After reading a blog on The Social Media Marketing Blog entitled A Brief History of Social Technology, my head is spinning. It's crazy to think that a mere 123 years ago was when the first radio waves were generated and within six years of that the first semblances of long-distance communications in the form of telegraph signals occured. Obviously that's way beyond the expanse of my lifetime, but look how far we've come from there.. Hard to believe actually.
For a long time even, phones, emails, and any technological communications were tied to home and stationary settings, but with current technology capabilities the sky isn't even the limit anymore. Plane, train, and walking down the street are all perfectly reasonable places to tweet, post a status update on Facebook, and post a Youtube video.
This blog post discusses how, interestingly enough, these same media outlets were once looked on as "a playground for younger generations" by most businesses, but this has obviously taken a 360 turn. Now, many businesses conduct their entire PR plan via social media sites and networking online.
So what does this mean for the future??
The latest idea - brainwave to iPhone interface. Devices that have the power to interpret brainwave activity and shape social media experiences accordingly.
Now that's a little scary. And my head is still spinning.
Although this claim is not completely true, one can argue that the television industry and television programming is beginning to fall behind when compared to alternative media outlets. In today's society, anyone can get any information they need from a mobile device or tablet PC. Whether it is news, sports, weather, or entertainment, the sources to view media in the world are changing and television may be on its way out. Advertisers have taken notice.
Today, Cynthia Boris, a writer on Marketing Pilgrim, blogged an article titled Online Video Ads Expected To See Largest Increase In Spend. The article discusses the transition many firms are beginning to make from television advertising to online video marketing.
To read the full article on Marketing Pilgrim, click here.
Boris brings up a number of good points in the article. Perhaps the best reason explaining why online video advertisements is becoming so popular is because of targeting. On the internet, marketing can slim down who see's their article to the very detail they desire. Targeting plays such a crucial role as marketers are looking to spend their dollars as savvy as possible.
Research has shown that advertisers are increasing their spending rate on online videos over any other media source. Television, which in the past has been one of the most popular forms of advertising, is falling behind the competition. Ad agencies across the country will be looking to increase spending on online video, mobile video, social media, display ads, and search advertising over TV ads.
Society has developed into a mobile world. A world where you do not need to sit in front of a television to learn new information. Ad agencies have picked up on this and have now begun shifting spending budgets to more mobile and closely targeted mediums.
What changes do you think we will see as mobile media becomes more common in the United States?
How will mobile devices and tablet PC's shape to role of television in our society?
Does a picture speak louder than words? When seeing a brand’s logo, without words, can you tell which company it belongs to? A logo ultimately represents a brand. But logos aren’t only used on cups, signs, advertising or billboards. Logos are in places you sometimes don’t even realize. When reading Scott Monty’s blog, head of social media for Ford Motor Company, he snatched my attention. His blog titled, “The Importance of Logos”, made me reflect on all the commercials I’ve seen when logos play a BIG part, and without wouldn’t make sense.
Do you ever watch TV and wonder who the heck is the company that’s running this commercial? Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:
When I first watched this Old Spice commercial, I was so confused about what this commercial was even about….Until I saw Old Spice’s logo at the end. Another example, which is seen a lot with car commercials, is this BMW commercial. Without me telling you that it’s a BMW commercial before you view it, watch it as though you didn’t know.
A lot of car commercials put a picture in your head of what your life would be like to have their car before being able to view the actual car itself. When watching this commercial, I didn’t know it was for BMW or even a car commercial, until I saw car toward the end of the commercial. The BMW logo is one that most people are familiar with.
The next commercial is another perfect example of how logos are important:
Watching these Ikea commercials, you would never watch the first part and think “Ikea” until you see their logo at the end of the commercial.
Monty’s blog intrigued me to dive deeper into the importance of logos; and even a closer look at the importance of a picture for a brand so consumers can relate and identify with. Logos allow guidance and a sense of community for certain brand users. A great example is the Starbucks logo. All Starbucks customers can see the logo and feel a sense of belongingness, which they feel attached to. This feeling is experience through many logos.
Last Thursday, my fellow classmates and I were privileged to hear some insider mobile marketing strategies from a representative of Nordstrom. This Seattle-based, retail industry powerhouse does indeed dabble in this new trend, and it was interesting to learn about their tactics.
Given the type of upscale, refined service that Nordstrom provides to their customers, Nordstrom quickly learned after doing a preliminary round of mobile marketing techniques via text message to customers, that the SMS route was not for them. However, they have found success with the relatively new QR codes, like this,
that Nordstrom strategically places on products and advertisements that allow any smartphone user to scan the image with their phone, and it takes them to virtually any sort of related site that Nordstrom wants. They have found this tactic to be more successful, as it allows their customer's to get an added experience from Nordstrom.
Recently I've been seeing QR codes on all sorts of products and packages which poses the question, which mobile marketing route should a given company use to draw in their clients? I think the answer to this is, it depends on the type of company. In Nordstrom's case, the QR code provides a less-invasive way to reach out to their clients, but this obviously isn't the same right approach for everyone.
Mobile marketing is obviously the new craze but just a word to companies looking to jump onto this bandwagon - exercise caution with your approach because too invasive of tactics could drive potential customers away instead of bringing them in.
The smart phone market is one that is exponentially growing not only in the United States but across the world. Users can now surf the web, download content, and video chat with friends across the globe from the convenience of their mobile device's.
It is estimated that by the Christmas 2011, 50% of mobile phone users will be using a smart phone. To read an article about the growing trends in smart phones, click here. As the trend in mobile smart phones rise, marketers are implementing major marketing campaigns and committing major dollars to reaching consumers when they are on the go.
As the development of smart phones and smart phone technology grows, marketers are finding more and more ways to get their message out to the public. Even more so, companies can even more closely target who see's their ad.
SMS messaging, MMS messaging, in-game banners, and web browsing advertising have developed into the major means of reaching mobile users. Mobile marketing offers a unique situation because consumers do not need to be at a specific place watching TV at the correct time to see an ad. Now, users are available to seeing advertisements 24/7, regardless of location. That being said, privacy issues have arose stemming from this idea.
Recently, news has been come out about tracking mobile users locations and actions. Apple is under the latest attack, as questions have come up around their iPhone and iPad products. Both products have built-in software that tracks and permanently records the where about's of its user.
This can be a very powerful tool for marketers and advertising agencies. But where is the line drawn when it comes to tracking a products users. Is it really ethical for this software to not only be implemented into a product but also to be used as consumer data tracker?
Apple has responded to these accusations. Of course, they have denied the accusations. To read more about Apple's response, click here.
As Facebook marketing is growing at an increasing rate, TV commercials are beginning to draw viewers by pertaining content to Facebook or other social networking sites? We have recently looked into the Burger King example in class, which triggered my attention to this topic. Burger King ran a campaign that stated, “Delete 10 Friends on Facebook for a Free Whopper”, trying to prove that “Friendship is strong, but the Whopper is stronger”.This Whopper Sacrifice opened a whole different aspect of marketing. Contests and promotions were seen more frequently on Facebook and other social networking sites. By using this form of marketing, you’re able to launch products, receive feedback, draw in new users, and have conversation with target audience. Facebook offers endless marketing opportunities. This video shows a quick glimpse of what Burger King did through their ‘Whopper Sacrifice’ campaign on Facebook:
Now other products are using this same marketing strategy. Marketers are beginning to understand how important Facebook and social networking is to consumers. Targeting your product to Facebook users will help increase consumers. With over 500 million active users, Facebook is a great place for marketing products and convincing consumers to not only buy in to what your product has to offer, but maybe even just try a product for the first time. This is an example of an iPhone commercial:
Through this commercial, they are trying to reach out to consumers who use Facebook daily and convincing them to buy the iPhone because it allows them to access Facebook anytime they want. Not a bad idea, giving the statistic that there are 500 million active users. This commercial pertains to 500 million people watching this commercial.
These examples are just two of many ways marketing is becoming based around social networking, as social networking has become the center of some lives. Not only is this form of marketing smart, drawing attention to Facebook pages is a much cheaper form of marketing as well. You’re able to target a certain audience, balance a budget, and add or drop ads at anytime. Social media marketing is a great way to listen and respond to how customers are reacting.
With 19 months until the 2012 presidential election in our country, the first TV advertisements are beginning to pop up across the nation. Although these preliminary ads are used to build a foundation for upcoming media campaigns, the style of political campaigns are unique in form and style.
Current President Barack Obama's campaign team has begun its campaign for his potential 2012 re-election. With the election a year and a half away, Obama's team has started with a preliminary ad to get its campaign rolling. Obama's first ad is quite interesting. The president barely appears in it, it shows little of what he has done thus far, and little about what his future plans are. Released by Obama for America 2012, here is Obama's first ad for 2012.
This type of ad is one of many different advertising styles that have come into the political realm. On the other hand, slander ads seem to be most predominate right around election time. These ads are used to degrade and shed light on actions rival candidates are weary of. They are used to make candidates look bad instead of build their own candidates reputation.
Last week, the National Republican Senatorial Committee released a video on You tube for Obama's 2012 campaign. Obviously, the Republicans are not promoting for Obama...here's the clip.
Television ads for beer are typically some of the most memorable. They're entertaining, comical, and usually provide a little something for everyone:
Corona has some great ads with beautiful beaches and a somewhat subdued yet very obvious sense of humor. I love this ad featuring two women enjoying a day at the beach and once they get a bucket of Coronas they have even more appeal. Very clever.
If you're calorie-conscious and have a good sense of humor, MGD 64 provides a light beer option with a commercial featuring a man doing squats to burn off his calories from not drinking MGD 64. Always a good choice.
If you're into sports, Coors Light has been running a line of commercials that feature famous sports faces like Mike Ditka and Bill Parcells in press conference settings where Coors cleverly spoofs on their responses. This is my favorite one with Jim Mora.
All of these funny commercials really have me thinking, where can I go around here to get a quality beer at a place with a fun atmosphere and great food? Well, I have the perfect answer thanks to some of my fellow classmates. Their blog is called CHEERS!! and their most recent post was the best recommendation ever. A local brewery spot, The Harmon, is a great place to get a meal or appetizer with delicious brews they make in-house.
It's interesting to be able to draw comparisons between places you've actually been and commercials you see on TV. The atmosphere of the Harmon exhibits the same fun vibe that you get from Coors commercials. Coors isn't my favorite beer in particular but the good-humored nature of their commercials I find really appealing and I'm sure other viewers of these commercials feel the same way. Very effective ad campaigns I'd say.
TV networks have dropped 12% in advertising revenue since 2009. Internet advertising has increased due mainly to online TV becoming so popular. Why is this happening? With websites such as Hulu, you are able to watch TV shows on your own convenient time, with minimal commercials. Advertising is starting to catch on and shifting their revenue to online advertising because more and more people are spending majority of time on their computers and less time on the couch.
Recently as we’ve been discussing in class how advertising online is much more controllable. Marketers are able to control, manage, and make changes quicker. Online marketing can be managed by measuring clicks and views.
The costs of online ads are also cheaper. Instead of producing a commercial video, companies are able to make ads or banners that stand out to consumers, similar to the goal of commercials. Marketers are able to control how much they pay, when ad is shown both location on page and what sites, and determine the most efficient buys.
Why watch TV and worry about commercials you don't care about? Businesses are catching on to how consumers are thinking. Businesses are spending more time on their online advertising. But people are not only spending time online watching TV shows, but shopping as well. This is a graph of how often online shoppers shop online:
This is another graph showing how online users have reacted to online ads:
These two graphs are only two examples of many out there that show how well online advertising is working. Why inconveniently watch TV when you can watch shows online with less commercials wasting your time? Marketers are beginning to catch on and TV networks revenue is dropping.
Standing in the shadow of fast food giant McDonald's, Burger King is emerging as a leading innovator in the marketing game throughout the fast food industry. Burger King has found a way to come up with new, fresh ideas to generate a buzz about its products. Ranging from featured videos games and television commercials to Burger King Flame- the companies meat scented body spray, Burger king has found an alternative to boring sky high billboards of the past.
Recently in class, we discussed the use of interactive banner ads. Burger King has utilized this growing trend to grow its brand and separate themselves from the competition. And Burger King has made its website an interaction opportunity in itself. Toggling Fun, Food, and King meters create different interactive options customized to what each viewer wants to see.
McDonald's Ronald McDonald is as recognizable of a mascot as any in the world. It is hard to argue that BK's 'King' is on the same stage as Ronald. In the past few years, BK has made it a priority to develop the King- and it appears the strategy is working. Beginning in 2005, BK began to incorporate the King into NFL plays in order to create a commercial campaign that is memorable six-plus years later. Below are a few commercials coming from the 2005 campaign.
These commercials created quite a buzz for the organization and launched the companies push for marketing dominance. BK has blown competitors out of the water of late and they have been able to do it through innovative ideas and practices.
What do you think about Burger King's push for promotional dominance?
What are some of your favorite BK features the company has introduced to the market of late?
This topic poses an interesting question: Should a business choose to include personal tweets in their business feed or does that cross some sort-of boundary?
Cynthia Boris wrote an interesting blog for the Internet Marketing News : Marketing Pilgrim called Do Personal Tweets Make You More Credible? that addresses this exact issue.
Cynthia's blog describes a study that was done with college students and professors where there was three control groups: students who received strictly education-related tweets, students who received only personal tweets, and students who received a mix of both. The results showed that the students who received only personal tweets perceived their professors to be most caring and genuine. She draws an interesting correlation between this and marketing, and the decision to include personal tweets in business feeds seems to be an appropriate decision as long as there is a professional balance maintained.
Twitter has become a phenomenon in this technical age for marketing, self-expression, and basically for any purpose. I found a Verizon commercial that emphasizes the importance of Twitter today and how applicable it is for everyone today.
From celebrities, to corporate CEOs, and even to parents, everyone appears to be "tweeting," and the Verizon commercial I found highlights this fact. Questions often arise regarding this new trendy social networking website's purpose and the answer can be tricky. On a professional level, it is up to PR managers, social media consultants, and marketers to decide how to handle the business's image on twitter.
All in all, after reading Boris's blog and formulating my own opinion, I'd say the best approach is a balanced one: a winning combination of both business and personal tweets to ensure your followers on twitter don't think you're a robot.
An interesting blog post caught my attention while bringing up a interesting topic...The evolution of YouTube has been very interesting over the years. When I first remember hearing and beginning to use YouTube, I remember it as a way to watch funny homemade videos. Today YouTube is used to watch music videos, 'how-to' videos/lessons, business advertising, commercials and more.
The blog that brought this to my attention and made me begin to think more about this evolution was:
This post by David Edwards, brought up a great point about commercials. YouTube not only is where my group and I have watched and retrieved all the commercials we've blogged on, but where most users can and do review commercials after seeing them on TV or hearing about them through the grapevine.
YouTube has benefited most companies by allowing their videos or commercials to be seen through this website. This has become a popular form of marketing and way of reaching viewers and consumers. This is an interesting video about what YouTube has turned into through this tech savvy generation we live in today:
Personally YouTube has become part of my daily life, along with my cell phone, Facebook, email, and Google. Websites like YouTube have allowed people to view almost any video posted or shared to the public. I found this an interesting topic to think about while reading Edwards post about the "hidden potential" smaller sites are serving businesses with.
A couple of weeks ago in class we had a guest speaker, Arden Clise, writer of the Clise Etiquette blog. This etiquette aficionado gave us helpful tips and points regarding blogging, knowing your audience, and basically the ins and outs of running a successful blog. This encounter granted me substantial knowledge, and also (and I'm pretty sure most of the class were in the same boat as me), my first web conferencing experience.
To be honest, I was a little nervous about it. After getting over the initial awkwardness of knowing that she could see us through a web cam but we couldn't see her, (we didn't have a two-way video feed for some reason), I began to see how web conferencing is truly a vital technology in today's world. Marketing and business especially, but also that web conferencing allows for ANYONE who may be thousands of miles apart to speak as though they are in the same room, bridging the technological gaps in communications that were an issue in the past.
However, this experience also got me to thinking, where do the limitations on web conferencing etiquette lie? I guess it is similar to the way you should think when you're posting anything online:
Don't put anything out there that you wouldn't be okay with your bosses, professors, or anyone seeing for the matter (unless you're some type of critic and that's your job, obviously)
Don't talk bad about the company you work for
Remember that potential employers could be looking at your Facebook page, Twitter, etc.
That's just to name a few.
But what about things you can't control and you didn't predict happening while web conferencing? One slip-up could potential ruin the chances of getting that client you were hoping to sign. I found my point encapsulated in a TV ad; a funny, European commercial that Sony launched a couple years back regarding their web conferencing technologies and capabilities:
This commercial is hilarious and reflects the potential disasters that could occur while web conferencing your work on a professional call. Obviously this man had no idea what was happening and couldn't have prevented it, but it's a funny/scary ploy by Sony to demonstrate their product.
I'd say it's a successful commercial though as far as keeping the viewers attention: sex, technology, and attractive actors, what more could a TV watcher want? You even learn something from this man's experience:
Don't web conference in a potentially problematic environment that could end up compromising your professional integrity instead of complementing it.
In today's world, the use of social media is a concept that is developing into a leading tool for organizations across the globe. Lee Odden, who writes for Top Rank's Online Marketing Blog, looks into the integration of social media and search engine optimization (SEO). Odden discusses four steps to optimize SEO success through the means of social media.
To view the full article looking into the integration of social media and SEO, click here.
Odden's ideas of mixing an already established marketing practice (SEO), with a new and upcoming marketing trend (social media), had me thinking of how else social media has been incorporated into our everyday lives. More specifically, when looking at TV and online viewing programs, it is becoming increasingly clear that social media is a growing trend that is here to stay.
Our blog looks at the noteworthy news and ideas surrounding TV commercials. But something that we have not looked at is the online viewing experience. Many companies that we know as giants in the TV commercial industry are beginning to establish large commercial campaigns through online videos.
The major players in online viewership have been selling advertising space for quite some time but now the implementation of social media is one that is further connecting viewers to the programs they are viewing.
ESPN's online viewing site ESPN3.com is an organization pairing up with social media giant Facebook to further grow not only their firm, but also the social online community watching their programs. ESPN3.com shows games from a multitude of countries on a day basis streaming live worldwide.
While viewing a game, fans are able to post on a chat board located on the right side of the screen. Using their Facebook accounts, fans can chat, agree, disagree, and debate with others watching the game. ESPN's ability to integrate this feature has given fans a way to further connect using social media.
The mix of online viewing and social media is one that is here to stay and is something that firms need to look into when trying to grow their name.
I'll start off by admitting, yes I am one of the millions who watch Jersey Shore on MTV every Thursday night at 10pm. Tonight while watching, almost every commercial break there was a commercial with one of the Jersey Shore characters in it. My roommates and I found these commercials to be very funny, for multiple reasons. First, here are three Jersey Shore character commercials:
When watching all three of these videos, to me it doesn't make any sense why they are the ones trying sell these products. Do consumers really feel that connected with Jersey Shore that they will start buying all products that Jersey Shore characters use? To me, I see these commercials as jokes. I see them as a good way to catch the attention of viewers and to keep them intrigued to watch the whole commercial. But what about the viewers who have no idea who Snooki, Ronny or Vinny is?
How is reality TV shows affecting our lives today? These commercials are a great way to prove that people these days watch TOO much TV. When watching these shows, we form a sense of connection or bond. I think products are doing a good job at understanding how to catch the attention of viewers. And not going to lie, all three of these commercials catch my attention because I'm a Jersey Shore fan. But if I didn't know who these characters were, I would care less about the product they were selling.
What are some commercials that you have been drawn to pay attention to because you felt connected with the character selling the product?? Or on the other hand, any commercials you were totally confused watching because you had no idea who was selling the product?
While looking for inspiration for my next posting, I stumbled onto the Dream Team Analytics page. Their most recent post looks at favorite sports advertisements in our country. Whether it is advertising pro or college teams, or individual athletes, sports is a major means of advertising in the United States. Their blog looks at the influence and messages provided by sports starts ranging from up and coming superstar Derrick Rose, to the legendary Muhammad Ali.
To visit the Dream Team Analytics page and read on the national advertising sports scene, click here.
Their posting looking at the national stage of sports marketing got me thinking about how our local sports teams market and advertise. The Seattle Seahawks, Mariners, Sounders, and the University of Washington provide the foundation of sports markets in the Seattle area.
But perhaps no team in the Seattle sports market advertises as well as the Seattle Mariners. Every year, the team comes out with a new set of TV ads that not only is anticipated by the local fans, but is also regarded as one of the best sports advertising campaigns nationwide.
With the team now in Peoria, Arizona for spring training, the 2011 season is less than a month away. And with the new season, comes new commercials. Witty, creative, memorable, and original commercials that give TV viewers something to laugh about while the on-field product loses 101 games a season.
That got me thinking about the all-time great Seattle Mariner commercials that have been produced in recent memory.
So lets get to it. Here it is. Some of the best (meaning my favorite) TV commercials the Mariners have put out over the years...
Perhaps one of the biggest busts in Seattle sports history, Richie Sexson was absolutely awful for the M's. This next clip is probably his best contribution through three and a half years with the team.
Our final clip is one that captures the young arm of Jamie Moyer- who was born in 1962.
These four commercials are a glimpse into the many that the Mariners put out year after year. Instead of focusing on the on-field and cliche pump up/get inspired sports ad's, the M's marketing team took a different view. An alternative view. A strategy that gets nationwide attention and leaves fans wanting more. Imagine that. A TV commercial people want to see. Maybe the Mariners ARE doing something right.
With about a month until the regular season begins, the 2011 TV campaign should be on its way. More laughs, more personality, and more memorable 30-second clips to provide a brief lapse of entertainment while the team on the field provides headaches and a high draft pick for 2012.
What do you think of the Seattle Mariners advertising campaign? How do their commercials compare with others in the Seattle sports scene?
OOOPS!....we forgot to introduce ourselves in our first blog post!! Our names are Michelle, Chad and Sara.
What are your favorite TV commercials? Do you prefer funny commercials over emotional ones? Do you find some commercials unethical or inappropriate? Do you find yourself muting certain ones? The purpose of our blog is to take all of this into consideration and give our input and thoughts on these topics.
We will be sharing commercials that are:
New
Funny
Enjoyable
Controversial
Unethical
Emotional
Have you ever heard that guys watch the Super Bowl for the game and girls watch for the commercials? We don't know how true that is, but here are three of our favorite commercials that were played during the 2011 Super Bowl....
Faith Hill's Teleflora Commercial:
Even though we would probably never use Teleflora to send flowers to a loved one, we found this commercial entertaining because we all know a guy that would say "You have a nice rack" on Valentine's Day and think that was romantic.
Bud Light Dog Party Commercial:
We love dogs!!! Which made it easy to love this video and find it cute!
Kim Kardashian's Sketchers Commercial:
Let's be real, Chad brought this commercial to our attention for obvious reasons...but why lie, a commercial with Kim Kardashian in it has to be entertaining. We found it funny to think about all the people who went out and bought these shoes after they saw this commercial because they thought it would make them look like Kim.
We hope you found these commercials entertaining and that we've got you excited for what's to come from our blog!!
The always awkward first blog post. A piece of work that usually begins with a simple 'hello', and then is followed up with something along the lines of 'I don't really know what I'm doing.' Well this ever so awkward first blog post will begin the same way. Hello. We don't really know what we are doing. But nevertheless, welcome. We are three marketing students studying at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. This blog will explore and ask questions of past and present television commercials. We will be exploring ideas ranging from commercial campaigns to ethical dilemmas concerning commercials and whatever we feel lands in between. This blog will dive into all things TV commercials and what the television commercial industry has become.
Below is a link to one of our favorite current commercial campaigns.
