Author Archive

By: Stephanie Critchfield at 9:42 am

SXSW Sessions We Thumbs Up (ours included)

Aug
24

South by Southwest (SXSW) Public Voting ends this Friday. Like many, we’ve been excitedly getting the word out for our session.  It’s sort of like waiting to be picked in gym class; we wave our hands, jump up and down and hope we make the cool team. But at the same time, we’re also voting for the sessions that have piqued our interest – and there are many. We’d like to share some of them. But, of course, not  before our own! (We’re trying to make the team, afterall)

Intimate Online Sharing: Bunnies, Bras and Brands

(VOTE HERE - panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/6804)

Speakers: Paul Murray, Creative Director and Carol Setter, PhD, SVP Strategy (WhittmanHart)

It is conventional wisdom that some questions are better left unasked. This is even truer when the risk of a slap in the face may be involved. And yet, the most intimate of information is often unabashedly offered up online. In January, 2010, thousands of women on Facebook filled their status updates with descriptions of the bras they were wearing. In this viral phenomenon, scores of women cast aside timidity and openly shared the color of their undergarments. Facebook acted as an intermediary between question and answer, a buffer between people and shyness. Since one of our key clients is an iconic lingerie retailer, we began to ponder how seemingly inanimate objects might act as confidants and whether women – and men – might reveal even more intimate data using such digital intermediaries. The results could inform marketing initiatives, product evolution and website design. The key? Bunnies. Nano:ztags bunnies are programmable RFID-enabled cartoonish figurines that, aside from cutely reading the news or playing music, act as interactive hubs for sharing information online. (read about bunnies: www.violet.net) A test group will gear up with these little guys. We’ll ask questions regarding the relationship between undergarment (and other) choices, usage and mood. They’ll answer with bunnies. What these women and men share, we’ll share with you. Bunnies could change the way that people live. We want to follow them down the rabbit hole, and show you where we end up. 

——–

Those involved with putting our session together have kindly shared some of their other favorites.

Paul Murray

Evil and UnDead: The Hottest Thing in Pop
I really love campfire’s work, and the free bucket of zombie flesh sounds pretty interesting.

Big Spaceship, Whiskey and Improving Your Efficiency
Sounds tongue-in-cheek, but I’m very interested in their culture, and a big believer in whisky.

Game On: 7 Design Patterns For User Engagement
Google’s people are always brilliant and I’ve been watching Zynga like a hawk.

A Guide To Long-Term Perspective On Trends
I think psfk is the bomb, and use it daily to inform my work.

Stephanie Critchfield

A Guide To Long-Term Perspective on Trends
Paul and I have similar taste! Kyle is fascinating to read and has a great human perspective on trends.

The Art & Science of Influential Web Content
Colleen Jones is expert at her craft – designing compelling content. And when it comes to social marketing today, little is more important.

Why Doesn’t This TV Have a Pause Button?
Love the concept of this session – What does it mean not to remember a world before 3G? Interesting topic with not near enough purposeful dialouge.

Ladies Claim Digital Strategy is the New Creativity
Very smart, successful (and sassy) women talking digital strategy. Fully expect this will be a great session if it makes it in.

Just ‘Cause: Can Technology Make Brand Irrelevant?
Presented by the National Wildlife Federation – the battle of Cause vs Brand. Love this idea, presented by a terrific organization.

Max Weinstein-Bacal

Online Mom Communities = Hotbed of Local Influencers

Social Media FAIL: Lessons From the Dark Side

Mobile+Location: There’s More Than Just Foursquare

Evolve or Die: The Future of Agencies

Building the Digital Restaurant

A few others we like that have been shared with us:

Is Facebook Skynet? (see also related video – http://youtu.be/o3wA8GwMKzg)

Advanced Integrations of Social Media Analytics

Startups, Bacon and Speed Iteration

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 7:49 am

Three Things Big Companies Can Learn from Small Biz

Aug
13

There are an abundance of articles out there that discuss what small businesses can learn from big companies. I get it; process, research, calculated risk, etc. But surely big businesses can also learn from the little guy? When I got it in my head that I would write this reverse angle, I assumed it would be equally overplayed in story form. But unless my Googling skills are in dire condition, that’s not the case.

Having worked alongside large brands and inside of small businesses, exchange of knowledge would be beneficial on both sides. However, I do have a soft spot for the small business. And, when it comes to digital marketing, there is much to be gleaned from how they do it.

Disclaimer: When I speak of small businesses – I’m speaking of those small, scrappy companies (product or service oriented) that value digital marketing and do all they can do with it. I am also not suggesting that some big companies aren’t grasping some of these principles (see: Dominos, Delta).

1. Agility Leads to Creativity

Agility is defined as “having quick, resourceful and adaptable character.” This is something small businesses have in bucket loads, adapting constantly to the changing needs of the business, the industry and their customers. A constant state of adaptability breeds creativity; being unencumbered by process and procedure and the opinions of many frees the way to swiftness and creative thinking. As the old adage goes, “too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the soup.” It’s where problem solving turns into original ideas. Innovations like online reviews were developed in small business (notably popularized by Amazon.com). Only in the past couple of years have risk-adverse big brands taken to online reviews. And that’s not an insignificant gap, considering the research available today that shows the important role online reviews play in buying decisions for web-connected consumers (see: 84% of Americans say online customer evaluations influence their decisions about whether to purchase products or services. Online Research Corporation)

Take Away: Innovation breeds in small groups. In large companies, task forces could be used to accomplish a similar purpose.

2. Relationships with Customers Are Defining

Generally speaking at least, a dissatisfied customer of a large brand will do little immediate or lasting damage. However, flip that to a small business and even a single dissatisfied customer can mean failure. Always on alert, small businesses begin to anticipate problems, react quickly and respond with a personal effort. Soon, relationships with customers begin to define the business. Ways to improve the interactions between company and customer become more important. It drives choices about website functionality or even the messages that are communicated through digital channels. Call it research without the research.

Take Away: Customer relationships should play a role in informing digital marketing decisions. Seems simple enough; maybe even words wasted on large firms who hire research companies to do just this kind of intelligence. But it’s not the same as the intimate learnings taken by small businesses in their interactions with customers. Big brands can supplement their research by using feet on the ground and social listening – to push towards innovation rather than status quo.

3. Digital Marketing is About Experience Not Flare

Sure, small businesses love some creative oomph, lots of buzz or a viral campaign that takes off. And it definitely happens. But, digital marketing for these companies, particularly when it comes to website design, is driven by usability. The easier it is for a person to use their site, or to develop a connection with the company, the more likely they are to buy and to recommend. So every effort is made to break down barriers to purchase. This happens with more consistently at small companies. Largely because site revamps are dramatically expensive and cumbersome for large brands. Fnctionality and upgrades then to feel grafted on. Small businesses also tend to view usability not just from a functional angle, but from a social one; “Social Usability.”  This is particularly important when it comes to ecommerce. In fact, I spoke about this in some detail in a recent blog post about Social Commerce. Creating a user experiences that values UX in equal measure to social context is the future of online shopping. And it’s small businesses that are capturing it first.

Take Away: Large companies can create micro experiences (microsites, social integration and experiences, etc). And focusing efforts on where the most drive-to-purchase value is will drive business. Big biz –  take a note from Delta’s playbook: fans can now book flights directly from Facebook. See below.

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 6:08 am

Admitting the Obvious: Online Reviews Really Matter

Aug
3

Over the last few years, online reviews have become a much larger part of a purchase decision. This isn’t a news flash – we all know this. What made this a hard pill for brands to swallow early on was that not all reviews are going to be positive. As the old adage goes – you can’t make everyone happy. Still, most of realize that at the end of the day, reviews are a good thing; both good and bad. Good leads to a sale, or at worst improved brand or product reputation. Bad informs product and service evolution and can even serve to validate review balance for readers, making the collection of reviews feel “real.”

Today, I stumbled on an AdWeek article that discussed the role of online reviews today. For me, the conclusion is known, but not always spoken out loud. Maybe it’ll seem that way to you too. Here it is: when we seek recommendations from friends, family and colleagues – and get them – we STILL turn to online reviews to either confirm or rebut them. That means that when it comes to brand reputation, while Word-of-Mouth is clearly important, it’s not the Holy Grail. Rather, online reviews are.

I’ll turn to my own behavior. And yes, I realize I’m a “marketer,” but I’m also a consumer who uses the Web. I recently bought a pair of running shoes. And I did exactly what the AdWeek article suggests – I asked for recommendations from my running and triathlete friends. Then, I took those recommendations online to get some supporting information. In the end, I selected a shoe that was primarily a result of the reviews I read online. From Zappos.com to be exact. Now, they carry several brands, so I’ll use another example too. I also bought a few items from JCrew.com recently. The reviews on that site helped me pick a flattering style and appropriate sizes. Without reviews, I can imagine that I would have gotten a piece that disappointed me. It may also have affected my future purchases if the results didn’t marry up with my expectations. And that is a very important value of online reviews – establishing expectations.

So some of you might be thinking “But most brands DO have online reviews on their site.” Certainly, many that come to mind do: Target, The Home Depot, Best Buy, Pottery Barn, Gap, and on and on. While there are a few stragglers, more the point I’m trying to make is that simply having the ability to make a review on your site isn’t enough. You have to nurture reviews to make them a comprehensive part of your site. If only a fraction of your inventory online has a review against it, it doesn’t serve its ultimate purpose. Retailers have to actively solicit reviews a part of the fabric of their customer service practice. Ask for them, ask for them again. And react to unfavorable reviews, not by removing them, but by determining if there is a way to improve your product or service. Or even, if appropriate, to dialogue with that customer directly.

Pottery Barn does a terrific job with reviews. Navigating to even the most random of products – a small bedside clock, for instance – gave me seven reviews – and helpful ones at that. Pretty impressive.


(Click the image to enlarge to full size)

The lesson is this: reviews matter – more than you think. Having a strategy for how reviews fit into your ecommerce experience will empower users and foster a sense of community. These are  both qualities that embody social marketing. Online reviews ladder up to the idea of engaging with an audience, even if the finished result is a one-way communication.

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 8:04 am

Accepting Social Marketing

Jul
21

Sometimes I feel like agencies still treat social marketing like it’s a new trend. There’s this childlike excitement about it. Slowly, it’s easing, but not quickly enough. Because with this childlike wonder comes the tendency to covet the social marketing, to carve it out and put it into a little box in our office and … ultimately … to limit its potential.

We even argue about who “owns” it. Is it the PR firm or the digital agency? Even when we know that for years we’ve shared duties (such as traditional agencies taking on PR practices for clients, or PR firms designing websites). While we bicker, specialty shops are springing up, intently focused on securing the business we fight over.

In fact, a recent article in WSJ.com quoted a Domino’s Pizza spokesperson as saying “A lot of companies right now that specialize in PR or advertising are trying to do this on the side….”

“On the side?” Yeah. That’s what she said. The kind of firm Domino’s chose? A specialty shop. A sign? You betcha. It’s time to buckle down and get this right. Social marketing may be exciting, and perhaps a little intimidating, but it’s still marketing. And it’s attached to digital. At WhittmanHart, social (in some form) is a part of many of our client relationships; the two aren’t easily separated.

Agencies Need to Be Leaders

Unbelievably, I still hear “What should I do with Facebook?” Why is that? With most other initiatives, the need begets the channel. Yet for some reason, giddiness and maybe even fear of missing out on an opportunity prompts brands to think about moving into Social without really understanding why.  It’s our job to hit the reset button and ask the right questions.

And let’s remember why social marketing has become so important so quickly. The fabric of the consumer-marketer relationship has been altered. Social marketing has become a way to infuse a brand into a buyers life – to channel desire, to add value, to add convenience. These relationships have the potential to improve the longevity and lifetime value of a customer, to evolve products and services and to extend awareness through community. 

Now, I’m not saying that everyone is doing this wrong. What I’m saying is that collectively, we have some work to do. Agencies exist to be expert at our craft. We make educated and strategic recommendations, execute creatively and prove our strength through measurement. Most importantly, our recommendations are typically based on how they fit into a total brand strategy – we compile an understanding of what programs are already running and why. This means that our executions ladder up to the brand’s overarching attributes in order to best meet objectives. Social marketing shouldn’t be treated any differently.

That being said, there is certainly a place for “playing around.” In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I encourage it, particularly with new trends – sampling the waters, having test budgets, etc. But, broadly, the time has come for agencies to get serious about how we use the many pieces that make up Social Marketing.

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 10:20 am

Socializing Ecommerce

Jul
15

The past few years have come fast and furious for marketers. With an economic whirlwind came a shift in the way consumers not only spend their money, but the way they interact with brands. Seemingly overnight, new priorities for marketers (and the marketed) surfaced. Only a few years ago, we didn’t care about being friendly with our breakfast cereal. But today, we pursue more meaningful, reciprocal relationships with our brand choices. “Brand experience” has become increasingly important. All of this being true, one group in particular could see significant change in the coming years – online retailing. 

Retailers have made big strides in improving experience – mostly in the area of functionality and enabling purchase. And this is completely appropriate, since people rate User Experience elements higher than most when it comes to ecommerce site expectations. (eMarketer.com) 

But, what I’m talking about isn’t so much about function. It’s socializing ecommerce. We’re seeing glimmers of this idea with social marketing becoming a common extension of back-to-school programs and in day-to-day brand marketing. And also with efforts to indentify and speak directly to online influencers.  However, what I’m talking about takes this a step further. 

Note: This might not apply in every way to all retailers, but it certainly does for categories like home improvement and fashion.

While our buying patterns have shifted – perhaps we are more contemplative about our purchases and more loyal to transparent brands – human behavior, in general, remains intact. So, just as online reviews and Googling have become an imperative part of making prudent final decisions on a product, we are still guided by our behavior. And for many, shopping is social. This is at least part of why the Shopping Mall was created. It’s the experience. We share. We ask our friends for opinions. And, we take joy in our purchases (and the result of those purchases). For example, we complete a landscaping project in our back yard and post the pictures on Facebook. Or, get the perfect dress for an event with the help of a consultant and friends and get loads of compliments.

How can brands exploit these intrinsic behaviors?

Use Customer Service

Companies like Zappos (yes, another person gushing about Zappos) understand the important role customer service plays in the experience. In fact, as we all know, it is their guiding principle. The spirit of their thinking is brick-and-mortar, not click-and-buy. What will the customer want to see (various angles, videos, how the shoe looks on the foot)? What will make them feel good about their purchase (shipping and return policy, access to friendly representatives)? How do they embrace you as a friend (review the product, give the company feedback)? Most important, they’ve made shopping with them feel good because they’re likeable and they’ve paid attention to what you want.

Determine Social Factors for Your Product

For instance, what makes your customers excited about your products? Turn that excitement into a way to guide the buying process. For example, SwimOutlet.com knows their products are very personal. They also know that people get excited when they find something that improves their performance. So, they make on-site reviews a giant part of their effort. Yes, reviews. Around forever, they play a big role in satisfying the human need to make an informed purchase. I’m a SwimOutlet.com customer. With each purchase, I’ve used their on-site reviews to guide my decision. After a few weeks, I’m always asked to come back to the site and review the product; and again if I haven’t done it after the first request. It’s not pushy. Rather, it’s done in the spirit of giving back to the community; a smart and very profitable gesture.

Leverage Community

Sure, this means initiatives like Facebook and Twitter. But it also means using your site experience (where people purchase). Lowes understands that in their business, people thrive on inspiration and community as a confidence builder to purchase. So, they developed LowesCreativeIdeas.com, where people can get “How-Tos” and share projects. Now, it’s on the right track, but it does have a disconnected feeling from the buying experience. In my mind, the evolution of this concept would integrate experiences with shopping. And this is certainly where it gets tricky.

Engage with Your Audience

While not a retailer themselves, ShopStyle.com has a concept that retailers could learn from. They call themselves “the online equivalent of browsing the aisles of the world’s most fabulous store.” And they embody the notion of bringing the physical shopping experience online. ShopStyle.com is highlighted by their community – a group of people who assemble “stylebooks” that are shared with users. With each assembled outfit, the user can click an item to navigate to purchase options. And these community members can be “followed.” It’s not unusual for a single member to have hundreds of followers. Fashion, in fact, tends to be the most evolved of categories since, fundamentally, it’s such a social thing. I would imagine a lot of idea sharing could happen between fashion and seemingly disconnected categories like electronics and house wares. 

Of course, these ideas are nothing particularly new. But it does capture how important is to be thinking about the impact of the Web combined with our social expectations. Smart retailers will do more than react to immediate demands, they will evolve.

2
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 10:40 am

Twitterers Get the Worm? Advertisers to Give Community Exclusive Offers.

Jul
7

Yesterday, Twitter announced its newest play for makin some bank – “Early Bird.” It’s simple – follow @earlybird on Twitter and you get updates on limited-time, exclusive offers from Twitter advertisers.

It’s a smart play. And, it’s a sensible opportunity for advertisers; one that rewards the community. In fact, in my opinion, this makes a heck of a lot more sense than sponsored tweets and trends.

As an active Twitterer, I’m actually excited about this. It’s a little “Woot-ish.” And that’s a good thing. If they do this the way users are likely expecting (at the time of this post, they already have well over 15,000 followers – with just ONE tweet), then it has all the right pieces and parts. It’s community driven. It’s exclusive. It’s limited- time. And, on the advertiser side, they have control over the deals and access to a passionate community. 

At least at first thought, the only way I see this flopping is if Twitter takes on crappy offers. But, they are asking for ideas for how they decide on offers.

Read more: 

As of today, I’m one of the thousands of followers looking forward to seeing where this goes …

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 7:51 am

Summer Reading

Jul
7

Something about the warm sunshine (and kids at their grandparents) makes me read more. Perhaps you too. So, in tribute the glowing orb in the sky and the greatness that is working in the digital space, I have assembled a Summer Reading list. It’s compiled by recommendations from the some of the great minds in our agency – and covers everything from customer service to creativity.

Enjoy! (Links take you to Amazon). And, if you’ve read any of these books – or plan to – please report back; I’d love to here your thoughts.

Carol Setter

I just recently read How Brands Become Icons: The Principles of Cultural Branding by Douglas B. Holt. Now I’m reading a very interesting book,  The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr

Chip Weinstein

It’s old school, but Where the Suckers Moon: The Life and Death of an Advertising Campaign by Randall Rothenberg is still the greatest look at a pitch from the inside. And the author now runs the IAB. 

Sheree Hill

Zac Rybacki

A few months ago, I read The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande. While it deals mainly the complex nature of modern medicine he makes great analogies to other very complex environments like high rise construction. Very easy to relate back to our business and in my opinion a great read for all project managers. 

Todd Levy

I would definitely recommend Rework by Jason Fried, and David Heinemeier Hansson from (Chicago’s own) 37signals.  Here’s a quick review from Seth Godin…

“This book will make you uncomfortable.
Depending on what you do all day, it might make you extremely uncomfortable.
That’s a very good thing, because you deserve it. We all do.”

 Also, a great customer service book is Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great Service by Ari Weinzweig.

Kevin French

I can vouch for Rework.  Very good read.  I also just read Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose from the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh.  It’s all about being in the business of customer service and gives a good perspective on business in general and client services.

Paul Murray

I’ll second Rework, still relevant and a fantastic book. Also, I think Seth Godin’s Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? is well worth mentioning.

Joe Mastrangelo

Check out these books:

Brian Addison

A few I like are …

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 9:21 am

Google Me Once, Shame on You …

Jul
6

The rumors continue to swirl about Google Me, a Google-blended competitor to Facebook. At this point, it’s speculation if this undertaking is real – the rumor was began by a single tweet from Digg co-founder Kevin Rose, which was promptly deleted; but lived long enough to send the tech community into a frenzy. There have been no denials from Google at this point and –  let’s be real -  it is a logical business move if they can nail it.

It’s a rumor hard to dispel when Google themself has publically “declared war” on their collective social efforts. Google’s Joseph Smarr, who was tapped to lead this effort said “Google’s decided that social is one of its big focuses for 2010, and it’s very natural, as the Web is going social.”

Wait, doesn’t Google already have a social network? Uh, yeah. Okurt. This was their attempt back in 2004. It never really took off in the US, but Brazil loves it.  If Google Me is for real, then it will have to outdo that attempt.  

All of this said, if Google Me does surface as reality, I’m skeptical. Perhaps it was the sizzle and fizzle of Google Buzz, but I’m not holding my breath. It isn’t the privacy debacle that put me off; it just didn’t work for me. And it took no time at all to discover it wasn’t going to. It was too closely tied to Google itself, requiring a Google email address or ID.

To boot, one can’t ignore the obvious and continued success of Facebook.com. Despite their own privacy issues, they are thriving. There are few people I interact with on a daily basis that don’t have an account – which they use with frequency. (well, not my mom who, regrettably, cannot even find the address bar in a browser window)

Wired.com has a great article on this topic.  

A Google Facebook clone that runs on open standards including XMPP and the portable OpenID system — which lets people use one trusted password on multiple sites (including Gmail) — might be enough, over time, to steal users from Facebook. It would let you bring all of your personal data with you when you leave a network with just a few clicks, porting it to a new service in minutes without losing anything and let you maintain one profile for multiple services. Both of these are impossible with Facebook.

“The only way Google could put a dent into Facebook is to go after it the same way it’s gone after Microsoft — open and free with no centralized data collection and a decision that it doesn’t have to own your data,” suggested Wired.com staff writer Ryan Singel as we discussed this issue. “Sure, Google will closely tie in a bunch of its own products, but it can’t go the Buzz way and require you to have a Google ID or Gmail address.”

 Openness of the platform may in fact determine its success. And so, we wait.

0
Continue Reading