I don’t read Newsweek, but a friend tells me it’s undergone a dramatic change. Jill is a journalist, so she’s serious about “the story behind the story.” A loyal subscriber for 18 years, Jill says the new Newsweek is too much, even for her. “I want to, but I can’t read all of it. And I really miss the recap of the week’s events. Newsweek has turned into The Economist” ...
... not that there’s anything wrong with that, we both rush to say. We love The Economist.
Jill passionately defends Newsweek’s commitment to quality and depth in reporting … except she can’t really get around to reading it. We both feel sad.
She won't stop subscribing, though, even if she doesn't have time to read Newsweek thoroughly. Hers is a philosophical commitment to the notion of journalism and Truth .. a little like supporting a favorite charity simply because it does good works.
Hey, if charitable support is all we writers and journalists can get for digging and chasing, it's for a worthy cause.
- scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Which Media Died Last Night?
First it was direct mail dying. Now it’s email.
Uber-blogger Jason Baer reports hearing lots of talk that email is gasping its last. "Every conference I've been at, and at least 10 blog posts I've read this year, have proclaimed the death of email." As Mark Twain famously said, “The reports of [said] death are greatly exaggerated.”
Baer rightly notes that “... [electronic communication] isn’t a zero some game.. you have to have an email address to sign up for a social network. Further, most of my social network alerts are delivered by email.” Nicely said, Jason (so maybe it's more like email is evolving into everybody's online real ID?) Not quite yet. When Jason asked his Twitter homies what they check first in the morning (email, Twitter, or voice mail), 76% said email was still their first touch point.
Meanwhile, amid the funerals, there also are rumors of pregnancies (GoogleWave) and recent births (Bing). Seems like media life is cycling faster than the fruit fly.
The long and short of it is this: a lot is happening and everyone is predicting something, but, like Heraclitus observed, nobody is in a position to step twice into the digital river, let alone say where it's going to fork or converge. Me? I'm just trying to keep my footing.
p.s. I think I heard that journalism is dead, too. Can somebody tell me where that funeral was? I want to send regrets.
-- scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
Uber-blogger Jason Baer reports hearing lots of talk that email is gasping its last. "Every conference I've been at, and at least 10 blog posts I've read this year, have proclaimed the death of email." As Mark Twain famously said, “The reports of [said] death are greatly exaggerated.”
Baer rightly notes that “... [electronic communication] isn’t a zero some game.. you have to have an email address to sign up for a social network. Further, most of my social network alerts are delivered by email.” Nicely said, Jason (so maybe it's more like email is evolving into everybody's online real ID?) Not quite yet. When Jason asked his Twitter homies what they check first in the morning (email, Twitter, or voice mail), 76% said email was still their first touch point.
Meanwhile, amid the funerals, there also are rumors of pregnancies (GoogleWave) and recent births (Bing). Seems like media life is cycling faster than the fruit fly.
The long and short of it is this: a lot is happening and everyone is predicting something, but, like Heraclitus observed, nobody is in a position to step twice into the digital river, let alone say where it's going to fork or converge. Me? I'm just trying to keep my footing.
p.s. I think I heard that journalism is dead, too. Can somebody tell me where that funeral was? I want to send regrets.
-- scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
Monday, June 8, 2009
What are we afraid of? Everything. And That’s the Good News.
Yesterday, Christopher Leonard reported that people are so afraid of losing their jobs they’re taking on extra work without pay or complaint.
During the week of March 17, 2007, Hitwise reported that Google searches were focused on the following big fears: flying, intimacy, the dark, death, spiders, driving, love, god, success, and being alone. Just imagine how much more terrified we are now, two Wall-Street-bruised years later.
Fear also dictates what we buy .. which leads to the burgeoning art of neuromarketing, where science and sales intersect. Last October, Martin Lindstrom published Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy. In a radio interview, Lindstrom told Leonard Lopate that 85% of all human decisions are taking place in the subconscious mind, which -- no surprise -- reeks of fear.
Scaremongering works really well in political discourse. “Commercials for politicians have been shown to work best when fear is the main topic," Lindstrom promises. In fact, “Fear is the main drive in our life.”
But what about sex as a consumer motivator? Lindstrom says no. “Sex is a major human behavior driver, yes, but [when sex is used in advertising] we become so over-whelmed in our brain by these images that we forget the brand!" (Note: When scantily clad imagery does work – like in the Calvin Klein commercials – Lindstrom says it’s mere controversy, not sex, that is selling the brand.)
Your assignment for today – should you choose to accept it [and you’d better accept it, if you know what's good for you..] is to scare somebody. And don’t worry. It should be pretty easy.
- Scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
During the week of March 17, 2007, Hitwise reported that Google searches were focused on the following big fears: flying, intimacy, the dark, death, spiders, driving, love, god, success, and being alone. Just imagine how much more terrified we are now, two Wall-Street-bruised years later.
Fear also dictates what we buy .. which leads to the burgeoning art of neuromarketing, where science and sales intersect. Last October, Martin Lindstrom published Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy. In a radio interview, Lindstrom told Leonard Lopate that 85% of all human decisions are taking place in the subconscious mind, which -- no surprise -- reeks of fear.
Scaremongering works really well in political discourse. “Commercials for politicians have been shown to work best when fear is the main topic," Lindstrom promises. In fact, “Fear is the main drive in our life.”
But what about sex as a consumer motivator? Lindstrom says no. “Sex is a major human behavior driver, yes, but [when sex is used in advertising] we become so over-whelmed in our brain by these images that we forget the brand!" (Note: When scantily clad imagery does work – like in the Calvin Klein commercials – Lindstrom says it’s mere controversy, not sex, that is selling the brand.)
Your assignment for today – should you choose to accept it [and you’d better accept it, if you know what's good for you..] is to scare somebody. And don’t worry. It should be pretty easy.
- Scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
Friday, June 5, 2009
Bye Bye Mass Market: So Now What?
In his June 2 Buzz Bin, Jeff Jarvis notes that “The new Detroit isn’t Detroit.” Blogging about the shift from global to local, Jarvis says, “The mass market is dead, replaced by the mass of niches.” Marc Gunther, senior writer at Fortune, said the same thing in 2006.
So, if mass market and mass culture are dead, then mass marketing also is finished. The following developments offer a few small clues to what may be ahead:
So, if mass market and mass culture are dead, then mass marketing also is finished. The following developments offer a few small clues to what may be ahead:
- Mass direct mail becomes highly targeted, variable data printed communication.
- National TV advertising shifts to targeted online placement.
- Mass product frenzy for the likes of Starbucks shifts to mom ‘n pops.
- Mass email marketing migrates to on-line social media like Facebook and Twitter.
- Telemarketing implodes into highly sophisticated customer service call centers.
- Online news adopts the “hyper-interest” approach.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Three Ways To Out A Social Media Hack
The 2009 Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook explosion has blown the minds of many CEOs and marketing managers. I’m picking up an attitude that seems to say: “We’ve gotta get into this social media thing and we’ve gotta do it now.” But how?
Most corporate managers know very little [nothing?] about what it takes to succeed with social media. It’s not their job. Many decision makers aren’t even sure what social media is, let alone what it’s supposed to accomplish. They do know, however, that “Everybody is doing it.” (Remember what your parents said when you told them “everybody’s doing it"? Right…. Big whoop.)
Still, being left out is scary and -- if everybody’s doing it: “How hard can it be? I mean, it’s like putting up a website, right? We’ll just get somebody to set it up for us and that will be that.”
To protect the innocent, I’m not going to name names, but I will tell you, specifically, that yesterday I ran across somebody who scared me breathless. Out there in social media land I ran across a social media hack – a really incompetent “consultant” -- who is mining corporate insecurities for all they’re worth. The consultant’s offer is simple: “Don’t worry about a thing. [For a fee], I’ll set-up your blog, a Facebook page, and a Twitter presence. You’ll be all set!” This person's work is shoddy, careless, ill-researched, meandering, horribly written, and -- worst of all -- designed to "promote" the client. At least one organization is already paying for this “service.” Ouch.
I figure where there is one social media hack, there are others. So, as a writer, editor, marketer, and program manager with many years experience -- as well as somebody who witnessed, first-hand, the travesties and exploitations of an earlier "latest thing": desktop publishing -- I feel compelled to cite my own short list of warning signals. I hope these will help an over-wrought manager identify who’s for real in social media and who’s … well, a fraud. Here ya go.
If the “consultant” you’re talking to is guilty of any of the following, run to the nearest exit:
1. Says social media will get you more business. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Social media’s primary function has little to do with getting more business or touting the services/products you offer. Your website does that. Social media is about communicating with your current and prospective customers. It’s about listening and sharing. At the risk of being too “new age” here, social media is an expression of the heart and spirit of your business. Blogging or Twittering to sell something – or even to demonstrate how great you are -- not only defeats the purpose of social media, it makes your company look silly. Customers today are very smart. We’ve been exposed to the “big lies,” and we’re not about to accept hyperbole, puffery, and advertising "claims." We do know when we’re being manipulated, so don’t try it.
2. Can’t explain precisely what your social media program should accomplish. Maybe you don’t know what you’re supposed to get out of Twitter and blogging, but your social media expert should. It's not enough to merely give you a "presence." That presence must do you proud! After listening to your vision for your organization, a consultant should be able to describe in detail a plan to augment your vision with social media. No generalities, please.
3. Can’t write a twit (and I mean that in the broadest sense). If you don’t know how to judge good writing yourself, ask an editor or writer you trust to read the consultant’s own blog and give a candid opinion (he does have a blog … doesn’t he?)
Anything as new [and strange] as Twitter is a tough call for management. We'll need to do some research before we trust our corporate reputations to somebody with the power to make us look really stupid. So, if you aren’t a social media expert (and why should you be?), I suggest spending some time with the following folks who really are experts. You may not be able to afford their fees, but, thankfully, they share much of what they know for free .. which, of course, is social media at its best.
Top 5 corporate blogging mistakes and how to avoid them [from David Meerman Scott]
Ten elements every company blog should have [from Mack Collier]
Ten ways bloggers can use Twitter [from Live Crunch]
450 tips, tricks, and how to Twitter list [from LiveCrunch]
Write like a blogger [from Seth Godin]
- scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
Most corporate managers know very little [nothing?] about what it takes to succeed with social media. It’s not their job. Many decision makers aren’t even sure what social media is, let alone what it’s supposed to accomplish. They do know, however, that “Everybody is doing it.” (Remember what your parents said when you told them “everybody’s doing it"? Right…. Big whoop.)
Still, being left out is scary and -- if everybody’s doing it: “How hard can it be? I mean, it’s like putting up a website, right? We’ll just get somebody to set it up for us and that will be that.”
To protect the innocent, I’m not going to name names, but I will tell you, specifically, that yesterday I ran across somebody who scared me breathless. Out there in social media land I ran across a social media hack – a really incompetent “consultant” -- who is mining corporate insecurities for all they’re worth. The consultant’s offer is simple: “Don’t worry about a thing. [For a fee], I’ll set-up your blog, a Facebook page, and a Twitter presence. You’ll be all set!” This person's work is shoddy, careless, ill-researched, meandering, horribly written, and -- worst of all -- designed to "promote" the client. At least one organization is already paying for this “service.” Ouch.
I figure where there is one social media hack, there are others. So, as a writer, editor, marketer, and program manager with many years experience -- as well as somebody who witnessed, first-hand, the travesties and exploitations of an earlier "latest thing": desktop publishing -- I feel compelled to cite my own short list of warning signals. I hope these will help an over-wrought manager identify who’s for real in social media and who’s … well, a fraud. Here ya go.
If the “consultant” you’re talking to is guilty of any of the following, run to the nearest exit:
1. Says social media will get you more business. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Social media’s primary function has little to do with getting more business or touting the services/products you offer. Your website does that. Social media is about communicating with your current and prospective customers. It’s about listening and sharing. At the risk of being too “new age” here, social media is an expression of the heart and spirit of your business. Blogging or Twittering to sell something – or even to demonstrate how great you are -- not only defeats the purpose of social media, it makes your company look silly. Customers today are very smart. We’ve been exposed to the “big lies,” and we’re not about to accept hyperbole, puffery, and advertising "claims." We do know when we’re being manipulated, so don’t try it.
2. Can’t explain precisely what your social media program should accomplish. Maybe you don’t know what you’re supposed to get out of Twitter and blogging, but your social media expert should. It's not enough to merely give you a "presence." That presence must do you proud! After listening to your vision for your organization, a consultant should be able to describe in detail a plan to augment your vision with social media. No generalities, please.
3. Can’t write a twit (and I mean that in the broadest sense). If you don’t know how to judge good writing yourself, ask an editor or writer you trust to read the consultant’s own blog and give a candid opinion (he does have a blog … doesn’t he?)
Anything as new [and strange] as Twitter is a tough call for management. We'll need to do some research before we trust our corporate reputations to somebody with the power to make us look really stupid. So, if you aren’t a social media expert (and why should you be?), I suggest spending some time with the following folks who really are experts. You may not be able to afford their fees, but, thankfully, they share much of what they know for free .. which, of course, is social media at its best.
Top 5 corporate blogging mistakes and how to avoid them [from David Meerman Scott]
Ten elements every company blog should have [from Mack Collier]
Ten ways bloggers can use Twitter [from Live Crunch]
450 tips, tricks, and how to Twitter list [from LiveCrunch]
Write like a blogger [from Seth Godin]
- scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Four Rules of Good Blogging
A friend suggested that perhaps an organization she belongs to should start a blog. “Who would write it?” I asked. She thought maybe a group of folks involved in the organization could share the burden. I had five questions:
1. Will they be able to resist promoting their own business in the process?
2. Will they be transparent and blog about real stuff that’s actually happening?
3. Will they be willing to share perspectives with which others in the organization might disagree?
4. Will they leave out puffery and hyperbole?
5. Will they share information of interest to readers, even when that information promotes a competing organization?
This conversation made me think about the attributes that infuse the blogs I love.
Rule One: Avoid self-promotion. Anybody who blogs in order to blow their own horn will quickly turn off any audience. As an editor who sees a lot of press releases, I hate it when an organization describes itself as “the leading” this-or-that. In the 2009 Zeitgeist, consumers really don’t like hyperbole. Instead, we prefer subtle marketing messages that maybe don’t use words at all [Kia’s “Soul Hamsters” TV commercial is a superb example].
Rule Two: Share the genuine self. This doesn’t mean disclosing personal information (though some bloggers do that successfully). Since each of us is unique, each of us can bring something different to the discussion. People are most interested in other people, so if you’re genuine – if you let us know who you are -- yes, we really, truly want to hear what YOU have to say.
Rule Three: Don’t regurgitate. There’s nothing new under the sun, so some of us are certain to cover the same topics and events. But at least we can infuse our blogs with a personal perspective, and then support that view with research and links to other authorities.
Rule Four: Spread the word. The very gifted Charlene Kingston exemplified what it means to spread the word when she blogged about how to become a copywriter and featured another writer’s ebook: Julie Roads How To Become A Successful CopyWriter. Very generous, very useful.
- scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
1. Will they be able to resist promoting their own business in the process?
2. Will they be transparent and blog about real stuff that’s actually happening?
3. Will they be willing to share perspectives with which others in the organization might disagree?
4. Will they leave out puffery and hyperbole?
5. Will they share information of interest to readers, even when that information promotes a competing organization?
This conversation made me think about the attributes that infuse the blogs I love.
Rule One: Avoid self-promotion. Anybody who blogs in order to blow their own horn will quickly turn off any audience. As an editor who sees a lot of press releases, I hate it when an organization describes itself as “the leading” this-or-that. In the 2009 Zeitgeist, consumers really don’t like hyperbole. Instead, we prefer subtle marketing messages that maybe don’t use words at all [Kia’s “Soul Hamsters” TV commercial is a superb example].
Rule Two: Share the genuine self. This doesn’t mean disclosing personal information (though some bloggers do that successfully). Since each of us is unique, each of us can bring something different to the discussion. People are most interested in other people, so if you’re genuine – if you let us know who you are -- yes, we really, truly want to hear what YOU have to say.
Rule Three: Don’t regurgitate. There’s nothing new under the sun, so some of us are certain to cover the same topics and events. But at least we can infuse our blogs with a personal perspective, and then support that view with research and links to other authorities.
Rule Four: Spread the word. The very gifted Charlene Kingston exemplified what it means to spread the word when she blogged about how to become a copywriter and featured another writer’s ebook: Julie Roads How To Become A Successful CopyWriter. Very generous, very useful.
- scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
It’s From Brain To Computer To Tweet!
Look ma, no hands! Adam Wilson, a University of Wisconsin-Madison biomedical engineering doctoral student has developed a brain-to-computer interface system that lets him Tweet without a keyboard. Wilson wears an electrode-studded cap wired to a computer and ”thinks” about the letters he wants to choose. The result goes out as a Tweet. Wilson isn’t the only student of brain-computer interface, but it's fun to watch the video of him Tweeting. Even more impressive is the Emotiv Systems headgear for computer human interaction that's been wowing folks since 2007. Still in beta, a 2009 release is projected for the headset that USAToday reported will cost about $300, and the 803 fans and gamers who follow Emotiv-Epoc on Facebook are eager to try it out.
- scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
- scrubbed by Marketing Brillo
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