting up a fantasy office pool (with the first pick I’ll take Jim in Accounting, lots of upside there, knows excel very well, punctual to meetings and can type 80 wpm) there is a simple and intuitive strategy built into the fantasy football machine that can translate to any business – when you create an experience that is personal and relevant to consumers, they will come. Ok, I know that’s a baseball analogy – but as an example I (or most of the football loving population for that matter) would never in the past have cared about a Tampa Bay vs. Cincinnati game, but now that I have Cadillac Williams and Chad Ochocinco on my fantasy team AND I’m playing for a .73 trophy, I can’t help but watch. It has fundamentally changed the way fans interact with the NFL product as not just one game every week matters – every game now matters.

We executed a campaign to drive viewership for the NBC Olympics built from a similar strategy. How do you get 18-34 year olds to tune into sports they never played growing up, with limited awareness, that aren’t the core four (baseball, hockey, football, basketball)? We made the experience relevant to consumers by focusing on the athlete’s lifestyle interests rather than the Games themselves. As an example, many consumers are unfamiliar with the sport of shot putting, and it’s a sport without a large audience. Our goal was to leverage USA Shot Putter Reese Hoffa’s personal story and hobbies as a way to get people interested in him and follow his journey to and through the Games. As it turns out Reese is an avid gamer, so we created customized angles to reflect his life beyond his sport, and he was pitched and placed on a variety of Gaming outlets including Kotaku.com and Wired.com. We did this for many of the athletes across many lifestyle channels (surfing, being a pet owner, playing poker, being in a band, and more) as well as personal backgrounds (ethnic heritage, relationship with parents, being a parent and unique tales of overcoming the odds) and in the process helped drive record viewership for the Games.

So as we head into the 4th quarter, if you’re looking for ways to put points on the board with your consumers, consider creating experiences for them, which they can relate to on a personal level, and will become part of their life experiences.

Read more!

It’s not just BTS…it is also BTW time for many!

by Doug Eckard, VP Events

As students all over the country were being dismissed from school during the Spring of 2009, many of their parents were also being, or already were, dismissed from their jobs as well. And after a long hard summer, the job market is slowly starting to level off and many of the unemployed are slowly heading Back to Work just as their kids are heading Back to School.

Will brands and marketers reach out to this ever increasing consumer segment just like they target high school and college students? Just like students who want to fit in and mesh with peers and classmates, new employees want to make a lasting first impression with senior management and co-workers at a new place of employment. I would argue that the pressure is even greater as you are talking about individuals who legitimately understand the pressures of professional success/growth, especially in tough economic times.

Social networking has become more and more important to these individuals as communication/networking has become one of most important lifelines to the modern employee. What is going on in the marketplace, who is laying off folks now, who got hired when and by whom…these are all questions that 25 to 45 year olds are asking hourly to friends, families, associates, neighbors, and strangers alike every day. Have an interview at a new company…who do you know that works there or has worked there and can give you some insight, or by the grace of god…a recommendation! Starting a new job…who can you talk to for the skinny on your new boss, office environment, co-workers, etc.

BTW consumers are exhibiting many of the same purchase behaviors as those of students going back to school, and for many of the same reasons. They want to look good and set a tone for who they are and what they will become at their new jobs. In many cases these are people that have been at the same job for many years prior to becoming out of work…their wardrobe slowly having gone to far in the direction of business casual, and beyond. They will need to refresh/upgrade their wardrobe to fit a new corporate culture…thoughts of “dress for success” coming back to their minds.

They want to have, and need to have, the latest technology devices to keep up. Gone are their company provided gadgets. Additionally, many companies are no longer providing company owned and paid devices to new employees…monthly allocations for reimbursement are becoming more and more the norm. Consumers need to truly understand technology now and figure out what works best for them at the most effective costs.

I say we would be remiss to ignore this ever-increasing consumer segment. This is a group who has been unable to consume for months worrying about an unsure future. With new employment comes relief and excitement about living again…who could blame this individual if they wanted to celebrate with a new outfit, cell phone/PDA, laptop, etc. We as marketers should understand this and give them reason to buy our products and brands.

I can see it now… “bring confirmation of new employment to a Macy’s near you and receive 40% off clothing/shoes/accessories now through November 15th!!!!”
Read more!

I will not friend my mom… I will not friend my mom…

(Ed. Note: Above picture not actually Meredith's mom)

by Meredith Rice, Strategic Marketing Intern

It was a very strange day when my mother finally told me she was on facebook.

“You’re on WHAT?!!”

Facebook was my world; the world which some kid, almost my age, had created for, well, kids my age. So when my 40/50-something year old mom (don’t worry, I won’t spill the beans) told me she had entered into MY world, I was shocked. Today, I come to find that the largest number of women who are on the ‘book are between 35 and 44. What’s the online world coming to?

I remember the day I signed up for facebook. I had anxiously anticipated receiving probably the most important piece of mail regarding college (besides the acceptance letter) the letter with my college e-mail address. It was the golden ticket to be able to sign up for facebook. So when I was locked in my room all day, friending and uploading pictures, my mom couldn’t understand the point of it, or why I was on it (literally) 50 times a day.

In time, I slowly began to accept that fact that facebook had opened up its doors to new residents to share in the same love I initially had for the social media world. When facebook started to change its face, it first let in the young whipper-snapper high schoolers (which I was NOT happy about – high school was sooo 1 year ago…) and then it was the businesses (what? why?) and finally it was the general public (ah!!) With this, my mom eventually came to understand what the appeal was. A few days after the shock of knowing my mom had joined my universe, I was able to understand why she herself would want to be a part, even if it was just to play ‘Scrabble’ or connect with a few old high school classmates. I could accept that – but there was no way I was accepting her friend request.

But with the number of facebook users hitting the 300 million mark just the other day, and user profiles being as varied as snowflakes, I guess it’s time for me to catch up with the times and get over myself.

So needless to say, today was another big day for me. I bit the bullet and finally friended my mom. I guess as facebook has grown up and matured, I have too – enough to really let my mom in. On limited profile of course.

Read more!

Mix It Up A Little

by Angelika Kazakaitis, Senior Planner

I always wanted to make a Vodka Soda my go-to drink, but unfortunately, I was never strong enough to drink a stiff cocktail. I often disguised the taste of hard alcohol with cranberry juice or a fruity soda, until one day, I was introduced to flavored vodka. It was then when discovered that I had options (all of them low calorie too)!

I started experimenting with Stoli Vodka’s – Vanilla, Raspberry, Peach, and recently Blueberry. They all taste great with soda water and even Red Bull. They add a nice sweet kick to any mixture. Next, I tried Three Olives Cherry Vodka – I also mixed this with soda water and to my delight, this concoction tastes just like a Cherry 7-Up. Now when I go out, I don’t need a go-to drink. Experiencing new flavors makes the night much more interesting.

Although a variety of flavors have always been around in the world of spirits, brands are now taking more risks – they’re expanding their flavor assets and are coming up with unique flavor creations that make consumers curious to try their products and push competitors to come up with something even more exotic or unheard of. Here are just a few examples:

Bacon-Infused Vodka - Bacon is a popular ingredient in many recipes, but who would ever think of adding it to vodka? Turns out its meaty and peppery taste is great for Bloody Mary’s.

Three Olives Bubble Gum Vodka – Bubble Gum is a flavor well known in the land of popsicles, lollipops, and cotton candy, but is brand new to the world of vodka. Anyone serving this liquor to friends can really look like a trendsetter.

Absolut Boston – People on Facebook and Twitter are chatting about Absolut flavors specifically created to represent cities around the country. Absolut Boston uses fresh ingredients such as black tea and elderflower to get consumer’s taste buds tingling.

Beyond these flavors, there are many to watch out for. Keep your eye out for floral and fruit combinations as well as sugar and spice mixtures. Before you know it, you may be enjoying a cocktail or even a sorbet or sports drink that tastes like Blueberry Lavender, Strawberry Passionflower, Orange Marigold, or even Chocolate Cinnamon and Rosemary Lime.

Source: http://www.wildflavors.com/?page_id=B1C4B65F-CF1C-2465-1E302B5669E572D1
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Personal Revelations through Gossip Girl

by Patty Barrett, Office Manager

Throughout our lives, there are pivotal moments where we get to know ourselves a little better. Generally, we learn through our relationships with other people, our life experiences, our trials and tribulations… but for me, it came through a Gossip Girl marathon.

Gossip Girl promotes a life that is not typical of the average American teenager. There are generally no vodka martinis, fancy brunches, masquerade balls, or jet setting to another country in a private plane to get over a bad breakup. However, it’s such an enviable way of life, and people will do whatever they can to live that way with the means provided to them. If you can dress like Blair Waldorf, then why wouldn’t you? I’ve noticed in recent back-to-school catalogs that retail chains are selling their clothes with images of Gossip Girl¬-style characters so people will connect with those images and buy whatever will make them look like someone on the show.

And by “people” I mean “me”.

Watching the show made me realize just how easily I can be persuaded to buy certain brands. If I have a crush on someone on the show (is that creepy? I mean, they aren’t actually teenagers…) then I’m more willing to buy a brand they promote. If one of the girls is on the cover of a magazine talking about her secrets for perfect lived-in waves – I’m all over it.

And it’s not just Gossip Girl, I’ve always been this way without knowing. I’d wear berets like Cher in Clueless and drool over the Oscar de la Renta gowns and Manolo Blahniks that Carrie would wear in Sex and the City. It amazes me how strongly the consumers are affected by even the slightest product placement or endorsement in the media. We all like to pretend we’re immune to advertising and marketing, but it has a way of biting us whether we like it or not.

Especially undercover 13-year olds like me.

Editor's note: GOSSIP GIRL® is a registered trademark owned and controlled by AMP's parent company, Alloy Media, LLC
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Do's and Don'ts for a Stellar Partnership

by Jon Genese, SVP Account Management

Throughout this turbulent year, I’ve spent more and more time thinking and strategizing about how our agency team can be more valuable for our clients: how do we help them out, how do we cut out the B.S., and how do we hang around longer in the midst of agency consolidation and economic uncertainty. They’re certainly not simple questions and at times no matter how well positioned you are things can go very wrong. That said, we can always do the good things more and do the bad things less so I put together a simple Do’s and Don’ts list as a guide.

The DO’s
1. Deliver on our promise. Words and pretty pictures are great but we’ll show you how we turn ideas into real action.
2. Be flexible. We’re realists. We know life isn’t perfect, so we check our ego at the door and work the way you need us to.
3. Give away ideas. We like free stuff, you like free stuff -everyone likes freebies and you will get them from us.
4. Ask about your business. We realize it’s more than just cool ideas and creative awards – how’s the business responding?
5. Measure the impact. Our 360 measurement process begins with insights and strategy and ends with gauging our program’s performance, which helps us identify better insights and refined strategies.

The DON’TS
1. Go heavy on agency preaching. You have enough on your plate without having to listen to the all-knowing agency in your ear every day. We’ll only preach when we absolutely have to.
2. Be difficult to work with. We don’t want our relationships to feel like work because we know they won’t last if that’s the case.
3. Bring problems without solutions. Of course problems and issues will always happen but when they do we’ll be right there to help solve them.
4. Waste your time. Your time is precious so we’ll make sure not to waste it…ever.
5. No car salesmen please. I think you know where I’m going here…

As a growing and dynamic marketing agency we are motivated by action and success. We believe in partnerships. We believe in getting into the real detail of your business to truly be that trusted advisor walking with you every day. This doesn’t mean we won’t fall down every now and again but I can guarantee you we’ll get right back up, dust ourselves off and get right back to the job of driving your business. Every day is a new challenge and every day we’re up for it.

Can I get an Amen?

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"High Impact" Indeed

by Amy Seeburger, Media Supervisor

At a time when the annoyance level with the invasiveness of online advertising is at an all time high, it seems poor logic to increase the size of ad units – effectively marginalizing content (ahem, the reason the users are there in the first place?). With some high profile content providers on board as well as the IAB, one would assume there was some sort of legitimate strategy behind it, and there is. Unfortunately, that strategy is the swan song of digital content monetization as we know it.


An infinite increase in online inventory supply paired with waning growth in spending against online banner programs has led to serious problems for content providers – hence the shift from user/consumer focused site content management to advertiser focused solutions. I can imagine there will be a short novelty burst of success for these monster ad units (referred to as ‘high impact’). However, at the end of the day, users will be alienated, annoyed, bitter, and eventually abandon sites for greener, less noisy pastures.
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