Friday, January 25, 2008

This post has some great web-related and blog-related stats:

http://blogs.mediapost.com/research_brief/?p=1626
Bloggers seem to be having a greater impact on the sale of beauty products.

http://www.wwd.com/issue/article/today/121770?page=0
This article talks about ad spending and economic growth. As a point of note, it points out that marketing organizations spend about 7.5% of their marketing budgets (I presume they mean "advertising" budgets) on the internet even though people devote about 20% of their media consumption to internet-based media.

http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=348963&story_id=10567459#top
This blog post explains how Care2 <http://www.care2.com/> uses "behavioral targeting" to identify people who are concerned about various social issues and link them with their causes. According to the post, there are 8 million people in the network.

http://blogs.mediapost.com/behavioral_insider/?p=239
Neilsen's "Blogpulse" is a helpful research tool. Go to http://www.blogpulse.com/. Then, click on "tools." You can go to "conversation tracker" and type in the name of a company or brand to see who is talking about it in the blogosphere and what they are saying. You can click on "trend search" to see the amount "buzz" that has related to the product or organization over time.

Companies seeking more in-depth analysis can use Neilsen's "BrandPulse" product -- http://nielsenbuzzmetrics.com/brandpulse

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

This is an excellent article about using online communities for market research purposes. However, you may need a Wall Street Journal Online subscription in order to access it:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120027230906987357.html?mod=djem_jiewr_mk

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

The "net promoter score" addresses the likelihood that the respondent will recommend a product/service/company to someone else. However, as this Wikipedia post suggests, there is controversy about the value of the net promoter score and whether it is the best measure to use.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_promoter_score

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

This appears to be a good source of online marketing facts, figures, and statistics.

http://www.emarketer.com/
This post highlights social media's relevance for health care consumers.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=74308&Nid=38279&p=911887
According to this article, the milk industry is targeting dieters with a combination of web, print, and public relations in general. Perhaps a key to success with the "new media" is to find successful ways to combine it with "old media"?

http://adage.com/article?article_id=123071
This article discusses how casual gaming applications seem to be a natural for social networking sites.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/technology/15facebook.html?_r=2&ref=technology&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
This article discusses how MySpace is cooperating with the Attorneys General of 49 states to make social networking safer for minors.

http://www.news.com/8301-13577_3-9849909-36.html
In this post, Gannett's Chief Digital Officer talks about "rich media" and the company's digital future.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=74309&Nid=38279&p=911887

This explains "Tickerboy" which is discussed in the post -- http://www.pointroll.com/tickerboy.aspx

Monday, January 14, 2008

This post addresses an attempt to engage vodka customers and potential customers through a series of video "confessions." The author of the post seems skeptical about whether the campaign does what it is supposed to do.
http://blogs.mediapost.com/media_creativity/?p=76
This vodka company has found an interesting way to target influencers and try to generate word-of-mouth about the product.

http://blogs.mediapost.com/media_creativity/?p=38
This article talks about reach, engagement, and the continuous shift of advertising dollars to digitial media.

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=123057
In this post, Facebook doesn't score so well in terms of access time. The article also identifies some other important social networking sites: "News Corp.'s MySpace, Google's Orkut, Windows Live Spaces and Twitter ... UK-based Faceparty ... [and] Orkut."

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=74122
Celebrities can communicate with their fans online ... and their fans can communicate with one another.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=74130
New ways to reach an important target market for many consumer products, moms --
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=74138
Bad news for Yellow Pages as more advertising goes digital -- http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=74131
This Marketing Daily article underscores the importance of reaching customers at an emotional level. A good book on the subject is Emotional Branding by Marc Gobe.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=74116&Nid=38167&p=911887

Saturday, January 12, 2008

The Center for Digital Democracy and the Electronic Privacy Information Center both advocate for consumer privacy.

The Center for Digital Democarcy -- http://www.democraticmedia.org/

The Electronic Privacy Information Center -- http://epic.org/

These two organizations were mentioned in Wendy Davis' Friday, January 11, 2008 "Just an Online Minute" post. It can be found at http://blogs.mediapost.com/online_minute/?p=1642

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Even Swiffer is getting in on the action. In this case, consumers are asked to post music videos on YouTube where viewers will vote on a winner.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=74026&Nid=38116&p=911887

This is a great way to increase awareness and involve consumers and potential consumers. But, now that so many companies are doing it, I wonder how long it will take for people to get bored with the concept?
Coors is getting in on the consumer generated media bandwagon by inviting consumers to submit videos. The videos are supposed to convince the judges to award Super Bowl tickets to the winning contestants. The general idea seems to be to engage consumers or to increase their psychological involvement with the product.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/business/media/10adco.html?_r=2&ref=business&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

This article provides an excellent overview of social media from a marketing perspective -- http://adage.com/cmostrategy/article?article_id=122867
This is an interesting article about Cisco's Eos (entertainment operating system) operating system. Apparently, it identifies TV shows you watch and the lifestyles to which you are attracted. It also monitors your online interactions with other people. It will use this information to identify other content in which you may be interested. It will also enable companies to use the information collected to build online communities and to target their advertising most effectively. Could it be that Orwell's 1984 has arrived 24 years late? Other companies that offer social networking software are also identified.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119973082626572521-email.html

Monday, January 7, 2008

Check out Southwest Airlines' effort to engage business travelers at:

http://bemoreproductive.com/
This post addresses some of the sociology behind consumer generated media. It ties in nicely with Emanuel Rosen's book, The Anatomy of Buzz, especially chapter 4 entitled "Network Hubs."

http://www.customerthink.com/article/social_networks_communities_elastic_ties
The basic human motivations that drive consumer generated media appear to be relatively unexplored. These two posts povide a great starting place for thinking about consumer behavior issues.

http://blogs.mediapost.com/spin/?p=1204

http://www.communispace.com/assets/pdf/R_All_Communispace_Gaining_Business_Value_Release_11_29_07.pdf
Don't forget the power of e-mail when considering consumer generated media.

http://blogs.mediapost.com/spin/?p=1201
This post contains a couple of new terms that I haven't seen before -- "circular entertainment" and "immersive living." Some terms stay around and some don't. We'll see if these have legs.

http://blogs.mediapost.com/research_brief/?p=1609
Buyers of traditional consumer package goods appearing to be researching their purchases on the Internet.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=73741
This is a good example of how Papa Johns is extending traditional consumer promotions in a way that generates a higher level of consumer involvement.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=73740&Nid=37946&p=911887
This is a great information resource that Dr. Fred Miller uses in his graduate marketing class --
http://web2.murraystate.edu/fred.miller/mkt675/Articles/Articles.htm

Friday, January 4, 2008

Here are still more examples of increasing consumer involvement by encouraging consumers to generate media.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72924&Nid=37516&p=911887
Still more about engaging consumers. This time, OlayForYou.com (launching in January) will feature skin-care consultations.
http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003686042
Here is some interesting information on the growth of social networks and the amount of ad spending.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72830&Nid=37462&p=911887
Here are still more examples of companies getting consumers involved.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72622&Nid=37347&p=911887
This is an example of how Consumer Generated Media (CGM) can provide input into companies' product development efforts.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72640&Nid=37347&p=911887
Here is still another example of getting consumers involved in creating the message.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72747&Nid=37461&p=911887
This article is a good follow-up to the previous post. In this case Hallmark is partnering with the "Red" campaign to product consumer generated content. Notice the comment in the last paragraph about consumer generated products as well as consumer generated content and media.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72839&Nid=37461&p=911887
Check out this story about how Dove (beauty products) is getting consumers involved in creating the message.
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72806&Nid=37461&p=911887

The approach increases consumer involvement, stimulates interpersonal communication, and may result in a better advertising campaign than the agencies would have developed.
This is about MarketTools. It is a company that uses online consumer communities for market research purposes. The consumers choose to participate in these online communities and it is my understanding that the company informs the consumers of their research activity. This article is interesting in that it summarizes insights MarketTools has gained about an important group of consumers -- Moms.
<http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72583&Nid=37347&p=911887>
The article in the link below addresses a possible "do not track" law. The article also provides insight into the type of data that is being collected. "Behavioral tracking" and "behavioral targeting" are buzz words that are sometimes associated with this type of tracking activity.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/technology/01Privacy.html?_r=3&ref=technology&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin>
This article focuses on companies that sell consumer perishables (nondurables). It addresses the way they are getting people to their sites and, then, engaging them. <http://adage.com/print?article_id=122497>. It also provides a good list of companies that are leading the way in this area. The article isn't about "consumer generated media" so much as "consumer-involved media."
Note the references to "influencers," "early adopters," "credibility," and "word of mouth" in this article: <http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72387&Nid=37190&p=911887>.
Check this one out -- <http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=72214&Nid=37064&p=911887>

Also, check out the M&Ms website <http://www.m-ms.com/>
Here are three sites that you may find helpful as you begin to think about the world of consumer generated media (CGM), Web 2.0, etc.:
http://www.epinions.com/
http://www.rateitall.com/
http://www.consumerreview.com/
Check out this article pertaining to changes in newspaper circulation from last year to this year.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003667952
The vast majority of newspapers lost readership, most by a significant percentage. One reason for this may be that people are relying more and more on consumer generated media as opposed to the traditional media. If so, how can marketing organizations get ahead of this curve?