industry rorschach

Bedfellows Indeed

2012-10-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

Social and PR have collided. So has Social and Entertainment. But is the jury still out on social and PR and entertainment? Hmm, probably not, The jury is probably still trying to understand how everything is happening so fast.

Back in a 2010 interview, famed publicist Lois Smith stated: "I’m so glad I’m not doing publicity now. Between celebrity magazines and Web sites, there’s so much out there to be filled up, so much information that has to be put out there simply because those publications exist. First of all, whatever you’re pushing, it becomes a story 30 seconds after you put it out there. I don’t care about hearing so much information minute by minute. People are desperate to fill the space they’ve got; they’ll print anything, go with anything, pursue rumors, and even create them. It’s not what I call publicity." (The Wrap, 2012)

Social media is that powerful that it can expose a problems, content, and triumphs in a real-time, on-demand environment. How does Hollywood cope and harness the nature of social media and the stay-relevant nature of entertainment? And, where does leave entertainment communications professional? How can the entertainment publicist or marketer embrace the concept of storytelling while keeping up with the demands of social media (and watching out for the ethical and professional perils)?

While there may be no clear cut answer, we do know that now is the time for PR to lead the entertainment industry to add value to the audience’s/consumer’s lives and build a relationship with them. It is no longer about stand-alone brand-created messages and content, it has transformed to finding, rating, and aggregating/sharing.

The role of the public relations professional, and therefore Public relations team has evolved beyond that of the liaison between the brand and the media. Now, PR must be able to cultivate and grow relationships with media, partners, community and customers through a web of narratives. These narratives are a dynamic set of messages that are generated through content creation and curation. The social web is the conduit for this narrative.

And there are plenty of talent management companies that are beginning to understand this relationship and are augmenting their service offerings such as Verve Management.

PR can help the the entertainment brand curate the appropriate content; by narrowing down interesting news to share with social networks, thereby enticing audiences to read posts and support the brand. The more interesting the news or information that brand disseminates, the more likely audiences will be to evangelize and trust the brand. In fact, in curating content, PR does not have to be the original creator, rather a facilitator for sharing of useful information, which is less of a strain team and departmental resources.

Something to keep in mind when dealing with an entertainment brand and discussing relevance - we may want to remain relevant, but sometimes that relevancy comes at a handsome price driven by social media. As protectors (and purveyors) of the entertainment brand, we must make sure that the appropriate material is available as well.

The Future of The Future of Social Media

2012-08-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me, you're tired of everyone calling themselves social media experts. There are swarms of people whom are offering quick and fast rules to live by in social media, but in the end, what does it all mean?

And how has social media changed things.

Well, before you roll your eyes at my question, just think about how social media has changed the nature in which brands can communicate with consumers. We all know the saying "the customer is in control". But what about the nature of the message, not only is the customer in control, but the messages are simpler.

Yes, I said it, simple. According to Alex Iskod, CEO of GetGlue, "Complexity doesn’t really work in social media. People are trying to create this social engagement and turn it into this multi-tiered, multilevel challenge to get people to do X,Y,Z. The simplest things on GetGlue and Twitter and Facebook are spreading some kind of viral content through the existing social circuit. The best videos on YouTube go viral because people like them," (Fast Company, 2012)

And as we sit at a crossroads between content creation and content curation, forces which are fueling social media engagement, I depart with this prediction about the future of social media: content will become interestingly more simple, and as people respond more favorably and share more on the social web, the rigid idea of "brand' will be tossed out the window, as it becomes more fluid. When we reach this point, then and only then can we talk about the maturity of social media as a platform.

Catalyst. Strategist. Chic Philosopher.

2012-07-22T20:57:00.001-07:00

Summary

Highly effective, creative + intuitive marketing, communications, branding and engagement strategist with more than 12 years of professional agency, corporate and executive leadership experience. Extensive expertise in developing, implementing and evaluating B2B and B2C marketing plans + strategy, business development, PR campaigns, brand planning + architecture.

Industries of Expertise: mobile, technology, retail, healthcare, fashion/beauty/lifestyle and consumer packaged goods.

Areas of Expertise: mobile and web app start-ups, channel partners, M&A. Keen focus on transmedia and content - mobile, lifestyle, retail, CPG, entertainment, technology, digital and social platforms. Campaign and Platform distribution strategic planning and analysis, client relations.

Specialties

Strategic planning. Mobile marketing. Branded entertainment. Direct Response. Emerging communications, platforms and technology. Social media. Diversity marketing. Media planning. Marketing research. Behavioral targeting.

Experience

PR Manager

UPS

Public Company; 10,001+ employees; UPS; Transportation/Trucking/Railroad industry

June 2012 – Present (2 months) Greater Atlanta Area

Integrated Marketing Communications

New Thought Marketing

2008– 2012

Client Services, Account Supervisor/Strategist

MWR, an Ascentium Agency

Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry

June 2010 – January 2012 (1 year 8 months) Atlanta, GA

Work closely with mobile and technology clients developing B2B and B2C mobile, digital, social and traditional/direct response marketing campaigns. Links strategy to client business objectives with specific focus on work streams and management of social media, digital and entertainment content. Generates leads and leads Ascentium agency insight, intellectual capital. Supports organic business growth and account development. Manage and support local and remote account, creative and technical team of 30.
-Supports seven account groups
-Client point of contact throughout all phases of project from planning to project completion
-Developed strategy plans and presentations (internal and external)
-Led market research projects including competitive analysis
-Accountable for client relationships, partnerships, engagement definition and revenue generation
-Identified and analyzed key strategy issues, business challenges and trends

Ascentium

Sr. Strategist - Transmedia - Converged and Emerging, Digital, Social and Entertainment Engagement

Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry

June 2010 – January 2012 (1 year 8 months) Greater Atlanta Area

EVP Marketing, Communications & Branding Operations

Chartaride

Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Computer Software industry

December 2007 – 2010 (3 years) Greater Atlanta Area

Location-based Mobile and Web app start-up.

Developed corporate communications plans and policies, marketing analysis and plan and channel partner schema. Helped lead company through successful Round 1 funding and subsequent acquisition:
- Venture funding, M&A
- Distribution and Business unit strategy development
- Spearheaded B2B and B2C traditional, digital OOH, mobile broadcast and social campaigns. Conceptual and creative direction.
- Strategic planning and positioning, budgeting, partnerships and forecasting.
- Agency partner management
- Managed global remote and onsite team of 20.

Principal/Consultant

black lotus pr

December 2004 – 2008 (4 years) Atlanta, New York

Public relations, marketing and branding operations consultancy.

Direct client engagements, leads, + prospecting for strategic traditional, digital + experiential communications firm serving clients across multiple states. Traditional + new/social media. Manage full lifecycle of accounts. Spearheaded strategies+ tactics for digital campaigns to ensure brand relevancy, connection, engagement + loyalty. Improve client + agency metrics through aggressive SEO, viral, experiential, + behavioral stratagem. Industries include hospitality, government, non-profit, global investment/trade, beauty, fashion + retail.

1 visible recommendation for this position

Director Marketing & Public Relations

Muevelo Magazine

August 2002 – January 2004 (1 year 6 months)

New launch national, Spanish-Language Celebrity, fashion + lifestyle magazine.

Spearheaded sales + marketing, including strategic marketing plan, digital/traditional platforms, PR, + sales teams in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Dallas, + Bogota. Directed brand development + external vendor resources.

Sr. Account Manager

b mass communication

June 1999 – August 2002 (3 years 3 months)

Full service communications + advertising agency. Specializing in multicultural +youth marketing.

Managed marketing functions, online awareness, acquisition, and retention programs, PR, identity/positioning and client service.

Communications Specialist

Estee Lauder

Public Company; 10,001+ employees; EL; Cosmetics industry

1996 – 1999 (3 years)

Managed media relations. Successfully targeted key demographics through product placement and event sponsorship.

The Ever-Closing Gap Between Hollywood and Technology

2012-07-01T19:11:00.002-07:00

What is Moonshark and why should we take heed?

Because Moonshark is an incubated start-up outside of Silicon Valley.

And because Moonshark is backed by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and Qualcomm, which means it will combine the powerhouse entertainment and creative resources from some of the biggest names in Hollywood with a leader in mobile innovation. The result - an ever-closing gap between Hollywood and technology, the synergy between entertainment, brand and content and the all - encompassing mobile ecosystem.

In the latest collaboration between Hollywood and Silicon, JLo helped create a new iPad dance app called DancePad; where she is responsible for helping create some of the routines and music for the game.

Video: Moonshark Mobile

Moonshark is far from a thinly veiled attempt at slapping a star's name on a product to rake in tons of money, rather, it seemed to grow organically from talks between both companies on creating a company to produce apps and games. It's mission is to "produce a catalog of mobile apps that tap into Hollywood's creative talent to produce compelling ideas, characters and narratives," Moonshark CEO Matt Kozlov comments. Other celebrity mobile projects include Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo and Youtibe sensation Philip DeFranco.

With entertainment being the primary content being consumed on mobile screens, and the rising popularity of gaming in ALL demographics, I think this is an incredibly smart move. What are your thoughts?

The Secret Sauce of a Successful Venture

2012-06-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

There are plenty of stories about failed ventures, of failed products and services that just did work in the marketplace. Equally, there are stories of successful businesses, and behind those stories are the stories of the intrepid founder whom led his/her company from obscurity to notoriety.

So, it only makes sense to study and try to understand what separates the not-so-successful from the extraordinary. Is it planning? Is successful exclusively dependent on the product or service? Or, is success determined by the quality of its leader? From my research, the answer is “all of the above”.

During my last post, I discussed author and Tufts University professor Amar Bhide’s opinion on business plans, calling it an antiquated process that trains entrepreneurs to develop a “one-size fits all” approach. I would have to agree. As I begin to wrap up the final details of my venture planning, I have learned that while it is good to plan, flexibility, adaptability, and creativity are the most important qualities any venture (and its leader) can have. One has to have the vision and gumption to react to market and consumer changes, for opportunities come in the most expected forms.

Another reason I have adapted Bhide’s strategy of flexible business planning is the fact that I do not want to actual document to dictate the direction of the business (business, after all, is a living, breathing thing) and become paralyzed by possibilities if they fall outside the scope of the original plan. (Beth Comstock, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of GE does a good job of explaining this here. I’ve now begun to think of my venture as a dynamic entity, open to change, so, when I am forecasting sales, I now have a tendency to plan for a multitude of products and services (I originally set out as a service-oriented business) to address my best assumption of marketplace trends. I want my business to be nimble enough to adapt to the future. Although the income projection section will probably always be the most important section investors will look at, I tend to think that the Mission and Backgrounder section will hold as much weight.

Business Plan Expert: Amar Bhide

2012-06-03T19:21:00.001-07:00

There have been scores of stories about companies that have started without the use of a formal business plan, defied conventional wisdom and all odds, to go on to create not only successful businesses, rather, empires. As a matter of fact, an Inc. 500 survey found that only “40% of business founders had written a formalized business plan before they launched their company, of the 40% whom said yes, only 12% said they had conducted formal market research, and 65% said their business had strayed significantly from the written plan”. With stats such as these supporting the mantra of the creative and flexible entrepreneur whom forgoes the business plan, does this mean the mantra of the business plan is stale?

Economist Amar Bhide, a Tufts University professor, and author of The Origin and Evolution of New Business, Call for Judgment: Sensible Finance for a Dynamic Economy, and The Questions Every Entrepreneur Must Answer, says that a “comprehensive analytical approach to planning does not suit most start-ups”, Bhide proposes a simple structure asking the “entrepreneur to assess their personal goals, their strategy for how well the business achieves these goals, and then runs through how well you are equipped to execute this strategy,” Bhide also reminds individuals that their “businesses will require different strengths and skills from you as it grows, and illuminates how your role as the founder must evolve as the business grows.” Bhide adds that a traditional business plan does not reflect this sort of flexible strategy and that investors, which may range from a variety of institutions including billion dollar venture capital funds to friends and family, typically looks for innovation, value proposition and market analysis as benchmarks in a successful business plan/venture because it says that an entrepreneur has done his due diligence. However, in today’s complex, and technological advanced environment when things are changing rapidly, the time an entrepreneur would spend conducting extensive analysis to bolster a solid business plan would actually take away from opportunities the business could be seizing. Finally, Bhide says that a large portion of businesses today are started with the aid of venture capital, so there is little downside to being wrong – if a venture does not work out, it can be modified or the completely scrapped –without major consequences. All in all, Bhide says the most critical asset that a business plan can demonstrate to a potential investor is adaptation rather than planning.

What do you think? Do you think the art of business planning is good or harmful to the nature of entrepreneurialism?

Why Is Tagged is Taking Everyone’s Lunch?

2012-05-06T13:25:00.002-07:00

Hmm, it has something to do with social discovery.

I know – we talk about engagement a lot when it comes to social media and content since the focus has now shifted from push marketing to interaction. Interaction goes beyond adding Facebook and Twitter buttons, posting to a blog every once in a while, or even posting a video A true commitment to transparency, site/topic/content authority, credibility and relevant content is essential to the building blocks of an engagement strategy.

But what does that mean and what does it have to do with Tagged? Well, according to Social Media Today, there are 7 levels of social media engagement - Internal/Enterprise adoption, social media monitoring and eavesdropping, social media as a broadcast medium and viral distribution, campaigning, collaborative, and finally, people powered social media. In the last category, people powered social media is where the concept of “social discovery” can be key. Social discovery aims to connect us with new people, places and things, (WITHOUT the assumption of romantic interest). And social discovery is where Tagged is taking no prisoners.

According to Comscore, Tagged engages users beyond the usual suspects of Facebook, Twitter, even Pinterest. Tagged’s “10 million core monthly active users form an average of 100 million new connections per month,” says co-founder and CEO Greg Tseng in a Mashable article. The average age of a Tagged user is in their 30’s, and they use the portal to meet new people based on shared interest, hobbies, lifestyle or tastes. On sites like Facebook, users use the platform to maintain offline relationships.

So, what could this possibly mean for marketers? Well, for one, if social discovery turns out to be the next wave in social media (which it is), it means that understanding context, lifestyle and behavioral interest, relevancy and content curation are going to be the key for any campaign on any platform. This, of course, is another paradigm shift for marketing.

What do you think? Is social discovery going to be all that it is cracked up to be?

The Secrets of Retail Distribution Deals ....Part II

2012-04-22T20:25:00.002-07:00

In our previous post, we discussed some preliminary measures you can take to help score a major distribution deal for your product with a major retailer. In this post, we'll take a brief look at some of the lesser considered tactics that are just as helpful and successful.

1. Don't underestimate the power of DRTV.
There's a reason why so many products launch on channels and platforms like the Home Shopping Network - because they work! And now, with some many platforms being seamless transmedia shopping experiences (in home, online, mobile, and retail), it is even more appealing to consider.

2. Opt for a broker.
Did you know that you can save time and effort by enlisting the help of a sales broker? A good sales broker can work on your products behalf and actually place your product on the shelves in retail stores. The downside is it will require a cut in revenue, as most work on a commission, but with products placed in stores and increased sales, it will be well worth it.

Of course, there are numerous ways to to score a lucrative distribution deal, including, but not limited to catalogs, VARS (value-added resellers) and dealer networks, but this list should help sum it up. What do you think? Can you share some of your success or horror stories with your retail distribution deals?

The Secrets of Retail Distribution Deals..Part I

2012-04-22T20:11:00.000-07:00

So you've got a great product that should be in the hands of everyone. You've set up a website, market your product, and even have your product in the hands of a few local retailers. But how do you score a deal with a mass retailer such as Target or Walmart? While these steps are not all inclusive, this checklist should set you on the right path to success.

1. Know thy retailer.
Knowledge is power. Study the inventory and customer profile of the potential retailer to get a better understanding of what will appeal to buyers. Every retailer has developed a brand, study the brand of the retailer to know how your product fits into that story.

2. Don't pitch to deaf ears.
Implementing a pitch strategy that is broad and wide is not going to yield very positive results. If you've done the research already, you'll have a narrowed list of target retailers. Now, comes a little more research. From the list of retailers, track down the buyers. Intuit recommends leveraging Linkedin or ZoomInfo to get their contact details.

3. Don't forget your Trade shows.
Yet another really helpful way to gain the attention of Mass retailers is to have a presence at an industry trade show. Although trade shows can be tedious and expensive, the pay-off of having a captive audience for your product is priceless.

Steps 1-3 are great ways to set you on the path to major retailer distribution success. In Part II, we'll explore some of the lesser known or considered, yet success tactics to landing your retail distribution deal.

Industry Expert Interview

2012-03-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

Opening and running a successful business is more than creating a product or service and selling it, rather it requires a delicate balance in maintaining a competitive edge while steering clear of liabilities. Lawsuits can come in the smallest infraction, but can wreak havoc on a company’s financial operations and destroy brand equity.

To help steer my business clear of common liabilities, I recently interview Paul Sieg of Potter Sieg, an entertainment law firm based in Atlanta, Ga.

What are some of the most common legal mistakes of businesses in entertainment marketing?

For a lot of businesses, especially new businesses, they find that they run into trouble when it comes to contracts, trademarks and copyrights. The law is pretty clear on copyright and trademark protection, but it can be pretty confusing when enforcing contracts. Even with skilled counsel on your side, the process can be very arduous.

Do these mistakes become more or less exaggerated as it grows?

When a business grows, they are exposed to these liabilities on a larger scale. If you’re expanding globally, the laws can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Also, the more competitive your business gets, the more you have to have certain legal protective measures in place. Growth is a good thing, but you have to protect your growth.

I recently researched the impact of trade secret misappropriation, how common is this topic in entertainment marketing?

Trade secret misappropriation is a pretty common concern, but I always advise my clients to safeguard themselves against it with solid employee contracts. Today’s workforce is highly competitive, and you’d be surprised how quickly you can loose an employee and all of your trade secrets to an attractive competitor employment offer.

When should a company consider using outside counsel vs. inside counsel?

If your business has the resources available, then in- house counsel can help advise you on the day-to-day liability pitfalls, and for larger issues, such as a lawsuit, they can assist your law firm in handling the case. Either way, your entertainment marketing firm cannot go wrong with counsel on its side.

Counselor Sieg was incredible helpful, proving that a knowledgeable attorney is an invaluable resource for any businesses considering the entertainment industry.

Marketing Liabilities Uncovered

2012-03-04T11:55:00.004-08:00

As a marketer, we’re always looking for new, improved and innovative ways to engage consumers and deliver the best results for our client brands. And with the rapid pace of technology and shift in consumer behavior over the years, we have been able to explore communication and engagement opportunities in the mobile, digital and even live/experiential space. But with these new platforms for contact and creativity comes responsibility, and if one is not careful, litigation can ensue. Let’s take a look at some of the most pressing liability issues regarding marketing campaigns today.

CAN-SPAM

Many consumers find unsolicited email and text messages– also known as spam – annoying, time-consuming costly and intrusive. In 2003, Congress enacted the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act to curb spam (FFC, 2011)

The ban took effect in 2005, allowing the FCC to create very strict rules when it comes to text message marketing under the CAN-SPAM rules. Under these rules, you can only send text messages to people that give you consent to receive messages. You must also stop sending messages to anyone who unsubscribes from your text message marketing services.

So with CAN-SPAM in place, why aren’t there more CAN-SPAM lawsuits and why does it strike fear in the hearts of marketers? Several reasons contribute to this, but the two most significant reasons beings the CAN-SPAM laws are outlined in such a way that it teaches the entity how to spam (rather than outlawing spam), compounded by the fact that anti-spam lawsuits are difficult to prosecute and win. The evidence in such suits is very technical — mail headers, WHOIS data, traceroutes, ASN numbers, affiliate codes and HTTP redirections that tie a sender to a particular message, or more likely, a thousand messages.

Case in point - Kleffman v. Vonage Holdings Corp

In this case, VOIP provider Vonage surprisingly won a lawsuit when a California judge threw out a lawsuit alleging CAN- SPAM violations when it sent emails from multiple, unrelated domains (in order to bypass Spam filters). The decision ruled that sending unsolicited advertisement emails using multiple domain names was not unlawful under California Business and Professions Code section 17529.5, subdivision (a)(2), which made it unlawful to advertise in a commercial Email advertisement that contained or was accompanied by falsified, misrepresented, or forged header information (Wikipedia, 2010). What this means is, sadly, Vonage was well within its legal rights to send unsuspecting consumers emails designed in any way imaginable to bypass spam filters. However, this precedent doesn’t provide marketers carte blanche to send emails from anywhere to anyone, rather, I think it highlights some of the glaring holes within the law which will eventually be repaired, making our communication activities even more restrictive.

MARKETING TO CHILDREN

Another marketing hot button is a matter of ethical integrity – should marketers bombard children, a populations that cannot decipher between deceptive and truthful marketing messages, with advertisements? Monet Parham doesn’t think so. In Parham v. McDonald’s Corp., the plaintiff is alleging that McDonald’s Happy Meal ads are inherently deceptive because persuade children to bombard their parents with requests for unhealthy food, thus exacerbating "a super-sized health crisis in California." Parham says she purchases Happy Meals for her children only because they relentlessly demand them after seeing ads for the featured toys (Inside Counsel, 2010).

Since the filing of the lawsuit, McDonald's has been taking a lot of heat from parents, consumer groups and local lawmakers over the nutritional content in addition to the marketing of its Happy Meals. Recently, the fast food giant said it would start making the changes to its Happy Meal menu, which would include fewer fries and see the addition of apples. This move is seen as a preemptive tactic after San Francisco and nearby Santa Clara County, California, passed laws that would curb free toy giveaways with kids' meals that did not meet nutritional requirements.

The moral of the story here is know your market. While you may be creating products for children, parents are those ones who buy. And those who control the money, have the power. Do no harm and do not exploit children’s feelings in exchange for profits.

CYBERSTALKING

This is a very interesting and treacherous path as we begin to explore digital storytelling and transmedia marketing campaigns in marketing. "In 2009, Amber Duick sued Toyota over its intrusive “Your Other You” Matrix campaign, after she began receiving frightening e-mails over a number of days from a strange man. The man, who had her home address, told her he was on the lam from the law and needed to crash at her place for a bit to hide out with his pit bull, Trigger," (Wired, 2011).

"The campaign was aimed at 20-something males because the company’s advertising firm, Saatchi & Saatchi LA, determined that the demographic loves to punk their friends. Ads in print, online and on billboards drove traffic to the YourOtherYou web site where people could enter the name and details of someone they wanted to punk with the campaign. The person could choose one of five fictional characters – among them a heavy metal fanatic and a soccer hooligan — who would barrage the designated friend with text messages, phone calls, e-mails and videos for five days,"(Wired, 2011).

Duick didn’t find the stunt funny, and sued Toyota and Saatchi & Saatchi and fifty individuals associated with the campaign for intentional infliction of emotional distress; unfair, unlawful, and deceptive trade practices; and negligent misrepresentation, seeking $10 million in compensatory damages. Duick v. Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. has yet to be adjudicated, but in the court of public opinion, it raises questions of marketing opprobrium v. basic human civility and privacy.

Can Star Power Resurrect Myspace - Weigh In...Again

2012-02-19T19:44:00.004-08:00

Do you still have a Myspace page? Do you even remember your log in? Neither do I. The last time I checked my Myspace page, it had to be 2005.

The story of Myspace's meteoric rise and equally meteoric demise is very well known. Justin Timberlake's and the Vanderhook brothers' acquisition of the network made headlines. And, JT's major Myspace announcement at this year's CES made somewhat of a ripple. But does Myspace have what it takes to come back?

JT is at the reigns, not only as co-owner, but as Creative Strategy lead. And he's cool. He's funny. He's talented. And, as we've seen over the past few years, Hollywood has really been the impetus for creating and curating content. So that must be an elixir for success, right?

Well, the new Myspace is supposed to be designed for social entertainment - music, TV, movies. Recently, the Myspace 3 (what I lovingly refer to JT and Vanderhook brothers as) unveiled a new music player. Later in the year, Myspace will unveil Myspace TV, its social entertainment sharing platform, available on connected TVs and mobile devices. Myspace TV will eventually expand beyond music to encompass movies, news, sports and reality channels, with a growing lineup of today’s most popular broadcast and on-demand content.

"We're ready to take television and entertainment to the next step by upgrading it to the social networking experience," said Timberlake. "Why text or email your friends to talk about your favorite programs after they've aired when you could be sharing the experience with real-time interactivity from anywhere across the globe?"

Sounds awesome - If it weren't already done.

Youtube is rolling out its premium branded content channels. We have social networks dedicated to music and there are plenty of new platforms going gangbusters on TV (GetGlue, Miso). So what is left?

Perhaps the appeal of Myspace and all of it iterations will be the fact that all of these social entertainment experiences can live in one place. Or, and it's quite possible, JT will properly leverage his star power and rally an unprecedented level of support and openness from Hollywood (with respect to content), giving fans the most intimate and immersive entertainment experience yet.

I am not sure, but if I am going to find out, I'll need to remember that damn login.

Managing the Artist Through Transmedia Storytelling

2012-02-04T13:21:00.000-08:00

So we can all nod to the fact thattransmedia and storytelling is the future of content and that brands are the main drivers of this progression. When you begin to look at brands or media as conveyorsor a narrative, you begin to understand the intrinsic social fiber of media, audience or market behavior, sentiments and actions (including insight into the influencer segment ofyour audience) and breakdown the brand story and messaging construct across all platforms.

You will note that some platforms such as mobile and emerging media, is left out of this diagram, but should be included.

Transmedia storytelling can come across as a fairly convoluted

theory, but Gunther Sonnenfeld does a pretty good job or chopping up the Beyonce brand into cerebral bite sizes.

But how is understanding this narrative helpful when managing an artist's brand? Well, if you understand the potentiality of all the various dialogues and conversations that

can and will include your artist/brand, then you'll be able to help craft and evolve those stories and complex interactions. Being an effective steward of your artist's brand is more than facilitating album deals, branded clothing or perfume lines, or the occasional endorsement deal, its about massaging their brand narrative through intertextual dialogue between the fans and community that are interacting with the story (or creating one).

Huh?

I will once again point out Sonnefield's breakdown of the Beyonce brand, using the baby bump announcement as an example, we can begin to see how her team helped evolve her brand story (these of course are based on a her stellar management and marketing team's stewardship over the years):

Other artists doing a great job of purveying their brand narrative across transmedia platforms - Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, and Janelle Monae.

Like I said before, it seems very difficult to understand, transmedia storytelling, transmedia branding, transmedia marketing and messaging, but if we first know that our artist's brands are going to be visible across all media platforms (whether we want them to or not), and begin to understand what drives the fan's sentiment, behavior and subsequently their actions across these mediums, we can tap into transmedia storytelling to transform their careers and brands.

Industry Rorschach – Negotiation As A Way of Life, A Way of Work

2012-01-27T20:15:00.000-08:00

Whether you believe it or not, we negotiate in our lives everyday. Pleading and offering concessions to your kid to do his homework – that’s a negotiation. Buying a house? That’s definitely a negotiation. Disputing a charge on your credit card bill? Well, you get the point. So, if negotiation is a part of our routine tasks, what determines if you’re good at it or not? And what about jobs and industries that rely on you to be a successful negotiator? Does your everyday negotiation exercise actually hinder or help you?

To answer this question and gain some insight into what it’s like to have negotiation as a career skill, I reached out to Jakob Conner, owner of Jakob’s Ladder, an entertainment management company, and attempted to “negotiate” my way into getting a fictitious artist signed with his company. After about 2 hours, I was able to successfully get my artist signed; a major win for me since I was up against an artful negotiator. However, I had to give up an advance. After our mock negotiation, I was able to ask Jakob some direct questions about his experiences.

What do you find to be the most important skill in negotiating?

“People skills- hands down. If you are a person that cannot relate to people, do not have compassion and empathy, then negotiation is going to be a brutal, full contact sport. You have to remember that you’re dealing with people from beginning to end.”

Have you ever had any bad negotiation experiences? If so, how did you overcome them?

“Oh, I’ve had plenty. I think my worse negotiations had to do with me making bad assumptions about the other side; assumptions about their personalities or their positions in a company, it makes for a bad strategy. I’ve had to leave the room, take breaks and come back into the conversation with a clean mental slate in order to help talks progress.”

What do you do when you find that you’re not able to reach a mutual agreement?

“You try your absolute hardest to make negotiations work. And I’ve always walked into talks knowing what I was going to ask for, and with an open ear to what they were asking for, as well as a few alternatives, but after that, if negotiations do not work, they you have to make peace with that.”

Do you worry about being fair? If so, what kind of checks and balances do you have in place to ensure that you’re being fair?

“I don’t take much joy in being ruthless and squeezing everything I possible can from the other party. Yes, I worry about being fair. Depending on the deal, I always refer to precedence to guide me through the ins and outs of the deal.”

Do you find that having sharp negotiation skills improves other areas of your life?

“Absolutely. Negotiation has made me a better communicator, and has given me more patience.”

Any advice for me, or anyone moving forward in their careers regarding negotiation?

“I would say the most important advice I can give to anyone again is to realize that if you strip off all of the titles, and stereotypes, and assumptions, that you’re dealing with people. And with that comes people’s hopes, fears, needs and desires. Acknowledge those in the beginning, and you’re on your way to a successful session.

Excellent advice from Jakob, being that I entered our negotiation exercise nervous, knowing that Jakob had more experience and power at the negotiating table. The best move I could have made for myself (to ease the nerves) and for the other team was to shift the focus of power, acknowledge their experience/status, and move forward with my recommendations.

Although this was a mock exercise, it gave me a taste of what it’s like to negotiate in the entertainment industry where you’re often sitting at the table with moguls.

Industry Rorschach – An (unauthorized) View Into Digital Publishing Negotiations – Positioning and Coming To Terms

2012-01-22T15:52:00.001-08:00

Publishers are eager to recapture the momentum they have lost since they began launching iPad editions last year. Since the introduction of the iPad, Conde Nast’s Wired Magazine has sold 100,00 digital copies, but has since seen sales drop dramatically, further cannibalizing publishing profits.

With consumers complaining about paying the cover price for an iPad version (even being paid print subscribers), publishers looking for ways to stop hemorrhaging money, and Apple’s content interests, a viable solution for all parties needed to be created.

“Our negotiations with Apple came down to reconciling Apple's need for a quick-and-easy purchasing process with their [Condé Nast's] desire to sell several different iPad packages and to receive data about who is buying the publisher's apps,” stated Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of Internet services, as quoted in The New York Times.

From a leverage and power perspective, Apple had the advantage moving forward in these negotiations, its disruptive device has forever change how consumers and brands interact. And since tablet owners are increasingly consuming more digital than print content, publishers are playing catch up. However, Apple did not enter negotiations without knowing that its interests lie in the need for content for its then new subscription service. Apple’s restrictive app policies were a major contention point for Condé Nast heading into negotiations. Painstaking negotiations ensued, as Ashley S., counsel team member for Condé Nast report, but major tenets of the negotiation include:

Apple makes 30% on all purchases made through an app- this was a position Apple will not budge on. (This was not necessarily a contention point for Condé Nast, since the majority of their money will be based on ads for the digital editions)
Publishers receive names, email addresses and zip codes only (if customer opts to share information)
Condé Nast to offer digital only, or print-plus-digital subscription options at a monthly or yearly price

In the end, the negotiations help modify Apple’s app buy-flow process and shaped a mutual agreement around the customer relationship and digital publishing. The deal also signified two powerhouses negotiating in what may now be considered a baseline or objective criteria for additional Apple-Publisher deals.

The Disruptive Nature of Social TV

2011-12-11T16:03:00.000-08:00

Social technology, such as social networking, has become an ubiquitous platform that has completely transformed how human beings connect, share, communicate, and now even watch TV. And social technology has not even begun to mature….

Right now, the industry is witnessing a spattering of new companies have caught wind of the emerging Social TV market and are developing content, interfaces, platforms and devices that deliver more relevant, customizable and relevant entertainment with embedded social features such as sharing, chatting and games. For example, the recent YouTube redesign and the announcement that Youtube will be producing its own contents will only add more fire to marketplace. Yet, in spite of how new the concept and technology of Social TV is, it is one that is continuing a model of disruption of traditional media that began with cable and accelerated with the adoption of the Internet. But what does this disruptive model mean?

For one, giving viewers more power to control over what they watch completely destroys the one-way conversation entertainment publishers have enjoyed for decades, which mean they must work harder. Ultimately, publishers will have to pursue a relationship with their audiences - sometimes from scratch. But with that extra, more responsive work to create compelling and social entertainment content comes the benefit of more data and essentially newly discovered streams of revenue such as advertising and digital goods. ReadWriteWeb’s Alicia Eler provides an insightful overview of the nature, trends and future of Social TV here.

As Social TV becomes more prevalent, publishers will need to ground themselves in the notion that the old ways of entertainment content and distribution are over- now is the time to give consumers more of what they want and less of what they don’t.

Walmart Defines What a True Bricks-and-Mobile Strategy Is

2011-11-13T18:32:00.000-08:00

Walmart does a lot of things that, well, defy common sense (I’m thinking about every single Walmart that I’ve been to ANYWHERE ALWAYS has only 3 lanes open). But when they do something right, man do they do it right.

Recently, Walmart announced their revamped iPhone and new iPad apps that will merge online and in-store shopping like never before. Using mobile to truly establish a relationship with the customer, the apps feature options such as home barcode scanning, enlists Siri to create lists, creates budgeting tools and integrates coupons (from Coupons.com) and Walmart inventory. Walmart stores service 140M customers a week, an undisclosed percentage of those customers are smartphone customers. Nonetheless, according to Walmart, the Walmart customer is adapting mobile technology on pace with the general population, so this move is a good look.

Walmart’s mobile strategy is set to prove a few strategic points to retailers and marketers - for retailers, mobile is a prime channel for relationship marketing. It’s one of the few spaces where you can customize an intimate environment and interact (one-on-one) with the the customer. For advertisers, this is another sign to move away from the stagnant thinking that mobile is only a vehicle for advertising messages- think about engagement.

You can read the story in its entirety at Ad Age.

What do you think?

Socialize your next event - New Tools for the Event Marketer

2011-10-31T16:55:00.000-07:00

You've finally convinced your client to integrate social media into their current campaigns. You've maybe even convinced your client to use social media to promote one of the events they have produced. You've done your job- congrats! But perhaps that was the old way of social media event marketing. Yes, I said old.

It's difficult to keep up with the barrage of new social tools in the event planner's arsenal, but some are definitely worth exploring. According to EMI Research, social media tools and events go hand-in-hand, as they help drive the human experience offline with the use of technology (EMI Research, 2010). Here, we take a look at a few that can turn a humdrum client event into a connected client event.

BumeBox

Bumebox allows the event marketer to tap into real-time social media by allowing brands to schedule special promotional events for a specific period of time. Any posted content interaction that occurs during the event is immediately posted on the brand website - a much more simplier, streamlined process than collecting Twitter hashtags, posting links to Youtube (media is actually displayed). Event goers can comment, vote and engage in real-time.

DJTXT

While good music is essential to any soiree, it's pretty difficult to please everyone. DJTXT gives everyone a chance to play DJ by uploading a playlist and allowing your party-goers to text "like" or "dislike" to change the song selection, or upload song requests into the queue. Now, how fun and interactive is that?

Mobile Barcodes

Marketers love using mobile barcodes in direct mail, retails, and events are no exception. Placing mobile barcodes on site at an event connects the experiential with the mobile- and allows you as the event marketer to capture valuable data, or influence behaviors (purchase, brand interactions, etc.).

These are just some of the tools that an event marketer can use to create a seamless, cross-channel event that blends the boundaries between brand and consumer engagement.

It's Harder to Be Kind than Clever in Business + Life

2011-10-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

Starting your own business is rife with uncertainty, fear, doubt, pain, sometimes, even a little regret. But what's most painful is the decision not to follow your passion for fear of failure.

Having started a business in vain some time ago, I go through daily mental conversations that go something like this:

Are you crazy? You're going to do this again? - Yes.

You're smart, you can do this, right? - Yes

Ok, let's do this. Ok, wait, hold on. Ok, now I'm ready.

It can be mentally exhaustive to go through this, but I feel it is necessary reality check. See, when I started my first consultancy, I was armed with my cleverness and ego - not much else. And after a few years of ups and downs, missteps and burned bridges, I've learned that it takes more to run a business. A lot more. Including hefty doses of integrity.

Why do I bring this up? Because during one of my midnight web crawls (yes I do those, and no, not those kind of web crawls), I came across a TED video of Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com speaking at a Princeton graduation. His 18-minute speech was dripping with paternal anecdotes, but the main point was this: "Dont regret trying and failing. Take the less safe path. What matters in the end are your choices, your kindness". He goes on to explain that it requires a lot more mental and emotional acumen to walk the path of passion and integrity.

I hold this lesson very near to my heart as I set out to conquer the world of marketing and advertising, not wanting to make the same unbalanced decisions again.

Jeff Bezos: What Matters More Than Talent, TED

The Results Are In - Social TV is a Hit

2011-10-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

By now, it's no secret - TV is driving social. Need more proof? For example, "Glee" viewers dutifully tweet their favorite bits of dialogue right into their Twitter streams, or a specific team would trend on Twotter because it was doing great (or sucking) in the game being broadcast at that verymoment on ESPN. More recent examples are The X Factor, The Voice and now, Dexter. Yes, TV is in fact driving our social (media) engagement in real-time.

According to Mark Ghuneim of Wiredset, "Social TV could not be heating up more. Because engagement is really starting to map to currency." The networks that "get it," he added, "are using the social graph tomeasure the effectiveness of their marketing spend, for real-time audience research to understand the demographics of their viewers, to be smarter about how production dollars are spentand what content will resonate. And especially to demonstrate to advertisers the value of the network off the network."

GetGlue seems to be the entertainment social network du jour, so if you're still having a hard time grasping just how powerful the intersection of entertainment content and social media can be, take a look at the following stats:

GetGlue

GetGlue, which launched in June of last year. It is slated as

a social network for entertainment , I would take this

a step further and call it a

gamified social network, meaning that it allows its

members to earn virtual badges and points once they

check-in and consume media.

This past August, the networkhit a high of 11.5 million check-ins, driven by partnerships with big broadcast and cable networks from ABC and Fox to Showtime and HBO. (The summer's most popular show on GetGlue was "True Blood" with 490,787 total check-ins.)
GetGlue users seem most excited about publicly declaring their devotion to returning shows like CBS's "The Big Bang Theory," whichhas been experiencing a ratings surge in its fifth season; it has won its night (Thursday) each of its first two weeks back in prime time with freshepisodes.

Dummenco, S. Showtime's 'Dexter' is Totally Killing It In GetGlue. Retrieved from http://adage.com/article/trending-topics/showtime-s-dexter-totally-killing-getglue/230196/ on October 16, 2011.

It’s the final countdown: Google+ vs. Facebook

2011-08-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

My clients often consult with me on the best social media practices and which networks to actively participate on. In fact, this question comes up so much that I recently helped my agency co-author one sheet trending topics. These are our little crypt sheets for clients which concisely explain the ends and outs of trend du jour.

What's the nagging question of the moment? Is Google+ really poised to knock out Facebook? Well, that question presents a mixed bag of theories.

In late June, Google, once again, solidified its interest in taking over the internet, and subsequently, the world, with the introduction of the the Google+ social networking platform. Although a newbie on the block, and going up against social networking juggernaut Facebook, the search engine giant has already reached 29 million visitors globally in July.

To better understand the inherent difference between the two platforms, I've used this Technobombs infographic with my clients:

But is it really a threat to Facebook? David Kirkpatrick, author of the "Facebook Effect" seems to think not:

I have to echo the same sentiment as Kilpatrick, Google+, although an interesting platform, has a lot of catching up to do. In fact, Google recently announced that it will start adding games from Zynga and Rovio, social game makers whom have already seen tremendous success with Facebook. Also, Google+ touts great visitor numbers and interest, but how loyal are its visitors to the platform? Only time will tell.

All in all, Facebook and Google+ appeal to two completely different audiences. Google+ has done a wonderful job with building buzz about a platform that appeals to the Diggerati, maintaining that buzz, engagement and surpassing what Facebook has already accomplished is a completely different story.