Andy Boyer

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Category: Marketing (Page 20 of 25)

On Site Super Bowl 42

February 2, 2008 /

So, I would love to go into detail about the NFL Experience, a giant travelling tradeshow attached to Super Bowl 42. And so I slogged out the 30 miles to God forsaken Glendale to file a report at 1:00pm on Friday.

 
However, much to my chagrin, the NFL didn’t have an experience for the public from 1:00 to 3:00pm. During those hour, it’s only experience is for season ticket holders and special guests. Since I had already burned a half day and $10 in parking, I gamely decided to see what else the NFL had for me.

Unfortunately, the only experience I was allowed, was Westgate Center.

Now I need to properly frame Glendale Stadium. And I think the best way to do this is to weave in a popular conspiracy theory. You see, 10 years ago there was this giant expanse of desert wasteland far west of Phoenix. The conspiracy theory is that a bunch of rich guys bought up this worthless property. Then, for some unexplained reason, a highway was built through this wasteland, a giant loop that ran around Phoenix, from I-10, all the way around the city and back to I-10 on the other side. Shortly thereafter, legislators decided all this open land with this convenient highway would be an ideal place for a new sports stadium. And since the stadium was so far removed from ANYTHING, the natural solution was to build a hockey arena as well, and build up the property around the stadium with hotels, bars, restaurants, condos and shops.So if you google Glendale, what you will see is 2 huge stadiums, a shopping mall, and then acres of empty land in all directions.  Desert wasteland which is now worth a fortune.

But I digress.

Now I’m out amongst the cacti and my only option is to go hang out by the shopping mall and hope for the best.  To be fair, Westgate is pretty cool if you are looking for a place to grab food and drink before a game.  All the standard chain bars are there (Margaritaville, Bar Louie, Fox Sports, etc….)

But this really re-iterated the point that at Super Bowl Weekend, you need VIP or Insider Status if you want to do anything cool.  Sure, they have parkinglot exhibits and stuff liek that, but without any kind of priority access, you are really getting about 10% of the total experience.  That’s not a lament or complaint, just a realization.  And now that I think about it, I kind of remember things like the NBA and MLB All-Star Game being the same way (but I had the access then, so I didn’t care…)

So, no great report from NFL Experience.  I heard secondhand stories that it was crowded, there was no food and the exhibits were so so.   So, i probably lucked out.

How Come Only My Expensive Facebook Ads Get Clicked On?

January 24, 2008 /

So here’s a question for you.

I’m running a bunch of ads on Facebook, more out of curiosity than actually expecting success.  The Facebook Ad Manager Inerface is rudimentary, but fairly intuitive.  It has some definite limitations, but I’d expect it will start approaching par with AdSense this year.

But here’s the interesting part.

In one of my Ad Groups, I have about 2,500 impressions spread across 8 similar, but slightly different, ads.  I am offering $.45 CPC.  And in this group I have 0 clickthroughs. 

In my other Ad group, I took one of the ads and EXACTLY replicated it.  The only change I made was to boost the CPC to $.90.

Now, I expected that the $.90 CPC ad would get way more impressions from Facebook.  But what I didn’t expect, was that somehow it would generate a higher Clickthrough.  In, 1000 impressions my $.90 CPC ad generated 3 clicks.  While basically the same ad, generated 0 clicks in 2500 impressions when it is $.45 CPC.

I’ll follow up with more data on this later.  But my initial question is, "Why does a more expensive ad get a better Clickthrough, when the user doesn’t know how much I paid for it?" 

Is Mobile Video “Supply Side” Product Development?

January 23, 2008 /

For years, we have all been hearing how Mobile Video would soon breakthrough and become a major part of our media consumption habits.  And yet, for most of us, it’s rarely or ever something we use.  So the question is, "Why aren’t we adopting Mobile Video at the rates we’re expected to?"

Last night at dinner some friends and I surmised the following, and I wonder if you agree.  Mobile Video is a "Supply-Side" product.  Some of the most powerful brands and industries – Mobile Carriers, Broadcasters, Sports Leagues, Ad Agencies and Media Distributors – would absolutely love if we were never disconnected from highly visual mediums where ads can be placed, or content can be charged for.  There is a wealth, or excess supply, of content out there, and the only thing holding back their revenues is our ability to escape from that content.  So of course, they look at us and say, "When Andy leaves his Living Room, we need a way that he can keep watching TV." 

But very few of us look at our phone – which is our telecommunications device – and say, "Damn, it sucks that I can’t watch TV on this."  Now, I have a high DEMAND for a phone that I can take with me wherever I go.  I have similar high DEMAND for Text Messaging, a car that runs, laptops I can take anywhere, online services I can use to order anything, and hundreds of other things that I can’t make it through the week without.

But television on my phone? I don’t really demand that.  I understand it’s available.  I think it’s cool that it’s available.  But I can’t think of a reason that I would demand it be available.

And I think that is the crux of the mobile video problem.  The marketing campaigns are awesome.  The technology is cool.  I trust the people bringing it to me.  And I love the shows that are available.  But those are all supply issues.  Until there’s a demand scenario that makes sense for me, I think it will continue to languish. 

And so, as we head toward potential Web 2.0 bubbledom and a possible recession, I’m putting all companies into these two categories.  Which companies are trying to create their own market out of an excess supply of something, and which companies are providing products and services that fill an already establish demand? I think the demand side companies will survive whatever economic blip we run into.

Now THIS is a PR Stunt

January 16, 2008 /

I know, it’s supposed to be a political statement from Italian Anarchist Artist Graziano Cecchini, as “Every ball represents a lie told by a politician.” But imagine if every one of these had your company’s logo on it? Now that would be good PR.

Whirlyball

January 16, 2008 /

I’m giving this place free ad space, just be cause I think the banner is funny.  How many of us have wanted to make a campaign that makes fun of how addicted we are to a certain brand of cell phone?

whirlyball.jpg
 

How Many Customer Service Opportunities Are Airlines Missing?

January 15, 2008 /

When you think of industries with technological tools at their disposal, but that go unused in the realms of customer service and consumer experience, the airline industry really does stand apart.

Think about this. These guys all know the exact number of people who will be getting on their planes. They know where everyone is sitting, and exactly what time the plane will sneak away from the gate and into a line ready for takeoff. Yet somehow, none of that knowledge makes it to the marketing or customer relations people.

Here are 3 things that I think would improve my personal flying experience.

1) Real Time Updates of Security Lines.

Every airline knows how many people are leaving on each plane, and they know which gate each plane is leaving from. Therefore, they know that within a 2 hour period, exactly how many people will need to go through a security checkpoint. They can also look back at past data and see how many people went through that checkpoint a day ago, a week ago, a month ago and a year ago. And they know how many people will be working. Based on this, they should have no problem giving you an estimate of how long it should take to get through security. They should be able to show averages over periods of time, as long as a fairly real time estimate of how the day is going in comparison to other days. This will give me a much better idea of what time I really need to be there.

2) Let Me Choose My Seat Based on Who’s on the Plane.

I’m sure this will get the privacy advocates in an uproar, but I’d love it if I could build a little public profile of myself inside the airline’s account system, or even just let it access my Facebook account. Then when I choose my seat, and I see all the seats available, I know not to choose the one next to the mom with the 2 little kids. Not only that, you can give the kids their own section, in the very back and behind a curtain.

On a different track, another 6 foot guy would know not to choose the seat next to me because we’ll inadvertently be playing footsie all flight long. Plus, if you got really imaginative, you could put in your profile if you are a chatter or a sleeper, so those who like to yak all flight long can be placed on the wing or in the baggage cargo area. If it’s all voluntary and optional, and the technology is there anyway, why not use it? Think about it – if there are 2 seats left to choose from, and one is between two 120 pound women from Thailand, and one is between two 320 pound brothers from Green Bay, I think I should get to make a wise decision on which one I sit in.

3) SMS Updates

I don’t see any reason that I can’t subscribe to SMS updates. Often, a bar or restaurant is far from my gate. Let’s say I’m a considerate flyer, and get there 90 minutes early thinking there’s going to be a security line. But, since there was no line, I slide right through and now have 85 minutes to kill. Well, when they decide the plane is going to leave 30 minutes later, I want to know via SMS while I’m sitting in the restaurant, not after I’ve given up one of 2 power outlets in the whole airport to shlep down to the gate.

I’m sure there are 100 ideas so I’m looking forward to hearing some of yours.

Is Google AdSense Too Scary For Me?

January 4, 2008 /

So, I want to be clear that I’m not bashing Google with this question I’m about to pose.  I’m trying to gauge if my reaction borders on paranoia, or if it’s justified.

Here’s the situation.  On Wednesday I was on GoogleChat with a friend who talked about watching the movie "The Big Lebowski" with friends that night.  The next day, Thursday, just about exactly 24 hours later, ads for Big Lebowski T-Shirts showed up in my Google Mail.

To be clear, I am not anti AdSense.  I think it’s great.  Contextual advertising is an amazing advancement.  And I am also not naive.  I know that IM’s do not dissolve into the vapor. I understand that anything I ever put in an IM (or SMS for that matter) is archived forever on someone’s server, poised and ready to ruin any chance I ever had at getting elected to public office.    

But here is my issue, and again, I am asking you if I am over-reacting.  If the ad for Big Lebowski T-Shirts had showed up while we were talking about Big Lebowski, I wouldn’t have blinked.  Even if it showed up in the next hour.  But a full day later hints to me that they have some sort of psychology behind these ads, that they are using some sort of AI to read and analyze everything I type in a day, run it through an algorithm, and shoot me marketing messages that will trigger some sort of recall mechanism from the day before.  I can’t explain why, but that weirds me out.

I know, it’s not enitirely rational.  But something about it doesn’t quite sit right with me.  I guess I feel it starts to open a Pandora’s box.  Sending me a Mariners Ticketmaster ad if I am reading an email about baseball from a Seattle IP Address is one thing.  But building a complete profile about me, keeping track of everything I google, everything I write, everything I receive, and every ad I click on, then throwing specific ads that attempt to predict my behavior or trigger responses….well that borders on invasive.  

Anyway, I’m looking forward to hearing your own thoughts on this.   

 

Random Question About Tabloid PR Folks

December 28, 2007 /

I have a question about Celebrity PR and I’d love if someone can feed me something that gets me closer to enlightenment.

The thought started when I was stuck in a Safeway line for what seemed like most of the holiday season.  I couldn’t help but be distracted by the headlines screaming at me from the tabloids.  Something about some girl named Heidi who I don’t know if I have ever heard of was calling off her wedding.  And then I noticed that a lot of the magazines were missing the familiar faces – Brittney, Lindsey, Paris, Jessica, etc…What was going on?

So then I wondered about the whole PR strategy around these guys.  For the sake of argument, let’s say Jessica, Lindsey, Brittney and Paris all have different PR teams.  Are they cutthroat, trying to get every headline in every magazine every week?  Or do they work together, so that one week OK gets Jessica and Us gets Brittney, but the next week they are covered in reverse? Does Jessica’s PR team tell Lindsey’s that she’ll be at the Cowboys game to see Tony Romo, but will get out of sight the next week if they’ll let her have a clean sweep across all the tabloid headlines? Or did Paris’ sudden trip somewhere for Xmas get unexpectedly bounced off the cover by Ms. Simpson?

How long is the PR calendar set up in advance?  Do all the magazines already know which Super Bowl Party Lindsey will be at?  Do they purposely split the gossip-getters up to go to different parties?   Have the PR teams already set up which Hollywood leading man with a February release will be photographed with one of the girls on Valentine’s Day?

I mean, I really want to know these things.  Do they do a photo shoot over a weekend at a mall, beach, store, park, house and club, then slowly leak the pics out in accordance with the PR plan?  And what happens when little Spears got pregnant? Did the "news" from that week get tabled to another week?  Or is it just forgotten?

Someone please, if you know the answers, you gotta let me know.

 

Spring Creek Group to Give Seminar on Social Media at School of Visual Concepts

December 22, 2007 /

We’re still nailing down the final date, but the Spring Creek Group will be giving a "Social Media 101" seminar in early March, as part of the curriculum at the School of Visual Concepts in Seattle.

The presentation will have a lot of the same components as we’ve used as a social media agency in Seattle working with our own local and national clients, and will include some real hands-on lessons.  It’s likely to be ideally suited for the small business owner or professional who wants to learn what all the fuss is about blogging, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and other social media tools.  We’ll talk about some famous victories and mistakes, some basic do’s and don’ts as well as some "rules of the game."  Then we’ll help everyone get launched.  

More details to come from both this web site and www.SpringCreekGroup.com. 

Hail Dropkick Monkey

December 18, 2007 /

A new site (at least to me) for viral commercials has been brought to my attention. I think I like the site, called Dropkick Monkey, because it sounds like a band I would play guitar and bongos in (well, if I knew how to play guitar or had any percussion rhythm whatsoever). Nonetheless, when I can’t tell if something is a web site or a gig at the Showbox, then I will probably like it.

It’s basically just a site that shows great commercials from around the globe, but in terms of mindless diversions, that’s more than enough for me. And if you recognize the character highlighted in the commercial below, then you are indeed old enough to read my site.

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