Win more pitches by getting out of the commodity business

Most agencies position themselves as unique when pitching new clients. Yet, I'm always amazed how many agency pitches look and sound the same.

Branding. Digital Marketing. Advertising. Public relations. Social Media. While necessary functions, these are ALL commodity services.

I'm sure your agency claims to do it all better.

The reality is that prospective clients don't care about your agency or the litany of services your agency provides. They care about their problems.

If there is no pain, there is no change.

Client prospects will simply not leave their agency and jump into bed with another one unless they feel the new agency can do something their current partner cannot.

Marketers are under pressure from a million directions. Understand and solve their problems, and your agency will become indispensable.

This strategic selling philosophy is often absent at agencies, whom are primarily focused on pushing their list of services.

So, how do you get out of the commodity business and on your prospects' radar as their ideal solution?

The best way to get to that place is to first understand the real table-stakes.

If you don't know your prospect's pain points, you will not win the business. Period.

What are the client prospects' greatest pressures and challenges? How are those pain points related to the rest of the organization, from marketing, through sales and the c-suite?

What problems does your agency solve? Do you change brand perceptions? Increase sales and market share?

Sell solutions, not services.

Focus on how you can solve your prospects' problems and you'll win their hearts and their business.

The Oscar for best marketing goes to...

The TV broadcast of the 86th Academy Awards was a great opportunity for brands. Beyond advertising, many brands took the opportunity to build buzz, generate exposure and connect with consumers through social media and experiential events.

Host Ellen DeGeneres’ selfie with the Samsung Galaxy Note (which included stars Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Meryl Steep and Bradley Cooper) won "Best Picture” among marketers. Samsung was mentioned 40,000 times across social media outlets. Even though DeGeneres did not mention the brand in her tweet (which was retweeted 1.3 million times), Samsung scored a peak rate of 900 online mentions per minute, which crashed Twitter's server. The tweet broke a record for retweets previously set by President Obama on the night of his reelection in 2012. The stunt chimed well with Samsung's "You Need to See This" commercial that aired during the Awards.

There was lot of live action around the Oscars. Several brands leveraged experiential events to connect with influencers and consumers in tangible ways.

Vanity Fair (part of Condé Nast) invited more than 120 influential bloggers and online reporters to use branded work spaces on Hollywood Boulevard outfitted with amenities; merchandise was given away in exchange for sponsored posts. The Vanity Fair Social Club’s Campaign Hollywood also involved an Oscar night party and special magazine issues.

People Magazine V.I.P. subscribers sweepstakes promotion brought 300 readers and their 300 guests to take part in an Oscar Fan Experience that included seats in the bleachers on the red carpet and a viewing party on Hollywood Boulevard.

And what about the advertisers that shelled out @ $1.8 million and $1.9 million for a thirty-second spot? According to a BrandAds study, American Express was the most effective of all brands advertising during the Awards show, based on a 61.74% increase in the likelihood that consumers would purchase one of its products after seeing the ad. Sprint, Lunesta and Cadillac followed closely behind with 50.67% and 48.35% 47.22%; increases respectively. As for Samsung, the increase in likelihood to purchase after seeing the Oscars rose only 12.35%.

How do you measure success? Likelihood to purchase? Or the buzz meter?

Brand awareness and buzz often generate greater results and greater impact over time.

Share your thoughts!

Bowled Over?

For some, Super Bowl Sunday is a day to hang out with friends, fill up on chips and salsa, and trash-talk whatever team your buddies are rooting for with a bit of friendly banter. However, there is much more going on to the Super Bowl than just what’s happening on the field. For marketers, Super Bowl Sunday is a key time to show off unforgettable ads that will go viral and be talked about throughout the country after the big game.

This year’s Super Bowl telecast of the Seattle Seahawks' victory over the Denver Broncos was the most-watched television event in U.S. history, drawing 111.5 million viewers on Sunday night. At $4M for a :30 second spot plus production costs (which can go up a $1M), there are heavy expectations and the stakes are high.

How do you build your brand and create buzz outside of television on the big day? Market guerilla-style. Doritos scored big with its guerrilla-marketing stunt, which consisted of 50 fans, dressed in orange jackets at the Super Bowl, staged to look like one large human Doritos chip. These prime seats weren't given away; unsuspecting New Yorkers were asked to do something "bold," like get a hug from a hippie, a haircut from a bad barber or help a sensual senior citizen create an online dating profile. Those “bold” enough to take on the challenge were rewarded and blown-away with big game tickets. Brilliant! Check out a making of the chip.

Collectively, the Superbowl commercials were not that exciting. Pressed to create buzz, more than half the Superbowl ads were released on YouTube the week before the big game, which trumped much of the hype. Overall, the vibe was definitely more “feel-good” and optimistic, which is a welcome tone to set for the year.

With a captive audience and an incredible opportunity, it’s a shame that most Super Bowl ads focus on outlandish antics and rarely promote the actual company or product they are selling. This often in results in funny ads that may be very entertaining, yet have absolutely no brand recall, which is ultimately a waste.

Here are my take on some of the best and the worst Superbowl ads:

EXCELLENT

Volkswagen, "Wings": Dad’s VW Passat odometer passes 100,000 miles and he tells his daughter that every time a VW hits that mileage mark, a German engineer gets his wings. This hysterical remarks on the durability, longevity and superior engineering of its cars in an entertaining way and effectively points out that it has more vehicles on the road with that mileage milestone than any other brand. Awesome.

Radio Shack, “The Phone Call": "The 80s called. They want their stuff back." RadioShack pokes fun at itself in this self-deprecating spot. Throwback eighties icons including Twisted Sister, Erik Estrada, Hulk Hogan and Chuckie, reclaim their outdated merchandise to make room for new products. Nostalgia works. Fabulous, attention-getting launch-pad for the brand as it updates its image and its stores.

Microsoft, “Empowering": Narrated by Former NFL player Steve Gleason who has Lou Gehrig's disease and uses technology to overcome his disability and communicate with his son, this beautiful and inspirational spot focuses on how people rely on technological innovations in their lives and how it helps the greater good. Emotional and empowering, great new direction from Microsoft.

Hyundai, "Dad's Sixth Sense": Dad uses his intuition and reflexes to repeatedly save his son from mishaps and near-death experiences. "Remember when only dad could save the day?" When the kid starts driving and gets distracted by a girl, the Hyundai Genesis automatic emergency braking system takes over and protects him from a potential accident. "Count on Me" song in background. Fab spot targeting parents.

GOOD

Budweiser, "Puppy Love": A Lab puppy falls in love with a Clydesdale. When the puppy is sold, the horse runs after him and the “best buds” are reunited. Not the most original concept and no mention of beer, but yes, the puppy was darn cute and the spot was memorable and pulled at everyone’s heartstrings. I do like how they hit it home with “Best Buds”.

Jaguar “British Villains’ Rendezvous": Spot positions the F-Type Coupe it as the “sexy bad boy” car. Star power celebs, Ben Kingsley, Tom Hiddleston and Mark Strong play Bond-like villains and describe themselves and the attributes of the new F-Type Jaguar. "We're more focused. More Precise. Always one step ahead. With a certain style, an eye for detail and obsession with power." Fun spot is on-message and sells the car.

Sonos, “FaceOff”: The speaker company created a breathtaking spot. Making sound visible by color was very effective. It made me want that sound system.

Kia, "The Truth": Known for entry-level vehicles, Kia wants to change consumer perception and introduce a luxury car, the K900. The spot features Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, from "The Matrix", who offers a couple a choice of two keys, if they choose wisely, they will never look at luxury—or Kia—the same way again. The challenge is that it’s big stretch to associate Kia with luxury. But it’s fun introduction and got people’s attention.

Wonderful Pistachios “Stephen Colbert”: Spot features Stephen Colbert in character, promoting pistachios. Special effects transform Colbert’s head into a cracked open pistachio. Brands rarely use celebrities well, and I they actually did a good job here. It feels like something Colbert would actually do on his show.

Beats, "The Right Music": Ellen DeGeneres stars as a modern-day Goldilocks in search of just the right playlist to fit her mood and location, which she finds with the Beats app, a streaming music service available through AT&T. It communicates the product benefits in a fun way. Notably, after debuting the ad, Ellen gave everyone in her studio audience an LG one so they could try it.

GoDaddy, "Body Builder": Stampede of body builders –including spokeswoman Danica Patrick—races down a street to a spray tan salon found online. When the owner sees group storm her store, she whips out her spray gun, "It's go time.” Great line. Spots elevates the brand’s previously sleazy image and shows it’s starting to mature and take business seriously. Well, sort of...

Heinz Ketchup, "Hum": This spot observes people at various occasions hum the song, "If you're happy and you know it," as they hit the bottom of their ketchup bottles. It concludes with an empty-bottle flatulence joke, giggles around Grandma and closes, “Where there’s happy, it has to be Heinz”. It’s a very family-friendly, feel-good commercial and the brand's first Super Bowl ad in 16 years.

Doritos, “Time Machine": This home-made spot features a kid landing an adult’s Doritos by tricking him into believing he’s entered a time machine. This funny ad was the winner of Dorito’s annual Super Bowl commercial contest and was made in 8 hours for $200. Seriously. This spot proves crowdsourced commercials can be just as good as the big budget ones.

T-Mobile, "No Contract, No Worries": Ad exploits Tim Tebow’s inability to get an NFL contract and promotes T-Mobile’s “no contract” message. "Contracts are limiting," says Tebow. It highlights the advantages of his life and all he has been able to accomplish (like delivering a baby, tackling Bigfoot). Great product information by T-Mobile and good humility on Tebow’s part. But non-football fans may have missed the joke.

Cheerios, “Gracie”: Cute commercial brings back the interracial family. The father uses Cheerios to tell his daughter a baby brother is on the way, and she bargains for a puppy. Sweet, touching moment around breakfast. I preferred the other commercial (where she learned the Cheerios were good for your heart and poured them on his chest when he was sleeping.) But kudos for bringing back the family and keeping it adorable.

Bud Light, "Epic Night": Over the top, bud light commercial using a regular guy off the street and what happens to him on a crazy night involving models, limos, llamas and Arnold Schwarzenegger. The perfect beer for whatever happens. It’s outlandish. But likeable.

BAD- What Were they Thinking?

Audi, “Doberhuahua”: The all-new Audi A3 is "designed without compromise." Because compromising can lead to a freaky Doberman and a Chihuahua hybrid dog-monster. Not even ASPCA spokeswoman, Sarah McLachlan can stand it. Ridiculous. How does that sell Audi? Why did you do it, Sarah? Why!? (I hope they made a big donation.)

Chobani,"Bear": A bear ransacks and destroys a store but wants to pay for his yogurt. “A cup of yogurt won't change the world, but how we make it, might." Huh? Their message is completely lost. The absurd spot and makes no point. C’mon guys. You can do better than that!

Dannon Oikos, “The Spill”: Full House star John Stamos stars as the sexy hunk who spills yogurt on himself in the hopes his female companion will lick it off. Full House” roommates Bob Saget and Dave Coulier spoil the day. Fellatio allusions with a family show cast with. Really? It may drive reruns of Full House...

SodaStream, "Sorry Coke and Pepsi": My, how we have evolved as a culture: The myopic mindset is that all that’s needed to make a winning spot is to have a gorgeous celebrity suck on a straw, disrobe and strut and look sexy. So contrived! What a waste of Scarlet Johansson.

Carmax, "Slow Clap": In this spot our hero is applauded by Sean Astin, star of the sports cliché movie, "Rudy." Most people will likely have missed this reference and the joke. Will this make anyone think of Carmax when they need a car?

Squarespace, "A Better Web Awaits": Spot for this web design firm highlights what’s wrong with the web. But it doesn’t tell you what Squarespace is or why you need it.

Bud Light, "Cool Twist": The entire spot is beauty shots of the bottle with the package redesign and new twist-off cap. What a waste of money; it would have been better spent in-store at the point of purchase.

Axe, "Make Love, Not War": Spot features North Korean and Iranian dictators, Russian soldiers and U.S. soldiers in Vietnam who would rather make love and not war. Over-the-top even for Axe, known for its cheesy spots that at least sell the product better than this one.

Maserati, "Strike": Quvenzhane Wallis, star of Beasts of the Southern Wild delivers a monologue against catastrophic visuals. “We have prepared. Now we strike,” Perhaps this spot centered could work for American Red Cross, The World Health Organization or a beneficial charity that helps children or the needy. But to use the disconnected themes of Beasts to sell a high-end Italian luxury car? What a miss-step.

For your handy reference, creative referenced above can also be seen in one place at Smarti's new Pinterest page.

What do you think? Weigh in!

Seven Marketing Trends You Can Expect to See in 2014

The beginning of the year is the perfect time to look forward to the opportunities and challenges that the marketing industry will face in the coming months. I don’t have to go too far out on a limb or gaze into a crystal ball to tell marketing pros to expect more of the same – on steroids in 2014. We continue to see dramatic innovations so it’s an excellent time to demonstrate your marketing magic.

Looking to find out more about the trends that will define marketing in 2014? As your guide, let me share my seven predictions for what’s on the horizon.

1. Super Storytelling. The media may change but the story still needs to be compelling, informative, entertaining and now increasingly visual. Brands will look for new ways of capitalizing on the power of storytelling to better reach their audiences. Creativity now can come from anywhere on the content spectrum, from bite-sized images and micro-video clips to ultra-long-form, “cinematic” storytelling. Creatives will be pressed to develop the next "Big Idea" that will give their message legs across multiple channels. The mandate for agencies is clear: find creative ways to tell stories that will engage customers throughout the marketplace.

2. Real-time Marketing. Be ready to expect unexpected opportunities for responsive, simple, and unconventional ways to get people talking about your brand. Last year, Oreo became the best example of “real-time marketing” with its Super Bowl “Dunk in the Dark” tweet. This year, we’ve already seen examples from Omaha Chamber of Commerce, who used timely tweets to take advantage of Peyton Manning’s “Omaha!” audibles during the NFL playoffs, and from L’Oreal, who offered “get the look” animations based on hairstyles seen at the Golden Globes. These timely messages at big events help brands get a lot of attention for a relatively small price. Expect to see these types of marketing stunts continue throughout 2014.

3. Social Media Amplification. While social media used to be perceived as "free" publicity, now you have to “pay-to-play”. Brands will increase their social media budgets as they are finding it to be less “social” and more “media”. Young brands that lack recognition will leverage the social equity and networks of industry influencers and celebrities to give themselves a quick leg up. Expect more to see more “sponsored” or “boosted” posts where a small investment can yield significant exposure. Brands will also start to take advantage of a wider variety of social media opportunities, adding Google+, Pinterest and Instagram to old standbys like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. As Google+ continues to integrate social media content into its ranking algorithms and businesses realize its SEO power, the sleeping giant will become more popular.

4. Content Marketing Management: If 2013 was the year content marketing exploded, 2014 will be the year we figure out exactly what that explosion means. Marketers will continue to churn out white papers, articles, videos, webinars, and ebooks, but now there will also be added focus placed on content marketing management solutions: measuring and analyzing how effective content marketing efforts really are. Expect to see a combination of well-known vendors and a flurry of new players competing to fill the void. Advertising agencies and PR firms that set the pace will add “Content Marketing Experts” to their available services. Throw in new competitors – SaaS (service as a software) companies and you have a whole new battleground.

5. Mobile Marketing Magnified. With mobile usage skyrocketing, this will be the year we see mobile marketing go from “would be nice to have” to “absolutely must have. Mobile users are predicted to surpass desktop users in 2014, so brands that aren’t investing in responsive web design (coding websites and emails so they look great across a range of devices) are missing out on an important opportunity. We’ll see mobile app development become a standard part of a brand’s digital marketing strategy. Expect mobile advertising to increase, while in-app advertising will become the next big thing in media buying.

6. Big Data Personalization. Big data offers marketers the ability to target customers like never before, so expect to see more brands undertaking hyper-targeted campaigns. Direct marketers can wow customers with personalized campaigns – more than just merging a name into a form letter. With the level of insight offered by big data, there’s really no longer an excuse for marketers not to target the right person at the right time with the right message. Potential customers expect to receive messages that are relevant to their interests. Brands that aren’t taking advantage of big data to help them provide these relevant messages will likely be ignored.

7. Everything old is new again. Since we’re even more electronically connected, we also appreciate “analog-style” ways of communicating, like a handwritten note, which can be seen as genuine or sincere even when compared to a personalized email. The return of the smartphone stylus proves that there are still people out there who enjoy having the option to jot down notes the old-fashioned way. (Personally, the Samsung Galaxy Note III is my new best friend.) Though we’ve embraced high technology, someone who encourages you to take a low-tech break, even with a thank-you card, will get your attention.

Let me know what you think about my predictions for 2014, and feel free to share any of your own!

Best Ads and Videos of 2013

Brands and their advertising agencies are pressed to create content that resonates and will be the next hit. Here are a few of top ads (video/broadcast) that were loved shared around the world. While there were arguably many great ads in 2013, these are a few of my favorites. Why? Because they connected with their core target audience and underscored their brand promise. Kudos to the creatives!

1) Dove “Real Beauty Sketches”- Inspiring social experiment shows how insecure and highly critical women are of themselves, and how other people don’t see what they see. It reinforces Dove’s message about the real meaning of beauty and commitment to helping women build positive self-esteem.

2) Volvo Trucks “The Epic Split feat. Van Damme (Live Test 6)” - B2B long-haul trucking campaign spot shows Jean-Claude Van Damme carry out his famous split between two reversing trucks which showcases the precision and directional stability of Volvo’s dynamic steering. Filmed in one take, it got 60M views in less than a month.

3) WestJet "Christmas Miracle": In the true spirit of the holidays, Canadian airline WestJet surprised and delighted 250 passengers by asking them what they wanted for Christmas and then giving them those presents when they landed. The magical, heartwarming event was gift-wrapped in a very creative video, which topped 13 million views in just a few days and has been seen in more than 200 countries. With no money spent on advertising, it was a marketer’s dream come true.

4) Google “Reunion” - A granddaughter uses Google’s technology to reunite her grandfather in India with a childhood friend in Pakistan he hadn’t seen since the Partition. Inspired by stories of reunions around the world facilitated by Google. It’s beautiful storytelling and effectively shows the power of Google products.

5) Pantene “Shine Strong” - Powerful spot shows how the same behavior in women and men is interpreted as a double standard in the workplace (i.e., “Boss vs Bossy, Persuasive vs Pushy, etc.”) It ties Pantene’s brand and the message of women empowerment with the brilliant tagline “Shine Strong”.

6) Guinness “Wheelchair Basketball" - Guinness delivers a powerful and emotional spot with a twist ending delivers. The voiceover is perfect: "Dedication. Loyalty. Friendship. The choices we make reveal the true nature of our character." The spot brilliantly pays off the brand’s character and tagline, "Made of more”.

7) Poo Pourri "Girls Don't Poop" - Entertaining spot for a toilet spray that eliminates odors. A beautiful sophisticated woman sits on a potty and discusses the consequences of pooping and powers of Poo Pourri. They made a subject no one wants to talk about the center of attention.

8) Apple “Misunderstood” - In an emotional and heart-warming spot, a teenage boy surprises his family with a the best present of all: a video compilation of happy family memories, effectively illustrating the power of what you can create with Apple.

9) Joe Boxer / Kmart “Show your Joe” - Riske spot of men in their underwear, swinging their torsos to the chimes of Jingle Bells (or more aptly named “Jingle Balls”) The criticism, controversy and buzz may help or hurt Kmart. But it’s male target will likely be entertained. It brands “Joe” well. (Maybe a little too well!)

10) AT&T “It's not complicated" - “More” - The “It’s not complicated” campaign is brilliant and highly entertaining. It highlights their product network benefits, while making the point that it’s very simple. Even a kindergarteners know more is better.

It's very challenging to make creative ads that are entertaining and still deliver on the brand message. Congratulations to the brands and agencies involved. Hopefully the work had a measurable impact on their business objectives. Looking forward to seeing great creative next year!

The Super Bowl of Marketing Wasn't So Super

Watching the Super Bowl on TV can actually be better than being there at the stadium. You get analysis, instant replays, and a play clock right in front of you. You also get the chance to use the restroom during commercial breaks without having to stand in line. But who wants to leave while the most anticipated ads of the year are on?

With the Super Bowl quite often being the most watched television broadcast of the year (yesterday's attracted 164 million viewers), it's no wonder that advertisers were willing to shell out $4 million for a 30 second spot on top of the cost of producing the ad itself.

Brands and advertising agencies spend months and millions to creating memorable, entertaining spots to increase brand awareness, drive buzz and ultimately boost sales. Given that it's become the Super Bowl of marketing, it was disappointing that this year ads were mediocre at best. Many were likely forgotten as soon as the game resumed.

I think the majority of the ads missed the boat. Some were interesting and some were weird. The celebrities were either misused or not well utilized. Only a few were memorable. The majority of the ads will have bad brand-recall.

Here are a handful of spots I found noteworthy:

GoDaddy, "YourBigIdea.com" Concept: Everyone sits around and talks about big ideas, but whoever gets the website addresses and executes first, wins. This is a departure from the company's usual tacky, low-brow ads. Cognizant of negative perception, this may be an attempt at re-branding targeting a more sophisticated clientele.

Audi, "Prom" Concept: Nerdy kid borrows his Dad’s Audi and gets nerve to kiss his dream girl, which leads to a black eye and total happiness. Since all car ads tend to be similar, this showed a “brave”, bold and ownable positioning for Audi.

Budweiser Black Crown: "Coronation" Concept: With no low-end guys on the couch, Budweiser is marketing a refined beer for a more sophisticated crowd. It clearly carved out a new “smooth and distinctive” positioning and higher end image for new beer.

Hyundai almost scored, but fumbled on the goal line:

Hyundai, "Team" Concept: Bullied kid recruits a tough team to play football. I thought it was super cute and fun, but I didn't see the payoff for Hyundai. What’s the point? I get "teamwork" for the Super Bowl, but is it ownable for Hyundai? Will anyone remember this was a Hyundai commercial?

Then there were the ads that were just "wrong:"

GoDaddy, "Sexy Meets Smart" Concept: Model kisses unattractive geek to show the company is both sexy and smart. I felt uncomfortable and a little grossed out. There was nothing sexy and it certainly did not feel smart. Failure on both counts.

Oreo, "Cream or Cookie" Concept: A debate about whether the cookie or cream part of the oreo is superior turns into a violent ruckus in the library, while everyone oddly keeps whispering. Violence? It’s a happy cookie! It’s a rip off the old Tastes Great/Less Filling Beer commercial, but not nearly as well done. If it was done ad nauseum decades ago, why do it again?

On the other hand, the real marketing highlight came by way of Oreo's social media savvy. When the power went out, Oreo tweeted "Power out? No problem," along with an image of an ad showing an Oreo and the line, "You can still dunk in the dark." The tweet caught fire and, the last time I looked, had been retweeted more than 15,000 times and with the same image on Facebook getting more than 20,000 likes. That means that the most powerful bit of marketing during the advertising industry's most expensive day may have been free.

By virtue of appearing during the Super Bowl, these ads will receive attention from the media and blogs generating more views and exposure worth millions. That's great, but after the viewing, does anyone remember the brand? What is the brand's real return on investment?

Did it make a positive change in a potential customer’s perception? Did it lead to sales? These questions matter. Ads can be really fun, interesting or smart, but, it your target is unable to remember the brand name, it's a failure in my book.

Television has its place as a tool in a marketer’s arsenal, but for $4-5M for 30 seconds, it better blow me (and, more importantly, the target customer) away. For that budget, you can have an amazing, integrated PR program, strong digital advertising campaign and still a broadcast advertising throughout the year and beyond. Just sayin..

This year’s 34-31 Ravens win over the 49ers demonstrated what happens when things come together. The Ravens were not favored to win. But they were aggressive, gave it their best shot and made the Niners play catch-up for pretty much the entire game. Most of the marketers exemplified the opposite.

On and off the field, players have just one shot to it right when the stakes are high.

Next Year. Go Jets!

David vs. Goliath Competition: David Wins

The consumer retail market giant, Amazon, has now turned its attention to the B2B world with the launch of AmazonSupply. Boasting over 500,000 industrial products, parts and supply managers will no longer have to source their needs from collections of old-fashioned paper mail-outs or log in into a dozen separate websites. Whether you're fitting out a shop with drill bits and sheet aluminum, stocking the janitorial closet with paper goods and cleaners or equipping a lab with instruments and electronics, AmazonSupply will have it.

Doubts about Amazon's ability to claim a massive share of the B2B market would be ill-founded and smaller players are preparing for the impact. The question is how can the smaller company compete when paired against such an overwhelming competitor.

Traditional distributors are already hard-pressed negotiating the transition to the B2B world with customer demands for increasingly sophisticated business technologies and more robust online ordering systems. It often appears that only major players such as Amazon have sufficient budgets to fill the IT money pits.

Lacking the resources to compete on the technical level, companies often focus on product. Certainly, product is the foundation, but product easily becomes commodity. Once you begin to think of your product as a commodity, you've entered a race to the bottom as larger companies undercut prices with economy of scale. The more specialized your product, the better you'll fare, but it's still the wrong direction.

Today, I met a salesman. I bought the same sort of commodities from his company that I could buy online for a marginally smaller sum. In a strictly business sense, I made a bad decision. I did it because I was buying the brand. I know the company, have no question of its ability to fill the order and know the kind of support I will receive if needed.

My story also illustrates the continued importance of customer relations. That salesman was the face of that brand. Each customer has complex and specific needs that can't be met without human interaction. Highly trained and accessible - whether it's by email, telephone, smartphone or in person - sales people communicate the brand and create the best possible user experience that generates repeat sales.

The key is not to compete with the giant, but to make the giant compete with your brand. The uniqueness of your product, your reputation, your ability to deliver and your customer service make up the DNA of your company and create a brand individual to your company. They can always go elsewhere for a commodity, but they have to come to you for your brand.

Your brand and the people representing it are David's sling and stones to bring down the giant.

Branding is Essential

Show me a red and white soup can and I'll think, "Campbell's." The golden arches? McDonald's. A red bullseye and a white dog? I'm ready to go shopping.

Branding is the art of creating a look and sound for your business communications that leave no need for words. An iconic image, a sharp color scheme, a style of writing - all help to identify your business among all the others that are offering the same products and services.

What do prospects think of when they have a need for your business? Is it you ... or your competitors?

Branding embeds your company in the minds of consumers, whether through a unified look, a catchy slogan or an advertising jingle. A consistent look, feel and voice for all marketing and promotional materials, including your logo, website and social media activities, provides a sense of familiarity to business prospects. It conveys professionalism, and it gives the potential consumer an identity with which to grow attached.

In other words, branding gives the customer a reason to like you.

A good brand appeals to your business's target audience. It calls to them through a combination of colors, words and design. It tells the customer - without an overt sales pitch - that your business is exactly what they need.

If you're targeting the rugged outdoorsman, branding yells, "Hey, over here!" If your business prospects are seniors, branding politely inquires as to their needs. Branding speaks for your business, and it is the strongest first impression for prospects looking for your business's services and products.

Branding your business isn't just important - it's essential. A clear, identifiable brand sets you apart from the competition and helps you stay in the lead. If you're first in the mind of the prospect when they have a need, then you have the first chance to win their business.

Developing Effective Value Propositions

A value proposition communicates what a company does and its unique benefits over the competition and why a customer should engage.

A recent survey of 1,745 B2B marketers by MarketingSherpa identified the most successful tactics for developing effective value propositions that resonate and convert. Check it out:

I find it very odd that only 20% of respondents conducted a best practice of testing value propositions. Also, less than half conducted competitive research and targeted specific value propositions to specific audiences.

Really? Why on earth wouldn’t marketers test and target their value propositions to prospective audiences?

You can have great creative campaigns, but if customers are clear on the company’s value in the first place, they are not going to convert. No wonder why they don’t get a good return on their marketing initiatives.

Branding on the rise in online advertising

Branding is back and may play more of a role in online advertising than in recent years. Online advertising industry has been dominated by direct response advertising and search engine marketing for the last several years. Are we in store for big changes this year?

Digiday recently issued a new report that found marketers will spend some 60% of their online budgets on brand ads this year, potentially more than direct-response ads for the first time in many years. Some analysts project a shift in growth prospects from search and other direct-response ads to branding or image ads.

Report highlights:
* 60% of marketers said they will move budgets from direct response to brand advertising
* 64% of marketers say they’ll increase online brand advertising budgets in 2012–(22% by more than 20%)
* 56% of marketers plan to increase online direct response advertising budgets (only 15% will do so by more than 20%)

Growth projections by brands for various ad channels

According to the survey, for brand advertisers to make that happen, the majority 68% said they need to see said, “Improved clarity around the actual return on brand advertising investment.”(Note, if you download the sponsored survey, you may get lots of solicitation emails.)

Marketers, direct response marketing is important to generate leads and sales. But, remember that its effective branding that differentiates and influences the sale.

Branding the Invisible Essence

Branding is about defining core essence of a company—what makes it different from competitors and unique in the marketplace.

There always lots of talk of the logo, imagery and look and feel—what a customer sees. But what about what a customer hears? The biggest branding mistakes come from prioritizing the visual, outer layer; but it’s the content inside which differentiates one company from another.

If your prospects don’t know what you stand for, how you’re different and why they should choose your company over competitors, the logo, color palette and pretty pictures really don’t matter.

Your brand’s message takeaway should stake an ownable position that your competitors can’t claim. A unique selling proposition is vital, and is unfortunately what often gets overlooked. If you can easily swap out your competitors’ name for yours, you’ve failed the branding litmus test.

Aesthetics and presentation is like the icing on the cake that makes a brand compelling. Cakes without icing are not that enticing, but a big old plate of frosting doesn’t hold up very well, either.

Bear in mind some creative branding agencies are more design-focused and less marketing-oriented. If you’re clear on your content and messaging, a visual identity refresh may suffice. But if you’re struggling to develop a competitive positioning, copywriting is critical and should not be overlooked.

When investing in branding, consider what a customer may not see but hears is equally important and might be the branding piece you need the most.

Of course there’s only so much a marketer can do; a brand experience is created by all the touch-points a consumer has with a company, including sales and customer service. The ultimate goal is to create an integrated experience that positions the brand as the solution to a customer’s needs.

Always Fun Branding

I’m an admitted chocoholic. I’ve always been a fan of M&Ms; it's chocolate with my name—or at least an initial—on it. As a marketer (and a consumer), it’s hard not to love the M&M commercials. Have you seen the M&Ms election spots? The M&Ms characters, or rather “spokes candies,” display various political campaign styles, reflective of their different personalities: Blue is “a vote for you”; Green “works the polls”; Red is a revolutionary, etc. The “Vote for your Favorite Candidate” promotion and $50k incentive elicits consumer engagement. The website does a good job of introducing the characters, although I think there’s so much more fun they could have with it. The campaign is very funny, smart and timely. Icons are a classic way to build a brand, and Mars is a successful market leader as a result. This creative campaign is very playful, and really brings home the tagline, “Always Fun.”

Fun and Cheesy

Have you seen the Cheez-It commercial? The premise is that the cheese is immature and cannot be Cheez-it material until it matures. Their slogan “At Cheez-It®, we expect a lot from our cheese. That’s why we take the time for our cheese to mature before we bake it into every cracker… at Cheez-It®, real cheese matters!” I think it’s very funny and inspired. They certainly make the point about mature cheese. My bigger question: is anyone buying Cheez-It for high-quality cheese? I don’t think so. That’s why the branding and the spot fall short. Can they make a claim and define a unique selling point on mature cheese? I think it would be a fantastic spot for a cheese company, but I don’t think it resonates so well with processed junk food. It’s entertaining and memorable, which does well for branding. It does deliver the message. I think it works, in fun and cheesy way.

The Perfect Cups Promotion

Skinny Cow low-fat ice cream brand happens to be my favorite desert. It’s a staple in my fridge. I love their chocolate truffle popsicles and ice cream cones. All the more reason I was psyched to be invited to The Skinny Cow Bra and Ice Cream “Perfect Cups” event. Skinny Cow introduced and promoted their new perfectly-portioned, individual, single serve cups. The perfect tie in? The perfect cup bra promotion: a free, professional bra fitting along with a complimentary bra, courtesy of Warner’s. Apparently, the majority of women do not wear the right size. The Perfect Cup double entendre double was cleverly targeted and very well done. The event was free to participate; reservations were requested and participants were limited. There was a museum showcasing bra fashion history. I indulged in lots of delicious (and thankfully low-fat) ice cream, refreshing champagne (with lavender and ginger) and healthy nuts and veggies. I found the fitting to be enlightening, and look forward to receiving my free bra. What a terrific way to expand brand awareness for both brands. I was very impressed as a marketer. As a consumer I found it to be one of the most fun and useful, high-value swag events I’ve seen in a long time.

Key Word Power: URL Branding

Words are powerful. When a colleague recently referred to my company, Smarti Solutions as “Get Smarti”, I realized how my company was being defined by a promotional URL. Of course we have the URL smartisolutions.com, but Getsmarti.com is just so much more ‘fun’ and memorable.

At the end of the day, I’m not too concerned if someone doesn’t know the official name of our company. Does it matter so much if they call us “Smarti Solutions’ or “GetSmarti” as long as they call?

Landing pages marketing tactics have always been a best practice. But, how often do companies test main home page Urls? We’re going to find out.

A few of our fave web marketing URLS include AgencyAuthority.com, AgencyShortlist.com, MarketingAgencySearch.com, AgencySearch.us and MarketingMatchmakers.net, What’s your preference?

Weigh in. Your thoughts are welcome.

Making Impressions

The holiday party scene will see some people dressed up with the same effort they make for a big business meeting. Why? Because they want to give themselves a competitive advantage and make a good impression.

Most marketers are so heavily focused on numbers of customer impressions that they lose sight of the actual impression they’re making.

With fierce competition and fewer buying customers on the market—and a brand’s look, feel, messaging and relevancy all top-of-mind—it’s never been more important for your brand to resonate.

So how does your company dress up? What’s the first impression and customer experience through all touch-points: website, telephone, salesperson, and proposal? Do your marketing elements grab your audience’s attention or leave them confused and uninterested? Think about the image you’re putting out there.

“Shtick” for shtick’s sake doesn’t work. I know clients who tried to do something cool, creative and outrageous to generate buzz. Unfortunately, they don’t have a cool, creative or outrageous brand. The result of their efforts was confusion and a disconnect from their audience (and may have actually hurt more than helped.) That’s branding gone awry. It’s like trying to wear a fashion trend that clearly isn’t flattering. The key is to be authentic.

Here’s a good example…sometimes Google dresses up its website. Because its home page is a simple frame, the decorations work effectively. Putting lights on your website, however, would most likely be ridiculous.

I know a really edgy creative agency that lives in t-shirts, leather, sneakers, tattoos and earrings- client meeting or not. They are a creative firm, and that’s why they get hired. There are no false pretenses with them; they are authentic. It works for them, but it may not a good idea to dress like that if you’re in a hyper corporate environment.

Focus your branding efforts on drilling home the brand message and being positively memorable. Take a slower-paced holiday time to focus on branding and dressing up for a challenging new year ahead. And think about the actual impression you’re leaving...

Brand Animation

I think dress and costumes say a lot about a person’s personality. Halloween is great time for many people to experiment with looks. Did your kids or you dress up?

I always have been a big fan of superheroes. Growing up, I channeled Isis and Wonder Woman. (I still think I can cross town in 3 minutes, and have to remind myself I cannot physically fly.)

In a way, I unleashed my inner geek with Smarti’s icon, Sales and Marketing SAM. The “hero” had actually been embedded in our logo for years and we merely brought him to life. Our brand is about ‘grey matter’ and seasoned folks, so our Sam has gray hair.

He personifies Smarti, puts a face (other than mine) to the brand, and helps explain our services—rescuing time-and-money strapped marketers and saving them from the perils of faulty marketing agency choices. Importantly, SAM communicates our message, stands out, demonstrates that we are a creative, innovative and fun company and is memorable.

Our personification of SAM at a recent trade show, ad:tech, wasn’t perfect, but he was very approachable. While a model in his 20s might have looked better in spandex, we needed a savvy salesman—and not an irrelevant booth babe. (We will be holding tryouts in the spring for a new live Sam ’09, so if you’re about 6’ tall salesperson with the right 6-pack, get in touch!) He did the job, stopped all visitors and created a lot of conversation. (See the video on our website.)

I was so immersed in superhero stuff for Smarti, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to wear a big S and be Super Girl for Halloween. (Yes, I still like to think I have superpowers.) And since all the other chics opted for Wonder Woman, I stood out and had a blast in the Parade.

The best costumes—and the best brands—are the ones that are original.

So, what is your company’s secret identity? What powers does your team have to help customers? Think about it and you might just find your brand message.

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