ART + science: the PARTNERS+simons Blog

Political swingers

Jim Porter — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:58:00 -0500

“Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and excusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let them label you as they may.” Mark Twain

Olympia Snowe, Republican from Maine. Joe Lieberman, Independent from Connecticut. If you are a political junkie, you probably have distinct opinions about these two senators. Or maybe you just group each of them into one big bucket.

5 ways to increase your email click through rates

Steve Lynch — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:20:06 -0500

Social media may be the media darling of the moment (for very good reasons) but email still tops most marketers’ list for 2010 media tactics.

Slightly Mad Men (and Women)

Jane Roper — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:42 -0500

Many of us here at PARTNERS+simons – and at advertising agencies across the country, no doubt – are enthusiastic watchers of the AMC series Mad Men. Set in the Madison Avenue glory days of the early 1960s, the show paints a glamorous but not always flattering picture of the ad biz.

Recalibrating Strategies for an "Accountability Economy"

Stephanie Rogers — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:21:20 -0500

Is the glass half empty or half full? Are we coming out of a recession or resetting to a new normal?

Tom Simons tackles these questions in his guest post on the 1to1 blog, Recalibrating Strategies for an "Accountability Economy", in which he highlights domain expertise, low-cost production models, and a commitment to measuring business outcomes as the keys to success in today's economy.

Check it out and let us know how your organization is responding to the "new normal."

Social Networking for Hospitals

Jamie Johnson — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:14:51 -0500

Last Friday we attended the Mass. Hospital Association event, “The New Wild, Wild West: Social Networking for Hospitals,” where a panel of social media practitioners (and attorneys!) shared lessons learned in navigating these new waters.

As we all know, social media is not a fad - it is a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. Over half of 25-35 year olds say social media influences their healthcare decisions. It is not a matter of “if” a hospital should start participating in the social media realm, but “when” it will. And according to one of the panelists, that time is now: if you do not create ways for people to socialize your brand, they’ll do it on their own. Dozens of healthcare marketers have taken the plunge.

So what’s holding the rest of them up? We noticed a few common issues that hospitals face when it comes to diving into social media:

Why pharmaceutical companies and brands should take a second look at social media

Ed Feather — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:18:41 -0500

Very slowly, the pharmaceutical industry is entering the social media space – primarily with Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Debates over the value of social media go on every day on one blog or another, but the real question is this: How much marketing benefit do social media sites provide to pharmaceutical companies sponsoring them? Do consumers (or “patients”) actually view and engage with social media communication streams – and ultimately with the brands? And what do they do next? Are they more likely to get treated because they read something on Twitter?

Media Roundup

Stephanie Rogers — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:27:47 -0500

There were tons of interesting media stories in the news this week, not least of which was the Yahoo!/Microsoft Bing announcement. Here are some others that caught our attention:

There’s been an ongoing debate around whether traditional advertising metrics like reach and frequency are possible – or even relevant – for digital media. Well, proponents of these metrics will be pleased to learn that Microsoft and comScore have joined forces to launch the Reach and Frequency Planner, which combines ad-serving data from the former with demographic information from the latter. The hope is that with common metrics in place, brand advertisers will feel more confident shifting some of their offline budgets to the Web.

In other launch news, out-of-home video network Captivate (you know, the digital elevator screens in office buildings around the country) is now offering 30-second spots. Advertisers can take advantage of the network's original full screen units, sponsorships, and 15-second spots, or repurpose longer video footage, from existing broadcast spots, for example.

Online video consumption continues its meteoric rise, with the Pew Internet & American Life Project reporting that 62% of adults online have watched, up from 33% in 2006. And the remarkable thing is it’s not limited to the kids: 67% of people 30 to 49 watch online video, and 41% of those 50 to 64 do. These numbers mean online video watching is more popular than social networking use (46%) and the much-ballyhooed Twitter (11%).

Not surprisingly, B2B marketers have taken notice of this video proliferation, and are increasingly leveraging viral videos and other forms of social media for not only branding, but demand generation activities. A recent study by BtoB Magazine and the ANA found that 57% are now using social media channels, up from just 15% in 2007. Other key findings: a whopping 81% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn, and 60% use Facebook.

Can't wait to see what August brings.

HealthLeaders Media mentions

Tom Simons — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:24:46 -0500

Tony Cotrupi – PARTNERS+simons’ President and Director of Brand Development – appeared in several articles in HealthLeaders Media, offering his insight on hospital branding and marketing issues.

Art & Copy: One and a half thumbs up

Tom Simons — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:20:51 -0500

At the invitation of Chief Marketer, I had an opportunity the other day to watch "Art & Copy," a new documentary on creativity in the advertising business.

Healthcare reform brings hospital marketing pressures

Chris Demakis — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:23:55 -0500

Recently, Gina Monari of MedAdNews blogged about the adverse effect that healthcare reform is having on marketing in the hospital space. See what PARTNERS+simons' President Tony Cotrupi had to say about this issue below. Gina's post from MedAdNews Insider is republished with her permission.

Hospitals should get in marketing game, but healthcare reform brings pressures

Although advertising and marketing dollars among cost-conscious hospital clientele are spent more slowly and inconsistently, the Massachusetts-based brand communications agency PARTNERS+simons advises these clients to think more like marketers. With other priorities, healthcare reform, and healthcare-cost concerns at the top of the list, hospital clients seldom place an importance on self promotion. Recent agency research points out, however, that consumers are researching more of their own healthcare options outside physician referrals, including which hospitals they go to.

Survey results show that consumers 45 years old to 50 years old are driving the perception and delivery of healthcare, which presents an opportunity for hospital clients to step up and invest in self promotion. According to Tony Cotrupi, president and head of the health practice at PARTNERS+simons, hospitals have been slower and more reluctant to market themselves due to financial, infrastructure, and technological constraints. Strategic investment in the online space and with search-marketing tactics will better articulate their clinical expertise and commitment to the patient experience as consumers take more control over their healthcare decisions.

“[Hospitals] really don’t think of themselves as marketers,” Mr. Cotrupi told Med Ad News. “They really just want to take care of people and we did this study because we wanted to have some basic data to share with them that shows that the world is changing and consumers are becoming much more involved in decisions about their health – including which hospitals they go to.”

When faced with choosing a hospital, only 5% of surveyed consumers agreed that hospitals are doing an excellent job educating them about why that facility is better than any another. This is considered to be a provocative finding because 98% of respondents believe that, regardless of what people might say, not all hospitals deliver the same quality of care.

When the Boom is over, X will mark the spot

Jennifer O'Connell — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:42:29 -0500

Ah, the allure of the Boomer. By 2010, people over the age of 50 are expected to make up 50% of all consumer spending. They earn $2.4 trillion annually, generate 40% of all disposable income and yet only represent 30% of the population. (McKinsey Consulting)

Is it any wonder financial services marketers get giddy just thinking about the huge opportunity Boomers represent as they plan for and near retirement? Even their name makes you think of the explosive potential of dollars that need to be managed, preserved, invested and spent.

But what about the Gen Xers pulling up the rear? They’re overshadowed by boomers in sheer number. They’re still acquiring wealth and retirement feels like an oasis in the distance. And for financial services marketers they’re not nearly as enticing as the 70 billion Boomers on the horizon.

The thing is, Gen X still has many pressing financial priorities and needs. And their financial challenges are different and more complex than any generation before. The majority are raising families and need to save for their children’s education (72%). Some have aging parents who will need their help – financial and otherwise – in the near future (53%). Healthcare costs promise to eat up more and more of their retirement savings. Social security is no longer a sure thing and offers little, if any, security at all. And those fabled safety nets formerly known as pension plans and other employer-sponsored programs will be much harder to come by for Gen Xers than they were for their parents or grandparents.

Key strategies for buildng a multi-channel campaign

Jim Strickland — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:53:16 -0500

We recently attended the 5th Annual BIMA Cross Media Forum. As its title implies, this event focused on the increasing need to utilize multiple media channels in order to launch a successful marketing effort.

Forrester Research set the tone for the event by providing insights into media spending trends, as well as their 5-year marketing forecast, which predicts interactive spend will grow from 12% to 21% of total advertising spend by 2014. That includes paid search, display advertising, mobile, email, and social media…a bevy of digital channels to consider along with your traditional ones.

What follows are the key points to bear in mind when constructing a multi-channel campaign.

When it comes to financial services, In Few We Trust

Jennifer O'Connell — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:58:15 -0500

According to Cardbeat, a syndicated market research report, US consumers trust credit card companies less than they did a year ago. It doesn’t help that hearings on the recent credit card reform bill vilified credit card companies and economic conditions have resulted in consumers feeling duped by companies who are increasing interest rates even as they’re reducing credit limits.

So where’s the opportunity in a financial market that’s lost the trust of its customers in an economic market that doesn’t seem to be getting any better? Everyone in financial services marketing is reaching for the trust card these days, trying to show consumers that they’re honest and caring and just darn good folks. The latest case in point: American Express.

Now American Express is hoping to become the card company that cares about its cardholders by urging consumers to spend responsibly. “Don’t take chances. Take charge.” is the new tag line for the campaign.

While the new campaign is all about how the charge card can make a big difference, asking consumers “Why take risk?” the subtle undertone suggests that consumers should be prudent with their spending. Unlike credit cards, charge cards put pressure on users to purchase only within their means, whereas credit cards that allow revolving balances do not.

Media Roundup: The Connected TV

Stephanie Rogers — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:16:43 -0500

Nielsen released an update to their Three Screen Report today, highlighting once again that Americans are increasing their overall media consumption and media multi-tasking. At the heart of it all is a voracious appetite for video content – whether it’s online (up 46% since last year), via mobile devices (up 70%), or even on the old TV (up 1.5%).

In fact, average American TV consumption remains at an all-time high (141 hours per month) compared to the same time last year.

Whereas digital was once thought to be a TV-killer, it has actually breathed new life into the medium, in some cases turning the “TV set” into a networked device not unlike a desktop. DVR owners are watching more TV than ever before, with time-shifted viewing increasing 20% year over year.

And advertisers, still wary of the ad-skipping technology that comes along with it, are leveraging digital platforms to test more interesting, interactive content on the TV. Last week, I saw a traditional :60 spot for the Klondike Bar, and admittedly wasn’t paying much attention, but my ears perked up at the end of it when I heard, “Turn to Channel 119 to see what happens.” Well, I took the bait, and was delighted to see some long-form content related to the famous “What would you do for a Klondike Bar?” campaign, complete with branded entertainment, product information, and Facebook integration. Convergence!

Well, almost. But it doesn’t seem far off before I’ll be able to click right from the TV spot to the Web page. Last month, Parks Associates predicted that the number of Internet connected TVs would triple in 2010 (from 2.4 million to 7+ million). And IBM just filed a patent for a remote control that will let viewers comment on shows they’re watching (by selecting from a pre-populated list or writing their own) and automatically blog/microblog about it. Fox has experimented with Twitter tie-ins to its programming: in a effort to get viewers hooked on repeats, it recently ran two episodes of the series Fringe, complete with an on-screen scroll of Twitter messages from cast and producers.

I love where all this is headed. The opportunities for advertisers and the infotainment options for viewers are seemingly endless. Stay tuned.

Show women the love, and they'll show you the money

Jennifer O'Connell — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:47:42 -0500

Sigmund Freud once asked, "What do women want?" According to a new book, the answer is more.

And that may not be such a good thing for financial services marketers. Because, while women generally feel under loved by the companies they deal with, their greatest disappointments are banking, investing, and financial services.

In the new book, Women Want More: How to Capture Your Share of the World’s Largest, Fastest-Growing Market (HarperBusiness, September 2009), the authors look at the emergence – and power – of the female economy. Yet even with increasing market power, women continue to find themselves underserved in the marketplace, particularly when it comes to financial services.

And where there is an underserved consumer, there is opportunity, especially for financial services providers willing to move beyond simply fiddling with segmentation or making incremental adjustments to offerings and services.