Google it!

Google, Yahoo, Bing, Lycos, Excite…

Ten years ago, these terms meant nothing to the majority of the US population…and to be honest, they probably sounded like nonsense to a lot of people.  Today, the term “Google” has become so well-known that it has taken on different language tenses and is now a noun AND a verb (i.e. “Google ‘Cincinnati Italian restaurants’ to find some options for dinner tonight…and get directions!”)

 The names listed above are some of the most popular search engines currently available on the Internet and there have been some lively discussions among my classmates and my colleagues about the ethical, or unethical, nature of how search engines make their money…namely, through paid placement and paid inclusion.  Basically, paid placement is advertising space purchased by a company in order to get a premium listing on search engine results pages.  I tend to think of it as the virtual version of Yellow Pages ads…and while there’s nothing all that special about them, they do stand out more than an organic search result.

 For most people, the ethical concerns are raised in regards to paid inclusion, which was described in by Danny Sullivan in Search Engine Watch as, “Paid inclusion programs mean that, in exchange for a payment, a search engine will guarantee to list pages from a web site. These programs typically do not guarantee that the pages will rank well for particular queries, however. Whether a page ranks well still depends on the search engine’s underlying relevancy algorithms.”

 I have to admit that until very recently, the idea of paid inclusion on search engines never occurred to me.  I assumed, incorrectly it seems, that the nature of search engines was that they were all-inclusive and provided the best results based on whatever information was available online at the time of the search…but apparently this isn’t the case!  I am somewhat disturbed that I didn’t know that this practice was occurring, but since Google doesn’t participate in paid inclusion, it hadn’t really been a concern for me.

 My personal opinions on this issue are very conflicted, as I understand both sides of the argument.  I believe that paid advertising, whether in the form of placement or inclusion, is an inevitable part of the business world as even search engines need to make money.  The tricky part comes when consumers ask for full disclosure, which would give consumers the ability to choose their preferred search engine based on how they rank search results…and paid inclusion sites could potentially suffer as a result.

 I don’t think that there is a straightforward answer or solution to this issue…but until more search engines are disclosing their paid inclusion practices, I’ll be sticking with Google.

The Pomegranate Phone: Deceptive or Brilliant?

David Meerman Scott, one of my favorite marketers and communicators (and a great author) wrote his latest book, World Wide Rave, based on the idea that anyone can develop a World Wide Rave, which is summed up as, “creating triggers that get millions of people to spread your ideas and share your stories.”  At the beginning of the book, Scott details his “Rules of the Rave,” which are guidelines that marketers can follow when working to create their own World Wide Rave.

 The second rule listed is “No Coercion Required” and Scott gives several examples of how authenticity is important when creating buzz around your organization by focusing on consumers, NOT your products.  “Going viral via a World Wide Rave is more authentic—and therefore vastly superior as a marketing tool—than going viral via gimmicks.  As a way to spread ideas, silly games and dishonest trickery are yesterday’s game.”

 Immediately after reading this section of the book, I tried to think of an example of deceptive viral marketing that I had personally encountered, but I had a hard time coming up with one…that is, until today, when I stumbled upon the Pomegranate Phone. (Click here to visit the web site)

 Upon first glance, the website for the Pomegranate Phone is well-designed and incredibly user-friendly.  The intro graphic states, “The ultimate all-in-one device…where no phone has ever gone before.”  As an average consumer, one would enter this site under the assumption that it is a new and exciting PDA or Smartphone…but you would be mistaken.

 As you continue browsing the site, there are several features of the phone to “explore,” including a projection screen, global voice translator, coffee brewer, shaver, and harmonica.  At this point, even the most naïve consumer would be skeptical but probably intrigued…could a phone really do all of those things??

 After viewing each feature, the user is asked if they would like to continue exploring of if they have seen enough.  Clicking on the “I’ve seen enough” button reveals the true nature of the site as the following text is shown on the screen: “Someday you’ll be able to get everything you want in one device.  Today you can get everything you want in one place.”  The text disappears, and you realize that you are now on a tourism web site for Nova Scotia, Canada. (Click here to visit the Nova Scotia site)

 I have to admit…I was pretty angry that I had been duped by this web site.  I watched the videos on all the functions of the Pomegranate Phone with awe and definitely some speculation…but there was nothing on the site to suggest that it was anything but genuine.  After realizing that the site was nothing but a “bait and switch” marketing ploy, I started to think about whether this kind of marketing should be considered ethical or unethical, especially in today’s marketplace, where identity theft and consumers scams run wild.  I even have to say that I’m a little mad at Nova Scotia for tricking me…even though I think that the site was a great way to get people’s attention.

 Scott ends the “No Coercion Required” section of World Wide Rave by asserting that, “A World Wide Rave is when people are talking about your company because they want to, not because they were coerced or tricked.”  I have to agree with him, and I’d be interested to see how many negative consumer views are formed because of this campaign.

“Will It Blend?”

Just a quick post to give you guys some entertainment to get through the middle of the week…

Check out the marketing brilliance of Blendtec who created a series of videos to show just how heavy-duty and impressive their blenders are…

I’ve included the “Will it Blend” video for the iPhone…but click here to visit the Blendtec channel on You Tube to watch all their awesome videos!

Enjoy!

My Daily Inspiration

One of my favorite ways to learn about new and exciting things that are happening in the Marketing industry, especially new media, is by reading blogs.  There are millions and millions of blogs available on so many topics that it is often difficult to navigate through all the clutter and content in order to find quality information.  Luckily, I don’t mind doing the grunt work in order to get to great marketing content, so here are some great sites that I love reading when I’m feeling like I need some inspiration!

Web Ink Now 

By David Meerman Scott

Not only to I love reading David’s blog, but I have read two of his books and I look to them as handbooks for how to effectively create great marketing initiatives in today’s world of information overload.  The New Rules of Marketing & PR is a must read for anyone in the industry (and World Wide Rave, which I’m reading now, is really entertaining and great for creativity!).  If you aren’t the type to sit and read a whole book, however, subscribe to the feed for Web Ink Know to get some great marketing advice from an amazing communicator in easy to manage blog posts.

 Mashable

The Social Media Guide

This group blog provides great news and inspiration on all things social media.  I almost look at this site as the CNN of social media…you can go here to get news info, tips and tricks of the trade, or just pure entertainment by browsing through the huge amounts of blog posts available.  The site can be somewhat overwhelming at first because there is so much great content, but take some time to look through the site and I promise you won’t leave without feeling inspired to create a social media revolution!

Penelope Trunk’s Brazen Careerist

Because my main focus at TQL is recruitment marketing, I spend a lot of time browsing through career sites and HR-oriented blogs to get inspiration and to get insider info on the recruiting industry.  However, the one blog that I keep returning to is one written by the creater The Brazen Careerist, Penelope Trunk..  Penelope is known for providing exemplary career advice, and a lot of her content focuses on Generation Y, which I happen to be part of.  This blog isn’t necessarily marketing focused, but I have found that many career blogs have a lot of content dedicated to self-branding or marketing yourself, which is always something that we as professionals can continue to work on!

I hope that you take a look at these sites and let me know what you think!

Could Books Become Obsolete?

I have to be honest.

 I am a total book junkie.  Fiction, non-fiction, business, sociology, mystery, self-help, chick lit…I don’t discriminate when it comes to books and perusing my 3 bookshelves (and numerous random piles around my house) will most likely confuse anyone, as I have so many different kinds of books from several genres.  (I only draw the line at romance novels.)

You can often find me reading at least 2 books at a time and if I really enjoy one, I’ll read it several more times, just for fun.  While many would consider my love of reading a positive attribute, this love affair with the written word has also turned into an obsession with books themselves.  It is rare that you would find me in a library…but very likely that you would find me in a bookstore.  I like to own books, not just read them.  I love the paper, the ink, the musty smell that a book gets after you’ve owned it for several years.

 I must also add that this love of words of paper also extends to magazines…and I buy or receive in the mail an embarrassing number of magazines each month. (I’m too embarrassed to share the number…but I do recycle them!)

 When thinking about a topic on emerging media to discuss today, I only had to glance around my apartment to get inspiration.  I never thought that a new technology or kind of emerging media would frighten me, but I have to admit that this one does…and I shudder to even type the word “e-book.”

(click image to visit the Kindle listing on Amazon.com)

 The most popular type of e-book currently available is the Amazon Kindle, which currently sells for $359 and is described on Amazon.com as, “Sleek design.  Holds up to 1,500 books.  Long battery life.  Choose over 285,000 of the most popular books, magazines, and newspapers.  Free wireless delivery in less than 60 seconds.  And Kindle can even read to you.”  As an added incentive, several popular titles, including New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases, are sold for only $9.99 on Amazon.com.

 While I am definitely not one to scoff at new technologies (I wouldn’t know what to do with myself without iTunes and my iPod Touch), I am hoping that the Kindle and other similar e-books will go the way of the mini-disc (aka unsuccessful and obsolete thanks to CDs and MP3s).  Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, has called the Kindle “the iPod of reading” …a claim that I feel is a tad over-ambitious. 

 A world without books is my own personal version of hell…but is it something that could ever really happen?  I am tempted to predict that e-books will never truly take off as a replacement for actual printed books…what do you think?

 

O’Brien, Jeffrey M. (2009). “And the word was: Kindle.” Fortune Magazine. Click here to read article.

Kindle on Amazon.com  Click here to read quote.

Nature vs. Nurture…A New Media Debate

Maybe it’s because I studied Psychology in college, or maybe I’m just a nerd and therefore I am very interested in human behavior.  Either way, the merging of disciplines, such as psychology and consumer marketing, is hard to ignore.  Thinking about how Marketing fits into so many different genres, combined with a discussion in my graduate marketing class about the ethics of marketing to children online, lead me to ponder an age-old question that is starting to creep into the new media discussion:

 When it comes to children and their use of emerging media, specifically the Internet, can behavior be predicted by Nature or Nurture?

 I know what you are thinking.  Nature vs. Nurture is an endless debate with lots of evidence to support both sides and the question is impossible to resolve.  And what on earth does it have to do with New Media?

 Just as video games came under fire in the 90’s for instilling violent behaviors in young and impressionable youth, so now is the Internet becoming a dangerous place for children…or is it?  In the video game debate, many argued that simply playing a violent and bloody video game would not instill homicidal tendencies in pre-teens and teenagers.  On the other hand, many parents saw violent behaviors crop up in their otherwise happy children after long periods of violent video game play.  Thousands of research studies have been conducted on this issue, and one particular study concluded that, “…teens who play violent video games for extended periods of time tend to be more aggressive, are more prone to confrontation with their teachers, may engage in fights with their peers, and see a decline in school achievements.”

 It can be argued that for every piece of evidence pointing to the dangers of exposing children to violent video games, there is a counterargument that shows evidence that providing a safe and nurturing home, regardless of violent video game content, will keep kids safe from becoming violent themselves.  “In 2007, results from a breakthrough Harvard video game study found that children used video games to manage their feelings, the stereotype of the socially stunted gamer was a myth, and there was no obvious connection between violent games and youth crime.” (A book titled “Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Video Games” was published in April 2008.)

This vicious cycle of debate has now shifted its focus from violent video games to the sometimes tenuous nature of the Internet and parent’s potential inability to protect their children from online predators, negative marketing schemes and God only knows what else.  While there are relatively equal amounts of research conducted to prove the arguments on both sides, I am more convinced that the Internet is becoming an important tool in children’s socialization, not a scary and unknown place where children are bound to be virtually attacked by online predators.

 In this particular version of the Nature vs. Nurture debate, I’m going to take a stand on the side of Nurture…meaning that I believe Internet content, when properly managed by the parents of young children, has the potential to have positive effects on kids.  The Internet, and all forms of new media, evolve daily and the Internet in particular is becoming an unavoidable entity of learning and socializing…and why would you want to avoid it?? 

 As I said before…I doubt that this debate is going to calm down or get resolved anytime soon, but I think it’s important to at least have an opinion.  What’s yours?

 

To see original sources of images, click here and here

Resources:

Interview with Dr. Cheryl K. Olson, co-author of Grand Theft Childhood. (2008). Retrieved from Game Couch web site.

Norcia, Andrea. (2008). “The Impact of Video Games on Children.” Retrieved from Palo Alto Medical Center web site.

When did Marketing become so hip?

If there is any trend that I have noticed over my time in the WVU Integrated Marketing Communications program as well as my time spent building my professional marketing career, it would definitely be the heightened awareness and excitement over marketing practices. The bottom line is that marketing practices have suddenly become “mainstream” and “trendy” instead of being considered sneaky ways of getting consumers attention to sell a product.

The question of marketing’s trendiness factor also leads me to consider another “chicken or the egg” kind of question…

Was social media created as a marketing tool? Or were marketing opportunities found in social media after it was already created as a networking tool?

I’m tempted to say that social media was originally intended to give people more ways to connect via the Internet…and marketers saw the amazing opportunities within these networking systems and took advantage of the fact that millions of people were now basically a captive audience for their messages.

I can’t say for sure that social media wasn’t made for marketing and cleverly disguised as a networking tool…but no matter what the initial intent, it has exploded on the public consumer marketing scene and won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

Image found on a social media marketing blog by Peter Kim…find it here:

http://www.beingpeterkim.com/2008/10/234-social-medi.html