Picture this. How do you share those “special moments?” Think back. Is there an old family photo album somewhere gathering dust in the living room? Sure. Ours has one of me and brother in the bathtub, naked!Thanks mom. As disturbing as it is, it certainly is a memory (probably not one I wish to share with you). How about those old school portraits? Reunions? Sporting events? Birthdays? Vacations? How do you share those memories? From the early 1900′s and on into today’s digital age, we’ve all done the same thing.
Take a picture, it lasts longer…
Last night, while watching Glee(yes, I’m a Gleek), I was sitting and lamenting over the how Miss Sylvester was treating poor Mercedes, and off to a commercial break we went. Now, I normally channel surf or jump up to get another Popsicle at commercial breaks, but last night I was held in my seat by the following Kodak spot.
I loved it immediately. While I’m a sucker for any squeaking baby, I thought the spot, from a brand marketing standpoint, was perfect! It was targeted, engaging, current and allowed a brand, Kodak, who has been languishing in technological and directional confusion to stand up and re-root itself in our communication and social culture.
On the Kodak blog, A Thousand Words, Leslie Dance, VP of Brand Marketing & Communications for Kodak shared their vision with for the new marketing:
“As our agency Partners + Napier, who helped us create our new campaign defined it, the core insight into what really motivates our consumer (whom we call Katie) is that ‘My memories make me, me, but it’s only when I share them that I become complete.’
Which led us to the campaign idea, ‘the real Kodak moment happens when you share’. We’re taking the Kodak Moment of the past 50 years and redefining it to make it relevant for today. The Kodak Moment that used to be the moment of capture, when we take the picture, is now more powerful when we apply it to the moment of sharing the picture.”
As a photographer, I’ve been painfully aware of the dilemma the photography industry has been in. Since the mid 1990′s, it’s been go digital or pack up your lenses. While I love digital photography for its ease and speed, as someone that was educated in the techniques of traditional photography, processing and lab printing, I long for the days when I can turn a photo over and see “Printed by Kodak.” And with online printing taking quality and speed, and economy to new levels, I’d basically given up on Kodak.
Boy, was I wrong!
This is why Kodak has been around for over a century:
Kodak took the right (smart) approach to the technology challenges that faced them and their industry. Instead of folding up and saying “Woah, It’s been a great 120 years, we’ll see ya’ later…” they chose to innovate, recreate and re-engage, sidestepping the “road block” and blazing a new trail for future market growth.
By providing people easier, more economical digital access – just push the button to share your memories - Kodak has positioned itself as the leader in the (previously unoccupied) “memory sharing” niche… A brilliant way to redefine your brand for changing times and subtly shut my doubting mouth for ever.
Kudos!
So, what’s the next step for Kodak? How can they continue to broaden their relevance with their new campaign. How do they compete with the ever evolving mobile phone/camera niche? Can you think of other companies that have created a brand shift like Kodak’s? I’d love to hear more!
Look deeply into my eyes… you are feeling veeeery sleepy… sleeeeepy… deeeeper… deeeeeeeeper… relax and let the social media mystique take you to a happier place. Deeeeper…
Yeah, sometimes I feel like social media has cast some kind of spell over businesses, specifically the marketing departments of some companies. It’s easy to be seduced. It’s easy to be swayed by viral videos, tweets and blogs with thousands of readers. It’s easy to think that social media can be the magic pill to fix marketing mishaps. But in our passionate pursuit to capture the social media magic, maybe we should be mindful of the limits to ANY marketing tool – ESPECIALLY social media.
Social media can’t fix a broken branding model.
Broken brands need to back up to the beginning and find the TRUE Brand(Truthful, Relevant, Unique, Engaging) that lies within. I’ve written about this before, so I won’t go into the specifics, but social media won’t make you something you’re simply not ABLE to be. What social media WILL do is amplify and accelerate the core values and attributes (as well as the ugly flaws) of your brand. So be cautious of where you step.
Social media can’t substitute for strategy.
Obvious? I guess not. Sure, we’ve all seen those companies with the languishing Twitter account or empty FaceBook pages. Or the contrary – companies screaming, “Become our fan on FaceBook,” without much further engagement or incentive for the end users… WHY? Without strategy and objectives how do you know if social media is a successful addition to your marketing? And the number of fans or followers of your account does NOT equate to marketing success.
Social media can’t succeed without a TRUE focus on the customer.
While this should be part of the above strategy, I wanted to make sure that I brought attention to it. If all you’re about is pushing messages about your company / product / service, etc… then you need an ego check. This is SOCIAL media. If you want to have TRUE customer engagement, you need to show you care for the benefits of the customer, not just pumping your own bloated ego.
Social media is not a stand-alone solution.
I’ve been in the marketing and advertising industry since… well, let’s just say my first job didn’t involve a single computer. And guess what, companies successfully marketed themselves. Some even made money! In all seriousness, being a practitioner of social media does not make one a marketing guru. Sure the tools are great and they have their applications in “modern communications,” but without EXPERIENCED marketing strategy, advertising, public relations, traditional media and a good understanding of digital technologies, you’re just adding to the noise.
So before that “Social Media Magician” starts with their hocus-pocus pitch that social media is the answer to all of your marketing woes, just blink. Clear your eyes of the social media smoke-n-mirrors and take a clear look at your marketing. If social media can be integrated into your marketing plan, you’ll see it. If you can’t see it, and still need to know, then consult a professional marketer with a mastery of social media marketing tactics.
When you’re looking for TRUE social media marketing integration. Think of those you follow online. Who would you trust with your company’s brand? Then, ask the question SOCIALLY.
Keep Cooking! (Strategic marketing decisions…)
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
Can you say your brand is unique? Can you say you’re a pioneer?
It seems like a simple concept, but when it comes down to it, it takes a commitment to a TRUE brand. Often times people ask what it takes to become “viral.”
My answer:
“You can’t Being “viral” is entirely based on the community you’ve created…”
Here’s a great example:
(Facebookers and feed readers need to click here to see this great video.)
Okay, maybe they’re all stoned. But they all seem to be “drinking the same Kool-Aid” – tainted or not.
This guy’s belief in his unique value inspired others to engage. Can you say your brand is this infectious? How can you make it so?
Keep Cooking (unique ways to engage your audience)
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
“How in the heck can 140 characters make any impact on my customers?”
Just a one of the response I’ve received from Nay-Sayers when I talk about using Twitter as a marketing tool.
“Mindless babble…”
“Fanboy frivolity…”
I usually sit and listen (patiently) while they list out the need for a drawn out conversation with their customers to explain the intricate mechanics of their products and the magnitude of value that their employees’ commitment provides to the bottom line – NOT TO MENTION their commitment to quality and the….
SNORE….
“Cult obsessions…”
“Waste-of-time…”
“INSANE”
Before you use that particular word, consider a recent example:
How hard do you think it would it be to produce and then promote a musical about a woman with bipolar disorder? Imagine the media. Imagine the freakishly insensitive commercials and awkward attempts to make bipolar disorder “entertaining”(let alone make it a MUSICAL)!
The Broadway hit “Next to Normal,” did just that. (Please click through to read about the musical. It’s moving – Wikipedia-Synopsis, Show Site)
The producers and marketers of this compelling (and painful) story about a woman with bipolar disorder and her troubled relationship with her family, used Twitter to build audiences. According to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal, the play’s marketing team tweeted the entire show at 140 characters per installment, over five weeks through May and June. At the time of this post, their Twitter account (@N2Nbroadway) had more than 730,000 followers and had sold more than 90 percent of their available seats! Talk about ROI!
As added flair, due to their unique approach to using the tool, Twitter selected “Next to Normal” as a featured tweet. Saying so makes them an automated opt-in for new users of the service. To be featured by Twitter is one thing, having almost three quarters of a million followers in just a few months(auto opt-in or not) makes quite a statement for this little bit of insanity.
There’s plenty of coverage about the massive success “Next to Normal” has had using Twitter to market (just to a Google search for “Next to Normal” and Twitter)
Think it’s so “insane” now?
How could Twitter fit into your marketing strategy like it did for “Next to Normal?” What could you or your company do to harness the power of Twitter’s network – or any social media marketing network for that matter?
Food for thought…
Keep Cooking (remarkable ways to connect to your audience)!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
More-so, I love the segment that they chose to feature. The Sex and Cash Theory – something I think anyone that considers themselves as “Creative” can identify with (in any timbre). (feed readers and Facebookers, click here to see the video – it’s a RIOT!)
After you stop laughing, think about YOUR Sex and Cash paradigm. How much of the work you do is simply to “pay the bills,” and how much is “sexy?”
If you’re like me, your career is probably leaning a tad bit to the “pay the bills” side. Okay, it sleeps, eats, and craps on the “cash” side with a little window to the “sexy” side… sigh.(Really, boss, if you’re reading this, I love my job.)
What do you think it would take to push your career a little closer to the “sexy” side? One more post? One less spreadsheet? Another hour with the iPod on 10? One more doughnut before that board meeting?
Just a little food for thought.
Keep Cooking (sexy creative)!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef
As a photographer, I’ve been painfully aware of the dilemma the photography industry has been in. Since the mid 1990′s, it’s been go digital or pack up your lenses. While I love digital photography for its ease and speed, as someone that was educated in the techniques of traditional photography, processing and lab printing, I long for the days when I can turn a photo over and see “Printed by Kodak.” And with online printing taking quality and speed, and economy to new levels, I’d basically given up on Kodak.
