Category: Videos

Gary Vaynerchuck on Social Media ROI

Social Media, Videos

If you work for an agency or are spearheading the social media efforts for your company, this may not be the news that you want to hear. But Gary Vaynerchuck points out the obvious in a compelling way – NOT engaging with your customers via social media creates opportunities for your competitors. And while you may not lose your whole market, you may well lose the high yield, low churn folks who are your bedrock, or you may lose the low yield, high maintenance influencers who help attract a wider audience.

Don't forget, social media loves a niche – and you don't have to serve the needs of your entire community in the same way. Identify key audience segments, understand their expectations and communication needs and then design your efforts around the way that adds value to your mutual relationship. If that means social media, great. If it means, "just give the me a good product when I need it", do that. But make sure you PAY ATTENTION.

Because if you don't, someone else will.

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Out-Viralled? How Does It Feel?

Smart Bloggers, Social Media, Videos

Stan Johnson calls out the neat viral work of Droga 5 for their Guitar Hero YouTube video. But then Freddie Wong shows what can be done with limited resources, some creativity and a passion.

Of course, this is part of what can be considered “viral” – where a piece of work mutates by coming into contact with other forces. After all, the “aim” of a viral is not necessarily simply to spread (ie deliver reach) but to prompt conversation and participation. While Freddie only has one-seventh of the views that the original video has, I daresay, the production costs were much lower 😉

How does it feel to be out-viralled? The answer: it rocks.

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The Stories Inside My Head

Creativity, Videos

The first spark can hit me like a revelation. It sizzles from synapse to synapse and in that instant, I am all tingling nerves and tunnel vision. There is no here and now, there is only this. ONE. idea. Burning like a fuse.

And before I can breathe, a lifetime passes. All tousled bed clothes, babies, bits of paper and smudges of ink. It is not the images I see, but rather, clarity emerging from the chaos. It is what Angela Maiers may call "making the connections" — but it feels more like creativity than learning. More like riding a bolting horse than sitting in a classroom.

And yet, I know, before my hearts pumps another beat, that the whole world has changed. I have learned something and have been transformed by it. The challenge now lays before me … you see the easy part is over. I have seen forever in a moment and the opportunities of a lifetime in a single glance; but now I am faced with a dilemma. To act or to demur.

When I write a blog post, work with a client or brainstorm with a team, my creativity is on tap. All I need is a starting connection (a word, a song) and it begins. Quickly. But the ideas are easy. Really, you can have them for free. The stories inside my mind can draw unexpected meanings, but they are straight and true. Of course, bringing them to life — transforming them into something that can change your business, delight your customers or motivate your staff is a longer haul. For while ideation runs like a sprint, execution requires stamina. And whether it is a blog post or a fully integrated marketing campaign — there are always tears ahead.

Laurel, this great stop motion video by Carlos Lascano actually comes close to capturing the way my mind works. Enjoy.



A SHORT LOVE STORY IN STOP MOTION from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo.

How to Search Online

Videos, Web 2.0

Before the web, I was a great researcher. I could walk into a library and find the best, the most obscure and interesting information. Sometimes it was intuitive — like walking through an aisle of books on my topic of interest, pausing and the grabbing the first book to hand. More often than not, I would find just the right piece of information that would make my work stand out from my classmates. Now, this was not really magic or intuition … it was connecting ideas and words.

But along came Google and I thought that this ability would be neutralised. Interestingly, many people still complain about not being "good with Google". However, there is no longer any reason for this. The CommonCraft folks have come up with yet another great explanation for our Web 2.0 world — this time explaining how to search. In a little over two minutes you will understand how to craft "intuitive" and targeted searches that will yield very focused data for your next presentation, lecture or dinner date 😉


A Wii Kidsperience

Branding, Digital Strategy, Future of Your Brand, Storytelling, Videos

When we talk about thinking "outside the box", or when we think of the "experience", this often means that we are trying to make a break with current types and modes of thinking. On the creative front, this means playing with expectation, changing the framing of a story, transforming a consumer’s sense of control or mastery. I often think about this in terms of the P-L-A-Y framework:

P — for Power

  • Demanding of attention 
  • Testing limits (boundaries around behaviour, responsibility etc) 
  • Controlling the controllable 
  • Belonging

L — for learning and curiosity

  • Skills development 
  • Negotiation

A — for adventure

  • Exploring an ever changing world 
  • Actively making the world a better place

Y — the yelp of surprise and delight

  • Recognition and reward 
  • Self expression

As brands continue to investigate the changing consumer and business landscape prompted by the ever-increasing adoption of social (and mobile) media, strategists need to also consider the idea of “kidsperience”.

Nintendo appear to be following a similar path in their efforts to differentiate their product in the highly competitive gaming console market. As Scott Weisbrod points out, Nintendo are in search of a Blue Ocean. His competitive strategy canvas shows exactly how the positioning is being planned. But the question remains – how does this play out in their branding and advertising works? Take a look here. NO … wait, really, click through – and then come back and share your thoughts. I am fascinated to know.

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A Uniform Used to Mean Something

Videos

When I first saw this I loved it. The execution, incorporating cartoon animation and full motion video was excellent; the scripting, as you would expect, was fantastic; and quirky? Oh yes. But I remember it disappeared … and I found it tonight while looking for the Seinfeld/Gates/Microsoft piece. Gold.


A Lion of a Story

Storytelling, Videos

What happens when you raise a lion as a pet (!) and then release him into the wild? Kim Komando shares a story about two men who did just that. John Rendall and Ace Berg purchased Christian from the zoo in 1969, but after a couple of years found he was too big to handle safely. They agreed to release him into the wild.

Nine months later, they decided to travel to Africa to see Christian, the lion, one more time. They were told that he would not recognise them. What will happen at their reunion?

Hat tip to David Armano.

Generate vs Stagnate: John Grant @ Planning Begins at 40

Digital Strategy, Smart Bloggers, Strategy, Videos

Here is John Grant’s excellent speech at JWT’s Planning Begins at 40 conference. He raises a fantastic point — that we either choose to generate or stagnate — and while this applies to planners, it also extends to all of us on an individual level. He argues that we can continue, in an ongoing way, to challenge ourselves, be open to the new and the different … or we can stick with what we know and what has worked for us in the past.

There is even a suggestion that someone’s generative challenge may be the agency of the future. Any takers?


John Grant: Planning’s Midlife Crisis? from JWT on Vimeo.