Social ROI; future’s about mobility; useless business clichés
- Social media ROI top challenge for Canadian marketing/ad execs
- The future isn't about mobile; it's about mobility: Report
- Marketers up the ante on social media sponsorships
- Funny TV ads don't sell better than serious ones – and can even sell less: Study
- Business clichés that will get any MBA promoted and render them totally useless
- One last word...New twist on coffee urn with extra shot of comfort for the grieving
Social media ROI top challenge for Canadian marketing/ad execs
New research finds that one in four advertising and marketing execs in Canada still grapple with the ROI from social media and view it as the channel's biggest stumbling block. Other social media challenges were: finding knowledgeable staff to execute tasks (19%); gaining executive support (19%); and finding the budget for social media initiatives (14%). The study was conducted by The Creative Group and included the views of marketing executives with 100 or more employees and advertising agency execs with more than 20 employees.
The future isn't about mobile; it's about mobility: Report
Mobility trumps mobile, and the difference between the two is like the difference between hardware and software, notes the Harvard Business Review. For that reason, it's important for businesses to improve their understanding of the nuances of mobility and mobile behaviours and to avoid putting mobile tactics in front of strategy. Notes the article: "Today, companies are scrambling to come up with something 'mobile' whether or not it makes sense for their long-term business goals, and whether or not users will actually want it. The outcome is the same across all of these examples: a low number of visits/installs/downloads and ho-hum business results. Tomorrow's winners of today's mobile gold rush will boast significant (and sustainable) usage numbers due to the value of their content, whether it's sheer utility or impossible-to-ignore entertainment value."
Marketers up the ante on social media sponsorships
eMarketer reports that product placement is alive and well, having been reborn in the digital era as social media sponsorship -- compensating social media users, or "influencers," for mentioning a product or service. And the trend shows no sign of slowing despite criticism in some parts: A May-June 2012 U.S. poll found that the majority of marketers (55.5%) had provided a social media user with some compensation in exchange for a mention on the user's social media channel, according to the eMarketer report.
Funny TV ads don't sell better than serious ones – and can even sell less: Study
Funny ads do get more attention and are better liked. But new research by syndicated ad-testing firm Ace Metrix found funniness had little correlation with effectiveness in a scoring system that incorporates watchability, likability and persuasion among other factors. In fact, funny ads were slightly less likely to increase desire or purchase intent than unfunny ones.
Source: AdAge
Business clichés that will get any MBA promoted and render them totally useless
From Forbes, some of the most common business clichés (89 can be found in the full article) that will help MBA grads get promoted to middle management but little more.
- "It's a paradigm shift" = I don't know what's going on in our business. But we're not making as much money as we used to.
- "We're data-driven" = We try not to make decisions by the seat of our pants. When possible, we try to base them on facts.
- "We need to wrap our heads around this" = Gosh, I never thought of that. We need to discuss that.
- "It's a win-win" = Hey, we both get something out of this (even though I'm really trying to get the best from you).
- "Let's circle back to that/Let's put that in the parking lot/let's touch base on that later/let's take this off-line" = Shut up and let's go back to what I was talking about.
One last word...New twist on coffee urn with extra shot of comfort for the grieving
Starbucks and a funeral home in South Carolina have struck a unique marketing partnership with the opening of a mini-Starbucks on the premises, complete with Starbucks-trained baristas and the company's official menu. The outpost will feature a fireplace and Wi-Fi among other amenities, according to the article in the New York Daily News.