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Welcome To My Den
This is the new, improved and reincarnated Dunn's Den. This blog is about marketing, advertising, social media and the goings on in my local community; from MY VIEW!
I look forward to connecting with you!
Be careful what you tweet! Twitter has been around for the last three years or so and has become all the rage with the Internet 2.0 crowd. One thing that I caution my clients about when they go onto twitter is this: Make darn sure you UNDERSTAND that anything you write can and will come back to bite you in your ass…so be very, very, very, very careful what you tweet about. For some strange reason many people think that because a few tweets a day are good, a tweet a minute must be better. Or because I have a thought right now, I must share it with the world. Not so says I. DO NOT tweet, just because you think you need to.
This Tweet came back to bite the person from Ketchum (New York office) who made some disparaging remarks about the city of Memphis the morning before he presented on digital media to the worldwide communications group at FedEx (150+) people. A Fed Ex employee found it, was offended by it (as well they should be) and responded as such. But wait, it gets better…they also copied the FedEx Coporate Vice President, Directors and all management of FedEx’s communication department AND the chain of command at Ketchum.
The tweet:
What not to say when your client is FedEx
The employee response:
Mr. Andrews,
If I interpret your post correctly, these are your comments about Memphis a few hours after arriving in the global headquarters city of one of your key and lucrative clients, and the home of arguably one of the most important entrepreneurs in the history of business, FedEx founder Fred Smith.
Many of my peers and I feel this is inappropriate. We do not know the total millions of dollars FedEx Corporation pays Ketchum annually for the valuable and important work your company does for us around the globe. We are confident however, it is enough to expect a greater level of respect and awareness from someone in your position as a vice president at a major global player in your industry. A hazard of social networking is people will read what you write.
Not knowing exactly what prompted your comments, I will admit the area around our airport is a bit of an eyesore, not without crime, prostitution, commercial decay, and a few potholes. But there is a major political, community, religious, and business effort underway, that includes FedEx, to transform that area. We’re hopeful that over time, our city will have a better “face” to present to visitors.
James, everyone participating in today’s event, including those in the auditorium with you this morning, just received their first paycheck of 2009 containing a 5% pay cut… which we wholeheartedly support because it continued the tradition established by Mr. Smith of doing whatever it takes to protect jobs.
Considering that we just entered the second year of a U.S. recession, and we are experiencing significant business loss due to the global economic downturn, many of my peers and I question the expense of paying Ketchum to produce the video open for today’s event; work that could have been achieved by internal, award-winning professionals with decades of experience in television production.
Additionally Mr. Andrews, with all due respect, to continue the context of your post; true confession: many of my peers and I don’t see much relevance between your presentation this morning and the work we do in Employee Communications.
Wow!!!
Did I say content was king?????? You have the power to the information highway, what you do with it is up to you. What you tweet about, will be held against you.
By the way, this happened in January. Not only is it still being discussed at the major social media events (like the one last month at Kennesaw State), but it is also still being written about. I know I always say there is no such thing as bad press, but I might have to rethink that!
Bottom line: No mater what you think about the social media space , it is here to stay. So, learn how to use it to your advantage and create something good.
For those of you who missed my first blog about Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company, that blog can be found here: Joffery’s Coffee & Tea. In a nutshell, Joffrey’s sent out a free packet of coffee to anyone who would blog about them. I found out about it from a couple of other bloggers who found out about it from a couple of other bloggers, and so on and so on. Viral advertising at its finest!
A couple of days ago I checked my mail and found another package from Joffrey’s. This package contained Coffee 2.0, which was a great surprise. Thanks, Joffrey’s, for sending the package my way and for keeping me caffeinated.
Why am I taking the time to blog about this? Simple. Joffrey’s does not leave their success to viral advertising alone. Rather they use viral advertising as one way to touch their target market and gain exposure. Coupled with their viral marketing is their product. They do not rely on the internet alone. Instead they use the internet to connect with people, and in turn then send people their product. This allows Joffery’s the ability to measure their advertising. As most of you know, I am not a huge fan of viral marketing by itself. This is a great example of how to use viral marketing while getting your product in the hands of people who use it.
The other reason that I am blogging about this is that Joffrey’s does a GREAT job telling me a story. Let’s face it. You can buy coffee pretty much anywhere. Coffee is not a new concept and Joffrey’s understands this. They know that I will not buy their coffee because it is coffee; rather I will buy their coffee because of how their story makes me feel while I drink/purchase their coffee. They tailor their story to their target market.
Below you will see the contents of the package Joffery’s sent out. Playing off the Internet 2.0, they have Coffee 2.0, complete with UPDATES and info on HOW TO INSTALL (where do you usually see updates and info on how to install?).
Joffrey’s - all I can say is keep up the good work. Continue to grow your business virally while putting your product in the hands of your target market. Thanks for connecting with me and I look forward to your next product.
Please click on the images below and they will open up for you to read the information on the paper and on the bag. Use your browser back button to come back to this page!
Any good manufacturer would deep-six a brand that has a 17% approval rating.
Any good retailer would show it the door.
Any good consumer would return it and demand a refund.
Unfortunately, congress is a brand that has tenure. We can’t get rid of it.We can only change its members every two or six years.
The current economic bail-out mess has been described as:
A failed administration, and a failed congress,
bailing out failed businesses that have failed the country,
yet we are assured that it cannot fail!
Our constitution guarantees legislative continuity, but it is silent about competence.
The market is brutal for brands that fail.Over ninety percent of new products and new stores are gone after two years. Here are some reasons why brands fail.One could only wish that our leaders would pay attention:
They don’t stand for anything in particular
They don’t listen
They don’t keep up-to-date
They think they are bullet-proof
They think they are above the laws (of marketing that is)
Ithink that politicians should take Marketing#101. (They obviously skipped Economics and History.) Good marketers live by these rules:
We exist because of our customers and survive at their pleasure
We offer a promise and we keep it
We aren’t the boss
We are trustworthy
We are accountable, right now, every day
We have term limits for our president, for good reason. Why not for congress? Sure, we would give up some experience, but we would gain more from fresh air.
I tell my students that if they want to succeed in marketing they should first go out and sell something. That is a humbling experience.They would learn how to fail—graciously. They would have to experience the real world. Politicians—likewise?
“Public Service” is a noble calling. But where has it gone wrong?
What are your favorite current ads? A lot of my young students answered that question with the Chic-fil-A “Eat More Chikin” campaign. (Others chose products and ads that I’m not familiar with. I guess those advertisers know who their target is not.)
I had to suggest my choice, and here it is, and why:
In case you are one of the few who hadn’t seen it—
Yogi Berra is in the chair and admonishes the barber not to cut it too close—“Do you think I got that insurance?”
The barber asks, “What insurance is that, Yogi?” A dialogue ensues between Yogi and the Aflac duck, thatincludes the memorable lines “The one that you need when you don’t need it,” and “And it gives you cash, which is as good as money.”
The duck leaves the shop, with a trail of mystified customers.
I think this is a classic, because:
It uses a recognizable and likeable celebrity. (It’s risky to use famous people, because they sometimes they fall from fame, some consumer groups don’t like them, or the connection with the product is vague.)
The central point is the benefit of the product.
The conversation is low key and short.
It is funny. Why do I think it’s funny?Because I’ve seen people laugh.
It lasts.This is at the least its third year.
Back to the “Eat More Chiken” ads. It has legs—tt lends itself to other related materials. It is centered on the benefit of eating chicken.It has a memorable charm.
We ask you to nominate the best of the current ads. (Or, if you prefer, What makes them click, what makes them timeless?)
Oh, before we forget.The Aflac/Yogi and the “More Chikin” ads have the most important attribute: they (at least apparently) have sold a lot of insurance and chicken sandwiches.
Are you giving away the farm when you give away some of your product? Are you giving away your secrets, and not protecting your family’s jewels?
Assuming you are a believer in your product and are proud of it, sampling is the most potent arrow in your marketing quiver.
If a picture is worth a hundred words, then a taste is worth a thousand pictures. One definition of a sample is, “A representative part from a larger whole presented for inspection as evidence of quality.” How could there be a smarter prelude to winning marketing?
Some of the greatest food chains are Wegman’s (Rochester, NY) and Whole Foods.
You can’t get out of one of their stores hungry, because the have fed you with delicious samples.And it’s hard to leave without spending a bundle.
There are many ways, other than eating, to sample your goods:
Barnes Noble wants you to read books, so they make that inviting and easy. They don’t care if you mess up their displays or spill coffee.You will ultimately buy books.
A good car dealer lets you take a car home for the weekend.
A masseuse gives you a free neck rub.
The “spritzer” in Macy’s cosmetics aisle gives you a breath of alluring air.
A financial planner or a marketing consultant gives you a free hour of advice.
A stand-up comedian starts with a chuckle, and preacher invokes hope.
It’s important to note that sampling should not be a preview of the price. It’s a demonstration of the confidence in your product. Don’t compete on price: only Wal*Mart can succeed in that game. Don’t give away too much.
Suppose that you are in a play-off with two others for a new customer, and you are each given thirty seconds.The first two gave good, succinct “elevator speeches.” Then it’s your turn. You announce your name, your brand’s main benefit, and bestow a sample.Guess who wins.
Johns Creek, GA – Emory Johns Creek Hospital is the first hospital in the area to embrace social media and Web 2.0 in its marketing and communications strategies. Web 2.0 is the reference to the understanding of the importance and impact of the internet as a viable and powerful platform.The hospital launched its blog as an extension of its website earlier this month and began the first in a series of video clips featuring physicians and administrators.“Traditionally, healthcare marketing has been pretty stodgy in its approach, choosing more conventional mediums and messaging,” said Johnel Reid, director of marketing for the hospital, and a member of the Advisory Panel for the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, an agency of the American Hospital Association.
Healthcare is as competitive as any industry, and more complex than most.Certificate of need laws, the consolidation of hospitals into large, multi-facility systems, federal laws governing physician relationships and marketing, healthcare marketing can become very complicated.“We know that we are in a highly competitive market,” said Reid.There are so many choices for advertisers, the trick is finding one that’s effective at reaching your audience.“We are fortunate because our leadership embraces the experiment – we are able to try new approaches based on what we know about our community, and then develop what works,” said Reid.
The Emory Johns Creek blog has already generated interest and traffic numbers continue to rise.“As we add more features and video, we envision the blog becoming an interactive forum for our patients, physician and community members,” said Reid.The hospital worked with Scott Dunn, of Town Planner Calendar, to produce the video series.“Scott has been a real advocate of pursuing social media – and using the internet to find creative ways to reach our audience,” said Reid.(CLICK HERE to see the BLOG)
“Emory Johns Creek continues to push the ceiling and we’re very proud of that,” said John Quinlivan, ceo of the hospital.“We are committed to bringing the latest and greatest not only to our hospital in the clinical sense, but in every other area, as well.Utilizing new technology – from our imaging and surgery departments, and now to our marketing efforts – is central to our mission.”
Emory Johns Creek Hospital is known for its state-of-the-art technology in a luxurious, hotel-like setting.Services include emergency care, state-of-the-art all digital imaging including a 64 slice CT,The Birth Place with Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, 24-hour anesthesiologists, intensive care, advanced cardiac care, rehabilitation services and women’s services.Emory Johns Creek Hospital is home to the Atlanta Bariatric Center, designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons.
For more information, or to find a physician on staff at Emory Johns Creek, please visit emoryjohnscreek.comor call 678.474.8200.
