Posing a question about usability and benefit of QR Codes for advertising. Check out this article in imediaconnection that questions the effectiveness of QR codes. What has been your experience as a consumer or business using them?
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Enjoyed a wonderful evening of music and entertainment at the Sangamon Auditorium this past Friday, when Omni sponsored the 
Erin Bode Group, an eclectic, jazzy acoustic ensemble that was equal parts inspiring and fun! Kudos to the team at Sangamon Auditorium for bringing such great acts to our town. Looking forward to the rest of the season! Check Erin Bode out on YouTube and enjoy.
A few weeks ago, Social Commerce Today published an article about Taco Bell’s struggles to effectively utilize Facebook with their social media tactics to drive traffic to their stores. Their offer for free tacos for 6 million fans only reaped a 3% response rate. So much for the old adage that anything with “FREE” in the offer motivates buyers.
On the other hand, P&G sold 1000 diapers in less than 60 minutes on Facebook. Free vs fee, and fee wins? What gives?
The author hit it on the head when they noted two major obstacles:
1) The Taco Bell offer lacked the offer of convenience. One had to actually get in their car and drive to Taco Bell to get it. Apparently in our increasingly couch potato society this constitutes hardship, and whether you agree with it or not, that’s the reality.
2) There was nothing exclusive about the offer. Taco Bell’s free taco was the same product one could get for 99¢. Not a big price differential especially since one had to print off the coupon to get the free taco. P&G’s diaper offer, on the other hand, was introducing a new product that could not be purchased anywhere else.
Social media is just as much about being exclusive (in terms of info and offers) as it is about being inclusive (dialogue with the public).
The takeaway? To use social media such as Facebook to motivate consumer behavior, make it easy, make it quick and make it exclusive.
Really interesting Harvard Business Review article showing how the basic premise of social networking’s value to marketing was outlined over five decades ago. The author shares how Ernest Dichter, considered a major player in motivational research in the 60′s, conducted a study about word of mouth advertising. He noted how companies should gather customer feedback, engage rather than just talk at their audience, and use dialog to move customers to buy. Sound familiar?
I have noticed an uptick in some of the marketing forums I review, where debates about defining social media are taking main-stage. What’s interesting is how long we seem to have been talking about this “new trend”, although I would propose that this does not really qualify as a “trend” any longer; it’s part of our daily experience.
Consider it was only a few decades (and several questionable fashion trends) ago that there was no such thing as TV advertising. Today, TV advertising is not discussed as separate from marketing, it is discussed and evaluated, (along with all other promotional options), as one part in the potential marketing mix for a client. It seems time to make social media more like that.
Rather than create entire plans around only social media, or talk about it as an add-on, it would seem more beneficial to clients if we simply treat social media as one more marketing tool, evaluated for how it can help the client along with every other marketing tactic. Social media, broadcast tv and cable advertising, radio, outdoor, direct mail, e-blasts, websites, blogs, tweets, facebook, interactive, display – the list grows, the opportunities increase. The challenge is selecting what works best for clients, not just relying on the latest trend, which in the end, may very well be the right tool.
For most of recent memory, panic about advertisers leaving the stalwart network and cable advertising in droves to move their budgets into social media have been the ad industry’s words of warning. However, a recent article in the New York Times tells a different story of how traditional media can successfully partner with, rather than compete with, social media.
Which is how it should be, right?
Marketers ‘get’ that one tool does not make a marketing strategy, but rather, works with all the tools to get the most bang for the client’s buck. It’s good to see that even on the mega-million ad budget front, everyone is learning to play nice together!
Check out the article “TV Networks Expect A Jump In Spending On Commercials“.
A friend sent these to me and they feature European product bags. I love how these are made to just be fun, attention-getting, but also used for cause-marketing. To whomever created these – great concept!
These were the wise words from a respected boss years ago. He was speaking to the issue of improving sales, but as Omni advises clients on marketing integration WITHIN the workplace as well as outside of it, we find this maxim to hold true as a leadership goal. When leaders can keep ‘their face in the place’ and engage their team, it can reap big rewards.
A recent article in the Harvard Business Review supports this, and explains that it is not just about in-person, all-staff meetings, but reaching out in a variety of ways to help keep the connection between leadership and staff strong. Some ideas include regular emails to staff from senior team members, a leader’s blog or tweets, and just being present in the place and acknowledging the team. Maximize those marketing moments, and remember, those moments can be small but mighty!
glabella at work
This Is Just For Fun…
Most people who know me are aware my secret dream career when I grow up is to be an official ‘color namer’. Now I wonder if coming up with words for odd things might be more realistic. Check out this fun article about words that have real definitions and are just, well, a good source for ‘badinage’.
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/85591
After 19 years in the marketing
business, we like to think we are a pretty progressive marketing firm that has kept up with the industry and trends. However, we try to be pretty selective about what trend we fall in line with: we aren’t rabid Justin Beiber fans, (sorry!) we have so far avoided being lured into watching Jersey Shore marathons, and have just said ‘no’ to Lady Gaga-inspired footwear.
However, the universal business trend of ‘remote offic-ing’ is one we decided to try out for ourselves. If it’s effective for mega-companies like Microsoft and Apple, we decided it would be good for us as well.
Technology has allowed our creative resources to expand geographic boundaries along with the marketing industry in general, so allowing our team members to work remotely is just the next step in providing more flexibility and more creative freedom. One day that actually might be one of us working from the beach!
Our address is changing, but that’s really about it. Our services are the same, and so is our capacity to provide effective marketing solutions you need to promote and grow your organization. You can still reach us at the same phone, email, website, Face Book … you get the idea. We look forward to working on more great marketing ideas for great companies!
So, be sure to update your contact list with our new mailing address. Of course, if anyone forgets and stops by the old downtown office, make the trip worthwhile. There are a dozen great spots downtown to shop, grab some great food or cup of coffee!
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Thoughts on advertising, marketing and graphic design from Omni Communications Group in Springfield, Illinois
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