Thursday, July 30, 2009

Marcus Sakey: Social Media Marketing in the New World of Publishing

Marcus Sakey was an award-winning copywriter on brands ranging from JCPenney to World Championship Wrestling until he left the business to write novels. His books have been translated into a dozen languages, labeled “nothing short of brilliant” by the Chicago Tribune, and chosen among Esquire Magazine’s Top 5 of the Year. His latest, THE AMATEURS, will be released on August 6th. Marcus approached ADMAVEN to tell his story and detail how he uses social media marketing to go above and beyond traditional publisher driven advertising. I found his story compelling, and I am not receiving compensation for allowing Marcus to guest post. With that being said, Marcus will detail his story in three posts that will appear on ADMAVEN weekly.

First off, I’d like to thank ADMAVEN for having me—it’s an honor and a privilege.

I worked in television, design, and advertising for about ten years, and by the end, I was starting to feel like Milton from Office Space, the character who walks around mumbling, “I…I…I could set the building on fire.”

Not that I didn’t love the work. I did. I loved the energy and the creativity and the people and especially those moments when a good idea became a great campaign. But for years I had been putting off something that tempts most advertising folks. I call them “sock-drawer dreams,” the idea being that most of us have a screenplay or a series of paintings or an album rotting away in our metaphorical sock drawer.

And so finally, my wife and I split a bottle of wine, talked through the options, and decided now was as good a time as any. So the next morning I went in to work intent on quitting my job.

True story: I was laid off before I could get a word in edgewise. Karma has a sense of humor.

But it worked nicely. I took my severance package, rolled up my sleeves, and started work. About 18 months later, I had a two-book deal. I’ve been incredibly fortunate since, landing a four-book deal for my next contract, and seeing my novels optioned for film by Ben Affleck and Tobey Maguire. While there are things I miss about the business, I love my new career.

But as it turned out, I wasn’t switching professions nearly as much as I expected.

There’s a lot of talk these days about how every brand needs to be accessible. In a decade we’ve seen multinational corporations try to get up close and personal; seen websites grow from a curiosity to a necessity; seen newspapers languish while Twitter explodes. And while nobody has every detail worked out, one thing that is stunningly clear is that a new way of thinking is required. Nobody can hide in their garret these days. Not even authors.

My “products” are my novels. They’re the most important part of the equation, and nothing can replace that. Whether you’re selling paperbacks or Pampers or politicians, the best place to start is with a good product.

But a good product still needs to be sold. Which means there’s a brand to build. Next week I’ll talk a little about the ways I’ve built, and continue to build, my own. From signings to blogging to social networking to Twitter contests, while you can take the guy out of advertising, you can’t take—well, you know the rest.

Read ADMAVEN next week for the second of three posts in Marcus Sakey's series on social media from an author's perspective.

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Tweetsuits Multiply, Suing People For Tweets Going Mainstream

You may have read the story about St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa and his quest to sue Twitter over an impersonator's account. Recently that suit was dropped, though it marked a major reality check for the San Fransisco based micro-blogging service.

Now Chicago based Horizon Group Management has filed a $50,000 lawsuit against Amanda Bonnen, an individual with a paltry 20 followers, citing defamation for the following tweet:


The complaint filed in Cook County court states Ms. Bonnen "maliciously and wrongfully published the false and defamatory Tweet on Twitter, thereby allowing the Tweet to be distributed throughout the world."

Jeffrey Michael, representative of Horizon, is quoted in The Chicago Sun-Times as saying, "The statements are obviously false, and it's our intention to prove that. We're a sue first, ask questions later kind of an organization"

The Twitter account of Chicago resident Amanda Bonnen has since been removed, and it is now known that the removal was voluntary. Horizon claims they did not ask or demand that the offending tweet be taken down. In addition Ms. Bonnen is no longer publicly listed on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Daliah Saper, Principal Attorney at Saper Law, provides ADMAVEN with the following legal analysis:

"140 characters can be enough to defame - false statements proven so can certainly be grounds for a defamation suit. In an ever litigious climate, I'd think twice before publishing anything accusatory online, tweet or otherwise. A good rule of thumb when considering legal risk on Twitter is proof of claim: can you back up your tweet with hard facts? If you legitimately believe you are stating an opinion grounded in truth, then be prepared to state your case if you get slapped with a Complaint and Summons and cross your fingers that the Judge agrees your posting was merely an opinion."

The idea of a company suing an individual for defamation on the Internet is not new. The recording industry, and more recently the film industry, have been pursuing cases against individuals violating digital copyright law for years, and consequently have been vilified in mainstream media and social media outlet alike.

Is it really the best tactic for a brand to sue for these types of statements? One might say it is important to protect the integrity of the brand, but at what cost? At this point in time, Horizon Group Management has multiple mentions on Twitter and national news outlets.

In a world of democratized distribution of information focused the individual is it wise for a brand to come down this hard on someone with a mere 20 followers on Twitter? As more brands begin monitoring social media outlets for mentions, they will have a clear choice: work with consumers or against them. From a marketing and public relations perspective history has taught us that fighting the consumer seldom produces a net positive effect for the brand.

UPDATES 7/30/09

A couple of notable write-ups on the story from Social Media Today and Ars Technica.

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Monday, July 27, 2009

Twitter 101: A Special Guide

Twitter is notorious as the social media outlet with the biggest gap between awareness and engagement. Part of the trouble has - in the past - stemmed from a general lack of information on the official site. Tech savvy adopters don't have a problem seeking out information, but for the masses a general lack of support is viewed as an annoyance and has ultimately led to trial without adoption.

Twitter's new guide for businesses seeks to mend the issue by providing a benefits based analysis and instructions. The guide is basic, but a good start. As more details are added the guide could easily become a comprehensive, official source of information for businesses seeking to take advantage of social media.

Read Twitter's special guide for businesses

Of additional note to Chicago readers is the Saper Law Seminar on July 28th, 2009 covering Trademark and Copyright issues. The seminar is a "101" intro session and should be very informative. Saper Law is a sponsor of the Chciago Media Marketing & Advertising Group.

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Social Media Helps Skincare Upstart Take on Big Beauty

A recent article in Cosmetics Design entitled, "Social media campaigns can help small players enter competitive markets" highlights using an integrated campaign to win market share in a hyper-competitive industry.

Aloe Vera skin care company Lexli has launched a marketing campaign including social and digital media that is designed to help it succeed in an industry dominated by big players.

Such a campaign is perfect for relatively small players such as Lexli coming into very competitive marketplaces, explained Nick Kinports from innovation agency Maddock Douglas which designed the campaign.

“Without a million dollar advertising budget it is difficult to compete with the Dove’s and Aveda’s of the industry in terms of print and TV advertising,” Kinports told CosmeticsDesign.com.

In addition, there is a lot of consumer misunderstanding within the skin care industry and a social media campaign can help get the message across, he said.

Although social media is not the only strategy open to smaller players, for Kinports it is one of the best available right now.

“With a proper strategy and a good understanding of the online behaviour of the target audience you can make inroads quickly and find advocates for the brand willing to spread the word,” he said.

Integrates blog, online store and microsite

The Lexli campaign includes a traditional website that acts as the online store for the brand with product information and the possibility to purchase products.

In addition, Lexli has taken on aesthetician Jessica O’Dair as a brand ambassador who writes a blog entitled Real Skin Care Solutions with links to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

According to Kinports, Jessica is a more credible figure than a celebrity brand ambassador as she is a skin care professional. “She isn’t just a mouthpiece for Lexli. The Real Skin Care blog allows her to continue what she has been doing but through a new medium.”

For Kinports, transparency is the way to retain credibility alongside the knowledge that Jessica is working for Lexli.

“If it is handled correctly there isn’t a problem and transparency is the key. Yes, she works for Lexli, but if people can see she does more than just say ‘Buy Lexli, Buy Lexli,’ we expect a return on the time investment,” he said

Read the full article a Cosmetics Design

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Friday, July 17, 2009

The Great Innovation Race! Building Online Advocacy With Twitter

When Dave Wilson and I were tasked to come up with an innovative and educational experience for the Maddock Douglas Summer Interns, we instantly gravitated towards social technologies due to the fact that they are simple to setup and deploy, easy to track or measure, and transparent (read: good publicity for MD). We also knew that Twitter needed to play a major role in the experience because of its especially simple setup, open API, and ubiquitous nature.

The issue for us was how to motivate six interns to create meaningful engagement online while learning how to market a product or service using social technology as a key tool. The solution we arrived at was simple: our interns would compete to build online advocacy around their personal brands over a six week period for a cash prize.

The Great Innovation Race
was born!

The goal for our Summer Interns is to amass the most followers on new Twitter accounts (owned by Maddock Douglas) using their personalities and intellects to fuel advocacy. Getting followers is great, but the point of this contest is to build and deploy a winning marketing strategy. The rules prohibit the usual shenanigans and protect our clients' confidentiality.

Benefits for the agency include enhanced PR, discovery of the Maddock Douglas brand, internal buy-in for social technologies, and a great case study to assist in future client deployments.

An interesting thing has happened in the 24 hours since we launched the competition. Internal advocacy for Twitter has been exploding. All of a sudden Maddock Douglas communications have been fractured between Twitter and the usual means. In my opinion, this is a good thing.

Be sure to follow the race - you can check out our intern pictures, bios, and latest tweets at Maddock Douglas.

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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Major League Innovation - BusinessWeek's Innovation Engine Features Chicago White Sox and ESPN

As fans cut back on spending, sports teams must find ways to increase their share. Here's our formula for Major League Baseball—and other businesses:

By G. Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Vitón

We are often asked about ways to innovate beyond the traditional business setting. In honor of the All-Star Game, here is our suggestion to the owners of professional Major League Baseball teams.

Sports teams run on statistics. Players are signed, promoted, rewarded, or released based on how well they perform against an agreed-upon set of detailed metrics. Yet when it comes to figuring out the best way to attract and keep fans—especially during a recession—it's a whole other matter. These same teams are, for the most part, relying on either outdated research approaches or "gut feel" to determine what fans want.

And not surprisingly they are swinging and missing. Want proof? Consider some of our recent findings:

• Every sports executive we have ever met says the No. 1 thing fans want is a winning team. Fans rank it 11th when asked why they show up at a game.

• What the paying customers want most is a "fan friendly" environment, right? Nope. Fans rank it 6th in importance.

• Teams worry that their ticket prices are too high. Fans say cost ranks 7th when they are deciding whether or not to attend a game.

This discrepancy between what sports executives believe and what is actually going on in the marketplace reveals that most have failed to take notice of two related and depressing facts: A) Few sports teams recognize the power of their brand/customer relationship. B) Most fail to leverage the unshakable fan loyalty, simply because they have not taken the time to figure out what fans truly care about.

READ THE ENTIRE FEATURE AT BUSINESSWEEK

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CMM&A July Meetup - Largest Turnout Yet!

Thanks to positive groundswell in social media outlets and word of mouth, the Chicago Media Marketing & Advertising group saw its largest turnout ever, with over 80 professionals gathering to network, discuss new developments in the media, marketing, advertising, and public relations communities, and enjoy the beautiful deck at Saper Law.

CMM&A thanks to our sponsor Daliah Saper of Saper Law for hosting the event and providing logistical support. Additional thanks to our sponsor BeFoundOnline.

Look for details about our next monthly meeting coming soon!

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Thursday, July 9, 2009

Chicago Media Marketing & Advertising July Meetup at Saper Law and ADMAVEN 1 Year Anniversary

Before I explain the details of our next meetup, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that today represents the one year anniversary of ADMAVEN - The Interactive Advertising Blog. My first post dated July 9, 2008 promised to, "highlight new technologies, research, and industry practices that have a practical impact on the traditional and interactive Advertising world". I hope you have found this blog informative and useful in your professional life. I have taken great pleasure in delivering information on social media and social media marketing as they begin to take prominence. Thanks to all the loyal readers who have left comments, sent emails, and tweeted about my blog!

And now on to the CMM&A details:

Join the CMM&A organizers and members July 14th, 2009 for an evening of networking and discussion within the media, marketing, advertising, and public relations industries. Our last event was, as always, informative and a lot of fun - don't miss out. Food and beverages will be provided, but you may bring your own beverages of choice (BYOB!).

Be sure to visit the Meetup.com page to RSVP and get complete details.

Our speaker is Kris Pasquini and her topic will address the tools and techniques used in putting a strong personal touch in your client and network communications by going off-line.

The event is sponsored by the "Search Guys" Be Found Online and once again the offices of Saper Law will host us. Saper's facilities feature a stunning rooftop deck on the 12th floor of 500 North Dearborn.

We look forward to seeing you all!

Please note you will need to be let in the front door from the street level - we will be waiting to let you in, and if no one is around just buzz up or wait a few seconds and we will find you!

We ask $3.00 at the door to help with expenses.

July 14, 2009
6:30PM to 9:00PM
Saper Law Offices, LLC
500 N Dearborn, Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60610

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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

The Printed Blog Shutters Operations With Some Regrets, No Plans For Future Revival

Today marked the closing of The Printed Blog.

Chicago Business Powered By Crain's has a comprehensive interview with The Printed Blog's Founder Joshua Karp discussing his struggle to convince the venture capital community of TPB's viability.

An excerpt from Crain's reads:

What would you do differently if you could start over? Any tweaks to the concept?

I would launch exactly the same business, but I would focus like a laser on one neighborhood, probably Palo Alto, Calif. I would get local and national blogs, great photographs, and put together one first issue. I'd print it out, then walk up and down the streets of Palo Alto, selling ads (and dropping off copies at every VC office I encountered). I'd make a local Palo Alto edition successful, and prove that I could generate revenue to cover my costs. Then, I'd expand, slowly to neighboring communities, until I was putting them under windshield wipers of cars in the Google parking lot.

The only, reluctant tweak to the concept I wish I had included was a social network. I wrongly figured that VCs would be tired of people starting social networks that relied on very elusive advertising for revenue. I was wrong. That's a component that was missing from my plan.

ADMAVEN's January 2009 interview with Joshua Karp and subsequent article highlighted the enthusiasm and promise behind the business model.

It's sad to see a hybrid form of old and new media fail. What does this bode for the future of print? Are even the most innovative print models doomed to failure simply because fewer and fewer people prefer the medium each year?

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Thursday, July 2, 2009

Personal Branding Wars: Does Your Company Already Claim a Stake in Your Personal Twitter, Facebook, or Blog?

Thanks to Daliah Saper for giving a great presentation at the Chicago Media Marketing and Advertising June Meetup. Check out the videos below for great advice on the legal implications of personal branding:







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Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Crispin Porter + Bogusky Showcases Beta Social Homepage


And there you have it... A new homepage for agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky, creators of Burger King's famed grinning King campaign and Microsoft's "I'm a PC", among others.

The concept is certinaly not new - Modernista has been doing it for over a year, and countless other websites now incorporate social elements into their homepages. Mr. Bogusky puts it well when he says, "It's our hope that this becomes more than a gallery of work and its more about a gallery of what our work is actually accomplishing out there in the real world."

I feel Crispin's approach, however, is a little narcisistic. The new homepage is filled with news and information being shared about CP+B. This may have been interesting a year ago, but in today's world of relevant and timely data I'm failing to see the innovation.

Shouldn't the feeds on the homepage be about CP+B's clients? Doing great work on behalf of clients is paramount to any agency, but leveraging that agency's own presence as a "living portfolio" of social data about client campaigns should be mandatory. CP+B allows you to click tabs along the top of the site to look at various active campaigns, but the focus is clearly on the agency itself.

The second focus of an agency social site should be its own employees. Where is the list of employees who are active on Twitter complete with a feed? How can I - as a prospective customer - get a more intimate look inside the doors of an agency?

I don't want to sound overly critical - building social media components into an agency website is a step in the right direction, but the conversation and engagement elements are overshadowed by messaging about how much press CP+B gets.

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