Are You Inclusive?

from Mediapost this week:

Don't Miss A Beat

When Ricky Martin's "Livin La Vida Loca" hit the airwaves in 1999, becoming an instant success particularly with non-Latino fans, few brands realized just how big an impact that would have -- long term. The song was a hit, sure, but Ricky had been a pop icon throughout Latin America long before "Vida," and soccer fans everywhere had gotten a glimpse of the so-called "Latin Explosion" a year earlier, when the ex-Menudo star was tapped to perform the official song of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, and his hip-shaking, Spanglish version of "The Cup of Life" hit U.S. music charts and dance floors like a hurricane.

Fast forward 10 years later. Myriad multitalented, multicultural and multilingual artists, including Shakira, Marc Anthony, Juanes and Enrique Iglesias and ushered in by Martin, have successfully crossed over into the English market with their rich and diverse rhythms, a reflection of so many cultures from throughout Latin America. And American corporations have discovered a natural yet powerful avenue to reach the fastest-growing market in the nation.

Today, more than ever, American brands are aggressively reaching out to Latino consumers by making Latin music and entertainment an integral part of their annual marketing initiatives, and that's evident from the growing number of Latin tours and programs sponsored by corporate giants such as Sprint (Juanes), State Farm (Billboard Latin Music Awards), AT&T ("Viva el Sueño," Univision's version of "American Idol"), and dozens more.

It's certainly been a long way since my start in the music business -- a series of Latin dances I organized for my fellow classmates at Northeastern Illinois University back in the 1970s -- and it's been encouraging to see the positive impact Latin music has had for many of my clients, who very early on realized this potential.

Using Latin music to reach your target market

The quest for the U.S. Hispanic market has several challenging aspects, but one of the biggest is knowing how to reach each and every one of them, as it actually has many markets that are divided by nationality, level of English proficiency and degree of acculturation. Most Latino ethnicities might speak the same language, but the music of Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic all differ significantly.

Music is an integral part of Latinos, much like food, and, like food, it must be uniquely and carefully catered to the right audiences in the right places.

If a brand wants to reach the young, acculturated Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles, for example, it's probably going to book an environmentally conscious rock group like Camila or Mana. But if the goal is to reach educated and affluent consumers from the Caribbean or even South America, you might benefit from a performance by Juan Luis Guerra, a Dominican Republic-born singer/composer whose work is heavily influenced by merengue, bachata and other tropical beats that are more common in those specific geographic areas. And then you have a young group like Aventura -- whose "The Last" tour recently made Billboard's Hot Tours list for the first time ever, ranking No. 3 after Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears. Its urban, pop and hip-hop rhythms are so varied that they can reach mass audiences in New York, Chicago, Boston and Miami alike.

Here are some of the potential benefits of sponsoring a Latin music tour or show:

• Exposure to a niche Hispanic group -- one that bodes well with a specific brand

• Association with some of today's most influential artists

• Alternative to big festivals, where your message may get lost

• Additional media exposure (inclusion in media plan, press events, signage, etc.)

• Unique consumer/fan opportunities to interact with a specific brand. It's not just free tickets anymore (e.g., three-week, pre- retail promotion for meet-and-greet passes, integrated and sponsored photo opportunities and sweepstakes)

• Caliber of events and artists involved in sponsorships including Grammy Award-winning artists such as Chayanne, Mana, Carlos Vives and Ana Gabriel

Ultimately, the biggest benefit is that your brand will connect with your target consumers through music in an emotional way. It's experiential, and it can be more effective than simply placing an ad in a newspaper or a spot on the radio.

Henry Cardenas is an entertainment impresario and CEO of one of the leading national multicultural event marketing agencies, Cardenas Marketing Network. Throughout his 30+ years in the industry, he has designed and directed experiential marketing campaigns for Fortune 500 companies using Latin music, including artist endorsements, and sports -- specifically, soccer -- as a platform to bring consumers face-to-face with brands. Reach him here.

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How Consumers are Cutting Back

I received this from Mediapost this week:

Sales At Retail Expected Down in February, But Ecommerce Expected Stronger

According to the February Consumer Reports Index, though consumers spent more than they planned to this past holiday season, they aren't planning to open up their wallets again anytime soon. The Past 30-Day Retail Index for February, which reflects the purchases consumers made in January, is 10.9, a decline of 23% from the previous month says the report.

The Next 30-Day Retail Index, which represents the number of electronics, appliances, and yard and garden equipment consumers said they're planning to buy in February plummeted to 6.9 from 8.9 the prior month. That's the lowest level it has been since August of last year.

The hesitation to spend money is not the result of personal financial hardships, however. The consumer Reports Trouble Tracker showed real improvement. It declined to 53.4 in February from 58.2 in January. The top difficulty reported in February: the inability to afford medical bills or medications (14.7 percent, up from 12.7 percent in January).

According to another Consumer Reports survey in January, nearly 70% of the survey respondents who regularly take prescription medications took steps to afford their drugs in the past year. 28% resorted (without their doctor's or pharmacist's knowledge) to at least one potentially dangerous measure:

• 16% failed to fill a prescription
• 16% skipped a dose
• 11% took an expired medication
• 10% cut pills in half
• 4% shared a prescription

Overall, nearly half of consumers reported reservations about generics. They said that the medications have different side effects (27 percent), aren't as effective (22 percent), don't meet the same federal standards (18 percent), and aren't as safe (16 percent) as brand-name drugs. People under 65 without prescription drug coverage were especially likely to take those risky steps.

Many people also cut back on necessary purchases or resorted to dubious financial practices in order to afford their prescription drugs. For example, they:

• Spent less on clothing (30%).
• Cut back on groceries (23%).
• Relied more on credit cards (23%).
• Postponed paying other bills (15%).

The Employment Index remains unchanged, but there is a significant trend emerging, says the report. Over the past several months the proportion of Americans reporting a job loss in the past 30 days steadily declined to 5.7% in February, versus 7.8% in October. However, fewer Americans started a new job in the past 30 days (3.8% in February, from a recent high of 6.2% in September).

As a result of the overall mixed picture, the Consumer Reports Sentiment Index has remained virtually unchanged in February (43.9) from January (44.1). The Consumer Reports Stress Index is now at 59.9, on par with January (59.0), but down from December (63.0).

In an almost concurrent report, comScore reported that a strong holiday season kept online retail from finishing 2009 in negative territory, and offers hope for a better year for e-retailers in 2010. The web remains a relative bright spot for retailers, comScore says. "New buyers continue to enter the channel, and as average spending per buyer rebounds off its 2009 lows, the e-commerce channel should return to healthy growth rates."

For additional information about the Consumer Reports Index, please visit here.

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Where did they go?

from Jill Konrath:

What to Do When Prospects Don't Call You Back - Besides Pulling Your Hair Out!

Posted: 10 Feb 2010 12:25 PM PST

One of the biggest challenges facing sellers today is when their prospects disappear into the proverbial black hole. Where did they go? And, how do you get them out again?

If you're looking for answers to those questions, you'll like the insights that sales expert Eric Slife shares today.

.
Getting prospects to return your calls is one of the most frustrating problems you experience.

You can be 90% sure a deal will close in the next week and suddenly, silence. If you keep calling, you appear desperate and annoying, so what do you do?

Before you drive yourself completely crazy, take solace in the fact your competition faces the same problem. However, that alone won't pay the bills. Before exploring some tactics that will help you get your calls returned, first ask yourself, “Why don't prospects return my calls?”

Here are some of the more common reasons prospects don't return calls:

• Fear - Most people don't like confrontation. They would rather completely avoid you, than deliver you bad news.

• Too Busy - Prospects are bombarded by calls every day. Even though returning your call may only take 5 minutes, the thought of having to talk with a sales person when they have nothing new for you and a pile of work on their desk can seem like an hour. In addition, if they have 10 similar calls that day, it will take an hour.

• Lack Urgency - If their problem hasn't reached their pain threshold, they will lack a sense of urgency to fix it. Without pain, their problem isn't a high priority.

• No Value - If you are leaving messages that don't provide additional value or specific reason for them to call you back, there is no point for them to call you. “I'm just calling to see if you got my brochure (or made a decision),” won't stimulate someone to return your call.

• Using You - If a company is just fishing for information, they will lose all interest once they receive what they want. Don't give up information without getting something in return. If they want a price quote over the phone or a brochure, make them first agree to an appointment.

How do you get people to call you back?

Your first action with your prospect is to establish the ground rules and expectations. Your prospect needs to know it is okay to say, “No.” For example, you might say:

"Ms. Prospect I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you. At the end of today's meeting, my goal is for us to establish if my product or service is a good fit for you and your company. In order to do this, I'd like to ask you some questions, so I better understand your business. Are you okay with this?

If at any time during our conversation today or future conversations it becomes clear to you that we aren't a good fit, or you decide to go in a different direction, are you comfortable with telling me, 'No'? In addition, if at sometime I need you to return a call or reply to an email for additional information or to determine what you want next, what method do you prefer? Great, let's get started.”

By doing this, you are laying the ground rules.

If they don't return your calls, politely remind them of this conversation. This doesn't mean you email or call them every other day. Give them an opportunity to respond. I suggest at least 4 business days between contacts.

Let's say, you've laid the ground work, and your calls still aren't returned, here are some specific techniques you can do to reach your prospect.

• Disengage Caller ID: Contact your phone company and ask them how to temporarily disengage your caller id. Let's face it, we all screen our calls. If they still don't pick up, don't leave a message, but call back at a different time using the same technique.

• Use Email: Many times if a prospect can't be reached over the phone, an email is your best alternative. I'll often include the following in the Subject Line: John, regarding your request about…

• Fall on Your Sword: Don't come across as upset or demanding. Take the opposite approach:
  
  “Mr. or Ms. Prospect, unfortunately we've been unable to connect, and I'm starting to feel like I'm becoming an annoyance. I certainly don't want to be a pain in your side, but I'm feeling like your situation has changed. Please let me know what's changed, and how I should best follow up with you. This politely let's them know they haven't returned your calls, and they appreciate your graciousness.

• Contact The Receptionist: That's right, call the receptionist. Let them know you have had trouble connecting. See if your prospect has been out of town. They may even have information that sheds light on the situation. You may uncover some important internal politics or changes that are happening.

• Go Over Their Head: Sometimes, you may need to make an end run. One catch. Have your manager make the call to the person over your contact. This way you still may be able to save face with your prospect.

• Call at Higher Levels: Most sales people think they are speaking with the decision maker, when in reality they aren't. Many times sales people will ask, “Are you the decision maker?” Unfortunately, too many people don't want to admit they aren't the decision maker. To get a more accurate answer, ask them, “Who else besides yourself will be involved in the decision making process?”

If you start by calling the actual decision maker, you will receive more direct and honest answers. True decision makers don't have time to play games. In addition, if they tell you to call someone lower in the organization, you can always use that as leverage if someone isn't returning your calls. You might say something like:

“Mr. or Ms. Prospect I know you are busy. However, I promised _________ (their boss) I would provide them periodic updates, or information by this date. Unfortunately, I can't provide them with this until I speak with you concerning…”

Finally, you might want to "fire your contact." If everything else has failed, it's time to fish or cut bait. Reach out one last time, to inform them you are throwing away their file. Believe it or not, this will get some people to realize it's time to make a decision. If it doesn't work, walk away knowing you're better off spending time with real prospects.

One final thought. Sometimes deals fall through. In this case, the best thing you can do is to build top of mind awareness. Create your own drip marketing campaign, so when a company is prepared to purchase, you are at the top of their list, or at least number two. In addition, this is a great way to obtain referrals!

____________

Eric Slife, is president of Slife Sales Training, Inc. He provides companies a comprehensive sales and sales management training program called Team Training. Team Training gives companies unlimited, on demand access to North America's premier sales and sales management trainers.

Visit www.salestrainingcentral.com and receive a complimentary MP3 download of Top 10 Voicemail Blunders

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Friday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Clickables from Mediapost:

Spirits

Skyy Hooks Up With 'Sex And The City 2'

by Karlene Lukovitz

"This year, we are doing much of the same, but making [the promotions] bigger and better," says Andrea Conzonato, CMO for Gruppo Campari's Skyy Spirits subsidiary. "We also wanted to play up more of what we call 'cocktail couture,' which is the blend of "Sex and the City" fashion with sophisticated cocktailing." ...Read the whole story >>

Automotive

ABC: Hyundai Coalesces Its Marketing Plan

by Karl Greenberg

In terms of rational barriers to purchase, Hyundai is putting its warranty offerings, its job-loss car-return program launched last year, and all quality and safety efforts under the "Assurance" umbrella. "Assurance" was introduced initially as the name for the car-return program to address the faltering economy. ...Read the whole story >>

Packaged Goods

Kimberly-Clark Pull-Ups Reinvents 'Potty Dance'

by Tanya Irwin

Pull-Ups brand is also teaming up with House Party, an experiential marketing company, to host 5,000 simultaneous "Do The Potty Dance" in-home parties. Moms and their kids will learn the dance and share potty training tips with one another so everyone leaves the party one step closer to ditching the diapers for good. ...Read the whole story >>

Telecom

Sprint Offers JFK Travelers Free WiFi

by Aaron Baar

In addition to showcasing Sprint products and services, the installation's 13-foot curved wall will also feature Sprint Now Network widgets, presenting up-to-date factoids and information. "There are a few that are specific to the New York area," Ahl says of the widgets, "such as traffic and flight arrival information." ...Read the whole story >>

Spirits

Rums Of P.R. Campaign 'Reflects' On Variety

by Karl Greenberg

Ads with headlines like "Passion," "Versatility," "Dedication" and "Perfection" are aimed at young professionals with the message that one's drink is a reflection of who one is, with ads showing people in hip settings drinking rum-based cocktails. The print and outdoor ads also show a phalanx of bottles for each major Puerto Rican rum brand. ...Read the whole story >>

Panasonic, Angels Team For Stadium Display

Jack In The Box Offers Free Grilled Sandwich

AutoTrader.com Pitches Dealers

Allstate To Give Away Custom Motorcycle

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Just Don't Call Them Old

I find it amazing being 50 years old. Now I'm getting all the marketing that has been sent to some of my older friends. Like the AARP invite.

This is from Mediapost:

Writing A Brand New Book

Somewhere in America, a baby Boomer will turn 50 every seven to ten seconds. That's more than 12,000 each day and over four million each year for the next decade. Baby Boomers and older consumers are the single largest economic group in America.

But be careful what you call them. Euphemisms like "elder," "of a certain age" or "senior" may not go over well. Many may become more than a little upset with being labeled. After all, they aren't simply writing a new chapter of their lives, they're writing a brand new book -- and each book is different.

The Average Consumer Doesn't Exist

Unfortunately, few marketers have figured out how to best target the Boomer and older consumer. While one Boomer might be gearing up to start a business, another might be taking early retirement. Everyone is different. But how deeply do marketers really want to believe that? How many marketers want to deal with consumers under the rule that every one is unique? A conflict exists between the idea of personalizing company/customer relationships, and the desire to put every consumer in some category that allows marketers to predict their behavior.

Marketers Have to Stop Net Fishing and Start Fly Fishing

Behaviorists have discovered that no two people see anything exactly the same way. No view we have of anything can be fully congruent with anyone else's view because, like fingerprints, every brain is unique as are the five senses that connect us to the world outside our minds.

Not only do we each see the physical world at least slightly differently from everyone else, we don't precisely match anyone else in anything we believe. There will always be some aspect of a belief that bears the imprint of our distinct identity. So, at best, we can only achieve an approximate matching of our beliefs with anyone else's.

Conditional Positioning

Boomers and older consumers are more resistant to absolutism. The young mind tends to see things in terms of absolute states or conditions. In contrast, Boomers and older consumers tend to have greater appreciation for the finer definition that nuance and subtlety give to a matter. This bias results from a combination of experience and age-related changes in how the brain processes information. The predisposition of Boomers and older consumers to reject absolutism means that marketing communications intended for them should generally reflect a conditional tone, allowing each reader/viewer to interpret the message based upon their needs and desires. Less is more in these markets.

Putting It Together

Just as Boomers have transformed every other stage of their lives, smart marketers can bet on one ubiquitous theme: Now that the kids are away, the Boomers are going to play. Yet, the key to the Boomer and older consumer's pocketbook is in a better understanding of their minds.

Marketing needs to be adjusted to the facts that no two people perceive anything exactly the same way. At a time when such terms as "permission marketing," "customer relationship management," and "online personalization" are widely bandied about, more serious thought needs be given to the uniqueness of each of us and why we are unique.

Jim Gilmartin has emerged as one of America's experts on improving marketing, sales and service to baby boomer and senior customers. He is a frequent source for journalists writing on these lucrative markets. Jim is president of Chicago-based Coming of Age, Inc. (www.comingofage.com), a marketing/ad agency, PR and training firm specializing in helping clients increase market share and profit in baby boomer and senior customer markets. An author of hundreds of articles on these rapidly growing and lucrative markets, Jim recently co-authored "Market Smart: The Best in Age & Lifestyle Specific Design." Reach him here.

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One Person at a Time

Earlier this week, I was meeting with a business partner who knows that he needs a better website and he also asked me how to get people to that website once it is up and running.

The Mass Media approach is one way, but requires a lot of $$ and results would be minimal in this splintered media world we live in.

Instead, you should get the ones who care the most about what you have to offer to visit your business and then help them to spread the word.

Take a look at this from my other site:

One at a Time

Business Success is built one person at a time. So is Business Failure.

The key to success vs. failure is to please more people than you annoy.

So, my challenge to you is what are you doing to make sure you do that?

Take a look at how your phone calls are handled, how walk-in customers are treated, how follow up is taken care of and how problems are resolved.

I'm sure you can find some way to make some improvements. Those improvements will make a difference, one at a time.

Do you need more encouragement? Click here and watch this short video.

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It IS your job...

Pass this on to your "non-salespeople".

From my email:

It's Everyone's Job

Customer service is everyone's responsibility. How you do your job, how you interact with your peers, and how you interface with customers determine the way your company competes in the marketplace.

The way you approach your job and how you contribute value determine the quality of your company's products and services. Your initiative, commitment to excellence, and follow-through affect customer satisfaction even if you have no direct contact with customers. The quality of your effort affects the quality of your company's solution for customers.

How you interact with your peers has an outward rippling effect on customer satisfaction. You can only serve external customers to the degree to which you serve each other. When employees battle each other for power, recognition, and rewards, customer satisfaction is a casualty of that battle. When departments fight turf wars, there is little energy left over to battle the real foe --customer dissatisfaction.

How you interface with customers determines your company's image. Your company can spend millions of dollars promoting an image, but how you treat customers speaks more loudly about your feelings for customers. If you view customers as an interruption, they hear it in your voice. If you frown when customers call, customers see it in their mind's eye. If you believe that serving is a pain in the neck or someone else's responsibility, it's difficult to conceal those feelings.

Customer service is everyone's responsibility, regardless of title or position. It's your job. It's your peers' job. It's your boss's job. Everyone is responsible for creating satisfied customers because everything you do affects customer satisfaction in one way or another.

Source: Sales author/consultant Tom Reilly (www.tomreillytraining.com)

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Thursday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Uh.. a little late...

Kellogg Increases 2010 Ad Spend, Triples Social Media

by David Goetzl

Multiple marketers, including Kraft, have recently spoken about lower pricing helping ad dollars go further in 2009. Now, Kellogg appears to be the first to signify the more bang-for-buck trend will continue into 2010. ...Read the whole story

Addressable TV Ad Trial: Viewers Tune Away 32% Less

by Joe Mandese

An important trial of a promising addressable TV advertising technology found that viewers in households receiving ads targeted specifically at them were less likely to change channels. The findings, which were released this morning by sales rep Comcast Spotlight and Starcom MediaVest Group, was conducted during an undisclosed period in Baltimore during 2009, and utilized technology developed by Invidi, a company backed by WPP's GroupM unit. ...Read the whole story

Sinclair: Overall Revs Dip In 4Q, Auto Up Now

by Wayne Friedman

Sinclair Broadcast Group posted much better advertising revenue results than anticipated for its fourth-quarter 2009. Overall broadcast revs were down just 6.4%, but the company expects car ads to rise almost 20% in the first quarter. ...Read the whole story

Olympics Fails To Give NBC Prime Needed Push

by David Goetzl

No surprise here: NBC is using its prime-time Olympic real estate as a platform to try and reignite its 10 p.m. time slot. But a top Madison Avenue researcher cast doubt on the Games as a promotional vehicle, which could be a factor in the bidding for the 2014 and 2016 international competitions. ...Read the whole story

Wang Tapped As ABC Sales Chief

by David Goetzl

Geri Wang, the head of prime-time sales at ABC for nearly a decade, has been named to the network's top sales post, replacing Mike Shaw. Her role includes oversight of Disney/ABC Unlimited, SOAPnet and the net's online efforts. ...Read the whole story

Monthly Mags Flat in March

by Erik Sass

Flat is the new fantastic in the world of traditional media, and monthly magazines have reached an even stretch after two years of straight declines. Still, 31% of mags tracked by MIN endured ad page drops. ...Read the whole story

Is Digital Coupons' Rise Print Inserts' Demise?

by Erik Sass

Digitally delivered coupons are growing fast while printed newspaper inserts are increasingly threatened. The findings of two surveys suggest newspaper coupon inserts could be in danger of experiencing the same long-term decline that has afflicted print classifieds. ...Read the whole story

'Idol' Trumps Olympic Viewers

by Wayne Friedman

The Winter Olympics only got to a silver medal on Tuesday -- as the big NBC sports event went head to head with Fox's gold medal winner, "American Idol." ...Read the whole story

Benett To Arnold Global CEO

Warner Bros., Redbox Team For Distribution

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Coupons... Another Blow to Print Media?

Take a look at this from Mediapost and decide for yourself:

Is Digital Coupons' Rise Print Inserts' Demise?

Erik Sass, Feb 17, 2010 03:53 PM

Digitally delivered coupons are growing fast while printed newspaper inserts are increasingly threatened, according to separate surveys by Coupons.com and the Newspaper Association of America. The findings of the two surveys suggest that newspaper coupon inserts could be in danger of experiencing the same long-term decline that has afflicted print classifieds. Things are looking up for digital coupons, according to Coupons.com, which said its digital coupon business grew 170% in 2009 compared to 2008, in terms of the volume of savings. Coupons.com allows consumers to find coupons they want and print them out at home, download them to mobile devices, or transfer them to store loyalty card accounts for later retail redemption. The total volume of coupons redeemed from the Coupons.com network reached $858 million in 2009 -- up from about $320 million in 2008 and about $140 million in 2007, for a total increase of over 500% in just two years. Overall, 45 million consumers used digital coupons in 2009 -- up almost 20% from 38 million in 2008. In percentage terms, that represents an increase from about 12% to 14% of the total U.S. population. Of this group, 13.1 million are exclusive digital coupon users, meaning they don't clip coupons from the newspaper -- up about 39% from 9.4 million in 2008. In short, while the overall number of digital coupon users and the number of digital coupon-only users are both increasing, in proportional terms, the latter is increasing faster -- suggesting that some print coupon users may be abandoning the old format for digital. Coupons.com also found that digital coupon users were more affluent and better-educated than the average American. They had an average household income of $97,000 -- 23% higher than the national average -- and 34% have a college degree compared to 27% of the overall population. Turning to newspaper inserts, the outlook isn't quite so cheery, according to a white paper released by the Newspaper Association of America and Kannon Consulting, whose main points were summarized by Rick Edmonds at Poynter Online. (The white paper is only available to NAA members.) According to Edmonds, the white paper said newspaper inserts are "under siege," with big retailers like Sears demanding double-digit rate cuts and the CMO of J.C. Penney's expressing concern that prepaid inserts don't reach as many younger consumers. This is a growing threat to newspapers' retail advertising, the NAA-Kannon study noted -- especially as the cost of printing and distributing coupons has gone up with the price of paper, ink and gasoline. Perhaps most importantly, Edmonds said the study chastised newspaper publishers for lagging behind in developing more authoritative and precise metrics for ROI for preprint inserts. They need to offer advertisers tighter targeting; for example, at the ZIP code level.

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New Ad Campaigns

from Amy:

Badass drivers own Dodge Chargers. Are you ready for some hockey? Let's launch!

Drake is a musical machine greased not by oil, but by Sprite. "The Spark" launched globally in four continents and nine countries and uses Drake's song, "Forever." The rapper is unable to find his groove at the recording studio, much to the chagrin of his producers. It's not until Drake sips some Sprite that he comes to life, robotically and lyrically. Viewers peer inside Drake's body, watching Sprite flow through his veins, past speakers and keyboards, giving him a much-needed boost to lay down his track. Watch the ad here. BBH New York created the ad, with visual effects provided by MassMarket.

Jimmy Dean launched a pair of TV spots promoting its breakfast bowls and sandwiches. The sun comes across a rainbow made from only one color in "Rainbow Blue." Our office worker/rainbow skimped on breakfast, leaving her tired and unenergetic. After eating a breakfast sandwich, it's business as usual, meaning rainbow's leprechaun office mate can leave his pot of gold you know where. See it here. "Thunder & Lightning" eat poorly in the next ad, seen here, resulting in one lame storm. The duo then eat properly and get their storm on, resulting in an appearance from rain man, an adorable office mailman shaped like a raindrop. TBWA/Chiat/Day created the campaign.

VERSUS is running a 30- and 60-second spot throughout Olympic hockey games supporting its regular and post-season NHL coverage. The ad emphasizes the importance of regular season games in March, as teams are vying for playoff positions. Dedicated fans mimic player's actions on ice throughout the ad. A player gets shoved into Plexiglas as a friend slams his pal into a storefront window. My favorite scene is a man in dire need of popcorn copying a NHL goalie diving for a puck. He barrels over his friends, spilling popcorn and exposing his belly. That's desire. See the ads here and here, created in-house.

Molson Canadian launched a TV spot during the Olympics to arouse Canadian pride while promoting Molson's updated packaging. Beautiful lakes, forests, mountains and rivers shape Canadians. So does hockey. "Here, we're free to chill out, free to unwind and free to wind up. There's a beer that comes from the same land we let loose on..." "Made from Canada," closes the ad, seen here and created by zig.

Nicorette brings humor to the daunting task of quitting smoking in "Date." The Suckometer is back for a second ad, this time accompanying a woman on a first date. How awkward. The woman's Suckometer drops low, giving her date the impression that dinner isn't going well. Nicorette curbs her cravings and assures the guy that their date is going smoothly, despite the third party... his mother. See the ad here, created by TBWA/Chiat/Day.

"Every cigarette you smoke can take years off your life," closes a TV ad for The Canadian Cancer Society Smokers' Helpline. The ad illustrates the long-term effects of smoking. A young woman lights a cigarette and, as she inhales, viewers' watch as her youth is sucked out of her, turning her into an old, wrinkled woman. Upon exhaling, her younger appearance returns. Watch the ad here, created by DDB Canada, Toronto.

How in the name of Dexter Morgan did I fail to recognize Michael C. Hall as the voiceover in Dodge Charger's Super Bowl ad, "Last Man's Stand?" Two reasons: I didn't like the ad, laden with male stereotypes, and Michael C. Hall wasn't talking about murder, throwing his voice completely out of context for me. That's my story. For the record, MCH can carry my lip balm any day. Watch the Super Bowl ad here. Dodge Charger launched a follow-up to "Last Man's Stand" called "I'm Gone," starring a woman heartbreaker. A woman watches as her boyfriend throws her possessions out a second floor window. Clothes, records, CDs, stuffed animals and laptop are strewn across the lawn. She reaches in to her leather jacket pocket, retrieves the keys to her Dodge Charger and drives off. "We make getaway cars," says the ad, shown here. Wieden+Kennedy Portland created the ads.

Indy Tire & Auto Service garages launched a TV spot starring two guys letting out some manly aggressions in the form of doing donuts in a parking lot. Their fun comes to an abrupt end when the pair becomes surrounded by tire smoke. The driver is stunned at his car's appearance, causing his friend to say, "you know, we'll just let it cool down." See it here. Hendrix Rader Wise created the campaign and handled the media buy.

Random iPhone App of the week: But can it clean my clothes? Tide created a free app called "The Tide Stain Brain" which allows consumers to find and share stains solutions. Users can browse the 20 most popular stains, ask questions, connect with other users, and receive on-the-go tips and product recommendations. Digitas created the app, available in the App Store.

Amy Corr is managing editor, online newsletters for MediaPost. She can be reached at amyc@mediapost.com.

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Sell the RIGHT Stuff

A recent email from Craig Garber:

Hi Scott,

Over the weekend I went to the County Fair.

It wasn't very crowded this year. Between the lingering
impact of the recession and the fact that the temperature
was lower than usual here on the Gulf in Florida, buyers
were scarce.

I particularly like going through the indoor part of the
fair, because you get to see all the unusual nicknacks and
odds and ends people are selling. It also always offers
you a great lesson in salesmanship.

For instance, of the hundred or so displays people had set
up, roughly 40% of them were selling home made arts and
crafts and home-business types of ideas. There were signs
you hang up on your living room or outside on your deck (I
bought one that said "The Man Cave," to hang on the wall in
my office)… decorative license plates… things you put on
display in your living room… candles you can buy and then
re-sell… and things like dips and chips and all kinds of
snacks you could order.

Most of these booths weren't very busy. They had a steady
stream of one or two customers, but that's about it.

Then you had larger items like wild-looking shower stalls…
big flag poles to mount outside in front of your home…
furniture and chairs that vibrate… and hand-painted bar
stools.

They even had loads of jewelry dealers there selling
everything from costume stuff, to fancy belt-buckles, and
gold and silver, too.

These booths were all virtually empty.

But by FAR, the two most crowded booths were, the booth
offering remedies for relaxation (I cover this in detail
inside my Seductive Selling System ), and the two different
booths selling teeth-whitening.

The teeth-whitening sections had twelve to fifteen dental
chairs all laid out in a circle, and for $35 bucks you
could sit in one and get your teeth whitened, right there
on the spot.

None of these chairs were empty very long. In fact, people
were pretty much rushing into these two stations as if they
were wet, and getting inside gave them shelter from the
rain or something.

I'm sure this is a lot cheaper than you can do this for at a
dentist, but there again, I doubt one treatment would last
very long.

But the point is, and this is something most entrepreneurs
don't think about often enough… people spend money on the
things they WANT to buy, and not necessarily the things
they "need" to buy. Or the things you think they need to
buy or the things you think they should buy.

And if you go back as far as 1937, to Napoleon Hill's "Think
And Grow Rich," Hill talked about the "seven major positive
emotions." The emotion of "desire" is listed in there.
The desire to be wanted by others has always been a huge
emotional trigger, and selling into this desire is almost a
no-lose proposition.

So it's not surprising that selling something that makes you
more attractive, is going to be such a hit with the crowds.
Which is exactly what happened with these dental whitening
treatments.

Remember, just because you make something, or just because
you think it's cute… doesn't mean someone's going to buy
it. And this is the problem so many businesses have --
they just aren't selling things that are in high demand.

And in this situation, no matter HOW good your marketing is,
you are pretty much doomed.

If you want to make a lot of money, the formula's easy. You
just need to sell things people want to buy.

Makes sense if you think about it, right?

But omit the "thinking" part and, well… you know where this
ends up going, don't you?

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

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Wednesday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Read, click, and read more:

Food

Kraft: Cadbury-Merger Savings To Support Marketing

by Karlene Lukovitz

The acquisition will make Kraft the world's largest confectioner and the leader in sweet snacks. The "fast-growing" confections and snacks segments will now represent the majority of Kraft's portfolio (30% and 21%, respectively), with six of its 11 brands with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion falling into those categories. ...Read the whole story >>

Automotive

Automakers Campaigned On President's Day

by Karl Greenberg

Edmunds.com says last weekend's President's Day sales events targeted people who might be considering a change and came from a range of automakers. The company notes that the Chrysler and Dodge units of Chrysler LLC are offering money-back guarantees for minivans when consumers trade in a direct competitor's vehicle. ...Read the whole story >>

Technology

Firm Points To E-Tail, Mobile Internet 'Collision'

by Aaron Baar

"We went from what I thought would be impulse buying to comparison shopping," says ABI Research senior analyst Mark Beccue. "The gloves are coming off for physical merchants. If you're a physical or electronic merchant, [a mobile e-commerce site] is going to be a must-have." ...Read the whole story >>

Financial Services

Ally Nabs Top Spot In Financial Services Site Study

by Tanya Irwin

"Ally's top score is a wake-up call to traditional financial services online," says Pamela Pavliscak, a Change Sciences partner. "With trust at an all-time low, consumers are looking to financial services Web sites to clearly demonstrate the value they provide. They want to know quickly and clearly exactly what it will be like to be a customer of the firm." ...Read the whole story >>

Automotive

Kia Inks Deal With LPGA, Michelle Wie

by Karl Greenberg

Wie, a Korean American, will be the official golf ambassador and spokesperson for Kia Motors. The automaker has also signed on as title sponsor of the "Kia Classic Presented by J Golf," the first tour stop in the U.S. of the LPGA. The match, on March 22 in San Diego, Calif., will be carried on the Golf Channel. ...Read the whole story >>

Restaurants

Chipotle Pushing To Build On 2009 Momentum

by Karlene Lukovitz

Fresh off announcing an unusually strong Q4 and full-year 2009 (particularly by current restaurant industry standards), Chipotle Mexican Grill is looking to build on the momentum with a new marketing campaign to launch in Q2, a new rewards program and new packaging -- not to mention expansion into Europe. ...Read the whole story >>

Dawn Professional Launches Contest

Southwest Airlines Revamps Web Site

Chanel And Scorsese: "You Looking At Me?"

Sears Names Poseley To Kmart Post

IVillage Taps MTV Marketer

Verizon, Skype Partner On Mobile App

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Teen Communication Devices

from Mediapost:

Mind the Gap When Talking About Teens

Looking in the mirror this morning, I was forced to face reality: I'm getting old. Thus, when it comes to teen culture, I am an outsider looking in. And knowing that my personal experiences are different from theirs, I can't afford to fall into the trap of applying anything from my experience to that of teens. Not only are their habits different from my own today, but they are different than what I did when I was a teen. The tools available to them and the social mores around those tools are simply different.

Our ongoing research, in collaboration with the Center for Media Design, compares how consumers communicate interpersonally versus how they want marketers to communicate with them. When it comes to teens, there is a marked difference in how they communicate on a personal level when compared to other demographic segments. For example:

• Teens are much less likely to pick up the phone and call friends. When I was a teen, the stereotypical teenage girl was constantly talking on the phone with friends. Not so today. Only 16% of females 15-17 say they are most likely to call when they want to communicate with friends. 49% are most likely to write messages. The remaining 35% call and write messages equally. Compare that to 35-44 year old females (approximate age range of moms of teens) and we see 34% are most likely to call and only 19% are most likely to write messages.

• Teens rely heavily on text messaging. When asked what type of written communication teens are most likely to use for communicating with friends, 57% said they use text. Another 10% use social networks most often. Surprisingly, for teens, 18% still say they use email and 12% use IM. This lies in stark contrast with their parents (again 35-44 year olds), where 64% are most likely to send email while only 16% are most likely to send text messages.

As marketers, we know this stuff. But this is also where we often make a typically "old" mistake by misattributing the significance of these trends as they apply to marketing.

As we look at the communication habits of "old" people (i.e., anyone over 35), it makes sense that since they (um, we) use email for interpersonal communication that we also tend to prefer email when receiving permission-based marketing communications.

However, despite the fact the majority of teens communicate with each other via text, only a small minority (10%) want to receive text messages from companies. They are much more likely to prefer companies use email (64%) or direct mail (19%) to communicate with them.

"But teens don't use email and they don't read direct mail," right? Not true. They simply don't interact with these channels as often as us "old" folks, but they do transact as a result of these channels. When asked, "Have you ever made a purchase as a result of a marketing message you received through each of the following channels?" they answered:

• 62% as result of a TV Commercial
• 55% as a result of Direct Mail
• 36% as a result of Email
• 24% as a result of an Infomercial on TV
• 16% as a result of text messaging
• 15% as a result of something they saw on a social media site
• 13% as a result of a Telemarketing call
• 10% as a result of an Instant Message

As we look at the teen market, it's important to keep in mind the difference between "relative" and "absolute" preferences. Across the board, teens have much more favorable impressions of marketing through emerging channels such as SMS and social networks than non-teens -- but these are relative views.

When targeting this market, it is crucial to have a strong presence in emerging channels, but don't get caught in the relativity trap. In terms of absolute preferences, they are similar to other consumers in that they still prefer traditional channels for marketing communications and they are still converting through them. Note: if you are interested in reading more of these research findings, they can be found in our 2009 Channel Preference Study.

Morgan Stewart is Director, Research & Strategy, at ExactTarget, a provider of on-demand email and one-to-one marketing solutions. Follow him at twitter.com/mostew or visit his blog: http://blog.exacttarget.com/blog/morgan-stewart. Reach him here.

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A Brand

Wise words from Drew:

How do you evaluate your brand?

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 04:38 AM PST

At McLellan Marketing Group, we live and breathe branding. We believe that branding is the cornerstone to a small business' success or lack thereof. You either brand yourself or you become a commodity. And a commodity has to compete on price.

If you want my views on why branding matters...check out these posts:

• Are you brave enough to walk away from business?
• Be bold or go home!
• Best practice: branding
• Mark Twain...the branding expert

But let's assume you agree with me -- branding matters. If you think your company has a brand...how do you evaluate whether or not it's a good one?

Here are some criteria we use with clients when helping them either discover their brand or critique the one they have in place.

• It's evergreen (this is not something you'll need to change on a regular basis. It will always be true about you.)
• It's not a duh (if consumers already assume this about everyone in your category -- it can't be your brand.)
• Memorable (If it doesn't stick, it won't work.)
• The flag to rally around for your employees (Will they be excited and proud to help you achieve this brand?)
• True - inside and out (You can't be one company to your customers and another to your employees)
• A why or a how - not the what (how you create widgets differently or why you do it builds a brand..not that you make widgets. Everyone in your category makes widgets.)
• Makes you a little nervous (A brand needs to be a bold promise to get noticed and to matter.)
• Emotion based (We buy everything based on emotions. If your brand doesn't trigger an emotion, it will also not trigger a sale.)
• Differentiate you (Isn't that what a brand is all about. It sets you apart from everyone else.)
• Should dovetail with your mission/vision (Your internal goals and your public brand should be aligned or else one of them is off base.)
• From the consumer's point of view (it's about them after all!)
• I can tell -- it matters to me (the consumer has to be able to recognize and evaluate your brand promise. If you make the promise but I can't figure out if you kept it or not, we have trouble.)
• Big enough to trigger a buying decision (your point of difference has to be significant enough that I'd open my wallet)

If you can say "yes, that's my brand" to most of these criteria -- you have a brand that will endure and that your employees, customers and community will embrace and support. But if you can't get a 10 out of 12 on this little test (it requires quite a bit of candor) then you know it's back to the drawing board.

Want a PDF of our brand criteria to keep handy? Click on the words brand criteria to download.

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Follow Up or Fall Down

Yesterdays sales tip was from Jeff Garrison. This one is too:

Follow Up to Familiarity to Trust to Sales

Posted: 13 Feb 2010 03:43 PM PST

Six months ago I got a call from a rookie insurance agent who had gotten my name off of Linked In. After introducing himself and finding out that I have had a business relationship with my financial adviser for over a decade, he could not wait to get off the phone. I was the one trying to ask questions which he tried to brush off probably so that he could go on to the next name on his list.

I have not received any follow up calls or emails from this person since that one phone call and now, I could not tell you his name.

Over the weekend the door bell rang. At the door was a new investment representative from a well known company out knocking on doors. We spoke for a few minutes, but I am happy with my investment adviser right now None the less, I asked her for her business card (because she might be interested in Sales Habitudes training at some point).

She did not have a business card, so she left me with a brochure that does not have her name on it. I gave her my business card and asked her to email me her contact information. I told her that if she joined the West Des Moines Chamber, she would see me there.

Two business days have passed and she has not sent me her contact information.

Here is the problem with both of these scenarios. At the time that these two "sales professionals" contacted me, I was not ready to buy. Neither are most prospects when we call on them the first time. However, an opportunity has been wasted.

Both should have a follow up plan to regularly "touch" me in order to create familiarity with who they are and their personal business brand. Over time they should seek to inform me of their expertise and relevancy such that I will come to trust in them

At some point, once I know who they are and have some trust in them, I may be ready to talk to them seriously about doing business. Additionally, opportunities to make introductions and to help their business may come along.

Think about this. In large sales (those exceeding $30,000), about half of the sales made are made between twelve and twenty-four months after initial contact. Every sales person that is not committed to nurturing their prospects for at least a year is losing a ton of money.

Do you know who is making the money? The sales person that calls your prospect twelve months after you did for the first time and right after you quit trying.

Do you have a plan for following up with those people you meet but who are not ready to buy?

Since writing this post, I received a follow-up card from the person that came to my door. No card or contact information was included, but she followed up. We'll see what happens next.

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