Office Archives for Organizational Implications
Even though Super Bowls can be a bit of a let down, advertisers and brands swarm to get spots for the big game. Case in point, all of the Super Bowl ad spots were sold out before Thanksgiving this year. This is mainly due to brands wanting to get in front of one of the largest audiences to view television programs. It is predicted this year there will have been 100 million people watching (REUTERS) the Super Bowl; and at a price tag of $3.5 million dollars for a 30 second spot, it may seem like a deal. However, I’m not sure that the brands truly recognize the value of the spots or the return they may, or may not get from them.
The Retail Advertising and Marketing Association states that 73% of consumers who watch the Super Bowl ads, watch them for entertainment; entertainment, not for purchase. Only 8.4% of all consumers who watch the ads, say the ads influence their intent to purchase. Now that number is quite scary. Brands invest $3.5 million dollars for 15-30 seconds of the consumers’ attention and only 8.4% see that spot and think, “purchase.” I won’t even go into my concern that the brands aren’t even doing their market research on the audience. How many brands that advertise during the Super Bowl know they are advertising to their target demographic?
Super Bowl Ads Are Social Media Savvy
If you hadn’t already seen, some of the most anticipated Super Bowl ads have been leaked onto social media sites everywhere this week, and it’s looking like it should be a good year for commercial entertainment. However, this is one of the first years that we have seen these ads leaked in such high volume. There is already buzz about which brands have gotten it right, and which completely missed the mark.
So what is with this new phenomenon of leaking ads prior to the most hyped live event in America? It’s simple. Super Bowl spots cost about $3.5 million for a 30 second spot, so advertisers are really just trying to get the most for that money. This article sums it up best when they say, “100 million people are expected to tune into Sunday’s broadcast on NBC. But with well over a billion people on Facebook and Twitter combined, it’s a goldmine for advertisers if a fraction of those people continue to talk about their commercials days after the Big Game.” Many of the ads this year even come complete with their own interactive social media portion, including smartphone apps and hashtags.
I’ve spent the past few weeks using a Samsung Windows 7 phone. As an iPhone user since 2007, I was somewhat skeptical but curious to give Windows’ approach to mobile a try. After a few weeks with the Windows Phone 7, I was genuinely surprised by the great mobile experience Microsoft has created. 
The good
The tile interface. The Android/Apple cold war has lead to a similar UX for the two largest smartphone platforms. On Windows Phone 7, my Facebook, Twitter and other social accounts are all aggregated into my People tile. No need to flip through separate apps for all of my separate social networks. Emails and upcoming meetings are even previewed on tiles so I do not need to dig into an app to review my information- they’re all consolidated into one experience. The concept behind this was to connect you to information as quickly as possible, getting you in and out of your phone in a few gestures so you can go back to your life without missing a beat. Very cool.
Attention to detail. The interface elements, scrolling and subtle animations that guide the interface are intuitive, snappy, and just plain fun. I love how updates flip through to my home screen as they happen. No need to check individual apps as the newest news is pushed to me directly. Even the system fonts tout a polished design that looks crisp onscreen and has a subtle hipness to it. You won’t find Times New Roman here.
The bad
Camera experience. The software is clunky and the Samsung camera is slow, although overall image quality is pretty good. This will disappoint iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S users but could be on par with midrange Android and older iPhones. No doubt your mileage will vary depending on your particular phone, but the laggy response and clunky UI were somewhat disappointing.
Disjointed Syncing Experience. Much to my surprise, nothing happened when I plugged in the WIndows Phone 7 to my Mac. There was no included documentation on connecting my device either. After a Google search, I was directed to a file on Microsoft.com for a Mac-compatible Windows Phone 7 media manager. Unfortunately, the file was a 4kb text document that contained a link to the “real” URL in the Mac App Store. Very lame but easy to fix.
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Community Manager Appreciation Day 2012
This week, community managers everywhere participated in the third annual Community Manager Appreciation Day (also known as CMAD)! Now, while some of you may be thinking “oh no, not another made up holiday”, let me explain why Community Manager Appreciation Day is such a wonderful holiday to celebrate.
First of all, I’m sure all of you know at least one Community Manager. Whether you work with them, are friends with them, or interact with them through the communities that they manage, everyone knows a hard-working Community Manager. And because you know them, you know what an exciting and unique opportunity it is for them! Whether they are acting as a head-cheerleader, managing a disgruntled consumer or simply representing a brand, Community Managers wear many different hats throughout their days.
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As the moderator of this week’s Wharton School of Business panel, “Analytics Across Industries” Elea Feit (Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative) asked CM’s VP Marketing Science a number of questions about current trends in online measurement. Here’s a glimpse inside their discussion about the transformation happening inside organizations, posing interesting challenges for management and opening up new career paths for students.
Why Now?
Elea: What do you think is driving this move toward analytics?
Shaina: Accountability has been looming for years. Some organizations are still getting away without it, but I’ve seen clients and us fired if Sr. leadership changes and the analytics aren’t up to snuff. The days of bloated business are over.
Elea: All of you have invested your careers in analytics – you have really branded yourself as someone who can use data to provide answers. What led you to do that and where do you hope it will take you?
Shaina: I experienced the .Com boom and the .Com bust. If only we had had analytics widely in 2000, we probably could have saved the industry and a lot of jobs. Every agency in Chicago closed its doors and the industry overall lost the entire middle tier of talent. We now have a talent shortage for all the work that is out there. I chose this profession because a it comes naturally to me, and b to save the industry from tanking again, and to provide the consumer and business a better product.
Wikipedia, Google, and other sites slowed, if not killed, the SOPA and PIPA legislation with their blackout protest on Wednesday, January 18. The big sites behind the blackout clearly exploited their massive reach and place in people’s daily lives, enabling the protest to grow with amazing speed. Equally important, the sites adeptly employed key strategies for sparking a movement.
Other organizations can mobilize people for their cause by understanding the key strategies of movements and examining how the blackout followed those strategies.
1. Share a Purpose
Having a purpose inspires passion and participation. At the heart of the protest was a belief that the Internet and information should be free. But a purpose doesn’t have to be altruistic. Many Wikipedia or Google users probably acted out of concern they’d lose access to these incredibly convenient resources.
2. Pique Curiosity
Curiosity leads people down the rabbit hole. Many people had probably heard little or nothing about SOPA or PIPA. A new and imminent threat certainly provokes curiosity – and alarm.
3. Direct the Action
Give people a specific and easy way to participate. Read More
