Microsoft influencing presidential elections!

As Slovak presidential elections are in Slovakia in less than 5 weeks we wanted to use this opportunity for something extraordinary. We had a brainstorming and which resulted into joint online project with with largest printed media publishing house Ringier (best selling tabloid). We agreed to build an online entry page for all, who want to be informed about everything about presidential candidates in a modern way. After this I think better headline would be "Microsoft contributing to better information about presidential candidates" :)

Result?

Starting this week Slovak internet users have the chance to visit new internet site with presidential candidates – http://www.prezident2009.sk/. Ringier provides all important information to Slovakian voters such as:

• actual preferences today and how they evolved,
• hot news,
• comparison of opinions on 6 selected topics,
• Facebook fan site plus multimedia content like video, pictures,
• and all necessary infos about candidates like CVs, up-to-date career, etc.

So where is the difference?

The most important thing from my company is that the whole site is build on Silverlight 2.0 technology and candidates photogallery in DeepZoom. These technologies allows to visitor out of the box work with content showed on website, for instance continuous fluent zooming of pictures or dynamic work with charts and much more.

Since Ringier is very popular on Slovak market we believe that this cooperation will help us with Silverlight (plugin) penetration among internet users and change perception of Microsoft as provider of innovative though easy to use technologies. On the other side Ringier is connected works with state-of-the art technology which offers them advantage compared with competitors.

Check out the site at http://www.prezident2009.sk/

Let´s make fun of economical downturn!

This was obviously idea behind the new selfpromo of Slovak radio called Funradio.

Their management was fed of all those excuses made of their perspective clients.

What they felt in past few weeks?They are sorry for everyone who feels impact of the crisis on business, but they are not sorry for those, they just want to blame the crisis for their problems, based on personal incapability. The aim of their campaign is to show even in tough times it is good not to forget humour and there is always a solution. Solution that is more helpful than an excuse.

What is their response?

• launch a dedicated microsite
• collect all funny excuses, e.g. "sorry for being late for the meeting we were driving slowly all way long in order to save fuel", etc.
• show satisfied advertiser of Funradio supported by 4 facts from surveys, e.g. reach the young generation addicted on brands, etc.
  

I think this campaign is good at least from two perspectives:

• it showes that Fun Radio is able to handle three topics in one: drive for advertising revenue, tough times and humour
• they are not afraid to come up with proactive communications in time of tough advertising budget cuts. But this is good time for radio, online and printed media to win those customers, they cutted the most expensive media, the TV ad.

No baby nursing pics on Facebook?

There was an issue with nursing pictures published at Facebook recently. This portal censored all pictures with this theme. For thinkers within PR agency a good opportunity to promote a product.

A Slovak website dedicated to children care http://www.baby-web.sk/ used this as good starting point for self promo. They hired a well known Slovak photographer and did a photo session with nursing mothers. 30 of them came and created a nice picture, see below.

This Slovak response has been taken over into almost all relevant newspapers what created huge media coverage.

Why this was a good idea?

• this message of censorship has shocked almost all mothers, therefore created large awareness and interest (mothers wanted to discuss their feelings and shock),
• the Slovak response was nice (lovely picture of renowned photographer) taken over by all relevant media (printed, electronic),
• it was published at the particular website and furthermore supported by statement, that all mother they want to express their support with this can send their pictures to the gallery at the website (from awareness to engagement).
  

Article originaly published on my Word-of-mouth marketing blog.

Product launch by buzz

A year ago when new product of new Customer Relationship Management 4.0 software was announced for Slovak market, we started to think how to introduce it in an unusual way.

We wen´t down to the core of the product which is to create and maintain relationship for business purpose. Of course, our CRM is not the only one on the market and that is why out of the box thinking was required.

It happened like this:

• What are most of people interested in? Gossip.
• Which is the most successful gossip media? Novy cas, part of Ringier publishing house.
• How could we connect our product with public attention supported by attractive content? By creating a network of well know local celebrities and map their past and current relations.

That is how Kto s kym (who with who) was created and made a huge halo on the market. It is today considered for another clear example of good cooperation of two brands with low cost and high impact activity.
Next step? In couple of day the site will be transformed in Silverlight technology which allows us even more funcionalities and better design. Besides this project has been taken completely over by Ringier publishing house and would like to start in all countries they are present.

Significant change of purchase funnel

We know the traditional marketing funnel called AIDA for years. Attention, Interest, Desire and Action were popular long years but with massive use of internet it has to be changed, especially two phases, says Cathy Clift.

She showes that consumers using internet:

• expand their consideration set
• take advantage of the experience of existing owners and users to help guide their choice

According to a comScore survey:

• 70% start their search query by a generic term ("LCD TV"),
• 20% with specific product term ("BestBuy") and only
• 10% with a specific term ("LG 42 LC 55"). This leaves space for producers to catch the attention of prospective early enough to be involved into consideration proces.

And be active and also open and honest on websites as BestBuy or Najlacnejsie.sk in order to have good reviews from current users of the product or brand.

Not that usual photos

You were astonished by CNN´s report about Obama´s inauguration made of all those sent in pictures?

Do you wanna promote your real estate development project or current offer in your car dealership in another way?

Let´s try then new technology which is easy to use but free and available to you today.
Check out http://www.photosynth.net/ , register and you can do similar 3D pictures at your home desk.

Links about product:
Photosynth on CSI
Photosynth architect on the product
TED presentation on Photosynth

Sticky ideas

According to bestseller of Chip and Dan Heath any succesful idea/campaing/activity should reflect 6 basic rules of SUCCES:

• S hort - not to bother with too much details. Life is fast today.
• U nexpected - surprise or shock. Purple cow.
• C oncrete - in what we try to achieve.
• C redible - support by relevant source, quotation, numbers, survey.
• E motion - you know, 80% are emotions, brain only 20%.
• S tory - aka storytelling, which makes it easier to digest and spread.

If interested in more details check their blog or buy the book.

Number of the day

Not only control of wealth but also influence is getting concentrated. In the time of information overflow it is not the company communications (e.g. advertising) what influences us, but rather blogosphere and opinion leaders (see also this post).

The changing role of marketer

David Thorp of Chartered institute of Marketing has written a paper called "The changing role of the Marketer" where he suggests splitting marketing roles into 3 areas:

• Science (analytics & research),
• Arts (creative) and
• Humanities (social networking and collaborative behaviours).

This seems reasonable but I think the marketer in 2009 needs to go further. He needs to be strategic, creative, emotional and also able to see beyond horizon.

As my friend Nick Baggot writes "I think we need to be more rounded, more free thinking and more innovative in everything we do. Marketing teams will get smaller this year. So those that are in roles, need to step up to the plate and make it happen. That means taking risks and stepping out of our comfort zones."