Google and P&G

I’m sure most of you saw the front page WSJ article last week about Google and P&G. This is of great interest to me because it gets to the heart of one of my underlying hypotheses about why digital advertising will continue to grow at the expense of other media.

Right now brand marketers are way under-invested in digital marketing. All you have to do is see the chart below.  TV has less than 20% of the time but 44% of the spending.     Marketers are over invested in traditional media as compared to time spent there.

Sources: TNS Media Intelligence & Forrester Research

This has to change. The challenge, as I have learned from several of our client CMO’s is that it is really hard to spend money on digital, while it is relatively easy to shovel it out the door on 30 sec. TV spots.

We (agencies, researchers, etc.) need to work a lot harder to bring ideas to our clients on how to spend money and leverage programs via digital channels. As John Bell famously asks, if I spend another $100k on social media, what do I get?

TO’B

Potbelly’s Evanston Loves US

Turns out we are a key account for Potbelly’s in Evanston. They are right across the street from MotiveQuest World Headquarters and Tish makes a cookie run almost every afternoon. (Not to mention all the sandwiches!)

Yesterday Tish went over for a sandwich and they said “thank goodness you’re here – we just tried to deliver this box full of warm chocolate chip oatmeal cookies but we couldn’t figure out how to get up to your office” Tish came back to the office not only with her sandwich, but with a box full of warm cookies of the office.

They can count MotiveQuest as a Key Account for life!

TO’B

5 Things about Social Media

I had a call with a client today. They are a huge, global company, and we have been doing brand tracking & analysis for them for several years.

They have a newly formed social media team, and I had a call with them today. I thought their questions (and my answers) might be relevant to others as well. Here is my follow-up email:

—————————————————————————-

It was great to talk to you and your team just now.  You have a big (and exciting) job ahead; here are my thoughts.

1. Social media is about human scale engagement – not technology
   
2. SM is about relationships, not campaigns.  Plan accordingly
   
3. SM cuts across silos.  It will involve marketing, product, customer service and legal (at least).  Doing it well will require C level approval AND support.
   
4. Success in SM requires putting the community’s motivations first.  This is very hard for most companies to grasp.  It is not about selling something, but about getting people to love you so they will do more business with you.  A subtle, but important distinction.  Put the community’s motivations first.
   
5. Successful SM will connect to something people are already passionate about.  Figure out what it is first.
   

I could go on, but you get the idea

Links & Info

Here are our decks on slideshare:

MotiveQuest SlideShare

You already read Groundswell – which I think is a really good book on this subject – here is my review of Groundswell.

Peter Kim @ Mashable: List of Social Media Marketing Examples

Another good one with lots of comments from Peter Kim: What is Social Media Marketing

Chris Brogan: A good Blog on social media marketing – pretty PR focused.

Jeremiah Owyang – analyst for Forrester has good coverage of SM but heavy on tools: Web Stratgy by Jeremiah

And finally, a really interesting and different social media execution: Layer Tennis – watch a match and you will get it – be sure to click thru the volleys.

http://layertennis.com/071026/

Take a look at the results the CS3 launch was a HUGE success for Adobe (and their agency – Goodby).

CS3 Launch

Call me if you have any questions or would like to discuss further –

TO’B

We’re Calling It – Obama 53%, McCain 46%

I don’t know if that is a landslide or not – but here is our prediction for the final popular vote tally.  I suspect the electoral college vote will be nowhere this close.

OBAMA:    53%

MCCAIN:  46%

(Yes, I know that doesn’t add up to 100%, there are other candidates.)

TO’B