It’s the perfect atmosphere to introduce or re-connect your product or service with all those consumers. Your presence in a non-commercial, family fun atmosphere is a friendly way to create or maintain top-of-mind awareness, win the customer loyalty battle and begin or continue a one-on-one dialogue with thousands of event patron/consumers, and make that all important connection to what really interests them right where they live.

As EGC’s president, Ernie Canadeo said recently in Marketing & Media in the Great Beyond -2010 +

 “Event marketing will continue to be an effective way of connecting with consumers in a personal way, and the use of brand ambassadors [event staffers] at events will be on the rise.”

In 2010, businesses will need every opportunity to prove themselves worthy of the consumers’ loyalty and their increasingly hard won dollar. Being intrinsically linked to an exciting, pleasurable experience benefiting the community’s non-profits is a terrific platform for any company to speak from. Hearts and minds are there to be won. Arrange to make your statement to the customer live at an event.

EGC was lucky enough to attend 2010 CES Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It’s always an amazing experience, and this year absolutely beat the previous year in innovation. We’ve recapped the best trends and what they mean to you.

Connect: this is not just the EGC mantra but it was the theme of the entire CES experience. Virtually every company had ways that their products enabled you to be connected, in new ways, all the time. The TV guys introduced TV’s that have expanded internet capability and the ability to support programs like Skype. The auto guys introduced new mobile apps for an enhanced driving experience. Ford Sync introduced apps that support applications like Twitter. Fiat introduced a program that mimics Nike Plus, allowing you to have a better driving experience by giving tips on fuel efficiency, driving tips, etc. All of this caused a bit of a controversy, as how much should one really do in the car? (Ironically, there was a neighboring booth for TextBlocker, which parents can buy to disable texting/email functions on their teens phones once in a moving vehicle.) Sony introduced a Bloggie camera that allows you to edit photos and content in new ways. We saw a demo on this, and it will truly replace the Flip or any other digital camera for bloggers and content creators. In our opinion it was one of the most notable products at CES. This light video camera includes image-stablization technology, a 360 degree lens and software that allows you to quickly and easily upload content to social networking apps. What does this mean to advertisers? Embrace the next levels of social media and consumer generated conversation about your brand, because the tools are out there to make them even more available to the consumer and to make the process of content development and sharing easier for you.

3D – The box office success of 3D movies like Avatar has fueled the interest in the CES release of home 3D TV’s. This was where the major TV players invested the most money and booth real estate and was certainly the biggest deal at CES. Panasonic had made the hugest investment in 3D and did the best job visually presenting it at the show. Samsung won, in our opinion, for best trade show experience, promoting the thinness of their screens and displayed multiple-screen use in gaming, trading, and sports viewing. Despite the splash at CES, 3D technology will most not likely be in most consumers homes for several years. Setting aside the cost of the equipment and the need to wear 3D glasses to experience it, there aren’t many home 3D formats available. Two 3D cable companies so far have committed to 3D content. One is ESPN, who agreed to film 80 3D sports events in 2010.

Tablets and eReaders – All dominated CES. While eReaders as a whole had somewhat of a slow start, many predict the use to increase in 2010 and Kindle currently has the bulk of the market share. Plastic Logic Que, Spring Design’s Alex, and the Skiff all made a debut of eReaders at CES with new functionalities that included writing capabilities, the ability to work with Microsoft Office, multi-screens and more. While the world awaits Apple’s release of their tablet, Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer announced their tablet, built by HP, at the keynote address. “The emerging category of PCs should take advantage of the touch and portability capabilities.” If these tablets are truly adopted by consumers, it will affect the way we design and build interactive experiences.

Differentiation – all of the major brands are competing for fewer dollars from fewer and smarter customers. Many did a good job of introducing new key differences to existing products. They also found different ways to market. Polaroid hired Lady Gaga as Creative Director and brought her out to the booth Friday (her brief appearance drew the largest media attention at the show.). Samsung introduced an ultra-cool transparent screen (similar to those seen in Avatar) which is still in R&D, which they added to their existing laptop. As marketers, we all need to continue to differentiate our brand, product and service to attract the ever-changing consumer.

Green – All of the major brands realize that it’s not about just marketing, but it’s about true commitment to sustainability in product development. Panasonic released LED Light Bulbs with a 19 year life span. Home energy monitoring screens were introduced where you can control of your home’s energy use and efficiency. Sony introduced a new VAIO laptop, where 23% percent of it is made from recycled CD’s. CES in general also went paperless, with little notebooks handed out in the press room and most information exchanged digitally. Green marketing can’t be just lip service anymore, and must show tangible environmental benefits.

Women and Tech: Women represent $ 20 trillion in purchasing power, and CES dedicated a larger portion than years previous of events and products to women and multi-tasking Moms. From bluetooth headsets that allow Moms to sync automatically to both their landlines/cell phones, to thermometers that scan a baby’s temperature just through a beam of light, these products solve many modern day problems  Our client, Brother International, participated in Mommy Tech, which was an entire CES section dedicated to Moms and the products that make their lives easier. They received lots of attention from media outlets like CBS and NBC, showing how sewing has gone high-tech with touch screens and built-in cameras.

All and all it was a great show. Check back soon when we’ll have photos from the show, clips from press coverage we received, and more.

By Ernie Canadeo

As the ground continues to shift under our feet, advertisers, agencies, and the media have learned that we must continuously monitor and reevaluate how to best reach customers using new methods and metrics, how to redefine our business models to remain financially viable, and how to insure we do not become obsolete by reinventing ourselves almost daily as the consumer takes over on their own terms.
If you haven’t done those things, you can stop reading because it’s probably too late to start now.  The good news is there is a tremendous opportunity to break new ground, take advantage of educated consumers and introduce them to the wonderful brands we are responsible for in ways we never dreamed possible just a few years ago.
So here’s what I predict for the future of media.

Social media. Increasingly growing in its importance to your brand. Of course your company has a Facebook page, Twitter and Linked In accounts, and you’ve totally revamped your website within the past year to take advantage of new technology and the integration of social media. If you didn’t, call me, now, and we’ll try to save you.  Entire books have been written about social media, and most are already obsolete, as this blog will be in a few hours. So don’t expect to have someone teach you; engage yourself, live it, everyday. Interact with your consumers. Many of us have integrated traditional PR tactics with social media to speak to consumers in cost effective ways.  Regardless of who you are in your company’s hierarchy, you can make a difference to your company’s success by using social media.

Is Traditional Media Dead? Well, not dead but many are gasping for breath.
Newspapers have taken the biggest hit, and with the exception of the Wall Street Journal (still the world’s greatest newspaper) will continue to show circulation declines and subsequently less advertisers and lower advertising rates. They will all start charging for online content in one way or another but will never see the revenue they previously enjoyed. So prepare to see more cuts in staff and use of national wires for content. Not pretty, but the smart ones will adapt and survive.
Radio will be used as a promotional vehicle, with great live appeal and ability to generate immediate response. As the automobile industry comes back, radio will see the most immediate bump.
Cable television revenue will continue to grow because of its ability to target its audience. Broadcast television will have less viewers but still command premium rates because there is still no better way to brand a product or reach that audience mass. Look for “live” TV commercials, harking back to the 1950’s and 60’s, and for split screens, with content on one side and a commercial on the other to avoid DVR zapping.   Cable news will dominate television news, as broadcast news becomes obsolete; it’s only a matter of time until it finally goes away, as will the concept of “broadcast tv”. It’s all wired or satellite. Ask your kids.
Outdoor (including digital signage) and alternative media will continue to have a niche and a place in a marketing plan for their ability to target locally.

Event marketing will continue to be an effective way of connecting with consumers in a personal way, and the use of brand ambassadors at events will be on the rise.

Digital media. As Wi-Fi becomes ubiquitous, as hand held devices (I still can’t believe what my iPhone can do) replace every other piece of technology man and God created, as people get more comfortable giving their personal information in return for ads and content that they want to see, the digital media possibilities have no boundaries. Those of us who became marketers because we hated math will have to contend with new metrics and ROI when evaluating a marketing plan. Not that that’s a bad thing. And although no one has really figured out mobile marketing yet, it’s coming and it will be huge. Yes, it’s all going to be about digital media; everything else will support digital.

So what about creative? Be prepared to see more TV commercials made on the cheap as advertisers look to cut costs and try to connect with consumers who see the world through their iPhone. Look for an increase in “feel good” advertising,  and a reluctance to use spokespeople for sports marketing (I wonder why). Advertisers will sponsor entire teams, leagues and events instead of individuals. Get ready to see more employees used as pitch people, showing enthusiasm for the brand, like Best Buy is doing with their Blue Shirts. Consumers trust other consumers. So our advertising must communicate with them, not sell them.
So my crystal ball says that there will still be great creative and more effective ways of reaching the consumer that will make our careers more exciting and fulfilling than ever. And the brands and clients we work for love us even more.
Happy New Year.

Often unassuming as (s)he walks into the store, the MPWEC may have been, to the unprepared retailer, the holiday season’s worst nightmare.  Not only does this customer know exactly what they are looking for (great, right?!), but the customer also knows—and is prepared to show you on their mobile device—just what price they can get the item for elsewhere.  This customer is looking to bargain.  Pay the asking price?  Not this customer.

So what is a retailer to do? Cave to every customer with a mobile phone who wants to make a deal?  Not always.  Below is a list of tips for retailers to consider when dealing with the MPWEC.

KNOW YOUR MARGIN—When a customer flashes the item (and price thereof) of their desire at you on their phone, be prepared to know if you can match the competitive price and still turn a profit.  If you can’t, be honest with the customer about how far you can discount without taking a loss.

KNOW WHICH ONLINE RETAILERS ARE LEGITIMATE—As a MPWEC myself, I recently encountered a jewelry retailer who refused to match my mobile phone price because the discounted price was offered by a non-authorized reseller of the product I was looking to buy.  The online retailer could not offer the guarantee of authenticity the store front retailer could—and the jeweler felt strongly I should pay a premium for that, or take my own chance with the non-authorized seller.  There are a lot of deep discounting websites out there.  As a retailer, make sure you know the popular ones for your industry and determine who is selling real product and who may be selling knock offs or past season merchandise (and trying to pass it off as this season’s!).  There is no reason to match these prices—and make sure you let your customer know they are taking a risk by buying from them.

REMEMBER- YOU PROVIDE INSTANT GRATIFICATION THE ONLINE RETAILER CAN’T—Often times your MPWEC threatening to walk out of your store and buy the product online doesn’t really want to do that—they want the instant gratification of having the item in their hands NOW—or they wouldn’t have bothered to come in your store so prepared to bargain.  Use this as leverage.  Remind the customer that they likely have to pay shipping fees if they buy online—which you should be able to collect as part of the purchase price for them the buy with you—and that they will have to wait if they order online.  You may find that many customers are willing to pay a little more than the advertised online price to see and feel their product and get it now.

ACCEPT THE NEW REALITY AND BE PREPARED—Gone are the days when the price in the store was the price, even for the big box retailers.  I recently watched a MPWEC negotiate with the store manager at a big box retailer.  The MPWEC walked away with a significant discount.  Knowing how retailers like that work, I have to assume this big box is prepared for MPWECs and has authorized their store managers to extend some kind of discount to the truly aggressive ones, or the ones with legitimate competitive pricing (ie- from a major store front competitor).  No one wants to lose a sale, or more importantly, a long-term customer who may make more purchases with their retailer of choice in the future.

COMPETE YOURSELF—Remember, MPWEC customers aren’t just in your store looking for a bargain.  They are certainly at your competitors’ stores doing the same.  To this end, it’s critical that you have a website which advertises your best available pricing—and that the site be mobile phone-friendly.  For more information on how EGC can help develop a mobile friendly-site for your business, contact EGC Digital today.  

There’s no question that the large traditional media companies have dropped off or changed over the past few years. However, the concept of media is still alive, but it does not apply only to paid advertising. Your Facebook friends are sharing brand experiences with their Facebook friends, essentially making customers a form of media. That beautiful packaging that you’ve held onto for your new watch, that created a brand experience, making it another form of media. The customer service (or lack of) you received after the sale, well that’s going to be what causes you to refer, blog, rate or review, essentially making the entire post-sale effort from a brand a form of media. Essentially, all conversations around your brand are out there and live, and they have become the trusted media for potential brand-switchers.

“Everything is Media” thinking changes the way we as an agency think about a clients brand planning. It means that we have to make sure that the brand delivers on a brand promise, otherwise word will be out there in the new form of media. It also means that we are helping companies with the post-sale process, as it’s what the customer is going to be talking about online.

When the plan is right, the traditional media communicates the big brand idea, gets customers excited, gets them to purchase and gets them engaged online. So, traditional branding connects to internal branding connects to social media. Yes, Connecting Everything is what EGC is about.  

You can read more of the post if you like, but I’ll break down the important point that all marketers and business owners really need to know: Social Media is not something that just happens. With social media you can’t just put up a page and expect it to work and be viral. You need to have a strategy and you actually have to work at it. You can’t expect results overnight—and if you do, you’ll likely be disappointed. As with any other marketing tactic, you need to work at it, optimize it, refine it… because successful Social Media that makes a real impact is not something that just happens on its own.
Just as important, remember that Social Media should be a part of a larger marketing strategy. A compliment, not a replacement. In fact, Social Media should make your overall marketing plan more effective because it provides a direct link to your customers and allows you to engage with them. However, don’t mistake this direct connection as a silver bullet or “cure all.” It won’t make you the best thing since sliced bread in a week. While Social Media will allow you to speak to, connect with and learn from your customers, it is still a marketing tactic that needs to be executed properly, and as part of a larger integrated plan. And remember, it does have its limitations.

This has been a topic of much discussion here as well, and we’re glad Ad Age and Ana  brought it to light.

While many understand why digital firms don’t make true marketing partners, some argue that digital teams are hired almost as “specialty executors.”  Quite often digital firms are niche subcontractors for a CMO who has figured out their brand and need a specialist to execute a program online. However, it’s been our experience (especially over the last year) we’ve had to redo or rebuild those projects and programs that were given to digital-only shops, because they just don’t seem to work. This is because the program was given to an executor, and it just didn’t get the thought by someone who has true marketing and customer end-user experience.

In addition, every online project should have a long term strategy. We recently completed a project for a luxury jeweler where an online idea grew into a program that attracted a whole new customer base.

Look at Zappos, a brand that was born online. In their recent agency search they hired Mullen, a veteran full-service agency.

The way of the future, as we see it, is to have a digital team that can think digitally and know how to make a brand come alive online. However, that team is supported by marketing strategists and brand builders that build the foundation for every program. Both teams are lead by a Digital Strategist, who understands digital and marketing. The team works collaboratively every day; sharing consumer research, sharing new digital tactics, building out long-term strategies, and thinking through the program so that it connects to sales. The agency serves as a true marketing partner to the client knowing the client business inside and out, knowing the customer better than everyone, and is truly accountable for the success of every program.

We believe, (shameless self promo) that the EGC way is the way of the future. Stay tuned for more on this….

Formed in 1917, The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAAA)  is the only national advertising trade association. There are 13,000 advertising agencies in the United States, yet fewer than 1,300 are members of the AAAA. Yes, the AAAA membership base is select. In fact, member agencies must go through a rigorous election process in which more than half of those who apply, fail. However the member base of AAAA is powerful; more than 75% of all national, regional and local advertising is placed by a AAAA member agency.

So what does working with a AAAA agency mean for you?

By working with a AAAA member agency, you can benefit from the world’s largest database of industry articles, product information, demographic information, media intelligence and more. Comparative advertising data, best practices in mobile and online, case studies of brand leaders, sales data by product or industry, can all be provided quickly and at no additional cost to member agencies.  

In addition, the AAAA has a dedicated committee staffed by industry experts for every agency activity and every advertising medium, keeping EGC employees apprised of every new trend and development.

Through the AAAA Professional Development program, clients can be sure that agency employees are always knowledgeable about the ever changing advertising business through ongoing webinars, conferences and whitepapers.

Lastly, by choosing a AAAA member as a partner, you know that the agency is  respectable and ethical, and most importantly, stable.

It’s CreateAthon time at EGC. For the second year in a row, all of us at EGC donate 24 hours of creativity to several local charities. It’s something I look forward to every year for many reasons, some obvious and some not-so-obvious.

First, the feeling of helping someone is extremely gratifying. We see the strain on the faces of the good people whose careers are to run these charities on shoestring budgets and lots of hard work, which inspires us to work harder and think harder. Plus, the dynamic is entirely different than doing advertising intended to increase profit or market share. It’s more emotional than cerebral.

Another observation is that CreateAthon is a great team building experience. It takes people out of their usual routine and puts them into a different role. I think it also builds respect for the creative process—something that any Creative Director has got to love. Lastly, it’s an opportunity to show off, which begs the question: Why can’t every project be handled like a Pro Bono assignment? We still approach it strategically, we still want results and we still keep the client’s best interests in mind, so how is it different?

Well for one, we begin the process with a fresh new perspective and an open exchange of ideas. This can only result in honest, inspired work. In my 24 years in advertising, I thought I’d seen it all, from applause to laughter. This time, however, was the first time I ever saw a client cry after seeing an incredibly well written, impeccably art directed campaign that absolutely “nailed it”. Now you know why I love CreateAthon.