Continuing its impressive use of technology last week, the White House announced that the President’s Economic Report would be available for free download on electronic book readers:
“As part of White House’s commitment to make government more accessible, the Economic Report of the President is now available as an eBook for your Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble nook, Sony Reader and a number of other devices. We are always looking for ways to bring people closer to their government through new technology.”
“A first: Curl up by fire w/ the Economic Report of President on Kindle, nook, Sony Reader.”
This White House has done more to engage the public in its processes than any other before it: Twitter, blogging, Facebook, an iPhone app, and now books for ereaders. They have embraced this era of transparency and opened the doors for everyone to enter. Regardless of political affiliations or presidential popularity, the effort must be applauded.
Check me out in the Apple App Store - Ms. Adverthinker is now a free app for your iPhone. Created by MotherApp, a free service that creates apps for your blog, the Ms. Adverthinker app pulls in my blog feed, my YouTube posts and my Twitter feed. Never go without Ms. Adverthinker again.
Entrepreneurs must be a little more creative if they want to start a new business in a tough economy. As a result, we see more businesses fill niche needs. Enter Rent the Runway, a “Netflix model for haute couture” according to the New York Times:
“The mail-order service, which finishes the testing phase on Monday, allows women to rent dresses from notable fashion designers like Diane Von Furstenberg, Hervé Léger and Proenza Schouler for roughly one-tenth of what they would cost to buy in a retail store.
“The rentals run $50 to $200 for a four-night loan and are shipped directly to the customer’s doorstep. After wearing the dress, she puts it into a prepaid envelope and drops it in the mail. Dry cleaning is included in the price, but damage insurance costs $5, and in the case of outright destruction of the dress, the renter is responsible for the full retail price.”
This is pretty exciting. Granted, rental of dresses has been available for sometime. But local rental selections aren’t always the best and there is that whole physical shopping thing to deal with (I am almost exclusively an online shopper). An online rental that allows for easy returns is definitely a turn on.
The ladies who started this business are smart: they are only allowing for limited “membership” at this point. When you make something exclusive, not only do even more people want to participate, but it also assures that you can walk into a party and know that not everyone there will have seen and shopped the same dresses you did. As the business starts to take off and membership grows, I would like to see an ability to “register” your dress for the event to which you are wearing it, effectively blocking anyone else from renting that same style for the same event. I also hope that they will incorporate customer reviews of the dresses to help those on the fence as to a particular style decide (I love this feature on Zappos.com).
I signed up to be put on the waiting list for membership at Rent the Runway. Sigh.
Admittedly, I am an iPhone “worshiper,” but this latest news proves its capabilities can benefit brands, too. In mid-September, Pizza Hut released a kick-ass iPhone app that allowed customers to place orders through the app. As an added bonus, customers that placed orders through the app received 20% off the total price. To date, Pizza Hut has generated $1 million in sales through the app (according to Mashable). I have no idea how much Pizza Hut paid for the development of the app, but they seem to have gotten a return on their investment in both sales and cool points.
In a presentation that we gave on social media last week, someone asked, “what is the biggest mistake companies are making in the space right now?” Our response: “Not being in it.” Social media and mobile communications really go hand-in-hand as social media gets more social with constant improvements to mobile devices. Mobile applications–like those available for the iPhone–are the perfect channel for getting in front of customers. So many brands are just dipping their toe in social/mobile media, timidly trying it out. Brands should take a dive in and consider an investment in an iPhone app. Yes, there are 100,000 apps available in the app store, but many consumer brands aren’t there yet. Just being there will put you ahead of the competition in this social/mobile space (and don’t forget to put a little promotional support behind it; just putting it there will not guarantee it will be found by your customers). This is not a complete list, but some things to consider when developing an app for a brand, it should: (1) do something cool that others haven’t done yet (or do it in a different way; improve on what is already out there), (2) provide a clear benefit to the customer, not just benefit the brand (example: Pizza Hut offered 20% off orders placed through iPhone app), (3) be free (example: not like CNN), and (4) give the customer a reason to use the app over and over (hint: constantly update/improve the capabilities).
Check out a demonstration of the Pizza Hut iPhone app here:
What pizza brand doesn’t get it? Domino’s. Everyone remembers the embarrassing “food defiling” video post by Domino’s employees. It took Domino’s several days to respond, they signed up for a Twitter account to deal with the consumer response (note that they didn’t ALREADY have a Twitter account), and produced a stiff teleprompter-read video from their corporate office. In those same days, Pizza Hut put out an ad for a Twitern. Pizza Hut definitely gets both the digital and social space.
Social media sites are addicting. These sites allow us to peer into the lives of our friends without getting too involved. (Although sometimes it is like watching a soap opera and we begin to feel like we are part of our friends lives, without actually being part of their lives.) But the nature of social sites is to create conversation. So the problem with social media voyeurism is that we are expected to share back. We create community when we share. We learn about each other and keep in touch in ways that were never feasible in the past. I love to learn new and interesting things from my friends. I love to see how they spent the weekend or what their dog is doing. Social media expands my small university into a giant one and is usually a complete joy. I share a lot online: if I want you to know what I am doing, you will know - through Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr. And maybe a little Flickr, Posterous and Loopt every now and then. Do I share too much? I don’t know, maybe sometimes I do.
Social media can also be a burden; and this week I am feeling overwhelmed by my social media connectivity. Yes, I preach about the value connectivity and social media. Yes, my phones are practically connected to me and my computer is within reach 18 hours a day, on average. While I keep up with messages, I don’t always respond immediately, or at all. The reasons for this inaction vary. Sometimes I don’t feel like talking. Sometimes I don’t have anything to say. And, yes, sometimes I am with real people and feel like it might be rude to be glued to my device in their physical presence.
Then there are those times when you just want to unplug. It is hard to have “alone time” with the influx of social media. When I need “alone time,” social media becomes a burden. If you send me a text, email or chat conversation and I don’t respond, then just let it go and give me some space. If I haven’t posted in a while, then maybe I am feeling overexposed. Don’t attempt to make me feel guilty about my silence. Being quiet says a lot.
Dell decided to target women with a section within their website dedicated to their computer needs: Della. When the site originally launched, according to this NY Times blog entry, it “featured tech ‘tips’ that recommended calorie counting, finding recipes and watching cooking videos as ways for women to get the most from a laptop.” Wow, did they look up female stereotypes and plug in everything that fell into that category? I am surprised that a brand as large (and as experienced with customer service issues) as Dell can make a gaffe like this when targeting women. To think that women only need a computer for diet tips and recipes is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. Women revolted:
“But the approach may have done more harm than good: A backlash erupted online, as both women and men described the Web site as ‘ridiculous,’ ‘gimmicky’ and, as one disgruntled Facebook member wrote on Dell’s Facebook page, ‘Lamest move ever!’
The resounding blowback prompted the company to amend the Web site, along with a note that stated, ‘Some of you have read this article over the last several days & will notice a few modifications. You spoke, we listened. Thank you for your ongoing feedback.’”
I didn’t see the site when it originally launched, but I think that it does a nice job of selling the product features and benefits now, without being too girly. By far, the smartest thing included on the site is a section on giving. With the purchase of Promise Pink netbook or PC, Dell gives a portion of the proceeds to the Komen Foundation. And, there is information on how to recycle old/unwanted technology. I can’t put my fingers on the statistic right now, but I have seen statistics that brands willing to give money/goods for products purchased are more likely to get a woman’s money.
Dell saved themselves by listening to consumer feedback and immediately making changes to the site. They deserve kudos for that. But really, they shouldn’t have made such a mistake with the site launch.
For those who still want to argue against the influence of women on the future and their impact online, check this out :
“…42 million women in the United States (roughly 53% of the 79 million adult women in the United States who use the Internet) participate in social media at least weekly. As they spend more time with social media, women are spending correspondingly less time with traditional media: 39% less on newspapers, 36% less time reading magazines, and 30% less time watching TV.” (source)
…
“The women who post to blogs are the most actively engaged. They spend the most time online. Over 80% also participate in social networks like Facebook, and over one third of bloggers also participate in Twitter. But more to the point, those who blog are more likely to be tech savvy, on the leading edge of trends, and invest time searching for new products online.” (source)
These stats are the result of a survey conducted by Blogher in March 2009. We already know that more women are online than men. And now we know how engaged they are in the online space and how influential they can be on each other: women reported that they are significantly more likely to make a purchase decision based on customer experiences reported on blogs. They are relying on blogs for information on politics and news, technology/gadgets, cars and business/career/personal finance. They are relying on their social networks for social activism, sex/relationship/dating, entertainment and shopping.
Any marketer targeting women should be leveraging the influence of blogs and social networks to communicate brand and product messages, as well as news and information.
Provide a forum for these women to speak to each other and to you about the brand/products/news.
Communicate back and worth with these women.
Reach out to them in their world. Show that you are paying attention and that you care what they have to say. Ask for their opinions.
Monitor what they are saying and address issues and concerns. Or reward them if they are brand ambassadors.
Colleges and universities are finally dipping their toes into the waters of technology. Last month, I noted that students learn better from listening to a lecture podcast than from attending class. Last week, the Missouri School of Journalism announced that incoming students are required to purchase an iPhone or an iPod Touch so they can download lectures from iTunes. MU already encourages journalism students to use Apple computers. As one can imagine, some students are not happy about the requirements. Regardless of the choice of brand (although I am fan of Apple, of course), I am glad that MU recognizes the need to be on the forefront of technology and understands that teaching and learning methods have evolved. Not all journalism schools are so progressive. This is what led to our creation of SWIM: we were interviewing students who had no understanding of the impact social media can have on marketing and communications. Our SWIM sessions are also available for download as podcasts on iTunes.
Also on the university and technology front: six universities will be part of a pilot program with the new Kindle DX. Students at these universities will receive the Kindle DX instead of the traditional pile of text books. The schools participating in the program are: Arizona State University, Case Western Reserve University, Princeton University, Reed College, Pace University and University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
I have finally spent some time trying to understand Tumblr and how I might use it. I kind of love it. Lance Turner has been a fan for a while. I thought maybe I already had too many places to share, but it turns out there are a lot of things I bookmark and like, but aren’t really relevant for Ms. Adverthinker, Facebook, Twitter, or my other blog (soon to be revealed). Tumblr seems like it will be a catch-all for all that other stuff (to those that care, of which I think there are few).
Tumblr is a blogging tool that is easy to use: you don’t have to know CSS to change the link colors to pink (of course) or even have to know how to use any kind of basic word tool. You just click a button representing the type of content you want to post and Tumblr makes it exceptionally easy. I have tested the Tumblr application on the iPhone, and it too, is ridiculously easy. For those just starting out with blogging, this is the perfect tool.
I am still experimenting with content, but you can check my Tumblr page out here. So far, I am only following two others on Tumblr: Lance Turner and Robert Blake (I particularly like his post: The Men and Woman You Should Be Following on Twitter).
I made the point last night during SWIM that I think the media only started adopting social media at its fervent rate upon the use of social media by the Obama presidential campaign.* His campaign used social media comprehensively and did it right. Obama as president hasn’t let the social media advocates down: he proves that social media isn’t just for getting elected with the launch of White House 2.0.
By far, the best part of White House 2.0 is the Official White House Photostream on Flickr. Social media is “about” a lot of things, but for President Obama it is about conveying his personality and bundling his messages up in that personality under an assumed premise that if we like him as a person, we will like what he has to say as a president, too. That is what these photos seem to say. And social media is good for that purpose. We see him laughing; it seems genuine; we believe everything is going to be okay. Our photogenic president appears serious when it is appropriate, accessorizes fashionably for events, and exudes confidence (or ego) in his overall presentation.
In addition to the Flickr stream, on Friday the White House announced an official Facebook page, MySpace page and Twitter account. There are also video postings by the White House on YouTube, Vimeo and iTunes. All of this was announced as an effort to be more transparent and to engage the public. And, they are allowing comments on all of these sites. What I am not seeing in all of the comments are responses from the White House. It makes me wonder if they are monitoring all of this feedback and providing a real two-way communication, or if this is simply another way to “push” information under the guise of engagement. If they are not responding yet, I predict they will be soon: this White House knows how to use technology, the Internet and social media.
* While I recognize that many journalists and some media outlets had already recognized its power, for the rest of the slow-to-change media bunch, Obama’s success with social media was the turning point. And now they just can’t stop talking about it.
Our “digital” president still reads hand-written letters (10 a day) and responds with hand-written letters. As reported in the New York Times today, these letters can have quite an effect on President Obama:
“Designed to offer a sampling of what Americans are thinking, the letters are read by the president, and he sometimes answers them by hand, in black ink on azure paper.
“’We pick messages that are compelling, things people say that, when you read it, you get a chill,’ said Mr. Kelleher, 47. ‘I send him letters that are uncomfortable messages.’
“The ritual offers Mr. Obama a way to move beyond the White House bubble, and occasionally leads to moments when his composure cracks, advisers said. ‘I remember once he was particularly quiet,’ said Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, David Axelrod, ‘and I asked him what he was thinking about, and he said, “These letters just tear you up.” It was after getting a poignant letter from a struggling family.’”
While I am fan of technology and our ability to instantly connect by way of technology and social media, and while I am fan of President Obama’s digital savvy, I still appreciate the power of hand-written letters. They are more personal and can convey more emotion. There is something to be said for the more traditional communication tools every once in a while. I am proud of our president for employing both traditional and digital communication to connect with his constituents.
We are launching a new program over here at Stone Ward: Stone Ward Interactive Meetings, or SWIM. We saw a need for education among college students in the area of online communications and decided to create this eight week course. Anyone can attend the sessions live, but they can also be viewed online through live, streaming video. The first one will be May 1st at 5 PM at U.S. Pizza in Hillcrest, Little Rock, Arkansas. We hope you will participate.
“YouTube draws about 100 million visitors each month, making it an enormous stage for media companies. But many television outlets have been reluctant to share videos with the site. Along with CBS, notable exceptions include ABC’s late-night program ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live,’ which has harnessed YouTube to great effect, drawing 11 million views for its videos in the last month. ‘Consider this your oasis in a desert of skateboarding dogs and popcorn-eating hamsters,’ a message on Mr. Kimmel’s YouTube channel says.
“With deals like the one with ABC, YouTube is working hard to revise that user-generated reputation. ‘They need the money,’ Mr. Vorhaus said of YouTube, and adding professional video is ‘how they’re going to get it.’”
President Obama has clearly taken advantage of an audience hungry for more quality video. During his campaign, his team uploaded over 1,800 videos to BarackObama.com; he now he has an entire staff dedicated to new media (NY Times). As expected, President Obama’s videos are always professionally shot and edited, contributing to his overall polished and “cool” image. He is setting the example of how to present yourself in a public forum, when the video will live on forever. People have become too casual in how they present themselves online, whether it be Facebook, YouTube or Twitter. We have all become public figures in this online world. No longer is it just celebrities that get ridiculed for ignorant behavior displayed in public: we are now inviting it on ourselves by not thinking before posting. The New York Times theorizes a movement toward more cautious behavior from public figures:
“We tend to assume that the proliferation of digital media must be coarsening American speech and behavior. In fact, the opposite seems to be true. The threat posed by video parodists appears to have turned public figures watchful and cautious, like people who affect polite reserve in crowds for fear of being mocked or mugged. In the midst of so much digital chicanery, celebrity comportment may grow steadily more formal.”
As with most trends, this behavior should eventually trickle down to the general public. I am hopeful that it trickles quickly.
It is that time of year when high school students are starting to learn whether they have been accepted to their dream colleges. But now, rather than knowing with just a glance at the thick or thin envelope that arrives via snail mail in the privacy of their homes, students are learning of admission decisions online. And they are checking constantly for the updates while in the classroom. Then, they are posting the results to their Facebook, MySpace and Twitter accounts. Reported in the LA Times today, however, that public notification could cause tension among friends:
“…for every member of the Facebook nation, even a successful admissions season poses challenges: Should you post your good fortune on your home page before learning whether your best friend got in? Or check your iPhone for online decisions, with everyone watching? If you put your college wish list online, will you be humiliated if the rejections come thick and fast?
…
“Some students will frantically check their e-mail or BlackBerries at school, a scenario that recently inspired a plot line on “Gossip Girl,” the television show about a New York City prep school. (Checking their Yale applications, lead characters Serena and Dan learned they were admitted, while Blair was wait-listed, launching her on a self-destructive cycle of vengeance.)”
Teens have grown up sharing everything about their lives: the good, the bad and the ugly. Does this encourage honesty because it becomes harder to lie when everything is revealed online eventually? Mabye that is an upside of living very public lives. But, just as I took ettiquette classes as a child when manners were nearing extinction, I wonder if teens should be offered classes that teach them how to protect themselves in this online world as privacy is nearing extinction.
