Posts Tagged ‘ strategy ’

Banner Ads?

Many people don’t care for, or even pay attention to, Banner Ads, and yet we keep using them.

Pity the standard banner ad, the workhorse of the webpage. It does not dazzle with video or rich media or annoy visitors by popping up or under other content. Declining clickthrough rates appear to have stabilized at a mere 0.09% in 2010, falling from a fractional 0.15% in 2008, according to a recent report from MediaMind.
And consumers scorn them: 43% of respondents to an online AdweekMedia-Harris Poll said they ignored or disregarded internet banner ads more than paid search ads and those in traditional media—TV, radio and newspapers.

A .09% click rate? Really? Doesn’t seem very high.

Those sentiments aside, eMarketer estimates that ad spending on standard banners will increase 11.4% in 2011, to $6.56 billion, and will continue to grow to $8.63 billion in 2014.

But we are spending more? What was that definition of insanity? The article goes on to share ways to improve banner ads. They really are a staple of online advertising, even if many people say they ignore banner ads.

Me, me, me, dugh. We have to offer something people want/need in order to generate interest.

But, seriously folks, we need to be more innovative than a traditional banner ad.

2010
12/13
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Advertising
Consumer Behavior
Digital
Marketing
Strategy
Trend
TAGS





Leave a comment

Over Promise?

Sometimes we get so excited about our own stuff we forget how others will see everything. I have two examples to back this up. Back in March RadioShack said they had a big announcement. I was super excited and even retweeted that the announcement was coming, something I rarely do.

The announcement was an older model iPhone would go on sale for $99. Was this cool news? Some friends wondered.

More recently, Apple made a big announcement. They were jazzed to have Beatles music available on iTunes. Momentous, yes, but was this really cool? Some of my friends didn’t think so.

But, were these actually cool announcements? I say let the research inform us as to what is and isn’t working. Apparently, 2,000,000 Beatles songs were sold in the first week on iTunes! Yep, cool for several people. Now I wonder how the $99 iPhone did for RadioShack.

2010
11/29
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Marketing
Research
Social Media
Strategy
Trend
TAGS






Leave a comment

There’s an App for That

There seems to be a mobile application for everything one would want to do with their phone. Not really, but “there’s an app for that” is frequently tossed around among smart phone users, especially iPhone and Android users.

However, more people actually prefer mobile websites over apps right now. At the same time, many brands feel like they need to develop an app, even if the functionality is minimal and many consumers expect brands to have mobile apps. So what gives? This seems contradictory. Well, the idea is that an app will be easier to use from a mobile device compared to a traditional website, but many apps can’t do all the things consumers want and so many consumers revert back to a website, especially if there is a mobile website. Clear as mud?

Essentially we have a need that is only partially filled and until brands become smarter about mobile apps, consumers will continue to explore multiple mobile brand interaction points until they find the one that works best for them. The only concern with this approach is that brands could be missing an important moment. If an app is only adequate or even “buggy” in the beginning, consumers could dismiss it, even write a bad review, and then never return. A lost opportunity.

Moral of the story: Don’t Create an App for App’s Sake

2010
11/22
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Consumer Behavior
Mobile
Trend
TAGS





1 comment

Mary Rocks It

After seeing the excitement that Kristen expressed in the previous post, I had to take a look at “Mary Meeker’s Awesome Web 2.0 Presentation About The State Of The Web.” I agree that the way the data is presented is hyper compelling and helps me continue to push myself on the issue. I was also jazzed by this slide.

The information is important because it shows the future of marketing. Consumers want things fast, easy, fun, and accessible. Especially when content is delivered through their mobile device, and it should be.

 

2010
11/22
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Advertising
Consumer Behavior
Digital
Marketing
Mobile
Strategy
Trend
TAGS





Leave a comment

What Does Your Cell Phone Case Say?

I love this image found in TechCrunch for many reasons.

But I have an even bigger question that raises many funny jokes: What does your cell phone case say about you? Most people pick from a series of cases that are standard for their phone. But what about unconventional cases? What do those mean? It means conventional cases are not always the best choice and this idea can be applied to any situation. If we always pick from a standard set of options that others decided, then nothing new or interesting will come to pass.

I use an iPod sock for my iPhone. Totally unconventional and people either respond by laughing and joking or wanting one themselves. When I had an Android, the G1 BTW making me an early adopter, I didn’t have a case for it as the phone itself was encased in super thick plastic already. I have never had a Blackberry. I have inspired several people to ditch their standard case and others still are trying out their own unconventional options with gusto.

2010
11/12
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Branding
Consumer Behavior
Creative
Design
Inspiration
Mobile
Strategy
Trend
TAGS









Leave a comment

Fickle

Consumers are fickle, right? Well, if we believed this before, it is even more evident by the recent election. AdAge published a commentary on the topic:

As The New York Times observed, “In an accelerated culture, our loyalties toward just about everything — laundry detergent, celebrities, even churches and spouses — transfer more readily than our grandparents could have imagined. Now we dispose of phone carriers and cash-back credit cards from one month to the next. Forget the staying power of Johnny Carson; when Jay Leno starts to feel a little stale, he is shifted to prime time, then shifted back to the late night.” The credibility and trust in our institutions — government as well as business — continues to erode, and trust is a key component in advertising acceptance.

If we are indeed this unreliable, what does it say about us as a culture? I have read previously that we are a “throw-away society.” Meaning we are focused on consuming and want things we can dispose of when done. The rise in packaging is a good example of how this label works. But, if we are adding highly fickle to the mix, what does that mean for marketing? It means a need to very strategic when thinking about how to share information with others.

2010
11/10
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Branding
Consumer Behavior
Marketing
Strategy
Trend
TAGS




Leave a comment

Cause Marketing

Everyone is supposed to wear pink today in support of breast cancer awareness. The entire month is dedicated to awareness and even the package for my mushrooms this week was pink. But does this kind of dedication actually impact what people do or buy? Apparently so.

Overall, 88% of respondents said they believed cause marketing was “acceptable,” 80% said such marketing made them likely to switch brands, and 19% were willing to pay more for a pricier brand that participated in a positive social or environmental cause.

Moms and Millennials are even more enthusiastic.

2010
10/21
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Branding
Consumer Behavior
Marketing
Research
Strategy
Trend
TAGS




Leave a comment

Bad Meets Terrible

I understand that *sometimes* brands are not concerned with how they will be viewed in six months. I disagree with the idea because any good marketer is concerned with the long-term. However, a fast ad is *sometimes* okay. With this said, fast does not have to mean terrible. Today I was bombarded with terrible ads and three were in the same email.

Let’s start with hands coming out of computer screens. Always creepy.

Another creepy ad example. If I can see the foot through the skin, do I still need an ultrasound?

Next is SES conference in Chicago. I get that the meeting is in Chicago, but what is SES? I can’t be the only person exposed to this ad that doesn’t know. In addition, having the Chicago skyline represented in this way looks busy and is distracting.What do goldfish have to do with measuring up? I realize the bowls are the conversation piece here, but I still feel it’s off message for social media.

There is always room for improvement and thoughtfulness, even on a tight timeline and budget. Entire websites are dedicated to poor advertisements. The point here is to reemphasize how strategy can make or break creative.

2010
10/06
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Advertising
Creative
Marketing
Strategy
TAGS



Leave a comment

I WANT THIS!

One of the coolest things I have seen in a while: a t-shirt that encourages hugs by interpreting them. I feel hugs improve life and try not to be the first one to let go of a good hug, so a device to encourage hugs has my name written all over it.

What does this mean for strategy? Ha! Everyone wants to feel loved and that they belong. A sincere hug clearly communicates these emotions. Although not everyone is as excited about hugs as I am, they are only one way to communicate these very human desires.

Seriously, I want to wear the hug interpreter.

2010
10/04
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Inspiration
TAGS



Leave a comment

Purchase “Fun”-nel

The Traditional Purchase Funnel is a Bit Too Linear For the Real World

I don’t know who who wrote this down for me, but I’m so glad to learn I am not the only one that thinks this! I recognize it works and there is a reason we all know about the purchase funnel; that is not actually all that fun. But, our minds don’t actually work this way. No harm in thinking about all the influences and distractions along the way that could help or hinder the path to purchase.

2010
09/09
POSTED BY
CATEGORY
Consumer Behavior
Strategy
TAGS



Leave a comment