Agencies: Change or Die

I’ve recently listened to and participated in several conversations regarding the evolving role of the ad agency. Most marketers and agency types seem to agree that a radical change is necessary. I agree, but I think that change is going to be a harder one to make than many realize.

For many agencies, incremental change feels comfortable. It tacitly acknowledges the greatness of days gone by. It politely suggests that they can get even better. It gently nudges the business forward. The leisurely and familiar pace with which agencies change is also the very thing that threatens their future. Read more »

Tags: Agencies, Change, Technology

Posted in Advertising, Agencies | 5 Comments »

Why Pangea Day Should Matter to Marketers

Pangea Day is another fantastic effort coming out of TED.  Taking place on May 10th, it’s an ambitious effort to bring people and cultures together through the power of film.  The trailer at the site is definitely worth watching.  The following excerpt from an email Chris Anderson sent to the TED community last week also provides a nice overview of the effort: Read more »

Tags: Chris Anderson, Digital Outlook Report, DOR, Pangea Day, TED

Posted in General, Media | No Comments »

Newspapers can’t buy a break

Today the Seattle Times introduced a new quarterly magazine called Footprint, focused largely on the environment and global warming.

As I stepped outside to grab the newspaper on this April 20th, it sat in an inch of snow.

Tags: newspapers

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Three Reasons Federated Media is Growing

After weeks (months?) of rumors, word is out that Federated Media has completed a $50 million round.

I’ll save the questions around valuation of the company for the investors.  However, I can say that FM has established a nice track record with Avenue A | Razorfish (my employer) over the last several quarters.  Looking back to 2007, we spent nearly 4X more with FM in the second half of the year than we did in the first half.  In the first quarter of 2008, our spend with FM matched all of calendar year 2007.  Granted, FM started from a small base in 2007, but this kind of growth isn’t common.  Looking at the reasons for their success, I think FM has done three things very well: Read more »

Tags: Ad Networks, Federated Media, FM, John Battelle

Posted in Advertising, Campaigns, Media, Publishers | 4 Comments »

Mortgages and Disruption

A few weeks ago I was a guest at a Zillow leadership retreat.  A few things struck me about the team- they have an unusual number of “big thinkers,” are very data focused, and have an uncommon focus on disruption.  Those are important traits to consider when evaluating the Mortgage Marketplace Zillow announced last week.  They’re taking on an industry that is clearly in need of reform, and badly needs more transparency.  With a focus on information transparency, I think Zillow’s approach to the mortgage business is a good one.  I like their chances of shaking things up.

One more note- Zillow gets advertising.   While consumers will turn to Zillow for their Real Estate and Mortgage tools, advertisers should keep an eye on Zillow’s advertising business.  They have a good set of solutions now, and are working on some compelling, data-driven ad products that are very smart.

Tags: Mortgage Marketplace, Zillow

Posted in Advertising, Publishers | 1 Comment »

Read it now: Groundswell

Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff’s new book, Groundswell, should be on your reading list.  Addressing the incredible changes brought about by social technologies, it provides a great combination of analysis, instruction and storytelling. Li and Bernoff use twenty-five case studies to illustrate the way business has changed, and they do so in an entertaining way.  More importantly, they provide the tools needed to win in this new environment.  It’s one of those books that helps you think about your business challenges in a fresh way.

Two disclosures:  1) I did a peer review of the Groundswell draft for Harvard Business Press, and 2) Charlene is one of the guest speakers at the Avenue A | Razorfish Client Summit next month.

Tags: Charlene Li, Forrester, Groundswell, Josh Bernoff, Social Influence Marketing

Posted in Media, Trends | 1 Comment »

“Spring Is On The Way, Time To Plant Some Seeds”

The Mobile Marketing Association features an article by my colleague Patrick Moorhead, that is definitely worth a read.  It’s a really nice overview of the progress made in mobile over the last year, but I especially like Patrick’s healthy and determined attitude about finding the right marketing answer.  From his article: 

Many [have heard me say] that mobile is empirical science, so no matter how much eMarketer, Jupiter, and m:Metrics data you look at about your target consumer, the only real way to understand if he or she will respond to you on mobile is to try. In response, many of our clients say, “Well, if they don’t, I just wasted a bunch of money I could have used someplace else.” To this I say – I don’t see any waste. Getting the right mix of media channels sorted out around your core customer is critical, and if it costs us a bit to determine definitively they aren’t someplace, so be it.

Sometimes a dozen tiny failures can lead to great success.  Test, Learn and Grow.

Tags: MMA, Mobile, Patrick Moorhead

Posted in Media, Trends | 2 Comments »

More on Social Influence Marketing

I previously pointed out Shiv Singh’s thinking on Social Influence Marketing.  He’s written a another post on the topic, as a follow up to his recent SXSW presentation.   In our 2008 Digital Outlook, the head of Avenue A | Razorfish’s Emerging Media group, Terri Walter, provides her roadmap for success in SIM.  As the relationship between brands and customers continues to evolve, it’s a great guide for marketers: Read more »

Tags: Shiv Singh, SIM, Social Influence Marketing, Terri Walter

Posted in General, Media, Trends | 2 Comments »

CafeMom- Moms and Marketers

Word came out this week that CafeMom has raised a $12M round.  They’ve been on a very impressive run over the last year.  I’ve talked with CafeMom’s co-founders, Michael and Andrew, many times since they started their first property, ClubMom, in 1999 (both ClubMom and CafeMom are part of CMI Marketing).  What always struck me was how committed they were to their users- moms really have a lot of say in how CafeMom is run.  Of course Andrew and Michael have a genuine commitment to providing solutions that marketers want- that’s their business.  But the marketing has to work for the moms, and Andrew and Michael have always been clear about that.  As a result, they’ve struck a balance that is great for both moms and marketers.  

It’s also notable that CMI decided to launch a separate brand with CafeMom.  They had a good business in ClubMom, but there’s no way small adjustments to that property wouldn’t have given them the growth they’ve seen with CafeMom.  Instead, they listened to users, consulted with marketers, and launched a new property that met the needs of both.

In just over a year since CafeMom was launched, this approach has proven to be good business- Avenue A |Razorfish spent more with CafeMom in Q4 of 2007 than we did with ClubMom over the entire year (I’ve left out the real numbers, but the trend is pretty obvious). 

Tags: Andrew Shue, Cafe Mom, Club Mom, Michael Sanchez, Social Influence Marketing, Social Media

Posted in Advertising, Media, Publishers, Trends | No Comments »

Fair Trade: An Argument for Rewarding Users on Social Nets

Frank Kochenash, the head of Strategy and Insights in Avenue A | Razorfish’s Seattle office, authored one of the more thought provoking pieces in our 2008 Digital Outlook Report.  Frank addressed the role users will play as advertising models evolve on social networks.  Specifically, how users should be compensated as the economic models on these properties mature.  Frank’s insights… Read more »

Tags: Digital Outlook Report, DOR, Social Influence Marketing, Social Networks

Posted in Advertising, Publishers, Trends | No Comments »

Hulu Hype

TechCrunch has a post regarding Fortune’s recent Hulu profile.   TC provides a summary of the way Hulu has been promoted, then and now; Fortune provides a positive (but accurate, imo) review of the site.  I think it’s interesting that Michael takes issue with the hype surrounding Hulu.  He might be correct that they are overhyping the product- he’s in a better position than I am to judge that matter.  However, in my experience the Hulu team has been very understated in the way they’ve positioned the product to advertisers.  They’ve actively sought out feedback on ad units, have not done a hard sell, and have been upfront about features not yet available.   It sounds like Hulu’s approach to promoting the site (Michael’s experience) and their approach to generating revenue (my experience) are quite different.

Tags: Hulu, TechCrunch, Video

Posted in Advertising, Media, Publishers, Trends | 2 Comments »

Waking up to Wireless

Patrick Moorhead, a Director in our Emerging Media group, authored a great piece on the state of the mobile web for our Digital Outlook Report.  Specifically, he focuses on WAP and the improving consumer experience it provides (when done right).  It’s definitely worth a read for marketers and publishers:

The mobile Web has grown in fits and starts since it first began to appear on the minds and handsets of American mobile consumers almost five years ago. Questions of how to build experiences on the handset’s small screen, how similar or different mobile should be from HTML, and how consumers would actually use mobile services have been persistent questions in the course of growth for Wireless Application Protocal (WAP)

The consumer experience of WAP and the mobile Web has been disappointing for many reasons. Poor, non-intuitive user interfaces slow network speeds, and a general lack of understanding about how to even go about accessing digital content from mobile devices has created a stigma in the mind of many consumers.

And yet, 2007 witnessed a striking growth in the availability and use of WAP content for mobile devices. Following are some guidelines for making things work in WAP, based on what behaviors consumers are involved in when they access the mobile Web. Read more »

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Tags: Digital Outlook Report, DOR, Facebook, MLB, Mobile, WAP, Wireless, Yelp

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Distribution Trumps Destination

Garrick Schmitt heads up the User Experience practice at AA|RF, and is a leading thinker regarding the ways web publishers should respond to new consumer behaviors.  His contribution to the 2008 Digital Outlook Report can be found on the Digital Design Blog.  His premise is that the homepage isn’t as important as it once was, and that content distribution should be the new priority for publishers.  Garrick not only makes smart observations about the way behaviors have changed, but also provides advice on what publishers should do about it.

Tags: Digital Design Blog, Digital Outlook Report, DOR, Garrick Schmitt

Posted in Publishers, Trends | 1 Comment »

Levi’s and Project Runway- We have a winner

I previously mentioned the Levi’s design contest (a digital extension of their Project Runway partnership).  The winner has been named, and the design will be produced and sold by Levi’s:

As Levi’s says about the design, “Love the turn back cuff on the sleeve. Cool asymmetrical opening and nice clean tailor details. This design reinvents the trucker jacket with a feminine flare.”  Which is exactly as I would have described the look.  Congrats to the team at Levi’s on an effort that really engaged the community.

Tags: community, Levis, Project Runway, Social Media

Posted in Advertising, Campaigns | No Comments »

Social Influence Marketing

Late last year, Shiv Singh posted some great thinking on how brands should approach social media.  With so much attention being paid to social networks (rightly so), Shiv provides guidance on the role social media should play throughout a campaign.  Read his post here.  Beyond his thoughts on Social Influence Marketing, I’d recommend spending some time on Shiv’s blog; he always has great insights on the state of our business.

Posted in General | 2 Comments »

Online Video in 2008

What are the 6 things you need to know about consumers’ online video habits?  What are the 4 trademarks of successful web video?  What 3 things do marketers need to do to make their video assets relevant?  My colleague Grant Owens provides the answers, in a valuable rundown of the state of video in 2008… Read more »

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The Connected Class

Brandon Geary and his team in our Account Planning group did great work for our Digital Outlook Report. Their efforts resulted in several insights that every marketer should think about. How do we, as consumers, portray ourselves online?  How many social networking profiles are we willing to maintain? How many digital devices do we really need? What role should marketing play in our communication platforms? Read on for some of Brandon’s thinking on these issues… Read more »

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Organizing for Digital

In our 2008 Digital Outlook Report, Avenue A | Razorfish’s CEO, Clark Kokich, made a great observation about the challenges faced by marketers:

Consumers no longer move neatly from one touchpoint to the next, from branding to promotion to sales. Instead, they snack on digital content delivered through a dizzying array of devices. They share ideas about products, companies, and brands, with their brand awareness and purchase consideration formed just as much by trolling a few niche-oriented blogs or peer-generated odes to the product on YouTube as by a national branding campaign. They research online and buy in stores. They shop in stores and buy online. The Internet has shattered the entire concept of a linear purchase funnel.

How can companies organized along traditional lines succeed in this environment? They can’t. Even if they find an agency that has successfully managed the transition, to whom does that agency pitch ideas? The IT department? The direct marketing specialists? The marketing director?

None of these silos has the expertise to judge a truly transformational digital business concept, because such concepts bridge every traditional marketing discipline, and more. Transformational business concepts start with an idea and are expressed across every appropriate digital touchpoint. Transformational ideas integrate elements of brand building, shopping, promotion, and customer retention marketing. These concepts include a heavy underpinning of technology, probably requiring integration into legacy systems.

Sometimes the digital industry does excessive hang wringing about traditional marketers not shifting budgets to the web quickly enough. It’s a valid point, but it’s also important to remember how complex the necessary changes are for marketers. The marriage of marketing and technology that it takes to really succeed in digital is not easy.

Tags: Change, Digital Outlook Report, DOR, Marketing, Technology

Posted in General, Trends | 2 Comments »

Denim, Crystal and You

In case you missed it, my colleague David Deal has a good post detailing how a two of our Avenue A | Razorfish clients, Levi’s and Crystal Light (Kraft), are engaging with communities. They’re both nice examples of the ways marketers are trying to engage in a more meaningful way with their customers.

Tags: community, Kraft, Levis

Posted in Advertising, Campaigns, Media | 2 Comments »

A Sleeping Giant

In our 2008 Digital Outlook Report, my colleagues, Sarah Baehr and Alyson Hyder, identified Nokia as a company to keep an eye on in digital marketing. Their thoughts are worth sharing:

Nokia made two important moves in 2007 that will impact digital marketing in the coming year. It acquired both Enpocket, a leading mobile advertising and marketing services firm, and Navteq, a leader in navigation data and systems software. While there have been no formal announcements from Nokia about how its assets will fit together, it is clearly going to be a company to watch in the coming year. Nokia appears to be vying to expand its own business outside of consumer mobile devices and into the software and services that consumers are able to use on those devices.

Nokia now has assets that may accelerate the use of smart devices that use location-based services that know where we are. The potential benefit for marketers is the ability to deliver relevant, geographically contextual advertising opportunities to customers. Accomplishing this feat in the U.S. today, while not impossible, often involves orchestrating a small army of carriers, devices, marketing services providers, and agencies whose interests are not always aligned.

The powers of mobile marketing have yet to be established, but here’s a vote for Nokia as an overlooked contender.

Tags: location based marketing, Mobile, Nokia

Posted in Media, Trends | No Comments »