#mojo-ad

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by Katie Cowell 

Muthana gazed into the mirror and straightened his bowtie for the 17th time that afternoon. He’d finally stopped fiddling with the cufflinks that perfectly accented his tuxedo – the iconic tuxedo that has epitomized suave masculinity for over 50 years. After calculating the exact dose of cologne to spritz across his chest and planning his dance moves for later that night, Muthana was finally ready for prom. He went downstairs. And Greased Lightening was waiting in the driveway.

Muthana had two dates this year; one was his best friend. The other was Netflix.

Back in January, the high school junior tweeted at Netflix asking the website if it would accompany him to prom (a proposal doesn’t get more Millennial than that.). Netflix agreed and offered Muthana the movie-inspired experience of a lifetime. (The recap video is a must-watch!)

This dream-come-true prom is amazing for several reasons…

It illustrates the power of social media. Not only was Muthana able to personally converse with a huge company, but his message was also spread across the Internet over 1000 times (how’s that for free publicity?).

The invitation for Netflix to play an intimate role in one of high school’s highly personal and defining moments (as well as the opportunity for free “air time”) was consumer-prompted. AdFreak’s David Gianatasio words it well: “Beyond being a fun way for the brand to build buzz by leveraging its connection with fans, the episode reflects how deeply media have become woven into the fabric of our lives.”

It was a perfect example of a brand showing its personality and giving back to its fans.

At the end of the day, Millennials want brands that don’t act like brands, but who actively pursue genuine and meaningful relationships with the fans who love them. By going above and beyond to make good on a quirky request, Netflix was the shining star of a magical night that Muthana and his classmates will never forget.

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by Brendan Shaughnessy

1. *One new email* FROM A RECRUITER AT MY DREAM JOB!

2. Breathe. You’ve been planning for this your whole life. A phone interview. Sweet I got this. Should I start apartment hunting? No, don’t get ahead of yourself. You’ll jinx it!

3. I’ll play it cool like I don’t need them… I really do though… but be cool. Should I use “sincerely” or “regards?” Only grandmas use “sincerely” and I’m a millennial. #hip

4. *spend 4 hours re-reading 2 paragraph email*

5. I spelt my name wrong?!? How did I manage that? My name is Brendan not Brensan.. I can’t even spell my own name right. I’m gonna be homeless. What a failure!

6. *send* 

7. Still nothing back. Maybe she lost my email. She’s probably a busy lady. Should I send another? No, I don’t want to seem clingy. But seriously, isn’t your job to recruit me? What else are you doing? Email me back! I’m a perfect fit! EMAIL ME.

8. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DO YOU WANT ME OR NOT? STOP TEASING ME WITH YOUR BENEFITS AND PAY. WHY DON’T YOU LOVE ME?

9. *One new email*

10. “Sorry for the delay, how does Thursday work?”

11. Whew. I knew she was going to get back to me. She was probably just taking her kids to soccer practice. Recruiters are people, too. Thursday works all day and twice on Sunday.

12. *send*

13. Be Thursday.

14. Interview. Killed it. High fives and fist pumps as far as the eye can see.

15. Send thank you note, thank you email, a bouquet of Spanish roses and a unicorn horn.

16. I’m sitting in a forever abyss. Drifting by. I don’t know where I’m going to be or who I even am anymore. Please call me. Please call me.

17. *One new email*

18. “Dear applicant, we loved your application, but will unfortunately be moving on without you through our hiring process. If you want your heart back, too bad. We’re keeping it. Forever.”

19. Repeat

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by Katelyn Cavaleri

1. Alright, resume? Check. LinkedIn profile? Lookin’ good.

2. Is that picture of me too casual? I mean, I want to seem young and fun, but still professional…whatever, I’m sure employers can appreciate a fun profile pic.

3. Okay, *types in search bar* "entry-level Strat. Comm. position"

4. Ooh their logo looks cool, let’s see. *clicks*

5. “We prefer our interns have three years of field-related experience, all of their future aspirations mapped out and a letter of recommendation from Obama for good measure.”

6. -_-

7. Oookay, onto the next one.

8. Ugh. Maybe I should make my own website to highlight my abilities.

9. *spends two hours sifting through site templates*

10. *ends up picking the third one I looked at*

11. This is exhausting.

12. Why do I have to market myself anyway?

13. I’m a great person…people like me!

14. *magically ends up on Facebook*

15. “So-and-so just got a job at blah-blah whatever company, send them a gift!”

16. mmm pass

17. *feelings of dread and impending doom take over internally*

18. *sighs*…back to LinkedIn I go.

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by Dylan Connell

If you know anything about me or have stalked my LinkedIn (please tell me you’ve stalked my LinkedIn), you know that my passions in life amount to about two things: social media and television. So you can imagine how happy I was when I saw HootSuite’s latest ad tapping into the week-long hype leading up to last night’s season 4 premiere of HBO’s Game of Thrones. It’s a lovely parody of the show’s iconic opening title sequence, but instead of displaying the warring kingdoms of Westeros, the map shows the warring social media platforms of…Earth I guess.

Social media meets television. Social television. Am I in heaven?

HootSuite is a social network management system with a marketing team that knows how to play the social media game. One would think that would be a given considering the industry they’re in, but when was the last time you saw another management platform creating something like this? I caught the ad when it had only 68 views on YouTube. Three days later, it’s amassed more than 37,000. Trust me, those are some good numbers for a minute-and-a-half advertisement for a social management system. Any company that is not a social media platform but who deals primarily with social media, can learn a thing or two from HootSuite.

The other thing worth pointing out about this video is the quality. HootSuite didn’t skimp on the production values, which is a good lesson for any brand pushing content to the public. Color inside the lines. Allocate your budgets accordingly, and don’t be afraid to spend a little extra to make something that looks good. Consumers can spot the difference and will judge you accordingly.

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by Chelsey Veasman 

While browsing through the many websites I visit on the daily, I stumbled across an article on adage.com with a headline that read: “Monthly Cost of an Instagram Ad Campaign Can Approach $1M”. Perhaps it’s because I’m an ad junkie or simply because in reality one million dollars for an Instagram campaign that only lasts for a month just seems outrageous, I clicked on the link.

At first, I scoffed, thinking Instagram must be completely off its rocker. Who in their right mind would pay that kind of money for 30 DAYS  (31, if you’re lucky) of a mobile app advertisement? No one who’s sane, that’s for sure.

The article quoted different prices for a monthly Instagram run, the lowest of which was $350,000 and the highest close to that million dollar mark. It’s clear that nothing is completely set in stone but the video and photo-sharing company has already received some advertising business.

Last month, Ad Age reported on a year-long deal Instagram worked out with Omnicom reaching heights of $100 million. However, it doesn’t stop there. Taco Bell also announced that it would be using Instagram as part of the unveiling of its breakfast menu. Chobani then declared it was also launching a three to four week advertising campaign.

I suppose this was when I realized… “Wait, people are actually doing this?! “

However, the more I read, the more I realized that Instagram is really a fantastic way to reach the targeted YAYA audience. Maybe the money is worth it after all. I’m sitting here talking about it so clearly they have my attention. It’s clearly much different than a banner ad or any sort of print ad. There’s no avoiding it when you’re browsing your Instagram timeline; it takes up the majority of the screen and appears almost like native content.

Ok, maybe I’m a little more convinced it’s worth the millions. It seems companies such as Taco Bell and Chobani aren’t batting any eyelashes, so perhaps it’s the quality of the ad that draws in these well-paying advertisers. On the other side of things, Instagram donated ad space to the non-profit, Charity Water, which makes me think that perhaps they aren’t just in it for the money (“Crooked Smiles Don’t Sell”, anyone?)

In reality, Instagram is STILL growing. It’s a great market for targeted YAYA advertising, even if it may be on the pricy side. For now, I think I’ll keep my pennies in my pocket and wait to see how the rest unfolds.

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by Paula Ottoni

Here are three things you might not know about me: I was born in Brazil, I love advertising, and I’m a huge soccer fan. Okay, let’s be honest - if you’re reading this blog, chances are you know me pretty well. Still, you can imagine my excitement when all three of those things come together at once.

Coca-Cola, an official sponsor of the World Cup in Brazil, just released a new series of ads on YouTube. These videos show what soccer means to people from different corners of the world. Aside from the incredible cinematography and moving soundtrack, I love these ads because they understand what’s beautiful about soccer: its accessibility. You don’t need money, sophisticated uniforms, or carefully manicured grass to play the game. All you need is a ball. That’s what makes soccer the most popular sport in the world.

  (Click on the image to watch the video)

  If those incredible smiles at the end didn’t move you (what are you, a robot?), check out this other video.

(Click on the image to watch the video)

  That’s beautiful, Coke. And how about that tagline? Forget everything you knew about the World Cup. Welcome to the World’s Cup, and everyone’s invited. Unless you drink Pepsi.

On a more serious note, however, I worry about what the World Cup means for my country in particular.  Recent protests prove I’m not the only one. Optimists used to say it would boost our lagging economy, but recent reports are much more skeptical. The truth is, Brazil has spent billions of dollars on constructions that have yet to be completed, and our biggest airports aren’t ready to receive the massive influx of tourists joining this month-long spectacle. While these are completely legitimate concerns, these problems were 100 percent predictable. If anyone saw this coming, here’s my question: why didn’t we protest in October 2007, when FIFA announced Brazil as the official host of the 2014 World Cup?

I don’t expect this World Cup to go very smoothly, but the tireless optimist in me believes Brazil will surprise more than a few people with its hospitality and beauty. If anything, this celebration will provide cathartic relief to those who need it. That, and incredible advertising.

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by Malorie Barnett

Many of us are nearing graduation and about to enter the job force for the first time. This inevitably means that we will be starting in an entry-level position in the coming months. Although, this doesn’t indicate that there isn’t opportunity to become leaders in our first jobs.

There will be plenty of room to show leadership, it might just take a bit more effort. It is critical that when we discover these opportunities we are able to sell our ideas, as leaders, to our desired audience. Taking tips from CEO of YUM! Brands and University of Missouri alum David Novak’s “Taking People With You”, I have outlined the most important lessons that we must take with us to our new job as recent graduates. We will begin at the core of leadership with this first tip.

Insight-Driven Leadership

As stated by Novak, to be an Insight-Driven leader we must answer three key questions.

            1. What our big goal?

            2. Who is the target audience for our big goal?

            3. What is our target audience thinking?

Before we can accomplish anything we have to understand the goal ourselves, and we can’t forget to aim high with the goal. Next, being able to understand our audience and what they are thinking is the only way to make things happen. We must know what motivates them before selling the idea to them. Once we understand our audience, it’s all about putting the goal into the right context, presented as the solution, to drive success.

Perspective

Having an open and powerful mindset is half the battle to accomplishing our goals as recent graduates. It’s all about our mindset and a positive mindset. A mindset is a choice, and a choice we have to actively make each and every day in order to optimize opportunities and strengthen our results. Beyond opening our perspective on the world we must making the conscious choice to be genuine, authentic and merely ourselves. This is one of the simplest but often overlooked things to do in order to become an inspiring leader. People follow those they believe in, and no one passionately believes in someone that isn’t truly him or herself.

Trust

It seems so fundamental at the core, but the foundation of any team begins with trust. We will spend the rest of our careers on a team in some manner or another, so without trust, those teams certainly won’t reach their maximum potential. When those around us know we have faith in them and the common goal, they rise to the occasion to accomplish feats even they didn’t know they were able to do. Leaders that know and communicate the great things their team is capable of accomplishing inspire others. Novak stresses the importance of seeing the potential in every person and the growth that follows for a team when trust is established.

Curiosity

We’re young and despite countless internships and a college education, our age alone yields inexperience. It’s important from here forward we find mentors, those who we aspire to become one day, and we learn. Despite how old we might feel, we are just beginning our lives and we must learn to absorb everything around us.  When we don’t know something we must seek out the answers and more. It’s critical at this time in our lives that we see everything as a chance to broaden our knowledge base. We can do this by passionately seeking out any opportunity to expand our knowledge, expertise or skills. The relentless curiosity grants us the ability to enthusiastically create new ideas and concepts that will only bring success and energy to our team and the teams we lead.

At the end of the day, the bottom line from Novak’s book is that in order to be an effective leader, you must have a goal that you wholeheartedly believe. You can’t just stop there though; you must invite your team to become a part of something bigger and inspire them to join, in order to truly make big things happen.

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by Jordan Tieman 

Recently, consumer privacy hasn’t seen any lack of media attention. The recent Target data breach and even the NSA spying scandal have thrust the use of big data into the spotlight. These new scandals call into question consumers’ willingness to share personal information with brands.  A recent study by Mintel, states that while consumers are protective of their personal information, Millennials are much more willing to share personal data compared to their Baby Boomer parents. According to Mintel, 60 percent of Millennials would be willing to provide details about their personal preferences to companies, whereas Baby Boomers are much skeptical of sharing personal information (Mintel, Marketing to Millennials –US- February 2014).

However, YAYA consumers aren’t giving away their information away for free.  According to a study by eMarketer, the YAYA market is willing to trade their personal data in return for more relevant discounts and offers, like loyalty and rewards programs. More so than any other generation, they have a unique understanding of the benefits that come from this two-way relationship. YAYA shoppers understand that the more data a brand has about their online behavior the more relevant and beneficial deals they will receive (eMarketer, Loyalty Marketing, 2014).

As discussed in the 2013 State of the YAYA report, brands like Starbucks have capitalized on this belief with their My Starbucks Rewards Program. YAYA consumers love their convenient rewards program that offers deals and discounts on Starbucks drinks and pastries. Not only do they receive great deals, the program is also completely mobile - everything can happen on their smartphones. The catch is, in order to be part of the rewards program, you have to track all of your purchases on the mobile app, providing Starbucks with endless purchasing data about YAYA consumers.

Reward programs also offer brands the unique opportunity to allow YAYA shoppers to login with their Facebook profiles, providing even more benefits for both the brand and the user.  According to the Center For Digital Future’s article, “Is Online Privacy Over”, “[Millennials] perceive social media as an exchange or an economy of ideas, where sharing involves participating in smart ways,” said Elaine B. Coleman, managing director of media and emerging technologies for Bovitz.

According to Fiona O’Donnell, category manager, retail, multicultural, lifestyles and leisure at Mintel, it is in the way retailers tailor data to the YAYA market’s needs that truly matters.  “This age group is at a critical life stage, experiencing major life-influencing events such as graduating from college, getting married, having children, establishing a career or making their first significant purchases, making them particularly attractive to businesses. For marketers, the key to mining that precious data isn’t in the raw data itself, but crafting it into a tailored, meaningful and engaging message for the Millennial consumer,” said Fiona.