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Dec 01 2008

Entries Tagged as 'WoM'

Monty Python: Legalize it!

November 20th, 2008 : Earned Media · Marketing · Social Media · Video · WoM

A great sales negotiating tool is to identify objections early and address them up front - take them off the table.  How to get qaulity Monty Python content online has not been the easiest thing to do - not in a legal manner.  All that has changed.

Rather than sue those that put their content on YouTube (at various quality levels), they have created a YouTube Monty Python channel. And they are putting their content out there and as you will see in the video, asking for their audience ot go and buy their content. Taking the objectionable behaviour off the table, Monty Python gets it.  They get Social Media.  They get consumer Behavior.  And I hope they get monetary rewards.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

Will they sell more?  Who knows!

Are they reaching new audiences - Absolutely.

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Delta changes flight path after bloggers give feedback

November 18th, 2008 : Blogging · Social Media · WoM

Hot on the heals of the Motrinmoms apology, Delta reversed course on a decision that angered its platinum members.

While not exactly the same as this was a policy decision and not an ad, compare the email each commenter got  from Delta:

We heard you loud and clear.

Since we launched our Coach Choice Seats program that impacted Medallion® access to Preferred Seats, we’ve received substantial feedback from Medallion members like you, and your dissatisfaction was crystal clear.

Retaining your long-term loyalty is of paramount importance to us, and we’re not afraid to change course when we need to. Therefore, effective November 18th, we will revert back to the original Preferred Seat program offering Medallions unrestricted access to Preferred Seats.

Simply put: Medallion members will be able to book any of the seats you used to enjoy at the time of booking and without a charge.

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Facebook Reality - Friday Night Smiles

November 14th, 2008 : Earned Media · Social Media · Video · Viral Videos · WoM

This has been around for a while but is no less entertaining now and it is still doing the rounds.  The concept is quite laughable actually, but we still do it.

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

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Ford Mustang 2010 Competition

November 8th, 2008 : Commercials · Experience · Marketing · Social Media · Strategy · Viral Videos · WoM

Scott Monty, my former crayon colleague, is now head of Social Media at Ford.  They have a gem of a site about the Ford Mustang. One of my favorite videos was Father’s Day.  Gotta admit, I shed a tear :-).  Great piece.

Loved the approach for introducing the 2010 Mustang.  Besides the leaks of images and info and other approaches, Ford did the following here:

1. They setup as this tribute site to the Mustang

2. Their passionate Mustang fans submitted stories and videos

3. they ran a competition with a phenomenal prize - the 2010 Mustang

4. The public voted for the winner

5. They had a written and a video section so ludites and technos could enter

6. The stories and videos are entertaining, funny, touching.

7. They can be easily shared

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Yes We Can - Another Long Walk to Freedom

November 6th, 2008 : Earned Media · Experience · Life · Motivation · Social Media · Strategy · Video · Viral Videos · WoM

November 4, 2008 was an amazing night for America. An African American man wins the general election running as an American who happens to be African American. Many thought that people’s vote may have been swayed by race.  In the end it wasn’t even close and America showed that it has come a long way. And many Americans are pretty proud of that, whatever the outcome of the Obama Presidency. With all the problems we face in America, last night was an elixir for many.
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I have been privileged to have witnessed similar history before and the emotions this time were seemingly different, but yet the same. Except this time – it was happening around me. Last time, I watched from across an ocean as Nelson Mandela walked out of jail a free man. After spending a lifetime incarcerated because of his strong will and quest for justice, peace, freedom and equal rights regardless of race color or creed. And shortly thereafter I watched as people lined up for hours (some waited overnight) around city blocks and in rural areas as all South Africans voted, many for the very first time. And Mandela was elected President of nation divided for so long, yet hopeful for a new future and at the same time fearful of the unknown.  The first black President of a country that never imagined or thought that they would get there anytime soon.

Mandela sworn in as President

“We have fought for a democratic constitution since the 1880s. Ours has been a quest for a constitution freely adopted by the people of South Africa, reflecting their wishes and their aspirations. The struggle for democracy has never been a matter pursued by one race, class, religious community or gender among South Africans. In honouring those who fought to see this day arrive, we honour the best sons and daughters of all our people. We can count amongst them Africans, Coloureds, Whites, Indians, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Jews – all of them united by a common vision of a better life for the people of this country.”Nelson Mandela at Cape Town’s City Hall on the day he was elected President of South Africa.

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Social Media Collaboration Age of Conversation 2 Benefits Charity

October 29th, 2008 : Blogging · Marketing · Social Media · WoM

Today marks the launch of Age of Conversation 2, a collaboration of 237 marketing professionals who blog in the U.S. and 15 other countries.  The submissions are categorized into 5 subjects all referencing the role of  conversation in marketing today.

The brainchild of bloggers Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton, took off last year after they  invited other marketing professionals to commit to writing essays about conversation.  They had 103 contributors in seven days and raised over $15,000 for Variety, the international children’s charity.

This time around, they have 237 authors - 236 plus Moi.  The new book is now available in three formats – an e-book, softcover and hardcover.  All proceeds will again be donated to Variety, the international children’s charity.

Pricing for The Age of Conversation 2 is:

  • e-book: US$12.50  ($10.00 going to charity)
  • paperback book: US$19.95 ($8.02 to charity)

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The Power of Influencers

October 24th, 2008 : Blogging · Motivation · Social Media · WoM

Chuck Westbrook is out to help bloggers who write great content reach the audience they deserve.  Writing a blog is not easy.  Finding a voice, finding time to write, formatting, checking and getting your posts to say what you feel and then doing it again and again with no feedback gets old quickly.  And the motivation for staying the course may change for some and for others they just opt out and stop blogging.

Chuck has a great idea where influential bloggers will “introduce” blogs with good content to their audiences and rotate these under appreciated gems every two weeks.  Sounds like a great idea for the blogging community to support its fledgling brethren.

I for one would be honored to be considered as having great content and included.  I will have to post more consistently which I am sure is easier to do with a larger audience.  It is a bit of a cart behind the horse thing.

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Price-hikes do not always deliver

October 6th, 2008 : Experience · Finance · Service · Strategy · WoM

MarketingProfs Get to the Point: Invest 60 seconds in your SMALL BUSINESS newsletter refers to Seth Godin’s post “Breakage” to discuss “The Price-Hike Gamble”. The post discusses the how small successive increases lead to a breaking point at which you the customer bolts. As Seth points out:

My car insurance bill has been steadily rising, year after year, despite the fact that I have a clean record. The logic, I’m sure, was, “well, let’s raise it a little and see who quits…”

If revenue increases enough to make up for the few who quit, you come out ahead. So, quarter after quarter, year after year, repeat the same process. Raise it a little, check to see if revenue rises in aggregate, and repeat.

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Social Media Vigilantes

August 20th, 2008 : Earned Media · Experience · Service · Web Experience · WoM

Mitch Joel writes an interesting post Does A Social Media Vigilante Mean Equal Customer Service Justice For All? where he talks about social media vigilantes who name names in trying to build their own brand and obtain some form of resolution, retribution and/or compensation for poor service.

Mitch takes a different path and chooses to use his base to educate through highlighting issues, not companies and the fact patterns, responses and implications of the responses as opportunities for learning. By not creating sensationalist headlines that leverage brand names, Mitch highlights issues which becomes a positive force for change in an engaged way. Screaming at companies “Hey look at me and my crowd” while demanding things is not an easy way to win friends and influence results at a company. Most companies see the result as setting a precedent for others to follow and feel they are “damned if they do and damned if they don’t.”

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The power of community and partnership

July 13th, 2008 : Experience · Life · Service · WoM

People on a check-in line and passengers on a plane are part of short lived communities. Shared experiences, common goals and a whole host of other things regardless of whether they are good or bad. One of our Social Media brethren has been off on a “Delta Skelter”. Based on my recent experience where Delta caused me to miss my flight to South Africa, I have thought a lot about the meaning of the power of community, partnership and dialogue.

 

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