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Moosylvania Blog

 
Moosylvania's space was featured in the June issue of "How Magazine."

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Per my post earlier this week following the original Tide Thursday article …

Tide Thursday could have some impact on key consumer categories, but
it's not going to be as significant as this article would indicate.
Here's why;

http://adage.com/article?article_id=136848#comments-38036

http://adage.com/article?article_id=136848#comments-38037

Click Here to Read Ad Age Article

This is pathetic, rude and amateur commentary.

Do you really think Ms. Boyle is going to need to be in a commercial to make a living?

She's been heralded not because of how she first looked on the show,
but because she does have real talent. The surprise package her voice
came in had a role in making her famous. But it will be her voice over
time she is known for. Especially if she manages her brand
appropriately.

Read the Full Ad Age Article

If the first stop in Seattle was any sign of times to come, the Bacardi B-Live tour will be playing to sold-out venues all summer long.  

SPIN magazine was in the front row in Seattle on Wednesday night, and described Bacardi B-Live as an “ambitious” tour that features a “slew of amazing artists.” If ambition can be measured by talent alone, then this tour definitely fits the bill.

Today’s top names, including MSTRKRFT, DJ AM, Matt & Kim, Santigold and more will be mixed and matched into various lineups that will perform at B-Live events in 23 cities.

With a team that’s as passionate about music as it is about marketing, Moosylvania was proud to be a part of the planning that went into B-Live – and can’t wait until the tour hits St. Louis in June.

A few lucky Moosers even got the chance to meet a few artists backstage at the Winter Music Conference in Miami, when the tour was announced in March. Note the eerie resemblance between MSTRKRFT and our very own Rob Brooks (picture below).

For up-close views of this event, and to track the tour online, check out the B-Live blog, Twitter and even Last Night’s Party.

Tide Thursday could have some impact on key consumer categories, but
it's not going to be as significant as this article would indicate.
Here's why;

Reality is price, positioning, and packaging are driven by key account
management. Market adjustments for key accounts are almost
instantaneous, especially for big and important accounts for P&G
and other large CPG companies.

Before the recession Wal-Mart had already pulled out all the stops to
get P&G prices as low as possible, while still maintaining Tide and
others as flagship attractor brands. The big grocery channel stores
have been doing the same to grow their own private labels as they use
leader brands to pull people into the store and then get them to switch
to their private labels through better price incentives. They were
doing so before the recession as they believe this to be necessary to
survive.

But P&G has something that few other consumer packaged goods
companies truly have, real, tangible, branded leadership and a solid
portfolio of flanker brands. The flanker brands handle much of the
dirty work, leveling the retailer price game playing field, to defend
the lead brands.

This special leadership buys P&G time to stick to their values and
to provide real added value for their retail partners who need them
more than ever. There are only a few other brand portfolios, if any,
that are sitting in this position.

That means, "Tide Thursday" already happens everyday on a regular real
time basis and has been occurring for more than a few years.

Few if any other CPG companies are in the ideal position P&G is in,
if they were, P&G would buy them or have a strategy to erode their
share.

And while P&G may state they're going to lower their prices on some
of their lead and secondary brands, many of those moves have already
been made through key account planning, with the majority of price
concessions falling on the flanker brands or through reconfigured
leadership brand packaging that offers more favorable average SKU
pricing, but provides less product in the select SKUs, to accelerate
the buy cycle improved average cost per measured unit to recoup profits
lost in declining share.

Read Full Ad Age Article

Consumers do not depend upon marketers to form their opinions of
brands. They trust peers. All the media weight in the world cannot beat
or buy trusted opinions. There has been extensive research from
multiple sources that proves this to be true. Advertising on a Social
Site is the same as advertising on any medium – it's advertising.
Building trust by enhancing consumers' lives with information and tools
to make their decision process easier to make and share with others is
how social media impacts sales. Social Networking is the primary way
that people stay connected with peers. It works, it's proven and a
study that says consumers don't go from social media sites to retail is
naive in its purpose and questioning. Do consumers believe advertising?
No. Do they believe their peers? Yes. What is the primary way they stay
connected to the majority of their peers? Social Networking.

Click Here to Read the Brand Week Article

 
We're not seeing contest fatigue, quite the contrary, participation in
promotional offers and giveaways that add real customer value,
especially practical value, are way up.

We ran a program that was the 5th highest trafficked promotional site
in the month of January. It had a planning tool people could actually
use in their everyday lives and a kitchen makeover with over 500,000
entries, extensive on-line chatter and the client's business was up in
a flat category in one of the worse sales periods of the year.

Unpractical prizes and messaging are not resonating right now. If you
win a diamond, what's it really worth when you sell it? How do you sell
it? It's a bit of a hassle. All the more, if you think it through, do
women want a diamond from a deodorant?

Imagine they keep the diamond and have it made into a ring or pendant.
They get a compliment from a friend. "Wow, nice diamond!" They reply,
"Thanks I got it from…"

They either lie about it or they state they're wearing a diamond they
were given from a deodorant to every person who asks them about it.
Both situations are socially awkward, which is completely counter to
Secret's positioning.

Thinking through the intrinsic value you add to the customer's life is
the key to making promotions and social media buzz and chatter work for
your brand.

This is highlighted in our white paper the 9 Step Guide To Social Networking.

Read the Full Ad Age Article

We did research on this subject and generated a white paper –
7 Rules Of Superior Recession – Proof Design

Highlights include -

1. Good Web Design = More Retail Sales
2. Create Incentives for Consumers to Visit Your Brand Website
3. Keep Best Customers Best and Migrate Near Best with Distinct Loyalty Programs
4. Focus on Branded Connections at the
Point of Purchase
5. Brand Your Customer Experience
6. Empathize with Consumers' Need to Cut Back on Spending
7. Invest in Portfolio Programs and Partnerships with Like-Minded Brands

Click Here to Read Full Article

As seen on Twitter:

“I am at a long stoplight.” “Oh, I need new shoelaces.” “LOL! Just saw a funny billboard.”

We all know that a useless stream of consciousness in a personal Twitter account can get you un-followed faster than the Pied Piper with a broken flute (unless you’re Ashton).

But what about companies dipping a toe into the social media pool? Experimenting with Facebook, Twitter, Blip and the like? To tackle one topic at a time, let's start with Twitter.

Here are TEN TIPS for Business Twitter-quette:

1.Establish a point of difference for your brand’s Twitter account. Why will people want to follow you? It starts with an objective.  

2. Direct, friendly tone is fine. A serious, professional tone is fine. Any voice is fine as long as it’s true to your brand. Yes, the lessons of third grade are valid here, “just be yourself.”

3. Don’t make it one long stream of self-serving messages.

4. Continuing #3: Give your followers something of real value. Think beyond coupons — links, games and tips all have value.

5. You only have 140 characters. Your links are essential in telling the story.

6.  No, you don’t have to follow everyone who follows your brand. But it can help in getting your brand out there.  

7. Social media is a conversation. Reply to those who invest their time in talking to your brand.

8. If your brand gets caught in a negative situation, know that your brand’s Twitter response must be appropriate and fast moving.    

9. Invite visitors to your website to follow your brand on twitter.    

10. Be flexible. The rules of engagement are ever-evolving.

The solution to this problem is simple, even if you only have a week to
pull this off. I hate to be a Monday morning quarterback, but I've done
programs like this successfully for clients.

Here's how you do it:
Web Flash Coupons 101

Read Rodney's Full Response

Read the Full Article