Truly Social Content…
- Authentic Message
- Stronger Emotional Connections
- Extension of Nike Experience
Nike makes it count!
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Immersive Experience
Emotion, Expression and Experiences
As Marketing becomes Emotionalizing…Why I think we love Pinterest and Instagram.
Enabling Original!
Brands are certainly challenged with their new role. Transitioning from a 
product focused approach is somewhat frightening and can be intimidating.
Still, a brand must consider the alternatives and understand that the process has been disrupted.
Image: Pinnable Business
People are a living part of your business and want to be involved.
A brands new role is centered on service. Offering the resources people need and enabling “Life”…everything and everyone!
The narrative is always changing…
In 2012 we hope to see brands imagine the possibilities. People are keen to be social adventurers, always exploring, hoping to discover and anxious to share “found” treasure with their connections. Emotion…I think this is one reason why Pinterest has quickly captivated our attention.
Maggie’s Brand and Maggie’s Message
Marketing is no longer the objective, even social media continues to change. For instance; savvy social brands are able to subtly nurture connections. Whilst enabling people to discover products, they also benefit from the natural connections that occur from sharing. This is a very different form of influence. It’s real! This type of influence starts with emotion builders, content that is authentic, and messages that portray conviction.
“Improves the look of” You may have tested and retested marketing messages, but with a less than authentic tone and a true conviction, this type of message is less likely to be effective. The sincerity found within people-to-people content is more promising and often a part of the reciprocal process within a cycle-of-courtesy.
Prepare for continuous distraction, as real-time substance meets emotional connections. The dominance of “original” content will likely rank absolute and continue to be widely expressed. Start here: Celebrate original and remain flexible so that you can instantly respond, reward and convey ideas.
Experiences
Nike relentlessly focuses on marketing. In Collaboration and Co-Creation, we explore Nike challenging traditional with their commitment to connecting within social environments. Now we see Nike emerging with even more purpose and enabling branded experiences.
Nike is extending the Nike brand experience through an invite-only basketball court in NYC. Nike has renovated a distressed gymnasium within a residential building. As part of Nike’s #makeitcount New Year’s campaign, the Masaryk building has an unbelievable gym and Nike has court-side evidence of a sincere commitment to making “it” count. An ideal extension of the Nike brand experience!
Nike continues to enable…Fuelband keeps you active while you make it count!
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ZOMBIES, RUN…an Immersive Adventure
A brilliant example of immersive experience and a great adventure!
ZOMBIES, RUN is now fully funded via KickStarter, with over 3,000 backers and $72,000 in pledges.
A great example of the type of creative thinking and true extension of “experiences” we love to share. Designed as a “running game & audio adventure”. Zombies Run will be available for iOS – iPhone, iPod Touch/Android.
Voice alerts are integrated within your playlist. To keep the game fresh, runners are encouraged to complete missions and collect items during the run. Back home, runners can use items to support base areas. More mysterious content is unlocked and the game continues.
I think it would be very interesting to see savvy event creators like Red Frog Events using solutions such as Zombies, Run to encourage even more interesting challenges for participants.
For serious runners – “Zombies, Run! also keeps record of, and offers audio alerts for; distance, time, pace, and calories. Moving forward, the developers hope to integrate with RunKeeper and of course, save the world from Zombies.
A Video Games project in London, United Kingdom by Six to Start and Naomi Alderman
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Exploring the Stages of Engagement to Connection
What came first the chicken or the egg? That is what comes to mind when hearing different perspectives of Engagement and Connection. Sometimes these terms are tossed around like they are interchangeable. Depending on the view you are subject to, you may have to do some digging to ascertain the direction of the message. We view Engagement and Connection as two very different stages within what ultimately enables a Cycle-of-Courtesy.
Many still question engagement as a good source for online and mobile lead generation, opting for intrusive messages via SMS, email, or newsletters. The problem may not be engagement, but within the idea that engagement is a standalone solution.
Engagement within social media is only the first step. The difference between engagement and true connections lives within how you prepare, respond and adapt Continue reading
Just Picking Grapes or…Harvesting Our Next Occasion?
We came up with this title after viewing two very different YouTube videos, from two very different winemakers, showcasing their most recent harvest. Although both showed grapes being picked, they each told a very different story.
One video from Benziger Family Winery, was simple and shot in the vineyard. It was authentic, and captured the heartfelt excitement and enthusiasm of a new harvest. It highlighted happy family members, to include a new granddaughter. It highlighted happy workers, as well as people proud to be taking part in this exhilarating, meaningful and most important process.
The other video from another well known winery, was edited together in an editing room and appeared as a theater quality production. It may have even contained credits. It showed people picking grapes, but it looked more like a job, rather than an occasion.
Can you guess which one of these videos created an emotional connection? When buying a bottle of Benziger wine, you feel like you are donating to the cause, not just adding to a company’s bottom line.
A brand’s smart use of social media platforms can create and nurture sustainable emotional connections. Through authentic and non-intrusive interaction, a simple engagement between brand and individual can develop into a lasting connection.
“Carry your brand DNA into social media channels”
WineTwits, a Twitter-powered community that brings wine enthusiasts together, is taking a very interactive approach. Through Tweets, and interaction via their website, WineTwits is able to guide immersive experiences, connecting 
brands with people. An upcoming event, Beaujolais #NouveauDay, will feature an interactive wine tasting,with an expected global and witty participation via Twitter. In a recent conversation with Steve Gilberg, founder of DrinkTwits Media (parent company of WineTwits), Steve offered these thoughts: “It is a huge mistake to not use social media”. Steve also observed: “Carry your brand DNA into social media channels”. Using these ideas along with authentic non-intrusive interaction, he has been able to significantly raise his brand’s awareness. Speaking for not only his brand, Steve says: “For brands, someone internally needs to take ownership of the social media”. He also believes that “Used properly, Twitter is one of the greatest lead generation tools he has ever seen.”
Sustainable social media connections require: Authenticity, Conviction and Flexibility
As we noted within our recent report, people are keen to define and build trusted resources, as they are soon to become important elements of true influence for purchase decisions. For brands, authentic content and messages are the first step. Engagement alone does not create influence or a likeliness to share…Influence and involvement arise from nurtured interaction in the age of all-of-us.
So, are you just picking grapes? Or, are you harvesting our next occasion? As you make social media decisions (what platform, what channel, who will handle social media, etc.), remember: Be authentic and make your message lead to an occasion!
Wanted/Needed…Social Media Sideline Reporter @PhoenixSuns
As sports teams/organizations get more social smart and social savvy, you will see more of these calls for help. Sports teams are looking for ways to keep their fan bases alive with anticipation…and fans want to be involved.
As we learned during our research for Collaboration and Co-Creation, the Phoenix Suns have one of the most loyal fan bases in the NBA. The Suns are committed to involving fans as much as possible and understand the value of fan-to-fan interaction. Recently, the Phoenix Suns made an announcement for a new job opening for a social media sideline reporter, the first and only one of its kind in their history. Continue reading
Preparing an NFL Social Media Game Plan
Social media needs to play both sides of the ball. Just like a successful football team can’t choose to play just offense, or just defense; a successful social media program must Engage and Respond.
The Time for QR Codes/Tags is Still…Now
Article first published as The Time for QR Codes is Still…Now! on Technorati.
The demand for mobile information is extreme. Immediate and direct access to “more” has become an expected ever-present service.
A new initiative from Mellville House Publishing, called HybridBook, is bringing print books to life. Through the use of QR codes printed within the books, the reader can access highly curated text, maps, photographs and illustrations related to the original book. Now print books can have the same advantage as eBooks, thanks to those “catchy” QR codes. Continue reading
Winning Social Media…There is No Off-Season
The Buffalo Bills are off to a good start. They began the season meagerly with small steps, but are starting to make bigger strides. This goes for their on-the-field team as well as their social media team.
Yes, social media is an important part of the program. With social media there is no off-season, draft, training camp or play-offs. The social media team has to be effective year round, and at the top of their game. It is time to take the next step. Buffalo Bills fans are tremendous fans, in good times and…not so good times, they have been for many years. (I can attest to that, as I am a Homer and fan for my entire life.) Continue reading
A Visual Look Inside SXSW 2012…and a bit about our panel
Matt Biddulph has created a visualization of the more than 3,000 prospective 2012 SXSW panels that is certainly worth a look. Matt’s efforts offer a good look at what people want to talk about. Social Media is still an overwhelming category, but it is good to see many have moved into what’s next. (click here or image for full view) Continue reading
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