tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21355304393031147342024-03-05T23:28:21.963+00:00The Social Marketer...Opinion and insight from a copywriter, digital marketer and social media enthusiast.Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-19791908011701541962010-06-10T15:27:00.000+01:002010-06-10T15:28:15.790+01:00THIS BLOG HAS MOVED!<span style="font-weight: bold;">THIS BLOG HAS MOVED!</span><br /><br />Yes, ‘tis true – I have succumbed to peer pressure and made the switch from Blogger to Wordpress. If you’d like to continue following my Social Media adventures, please follow:<br /><br /><a href="http://socialsenate.wordpress.com"><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://socialsenate.wordpress.com</span></a>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-28992905524820277082010-05-20T13:45:00.006+01:002010-05-20T13:52:52.582+01:00Hang Up Your Hang-Ups: The ROI Myth Dispelled<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfNa3O9f0j0N0GukC8OTHAPl_3ziBY2l2hTtMv_rixES9qrCJznbduDhpFpXf6vlilV0rDCZWjz82Z-M4Lq2Z3lg_tcbMqEadoPkDWzPXFo0TkAMdYQfGFE5UgmIZGXVnk2P-A9fFM9Y/s1600/Picture+7.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilfNa3O9f0j0N0GukC8OTHAPl_3ziBY2l2hTtMv_rixES9qrCJznbduDhpFpXf6vlilV0rDCZWjz82Z-M4Lq2Z3lg_tcbMqEadoPkDWzPXFo0TkAMdYQfGFE5UgmIZGXVnk2P-A9fFM9Y/s320/Picture+7.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473333052242028450" border="0" /></a>That’s it – I’ve HAD it. For years now, I’ve paid one telecoms service provider after another for my mobile phone, month in, month out. And you know what? In all these years, I’ve never ONCE received any return on investment for this!! Can you believe it??!! I’ve been a good customer, paid on time, and have never once received a single penny back from these communications charlatans. I’m cancelling my contract – there’s simply no ROI to be had from my mobile phone.<br /><br />Ludicrous? Yes. Absurd? Yes. Why? Because, quite simply, the value of a mobile phone comes from the service it provides. The fact that it doesn’t generate revenue for me is irrelevant – it’s a communications tool that makes everyday communications infinitely easier and more convenient – that’s its value.<br /><br />And you know what? I’m sure more astute readers of this post will already have twigged where I’m leading with this (you’re a smart bunch) – the same can be said for Social Media.<br /><br />I’ve been having an interesting discussion this week with a senior marketer in the <a href="http://www.stopgap.co.uk/linkedin" target="_blank">Marketing Professionals’ Network</a> on LinkedIn. He claims that he often has difficulties ‘selling’ Social Media to his clients because they want to see demonstrable transactional ROI before they commit to using this channel.<br /><br />But, just like the humble mobile telephone, Social Media is a <span style="font-weight: bold;">COMMUNICATIONS</span> tool. <a href="http://www.twitter.com/smashadv" target="_blank">@smashadv,</a> an American copywriter / ad man I regularly converse with on Twitter, sums this up succinctly: <a href="http://twitpic.com/1pdpk6" target="_blank">‘Comm-Unity’.</a> Enough said. So why do so many people remain hung up on ROI? Is it because they, blindly, still consider Social Media as a <span style="font-weight: bold;">marketing device,</span> rather than a <span style="font-weight: bold;">communications channel?</span> I really think it is.<br /><br />Sure, an e-commerce platform delivers verifiable sales – visible, accountable ROI that keeps the bean-counters happy to invest. But what drives consumers to that platform in the first place? A special offer announced on Twitter? A coupon posted on Facebook? Discounts offered to people checking-in on Foursquare? An email voucher? All of these and more?<br /><br />As marketers and advertisers, we are in the communication business – plain and simple. It is our job to convey the <span style="font-weight: bold;">right</span> messages, to the <span style="font-weight: bold;">right</span> people, at the <span style="font-weight: bold;">right</span> time. And how do we do this? Through <span style="font-weight: bold;">communications channels,</span> plain and simple.<br /><br />So if you still have clients hung up on ROI, take a few moments to ask them if they use a mobile phone. I guarantee that none of them could live without it, despite its lack of ‘measurable’ ROI.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">JUST LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA. </span><br /><br /></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-78222538917154421622010-05-12T08:56:00.006+01:002010-05-12T09:00:43.758+01:00Social Media Revolution - 2<div style="text-align: justify;">You may remember that I posted a video on the Social Media revolution a few months ago. Well, such is the speed with which SM progresses, Socialnomics, the company that produced that first video, has had to create an updated one.<br /><br />Even if you've watched the first one, this is vital viewing - plenty of new stats that are of considerable interest.<br /><br />Enjoy.<br /><br /><br /><object height="385" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lFZ0z5Fm-Ng&hl=en_GB&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lFZ0z5Fm-Ng&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="400"></embed></object></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-38189987195287146842010-04-26T11:53:00.002+01:002010-04-26T11:55:51.339+01:00This. Is. Powerful. Stuff.<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8waRrWit5-kslsqZLPTwFJqwF6EBAtEQzU97dB4UUMkNXwe3YE9QK1UnIdpJwCw7ZmBAsw5kXPeSgN3CHTTXSGG-Tl5-XIQP9KZXakN7PD0m_2_aA-bKfpp_vgIhUkeyaf6bLSP-FQGc/s1600/23debate-cnd-blogSpan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8waRrWit5-kslsqZLPTwFJqwF6EBAtEQzU97dB4UUMkNXwe3YE9QK1UnIdpJwCw7ZmBAsw5kXPeSgN3CHTTXSGG-Tl5-XIQP9KZXakN7PD0m_2_aA-bKfpp_vgIhUkeyaf6bLSP-FQGc/s320/23debate-cnd-blogSpan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464397995566346530" border="0" /></a>When Labour MP Kerry McCarthy was <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8205081.stm" target="_blank">named Labour’s ‘Twitter Tsar’</a> back in August last year, several commentators rightly predicted that this year would see the UK’s very first ‘Social Media’ election.<br /><br />Indeed, we now have a glut of MPs and parliamentary candidates tweeting about their campaign trail; the electorate can ‘like’ or become a fan of a political party on Facebook; the Liberal Democrats released an iPhone app to coincide with their manifesto launch – Social Media really has become the playground in which we, the general public, are being wooed.<br /><br />But whilst this spate of activity highlights the possibilities of branding, marketing and mass communication, it has been another element of the forthcoming election that has really highlighted the incredible importance of Social Media as a real-time communications platform – the much-publicised Leaders’ Debates.<br /><br />In similar vein to BBC Question Time (Twitter users regular tweet their opinions on the show as it is aired using the hashtag #BBCqt), the Leaders’ Debates have drawn a staggering amount of real-time comment, debate and interaction, using the hashtag ‘#leadersdebate’. Similar communities of people do exactly the same for Match of the Day, Doctor Who – the list really is limitless. But the Leaders’ Debates have drawn such a level of engagement that really is difficult to ignore.<br /><br />People are once again engaging with politics in the UK – this fact is impossible to deny. There has been a huge surge in people registering to vote, which although most likely fuelled by a desire for change, once again shows how involving this election campaign is turning out to be.<br /><br />But what this Social Media interaction really shows is how online channels such as Twitter really are providing people a ‘voice’ like never before. Although in no way comparable to the liberating role Twitter played during the Iran election protests, the huge interest in this election is highlighted by the fact that people are using Social Media to talk about it – and Social Media affords everyone a voice – one of the most fundamental principles of democracy.<br /><br />As a marketer, I don’t need to be told of the possibilities that Social Media holds for brands and businesses. But in our rush to create dynamic, commercially viable SM campaigns that deliver lashings of ROI, perhaps we should start every campaign looking at the core element highlighted by the Leaders’ Debates.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Social Media is a communications tool - where the user has the power. </span><br /><br />As Social Media marketers, we do not dictate the conversation and no longer direct a one-way flow of communication. The consumer audience now has power like never before – they have a voice – and it is our job to ensure our voice is part of their conversations.<br /><br /></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-11973518787741911052010-03-30T15:34:00.003+01:002010-03-30T15:37:26.829+01:00Current. Concise. Creative.<div style="text-align: justify;">A picture tells a thousand words. Quite simply, this is a <span style="font-weight: bold;">supreme</span> example of advertising. Hats off to The Guardian; great marketing.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLOVHFL4n-V8r6QQZoj6ZG2DJ3YsRQ0bcbf5LCgEGakHUUHx8ra6ZJBMlKmI0cm5bXWtu5FAqbCXfnM26dJRCKMy2uFUHwaZslfZH0_qx5Qyl4LQ5QMfca-OJXUbREaQ1jjZjL7Yzcyc/s1600/Indy-pic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnLOVHFL4n-V8r6QQZoj6ZG2DJ3YsRQ0bcbf5LCgEGakHUUHx8ra6ZJBMlKmI0cm5bXWtu5FAqbCXfnM26dJRCKMy2uFUHwaZslfZH0_qx5Qyl4LQ5QMfca-OJXUbREaQ1jjZjL7Yzcyc/s320/Indy-pic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454435810359920914" border="0" /></a>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-83662003016568369302010-03-30T09:02:00.005+01:002010-03-30T09:10:37.715+01:00Connecting HR - The Tweet Smell of Success...<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPz6LWs_y_9npOEDVhGzLHVjdtOw_FvbY6kmCdiBDe2irXqe8M0m4DyXtNz1beN66gNhC9GKkOefe1AFvBYPvtsMqTcUqoyTpJOAdpc9dvQDmy5MvWS-s0-HbdezwP551Sg2nmfipTO8/s1600/570281728.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPz6LWs_y_9npOEDVhGzLHVjdtOw_FvbY6kmCdiBDe2irXqe8M0m4DyXtNz1beN66gNhC9GKkOefe1AFvBYPvtsMqTcUqoyTpJOAdpc9dvQDmy5MvWS-s0-HbdezwP551Sg2nmfipTO8/s320/570281728.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454335838520468050" border="0" /></a>Aside from several lesions to my shoulder courtesy of lugging stands and promo materials halfway across London through rush-hour (thanks <a href="http://www.twitter.com/garelaos" target="_blank">@garelaos!</a>), there’s plenty that I took away from last night’s inaugural ‘Connecting HR’ event.<br /><br />The Square Pig in Holborn played host to a noisy cacophony of HR and social media enthusiasts, all casting avatars aside and emerging in the flesh (they live!) to network and solidify relationships that until now, have been nurtured online. Hats certainly need to be doffed in the direction of Jon Ingham and Gareth Jones, organisers of the event, as well as sponsors Courtenay HR, who put on a terrific evening.<br /><br />From various conversations, I’m sure that the Twitterverse and Blogosphere will both be saturated with talk from last night, all of which I look forward to reading immensely. But for meantime, here are a few of my thoughts on the event.<br /><br />First off, I’m not an HR professional, which is somewhat ironic considering the theme of the event! Nevertheless, I attended in a social media / marketing capacity, which is how I support the Courtenay HR brand and wider Stopgap Group and earn my crust. Nevertheless, after three hours chewing the fat (and consuming various imported beers!), I came away from the event with a thousand fresh perspectives and ideas buzzing around in my head. Here are a few of my findings:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">i) Social Media is NOTHING without people</span><br /><br />Forgive me for stating the bleedin’ obvious, but ‘social’ media really is all about human beings. I am a huge technology geek and make no secret of my love for social media. However, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn – every one of these revolutionary platforms is absolutely nothing without people driving it. We love Twitter – which is why we ran ‘Connecting HR’ – but it’s easy to forget that the reason we love it, is because real people are behind it. Social Media is simply the channel – people are the content and the reason to keep engaging with the platforms.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">ii) HR and Marketing are intrinsically linked</span><br /><br />I started the night (rather foolishly) thinking that marketers and HR professionals are very different creatures, however as the night and various conversations progressed, I realised in a true moment of epiphany, that HR and marketing are natural bedfellows. Marketing is about connecting with people. HR is about connecting with people. Social Media can be employed by either industry to build credible and lasting relationships with people. As Forrest Gump would say, ‘that’s all I have to say about that’.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">iii) Marketers and HR functions need to be FOUND</span><br /><br />When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and although this sounds highly anachronistic, the Romans are all using social media. Employees are people too (yes, it’s true!) and the majority of people now use some form of social media in their daily lives. One of the most effective ways of reaching people is to connect in a way that’s familiar to them. People are comfortable operating within LinkedIn, using Facebook, talking on Twitter, so why take them out of this environment? The advent of social media has meant that we as marketers / HR practioners no longer find people, they find us. Social media is one of the ways you can ensure that your business can – and will – be found by the right people, at the right time.<br /><br />So as I wrap up (from a personal perspective) last night’s inaugural Connecting HR event, these are simply three key points that really shone out for me. Feel free to agree – feel free to disagree! But if you’re all as talkative as you were last night, I hope you’ll leave some interesting and insightful comments, here, on Twitter, on LinkedIn – hopefully I practice what I preach and you’ll all be able to find me in the way that suits you best.<br /><br />Callum<br /><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/callumsaunders" target="_blank">@callumsaunders</a><br /><a href="http://www.twitter.com/courtenayhr" target="_blank">@courtenayhr</a><br /><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/callumsaunders" target="_blank">Connect with me on LinkedIn</a><br /><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1954738&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr" target='_blank'>The HR Professionals' Network</a><br /><a href="http://blog.stopgapgroup.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Stopgap Group Blog</a><br /></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-18515805163099018422010-02-10T09:03:00.002+00:002010-02-10T09:05:57.547+00:00The Parable of Social Media<div style="text-align: justify;">Once upon a time, there was a small classroom in a local school. The teacher used to come in every day, ordered his pupils to sit down and began talking at them, using methods he had crafted over many years. The children were docile – they didn't know any different. One pupil put his hand up to ask a question. The teacher told him to be quiet. The boy was.<br /><br />Then Social Media came along. The classroom grew exponentially, until pupils from all over the world were all in the same classroom. They started talking to each other. They started to make small groups for those with similar interests. They stopped listening to what the teacher was saying.<br /><br />Frantically, the teacher tried to shout louder. He tried direct mail, one-way e-newsletters, telephone marketing, print adverts, even giant posters! But nothing caught the children's attention. They didn't want to be spoken to. They wanted to speak to each other.<br /><br />The teacher was in a frightful state! All of his methods were no longer working – what was he to do? Concerned, he went to visit the head-teacher, Sat in her office, he quietly explained what had happened. “Whatever am I to do?” he enquired. The head-teacher, a wry smile on her face, turned to him and calmly assured him..<br /><br />“Be part of the conversation.” She said.<br /><br />Getting up, the teacher returned to his global classroom, where children from all over the world were now having thousands of conversations with each other, sharing news, swapping stories and getting together with others that held similar interests.<br /><br />Walking up to one of the groups, the teacher listened to what the pupils were talking about. Slowly, he realised that it was something he knew lots about. Waiting for a pause, he then proceeded to talk with the pupils. They listened to him. They liked the fact that he was talking with them about the things they liked. The teacher grew happy again. He used this new method to go round the global classroom and teach the pupils the things he wanted to teach them.<br /><br />They started to listen to him again.<br /><br />And everyone was happy.<br /><br />***<br /><br />It amazes me how many marketers are still stood in front of the chalkboard, using traditional methods to engage a global room of consumers. Like it or not, Social Media has changed the world, and marketers need to change with it. Consumers no longer sit in rows like docile sponges, soaking up direct marketing that is thrown their way.<br /><br />Put down the chalk. Walk amongst your audience and listen to what they are talking about. What they want. What makes them tick.<br /><br />Listen.<br /><br />And then engage.</div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-71266069872417165782010-01-07T09:11:00.003+00:002010-01-07T09:13:28.666+00:00Real-Time Marketing<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Being 'reactive' in the days of Web 1.0:</span><br /><br />See / hear demand for particular product or service. Discuss with Marketing Team. Agree to run a print advert in a leading magazine that will be published in three weeks time. Three weeks passes, print ad runs, target audience no longer has need for product / service required three weeks ago.<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Being 'reactive' in the days of Web 2.0:</span><br /><br />See / hear demand for particular product or service. Act upon it:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kwobWgY0JMqJStDbiDaHqYidNS19CusEFMYfTOA2ONW85GHsbP_4Vt_pISATH7Dr2qwzJ7DFPLsBW1AB7Db6exnNn8YygEMTfJ38PSebDqXN1JfIa2D0uz2xto9vK_fKhFxsv0Z1kCg/s1600-h/Picture+6.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kwobWgY0JMqJStDbiDaHqYidNS19CusEFMYfTOA2ONW85GHsbP_4Vt_pISATH7Dr2qwzJ7DFPLsBW1AB7Db6exnNn8YygEMTfJ38PSebDqXN1JfIa2D0uz2xto9vK_fKhFxsv0Z1kCg/s320/Picture+6.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423923196010150594" border="0" /></a><br />The deluge of snowy weather currently causing chaos around the UK may be keeping many marketers from their offices, but has this stopped the flow of marketing communications? Far, far from it.<br /><br />Several outdoor brands (as well as supermarkets) are turning the winter weather to their advantage, pushing out marketing communications through – you guessed it – social media.<br /><br />'But there's no ROI!' the doubters continue to scream. 'We can't measure anything!'<br /><br />That's right – we can't measure the value of being instantly reactive and being able to offer real-time marketing to our customers. Why?<br /><br />Because it's priceless.<br /></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-77901307081781379162010-01-04T14:56:00.002+00:002010-01-04T14:58:06.178+00:00Time to Wave Goodbye to Google?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0tL13-qzStA0KPF9UTas9N4C1JgDdDubCUMYaXiC9TI9aSSJTiAW8IjBjW4OBb22wkeRiiuJk1Dy0er4Ive0G3lBnJiJQz1LjgoWuFHvcPlrrtW5hfM3G0f9IYQIRue5jJd9JDMW5CQ/s1600-h/Google-Wave-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0tL13-qzStA0KPF9UTas9N4C1JgDdDubCUMYaXiC9TI9aSSJTiAW8IjBjW4OBb22wkeRiiuJk1Dy0er4Ive0G3lBnJiJQz1LjgoWuFHvcPlrrtW5hfM3G0f9IYQIRue5jJd9JDMW5CQ/s320/Google-Wave-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422899061215728274" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">Google, a company with omnipotent brand powers and an unrivalled status in the digital sphere, has been positioned as a ‘leader’ for so long, its foray into the social media scene was inevitable, not to mention anticipated. But am I the only one who is, well, rather disappointed?<br /><br />It seems that only a few months ago, the digital universe was filled with a cacophony of virtual shrieks, as digital geeks (myself included) announced that they had received their prestigious Google Wave invites. Come January 2010 however, and it seems that the fanfare surrounding ‘the Wave’ has declined almost as quickly as a certain golfer’s career.<br /><br />Let’s not beat around the bush – Google’s social media venture, so far, has failed.<br /><br />Google has previously built its incredible success on creating unrivalled solutions to people’s needs: search, analytics, online advertising. What the company didn’t bargain for with Google Wave however, is the fact that people’s social media needs are already extremely well-met by the plethora of platforms currently out there.<br /><br />Sure, Wave is a nice concept – a real-time communications platform that ties up emails, instant messaging, file sharing, collaborative working and networking. But many of these needs are already provided for through other channels such as Skype, LinkedIn and, contrary to early doubters, Twitter.<br /><br />Another problem faced by Google Wave is that social media is by its inherent name, social. We may have enjoyed a feeling of superiority and prestige upon receipt of that longed-for Wave invite; however this soon dissipated upon realisation that we arrived in a vast empty chasm with no-one to talk to!<br /><br />Don’t get me wrong – it’s still early days for Google Wave, and the company no doubt has a wealth of further digital talent it can throw at the platform, but will they have an audience left to market to? Social media is only just beginning, but if Google is to have its slice of the market, its time would be better spent focusing on needs that aren’t currently met yet.<br /><br />Am I alone in this sentiment? Can anyone dismiss this argument and champion Google Wave?</div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-4630070406551619602009-12-18T14:44:00.003+00:002009-12-18T14:47:35.742+00:00Aviation Advertising: Benefiting from BA's Balls-Up<div style="text-align: justify;">Although two years does not qualify as a long and illustrious marketing career, I’ve been around enough senior marketers to know that referencing your competitors in campaigns is an issue that splits hairs and divides opinion across the board.<br /><br />I, for one, believe that each marketing campaign has its own set of rules, whilst many companies in certain sectors employ ‘comparative marketing’ as the de facto practice (supermarkets being the worst, and most repeat, offenders).<br /><br />Although British Airways has now had its proposed Christmas strike deemed illegal in a High Court ruling, the past few days has seen a glut of aviation advertising, all of which has very cleverly referenced the farcical goings on at BA.<br /><br />Here’s my favourite piece of press advertising from this week; a simple strapline from BMI. When commercial opportunity knocks, referencing the competition can be a clever and effective strategy – especially with copy this good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlG7cel7lxd3injxcuQY73vWYLVdN5gxsOIilgPq3FnaBL5n85DxN-KVYgcpX0SkhZrZf392eGtntuhF7PM2LBFjABHFgwBwvh3ahbNVpcl2OSSEtTSrJcrJPLdV92hUoHGOEyeEjuq8/s1600-h/Picture+6+14-12-28.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 76px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlG7cel7lxd3injxcuQY73vWYLVdN5gxsOIilgPq3FnaBL5n85DxN-KVYgcpX0SkhZrZf392eGtntuhF7PM2LBFjABHFgwBwvh3ahbNVpcl2OSSEtTSrJcrJPLdV92hUoHGOEyeEjuq8/s320/Picture+6+14-12-28.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416587722081104194" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-51259157811888403422009-12-16T08:43:00.003+00:002009-12-16T09:03:17.255+00:00You've Been Hit By, Some Smooth Advertising...<div style="text-align: justify;">The high-profile and sudden death of Michael Jackson this July was perhaps one of the year’s biggest news stories. Tributes have consistently poured in from across the globe, including some more appropriate than others.<br /><br />Using an incredible simplistic yet effective piece of design, BBDO has designed this brilliant memorial piece for MTV in Germany, using a combination of ‘charity ribbons’ and the late singer’s iconic legs to pay homage to this enigmatic performer.<br /><br />Such elegant and simple design is often the most effective.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCb_rGbbMEf_VIXCpweLhYKn_gHJkmcGaBsumztENz4Y3bGUMZOsQ6qXlgpx4jZbli3F3HGQesI1Vk06-GoEGdNbsu5-aXacEvFbEC3MR9l7w5T2LOmriWQrUJhQM_HBEy5r2Ln5qzK8/s1600-h/blackribbonmtvmichaeljackson2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCb_rGbbMEf_VIXCpweLhYKn_gHJkmcGaBsumztENz4Y3bGUMZOsQ6qXlgpx4jZbli3F3HGQesI1Vk06-GoEGdNbsu5-aXacEvFbEC3MR9l7w5T2LOmriWQrUJhQM_HBEy5r2Ln5qzK8/s320/blackribbonmtvmichaeljackson2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415756312694485922" border="0" /></a></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-10637098382212600872009-12-15T09:53:00.003+00:002009-12-18T16:07:03.258+00:00iMarketing - Apple Copywriting<div style="text-align: justify;">Apple is a brand that exudes cool in an effortless manner. Of course, this is all a façade; the branding is in fact the result of clever marketing and the best expertise in the business.<br /><br />Apple is one of the few brands I allow to bombard my inbox with sales marketing, despite the fact that I can barely afford a Granny Smith, let alone a shiny new iPhone. I allow them this pleasure purely to see what their talented marketing bods are up to and with festive marketing going into overdrive, thought that I’d share this ad with you all:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaZq5TTIaJqwDfLlVdYEmWtdpp6X_qya4fO0Yv2mSWa764gjZGjtdsTyIkRFIvRPAfml_U-_wDiowwTgVZCTQb0lYpowuoaXT2b3NSOue8ZovUiN6_uGMVKkzPR478Oqk9YjgtiXTQgw/s1600-h/Picture+7.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDaZq5TTIaJqwDfLlVdYEmWtdpp6X_qya4fO0Yv2mSWa764gjZGjtdsTyIkRFIvRPAfml_U-_wDiowwTgVZCTQb0lYpowuoaXT2b3NSOue8ZovUiN6_uGMVKkzPR478Oqk9YjgtiXTQgw/s320/Picture+7.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415400718907035154" border="0" /></a><br />I could sit here and analyse the strapline’s meaning, however it’s elegant simplicity speaks for itself. Great copy from a great brand, this is a first-class example of relating the Christmas theme to product’s unique feature. ‘Cracking’ (ho ho ho) stuff. </div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-53735563762500394732009-12-14T12:13:00.003+00:002009-12-14T12:17:37.761+00:00Facebook: The Godfather of Social Media and its Identity Crisis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifjbkGftU4IG269U0jeCpYIBX93aQxvbUN-RnY_-i4E9zVNeh7peNf84Cbj0qwROZEgUJihTmOp8fBAUVRZvwj2fbFoHoDev9zZcx7GVZjxamnKB86UoMdQiwZ7hmMOieexDAXtqCQk4/s1600-h/logo_facebook.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiifjbkGftU4IG269U0jeCpYIBX93aQxvbUN-RnY_-i4E9zVNeh7peNf84Cbj0qwROZEgUJihTmOp8fBAUVRZvwj2fbFoHoDev9zZcx7GVZjxamnKB86UoMdQiwZ7hmMOieexDAXtqCQk4/s320/logo_facebook.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415064586698971906" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">LinkedIn, Twitter, Ning, blogs, mobile applications: 2009 is undeniably the year that social media hit the mainstream, fast becoming ingrained in daily life and accepted by society at large. Whilst the glut of social media options now available to us ensures that we are able to communicate and brand ourselves more thoroughly than ever before, what connotations does this hold for Facebook, the Godfather of social media?<br /><br />Prior to 2009’s social networking revolution, Facebook <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">was</span> social media. Before ‘tweet’ became a verb; before the gardener’s dog had his own blog; before we had mobile applications that showed us where cash points were, we were quite content to post a few pictures on Facebook and scrawl messages on each other’s walls. But times have changed, and in social media, that change ain’t renowned for happening slowly.<br /><br />A Twitter friend of mine, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/WendyJacob" target='_blank'>@WendyJacob,</a> whom I have also had the pleasure of meeting in real life, has used her <a href="http://wendyjacob.wordpress.com/ "target='_blank'>insightful blog</a> to discuss the function of Facebook in today’s social media-rich world. She argues that she uses Facebook purely for social reasons, which I believe is a vital question that social marketers must address.<br /><br />Around eighteen months ago (comparable eons in SM terms), Facebook was your one-stop shop for social media. Comfortable cornering the market, Facebook users used the site for everything, from personal branding to chatting with friends and playing games. As we sit upon the cusp of 2010 however, an abundance of options offer us specific channels for each purpose of our lives, social and professional – so what does this mean for Facebook?<br /><br />In short, Facebook is like a middle-aged father suffering an identity crisis. Threatened by the arrival of trendy new kids on the block, the site is struggling to incorporate a variety of features in order to keep up with the leading pack and offer all users everything they could possible want. It shouldn’t.<br /><br />The age-old LinkedIn vs Facebook debate still rumbles on in social marketing circles. Sure, Facebook has an undeniable larger reach – put simply, it <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">is</span> the largest network of people in the world – but quantity does not necessarily equate to quality.<br /><br />The success of channels such as Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs about gardening and applications for gaming geeks all succeed due to one common theme – they serve a specific purpose. For the majority of Generation Y (and I include myself in this demographic), Facebook will forever connote fun, friends and frivolity rather than a professional ‘Brand Me’.<br /><br />Recruiters and marketers may wax lyrical about Facebook’s reach, but as with all marketing, it’s about hitting the right people in the right channel – and Facebook should remain a playground rather than a board room.<br /><br />Am I alone in this sentiment?<br /></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-23828931678460249312009-12-14T08:32:00.002+00:002009-12-14T08:33:55.251+00:00Breathtakingly Simple...<div style="text-align: justify;">Following on in a similar vein from the previous post, I have stumbled across yet another example of simple copy that results in a big impact. This American advert for Wonderbra, by Saatchi and Saatchi, simply uses the brand name, inserting an extra ‘d’ to connote the effects of the product in question.<br /><br />Quite simply, breathtakingly simple.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFm46a1c0owKW_qbIZu8OKZXMLC5nenxqWV08VSBwrRPOnmJLBZ3D5ELyBOuzUuGEdu_T2PWMeqLyOYQ6B0D8mgzBrKTVz53gWd8Wth4JkfGIoLmweqYQiLWp01NfO08p64z0TtML5SFw/s1600-h/Wondderbra-DD.preview.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFm46a1c0owKW_qbIZu8OKZXMLC5nenxqWV08VSBwrRPOnmJLBZ3D5ELyBOuzUuGEdu_T2PWMeqLyOYQ6B0D8mgzBrKTVz53gWd8Wth4JkfGIoLmweqYQiLWp01NfO08p64z0TtML5SFw/s320/Wondderbra-DD.preview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415007157663098242" border="0" /></a></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-33533988792646651042009-12-11T09:54:00.004+00:002009-12-11T09:57:41.445+00:00Copy Doesn't Have to be Long...<div style="text-align: justify;">Some of the most effective marketing communications are successful due to their simplicity. This stunning new anti-smoking advert uses only three words, but the impact is undeniable. Click on the picture to enlarge it...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6J6y2JWuFlz7Pb1i7ug64GtYw6XGimZpLDzrKV2_U8Dr2b5FbnIbl-UgkubXIf0ouVZXS6XH4wuQx9uCWU0fzqcq9e6wfL7wBXa0jLP6W_6zZABRbM-9kNJMgy6pListHs_Qqif117A/s1600-h/T_vling-King_PM_v2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6J6y2JWuFlz7Pb1i7ug64GtYw6XGimZpLDzrKV2_U8Dr2b5FbnIbl-UgkubXIf0ouVZXS6XH4wuQx9uCWU0fzqcq9e6wfL7wBXa0jLP6W_6zZABRbM-9kNJMgy6pListHs_Qqif117A/s320/T_vling-King_PM_v2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413915376315282722" border="0" /></a></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-4552904808771466292009-12-01T08:46:00.004+00:002009-12-11T09:57:32.053+00:00The New Meerkat?<div style="text-align: justify;">It is only extremely rare and isolated incidents when I become a man of very little words – and this is one such time. Drench, a bottled water brand in the UK, has launched a stunning new campaign featuring hamsters which can only be described as an assault on Compare the Meerkat’s ‘cutesy’ throne. Enjoy… <br /><br /><object height="295" width="410"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AxBJlxb3NAQ&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AxBJlxb3NAQ&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="295" width="410"></embed></object></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-71148229791023323132009-11-23T10:41:00.000+00:002009-11-23T10:42:34.334+00:00Social Media: It Extends Beyond Twitter You Know…<div style="text-align: justify;">There’s no denying the fact that Twitter holds staggering sway over digital marketers and society at large. Mention ‘social media’ to anyone and Twitter is likely to be an automatic response. Whilst such a successful social media channel is a fantastic advocate for Web 3.0, digital marketers working in this channel need to remember that social media extends far beyond updating tweets of 140 characters.<br /><br />Facebook may well have been the first social network to genuinely permeate society; however it’s Twitter that has gone that step further and integrated itself into our everyday lives, validating its position as the ‘poster boy’ of social media. But that’s exactly the point; just because Twitter is the David Beckham of the social media world doesn’t mean that there aren’t other players on that scene.<br /><br />Take LinkedIn for example. The social network for professionals now has over 50 million members in over 200 countries and territories around the world. Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members, which serves as a glowing reference for the power, and importance, social media now holds over all levels of society. <br /><br />Whereas Twitter has become as valid a communications platform as email, playing host to conversations, breaking news and interesting links, LinkedIn allows users to develop much deeper relationships through its array of forums, groups and networks. Twitter may be getting all the press, but social media has an array of uses and consumers are using different channels for different purposes – and this is something digital marketers should not forget. <br /><br />Pretty much every brand, company and organisation is now eager to ‘do’ social media. For the uneducated, this involves leaping on the Twitter bandwagon without due consideration, which results in a pointless offering that adds no real value to your customers. Whereas Twitter can greatly enhance your digital brand offering, this is only the case when it’s managed properly. <br /><br />What the majority of companies need to remember is that social media extends far beyond Twitter. Careful thought and planning needs to be behind every digital marketing strategy – social media is no different. Get your brand on social media by all means, but consider the array of options available to you – your social media strategy cannot survive on Twitter alone.</div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-52893841550061664352009-11-20T11:32:00.002+00:002009-11-20T11:34:14.736+00:00We were all Social Media sceptics a year ago…<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Social media sceptics are undeniably decreasing in number - the success of SM this year has generated enough proof to convert those that remain...</span><br /><br />A year ago (and this is certainly true for British readers of this blog) Twitter was relatively unheard of. Whilst this statement is undeniable true, the fact that the social network is now so firmly entrenched in our daily lives and routines makes it difficult to imagine a time when we were sceptical about social media.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nevertheless, as little as twelve months ago, many members of the marketing community claimed that social media was a fad and had little relevance for business, branding and networking. How wrong they were.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As 2009, undeniably the ‘Year of Twitter’, draws to a close, the digital marketing landscape is irrevocably different. Social media now dominates the digital marketing landscape for a number of reasons. For one, social media marketers now have a year’s further experience under their belt. Secondly, the channel is an excellent remedy to marketing budgets that have been constricted by the recession. Finally – and perhaps most importantly – it works.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Brands are now more connected and close to their consumers before – or rather, consumers are now more empowered. Brand relationships have become more intimate, purely due to the role social media has played. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">To list an example from personal experience, I was looking for a particular book from Waterstones. Rather than go down the traditional route of looking at FAQs on the website, trying vainly to find an appropriate contact, emailing a ‘customer services’ address and then waiting days for a human response after an automated one had informed me my query would be ‘dealt with as soon as possible’, I looked to Twitter.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I found the Waterstones Twitter page in fifteen seconds, asked them a question and had a response (the one I was looking for) within ten minutes. Great customer service and a much more personal relationship between brand and consumer.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I agree with social media sceptics on one issue – you cannot build an entire marketing strategy around social media. However, when done right, social media is an essential value-add for your business that builds intimate relationships and strengthens your offering tenfold. We’ve come a long way in a year – and the ensuing twelve months will surely turn any remaining sceptics into social media converts.</span><br /></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-69983468220216188342009-10-08T12:46:00.005+01:002009-10-08T12:54:42.621+01:00Social Media, the Elected & the Electorate...<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">It’s not only brands that are marketing themselves through social media – the public sector has also embraced all things social media related… </span><br /><br />Accusing politicians of being inaccessible to the people they purport to represent is hardly an original notion. For years gone by, critics have accused elected representatives of sitting in an ivory tower and passing laws for a society they don’t really have any communication with. Well, whatever political beliefs you subscribe to, one thing is fast becoming clear – social media is granting us more access to our Government than ever before.<br /><br />Of course, (the more cynical) marketers amongst us will argue that political communications through channels such as Twitter are simply an extension of political PR; managed by a press office function and devoid of any real authenticity. This may well be true in certain cases; however there’s no denying that Twitter also has a range of genuine politicians who are actively seeking to engage with voters and constituents through this blossoming channel.<br /><br /><a href="http://twitter.com/KerryMP">Kerry McCarthy,</a> Labour MP for Bristol East, is perhaps one of the most prominent politicians to be championing social media; so much so that the Labour Party made her New Media Campaigns Spokesperson back in August. The creation of this significant role not only tasks McCarthy with encouraging MPs and government officials to use new media as a form of engagement with voters, but also demonstrates the level of importance the Government now assigns to social media as a communications tool.<br /><br />Miss McCarthy is not the only politician flying the social media flag however. The list of MPs using Twitter is now too long to list individually and this can only be a good thing. Many voters remained disillusioned following the expenses scandal – an incident worsened due to its arrival in a very hard recession – so the transparency social media affords is the perfect antidote to any remaining ill feeling.<br /><br />This transparency allows the public to connect with politicians like never before, especially through the real time posting of pictures, links and information. Not only can the public now feel included in current events – pictures allow them to see what’s happening and feel involved like never before. Take this (admittedly rather posed) picture of Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and colleague Vince Cable <a href="http://twitpic.com/kp7oj">(click here)</a> – we’re involved in what they’re doing because we can see it. Instantly.<br /><br />Social media does not pretend to be an answer to political problems. Just because a politician is on Twitter does not make their policies correct. However social media allows people to connect better than ever before – and goes a long way to closing the distance between the electorate and the elected. </div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-74309337110235181572009-10-07T16:00:00.002+01:002009-10-08T12:53:55.462+01:00Democratic Consumerism – The Offspring of Social Media<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">We live in an age of ‘democratic consumerism’ – and brands that continue operating a dictatorship are headed for a fall… </span><br /><br />I guarantee that if you ask any traditional marketer their opinion on social media, they’ll claim it’s the preserve of young twenty-somethings who get away with gadding about on Twitter all day, all the while claiming that it’s ‘social brand research’. Incredibly, social media still has many doubters – yet a phrase coined by the management at Walmart-owned Asda looks set to dispel the myth once and for all.<br /><br />Asda’s president and chief executive, Andy Bond, has been talking in this week’s Marketing magazine about <a href="http://your.asda.com/2009/10/1/andy-bond-heralds-a-new-era-of-democratic-consumerism-3">‘democratic consumerism’,</a> which businesses are being forced to adapt to as a ‘direct result of the digital explosion and the trust vacuum’. Not only is this a wonderful phrase; it also sums up the point that continues to elude the grasp of many marketing professionals; consumers now have more of a say in brand direction than ever before.<br /><br />This fundamental shift in consumer power can be largely attributed to social media and Web 2.0 – if not wholly. Consumers are now the ones conducting marketing activity – not the other way round. A direct marketing piece may sit on the doorstep and quickly find its way to the recycling bin. A social media discussion is a living, breathing, ongoing discussion about your brand – good or bad – that can gain momentum by the hour.<br /><br />Companies have two options here: they can either bury their heads in the sand and continue spoon-feeding one-way communications to an audience that doesn’t care. Or, they can join the conversations happening in the social media sphere and start building a living, symbiotic brand relationship which, let’s face it, provides infinitely more value and insight than direct mail.<br /><br />Democracy is the system that grants everyone their right to opinion, representation and rights – and as far as marketers are concerned, their consumer constituents are exercising their democratic rights in social media forums. Andy Bond rightly suggests that we live in an age of democratic consumerism – and brands that continue operating a dictatorship are headed for a fall.<br /><br /></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-82413219392597397422009-10-02T12:43:00.002+01:002009-10-02T12:44:19.719+01:00Why all the hang-ups on ROI?<div style="text-align: justify;">It genuinely, genuinely amazes me that so many marketers remain sceptical when it comes to social media. ‘Not being able to measure ROI’ is an oft cited ‘reason’; however marketers subscribing to this misguided view are in reality, missing out on real value.<br /><br />It’s certainly true that social media now uses considerable marketing resource. A few years ago, many businesses considered a company blog the very height of digital innovation, and perhaps ‘Literate Linda’ from accounts was left to update it once a week with news of the company raffle. These days (thankfully) have long gone and social media is now a sprawling mass of interactions across multiple platforms.<br /><br />We now have brands interacting on Twitter (the undeniable darling of the social media world), talking with consumers in forums, social network sites, mobile applications – the list grows exponentially every week. Despite the advent of social media however, the doubters are right in one thing – we don’t yet have a way to measure commercial ROI – but why should this be the yardstick by which social media’s value is determined?<br /><br />From a business perspective, one of the biggest benefits of social media is the fact that it allows brands to interact with their consumers. Web 2.0 has killed off the days of one-way marketing communications - consumers no longer accept being ‘talked to’; they want to be part of the conversation – which is where social media comes in. Focus on providing excellent customer service and brand experiences and this will be replicated in social media channels again and again and again.<br /><br />Similarly, social media puts faces to faceless corporations. Building relationships on a human level benefits businesses enormously – how could it not? Discussions on networking sites (such as LinkedIn) allow companies to listen to what their consumers are talking about, what their concerns are, what their needs are. What makes them tick, how your business can help them. <br /><br />No ROI? I beg to differ.<br /><br />The times are changing. The times have changed. And for those waiting on the sidelines, still wondering whether to get involved, you’re missing a valuable trick. Yes, we’re still waiting for a way to quantify monetary ROI for social media. But sometimes marketing isn’t about money. Worrying about social media ROI can blinker you – and ensure that you miss out on something of real value.</div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-20400484638711656602009-10-02T12:28:00.008+01:002009-10-02T12:37:21.445+01:00Still Think Social Media's a Fad?This video should put paid to that...<br /><br /><object width="400" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sIFYPQjYhv8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sIFYPQjYhv8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="250"></embed></object>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2135530439303114734.post-70677189081578455802009-10-02T11:41:00.003+01:002009-10-02T12:44:05.065+01:00The Social Marketer Begins...<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Inspired by a real passion for blogging, digital marketing, social media and sharing knowledge (as well as by my good friend and manager </span><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://garethmjones.blogspot.com/">Mr Gareth Jones</a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">), I’ve decided to follow suit and start blogging about my professional experiences. Aside from being a copywriter and a digital marketer, I also manage a client-side social media function, which I’ve overseen since its inception.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" id="fullpost">Social media’s relevant infancy means that this is one area where my expertise is arguably as valid as anyone else’s. This may sound a bold statement considering the short length of my marketing career; however the newness of social media means I have learnt as much as anyone else in the same period of time.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" id="fullpost">Social media is a constantly evolving beast where many mistakes have been made and doubtless many more will follow. Talking of following, I hope that you choose to follow this blog, where I’ll aim to provide genuine insight, opinion and comment on the ever-changing world of social media marketing.</span><br /></div>Callum Saundershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00074369580127049117noreply@blogger.com0