Mobile Marketing: Reaching Consumers, Wherever They Go.

Businesses today, both large and small, are beginning to wonder if traditional marketing tactics are still enough.  After all, we are living in a new age where we check our in-boxes more often than our mailboxes and dial-up to the internet more often than we would dial-up a friend.  It seems apparent that we need to reach consumers in a fresh way, but what exactly is it that this generation is looking for?  The answer centers around the combination of two things: technology and convenience.  We want everything – our contacts, calendars, emails and yes, even our advertisements –  to be in one easily accessible place.  Well, Generation Y – say, “hello,” to mobile marketing.

For those who are less familiar with the idea, we’ll give a quick overview.  Mobile marketing allows businesses to communicate with consumers in a number of effective ways.  When a person responds to an ad through their mobile phone, they will usually receive a text back with some of the company’s information.  Businesses can also send coupons to the number as an incentive for them to actually come in to the store.  Some businesses, such as Starbucks, have even begun using mobile loyalty cards – a great way to keep frequent visitors coming back for more!  Other mobile marketing techniques include sending polls, contests, and text alerts to interested leads.

Image from: http://www.mpls.tmcnet.com

One very successful example was carried out by Ace Hardware and Microsoft Mobile Advertising.  In a month-long holiday campaign, Ace Hardware advertised four different in-store specials via mobile marketing.  The campaign resulted in a 60% lift in brand awareness in ages 35-54 and 101% in ages 25-54, as well as an 8% increase in store traffic – surpassing even the highest expectations.  This just goes to show that mobile marketing is more than just a passing fad for the tech-savvy; it’s a major break-through for businesses who are ready to get involved.  And here’s the kicker: it really does work!

With 2.4 billion active text message users in the world (more than any other data application), it’s surprising that this trend hasn’t caught on sooner.  In fact, a study by the GSM Association found that mobile marketing has already reached 25 times more people than Twitter and has 7 times the response rate as compared to e-mail marketing.  We should also expect it to increase in popularity as more age brackets adapt to text messaging and as mobile coupons are becoming more widely accepted.  While the revenue it produced in 2008 was a couple hundred million, it is predicted by http://www.smallbiztrends.com that this could increase to $5 billion by 2012.

Image from: http://www.solucionprofesional.com

At The Souza Agency, we know how important it is to stay up-to-date in the ever-changing and quickly expanding world of marketing.  And with mobile marketing – the question no longer seems to be how or why to get involved, but when.

Team Souza

Marketing Across the Generation Gap

The idea of a generation gap is nothing new: What is true about one age group can rarely be said about another.  We all grew up through different stages in time and technology, and through various social and political world events that have shaped who we are today.  It’s logical, then, that we would all have different wants and expectations in terms of marketing techniques.  As Ann Fishman of Circulation Management once said, “In a marketplace that’s evolving from product-driven to customer-driven, understanding the fundamental needs, values, icons and historical experiences of the various generations to whom we hope to market is more critical than ever.”

In a market this complex we need to ask ourselves: Is it possible to communicate with all of them in the same way?  How can we reach each group effectively?  What is our target age group really looking for from us?  By comparing different characteristics of today’s  five prominent generations – the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, and Generations X, Y, and Z – we can pin-point what each group is likely to be drawn to and do our best to reach them most effectively.

The Silent Generation: 1925-1942

After years of spending on their children and grandchildren, this is a generation that is finally ready to do something for themselves.  They have earned their retirement and they want to enjoy it!  So, how can we help them do this while bringing their business our way?  Here are a few pointers.

Most people in this age group still respect old-fashioned ways and values, so it is important to emphasize this when reaching out to them.  They also appreciate history and look for brands that are older and more established.  If your business has any sort of history or background, you’ll definitely want to bring it to their attention.

Direct mail is a great way to reach the Silent Generation because they are more likely than others to actually have the time and willingness to sit down and read it.  This is not to say that this group cannot be internet-savvy as well.  A study in 2008 found that 91% of the people in this group that do use the internet, use it to access e-mail.  They are also likely to use the web to view health information, news sources, and government sites.  So, when making a website or online campaign you may not want to leave them out.  They are looking for a website that is clearly organized and easy for them to navigate through.  The font should also be a bit larger than average, so it is easier for them to read, but never to the point where it would make them feel like “old people”.

Baby Boomers: 1943-1960

Frequent travelers, loving grandparents, and wealthy retirees – these are the generation of baby boomers.  Some believe the Boomer’s to be the most nurtured generation yet because of the large number of stay-at-home moms after World War II.  Perhaps this is how they earned the nickname, “The Me Generation”.  You can appeal to this characteristic by creating campaigns that focus on what’s in it for them and reinforce the idea that they deserve it.

This generation also holds most of the country’s wealth, and a 2004 survey by the Bureau of Statistics found out exactly what they’re spending it on.  They spend more than any other generation on goods and services and come in second for spending on transportation and entertainment.  The women, specifically, spend the most on clothes – 56% more than the average household.

Because of the increasing number of single and working parents, grandparents are now more involved than ever before.  It should come as no shock that the grandma’s and grandpa’s in this group are actually spending more than the Gen X-er’s on pets, toys, and children’s products.  So, when advertising for these products we need to remember the baby boomers as a key part of our audience.  What kind of toys would they want their grandchildren playing with?  Something safe.  Something that teaches good values.  Maybe even something that brings them back to their own childhood.

Generation X:1961-1981

Juggling new careers, marriage, and parenthood makes this generation a busy one.  If you can’t capture their attention immediately – you’ve probably lost them amongst everything else they’ve got going on.  Emphasizing the convenience or ease of your product/service is a great way to stand out to this crowd who would appreciate the break.

“Exposed to consumerism and public relations strategies since we could open our eyes, We Gen X’ers see through the clunky attempts to manipulate our opinions and assets, however shrinking,” writes Douglas Rushkoff, in his 1994 book, The Gen-X Reader. “When we watch commercials, we ignore the product and instead deconstruct the marketing techniques.”  What he is saying is a very valid and useful point – Generation X wants us to be genuine.  They aren’t likely to like or fall for gimmicks.

Generation Y: 1982-2000

A group of Gen-Y volunteers from Oxford College

Full of hope, optimism, and (most importantly) energy – this generation is determined to change the world.  It seems like every Gen Y’er is passionate about some cause or another and they are ready to do something about it.  For this reason, they are most likely to be drawn to a business that shares these ideals and is equally passionate about them.  Cause-related marketing is a very effective way to reach Generation Y – and of course, helping out the world while doing it is a nice little bonus!

Another interesting thing to note about this generation is that they have grown up in an age where having single or divorced parents is not uncommon.  But how can we use this to reach them as consumers?  The key is to make them feel like a part of something – like family.  One example that comes to mind is the Mac vs. PC campaigns.  No matter which side you’re on, you become a part of their team.  You no longer “have” a PC, you “are” a PC, etc. And from then on, you have some sort of connection with all the other users on your team.

This generation also places a strong emphasis on their friendships; so word-of-mouth marketing is extremely effective.  If they see that a friend of theirs “likes” your company on Facebook, for example – it makes a powerful first impression.

Generation Z: 2001-

The most important thing to keep in mind when marketing to Generation Z is that they are still too young to make their own purchases (with the exception of the occasional candy bar bought with their weekly allowance).  So when you target this age group, the people you really need to convince are the parents – Generation X and Y consumers.  In fact, they even have wish lists that kids can make online now, so begging your parents has never been easier!

And while you may not immediately think that internet advertisements would be the way to go, children are becoming very proficient on computers at a young age and many go online almost daily to play games. Interactive ads or short videos that will keep their attention work best.  Because they are so visually oriented, television commercials are still very effective with this age group as well.

Reaching Them All

Years of working with all kinds of clients at The Souza Agency have proven to us that the first, and arguably most important step in effective marketing is to know your audience.  Know what they like and dislike, what they’ve been through, and what they are attracted to.  Age cannot answer all of these questions, but it sure is a great place to start.

Shows on Broadway…are they too expensive?

Photo courtesy of Richard Roebuck

Musical theater  has been around for centuries in one form or another, however, many theater critics are predicting its demise in the coming years. Escalating production costs means that ticket prices are rocketing for some shows, making them exclusive to those who are willing and able to spend their money. Is this acceptable; should the theater be retained as a sophisticated art form meant only to be viewed by the wealthy upper classes (as it once used to be), or should the theater be accessible to everyone? Considering the content of many of the popular new musicals being produced such as Rent, Wicked, In the Heights and Hair, to name a few, that deal with issues such as sexuality, race, class and most of all freedom of individuality, why should these messages be financially unattainable to many of the large groups of people they are trying to enlighten?

Rent the musical promotional poster

The price of tickets to see a popular show on Broadway is high at the moment, especially considering the current economic climate. Tickets to see the most popular shows such as Wicked and The Lion King in New York on a Saturday evening can be up to $130 a pop, and it is impossible to get these tickets last minute at a discount because the shows always sell out ahead of time. Many shows waning in popularity fill up last minute seats by discounting their tickets up to 50% at the TKTS booth in Times Square. Even with this discount some of the shows can still be $50-100 per ticket; maybe not so bad for 1-2 people, but for a whole family that’s quite a stretch. So is it worth it?

TKTS booth, Times Square NY.

First we have to consider the production costs. Some of these shows will blow your mind visually with amazing special effects and this doesn’t come cheap. The actors, singers and dancers on stage have trained professionally for years; as have the musicians in the orchestra. Add to this the fact that everyone involved puts on the production seven days a week and sometimes two shows a day. It is also easy to overlook the sheer number of people involved in making a production come to life who all need a pay check; choreographers, coaches, costume designers, make-up artists, set designers, backstage technicians, even front of house employees, to name but a few.

Extravagant set on Broadway’s The Lion King

Second, the theater is an age-old art form. Musical theater has been around for centuries entertaining the public. Up until the last few decades the theater really was reserved for the wealthy class often with standing room only for the lower class.  Sure the theater has changed (some critics say for the worse) but it has also evolved in many positive ways with modern musicals drawing attention to the plight of minority groups and repressed individuals, giving them a voice, teaching morals and campaigning for rights and freedom of individuality.

Broadway sign post

Overall we think it is fair to say that yes, theater tickets probably are over-priced – but there are significant reasons behind this. New forms of entertainment are available now that the theater has to contend with, so drooping audiences mean they have to increase their prices to retain the same professional level and even just to keep the show on the stage. However, it would be nice to see tickets become more accessible and to have financial incentives for people who see shows regularly, or book in advance for example. A new marketing or advertising approach might be beneficial in getting more people excited about the theater.

Musical theater button courtesy of Zazzle

If your thinking about going to see a show in the holiday season here is our advice; do your research; book in advance if need be or try your chances getting last minute tickets. The latter is normally the best option if your not too fussed about which show you want to see. This is also beneficial to the smaller theaters and the lesser known productions; it doesn’t mean they will be bad, and it opens your mind to different things and you might be pleasantly surprised. If there is only one show that will do, then most likely you will end up paying a larger amount for your ticket than if you take the best deal that’s on for the day.

Broadway ads in Times Square NY

Do you have comments on this subject? We would love to hear you opinions too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Team Souza

Social Media 301: A Compass to Set Your Course By

Ask any competent sailor whether he or she would rather be caught offshore in a 30-knot wind or in becalmed seas, and, if the vessel is seaworthy you know the response will be a resounding, “Wind! Give me a strong wind any day!”

A sailboat is built for sailing, and whether she’s a 16-foot day sailer or a 60-foot schooner, a skilled captain and crew can make the most out of the weather and its direction by trimming their sails or letting them out, changing sails for storms or calm seas, beating into or falling off the wind, battening the hatches, or skillfully milking the energy out of the slightest zephyr.

So it is in business marketing. In a recession, skilled business owners can ‘captain’ their companies and their marketing initiatives through troubled waters and weather the times—provided their overall marketing strategy is seaworthy, and the helmsman possesses the navigational acumen of a migratory osprey, the tenacity of Santiago in Old Man and the Sea, and the courage of Capt. Jack Aubrey in Captain and Commander. Put another way, clear sailing requires a sound, comprehensive marketing strategy and the ability to make course corrections as demanded by market conditions.

Weathering Any Storm

Tidewater sailors who know the Chesapeake’s fickle temperament leave their moorings in safe harbors and coves and head out to the Bay anticipating the unpredictable. They’re prepared for just about anything: biting black flies, running hard aground in the Tidewater’s shallow muddy tributaries, and ‘weather’—a freak thunderstorm that appears out of nowhere, a ghostly waterspout funnel, a snowstorm causing whiteout conditions and icy decks (yes, many sail throughout the year!), a change in wind direction and velocity, an unexpected gust of high wind, a wave from the wake of a large power boater or tanker, and becalmed seas in the middle of a hot, muggy August afternoon.

A storm jib, a spinnaker, extra hardware, lines, fowl weather gear, first-aid kit, short-wave radio, dingy, life sling/ring, tool kit, bailers and blankets, as well as plenty of drinking water and fast-energy food, are some of the necessary items on board. Just as important is a crew that is able-bodied, attentive, flexible, knowledgeable of sailing vocabulary, and able to follow commands on cue.

During slow periods and tough economic times, businesses often sacrifice marketing and advertising to cut costs. In fact, such becalmed weather requires greater attention to marketing—not less—with a focus first on developing the right strategy to reach one’s goals. Today, even with limited resources, social media and word-of-mouth outreach coupled with a sound overall marketing strategy ensures that everything works together and is integrated seamlessly—whether you’re publishing a new blog, optimizing your web site, setting up social media accounts, establishing a PR campaign online, or searching out interest groups in your target market. This means, of course, that the all-important brand you have created is infused throughout—including the brand essence, personality, vision, and marketplace identity—much as early shipbuilders used tar pitch to waterproof their wooden boats to make them seaworthy. Built into every good marketing strategy is a clear understanding of the destination, the prevailing market forces (prevailing winds), a plan for negotiating those forces, and built-in flexibility to alter course.

In other words, a ship must not only be sound and seaworthy, but must be designed and equipped to move across water as quickly and safely as possible—streamlined and rigged to cut through the waves rather than bounce over them, to heal without capsizing, to tack or jibe with minimal effort, to beat as close into the wind as possible without luffing, and to allow for quick and safe sail changes as weather changes for the worst—all lines manned from the cockpit, crew in safety harnesses, and easy maneuverability aforedecks.

Against the Tide

The flexibility to alter course cannot be overstated as an important part of a sound social media strategy. Sometimes a business loses its hold on the pulse of the market. Today, your clients and customers are playing a huge role in determining your brand’s image. If you fail to join in their conversations about your brand, your competitor will be there to fill in. Sometimes the ensuing chaos of reacting to a collapse hurts a business as crew members ignore customer needs in their mad scramble to batten the hatches, heave to, and prepare for a freak storm or a rogue wave. And sometimes, fierce competition from other fleets, or vanishing or stressed fisheries force a ship’s captain to retool or move to new waters.

Intuitive, Artful Sailing

If you business is in rough seas, inviting an outside marketing firm to reassess your social media outreach and overall strategic marketing strategy can be a wise move. They may recommend sharpening your message and reaffirming/re-establishing the all-important emotional connection with long-time customers and/or clients. They also may recommend a major marketing overhaul, perhaps with a narrower focus to sharpen your message. Or, they may propose a new direction altogether, setting a course for unexplored terrain on “the far side of the world.”

Branding—New Cowboys for a New Age

Going West

The great American “West” has been ingrained in the minds of millions throughout the world, thanks in large part to Hollywood and its development of the Western movie genre. Using their own backyard—the real western prairies, peaks, and desert valleys—as vivid backdrops and multi-sensory triggers, Hollywood filmmakers for nearly a century have portrayed an equally vivid landscape of American icons and values—where good and evil, wanderlust and recklessness, courage and cowardice are played out in the lives of real or mythical pioneers, cattlemen, miners, homesteaders, Indians, gunslingers, and lawmen. “Thanks to Hollywood, virtually everyone knows the ingredients of the Western,” writes Gary Johnson. “…the lassos and the Colt .45s; the long-horned steers…, the stagecoaches…the Stetson hats…”

The American Cowboy

The American cowboy—thanks to the Western film—is an American phenomenon and for people around the world an icon for what it means to be American—whether influenced by Hollywood, Texas, or Nashville or the over 600 spaghetti Westerns produced in continental Europe. “The iconography of the Western is the largest and richest of all the film genres,” notes Johnson, “and Hollywood has burned it into the minds of moviegoers from Dodge City to Timbuktu.”

USA Brand

In a sense, we’ve been branded as a people and as a nation. This branding process continues today, even as the Western film genre fades, because Western icons are embedded in our language (we use branding in marketing lingo to mean basically the same thing!), our songs, our food, our fashions, our advertising, our politics and our world views. Whether we wear a Stetson or ball cap, we still wear the mantle of the mythical Western cowboy.

At times, Americans may be ecstatic, embarrassed, or indifferent about our ‘cowboy’ brand, but—for better or worse—it still resonates for many here and abroad. Just as cowboys capture and brand the young calves and dogies before letting them lose to join the heard and wander the range, there’s never any doubt where those little guys are from, for the rest of their lives, thanks to the brand.

We love the branding business.  When we help a client lasso those elements that make their brand unique and compelling, share their strengths and challenges, dreams and concerns, and share a story or two around the campfire, you get to know someone “real good.”

Yes. You’ve knowingly entered the Wild, Wild West. Social media or smoke signals? A press campaign or Pony Express? Are your little dogies getting lost in the herd? Just think about this vast multi-sensory, media frontier.  It is the wild, wild West. You could go it alone,  of course.  Or you could call Souza.

Team Souza