Not long ago, we faced a recurring issue with an underperforming vendor. Let’s just say, they needed to get their act together, and speedy-like. We’d been through months of banging our heads against the wall and were at our wit’s end. In this case, the simple solution of firing the vendor and finding a replacement wasn’t as simple as it sounded.

Finally, the revelation came when (surprise!) I was explaining it to someone who hadn’t been involved in the details. They weren’t scarred by the experience. They were refreshingly green. Their perspective was pure. And apparently, that’s exactly the clarity we needed to resolve this issue.

Now, could I have come up with the solution if I’d cleared my mind? Yes.

That is, if I’d allowed myself to ask the simple questions. If I had stepped out of the trees. If I hadn’t been so busy dodging the road kill, complaining about the stench, and hoping that someone else would clean up the mess. Yes, I too could have been the wise sage of the day.

Lesson learned?

We deal with distractions and minutiae all day long. (Yeah – 20 emails in the time it took to write this.) But, it’s during these times of craziness that it’s even more important to find that source of clarity. I’ll bet you have it inside. Or, you know someone who could help. The key is to recognize that feeling desperate is a big red flag. Those gut feelings mean something. Take the time to listen to them.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I love to be on the forefront of new technology. That doesn’t mean I go out and buy the latest tech gadget or rush foolishly into recommending new technologies to my clients. But it does mean I like to delve in and know as much about a potential technology as possible. After several years of this, I’ve finally learned to form my own opinions as opposed to just believing what others are saying. It has served me well, and I’d urge you to do the same.

Case in point. Twitter. To tell you the truth, I’ve never been a big fan. I reluctantly entered the space a few months after it hit the webwaves, jumped out, and then got back in many months later. Do I have an account now? Yes. Do I use it? Rarely. Why? I think it’s because I’ve personally not found value there. I’ve either been followed by someone who wants to sell me something or by some “young thing” who has nothing to do with anything related to the communications business. Now, I’m reading that roughly only 7% of Internet users go to Twitter with any regularity. If I were to have believed all the hype over the last couple of years, I would have made a huge mistake on behalf of the agency and our clientele by recommending we spend our money there.

Now, along comes mobile. This is a completely different story. The only thing I wonder about in regards to mobile marketing is the timing. We’ve heard for four years that it was “the year of mobile.” During that time, a quick survey of friends and family made it very clear to me that mobile hadn’t reached a point of engagement. The infrastructure simply wasn’t in place to make it easy or affordable for the average user. But now, smart phones are becoming commonplace, data plans are becoming required, and new devices (think ipad) are a reality. Mobile is finally here.

If you’re old enough to remember the beginning of the “www” or worldwide web, you probably remember a lot of folks saying it was a fad. It would never last. That they didn’t see value in having a website. To some degree, that’s been the case with mobile. Only 8% of websites have a mobile version. Even less than that percentage are actually proactively utilizing it to engage with customers. Like a webpage, mobile is just one more tool in the marketers’ communication kit. However, keep this in mind. Mobile has had the luxury of having learned how NOT to do it from the web’s stumbles. For example, laws and strategies have been put in place for mobile to deter spamming.

Mobile has a real chance of setting the communications world on fire. The barriers to entry are negligible. The competition is almost non-existent. All the parts and pieces are in place to make it easy for the consumer to want to use it. And with mobile being an opt-in vehicle, you’re getting an audience that’s interested in what you have to say and share. It’s up to you to manage that relationship so they don’t ever want to leave.

Two cautions. One, don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s the marketing “silver bullet” you’ve been looking for. It’s simply one more way to integrate your messaging. And two, don’t wait too long to jump in and miss the advantages of being an early adopter. Good luck.

Being an early adopter of the web, I’ve been in awe of the advancements that have come along. Back in the day, you really had to want to surf to put up with the speed issues, among other things. Then, everything seemed to click. I’d hop on Yahoo or Google and really be very productive in a short time. Most of my searching had to do with business research or prospecting. I was happy because I could stay informed quickly and easily.

Then came social media. People began to connect on levels they had never connected on before. They got to know one another, one another’s friends, vacation spots, and on and on. I liked it okay and was an early adopter of it, too. Then as social media began to reach critical mass, the foundation of my perfect (search) world began to shake apart.

In recent months, I’ve noticed that finding good business data has been more difficult. I’m several pages into a search before I find anything usable. What’s taken its place? A ton of social media links. Links that may appeal to me as a casual person but get in my way as a businessperson. It’s beginning to feel like 1995 all over again. You have to really want that info to sift through everything you don’t want.

As a marketer, I value social media and the power it wields. But as a businessman, I’d like a little more balance in my search engine. Is this an opportunity for Bing or Yahoo? Maybe. Or am I alone on this? Maybe. Could be time to start my own www, I guess.

Yeah, 3D chess.

A quick Google search or a Wikipedia read, and you’re in the know. In fact, you can see 3D chess being played on YouTube. Captain Kirk and Spock aboard the USS Enterprise played it to pass the time in the 23rd century. The 3D chess game can be seen in many Star Trek TV episodes. The game board consists of seven levels, three fixed levels and four movable “attack board” levels. (By the 24th century, a variant using six “attack board” levels was used.)

Now, let’s tie that to 21st century advertising. It’s easy. The first two sentences give it away. We’ve gone digital. Digital non-traditional advertising. Multiple levels of marketing playing out at the same time. It’s a real game changer for traditional agencies locked in the past. But for B&Y, this is an exciting time — a new way to apply what makes us different. Boiled down — it’s thinking, planning, and a focus on plenty of in-the-trenches service, plus a habit of over-delivering.

Pure digital shops have a hard time getting the warm fuzzy part of it down. Relating the consumer marketing part to the coding part. But for us, that’s the way B&Y has rolled for the last 20 years. Is there a lot to learn in a digital world? You bet. Take social media for starters. For those with time, see below.* And that’s just a couple levels of the game.

Is it a brave new world where we boldly go where no one has gone before? Sure. Is it new? Yes. Have we been through it before? Heck yeah.

Think about it. The 40s and 50s were all about print — words and pictures. The 60s — TV. The last 30 years, commercial television has reigned. Then about 15 years ago, websites started to crawl out of the digital evolutionary ooze. And now, for all practical purposes, we’re walking upright — but slowly and hunched over compared to what’s going to happen in the next 10 years.

So the new game we’re playing in the digital world is just beginning. That still leaves us with brands to protect and products to sell. The quicker you can view the marketing playing field in 3D, the better chance you can grow and outwit the competition.

Which brings us back to what they’ll be using in the 23rd century — thinking. That hasn’t changed. Warp speed, Scotty…

We think. You win.

Over the last few years, advertisers/agencies have been stuck figuring out whether online media should merge with traditional media (TV, Radio, Print, and Outdoor), rely on traditional media, or be completely separate from traditional media. I must admit that I was a firm believer in online and traditional media having separate budgets, separate planning teams and hell, occupying separate ends of the building. After working in more of a traditional position this past year (and having a background in online media), my thinking has changed.

The industry has proven that online media can have its own campaigns and work completely independently of traditional media. But have these campaigns reached their maximum potential for their advertisers? Recent studies from Nielsen have found that combining online video placements with on-air TV spots can increase ad recall by 65%. Even the likeability of the spot is up 26%. Can this be true? Can online media actually complement traditional media?

Absolutely! By using the same TV spot, whether it’s a :30 on-air spot or an edited :15 online spot, viewers are recalling the exact message 18% more than if one of these media was used alone. If that’s not enough proof that this works, the amount saved on creative costs will get your attention.

So, the next time you’re planning a TV campaign, make sure online video placements are a good size portion of your budget.

It’s 2010, the iPad hysteria is ramping up, and the iPhone is undoubtedly a game changer. So, what could Apple have possibly missed? An Apple Store application.

Stories abound that suggest that an iPhone app saved a company or turned some 16-year-old kid into a millionaire. Apple fully understands how the iPhone provides convenience and accessibility that wasn’t ever there for businesses. But what is so shocking is that Apple isn’t catering to their customers on all levels.

Let’s think about what an Apple Store app could be like. You can obviously purchase Apple hardware and software, but you could also get access to the Genius Bar, as well as special “app owner events” and “app owner discounts.” There is a ton of potential, but Apple is seemingly missing it.

I hope, as Apple continues to grow and increase its market share, that they don’t forget what drives those numbers: consumers. And using its own products to sell its own hardware and software just feels like good business.

If you’ve seen our holiday card this year, you already know that B&Y chose Blessings in a Backpack as our annual charity. It’s a great organization that fills backpacks with nourishing food for kids and their families.

Part of our formula for choosing a charity is to send some B&Y representatives to the charity to get in the trenches. We like to truly understand the fabulous work that’s being done. Let’s just say this: the people at Blessings in a Backpack are amazing. And remember, they volunteer to do this week after week (insert crowd roar here).

So, if you haven’t already, please click on the video, and join us on our visit. You’ll witness B&Yers filling backpacks and spreading the love this holiday season. And you’ll realize, like we have, that there’s no substitute for the “original” form of social media — hands-on, personal involvement.

Season’s greetings.

For more information visit Blessings in a Backpack Indiana.

Wow, talk about a sock to the gut! Tiger Woods’ escapades caught me completely off guard. I never in a million years thought that this man would ever veer from the centerline. With a great family, an unbelievable career, endorsements to die for and zillions of adoring fans, what were you thinking Tiger?

On the one hand, you could say he’s only human. But then on the other, once you take in the mounting number of indiscretions, you have to wonder what’s at the core of this guy. Regardless, his brand has been forever damaged. Even if his endorsement contracts remain intact, there will be lots of rebuilding to do with the fan base.

For all of us in Adland, this is a great chance to learn. In the coming days, weeks and months, we’re going to find out how savvy the marketers are behind Tiger’s personal brand and the brands he endorses. What kind of moves will they make to remedy or salvage their equities? Is there any way they can put a positive spin on this debacle? How long will it take people to forgive and forget? Will new “bad boy” brands enter into the endorsement picture while wholesome ones drop out?

Marketers have known forever that it can take a lot of money, strategic thinking, and a fair amount of time to get a brand where we want it. We also know that it can all go down the toilet in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, we tend to forget this as we push the envelope to achieve more brand equity day after day. Celebrity endorsement’s, line extensions and viral campaigns among other things come with an element of risk that has to be factored into the “what if” safeguard.

Aside from the watch-and-learn technique, here are five things you can do to keep the likelihood of your brand suffering a catastrophic loss in equity to a minimum.

• •  Don’t force it. Whether it’s signing a celebrity or taking a leap toward a viral campaign, make sure it’s a fit with your brand’s strategic plan.
• •  Don’t get greedy. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the quality of your product or service. Thinking that you can exponentially grow equity overnight or in conjunction with a known entity is a mistake.
• •  Shoot every idea full of holes and if it still floats, move ahead cautiously. You have to play devil’s advocate and beat every idea up like you’re in a title cage fight. Remember, if you don’t, others will.
• •  View every idea from every possible perspective and give it the “so what” test. This is really nothing more than balancing risk with reward by constituency. If everything goes off without a hitch, will it give your primary and secondary audiences the “wow” moments you hope for? By looking at it from others’ perspectives, you take your personal emotions out of it and let the facts fall where they may.
• •  Remember that time changes things. What was acceptable yesterday won’t always be acceptable tomorrow. You have to keep current on our cultural norms, and like it or not, move in step with your core target group.

Obviously there are more pitfalls to look out for and more safeguards you can take to keep yourself from doing crisis PR. The intention of the five points above is to get you thinking about your brand, your situation and your target groups. If, after taking every precaution, you do find yourself in a less than enviable situation, remember this: Without risk taking, life would be pretty dull. Everyone makes mistakes and at times has bad judgment. Quickly owning up to them and making the situation “right” is usually all it takes to stop the bleeding. Do this and then get back to business as usual.

Best of luck.

The answer is both—with a Godzilla—sized warning. I’ve seen clients dump their tried and true agency for a newly created interactive one, and this confuses me. Why would they put themselves in such a precarious position? The only way that makes any sense is if their present agency simply isn’t willing to morph with the times or if there isn’t any equity in keeping them on the team. Then, by all means, give ‘em the boot. They deserve it. But if you haven’t given them the chance and you just want to date the new girl in town — shame on you.

The deal is, we’re in a transition period—purgatory. We’re caught right in the middle between the old traditional ways and the new, tech-driven ones. The problem is, everyone wants to sell you what they’re comfortable with—what they know. That isn’t necessarily what you need. And even if they do try to blend these two worlds, more than likely they are still are going to fall back on what’s comfortable for them.

As I see it, the situation looks like this: Both traditional and new media are important, but there’s no clear—cut answer for every brand as to the degree or percentage of mix between the two. Target audiences, technology, internal restrictions etc. dictate to a great degree what you will, are able to and should do. To draw a parallel, look at the political parties we have to choose from in this country. Republicans, Democrats and Independents all have great ideas, but if you ask any of them for a recommendation on how to run the country, you’re naturally going to get their bias. The truth in getting what may be best for the country is probably a careful blend among those three unique perspectives. The sort of selflessness required to get to that “blend” doesn’t seem to exist on the broad scale in the political arena. What you end up with is a great country with less than efficient use of resources and less than perfect outcomes for the issues at hand.

But that’s government. When it comes to your business and your brand, you can and should expect more. You have to run your marketing efficiently. You have to use the best tools to reach your audiences at the right time and engage them in a meaningful way to get a return. Problem is, you need partners to make that happen. And while there may be a measure of bias in your partners’ recommendations, there are also reasonable checks and balances that can help justify those recommendations. And, as an added layer of comfort, remember, your success equates to their success.  If they are any kind of partner at all, they are in it with you for the long haul and looking for a win-win relationship.

What’s the moral of this story? It’s that you have to find an agency that has good strategic thinking and creative at its core. They have to understand and be intimate with your brand. New or traditional media is worthless without solid thinking and execution. Good partner agencies will have an open mind and understand that the proper mix between new media and old is the order-of-the-day. In our agency, we look at it like this: We are straddling the line between traditional and the new tech methods. We’re shifting our weight from our back foot to our front one. How fast we make that transition is critical to the success of our clients’ marketing and eventually our own.

So, while I believe your marketing should be a delicate balance between old and new vehicles, I would suggest that you not get caught up in the hype for either. If they’re right for your brand, they should be able to be substantiated. And if your agency is right for your brand, they should remain neutral and not care whether it’s old technology or new they’re using to get the job done. They should also be willing to partner with an interactive agency to get you where you need to go if they can’t do it themselves. Your job is to let them know you value what they bring to the table so they aren’t feeling vulnerable. Don’t let them get distracted by insecurity. They should only be concerned with delivering the right recommendations for your brand.

One final word to the wise. There is no Holy Grail that will solve all of your problems. You’re not going to miss the boat by not being on the bleeding edge of technology as it relates to your marketing. So, don’t panic. And don’t make matters worse by casting out your existing agency for a new interactive one. Be selfish.  Hold on to the people who have helped you get your brand to where it is and expect them to keep up.  Let them partner with interactive agencies or organically grow their own talent. You have enough to worry about. As clients and agencies, we have to be good at everything. We need each other to make that happen.  It’s a difficult time for everyone, but as long as we’re both willing to make the necessary adjustments and are moving the ball toward the goal, that’s pretty damn good. Most brands would love to be able to say that.

Calling all media wonks. Check out these fun stats from 2009, courtesy of our friends at Nielsen. Knowing these facts could make your advertising more effective and more affordable.

• 74% of US TV viewers acquired a digital converter box
• 89% increase in hours spent watching TV among US households 1950-2009
• US advertisers spent $2.03 billion on TV advertising in Q2 alone
• Movie viewers spent $189 million at the global box office 10/28 – 11/8
• 2.4 billion coupons redeemed, January through September
• Top 10 advertisers on TV & Internet

1. Verizon
2. Procter & Gamble
3. US Government
4. AT&T
5. Johnson & Johnson
6. Ford
7. McDonald’s
8. General Electric
9. Time Warner
10. Sprint

TV…TV…TV…why are we talking TV when most are talking online advertising? Here’s why. According to the above statistics from Nielsen, TV advertising is stronger when the economy is down. More and more people are staying home to watch TV than going out and spending money on other forms of entertainment.

With the recent change to a digital signal, you might think more households would switch to cable or satellite to insure perfect reception. Not the case. They’re sticking to the good old-fashioned converter box. So what does this mean for you, your brand and your budget? Well, this “stay at home” mentality is keeping broadcast space rates high, which forces regional and local advertisers to buy less expensive cable spots. However, that results in less reach. It’s also driving those same brands to utilize online tools.

This movement creates a dilemma for the big brands, too. National advertisers that have the budget to create a TV spot are finding it difficult to come up with the funds to run the spot at the frequency levels they desire. So, what’s a brand to do?

First of all, you need to have a diversified but integrated approach to your media spending. You still want to have a “lead” medium, but you need to factor in supply and demand for that medium to give you a heads-up on the heavy lifting required by other channels of communication. This synergistic approach is a great way of balancing the ebb and flow of the various vehicles to make sure your brand is efficiently and effectively seen and heard.

B&Y has a proprietary tool called the MMM 360 to help deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time and with the right tone. The results of this tool then feed into our media strategy and voilà! You have an efficient, effective plan to drive your brand.