Most of us have seen the latest Old Spice TV commercials - an attractive, shirtless, bearded dude, spouts a ridiculous yet witty sales pitch as the setting changes around him (if you haven't seen them, watch the latest here.)

Old Spice has been updating their image rather successfully lately with their hilarious, off-beat commercials starring Bruce Campbell and, now since the Super Bowl, Isaiah Mustafa of Seahawks fame. Today they've taken their campaign a huge leap forward through viral social media by taking over the @oldpsice twitter feed, announcing "Today could be just like the other 364 days you log into Twitter, Or maybe the Old Spice man shows up."

Sine then, the "Old Spice Guy" has been going strong, fielding questions and comments from users on Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit and responding with personalized videos posted to YouTube. What's more, these personalized responses are being posted about every 10 minutes and are getting the attention of celebrities, tech magazines, and newspapers. What's more, this campaign isn't just selling product, it's bringing people together. In the following video, the "Old Spice Guy" proposes to a woman on behalf of a twitter user.

She said yes.

If you're looking for a laugh, to learn how Old Spice can make you smell like the manly Old Spice Guy, or to see an awesome viral campaign at work, visit the Old Spice channel on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/oldspice or tweet them @oldspice.

I recently had the opportunity to watch a presentation by Ipsos Reid's Steve Levy on the CMA's 2010 Digital Trends report. While I was disappointed that most of the material was a little stale (by today's standards), one thing Steve mentioned got stuck in my brain and I've been thinking about it off and on for the past few days. It was regarding mobile marketing and its lack of traction in the market.

For what feels like a decade, marketing pundits have been predicting that mobile marketing will be the "Next Big Thing", and that reaching customers on their mobile devices is the obvious convergence of targeted and location-based advertising. But, as Steve put it, every year people make this prediction, and every year it fails to come true. The question is, why?

What is Mobile Marketing?
First, it's important to define mobile marketing. The Mobile Marketing Association defines it as "a set of practices that enables organizations to communicate and engage with their audience in an interactive and relevant manner through any mobile device or network." While the MMA lumps in-game advertising into this definition, for our purposes I'm considering text messages as the primary form of mobile marketing (since this is what most agencies consider "true" mobile marketing).

The rise of advertexts has been slow compared to growth in other areas of marketing. Generally there are two types of these programs - opt-in campaigns, or spam campaigns (whereby users' mobile numbers are sold by their carrier to a 3rd party, who bombards the users with unwanted advertising messages). I think it's obvious why the latter has been a flop, but the former is a more interesting problem.

This Should Work, Shouldn't It?
Everything we know about permissions-based marketing tells us that as long as users sign up to receive relevant messages, they should be effective. We've seen the same thing in email; people hate email spam, but they will read and react to promotional emails as long as they've actively signed up for them. Personally, I'm signed up on a few hockey-related websites that send me notifications of upcoming sales and new products; those emails have directly influenced my purchasing decisions, and I know I'm not the only one.

But people don't appear to react the same to mobile marketing SMS messages. A recent survey discovered that 77% of users don't like to receive promotional texts, a surprisingly large number when you consider that 1.3 trillion text messages were sent last year.

There is no qualitative data as to why people seem to dislike these SMS messages, but after considering the problem for a few days, I've come up with a couple of theories:

#1 - The cost of response
Okay, lets say that Rogers sends you a text message about a new program they've developed. That's great, but how do you take the next step to learn more? Typically it's by using your smartphone to visit their mobile website, which in turn uses up your data plan (costing you money). Many users don't want to waste the KBs to see a promotional offer they may or may not like. Until responding to these offers is free, users won't be tempted.

#2 - It doesn't create value
Think about the email offers I mentioned earlier. I've responded to them because I saw value there, either in sale prices, or new products. Unfortunately, too many advertexts are just being used for brand building, and aren't communicating enticing offers to users. Roger's texting me about it's new tethering service doesn't provide me any incentive because it gives no monetary offer and doesn't really tell me anything interesting.

#3 - It's invasive
I'm sure I'm no different than most people in that I always read my texts as soon as I get them. When I go to the trouble of pulling out my phone to read the message, it's irritating to find an advertisement sitting there. No one likes to be interrupted for no good reason, and with SMS there's really no other way but to take up someone's time.

What's the Future of Mobile Marketing?
So if advertexts don't work, what will? I think the main thrust of mobile marketing in the next few years will divert from SMS into two main areas - location-based ad services and augmented reality systems. For the former, I can imagine a situation where a user checking local showtimes on their phone sees banner ads for upcoming movies, influencing their buying decision. As to the latter, augmented reality apps (like the Nearest Tube app for iPhone) could direct users to landmarks, while also allowing nearby business to post tiny ads onto users' screens.

Either way, I'm forecasting the demise of SMS advertising in the next 5-years. Smartphones killed it off, but I don't think it'll be missed, and I think at least 77% of people will agree with me.

As I patiently await the release of the iPhone 4G, I couldn’t help but contemplate the great marketing machine of Apple. A few months ago I wrote that I didn’t really want an iPad, until, last week, I stopped to see one at the store. It was, I admit, kinda cool. I might even…want one. I might even be able to convince myself that I need one. Yes, I will admit my apparent weakness for Apple anything, I’ve had it since 1989 actually. And, as I toss my Blackberry to the curb, in favour of adding an iPhone to my ever growing collection of Apple products, I thought I’d make fun of myself just a little, content in the knowledge that I’m not the only one out there with a soft spot for Apple.

For example, you can date other Apple fans on a Mac-inspired singles dating site: cupidtino.com

Or, you can join a church of Mac: www.macgeniustony.com/thechurchofmac.html

Watch a movie about Apple fanatics: www.macheadsthemovie.com

Dress (or undress) Steve Jobs: www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/692flash.html

Read a blog dedicated to the cult of Mac: www.cultofmac.com

Make fun of us Apple owners: theoatmeal.com/comics/apple

And, last but not least, shop for Apple online: http://store.apple.com/us

Oh come on, I’m not the only fan out there, who else has some fun ones to add?

We're big in to celebrity news around this office, or at least us women are. The entertainment section of the paper is the first to be read each afternoon, and the recent cheating scandals of Hollywood were hot topics for gossip around the lunch table. And that's how we can understand the power of a celebrity when it comes to endorsing your product or brand.

Celebrity endorsements are everywhere you look in the modern market. Catherine Zeta-Jones has recently become synonymous with T-Mobile, while Britney Spears was once well known for her promotional run with Pepsi. What about Jamie Lee Curtis and her recent commercials for Activia, the probiotic yogurt that keeps you regular? No product, brand or service is off-limits when it comes to star endorsement. Insurance companies do it, clothing companies do it, weight-loss companies do it, and all with quite a measure of success.

Celebrity endorsements give a brand a touch of glamor and offer name recognition even when product recognition is lacking. A celebrity's fame, lifestyle or values attached to your company may also reflect on to your own brand, and if all else fails, publicity for them means publicity for your brand.

But we're all aware of the drawbacks. Tiger Woods was dropped from the majority of his endorsement deals when his sex scandals broke the news. Most of the companies he was affiliated with wouldn't touch him as his new, very public, lifestyle harshly contrasted with the ideals of their own brands. Nike's damage control could only do so much.

The wrong celebrity endorsement can backfire and leave you scrambling dealing with damage control. But if done right (such as collaboration with the right celeb) awareness and demand for your product or brand are sure to sky rocket as high as Lady Gaga's last record sales.

Here are a few commercials offering celebrity endorsement. I personally prefer the subtlety of the first Adidas commercial, that and the fact that it features David Beckham eye-candy
Is there one you find more successful than others?

It's hard to believe that The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell is eight years old, but it's been almost a decade since the book changed the face of marketing. I recently finished his 2008 book Outliers, which encouraged me to re-read his original blockbuster for the first time since I was in college. Now that I'm working at a branding agency it got me thinking - can good design contribute to making a product sticky?

If you recall, in The Tipping Point Gladwell refers to stickiness as the memorability of a product. His conclusion was that stickiness plays an enormous role in "tipping" a product in the public consciousness - the more memorable a product is the quicker it will take off in popularity. When the right people (Salesmen, Connectors, Mavens) view a memorable product (Stickiness) at the right time (the Power of Context), a product is well positioned to tip.

When I first learned about the Tipping Point, I looked at the formula as a marketer would - how can I target my client's products towards Salesmen, Connectors, and Mavens? But now that I've spent more time at a branding agency I've started to see how important stickiness is to the whole equation - in fact, it might be the most critical piece.

Take the song "Soy Tu Aire" by the Spanish band Labuat:

It's a pretty song, and if you speak Spanish it's probably even more relevant to you, but, twenty minutes from now you'll more than likely forget you've ever seen this video. In short, it's not sticky. You could send this to every connector you know but chances are they're not going to recommend Labuat to anyone, because it's just not powerful enough to motivate them.

So the question is, how can we make the song sticky? Obviously the music isn't going to change, so what can we do to improve the experience? Well, that's where design comes in.

I want you to visit this page: http://soytuaire.labuat.com/ . Make sure you have your speakers or headphones on (it's useless without the music), and once it's done loading simply press the play button (PS you'll need Flash, sorry Apple).

Go ahead, I'll wait.

Back? All of a sudden listening to that song has become an experience. You've become a part of it, and it's helped you create something wonderful. Now you have a reason to like it, share it, and remember it. Simply by adding a beautifully designed user experience, they've created something sticky. Get this into the hands of a connector, and Labuat could see their popularity sky rocket.

It's too easy for marketers to focus solely on the finding our target market; sometimes we need to turn our attention inward to make sure our message is as polished as it could be. This doesn't just apply to musicians, it is relevant to any business; even if you're a small widget maker today, well-designed marketing materials could be the memorable impetus that tips your company on to bigger things.

By Chandra Blouin, Marketing Director

It's a big decision. Do you change your name? Drop a name? Merge the names together? There are a number of options to choose from.

The Black Hole

When looking at the two brands, if one has equity and one doesn't, the one without is thrown into the black hole, similar to what happened when Bank of America bought Fleet Bank.

Marriage
Getting married seems to be one of the most popular options. If both brands have good equity and combining both brands will create a stronger brand that strengthens and differentiates it in the minds of the customers, then it’s time to march down the aisle. The only pitfall is the possibility of one really long name – like PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Newborn
If neither brand holds a lot of equity, then it could be advantageous to create a new brand. This is also effective if both brands are strong and you want customers to change the perception they have for each brand and create a new perception. And finally, if you’ve acquired so many companies that merging all of the names together is not an option, then it’s time to develop one, all-encompassing name similar to what pharmaceutical giant Novartis did a number of years ago.

Christian Seiwald, CEO of Sandoz GmbH (now part of Novartis), commented, "While we are currently the world's second-biggest generics group, we are not recognized as such due to the large number of different company names. The establishment of a uniform identity represents a milestone in our strategy for strengthening and harmonizing our international business."

Harvest
If both brands have equity, but one more than another, you may want to take a step-by-step approach, slowly moving the equity from the lesser over to the other. As this occurs you will often see the two original logos presented in combination, similar to the ACS and Xerox logo combo above.

Over time the equity from ACS will be moved over to Xerox and eventually the ACS logo will be dropped altogether. In this case no branding or marketing resources are budgeted for ACS. Instead communications from both brands focus on educating customers of the acquisition and benefits, slowly transferring loyalty from ACS to Xerox. As an example, Xerox’s Press Release Boiler Plate, now reads:

“Through ACS, A Xerox Company, which Xerox acquired in February 2010, Xerox also offers extensive business process outsourcing and IT outsourcing services, including data processing, HR benefits management, finance support, and customer relationship management services for commercial and government organizations worldwide.”

Sisters
Sometimes each brand is so unique, each with its own equity, that they are left, as-is. They become brand sisters, or sometimes children to the parent brand, but the customer may never be aware of the relationship. On October 9th, 2006 it was announced that Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion. Even today there’s no mention of Google’s ownership on the YouTube website, however there is a link on the homepage to try out the new Google Chrome web browser. Now that’s just smart cross-marketing. Smile.

You thought doing a company rebrand was hard, try rebranding your entire life. As we all know, our Brand Manager, Mike is a HUGE fan of Miley Cyrus. Well okay, if not a huge fan yet, he may soon be, after her rebrand this year, as she goes from Disney teen sensation to adult pop star.

Celebrities are brands, and often need to reinvent their image to target a new audience. Michael Jackson was the first to do it in the 80s, jumping from a 70s kid disco star, to an 80s pop superstar. In his case, and in many others to follow (JLo, Madonna, even Victoria Bekham), it was a success.

However, not all stars hit the mark on a rebrand. I bet no one remembers when country superstar Garth Brooks tried to reinvent himself as an alter ego rock star named Chris Gaines? He even launched the whole fiasco with an NBC TV special. Ick, what a creepy nightmare that was. At the height of his career, Brookes changed his look, his hair colour, his clothes, his music and his name, all at once. He would even talk about himself in the third person. It was such a horrible disaster that it wasn't long after that he announced his retirement from music. Could it have been the millions lost, the decline in his fan base, or the bruised ego? Guess we'll never know for sure, but one thing is certain: his rebrand was a failure.

Celebrities need to follow the same hard and fast rule as all businesses: if you are going to rebrand: stay recognizable. Without some kind of tie to your previous self, whether it's your corporate identity or personal identity, failure is certainly going to be in the cards. As far as Mike becoming a die hard Miley Cyrus fan? That's in the cards too, perhaps he needs to watch her new video "Can't Be Tamed" before he decides:

Stock photography has become a staple in the Marketing world, giving businesses an opportunity to use Professional photos in their branding at a more affordable price.
Now, many people are asking, what is stock photography? “Stock Photography is the supply of photographs licensed for specific uses. It is used to fulfill the needs of creative assignments instead of hiring a photographer” (Wikipedia).

Stock images are most commonly found online through websites such as www.istockphoto.com, or www.fotolia.com . The images can be purchased and downloaded to your computer. The great thing about stock photography is that they are Royalty-free, meaning you don’t need to pay each time you use the image. One downside in using stock photography, is that other businesses can use the same image.

Many of the stock photography websites, such as istockphoto.com, are available for the public, to upload photos and sell online. Although, photographers have strict guidelines for the photos they upload and receive approval on. This is important because image quality is very important in print work.

Your also not just limited to purchasing photography, as many of the stock photography companies also have vector illustrations, audio, flash, and video files.

The challenge for every new business is how to get it going with the least amount of money possible. And as great as your business idea is, you can’t go far without some basic marketing support. Here are the “must-haves” to get your business off the ground.

Establishing your brand begins with your (1) logo. Introducing yourself is hard to do without a (2) business card. Getting that first sale is going to need some kind of agreement or proposal, and that means you need some kind of (3) letterhead, even if it’s digital. Then if you truly want to come across as professional, you probably want to get away from an @shawbiz or, cringe, @hotmail email address. That means you need to reserve a (4) domain name, closely followed by the design and development of a small (5) website.

These five items, combined with blatant self-promotion and countless hours of “pound the pavement” time, will definitely give you the solid start you need to get your business off the ground.

And to answer the main question going through your head right now….$5000. That’s a reasonable budget you’ll need to get your marketing started.

We’ve had the pleasure of learning and helping to launch a number of new businesses. Daybreak, website shown above, is a company we’ve been apart of from the ground up. What’s your new business idea? We’d love to hear! You can start your blatant self-promotion below.

How does it happen that some brands are considered cool, while others are stuffed into lockers or teased about pocket protectors? I think we can all see the inherent benefit to being one of the cool kids, but how do you get there? It's easier than you might think, but many companies have tried and failed.

The Nerd
For years, the automobile company Volvo has pushed one core competency over all others - safety. They pinned their marketing on the safety band wagon, and have stayed there ever since. I distinctly remember family friends of ours purchasing matching Volvos after they were involved in a serious car crash. By pushing the boundaries of technology, Volvo's original innovations (such as side curtain airbags) have been copied by every major car manufacturer in the world.

But are they cool? Hardly. And boy, have they tried to change their image in previous years, unveiling numerous new marketing campaigns to update their stodgy image. Cutting edge mobile campaigns, campy ads featuring LL Cool J, and cross promotions with XBOX are just a few of the attempts they've tried to add to their coolness factor. With Ford dropping Volvo from its portfolio and sales plummeting, I think it's safe to say that the campaigns haven't worked.

The Kid Next Door
Once upon a time, it was legitimately cool to own a Ford, particularly one of their famous muscle cars like the Mustang. But somewhere along the line, probably when they started specializing in family sedans, the luster fell off of Ford.

The iconic American brand wasn't going to take this lying down, so they initiated new strategies to update their image. One of the most prominent expenditures is their sponsorship of the annual American Idol contest. Among other tie-ins, the winner of the contest becomes the defacto sponsor of Ford, recording jingles and appearing in commercials.

Unfortunately, the sponsorship hasn't been nearly as profitable as Ford would like. A famous study done by Martin Lindstrom for his book Buyology proved that the campaign is a flop as far as consumer recall goes, resulting in no imprint on the American pop culture grid. The Ford brand continues to languish at retail, demonstrating that they are still far from regaining their "cool" status.

How to Get in the Clique
Okay, so you want to be one of the cool kids, how do you do it? Well, following VW's example would be a good way to start. They evolved from being a quirky European car company, to a cool European car company almost overnight.

The process was simple. First, they started building better cars. Not that the previous vehicles were lower quality, because they weren't, but they started producing cars that outclassed their current offerings. Instead of producing lower-end vehicles that were attainable by almost anyone, they started to build cars that were status symbols of sorts - if you drove a Passat it said you were a cut above the Tempo driver.

But that wasn't enough - you can't become a status symbol just by raising your prices. The big coup came with the launch of the retro-infused New Beetle. Not only was this the right car for the right time (right at the beginning of the North American retro movement), but they also started innovative cross promotions with their other vehicles (like giving away free Trek bikes with the purchase of certain Jettas). While other manufacturers were trying to win consumers with gas mileage and horsepower data (or British racing green colour options), VW was giving its market segment something they actually wanted.

The Right Time and the Right Tool
The VW lesson is really about being bold, but also about timing. VW management was very hesitant to build the New Beetle, but the work of a few believers inside the company managed to push the car through to the prototype phase, where consumers saw it and fell in love. But, the Beetle would've been for naught if it wasn't for the retro movement which was sweeping the country. It was the perfect convergence of opportunity and execution.

At their foundations, this is really the problem of both Volvo and Ford's strategies. Volvo had the right idea with their promotions and ads, they were just too late in attempting to refresh their image. In Ford's case, they have an outmoded strategy that has been proven to be ineffective, even if their timing is optimal.

Be bold, be cutting edge, and make sure your market is ripe for your campaign, and you'll find your inner Fonz.

At a recent networking meeting, amidst a flurry of business card exchanges, I found it interesting when one person proudly announced, "I don't have a business card, my office is paperless." Sure, I'd heard of these new paperless types, but I'd never met one before. And the topic got me wondering, how paperless can an office really be?

In the marketing world, we have already witnessed the paperless attitude of the new digital age, with newspaper readership in decline, Yellow Pages being a tool of the past, and let's not even talk about how getting letters in your mailbox are all but an ancient memory. But when I look around the office here, I wonder how much paper can we really do without?

Okay, I'll admit we don't need a phone book. But we need business cards to give out to our non-paperless clients. And proofs need to be marked up, how would we do that without paper? Clients need to send us sign off, and lets face it, not all of our clients have mastered the art of scanning their signatures. And, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure I could ever live without sticky notes.

Paperless around here seems almost...well, wrong. I love seeing a printed sample of our designs. I love it when Caitlin and Dave bring me printouts of their concepts. I love it when we pick out cool new paper for a print project. I respect the paperless office, but, I confess, I am a paper lover. (don't send me hate mail, I recycle!)

From 2008 to 2009 the Twitter community grew 1382%, and it continues to add new members every day; we've moved well beyond fad to the point where Twitter is becoming a major communication tool. If you're not using Twitter, you should at least be asking yourself if it fits your marketing mix.

Assuming Twitter makes sense for your company, you now have the challenge of gaining and maintaining followers. Here's some tips for creating Tweets that your followers will appreciate:

1. Learn How To Post Content Correctly
First off, make sure you know how to link content properly. Not only does this mean learning proper Tweet etiquette (like retweeting, hash tags, Twitter shorthand etc.) but also posting your content in such a way that's easy for people to read. For example, a common mistake people make is referencing the main page of blog, as opposed to the actual permalink of the article they want to post; if someone goes to the blog after a couple of days they might have to sort through newer material to find the article you referenced. Make it easy for users to find your content, and they'll be likely to click again.

2. Don't be misleading
This probably goes without saying, but avoid "flashy" language in your tweets; it just doesn't work. What do I mean by this? Here's an example:

Instead of posting:

"Cut costs by 25% and increase profits!!! (link)"

try this:

"Five tips for improving productivity, and cutting costs around the office (link)"

Twitter followers don't want their time wasted by marketers, they want to discover relevant content that they're interested in. Don't try to sell what you're offering, just describe it and if your followers think it's valuable, they'll check it out.

3. Don't Just Pimp Your Own Content
Twitter is a community - it's not a spam marketplace - there is some quid pro quo that goes on. If other people are retweeting your posts, do them the favour of retweeting the odd post from them so their content can be shared around. If you're not a giving member of the Twitter community, you'll just be another time-waster.

I can't finish without emphasizing the importance of being a good community member. I read an interesting stat the other day that said only 21% of Twitter members are "proper users" (defined as as a user with at least ten followers, following at least ten people, and who has tweeted at least ten times). You can't just get on Twitter and start blasting away with your own content - follow, interact, and tweet appropriately, and you'll be Tweetstar in no time. Remember always that Twitter is a social tool, and needs to be used as such.

Don't know how many Tron fans there are out there, but a sequel is finally coming out this Summer. As part of the run-up to the film all kinds of viral and underground marketing has started to leak out promoting Flynn & crew.

One of our favourite pieces is this challenging visual puzzle game that contains 56 hidden video game titles in various pictograms. We won't give away any of the answers, but the top score in the office (nicely done, Dave) was 45. Let us know how you do!

http://www.arcadeaid.com/challengingstage/quiz.htm

Recently I had a client ask me for some tips at building a good blog. I thought I'd humbly pass them on, as she found them pretty helpful.

First off, very few people actually follow blogs religiously. While there are functions to subscribe to blogs, there are only a very few blogs that are visited on a regular basis, and they tend to revolve around pop culture (say TMZ or Perez Hilton's blogs). Particularly as you start out, it is not feasible to expect that people will find your blog and then continue to come back to read more. More and more, people are simply subscribing to bloggers' Twitter feeds, and just sampling the posts that interest them the most.

So, where do most blog hits come from initially? For us, there are three main sources - search hits, social network referrals, and self referrals.

Search hits come from people finding blog posts through Google. If you blog about topics that people are frequently searching for then your posts will be found by those searchers. For example, we blogged about Lululemon's Olympic clothing line (that VANOC pooh-poohed) and to date we've had over 300 hits to it; of those over 100 came from web searches.

Your social network can be a big source of blog traffic. When we write a blog we immediately post it on Facebook, Linked-in, and Twitter. This way people who follow us through those sites are instantly informed every time we add new content. Plus, we're always promoting the blog in our email signature, and there's a link to all our social media sites on every page of our website. This comprehensive social media strategy hits multiple people every time we create content, and works together to create fans of our brand.

Self referrals are simply hits to the blog from people that land on our home page. They see that Studiothink has a blog, and then they go check it out. They might not specifically be interested in our content, they're probably just curious as to what we blog about.

At this point you might ask "why even bother blogging if it's so much work to get traffic?" The truth is that even if your blog doesn't get a lot of hits, it does build an aura of expertise around you. When people visit your site, they see the blog and they see the quality of your content, and it adds to your reputation as an expert in the field. So, even if the blog isn't getting a ton of hits, it will still help people feel more comfortable choosing your firm.

Studiothink is seeking a hyper-organized control freak with a personable personality to fill our full-time Project Coordinator position.

Your job entails organizing multiple projects, establishing project timelines, and managing the subsequent work flow. You will be responsible for tracking all projects, both internally and externally, ensuring that jobs stay on target with deadlines, and producing weekly Excel reports on each jobs status.

On a daily basis you will be communicating between the client, suppliers and staff, which is why your organization skills are not enough, they must be paired with a great attitude and a demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively, not to mention a high tolerance for airborne Nerf weapons. You will also perform general office management tasks such as ordering supplies, sending invoices and couriers, filing, and answering phones when needed.

This is an entry-level position within our company, and marketing experience is an asset, although not mandatory. We are offering $35,000 per year to start, along with extended benefits and three weeks paid vacation.

Qualifications:
- Extensive organizational skills with a focus on solutions
- Highly-developed customer service skills
- Personable verbal and written communication are crucial
- 2-3 years experience working in an office admin role, demonstrating clear organizational skills
- Extremely competent on the computer using email, databases and MS Office
- Able to confidently communicate with clients, suppliers and internal staff
- Interest or experience in the field of marketing, graphic design and website design is an asset

Job Duties:
- Working directly with the Marketing Director and Creative Director, you will generate project timelines and schedules for all our projects, and be responsible for ensuring internal staff, suppliers and clients adhere to the project deadlines
- Creating job dockets and notes on necessary revisions and proofs
- Obtaining records of client approvals on project quotes and final sign off
- Work closely with external suppliers to obtain quotes and send out materials
- Closely track projects at all times, internally, to printer or other supplier, to final delivery to the client
- Acquire all information and materials needed to complete projects on time
- General office management including filing, invoicing, couriering, supplies, phones, etc.

If you are highly organized and personable, and enjoy being in a marketing, design and interactive environment, then communicate with us and demonstrate your skills! Send us a PDF or MS Word document that includes your well-written resume and cover letter to careers@studiothink.com

Studiothink is a creative agency located in Surrey, BC. To find out more about us, visit our website at www.studiothink.com

Here's a quick thought exercise for you: what's the first thing you think of when you hear the words "Virgin Airlines"? Chances are, Richard Branson pops into your head, despite the fact that he's never in their advertising or on their website. But since Richard is such a showman and larger than life personality, his image permeates the brands on every level.

To most companies this would be a terrifying proposition; Air Canada wants to be synonymous with great service, on-time delivery, and low fares - they definitely don't want to be identified by their CEO.

But with Virgin, it works, and it's not just because Branson is a an eccentric billionaire; it's because he's real and down-to-earth. He brings the brand down to our level and makes it more accessible to the masses. We've seen Branson, and he stands behind his products, and therefore we trust Virgin brands to deliver.

Don't Be Afraid to Be a Star
And yet, in many of my travels as a marketing professional, I've often times found great reluctance on the part of business owners to put their face to their name. They would much rather show off their products, or their facilities, as opposed to their faces. They don't want to come off as self-aggrandizing, or disingenuous, or they are just camera-shy and aren't comfortable being the star of the show.

What they don't realize is that consumers relate far better to a real a person than they do to a cold product shot. For one, it has been proven in numerous eyetracking studies that the human eye is naturally drawn to human faces, and therefore ads/web pages that feature facial features generate more impressions. Simply put, putting a face to your brand will get more people to view your materials.

People are also far more likely to trust a company if they can see photos of the owner. Like Richard Branson, if you're willing to put your face on your company it means you're willing to stake your reputation on it.

Finally, adding your personality to your brand gives it character, and makes it more alive. You can spout taglines all you want, but if you identify your brand with your own characteristics then it breathes life into it. It's the same reason large companies pay superstars and athletes to be spokespeople - it lends the person's qualities to a product that might not have any personality otherwise.

Branding is a confusing undertaking, and many business end up lost on the path despite their best efforts. But I'm here to help (I'm just nice like that), and I've collected the top 3 branding mistakes below so that hopefully you can avoid the mistakes that have derailed so many others.

1. No Consistency in Materials
I'm not really sure where this urge comes from, but there are definitely companies out there who feel like they need to reinvent the wheel every time they produce a new marketing piece. Every ad, brochure, or web page has a different feel, or a new gimmick, and nothing ends up looking the same.

The problem is, even if your concept is brilliant, it's doing absolutely nothing for your brand. Your brand should be communicating something consistent to your target market; a message that tells people what you mean to them. If you're constantly reinventing your message, then your market doesn't know what to think of you. It's great to think of innovative ways to get your message across; it's bad to come up with new messages every time.

2. Not Carrying the Brand Through Everything
You've spent good money to develop a new identity and brand; please don't skimp on the rest. Far too often I see companies invest in a new logo/tagline etc., only to see them utilize their same old website, brochures etc. (with the new logo simply slapped in place).

The trouble is, to some people, their brand is just their logo when in fact a brand is so much more than that. Your brand is absolutely every point of contact a customer has with your company. From your website, to your signage, to the recording on your voice mail, every interaction a customer has with your company leaves an impression of your brand on them. That's why it's critical to ensure that all your materials are in line with your brand.

3. Getting Caught Up in Abstracts
This mistake is often seen in tandem with #2. I've seen far too many companies get caught up trying to develop the perfect abstract design for their identity, something that a viewer can see and instantly understand. Trouble is, that's a lot for a logo to accomplish. There are very few logos out there that tell the complete story of a company, and those that try are usually just crowded and confusing.

It's a much better idea to develop something simple and memorable, and then build your brand around it. By communicating a consistent message across all your mediums, you'll do a much better job of branding yourself than a complex logo ever could.

Today the Olympic torch passes through Langley/Surrey, and that means things are about to get very real around here. Doing business over the Olympics could get extremely dicey what with road closures, delays, and general congestion. 2010 is going to be a boon to some businesses for sure, but for companies like Studiothink, who need to travel to attend meetings etc., it could make life difficult.

For those of you in the same boat as us, I've put together three distinct strategies for doing business during the big event.

The Ol' Prospector
Named after the classic Western character who loves his way of life, and will be damned if he gives it up (for authentic evidence from the period, see here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke5Mr5eCF2U ).

This strategy entails maintaining the status quo, no matter what it takes. Through stubborn will and determination, the Ol' Prospector will bull his way downtown for meetings, fight through crowds to get his morning Starbucks, and will meet a client in North Van even if it means passing through security check points.

There are no guarantees the Ol' Prospector will actually survive the Olympics, but for him it's really the principle of the matter that drives him.

The Survivalist
Head down to the bunker and just ride this whole thing out; that's the plan of the Olympic survivalist. Surrounded by munchie mix, Red Bull, and a weak Wifi signal, this person has abandoned all hope of conducting business as usual over the next few weeks.

In some ways it's hard to argue with them; why fight the monster that is the games when it's a decidedly unfair battle. Unfortunately, most businesses don't have the luxury of shutting down for weeks on end; if Studiothink tried this strategy is would take months to make up the time we wasted playing solitaire and checking Twitter.

The Tech Head
Finally, the strategy that Studiothink is going to adhere to over the 2010 games - a complete and utter reliance on technology to see us through. We're going to embrace a number of web-based solutions to allow us to do business as usual, while we continue to generate new business and communicate with clients. Solutions like:

Gotomeeting web conferencing: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/?Portal=www.gotomeeting.com
Google Wave web collaboration: http://wave.google.com/about.html
Toggl online time tracking: www.toggl.com
yousendit online FTP service: www.yousendit.com
Skype web video/audio conference: www.skype.com

When you think about it, the less time we spend driving across town, the better off the environment will be. It's my hope that more people begin switching to a web-based model, to make life more enjoyable for everyone.

Ah Super Bowl Sunday, a chance to kick back, relax, and enjoy my yearly maximum intake of pork rinds. But, to some, the enjoyment of the big day comes not from the action on the field, or even the (prosaic) half time show. No, there is a huge cadre of people for whom the Super Bowl is appointment television simply for the ads.

While there have been some classic campaigns to come out of the weekend, there have also been some super-stinkers. And what else would WTFriday cover if not the absolute worst of the bunch.

Just For Feet: Kenya Mission, 1999

Do you feel slightly icky after watching that? Perhaps, ashamed that it would ever air on North American television? So too did the advertiser, Just for Feet, who turned around and tried to sue their agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, for malpractice after spending $7 million dollars on the spot. In the end it didn't really matter as Just for Feet went out business later the same year.

McDonald's: Mc D.L.T., 1986

"It was the 80's". That excuse bails out a lot of corporate mistakes (The DeLorean, Members Only Jackets, New Coke), but it's not nearly enough to explain to us how McDonald's thought they could possibly tie in Shakespeare and beef. Maybe the Merchant of Venice would've been a better choice.

Apple: 1984, 1984

Sorry for the confusing headline, but somehow I'll bet the actual ad was far more confusing than anything in this blog. Now, it's hard to knock 1984 because of the reverence which many advertisers hold for it. But, viewed today, it simply comes off as awkward, overblown, and corny. In other words, like a Window ad.

Not a marketing blog today, but instead a job opportunity:

Project Coordinator

Do you live by your to-do list? Can’t live without using Excel spreadsheets? Never forget to send a birthday or anniversary card? You might be the hyper-organized personality we need to fill our full-time Project Coordinator position.

Your job will be to manage multiple complex projects, developing project timelines, and the subsequent workflow. You will be responsible for keeping all projects on deadline, and must have the ability to communicate clearly and work efficiently. Your ability to keep the workflow organized must be paired with a great attitude, excellent communication skills, and a high tolerance for airborne Nerf weapons.

Qualifications:
- 2-3 years experience in coordination of projects and working with deadlines
- Advanced knowledge of MS Excel
- Extremely competent on the computer using email, databases and MS Office
- Highly-developed, personable verbal and written communication skills
- Able to confidently communicate with clients, suppliers and internal staff
- Extensive organizational skills with a focus on solutions
- Advanced time management and problem solving skills
- Experience in the printing industry or agency experience is a definite asset

Job Duties:
- Working directly with the Marketing Director and Creative Director, you will generate project timelines and schedules for all our projects, and be held responsible for ensuring internal staff, suppliers and clients adhere to the project deadlines
- Liaise with our team members to create and issue timetables and workback schedules
- Creating job dockets and notes on necessary revisions and proofs
- Obtaining records of client approvals on project quotes and final sign off
- Work closely with external suppliers to obtain quotes and send out materials
- Closely track projects at all times, internally, to printer or other supplier, to final delivery to the client
- Acquire all information and materials needed to complete projects on time
- General office management including filing, invoicing, couriering, supplies, phones, etc

Studiothink is a creative agency located in Surrey, BC. We offer great hours, a generous holiday structure, extended benefits, and a fun and casual work environment. To find out more about us, visit our website at www.studiothink.com

If you are highly organized and personable, and enjoy being in a marketing, design and interactive environment, then show us your communication skills! Send us a PDF or MS Word document that includes your resume, cover letter, and salary expectations to careers@studiothink.com

Let's get something straight right off the bat - I'm pro-Olympics. I'm excited about the games, and I'm looking forward to taking part; we have tickets to watch Sweden vs. Germany mens ice hockey.

But, the marketer in me needs to levy some criticism towards VANOC and their recent heavy-handed PR in regards to Olympic sponsors.

Bad Lulu, Bad!
By now I'm sure everyone has heard of VANOC's displeasure with a number of companies who have attempted to catch some of the spirit of the games. These companies range from Mom & Pop stores, to retail giants like Scotia Bank and Lululemon (more on that fiasco here http://www.studiothink.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/16/lululemon-error-in-judgement-or-marketin). Essentially, a number of companies have attempted to cash-in on the Olympics who were not official sponsors, and that has VANOC up in arms.

To some degree, I can understand VANOC's position. They have a number of high profile sponsors who have spent millions to be associated with the games, and organizers must do everything they can to protect that investment; it's not fair asking HBC to pay for exposure if Lululemon can get it for free.

My problem with VANOC basically comes down to their shortsightedness. By smacking the hands of Scotia Bank and Lululemon, they're not only coming off like stodgy, authoritarian grumps, but they are unintentionally hurting their own sponsors.

The success of every games hinges on one ethereal concept - people around the globe catching Olympic fever. By exciting people about the games, you ignite the engine of consumerism that drives the heart of the commercialized Olympiad. Host cities are judged harshly on their financial legacy (see Montreal, Failure of).

Olympics? What Olympics?
But, how are people supposed to get excited about the games when the brands they support get publicly flogged? How are we supposed to catch the spirit when only one store in the mall carries Olympic gear? I was at the Canucks game on Thursday night, and if I didn't see Coke posters in the Skytrain stations, I would hardly know the games were on at all.

By limiting the freedom of companies to support the games, you're likewise slashing the exposure of the event. I understand the need to protect the copyright material that sponsors pay to be a part of, but I can't for the life of me understand the smack-down on the creative campaigns non-sponsors have used to fuel interest in the games. It's fine to remind people who the official sponsors are, but it's a terrible idea to bad mouth campaigns that are driving people's passion for 2010.

It all comes down to one thing - if people catch the fever, everyone wins. If they don't, it's the big sponsors with the most to lose.

In 1985, Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia company began producing authentically reproduced baseball jerseys from iconic teams like the Yankees and Phillies. After being mentioned in Sports Illustrated in 1987, the company quit producing other lines of apparel, and threw all of their resources behind producing authentic retro jerseys. By 2002 M&N had the license for each of the four major sports, the same year sales crested $25 million dollars.

They were not alone; over the past decade numerous companies have cashed in on the retro craze, with everything from Pacman, to the VW Bug, to swing music, to Pepsi getting a rebirth in retro form. The nostalgia craze is as strong today as it was 10 years ago.

Rumours of its death...
But, as early as 2003, manufacturers and retailers were impatiently waiting for the fad to die out. They were convinced that consumers would tire of the vintage trend, and would cry out for innovative and new products. Obviously the push for nostalgia is as strong as ever, so the question is - why didn't it die?

Did We Invent Retro?
The first thing to consider is that "retro" is really a creation of Gen Y (and maybe a little bit of Gen X). My parents version of nostalgia is going to an old car show, or watching an old movie - they certainly don't buy Aquanet or Lifebuoy for kicks.

Why is it so Popular Now?
My theory is that our generation eats up nostalgia because we're the first generation to have our so-carefully-preserved memories at our fingertips. The on-demand nature of the Internet allows us to instantly relive any moment we want.

Want to see the Fonz jump the shark again? Search YouTube.
Want to watch an old episode of Fraggle Rock? Try Hulu.
Want to play old Nintendo games? Nintendo8.com.
Can't remember who played the French Canadian goalie in Youngblood? It'll be on Wikipedia (for the record, it was Keanu Reeves).

Corporations took note of our continued fascination with the media of our youth, and they have responded by releasing products designed exclusively to put that nostalgic smile on our face.

My point? This trend is not going to die. As long as the Internet and other on-demand mediums allow us to experience happy memories of our youth, we're going to continue to buy products that bring us back.

(credit Kym MacFarlane at http://kraftykym.blogspot.com for the top image)

The Nexus of Information
The launch of the Google Nexus One phone was met with a flurry of interest and blogs galore. Of course, being Canadian I'm deprived the pleasure of actually purchasing a Nexus, but I wanted to join in the anticipatory fun myself, so I followed the comings and goings with vicarious excitement.

One of the most interesting things about the Nexus is its focus on search as the primary reason for owning the phone. On the face of it this makes sense - who hasn't been wandering around town looking for a good bar and wishing Google was at our fingertips. But what makes the Nexus so fascinating is that it's proceeding in almost a completely different direction from most other phone companies.

Social Media Uber Alles
Many cell phone providers are currently going to extraordinary lengths to demonstrate how great their phones are at social networking. Blackberry has done everything but ship friendship bracelets with their new phones trying to convince us that they are perfect for social media. HTC wants everyone to know that they're the John Turturro of phones; they can change to suit any role we need, including the fun, friendly, social, phone (a little like Turturro as Pino in Do the Right Thing, only the exact opposite).

None of these phones focus on the benefit/utility of search, and instead only want to tell us how sweet they handle Twitter. In my opinion, that's only half the story.

The Coming Web-pocalypse
The tracts taken by the phone companies are only a microcosm of what I think will soon become a major issue on the Web. Currently, search engines are not really tailored to a social experience, and vice versa. If I want to know a great Italian restaurant, I can either:

- Search Google for local eateries
- Make a post on Facebook asking for others opinions

Both give me relevant, useful info, but imagine how much more powerful the results could be if I received search results that included what my friends' opinions were? What if the site indexed my friends' reviews of movies or games and included them when I searched? In other words, what if the search engine knew more about me and my life in order produce more useful results?

It Has Already Begun
So who will be first to try and combine everything into one place? Will a social media company like Facebook start trying to index the web (probably through a buy-out of another search engine)? Or will Google release a social networking app that combines all our various social media tools with their already powerful engine? We know Google is already indexing Tweets, how long before they pull Tweets from your followers into the search results?

For me, this is not an if proposition, but a when. What will be the most interesting thing to watch is what people value more - what their friends have to say, or impartial information gleaned through their own research. If past history tells us anything, it might just be the former.

If you take one thing from my blog today, it's this: give Twitter a shot - you'll like it.

Although it's becoming less common, I still have friends and colleagues express surprise that I use and enjoy Twitter. To a lot of people, Twitter's sole purpose is to let you know when your friends are taking their dogs for a walk (or, perhaps, when Ashton Kutcher is taking his dog for a walk); it's only there to allow the communication of inane updates from friends.

Get Creative with Twitter
The truth is, Twitter allows you to do far more than that, and many people (and organizations) are exploring new ways to utilize it. For example, the Hyatt chain of hotels is using it to allow guests to instantly communicate to customer service staff; if you need a quick answer to a question, the Hyatt doesn't give you a phone number, or even an email address, they point you to a Twitter account. Not only does this make for a great experience (guests get their queries answered instantly), but it also makes communication more efficient thanks to Twitter's 140 character limit.

Personally, I use Twitter as a news delivery service. As someone in the marketing business, there is a ton of news to stay on top of everyday, and it's nearly impossible to weed out the useful from the banal. Up until Twitter, the accepted methods for discovering content were to bookmark and visit a bunch of sites, subscribe to Google Alerts, or utilize an RSS reader. Each had its own drawbacks, and were not really perfect solutions. Now, I use Twitter as a filter to deliver content that is relevant to me, and it's worked marvelously.

Twitter as a Content Finder
Imagine you're in the magazine aisle at your local bookstore. There's hundreds of titles, and it would take forever to leaf through them all. But, standing in the aisle, there are a bunch of people; some of them are your friends, some might be famous people, others might be industry experts whose opinions you admire. Each of them are holding magazines or newspapers, open to articles they found really insightful, and they're telling you why they liked them.

Instead of having to leaf through a bunch of rags to find good articles, now you can pick and choose pieces your friends are recommending. In some cases, they might even be communicating the actual facts themselves, which saves you from ever reading the whole thing.

This is essentially my Twitter - the people I follow bring me relevant content that I can either choose to ignore, or read. Based completely on anecdotal evidence, I think more and more people are starting to use Twitter in this way, as they learn it's not all about micro-blogging your every move.

See Twitter with an Open Mind
That's how I use Twitter, but my overall point is merely that anti-Twitterists really need to open their mind to how they could be using it, as opposed to how some people currently use it. Social media is meant to be played with and shaped - don't be afraid to create something new out of it.

Want to follow Studiothink and the content we share? Find us at http://twitter.com/TeamStudiothink.

If you've seen the front cover of the Vancouver Province today, you know that one of my favorite brands, Lululemon, is having a battle with the organizers of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics (VANOC) over their new line of clothing. Actually, not so much a battle as a very public scolding for coming too close to infringing on the 2010 Olympic trademark rules...but not quite.

Their new line of clothing, cleverly called "Cool Sporting Event That Takes Place in British Columbia Between 2009 & 2011 Edition" does not technically infringe on the Olympic brand, however the right to market 2010 merchandise is an exclusive right only for game sponsors, and VANOC doesn't approve of being teased to the edge of their very expensive copyright.

So, the question is, has Lululemon made a fatal marketing mistake, or found a genius way to capitalize on a piece of the 2010 Olympic marketing pie?

I had a look at the clothing line, and to tell you the truth, it doesn't look anything like Olympic wear, what it looks like, is, well, patriotic wear. A quote from Bill Cooper, VANOC's director of commercial rights management says, "Just because an advertiser finds a creative way to avoid direct use of recognizable brand elements doesn't necessarily in and of itself mean that they have avoided building an unauthorized commercial association with the Games." (insert my groan and eyeroll here).

Isn't finding creative advertising solution what marketing is? Isn't this what we want creative, successful Canadian companies to do? What do you think? Has Lulemon crossed the boundaries of our polite Canadian manners, or just found a really creative way to sell their stuff? I'd love to hear your opinions!

p.s. please add "Cool Sporting Event That Takes Place in British Columbia Between 2009 & 2011 Edition" to my Christmas list.

Try to remember, when was the last time you clicked on a web banner ad? In the last few months? In the last year? If it's been a while, don't feel bad. A recent study by ComScore and Starcom shows that the number of people online who click display ads has dropped 50% in less than two years and, what's more, only 8% of internet users account for 85% of all clicks.

It seems the days when flashy animated banners would successfully lure browsers to websites are officially over, and banner ad click-through rates have become useless. Does that mean it's the end of the banner ad?

Not at all. We simply need to change our perspective. While click-through rates of banner ads have dropped significantly (and those who do click seem to be primarily lower-income young adults), banner ads can still successfully deliver your branding and its message, and are still a strong component of our online marketing strategy. ComScore found that online users exposed to a particular brand's display ads conduct more searches on that brand's name, and there seems to be strong correlation between banner ads, higher interaction times on brand sites and better-performing paid search.

Don't start an online advertising campaign with clicks as the main goal, otherwise the data suggests that you'll be sorely disappointed. Instead, figure out how display ads fit into your larger marketing plan. Focus on building your brand awareness, or sending a particular message rather than enticing others to visit your site.

Okay, so you've signed up for Google Analytics, and now you can see exactly how many people visit your site everyday. If you read my previous blog, you can also analyse your bounce and exit rates (if you missed that post, you can read it here).

But, sheer numbers aren't everything. Sure, lots of people have looked at your site, but what are they looking at? It's vitally important to consider where users are going for two reasons:

#1: The pages users are most interested in (i.e. the pages they hit first) could give you insights in how to market to them better.
#2: Users could be bypassing content you consider important, which might point to an error in your site design.

How Do I Follow Users?
Thankfully, Google has been thoughtful enough to give us the tools to track how visitors navigate through websites. This great information is accessible in the Content directory, cleverly labelled "Navigation Analysis". There are two options to choose from, but we're only interested in the navigation summary.

Clicking navigation summary brings up a rather confusing looking screen, but what it's really telling you is how users came to this page, and where they went after. By default Google will display the index (home) page, but you can change which page you're looking at by using the drop down menu beside "content".

What Do I Look For?
The Navigation Summary tells you how many people looked at the site, but this isn't the vital portion of the page; instead we want to pay attention to the data underneath.

Entrances
This gives you the percentage of users who entered your entire site from this page. It's normal for the entrance % on your homepage to be quite high, as most people will enter a site from the index. You might also see high numbers on other pages like a blog, or news - its not always a bad thing to see. However, if your home page has a low entrances figure, but another page has a higher number, it could point to poor SEO , or poor home page design.

Previous Pages
This shows you where users were right before they landed on this page (presuming they didn't enter the site as above). I use this metric to ensure that users are travelling through our site as we designed. For example, if I had installation instructions for a product on my site, I would want to make sure that most of the people on the "step 3" page were coming from the "step 2" page.

Exits
As discussed in my last blog; exits tell you how many users left the site from this page. Generally, a high number here is a bad thing, unless it's at the logical "end" of your site (the contact page, for example).

Next Pages
The counterpart to previous pages, this will tell you were users went after visiting the current page. This is particularly relevant on the home page, as it shows you exactly where users tend to go once they arrive on your site - critical information if you're trying to guide users to certain pages off the index.

From here, it's just a matter of playing around, analyzing percentages, and massaging the data. You can learn all kinds of weird and wonderful things about your users, but be warned - it might not all be good news. Be prepared to take steps to improve the browsing experience, and you'll be better off in the long run.

Back in the olden days of marketing (circa. 1995), product placement was seen as a clever, ingenious method of non-invasive advertising. Today, our more advanced minds have begun to tune out product placement, and in some cases even detest it (I blame the Thomas Crown Affair)

"hey guys, I know we're having a conversation here, but excuse me while I down this whole can of delicious, refreshing, Pepsi One"

But, I argue that product placement does still have a role in marketing, as long as it's in an immersive role, as opposed to a starring role (seriously, did Pepsi One get an "and" credit in that movie?).

What's the difference? Immersive ads should be a seamless part of the environment. They shouldn't stand out, they shouldn't be noted, and they definitely shouldn't play any part of the plot (I'm looking at you, I, Robot). If they're part of the natural background of a scene, perfect. If it looks out of place or purposely placed there, that's bad.

What's Right and What's Wrong
Here's some examples of good, and bad placement.

First, here's good placement, from Activision's Playstation 3 game "Prototype":

What make it work? First of all, it's relevant - gamers are probably also comic book fans, so it's potentially content they'd be interested in. Second, it's just environmental. There's billboards in every city, so it actually improves the reality of the game by adding to the cityscape. And third, they're not obnoxious. It's not as though the game forces you to stare at them, they're just there to add a little character.

Now, here's bad ad placement, from EA's "Fight Night Round 4":

This screen is supposed to show you how you did in the previous round. Instead, you're treated to a jarring ad for "Bronson" (whatever that is). That's not even the worst of it - during the fight, a giant image of the ad actually takes over the center of the ring, so you end up playing on top of it. This does nothing to add to the atmosphere of a big championship fight; instead it turns an enjoyable game into an ad delivery vehicle - EA, we paid for gaming, not ads.

Deliver relevant content as a part of seamless environment, and gamers are much more likely to accept ads. In an age where the younger generation is getting harder and harder to reach, this is a relatively simple method of garnering impressions.

Courtesy of a Tweet from @vedrashko, I bring you one of the coolest billboards I've seen in a long time. Outdoor advertising is a dying art and more creativity/fresh-thinking like this is needed to save it from the scrap heap of advertising (where it will join pop-up ads, animated gif banners, and drive-in movie theater intermission jingles).

"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade". Trite? Yes. Cliche? Yes. Delicious? Also yes. This phrase, repeated by business professors and mothers everywhere, definitely falls in the "easier said than done" category. Ask anyone who has backed their parent's car into a lamp post - kind of hard to find the lemonade in that one.

But, the overarching lesson is to always look for ways to find a positive outcome in any potentially negative event. Here's a couple of great case studies that illustrate how this can actually happen, if you combine your marketing acumen with a little old-fashioned creative thinking.

RBK Snake Grip

In 2004 Reebok launched their new line of hockey equipment, including the cash-cow of any equipment manufacturer - one-piece composite sticks. One of the highly touted features of their new sticks was the innovative "snake grip" texture; a series of tactile lines that allowed players to better grip their sticks.

Was the snake grip a brilliant technical innovation? Hardly; it was actually the result of a manufacturing defect. The story goes that the development team had a batch of test sticks made up to show the marketing department, but there was an error in the process that caused raised lines to form. They told the marketers not worry about the defect, and that it would get worked out in the next run. The marketing team stepped in and said forget it, we can sell this, and snake grip was born.

Vulcanized Rubber

Charles Goodyear struggled most of his adult life to simply stay out of debtors prison. His children survived by begging for food from farmers, while their father worked days and nights trying to perfect the process of making temperature stable rubber.

After many fruitless experiments, Goodyear was stumped. One day, after another experiment went awry, he set down his concoction on a hot stove. Soon flames and the acrid smell of burning rubber conspired to make his day even worse, that is until he inspected the burning specimen. Turns out, his original formula combined with the heat served to cure the rubber, thus making it temperature stable. Vulcanized rubber was born, and Goodyear's kids could finally eat whenever they wanted.

Post-it Notes

Probably the granddaddy of all mistaken-successes, the iconic Post-It note. In 1970, 3M employee Spencer Silver was charged with making adhesives. Obviously the point of adhesives is to create something sticky and strong, so when Silver came up with a glue that was actually less sticky than his other attempts, he didn't exactly know what to do with it.

And so the glue sat for four years, until another 3M employee, Arthur Fry, started looking for a solution to his hymn book problem. Mr. Fry used a bookmark to keep the correct place in his hymn book, but the damn thing kept falling out. He remembered Silver's glue, and found that it would allow him to move the bookmark around the book with out damaging the pages. In 1980, Post-Its hit the world, and desk tops have never the same since.

Hopefully these stories inspire you to do something great, even if your Monday has started out a little rough.

Pinch-hitting for the design team today since they're all tied up with major projects; hopefully I can be just as entertaining as them. The topic for today was actually given to me by Dave, so don't worry - I'm not going to ruin the design blog with my marketing brain. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy it so much I'll make like David Caruso and leave my successful marketing career for a life as graphic designer (although, I'm sure I'd have as much success in my new career as Caruso did in his film career. Anyone remember Jade? Anyone?).

We've been talking a lot in the office the last few weeks about left-brain and right-brain thinkers, and how to communicate with both. Specifically, how difficult it is to translate right brain concepts (numbers, figures) into something that is easily digestible for the general public.

One growing trend is to throw out the antiquated bar graph/line graph/pie chart mentality, and start approaching data design with an eye for creativity. Better, more attractively designed graphs lead to better retention and comprehension. If you're communicating something important, try to do it in a way that is attention grabbing and memorable, and no, pie charts won't cut it (even if they're 3D).

Because we think this is such a cool step forward, we wanted to highlight some of the amazing work we've seen done lately. If you have any favourite examples, feel free to share them with us in the comments section.

Gaming websites have been abuzz the last week or so with news that Mickey Mouse is undergoing a rebranding for the new video game "Epic Mickey". The story really picked up steam when the New York Times covered the news, including this comment from game Creative Director Warren Spector "I wanted him to be able to be naughty — when you’re playing as Mickey you can misbehave and even be a little selfish."

The thinking behind this new edgier Mickey is that kids today can't identify with the squeaky clean persona he has cultivated for 80 years. Disney feels that young audiences want an irreverent, punchier mouse, who's not afraid to be bad when necessary.

Kids Want To Play
Here's my take: I think Disney has misjudged what their audience is looking for. Their hypothesis is that users want to be able to create and control a "bad" Mickey. I think the reason MM has lost his relevance is that he doesn't "do" anything at all.

It's true that kids today don't want pure-as-driven-snow characters, but they do want some sort of interactivity. What does Mickey do when he needs to battle a bad guy? Right now, I can only assume he whistles and perhaps sics his slobbery dog on them. Young gamers want more than that - they want play.

Look at Pikachu, Japan's equivalent to Mickey who took North America by storm. Pikachu is a character who has specific powers, and fights against other "bad" Pokemon. He is stubborn and feisty, but also honourable and brave. The creators of Pikachu knew that kids wanted an interesting character that had "negative" traits, but also one that involved gamers in dramatic battles and heroic quests.

Does He Do Anything?
This, I think, is where Disney needs to focus their attention; kids don't want edgy, they want interactive. Pikachu isn't an absorbing game experience because he's edgy, it's because he fights! He has powers! He's good at things! What does Mr. Mouse do? He wears funny pants.

The trick for Disney is not to find ways for Mickey to be edgier, but to finds ways to make him more interesting to interact with. Give him magic, or powers, or make him good with gadgets - life as an anthropomorphic mouse is just not engaging enough for today's young gamers.

This is an important lesson for any firm attempting to rebrand - don't just think of how your customers will view your company, examine how they will interact with your company. If you make yourself interesting and fun to do business with, people will come back.

You heard right - trade shows are a complete waste of time. That is, unless you're putting in the time and effort to make them worthwhile. I've collected below all the advice I usually give to Studiothink's clients so that hopefully you too can improve your show performance.

Booth? What Booth
First, lets state the obvious: a crappy booth is worse than no booth at all. If you're not willing to get a proper design done, then don't spend money printing the thing. Trust me, attendees will notice the difference.

Second, it's not all about floor space. One of my favourite tricks is to rent slightly smaller floor space, then use the extra budget to book a suite in a nearby hotel. Treat that suite like a VIP area where you can wine & dine prestigious clients and valuable prospects. Your clients would much rather have the food and drink than another 100 square feet of booth space.

Pre-show Planning
It's not enough to get a booth, prop your new product on a table, and wait for the prospects to roll in - you need to take steps to drive traffic. Unless you're Apple or Microsoft at CES, your customers aren't likely to show up en masse to learn about your latest products.

Invitations work great, but an even better device is a VIP pass (see example above). Create a special VIP pass and mail it to key prospects, promising private product demos, giveaways, and drinks & food in a suite. Not only does this bring warm leads to your booth, it adds an air of exclusivity to everything.

On the Show Floor
On the floor, don't try to be Mr./Ms. Social Butterfly - focus on the best prospects and shoo off the freeloaders. You've spent thousands to attend this show and you don't owe anything to some schlub who's trying to weasel a free pen out of you. Develop a polite brush-off tactic so your time isn't monopolized; slip them a business card, give them a cheap giveaway item, and invite them to check out your website for more information.

The Follow-up
A successful show doesn't end when you pack up your booth, you need to employ some follow-up techniques. First, let your leads know you'll be contacting them after the show - if they know you're calling they're less likely to try and dodge you.

Second, utilize a follow up marketing piece (HTML emails work great for this). A simple "thanks for stopping by" with a reminder of your pitch is all it takes. Build on the email campaign with a follow up phone call, and all of sudden your foot is in the door.

Finally, your follow-up must be prompt. If you try to call someone from the show two weeks after you return, you'll just waste time. Make it a priority, not a chore.

The Key To Success
The best piece of marketing advice I can leave you with is to ensure that you have an actual strategy in place for trade shows. Don't just go the same shows you've always gone to, know why you're going to those shows. Don't just hang out your shingle and expect to have a good show, you need to be proactive to get the most out of your time. Know what you're doing and why you're doing it, and you'll find your shows will become much more worthwhile.

It might be Marketing 101, but I meet a lot of business people who forget this critical rule - always sell to your competitive advantage. Your CA is an invaluable tool not only to move your products, but also to stave off competitors.

I hear all too often "our product is a commodity, and there's nothing we can put in our marketing mix that will make us stand out." That's one of the biggest cop-outs in the history of business - if I ask you what makes your product and your company better than anyone else, you need to have an answer, otherwise you're just wasting your marketing budget.

Sure, your product might be something simplistic, and 1000 other manufacturers might make the same thing, but it's absolutely critical for you to identify what makes your company, and therefore your products, unique.

What do you do better than anyone else? Turnaround times? Then market yourself as the fastest manufacturer in the world, dedicated to meeting tight time lines. Do you offer a wider product line than the competition? Market yourself as the company with the most selection (so why shop anywhere else?). More efficient manufacturing process? Then you're the most affordable, least wasteful company in the industry.

It doesn't matter what you're selling; even if it's toothpicks, you should be able to find something that makes you stand out. Once you've identified this, figure out how you're going to spin it to your market, and all of a sudden people will start to identify your commodity product with something they want (time, savings, selection, etc.) One toothpick might look just like another, but customers will want the one that gives them value. Make sure they see the value in you.

(image courtesy of Rupert Ganzer)

Often we come across companies who absolutely refuse to change their logo. Even if their cousin Fred scribbled the logo on a cocktail napkin in 1974, they feel deeply attached and committed to that logo. And rightly so, a logo is the frontman of marketing, it gets all the glory, and proudly shows itself on signage, letterhead, hats, cars and even the occasional tattoo (I'm still waiting for someone to get a Studiothink tattoo).

As a branding company, we sometimes cringe at the logos we get from clients. A client will want a brand new, cutting edge website that will bring them up to date, and yet want to keep their outdated logo. And really, I can't blame them. In a recent refresh of our own Studiothink logo, I found myself torn and deeply attached to a logo we have had for the past 12 years. I hesitated (for only a few agonizing seconds), pondering on whether it should be changed at all. In the end, my marketing brain got the best of me, and I knew without a doubt that we would be hypocrites not to move with the times.

We aren't the only ones that modify their logos to keep current, it's been done for years by the corporate giants. They too realize the importance of keeping a logo fresh and current. They may retain elements of their old logo to avoid confusing the consumer (as we did as well), but they don't bury their head in the sand and hope for the best, they are proactive in making sure their logo reflects the time period and what is popular in the marketplace.

So my challenge to you is—if Pepsi, Apple, Nike, Starbucks, and even Studiothink can do it, you can too. Discover the secret they have known all along—a logo update is a great way to show your customers that you embrace change, and will be able to adapt to consumer needs and trends. As I discovered, the decision to do it only hurts for the first few seconds—before excitement sets in.

It's supposed to be one of the cold hard truths of marketing - sex sells. Need to move some beer, jeans, burgers, or snacks? Just put the product next to some sexy chicks and take a few photos - the ad copy will write itself.

Stay Classy, George
That was obviously the plan with the latest ad for Octane Energy Drink. Have an NHL'er play road hockey with some models, and get ready to fill orders:

The only problem? The NHL has a slight issue selling sex, caffeine, and alcohol to a family-friendly audience. After some apologies from Mssr. Lararque, the ads were pulled and online banners were taken down. But, Octane sales won't even miss a beat, and it won't be sex that sells them.

Sex Doesn't Sell
Sex isn't going to move a single can of Octane. In fact, had George just been an actor instead of hockey player, Octane might be totally forgotten. That's because sex appeal on its own doesn't sell.

Noted branding expert Martin Lindstrom set out to study this, along with some other common marketing misconceptions, in his book Buyology. Martin hooked a bunch of consumers up to complicated neuroscanning devices, to get a close look at how exactly their brains reacted when shown a number of ads.

Guess what? Sex didn't trigger any kind of buying impulse in the area of the brain that controls purchases. Asked later to recall the ads they were shown, there was incredibly poor recall of the sexy brands, and average recall for plain vanilla ads. The sex appeal of the ads actually interfered with the messaging.

So What Sells?
If sex doesn't sell, why does Octane (amongst others like Calvin Klein, Candies etc.) find success using it? Because, as Martin points out, controversy does sell.

I could list probably 5-6 energy drinks off the top of my head, out of the seemingly hundreds that are out there. Each one has its own reason for being memorable:
- Redbull (the market pioneer)
- Amp (because they're backed by PepsiCo's big marketing dollars)
- Cocaine (due to the controversy over their name)
- Octane (thanks to the controversy over the sexy ad)
- Beaver Buzz (a shout out because I'm a sucker for Canadian-centric marketing)

Both Redbull and Amp had to spend millions to get the brand recognition they've received. Cocaine and Octane only had to introduce a little controversy to get the same top-of-mind awareness.

The lesson here is that sex doesn't move product - marketing strategy moves product. Putting a sexy guy/girl in your ad won't help your sales, but a strategic dose of controversy might. As always, it's how you use the marketing tools available that will dictate your success.

Sitting around the table eating turkey with my family last night, I observed first hand how Baby Boomers look at the internet in a completely different way than Generation Y. My Dad, a true blue baby boomer, was mentioning that a friend was looking for some word processing software, and wanted to know if I could suggest a good program. I brought up Google Docs, the free online application that allows you to create, share, edit, and print documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

"Well, how much does that cost?" he asked.

"Nothing, it's totally free" I replied.

Dad shot me the "what kind of scam are you pulling me into?" look, and said "well, he needs something really user friendly, so I don't think a website will work" and that effectively ended my involvement.

As I shook my head solemnly toward my potatoes, I couldn't help but be reminded of how differently boomers (and even Gen Xers) view the internet.

The Baby Boomer's Internet
To the boomers, the Internet is a scary place. Hackers are around every corner waiting to steal your identity, or perhaps erase you from every government database known to man. What pages are safe exist primarily for research purposes. Trip Advisor is a great site for planning your trip, but forget using Travelocity to actually book the trip - they'll march down to the travel agent for that.

Gen Y's Internet
To my generation, the web is more than just a giant Michelin guide. We want to utilize the internet as a tool; we don't want to view pages, we want to use pages. Whether it's to interact with friends, do business, purchase items, or be entertained, we're not there to read, we want to do!

For example, at Studiothink, we use www.toggl.com to track all of our time. Sure we could probably buy time tracking software, but who really wants to worry about upgrades, compatibility, replacement cost and the rest of that noise? Instead, our employees can access the application from any web browser, and since every gadget we own has a web browser, connecting is never a problem.

What Does This Mean for Me?
That depends - do you know who your customers are? If you're targeting boomers, you need to understand their fear of the internet, and their distrust of anything online. They don't want forms and ecommerce - they want a phone number so they can call in their order. Gen Y? You better hope your website has some sort of interactivity, because if we can't watch/share/play/or buy it, then we're not interested. Give us value and we'll even pay for the privilege of accessing your site.

Take a look at your site and ask yourself, "is my content tailored to my audience?" Because if not, you probably need to rethink your web strategy.

Need a visual example? Here's the perfect combination of how boomers see the web (a series of tubes) and how Gen Yers use it (youtube):

"Google Ana-whatta?" If that was your initial reaction to the blog title, then you need to read this.

Google Analytics is the premier program for tracking and analyzing traffic on your website, bar none. If you're not using analytics to understand how users are navigating through your site, how they're finding your site, or where they go when they leave, then you could be losing out on hundreds of leads.

Adding Google Analytics is a simple process - if you're interested in using it on your site simply contact us and we'll walk you through the process.

Tip of the Day
Today's blog is directed towads people who already know and love their Analytics. It's a simple tip for understanding your "Bounce Rate" and "Exit Rate". While they might sound the same, they actually refer to completely different metrics.

Bounce Rate really only applies to your homepage (or in some cases Pay-Per-Click landing pages). The bounce rate lets you know how many people visit your homepage and then leave without clicking on anything else. In other words, they see your homepage, but they don't see anything they like, so they hit the back button and leave.

The Exit Rate can apply to any page on your site. A page's exit rate is the percentage of visitors who left after viewing that specific page. If I visit your homepage, then click on products, and then go to directly to another site after that, then I would be adding to the product page's exit rate.

What Does It All Mean?
The information you can get from both rates can be really helpful in analyzing users' behaviour on your site. Obviously no one wants a high bounce rate because it means visitors aren't even bothering to learn more about you. What are the reasons for a high bounce rate? It could be you're not communicating appropriate, relevant, eye-catching information on the homepage. Or, it could be that your navigation isn't easy to find, and people just get frustrated and leave. Whatever the reason, it's critical that you take steps to improve the browsing experience to lower your bounce rate.

This becomes particularly important if you're paying for SEO or Adwords - you're literally paying for every hit on your home page, and the only way to get your ROI back on those visits is to ensure that people use the site as you intended. You wouldn't use advertising to drive people to your showroom and then not keep it clean and easy to shop - your website should be the same way.

A high exit rate is not always a bad thing, depending on which page people are exiting from. For example, if you have a contact form and you find that most people are exiting the site from that page, then it's probably okay - people are likely just getting your email/phone number, and then leaving the site. But, if the main exit page is a seemingly critical page (like a product or service page) then it probably makes sense to do some research to find out why people aren't continuing onto the rest of the site.

There's a lot more information Google Analytics can tell you and in future Blogs I'll be sharing other useful tips to help you get the most from your Analytics results.

Have questions, or want to talk Analytics? Leave a comment below and we'll respond to you!

One of the most fascinating concepts I learned at Kwantlen was the 80/20 rule. Basically, the 80/20 rules states that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers (and vice versa). It's not a hard and fast rule, but anecdotal evidence combined with some actual formal studies have shown that it's true more often than not. Our experience at STUDIOTHINK seems to follow this pattern as well.

How can you apply this rule for the benefit of your business? Well for one thing, it's just common sense to identify your 20%. If you're not sure who your core repeat customers are, then it's vital to identify them. Once you know who they are (and what they buy) it becomes easier to identify prime targets for growth.

But, one of the best ways to use this knowledge to fuel your company's success is to create product evangelists. The term borrows from religious evangelists, those spiritual enthusiasts who get fulfillment by spreading the good word. Consumers can be evangelists in their own way, broadcasting to their friends and family about products they've used and love. This is the root of generating buzz and word of mouth advertising.

Think of your own life - do you have friends that are quick to recommend new products, or like nothing better than to wax poetic about purchase they've made? In my small circle of friends, we're always swapping info about new gadgets we've tried, movies we've seen, or websites we're visiting. This type of product evangelism occurs all across the world, and in many cases this is how a small phenomenon grows into the mainstream.

Okay, so you know evangelists are out there, and you know they're valuable - how do you capitalize on them? First of all, make information about your company and products easy to share. Let your consumers connect through social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, even YouTube. You may consider hosting a message board, where users can communicate back and forth. A blog like this one may also be a great way to talk directly to your core customers.

Let's examine two major corporations, and how they encourage evangelism about their product. The NFL drives its marketing directly to their core audience. Whether it's supporting tailgating and fan parties, or setting up favourable league policies for small market teams so those with historic backgrounds can thrive, the NFL wants its core fans to be loud and proud, and share those experiences with others.

Contrast that with the NHL, who's marketing strategy for over a decade has been to pander to the "casual fan". The NFL's marketing says "hey fan, support your team with gear and apparel, get your family involved, and show your team pride everywhere". The NHL says "hey guy who knows nothing about hockey - come give us a try!". Can you see the obvious benefit to the NFL's strategy? Their core fans actually work to grow the game for free, by bringing their family and friends together in support of their team, thereby reaching more people with less dollars. The NHL tries to find those non-core customers, but ends up with a less efficient "shotgun" approach.

Just look at the way each league handles its Fantasy Sports offerings. The NFL hosts blogs, articles, games, and inside information for its Fantasy Sports players. The NHL doesn't host anything, and relies on Yahoo! to host their Fantasy Hockey game. Fantasy Sports is an ever-growing market, filled with the most dedicated fans possible, and the NHL can't even be bothered to talk to them. You only have to look at each league's revenues to see which strategy is paying off:

NFL 2008 Season Revenues = 6 billion dollars (not including media contracts)
NHL 2008 Season Revenues = 2.4 billion dollars (not including media contracts)

The numbers speak for themselves. The lesson here? Support your core customers, and they'll bring you more business than you could ever hope to reach on your own.

PS For those who are interested, here's my Fantasy Hockey team for this year; let me know what you think my chances are:

C - Sidney Crosby
C - Marc Savard
C - Michael Frolik
LW - Dany Heatley
LW - Vaclav Prospal
LW - Sergei Samsonov
RW - Alexei Kovalev
RW - Bryan Little
RW - Peter Mueller
D - Brian Campbell
D - Tomas Kaberle
D - Ryan Whitney
D - Tobias Enstrom
G - Pekka Rinne
G - Ryan Miller

As part of my work experience, I've been involved in companies where the sales and marketing departments had a bit of rough relationship. Basically, the sales guys never really saw the value in marketing and graphic design - the common sentiment was "why bother with making the product look pretty, customers don't care about that stuff".

To some degree that is true, but what those old sales hands failed to consider was that with the right marketing and design, sometimes the look and feel of product can become a selling feature.

Take, for example, music sales. 20 years ago, customers bought music by browsing through store shelves and leafing through album covers (some of our favourites are featured up top). But today, with the advent of file sharing and iTunes, music stores (and therefore, record companies) are having problems generating sales at the retail level.

Some companies have addressed this problem by producing top-notch, stand-out packaging. Collectible album artwork, fold out posters, and exclusive "making-of" DVDs can work to draw customers into the store to get these innovative extras.

A prime example is Metallica's latest album, Death Magnetic. The band hired design giant Turner Duckworth, who created physical CD packaging and liner notes that were so outstanding they won a Grammy for Best Recording Package.

Did it work? 1.8 million physical albums sold makes a pretty convincing argument.

After 10 years in the marketing and graphic design business, we've had the opportunity to create a number of logos for companies across the Lower Mainland. But, despite a portfolio of great logo designs, we still hear random and bizarre excuses from business owners as to why "they don't need a new logo".

One classic we hear is the gem "our customers know us by this logo, and if we change it then we'll lose our reputation in the industry". This is sort of like saying "I can't get rid of my Jheri curls, because then all my friends won't recognize me anymore". Trust us, it's okay to get rid of the greasy pseudo-mullet, and likewise you may want to trade in that Members Only jacket.

Even if your current customers know your logo, what about new customers? It could definitely be a concern if you're trying to convert new prospects with a logo on your product that looks like it belongs on the side of the A-team van. Your branding is one of the first things a potential customer sees about you, and like it or not, first impressions count.

Plus, your logo is only a part of your overall brand. Yes customers will recognize your logo, but they probably know you better for other things, like great customer service, or a quality product, or even the enjoyable relationship they have with you. In other words, you can change your logo and find that people still know and love your product or service for other, better reasons.

Need a real-world example? Hang on - tenuous analogy coming up.

In 2006, the rock band* Journey needed a new lead singer, which of course is always difficult since they are the face of the whole group, and usually the most well-known piece. So who did they hire? Another All-American rock star with teen-idol looks and a flowing ponytail? No, they hired Arnel Pineda, a Filipino lounge singer. Pretty major change, right? But somehow, despite the upheaval to the band's look, Journey's fans found that the music still rocked** as hard, and Arnel & co. have experienced a resurgence in popularity, thanks to the injection of new life.

Don't believe you can change your logo and be better than ever? Trust Journey:

*Perhaps the loosest definition of the term ever
**Definitely the loosest definition ever

We thought we'd try offering a promotion (for the first time ever), and for a limited time we are including all of the copywriting when you purchase the graphic design of a brochure. Or, if you purchase a logo design, we are throwing in free design of the business card, letterhead and envelope.

If you are interested in taking advantage of either of these two promotions, just let us know by contacting Debbie at debbie@studiothink.com. As with all good things, this is a limited time offer, so get in on it while you can!