"Buy the Way…" Insights on Integrated Marketing Communication

With all the buzz going around regarding Instagram hiding the “likes” that people get on their pictures, and being that one of our classmates posted a blog about this recently, I could not help but think about that one Black Mirror episode I saw a while back. Any Blackmirror fans here? Give a “like” to my post (just kidding).

I am talking about that Season 3, Episode 1 titled “Nosedive”. *Spoiler alert – I am about to summarize the episode*. The episode takes place in a world where people can rate each other every single time they have an interaction with each other, from 1 (low) to 5 (high) stars. Specifically, the episode focuses on a female character named Lacie who is obsessed with getting the best ratings. Long story short, she gets way in over her head with this obsession, ends up in multiple situations that cause people to give her bad/low ratings, and in turn causing her overall average rating to go down. Well, in this world, having a low rating is a cause for you to be exiled from society, and this is exactly what happens to her. I remember when I saw this episode I thought to myself how similar this was to what was already happening in the world of social media, and this is exactly what this episode was eluding to: people’s obsession with their online image, getting people to “like” their photos, and getting “followers.”

In addition, upon researching more about this episode, I learned that this episode was highly compared to a new app called “Peeple” which has been described as the “Yelp for people”. Apparently, this app allows people to leave recommendations for other people, about people, based on their previous (or current) relationship with them. The original version of the app allowed you to rate people as well, but the app received so much backlash that it removed the feature before launch.

As I was writing this blog up, I also thought about the various ways we already do this rating system. Uber lets me rate my driver and vice versa, and Air B&B lets me rate my host. The human rating system is everywhere, and in a sense, is another version of a review – but somehow it has become for dangerous with people obsessing over what others think of them. Thoughts?

References:

Jones, R. (Writer), Schur, M. (Writer) & Wright, J. (Director). (21, October, 2016). Nosedive. [Television series episode] In A. Jones (Producer), Blackmirror. Knysna, South Africa: Netflix.

With electric vehicles coming to market from dealers such as Tesla, Nissan, Chevy, and others, competition is beginning to increase with these brands that are trying to market their vehicles to consumers with their technology, affordability, and safety. You may think that dealerships and manufacturers who sell these electric vehicles are doing whatever is necessary to sell these zero-emission vehicles, but you may be surprised that this is not always the case.

First, let briefly discuss gas combustion engines. They require gasoline to operate. And most of all, they have to go in for frequent routine maintenance that requires changing spark plugs, changing the oil, and other mechanical parts that have a tendency to break. Well, dealerships and manufacturers make a profit from those repairs, and that profit covers their “bottom-line” and pays for the salaries and benefits of employees (Deaton, 2019).

Now, with an electric vehicle, think of the opposite.  Think of rarely going into a dealership for regular maintenance other than maybe a tire rotation.  This is the situation because electric vehicles have fewer moving parts that often break.  From a marketing communication perspective, this presents an issue, not for the consumer who benefits from not spending money on repairs, but for the dealerships and manufacturers that are losing profits in this area with electric vehicles. The only brand that seems to come out on top in the area of its marketing communications is Tesla, that brand does not necessarily have a marketing department!

Dealerships and their manufacturers are hesitating to sell the electric vehicles because they know that it will hurt their bottom lines, and they can sell more SUVs and trucks with a nicer profit on sales and the reoccurring maintenance profits from those consumers as well (Deaton, 2019).  This is the position maintained by  manufacturers such as Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler who spend their marketing dollars on SUVs and trucks, which is a good portion of their profits (Muller, 2019). A question to consider is when was the last time you saw a major automaker advertise  their electric vehicles, either on Television or some other type of major communications platform, asking consumers to go out and grab an electric vehicle from their lot?

References:

Deaton, J. (2019).  Car dealerships put in a lot of work to not sell you an electric car. Fast Company.Retrieved fromhttps://www.fastcompany.com/90294305/car-companies-put-in-a-lot-of-work-to-not-sell-you-an-electric-car.

Muller, D. (2019).Automotive News. Light trucks take a record 69% of U.S. market. Retrieved from https://www.autonews.com/sales/light-trucks-take-record-69-us-market.

When I was a young girl my maternal grandmother gave me a piece of advice I have not only remembered, but also implemented throughout my life. My grandparents traveled frequently both domestically and internationally. They would bring back wonderful treasures for us and teach us about the culture and history of the area they visited as well as the meaning behind the priceless gifts they gave us.

Some of those treasures included a necklace watch from Switzerland, dainty, sparkling in lavender hue and sheen. On the perimeter of the watch were some of the arts I regularly participated in, dance, theater, and music. On another occasion, they gave us Maori sticks from Hawaii, used in the Polynesian culture as instruments for rhythm and entertainment.  Whenever they traveled to England, they would bring the girls beautiful bone china teacup and saucer sets.

I loved all of my grandparents. They were so generous, successful, talented and kind to us. They taught us a variety of valuable teachings supplementing my parents’ depth of teaching and parenting.  All were frugal, fun and wise. I admired them for working hard and respecting their assets as they saved and built a strong and secure financial foundation.

On one occasion, my maternal grandparents returned from England and came to our home to visit and give us our gifts. I was so excited. Once the gift-giving concluded, everyone graciously thanked them and excitedly took their gifts to play with or display.

I had received a beautiful Royal Doulton bone china teacup and saucer set with a rich floral pattern, in deep, Rembrandt-toned colors trimmed in gold. It was the most exquisite set I had ever seen and I was mesmerized. My grandmother took me aside, explaining the quality and value of bone china. She carefully turned the cup and saucer upside down to show me the imprint “bone china” on the bottom of both items. The conversation continued as she explained so beautifully the meaning and value of the gift.

As she concluded, she said to me, “Marcia, always choose quality over cost.”  She further explained that by choosing quality didn’t mean choosing the most expensive, but rather, quality endures and eliminates frequent repurchasing, saving money overall. Also, if an item was less expensive, didn’t mean it was cheap. She was encouraging me to take time to examine my purchases closely and not just throw my money away because I had a few dollars to spend. She advised me to be wise, and it would save me money in the long run.  I have followed her advice, and she is absolutely right. I apply it especially to big ticket items or items that I need to last or have sentimental meaning. I have also applied “choose quality” to my personal life.

However, everyone sees it differently. Some want a short stop to shop and get it done, others take time to scrutinize. When shopping online, you can’t feel the fabric or try on the shoes to not only see if they fit, but are the quality shoes providing longevity but not comfort? Do the less expensive shoes wear out sooner, or do you love them so much and want them to last, you are not as likely to wear them as often, and beat them up knowing they are not the quality that would endure?  How important is quality or repeated purchasing at lower cost to you? Which do you choose quality or cost?  What purchases are you willing to invest more in? What purchases are good choices for keeping costs down?

In a changing world of purchasing, and company production outsourced overseas to preserve cost, without regard to quality, where is the customer in all of this now? Is it possible to find quality at a reasonable cost? Regulations for the most part protect us, but they are changing, too.  Recalls are so frequent; we don’t even pay attention anymore. Quality begins in the values of organizations. Are they choosing quality or cost for the customer, and is it possible to have both? Does the customer even care about quality anymore, or is it all about accessibility, popularity or whatever is most available online? Organizations are listening to what we need and want in an effort to address the trends of social conversation and expectation.  What they are hearing or ignoring?

What do you choose?  We often hear, “they just don’t make them like they used to anymore.” What makes products and organizations so much different now than before?  It may come down to whether they choose quality over cost. I also know loving grandmothers give quality advice that is priceless and endures forever.

Kellogg and House Wine are partnering up to introduce an unlikely combination of red wine and a box of Cheez-Its. Available for a limited time only for $25 at OriginalHouseWine.com. This partnership and product helps create a buzz and build excitement around the two brands.

According to Jeff Delonis, Cheez It’s Marketing Director, fans for many years have been pairing wine with Cheez It’s on social media. Delonis adds “we’re excited to deliver on that specific consumer trend.” The split box contains the original Cheez-It crackers and a dispensable red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The pairing was chosen by winemaker, Hal Landvogit, who said the two flavors compliment one another.

According to Delonis, “snacks serve as strong growth engines” and new products and specific partnerships help further promote the Cheez-It brand. Additionally, “it places each product in front of a consumer group that might not independently seek out the other; a wine fan for example might not naturally consider Cheez-Its as a viable option for a quiet night in” (Miller, 2019).

In summary, the summertime collaboration can help revitalize the Cheez-It brand and capitalize on the growing success of House Wine who’s sales have grown 3% just in the last 13 weeks (Wiener-Bronner, 2019). House Wine and Cheez-It’s are even recommending additional pairings such as Rose’ and White Cheddar, Malbec and Zesty Cheddar Ranch and Sauvignon Blanc with Extra Toasty Cheez-Its. So, the remaining question is which pairings will try out next wine night?

Miller, S. (2019). Cheez-It and Boxed Wine Come Bundled Together in This Unexpected Summer Collaboration. Retrieved from
https://www.adweek.com/creativity/cheez-it-and-boxed-wine-come-bundled-together-in-this-unexpected-summer-collaboration/

Wiener-Bronner (2019). Cheez-It and a boxed wine company are teaming up. Here’s why. Retrieved from
https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/23/business/cheez-it-wine/index.html

It was the most downloaded app in the world in 2018, with over 45 million downloads in just three months.  It beat out giants like YouTube, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.  TikTok invites users to share 15-second homemade videos of whatever is on their mind.  It is similar in some ways to Instagram as there are still influencers who use the app to push various products and lifestyles, but the difference may stop there. TikTok’s users are looking for one thing that is lacking on many other social media sites, AUTHENTICITY.  The TikTok platform is not the place for the perfectly filtered and cropped photo from your exotic, once in a lifetime vacation.  It is the place for your real-life moments and the perfect spot for you to show off your own personal style. 

Users agree that TikTok is the place to come for support and to see what is trending and important to others.  The app depends on its target market of Gen Z’ers to upload video content and respond with their own video. 

https://binged.it/2KcSbUD

TikTok is still the baby amongst social media sites, and in an effort to gain a little maturity, it made a big push this year at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.  Executives for the app were selling its focused ability to share personal content with millions, and not just make connections.  This strategy has led to the apps growing popularity with large brands and artists such as Chipotle, the NBA, and Kesha.  Brands are cautiously stepping into the TikTok advertising waters by creating calls to action with their #HashtagChallenge and asking users to create their own content in response to the brand’s videos.  Feedback from these campaigns has been positive so far and as Stefan Heinrich, head of global marketing for TikTok, states “For me as a marketer, I feel like TikTok is a new level of engagement.  If I go as a marketer to another platform, I get likes, shares, or comments.  If I get a video on TikTok, I get 20 to 30 minutes of a person’s time to create and share. I’m turning someone into a brand ambassador to start a conversation.”

Let the memes, hashtags, and challenges continue!

References

Beer, J. June 21, 2019. Sorry, ads are coming to TikTok [Article]. Retrieved on July 28, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.fastcompany.com/90367516/sorry-ads-are-coming-to-tiktok

Flynn, K. November 28, 2018. Ahead of ad products, TikTok is the hot new app that ad agencies are eyeing. Retrieved on July 20, 2019.  Retried from https://digiday.com/marketing/tiktok-hot-new-app-ad-agencies-eyeing/

Huang, Z. May 8, 2018. The world’s most popular app isn’t Facebook or WhatsApp [Article].  Retrieved on July 27, 2019.  Retrieved from https://qz.com/1272285/bytedances-music-video-app-douyin-tik-tok-is-the-most-downloaded-iphone-app-in-2018s-first-quarter/

Lanigan, R. July 23, 2019. How is TikTok changing beauty standards for gen z [Article]? Retrieved on July 27, 2019.  Retrieved from https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/vb99em/tik-tok-beauty-standards-e-girl-make-up

What if I told you that you could make millions playing video games! Well this weekend was the infamous Fornite World Cup Finals and people came out in large numbers to watch and compete in this tournament. This event took place in New York city on July 27-28 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The event was live streamed on YouTube and Twitch as well as via apps online.

There was also a $3 million-dollar charity pool prize that celebrities teamed up with pro players to compete in. It was estimated that about 40 million players would participate in the qualification’s events across regions. Fortnite also gave YouTube drops to those who linked their You tube accounts to their Epic accounts. This gaming phenomenon was the talk of the down and the cash prizes were insane!

The amount of money some of these people make is remarkably high and all had I known I could have been rich off playing more with my little brother back in the day, I would have totally killed it in this market! So, my question to you is, did you watch? Did you know about the event or see it on social media? And does this motivate you to start playing and sharpen your skills to win millions?!

The rise and fall of Juul was swift and still ongoing– what started as a product for long-time tobacco users to utilize to quit smoking has now turned into a national pariah. A recent article from Medpage Today ran the headline “JUUL Takes Beating From House Dems– Question use of social media “influencers” and supposed anti-tobacco programs in schools.” This poses the question of how does something that may be beneficial to some groups– those being long-time tobacco smokers or even casual smokers looking to quit– properly market itself in a way that does not create controversy. 

For years, anti-tobacco organizations and the government have worked to minimize and eliminate marketing for tobacco products. In the rise of e-cigarettes and alternative smoking products, these were hailed as an improvement and step in the right direction. However, with Juul, the same praise is not occurring– whether this be because of a shift in the general sentiment towards nicotine-delivery products as a whole or Juul’s overall marketing and product appeal is a bit murky. Juul is facing huge backlash now and even regulations in regards to selling their certain products because of the missteps that they made in their marketing communications. Launching advertisement campaigns that feature individuals that are “influencers” is not a way to catch the eye of smokers looking to kick their habit, rather their “testimonials” were targeting their most popular fan base– young adults and teenagers. 

I’m not sure if I have fully formulated a personal opinion on this issue. While I feel that products like Juul do help smokers hoping to kick their habit, I feel that they have truly fumbled their marketing of the product. There is more conversation surrounding the damage that Juul has done in terms of getting more young individuals to start smoking their products than there is about what Juul has done for tobacco-smoking individuals. The biggest question that I have is how does a product, one that is as controversial as Juul, properly marketing their product and develop well-informed, smart marketing communications? How does a company that is meant to appeal to smokers as a better alternative ensure that their marketing campaigns are enticing, but not enticing to the point where non-smokers are drawn in? And lastly, how do they create a product that is safe, functional, and easy to use for smokers, but not too trendy or appealing to broader target audiences? There are a lot of additional problems further outlined in the article, but my current guess in regards to the stem of these issues is their lack of transparency, a consistent quality during both their rise and fall.

References

https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/smoking/81270

Publicity stunts are often seen as excellent ways to receive a higher return on investment for advertising efforts. Due to the number of publicity stunts that have gone “viral,” they are seen as a way to generate a significant level of earned media, or essentially free publicity. When done well, publicity stunts have the ability to generate attention from everyday people, especially those within the intended target audience. In today’s day and age, it is difficult to find someone who does not have a cell phone with video and camera capabilities. Most people will also gladly document and share something with their family, friends, and social media. That is, if they encounter something deemed “worth” sharing. 

It can be difficult to determine what publicity stunt ideas will catch on with a greater part of the population, however there are several ideas that can be helpful during the brainstorming process. Here are four ideas that may be helpful in pulling off the most successful publicity stunt yet!

1. Do something outrageous and unorthodox.

In 2007, Lifelock’s CEO, Todd Davis, listed his real social security number in a series of advertisements, billboards, and on TV commercials. He was so sure of the ability of this product, that he took this risk to gain publicity. Unfortunately, his identity was stolen roughly 13 times, however, the amount of media attention the company received at this time far exceeded the amount stolen. While this may not have been the best approach or idea for an outrageous publicity stunt, it did succeed in generating mass media attention. 

2. Attach your stunt to a big event.

The Cleveland Browns infamously underwent a 2-year game winning drought that finally came to a close in September 2018. However, before the Browns secured their drought-ending victory against the New York Jets, Bud Light installed what they called “Victory Fridges” full of free Bud Light beers in bars throughout Cleveland. These fridges, however, did not open until the Browns secured this victory in 2018.

3. Break a world record.

When Jaguar released their first ever midsize SUV, they opted to break the Guinness World Record for fastest barrel role by a vehicle. They were able to capture the attention of masses and showcase their newest, and clearly capable, vehicle edition. The media loves the thought of danger, and this event naturally increased overall consumer interest in Jaguar’s new SUV model.

4. Just go BIG.

In order to inevitably attract media attention, one can opt to create something so large and noticeable that it is impossible to ignore. If a stunt is so “in your fact” people will not help but share it and it will inevitably generate media attention. In 1995, following the release of Michael Jackson’s album “HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book 1,” Sony created nine 32 feet tall statues of the artist himself that were placed in various parts of the world, including: Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Paris, Milan, and Prague. Every one of these statues made national headlines in each country, and generated millions of dollars in “free” media attention.

In closing, publicity stunts have proven to be both effective and ineffective in the past. In order to generate success, an advertisement must be original and eye-catching enough to gather attention and entice the audience to share further.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/01/31/thinking-of-using-a-publicity-stunt-for-your-brand-how-to-go-just-far-enough/#107b204272c0

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/advertising-pr-stunts-to-get-your-brand-noticed-4139850

https://www.cnbc.com/2013/05/20/Small-businesses-that-pulled-outrageous-publicity-stunts.html?slide=2

Just when you think you have a grasp on how to market to your clients in a digital age, something changes.  If only my home internet was this fast!  Here, we look at some of the upcoming changes all digital marketers should be aware of.

We Interrupt Your FireTV Show…

…to bring you ads purchased through a third-party.  Amazon has announced a partnership with The Trade Desk and Dataxu, allowing these third parties to sell advertisements on FireTV. 

The move is a win-win for all parties involved.  For Amazon, it’s an opportunity to deflect some of the regulatory scrutiny it and other digital brands are facing (Haggin, 2019), while also being better able to compete with brands like Roku and Google.  For the media companies, it allows them to have greater control over pricing and relationship with its clients, while having better access to the results of the campaigns it publishes, all of which should be positive for its customers (Sloane, 2019).  For anyone concerned about privacy protection, Amazon claims to not share information with third parties.

“Alexa, play an ad”

Said no one ever.  And yet, that’s where Amazon is heading.  While recent tests came back with lukewarm results, we all know that Amazon is not a brand that gives up.  In fact, it plans to test ads through the end of the year, especially as the holidays approach (Sloane, 2019).  This makes me wonder if the recent times Alexa provided us with unsolicited gibberish between songs was part of this test.  If it was, it failed in our household; we were confused more than anything else, and we completely missed the message.

While not great for consumers, if Amazon makes this work, certainly the ease of shopping through Alexa could drive greater sales.  Imagine hearing an ad for a specific shampoo, remembering you are out of shampoo, and asking Alexa to add it to your Amazon shopping cart.  The difficult part is in getting consumers to purchase the specific brand or item advertised (Sloane, 2019).  The shampoo ad could instead trigger a reminder to purchase your favorite shampoo.  I can’t imagine Herbal Essence will be happy that Pantene got its sale.  This is definitely one to keep an eye on, or rather, an ear out for, as the holidays approach.

Facebook & Instagram: Changes on the Horizon

Facebook and Instagram are also making changes to advertising on their platforms.  Following on its design update, Facebook is also updating its ad format.  The new format, which allow for less text and smaller height of photos, should actually help brands to strive to be more effective with less in their advertisements.  It will also help streamline advertising between Facebook and Instagram.

And while on the topic of Instagram, it seems to be testing a feature that highlights stories that tag particular users.  The new section, titled, “Stories About You,” while beneficial to brands and influencers, might be more helpful to those not using social listening tools.  However, since there are no public details about this new feature, only time will tell exactly how marketers can use it.

So, there you have it, some of the latest changes in digital marketing.  Be sure to keep on your toes, as I’m sure this will all change by next week!

References:

Graham, M. (2019, July 26). The Trade Desk hits 52-week high on deal to sell video ads on Amazon Fire TV. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/26/the-trade-desk-hits-52-week-high-on-deal-to-sell-video-ads-on-amazon-fire-tv.html

Haggin, P. (2019, July 26). Amazon opens streaming TV ad sales to outside buying tools. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-opens-streaming-tv-ad-sales-to-outside-buying-tools-11564165476

Hutchinson, A. (2019, July 20). Marketers take note: Facebook is changing its ad format next month. Social Media Today. Retrieved from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/marketers-take-note-facebook-is-changing-its-ad-format-from-next-month/559169/

Hutchinson, A. (2019, July 25). Instagram is testing a new listing of stories mentions to notify users. Social Media Today. Retrieved from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-is-testing-a-new-listing-of-stories-mentions-to-notify-users/559467/

Sloane, G. (2019, July 26). Amazon opens way for apps on Fire TV to sell ads with The Trade Desk, Dataxu. AdAge. Retrieved from https://adage.com/article/digital/amazon-opens-way-apps-fire-tv-sell-ads-trade-desk-dataxu/2187056

Sloane, G. (2019, July 24). Amazon tests audio ads on Alexa Music – and here’s a look at its pitch deck. AdAge. Retrieved from https://adage.com/article/digital/amazon-tests-audio-ads-alexa-music-and-heres-look-its-pitch-deck/2185811

A New York man found a mysterious untouched In-N-Out double double. Lincoln Boehm came across the burger Saturday at around 6:30 a.m. on Sutphin Blvd. in Jamaica. Originally from Santa Monica, Boehm and his wife saw the burger and took a photo before they continued to walk.

The New York Post mentioned that Boehm knew that it was an original burger because not only has he had “over 1,000” In-N-Out burgers but he noticed that “trademark placement of the onion between the two patties, the lettuce at the bottom and the way the buns were toasted.”

In-N-Out had many locations in Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and California, but there are no locations east of Kansas City.

The real reason why In-N-Out won’t open restaurants on the East Coast is because they refuse to sell frozen patties. In-N-Out restaurant locations are within 300 miles of where they make the patties and the only two locations are in California and Texas – hence why they aren’t in the East Coast. This is the same for all their other ingredients. Not to mention, the chain doesn’t have any freezers or microwaves at their locations.

Boehm moved to New York nine years ago and has tired to bring back burgers, but no burger has ever made it. Working as a creative director in advertising, Boehm is now on the case of this mystery burger.

His theory is that someone who is wealthy had a private jet and threw one out the window while driving to the airport. He has received other theories; social media has offered some of their theories such as it was a prop from a TV or film, and others including:

• Someone planted it there in the hopes it would sprout into a whole In N Out joint – @BrandingStinks
• It was aliens – @john_zeleznik
• A glitch in the matrix – @maxwellwhite

In-N-Out doesn’t know how the burger got to Queens. Yet, this isn’t the first time New Yorkers have been tricked by this burger chain before. In 2017, a pop-up In-N-Out location was promoted on Facebook and again the chain didn’t know how it happened.

How did this untouched burger end up in Jamaica? What theory do you have? How do we know it’s really New York streets? Which fast food chain would you like to see in your hometown?

https://nypost.com/2019/07/21/mysterious-untouched-in-n-out-burger-found-lying-on-queens-street/