Kristen Mariana's Blog.

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Viral Videos: All About the Emotional Connection

Based on Forbes’ article “The Real Christmas Miracle’ Of WestJet’s Viral Video: Millions in Free Advertising” by Andrew Bender

I can willingly (and happily!) admit that I totally loved WestJet’s viral Christmas video this year; it is the airline’s second year it has attempted to do a viral campaign.  The airline won over millions this year as its heartfelt video showed the airline purchasing gifts for 250 of its passengers that were taking flights to Calgary.  Vice President of Communications and Community Relations at WestJet, Richard Bartrem, said that the airline had hoped to get 800,000 views of the video; clearly, Bartrem was not ready for just how big the video was going to get. On the first day it was posted, the “Christmas Miracle” video was viewed 1 million times; it was even viewed more than 30 million times on YouTube in just under a week (Siracusa, 2013).  Because of the video, WestJet’s name appeared in front of millions it may have never reach had it not done “Christmas Miracle”; plus, the video makes them look both incredibly generous and like super marketers all at the same time.

So why was this video able to go viral so quickly? The best way to build a brand is through connecting with consumers emotionally; this video clearly did just that (Finanicial Post Staff, 2013).  Consumers respond to human emotional content; it is the type of content they are most likely to share with others.  The type of viral video advertising done in “Christmas Miracle” can be highly effective when done right; obviously, WestJet did it right.  Traditional advertisements are typically costly, not to mention the ad buys; the “Christmas Miracle”, Bartrem said, was only a fraction of the cost of a traditional ad.  Cost-efficient or not, WestJet’s viral video is one I would like to see more of; it is nice to see something so positive go viral.  Furthermore, the video shows us something we cannot buy - goodwill, which can be appreciated by all. 

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Native Advertising: Changing the Face of the Game

Based on Iyla Pozin’s article in Forbes Magainze, “5 Companies that Transformed Advertising in 2013” (Article)

The face of advertising is rapidly changing due largely to a conjunction of social, video and mobile technologies; and, this rapid change is said to only move faster.  As the online ad environment continues to evolve, companies must also evolve coming up with even more inspired and out-of-the-box approaches.  In order to meet this demand and desire for more imaginative ads, a countless number of startups have emerged in which to do so; many of such companies in the form of “native advertising”. Native advertising is considered to be the “next big thing” in ads; in fact, a recent study found that native ads were viewed fifty-three percent more frequently than that of traditional display ads.  

If you are like me, you are asking yourself, what is native advertising exactly?  In its most simple form, native advertising is said to be content sponsored by advertisers. Here was the best explanation I could find, which was from Mashable, if you are still confused.

  The five companies who are said to have helped to put native advertising on the map for 2013 include: Buzzfeed, Taboola, Triple Lift, Disqus, and Songza.  Each site uses content sponsored material which is said to be effective across advertising channels across the board.  On Thursday, The New York Times announced that it will soon be launching a redesign which will incorporate native advertising (article).  Native advertising, as well as an emphasis on video usage, are the NY Times’ attempt to boost falling advertising revenue from both print and digital media.  The redesign of the NY Times marks a milestone for native advertising which is often backlashed for using promoted content, rather than purely editorial material.  The NY Times’ move to use native advertising is just further reassurance that it is no longer whether or not it should be used, but how to do so in an effective way that still designates the difference between ads and non-sponsored content.  By investing in native advertising, companies make a conscious decision to recognize the vital importance of a given user’s experience, while also remaining cost-efficient in their ad techniques.

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3 Social Media Trends You Should Know About

As a professional who both uses and enjoys all things social media, I felt it necessary to weigh in on Alex Honeysett’s article entitled “3 Social Media Trends You Should Know About” (article).

  1. The first big in social media this year that is said to catch on is that of the social media job-scene; it is predicted to get bigger and better in the New Year.  Social media has now become necessary for global commerce; it has changed the way people socialize and network (Fisher, 2013). New jobs we are said to hear about include: SEO Specialist, Social Media Strategist, Online Community Manager, Social Media Marketing Manager, Social Media Marketing Coordinator, and Blogger or Social Media Copywriter.  

I think the part I like most about this new trend is that it helps to solidify that social media is more than just retweeting; it is a viable and premium marketing tool with unlimited potential.  This new more social trend also helps professionals to realize that yes, social media marketing is actually a lucrative area that requires a skill set.

  2. Forbes has predicted what they believe to be the “top 7 social media trends that will dominate 2014”. Most notable of the media trends was the return of Myspace, it is said to make a comeback this year (hello, flashback to undergrad years).  Google+ is setting itself apart as it has become a more integral asset for B2B marketers; fifty-five percent of B2B marketers use the site to distribute content (Le Mens, 2013).  Google+ is also predicted to be big this year due to its importance in Google Author Rank and Authorship; which are predicted to be two dominant trends of the SEO industry. Video will continue to be a very solid medium; it is said that short videos (via Instagram or Vine) will become as important as tweets this year.  Today, we want to obtain information as quick as possible; and videos are the perfect way to do so, particularly in Instagram’s new app feature.  Pinterest will also continue to rise as more consumers embrace their visual design style; it has become more of a necessity to clients with its new “Place Pins” and “Rich Pins” (Le Mens, 2013).

I find it hard to believe that Myspace will have a comeback, however I welcome it with open arms if it provides a viable enough new platform.  I have made a few videos via Vine and Instagram this year, but am interested to see where brands take it.

  3.  Small moments that create large trends.  In 2013, Oreo successfully live tweeted during the Super Bowl and created a social media moment that was talked about for the entire year.  The company’s timely tweet after the power outage turned into their most successful media message yet.  Timeliness is said to be the key of ads in the year to come.   Facebook was also big this year with its introduction of hashtags; it is predicted that the use of these hashtags will only continue to rise. Facebook hashtags are said to be a way of bringing conversations about public events, people, and topics to the forefront (Fuleova, 2013).

  Facebook hashtags did get big, but unfortunately Facebook is just not as relevant as it used to be.  As consumers, we have gotten tired of the ads and the constant want for “likes”.   I know that it is a cross-functional way to tie in multiple types of social media, but I just cannot help but feel it is antiquated.

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Made in Thailand. Credits go to : Truemove H TrueMove H always believed that " communication is the best " , we communicate through television commercials . ...

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The Top 5 Ads of 2013

Based on Professor Dynan’s Tweet: “Horovitz: Top 5 ads of 2013 are long and sweet” by Bruce Horovitz (article)

As we saw in the top five advertisements of 2013, the new trend in commercials is certainly not short and sweet; rather, this year’s best ads were three minute long made-to-go-viral videos.  “Viral video advertising is the next step of new age advertising” (Lovett, 2013). Today, advertisers are counting on viral ads – that include a beginning, middle, and end much like a movie – to be passed around social media (think YouTube) as many times as possible in order to get their products seen. For small brands, viral videos are crucial; small companies do not typically have the big budgets that larger companies often do for ads.  In order to stay relevant and competitive, small brands have looked to viral ads to stay on top. 

Getting an ad to go viral is said to take more than just a mere entertainment element (Nobel, 2013). According to a June 2013 article in Forbes, there are four keys steps to successful viral advertising; they are as follows: attracting attention, retaining attention, prompting viewers to share, and persuading viewers.  Advertisers face the challenge of creating the right mix of all of these “ingredients” to attract and retain viewers.  According to research done by Professor Thales S. Teixeira on viral ads, getting viewers to watch an ad is all about emotion, while getting them to share a video relies on the viewer’s personality.  Teixeira also found that the main drive for video ad sharing was egocentricity; that is, the viewer's aspiration to develop personal gain from sharing the video.  For instance, by sharing a particular touching video the sharer may want to make themselves “look good” amongst others; perhaps they may be seeking to improve their reputation amongst their peer group.  Overall, it looks like we should expect to see a lot more of viral video advertising in the New Year.

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Be You.

Based on Professor Dynan’s Pinterest Post “Rethink ‘Brand You’: Find Your Authentic Self” by Meghan M. Biro (article)

  As a current young-professional (graduate student, millennial, the list goes on) I often hear from more experienced professionals about establishing “my personal brand” – that is, who I am, what I am good at it, and what I want to be known for.  Personal branding is a way of marketing yourself to others; it is your reputation and many times your first impression. Online, personal branding is typically done via social media and it is a way for people to find out more about you before they even meet you. (Think: Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) Personal branding also has an “offline” component; examples include: networking, social groups, reputation, etc.

While I certainly value “branding” I also find that there is a very fine line between being fake and being genuine.  Branding is a way of exuding what you “think” people want to buy – however, many times people appear unauthentic; rather than the best versions of themselves.  I felt easily able to relate to author Meghan M. Biro’s Forbes article where she urges everyone “to thine own self be true.”  For me, being a genuine person is much more important in the professional world than putting on a facade.  Success is said to be based more on “knowing yourself” and being who you are, not who you want the world to think you are.  As someone who is paving the foundation for their own professional career, I think it is more critical to know one’s self then to pretend to be someone you are not – especially so early in the game.

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Retailers Still Feeling the "Belt-Tightening" of the Recession

In Response to Professor Dynan’s Tweet: “As Shoppers Turn Cheap, American Eagle Turns to Cheap Stuff” by Kyle Stock (article)

Studies have shown that the frugal spending habits that consumers have adapted to as result of the recession may have become a permanent way of being; even despite slowing signs of a recovering economy (Reuters, 2013). The recession caused consumers to feel household budget pressure creating a flock to discount stores and private-label alternatives.  Online sales and convenience stores have become more of the norm; better to not waste gas and money to make a trip to a store location.  Consumers, today, feel it is necessary to keep their “belts tightened” still and to continue to make savvy purchasing decisions. The consumer population has it ingrained in them to wait for sales; after all, retailers have increased promotions vastly since the recession’s start to compete against one another. 

It is believed that Millennials are a group of savvy-consumers within their own category; after all, they have grown-up during the recession and have had to, in large part, always be smarter shoppers.  One such company that has felt the frugalness of the Millennial population is that of American Eagle which has seen its own set of very dismal results recently.  American Eagle cites their recent financial bleakness to be caused by a mixture of “tepid demand and intense promotional habits” (Stock, 2013).  Their recent attempt at large promotional discounts ended up back firing on them, rather than fueling foot traffic; their operating profit margin fell to drastically to 4.9 percent from 14.1 last year for the same period.  In order to keep afloat, American Eagle has revamped their strategy: if their customers have turned cheap, then they’ll turn cheap too.  Their plan is to close 50 of their traditional stores, open 26 new factory stores, and produce “made-for-outlet” apparel.  They plan to not compromise quality, but believe their new line will appeal to consumer’s ideal of “value”.

It will be interesting to see if American Eagle is actually prosperous in their new “made-for-outlet” endeavor – my own suspicion is that it will not be; to me, quality is never worth compromising.

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How Much is Too Much When it Comes to Retailer Emails?

Based on Professor Dynan’s Twitter Post: “Gap Dares to Ask: Are Customers Tired of All Our Sales?” by Kyle Stock (article)

As a subscriber to all of the Gap parent-company emails – I personally receive Gap, Gap Outlet, Banana Republic, and Piperlime emails – I would have to say yes, the over-emails are a bit much.  Have the emails fatigued me?  No, not necessarily, but I would much rather not see something from the retailer every single day. I shop at all of Gap’s stores frequently; however, I find it hard to pay full price for just about any item in these stores because of the occurrence of sales. 

  Clearly it is not a mystery why companies send the constant email advertisements; it is cheap marketing, we get it.  At some point though, less is more; more emails does not necessarily equate more sales.  In 2012, retailer Nicole Miller realized that at a certain level of frequency, the emails simply begin to annoy customer and turn them away (article).  Retailers are beginning to see the “spam flood” is not likely to entice customers to read their emails, and that perhaps new tactics are necessary to attract sales. Gap’s Chief Executive Officer has stated that he wants to be “more creative” with their sales tactics as customers have become fatigued with all of their advertisements for constant discounts (Stock, 2013).  It seems, however, that there has been no shortage of emails and sales signs displayed in the store windows; so, it does not look like the bombardment will end anytime soon.  Perhaps Gap could learn a thing or two from retailer Nicole Miller and be a bit more strategic about the frequency of their sales?  I for one would appreciate a little less spam in my own inbox.

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Instant Gratification: We Want it Now.

Based on Professor Dynan’s Pinterest Post: “A Holiday Retail Lesson for Small Business: Be More Like Amazon” by John Tozzi. (article)

    As a new found Amazon-enthusiast, I could not help but completely relate to author John Tozzi’s Businessweek article titled “A Holiday Retail Lesson for Small Business: Be More Like Amazon”. I myself turned to Amazon this holiday season for its reliable and convenient service; oh, and also the fact that they sell just about everything.  With a shortened holiday season, we all felt the crunch this year shopping and sites like Amazon really helped to “lessen the load”.  As Tozzi eludes to in his article, if you cannot deliver instant gratification like Amazon, then you just are not up to par.  As consumers, we no longer want to wait for your “shotty” website, or your two-day long inventory pull – we want it, and we want it right now.  Today, we have a need for instant gratification and any brand, or product, that has become essential in meeting our needs has become successful – i.e. Amazon, eBay, etc.

      Our lack of patience, joined with both the internet and our mobile devices, have increased our expectations of immediacy (Lee, 2013 article). And, as technology gets bigger and better, our need for instant satisfaction grows even quicker; anything less than instantaneous is considered irritating and slow.

    Another forward-thinking company besides Amazon, called PeaPod, has really tapped into the instant gratification market with its new mobile app (article).  The new app allows its customers to restock their household groceries by scanning the bar code on an existing box.  The scan sends a direct order to the consumer’s virtual shopping basket; overall, it is a smart and convenient way to stay on top of your to-do list.  It also probably helps that PeaPod will also provide home delivery; again, instant-convenience at its best. 

Overall it seems evident that instant gratification will only continue to grow – or as some may see it, worsen.  Regardless, it seems that businesses who want to stay on top need to deliver the instant services that Amazon currently provides, or they are sure to be pushed aside for something quicker and more convenient.

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Taco Bell for the New Generation.

Based on Professor Dynan’s tweet in regard to Taco Bell’s new snack menu.

(see article)

Taco Bell’s most recent menu additions have been created in order to draw in a younger crowd who are simply looking for a quick snack in their new “loaded grillers”. The new griller-wraps are not only easy to grab-and-go, but are made in flavors that would appeal mostly to this teenage target. The article above made me immediately reflect on my own feelings. I do not love Taco Bell; in fact, I do not even like Taco Bell. I will admit, however, that I have visited one of their locations within the last week where I only had a soft drink; even in person I was not persuaded to eat the food. What I do know, is that as a teenager I loved Taco Bell; in fact, I loved anything fast-food related. While I am certainly not one of the teenagers that Taco Bell is trying to target, today, I think that Taco Bell does a great job of attracting its biggest consumers and target audience. They offer their youth target the flavors they enjoy, like buffalo and nacho, in a convenient package, size, and affordable.

A 2012 Progressive Grocer article titled “Healthful Snacks Coming of Age” notes that we are currently living in the “Great Age of Snacking”. The article also touches on some key factors as to why American’s are shifting to a more snack-heavy lifestyle including: a decline in family eating, a time-crunched society, cutting costs, and attempting to cut calories. While Taco Bell is not necessarily the most healthy option for dining, the new grillers allow consumers to feel a bit better about their purchases because of its size and its low-cost.

(see article)

The franchise chain also did a great job with some of its other new menu offerings this past year. The “Doritos Locos Tacos” featured a beloved combination of both the teenage-favorite Doritos and the classic taco. The new “Cantina Bowl” also became popular within the female sector as it presented a fresher and somewhat-healthier option. It seems pretty clear that despite my own personal feelings for the fast-food chain, Taco Bell is certainly doing something right. They recognize what their consumers want, and how to get it to them; since 2011 they have even posted financial gains.

(see article)

Yum Brands Inc., the owner of Taco Bell, feels confident that the franchise will only get better in 2013; I have to say I agree. They plan to offer more snack items, expand on their “Locos Tacos” flavors, and even offer a sort of “happy hour” option for those with busier lifestyles. Again, despite how I may, or may not, feel about the restaurant chain, it is pretty clear they know where they are going.

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A chance to laugh a little at all things Instagram.

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Insta Success.

(based on Professor Dynan’s tweet “Thanksgiving was Instagram’s Best Day Yet”)

As seen in the picture(s) above, one of the biggest crazes of this app is that of uploading food or meals. People cannot seem to get enough of uploading their meals, whether they being special or not. (Yes, I admit I have uploaded food pictures.)

To be honest, I was not surprised that Thanksgiving was Instagram’s best day yet. As an Instagram-enthusiast myself, I know many of the ins and outs of the Insta-world. I also know that some users (those that shall not be named) can even be considered obsessed with their new found love for this app. Instagram is certainly one of 2012’s most used social media outlets and it seems to only be getting bigger; it has even expanded to Android phones. People cannot seem to get enough of the app that allows them, or so they may think, to take the very mundane details of everyday life and turn them into “art”.

Instagram’s“insta-popularity” can be chalked up to some important key factors. One such factor includes the access, or even anonymity, it provides to its users. Users are able to follow friends, family, and even their favorite celebrities, in a more intimate way. Because Instagram is restricted to smart phones, there is still a level a privacy that is maintained with this app that can no longer be found on other social media sites. Another important feature of the app is its immediate gratification; as soon as the picture is uploaded, you have an immediate audience. Lastly, for those who choose to do so, Instagram is easily shared on other outlets with the quick click of a button. With a simple upload, a picture can be shared on a blog, Twitter, and Facebook all at once; not many social media outlets can be used quiet as easily. (see article)

Of all of 2012’s Instagram news, I personally found “Rich Kids of Instagram” to be the most interesting of all. Using the hashtag “#RKOI” affluent American teens uploaded pictures of their lavish everyday life on Instagram to the Tumblr site. Many viewed the Tumblr as a means of bragging and were outraged by the site; some found the site’s naysayers to simply be jealous of their privileged lives. Whether one is a lover, or hater, of the Tumblr site, I feel like we can all agree that our fascination with the wealthy will not disappear anytime soon (even if the Insta-pictures do). (see article)

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One Coffee at a Time

I could not help but laugh a little when I heard of the DC-area Starbucks’ attempt at their somewhat political agenda. I mean is one little message on a cup of coffee really going to take the nation by storm?  Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, has asked the area’s employees to scribble ‘Come Together’ on the sleeve of each drink sold both today and tomorrow.  He feels that although it may be a small attempt at reaching out to our officials, it can be an effective one nonetheless.   The message itself is a cry out to get Congress to come to some sort of agreement in regard to the end of the year and the very near fiscal cliff.  (see article) 

Starbucks has even gone so far as advertising in the DC-area newspapers (picture above) in a formal outreach to the public for their support.  As a consumer, I am interested to see how powerful, or not, all of this messaging really can be.  

Starbucks is also gaining a lot of attention in the form of mockery, as they attempt to take this political stance.   However, I would not peg Starbucks as any sort of dummy; they are certainly gaining tons of social media exposure as consumers continue to upload their messages to outlets such as Twitter and Instagram.  Either way, it will be interesting to see how all of this plays out; perhaps, even it if reaches a more national level. 

A recent UK Starbucks campaign incorporating social media back-fired on the organization when it was leaked that they paid very little, in comparison to their net-worth, in taxes.  Instead of their “#SpreadTheCheer” campaign being primarily based on the holidays, it became the premise of backlash and criticism of the company.  Here’s hoping the company’s U.S. political stance goes a bit smoother. (see article)

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Tweets mocking Starbuck's attempt at "Coming Together".

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Sad Season for Holiday Retailers

  As the Christmas season comes to a close, and the Fiscal Cliff looms nearer, retail industry reports have begun to infiltrate the news from this holiday season.  “You Were Totally Right in Thinking You Did Not Receive Enough Presents This Year”, in Vanity Fair’s daily section of their website, was one such account that did a great job of not only reporting this year’s bleak stats, but also attracted my inner-Christmas-brat’s attention.   

According to the article, this year’s sales grew at the weakest pace yet since 2008, when our country was facing the worst part of the recession.  Factors such as economic uncertainty and poor weather conditions, particularly the effects of Hurricane Sandy, have been named as key factors to the spending downturn.  The article also jokingly suggests that perhaps we were all aiming just a bit too high in our gift wishes this year, and that our ‘reaching for the stars’ mentality aided in less spending.

It was projected that holiday sales this year would grow anywhere from three to four percent for U.S. retailers.  Despite such positive outlooks for the season, or huge discount whatever they may have been, it seems that with so many financial uncertainties that consumers were just not willing to spend.