Marketing Nonsense

People Rely on 2-5 Websites for Their News

People graze across multiple websites for their news. Only 21% say they tend to rely primarily on one destination; only a third even say they have a favorite news website (35%) among those they use. But these online news grazers do not range far. Most (57%) usually rely on two to five websites.

And most of that grazing is still done through the big familiar sites. Among news sites that attract 500,000 monthly visitors or more, the top 10% attract half the traffic.  When asked to name their favorite news site, survey respondents named sites of major news organizations such as CNN and Fox as well as aggregators like Google. 

via www.stateofthemedia.org

This study from the folks at Pew reinforces a study we did when I worked at Yahoo!.  We found that people have so many sources of information at their disposal that they end up being overwhelmed and found it hard to find the information that was most relevant to them.  We called it the "deprivation of too much".

These results seem to mirror what happens with TV channels.  Despite the explosion in the number of cable channels over the last several years people still watch about the same number of channels as before.  The difference is in what channels are in the rotation.

Like advertising, news is all about relevancy.  As a consumer I want the news I'm most interested in without having to work too hard to get it.  While the major news organizations do a good job of aggregating stories there is a good opportunity for bloggers to make a name for themselves by curating news and commentary from across the web for a specific topic.

Social Media Boosts Search Ad Clicks

The research by WPP's GroupM Search, M80 and comScore found that consumers exposed to a brand's social campaign, anything from watching a YouTube video to friending the brand on Facebook, are 2.8 times more likely to search for a brand and click rates rose 50 percent. The rise is even more significant when a searcher who has seen a social campaign uses a brand's name in the query: the CTR then increased from 4.5 percent to 11.8 percent.

via www.adweek.com

This study is more of a validation than a revelation but as a marketer it's always good to have some research to support intuition. I would love to see a comparison of social media's impact on search behavior vs. other media channels, such as TV, radio, print, and online display.

Chris Copeland makes a good point about not taking a siloed approach to paid search and social media. Any smart marketer will take an integrated approach to every marketing effort. Marketers need to think of integrated marketing at both the macro level (TV, radio, print, online, etc.) and the micro level (social media, display, paid search in the online channel).

A Perfect Example of Social Marketing at Work

Marketers know they need to embrace social media marketing but many are unsure how to do it.  Jensen Reed is a fantastic example of how to do it right.

Jensen is an up and coming music artist and an avid University of North Carolina basketball fan.  He combined these two interests to build his brand.  Within a half hour this morning I went from never knowing the dude existed to purchasing his music. Social media marketing isn't hard.  Here's what Jensen did.

Step 1:  Build Awareness
Jensen created video parody of Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" that pokes fun at bitter arch rival Duke and their point guard Greg Paulus.  I discovered this video when a friend sent it to several friends and me -- a classic example of viral marketing.  Jensen enabled this video to go viral by creating entertaining AND relevant (it's March Madness) content.

Disclaimer:  Jensen included this disclaimer on the YouTube page and I agree with it.

No, we do not think Greg Paulus or any other player is gay (not that it matters or its anyone's business). That being said, we are the first to admit this was an off-the-wall, over-the-top, adolescent, sophomoric, amateur and immature attempt at humor. It's a parody. A comedy (to some). Nothing more, nothing less. Remember...it's just a game.

Step 2:  Drive Engagement
I think engagement is a horribly overused word in marketing these days but I'll save this thought for another day.  I found the video entertaining, liked Jensen's music, and wanted to learn more about him.  He made it easy.  His YouTube video description provides links to his YouTube channel, website, and MySpace page.  His website also links to his Facebook page, which creates an interconnected social media web by linking back to the YouTube and MySpace pages.

Step 3:  Close the Sale
Jensen's website includes free MP3s and a link to his album on iTunes.  By clicking on the iTunes link I was able to quickly and easily buy his album.  One improvement would be to add links to iTunes and Amazon on his MySpace page.

See, it's not that hard.

In Tough Economic Times There's Always Porn

Sorry, no embedded photos or videos today. 

We all know the current economic climate is having a huge impact on marketers and media companies.  Two stories on AdAge.com highlight how traditional and interactive media companies are dealing with these tough times:

Cable, Satellite Providers to Push Pay-per-View Porn
Cable and satellite providers realize the pushing adult content to boost their bottom lines as up to 90% of the PPV revenue goes to the providers.  Besides the revenue potential this an opportunity for any marketer involved to show huge increases in awareness.  A recent study shows that 75% of satellite and 56% of cable customers are unaware they can purchase porn through their TV.

Ad Recession Brings on the Belly Fat
"Belly fat" and other direct response ads are showing up on more and more websites as publishers decide that higher ad revenue is worth more than their brand equity.  The "belly fat" ads are reportedly running on half of the ad networks in the US and account for 30% of revenue for some networks.  Even pop-unders are making a comeback.

So what does this mean?  Media is more affordable than ever.  If cable and satellite companies are lifting the moratorium on porn promotion and online publishers are willing to accept annoying weight loss direct ads, media deals are there for the taking.

And if this isn't enough, marketers can take inspiration from the CEO of one adult studio.

If you you're creating something that's just going to be masturbatory, fine, but if you want to stay alive in this business, you have to do better.

Best 2009 Super Bowl Commercial

Overall the commercials during yesterday's Super Bowl commercials were disappointing, which is what the marketers who forked over approximately $3 million per spot want hear.  The Super Bowl an entertainment spectacle that is truly unique in that people actually look forward to the advertising.

So, who got the most return on their sizeable advertising investment?  Only the advertisers themselves will know the real ROI but as a marketer it's fun to speculate which ad is most effective.  Here's the criteria I use to measure a Super Bowl ad's effectiveness:

• Entertainment.  It's the Super Bowl.  People are looking to laugh.  Sure sentimental or rational spots can be very effective but those should be saved for a different show.
• Message. Advertisers shouldn't forgo a marketing message just to entertain people.
• Relevance.  Relevance is critically important no matter what media channel is being used.  The Super Bowl draws such a broad audience that audience relevance can be a challenge.  Likewise, having an immediate call to action, such as going to a micro-site, is unlikely to be effective because many people are watching the game at party and aren't going to be online anytime soon.

Based on these criteria I think the Teleflora Talking Flowers ad was the most effective.  It was funny and entertaining, had a clear message (if you really love someone have the flowers you send be personally delivered instead of shipped in box, and with Valentine's Day quickly approaching it was highly relevant.

Hey Toyota, Stop Airing Your Shitty Commercial

It's becoming easier these days for marketers to figure out when they've over-saturated their target audience with advertising message:  Facebook.  Over 6,000 people have already joined the Stop Playing Toyota's Saved by Zero Commercial group.

Obama Continuing New Media Emphasis as President-Elect

One of the many strengths of Barack Obama's presidential campaign was his successful use of digital media.  Team Obama has uploaded over 1800 videos to YouTube and there will be plenty more over the next 4+ years.

While the Bush administration has incorporated RSS feeds and incorporated podcasts of press briefings to the White House website, I expect Obama to significantly increase the use of video, blogs, and social networking to connect better with the American people.

Obama continues to show his strength not just as a politician, but as a marketer.  He understands that media consumption patterns are shifting and it's up to the marketer to change -- not the consumer -- and that people are increasingly expecting more transparency into what other people, companies, and administrations are doing.

Smart Investments in a Troubling Economy

A panel on media planning at this week’s ad:tech New York conference predicted a decline in spending on newer forms of digital media, such as mobile, social media, and digital outdoor.  This is not surprising given the current economic climate.  As Donna Speciale from MediaVest USA states, “Brands want to stick with areas that are tried and true.”

I understand marketers’ inclination to stick with media channels they’re familiar with because they know what to expect and they can better measure the results, which is even more important with tightening marketing budgets.  That said, I think marketers need to experiment and invest more in “new” forms of media.  Here’s why.

Fish Where the Fish Are

For the most part, consumer media consumption patterns aren’t going to change during a recession.  People in the U.S. will increasingly access the web through their mobile devices and will spend more time on social media sites, such as blogs and social networks.  And it’s not like people aren’t going  to go outside.  In an increasingly fragmented media world marketers need to connect with their customers wherever they are and that’s not just TV, radio, or web portals.

Lower Prices, Better ROI

If most marketers are shifting their media dollars away from newer forms of media then the brands using these channels will benefit from lower prices because of the decrease in demand and this, of course, means a better ROI.  Early 2009 may be the best time to experiment because marketer’s won’t have to risk as much.

Don’t Sacrifice the Future for the Present

The economy is going to turn around.  It always does.   Marketers that maintain or increase their investments in emerging forms of media will benefit from the knowledge they acquire of how best to use these channels.  Marketers that stick to what they know for now will be at  a disadvantage when they want to re-engage these channels in the future.

On a side note, Bob Thacker was one of the panelists. The Hub recently had a story on how he’s turning around Office Max.  I think The Hub is mostly a place for CMOs to read about themselves but this one’s worth a read.