Today’s post is going to do just that. In 2008, Starbucks (YES, I am one of their devotees ) found themselves in some serious hot water. Sales were down, there were major corporate management changes (which included Starbucks former CEO Howard Shultz returning and some management being let go), store closings, and some of the rapid rate expansion was slowed so that the company could go back to basics. The challenge? “How do they get back their relationship with their customer — the one they had when they first began?” Shultz claimed that, “Starbucks had lost its soul.”

They began with MyStarbucksidea.com, where customers could submit their ideas, frustrations, ask questions and share opinions. They have received 80,000 ideas thus far and implemented 50 of them—which shows they are listening. It has paid off.  What did the do right? They approached their social media campaign as a “customer relationship building movement”. Brilliant! They used their own blog, MyStarbucksidea.com, along with Facebook and Twitter. And in turn, they used those networks to feature promotions for “free” products that could be redeemed in-store. By melding both the online participation and offline engagement, they brought customers back into the stores. This relationship also allowed them to manage what is sometimes referred to as “issues management” rumors or negative press. Social media allowed them to clearly articulate the truth, answer questions and not let that negativity go unanswered.

The outcome? Starbucks is now beginning to see sales rise following its social media promotions and they posted in the U.S. their first same store sales gain in 2 years for the last quarter.

Can’t find a better example than this detailed blog article posted today by Ad Age Digital, written by Emily Bryson York. It shows what you can look forward to if you make the type of social media commitment that Starbucks has made and is making.  Sales gain is a pretty great reason to me! What are you waiting for?

Best Nicole

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) — Let’s get this straight right away: Return on investment in social media is not measured in how many friends you have on Facebook or how many followers you have on Twitter. It’s not calculated in trending topics or YouTube comments. It should, in fact, be held to the same criteria other marketing channels are: Did it move your business?

It’s done just that at Starbucks, which is a digital marketer worth watching.

No one would have guessed at that turn of events during the chain’s dark days of early 2008. Sales and traffic had begun to slip for the first time in its history as a public company. Founder Howard Schultz, returning to handle day-to-day management, even admitted that Starbucks had lost its soul. As part of Mr. Schultz’s multifaceted turnaround plan, the chain launched MyStarbucksIdea.com in July 2008 as a forum for consumers to make suggestions, ask questions and, in some cases, vent their frustrations. The website now has 180,000 registered users. Some 80,000 ideas have been submitted, 50 of which have been implemented in-store.

Chris Bruzzo, Starbucks’ VP-brand content and online, said amassing Starbucks’ 5.7 million Facebook fans and 775,000 Twitter followers could be tougher for a dental-floss brand. “Maybe we have an unfair advantage because in so many ways Starbucks and the store experience is like the original social network,” he said. Consumers “come in, hang out and talk to our store partners. They sort of got to know us as a brand in a very social way.”

But he’s quick to point out that Starbucks’ advantage could easily have been squandered. “If we had approached it not from ‘what you know and love about Starbucks’ but as a marketing channel, we would have taken this down a path that would have been very different,” he said. “This was not [built as a] marketing channel, but as a consumer relationship-building environment.”

More important than the number of fans, however, is that the coffee chain is beginning to see sales lifts following social-media promotions.

Results
Starbucks posted its first U.S. same-store sales gain in two years for the last quarter during a time when the company relied on digital and social-media promotions instead of what had become an annual TV blitz. The chain partnered with Pandora to sponsor holiday playlists, staged a Facebook sing-a-long and leveraged its partnership with Project RED to drive traffic to a dedicated microsite — and its stores, offering a free CD with a $15 purchase.

Mr. Bruzzo said that the company is benefitting from a trend “toward this intersection between digital and physical.”

“We’re seeing the beginning of that,” he said. “The experiences you have online can translate to rich offline experiences.”

The first time Mr. Bruzzo noticed this intersection was on Starbucks’ “Free Pastry Day” last summer, when consumers could visit the company website or its Facebook page and download a voucher for a free pastry. Mr. Bruzzo, who visited multiple stores that day, said he was amazed at the number of people standing in line holding coupons they’d printed out. He said the impetus for free pastries was the volume of faithful online followers asking to be included on new products or other company news.

The secret to Starbucks’ social-media success is, at least in part, the fact that it plays it cool. “It’s not like we started our Facebook community, got to a million people and started pushing offers at them,” he said. “We built up a community of people who enjoy engaging with our photo albums from our trip to Rwanda, who loved to have these shared moments around their favorite drinks.” Then, fans started asking the company what was going on, and how they could be included.

‘Straight scoop’
An added benefit of Starbucks’ social-media progress has been the ability to quickly manage rumors that could have dogged the company for days. Last January, a story spread that Starbucks was donating its profits in Israel to fund the country’s army — even though Starbucks doesn’t have any cafés in Israel. These days, Mr. Bruzzo said, when misinformation gets out, it’s easier to nip it in the bud.

Chris Bruzzo, VP-brand content and online, Starbucks

Internally, it’s called the “embassy strategy.” Starbucks strives to make MyStarbucksIdea and its Facebook and Twitter pages places that “when you go there you know you’re going to get the straight scoop,” he said.

After ceding its usual first-to-market status to competitors, Starbucks launched two iPhone apps in September, one for general café purposes, with store locators, details about specific blends and nutrition information, and the other to support its loyalty card. Moving forward, Mr. Bruzzo said the company will be looking for ways that consumers can connect with each other from inside the apps.

In the meantime, Starbucks is testing functionality that allows loyalty-card holders to pay with their phones.

Starbucks’ agencies are BBDO, PHD and Blast Radius.

Starbucks tweeter in chief

Unlike many marketers, Starbucks doesn’t run its Twitter feed out of its PR department. The chain’s voice on Twitter is Brad Nelson, 28, a former barista who rose through its IT ranks.

When the company was looking for ideas to re-engage with its core customer in 2008, Mr. Nelson suggested that he begin a Twitter handle for the brand, and it now has 775,000 followers. The brand relies on the 28-year old to translate the Starbucks experience for the online community, search out confused or disgruntled consumers, chat about store offerings and even crack jokes.

Chris Bruzzo, VP-brand, content and online, said that Starbucks was beginning to institute its turnaround plan in early 2008 when Mr. Nelson announced he was ready for something new and wanted to get involved in the chain’s online efforts.

“I sent him away and said ‘Fine, sure,’” Mr. Bruzzo said. But about two weeks later, Mr. Nelson gave him a presentation about Twitter and the opportunity to communicate directly with consumers as questions arise. Mr. Nelson sweetened his pitch by adding, “It’s a lot like being a barista on the internet.” Mr. Bruzzo recalls greenlighting the project, and after a period of working with Mr. Nelson, let him loose on Twitter.

Mr. Bruzzo gives credit to Mr. Nelson and his “willingness to take smart risks,” but shares some of the kudos for Starbucks. “I guess you have to have a brand like this and an environment that’s open to innovation and someone like Brad with the passion and personality.”

Now Starbucks is finding more ways to use Mr. Nelson. He took a week-long cross-country drive last fall with comedienne Erin Foley and an Edelman entourage to help launch Via. The group made stops for a web series along the way, passing out product samples.

As I watched, it made me think about how great social media is for companies such as the ones that were high-lighted and for those that have not yet engaged. When you have all sorts of content rich information tools, you have  an opportunity to not only engage with the people that work for you (especially in large companies and corporations) but with the people that shop with you too. You can find out how and when you are exceeding expectations and when they, or your business, disappoint. Where there are disappointments, you have the opportunity as a business to say, “I am sorry” and take immediate steps to make it right. Today!

Imagine if you could highlight the great people that are dedicated to your business—who you want to reward—by letting them know that YOU know how great they are? By showing how much you appreciate what they do. And giving the customers they interact with an opportunity to share their favourites nation—or city—wide. It would certainly encourage me to be the best I can be and PASS it on—both as a customer and as an employee.

One-to-one engagement focusing on a human element that allows all of us to be heard, respected and acknowledged—is one of the easiest ways to bring a positive flow of give and take . To address the challenges and celebrate the successes that take your business from good to great. To create enthusiasm for your brand and enlist new customers—which helps create more sales and, yes, more money.

Who wouldn’t want to get started tomorrow? What are you waiting for?

Best Nicole

There was much talk at the end of 2008 of the Barak Obama Presidential Campaign and how he used social media to build a movement for change. It has been a marketing study for many. The power that was leveraged by sweeping a country one person at a time and using individuals as community organizers to build what became a global movement was cutting edge.

Well here we are in 2010 and most businesses and corporations have gotten the memo. Gotta be in the game if you want to leverage, engage and connect with your target audience. Most of you know that Ted Kennedy’s senate seat was up for election when he passed and his family members all declined to run for his it. The Democratic party chose a successor in Martha Coakley. President Obama was out in full force campaigning on her behalf and the coverage of his speech was on CNN no less. BUT here is the kicker—the very marketing tools that helped Obama and his “movement for change” campaign sweep the nation, were not leveraged. And as a result, Coakley’s opponent won!

The WSJ posts a study for you to review, by Susan Davis, that shows Martha Coakley’s numbers vs. her opponent by using the measurement of several popular social media tools. The amazing thing (and the reason for putting this study in my post today) is that the numbers are NOT HUGE from the perspective of posts and participants. They are not the kind of numbers that would lead YOU in your business to say, “well we can’t get that kind of engagement.” They are numbers that show that if you get in the game you can build your brand and get some mighty impressive results. Imagine the Ted Kennedy legacy—with 47 years in the senate and a well-established brand—being out done by using tools that appeal to a broad based community who engaged and demanded a change!

Can’t find a more crystal clear example of the power of Twitter, Facebook and Youtube in 2010 for your brand.

Best Nicole

If YouTube video views were to decide today’s Senate election in Massachusetts, Republican state Sen. Scott Brown would win in a landslide against Democrat Martha Coakley.

A study conducted by the Emerging Media Research Council out today found that Brown had a more effective strategy of using social networking tools including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to promote his campaign and connect with supporters.

Here’s a look at the numbers:

Facebook Posts since Jan. 1: Brown (128), Coakley (58)

Facebook Fans: Brown (70,800), Coakley (13,529)

Tweets since Jan. 1: Brown (142), Coakley (144)

Twitter Followers: Brown (9,679), Coakley (3,385)

YouTube Videos: Brown (57), Coakley (52)

YouTube Video Views: Brown (578,271), Coakley (51,173)

The study concludes that Brown’s use of social media helped in several ways, including boosting his name recognition both in and out of Massachusetts. They note that just 51% of Massachusetts voters had heard of Brown in a Nov. 12 poll, by Jan. 14 his name recognition was at 95%.

The study also found that Brown more openly embraced social media sites on his campaign Web site, where he “prominently” features social networking channels including a Twitter feed while Coakley “gives social networks less prominent real estate.”

In recent elections, Democrats—including President Barack Obama–have gotten the bulk of the credit for using social media networks to boost their campaigns. However, other recent studies suggest that the tech divide between the two parties is narrowing.

A report released last week on lawmaker’s use of Twitter found that Republican lawmakers are taking advantage of the Twitterverse significantly more than their Democratic counterparts. In the House, GOP lawmakers send out 529% more tweets than Democrats.

Social media is the tool of today that will do just that. Ask Dell. To date, they have reaped $7 million dollars in global product sales using Twitter. Yes, you heard it—Twitter. They’ve taken the “Mom and Pop” philosophy and used social media as a conduit to engage their customer in conversation. It’s that simple. I came across an article in the Huffington Post by Manish Mehta, VP of Social Media and Communications for Dell, that discusses how simple their successful use of Twitter and Facebook has been.

As an agency that specializes in social media and creative design—supporting businesses in creative ways to connect and engage with their customers directly—we can vouch for his article and tell you that it IS simple. People want to know that there is a human face to that name and brand and that you are eager to listen to them, assist them in solving their problems and, in turn, build a meaningful relationship with them. In return, they want to share their awesome experiences with you—and with everyone they know.

How easy can it be?

Best Nicole

Today’s corporate leaders are struggling to figure out how to use social media to further their business strategy. At Dell, we believe this is backwards thinking. Social media isn’t a means to further a corporation’s strategy, it’s a means to help determine it.

The “Mom and Pop” businesses in our neighborhoods have always followed sound and pragmatic business practices, rooted in developing, maintaining and strengthening relationships with customers. The customers and the businesses valued those relationships because “Mom and Pop” offered convenience. They listened to their customers and used their suggestions to improve the business. They provided great service and found ways to thank their clientele. Social media is really nothing more than the simple application of these business practices in a digital form.

So if you are wondering about how to leverage Twitter, Facebook, blogs, forums, and the company Web site to achieve your organization’s goals, perhaps you are starting from the wrong point. As with the corner store, if your business uses social media to engage in conversations on a human level, you strengthen your business and allow your strategy — both corporate and social media — to evolve based on customer feedback.

At Dell, we have a longer perspective on the social media conundrum than most. We’ve been an active leader in the space since 2006, with a depth and breadth to our social media presence that has earned top billing among brands using social media to engage stakeholders.

What we’ve learned is that social media has transformed the large corporation of the millennium into the Mom and Pop shop of the old days. The emergence of social media simply makes it more possible to connect directly with customers every day. Dell’s community goes well beyond our own forums — it now extends to direct contact with more than three million followers worldwide. Even during a historically difficult time for businesses of all stripes, Dell has generated nearly $7 million in global product sales on Twitter.

“Mom and Pop” knew that their business was only as successful as their relationships with customers could make it. That’s the value of the direct connection to your customer, and that’s how every company can achieve success using social media — by facilitating the conversation. No strategy necessary.

It is that simple. Know your brand, know your target audience and what is going to move or inspire them. The outcome? They will want to share it, talk about it and better yet, become your brand evangelists. Grab their attention, reach the masses and gain millions of page views in the process. I look forward to your inspiration!

Best Nicole

2009’s crop of top viral video advertisements show us that people are willing to embrace a host of creative approaches on the social video Web, from beguiling mini-films, to user-generated advocacy, to YouTube celebrity endorsers, to elaborate commercial-grade productions. That’s good news for creators.

Regardless of the approach, the key for marketers is a solid understanding of what a brand is, who is the brand’s audience, and what moves them. Strangely enough, this formula sounds like traditional advertising. This year’s Top 10 is certainly a glimpse of how the viral video ad business is evolving, and as marketers, what we can learn from that evolution.

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1. Inspired Bicycles

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Advertiser: Inspired Bicycles
Ad Agency: N/A

Why it works: Inspired Bicycles’ team rider Danny MacAskill scales fences in and around Edinburgh, Scotland. The video is as mesmerizing as its hypnotic soundtrack from music group Band of Horses. It’s a solid example of how a brand pursuing a niche market – mountain bike trailblazers – can reach the masses with a brilliant viral video execution.

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2. SIGNS

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Advertiser: Schweppes
Ad Agency: Publicis Mojo and @RadicalMedia

Why it works: A love story with few words, Signs compels you to watch until its poignant end. It conclusively dispels the myth that viral video executions must be short and gimmicky to grab your attention.

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3. Piano Stairs

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Advertiser: Volkswagen
Ad Agency: DDB Stockholm

Why it works: “Take the stairs instead of the escalator and feel better” is something we hear but didn’t often see until this sly video from Volkswagen appeared on the Web. It’s part of an inspiring campaign, The Fun Theory, that encourages people to come up with fun ways to “do good.” The video itself did well indeed, imbuing Volkswagen with a fun new ethos and racking up millions of views in the process.

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4. BooneOakley.com

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Advertiser: Boone Oakley
Ad Agency: Boone Oakley

Why it works: Boone Oakley, an ad agency from Charlotte, North Carolina, uses an interactive YouTube video to tell its story and showcase client work. Audacious and attention-getting, it puts the young company on the short list of ad agencies who get it.

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5. Hosting Your Party

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Advertiser: Microsoft
Ad Agency: N/A

Why it works: This is the ultimate anti-viral: a video that generates millions of views simply because of how profoundly it misses the mark. Comments have been disabled, but all you have to do is talk to someone you know who’s watched it to know why it was so generously passed around.

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6. YouTube HD Camera Trick Challenge

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Advertiser: Samsung
Ad Agency: Viral Factory

Why it works: One cunning way to get people talking about and sharing your video is to make them wonder how you shot it in the first place. Samsung went to great lengths to protect the “trick” in the video for their new HD camera phone, which got tech geeks riled up to try solving the puzzle. Geeks happen to be the audience most likely to buy the HD new camera phone, which is why this video makes our Top 10.

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It made me relate that back to the story I tell our clients, both current and future, and the question I ask them: What is your story and is it being told? In her talk, Chimamanda’s cites that if we hear just a single story, we run the risk of critical misunderstanding. As a result, the perspective of that story can narrow and bias the view of the recipient—preventing them from experiencing the rainbow of ideas, offerings and opportunities that that may make up a product, place or thing.

I thought this to be facinating and interesting, especially in light of the debut of Sarah Palin’s book via her Oprah interview, and the media frenzy post interview. Sarah Palin is now out to define who she is by the story that is in her book and the story shared during her Vice Presidential run last year. I took time out today to watch the interview. From my perspective, she spent much of her time defending her story with the reasoning that her handlers and managers of the campaign kept her from her true self.

I think the wonderful thing about this perspective, and the parallel of technology, is that now we have the ability to engage and connect in a global sense—so that we experience a wide range of thoughts and ideas that relate to one story. You get to share your perspective of that story with another directly, as they read it, and they get to discuss and define that story with you as it relates to them. The dangers of the past, as described by Chimamanda’s recounting of her experiences growing up in Nigeria—reading foreign stories about snow, apples and ginger beer, while she lived in endless sun shine, eating mangos—point out how she thought that all stories had to be about the places she read of in those books. But now: they’ve become something that can be instantly shared and translated in a way that allows everyone the opportunity to see the varied perspectives that make the story viable to them—allowing them to connect with others who may read the same story but have another perspective that they can bring to life, in real time, on the global platform called “the internet”.

A magnificent historical adventure from the earliest days of man to the rapid fire movement of the information highway in the 21st century. Have you created your story? How is it being told?

Best Nicole

On November 6, 09, Adweek posted the results of a study by Alex Palmer called, Social Media Users Tout Brands. “The study conducted by the marketing arm of Publicis Groupe’s VivaKi Nerve Center, and analytics firm ROI Research found that 46 percent of social media users have recommended or talked about a product or brand on Facebook, and 44 percent have done the same on Twitter.”

 As the article states, you can now  go out there and engage your customers: offer them freebees, information, promotions etc. and leverage your ability to connect directly with them and get them to buy your brand. This is real time engagement where you can get real time results! The holidays are approaching so start engaging!

Best Nicole

Social media sites are on their way to becoming a brand’s best advertising medium, according to a new study.

“The Impact of Social Media,” a report from Performics, the marketing arm of Publicis Groupe’s VivaKi Nerve Center, and analytics firm ROI Research found that 46 percent of social media users have recommended or talked about a product or brand on Facebook, and 44 percent have done the same on Twitter.

The report, which drew on over 3,000 responses to an online survey from social network users, was presented at the Ad:tech conference today. The research found that almost a third of respondents (31 percent) felt social networking sites are great for seeking company and product information.

Thirty percent said they have learned about a new product, service or brand from a social networking site, and 25 percent have gone directly to an online retailer or ecommerce site after learning about a new product or brand.

Additionally, a quarter of participants have recommended a product or brand to friends through social networking sites, while 20 percent have discussed them on social sites after seeing an ad elsewhere.

The analysts behind the research said they were surprised at how high the numbers were. “Brands have a bigger opportunity than people would think-consumers are open to receiving promotions and offers from brands that they’ve connected with through social networks,” said Scott Haiges, president of ROI Research.

He added: “Social networking between a consumer and a brand has created this interesting dynamic where you’re making a brand your friend and you’re treating like a friend.”

Indeed, 27 percent reported being receptive to invitations to events, special offers or promotions received through social networking sites.

As far as which brand messages connect with consumers, freebies and deals dominate. Printable coupons are at the top, with 32 percent of consumers saying it resonates with them. Sales and special deals (28 percent) and offers to win points for some type of online currency (23 percent) follow.

“What’s happened in the social space is an extension of search,” said Michael Kahn, svp of marketing for Performics. “They may have had a great experience with you or they may post something on Twitter about having an horrendous opportunity with you, but turn that into an opportunity to connect with someone and build a relationship with them.”

Kahn said this shows that consumers are willing to be approached in the digital and social networking space with promotions and information about brands. “Find where your audience is and go out there and engage with them to give them things that will get them to buy with you.”

Your brand identity is tied to the design you associate with who you are. Think Apple, Nike, Coke, Polo Ralph Lauren……how is your brand’s design identifing your products and services?

Best Nicole

Your Website is the window into your business’s soul. It’s your brand’s identity, so if the design isn’t measuring up, it’s going to drive people away rather than invite them inside.

Regardless of whether you employ the most talented staff in today’s working world, if your Website or social media profiles don’t employ good marketing design, you’re losing business.

How can you ensure that your site’s design is making the cut? Follow these important guidelines to find out:

Style and tone must match brand personality.
You need to establish a personality that is unique to your brand. If you’re a flower delivery business, you probably wouldn’t want a black-and-brown Website that uses a cryptic font.

Why? Because unless you’re a rare exception to the rule, it doesn’t match the brand personality that’s commonly associated with floral gift arrangements.

But that’s not to say that all flower shops should be pink, green and bubbly. Use your brand personality to establish a style and tone, and use this as a core for designing your Website and social media profiles. This will ensure that your business maintains a credible, professional appearance and as a result, will typically result in a greater number of sales.

Be organized.
Your site must be organized so that people can easily navigate through it. Be sure that your main navigation links and sub-navigation links are straightforward. If you own a clothing store, your main navigation links may be “men’s” and “women’s,” and sub-navigation may include age, styles, seasons, etc. If you’re not sure whether your site is organized well, conduct a trial run with a focus group.

Be functional.
Nothing screams unprofessional like a site with links or other features that don’t work. Be sure that both internal and external links function properly and direct the user to where they say they’ll be directed. If they don’t, you’ll undoubtedly lose customers and business.

Ease of purchase.
People should not have to jump through hoops to buy something from your site. The fewer the clicks it takes to get to check-out, the better.

On the same note, be sure that your checkout process is secure. People are giving you their credit card information in good faith that it will be kept private and protected.

I like video as it gives you a chance to not focus on or think about what you’re  reading—allowing you to just enjoy a few minutes where you can laugh, listen and see what the brand has to say. Watching live video allows you a real time connection—to witness and learn a side of that brand that just cannot be conveyed in the same way via the written word.

Our goal is to move our blog to video for 2010. How are you planning to get real? How about going live?

Best Nicole

In a Times Square studio last Thursday, actor Ed Norton was interviewed as part of a Diet Coke promotion. The interview was beamed live to billboards in Times Square, as well as on the Diet Coke Web site and banner placements sprinkled on sites like E! Online, Cosmopolitan and Hello.

Diet Coke is not the only brand going live to garner attention. Marketers including Burger King and Adidas are warming up to real-time Web content, mirroring a shift in digital media away from asynchronous communication and content delivery (e.g., the sending of e-mails and watching posted videos) towards instant feedback and interaction. Upping the ante for these marketers are real-time systems like Twitter and Facebook, which mix content delivery with communication, making something hours’ old seem stale.

“It’s fascinating because it’s really about the brand letting it all hang out and not being afraid of messing up,” said Lars Bastholm, chief digital creative officer at Ogilvy North America. “If brands want to … be seen as ‘friends,’ then they also need to have flaws like real people have.”

Crispin Porter + Bogusky is experimenting heavily with live video. In October it ran an integrated campaign for BK promoting a live Web program featuring Nascar driver and BK endorser Tony Stewart proving his love of the Whopper by taking a lie detector test.

“The best way to deliver truth is real time,” said Alex Bogusky, co-chairman of Crispin. “Part of Saturday Night Live’s appeal is … something can go wrong, someone can say ’shit.’ We could have done a lie detector test and posted it, but it would have seemed less true.”

Crispin, in fact, has just launched its own weekly show on live Web site Justin.tv. “Fearless Q+A” features Bogusky and another Crispin exec answering questions submitted via Twitter. It’s a venue and similar format the shop used for client Microsoft with the “PC Hookup Show” over the summer. Stuff White People Like creator Christian Lander interviewed Web celebs like blogger Ben Huh (I Can Has Cheezburger) and Diggnation host Alex Albrecht, and answered viewer questions. The twice-weekly show had 1.4 million views, both live and recorded.

Watch live video from FearLess Q+A on Justin.tv

“I think people lower their guard that they’re being marketed to because they get to participate,” said Evan Solomon, vp of marketing at Justin.tv, which has run live campaigns for brands like Dr Pepper and Adidas.

Competitor Ustream has worked with CompUSA, Virgin America and Mountain Dew. Last Thursday, Stella Artois used it to live stream the World Draught Master Finals, where bartenders competed to pour the best beer.

The use of live content is not relegated to video sites. Nike two weeks ago drummed up interest in its Nike Football Facebook fan page with a promotion featuring Arsenal soccer star Cesc Fabregas (pictured), who took over the page for an hour. He answered questions, and posted photos from practice and games along with status updates. The Nike Football page drew hundreds of questions and comments from fans.

Tom Bedecarre, CEO of AKQA, the Nike agency that orchestrated the effort, said, “You need to create reasons for people to come back.”

And, of course, live content has a silver lining that would appeal to any penny-pinching marketer: it’s often cheap. Adidas last week ran a campaign on Justin.tv that featured Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose answering fan questions in real time. Other than the ad buy with the site, Adidas agency Freestyle Interactive only had to train a camera on Rose.

“It’s a lot less polished,” said Aaron Lang, client services director at Freestyle. “You get a sense of who they are. … Everybody’s talking about consumers owning your brand. It’s just one more way of giving people access.”

There is a downside, though, to live Web content: the numbers can appear quite small. Interacting in real time, particularly through video, is still a niche activity. Justin.tv is the largest live Web video provider (others include Ustream and Qik), but it drew just 3.1 million U.S. visitors in September, according to comScore. And many of its viewers are typical Web early adopters: young and overwhelmingly male. According to comScore, 67 percent are between 18 and 44 and 73 percent are male.

“We don’t expect this to be the same scale as when we run a 30-second spot on the Oscars,” said William White, the global brand director at Diet Coke. “But it’s a targeted, unique approach to get consumers who are spending a lot of time on the Web that we might not reach in other ways.”

That’s why experimentation isn’t likely to slow, according to Bogusky. “It’s where things are going,” he said. “It’s hard to say there will be less live content out there. I wouldn’t make that bet. And I wouldn’t bet on companies that fear transparency surviving.”

What are you doing to keep your current customers and let your dedication to customer service shine through when you gain new ones?

I saw this link, with the heading Is Customer Loyalty Dead, through one of the groups I belong to on Linkedin. It came from Ted L. Simon. The autor of the article is Mike Linton. I think the ever expanding opportunities for consumers to connect and engage with one another and share their thoughts on everything—including your brand—has made it necessary for your company to develop a new dynamic and approach. Not only to keep your loyal customers, but to gain others that will become loyal to your brand, products and services.

This article from Forbes.com, written by Mike Linton,  can be the basis for a great conversation on how you are going to plan to maintain and, better yet, build your customer loyalty.

Best Nicole

Are you more loyal to brands than you were 10 years ago? Are there any businesses that provide such a great product or service that you would never price-shop, and you’ll declare your brand loyalty across your social networks? My guess is that you and your customers are much less loyal than you were in the ’90s.

Procter & Gamble taught me that it’s easier to sell more to people who are already using your brand than it is to convert them from a competitor. I still believe that theory. However, consumers are more demanding than ever and earning their loyalty gets more difficult every day.

The basics for loyalty used to be a good product or service, delivered reliably at a fair price with some advertising mixed in to remind consumers why they should choose your brand. Exceptional customer service and a good loyalty program could seal the deal by rewarding users with miles, cash back, special rewards or VIP treatment.

All of that is still important, just less so. Companies must do everything they used to do and also ensure that their value proposition remains attractive to a more cost-conscious population. Expedia, Travelocity and Kayak now show travel pricing that used to take hours to track down. If you’re dissatisfied with your in-home phone service, you can choose from a number of providers. Many industries–like autos, airlines and banks–built their models on the consolidation of products, services and information. They could use hidden profit margins from that chain to fund exceptional service and other loyalty efforts. But now consumers are disaggregating those bundles. Companies that funded loyalty via hidden prices or from post sale service have to change. What should you do?

First, acknowledge that this is the new world order. An auto salesperson recently explained that he had lost a sale after three meetings and numerous calls, because the customer used the Internet to find the same car for $100 less ten miles away. Was the selling expertise worth $100? Was the customer unreasonable? Either way, the customer’s ability to split his car buying into three phases (information, search and purchase) is clear.

Maybe you used to be able to carry a 15% premium to generic brands, but now generics are better and ingredients are on the package for every consumer to see and compare. If you don’t have the value proposition to back up your pricing, your marketing and loyalty programs had better be exceptional. Short those and you have nothing left but your reputation. And that won’t last forever. Get your value proposition right or prepare to compete as a commodity.