360PR Blog

In 360PR’s 10th year, we are celebrating by sharing some of the things we’ve learned along the way in a “10 minutes with…” series featuring interviews with our practice leaders! Last time we chatted with SVP of our Entertainment & Electronics practice, Stacey Clement. Now we’ve sat down  with Victoria Renwick, SVP of our Healthy Living practice, to learn more about her and some of the trends she has spotted over the past 10!

What are some of the trends you’re seeing in the Healthy Living practice?

One of the most significant trends we’re seeing is the stepped up role consumers are playing in educating and empowering themselves before they make a purchase.  So much is happening before the consumer gets to the grocery store or other store or considers an online purchase.  Yes, price is still a consideration, but there’s a lot more that factors into what we buy these days.  This presents an opportunity for brands to act as educators, resources and connectors, instead of marketers.

How important is it for brands to “go green”?

The term ‘green’ has been thrown around pretty freely.  Brands were calling themselves and their products ‘green’ or ‘natural’ and the public, for the most part, took that at face value.  Consumers are more cognizant of green washing now and are making brands more accountable for their claims. People are more aware of how to read labels and investigate the products they are bringing into their homes  – and certainly there are a proliferation of resources at consumers’ fingertips to help. I love the Environmental Working Group site – The Skin Deep section is especially eye opening and a great place to decode confusing labels for cosmetics and health & beauty. The Organic Trade Association is also a great resource consumers can turn to for the latest news on organics and legislation as well as practical tips.

Green business practices are no longer a ‘nice to have’ but an expectation. We expect companies to be conducting business in a way that is ethically sound, better for the environment and better for us as consumers. A broad spectrum of CPG companies and food manufacturers has sustainability plans and goals in place to quantifiably demonstrate how they will be greener in the coming years. It’s all a step in the right direction.

Are there any particularly memorable 360 moments that stick out in your mind?

The way 360PR has been a leader in the social media space stands out to me.  Being part of that evolution over the last three years has been really exciting.  360 was one of the first agencies to really get the mom blogger space. We started connecting bloggers and brands in high touch settings like our Blunch™ series. That was right around the time I started here.

We’ve worked on some really fun campaigns over the years too. Just recently we were teaching the country to can as part of National Can-It-Forward Day, a campaign we created for the Ball® brand. From grassroots to top-tier media, we really struck a chord with people looking to eat more fresh and local year round.

You spent a good part of your early career in the event-planning industry.  How important do you find events to be to your client work here at 360PR and for public relations in general?

Events are part of our 360 full-circle approach.  We’re an agency that does events and does them well.  Events offer brands a high-touch, relationship-building forum with consumers and consumer-influencers, and that’s important as part of an integrated strategy to engage consumers.    At 360, we always have something exciting on tap – whether it’s cooking in the Muppets’ Kitchen or solving the Rubik’s Cube on the National Mall!  It’s also important to keep the formula fresh – virtual events via Livestream & Facebook help us extend the reach of ROI of a client’s investment in a physical event.

As the head of 360PR’s healthy living practice, have you found that your client work has had a significant impact on your personal life?

Absolutely. I’m so lucky to be exposed to the type of clients we have and the resources and knowledge that comes with them.  We’re PR practitioners but we’re also consumers.  Keeping on top trends for clients, you can’t help but take what you learn and apply it to your personal life.

For example, we conducted a speaking tour recently with food activist Robyn O’Brien on behalf of our Stonyfield Farm client. Robin’s a mom of four who compiled a staggering amount of information about our broken food system. As a new mom, I was a sponge, soaking up everything she had to offer.  I’ve bought her book, The Unhealthy Truth, for everyone of my friends who is a mother. It’s just too important not to share!

We also work with PBS KIDS.  When my son is ready to start watching TV or go online, I feel lucky to know what to look for when it comes to healthy, educational media. And as a busy mom, I really do rely on our clients’ services to make like easier. I use Peapod for grocery delivery every week (it’s a lifesaver!) and I do my family’s meal planning through Allrecipes.com.   This summer I planted a (small!) garden, started composting (it’s surprisingly easy!) and joined a CSA too – all things I probably wouldn’t have tried previous to heading the Healthy Living practice.

Filed under: 10 Minutes With Our Practice Leaders, 360 Public Relations, Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, Food Industry, Green Marketing, Marketing to Moms, PR Industry by EliciaBasoli - 5 Comments →

It is concept that has been a staple of Marketing for decades – people rely on the opinions of others to make purchase decisions. Good old fashioned word-of-mouth information sharing used to occur mostly offline, but social channels now let consumers communicate more easily and more often. To companies and communications professionals, social media allows us to become a part of that dialogue. In fact, in a recent study from ROI Research and Performics, they found that over 30% of people are more likely to purchase from companies/brands that they “like” or “follow” on social networks, than from brands or companies that they do not.

We are also able to draw valuable insights about the needs and wants of consumers through social media. The study also found that over 50% of survey respondents strongly or somewhat agree that voicing their opinions on social networking sites can influence the business decisions of companies/brands. I can tell you first hand, this is true.

While neither of these percentages are huge, it is enough for a brand that is not using social media right now to stop and consider integrating a social strategy into their marketing mix. Other highlights from the study can be found on Performics.com.

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Digital PR, Interactive Marketing, Internet, Social Marketing, Social Media by EliciaBasoli - No Comments →

To call all PR people social butterflies would be a generalization. If you don’t consider yourself an extrovert, however, you’re probably in the wrong profession. It’s our job to gain awareness for our clients, and in doing so, we do a LOT of talking. The panel I attended yesterday, Successful Social Marketing: Cultivating Advocates and Driving Sales, served as a reminder that listening is equally, if not more, important. And, as we all can attest here at 360PR, listening to a brand’s chatter online across forums, blogs, Twitter, Facebook and beyond takes time, patience, and an analytical eye.

The discussion was part of a series of events hosted by Mitx, a group of industry thought leaders dedicated to, in part, keeping on top of trends. Speakers from BzzAgent, New Balance and EMC offered their experience and expertise on utilizing outlets including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to assist in a successful campaign – from planning stages, through launch, and beyond.  Among their suggestions: leverage employees to be brand ambassadors, engage influencers in the early stages, map your content to what people are already searching for, and strike a balance between knowing your brand and listening to your customers.

As speaker Polly Pearson wisely said, social media is a relationship accelerator. So save your breath, because tapping in and listening to the conversation regarding your company/brand/product could prove more valuable than all of your planned email and phone pitches combined.

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Digital PR, Events and Conferences, Industry Organizations, Interactive Marketing, PR Industry, Social Marketing, Social Media by SkyeMcIntyre - 1 Comment →

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Prince William and Kate Middleton will marry this Friday to great fanfare. Perhaps the most talked and written-about event of 2011, the Royal Wedding has people all over the world in a tizzy. While your average commoners like you and me may be curious about the dress, guest list and honeymoon locale, some companies are concerned with wedding-related revenue.

Companies with food at their core, in particular, are hoping to cash in. Louisville, Ky-based chain Papa John’s commissioned a food artist to create the likeness of the prince and his bride on a pizza that “tastes as good as it looks.” The mosaic pizza portrait made from mushrooms, salami, peppers, and of course, cheese, can be purchased by residents across the pond.

If you’re stateside and planning on watching the early morning telecast (TODAY’s coverage beings at 4am EST), you’ll certainly need a cup of coffee.  Why not accompany your java with Dunkin’ Donuts Royal Wedding Donut? According to the Behind the Bean, Dunkin’s blog, the heart-shaped, glazed, jelly-filled masterpiece was created with wedding traditions and Will & Kate’s favorite flavors in mind.  If your sweet tooth isn’t satisfied after a Royal Donut, or if you’re looking for something to serve at your Royal Wedding viewing party, stop in to your local cupcake shop. Many across the country, like Boston’s Sweet, are selling the bite-sized treats with toppers featuring royal wedding-related images like Will and Kate’s engagement photo.

What royal-related marketing campaigns have you seen?

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Internet, Media and Press, Retail by SkyeMcIntyre - 3 Comments →

Over the past year, we’ve seen more and more brands going beyond just using Facebook for pure engagement with consumers. Many are now using it as a commerce platform as well – and it makes perfect sense. For one,  consumers often look for coupons or discounts from brands on social platforms (according to a 2010 study*, when asked what type of interaction people are looking for when engaging with companies/brands online, 77% of respondents said they are looking for incentives).

If consumers are pro-actively seeking sales-related messages, why not actually SELL products where they “live” on Facebook? Go for it. Just make sure that your brand’s sales-related messages are not too intrusive.

So how do you sell on Facebook? Facebook storefronts are often developed by third-party software developers who integrate a ”Shop Now” section into a brand’s existing page. This allows retailers, like Best Buy, and brands themselves, like Pampers, to showcase products on their page and, more importantly, make those products “shareable” to consumers. The Pampers example is particularly noteworthy, as it was P&G’s first foray into the F-commerce space  and they launched their store using Amazon.com’s eCommerce capabilities, last fall.

They’re not alone. 1800flowers.com, diapers.com, and Hallmark are just a few others that have jumped into F-commerce. Mashable lists some other examples in this recent article.

Have you ever purchased anything, as a result of clicking around on a brand’s Facebook page?

*Source: Cone 2010 Consumer New Media Study, October 2010

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, FaceBook, Interactive Marketing, Internet, Social Media, Social Networking by EliciaBasoli - 1 Comment →

By Amanda Gonzalez

It’s Valentine’s Day! Have you already picked up your card, chocolates, flowers, jewelry, etc?! If not, you better get on that pronto. But these Valentine’s Day staples aren’t the only way to show that special someone you care.

In a recent USAToday.com article, the newspaper shows us how marketers are using social media (like Facebook, Twitter, email, etc) to push their product and brand and help Valentines the world over display their affection in a unique way.

Mattel used Valentine’s Day to write another chapter in the epic love story of Barbie and Ken by asking fans to vote on whether or not the couple should get back together (they went their separate ways in 2004) and using Facebook and Twitter to give Ken a voice.  They also turned Barbie’s Facebook page into an online store on Valentine’s Day selling merchandise from the famous couple. FYI – they reunited today!!

We at 360PR also got into the Valentine’s Day promo mood as our Safety 1^st client launched a Valentine’s Day giveaway on both Facebook and Twitter of their new S1 product line. Not only did entrants get to enter for a great travel system, but they also got to post adorable pictures of their little lovies on Facebook AND $1 was donated for every entry towards infant health kits for families in need!

Have you chosen your Valentine yet?! Did you see any great Valentine’s Day promotions that you thought were clever/unique? Comment below and share!

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, FaceBook, Internet, Retail, Social Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized by Admin - 1 Comment →

By Vanessa MacAulay

Starbucks started 2011 off with a bang by unveiling their new logo. In a bold twist they removed their name and now feature only the green symbol of the Starbucks mermaid.

Many companies have taken this same approach in the past, removing the brand name from their logo: Target, Nike & McDonald’s are some great examples. Target has one of the most recognized symbols across the world, only trailing to the smiley face. The question is, was Starbuck’s ready to make this move?

Personally, I think it was a smart move for Starbuck’s for a couple of reasons. First, they are receiving tons of media coverage from it. In addition, it was a transitional and planned out concept (see photo below), and shows they have confidence in themselves as a company.

What do you think of Starbuck’s new logo?

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Design, Retail by Admin - 5 Comments →

Being a Bostonian means two things for certain:  1) You know that the weather outside is not going to get better for the next three months, and 2) You have driven, ridden in, or at least seen a Zipcar in the past couple of years.  The Cambridge-based car-sharing service has filled its hometown with cars of all makes and models, parked in garages, on street corners and in supermarket parking lots, while at the same time expanding into major markets all across the country (and abroad). 

On Tuesday morning, I had the pleasure of listening to a talk given by Rob Weisberg, Chief Marketing Officer of Zipcar at the Ad Club’s monthly CMO Breakfast.  The hour-long presentation focused on the ways that the brand is using social media to engage its customers, and here are a couple of quick things I found interesting about their social media strategy:

Twitter

-     Zipcar operates specific Twitter accounts in each major market where they have a presence, ensuring that all of the information they share via Twitter is relevant to the people following them.  This localized effort certainly requires some extra bandwidth, but is extremely important when operating as an on-the-ground, in-market brand.

Facebook

-     Offering services on 250 college campuses across the country, Zipcar also maintains a Facebook page for each of these

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, Interactive Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized by JohnLeRoy - No Comments →

As the saying goes, sometimes the best conversations take place around the dinner table. This was certainly true at the M2Moms conference . Colleague Caroline Pierce and I crossed paths with incredible mom marketers at the conference and enjoyed amazing ideation conversations over dinner with eleven amazing women. Didn’t hurt that dinner was at Table Fifty-Two on Elm Street. Beyond the food (some of us are still talking about the Three Cheese Mac and Art’s Hummingbird Cake), and the chance to meet Chef Art, there was terrific connection and conversation. Our dinner guests shared their top 11 takeaways from M2Moms. Here’s what they had to say:

1. One key influencer is more important to your brand than numbers.
2. A social media campaign is greater than sum of its CPM parts. With brand ambassadors – loyalty is priceless.
3. It’s the Me + You era and marketing is about fostering sustainable relationships.
4. There are 6 Universal Tugs that influence 75% of moms’ decision marking – savings, health, environment, feel good, convenience and family. Brands need to highlight how their product solves for them in their marketing. They also need to be aware of “drag” tugs that may pull them down and compensate for them. So, if your product is not good for the environment, it better be really convenient, and save you money.
5. I liked learning what brands and agencies need to know (the gaps they are currently facing) to tap into the mom demographic and their attempts to fill that gap.
6. Mobile is quickly becoming Mom’s “first screen” (used to be TV and then laptop but now moms are turning to their phones more and more frequently to accomplish their online tasks). When creating a mobile app for mom- don’t try to create the Taj Mahal. Create an app that does one thing really, really well and then push updates based on the real time feedback you’ll get. (Oh, and free apps are downloaded more frequently, stay on phones longer, and get used 6X more than paid apps).
7. Mom’s primary goal now is spending quality time with her kids and family. She’s looking for products and services that help her do that.
8. Moms are optimistic! They’ve had a tough year (with lost jobs, reduced hours, and often extra family members moving into the household) yet remain confident that things will get better. (They have plans to make major purchases, believe the job situation will improve, and think things will be more positive next year).
9. Moms are proud of what they’re doing as family caregivers and have a big desire to share and broadcast their lives as moms online.
10. Moms in nontraditional families, minority moms (including those with disabilities), and stay at home/ highly involved dads increasingly expect marketers to recognize (and celebrate) them. Marketers who continue to focus only on white Mom+Dad+2.5 kid families will alienate a lot of spending power!
11. I have spent my life under applying mascara. Thanks to the Dior team I now know I need to really lather it on!!! (you had to be there to get this one)

Thank you to: Jyl Johnson Pattee, Kat Eden, Erica Mallett, Caroline Knorr, Ashley O’Brien, Shelley Delfino, Carolin Pierce, Donna Mirus Bates, Jennifer Burkitt, Rachael Herrscher, Jill Rourke. Lady Gaga might have been there in spirit. She sat at our same table one month prior.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Blogger Relations, Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, Social Media by Admin - 1 Comment →

Some say that email is dead, but while email may be considered an “older” form of communication in the context of the “social media revolution”, it is still integral to direct-to-consumer communication. And, the two mediums are actually complimentary.

Email is alive and well. In the simplest sense, social networks still rely heavily on email systems to trigger consumers’ interactions online – i.e. an email telling you that Johnny has just sent you a message on Facebook or Sally has requested to be your friend.

Studies have found that consumers are using both email and social media to keep tabs on their favorite brands. Check out this graph, a result of ExactTarget’s “Subscribers, Fans and Followers” study from earlier this year:

Clearly, there is an overlap – consumers are not just using one medium or the other. The majority are still using email, and complimenting it with a profile on other networks.

In a blog post from Nielsen about their examination of the relationship between email consumption and social media use, it was found that very often the people who are highly engaged in social media are also those that consume the most email. Social media was found to make people consume email even more, not less, and in particular for the highest social media users.

Further, in a separate report from GetResponse about the integration of social media and email marketing, it was found that emails that included options like “Share on Facebook or Twitter” generated a 30% higher click-through rate than emails without these options. Reason to start integrating social media and emails? Yes.

With all of that said, email marketing is most definately still relevant and, in fact, is complimentary to the “relationship building” aspect that is now so key in most PR/ Marketing campaigns.

What do you think?

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Digital PR, Email Marketing, Interactive Marketing, Social Marketing, Social Media by EliciaBasoli - 1 Comment →

By Amanda Gonzalez

Celebrities, fashion, speeches, kitschy musical numbers and Betty White (of course!) made up the 62^nd Primetime Emmy Awards last night hosted by Jimmy Fallon.  Aside from the usual elements of the glitzy show, another component was present in a big way this year – social media.

This year there were more options than ever to watch and interact with the awards show.  NBC utilized Facebook, Twitter, Ustream, yfrog, NBC.com, AccessHollywood.com, and Emmys.com to allow fans to catch exclusive content of the show and promote a conversation.

Fans were encouraged to send their best tweet about presenters via a special NBC.com website or using the hashtag #imontheemmys and Jimmy Fallon would read select tweets to introduce the presenters in a new twist to the veteran show.

While this was an innovative way to engage the audience, especially younger viewers, the execution was a little off.  Tweets such as “Tina Fey: I’d hit that” left something to be desired.  Hats off to the Emmy’s though for sparking that conversation on the social media site especially since, as of this post, some of the top trending topics for Twitter still include “Emmy Awards,” “Emmys” and big winner “Modern Family.”

The Emmy Awards didn’t just stop at Twitter, though.  Celebrity super-fans were also encouraged to go to UStream.com beforehand to catch a live stream of the red carpet and also during the show for a live backstage stream of the green room, makeup room, press room and more.

If that wasn’t enough, true celebrity stalkers could get their new computer background from yfrog where the website posted pictures of those A-listers who stopped by the yfrog Photo Booth and Ryan Seacrest streamed pictures & video from the red carpet.  Check them out here.

All of this new interaction may have also contributed to a slight rise in viewership this year as the show drew in 13.5 million viewers compared to last year’s 13.47.

So did you watch the Emmys last night? Did you tweet, watch the live backstage stream or checkout your favorite celebs photos?  Did you like the social media twist this year?  Leave your comments and let us know!

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Events and Conferences, FaceBook, Internet, Social Media by Admin - No Comments →

Bloggers felt the embrace of brands who planned out involving and playful interactions for them at BlogHer10. There was every manner of entertainment at the show, from happy mascots and hi-energy dance floors, to coloring stations and full-on hair salons!

At this year’s event in particular, I was struck by how many bloggers were turned into brand “spokespeople” right in front of my very eyes through highly creative and video-worthy stunts and campaigns.

In a nutshell, putting bloggers on camera talking passionately about a particular topic led to a whole lot of third-party endorsements for brands. On the flip side, bloggers didn’t seem to mind their starring role in the brand videos; in fact they seemed to welcome the opportunity to be on camera, bringing to mind the possibility of a future BlogHer Reality TV series?

Please read my short letters to the brands to learn why they were the video stand-outs, extending their brand through video in the most distinctive ways.

Dear Walmart,

You are very bright.

I applaud your focus on selling products that sustain people and the environment, and I admire that you knew it would be the perfect theme for BlogHer. I like how you took a page from the Grammy’s playbook by inviting bloggers who are passionate about the quality of life on our planet to tweet their “bright” ideas for creating a sustainable future, and then feeding their tweets in real time on the giant video screen at your booth for everyone to see.

You were also genius to offer a professional video booth for bloggers to record their ideas and share them on your YouTube page and sustainability site. Having dozens of female bloggers raving about sustainability on your website is an endorsement that means way more than any paid advertising. But you already knew that. It also didn’t hurt that you had super knowledgeable folks staffing your exhibit – they were all brilliant.

Sincerely,

Cindy

Hello Jimmy Dean,

You brought a lot of sunshine to BlogHer.

Apart from the fact that I love sausage breakfast sandwiches, who wouldn’t love meeting the “hot” celebrity from your famous Jimmy Dean commercials? As if that weren’t enough, having the chance to star in a video with the “Sun” was a marketing move that really made me melt.

In the other part of your booth galaxy, I enjoyed talking to the friendly Hillshire Farms Chef who happily took the time to make me a custom, savory sandwich. She also gave me the 411 on the “Fresh Taste Challenge Sandwich Showdown” hosted by Padma Lakshmi that had 16 bloggers competing Top Chef-style to become the champion. The really great twist in my opinion was inviting three elementary school kids to judge the goods and decide the winners (they loved the sandwich ka-bob!). Talk about great content for the Hillshire Farms YouTube site, not to mention that the 16 bloggers have most likely already streamed the video on their own blogs.

All the best,

Cindy

Dearest Yahoo! Shine,

You inspire me.

It’s really good news that you are dedicated to offering online advice and information to women, and you were very clever to extend your “You. Reinvented” brand campaign to BlogHer10. After all, what’s more inspiring than stories of women who are reinventing their lives?

I was spell-bound by your fashion news-room set-up where you invited bloggers to share their “reinvention” stories on camera. I was so enamored with the idea, that I decided that I must reinvent myself in time to participate in your video show at BlogHer11.

Good for you for not only curating the blogger videos on Yahoo!, you also smartly gave embeddable videos to each of the participating bloggers so they could easily share on their blogs too. The idea that one woman’s voice on one lone blog may not change the world–but together, they wield quite a bit of power with other women is very classy.

As ever,

Cindy

P.S. I would be remiss to not offer a shout-out to the Tempur-Pedic folks for being cheeky and dressing up in pajamas, and also for jumping on the video content bandwagon with their “Ask Me” professional photography booth.

That’s a wrap.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Blogger Relations, Consumer Marketing, Digital PR, Events and Conferences, Green Marketing, Internet, Marketing to Moms, Social Marketing, Social Media, YouTube by Admin - 2 Comments →

What girl doesn’t love to flaunt her latest outfit from a shopping spree? How about creating an online video dedicated to reviewing and showing off her new wardrobe and posting it to YouTube for all to see? Welcome to the world of Haul videos, which have taken the web by storm.

What’s the big deal? These videos are the ultimate form of word-of-mouth, with trend-setters sharing their thoughts about specific products and dishing on the latest sales & discounts at stores. It’s no surprise that major retailers such as JCPenney and Forever 21 want a piece of the action.

Some retailers have even sponsored videos by sending gift cards to Haulers, for example. Urban Outfitters took it a step further with a UO HAUL: SHOP & TELL contest for the chance to win gift cards to the store.

There are even blogs dedicated solely to finding the best Haul videos, such as HaulVideos.net.

This Haul video, which was sponsored by Forever 21, has received over 1.2 million views alone!

Do you think Haul videos have more of an influence over young women than fashion magazines and television?

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Internet, Retail, Social Marketing, Social Media by Admin - 1 Comment →

I am positively giddy with excitement about the implications of the command social media performance this week by the super-suave Isaiah Mustafa and the Old Spice digital and creative team. They produced 160 personalized videos in 48 hours as the viral online extension of their award-winning manmercials. As a result, Old Spice’s Twitter account acquired tens of thousands of new followers and The Old Spice YouTube channels have been viewed over 58 million times. Without a doubt, the Old Spice social media invasion was not only brave, but has seriously raised the bar on what it now means to create buzz and human-time engagement on the web.

What came off as an easy and breezy, dare I say organic execution on social media was undoubtedly a vast and deliberate production, orchestrated by dozens of Wieden + Kennedy writers, art directors, producers, editors and social media strategists, not to mention the camera and lighting crew, teleprompter worker person, etc. I can imagine the studio in Portland might have resembled Cape Canaveral when NASA readies to launch a shuttle into space.

The team averaged around 7 minutes to make each video, and released several videos per hour, responding in what felt like real-time to fans, stars and internet celebrities from Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, blogs and more. Check out the top 10 hottest videos here. Beyond the sheer creative talent at Weiden + Kennedy, there also had to be a sizeable creative and digital budget to support the production of so many well-lit commercials, not including Mustafa’s compensation (he is so handsome and clever he should ask for a raise anyway).

In an interview, the head of Digital for Weiden + Kennedy said that the digital push began with the notion of the character responding to people about the TV commercials. He said, “We knew there was a massive love for this guy and what people wanted was to be in the shower with him. So that’s where we started from.” The agency decided to really center the push around YouTube and Twitter. YouTube hosted the videos, while Twitter provided the bulk of the distribution.

The team made savvy moves. They activated influencers by pre-producing videos for people such as Perez Hilton, 4chan, and AdFreak, posting them on their blogs and @replying to them on Twitter. They also activated communities such as DIGG and Reddit. For example, they knew that Digg Founder Kevin Rose was sick so they made a get-well video for him and posted it on Digg with the title “Get Well, Kevin Rose! The video became the top content on Digg with over 5,000 Diggs. They even created a call for comments on Reddit and posted a time-stamped picture of Isaiah saying Hi to Reddit. And they bought a Twitter ad campaign to feature the push as a trending topic.

All of these tactics combined helped the Old Spice brand activate large communities and drum up buzz before they had even rolled out 10 videos. The social media team then scoured the Web for comments related to the campaign and fed the ones that were either funny or from interesting sources to the creatives, who determined which would make good fodder for the videos. It was clearly all a big commercial, but kudos to the creatives for being tongue-in-cheek and for talking about the use of Old Spice in a way that felt light hearted and fun. Mustafa’s baritone voice and convoluted wordplay made for such entertaining delivery. He even made us laugh and cry with this video to his daughter who posed a question to him on Twitter.

I don’t know if this campaign will help sell more Old Spice, but I do know that I no longer think of Old Spice as a Fuddy-Duddy brand. Smells like success to me!

Thank you, Old Spice and Wieden + Kennedy, for spicing up the viral marketing landscape.

Filed under: Consumer Marketing, Digital PR, Internet, PR Industry, Social Marketing, Social Media, advertising by Admin - 2 Comments →

Parents don’t let kids social network alone.

That’s the thinking behind Togetherville, a juvi-social network where the 10 and under set can hang out with their parents online and give social networking a whirl in a safe online neighborhood.

It’s free to join and parents create their child’s account through their own Facebook log-in. Parents can “play” with their kids online – hence the together in Togetherville – and can approve or reject friends that their children ask to bring into their neighborhood. Creator Mandeep Singh Dhillon told CNET.com that it’s all about creating accountability. He said, “Togetherville allows parents to create neighborhoods of the real people in their child’s life to be around their kid as they grow up online.”

Similar to Disney Digital Books, the site looks different for parents and children. And in this kiddie-size version of Facebook, your kids can comment on a status update using canned responses called “quips.” The site does let kids write their own free-form messages, but they must be approved by the parent before being sent. From the kids site, the games, videos and other activities are all pre-screened and no ads are allowed. From the parents site, you can send your kids notes and gifts, look at their activities and see what they’re creating. Kids also get passports that they can fill up with badges by playing games and watching videos on the site.

Let’s face it, kids under 13 are not allowed on Facebook, but they are joining anyway. And while there are some really nice things about Facebook, the perils aren’t worth the trouble that can happen if your young child isn’t supervised.

The question is whether parents will take the Togetherville step before letting their kids loose online. And, we’ll find out soon enough whether the Togetherville model even proves to be “safe enough.” Let’s also hope that Togetherville doesn’t turn into Addictedville and shut out important real-life experiences for young kids.

For now, it seems to me like a great solution for parents whose kids who are chomping at the bit to get online. It may just provide a valuable head start in teaching kids early on netiquette and the importance of safety and privacy on a social networking site. There is no denying, these sites are here to stay and will only evolve and grow.

So please share, would you use Togetherville with your child?

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, Consumer Marketing, Digital Books, Digital PR, FaceBook, Marketing to Moms, Media and Press, PR Industry, Parenting, Social Media, Social Networking, Togetherville, Video Games, Virtual Worlds by Admin - 3 Comments →