Facebook Might Have Gone Too Far This Time.

Facebook has made a lot of shady decisions in the past; one of the most recent was changing everyone’s contact information to feature their Facebook email address instead of their preferred or ACTUAL email address. And today, they've hit another nerve:

They demanded my Grandmother’s government ID in order to keep her Facebook account. 

You have got to be kidding me!

 

Read the rest on FUSE Marketing Group's Blog

Is Apple In Trouble?

A biased look at the biggest tech company through the eyes of my roommate

*Read the original Post here 

First off – Apple is a giant in the tech world and has been since my early years of high school where I met my best friend and now roommate. One thing about my wonderful roommate is that she is a Tech Junkie (in the most flattering way possible). All throughout high school she always seemed to have the newest gadget from the i-Empire. I remember when she brought home the new iPod and then the iPod Touch when she needed touch screen, and now she has a Macbook Air because her Pro was too heavy, an iPad and the iPhone 4. In fact, if you remember the hilarious commercial from the Superbowl making fun of a particular group of fans sitting in line for the newest iPhone, well, that would be her, which I say with complete loving respect. 

Lately though Apple has faced a few question marks with the recent passing of Steve Jobs and the lack of innovation from the iPad 2 to iPad 3, though their earning reports haven’t seemed to notice. But through it all, my roommate was standing strong in defense of her tech brand. So when we were wandering in the mall on one of our many girly trips, I was shocked to see her staring at the new Galaxy Note (though I will admit it caught my eye as well). Initially, I just brushed it off as new technology curiosity until she pulled out her iPhone right there, opened Safari and logged into her service providers’ website to see how much it would cost to upgrade to the Note that day.

Later that night when we were home I felt my phone buzz and saw that I had a few new pins on my Pinterest board. She was looking at cases for the Note and had sent me a few she thought I would like. We started to discuss the upgrade (that’s right, upgrade from the iPhone to a Galaxy Note) and found that there were many features that were pulling us over. Beyond that, there were a lot of concerns making us wary of Apple. The difference (or lack thereof) between the old iPad and the new iPad really got us - a higher resolution screen and a bit thinner body? That’s it? The iPhone hadn’t seen much improvement either, as its layout and OS hadn’t changed much aside from a recent upgrade that allowed you to personalize ringtones.

Then we came to a sad realization. Despite the allure of its competitors, she may not ever be able to leave the iPhone. She already owns a MacBook Air and iPad. Once she left her iPhone for any other phone she would be sacrificing the easy transferability between devices. Plus, she has a LIBRARY of iTunes music that she has been building for years, and her iPhone syncs so easily with her Macbook as an MP3 player. We realized exactly how sneaky Apple had been; it ninja-d into our lives, with promises of easy use and top of the line technology. Now she was stuck. Was she really ready to leave Apple if it meant giving up so much convenience? 

Having realized just how difficult it may be to leave the Apple family, we decided to wait and see what would be announced at the E3 conference, be it a new phone or software - anything worth staying with Apple? Or maybe it’d finally be time to abandon ship? 

At the E3 Conference, Apple announced their new iOS6 and interesting upgrades coming in the fall, when we can also expect to see the new iPhone 5, otherwise known as Apple’s last chance with some of its more loyal fans. Since it’s still a considerable amount of money to upgrade to the Note at the moment, we are going to wait until the fall and the rumoured launch of the iPhone 5, saving up money now (her and I) for a much needed upgrade since the new iOS6 won’t work with my old school iPhone3. That means I either move to an iPhone5 or the Note this September.

What do you think of Apple lately? Is it worth staying loyal, or is there someone new out there that’s more deserving of my time and money?

Stay tuned for the decision coming this fall! :P

The Digital Consumer: Part 2

The Digital Apartment Hunt:

I don’t know how my mom looked for apartments when she was my age, but I realized while I was searching through ads on Kijiji that I didn’t know where else to look for apartments. Then I thought - Craigslist and I googled “Toronto Apartments” and was a little embarrassed at myself when I saw that all these sites were similar. The point isn’t that I don’t know what other websites to look at, but rather that I didn’t know where to search outside of the web.

I really started to think about how much the apartment hunt had changed over the last few years and started to analyze my apartment hunting process:

- Pick a website/directory – My choice is Kijiji for user friendliness

- Decide on a central location for all searches – I decided that my workplace made the most sense

- Limit/personalize the search by number of bedrooms, pet friendly, etc.

- Start the vetting process

o Only look at locations with pictures

o Utilities included & parking available

o Google Test – yes Google Test

So the Google Test works like this, take the address from the ad, plug it into Google Maps and get the TTC directions from work to the apartment, anything over an hour commute or more than 3 transfers was too hard for a Monday morning commute and was disregarded in the search. If the commute is doable, I used Street View to determine if I trusted the location.

Finally, after all this preliminary vetting I would e-mail for more information or a viewing date. This made me wonder: what other products/companies do I extensively vet before I even give the product a second thought? And that lead to my Digital Dress Hunt.

Read more on FUSEmg's FUZZ Blog

The Digital Consumer: Part 1

The Digital Dress Hunt:

Trying to plan a wedding is ridiculous and for anyone looking for advice…elope! But the one thing I am really looking forward to is the shower - the one event where you can see everyone before the wedding that YOU DON’T HAVE TO PLAN!  The only thing you need to worry about, or should worry about, is getting there (knowing the date in advance) and picking out a dress/outfit for it – WAIT….I don’t have a dress yet!

As a full-time working woman, I don’t have time to comb through the malls and stores of Toronto to find the right dress. So I asked myself: how do I normally look for a dress? Well, I usually go to the stores where I know I’ll like the fashions and search the racks. But I don’t have the time for that.

I get home Monday night, take Paige (my dog) for a walk, make dinner, do laundry and hopefully get to the gym before my roommate gets home, so I don’t think browsing is going to work. Instead of wasting my time doing nothing while I do laundry, I grab my laptop and start rifling through the digital racks. I Googled all the stores I know and trust, pull up mall directories, and start looking through the dress selections. I take the ones I like (that are in my price range) and pin them to a special Pin Board on Pinterest. Once I’ve compiled a sizable selection to choose from, I head to my Pinterest page for a final vetting stage before sending the link off to friends and family for their feedback. I ask them to ‘like’ or comment on the dresses they suggest and tell them I am heading out Friday to try them on. 

While I’m on my way to work Friday morning, I pull up my pin board, where I’ve also allowed a few friends the ability to add items. When all is said and done, I see I have three stores and 5 dresses to check out when I get off work.

Why is this important?

Well, because I vetoed stores, dresses and whole locations before ever stepping foot outside my door. I had decided what dresses to try on, what store to choose, and what location to go to. The Yokdale Mall didn’t have a chance since I knew the same dresses were available at the more conveniently located Eaton Centre. The sales staff didn’t influence whether I came in or not, just whether I purchased in the store or checked eBay when I got home.

My advice:

1. Make sure I can find your website on Google; search words for this particular hunt were “blue dress”, “Alice inspired dress”, and the company name if I knew it.

2. Have your products professionally shot and easily searchable/sharable online, prices listed, and display location-by-location availability. 

3. And have the most user-friendly site you can manage. Some were so difficult to navigate that I gave up and went somewhere else.

Last thought – the traditional shopper isn’t dead, and as much as I love window shopping and wandering the mall, sometimes I don’t have time and still have a need to buy something specific by a certain deadline. The online vetting process works best for my lifestyle, especially when the mall isn’t open at midnight when I’m finally free to browse.

Thanks and get digital - @mandamwright

Too Social?

Have we as consumers become too social? 

As I look down at my iPhone - connected to GPS and with a camera + voice recorder built-in - and then at all my social apps; Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc...I realize that I have the ability to share my everything with the world. Thankfully, I don’t. But the point is I could and some people do. And what happens when the consumers are too social? Can they be too social? I think so – but what’s the response?

Some companies decide to bury their heads and pretend that social media is a fad that will go away. Some barely accept it into their lives by creating a Facebook page that is never updated and adding ‘like’ buttons to their website, while some jump right in and engage with their audience through live video chat, online events, social promotions, online customer service, etc. But can too much social engagement become detrimental to the brand?

Earlier this month, pro wrestling's Vince McMahon brought his social media event of the year to the screens – emphasis on screen(s) – of millions of wrestling fans! With the pay-per-view event on TV, exclusive content available on YouTube and Facebook and super star interactions on Twitter, it isn’t surprising that Wrestlemania had 110 trending topics in 5 hours, received over 3.9 million views on YouTube, plus an event hashtag that was mentioned more than 600,000 times in less than 24 hours. 

But are all these social add-ons a good thing?

I still remember years ago, when I was sitting with family laughing, screaming and reacting to the matches on TV. I enjoyed every moment of it and became emotionally attached to my favourite wrestlers. And guess what - I wasn’t Tweeting or posting on Facebook while I did it. Sometimes I’d wiki-search for a wrestler’s bio if he was new, but I was experiencing the show with real people and acting like the perfect fan, falling for every stunt and becoming angry when the heel would cheat - and now it’s all changed.

Flash forward to present day. To understand the full story lines of a weekly show, I now need to watch the YouTube channel and listen all week on Twitter to catch up on the latest feud between the Bella Twins and Kelly Kelly. Even when I’m watching on television, there are constant references to something on Twitter that I should have paid more attention to and the experience, as a result, becomes a lot of work. Relaxing with family and friends is hijacked by another 2 hours spent on my mobile screen trying to find out everything I need to know in order to follow the plot. 

So, what happens when a company becomes TOO social? Can a company cross the line of usage when it comes to social media? Or, are fans like me just being a little too resistant to the future of entertainment?

-@mandamwright

The Power of Placement – Week 4/6 as Marketing Intern

@mandamwright

I can’t believe how time is flying here at FUSE. Over the past few weeks I have really thought about what an internship is, and how it can affect a student. I know some peers went to placements thinking they were getting a job, some to graduate and move onto other studies, and many like me just didn’t know exactly what to expect. My belief is you should never go into a situation like placement and expect to get a job, there may not be an opening, maybe you don’t fit with the team, or maybe it’s perfect and you get it, but I think that if your entire focus is securing a job with the company you will over look everything else you can get from a placement.

These are my key takeaways from my internship at FUSE Marketing Group.


Networking – It is a given that being an intern allows you to meet a multitude of industry professionals, but taking advantage of this oppourtunity is how you will get the most out of your placement. The end goal is NOT to get a job but to make connections. Connect with your team on Linked In, shadow internal meetings and reviews, go out to lunch with the individuals you work with every day, connect with them on a personal and professional level. Don’t only make them your friends, but show them what you can do in the office as well.

Learn from these professionals, wow them, and search for that ‘golden reference’.

Studying – The office atmosphere has many differences from the classroom, but the main similarities I noticed was how close everyone becomes and how many different personalities comprise one team, let alone the entire office/company. Studying how all of these individuals interact with each other as well as how they adapt to the each unique client is a lesson in itself.

Understand the office dynamic as well as the many different techniques to adapt to different clients and you will go far in this business.

Experience – The one shout out I must give to my program at St. Lawrence College (Advertising: Integrated Marketing Communications) is our experience with local clients and the ability to run through the entire campaign process from the RFP and Pitch all the way through to Execution and Analytics has helped prepare us for agency life. In the office I suggest help with EVERYTHING, if there is anything on a project you are even remotely interested in, ask how you can help. Offer your time to everyone on your team, and to other teams, try to get your hand into as many projects as possible (without over extending yourself, because you want all of your work to be your best work) and expand your experience beyond sitting at a desk waiting for a project to fall in your lap.

My highlight of placement so far would have to be my work on the FUZZ Blog, not because it is astounding and groundbreaking, but because they trusted my work enough to have it associated with their brand. Seeing my blog post on the main website, shared on their Facebook and Twitter was the pat on the back I didn’t realize I needed.

My Advice to anyone entering into placement (Outside the obvious – show up early and be professional)

Everyday of placement is an in office interview. Never expect a job from an internship but earn an amazing reference. Every meeting is a first impression, every morning is a chance to show how dedicated you are to the industry and brand, and every interaction is a window of oppourtunity to create a long standing professional relationship to help you in the job search of the future.

My Descent Into Fashion Madness

Like so many others, I recently disappeared into the addictive world of Pinterest! I'd heard a ton about this new social platform - first when I was at the bridal shop trying on dresses, where my lady informed me that I could plan my entire wedding on a "Virtual Pinboard". I honestly had no idea what she was talking about, so I just smiled, nodded, and tried on some more dresses. But then I kept hearing about it at school, at work, and from my friends. Eventually, I just had to check it out.

"INVITATION ONLY!"

Well fine, using my Twitter and Facebook network I eventually found a friend on Pinterest and asked them to send me an invite to this elusive site. Is it really worth all the hassle, you may ask? Well, moments after receiving the invitation and linking it to my Twitter profile, I realized...YES! It really was.

From the first time I signed in to the moment I began "pinning", the entire interface was very intuitive. The layout was clean and simple; very Google-esque and inviting. I spotted an outfit I loved and clicked on the photo. An enlarged version popped up with interactive buttons. I could pin it to my own board, like it, or comment on it. Well, I wanted to buy it later (when I have money), so I decided to pin it to my wish list. It came with pricing and a URL for easy purchase on pay day. After that, I was hooked. For the next two hours my roommate was a little worried as I hadn’t left my screen or said a word - I was too busy pinning. Pinning what, you ask? E-vv-erything! Gift ideas for friends, home decor, and anything else that inspired me or that I intend to buy. But mostly, I was pinning clothes, shoes, accessories and outfits I wanted to own. I mean, come on...what woman doesn’t like to shop?

I started to notice a trend: all the outfits were conveniently priced out for me AND they all linked out to brand sites where I could buy them. This was easier than window shopping! It was all running through a site named Polyvore - a platform that allows users to drag and drop images of clothing to create unique outfits using items from different retailers. Once again, everything linked out to e-commerce sites where you could buy your custom design. And they didn't just offer impractical runway outfits like most fashion magazines; there were many beautiful and practical styles for teenagers, business casual, formal attire, and the occasional Halloween costume.

This is an amazing example of retailers utilizing an emerging platform to enrich and expand the shopper experience. So, what else can retailers do to capitalize on sites like Pinterest and Polyvore?

5 Ways For Retailers To Be Successful Online and on Pinterest

1. Make your website user-friendly and make all products available to purchase online with high quality photos for previewing.
2. Have store managers create Pinterest accounts where they put together their top outfits of the week, new features, lines & items, etc.
3. Make sure all merchandise is not only available online but that it is easily shippable with a return policy for sizing (people are still wary about purchasing clothes online, make it easy and worry free).
4. Have Wi-Fi in stores and the ability to take a picture, or scan a QR code to "Pin" outfits and articles of clothing online while physically in-store.
5. Use Pinterest/Polyvore outfits on your mannequins, take pictures, "Pin" them and share them back with the users to create buzz, deepen relationships, and connect your online presence with your in-store promotions.

-@mandamwright

Week 1 @FUSEmg #Reimagine #Placement

(That’s right I hashtagged my Title!)

It’s been a full week at Fuse and I already love it! I’vesettled into Toronto life and the agency atmosphere.

                Monday morning began with abrainstorming meeting where I was able to voice my suggestions and meet part ofthe Creative and Account team. It was very open, with all types of ideas justto get everyone thinking. After the exhilarating meeting I was introduced tothe team I would be working for, a group a fun and engaging individuals thatalways have something for me to work on. I started with client research, whichI am so thankful I did, because later that week I would sit in on a clientmeeting where I needed all the background info I could remember. Later they hadbe work on editing (yes they let me edit something!) and caught me up to speedwith the rebranding that was about to launch the next day.

                Tuesday was even more excitingwith FUSE’s Rebrand. #Reimagine #Results! I was able to help with some of theexecution of the new brand and the best part was joining the party downstairsin the Creative Department and meeting all the members of FUSE. It was my 2^ndday and we were having cake and FUSE-tinis. Though the day was mostly fun, itwas also a busy day, I worked through my lunch and didn’t notice until theparty what time it was.

                Wednesday and I am reallystarting to feel like one of the team. I come in early (Here at 8:30 everymorning because I’m terrified of being late) and almost everyone says hi ontheir way to their desk. I am remembering MOST of the names and becoming quitecomfortable. This day started with more research, some editing again and thenORGANIZING! I was able to organize and create a content calendar for one of theclients I am working on, and it was...sadly....very exciting, there werecolours and columns and now I KNOW I should stay on the account side just so Ihave an excuse to jump on Excel!

                Thursday & Friday almost toobusy to blog! Having a great time, and everything is getting a little clientorientated, which of course I am unable to disclose! But I am learning a lot,loving the ability to shadow, sit in on meetings and work on my own tasks! Iwill attempt to do an overview each week of my experience here at FUSEMarketing Group!

Stay tuned!

@mandamwright

Skip This Ad Now

Is this the future of Video advertising? When is the last time you saw a commercial on Television? Well you are probably not quite like me so my guess is last night or this morning depending on when you are reading this blog post. My answer; the last time I saw an advertisement on Television…well the movies doesn’t count, I watch that show online, and … well it must have been a holiday…yes, I think when I was at my parents home for Xmas I watched some television and there must have been an advertisement on then.

You see I don’t pay for Cable or Satellite, I am not made of money, but I do have Netflix and most of my favourite shows air online on the company website so Television advertising almost never reaches me, but online video does. I can’t go more than a few days without winding up back on Youtube, infact I was about to watch a video as research for class and this advertisement came up, yes I can skip it, but it grabbed my attention right away, so I would grade that as effective.

Do you see online videos becoming the new norm for video advertising or it is where we also put commercials and trailers when we have finished with our Television Media Buying?

Second thought, have you ever chosen NOT to “Skip this ad now”?

My Top 5 for the 2012 Superbowl

Superbowl Ads; How did they rate this year?

My Top 5 for the 2012 Superbowl

M&M’s Just My Shell Commercial – LMFAO ‘Sexy and I Know It!’

Rating: B

Analysis: M&Ms used comedy and a very popular song to portray their new colour, which is actually an old colour as naked. It was an interesting and fun twist that had me craving some sexy naked chocolate. They voice of the Brown M&M was very professional and a ‘strong’ female presence which I respected though didn’t really enjoy and of course they used Red for some nice comic relief. Overall an advertisement I am going to remember everytime I am at the grocery line starring at the chocolate and snack selection.

VW’s The Dog Strikes Back Commercial – Star Wars

Rating: B+

Analysis: Not an over the top amazing commercial on its own, but the added spot in Cantina (a fictional alien bar on Tatooine) and Vader’s character defending the Mini Vader spot was the icing on the cake to keep VW as one of my top Superbowl commercials. I am loving the Star Wars – VW connection as a fan of both companies and the fact that as much as they are promoting specific cars in these spots they are also giving a fun and relatable personality to the brand.

It’s Halftime America: Clint Eastwood – Chrysler

Rating: A (A- for only being aired in America)

Analysis: A truly emotional piece. I was deeply sad that I watched a Canadian channel and missed the airing of this advertisement.  I do understand that it was targeted at Americans, and rightly so but it would have been a goosebump producing spot to have watching during the half time commercials on Sunday. Though anything Clint Eastwood says makes my heart pound, this was a truly inspiring speech.

FIAT 500 Abarth Commercial – Seduction

Rating: A

Analysis: Sex! What can I say, sex sells, and sex in another language is just wonderful! I loved this commercial, it caught everyone by surprise while we were watching the game and the combination of loving the commercial myself and watching how everyone at the event responded to it was just perfect. It was neat watching the men in the room react very similarly to the one on the screen. Great job FIAT and neat car!

Avengers Superbowl Ad – The Facebook Extended Feature

Rating: (A)

Analysis: What can I say, I am a comic book geek through and through but Marvel’s use of social media to enhance the experience was just perfect. I needed to go online to see the extended version, which you can’t search for unless you have the specific link from Facebook. I loved the lines, the shots, the immense feeling of need I felt while watching this commercial. I cannot wait for it to come to theatres.

“I have an army” … “We have a Hulk!” Just beautiful!

Superbowl Sunday: Foot Ball or Ads?

Superbowl Advertising and the let down that all Canadians get when they realize we don’t see the amazing and much anticipated commercials of those lucky Americans. But why do we anticipate that which we so happily avoid in our everyday lives? Don’t most people normally use the commercial break to get up from the couch, take a much needed bathroom break, or even channel flip to that other show that you just can’t miss? Instead on Superbowl Sunday you cling to that screen and beg the giant brands to spoon-feed you that advertising you normally avoid.

It’s a little shocking, but as a Canadian perhaps I am just not aware of the wonders that I am missing. Superbowl ads are expensive, they are kept secret for months leading up to the grand unveiling and then they are gone again, well unless you have the internet. I watched most of the Superbowl advertisements online for the first time, infact for the only times as I don’t have cable or satellite any longer, and I have to say some of the advertisements are a giant let down. I mean, so many people have waited and longed for these ads, and they were no different from the ads I would normally see on television, except for a select few that really differentiated themselves from the crowd!

I have or will be looking at a few of these superb advertisements on this blog and am going to be watching the 2012 Superbowl this Sunday and let you know if I am still disappointed by the hype.

And incase you were wondering, yes I will be using the game for my much needed bathroom breaks and socializing, cause really…football!

Enjoy your Superbowl and let me know what you think of the ads! Now, who is playing?

Back to the Start

'Green is the New Green' according to Chipotle Mexican Grill. This ad was released at the 2011 Superbowl and it still gives me chills. The combination of Willie Nelson’s song “The Scientist” and Chipotle’s message is just awe inspiring. Chipotle works closely with farmers and ranchers to ensure that their operations create as small an impact as possible on the environment. They also strive to make each of their restaurant locations as ‘green’ as possible.

Chipotle Mexican Grill is staying current while also ‘Going Back to the Start’ of farming. They use social media to stay in contact with their consumers, they have a @ChipotleTruck1 that travels around Texas and you can find out exactly where it is headed next by following their Twitter feed. They also have a company Twitter feed @ChipotleTweets where they manage customer questions and concerns in an open forum.

Even their website is current and engaging. When you visit their website they have a store locator and a link to download their mobile app, but when you go deeper they have character and life on that screen. You can learn about the business through an interactive timeline. “We’ve Got History: The Life & Times of Chipotle” takes you from 1993 when the first Chipotle restaurant opened at a former Dolly Madison ice cream location, and brings you through their history of turning Green. In 2002 they started serving only free range chicken, and their fight in 2009 where Steve Ells (The CEO) testified before Congress to try and eliminate the use of antibiotics in ranching.

I hope more companies follow suit with Chipotle Mexican Grill and Steve, he is paving the way for a Greener future, and setting his brand apart from the greasy money grubbing fast food joints that don’t care about the environment and our world.

Showing Some Skin in Time Square

Ever wanted to watch a Peep Show in Time Square? Sounds too absurd, a pleasure left for older times? Not now that Daffy’s has come to town! Want to see a beautiful women remove 80% of her clothes while dancing for your pleasure? Come down to Daffy’s and see how much 80% off really is!

That is the call to action for a new clothing store that opened up in Time Square. Daffy’s (Italian for Savings) carried extensive selections of fashionable ladies, men and children’s clothing with an emphasis on the unique, especially international fashion. All of this at ‘irresistible’ prices. Daffy’s promise; “to provide exceptional value for its customers on sophisticated, high quality, fashionable merchandise, to be a good corporate citizen, to provide a rewarding work environment and of course, to have fun in what we do and to remain true to our irreverent heritage.”

So what did they do when they entered the competitive market of Time Square? They looked at its heritage. They had to find something to set them apart from the crowd, they needed to find something that Time Square didn’t have, or at least something it didn’t have anymore…Peep Shows!

Talk about an attention grabber, who wouldn’t stop to look at a gorgeous lady removing articles of clothing to sultry music, OK maybe the music is a little old fashioned, but you get the picture. Daffy’s found a way to make themselves sexy and standout from the crowd, but don’t let me bore you with the details any longer and take a look for yourself.

Do you think Daffy’s went too far? Or are you just glad their promotion was only 80% off!

True Blood: An Infectious Campaign #TBwithdrawl

True Blood in inarguably a very ‘Sexy’ brand, I mean come on. Look at those sex scenes. Even with it’s wild success True Blood had some strong competition from, other networks as well as within the Vampire and Supernatural genre. True Blood needed to connect with it’s audience; understand who they are, what they wanted from the brand and how they were going to keep them committed to the brand during the off season. #TBwithdrawl was an epidemic after the first season ended, fans didn’t know what to do with themselves; after only 12 weeks of this new show they had to wait an entire year before they would find out what happens with their favourite characters.

The staff on True Bloods marketing team were tasked with keeping True Blood in the minds of the fans all year long from the time of the premier to the release of the DVD/Blu-Rays and through to the next season. The beginning was simple, fun and effective. Online True Blood fan forums, Social Media Profiles for the show. You can even chat with Sookie and Lafayette on Twitter. The fans were connected, informed and eagerly awaiting the next season, but True Blood didn’t stop there. Each season meant a new and more extreme advertising campaign. They have had many and I will not be able to touch on all the online, let alone the traditional marketing implementing by HBO and True Blood for their new show.

True Bloods marketing seems to always push the limits, and with great success.

[VIDEO]

True Blood understand their audience, their needs and desires and it plays to them well. #WaitingSucks and True Bloods’ addictive show is even harder to wait for, which makes all the content posted to the many social medias widely anticipated and expected. The fans love to know what is going on, who is new to the cast, what spoilers they can learn as well as what promotions are out for those loyal to the show. Season 4 had its campaign start this May, were you infected?

True Bloods “Immortalize Yourself” App in Facebook was widely successful. This application allows millions of fans to create videos that use their names and profile pictures, as well as those of their friends and put them into a scene of the show intended to link Season 3 and 4. The creates engagement and a sense of inclusion for the fans and is easily sharable online, and as the most important aspect of Social Media, it was shared and helped True Blood gain over 35,000 fans because of this specific campaign.

This campaign has, in the words of Caluori, "encouraged and celebrated the passion and dedication of True Blood fans" through its social media efforts over the last three seasons. This year, we wanted to give them what they've always wanted, a chance to participate in the actual world of the show," she said. "By using Facebook's technology we were able to simulate a personalized experience for every fan. I mean, who doesn't want to get a message from Eric?"

Caluori also stated that HBO sees its series campaigns as opportunities to reward dedicated fans and create tactics that allow them to engage with the series in a unique way.

"The Facebook app allows us to reach people we already know are True Blood fans, but also let them act as evangelists for the show through their own social networks," she added.

True Blood and HBO get it…now how can you get your brand Social?

TrendsTalk: Are you Sexy enough for Social Media?

TrendsTalk: Are you Sexy enough for Social Media?:

Social Media Marketing. It’s new, it’s the future of word or mouth, but is it for you? Amanda and Doris will delve into the keys of using Social Media Marketing for different types of brands to discover if Social Media Marketing is for everybody. Sexy Brands can take it and run with it, what about you?

Follow the Link to learn more about TrendsTalk: www.TrendsTalk.com