Branding in the Entertainment Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:53:00 +0000

American Idol Makeover: Will The New Cast Supercharge The Ratings?

Just over the past weekend it was officially announced that Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban will join the new panel of American Idol. Nicki Minaj will receive a $12 million dollar deal for one year while Keith compensation would not be disclosed. The only original remaining judge is Randy Jackson and Mariah Carey joined the show during the summer time.

RyanSeacrest had this to say about the new panel, “the serious and obvious diversity on this panel, you can see just by the panel the kind of power the show has.”

All of the new American Idol judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban all of their contracts are for only one year with a renewal option. This is a really smart move because if this set of new judges can not bring in the ratings then they will be let go.

The Fox president Mike Darnell, “I am thrilled about this year’s judges panel, with an unparalleled star like Mariah, fan-favorite Randy, chart-toppers like Nicki and Keith and our incomparable host Ryan, we’ve put together one of the most exciting judging panels around.”

In recent years, the ratings for the show have dramatically declined this is partly due to the increase in the talent show competition. Now there are shows like X-Factor which Britney Spears and Demi Lovato are judges and NBC’s The Voice with Christina Aguilera. Another reason is that the ratings are failing is because it has not produced any successful talent like Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson.

The last season finale was the least watched finale in the show’s history with a smaller audience than even Season 1’s finale with 11 million viewers. This is a 26% drop from the previous season finale with 30 million viewers. Even though these are strong numbers, they used to trump over all other sitcoms during that hour and now the sitcoms are pulling higher ratings.

With a new elite panel of judges where all of them have contracts over $10 million you have to wonder if they are going to save the pioneering talent show.

Seeking Expert Advice While Crafting Your Business Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:43:00 +0000

Starting a business is never an easy task but is most defiantly a fulfilling reward especially when you are pursuing your dream. It is always important to seek experts advice when starting your own business as they can give you tips and pointers to help guide you through the process. The two experts that I have chosen to follow are widely known for their innovative business mind but it is the way that they have branded themselves that truly inspires me.

Mark Cuban is widely known to the world as the manager for NBA Dallas Mavericks but he is a innovative entrepreneur as well. Mark was brought up in a middle class home, and learned the aspect of business through his father and grandfather. His father worked at a car upholstery shop and his grandfather was a immigrant from Russia who was a hard worker and always tried to make the best deal to provide for his family. Mark excelled through out the years in academics which translated into his business skills.

He had numerous successful business ventures but is known for his management skills with the Dallas Mavericks. In 2000, he purchased the NBA team for $285 million dollars. When he purchased the team it was in rough shape but he revamped the entire franchise and lead them to the finals twice.

Recently, Mark Cuban gave his insight into startups to Entrepreneur.com. He made some really valid points and some not so much. One of the first points that I 100 percent agree on is “Don’t start a company unless it’s an obsession and something you love.” This is so true because work will never feel like work. He also goes to mention about not having offices, making the job fun for the employees, etc. The major key point I disagree with is that he does not think it is beneficial to hire a PR firm. I personally think it depends on the business, the size and the direction. It is true that not all startups need a PR consultant but this could drastically change your business.

Oprah Winfrey has built a huge empire for herself with the highest rated talk show program in history and is also ranked the richest African-American of the 20^th century. She had really rough beginnings but this most defiantly was her source of motivation and played a huge factor in her talk show.

It is easy to understand Oprah’s view when it comes to starting a business. First you have to write everything out so you can prepare for any type of situation that might happen. This will help you when difficulties come and will better prepare you. She offers great advice like finding a mentor, and developing a prototype. One key point that she brings up is test your competitor’s services to see exactly what they are lacking to make sure that you are a head of them. This is brilliant and of course makes a lot of sense.

Anthony Davis a Smart Young Man: Fear The Brow is Now a Trademark

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Anthony Davis was a star elite player in NCAA Men’s Basketball the last few years. After leaving college to enlist with the NBA, he made a huge career move that is not normal with college athletes before the draft. He was accurately predicted being the top overall draft pick but that athleticism is not all he has to offer but smarts.

While playing in college he was known by his facial appearance and was mocked for having the unpopular facial hair but no one knew that just a couple years later the same unpopular facial hair would be a major revenue stream. Due to him being popular for his athleticism and his team taking the NCAA Championship it was clear that he would be one of the most talked about in the NCAA.

Even though he was the most popular NCAA college basketball player no one was prepared for his next business move. A few days before the NBA draft the sports world was buzzing with news that Anthony trademarked the phrases “Fear the Brow” and “Raise the Brow”. It makes sense that he would trademark these two phrases since they were both heavily used in Kentucky merchandise on t-shirts and signs.

Anthony had this to say about his major business decision to CNBC was asked about his major business decision he had this to say, “I don’t want anyone to try to grow a unibrow because of me and then try to make money off it, me and my family decided to trademark it because its very unique”.

Anthony Davis is not the first college athlete to file for trademarks before being traded. Robert Griffin III trademarked RGIII, RG3 and the phrase “Unbelievably Believable” which he said during his infamous Heisman acceptance speech.

This is now becoming the new wave of branding for athletes. If you think about it, it is a really smart business decision. Now the athlete is taking more control over their career and creating a revenue stream that will for sure set up their families for the future.

I think that this is a great business move and more athletes should take notice. Stop letting organizations cash in on your expense. It will be interesting to see how popular both these phrases become when the NBA season is back.

To check out the merchandise you can visit the main website Fear The Brow

-Sara

The Believe Album Launch A Truly Successful Integrated Marketing Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:18:00 +0000

This album launch got my attention and I began to sit back and watch to see how this powerhouse was going to launch this project. Of course like many other artists, you have your non-stop promotional campaign on various television talk shows but Justin and his team set the bar higher.

This campaign for the Believe album was a true integrated marketing campaign with multiple components. Let’s break it down. For starters, Justin used social media platforms to hype the album way before the release. Then Justin and his team had a little surprise for his fans also known the Beliebers. He was going on a concert tour performing the new album but there was a catch. This concert was FREE! The concert was titled “All Around The World” which is conveniently one of his songs on his album. This concert made stops in places like Norway, England, Mexico, and of course New York City.

But this was not the only announcement, for the fans that would not be able to make it to the free concerts NBC aired a two day special, Justin Bieber: All Around The World Tour which followed him on this major promotional tour for his album. Conveniently the special aired on June 20^th – 21^st which coincides with the album launch.

It does not stop there, Justin and his team also released a product. This like the promotional tour and two day special coinciding with the album tour. This I actually stumbled upon this week when I was at the mall. The picture below is the first thing that you see when walking into Macy’s.

Then when you walk in you see this huge poster but it does not stop there. It is like Justin is everywhere you go! The thing that got my attention is the name of the perfume, Girlfriend conveniently also coinciding with his first single from Believe “Boyfriend”. Also, by the check out counters his album Believe was available for purchase with the fragrance. I just stood there in amazement with the smarts behind this marketing campaign. I have never seen an album launch quite like this before.

When I got home and begun researching Justin Bieber and the different aspects of this marketing campaign I was more amazed. The Girlfriend fragrance website showed the commercial contest they had set up for his fans. He wanted his Beliebers to send in videos of themselves signing their version of “Boyfriend” called of course “Girlfriend”. This commercial of course aired during the NBC special which was sponsored by Macy’s.

Is this sinking in just yet? Well just yesterday it was announced that Justin Bieber Believe album is officially this years biggest debut of 2012. The album ironically knocked off his mentor Usher from the top spot of number 1. It will be interesting to see what else this Justin Bieber team has up their selves for the summer and for the continuing growth of this empire.

-Sara

Another Product Line For The Kardashian Empire

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:05:00 +0000

Recently the Kardashians made a huge announcement they will be launching their own makeup line. Of course Kim Kardashian is the main face of the empire but these ladies are only in their early thirties with a huge amount of success and show no signs of stopping. Their business ventures range from of course the reality shows, books, fragrances, jewelry line, clothing lines, stores and dozens of miscellaneous ventures all of them bearing the Kardashian name. The Kardashian empire just of last year pulled over 65 million dollars. It is no doubt that this family knows a thing or two on marketing, promotion and publicity.

Kim is infamous for using her social media accounts to promote her products and has over 6.9 million Facebook fans and over 15 million twitter followers it is no wonder that every business venture has been a success. Also she is known for charging $10,000 dollars from sponsors for every tweet that she broadcasts on Twitter and charges a few thousand dollars for guest appearances in hosting events and club appearances.

But what is the key element to this booming money making empire? Well, Kim told Success magazine that, “Every six months my mom and I set goals and visions for what we want to achieve.. Then we write a goal that is outlandish and outside what we think is our goal range.” It is that simple, setting goals and making sure you are achieving those goals.

The Kardashians have successfully used every platform correctly by maximizing business opportunities for the entire family. It seems that everyone wants to be on reality television for their 15 minutes of fame but not this family. They have used their reality shows Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and Kim and Kourtney take New York, and Kourtney and Khole Take Miami for publicity and marketing and promotions for all of their business ventures. BRILLIANT! In my opinion they are the only family and individuals that have used this platform of reality television for their business ventures successfully and make it look so flawless.

Not to mention all of the family members have their own blog sites where fans can keep up to date with each member daily. The blog website is filled with behind the scenes look into the daily lives of the Kardashians. But don’t be fooled it is really just another platform for them to use for their business ventures.

When filming, you can catch the Kardashian sisters in their clothing line or conveniently working at their stores. The Kardashian sisters are always drenched in their products every moment of every day especially when filming for their reality shows. Once again using this platform for their business ventures.

“People aren’t stupid, you really have to love what you do and you really have to believe in what you’re working for, for everyone else to believe in you.” So true way to go Kim!

It will be interesting to see the launch of their makeup line but it is no doubt that this will be another successful business launch adding to the Kardashian empire. I find it really interesting that no one has caught on to this business scheme that they have created or maybe people do know but they just can't help but love the Kardashians.

-Sara

The New Vevo Program

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:44:00 +0000

It all started in the early month of May when Rihanna joined forces with VEVO to premier her new music video “Where Have You Been”. Rihanna is a mega superstar with a huge social presence, and is considered one of the top social musicians according to Billboard with a Facebook following of 57 million and over 20 million followers on Twitter. It was no surprise with a following like this that she was able to break the record with the most Vevo and YouTube views in 24 hours with over 5 million!

Unfortunately her record would be broken in only five days later. Justin Bieber joined forces with Vevo to premiere his music video “Boyfriend”. Justin Bieber like Rihanna is always among the top social musicians with over 23 million Twitter followers and over 44 million Facebook followers. So its no surprise that he could break a 24 hour record. But he did not just break the recent record but almost doubled it with over 8 million views in 24 hours.

A few months after the record breaking views set by Rihanna and Justin Bieber Vevo announced a partnership deal with Facebook. Vevo wants to be known as the trusted source that artists use rather than YouTube which has become a video sharing website for everyone. Vevo had another announcemnent up their sleeve, a certified program that praises artists for their millions of views. This certified program offers amazing incentives to both the artist and their fans.

The certified program kicked off on June 12^th with Justin Bieber, who holds the record of most views overall with over 2.5 billion! The certified artist will be on featured the main page of Vevo along with extra content. There will be behind the music video clips, never before seen footage, and a special fan will be chosen to meet their idol to present them with the certified award. Which of course will be recorded and uploaded when the artist becomes certified.

I think this new platform is going to bring the importance of music videos back again. Unlike a majority of kids today I grew up on MTV, BET, VH1 back when all they had to play was music videos and music content. I miss being able to turn on the television and letting it play for hours while I worked on other things. I can't wait to see some of the extra footage behind major music videos like "No Church in The Wild".

-Sara

Tips For New Professionals From an Entertainment Lawyer

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:37:00 +0000

I had the amazing opportunity to interview an Entertainment Lawyer who has great insight into the industry from her years of experience. Julee L. Milham has been practicing law since 1986 in the field of entertainment, intellectual property and business law. Julee has practiced law in numerous states such as Florida, New York, California, D.C and she is a approved arbitrator for intellectual property matters with the American Arbitration Association. I asked some key questions that any new professional would like to know from a lawyer with years of experience in the entertainment industry.

Here are important tips and takeaways that any new publicist or marketing specialist should know before diving into the business.

Tip 1: Don’t use other people’s work

“I see a several common mistakes for marketing people. First, they often like to copy popular things thinking that if they tweak it just a little they won’t be committing trademark or copyright infringement, which is not true.”

Tip 2: Make sure your company name is unique rather than suggestive because it will be a weak trademark!

She stressed this because when you are protecting your trademark you will have a greater level of protection if the trademark is fanciful versus generic. Take Kodak for an example which is considered a fanciful trademark versus Orlando Dry Cleaner is really generic.

Tip 3: Make sure you have a written contract for everything and don’t rely on oral agreements!

“One problem EVERYONE has is their failure to get copyright assignments for work done for them.”

Tip 4: Get a lawyer especially if there are significant rights at risk.

It is always good to have a lawyer, they can guide you when drafting contracts and they can read contracts or agreements that come your way. This can be really beneficial and can save you from getting into a sticky situation.

Tip 5: Set a minimum requirements for performance in all contracts!

This will protect you, if you have a client that does not have a great work ethic and you will be able to end the contract because they are not meeting the requirements that you have set.

Tip 6: Read what you sign and always obtain copies!

Make sure you read and are able to understand the contract fully before you sign! Sometimes, contracts can have a playful way with words and this will change the meaning of the overall contract. It is always best to have someone else look over the contract to make sure there is a clear understanding of the requirements and terms.

“There’re always free documents on the internet but they’re rarely a good fit.”

Tip 7: Don’t always rely on contracts/documents on the internet.

Even though the internet is always a great source to use, it sometimes provides you with inaccurate information. Which you can not afford to use when dealing with your business.

Overall, those are my little insight tips that I have learned from my interview! Hopefully, these tips will come in handy to any new professionals in the industry. If you want more information on Julee or have some questions vista her website and she has a great FAQ section.

-Sara

Not All Publicity is a Good Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:52:00 +0000

Public relations is a great profession for anyone in the entertainment industry especially today. Now more than ever entertainers need a publicist to protect them and properly introduce them and keep them relevant in the media. Today it is easier to enter the entertainment industry than in previous years. Public relations is continuing to rise and is one of the only professions that is increasing with employment. There are times where an entertainer needs a publicist to protect them especially with false endorsements. More entertainers are endorsing products today, and it seems that anytime you turn on the television or turn the page of a magazine you see an entertainer telling you why you should purchase this product. Sometimes, companies will give a false impression that an entertainer is endorsing their product which at times damages their public persona. Here are three major false endorsements that has happen in recent years.

Michael Jordan vs. Dominick’s Finer Foods & Osco Jewel Food Stores

Back in 2009, Sports Illustrated honored Michael Jordan in a commemorative issue titled Jordan: Celebrating A Hall of Fame Career. The issue was distributed nationwide. Inside the magazine, included a full page Jewel Osco and Dominick’s Finer Foods page that were originated to honor him as a legend and his contribution to the sport of basketball. Both pages seemed innocent but taking a closer look it seemed that Michael Jordan endorsed both places in Chicago. When Michael Jordan found out about both tributes he was upset because he felt that it was damaging his overall public persona. Michael Jordan proceeded to sue both stores for $10 million dollars in damages citing; false endorsements, consumer fraud, deceptive trade practices and unfair competition. The US District Judge Gary Feinerman found it to be a tribute to the legend and stated both stores were just exercising their right of freedom of speech.

Kim Kardashian vs. Old Navy (The Gap)

Just recently, over the summer there were commercial ads that ran promoting old navy clothes that featured a woman who looked like an identical Kim Kardashian. The woman who was featured in the commercial is upcoming actress Melissa Molinaro. The commercial was broadcasted on numerous networks and estimated a total reach about 2 million people. Of course, Kim Kardashian caught whim of this and was furious and pursued the clothing company for $20 million dollars in damages. Kim is claiming that the commercials tarnished her image and reputation which is a vital part of her career. Once Kim Kardashian publicly complained about the commercials, Old Navy responded and removed them from the broadcasts. She was not satisfied with just the removal and wants to make sure the clothing giant does not repeat this mistake again. Sadly, the court date is set for April 23,2013 with federal judge Dale S. Fisher. It will be interesting to see what happens in this case and what the judge sees fit. Old Navy is claiming that Kim’s accusations are false because her image and reputation was already tarnished before the commercial even aired. Personally, I hope they have more weapons than just that because they are taking on the the Kardashian family and they are going to need it.

Curtis James Jackson III vs. Taco Bell (Yum! Brands)

Back in 2008, Taco Bell wanted to spread the word on their “79 cent, 89 cent, and 99 cent” menu but did not want to pay the costs for the publicity and marketing. So they thought that having rapper 50 cent tied in with the company would be a great fit because of his name.They released a letter that was addressed to Jackson to all news outlets around the country, but didn’t send the letter to him first. Inside the letter, they stated that if he would agree to the terms of the contract then they would give him $10,000 dollars to the charity of his choice. This lead consumers to believe that the rapper was a “sell out” and he was a paid endorser of Taco Bell. Curtis Jackson took the food giant to court and sued them in $4 million dollars in damages for using his name and trademark without his authorization to promote their food. Curtis Jackson and his lawyer claimed that Taco Bell not only used his name and image without his permission but enjoyed all the benefits of his mega star publicity without having to pay for the benefits. The case was settled but the terms of the deal were kept confidential but it is defiantly clear to see that Taco Bell were at fault.

As you can see false endorsements can be very costly to the business and the entertainer. Hopefully more companies will take the necessary and appropriate steps in signing an entertainer as an endorser for their products or services.

-Sara

How to be a Great Public Relations Manager.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:07:00 +0000

A public relations specialist is a person who creates and manages their clients image and brand through various mass mediums. Their daily tasks are long and changes daily depending on the client. A public relations specialist functions and responsibilities are tailored to their individual clients and with some clients they can be also be in a managerial role. Some PR specialists work independently and others work on a team. A PR manager has the same duties as an independent PR specialist but overseas an entire staff.

It is vital for a PR manager to understand the effective way in managing their staff. Some PR managers have found themselves in managerial roles with no experience in management and they face multiple challenges. Here are some key points that a PR manager should keep in mind to be successful while also having the managerial hat.

1. It is important to understand how to be a leader not a boss.

There is a major difference with being a boss versus being a leader. A boss gives orders to their staff and tells people what to do. A leader inspires and motivates people to want to do their job. The ability to be a leader rather than a boss is more effective with managing and is better overall for both parties.

2. Learning to trust your staff to take on projects.

It is really important that managers give their staff projects to participate in and work on rather than just giving them simple daily tasks. If a manager gives their staff only tasks, then the staff will start to feel that they don’t have any importance and will not give their all to their job. This will also give their staff a sense of achievement and ownership which will make the employee want to work and feel inspired to give their all.

3. Learning to incorporate the staff in crisis situations.

PR managers also need to learn to incorporate the staff when a problem arises. This could bring different outlooks and solutions to the problem and will give both the manager and the employee a sense of how to handle situations. If the employee handles the situation well with a similar outlook then the manager knows that they can lean on them to assist with any problems in the near future. If the employee does not understand the situation or does not solve the problem the way the manager sees fit then they have to decide if they can be taught how to solve the problem or maybe the job is not the right fit.

-Sara

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 03:36:00 +0000

Diva's Night by X-Factor ladies

Always maintain relationships while negotiating!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:36:00 +0000

In the entertainment industry negotiations can make or break you especially in the field of Public Relations where relationships are everything. Almost everyday a PR rep deals with negotiations whether it is with a client, other PR reps, or the media. Mari Ortiz gave me some insight dealing with negotiations in public relations. She is a well known PR rep who has worked in the industry for about 5 years dealing with musicians and various talents in the entertainment industry.

1. Always be prepared and do your homework!

One major important fact while negotiating is to be prepared and do your homework. She stressed this during our interview which was interesting because one would think that anyone would always do their homework but that is not the case. Sadly, she has seen this happen and experienced this herself. “Nothing is worse than not being prepared for a meeting or a negotiation.”

2. Be knowledgeable

One would think that this is common sense but Mari stressed that this has happened with her personally. She described an instance where she wanted a client being featured in the magazine and she had sent them information prior to the meeting but they failed to look at it. The magazine rep had to excuse themselves at the beginning of the meeting to look over the information which should have been done prior. This unfortunately sets the tone and makes the person feel that their entire business transaction will not be taken seriously.

3. Don’t use dirty tactics while negotiating

Mari stressed this as one of the main points with negotiating. “Even if the other side uses dirty tactics, one of the most important things with Public Relations is keeping relationships.” Keeping relationships is key and vital for a PR rep and is the main reason a PR rep is successful.

Any PR rep should always remember these three main points while negotiating!

Good luck

-Sara

Finding the Perfect Fit

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:54:00 +0000

Finding Public Relations specialists that will perfectly fit your needs can be overwhelming. Important factors to consider are budget, time, ideas, and media connections. Understanding what will be included in your package is extremely important. Anyone can find a public relations specialist, but one needs to know what he or she is looking. When searching it is imperative to thoroughly consider these factors so you are able to obtain a public relations specialist that matches your needs.

Budget is an extremely important factor and crucial element to consider when looking for a public relations specialist. A common response from business professionals is that they cannot afford a public relations specialist. However, there are many agencies and specialists available that the average person is unaware of. Normally the high-end PR firms can charge anywhere from $20,000 per month and $1,000 for a single press release. However, the level of service one will receive is included in the price, but the big question is who will be working on your project?

Usually there are different levels of specialists; Interns/Junior Executives can cost $75 per hour (Very little experience), Account Executives can cost $100-$125 per hour (1-3 years of experience), Senior Account Executives can cost $125-$200 per hour (Multiple years of professional experience).

There are some PR firms that can offer a one-time press release at an affordable price. But what quality of service are you going to get? Press releases will range from $300-$500 dollars but they send it and hope it delivers it is really low cost but really risky with no guarantee. This is affordable but one must ask is it worth it? Is it what you are looking for?

There are many PR specialists that have worked at high-end firms that now own their own boutique agency. These PR specialists are the hidden gems in the industry; they have the media contacts, the experience and usually can work with any budget. They usually charge per hour or for project itself which can range anywhere from $50-$100 per hour. Not only will the budget work but they will have the media contacts and provide amazing customer service throughout the project.

When finding a PR specialist key factors to remember;

Do they understand what you are looking for?

Do they have media connections to make this successful?

What is the time frame designated for this project?

Goodluck!

-Sara

New Age of Marketing for the Big Game

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:23:00 +0000

The Super Bowl is the biggest game of the year! The one game that sports fans wait anxiously for and marketers spend the entire year in preparation. The main reasons why people love the Super Bowl are; the big game, the halftime show, and the infamous commercials during the game. It is a great year for the Super Bowl, the 2007 Rematch New England Patriots and New York Giants and the amazing line up for the halftime show featuring Madonna with special guests Nicki Minaj, M.I.A and LMAFO. Then of course, are the commercials. Which commercial will be talked about come Monday? Personally my favorite Super Bowl commercials have been Budweiser with the frogs and Coca-Cola with the polar bears.

A few years ago marketers for big companies would spend a majority of their time preparing for the big commercial for championship game and not to mention the money that is spent for a 60 second commercial. Today the average for a 30 second commercial during the Super Bowl on the NBC network is $3.5 million dollars with an average of 70 commercials during the game. The competition is fierce with over 111 million viewers glued to their television sets not wanting to miss a second. A few years ago marketers would focus on just the commercial, knowing that everyone would return to work the next day talking about the game.

That was then and this is now, marketers are now promoting the ad itself rather than the product. A few of the top companies participating in promoting the ad for the Super Bowl have been Coca-Cola, Honda, Kia, and Volkswagen. These companies have been promoting their big advertisements for Super Bowl Sunday mainly through various social media sites.

Volkswagen used social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook for their promotion outlet. The teaser ad debuted on January 18^th and has received more than 10 million views on YouTube with over 676,000 shares on Facebook. This has become the new trend and why not when you’re spending a few million dollars for a 60 second commercial. With clutter being the big problem in advertising, social media provides a different platform for marketers to stand out from the competition.

What song are the dogs singing?

Coca-Cola is heavily promoting the come back of the polar bears. They have created a website dedicated for the come back of the polar bears. The website includes a count down clock and the teasers for the big upcoming commercial. Coca-Cola encourages visitors to RSVP to the main day event and by doing this the visitors assist Coca-Cola with meeting their goal. They have set a goal of reaching so many RSVP’s and once the goal is reached they donate 100,000 to the arctic home project which distributes funds for the polar bears of the arctic. They have already surpassed their goal with four days left before the big day and currently have already donated $165,667 dollars to the fund. It will be interesting to see if these companies are the ones talked about on Monday.

"The world is changing, We needed to come to the party with something new and different." - Pio Schunker, Coca Cola's Vice President

It will be interesting to see if these companies are the ones talked about on Monday. I don’t know about you but I can’t wait for Super Bowl Sunday!

-Sara

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:54:00 +0000

We live in a Karaoke World

A designer, recording artist and a manager his name is Malcolm McLaren who is commonly credited for the rise of punk rock. He was born on January 22^nd 1946 in London, England and was raised by his grandmother. The lecture is an hour long and focuses on the topic of How Does One Find Authentic Creativity? The lecture starts with his upbringing while casually filling in inspirational quotes that were taught to him which inspired him thorough out his career. In the beginning of the lecture he stated that he lived in a time of necessity but he goes on to say,

“We live in a culture of desires… the desire to become famous overnight.”

Which stood out to me because if you would take a look at what is on television it is filled with reality TV people trying to get their fifteen minutes of fame, take The American Idol, X-Factor, The Bachelor, The Kardashians for example.

He also pointed out the consequence of this ideology, which is that it is harmful for children because you are teaching them the desire to be famous and wanting success overnight without the struggle. If you think about it is almost like false advertising. Most people that become successful happen over time not over night.

He then goes on to discuss the two different meanings of struggle, which is the main topic of his lecture, Authenticity and karaoke. He believes that a majority of us live in a karaoke world. A world free from any real responsibility, and anyone and anything can be for sale. This world struggles to find anything authentic. While Authenticity is the exact opposite it is discovering something that is real that can only be achieved through a struggle.

I found this speech overall very intriguing and I didn’t know what to expect. If the audience was feeling the same way as I was feeling through out they were focused on every word that he said. You almost had to focus because of his think accent but it was more than that. His story that he told was truly moving and inspiring. Sometimes it is hard to be authentic in today’s society and it is almost better to be common like everyone else to fit into the popular mold. But his story proves and illustrates the best way to live ones life is only by truly being authentic and being true to oneself.

The speech is a MUST see check it out!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:03:00 +0000

The American Marketing Association

The American Marketing Association also known as the AMA, is an association for marketing professionals and students. The association is primarily focused on teaching, practicing and the development of marketing. Their principal roles for the organization are connecting, informing and advancing their members in the marketing field. The association stands behind their ethical norms and values, which all marketers should obey by; honesty, responsibility, fairness, respect, transparency and citizenship.

The association offers numerous publications and services that will benefit and enhance their members throughout their career by providing strategic thinking and practical solutions to common marketing challenges. Their publications consist of marketing news, magazines, journals and newsletters. They also offer numerous services for their members that focus on important marketing concepts such as direct marketing services, customer satisfaction firms and marketing consultants and consulting services. AMA also offers their members perk partners where members can take advantage of specials and savings with featured businesses with the organization.

AMA Board of Directors consists of a variety of successful marketers in different concentrations. They provide guidance and direction to the organization and to the members. The Board of Directors changes yearly to maximize exposure of knowledge and different concentrations within marketing.

AMA offers their members numerous media opportunities to help them connect with their target market such as media kits in print, podcasts, webcasts, magazine and journals schedule and rates, sponsorship opportunities at events and assistance with recruitment for staffing job positions. There are many event opportunities for their members each month across the country. The events specialize in key topics and marketing trends that are affecting the industry with important guest speakers. They also offer webcasts and podcasts of key events for members who can’t attend the events.

The AMA is great association for any marketing professional and has a wide range of different concentrations within the industry. Within each concentration discusses any upcoming changes and news relating to that specific area. When joining the organization you are asked to pick top three areas of focus within your profession. For instance my top three areas of focus I chose within the AMA are event management marketing, public relations and brand management.

I plan on keeping up to date with the publications with the association so I am current with the industry and have an understanding of any industry changes. I also plan on participating in webinars and hopefully will be able to attend an event sometime this year. With technology and trends changing all the time in marketing especially the music industry, an association like this is really important for marketers. The AMA aids members with information and many different opportunities with a wide range of marketing professionals in different fields.

Anyone interested in the American Marketing Association should check out the website http://www.marketingpower.com/Pages/default.aspx

Barbz doll just in time for the holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:41:00 +0000

Nicki Minaj Pink Friday album cover

There is no question this year is Nicki Minaj’s year especially with the success of her debut album Pink Friday. In just one year, the album has earned her over 30 nominations and 13 awards including Favorite Hip-Hop artist and Favorite Hip-Hop album surpassing Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and Kanye West. Recently, Billboard music held an event honoring women in the industry and named her the Billboard Rising Star of the year. Her acceptance speech was a heartfelt thank you to her barbz who she calls her fans. She gave them the much-deserved credit and is known for always giving credit to her barbz.

Nicki Minaj at Women in Billboard Music event

She is always connecting with her fans every chance she gets. Just look at her twitter account that currently stands at around 7.5 million followers with over 9,000 tweets. Nicki Minaj has a powerful impact and influence in today’s music and culture. Her ability to cross over to many genres from rap, hip-hop, r&b, and pop is her secret weapon. She recently just finished the Femme Fatal tour with Britney Spears, which gave her more exposure and the ability to branch out in a different niche market. It’s no question that Nicki Minaj is an extremely marketable artist stemming from her influence and impact that she has achieved all within this year.

Sophia Grace and Rosie meeting and singing with Nicki Minaj

On December 2^nd it was announced that Nicki Minaj had joined the toy maker giant Mattel to make a one of a kind Barbz doll. All proceeds will benefit the Project Angel Food foundation, which provides food for woman, children, and men that are affected from HIV and AIDS. The doll will be available on charitybuzz.com website on Wednesday December 7^th and will be showcased at a five-day gala event in Los Angles, California. This doll is only for auction with all bids starting at a mere $1000.00 dollars.

I think this is a great idea but I see some problems with this idea. First, who has $1000 dollars in this economy during Christmas season to spend on a Nicki Minaj doll? Second, what about her barbz? How are they going to participate when all the bids start at $1000.00 dollars? Instead I think they should have thrown the charity auction event months ago with the one of a kind doll and make another Barbz doll for her fan base for the holiday season. The proceeds from the holiday doll would still go to the charity foundation. I think that this would have been more effective because her barbz wouldn’t have felt left out. Take her biggest fans Sophia and Rosie for an example; do you see their parents spending at least a $1000 dollars for a bid or how about spending $100 for a Christmas gift?

Barbz Doll

Merry Christmas NBA Is Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:04:00 +0000

Saturday morning around 5 am I woke up to news alerts on my phone from twitter. Everyone was buzzing about the NBA lockout, which quickly became the number one trending topic “NBA lockout is over”. At first I didn’t believe all the hype so I went to CNN to find out the facts. In deed the NBA lockout was finally over after 149 days of deliberations and meetings this including the last meeting, which lasted for over fifteen hours. The specifics of the deal were not disclosed but both the owners and players finally came to an agreement. Maybe the players felt the pressure to get the deal done considering they had missed the first payday on November 15th or maybe they were worried about not having a season. I would like to think that someone within the NBA organization realized the possibility of an increase of revenue by starting the season on Christmas day. I personally can’t think of a better way to start the season. Let’s take a look at the some of the facts:

A regular season of basketball has 82 games but this season will only have 66 games starting on Dec. 25^th.
The 149 day lockout cost the league an estimated $500 million dollars in losses
Media Partners T-Mobile, Nike, BBVA, General Motors, Orbitz and LG Electronics
Media Sponsors Kia, MillerCoors, American Express
Television outlets ABC Sports/ESPN, Time Warner
The average revenue stream for a full regular NBA season is estimated around $375 million dollars.
Total Ad sales from last year NBA playoffs and finals estimated at $417.7 million dollars.
Total Ad sales revenue for an NBA season is estimated at $1.25 billion dollars.
Last year’s Television ratings for Christmas day games increased by 45% from 2010.

As like many people did this morning and throughout the day, I took to twitter to show my excitement for the sport and here are some reactions:

“Man I just got up not to long ago and see we have a deal! I feel like my kids on X-mas day! So juiced!! Excited for the fans that stayed patient with us! #NBAlove”

~ Lebron James

“The NBA is back baby!!! Congrats to the players” ~ Michael Vick

Here is a refresher from previous commercials leading up to Christmas day.

T-Mobile and Dwayne Wade “Outta Here”

Mariah Carey and NBA "All I Want For Christmas"

Here is the Christmas day line up:

Game 1: Boston Celtics at New York Knicks

Game 2: Miami Heat at Dallas Mavericks

Game 3: Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Lakers

Like the recent Nike commercial said #BasketballNeverStops

Mission Unlock Marketing Campaign Success

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:49:00 +0000

With the continuing growing impact of social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube it is not a surprise that more artists are embracing these sites. Take the recent marketing campaign for Rihanna’s upcoming album Talk That Talk as an example. The unlock mission started on September 20^TH with focus primarily on Facebook. The goal was to like the new missions and each mission lead to a new clue about the upcoming album. By Rihanna fans (Rihanna Navy) liking the missions they were getting a sneak peak of the new album.

There is no doubt that this was a huge success for Rihanna. The first single of the album “We Found Love” became her 11^th number 1 charting single and making her one of the fastest artists to achieve 20 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles. The music video has only been out about 3 weeks and has over 40 Million views on YouTube. According to Billboard Social 50 Rihanna ranked at 10 before the unlock campaign and now she is currently number 3 on their list. This campaign increased her likeness on social medium sites, she gained over 1 million followers on twitter totaling over 9 million and she gained 750,000 likes on her artist fan page now totaling over 47 million on Facebook.

MTV recently coined the Talk That Talk album as the Best Pop album of the year but it hasn’t even been released yet! The album release date is set for November 21^st but fans can pre-order the album through iTunes. With the success of this campaign it will be interesting to see if other artists will follow in Rihanna’s footsteps of using social media to market their upcoming albums.

Rihanna Social Marketing Sites:

Facebook Page

Twitter Page

YouTube Channel