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

Rated R for ...

“13 Million Kids get bullied every year. Today, take a stand with me and @BullyMovie to stop Bullying #BullyMovie”

If you saw this or a similar tweet on Tuesday you weren’t the only one. March 27^th was "Anti-Bullying Twitter Tuesday" where the filmmakers of the new documentary Bully asked Twitter followers and celebrities to speak out for the millions of kids that are bullied and to protest the R rating the movie received from the MPAA.

It wasn’t just the filmmakers that wanted their documentary available to their highschool target market, but the highschool students themselves. Katy Butler, a 17 year old Michigan highschool student, was moved by the trailer. It resonated with the bullying she herself had experienced. She knew that this movie had the potential help. But when she found out that the movie was to be rated R and unavailable to her and her peers she created a campaign on Change.org and helped spread the word about the “Anti-Bullying Twitter Tuesday”. The campaign swelled to nearly 500,000 petitioners by late March.

The campaign reached out to Twitter celebrities as well and quickly received responses from celebrities such as; Ellen DeGeneres, Channing Tatum, Ryan Seacrest and many others. The result, Bully now has a PG-13 rating. Check it out this Friday and let me know what you think - worthy of a PG-13 or R rating?

This campaign makes me wonder...

Is the rating system still needed in a society with unrestricted access to content online? Children and teens are able to view much worse than the Bully Movie on sites like YouTube and Google, is the rating system too barbaric for digital society?

I have never really respected the rating system, I trusted my parents to stop me from watching movies that weren’t appropriate but now that I am older I don’t understand the system at all, giving a movie a PG-13 rating just means that it is going to suck and play down all important information or lack in believability, giving a movie an R rating means limited viewers and thus a short in sales.

In a society where I can download a movie the theatre won’t let me watch because of rating, I have to wonder who is the victim, the filmmakers or the fans? We either get bad quality or limited distribution. What is your opinion of the rating system for movies?

Week 2 @FUSEmg! What have I learned? 2/6

Week two already, I feel like time is just flying and I dread the end of April! From client meetings, internal brainstorming, blog work and helping anyone who needs it my days are anything but boring. I was even able to show off my people skills this week while doing sampling on the street! The weather may be gloomy but my spirits are not.

I, of course, cannot disclose any client information but I have to say sitting in and listening to real clients is eye opening! Sitting in class listening to the teachers explaining how a client meeting will be does not prepare you. I am so glad that the last two years at St. Lawrence College we didn’t just receive lessons and lectures but were able to work on real campaigns and dip our toes in to the reality that is pitching to the client and adapting to their needs and desires. 

Lesson 1: The client knows their company better than you, as an advertiser, ever will, or should. The client should be an expert about their company and products; you need to be the expert on how to talk to and inform their target market and how they will respond to positioning and branding. As the marketer (from what I have seen so far) you need to be the channel, strategy and consumer expert, let the client tell you about their brand. Go in with facts and knowledge of the brand and leave all biased behind so that you can create a clear picture on how the client sees their own brand and how they want their customers to see it. 

Life at the Agency: The community and atmosphere of agency life (this agency) is so warm, even in a bad mood and completely stressed out and fighting to meet a deadline everyone here is supportive, understanding and friendly, it’s like a large family with strong communication skills. I’m only on my second week and I am greeted by everyone who walks by my desk, I am invited to lunches and meetings and I don’t think my brain has ever been so buzzing with information! The day is done at 5, and I am reflecting on what I’ve done, experienced and learned until I finally fall asleep at night (and I may even be dreaming it, who knows.)

Wish me good luck for my 3^rd week at FUSE Marketing Group and the halfway point of the best experience of my life! (Yup I’m sucking up :P)

@mandamwright

P.S. Cut down my coffee intake from 2  a day to 1 a week! 

The Social Event of the Year: #WrestleMania XXVIII

Vince McMahon is ‘obsessed’ with making Wrestle Mania the Social Event of the Year! Is this dangerous to the WWE Franchise or the beginning of a new era of wrestling?

Many WWe fans have expressed some worry on the enjoy-ability and quality of this year’s Wrestle Mania because of the focus on making the event completely social. Many worry that Wrestle Mania XXXVIII will be more about what is trending on Twitter than what is currently happening in the ring.

WWe and wrestling are one of the most social sports who are effectively using their social media presence to connect with friends from Twitter to Youtube. Their success should be mostly attributed to the fan loyalty to many of the stars on Twitter, I know I am following; The Rock [@TheRock], Cena[@JohnCena]. CM Punk [@CMPunk] and a few other of my favourites. But are they going too far with this event?

The night starts with the 1^st ever “Wrestle Mania Pre-Show” broadcast live on YouTube, Facebook and WWe.com. Throughout there will be the Hash-tag battle between #Cenation fans and #TeamBringIt to decide who will ultimately win Wrestle Mania, Cena or The Rock!

In the past most social sporting events tapper off during the live show, when there is no interaction between the stars and the fans, and this is what McMahon is hoping to rectify. But what does that mean exactly…will The Rock stay with his old shtick of communicating with the audience and breaking the fourth wall in a match by tweeting now? How would you feel as a fan if during the match or stand-off your favourite star just stopped to tweet? Would it destroy those rose coloured goggles that allowed you to pretend that wrestling was real and unscripted? Or would it add to the enjoyment?

And not to play the entire in match tweeting short, but for online fans Mike Tyson [@MikeTyson] – WWe Hall of Fame Honouree will be live tweeting the event to give a back stage/behind the scenes look at Wrestle Mania, and specifically the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Are you going to be watching the live PPV of WrestleMania XXXVIII this year? And how does the Social presence affect your WWe experience? For the better or worse?

To Enjoy the Full Social Event here are the Hashtags to keep you in the loop:

                #Wrestlemania

                #Axxess – Wrestle Mania Axxess

                #WWEHOF – Wwe Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

                #WMParty – Wrestle Mania’s Premiere Party: Celebration of Miami Art & Fashion

Xbox Live TV Apps are a bust

Xbox Live TV Apps are a bust

HBO Go App and MLB.tv unavailable for many Xbox Live users

@mandamwright

Today Xbox announced that HBO GO and MLB.tv apps would be available on Xbox Live...but only for subscribers with participating TV providers.

 

Of course, the Twitterverse exploded with unhappy customers...a few complaints; how can you find out if your cable company supports the new app, what if you don’t have cable and just want to pay for the app through your Xbox Live Membership? And the strongest complaint... Comcast – the largest cable TV provider in the U.S. doesn’t support the apps. For a bold move HBOGO and MLB.TV had a devastating backlash from the Twitterverse.

How could they have rectified this?

1.     Don’t make a public statement if the much desired product isn’t available to all of your fans, it just creates bitterness (And if it is only for certain providers list them with all press releases)

2.     Why would I watch a show on my Xbox when I have to PAY for cable to be able to watch it...backwards thinking?

3.     Know your target audience, Xbox users are normally pretty tech savvy and online a lot...maybe the content should be available online and not through cable?

4.     This generation is OK with paying for content and apps if they are easily available don’t lose the sale and promote online piracy by making it harder for them to get the content.

5.     Be Smart!

P.S. Not available in Canada yet, though not their fault, our online content laws are insane.