New Persuasion

Plastic Bags are a Waste

Inhabitat had a great post this morning about declining plastic bag usage in Ireland...

Ireland plastic bag usage drops dramatically after plastic bag taxes are instated!

With all the recent bans on plastic bags around the world, it’s natural to wonder just how effective all the bag banning will be. Instead of simply enacting laws to phase out plastic bags - which seems like a wishy-washy attempt at most, Ireland has implemented a tax-based incentive to cut plastic bag useage — and it seems to be working wonders. Between the government tax on bags, an effective advertising campaign, and public support, plastic bag usage has dropped 94% in a matter of weeks.

I am so glad to see some of the new things being done to decrease the use of plastic bags around the world!  I know what a huge problem they have caused and continue to cause to our environment, and can't wait to see the types of things we will do in the U.S. to make a difference for ourselves.

Filter for Good

While doing some research this morning I came across a website representing a campaign called "Filter for Good."  According to the website,

Brita and Nalgene have partnered to present FilterForGood. Take the pledge to make a small change in your life that could be part of a big change nationwide.

If you're ready, take the pledge. Still not convinced? Learn the facts about why reducing bottled water waste is so important.

And, if you purchase a FilterForGood refillable bottle, you'll also be supporting the Blue Planet Run Foundation, a nonprofit organization working to provide safe drinking water to 200 million people for the rest of their lives by 2027. For every FilterForGood refillable bottle purchased between August 10th and December 31st, 2007, a donation of $4, up to a maximum of $25,000, will be made to the Blue Planet Run Foundation.

This site offers some really great statistics about why bottled water waste is a concern and what we can do as individuals to help the big picture.  This shows that our society is aware of the environmental issues gaining media attention as well as ways in which we can make a difference.  I think that emphasis on the environment is only going to become more and more important over the upcoming decades-- especially because of the continuous coverage of the impact humans have on global warming.  It is good to know that companies are teaming up to give us options as consumers without taking away the convenience element that we love.

Firsts

Here at McGinn MS&L we find it important to keep track of the first time important things occur in our society.  These changes tell us a lot about things that may be surprising or even overdue, and are a great indication of where we stand.

Some recent firsts that are significantly important are:

Ø      On July 25, 1978, Louise Joy Brown, the world's first successful "test-tube" baby was born in Great Britain.

Ø      For the first time at least since World War II, there were more failed marriages than lasting ones at the 25-year mark: Slightly more than half of the men and women who got married in the late 1970s were separated or divorced -- or widowed -- before they reached their 25th anniversary.

Ø      The 2008 edition of “America’s Best Black Colleges” marks the first time U.S. News & World Report has released a stand-alone ranking of historically black colleges and universities.

Ø      John Edwards appeared in the first MySpace/ MTV candidate forum. The Democratic presidential hopeful was the first in a string of candidate dialogs planned by those two stalwarts of modern culture.

Ø      The number of violent crimes increased by a larger amount than expected last year, extending the first significant rise in murders and robberies in a dozen years.  Robberies surged by 7.2% and murders rose 1.8%.

Ø      The number of people living past 100 in England and Wales reached almost 9,000 last year for the first time ever.  The number of Centenarians had increased ninety-fold since 1911 when there were only 100 total in the country.

What does this all mean?  Well, advances in technology have made things like the "test-tube baby" and the record number of Centenarians possible.  It also is the main factor behind the MySpace/ MTV political influence which signals a huge shift in society and the things that we emphasize as a nation.  Technology is changing everything about our world and we are taking notice.  It's great to see that we are taking advantage of our ability to communicate to mass audiences and political leaders are taking the time to speak to these audiences-- young and old.

The rise in the number of murders and robberies could be because of a larger issue, such as Hurricane Katrina or the terrorist attacks on September 11th.  We are starting to realize that we should stop and enjoy life, and how important is really is to remember that everyone is an individual with their appreciation for the world around them.  This could be the reason for the record number of failed marriages as people begin to explore what they find most important in life.  We are encouraging individuality and uniqueness, as well as embracing positive changes such as the first edition of U.S. News and World Report releasing a ranking specifically for the nations Black Colleges and Universities.

As new firsts emerge and these changes continue to become an integral part of the way we live, it's important to just stop and take in these shifts before years go by and we never even realize they occurred.

Does This Diet Make my Footprint Look Smaller??

As an overachiever, I'm always looking for ways to make myself better.  I am constantly trying to plan for the future, figure out how to do the best I can in the moment, save money, take care of myself, be a good person, take care of others, and stay happy.  Sometimes this is a tough thing to accomplish without becoming stressed-- which can make me act like a different person.  It's like a vicious circle.

I think a lot of other people feel the same way I do.  We are all so busy and we feel that we have capabilities to fill roles that we couldn't fill in the past and are trying to take full advantage.  Technology has changed our lives and has made a lot of things easier-- but this doesn't mean we want to do less.  We always want more.  We want to accomplish more during our days but we also want more sleep.  We want to save money but we still want to spend it on luxury items we may not necessarily be able to afford.  We want to be successful at work but we still want family time.  We want huge homes but we don't get to spend time in them because we have to work so hard to be able to pay our mortgages.  Basically, we want everything. 

Because the environment has been a topic that has gotten lots of attention lately, and global warming is on a lot of our minds, the concept of carbon offsets has become big news to a lot of people.  When I think of carbon offsets I immediately think of travel by plane and the option of paying for carbon offsets from our flights-- that sort of thing.  Apparently, I need to think outside the box.  The Washington Times published a short piece on a unique diet coined by Laura Stec, a chef from San Francisco, who has created "The Global Warming Diet."

She realizes that food choice has a big effect on climate change and wrote a 250-page  book packed with vegetarian items, scientific claims from the United Nations and the Union of Concerned Scientists, as well as guides for "discussion" parties.  She says, "One of the most positive effects you can have on the environment begins on your dinner plate."

Here are some shocking statistics from the article:

• It takes 10 times more fossil fuel to produce a calorie of meat than a calorie of plant protein.
• Flatulent cows and methane-producing manure piles contribute to 18% of all greenhouse gases-- the equivalent of 33 million cars on the nation's roadways.
• 11 pounds of grain and 2,500 gallons of water go into making a hamburger.
• The average meal travels 1,500 miles to get to your dinner plate.
• Americans consume more than 1 billion pounds-- and 1 trillion calories of food each day.

The fact that our idea of a "diet" may not just revolve around losing weight, but also focus on the good of the environment is a good sign.  Cutting out meat altogether seems like an extreme move to me, but I would be willing to buy locally and make vegetarian meals every now and then.  We will probably see more of this type of thing in the future as more attention is paid to our world and the impact we have on our environment.  Making a few small changes is definitely doable, but I can't see myself hosting a "discussion party" anytime soon.

Loyalty, Nascar style

Nascar racing fans are a breed like no other, especially when it comes to supporting the sponsors of their favorite drivers.  Nascar drivers are much more dependent and loyal to their sponsors than other athletes are to their sponsors.

If Tiger Woods were to lose a sponsor, his golf game probably wouldn't be affected very much.  However, if a NASCAR driver loses his sponsor, there is the very real possibility he won’t be racing until a new sponsor steps in.

After a big victory, a Nascar driver will immediately thank his sponsor, whereas Tiger would probably thank friends and family first.

And because fans feel so connected to their favorite drivers, they want to support what he supports.

A recent article states:

Fans feel they owe the sponsor something for providing them with the sport they love.  "It's the same mechanism as if someone buys you a  beer at the bar.  There's also the impulse, you're going to buy one back."
There are sponsors emblazoned on every car, jersey and piece of equipment. Everything from the gasoline the drivers put into their tanks to the memorabilia sold in the stores has a sponsor's branding.Corporate sponsorship in NASCAR will reach $2.9 billion this year, a 5.5 percent increase over 2005, according to the Associated Press. Companies continue to see value in the sport, largely because fans keep flocking to the sponsors.

Outside the races, the companies cross-promote with other NASCAR sponsors in order to increase fan appeal. Home Depot teamed with fellow NASCAR sponsor Coca-Cola to create an orange Powerade flavor in honor of Stewart.

Another study showed that:

89% of NASCAR fans believe, “When I see a NASCAR logo on something, I know it will be a quality product.”  And fans are three times as likely to try and purchase NASCAR sponsors’ products and services than a non-fan.

Sponsors of other sports would love to have this fan base and this much support.  Even though athletes are paid millions of dollars in endorsements, very few seem to create the buzz that Nascar sponsors do.  Why do you think that is?

Straight from the Tap

We are bombarded with advertisements every single day.  We see ads when we walk around outside, when we read the newspaper, and when we watch TV.  It's a challenge now for advertisers to create ad campaigns we really notice that stand out in the crowd of thousands we are exposed to on a daily basis.

One ad campaign I found out about in Brandweek really surprised me: the new "Get your fill" campaign-- gloriously paid for by the taxpayers of New York City-- promotes tap water to residents and tourists.  Apparently, New York is one of only five U.S. cities that has a federal filtering waiver, yet, many children and adults have the preconceived notion that the city's water is not drinkable.  This may be partially due to the overexposure of people walking around with bottled water (which is still proving to be a very profitable business).  No matter what the cause, Mayor Bloomberg has taken notice and is doing all he can to change viewpoints.

The campaign will spend $700,000 and will post ads throughout the subway system, check-cashing stations and bus kiosks in hopes that use of city water will increase along with awareness. 

I know I have blogged a lot about water (especially bottled water or negative effects on the environment) and I most likely will continue to post articles or information in the future because water is so important.  Water is something that we as a nation often waste and take for granted, and I think the ad campaigns are a little obvious, yet, interesting.  I'm not sure that all taxpayers would agree that this is a good use of $700,000-- but the long-term effects could be worth it.  I think the fact Mayor Bloomberg even feels it's important to advertise tap water shows the way our societal viewpoint is shifting.  We are taking notice of the types of things we should focus more on as unit and are trying to come up with ways to get the word out.  We have realized that togetherness can pay off and that our environment is something that should be on the top of our priority list.

Personalize Everything for Us Please

The population mark in the United States recently topped 300 million. There are so many of us sharing similar goals and buying similar products. We commute to and from work and see other people with the exact same cars and the same routines we have each day. Sometimes we get tired of this and go to great lengths to make what we have different from what everyone else has. We love finding ways to make things our own and bring our unique styles to the forefront and enjoy standing out. We crave personalization in America.

From custom stamps to clothing to video games and popular websites which are based on the concept of customization like MySpace and Facebook, being able to create a space that is all your own is definitely catching on. And this isn’t something that just kids enjoy—adults are even more obsessed with personalization than kids are in some respects. Companies like Google, which created “iGoogle,” a personalized search homepage that has become the fastest-growing product by a number of new users have realized the importance of this trend. Apparently, about 9,000 iGoogle pages are created each day.

Advancements in technology have made it possible to bring the “make-it-yourself” trend to anyone with a computer and with time to spend. Lucasfilm posted 250 sections of “Star Wars” clips from 6 movies to the Internet for people to edit and rearrange in any order they like best. Fans can then add to or cut the clips and decide if they would like to post them to MySpace or a similar social-networking site. This gives everyone a chance to take their favorite clips and create something that is all their own. Everyone wins.

People who rely on us as customers have also started to take notice of our feelings about personalization. Comedian Jim Gaffigan promised to stay at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center after his stand-up performance until he met everyone who was interested in meeting him. He has kept this same promise every evening after each of his shows on his 30-city concert tour. His connection with his fans on a personal level creates an environment that everyone is happy to be in.

Consumers and businesses see the appeal of personalized products and services and are doing what they can to keep up with competition and create new and innovative ideas that will surprise us. We love anything that will make our lives easier, create shortcuts for tasks and responsibilities that we already have, and represent us as individuals.

Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference

Everyone knows that kids are easily persuaded.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out, and people that may or may not be parents already know this.  It seems like the last people to realize this are companies which market to kids.  Actually, it makes more sense to say that companies know everything there is to know about the young consumer market.  They just use what they know in a different way than many nutritionists and parents would probably agree with. 

I think that in America we are always skeptical.  We always think that there is a catch and that we are going to be taken advantage of.  We question what we read and what we hear and what we see.  We are always wanting to do our own research and ask people we know for advice instead of trusting a salesperson with their own agenda.  Basically, we have huge trust issues.  I think this is semi-depressing-- but in the end, I'm okay with this because the only person that will always be around to look out for me is...me. 

The New York Times did a great piece on companies marketing food ads to children.  The article focuses specifically on Kellogg's because of the organization's announcement that "it would phase out advertising to children under age 12 unless the foods meet specific nutrition guidelines for calories, sugar, fat and sodium."  Apparently, "Kellogg also announced that it would stop using licensed characters or branded toys to promote foods unless the products meet the nutrition guidelines."  These changes are going to take place over the next year and a half and will apply to approximately half of the products Kellogg markets to kids around the globe (this includes some of my personal favorites: Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, and the ever-tasty Pop-Tarts).

What are these standards? 

Well, for Kellogg's they are food products with:

• No more than 200 calories
• No trans fat
• No more than 2 grams of saturated fat
• No more than 230 milligrams of sodium
• No more than 12 grams of sugar

This is a great thing, but lets keep in mind this was all decided AFTER "threats of a lawsuit by two advocacy groups for children."  Funny how suddenly everyone scrambles to do the right thing when the bottom line is put in jeopardy. 

One thing I'm glad to hear about is that Kellogg isn't the only food company trying to changes its ways.  The New York Times article makes mention of Disney only allowing its characters to be used in food advertising if the products "complied with nutritional standards," as well as Kraft Foods halting advertising to products "to children under 12 that don't meet nutrition guidelines." 

I think that this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the future of food advertising to children.  I feel that America as a nation is starting to understand the reasons behind our unhealthiness and we are beginning to realize the steps we need to take to start healthier habits.  One thing that we are really finding out is that good habits are established early-- and we need to teach our children about the proper ways to take care of themselves while they are very young.  This move by food companies shows that our expectations are changing.  We want the products we buy to work with us-- not against us. 

The typical consumer-company relationship that once existed is now morphing into something that many of us are more comfortable with.  I can't wait to see what is defined as "healthy" 20 years from now, and I feel that we will look back on these small decisions and see them as big turning points for the consumer.

The Price is...Different

Although I have been criticized at times for my odd taste in TV shows, I know there are certain shows that a lot of people love.  Sometimes I end up watching a show because of the host-- and then pretty soon, the show grows on me and I can't imagine it going off the air.  Recently announced is that Bob Barker will be retiring from "The Price is Right" after 50 years on TV and 35 years at CBS.

The legendary daytime game-show host won’t tape his last “Price Is Right” episode until June 6, but CBS will honor Barker next week with a pair of prime-time specials celebrating his five decades on television.

“After 50 years in show business and 35 years on CBS, we want to give Bob a prime-time send-off befitting of an entertainment icon,” Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment, said in a statement.

The 83-year-old Barker told The Associated Press he picked “just the right time” to say goodbye to the cameras.

“I do not have any regrets about retiring,” he said. “Isn’t that strange? I expected to have second thoughts.”

Barker started his national television career in 1956 as host of “Truth or Consequences.” The CBS special features footage of a black-haired Barker cajoling contestants through tricycle races and flapjack-flipping contests.

I think that we naturally become attached to television hosts and TV personalities-- which really shows that we enjoy entertainment as well as routine.  We like to be challenged but we love to see the same people each day and night.  My friend Kate's grandma has watched the same news anchor for years and her family went as far as getting Grandma a personalized autographed picture of him for Christmas.  She was so excited about her gift that now the  picture sits on her mantle nestled between pictures of her family members on graduation and holidays.

Goodbye Bob Barker.  We'll miss you.

Everyone's Space

Almost everyone has heard of MySpace.  People use MySpace to stay in touch with old friends, make new friends, look up an employee or a potential date before you meet them for the first time, or even as a way to keep the world informed by writing daily blogs.  MySpace has taken America by storm and WikiPedia even claims that it is the "third most popular website in the United States."

MySpace began in July of 2003 and the number of created accounts has exceeded 100 million (as of August, 2006).  It is interesting to wonder if it would impact other countries the way it has impacted us in America.

An April 27th article in the Wall Street Journal mentions that MySpace has "finally found it's way into China."  MySpace China launched it's test version and will be run and controlled by a Chinese company.

MySpace China's independence will give it an advantage, Mr. Luo said, that other foreign-affiliated sites haven't had in China's intensely competitive Internet market, which boasted 137 million Internet users at the end of 2006, second only to the U.S.

"Our team here will have the sole right to decide on the operating model, the technology platform, as well as the product strategy," said Mr. Luo, a native of China who worked for 12 years at Microsoft Corp., most recently running its MSN Internet service in China, before leaving in December. "That's very unlike the other multinationals you might have seen in the Chinese market."

Moreover, despite its high profile in the U.S., MySpace's brand "is not very big" in China, Mr. Luo conceded. He said MySpace's technology will give his company a leg up on less-well-equipped Chinese rivals and that its ability to link Chinese users with existing users of MySpace in other countries could be a selling point. But he said the company's main challenge is to attract the user base necessary to build a thriving community.

Like its U.S. affiliate, MySpace China will get most of its revenue from online advertising. Mr. Luo said he doesn't know how long it will take for the company to become profitable.

The idea of international interest in MySpace says a lot about the way the world is changing.  The ability to stay connected with your peers and your community through a social networking website is something that has done amazingly well in our country, and, the thought that other nations may embrace this trend speaks for itself.  I think that we are always trying to step back and look at the big picture... and this is definitely a positive thing.

Buy with Text-Messaging

Why wait? Buy now! Consumers are beginning to have the ability to purchase products instantly without wasting time waiting on the phone, online or in lines. The new m-commerce company ShopText lets consumers make donations or buy products like CDs, DVDs, concert tickets or clothes by featuring a text-messaging code. Buy by text-messaging has now become a way to purchase products on the go.

Russell Kern, director of business development for Dennis Digital, the interactive division of Dennis Publishing, which publishes Stuff, said he saw great power in the technology.

"You're sitting in Central Park reading a magazine, and you have your phone with you, and you want information on a product or you want to purchase the product," he said. "The ability is right there."

The company is featured in magazines such as Cosmo Girl, Lucky and Stuff. 

To use the system, a consumer must set up a ShopText account with a shipping address and credit card account.

When ShopText receives text messages about donations or products, it charges the credit card it has on file for the buyer, then, if appropriate, sends the product from one of its warehouses around the country.

Text messaging has become a popular form of communication with 35 percent of U.S. cell phone users and 76 percent of 18-to 24-year-olds sending and receiving text messages according to Forrester Research.

It’s shopping made easy and convenient that is literally at your fingertips. Maybe it’s becoming too easy to buy something.

So many channels, so little on

Nielsen Media Research recently released a report that found the average household now gets 104.2 different TV channels.  Eleven years ago this number was just at 41.1 channels.  However, even with this huge jump, the average viewer only actually watches 15.7 of these channels, up from 10.1 in 1995.  So, even though we now have over 60 new channels to watch, we're only taking advantage of 5 of them. 

Davis Freeberg finds this very interesting:

What’s interesting about this stat though, is that even though consumers are watching more channels, because the number of channels they have access to has expanded so rapidly, they are actually watching a smaller percentage of channels overall. In 1995, the 10.1 channels that consumers were watching represented about 25% of all channels that were available to them, but today, because we now have over a 100 channels to watch, the 15.7 average channels, really only represents about a 15% share. As the internet and digital delivery continue to exponentially increase the number of programs that you have to choose from, fragmentation will present an even greater challenge for the television industry then it does today.

Number of Channels Available in the Average U.S. Home

YEAR	# of Channels	# of Channels Viewed	% of Available Channels Viewed
2006	104.2	15.7	15.1%
2005	96.4	15.4	16.0%
2004	92.6	15.0	16.2%
2000	61.4	13.6	22.1%
1995	41.1	10.1	24.6%
1990	33.2	n/a	n/a
1985	18.8	n/a	n/a

Most of the new channels added have very specific content and are targeted to a very niche market.  Therefore, the average viewer wouldn't be interested in most of what the new channels have to offer.  However, you'd think there must be a demand if the channels remain on tv.  But in today's society with more demands on our time and more media outlets like the Internet and Netflix, it really isn't a huge surprise that we aren't watching more channels on a regular basis.  How many channels do you watch? 

100 Million and Counting...

In a world that thrives on personalization, it is interesting to note that Apple Inc. has announced it has sold 100 million iPods as of April 9th, this year.  America is largely impacted by media-- like music and television-- and we spend so much of our days watching and listening.  The iPod has changed the ability of Americans to sit back, relax, and enjoy the music of their choice... on demand.

According to an MSNBC.com article, Apple Inc.’s announcement Monday that it has sold 100 million of its iPod music players marks more than just a business milestone for the once-struggling computer company.

The remarkable sales figure also is evidence that Apple has, in just a few short years, played a major role in transforming a fringe technology into a mainstream phenomenon — spawning massive ripple effects in both the music and technology industries.

What’s more, analysts say, Apple’s more recent forays into selling movies and TV shows — and, soon, its own cell phone — could be poised to transform those industries as well.

What does this mean?  Well, we love the ability to be unique in our choices and we embrace the opportunity to carry this uniqueness around with us-- and companies are starting to notice.  I think this milestone may have an impact on the way organizations decide what is important to us as consumers and as Americans.

2007 Trends - Part 2

Rohit Bhargava of Influential Interactive Marketing writes about the "Top 7 Marketing Trends of 2007":

Sharing a Corporate Personality – For too many years, large organizations have focused much of their marketing and communications on becoming "faceless" - yet the danger of facelessness is now becoming better understood.  In short, companies cannot connect with customers in a meaningful and emotional way without having a personality.  As more organizations realize this fact, we will continue to see more "corporate bloggers" and more touch points for customers to interact with the true personality of a brand.  Look for social media to play a bigger part in overall marketing strategy as a result.

Widget Marketing – A trend I have been following since earlier in the year, widgets have made significant strides as an accepted marketing technique in recent months.  Many new blog oriented services are launching Widgets in Typepad's gallery, startups offer their own widgets as a quick way of introducing their service, and new products like Chumby (a compact clock-radio-like product that has a wireless connection) are bringing widgets out of the online world and into the real one.  For marketers looking to offer a quick introduction to their service, or those seeking to create an online connection with customers - widgets will find more users in 2007. 

Social Media Optimization – Originally introduced just a few months ago, SMO has rapidly blossomed into a movement in the online marketing industry worldwide.  Primarily being driven at the moment by those in the search marketing industry, in 2007 I suspect SMO will continue to get broader use from marketers interested in building traffic and buzz online, moving far beyond linking strategy and smart SEO into the marketing mainstream.  Hooks to allow site visitors to easily share and bookmark content may become more commonplace than those ubiquitous "email a friend" links.

AutoTagging and AutoSorting - I have written often about the trend for visual search and how companies like Riya are leading the way for photo recognition technology that allows imagery on the web to be more effectively tagged and organized.  In 2007, we will see more solutions like this that offer autotagging, autosorting and the next extension of this technology ... auto recommendations, where new content of any format can be recommended and people can find new content more easily.  This will continue to create waves in how users watch video online, find music, and browse the web.
Top 7 Marketing Trends for 2007 - continued

Human Filtered Search – One of the effects of the personal media revolution is an exponential increase in the amount of content online.  This will continue to lead online users to search beyond the algorithm for new ways of finding information.  A key method for this is human filtered search, where people are sorting content on the web, creating their own groupings and sharing that with others.  Just as Jerry Yang initially built Yahoo as a directory to help him and friends sort through the exploding amount of content online, now sites like Squidoo and Rollyo are offering alternative ways of finding information online.  The human side of search looks set to become a force in 2007.

Contentcasting - Putting content online, and then trying to spread the word about it is so 2006.  Contentcasting is set to be the new standard, enabled by RSS and a growing number of online users that are finding the only way to keep up with all the news and information they care about is to subscribe to feeds and access it that way.  Contentcasting will relate to videoblogs, audio podcasts, and frequently updated content in any area of the site - from a blog to a newsroom.  Got content that you want to spread around?  Don't just market it -- broadcast it and let your users/customers pick up the feeds.

Online Identity Shifting –
If you add the success of Facebook, Myspace, Vox, Second Life, LinkedIn and Flickr together - you would come to a single conclusion: that having and sharing your identity online is hot right now.  This is not about blogging or about uploading your photos online, this is a phenomenon of having an extension of your personality online to share with friends, family and colleagues.  With the number of assets we can now create - from photos and videos to full podcast programs about our lives, the appeal of sharing this with those you care about will continue to represent a force in driving more people towards social media.  Within these online representations of self, brands and products will continue to play a large role.  People will talk about products they like and don't like - they will share brand experiences, and they will even become brand ambassadors for products and services that they care about.  In this world where individual lives are shared online, there will be huge opportunities for marketers in 2007.

To me the Human Filtered Search and the Auto Tagging and Auto Sorting are along the same lines - how to find the best information for my needs right now, and how to find it again later.  We will need more and more of these filters in the future because we will be ever more saturated with information. 

America & Risk

Just to follow-up from a post in November on Risk issues.  This past Friday, ABC News 20/20 ran a two-hour special called "Scared Stiff: Worry in America" w/reporter John Stossel and featuring our very own Dan McGinn. 

One thing we've noticed here at New Persuasion is that although life is actually getting better for most people, these same people refuse to believe it.  What do I mean about life getting better?  Consider:

• Mortality rates in the US have declined substantially for decades.
• Between 2003 and 2004
      The death rate from all causes combined dropped 3.8%
      Diseases of the heart fell 6.6%
      Strokes declined 6.5%
      The cancer rate dropped 2.3%
• Life expectancy (in the US) at birth increased by three-tenths to an all-time high of 77.8 years.
• NCHS stats for the past five available years demonstrates “plummeting death rates for all major diseases.”
       Cancer rates dropped 8% during that time
       Heart disease declined 18%
       Stroke declined 19%
       Flu-pneumonia declined 13%
• According to the CDC, food-borne illnesses have also dropped

So how come there's so much fear and worry out there?  From the 20/20 special:

In the case of the media, they provide plenty to worry about, like shark attacks being on the rise, killer bees attacking, flesh-eating bacteria and countless other threats. But they are rarely reported with any real perspective on the actual risk involved. Suddenly, the public starts to panic over something that poses minimal risk at most.

"We often worry about things that … are not very dangerous, but which seem it. And the reason they seem it is because of … the media who show images and tell stories about terrible, terrible things that happen," said Stephen Dubner, co-author of "Freakonomics." "People see those things and they think that they are the norm, and in fact, they are a great exception."

This is so true - we remember visuals/pictures, while we forget facts.  The truth becomes the what we see, not what is real.  That is what is behind a lot of our worry.  I'm not sure how to change that, but it's worth thinking about.  As Dan likes to point out:  “We need to put risk in perspective.”

CGM Evolves

I was watching the NBC program "Grease: You're the One that I Want" with my two daughters the other night and it occurred to me that this was a different form of Consumer Generated Media (CGM) - it's more a Professional-Amateur blend of CGM - or Pro-Am CGM.  The professionals judges make the first cuts of contestants who are both professionals and amateurs.  The professionals then train these Broadway hopefuls, while the audience (amateurs) ultimately chooses who will star as Sandy and Danny in a brand new Broadway production of Grease. 

The Grease television show uses the crowdsourcing of American Idol, but takes it a step further and puts the ultimate product up for sale early in the process (tickets to the Broadway show).  In the first two days of sales, $1.3 million worth of seats were sold - not bad for a show that has no-name leads and no theater yet.

Another example of Pro-Am CGM is the contest being run by HP as part of it's efforts at the Sundance film festival.  From Susan Getgood at Marketing Roadmaps:

...HP is holding a photo contest called Snapshot Diaries. Entrants submit 6-10 related photos with captions that tell a story. The winning entry will be turned into a short movie by film director Matt Pope like this one:

So what begins as an amateur production winds up as a polished professional movie.  And the winner goes to Sundance in 2008 to see his co-created movie.  Very fun. 

The only other comment to make is that it's fascinating to watch how photos, movies, television, theater and the Internet are all used in these Pro-Am CGM projects.  The Grease television show keeps showing clips of the popular movie to sell tickets to a Broadway show.  And the HP contest uses still photos to make a moving picture.  More and more blending of media. 

Risk in Perspective

Time magazine's cover story this week, "Why We Worry About The Things We Shouldn't... ...And Ignore The Things We Should," has a quote from our fearless leader Dan McGinn:

"We used to measure contaminants down to the parts per million," says Dan McGinn, a former Capitol Hill staff member and now a private risk consultant. "Now it's parts per billion."

Here at The McGinn Group, we've been studying how perceived risk and real risk are two separate things.  Consider:

• More than 650 news articles mentioned bird flu this year during the week of October 2nd and a Google search yielded more than 26 million hits. There’s fear that bird flu will kill tens of millions overseas before making its way to the US. However, the World Health Organization notes that bird flu has only killed a confirmed total of just 140 people since 2003. Contrast that to the yearly flu season.  Yes, it gets attention, but not nearly as much as bird flu.  And each year, between 5 percent and 20 percent of Americans contract the flu through person-to-person transmission, primarily by coughing and sneezing. About 36,000 people die each year as a result, and more than 200,000 are hospitalized from complications of the flu.”  Sun News, 10/5/06   
• Cell phones and brain tumors.  We’ve all seen the headlines and media coverage suggesting there may be a link.  Yet the American Cancer Society says, “there is now considerable epidemiologic evidence that shows no consistent association between cellular phone use and overall risk of brain cancer.”  Compare this to medical mistakes.  “According to the Institute of Medicine, some 98,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. because of preventable medical errors, or roughly the same number who die from breast cancer or car accidents. One million more are injured by such mistakes.”  Medialifemagazine.com, 10/5/06
• “The death of a 10-year-old boy from Mississippi in 2005 put rabies back in the headlines, though it was the only reported case that year. From 1980 to 2004, only 56 instances of human rabies were reported in the U.S.” (Parade Magazine, September 24, 2006) Compare those numbers with heart disease killing 700,142, cancer killing 553,768 and suicide claiming 30,622 lives. (USA Today, October 14, 2004.)
• While there were major headlines over the threat of Mad Cow Disease, out of a scant 195 cases of the disease globally, only two have occurred in the U.S. to date and are likely to have originated in Britain. Compare that number with other, more common  risks: lawn mowers cause 74,000 injuries each year (USA Today, June 15, 2006) and in 2005 alone, there were 24,000 kids who were treated in emergency rooms for shopping cart related injuries (CBS Early Show, August 7, 2006). 
• Shark attacks are extremely rare, but when one occurs, it gets major headlines in the top news media outlets throughout the country.  In 2005, however, there were only 58 confirmed unprovoked shark attacks on humans compared to the millions of swimmers in waters worldwide. Of the 58 unprovoked attacks, there were a total of four deaths. (Florida Program for Shark Research, Florida Museum of Natural History) According to the Wall Street Journal, the biggest threat at the beach is the pollution from drainage systems in the water.
• There is much talk on the safety risks of NASCAR race drivers. However, in more than six million miles of racing, not one person in NASCARS’s top three divisions has died. By contrast, 185,000 drivers, passengers and motorcyclists have been killed in the same time frame. (Freakonomics, New York Times Magazine, February 19, 2006)

For me there are two parts of risk - fear and worry.  I don't worry about things I fear because I either stay away from them (no skydiving or bungee jumping for me) or I can't even slightly control it (terrorist attacks- not scared of them - it either happens or it doesn't).  And I think that many of things we Americans worry about are petty and not really all that worrisome - but what they are is a distraction.  It's easier to focus on these little things and get all worked up than it is to change our diet or exercise regimen to address the real risks in our lives. 

For more check out Brand Noise and the dread factor in risk.

Edelman and the Definition of Blogging

Richard Edelman outlines what he's doing to make sure there are no more flogs from his PR firm:

• We are undertaking a thorough audit around the world to ensure we apply best practice guidelines to every program in every market and specialty area.
• We are requiring that all employees attend an Edelman University class on ethics in social media, hosted by members of me2revolution team as well as external experts. This will take place before the end of next week.
• We are establishing a 24/7 hotline so our me2revolution team can review, provide counsel and apply best practice guidelines on social media programs before their implementation. This ensures that programs adhere to the WOMMA guidelines or best-in-class standards around the world.
• We are creating ethics materials that will be distributed to each office and all new hires.

So, they're trying - but they might have saved themselves a lot of trouble if they had read this September post from IBM's Irving Wladawsky-Berger:

"I think that the key difference between a blog and other kinds of web sites is their personal nature.  In your blog, you are making the implicit promise that you are personally writing the content and that you are writing about subjects you care about in your own voice and style.  Which leads to another important aspect of blogs - they should be conversational and informal enough to let your voice, style and personality come through.

In other words, the essence of blogging is authenticity. In your blog, you are essentially sharing what is in your head, your feelings and opinions, with others out there.  If you feel strongly for or against political candidates, then it makes sense to write about them in your blog.  However, if you really don't care, or are a paid campaign worker posing as someone who cares, that is not OK.

If you like or dislike a company and its products and services, sharing your opinion with others is good.  But if you really have no opinion and are writing about the company just because you work for the company, its competitors or a marketing agency engaged by either, I would consider that bad blogging behavior."

He's right.

(Read the roundup of the Wal-Mart/Edelman troubles here on Constantin Basturea's PR Meets the WWW blog)

Wells Fargo Initiates the Conversation

I've written about Wells Fargo before.  They get their customers big time.

• They're in Second Life teaching teens about money matters through games and social activities.
• Wells Fargo encourages young couples to open wedding accounts.
• Wells Fargo has a launched a great mortgage product where they handhold the customer till they become creditworthy and Wells Fargo can extend a loan product to them! (via Customer World)
• Wells Fargo embraces diversity, and unlike other banks, does not discourage low-income customers and opens "stores" (not branches) in areas other banks won't go near.

Wells Fargo is there, as Tom Asacker puts it, "wherever and whenever your audience is most receptive to your message."

And now Colin Henderson at Bankwatch blog tells of a new conversation being started by Wells Fargo:

They [Wells Fargo] continue to impress me with small steps, yet meaningful steps in the social Internet space... The new blog is an industry first.  It is cutely (is that a word) entitled The Student LoanDown.  Its positioned and structured as a genuine conversation to listen and learn, and in turn better support students.  They will be bringing in guest bloggers to help them with that...The topic is ‘a blog about financing college, and managing debt’.

I'm not sure I agree with Colin that this blog will reach its intended audience - I think parents are more likely to go there than students (of course-that's speaking as a parent with two kids in college),and I think it's a little too cutesy so far, but it's early days and I do applaud Wells Fargo's efforts. 

One thing I did notice that will certainly hobble their efforts at communicating - from their about page:

As a bank, regulations prevent us from obtaining your personal information—hence the restrictions in our blog comments that prevent you from submitting your full name. Also, we can't capture your blog's URL in our comments due to concerns about phishing. We know these regulations are there for good reason: to protect consumers from fraud and to protect your privacy. So please, bear with us...If you'd like follow-up from us, please send us an email.

I think they need to put this info on a box on their main page - otherwise people won't understand. 

Super-Niche Media has Voracious Customers

Max Kalehoff of Attention Max writes about his pregnant wife Laura's obsession with getting information regarding parenthood.  That's normal for any woman pregnant for the first time.  (Yes it hurts, yes you forget, and yes you will love your baby.)

What isn't normal is both the amount of information and the narrowness of the information.  And even more striking is how trusted this information is.  Max says:

What’s fascinating to me is that media technologies are enabling time-shifted consumption of extreme-niche reality programming. Not reality programming in the spirit of cheesy game shows like Fear Factor and Survivor, but reality programming in the spirit of real people sharing their experiences, devoid of artificiality, commercial agenda and formality. I’ve been witnessing engagement and trust with media programming that I’ve never seen before in my life. That’s a big deal, given that I work in marketing and media research. Is my wife falling into just another marketer-coveted affinity group, or is she at the forefront of a major shift in how consumers select, consume, engage in and trust super-niche programming and content?

I'm betting she's at the forefront of a major shift.  Laura even wants to start her own podcast:

She noted there are no newborn or pregnancy podcasts produced by professional women living in Brooklyn, NY, where we live. Because there is no existing programming that fits her profile with such extreme specificity, she considered creating it herself. That’s telling.

It is telling.  It's that whole idea that we will all be famous to fifteen people (as opposed to being famous for fifteen minutes). 

BlogHer and GM

So I attended the BlogHer conference '06 - I was originally going as a regular attendee, but then GM Blogs decided to sponsor the conference (I wish it was my idea) and because they are a client I was also there to help out. 

GM brought in some 15 cars - mostly Saturns - for the women bloggers to test drive. In my amateur fashion, I videotaped lots of interviews with the ladies when they finished their test drive.  Their reactions were mostly positive, some critical, but almost all agreed that GM did it right.  (The video will be up on GM's FYI blog later this week.)

As a woman, what I appreciated about the test drives was that it was so low key, zero pressure.  I showed my driver's license and was given the keys to a new Saturn Vue Green Line  - a hybrid.  I also drove the new Cadillac Escalade.  Now I would never go in a Cadillac dealership and drive that car, but it was there (and like Wayne Campbell of Wayne's World, "It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.")  I returned the cars and went about my merry way.  I couldn't help but think this is the way to advertise.  Bring the cars to people and let them experience the cars firsthand.  It was totally fun. 

I completely agree with anonymous blogger, DrumsNWhistles, when she writes:

Since I got home tonight, there have probably been over 100 commercials broadcast on the TV on in the background.

I don’t remember one of them. Not the product, the sponsor, nothing, nada. I do, however, remember the sponsors of Blogher 2006, because they made their products relevant. Until Friday, the only car I was considering to replace one of our ancient jalopies was a Toyota Prius. Post-Blogher, Saturns are very much a part of my horizons, because GM got it exactly right. Give us the keys, let us test drive it, and if we like it we’ll buy it, talk about it, recommend it to our friends, give word of mouth/blog the power it deserves. They really got it right and they deserve many positive BlogHer mentions. I hope they sell a ton of Sky cars, and hope even more one of them is sold to me. GM/Saturn gets my vote as the sponsor who got it the mostest. They rocked.

This is mouth-to-mouth advertising at its best - it's the future.

Customers Want Bonus Materials

Futurelab's blog has a cool post on the "Anatomy of the New Creative Mind":

With consumer behavior evolving toward a more empowered status—the definition of creativity has shifted...Individuals possessing this “New Creative Mindset” blend Analytical, Expressive, Curious and Sensual qualities into their thinking process.

So logical thinking blends with creative problem solving.  Let's try it.

Problem:   You have a good to great product, but so do a lot of other companies - how can you stand out?

Analysis:  Yesterday I saw this article in the New York Times on the decline in DVD sales and that got me to thinking how DVDs have changed customer expectations.  Customers want, expect, demand bonus materials.  It's not enough to see a movie anymore.  We want to know what the director was thinking during this scene, or how the actors got along on set, or what was taken out and why.   

Curiosity:  I started looking around and seeing what people were saying about DVD extras.  Lots of disappointment if there weren't any.  And then this from Jeremy Charette at Digital Media Thoughts quoting Bryan Singer, Director of Superman Returns:

"I think we're going to something called 'The In-Movie Experience' where you'll be able to be watching the movie and then instantly go to making-of footage. It's sort of the next evolution in running commentaries. Instead of just hearing the filmmakers or the actors talk over the scenes you'll be able to leap in and experience the making of the scenes and experience what we call 'B Roll.' &quo