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April 2007

BREAKING NEWS

Disguised Exercise

By Nick Longo

Do you remember when you were a kid and you were presented with your first Slip and Slide? I do. I will never forget the excitement of running through the grass, jumping on the yellow rubbery surface and sliding as far as I could. I couldn’t get enough. I would run and jump and slide all day long. To me, it was heaven and to my mom, it was heavenly. It gave her a time to breathe while I played...Little did I know at the time, that this play was also helping my health, my focus and my drive. Read More

TUNE UP Articles from MarketingProfs

'Co-Production Experience' and the Satisfied Customer

By Peter C. Honebein

Something was different about this hotel experience. It seemed they really wanted to enhance customer performance—which, in this case, was my getting a good night's sleep. As I stepped off the elevator, an interesting sign came into view. It said I was assigned to a Quiet Floor. It promised that housekeeping and maintenance activities would not start before 10:00 AM and not continue after 9:00 PM. It also promised that families with children, trade groups, marching bands, and circus animals would not be assigned to this floor. Read More

What's the Difference Between Customer Experience Management and Experiential Marketing?

By Leigh Duncan

Many people equate Customer Experience Management with Experiential Marketing. However, in recent years, "experiential marketing" has become perceptually aligned with "marketing execution." This is because it largely focuses on developing highly visible, stimulating, interactive, and sensory-engaging environments in which products and services are showcased. Read More

TUNE IN Cool Websites and Trends

Convert your blog into a book:
www.blurb.com

Create your own t-shirt and win part of the profits:
www.threadless.com

Bringing democratic design to the masses:
www.karimrashid.com

FINE TUNE Cool Marketing Stuff We Have Found from Around the World
A Note from CEO Jim Holbrook: Analog in a Digital World

It scares me almost to death. I mean, how many times have I found myself in my car, typing excitedly on my crackberry, when BAM, I look up and am in near collision territory? And, what makes it worse is that I am not upset I almost crashed, but more-so that the stopped cars around me managed to distract me from my messaging? If you are anything like me, this scenario is all too familiar and all too ridiculous. In our current digital world, it is incredibly easy to be caught up in our digital toys. From our computers to the internet to YouTube’s latest posting, I think we may be losing site of the fact that the real world matters, especially to marketers. So what do we do when the digital space is so compelling?

I was just at a restaurant in Sydney, pictured below, that took my obsession with digital to the next level. As we sat and waited for our meal to be served, we were entertained by a giant screen projecting the goings-on of the kitchen. Not only did this screen project the good and bad frenetic energy of the kitchen, but it served as such distraction from our conversation that we all became anxious by watching. Is this taking digital too far? I’m not sure. However, I really hope it’s more about the meal than the show. And that’s my philosophy in thinking about digital and analog. If digital makes analog better, then great. If digital overshadows analog, then there’s a problem. Therefore, as a participative marketer, I am here to tell you that when trying to reach consumers, there is nothing more powerful than tapping into our cultural need for tangible real world experiences.

From the popularity of sampling to the power of word of mouth, people love to talk about things they’ve touched or places they’ve been. Let’s not lose sight of our real mission- to make people talk, smile, or get excited when they touch your brand. These priceless, hands-on experiences evoke a need for sharing our experiences with friends that digital can enhance/magnify, but not replace.

Therefore, as your look at your Blackberry for the 15th time while reading this message, remember that in order to really capture the attention of consumers, it is imperative to incorporate an analog mindset into your digital world. And, look up often!


Last Issue's Top Article
What to Expect as Retailers Reach the Limits to Organic Growth:  A Conversation with Retailing Expert Dan O’Connor

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Rachel Saunders
Director of Communications
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Rachel.Saunders@emak.com