From fixed to fluid ... static to dynamic. It's all changed.

Recently I received notification from one of my former clients proudly announcing publication of their new brochure.  On paper.  Now, in the second decade of the twenty-first century there still is a role for printed materials, though that role is diminishing quickly.  What worried me is that the website that they have is pretty lame.  So, they've proudly spent good money putting ink on paper which will reach a limited audience ... and are missing the boat on a technology that has virtually unlimited reach and interactivity with minimal cost.

In this brave new world, adapting to change isn't just about communication.  Many marketers who think they're "on it" congratulate themselves because they're on the web ... or dabble in social media.   But there's more - much more - that has changed and more - much more - when it comes to opportunities.  The bottom line is:  virtually nothing is static - virtually everything is dynamic.  Almost everything is fluid.  Change is pervasive. 

Consider ...

Dynamic packaging.  It's already happened in travel where prepackaged tours have given way to dynamically packaged tour products custom tailored to the individual.

Dynamic pricing.  The airlines and hotels have figured this out - but dynamic pricing is moving into traditional retail.  In the future there may be no "fixed price" for anything. 

Dynamic distribution.  In Korea and China custoemrs can shop by scanning a QR code projected onto any wall - creating a virtual store.  The future of this is mind-boggling. 

It's time for marketers to take the revolution in technology seriously and ride the wave of change.  And not wipe out. 

What will the world look like 25 years from now?

I was speaking with a colleague in the hospitality field the other day and we were reminiscing about the changes we've seen over the years.  One comment from my friend was a remembrance of a time when smoking was allowed on airline flights.  Another (much younger) colleague couldn't believe that smoking was ever allowed on flights.  I sure do.  Despite separating smoking and non-smoking sections, flying meant sitting in an enclosed space smelling of stale smoke. 

I also remember traveling on trains which had "smoking cars."  Walking to the dining car often meant walking through cars that were like gas chambers. 

I also worked in an advertising agency that did the advertising for the Philip Morris tobacco company.  One of the executives had a sign in his office that said "Of Course I Don't Mind If You Smoke."  That would be pretty unthinkable today.

Speaking of advertising, I remember the days when cigaret ads touted "smooth flavor."  And there were even claims that smoking had benefits of calming your nerves.  And, long ago, ads even featured health care professionals endorsing cigaret brands. 

I could go on (though I feel really old when I do).  I remember cars without seat belts.  Airports without security.  Wow.

I wonder what unforeseeable changes will be happening over the next 25 years or so.

Charlatans in Marketing

I recently saw a television ad for a hearing aid center in Hawaii which announced research findings linking hearing loss to Alzheimer's disease ... and then went on to pitch their hearing aid products. 

The research is real (if not definitive):

Older adults who experience hearing loss may be at increased risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. And the risk of dementia likely increases as hearing loss worsens.  (from WebMD)

The problem, of course, is that getting a hearing aid doesn't do anything at all to diminish that risk.  The advertiser in this case stooped to very crude (and false) scare tactics to sell a product.

I don't often get directly involved in false or misleading advertising issues.  But, in this case, I think it's worth a call to the Better Business Bureau.  Marketers have an image problem with the public - and cases like this don't help at all.  

Faster than the speed of ... well, good sense

The Internet and social media have driven marketers to do things quickly.  Very quickly.  Sometimes too quickly.  Often, it's great to catch a wave of interest in a current topic, and FaceBook and Twitter provide instant opportunities to get out into the ether.  If posting and tweeting is delegated to someone whose primary interest is getting out quickly, though, there may not be enough thought about the content of the message.

The latest case in point (maybe victim is a better word) is the Campbell Soup Company, makers of SpaghettiOs.  They posted this happy little mascot in a celebratory stance to "remember Pearl Harbor."  Well, whoever posted this may have forgotten that Pearl Harbor was a "Day of Infamy" and that the remembrance is anything but a celebration.

The company ended up making a public apology ... and their gaffe was covered by major media. 

There's a danger, sometimes, in moving too fast.  I wonder if any of the marketing execs actually reviewed this image before it was tweeted. 
 

Creating Appeal

Virgin America's New Safety Video

There's not much more boring than an inflight safety video.  Which is why so many passengers don't watch them.  I've posted non-traditional, creative examples before (Thompson Air using kids ... Air New Zealand using body-painted flight crews).   Click here for yet another example from Virgin America.   Yes, fellow marketers, creativity can change behavior.  It can even entice people to engage in something that's inherently boring. 
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Innovation Can Be Anywhere

When marketers think about innovation and creativity, they generally think about products and promotion ... and ignore all the other elements of the marketing mix.  Some of the most innovative marketing ideas, though, have been in packaging, distribution and pricing.

Sometimes it doesn't even cost anything to be innovative.  When I worked for Hawaii Pizza Hut, I had a regular meeting with the Wyerhaeuser Corporation - the company that made our boxes.  Usually, we just talked about what promotional message should be printed on the box.  Once I asked them what ideas they might have for us.  After some thought, they suggested perforating the top of the cardboard box ... so that the cardboard could be pulled apart to create individual "serving plates" for the pizza. They even perforated little holes for a thumb and a finger to hold the plate.  The innovation cost virtually nothing because Wyerhaeuser had to make a die to cut the box anyway.  But this innovative little feature provided just a little extra value for the customer.  I personally love it when I see an innovation that makes me say "aha!" (like the first time I saw an automobile with cup holders).

For some more great (and creative) packaging ideas, click here.  You'll see that creativity knows no bounds. 

Great Logos

Brand Identification and Logo design are critical elements in creating a personality that can telegraph the essence of a brand ... especially if they're well designed.

Here's one for Wineforest - which cleverly integrates the two images in its name.  For more designs with double entendres and clever imagery, click here to see a gallery of great logos.

The "Friendly Skies" Are Back. (At Least the Tagline Is)

After many years of spending many millions of dollars on forgettable advertising, United Airlines has re-introduced its "friendly skies" tagline.  Through all the years that United was trying to create other branding messages, the "friendly skies" line wouldn't go away.  That's the power of a strong brand.  Pilots mentioned the friendly skies in their public address announcements ... as did flight attendants.  Why the airline ever abandoned the line is a mystery to me.  Sometimes marketers just get tired of a positioning line, even though it is incredibly well-entrenched in the consumer's mind.

The new campaign attempts to make the "friendly skies" mean something in terms of routes, in-flight service, equipment. on time performance and other attributes.  That's a nice evolution for the campaign.

The hard part is living up to the promise.  Let's see how friendly the skies really are.  

Cultural Context Still Matters

Though the world is becoming more "flat" every day, there are still cultural distinctions that make a difference when it comes to understanding people - and marketing to them.

I recently went to Sri Lanka for some business meetings.  While there, I needed some toothpaste, so I bought a local brand:  Sudantha.  The labeling on the tube of toothpaste had all the right assurances.  The product fights cavities and helps remove plaque.  When I opened the tube, I got a surprise.  The toothpaste was BROWN.  Why was I surprised?  Because in our western culture, brown is associated with things like decay or products turning bad.  Apparently, that's not the case in South Asia.  While American toothpaste is white or brightly colored, Sudantha was a dingy brown.  When I used the product, I got another surprise.  The flavor was not peppermint, but another spice - probably cardamom.  So, the lesson here is what is appropriate in one culture may seem odd in another.

Take superstitions such as lucky or unlucky numbers.  In western culture, the unlucky number is "13" and many buildings don't have a 13th floor. In China, however, 4 is the unlucky number because the Chinese word for "four" sounds like the Chinese word for death.  So retailers avoid the number four in pricing ... buildings avoid the number four when numbering floors ... and hotel rooms often don't have the number four in them.  While in western culture superstition only goes so far, in China, the unlucky number superstition can be pervasive.  Buildings not only don't have a fourth floor - they don't have a fourteenth floor or a twenty-fourth floor, either.  In the photo, this Shanghai building not only avoids "four" but in a nod to multi-cultural superstition, it eliminates the thirteenth floor as well  Western marketers coming into China would be well advised to understand deep-rooted cultural beliefs such as unlucky numbers.  By the way, the "lucky number" in China is the number eight because in Chinese it sounds like the word for wealth or prosperity.

It can be embarrassing (or worse) when cultural taboos are ignored or misunderstood.

Kadomatsu

During the New Year season I wanted to send a token of respect and wishes for good luck to a Japanese client.  New Year is a big event in Japan with many deep rooted traditions.  One of these is for companies and homes to display something called a "kadomatsu."  This traditional display consists of three bamboo stalks and pine boughs.  I ordered one from a florist and felt very good about my cultural sensitivity and my business savvy in recognizing the client's special holiday.  A few days after the display was delivered, I got a note in the mail from the client.  I expected a "thank you" note, but the message essentially asked why I was wishing them bad luck.  Unfortunately, the florist that I ordered the kadomatsu from decided to spruce up the display by adding chrysanthemums to it.  In Japan, these showy white flowers are used in funerals and are the symbol of death.

Marketers:  while the world is flattening, watch out for cultural difference that can mean success or failure in your international business.  

Everything Matters - Even The Little Things

As Hawaii implements the insurance exchange as part of the Affordable Care Act, the state is running advertising telling people that they can call for assistance in signing up.

Good idea.

The ad that they created features a service representative ... named "Doodie."  Now, I'm sure Doodie is a very nice and competent service representative.  But her name ... ???   The affordable care act is having a very tough time being taken seriously, and featuring a service representative with an unusual name probably doesn't add gravitas to the message.  I'm sure they had choices in selecting a featured service counselor.  They should have thought of the little things - and how they can affect communication - when doing the casting.   

Environment Matters in Advertising

I was watching the Food Network the other night and was surprised (stunned, really) when a Taco Bell commercial came on. 

The incredible thing about the fracturing of media is that the content can now be very narrowly programmed.  So, all of the content on the Food Network is about food .... and aimed at foodies.  In that programming environment, the advertiser can feel assured that the audience will be receptive to messages about kitchen equipment, ingredients, travel, high end restaurants and other topics that foodies may be interested in. 

So, I was very surprised to see Taco Bell in this environment.  Don't get me wrong.  I used to do the local advertising for Taco Bell in Hawaii ... and it is a fine product for the right target group.  The logical target group for Taco Bell is heavy users of fast food.  These people (mostly younger men) want to fill up ... for not very much money.  They're not necessarily thinking about quality. 

I think that, in the past, Taco Bell has had a reasonably good position aimed at these guys (yes, they're
mostly guys).  "Think Outside the Bun" told these users who go to fast food operations multiple times a week that Taco Bell is a great break from a burger routine.  But Taco Bell, despite its many benefits, isn't necessarily going to be a strong competitor when it comes to quality food and foodie interests.

So, in crude terms, the Taco Bell advertising on the Food Network delivered eyeballs for the client.  But probably not their hearts and minds (or stomachs).

Clever? Or Too Clever??

There is something to be said for witty advertising ... as long as the wittiness doesn't get in the way of communication.  The challenge for advertisers is to develop advertising where cleverness enhances rather than diminishes communications. 

Here's an ad that's probably on the borderline between good and awful communications.

This is an ad for the Ford Explorer which ran in a travel magazine:  National Geographic Traveler. 

The creative team that was given the assignment was obviously aware that this would be seen in a travel environment. 

The headline they created "Trinidad OR Tobago?" is based on the notion that readers of National Geographic Traveler know about the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.  So, they decided to be clever and write an ad that had a play on the name of the islands.  This can be effective sometimes because it causes the reader to stop and think ("isn't it supposed to be Trinidad AND Tobago?")

But, what does all this have to do with the Ford Explorer?

The connection is made in the relatively small-font copy:  "Best-in-class highway fuel efficiency and 7-passenger seating.  And is better."   It's a stretch that many people will really get the connection.

One measure of effective advertising is whether the casual reader or viewer can "get" the message if they are just scanning the media.  In this case, the message works (kinda) if one takes the time to read the copy.  If you are just glancing at the magazine, you may not even know that this is an ad for the Explorer.  The name is buried in even smaller type below the copy block. 

Good advertising?  I'll let the reader decide.  But whoever reviewed and approved this ad should ask hard questions about its effectiveness. 

What WERE They Thinking??

There are "creative" advertising people who believe that their title is a license to be weird.  In fact, there are a number of these people who think that unless their advertising ideas push the boundaries of good taste or good communication that they're not being "creative."  Many times in my advertising career, I've had to pull creatives back from work that was just plain bizarre - but which they described as creative.

If you need an example of what I'm talking about, take a look at this (believe it or not) real ad for Velveeta.  This is an ad that was developed by "creatives."  What's incredible is that ostensibly rational people reviewed this approved it ... and spent good money to place it in the media.

 The headline of the ad is truly bizarre.  What does it mean to "smite" Velveeta Cheesy Skillets?  The dictionary definitions I found say it means:
1. To hit hard, esp. with the hand.
2. To kill by smiting.
3. To impress powerfully. 

Nope.  The definition of smite doesn't make sense of the headline.

You probably can't read the line under the picture of the packages, but it reads:  "Just add ground beef or chicken, apprentice."

Apprentice?  Maybe they are trying for a pirate theme?  Maybe the creative team was on drugs. 

I bet that this ad is in some creative's portfolio.  I hope that he or she never gets hired if this is an example of their work.

There was an old saying at Benton & Bowles advertising that still rings true today.  "It's not creative unless it sells."  I suspect this ad isn't doing any selling. 

Fat Finger Foibles

A recent news story reported that advertising revenue related to hand held devices have tripled in the past year.  In a separate story, it was noted that many digital users are inadvertently clicking on online ads on their digital devices because a) the screens are small and b) their fingers are big. 

I play a solitaire game on my smartphone that has banner ads right next to the touch point to deal a new card and I have (more than a few times) inadvertently clicked onto a banner ad.  Of course, each time I do, the advertiser is being billed for a click through.

I wonder how much money is being wasted by advertisers who think they're getting a live prospect ... but instead have found someone with fat fingers?

Signs of the Times

I was recently at a meeting at Kauai Community College and encountered a sign that said "Marketing and

Sales Servery."  Now I know what marketing and sales are.  I think I'm a pretty educated person, but I have no idea what a "servery" is.  When I got home I looked it up and it's something like a pass through window or a service counter.  So, why didn't they say that?

Signs are soooo important and we often forget that others don't have the foggiest idea about our jargon.  This is the "curse of knowledge."  We know what we mean and we assume others do too.

On the campus of Kapiolani Community College there are lots of examples of the curse of knowledge.  Just walking around I've seen signs for "TREO."  TREO is an advising program, but the sign doesn't explain itself.  Even more confusing, we have named a lot of programs with Hawaiian names - which is good because we want to be culturally sensitive.  But, we have to translate and explain them in order to make them intelligible for the uninitiated.  We have a program called Kahikoluamea which is a remedial learning program.  But to find out about remedial learning on our website, you have to search for Kahikoluamea.  We have a transfer program called Kaieie.  There's a sign on the Kaieie  office with deadlines and registration requirements - without ever telling the reader what Kaieie is.

We all need to get outside of our skin to escape the curse of knowledge.

Stop the Bandwagon, I Want to Get Off

Marketing is becoming ever more complicated.  In addition to worrying about demographics, psychographics and the other traditional ways of understanding consumer behavior, we are now faced with understanding the impact of the technology revolution.  In fact, in a seminal book titled Groundswell the authors coined a new term:  technographics.  The point is that different people have different degrees of technology savvy. 

By the way, embracing technology is not perfectly correlated with age.  There are boomers who are tech savvy and boomers who are tech clueless.  There are grandmothers who embrace technology when the use Skype to see the grand-kids or enrich their retirement with Facebook postings.  Even among the "digital natives" (those born since the development of the Internet) there are degrees of tech savvy-ness.  

Marketers have to understand that there is no longer a common denominator when it comes to technology IQ.  Marketing messages probably need to be delivered through different media to reach the variety of technographic groups out there. 

 

 I was recently at a meeting at Hawaii Public Radio where volunteers were being briefed on the upcoming fund drive.  One of the volunteers - a tech savvy digital native - let loose with an indictment of how everything has been done in the fund drive.  She had been invited to the meeting by a snail mail letter.  A letter!  She said "no one reads letters anymore."  She noted that in the on-air drive, the telephones ring with a conventional ring tone.  She said "no phones sound like that anymore."  She went on and on.  Everything that was old technology was anathema and should be dumped. There was general agreement.  "Yes!  We need to change everything." 

But wait a minute.  The speaker's technographic category was very high-tech media savvy.  A lot of the Public Radio audience probably isn't.  So, if Public Radio dumped all of its existing approaches to fundraising, it would be very relevant for a highly engaged technographic group - and puzzling (at best) to technographic neophytes. 

Marketing has become very complicated.  In this instance, Public Radio needs separate strategies for different technographic groups. 

Nobody said this is easy. 

Passion and Dispassion: The Ying and Yang of Marketing Success

Some marketers fail because they are so passionate about their product or service that they can't see marketplace danger looming in front of them.  "Everyone should buy my product because it's wonderful."  Many a brand has sunk beneath the waves because of marketing hubris.

Some marketers fail because they are too dispassionate.  They don't take risks.  They don't value creativity.  They make lookalike products.  And they are outflanked and out-marketed by those who develop new and innovative solutions to customer needs and wants. 

The very best marketers are left-brain, right-brain folks.  Ying and Yang.  Passionate, but real.  It's hard to find that balance, but essential for success in the marketplace. 

The Hobgoblin of Little Minds?

Someone once described consistency as "the hobgoblin of little minds."  The point, I suppose, is that slavish consistency stifles creativity.  And that's true.  However, for marketers, once the creative process has taken place and we've selected a preferred position for our product or service ... consistency is a good thing.  The consumer is not sitting around thinking about us all day, so consistency helps reinforce the creative position that we've selected. 

The very best marketers are, indeed, very consistent.  taglines, type fonts, colors, tone, training, etc., etc. are all consistent with the image that we want to convey to our publics.  Bad marketers, on the other hand, are all over the place. 

I was watching a Subaru television commercial recently which ended with the announcer delivering the line:  Love ... It's what makes a Subaru a Subaru.  Now, I'm not bowled over by that line (I'm not exactly sure what it means), but the commercial was generally about a loving relationship and I took the line to be Subaru's tagline and I expected to see that line come up under the logo at the end of the spot.  Surprise.  It isn't the tagline at all.  At the end of the spot the logo came up with the tabline:  Subaru.  Confidence in Motion.  I'm not bowled over by that line, either, but the spot didn't have anything to do with confidence in motion.  And having two different lines is just confusing.  What is Subaru all about, anyway?  Love?  Or, Confidence. 

So consistency isn't the hobgoblin of little minds when it comes to clear communications. 

Marketing is MUCH more than promotion ...

I'm back after an August blogging break (too much going on before school reopens).

Over the summer, one of the big stories was the bankruptcy filing for the city of Detroit.  That reminded me of an incident when I was teaching a masters level marketing class. 

The assignment was to "reposition" a product or service.  Repositioning is usually done when you have a troubled product and you use all of the marketing tools to "reposition" it to make it vibrant and relevant again.  One of the first assignments in my career was to work on a Procter & Gamble product that had just been "repositioned."  Cheer detergent went from being a product that specialized in "whiteness" to an all temperature product that worked on a whole array of laundry needs.  Cheer's business doubled.  Do I believe in repositioning?  You bet.

I asked for the students in my class to identify the product or service they planned to reposition.  One of the students chose Detroit.  (She was from there).  Great, I thought, what a terrific challenge.  Her paper, however, fell well short of what was needed for repositioning.  She developed a series of taglines and advertising and some media strategies that were her solution to Detroit's marketing needs.  The problem is that Detroit needs much more than a clever tagline to reposition itself.  She ignored the need to fix the product, and no amount of advertising will address that. In fact there's a famous marketing saying that the best way to kill a bad product is great advertising. 

Can Detroit be turned around?  A very difficult challenge, but yes.  Other cities have done it. 

I lived in Cleveland during my high school years - when pollution was so bad that the Cuyahoga River actually caught fire.  The city has cleaned up its act.  In fact, the area by the river (called "the flats") has been transformed from a gritty industrial slum to a trendy bar and restaurant scene.  The city attracted the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Nearby Canton has the NFL Hall of Fame.  And, while Cleveland isn't as vibrant as some other cities, it's come a long, long way from being the city where the river caught fire. 

San Diego transformed itself from a one industry (navy) town to a center for biotech research. 

Sante Fe, New Mexico has become an arts mecca. 

Ogden, Utah (of all places) is a high tech center. 

Detroit can turn itself around, but it will have to look into its own soul and find out what the city can change to make it relevant and attractive.  Then - and only then - can it blow its horn with clever advertising. 

My student, unfortunately, didn't get a very good grade on her paper.  But, it had lots of notes in the margin. 

Customer Service by the Numbers

Focus, focus, focus. The essence of targeting.

Targeting should be one of the easiest concepts to understand in marketing.  Here's the deal:  Not everyone cares about everything.  Males don't care about feminine products.  Seniors don't generally get excited about video games.  People with modest means don't consider buying a Mercedes.  It goes way beyond that but you get the idea.

Once you settle on your target market, everything you do should flow from that.  Product, store decor, pricing, packaging, etc. etc.  Companies like Disney are masters at that.  Everything that has the Disney brand is all about kids and families.

When I was doing the marketing for Hawaii Pizza Hut, we were very focused on the family market (adults 25-49 with children at home).  Domino's pizza went after a mostly male target.  Little Caesar's went for young adults who wanted cheap pizza.  As a family brand, we weren't the cheapest option but we were high quality ... and we had a brand that was family friendly.  Our promotions were family oriented (the Book It reading program, cross promotions with family entertainment partners).  Our restaurants didn't have distracting video games that parents find annoying.  We didn't cater to large sports teams.  We didn't emphasize alcohol on our menu.  People got to know us ... and know who we were and what we stood for.

When branding is successfully focused on a particular target audience, a prospect will feel right at home interfacing with the company.  I don't feel comfortable walking around Nieman Marcus because it isn't geared for me, but I'm right at home in Macy's.

Papa John's pizza just launched a marketing program offering 50% savings to anyone over 50 years old (with proof of age and a savings card from Papa John's).  Pizza isn't a food that is consumed in any great quantity by seniors.  So, if Papa John's thinks they're going to build new volume with this
promotion, I think they're mistaken.  Seniors (unlike teens and young adults) don't generally say "let's get a pizza tonight."  So to the extent that they are redirecting marketing money to a target that is not well suited to their product - they're wasting their money.

Targeting is so simple.  Find a group that has an affinity for your product ... build a compelling product and value offering for them ... and stick with it. 

Sincerity in Communications

Companies and organizations are training front line employees to be polite – and that’s a good thing.  But sometimes the training can lead to insincere, ridiculous or even robotic communications. 

Let’s start with an example that doesn’t even involve a human.  When you insert your identification card into a First Hawaiian Bank automated teller ("Otto") the first screen that comes up says "Welcome!  It is our pleasure to serve you."  Really?  The machine is getting a kick out of the transaction?  I don’t think so.  This is a case of a ridiculous attempt to be polite.  It would be perfectly appropriate to say “Thank you for using Otto” or something similar.  But I find it ridiculous when someone programs a machine to express human emotion.  

Similarly, there are hotels that have programmed their employees to universally respond to a guest request with the phrase, “my pleasure.”  Sometimes that may be ok.  If I ask a concierge for a reservation or ask a desk clerk for extra towels that could be an appropriate response for a customer-oriented organization.  But, it shouldn’t be universal.  “Please give me a wake up call at 4 a.m.”  “My pleasure.”  Really?  You take pleasure in waking me up at 4 a.m.?  “My toilet is overflowing, please get it cleaned up.”  “My pleasure.”  Right.  Employees should be polite – but sincere, otherwise the exchange just sounds artificial. 

Here’s another case of hospitality training gone awry.  A hotel trained all of its staff (including housekeepers and groundskeepers) to make eye contact and greet the guest when they are within ten feet.  The result?  Housekeepers and groundskeepers avoided guests like the plague.  

I’m all for civility and polite exchanges.  But they have to be sincere to be believed.   

Media Measurements in the New Age

I have to admit that I really enjoy playing Literati on yahoo.com.  Recently, Yahoo's site started downloading video ads that run for at least ten to ifteen seconds before the viewer can access the game room.  Everyone on the web seems to be working hard to "monetize" their online products.  I certainly understand that ... and Yahoo certainly has a checkered history (at best) of being profitable.

What I wonder about, though, is the value to the advertiser.

First of all, Yahoo's setup doesn't seem to target very well.  I am a male in the 50+ age demo.  I'm seeing lots of ads for Herbal Essence shampoo and other products targeted for women.

What's worse is that the advertiser may be paying for more exposures than they're actually getting.  In order to play Literati, the player has to go to the "game room" and connect with another player.  Clicking on a player initiates the ad.  But the ad can be "skipped" after about ten seconds.  Is that counted as exposure?  What's more, when you get to the player's profile, very often they are not active or choose not to play.  So, I end up going back to the game room and starting the process over (many times) with the same result:  seeing only a short segment of an ad that may not even be targeted for me.

I wonder if the advertiser is paying for all this worthless exposure.  The last time I attempted to connect with a player, I probably saw the first ten seconds of the Herbal Essence ad about ten times.  Yes, there was some exposure, but it was really worthless for the advertiser.

As advertising on the web matures, someone out there has the opportunity to get very rich by inventing a secure system for auditing the actual value of exposure.

"If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six hours sharpening my axe."

Since the advent of the internet, marketers have been struggling to figure out how to use this shiny new tool in the toolbox.  They've also struggled with what to do with their tried and true marketing tools. 

Pacific Business News (a Hawaii weekly newspaper) just announced that it has revamped its publication strategy and it seems that they have figured out how their traditional print publication can coexist with their online edition. 

Up until now, both the print edition and the online edition featured breaking news.  The trouble with a weekly print publication in the internet age is that breaking news isn't very exciting when it's a week old and readers are used to getting instant gratification on their iPhones, tablets and computers. 

What PBN has done now is to rethink their product and use each of their two different formats to its best advantage.  The e-bulletins and web updates will cover braking news ... and the weekly print publication will focus solely on features and analysis. 

It's not rocket science, but it's gratifying to see companies finally understand how to properly use all the tools in the toolbox. 

United's "Little Corner of the World" ... Costs Extra

Once upon a time, United Airlines promoted Hawaii as "our little corner of the world."  They offered mai tais on board ... flight attendants were outfitted in aloha wear ... and there was special advertising that featured the destination. 

Over the years, United seems to have lost its love for the islands.  At one time, bonus upgrades and certificates specified that they were not valid on Hawaii flights.  That caused a rebellion among United customers in Hawaii.  There were cards and letters sent to the corporate office and letters to the editor in the newspapers.  As a result of the customer backlash, and made these perks available to Hawaii residents. 

If Hawaii was excluded from these offers, it essentially meant that these perks were worthless.  And, as island residents, we use airlines more than the average American.  We have to in order to go anywhere.   

That was a few years ago.  Apparently, corporate memory is short.  This week United announced that they were launching a new "subscription" service whereby customers could buy a one year "subscription" to unlimited use of premium seats in economy for $499.  But, guess what.  It's an extra $100 if you live in Hawaii. 

We'll have to see if Hawaii customers will remind United once again that they are part of the US.  Even if we aren't United's "little corner of the world" it would be nice to be attached to the rest of the country. 

Signs are sooo important

Ok.  Wait.  Let me figure this out.  Sunday-Tuesday 10-6.  Wednesday-Saturday 10-6.  Oh, I get it.  Open daily 10-6.

Whew. 

How Not to Communicate with Customers

From a real restaurant ...

Just Because You Can ... Doesn't Mean You Should

Last week at the Hawaii Book & Music Festival I met a new breed of author - the self-published author.  With few exceptions, they were self-published because publishers didn't have a sense that their books would sell. 

In this digital age, these authors have the option of bypassing publishers altogether and engaging in do-it-yourself publishing.  That's ok if your ego is such that you want to see your great novel in print.  But, don't expect it to sell. 

There's a reason that there are publishers in this world.  They know the market ... and they know quality. Authors often think publishers are a pain in the butt because they are making suggestions and editing their great American novel.  But, the publishersare doing their job.  They're making sure that the book has a reasonable chance for financial success. 

So self-published books ever break through?  Yes, there are exceptions, but they are truly exceptions.

Technology has made self-publishing possible, but it hasn't changed marketplace reality. 

I'm also getting a lot of amateur surveys in my e-mailbox these days.  Web services like Survey Monkey have made do-it-yourself research possible.  The problem is that it's easy to create a survey instrument using the web, but it's hard to make one that is effective.  There are many, many skills involved in creating an effective survey.  There are courses, conferences and degrees that specialize in this field.  Some of the surveys that I have seen violate many of the rules for validity and reliability that are the hallmarks of effective research.  Research is all about gathering intelligence to make informed decisions.  Bad research lead to a wrong decision.

Just because technology opens up techniques that were formerly reserved for professionals, it doesn't mean that you are instantly qualified to use them.  Sometimes you need a professional.  

How to Make a Sale ...

I just made a $75 donation to my alma mater, Northwestern University.  I'm not saying that to brag.  In fact, I hadn't intended to make a donation at all.  I donated because of the persuasiveness of a student on a phone-a-thon. 

I got the call on a Saturday.  A very busy Saturday.  I knew right off the bat that this was a solicitation, and I just wanted to end the call and get back to my yard work.  So, what happened to convert my dismissive attitude into a sale?  It was a student who (perhaps intuitively) knew how to sell. 

First of all, he was respectful.  He knew he was interrupting my Saturday and he apologized for that.
Second, he was personable.  He identified himself by name and very briefly told me a little bit about himself.  So, I was talking to a human being, not a call center drone.  I was empathetic. 

Third, he asked about me.  He engaged me.  When did I go to school at NU?  What did I study there?  Where do I live now?  (Wow, Hawaii ... cool!).  

He knew the facts.  He knew when I last donated ... and he asked that I renew a commitment that I had made in the past. 

He asked for the order.  I initially told him that I wouldn't be pledging now - that I would have to discuss this with my wife.  He said "of course, but can I put you down for a minimum amount ... you can always change it later."  A primary rule of sales ... don't take no for an answer. 

We decided on $50 as a minimum amount.

He then said that everyone was being asked if they could increase their pledge by just 10%.  Could I go from $50 to $55?  That sounds like a very reasonable ask ... and I'm already in the "yes" mode ... so, I said yes.

After some additional cordial conversation, I hung up.  And, almost immediately I got an email from him confirming my pledge.

When I hadn't sent a check in a couple of weeks, I got a hand written reminder.

I felt so good about the whole event that I wrote a check for $75 instead of $55.

Now, the university is not going to double its endowment with a $75 gift, but I was not planning to donate at all.  And now they have me in their database (I'm sure).

There are lessons here.  Be respectful of customers.  Make connections.  Be personable.  Be human.  Be empathetic.  Ask for the order.  Upsell. 

And, oh yes, don't take no for an answer.  

Signs of the Times?

It's really fairly easy to be polite.  Many of us grew up with the admonition to say "please" and "thank you."  But, unfortunately, civility often flies out the window when we communicate with our fellow human beings in our signs.

I was reminded of this when I saw a sign at a food court.  The sign was obviously commercially made and
carried the stark message DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS!  Some kind soul scrawled the polite additive "PLEASE" above the sign.  It probably wouldn't have cost more to print the word "please" on the sign, and it probably wouldn't have affected the efficacy of the message.  But the stark DO NOT FEED THE BIRDS says something about the character of the food court that posted it.  Bossy.  Unfriendly.  Shouting. 

I am especially aghast at impolite signs in places that are supposed to be temples of hospitality.  When I worked for Hawaii Tourism Authority I had a crusade against impolite signs at our airports.  For the record, I didn't win that battle.  Every time a sign was changed to say please or "mahalo" ("thank you" in Hawaiian) another would pop up that included sentiments like "strictly prohibited" and "absolutely no ...".  I've often wondered if people really think that saying something is "strictly prohibited" is more effective than saying that it is "prohibited."  Or, even if "prohibited" is more effective than a friendlier "please don't." 

Another annoyance:  hand made signs.  In a world where computers are everywhere, why can't people make signs that at least look nice?  My computer has hundreds of fonts and a library of photos and clip art. 

So, why make a sign that looks like this one ... ?

How about signs that are overly officious?  Don't do this "by order of the management."  Who else would make a directive??

It really isn't hard to be polite and customer friendly ... even in signage.  

United Strikes Again for Poor Customer Service

I've blogged about United's poor customer service before, but they've just added to their dossier of inept handling of problems.

Here's the situation.  I had purchased "Economy Plus" seating for my daughter and son-in-law for their trip to visit us in Hawaii.  They were flying the Newark-Honolulu non-stop (ten-and-a-half hours) with a one year old, so seat selection was very important.  I spent a lot of time of the phone with an agent to get the best seats that I could: bulkhead seats so the little munchkin would have some room and not bother someone in front of them by pounding on the seat back.  A few days before the flight, my daughter checked the reservations only to find that the seats had been changed.  When she asked why, she was told that infants (laps) couldn't sit in a bulkhead seat.  This is despite the fact that when I booked the seats the agent was well aware that an infant would be traveling (which is why I wanted those particular seats in the first place). 

I called United to try to straighten it out.  I first got an agent who simply said that nothing could be done.  Now, anyone that knows anything about customer service knows that there's always something that can be done.  The agent also didn't offer an apology.  An apology is always in order even if the situation can't be fixed.  At the very least, the company should be apologizing for whatever caused the customer's frustration.

I then asked to speak to a supervisor.  After being on hold for some time, the agent came back on the phone and said the supervisor wouldn't come on the line because "nothing can be done."  Wow.  I'm pretty sure that's not United's policy, so I said that I would like to speak to the supervisor anyway. 

After another long wait on hold, the supervisor came on the line.  I had to provide my customer identification information (again).  There was no apology.  She informed me that, per the terms of the contract of carriage (an official set of rules), the airline could change seating assignments.  Now, I've been in the travel business and I know they can change seat assignments ... but my big question was why wasn't anyone informed??  I was told the airline has no requirement to do that.  Also true.  But wouldn't good customer service indicate that you should communicate with customers even if you're not required to communicate with customers??

The supervisor also cited all the lines that drive customers crazy.  "I don't make the rules."  "It's our policy."  "The rules don't require this."  I suggested several ways that the situation could be resolved.  A refund.  Blocking an empty seat in the same row.  Reward miles.  All these were "not possible" according to the supervisor.  I asked what was possible ... and the answer was "nothing." 

United has pretty much been in the cellar when it comes to rating airlines for customer service.  They obviously need to train their agents and supervisors.  A few years ago, a disgruntled United passenger produced a youtube video about his experience ("United Breaks Guitars") which got millions of hits.  It should be required viewing for all United agents. 

If Marketing is the Problem ... Can It Be the Solution, Too?

Today is earth day, a great time to think about sustainability.  In Hawaii, before Western contact, the islands were totally self-sustaining.  They grew or harvested everything they needed for hundreds of thousands of people. 

Admittedly, the islands have grown a lot.  There are now about 1.4 million residents and about 180,000 visitors on an average day.  But, the islands have changed from an ecosystem that grew its own food to a market that imports about 90% of its food needs.  Even though we have some of the most potentially productive agricultural land on the planet, we import most of our produce, eggs, meat (and even seafood). 

If you take a step back and look at the big picture, the reason for this state of affairs is really marketing.  Marketers have developed highly efficient distribution systems that can bring fresh produce and dairy products from the west coast inexpensively.  Marketers have fostered mass production of commodities like lettuce, milk and eggs which provide the consumer with a low price for products sourced from the industrial farms on the mainland.  Marketers have also promoted the value of processed/packaged foods and national brands which come from the giant packaged foods manufacturers like Kraft, Procter & Gamble, Purdue Chickens, etc., etc.

With all that marketing power, is it any wonder that local food production has suffered?  Locally grown food is more expensive ... and it doesn't have the cachet of national brands.  A double whammy.

But, what if marketing were employed to change the equation?  What if marketing created more efficient distribution channels to get local produce to market?  The rise of farmers' markets is an indicator that this is possible.  What if marketing convinced people that they should prefer local products ... because they're fresher and more nutritious (and, incidentally, support sustainability for the state)?

Of course, it isn't easy to change behavior (especially when the current model of off-shore production of food results in lower prices at the check-out).  But, people will pay more for something that they value.  Whole Foods is testimony to that.

All we have to do is develop an integrated program (all the four Ps of marketing ... Product, Promotion, Distribution, and Price) that provide the consumer with a reason to buy local.

Can we change behavior?  Mothers Against Drunk Driving did with their red ribbon campaign.  There are lots of examples of using marketing to change behavior.  So, I'm sure - with concerted effort - we can create a demand for locally produced food products in Hawaii.    

Crazy Customer Communications

A little while ago, we spent a very nice week end in Hilo.  We stayed in a nice little inn near the volcano ... and since Hawaii is the BIG ISLAND we rented a car from Budget and enjoyed driving all over the place.  We turned the car in at the end of our trip ... and the transaction was uneventful.

Three weeks later, I got a letter (a real, snail-mail letter) from the "Budget Vehicle Damage Control Department."  It read ...

Dear Frank Haas:

The investigation process of the damages incurred during your rental period indicates that we did not receive sufficient information upon your return.  Please complete the information below:

Location of Accident:
Date of Accident:
Injuries?  Y/N
Name of Person Injured:
Police Case #:
Witness #1:  #2:
Name of Other Vehicle Operator:

(and more ... ) 

Needless to say I was surprised.  Stunned, really.  Injuries?  Police report?  Date and location of accident?  There was no accident.  So I wrote to Budget, telling them that the report was sent in error.
This is the reply that I got:

Thank you for response to our inquiry letter. Our department is conducting an audit of the location. When a vehicle is taken down for repair, our system (at our corporate office in Virginia Beach, VA) automatically generates an inquiry letter to the prior renter. You were the last renter and we are trying to find out the condition of the vehicle during your rental period.

It is not a letter of accusation or an invoice; however, it is a universal form where renters can document if the vehicle was rented with damage, if there was an accident or incident or if the vehicle was returned without damage.  We investigate damages for vehicles from our locations all over the U.S. Without documentation on file, the letter will automatically be generated (from our system at our corporate office in Virginia) to the first prior renter to inquire about the condition of the vehicle; therefore the letter is not sent in error.

If they were trying to find out the condition of the vehicle ... why not say so?  Why send what looks like an accident report?  Couldn't they use a cover letter?  Is the language in the reply really customer-friendly?  "Therefore the letter is not sent in error" is essentially saying that "we're right and you're wrong."

I wonder who in the corporate suite authorized this?  Or, a more troubling possibility ... maybe they don't know how they're communicating with customers.

Two thumbs down, Budget Rent a Car.