Lesson learned.

Well, according to AdAge, Dawn is all over this oil spill in the gulf that I wrote about yesterday. I will admit a big fail on my part for not looking harder for it. However, in all my Googling, searching press releases and news reports, I saw NO documentation of this happening. It seems the only notifications were on Facebook and Twitter, which neither page showed up while I was Googling.

So today I ask myself - what more can Dawn do so that people actually know about this?

1. Donate More. None of the notes on Facebook + Twitter talk about additional donations.

2. More Press releases: Facebook + Twitter are not mainstream, and apparently not optimized for search. Look at this quote, and tell me that doesn't deserve it's own amount of attention:

"Which made us wonder: After all these years, is scrubbing with Dawn really the most advanced method of oil-bird cleansing? "It's the best product to date that cleans the birds," Holcomb says. (And not just because they give his group donations!) "It almost seems silly, but it really is the right thing." (Source)

I'm sure that in the coming days the clean up will become more intense as the spill hits the shores, and I hope that Dawn gets in there, front and center, with the non-profits that they are supporting. I know they are probably trying hard not to turn this into a huge thing where they get backlash for capitalizing on a bad situation, but Tide Loads of Hope keeps coming to mind as someone who did it right.

Dawn dishsoap and a big opportunity.

As the oil spill in the gulf spreads and nears the coast, BP is becoming bigger and bigger news (with some coverage directly hammering them for their "green" campaign), and as much as they try to make things right, they are going to continue to look like the bad guy. If you ask me, this press around the oil spill presents a huge opportunity for Dawn to capitalize

Currently, Dawn is running these TV spots talking about how their product is used to clean animals from oil spills. it is heart felt, and they are donating up to $500,000, but you have to get online to register your purchase (kind of a lame step if you ask me):



Well hey Dawn, here is your chance (and quite frankly, I hope that you are already planning this). Practice what you preach and get down there to help clean up the spill. Show up with a big truck, in the Tide "Loads of Hope" style, and make sure that every animal gets a big Dawn scrub down.

The stars are aligned: lots of negative press about one company not living up to their brand = opportunity to be a hero and live up to your brand. Plus, cute animals are all the rage right now on the internets.

So, what did you do on Friday night?

Well, I set my alarm for 10:45pm, stayed in, and watched the countdown on my screen in my living room with Erin and Libby. That would be the screen of my Facebook account, where thankfully I got to register my domain of www.facebook.com/carina

200,000 people registered in the first 3 minutes (go geeks, go!). 1 million in the first hour. What is the big deal? It isn't about this SEO thing people are talking about - it is all about branding. 

Then, after I got super excited, and tweeted my Facebook URL, I realized how bad I was doing at branding myself. I am a connection mess:

@NICKNAME

facebook.com/FIRSTNAME

linkedin.com/in/FULLNAME

So I fail. Brands, do as I say, not as I do. BE CONSISTENT.

One hashtag that I saw started (I believe by Facebook employees) is #/isthenew@.  Is it now just as essential to get your brand's /brandname as @brandname? Likely, if not even more. Facebook has been around longer, and gets more traffic than Twitter. That alone is enough to make most any brand want their own /brandname.  Now, Facebook is not putting up with squatters, and brands could register ahead of time with their registered trademark number, starting early last week. BUT I want numbers on how many were actually fast enough to do that.

I went and checked a few popular brands:

www.facebook.com/coke redirects to www.facebook.com/coca-cola

www.facebook.com/pepsi redirects to www.facebook.com/refresheverything

(BUT, http://www.facebook.com/apple is a 404 and someone is squatting on http://www.facebook.com/appleinc)

So it appears there is some more special treatment for brands going on, but I am guessing those are the brands that paid for their vanity URLs back when they were only available when you shelled out some $$$ for a branded Facebook page.

The next rush comes on June 28th when anyone can register a unique domain for their profile or page, even if they signed up for facebook after 5/30 or if their page has less than 1000 fans.  I recommend all brands get moving on this. Now. Get started now so that by June 28th you are ready.

I Want Your Brand To Be My Friend

Last week Alan Wolk was kind enough to tip us off to some updates he made to his Your Brand is Not My Friend presentation after we offered up a few suggestions.  He has a few new examples of his theory related to Facebook's Fan updates, definitely worth the read. Anyways, it got me thinking about times when I might actually want your brand to be my friend.  

I just finished college. My fellow grads and I have been thrown into a huge transition, whether we want to accept it or not.  This is a time where we are seeking advice, information and guidance on how to make decisions regarding finances, insurance and all those fun adult purchases.  While we may be broke now and for the next few years, soon we'll be making significant purchases (cars, homes, kick-ass TVs) that I doubt brands would want to miss out on. I want your brand to be my friend. 

Who's missing out?

Apple and the PCs -- These companies welcomed us with open arms as freshman offering student discounts and handing out free iPods (and Zunes?). We got frequent deals throughout college because we were poor students.  But now what?  Acknowledging the next transition might be the simplest way of saying let's be friends for life.  It could be as simple as suggesting podcasts that give career tips or as extensive as email blasts about the benefits of Apple for small businesses.

TCF Bank (or other campus bank)  --  U of M students are pretty much forced into getting a TCF Bank account during freshman orientation.  They should be doing everything they can to keep grads as customers as they start to want and need more banking services. 

Amazon -- I would be surprised if their sophisticated user data didn't know that I had purchased textbooks at least once per year for the past four years.  While it might not be totally accurate for everyone, serving up recommendations for books that help me handle life after college (new job, home decor on a budget, M-word books) are likely to be well received. 

Car insurance brands -- I've received the good student discount for the past eight semesters and now I'm kicked off because I'm graduating.  But why aren't they scooping me up as an individual account? I have no idea what insurance to buy but if they presented me with a recent grad package I'd sign immediately.

And someone who's doing it right:

Mint.com -- The Financial Fitness 'game' helps users learn about their accounts and explore the options of savings and investment. It's perfectly targeted to help grads get their student loans and budget in check. 

Any other brands that you'd want to be friends with upon graduation?

Love the Brand Not the Product

Ninety percent of the time I purchase products because they perform well and I enjoy the brand. I'm usually open to trying new products and brands, but when I find something that fits it's hard for me to even think about purchasing or using anything else. But lately I've noticed a disconnect in a few brands that I find favorable but do not use or like the product.

Dentyne
I absolutely love the Make Face Time campaign. It makes me smile. I do, however, have to say skip it to the product. No matter how much I like the Dentyne brand, I will always purchase Orbit because I like the product better even though I couldn't tell you much of anything about the Orbit brand. I recommend the strawberry mint. Weird, I know.

Nike
I haven't purchased a pair of Nike kicks since The Great Blister of 2001. I didn't think I even owned anything with a Swoosh on it until I busted out my Twins t-shirt last week and found a small logo. But that doesn't stop me from loving the idea of Nike. I will probably never go out of my way to purchase anything Nike, but I can't help but like the idea of sport that Nike embodies.

Coke
I can't drink Coke, hurts my teeth. But even that "bad" product experience hasn't deterred me from getting a bit excited when I see a Coke Side of Life commercial or see some fizzy bubbles. Coke delivers on brand every time. I will always say I like Coke more than Pepsi. But I'll have a Sprite (with vodka), please.

A few others:

• Sony Bravia. Bouncy balls and rabbits bunnies. Enough said. But getting me to buy? Not unless it comes with the bunnies.

• PBR. The whole art thing is awesome. It's classic. But it still tastes like shit. Maybe even worse than Keystone?

Anyone else have this experience?

Flying Dog, Yer Doin' It Right. Cheers.

Sometimes I miss the timliness boat for a good post and just say skip it.  Sometimes it's because I'm drunk.  When I was in NYC in January my friends and I dominated a couple beer towers filled with delicoius Flying Dog brew.  Before I could finish my first beer I got a comment on my photo from someone at Flying Dog.  Nothing pushy, just a friendly hello before saying that he was from the brewery.  I told him I liked their approach - not just an automatic follow because I mentioned their brand online.  I vowed to post my experience but then apparently forgot due to the beer towers.  

Anyways, last week the dudes over at Mashable had some kind words for Flying Dog.  In addition to everything they're doing right online, I think they are a perfect example showing that succeeding online isn't dependent on the size of your brand, it's about the size of your community.  Their fans are more passionate and involved.  Haven't seen that coming from any Bud drinkers lately. Cheers, Flying Dog, I'm a fan. 

The Role of Brands in a Disaster

Jameson has spent the last two nights sandbagging Fargo from the rising Red River.  Until 5:30 am, he was in the Fargodome stacking sandbags on pallets to be hauled out (and there's his roommate in the photo to the left!).  Call me crazy, but here is an opportunity for brands to follow through on their promises of "supporting the community" or being "dependable."  A few are doing it right:

• Area hotels are offering discounted rates to flood volunteers
• NDSU has become the backbone of the sandbag effort, donating meals, equipment, and students' time.  I read that over 3500 students have volunteered--that's 35% of the student population.  Go Bison!
  
• The Fargo/Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau has turned their Twitter feed into a central resource for volunteering, reporting articles, and monitoring the height of the river.
• Go Radio Broadcasting has created the resource ValleyFloodWatch.com. 

And some missed opportunities:

• Verizon has issued a press release about how they're fortifying their cell service to withstand the water.  Great, but why aren't they sponsoring (paying for, maintaining, and promoting) the volunteer hotline?  There's a text alert service; why aren't they sending their Fargo subscribers messages to notify them and let them opt-in?
• Local restaurants and coffee shops should be dishing out food and drinks to volunteers--along with a coupon for a return after the flood.
• Those who log 10 hours of volunteering should receive a discount on their utility bill.
• Even small gestures like handing out gift cards to volunteers would be appreciated.  If Jitters Coffee or Boppa's Bagels came through the Fargodome at 4:30am, I guarantee that Jameson and the other volunteers would remember them as partners in the fight and reward them for it.

I know some brands could be wary of Red River Flood 2009: Brought to you by Verizon Wireless!  I don't expect the sandbags to be decked out with sponsor logos.  But the impact of uniformed workers donating time and resources would not be quickly forgotten.  In this world of social and one-to-one, this is a chance to be a genuine force for good for the people of the Red River.  In times of crisis, people want to feel like their community is banding together, and the brands that join them are going to be the hometown heroes.  

Want to promote your own personal brand?  Donate.

Conversations About the Future of Advertising - Yaybia Style

Update! Make sure you check out the debate being waged in the comments. Alan Wolk wants to make sure you know that he agrees with our suggestions, even if he didn't cover them all at CATFOA. He is still the prom king of social media!

Libby and I checked out the Conversation About the Future of Advertising on Monday night at the Fine Line. The event featured Alan Wolk and was sponsored by MCAD and MIMA. The main takeaway for the forty-five minute presentation was "Your Brand is not my Friend." Whole Foods and their use of Facebook was the leading example, but Comcast and Zappos also made appearances.

Mr. Wolk offered five key takeaways in his presentation. Some points we agreed with completely, but we wanted to offer our disagreements on a few of his rules:


1) Identify a need you can help with.

Yep.

2) Figure out how to solve that need.

Okay.

3) Approach your target as a salesperson not as their friend.

Hold up. I agree that brands shouldn't try to get all up in my shit as my friends might try to, but I do not want to be met by a salesperson online or elsewhere. We willingly choose to follow, add or become a fan of brands online. This is the permission to take down a few of your big brand walls and talk to me like a real person.

But why can't you be my friend? Google is my friend. I turn to him (or her) to help solve my problems when my friends are not around to give me answers. I choose my friends and I also choose Google over other brands. Jimmy John's is my friend. They bring me speedy fast goodness at least twice a week. Sometimes friends let you down, brands also do that. But at the end of the day, you still go back to that friend/brand. Unless something bad happens and you drop 'em fast, just like friends.

Wolk argued that 1% of brands are "prom king brands," where consumers will wear their logo on a t-shirt. But the 99% of unsexy brands out there (Maxwell House coffee was an example) will have a harder time finding consumers with the passion to "befriend" the brand. Of course not every group can find a way to get a million Facebook fans, but can't ever group figure out something they can offer the consumer in the realm of social media?

4) Don't use Twitter to sell. Use it for customer service or news.

Hmm. Well if I were following, just for an example, Apple iTunes on Twitter and I got notified that today from 3-4pm I could get all my fave tunes for only 79 cents you better believe I'd be all over that. Sure it blurs the line between news and sales, but I think it all depends on who you are and what your product is. Just as Twitter is not the ideal social media tool for all brands, the uses of Twitter will vary depending on each brand and product. An authoritative "this is how you should/should not use Twitter" is taking an expert stance that isn't necessarily true. Use it how you will and use it in the ways that your audience responds to and embraces.

Clearly if I am already choosing to follow your brand on Twitter, I am interested in it and am receptive to sales. What if I was a fan of Threadless and they offered a promotion code to their Twitter followers? Or what about doing giveaways that involve replying with answers to questions or certain phrases? I will always participate in those if they're from brands I know and love.

5) Don't push, give them a coupon and get out of the way.

Coupons are one of the most actionable and proven sales drivers, but are they the only way a brand can participate in social media?
We all remember from Marketing 1001 that brands can't rely on price cuts, or they become no better than private label in the consumer's mind. The question becomes what other value can brands give their social media connections? I would argue:

• These fans are your most vocal supporters. When they sign up to use your app, receive your e-newsletters, or just put their logo among their groups, they are volunteering to listen to you and pledge their allegiance. One of the biggest things you can do for them is to actually interact. Nurture them. Use them in focus groups. Give them free Velveeta to host Super Bowl parties. And once in a while, sure, throw them a coupon.
• Also, they are active in social media beyond just having a mostly-blank Facebook profile. These are your most likely bloggers, Tweeter s, and online influencers. Arm them with the information to write evangelical blog entries. And then read those blog entries and make sure you are keeping these brand champions happy.

No, I don't want to hear from Crest constantly on Twitter. I don't care. But if there was some kind of Facebook app where I could compare the whiteness of my smile to my friends', I would be all over that. And at the end of the game, if you told me that Crest Vivid White would make my smile as white as Jameson's in 7 days, you'd probably have a sale on your hands.

Wait a sec! Where is your step six, Mr. Wolk?

Somebody in the audience asked Wolk about metrics and he didn't really provide a clear answer. We know tracking metrics for social media involvement isn't easy to nail down, but metrics n eeds to be a priority, not an afterthought. Coupons are trackable, clicks and links can be measured, and FB app pass-alongs can also be given a value. As marketers, we need to figure out how to prove that we have a) given the consumer something valuable that has b) impacted sales. If this isn't a key element from day one of strategy brainstorming, it probably won't be clear in the end how you are going to bring your client the sales they're after.

Red Bull Get it On Record

I was going to post about Red Bull "Get it on Record" long ago but now I'm kind of glad I waited because this cool video made it's way to my FB inbox this week! Our good friend Claire organized the event here in Minneapolis and from the looks of the video it seems like the competition was a huge success. Check it out.



So why is this great? The brand doesn't dominate. The creative work is the center of the event and guess what, you don't win free Red Bull. Instead, winning teams are given new Apple computers. Good job Red Bull for not just whoring out your product (ex: free Red Bull for a year) and giving your brand champions the tools to continue producing good work.

What of it? Brands can learn a lot from what Red Bull did with this competition. For an entire month these artists, their friends, and the community heard about this competition and the excitement that it generated. Each team was thrilled to have been given a chance to showcase their work in a new way -- and they didn't have to use the brand in the work itself. Red Bull became an opportunity granter, a creative leader, and a community organizer. They win because they allowed their brand to shine through people, not through their product.

Side Note: Two guys that I graduated from high school with were in the competition. Crazy!

Both My Pleasure and My Fun Have Increased 100% in Volume

Let me begin by saying I love all things Chris Brown, and his song Forever is in my top 10 for 2008.  After hearing the song a few times, I was immediately in love.  But I realized a suspicious line in the middle of the chorus:

It's like I waited my whole life

For this one night

It's gon' be me, you and the dance floor

Cause we only got one night

Double your pleasure, double your fun

And dance forever...

Wait, what?  The tagline for one of the dorkiest gum brands of all time?  Running through my head were the twin-filled spots of the 90s...pretty much the opposite of Chris Brown's abs pictured at left.

Some of my love wore away when I realized it was more marketing gimmick than lyrical genius as Chris Brown's commercial and sexed up jingle debuted in August.  But in the end, I didn't care that Lam and I were actually belting out the Doublemint jingle as we drove to the bar with Sally's top down.  I didn't care that Chris Brown very slowly and seductively placed a stick of gum in his mouth at the beginning of the music video.  I just loved the song, and so did a lot of my peers (Forever hit #2 on the Billboard Top 100 and #1 on the Pop 100).  

If the goal was to re-brand Doublemint to shed its 90s image, WIN.  What better way to raise brand awareness with a new target than to literally get them singing your jingle?  Mr. Brown spinning around with that Doublemint pack in his back pocket energized the brand and put it among the ranks of Orbit, Stride, and 5--and into 2008.

The video product placement, tagline (but not blatant name drop) in the lyrics, and dedicated spot brought the partnership full circle.  Smashing success!  I just have one gripe: the first time I ever saw the Chris Brown spot was last night, six months after it premiered and after the song was at its peak popularity!  Maybe this was just me living under a rock, but why didn't I see it during Gossip Girl and on VH1 all summer??

Did you see the spot earlier?  Or did Wrigley spend its entire budget in production and cross their fingers for a viral hit?  

Creators, not Content

Paul Isakson blogged yesterday about advertising that does, rather than dictates. The conversation inspired me to post some ideas I've been kicking around about brand ambassadors that create content on their own vs. the content created for brand-driven contests.

Paul is an authority on natural brand ambassadors--after all, he was @don_draper, the original Mad Man on Twitter. AMC didn't have to ask viewers to come up with user-generated content; for a minute, they shied away from it because it was so new to them. Instead, Mad Men inspired a few passionate individuals so much that they gave their free time to the brand. And the Mad Men were so fun to interact with! If brands focused on nurturing relationships with these existing brand ambassadors, the content they create would overshadow any user-created video contest submission.

Natural Brand Ambassadors: Creators

• Natural brand ambassadors are already blogging and creating compelling content.
  
• They are viewed as authentic, not a marketing gimmick, because they are initiating the conversation.
• Brand ambassadors will keep creating long after any submission deadline has passed.
• By acknowledging the work of these creators, the brand comes across as responsive and appreciative. Social media makes it simple and cost-effective for brands to seek out and respond to their content.

User-Generated Contests: Content

• Don't get me wrong, contests and content-focused strategies have different value. A one-time call for submissions will generate PR and word of mouth spike instead of the steady low buzz of loyalists. But will that spike hold up in the long run?
  
• Spoofs and parodies can outnumber the valid entries. Remember the Tahoe ads? Eek...
• Everyone and their puppy has held a video/design/remixing contest at this point. Until marketers come up with something revolutionary, they're playing copycat.

First example: Obama and McCain. John McCain's campaign was so infatuated with Joe the Plumber that they invited supporters to explain on YouTube why they were Joe the Plumber. Sure, some diehard Repubs uploaded their American dream story, but another flood of Obama supporters filled the "I am Joe the Plumber" search results with parodies. Those on the fence may have been turned off by the blatant marketing gimmick.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama didn't ask for content; he nurtured his creators. Through social media, Obama gave his supporters opportunities to connect and create. He interacted one-on-one and let his supporters own a piece of his brand through text message updates and volunteer opportunities. Two of my favorite things that he got back in return:

Next up: Apple and Microsoft. I know Softwear isn't user-generated, but it's still content-focused instead of ambassador-focused. But check out the Apple t-shirts that fans have already naturally created. More authentic--and more interesting designs. Microsoft's bid for users to explain why they're a PC also seems flat and boring to me. Wouldn't that have happened on YouTube anyway without them demanding it? Some great parody came out of that, too: here's a fun one.

I'd like to hear your thoughts, including how Twitter is playing into this idea. Also, are there UGC contests that do work better than a strictly creator-focused strategy? Ideas, please!

Temporary Brands: Friday [brain]Food

I apologize for my Yaybia hiatus, it’s just been one of those weeks. But there have a been a few thoughts that I’ve been meaning to share. I shall do so with some Friday [brain]Food for Thought.

Last week I attended the Ypulse Mashup East. Met some awesome people and learned more about my generation that I thought possible. Today’s insight comes from Spencer of Virtue Worldwide . During his keynote he brought up an idea that I hadn’t really ever thought of before.

“Do brands have to last forever? Maybe they should only last for a short period of time and make the most of it.”

Pretty bold statement. But pretty awesome. I have two examples that I thought of right away, MTV and Mountain Dew. Other soda companies are known for this as well, but I guess I’m craving some sugar so I’m Doin’ the Dew.

MTV: By thriving on capturing trends, exploiting them to the masses, and then killing them, MTV has developed a business model that exists largely because of their ability to change. While their parent brand keeps the same positioning (being a pop culture trendsetter), their sub brands come and go. TRL is the most relevant today because of its recent cancellation , but many shows have started, saturated, and sayonara’d. This strategy works for MTV because of generational shifts. TRL was cool for kids that had their see through Vtech phones (don’t tell me you didn’t have one) and would call in while drooling over Carson Daly. But the next wave of kids ditched their land lines for their Nokia bricks (again, you know you had one) and quickly began to move towards texting based interaction. Personally, I think MTV should have killed TRL when Carson left, or after that whole Limp Bizkit phase. Skip it.

Mountain Dew: With sub brands ranging from short lived Dew Fuel to blockbuster driven Darth Dew, Mountain Dew is a master of short lived brands . What works for them is that many consumers will at least hit it and quit it (trial purchase) because they know that the sub brand won't be around forever. Others that can't get enough of their MDX will actively pursue brand purchases, and Mountain Dew is also aware of the relationship of these sub brands with the parent brand. They avoid brand dilution by temporarily expanding their product set instead of creating an arsenal of sub brands that has the firing power of dive bar buck hunter.

I think the idea relates really well with what companies can do with sub brands and products -- I'm still unsure of how you could churn brands after a period of time. If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them.

UPDATE -- Can't believe I didn't think of this until now, but our very own Minneapolis agency Space 150 is the best example I can think of for brands that adapt and radically change quite frequently. AND our very own Jacey works there! I've been to a few of the re-branding parties an they're quite fun. Everyone is excited and supports the demand for pushing themselves to be more innovative. What better way to show your clients/community that you're able to transform brands than by using yourself as an example?!

Your Google is dirty... better wash it!

Google Washing? Kind of sounds dirty. Well, actually it is, but not in the way you think.

With the web’s presence being all-encompassing in the world of media relations and brand management, Google has become the spy scope for companies to check out the conversations going on about their brand. It can be kind of scary to type a Google search about your company and see a big dirty mark come up in the search returns. “I HATE BRAND X” (Wal-Mart knows what I’m talking about…) This is where Google washing enters. Wikipedia’s “Google bomb” entry has described Google washing as: “the use of media manipulation to change the perception of a term, or push out competition from search engine results pages.”

Branding (like was just discussed with rather heated passion by the fabulous Libby and Erin) is still a very important staple of companies. Branding also matters a lot to public relations professionals. Public relations is not just about typing up press releases and feverishly pitching them to the media world. A large part of our job is brand management. What are people saying about the brand? How can we spark good conversation about the brand? How can we even get people to BEGIN talking about the brand? And Google is a big part of this.

When a company Googles their brand, the last thing they want to see is a negative hit in the “Golden Triangle” of the search. While your first hit may be your own website, if the next few are “I hate Brand X” sites or blog posts, you may be in some trouble. Normally, this would be a public relations job. We would say, “OK, Let’s get going and start building good press, good conversations, and bring the brand back up in the good graces of Google searchers everywhere,” because that’s our job, and (hopefully) we are good at it. However, a new service is offering a shortcut option for many companies, and some are biting the bait. This new service is called “Online Reputation Management.”

Basically what some of these services do is pile on new materials to bury the old and “dirty” search terms, therefore cleansing your Google search of all the negativity. Sort of like fung shui for Google, I suppose. The problem is this: you didn’t get RID of this negative buzz, you just buried it and are now hoping it will not resurface. Personally, I feel that’s a lazy way of dealing with negative brand associations. Andy Beal, a marketing consultant quoted in a Business Week article, puts it perfectly: “They're not necessarily interested in trying to fix the problem. They just want to make sure that other people can't find it.”
Web 2.0 has become all about conversations. If brands don’t engage in conversations there isn’t much they can do to improve their image. Companies might find that some of the negative buzz they address may spark new ideas to make the brand more exciting than it was before. But if they let reputation management services do their thing, they may just be burying those ideas along with the negative buzz.

Search is the Anti-Brand?

I came across this article , and then this one , oh and the bro’s book while breezing through the Dim Bulb posts in my Reader this morning. I agree with the first one, that Google should maybe give a little TLC to what they started with, search. But the last one is a bit...well, worthy of a Yaybia post. I read it, gave it some thought, and came up with some thoughts.

Some arguments and issues:

“Search doesn't operate in the language of colors and buzzwords, and it doesn't force consumers to think the things your branding has thrown at them”

-Search may not be sexy, but it has the power to extend the branded consistency that you have built elsewhere in the world.
-Search is just beginning. As more images, videos, interactive elements of search begin to be developed, it will be important to use all of these search elements for branding.
-Branding should never be about “forcing consumers to think” a certain way. Companies present their brands to the public in the way they would like to be received. If consumers find that this is not true, they’ll tell people, they’ll post about it, they’ll no longer value your brand. Consumers never liked having things “thrown at them” in the first place.

“It doesn't exist unless someone dips into it”

-Perfect! Some is going out of their way to look for what I have to offer! Now it’s my chance to show them that yes, I have what you want, I’ve presented it in a clear manner, and that I am trustworthy.

“Internet search has forever changed the way consumers behave. It shifts authority from the information-giver to the answer-seeker, and exposes every conceivable aspect of brand to scrutiny.”

-What’s wrong with change? Once upon a time television was one of the only dominant forms of connecting with large audiences, but now it seems there’s another new option everyday.
-To be good, your brand should be transparent. Exposing the brand online is part of the entire branding process. Listen to what people are saying, sharing, and feeling.

“The bad news is that this has nothing to do with branding. In fact, Internet search is the anti-brand.”

“People paid more for things because they didn't know better. They behaved certain ways because of routine. Branding didn't cause this phenomena as much as cover-up many of its true drivers.”

-Consumers didn’t know better? I think they do. They want to buy Coke rather than RC Cola. They actively choose to drive out of their way to go to Starbucks. Branding has placed value in these products and activities.
-Libby adds, "Here is where I start telling this article to fuck itself."

“I'd suggest that people don't search with questions about brands as much as generic terms about things or activities. They're not looking for answers from brands, but rather answers about products and services.”

-Yes, people don’t necessarily search for “cute shoes from Target”, but if they searched for “cute shoes”, why couldn’t Target, or another company, brand their search result? Consistent titles, descriptions, URLs should reflect the brand image and personality.
-And consumers will seek out those branded results from the unknowns. How often have you Google Mapped "gas station near 55409" and skipped CHEEP-O GAS for the SuperAmerica 2 miles farther, because you knew you could trust it?

“Web search undos these connections, and treats brands as words, just like in the Middle Ages...marks with no implicit meanings beyond those which an anonymous public of Internet users, and secret equations, choose to give to them. “

-When was branding not about words? Twitter? What the hell is a Twitter? Just words? Oh wait, with branding it now means something.
-You have 150 characters for your search result title. Why can’t you use it for branding?

-Last time I checked Twitter's big thing was about telling others what you are doing. Looks like a branded search result to me.

-Brands that have established themselves online are rewarded with more links in their result. And it's not just for the big brands, small local companies get site links like these all the time. People trust these results more because Google (a brand) has said so.

-Branding is about being prepared. Your links may not come up every time someone searches for what you've got to offer, but that's not reason to ignore the "secret equation" of search.

So a few short wrap up points:

1. Sorry for the ridiculously long post.

2. As the reliance on search continues to grow, so will it's importance in branding.

3. Branding in search doesn't have to be about having the most creative title or page description. Any company can be consistent and present their content in a reputable way. That's branding.

Killerstartup?

Facebook meets amazon meets brandtags
DigaDing.com* is a new social network based on users' preferences for brands. Members can create their own “home story” by adding logos and pictures of their favorite brands to their profile. They can post stories about why they like a particular brand and find other users who share their taste. When adding a brand, members are also presented with a link to amazon.com and the like where they can buy what they love. The two young creators from Switzerland, however, assure that they won’t sell user data to companies. They rather intend to create revenue through targeted ads.

In their own words (well, translated)
Digading – that’s me. That’s what I like. Our network connects people through brands. We were fascinated by how friends and couples often like and dislike the same products and brands. On Digading users can create their own home stories like stars, easily meet like-minded people and buy 2.5 million products.



Why it might be a killer
I would never date a guy who hates Vitamin Water, basically all my friends have Apple computers and I proudly wear my Cheap Monday’s. In a world of flexibility and mobility, brands are a means of identification and integration. They are part of our life. They tell stories. They matter.

Some questions
Would I date a guy, only because he drinks Vitamin Water or build a friendship on a common taste in electronics or jeans? Do I need to know why a stranger likes Coke and Cheez-its? Why not buy the stuff I like directly?

What do you think?

*Ding means "thing" in German, which explains the bilingual name. Kind of.

Vitamin Water called, they want their brand back.

If you are an old reader, you'd remember that all of us ladies here at Yaybia LOVE vitamin water. So I'm flipping through Allure Magazine last week, and I find this ad:


Woah brand extension? Vitamin Water making shampoo? Cool, does that mean my hair can smell like DragonFruit??? Double check - no mention of Vitamin Water, just vitaminshampoo. So I check out the website: www.vitaminshampoo.com, and look what I find:


Completely different packaging!! Fail? I think so. Check the "in the press link!" What do we find there? Examples of their magazine ads. And what do they look like?

Well, that is the issue I was in, and that certainly isn't the ad that I found. So what happened? I can't find any news in quickly poking around online, but it appears that someone copied the Vitamin Water design, it got printed, someone from Vitamin Water freaked out, and the packaging got redesigned.

Leave a comment if you know anything!

Very very interesting...

Thx Caribou, Free Drink Yesplz

My third Brand Thank You Note goes to Caribou Coffee.  On Sunday morning my inbox was graced with the presence of a birthday wish and reminder to get my free drink at Caribou this week! Not only was I excited that my birthday was only a week away, but that Caribou treated my email address with respect.  I didn't even remember until now that I had given my email address to Caribou, but they can keep it as long as they continue to use it wisely.

So thanks Caribou for not spamming the hell out of my email and giving me a solid reason to stop by one of the shops for a b-day drink.  I'll probably be reminded of how much I love the pumpkin lattes.  A win for both of us!

No, Thank YOU HP!

This is going to be the start of a series I think I'll call Yaybia's Brand Thank You Note Series.  Today you get two installments, but don't think you'll always be that lucky because this series depends on brands that are doin' it right.  This will involve services/products/activities that make it hard not to like the brand. 

I had to pick up new ink cartriges today and it's a purchase I always dread. It's normally expensive and I seem to always get ink on my hands.  At least I had Danielle with to offer some moral support. But when I got home, I was met with a pleasant surprise when I opened the two-inch $18 box. A free mail in recycling option! HP has made it easy for me to send in my old cartridge for them to reuse at no extra cost to me. I quickly lost all bad feelings about this purchase and gladly wrapped up my old cartridge to make the voyage back to HP.  Now this isn't the perfect recycling situation, I could have gone to Office Max but that woud require more gas as well.  But at least HP is doing something to make it easy for their customers to recycle.  So thank you HP, yer doin' it right.

Brands in Action: Beer Winners!

Alright Yaybies, the results are in!  We really appreciate everyone’s participation and involvement with this idea.  It’s been fun reading the responses and hope you enjoyed them as well.

So here’s the deal, I’m going to categorize my favorites and rank them but since people actually competed in the Brands in Action contest, I think you’re all winners.  I know that’s super cheesy and lame but you can’t even make fun of me because I’m going to buy you all beer!

For those who played, and those who want to come drink beer with us, at 5pm today I’m going to walk down for my office to Grumpy’s on Washington and purchase pitchers of beer.  Yay beer!

Most Legitimate Entrants:

1. Xerox.  As in, go Xerox that paper on your Canon printer/copier. Congrats Ben Miller!
   
2. FedEx.  As in, I gotta ship this fast so I’ll FedEx it. Or is that really Priority Mail? Congrats J9!
   
3. Rollerblading.  As in, I’ve got these awesome IN LINE SKATES but I’m Rollerblading. Congrats Alicia!
   
4. Jetski. In a quote from J9: “As in, "Let's go Jetskiing, but, oh wait, you own a POS Yamaha."
   
5. Febreeze. As in, I’m gonna use this Target brand air freshner to Febreeze the basement.” Congrats Boozan!
   
6. Mace’d. As in, "I protested the RNC and got my ass MACED!"
   
7. ‘bookin it. As in, I’m stalking people on Facebook. Congrats Lindsay!
   
8. Wiki it.  As in, I have no idea why I’m so hungover from the beer that Erin bought, I’ll look it up on Wikipedia.  Congrats Jacey!
   

Favorite Brand Variations

1. crAppetizers.  Half price apps at crApplebees! Congrats Libby!
   
2. I’m hungry like Hungry Hungry Hippos. Congrats Johnny Bones!
   

Notable/ LOL Worthy

1. AOL it. As in I had this awesome product but AOL bought it and now it’s tanking. Thanks Jacey!
   
2. Dumpster Diving. Didn’t know Dumpster was a brand! Thanks again Ben.
   

And of course, variations on Yaybia. Oh did you see those new billboards? I’ll have to Yaybia it. Hey did what are you doin? Oh I’m just Yaybia-ing.

So there you go! The first ever Yaybia Brands in Action contest was a success, now get to Grumpy’s at 5pm so I can buy you beer!

Target Field: Minneapolis Take Over?

Question:  Can you dilute your brand by giving/sponsoring too much?

Situation:  The new MN Twins stadium will be called Target Field.

Why Bring This Up:  Target Field (and Target Plaza) will be exactly one block from the Target Center.  While many Minneapolitans love Target, we’ve also voiced concerns over mega-Minneapolis companies like Northwest (or NorthWORST, good luck Delta).  Could this be more bulls-eye than our bodies have room for?

Charitable giving is part of Target’s differentiation strategy and they also are big fans of the arts and sponsor free nights/days at The Walker and MoMA.  But if the Target brand overruns Minneapolis, can it take away from brand strength?  I’m going to Target Center, or wait, was it at Target Field?  Or are we going to start referring to the entire warehouse district as the Target District?

Other top MN companies that would've been nice to see: Land O’ Lakes, Medtronic, General Mills, or Best Buy

I'm feeling OK about the Target Field decision right now, but it definitely has had me thinking.  People are talking have have mixed ideas about the name. What do you think?