07/15/09
A plea to other agencies.
The recent Zappos pitch debacle shows serious issues with our industry that have always been there. Issues that make agencies who are trying to sell a successful process rather than a successful pitch insane. Issues that always have us defending the last agency that screwed things up. Our plea is simple:
Stop it.
The Zappos pitch had 104 agencies involved. 104. (We were not one of them, mind you.) That means outside of the incumbent and a few hand chosen agencies, the other 100 or so didn't have a snowball’s chance to begin with. Yet more than 100 agencies threw in their hats, their ideas, their time, their resources, and their puppy-dog-like enthusiasm. All to be a part of - get this - an already successful brand.
I can think of 5 things wrong with the agencies involved and the process itself (I’ve reduced my list from over a hundred, just to make it fair and palatable).
- You don’t know anything about Zappos. You’ve done no research. You haven’t talked to them. You don’t know their long term goals. You don’t know their needs. All you know is what they know and put on an RFP. Stop going in there and showing them that you have the answer. You don’t even know the question yet.
- In our industry, our time is valuable. Our thinking is even more valuable. Instead of showing the value, you are quick to fly to Vegas (appropriately) and invest the time, energy and thought it takes to affect a brand. They don't value your time because you don't.
- We’re change agents when we’re working at our very best. Instead of trying to help the best brands in the world get 2% better, why aren’t more agencies jacked about the prospect of actually creating those brands out of far more challenging circumstances? Zappos doesn’t need you as much as you need them.
- It shows your desperation. Publicly. The fact that Zappos employees were Tweeting how much food, fun, and booze they were getting from the gaggle of pitching agencies. It’s pathetic. Have some self respect, people.
- Spec work is very dangerous - for the brand. Putting all the creative energy into the pitch will diminish the thought – all you are trying to do is impress the people in the room, not achieve the brand goals. Congratulations, you got some executives in a room to laugh or say "wow". But are you now a good steward of the brand? Have you done your work for the real audience: consumers?
So to the winner, I say congratulations. To the other 99.1% of respondents I ask: was it worth it?
Addendum to this blog post: OK, I admit. It has a more negative tone than I originally intended. I'm really looking to help clients choose an agency in a more rational manner. I don't just want to defend agencies and their practices. I want to help companies go through more rational processes to serve the greater brand purpose. It does little good to throw 104 or agencies and countless ideas against a wall to see what sticks. Narrow down an inital search to 3-5 companies who have a legitimate shot. And then listen closely to how they want to serve your company/brand. The rest is diminishing returns.
07/13/09
Advertising through Social Networking?
“Paid advertising on online social networks in the US is expected to fall 3% in 2009.” (eMarketer, 2009)
With all of the attention and buzz social networking has received, that may come as a shock to many, and as an “I told you so” to those inherently skeptical of the medium.
Many companies are clearly still trying to find their way with social networking. It appears that some have a presence on Facebook or Twitter for no other reason than that they feel they should. However, other companies have seen great success in targeting and reaching both niche audiences and in more broad consumer based initiatives.
We feel that the pull back is temporary as companies refine and integrate their efforts, and that social networking will have a major role in the advertising mix going forward.
2009 may be considered the year that companies worked to develop their presence within social networking sites, establishing content and fleshing out their environments. To us, this is a logical first step, which must be taken before more proactively advertising and working to draw new people.
Because it is such a new and emerging medium, we believe many companies are waiting to see which will take the lead (Facebook? Twitter?), and which will fall off the map (MySpace)? This will allow them to better focus their efforts, and not feel they need to be redundant with ad dollars spent and information/content they generate and share.
Once companies become more comfortable with social networking, it’s natural that they may circle back and work to see how to best integrate with their advertising/marketing efforts. When they do, they will find that they have a wealth of information at their fingertips, including deep data to target users (friend networks, likes, dislikes, and much much more).
Companies will learn to harness this data to deliver custom advertising that works on a more conversational, one-on-one manner. This is not your traditional mass communication, rather, it’s a more nuanced, information based approach that will allow companies to micro target and communicate like never before.
Advertising, B-to-B, B-to-C, Community, Interactive, Opinion
06/25/09
Rebranding: Internal v. External
In the dozens upon dozens of major rebranding engagements and efforts we've been involved with, one thing has become exceedingly clear: rebranding an organization is equally important within the walls as it is to the outside world.
There is nothing quite like cutting through the clutter and showing a company what it looks, sounds, and acts like at its finest. It gets people re-energized. It gets them on the same page. It makes them want to become the company they see in front of them. It is motivational. It builds aspiration. And, more than anything, it gets people excited to go to work again.
In order to see why organizations crave a strong brand internally, let us quickly break down the lifecycle of an organization that leads down the path to status quo. This is the case of several companies we’ve worked with.
- The company is formed with an entrepreneurial spirit and a clear vision and passion, generally created by one individual.
- The company grows, and this individual shares his contagious spirit and wills the company to success.
- The owner sells to a larger organization, leaves the organization, stops day-to-day activity, etc.
- The company is left with a series of systems but no real soul or driving force. The brand reflects a “good enough” mentality but does not reflect any passion or sense of exceptionality.
- This goes on for some time. The brand becomes more and more internally focused on “what we do” vs. “why we exist for our customers”. Major difference.
- The company gets more and more layered, with more services/products, new departments, new technologies, etc. There are acquisitions, partnerships, business changes. All adding new personalities, layers, and needs.
- The business goes on cruise control on every level. Mission, vision, and values are created, but they are generally clichéd and empty. The outside world starts to lose touch.
- The brand starts to reflect a certain “say nothing” mentality. The internal staff, while still committed and passionate about their individual positions, has an increasingly difficult time when asked “what does your company do?”
- Internally, correction is attempted. Through meetings, retreats, and other common methods, a “reason for being” is attempted to be recaptured. Unfortunately, it is through people who are too close to it, have seen too many of these steps, and who have a vested interest in their own “piece” of the puzzle rather than the big picture.
That is why companies like ours exist. We are able to get to the deep issues, connect dots, and see the company from a 30,000 foot perspective. We can then start to rebuild the energy and thought that went into #1, no matter how big or diffused the company has become.
This is done in order to communicate to the outside world. But every single time, our effect within the walls of the organization is just as great. This, in turn, leads to an organization that lives up to its new, re-energized brand promise.
06/3/09
Opening the door: Making the connection with your audience.
Connection with your audience. The key to any good piece of marketing communications. Everyone says that, but does anyone truly know what that means? Is anyone willing to go to the lengths necessary to know their audience as well as they have to?
Just how well do you need to know someone? First, you must start with the premise that people are cynical. More than cynical. They’re downright annoyed by you. You’re the idiot in their doorway trying to sell them something they probably don’t need and they’ve got dinner on the stove with two screaming kids. Cynical people will ignore you. Cynical people roll their eyes when you try to sell them something. Cynical people might just hate you. Most will glaze right over you.
So how do you win them over? This is where the whole art/commerce thing collides, and most advertising fails. This is when you must become half “creative magician” and half “the-best-damn-salesman-there’s-ever-been”. You need to know your audience in a way that’s scary to them. In a way that will make them pause and listen.
How do you cut through? By being observant. By listening less like ad people and more like psychologists. It’s knowing that we’re all subject to the human condition, and we’re all looking for help, sympathy, empathy, gratitude, or, when all else fails, diversion. People want to be appreciated and helped. “I know exactly what’s wrong. And I can help.” If you’re dead on, they might just open the door.
There are brands that are great at this, but the vast majority just don’t get it. In this day and age of increased cynicism, people (believe it or not) are more receptive than ever to hope and optimism. The Detroit auto companies, for example, need to do more than a soft reintroduction. They need to create a movement around the premise of rebuilding America. One that makes people fall back in love with the American spirit - not necessarily just the car or the bargain du jour.
The key is knowing the specific audience and understanding the one thing that will have them open the door. Every brand has the power to do so. Every brand.
05/28/09
11 thoughts for 11 years.
As I celebrate 11 years of being in business, I look back on some of the things I’ve learned.
- We get better every day. Back in 1998, I thought I knew everything there was to know about advertising. All I really knew was how to win awards. That is not the same thing as helping our clients prosper by any stretch. Every day, I learn something that we can apply across our client spectrum to improve their business.
- The client knows more than we do. We used to walk into a room and try to out-passion people about their own businesses. This is not our job. Our job is to take their passion, help take it to the next level, and help it spread in the marketplace.
- Technology should be wrapped around fundamentals. I’ve seen web firms come and go. I’ve seen online ad agencies come and go. I’ve seen SEO companies come and go. Hell, I even recall a couple of Second Life agencies. Technology has grown so much in the last 11 years, and even in the last 11 minutes. But technology is a means to deliver proven marketing fundamentals. It is not a fundamental on its own.
- The good days are good. Getting new business. Launching a campaign after months of work. Presenting a client with a plan and a vision and a brand that gets them re-excited about why they come to work every day. Those are good days, and they make it well worth it. Heck, they even make up for the….
- The bad days are really bad. Getting a budget cut. Not getting paid for our work. Winning a pitch and then finding out it wasn’t funded. Losing business for all the wrong reasons. Internal issues. These are the bad days. And they can really wear on you in this business.
- We get to meet some of the coolest people on the planet. Celebrities. Industry movers and shakers. People with little more than an incredible idea. Their stories are so different, but remarkably inspiring. There is no other business I can think of that allows such access to unique stories, goals, visions, and dreams within deep, meaningful relationships.
- You’ve got to have fun. As a small office, we tend to drive each other insane. So we have office games (including this one called Mickless that is so perfect, I believe I could sell the concept). We joke. We rib. And we get an incredible amount of good work done on behalf of dozens of clients.
- Take a long view of successes. When I think of client engagements, 11 years gives you the ability to see not only what worked immediately, but also what is sustainable from a marketing perspective. Every agency shows you their success stories. I’m not afraid to show failures as well. After all, are you going to trust someone who claims to have never failed? How then, have they ever learned to succeed?
- Times will always be tough. The last 11 years in the State of
- Share more. I used to be afraid of letting go. Letting go of industry secrets. Of the special sauce. Of our client list. Of relationships with other partners. It took me a while to see the light, but the more you give, the more you get back. So now I share freely, ask frequently, and open my business to anyone who wants to look. If you can replicate it, go for it. But you can’t.
- Eleven things on a list? Unnecessary. Brevity is still king. If you can’t sum up things quickly, you’re doing it wrong. This blog post has gone on way too long, and if I’m being honest, there was diminishing returns after about 4.
05/26/09
Viral marketing: Catching lightning in a bottle.
In meetings, seminars, and even the occasional new business presentation, we get asked the following questions more than a few times:
- How can we get seen on YouTube?
- Can’t we just create something viral?
Both questions are pointing to the same underlying questions. How can one create something viral and ensure that it is seen everywhere? And furthermore, without a budget to back it up? Answer: can’t be done.
Consider the following stats:
- Every minute, ten hours of video is uploaded to YouTube (YouTube.com)
- Some 53% of YouTube's videos have fewer than 500 views (TubeMogul)
- About 30% have less than 100 views (TubeMogul)
- Just 0.33% have more than 1 million views (TubeMogul)
In other words, you can’t ever count on anything becoming viral. It happens more organically, and in a less controlled manner than you can possibly image. Plus, without the benefit of sending people there via a more traditional media buy, it may never be seen.
If a video gets posted on YouTube and no one watches it, is it still a video?
YouTube is a perfectly good tool. But again, it is not a plan. Your odds of having something take off on YouTube are about the same as winning the lottery. Is that how you’d like to conduct business?
05/20/09
Ann Arbor graphic design firms, interactive agencies, advertising agencies, unite.
Ann Arbor is a small, but extremely talented hotbed of interactive agencies, integrated marketing companies, graphic designers, strategic marketing firms, creative boutiques, SEO companies, and marketing consultants.
But we don’t do a good job of helping one another. Actually, we’re terrible at it.
It is a very competitive business, for certain. But those cities that have had national success have been able to accomplish a great deal through collaboration. Portland. Minneapolis. These are cities that have built creative Meccas around companies competing – but sharing along the way. When an entire region becomes known for something, it helps everyone – the big companies and the boutiques.
Several companies (ours included) have been fortunate enough to create great work for high-profile clientele. Put us all together, and Ann Arbor has one heckuva stellar national resume. But it would be difficult for any major brand to add Ann Arbor or even the Detroit area into the conversation.
First, I intend to look in the mirror. For too long, Phire has been fairly silent in the local advertising, design, and interactive communities. Frankly, we’ve been busy. But the only way for the entire area to rise up to national status of “must go” places for major pitches, we must all get along. Starting…now.
05/19/09
Inspiring Change: Creating a Movement v Cutting Down a Tree
I read a book recently called the Golden Spruce about a disgruntled outdoorsman and former logger turned quasi environmentalist who cut down a 300+ year old tree to make a point about deforestation. His goal was to bring attention to the deforestation of the Pacific Northwest and inspire people to put an end to a particularly hideous form of “strip logging.” The tree was an important fixture in the local indigenous culture, and was known around the world for its incredible and unique beauty. The story ended horribly with the “environmentalist” dying on the lamb and the indigenous people feeling more isolated and alienated from their dying culture. The deforestation of the Pacific rainforest continues. His heart may have been in the right place, but his tactics were clearly misguided.
This got me thinking about efforts we have been involved with, in which we have tried to affect behavioral change. We have had the most success when we have spurred the development of a movement, and empowered individuals to contribute/act in a positive manner. We have found that hope and positive change are much better motivators than fear and destruction. This is illustrated by work that I have done with Energy Star, as well as our University of Michigan Planet Blue initiative (case study available from our website). In both cases, we used themes of empowerment and inspiration to compel individuals to get involved and be a part of a broader movement. The Energy Star Change a Light, Change the World campaign has achieved great success by giving individuals relatively small, simple tasks (change a light bulb, etc.) which are tied to a greater good. The same can be said with Planet Blue, in which we have motivated individuals throughout the University with small tasks to reduce energy usage (turning down the thermostat, turning off lights, etc.). We have created a community in which people can witness the involvement and success of their peers, and have spurred a friendly competition to perform energy savings acts.
Contrast that with efforts that have taken a more negative tone, focusing on destruction and fear as motivating factors. For years, Greenpeace has tried to use images of dying baby seals and fear to drive environmental awareness. While they have certainly achieved a good amount of notoriety, it can be safely stated that they have alienated and turned off as many people as they have inspired. The same may be said of PETA and their negative efforts (blood on fur coats, etc.). We may even draw parallels from the recent presidential campaign, with one candidate focusing on hope and change, while the other used mostly negative attacks.
The rise of social networking may have a lot to do with the success of more positive/change driven initiatives. It is now possible to communicate, inspire and motivate individuals in a much more immediate and task driven manner. Social networking is a huge component of the Planet Blue efforts, and has been given much credit for Obama’s victory.
However, I hope the success of the positive/inspiring efforts speak more to our human spirit, and our ability to inspire and act collectively towards a common goal.
(Mike Rouech)
05/17/09
The Basis of Marketing: Changing the Conversation.
A small marketing firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan can change the world. We firmly believe that, or we wouldn’t be in business. We’re not looking to start a revolution, mind you. We just want to change conversations, influence perspectives, and replace misconceptions with realities – one organization at a time.
Marketing professionals, after some time, fall into two camps. There are those who want to affect people through pure creative – more of a gut instinct. And there are those who are very analytical and want to affect charts, and will only consider numbers when doing so.
Very few go back to the fundamental basis for what all marketing is aimed at: changing the conversation. Think about it: very few of your (or anyone else’s) decisions are unilateral. When purchasing a product or using a service, you usually consult at least one other person. Therefore, you have to affect both decision maker and influencer. If there are negative perceptions in the marketplace, these can be death to a brand whether they are real or imagined. If your perception didn’t come from a direct experience, chances are it came from a simple and seemingly harmless conversation.
Consider this: a recent study illustrated that a full 30% of all negative recommendations were given by individuals who never used the product or service they were asked about. This frightening statistic means that they are relaying others’ experiences in a kind of negative evangelism. Brands do a good job of steering initial conversations, but do little to provide defense of this negative conversation. And these tend to be the ones we recall the most.
At Phire, we are involved in the beginning stages of a corporate turnaround/rebranding effort for a new client (one of our specialties). The issue is not the reality… they have plenty of positive things happening internally. However, due to a lack of information and actively presented to the public, people have filled in the blanks themselves. These blanks went negative (they always do), and the negatives became the known truth.
It is not our job to change the organization. It is our job to change the conversation. And to do so, we must be bold, loud, creative, and above all – truthful. Then and only then can we move momentum toward a more positive direction, and give customers the talking points and experiences to complete the turnaround.
It takes a lot to change the conversation. But it is not a matter of pushing a 10 ton boulder up a hill. It is more like trying to convince thousands of people to each carry a tiny stone up that very same hill. And for them to tell all their friends to consider doing the very same thing.
05/11/09
The new world of Pre-Customer Relationship Management
In this quickly-changing day and age, it is difficult to navigate the shifting world and its new rules. It used to be a fairly straightforward model of either 1) someone is interested in your product or service based on an ad or referral and contacts you directly. Or 2) based on direct cold calling, nagging, and/or visits, you finally get through. It was a fairly straightforward “do you want to dance?” followed by an abrupt “yes” or “no”.
Today, this model is very different. Through various means, the customer can now find everything out about you first. They can visit your website countless times. They can instantly find out what activities you are involved in. They can follow you on the various social networking sites. In other words, you need to prove to them that you are legitimate, smart, relevant, and offer something beyond your product or service. You must develop leadership and show results on a consistent basis. It’s “Pre-Customer Relationship Management.”
This development is a positive one for people who are competent, results-oriented, and have excellent reputations. Your brand is no longer your own. You can create and nurture it, build a look and feel, arm people with talking points, etc. But ultimately, you cannot put a brand façade around a broken company anymore. You must create a brand that showcases the very best a company has to offer.
To further the dance analogy, if you ask a customer to dance, they no longer say yes or no right away. They say “show me what you’ve got” and watch you dance for a while. They go around the room and ask if you’re a good dancer based on other people’s experience. They look and see if you’ve won any dance competitions in the past. They attend a dance seminar in which you are the teacher. Finally, after all that, they may say “yes”.
The bad news in this new world is that if you are a bad dancer, you will remain a lonely wallflower. But if you are good, present yourself well, follow up, and are exceptional at what you do, you will be able to dance until you drop.
I took that analogy way too far, but you get the point. Marketing today is about being extremely active – and backing up what you say every day with actions.
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