You are currently browsing the matt klawitter internet marketing archives for May, 2006.
HD Commercial Bull’s-eye
May 23rd, 2006
I time-shift television. This week I was fast-forwarding the commercials during one of my “season pass” shows. I have had Tivo for several years, so I am an ace at commercial skipping. But, this time while skipping I noticed the screen went 16:9 (High Definition). I immediately paused and went back to actually watch the commercial.
Commercials in HD are rare, but they too are stunning.
This particular commercial in HD was for Target. It featured amazing visuals, transitions, colors, and animations interlaced with live-action actors. After 30 seconds of total immersion, I realized I was actually entertained. I liked it. It was fun to watch. From a branding standpoint, my impression of Target was impacted positively. On the surface, they are clearly promoting themselves from a retail perspective, but the subtle hidden message is that they are cutting edge and strive to be creative and innovative. How many others in their industry are advertising in HD?
So, as most 18-34 year old males would do, I went to the Web to search for the ad. I wanted to see it again online—perhaps Target incorporated this video into their integrated marketing communications.
No mention of the commercial on the Target website. No opportunity to see it again.
In fact, no video at all on the site.
The thought occurred to me; why invest so heavily in one area (i.e., video) and not have it impact or enhance other marketing communications vehicles (e.g., Web)? It would be very easy to provide commercial videos online, wrap some very focused messaging around it, and even link to HD hardware available for purchase in the store. HD has almost as much marketing buzz as the Web. It could be a slam dunk to blend the two.
Posted in Strategy | Permalink
Database Destiny
May 21st, 2006
How can your organization successfully embrace emerging Web technologies and methods of content delivery on the Internet? It seems like every month there is a new hot technology in the industry or a technique that has the Web in a flurry. Every time a colleague or client reads an industry magazine, website, newspaper, or attends a conference, they are introduced to new buzz words. They ask, “can we do that on our website?”
Tactics versus Strategy
Advanced Web technology can be very dangerous to the ill-prepared. Technology is a tactic—a device for accomplishing an end. The risk is when tactics are not founded on a strategy—a careful plan or method. This risk means loss of focus or even worse, time.
Examples of buzzing tactical technologies on the Web are RSS, podcast, blog, syndication, web standards, CSS, and tagging.
Recognize the Trend
The static, flat Web is no longer hot. But, the Internet is still booming. In fact, Web 2.0 has really taken a stronghold on the entire industry and the opportunities are endless. Basically, if you can dream it now, it can be done on the Web. What makes this possible?
I’ll address the question via a hypothetical client meeting where I am only allowed to give one piece of Web-related advice. That is it—only one single, solitary suggestion. The client, fresh from a conference, wishes to embrace the Web 2.0 renaissance and therefore transition to the Web as their dominant marketing communications and content management vehicle.
Best piece of advice; build a database.
To elaborate; the Web is no longer a system of static, flat files with handwritten text interwoven with programming languages. In fact, most of the (professionally-built) Web is a complex system of databases and centralized content sharing bursts of information. A website is merely one mechanism to distribute this information via structured database queries that slice and segment the content requested by the end user. In the case of a website, this data is layered with presentation (color, images, design, etc…) and then delivered to your browser. For RSS, data is formatted in a file that is recognized by software or websites that aggregate and syndicate the content. There are many more examples.
Every professional website is destined to be driven by a database. It is the purest form of web standards; separating content from presentation. And, a database allows for future innovations and technologies to feed off of it from the same exact source without the need to create independent, disconnected islands (or silos) of information. Once a database is professionally created, it grows. It matures. It is nimble and fast. New technologies on the web are created to distribute content in new and amazing ways. Databases make this possible.
So, instead of asking “should we podcast” or “should we redesign our website,” you should first have answered this question: “how should we store our data so that we can distribute it from one centralized source?” This is your website’s destiny.
Posted in Strategy | Permalink
“No” is an Acceptable Answer
May 14th, 2006
Projects are like cars, and decisions are like intersections. Do we go straight, or do we turn? In busy traffic, drivers depend on assistance from passengers. But, a certain type of passenger represents the highest risk to making the right choice.
A high risk person cannot or will not say the word, “no.”
We love to say the word, “yes” when it means something positive to the recipient. It feels good. It makes people happy. The person getting the “yes” answer feels no pain or frustration, and they are more willing to consider you a friend or go-to person in the future. This is utilitarianism at its best.
But what happens when “yes” is not the right answer? The dilemma: refrain from saying “no” to avoid potentially causing turmoil, or give the correct response and deal with the confrontation?
Consider the consequences of not saying “no.”
First, the request goes unanswered truthfully or directly. Time wastes away. Frustration builds. Second, the person that needs to know the answer is not able to make other plans or formulate an alternate path. He or she is stuck in a holding pattern or makes decisions based on limited data. This historically results in missed deadlines, over-run budgets, and decreased morale. Sometimes it even manifests as passive-aggressive behavior—ignore the confrontation and hope it will go away or solve itself.
What is worse; the answer “no” or not knowing at all?
If a client or colleague cannot say the word, “no” then it is a high-risk situation. So, how do you help a “No-no” person communicate? Simple. Ask them to answer with a distinct yes or no. Or, ask very direct questions. Tell them, “No is an acceptable answer. I need to know your answer.”
When I am in a situation with a “No-no” person and the answer is obviously not yes, it is painful to watch him or her stumble as they avoid the actual word. So, I sometimes interrupt the conversation with a kind, “I understand. That means no.”
I have the deepest admiration for people who can confidently, clearly, and respectful say no. It means they value time and are honest.
So, when you are a passenger in the car and you see the driver getting ready to make a wrong turn, do you confront the issue? Or, do you hope they will get the message by other physical queues? Chances are when the driver makes a wrong turn and realizes you knew it was going to happen, he or she will ask you, “why didn’t you say something before I turned?”
Posted in Analysis | Permalink
Your End User is a Real Person
May 10th, 2006
The school year is winding down. Spring exams are this week, and the stress and anxiety is palpable on campus. I had lunch today at the student center and saw many stressed-out faces and others busily reading. To us, staffers, it is an annual harbinger of summer break. Next week is commencement. Afterwards, the place clears out.
Shortly after, visitors come to Notre Dame.
It is a wonderful sight. Families, alumni, and other guests of the University come to see the sights, smell the flowers, light a candle at the Grotto, and (of course) visit the bookstore. Some people come back to reminisce about their lives as undergrads, and others are genuine tourists. In fact, the Basilica at Notre Dame is Indiana’s second most visited tourist destination.
As a staff member, summers at Notre Dame are not quiet—actually, it is the exact opposite. Especially for those of us in the marketing communications area of the administration, we dig-in to our work and usually produce large projects during this time. It gets stressful and deadlines always get tight. We are completely immersed in our work.
Each summer I always run into visitors on campus, and they ask me for help or directions. This will be my fourth summer at Notre Dame as a staff member, so now I actually can help them. And if I cannot, I call the University switchboard and get the information then and there.
This summer I will ask my staff to carry extra campus maps with them when they walk to meetings or out on the grounds. The idea is when a visitor asks for help, we give them a map and say, “welcome to Notre Dame.” It makes an impression. It strengthens the brand of the University. It is one to one communication.
Why is this important?
Simple answer: It is a strong reminder that branding is about people—a promise of an experience. These are our customers. They have certain expectations of us, Notre Dame. Yes, we primarily communicate to students and faculty, but alumni, visitors, parents, and friends are a major percentage of our audience as well.
It’s easy to forget that your end user is a real person. We get caught up in code, design, strategy, phone calls, and meetings. But, it is critical to remind yourself that for every pixel we create, there is a person on the other end of the Web experiencing our brand.
Posted in Strategy | Permalink
Community Generated Content
May 9th, 2006
The hottest marketing trend on the Web currently is the concept of consumer (or, community) generated content. That is, material created by end users that is submitted or uploaded to a website voluntarily. These websites simply serve to collect and share this content with others in a public or private group. Examples are Flickr, Ma.gnolia, iFilm, and YouTube.
Yes, it takes many forms, but is most widely popular with videos. Websites such as iFilm and YouTube are flourishing this year because of videos created and uploaded by everyday people. These videos then travel fast via email links, blog posts, and word-of-mouth. The proliferation of video capture devices such as digital cameras and cell phones makes it simple to shoot, upload, and share video worldwide. It takes only a few minutes.
Users flock to these websites to view consumer generated video. These videos are authentic and usually unedited, and they are often referred to as “web junk” or “viral video.”
For example, I have this (old) video clip of me during high school playing football. I was the kicker, number 14. I want to share it with family and friends. This video is way to big to email. So, I uploaded it to YouTube, tagged it with some keywords, and instantly I can share it with anyone on the Web or a select group of family and friends. It’s good for some nostalgic laughs. YouTube even makes it easy for me to embed it into my own website, blog, or MySpace account.
YouTube is the Flickr of video. What makes it amazing is the speed at which video can be shared. No wonder why they are believed to spend a million dollars a month on bandwidth fees.
Consumer generated content can create a sense of authenticity and uniqueness for a website, but along with it comes the risks. It often makes copyright lawyers and judges cringe. However, when done responsibly, it can prove to be a tremendous marketing tactic on the Web.
