J&J & the Blogger Power

With hopes of creating an open dialogue and building some loyalty (and buzz) among consumers, J&J recently invited more than 50 influential mom bloggers to a fancy “Baby Camp” event (with all costs paid) in New Brunswick.

Even though J&J seemed to have great intentions, they took some missteps that got some moms furiously blogging before the event even happened. For instance, J&J did not welcome babies at the the uh…”Baby Camp” event (not even breastfeeding infants).

According to the article below, “J&J did recover its balance quickly and the event turned out to be a success and, by most accounts, the company scored points for reaching out to bloggers with complaints.”

My takeaway is that while trying to connect with moms, J&J could have taken a more “human” approach. One way they could have done that could have been to position the “sans-baby” idea as a suggestion for women to take a fun, deserving and rechargeable break. Instead of prohibiting babies, J&J could have offered the moms some baby care solutions. They could have offered a state-of-the art baby care at the hotel or offered to pick up the bill of the baby care back home.

As we are going through a huge transition with marketing models, brands are still learning how to engage in this new, “conversation” era. It’s important to be open to start that conversation, even when things don’t turn out perfectly. The fact that the J&J event turned out a success goes to show that people appreciate (and sometimes create an even more bonded relationship) when brands are open to have a real dialogue.

To read the full article, go to http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2008/05/jj_sees_potential_in_blogger_p.html

Source: The New Jersey Business News

Comedy is king for teens

In times of recession and wars who doesn’t welcome a good laugh? It was reported today that the top three movies in the box office this past weekend were comedies: Baby Mama, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
“Comedy is definitely king right now”, says film tracking executive Paul Dergarabedian. As the prolific Jude Apatow consistently reigns king (The 40-year old virgin, Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), it’s obvious he’s certainly connecting with the young audience. As Y Pulse’s blog reports “Comedy flicks like "Knocked Up" and "Superbad" have become such mainstays in teenagers' DVD players that you would be hard-pressed to find someone under the age of 30 who hasn't watched (and re-watched) them over and over again”.
Interestingly, it was recently reported that cult-classics like John Hughes’ “Sixteen Candles” and “Pretty in Pink” outrank any of the Jude Apatow current flicks when it comes to teens’ favorite movies.
Regardless, it’s clear that both Apatow and Hughes have definitely been successful at connecting with teens. Apatow has long called Hughes a major inspiration and as such, their movies have similar themes that may explain some of the reasons why teens (of any decade) will watch and re-watch their movies:
Likable, smart and funny characters with real teen problems
A mix of outrageous humor and sweetness combined
Outsiders as the lead characters

If you think about it, teens haven’t changed a lot. Technology has definitely made an impact on how teens live and how they communicate but that genuine teen angst seems to be timeless. Aww.

Sources: The Canadian Press, ypulse.com

Big Retailers Seek Teens

There’s no denying that this generation of teens is very stylish, design-savvy and, dare I say it, a bit fashion obsessed. From designer handbags to sleek iPods to design-your-own Nike ID’s, fashion and design seem to affect every part of teens’ lives. What’s a bit different from other generations though is that teens today have never had so much access, so fast, to new trends. They know what stores are in and what stores are out. And according to sales, big department stores are out (cue Heidi Klum’s German accent).

Even though JC Penney is the store where 13 to 20 year girls shop most often, it’s not where they like to shop most often. Teens see old-school stores like Dillard’s, Sears, Kohl’s and JC Penney as their mom’s brand and that’s just a big turn off. According to Penney’s CEO Mike Ullman, once teens actually get their driver’s license and credit cards, they choose to go to more hip, specialty stores such as Forevery 21and Abercrombie & Fitch.

In hopes to redeem themselves and find new ways to connect with the savvy and oh-so-sophisticated (and recession-proof) teen target, big department stores like JC Penney are finding innovative ways to win them over (and it seems to be working). First and foremost, it’s all about the product and the experience so they’re adding exclusive apparel lines (e.g. Fabulosity designed by Kimora Lee Simmons) and are focusing on the brand names (vs the company name). JC Penney is also providing better lighting and more displays showing how to wear different outfits (teens are always on the look out for some fashion tips) for different “lifestyles” (from ‘active wear’ to ‘hip city’ styles).

From a communication standpoint, some retailers are using social-networking sites as a marketing tool. However, they’re using with a purpose and as a way to provide helpful and welcome services, such as hooking teens up with podcasts of interviews with designers, offering virtual dressing rooms and sending emails with sales and discount codes.

It’s good to keep in mind that the experience plays a huge role for teens. They want a bit more than just clothes. They want the little extra they can’t get somewhere else. Be it an “exclusive” collection, fashion tips or even just a behind the scenes peek, teens wants brands that are as savvy as they are.


Read the full article at http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-04-13-teen-marketing-stores_N.htm

Gen Y: Life as an open blog

We all know that for the GenY kids, life is definitely an open blog. Or an open Facebook, Flickr or Youtube. What once was private for previous generations -- break-ups, diaries, dancing almost naked -- today it couldn't be more public on the world wide web.

As Time reports on their latests issue ("Here's looking at you, kids"), this generation has been documented like no other groups before them and sociologists have begun to question the effect of all this “exhibitionism” on young people. Are we really seeing real people online or personas? Who is real, the person being portrayed online or the one offline?

While it's soon to examine and understand how their online behavior may affect their offline behavior and vice-versa or the implications of openly living in the public eye, it’s important that brands acknowledge and take advantage of such phenomena by finding ways to engage with an audience that’s willing to do almost anything online.

Jockey Underwear has recently launched a new campaign/contest called “Jockey UnderWars”, where people can post a video of themselves dancing on their bikini briefs and drawers to compete with other "UnderWarriors" for a chance to win the $25,000 prize. To see how this generation has no problem shaking it online, http://www.jockeyunderwars.com

Big Retailers Seek Teens

There’s no denying that this generation of teens is very stylish, design-savvy and, dare I say it, a bit fashion obsessed. From designer handbags to sleek iPods to design-your-own Nike ID’s, fashion and design seem to affect every part of teens’ lives. What’s a bit different from other generations though is that teens today have never had so much access, so fast, to new trends. They know what stores are in and what stores are out. And according to sales, big department stores are out (cue Heidi Klum’s German accent).

Even though JC Penney is the store where 13 to 20 year girls shop most often, it’s not where they like to shop most often. Teens see old-school stores like Dillard’s, Sears, Kohl’s and JC Penney as their mom’s brand and that’s just a big turn off. According to Penney’s CEO Mike Ullman, once teens actually get their driver’s license and credit cards, they choose to go to more hip, specialty stores such as Forevery 21and Abercrombie & Fitch.

In hopes to redeem themselves and find new ways to connect with the savvy and oh-so-sophisticated (and recession-proof) teen target, big department stores like JC Penney are finding innovative ways to win them over (and it seems to be working). First and foremost, it’s all about the product and the experience so they’re adding exclusive apparel lines (e.g. Fabulosity designed by Kimora Lee Simmons) and are focusing on the brand names (vs the company name). JC Penney is also providing better lighting and more displays showing how to wear different outfits (teens are always on the look out for some fashion tips) for different “lifestyles” (from ‘active wear’ to ‘hip city’ styles).

From a communication standpoint, some retailers are using social-networking sites as a marketing tool. However, they’re using with a purpose and as a way to provide helpful and welcome services, such as hooking teens up with podcasts of interviews with designers, offering virtual dressing rooms and sending emails with sales and discount codes.

It’s good to keep in mind that the experience plays a huge role for teens. They want a bit more than just clothes. They want the little extra they can’t get somewhere else. Be it an “exclusive” collection, fashion tips or even just a behind the scenes peek, teens wants brands that are as savvy as they are.


Read the full article at http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-04-13-teen-marketing-stores_N.htm

Big Retailers Seek Teens

There’s no denying that this generation of teens is very stylish, design-savvy and, dare I say it, a bit fashion obsessed. From designer handbags to sleek iPods to design-your-own Nike ID’s, fashion and design seem to affect every part of teens’ lives. What’s a bit different from other generations though is that teens today have never had so much access, so fast, to new trends. They know what stores are in and what stores are out. And according to sales, big department stores are out (cue Heidi Klum’s German accent).

Even though JC Penney is the store where 13 to 20 year girls shop most often, it’s not where they like to shop most often. Teens see old-school stores like Dillard’s, Sears, Kohl’s and JC Penney as their mom’s brand and that’s just a big turn off. According to Penney’s CEO Mike Ullman, once teens actually get their driver’s license and credit cards, they choose to go to more hip, specialty stores such as Forevery 21and Abercrombie & Fitch.

In hopes to redeem themselves and find new ways to connect with the savvy and oh-so-sophisticated (and recession-proof) teen target, big department stores like JC Penney are finding innovative ways to win them over (and it seems to be working). First and foremost, it’s all about the product and the experience so they’re adding exclusive apparel lines (e.g. Fabulosity designed by Kimora Lee Simmons) and are focusing on the brand names (vs the company name). JC Penney is also providing better lighting and more displays showing how to wear different outfits (teens are always on the look out for some fashion tips) for different “lifestyles” (from ‘active wear’ to ‘hip city’ styles).

From a communication standpoint, some retailers are using social-networking sites as a marketing tool. However, they’re using with a purpose and as a way to provide helpful and welcome services, such as hooking teens up with podcasts of interviews with designers, offering virtual dressing rooms and sending emails with sales and discount codes.

It’s good to keep in mind that the experience plays a huge role for teens. They want a bit more than just clothes. They want the little extra they can’t get somewhere else. Be it an “exclusive” collection, fashion tips or even just a behind the scenes peek, teens wants brands that are as savvy as they are.


Read the full article at http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2008-04-13-teen-marketing-stores_N.htm

it's about time we get some low-achievers

i've been constantly reading and watching how some teens have been bred to be overachievers. they're so overscheduled and busy all the time. i was just watching "the paper" on mtv and was a bit perplexed. the show is about a high school that has an award winning newspaper and the teens were competing to become the "editor in chief" of the paper. the competitiveness and bitchiness that these teens went through because they all felt they were such hot stuff and deserving of the title was unbelievable. sometimes i feel like americans don't know how to relax and just enjoy life a little. i mean, the same way that it can be great to be an overachiever sometimes, it's also ok to be a low-achiever here in there, right? some teens need to feel like it's ok to chill out a little, take a break and do nothing for a little bit.

Shopping Cart Text Ads

When I go shopping, I love to feel like I’m getting the best deal one can get. I’m all over “2 for 1” and “25% off” signs at the store. But I can only usually see those signs if I’m actually present in the aisles, and because I usually know what I want, I only enter half of the aisles at grocery stores. Result? My shopping cart is probably half as full as it could be.

A new form of in-store marketing wants to change that by allowing advertisers to wirelessly stream messages to shopping carts. Modstream provides shopping cart handles that are internet-enabled, allowing specific ad messages to be sent to selected stores, regions or even times of day. Since the messages can be changed on the fly, it's easy to adapt the ads for short-run sales or clearance items. Talk about getting up-to-the-minute steals.

Modstream is currently testing their system at Home Depot stores in eight states, so it should be interesting to see how shoppers respond to it. I think that people don’t necessarily want more ads targeted at them, but they probably want some assistance that can help them shop smarter and faster.

For instance, I think it would be very important that these carts could somehow offer customizable offers, based on the shopper’s location at the store or purchases. Also, what if the cart could also “communicate” with the store’s database to let shoppers know if the missing item they want is available in the stock room? Or what if the cart could tell shoppers which aisle to find a specific product? Instead of making the cart seem like another advertising vehicle, they could make it seem like an added service. I’d be much more open to the idea if I perceived this shopping cart as a personal shopper versus a salesperson.

Modern Chicks (on love, career & the future)

As we all know, 18-34 women can have very different attitudes, behavior, desires and expectations out of life. While some are moving back home after college, others are becoming CEO's of their own first businesses. While some are loving the dating game, others are loving the "mom track".

Because their life stages and goals can be so different, it's hard to nail down what's on the mind of such a diverse group. Is there anything this group of women can agree upon? More specifically, when it comes to their attitudes toward gender roles, the current hookup culture, marriage and work, do they have anything in common? In order to explore the evolving attitudes of modern chicks' towards these topics, Cosmopolitan magazine partnered with The Intelligence Group to try to learn how shifting trends are shaping this generation.

The research identified four types of women: The "Go-for-it Girls" (the go-getter type), the "Housewife hopefuls" (the traditional type), the "Restless Explorers" (the hopeful/undecisive type) and the "Pleasure Seekers" (the 'life-is-too-short type').

In general (the numbers tell you below), young women today are fiercely independent, focused, determined and empowered, but most importantly, they don't feel like they have to stick to convention (in any area of their life).

The Stats (collected from 1,001 women across the USA):

On Attitudes & Goals:
48% would have children on their own if they weren't married by 35.
76% believe they can lead a very fulfilling life even if they do not have any children.

On Career:
72% expect to have more than three careers in their lifetime.
67% said that women are equally or more likely than men are to run a company.

On Dating:
81% would rather be single forever than be married to a man they know isn't right for them.
92% say women are more in charge of relationships now than in their parents' generation.

On Sex:
75% would not be bothered if they had slept with more people than their mate had.
62% said a lasting relationship can develop even if you sleep with a guy on the first date.

On Technology:
73% said technology has made it easier for them to make the first move on a guy.

On Guys:
84% think it's fine for a man to be a stay-at-home dad.
71% said men today are more willing to let women take control than were men in the past.

Source: Cosmopolitan (October 2007 issue)

Men vs. Women: A Happiness Gap

A few decades ago, women’s goals in life were to have a beautiful garden, a well-kept house, and studious children. Today those goals have been upgraded: not only women want squeaky clean houses and genius kids, but they also want to have great careers, have an impact on the broader world, and look flawless.

According to the New York Times, new research has shown that there appears to be a happiness gap between men and women. Today, it’s the men who report being happier. Part of that may be due to the fact that since the 1960s, men have cut back on the activities they find unpleasant and women have replaced housework with paid work and are doing more tasks throughout the day that they find unpleasant.

“What has changed-and what seems to be the most likely explanation for the happiness trends- is that women now have a much longer to-do list than they once did and they can’t possibly get it all done”, theorizes the author.

I think that not only women’s’ ambitions have increased along the years, but so has their competition. The NY Times reports that a few decades ago, women used to compare themselves only to other women whereas now, they also get to compare themselves to men. What’s worse, I think, we now have a whole other levelof competition: celebrities and because of Internet and our ability to always be connected, women also get to compare themselves to people around the whole globe.

While research shows that there is a happiness gap, most women I know are happy and proud to be women. Maybe women are not necessarily unhappier, they just have bigger dreams and expectations for themselves. What could this mean to us? Maybe we just need to help them to be better and more efficient. Or maybe we just have to encourage them to take a break once in a while. Whatever it is, we need to remember and acknowledge that, more than ever, it takes a lot to be a woman - especially a happy one!

To read more, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/26/business/26leonhardt.html

Uber, A New Social Networking Site

Since I joined Facebook, I’ve been so busy updating and editing my new profile that I haven’t even had a chance to handle my MySpace account. Honestly, how many online networks can one person join and manage? How many different identities can one have? From Flickr, to Second Life, YouTube, Del.icio.us, Blogger, to MySpace and Facebook, it’s hard and time consuming to keep track of it all. Why not have all in one place? Well, wonder no more.

Uber.com, "the Visual Index," is a new social networking site that has been getting a lot of buzz lately for being "the next big thing." It has more functions and features than any of the other sites and is known for being the single place to store everything digital. You can also manage other pages and properties from YouTube, Flickr, MySpace and Facebook. Based on the premise of 'creative collaboration', it is quickly evolving into a next-generation media publishing company.

It should be interesting to see how brands will get involved with this new social platform and the creative community that will be part of it.

Actions speak louder than words.

When every other product on TV proclaims to be the fastest, prettiest or best, it becomes really hard to know what to believe in. So when the relatively unknown Swiss online printer company, Maxiprint.com, decided to advertise that they were indeed the fastest printer in the world, they figured out that their actions would have to speak louder than their words.

Instead of having their ads say they were the fastest, they proved to be so by creating the fastest advertising campaign. Their ads didn’t necessarily say they were fast, but by 6am, Zurich business executives were able to read the news that had just broke at 2am. By being able to get their ads/posters before the newspapers, Maxiprint no longer had to say they were the fastest. They just were.

Maxiprint estimates that their campaign generated about 2.8 million contacts due to the amount of press coverage they received.

Check out their campaign here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xsQUcCblFs

Click to watch ads, not skip them

For me, ads have always been more entertaining than most TV shows out there. But in case I had any doubt, research has increasingly proven me that not everybody shares this opinion. That’s why I was a little surprised when I found out that soon we’ll have some websites online where their sole purpose will be to feature ads as a form of entertainment.

In October, Droga5, an ad agency in NY, will debut www.honeyshed.com, a new site that will offer 18-30 year olds product information in the form of entertaining video clips rather than traditional commercials. The USA Network will also climb aboard with www.didja.com, a site showcasing commercials and movie trailers and featuring social networking and tools that would let visitors make ads of their own.

“I don’t think it is so much about putting entertaining commercials on the web as it is about brands providing immersive experiences for consumers of which entertainment is a component,” said Mr. Jacobs of MRM, whose agency recently won praise for musical webisodes for Intel. http://youtube.com/watch?v=12Icxthmpis

It’ll be interesting to learn whether these sites will actually be able to constantly filter work in order to provide fresh content that lives up to their mission of entertainment. But if they succeed, these new sites could serve as a great playground to reach young consumers who are hungry for work that ‘speaks to them’ in an exciting and less traditional way than everyday TV ads.

Full article on NY times at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/17/business/media/17adco.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Marketing as a value-creation tool

We live in an era where ideas and creativity are becoming more important than technology. After all, we all know that, as far as consumers are concerned, there are not major differences between a Kyocera and a Nokia cell-phone. But anyone will tell you that an iPhone, oh, that may not even qualify as a justa phone.

Why is that? Well, a phone doesn’t have to just make phone calls, does it? We have such hi-tech capabilities these days that consumers expect much more out of their products. They expect products to not only deliver what they’re supposed to do, but to deliver a new, original experience (something different than products a, b and c sitting next to your product on the shelf).

Adrian Ho and Rob White, from Zeus Jones, said it best “marketing needs to move from a communication-orientation role to a value-creation tool.”

According to them, brands can no longer just try to meet consumers’ expectations these days; they need to surpass them by delivering a service, a new experience. That way, brands can continue to strengthen their equity, the emotional link they have with consumers and the ability to differentiate themselves in a ‘sea of sameness.’

Here are some examples of how some brands are providing that added-value and new experience to their consumers while leveraging their equity.

- Volkswagen’s Rabbit widget allows those who download this widget to find out about free events happening in their city (the “rabbit” is a cheap car and it targets young adults who don’t have a lot of extra cash around).
- Time.com has recently launched a quote of the day application that leverages Time Inc. imagery to provide an almost historical, yet updated component to facebook profiles.
-BMW recently announced that Google's local search will be available from their in-dash navigation.