By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry
Hey Captains’ Readers,
Here’s your Hump Day Deal:
1. No Means Yes
I believe there’s an innate tendency in all of us to disobey our moms. Though we know what she tells us is probably valid, there’s still that urge to do the opposite. Rather than walking, we run. Rather than stopping, we go. And rather than not jumping down an entire flight of stairs, we do and break our ankles (sorry Mom). But now that we’re all grown up and in the business world, it’s finally time to start listening to mom and really hearing what she has to say. Why? Well, there are 26 million moms in the blogosphere and they account for $2 trillion in purchases. Are you listening yet? I thought so.
Avi Savar, CEO of Big Fuel Communications, wrote a post on AdRants about mommy bloggers and what brands are currently doing to get their attention, and money. To learn more about how to connect with moms, check out Savar’s post. And if you just can’t wait that long, here are his Top 10 Things to Remember When Targeting Moms:
1. Moms won’t be won over by push messages. Brands need to join the conversation.
2. Mom is looking for a relationship — a two-way dialogue that shows the brand is listening and responding.
3. Moms like transparency.
4. Moms don’t expect brands to be perfect, but they expect honesty.
5. Moms work best when you give them tools and knowledge and then turn them loose to customize and make them their own.
6. Moms like relevancy. Fill a need, answer questions, value her opinion, and then let her see action taken. And don’t forget to make buying fun.
7. Moms like you to get to the point. They’re busy, so be authentic, clear, and genuine. Otherwise, the response will be skepticism.
8. Moms love to be comfortable with decisions, and information is key to comfort. Make their homework easier.
9. Moms think pragmatically and emotionally. Brands need to cover both sides of the conversation.
10. Moms like stories. Social media is about communicating — telling a story — which is extremely different than selling.
2. Technology killed the video star
YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have changed more than just the advertising biz. In fact they’ve got the most famous divas in the music industry crawling on their hands and knees just to hang on to their mega-stardom—literally. In today’s Metro, a story titled “Girls Gone Wild” features a photo of Christina Aguilera, wife and mother, sporting a dominatrix getup while lapping up milk from a bowl on all fours. The picture is from her latest music video, “Not Myself Tonight.” Where’s this Lady Gaga-like behavior coming from? The music industry. It seems female artists are afraid if they don’t shock the hell out of people, fans aren’t going to bother watching their music videos, never mind actually purchasing their songs. Marketing strategist Rachel Weingarten explained, “What they’re trying to do is attract the audience that’s actually still buying electronics…and that’s the young guy demographic.” How to attract young guys? Show some skin and shake what your mama gave you. What a great message to send to young girls. Rather than resorting to exposing more of your assets than is already required with a record deal, why not think of this change in the music industry as an opportunity? Like advertisers, ladies, there’s a way to make Web 2.0 work for you that won’t bring you to your knees.
3. When it’s OK to have your mind in the gutter
If you’re a sucker for bathroom humor, you’ve come to the right place. In case you didn’t know, the Cannes Lions, an international advertising festival, challenged advertising creatives around the world to create and execute a YouTube video in 48 hours for WaterAid.org, an organization that improves access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. Well Dustin Sharp and Nick Kinney, a duo from Callahan Creek, took on the challenge and managed to create one uh, explosive piece. Check it out.
Until tomorrow,
Captain Lindsey
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