I recently read an Advertising Age article about Target’s new cause marketing campaign (launched July 13) in which, for every Up & Up brand school supply purchased between July 13 and Aug. 2, the retailer will donate one Up & Up brand school supply product to a child in need via the Kids In Need Foundation. While this tactic may not necessarily be new – in fact, here is a list of ten “Buy One, Give One” Companies – I’m intrigued by Target’s use of this approach to build awareness and share for a specific category within a specific brand. (This is an approach we are seeing more frequently as the “Buy One, Give One” model continues to grow in popularity. As indicated in this Winter 2014 article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, companies such as Kiehl’s, Sephora, Whole Foods and Aveda have also introduced buy one, give one items.)
Brands Raising the Bar on Instagram: And what we can all learn from following along
When I got home on Thursday night my husband asked me how a client meeting had gone earlier in the afternoon. I replied, “The meeting went great. Spent a lot of time talking about social media and Instagram.”
Blank stare.
Yes, on a daily basis my Google Chrome tabs are open to Facebook and Pinterest and I’m scrolling through Instagram on my phone simultaneously. No, I am not wasting time. I am doing my job. How cool is that?
Transparency Key to Crisis Communications in Malaysia Crash, GroundFloor Media Expert Says
Hours after the crash of Malaysia Airlines in a disputed region of Ukraine, GroundFloor Media Crisis Communications Expert Gil Rudawsky was asked by a reporter for Ragan.com about how the airlines can do a better job responding to the tragedy.
Without knowing the details yet, Rudawsky said the airlines and those involved in the investigation must be forthcoming.
“From a crisis perspective, airlines and transportation officials need to be as transparent as possible with the media and the families,” he says. “They need daily updates on what happened, and what steps are being taken to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
Weekly Reads – How Sports are Leading the Way in Social Marketing
Social media is finally starting to move away from the siloed, online only entity of its infancy towards an integrated part of marketing strategies and tactics for brands. Sports, like in many other categories, is leading the way in utilizing new and innovative ways to engage fans through social.
Bandwagon Fans and Social Media: Why Quality Is Better than Quantity
As a hardcore Denver Nuggets fan, one of the most horrible things I can imagine is going to the Pepsi Center to watch my Nuggets take on the Los Angeles Lakers. For the past decade, the Lakers seemed to be the team that would perennially knock the Nuggets out of the playoffs and remind me that it’s a long hard road for a small market team in the NBA. It wasn’t watching Kobe Bryant’s smug face that would upset me, though. It wasn’t even the fact that the referees clearly favored the guys in purple and gold. No, the absolute worst thing about playing against the Lakers is walking through the doors of “the Can” surrounded by thousands of Lakers “fans” who probably couldn’t tell you the names of the starting lineup.
The Power of a Sincere Apology
While the World Cup has come to an end, at least one message will endure for some time. There aren’t enough words – or tears – to erase the pain of a nation as Brazil was defeated 7-1 by Germany in the World Cup semifinals. However, a heartfelt, sincere apology by team captain David Luiz had to have been appreciated by his compatriots.
Often in times of crisis or defeat, it’s easy to point fingers at others and shun the blame. However in business, as in life, a sincere apology goes a long way toward taking the edge off of the situation.
Weekly Reads – Stats, Metrics and Trying to Make Sense of it All
The social media target seems to be ever-changing and ever-moving. This week’s reads cover a number of the most up-to-date metrics, and thought leadership around measurement. From best times of day to post, to best topics to post about each day and whether or not we actually know the true value of social media…one thing is for sure: plenty of big brands are willing to invest in social media, including some notable efforts surrounding the World Cup.
Old School PR: The Comeback Kid
When I started my degree in journalism I used a typewriter. Some of you may remember when the only way to make a correction was to use Wite-Out. I used to also fax media advisories and pick up the phone to talk with reporters. So when I saw an article by Mickie Kennedy via Regan’s Health Care Communication News about getting back to PR basics, I thought it was worth sharing. Following are five retro tactics he recommended giving a whirl: Read more after the jump…
Weekly Reads – Considering the Invisible Engagement
Over the past few weeks there have been numerous brands creating some fantastic content focused around the World Cup. I saw one of those videos through a promoted tweet and then sent it out to about 20 friends via a group chat. From there, any number of them could’ve shared it with others. The brand will see that the promoted tweet they paid for drove my view, but will have no idea where the other 20+ came from. That phenomenon is what we like to call “invisible engagement” in social media. Without that paid advertisement those views would’ve never occurred.
The Fine Line Between Twitter-Clever and Twitter-Offensive: 5 Tips
Royal Dutch Airlines (@KLM) recently ruffled some international feathers when it tweeted “Adios Amigos #NEDMEX” with a photo of a mustached man in a sombrero in response to the Netherlands’ victory over Mexico in the World Cup. The tweet was only up for 25 minutes before it was deleted, but the damage had been done. Just another example in a long line of tweets that cross the line from “clever” to “offensive.”
Brands and organizations everywhere continue to push the Twitter envelope in an effort to get noticed. But how do they walk that fine line without crossing it and risking embarrassment, ridicule and even a loss of customers?
