I believe this new invention—although it’s basically a larger iPod Touch—could revolutionize print advertising as we know it today. Truth be told, when I’m reading news online in a traditional web-browser format, ads are too often easy to ignore. Online, I don’t get the same level of marketing impact as I do when I’m flipping through the pages of the printed form of a magazine, looking at full-page ad after full-page ad. That printed form, however, makes the metrics of my intake of that marketing message tough to measure. How long did I stare at the ad? Did the pages stick together, making me miss it altogether? Did this ad’s call-to-action (visit www.companywebsite.com) prompt me to do something? Wouldn’t marketers like to know!

The middle ground the iPad could occupy between the PDA and the laptop could be just the remedy that publishers and marketers have been waiting for, especially if the technology will allow users to earn their subscriptions by agreeing to view the ads measurably. People want free content. Publishers want to sell ads AND charge for the content. Looks to me like the paradigm could soon shift to an online format where consumers could choose: view ads and let us measure your interaction for free content, or just look at everything at your leisure and pay for all the content. Either way, advertising still drives the financial model. That’s good for ad agencies, and that’s good for the publishers.

Boy, I’d hate to be Kindle right now.

No … I’m tired of marketers’ and researchers’ ploys to convince me and my clients that Social Media only applies to white female moms with HHI of $75K+. This may sound like a ridiculous thing to be fed up with, but hear me out.

1. While the fact that here 300 million users on Facebook and there are more females (55%) using the site than males is consistently parroted,  the thing that is often overlooked is that 45% of those users are going to be male. When I made a mock Facebook ad targetting males in the U.S. 25-54, 24,722,340 users came up as eligible to receive my Facebook ad. 24,722,340! How it the world is this an insignificant number to other marketers? Having just a fraction of that number for fans creates an opportunity for some of the most targeted and meaningful advertising in the world today!
2. According to a recent study by Liberty Mutual, two very interesting facts about men’s online behavior include the following:
   • With the exception of Facebook, men are generally more likely than women to use their other social media accounts at least a few times a week, particularly Twitter:
     • MySpace: 35 percent of men vs. 26 percent of women, LinkedIn: 25 percent of men vs. 16 percent of women, and Twitter: 53 percent of men vs. 38 percent of women
   • Dads are more likely than moms to have a MySpace account or a Twitter account, 43 percent vs. 29 percent and 50 percent vs. 32 percent, respectively.
3. And, lastly, simply perusing the LinkedIn site, I came across their demographic breakdown of users—51% male, HHI 100K+, 35–50+. Don’t know about your marketing experience, but the mere fact that there is a single place where this demographic comes to talk about all things corporate and business-related, where I don’t have to do any schmoozing, is the greatest gift I’ve been given in a long time. One could equate it to finding the Holy Grail.

Moral of the story: Men are on social networking sites. They have different objectives, different patterns, but are on there nonetheless. So, please, stop assuming that every online tactic has to be centered around shopping moms. Because the truth is, the great success of those campaigns is only because coupons are the big rage in the “economy today.” It’s the only reason I joined half the Fan Pages I did, and I’ve not visited again … NOT ONCE.

So, I’m begging, stop all this bleating about mom, and take a look at half the world your advertising is missing out on by making assumptions rather than looking at the facts—men use social media. Get used to it.

The other day, Mr. Bossy Boss told me a tale about this Facebook friend calling him and reiterating an interesting conversation he had with “Mr. Boss Man” on Facebook chat. Evidently, “Mr. Boss” had told this friend that he needed money for his cousin but he had been mugged while in the UK. FBfriend replies, “Are you a Nigerian Prince?” The profile hijacker immediately shuts down the chat and unfriends the witty little guy.

Needless to say, Bossy changes his password, and his status to tell everyone about the potential scammer on the loose. Later that night, his wife goes to check his Fbook, and lo and behold … he is not there.

No friends. No profile. No Farmville Animals. Mr. Bossy Boss was Facebook murdered.

Shocking tales like these are occurring more and more within the Facebook realm. Due to its international popularity, Fbook has become the #1 target for spreading viruses, hijacking information and all-around chaotic malarkey! It is an alarming powerhouse in our world today—it has the ability to connect you to anything, but also disconnect you from the world, your fans, and even worse, your consumers—all in the blink of an eye.

Premium brands that don’t engage with newer types of interactive media are like Mr. Bossy Boss and his imposter—someone out there is representing their brand, whether they like or not, and they are taking control. However, if you play the game right, those imposters won’t matter, because, like real-life friends, once you build your relationships, brand advocates will know that you’re not a “Nigerian Prince.” They’ll recognize your brand’s true voice and learn to trust it.

The bottom line to consider is this: Life is scary. And social media is just life happening online. So, learn how to interact effectively with the real world, and you’ll see that being a “victim” online isn’t as easy as it first sounded. Your brand will be able to handle it. Your brand will be better for it.

This year is sure to bring lots of fun and innovative things in the marketing and advertising world. As in 2009, the technology and gadgets out there will surely drive the marketing dollars and efforts toward new and unique ways of reaching the masses with our branding messages. In blogs past, we’ve reviewed how Apple is working on a patent for a device/software that forces consumers to interact with ads, but what other unique gadgets and gizmos are on the horizon?

1. L5 Remote – This little device allows the iPhone or iPod Touch to serve as a remote to your television or other electronics.  But what is cool is that by pointing the iPhone or iPod Touch at any remote-controlled device and pushing the right programming code, the iPhone will program itself to correspond with the device. Cool, huh? Now whether this fits into Apple’s master plan of servicing ads to consumers, that’s unknown, but I have an inkling that the two might be connected. For a more detailed look, check out the video below. And please forgive the rambling, but the tech is so new, this is the only one I could find!
   http://bubble-cast.com

   
   
2. eReaders – While everyone and their dog is making an iPod-esque gadget to mimic the Kindle reader, such as Barnes & Noble Nook, Plastic Logic Que, Spring Design Alex, and LG’s solar eReader, I my myself am excited about The Skiff Reader geared toward digital newspaper and magazine. This thing is decidedly larger than the others and is supposed to be under 1 lb, 11.5-inch size, a high 1200 x 1600 pixel screen resolution, and under 1/4-inch thick. But best of all … it’s flexible. That being said, the market for advertising space could be revolutionized, since we all know that mags and newspapers are struggling in print. A surge of easily downloadable info via these babies could serve as a new platform for brands and consumers to interact.
   
3. Boxee Box – This little device is really going to be amazing, if it does what it says it does. So, a little black box smaller than a coke can will serve as a tool to bring all your media together in one place on your television screen. There are multiple inputs that allow you to download pictures, hook up your computer(s), etc. to give you the ultimate media experience. It will even show your Twitter and Facebook feeds with links from your friends. Sounds a lot like just surfing the internet, no? NO. As you can see in the demo below, this gadget does more than just make a pretty face for your media storage. Say you want to watch an episode of your favorite TV show online. All you do is search for the show by name and it provides the feed from anywhere online. So much easier than checking twelve different network websites for all your online viewing pleasure.
   
   http://bubble-cast.com

   
4. Tablets – While ambiguous at best and product development touted by behemouths such as Apple and Google, these things are the talk of the town. Sure to be a new ad platform for marketing-heavy corporation Google, the details on what exactly a tablet will be is elusive. However, Apple claims to have a $1000 price tag, so I’m pretty sure they will be more than the rumored iPhone on crack. Some say they may include free global Wi-Fi, others say there are even cooler traits to this gizmo, especially due to the high price point and secrecy behind both global networks’ production. Say tuned for more …

So, with all these new innovations in using existing technology in new and interesting ways, it isn’t hard to assume that 2010 will be packed with marketers’ and brands’ scrambling to find the new way to reach consumers. And undoubtedly, if you’re the first on the bandwagon, it could be a relatively cost-friendly endeavor. Here’s looking forward to what’s in store for this decade!

These fond memories, however, are just that this year—memories. Because the 2009 holiday season is rife with new and larger opportunities to get the latest on Black Friday deals with minimal effort through my favorite information-sharing platform—Social Media.

From Facebook to Twitter to specialized web sites and splash pages, this thing we lovingly call the “inter-web” has revolutionized even the biggest in-store selling opportunity of the year. Some of my favorite, yet not necessarily new, uses of SM to promote Black Friday sales are below:

• Toys ‘R Us Fan Page – These geniuses have become the fastest-growing brand on Fbook simply by developing a custom Black Friday Preview application which lets Facebook fans find out what deals are available before the rest of the masses.
• Blackfriday.info – This site compiles and organizes all those pesky inserts and mini-catalogs into one place. You can also add items to a customizable list as well as check store open and closing times.
• @blackfriday on Twitter – This user lists deals, stories and tips to get the most out of your Black Friday. My favorite tip is a link to a page where JCPenney-sponsored Cindy Crawford will send you a wake-up call to get up and get shopping!
• BF Deals App – While not technically social media, and not free, this app lets you see a map of other users at stores so you can find a less crowded one, and it sends your deals to your Twitter account – there really is “an app for that,” too.

So, while these developments, and the many others like them, don’t necessarily mean greater sales or margin growth for retailers, they do provide further evidence of the power of real-time and easily accessible information, even when it comes to advertising. Because, let’s face it, Black Friday is the one day a year when people are actually CLAMORING to hear what retailers have to say and now there are a plethora of options and avenues for them to reach that information. And, in a world where the marketing dollar doesn’t quite go as far as we’d like, what could possibly be wrong with that?

Macy’s brilliantly capitalized on its status as a pop-culture icon last year as it celebrated its 150th anniversary. The TV spot is a montage of classic U.S. films and TV shows that all mention shopping at Macy’s with obvious pride in their voices. Some shots are black and white, while others are in color, but they vividly show how deeply woven Macy’s is into the fabric of America.

Macy’s is now leveraging social media to carry the warm-hearted and personable brand even further. It has its own Facebook page and this week is really promoting it’s Thanksgiving sales. Becoming a Macy’s fan gives you exclusive access to preview all the great “Black Friday” specials—it’s for “Special VIPs Only.” Unlike many brands on Facebook who never participate in the discussion, Macy’s stays actively engaged, responding to fan posts several times a day.

Every time I go to Macy’s it’s clean and bright. The associates are always knowledgeable, polite and helpful. If being treated like a human being weren’t enough to keep me coming back—sadly, these days it usually is—Macy’s sends me great discount cards regularly because I’m a Macy’s card holder. I’m happy to spend money with Macy’s because they make me feel valuable. As I always suspected, it’s a special place.

And does Macy’s really bring the magic? Oh, yeah, it does—premium magic!

The most important restrictions are the prohibition of:

• Photo contests which require profile photo manipulation
• Status update contests which require posting status updates for entry
• Contest entries once a user has become a fan
• Promotions appearing anywhere but in an application on a tab within the respective Fan Page

Even worse, every promotion must be approved by Facebook through an account representative and have a listed disclaimer!

So, with these new limitations, what is a brand to do? At the risk of seeming arrogant, I have to point out that premium brands must now stop the insistence that they can handle their own Fan Pages and social media. They must turn it over to someone who can develop apps, has a standing relationship with account reps, as well as have the strategic thinking behind how in the world to get users to care about a Widget Deluxe Fan Page when they get nothing free from it. In plain English, they need a marketing agency.

Not to toot my own horn or do the sales pitch, but in past posts, we’ve pointed out how it is virtually impossible for a one-man-band to handle a full social media strategy—emphasis on strategy. So, throw in creative web application development on top of legalese, and it’s way over what Jimmy the 18-year-old intern can handle on his own. And while this may seem discouraging to brands that have relied on this “cheap” form of social media connection, I must remind us all that in marketing, we get what we pay for.

So, Facebook has, in essence, secured the need for a well-thought-out plan of attack and I applaud them for taking such measures to keep their product premium and free of spam-inducing promotions popping up on their highly-successful product. Though it might be hard at first for premium brands to part with their dollars to produce a new way of reaching Fans on their Page, it really is long overdue if they want any chance of retaining their premium status on Facebook.

Just from reviewing and trying to get the social search features activated on my personal Google and Bing searches, it seems to be a lot more complicated than most are letting on. Not only do you have to have an account for each respective engine, but on Google, you also have to submit profile information, links to your social networks, and then be logged in at the time of search. After doing all that, even searching a familiar term like “facebook” yielded no results from my networks. And before you ask, yes, the account was signed up in the Google Lab, the testing section for the feature. For a more detailed look at what Google is offering and what it is really made of, watch the video below.

http://bubble-cast.com

As explained above, these searches only pull up information from the user’s “circle of friends.” So, the doom and gloom of getting any and every negative comment about a brand seems highly unlikely. And although it can be said that a negative comment made within a customer’s social network may be more damaging than one outside, the likelihood of its occurrence diminishes quite a bit when all the filters are in place.

So, brand managers, take heart. The only thing this social search means for your brand is you had better pay attention to what’s being said about your brand online. And I know you’ve heard that one before.

Perhaps you have started a Facebook page, but your only fans are a handful of employees from the marketing department. Have you posted a video to YouTube, but the only comments are from your brother? Why?

Think about this…what would happen if you walked out into the middle of Times Square and started talking. You didn’t take anyone with you. You didn’t tell anyone you would be there. Who would care? Who would stop and talk to you? Easy. Nobody. What you start saying may be interesting, relevant and credible, yet you most likely won’t get an audience.

In some respects, online conversations are no different. If you try to start one without making a concentrated effort to tell people, most likely your efforts will fall on deaf ears. As Marsha Lindsay points out, good ole traditional media can be very useful in alerting your audience that a conversation is happening. As she points out, even for brands as universally recognized as Nike, their most successful online efforts have been introduced at least in part through traditional mass media outlets such as TV. Or, consider how your targeted direct marketing efforts can work together nicely with social media to help you engage your audience.

So once you get people to your home in your social network(s) of choice, then what? Keep the interest of your growing audience with contests, games, surveys, forums, invitations to contribute and relevant, interesting content. Listen to what they have to say to you and, more importantly, to each other. Use different types of media to keep things fresh. Give a framework for discussion, but don’t dominate the conversation. Treat your audience like people. You know, be social.

What have you found to be most successful in growing and maintaining your online communities?

In the land called “reality,” a recent study published by Engagementdb.com found that brands with a strong presence online had an average revenue growth of 18% while those with limited interaction online actually lost an average of 6%. This same study revealed that these same premium brands also utilized the largest number of social channels, pushing out huge amounts of relevant content to the masses. This begs to plead the case that if you’re going to go swimming in the big pool of the social media world, you had better be prepared to jump in head first. And, just as any good marketing campaign, this growth is the result of a well-rounded effort.

From a premium brand manager’s point of view, this is a call to action. In a world where all brands—again, ALL brands—are online in some manner, usually controlled by the consuming masses in the form of blogs, comments and reviews, why wouldn’t a premium brand take the opportunity to brag about itself in as many channels as possible? And why would a brand go in expecting anyone to notice them while just sitting dormant?

The tendency of any campaign to go in half-baked, whether via traditional or “new” media, is against what we at Warren Douglas know to be true about good marketing and advertising. The key to social media isn’t going to be accomplished in one small tactic, but rather by being relevant, smart and available for consumption in a well thought out and strategic approach across multiple channels. So, what a brand should really be afraid of when it comes to social media, is that their fear of engaging fully will keep them from real success.

Question: Do you know of any premium brands whose image has actually been damaged by being too reserved in social media?