Target remains traditional. Considering Policy Shift

In an Article in PRWeek titled "Target Mulls Media-Policy Shift," author Keith O'Brien discusses how the super-brand Target has restructured its communications department, increasing the number of spokespeople, and reconsidering a long-standing nontraditional media ban.

As of now, as mentioned in one of my previous blogs, Target's current policy is to dismiss media requests from nontraditional publications, including trade titles and blogs. It seldom makes exceptions, as the company did with PRWeek for this story.

Amy von Walter, senior manager of communications at Targer, said this policy had much to do with thier lack of resources, but affirms that they are rethinking its options after boosting its spokesperson force from few to 40!

The way they went about achieving this was by combining the media relations, IR, and internal communications departments-- which now allows all communications professionals in the company to act as spokespeople, rather than making outreach the sole activity of the media relations department.

As mentioned in my last blog about Target, "Sorry says Target, we don't mess with Nontraditional, "when they recieve criticism of the company, as they did with New York Times coverage which stemmed from a policy statement released to a youth marketing blog that called a recent ad featuring a young model 'sexualized. They release a statement back that reads: 'Thank you for contacting Target; unfortunately we are unable to respond to your inquiry because Target does not participate with nontraditional media outlets. This practice is in place to allow us to focus on publications that reach our core guest.'

Von Walter said the statement was meant not to alienate or dismiss blogs completly, but to highlight and therefore stress Target's policy of not interacting with trade titles, therefore "focusing its resources on publications that frame stories specific to its customers."

When asked about this outrageous and even infuriiating policy, Von Walter said, "'Our policy (was) due to the limited number of resources we've had previously, we recognize that blogs are increasing in number and that our core guests' write and read blogs."

'We will be reviewing that blog policy going forward,' she added. 'We just don't want to make any decisions we can't follow up on.

With considering a ban on nontraditional media, target is risking an angry cyber-audience that will continue to use this agaisnt the brand, and disucss it online. To appeal to all kinds of markets, I perosnally think Target must reconsdier this ban, and realize that this might be the hugest mistake they ever make. I would say, accept nontraditional, and get with it!

facebook for you, me, and advertising?

In an article in Adweek titled, "Why Advertising Needs a Facebook," Benjamin Palmer discusses the huge explosion of the web, and contends that in a matter of no time, the public will learn how to make ads itself, OH NO!

He tries to make the point that since everyone is already talking about how the industry is changing with the boom of nontraditional media and fragmented audiences, and it is obviously competition to the traditional ad shops---"but it's not that hard to adapt, if you really want to."

He says we should start with the idea of open sourcing creative within each company, how improved a big agency would be if it collaborated on everything. "If user-generated content and open initiatives are so powerful, why are we hiding from them? Let's unleash the wisdom of crowds within our organizations."

He says that at certain key points in the process, companies must treat the entire company as the creative department. A brief should be sent to the whole company, and solicit everyone's first instinctual response (which is usually the best thinking anyhow, from a pure inspiration perspective). You don't always know who is going to have the best solution for a problem. So look everywhere.

It is about finding the BEST way. This is how a brand like Facebook is way ahead of its competitors. For advertising creative development, it's about eliminating "crap" and finding the best ideas.

Palmer emphasized the idea of a "full-service" agency, which means a larger variety of skills and tactics than previously. If a company specialized in the web, "it can't just make a microsite anymore." Similarly, if a company specialized in PR, it can't just talk with reporters anymore.

His argument is that in the midst of our social and technological progression, it's time to put an end to "fixed-feature development processes."We need to resonate with the audience,that way the audience will start commenting on it. As of now, they seldom comment positively which is a success, and sometimes negatively, which causes a start over--- our response times are stunted.

To wrap up his argument, he contends that this industry is still building broadcast spots and Web marketing as if the 24-hour news cycle never happened, as if the blogosphere doesn't exist. If the advertising industry were a social network, we'd be MySpace: old, and "played out."

Facebook came along with an entirely new development method, making new features every couple of weeks, constantly changing it up, listeningto feedback, and is doing laps around MySpace. Advertising needs a Facebook.

The industry needs to take on this mentality and develop marketing experiences as quickly and lightly as possible, launch them, listen to feedback, and launch them again, modified and improved every couple of weeks until it works perfectly! And like facebook, do it all out in the open, letting the audience see what's going on.

What's wrong with finding a perfect system?" It's time for us to stop being scared of Web 2.0 and take some inspiration from it."

NBC rolls out...more media

In a recent article in MediaWeek byJohn Consoli, titled "NBC rolls out Digital Out-of-Home Net," it is announced that "NBC officially rolled out today to more than 200 media agency and advertiser executives its NBC Everywhere network of digital out-of-home platforms in a presentation held in Studio H at its Rockefeller Center headquarters in New York City."

So far, NBC has strategically added platforms to the network and today announced the addition of fitness centers and college campuses to the mix.This bring NBC to a total of nine nontraditional digital platforms that will carry and present NBC content, and are of course available for advertisements.

One of the deals is with IdeaCast, it will be called NBC@The Gym, and with the University network, visitors at 900 fitness centers nationwide which offer IdeaCast will provide digital delivery of content and advertising. They will also get to see programming from MSNBC and CNBC on large screens strategically located within the gyms' cardio areas.

Of course, there is room for advertisers as well as they will be able to run spots within the content or participate in sponsored-vignettes, such as workout tips, which will air during the program breaks (the ads will be sold jointly by IdeaCast and NBC).

The deal with University Network will allow NBC content to be shown on 181 campuses nationwide where University Network has screens set up strategically in high traffic locations. Of course, NBC will create specific content targeting the college demographic and the segments will be hosted by young stars of NBC shows.

Did i forget to mention that Advertisers will be able to buy advertising that appears on a portion of the screen while the content is airing as well?

This is yet another way to get more ads in more places. Don't you guys think for one minute that we have reached some sort of plateau because we have not. More companies are trying harder to reach everyone, and by everyone, i mean everyone they want to reach, anyone that might use the product or service. So here we go...some more ads ...while we work out!

Also, there was another platform discussed at the presentation- FuelCast which is a Network powered by NBC. This special gas pump is connected to a digital screen that is activated only when gas begins to be pumped--Now at 480 gas stations around the country.

Exclusively NBC content begins to show and after every 30 seconds of content, a 15 second ad message is run. The screen obviously shuts down when the gas pumping is finished.
The number of commercial views can be measured and the advertiser pays only for those views- so it is indeed "advertiser friendly."

The FuelCast Network is in Shells, Conoco and Phillips gas stations in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Miami. And advertisers can buy specific time periods in specific markets for specific products each day.

Now we can't even do something as mundane as pumping gas without ads. How lovely.
And how great for the industry :)

Nascar changing tactics...

In an article titled "Marketers Are Putting Nascar on Different Kinds of Circuits," in the New York Times, author Stuart Elliott discusses the 2008season for the Nascar Sprint Cup Series. The hooplah began on Sunday Februrary 17th and ita sponsors accelerated efforts to reach fans through the Internet and other nontraditional media.

For years, marketers with Nascar deals -- among them Best Western, Coca-Cola, Ford, General Motors, Molson Coors, Nationwide, Office Depot, Procter & Gamble, and others, focusing their ad spending in mainstream media like television, radio, print and billboards.

The author notes that Nascar was pretty conventional in thier advertising, "If they were in a daring or experimental mood, they would -- gasp! -- buy some commercial time on cable."

Because of social, technological, and media progression this is now changing with campaigns with Nascar drivers and cars on Web sites, cellphones, digital video recorders, satellite TV and radio, video games, and mobile devices.

''It's incredibly important to reach the fans in different ways as they engage with our sport in different ways,'' said Steve Phelps, chief marketing officer at Nascar in Daytona Beach, Fla.

''If we don't do that,'' he added, bringing up a rival mode of transportation, ''we're going to miss the boat.''

It is becoming more and more evident that comanies nationally are recognizing the need to incorporate nontradtional media into thier mix. Even Nascar, an already established brand, hosuehold name, hasmillions of fans, 30 million of them, already consuming 8 hours a week of Nascar media.

At the same time, Nascar remains loyal to conventional media, as it is still a very important medium,"But as media becomes more fractionalized, we need to make sure we're finding the places where the fans are.''

One place the fans can be found is with thier cellphones. Hence, in 2008,Sprint is sponsoring a multimedia campaign with the theme ''Speed is beautiful.'' The campaign is by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners in San Francisco, part of the Omnicom Group. There will also be a Nascar Sprint Cup mobile application for Sprint cellphones that will give information about driver lap times, speeds and point standings; radio broadcasts of races; and ''in-car driver communication'' for the cars entered in the Daytona 500.

Also, another popular way to increase new-media presence of Nascar sponsors is microsites, which are specialized Web sites devoted to Nascar that are separate from their mainstream sites.

For instance, Office Depot has officedepotracing.com, and Best Western has bestwesternracing.com

As you can see, even multi-successful companies like Nascar go all out on their advertising, and creative resources. Companies and brands have the task of keeping up with society, with our lies and dislikes, with our new gadgets and technological advances. Even if you have loyal customers and fans, you have to keep them happy, show them you still have it, reassure them, while swaying potential consumers to join the club.

What's your firms marketing startegy in 08'?

In an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, titled, "WHATS YOUR FIRMS MARKETING STRATEGY IN 2008?"

Different strategies of marketing are sectioned and discussed in terms of its expected use in 2008. The categories include: Public Relations, Technology Marketing, Traditinal Marketing, Non-Traditional, Green Marketing.

Rommel Juan, owner of Binalot, suspects that PRwill surely be utilized more as people realize the brand value it generates. More brands and companies will look into nontraditional marketing to avoid the noise and clutter of traditional media. Pretty similar to the way they are becoming more creative in finding new market niches so that they can create their own market instead of competing within "saturated markets."

Pinky Yee, Marketing head of Goldilocks, talks about Technology marketing and how it has such an impact in our lives. We all carry devices like cell phones, laptops, iPods etc. This leads marketing professionals to find new options to reach customers. "Traditional media like print, radio and television are unlikely to be replaced, but they will surely be enhanced by new techniques such as mobile marketing, in-game marketing, blogging, podcasting, podspotting and intelligent linking."

Karen V. de Asis, author, of "Color Folders In The Mind: A Branding Story," discusees how Green Marketing, improved from how we think of it now, will make an appearence in 08'. He explains it is not the traditional, conventional message that notes environmentalism but one that is completely based on true green product or service.

According to this article, many marketing forms will explode in 08', however the "savvy marketer" will realize how consumers are breaking up into smaller and smaller communities, becoming less homogeneous, and more niche. This is why the media mix must reflect this. "Concentrating advertising budgets on a single medium will not work in this complex marketplace. So there will be a diverse mix of the traditional (TV, radio, print) and nontraditional (blogging, YouTube, social networking, such as facebook and multiply)."

The media seems hyped about new marketing fads in 2008. Apparently, more than ever, companies and brands have to make sure to stand out of the clutter, pay attention to the effectiveness of their specific marketing mix, and make sure it is reaching their desired, maybe large, preferably fragmented specific audience. With all these predictions, let's wait and see what happens shall we?

Advertising is crucial, nontraditional is too?

An article in "Branding Strategy," titled, "Nontraditional Marketing Approaches that Work," discusses how advertising is an extremely vital part of any brand marketing plan.
However, many companies are finding that unconventional approaches are also effective.
Some companies have turned to unconventional marketing because they are unable to support large, national, expensive advertising campaigns.

There is another side to this though, "some companies are just more innovative than most in developing their marketing repertoires."

The article gives some examples of successful nontraditional campaigns, since not all are as successful as some. These ideas range from Membership organiations, like the Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Collectors Club, special events such as the Saturn Owners Homecoming, museums and factory tours, including World of Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta and Las Vegas; CNN Factory Tour in Atlanta, Kellogg’s Cereal City USA in Battle Creek, MI.

Sometimes Nontraditional campaigns can work on thier own, other times they are part of a larger campaign, and often they are just the icing on the cake- a little show off, a little embellishment to a more traditional look.

If a company doesn't have an in-house agency, there are multiple agencies specializing in nontraditional advertising such as: Room 116,
Marketing ADventures,
and many others companies that are completely dedicated to the art and profession of nontraditional...who knew it would get this big...interactive is on its way...

unconventional toilet paper

According to Promo Magazine, in an article titled, "Cotonelle launches major nontraditional campaign, "Cottonelle launched a major non-traditional campaign. Yes, yes, Cottonelle, the toilet paper brand with the ever so cute puppy dog as their mascot, unraveling a roll.

Kimberly-Clark has launched the largest non-traditional marketing campaign in its history to boost sales for the Cottonelle brand. With so many different brands of toilet-paper to chose from, all serving the same exact purpose , they realized they would have to do something different to sway consumers to buy Cottonelle.

The campaign, called "Be Kind to Your Behinds" starts off this month with a mix of "experiential marketing, Web sites, Internet ads, bus and train station ads, FSIs, in-store promotions, redesigned product packaging and public relations activities, as well as traditional TV and print advertising." The iconic cute Cottonelle puppy will of course be featured in all of these, to of course, maintain consistency and image.

In March, they are sending out a puppy-themed bus that will travel to major metropolitan cities across North America. The bus includes four comfort areas where visitors have access to massages, yoga, and relaxed sit it-down areas. The bus tour kicks off in March at New York's Grand Central and Penn Stations. It will then travel to Philadelphia, Chicago and Toronto, and conclude in San Francisco. Cottonelle will advertise inside and outside of the rail stations the bus visits.

They are also starting a sweepstakes in March with details to come at http://www.cottonelle.com and via in-store FSIs.

On January 7th, TV spots by JWT broke in the U.S. and Canada , as well as the launch of the remodeled Cottonelle Web site and striking print ads. Also, the this summer, the brand is debuting international campaigns across Europe.

The spend for this campaign expected to approach some $100 million, about a 25% increase over last year's outlay.

The increase represents a jump in both traditional and nontraditional media, including experiential and interactive marketing.

People are calling this Kimberly-Clark's largest nontraditional campaign, and there is much buzz about the remarkable efforts, and surprising choices.

They want to make sure people know that Cottonelle cares about our bottoms, and is positioning itself as the brand that understands the stress and discomfort many of u experience with our behinds daily, so they're brining comfort to us....and our behinds of course...