Jim Joseph

The JCP Experience

2012-02-10T06:48:00.004-05:00

If there were ever a shining example of how I describe the brand experience in my book, it's JCPenney, particularly as of late.

If a brand is an experience, and if it's that experience that builds an emotional connection that creates loyalty, and if it's the experience and that loyalty that separates mere products from brands - well then my friends ... JCPenney is a brand.

And if a huge part of marketing is making good, consistent decisions for your brand and your consumers, well then JCPenney is not only a brand ... it's a GREAT brand. Or JCP, as they like to be referred to now (btw, love the new logo)!

Just a short time ago, the brand announced its move to Everyday Low Prices, a business model that they say will be better for their brand and better for their shoppers. It was a bold move that the brand took aggressively, and appears to be rolling it out quite aggressively as well. Just as they said they would.

The brand then announced Ellen DeGeneres as their new spokesperson. Perfect fit, as many would say, for their target audience both demographically and psychographically. All seemed well in the JCP world, until some loud voices with a social media presence kicked in.

Turns out that there are some "moms" out there who object to Ellen as the JCP spokesperson because she's gay. I'm not sure that they ever articulate it very well, other than that she's gay. No surprise - we know Ellen is gay and we know there are still many people out there who don't like gay people. But in this day and age to actually say it out loud (in social media) still feels shocking. Publicly announcing bigotry and hatred will always shock me, doesn't matter who the people are. Especially coming from "moms."

But it was the aftermath that is what makes JCP such a great brand. With very little hoopla or fanfare, the brand said that it was sticking with its decision. No explanation, no over-reaction, no mela-drama. It's just sticking with its decision. And then it did what every great brand should do these days -- let your consumers tell the story.

And unlike recent examples from #ILoveWalgreens or #McDStories, the brand didn't even ask for it.

People came out of the woodwork to say how much they admire JCP and will continue to shop there - or in some cases start to shop there. Facebook pages popped up in sharp contrast to the original one that was just based on hatred. Twitter went on fire.

My favorite Twitter quote: "most moms are too busy for bigotry." Love that!

A bunch of supporters, who started a Twitter campaign and Facebook page, are all going shopping at JCP on Sunday and posting their pictures. It's at #jcpshopin. Love that even more!

This great brand that just made a very serious business model decision now suddenly is propelled into social media spotlight - and acts like an adult. An adult who behaves consistent with its brand character, making good solid decisions along the way. And, btw, treated their consumers with respect and admiration.

Have to admire that in return. Have to go shopping there, on Sunday! I went already, and bought some towels. BTW, Ellen is not such a bad brand herself (but that's another blog post)!

If you have not seen it, here's Ellen's reaction from her show. It's quite moving how she talks about "traditional" values. Had not realized until this moment how "traditional" I myself am!

What's your experience? Jim.

PS - After you shop at JCP (#jcpshopin), join us Sunday night at 7:00pm EST for live tweets about the marketing during the Grammy Awards on Twitter at #GrammyExp (we had a blast during The Super Bowl #SBExp so we want to continue the momentum!). I know they'll be a JCP spot or two!

Little Things Can Make A Big Difference

2012-02-09T06:40:00.000-05:00

A good friend and fellow marketing devotee, Stan Phelps, just recently wrote a marketing book that I just love. Love his concept! He was gracious enough to allow me to contribute, and I am happy to give him center stage today to tell you all about it. I love that his whole attempt is to set the experience bar even higher!

What's your experience, Stan? Jim.

What's Your Purple Goldfish? is a new book about differentiation via added value. Investing in marketing to customers through an exciting concept called “lagniappe.”
Lagniappe (pronounced lan-yap) is a Creole word meaning “the gift” or “to give more.” It’s a small gift given by a merchant at the time of purchase. An extra unexpected gift or benefit… something thrown in for good measure. For today’s consumer value has become the new black. Marketing lagniappe is about putting your customers first by giving that “little extra” in order to exceed expectations through customer experience. The business benefit is threefold: Product Differentiation, Increasing Retention and Driving Positive Word of Mouth.
Let's look a couple of examples from the book that were submitted by Jim Joseph:
A personal touch from Lacoste makes all the difference
“Last summer I was visiting Palm Beach with my son. Just looking to get a little R&R. Some friends who live nearby invited us out for dinner one night, which was great, but I hadn’t really packed anything appropriate for my fourteen year old son to wear.
So we went shopping in town, and of course he didn’t find anything
that he liked .. I figured that I would just make due, and we went
back to the pool.
While we were sitting there he remembered a Lacoste shirt that he thought would be perfect. I was thrilled because he rarely cares how he looks and we were going to be visiting friends.
We didn’t have a car so we needed to take the hotel shuttle downtown, but I was afraid that we would get there too late. So I called the store only to find out that they were in fact closing for the day.
I guess the person on the other end of the phone could hear the
disappointment in my voice, and she asked me what was wrong.
Half way through my explanation, she interrupted me to ask me where we were staying. She offered to bring the shirt to us!
So I told her the size and color, which they had in stock, and in fact thirty minutes later she personally pulled up to the store to hand
deliver the shirt.
That was a wow. Totally made my night, and completely changed my perceptions of the brand. I am now a loyal consumer time and time again, especially for gift giving occasions. Maybe because every time I think of the brand I smile!
Clearly, the brand knows the importance of customer service in the
total experience and has made sure that they deliver on it at the
store level.
A true purple goldfish!”
H2O while you wait in line
“J.Crew. I’m a huge fan, have been a for awhile. Brand experience is exceptional, always consistent whether you are at the store, online, or browsing the category. Distinct to each of those venues, but always J.Crew.
The shopping experience in store is particularly good. The sales staff all wear the clothing, so you can actually see how things will look. I’ve had many of them show me how to tie a tie the “just so cool way” they are wearing them, or how to role the cuffs up on a pair of jeans, or how to partner a pair of shoes with new khakis. This is in store, but they also offer a personal shopping service online as well.
I was at one of the Manhattan stores yesterday, and as you can imagine for a Saturday afternoon in December it was packed. Didn’t matter though, the service was impeccable. When I walked in the door, I was greeted by a salesperson. I immediately told her that I was looking for a purple jacket for my daughter …. she immediately took me to the back of the store to see three options. I went upstairs to the mens department where the service was just as good, despite the crowds.
With merchandise in hand, I proceeded to the registers where there was a huge long line. Here’s the kicker …. more sales people were working the line with buckets of small bottles of water for the people who were waiting. And helping select more items while people were in line.
That’s a purple goldfish!”
Giving little unexpected extras is not only good for improving overall customer experience. A recent marketing study showed that gifting increased the average purchase by up to 46%.
How are doing the little things to exceed expectations? What's Your Purple Goldfish?

Stan Phelps
@9INCHmarketing

"The longest and hardest 9 inches in marketing . . . the distance between the brain and the heart"

SuperBowl 2012 Hidden Gems

2012-02-08T08:32:00.000-05:00

We've been talking all week about the SuperBowl advertising - it's the marketers' holiday and I am having a blast. There sure were a lot of big blockbuster productions for sure, like the epic nostalgic spots from Bud and the NFL. It was a night of story telling and big budgets. But there were also a lot of hidden gems that I'd like to point out.

The Best Buy spot got largely overlooked, and I thought it was quite clever. Showcased all the innovators in smart phone technology and then featured Best Buy as the "unbiased" place to get the best phone and coverage. Smart.

TaxACT.com - honestly never heard of the brand before and I'm not totally sure of the messaging here. But a cute little gem of a spot that put a smile on my face and hopefully put the brand on the map.

Doritos came back this year with more consumer-created "SnackStrong Productions" spots and they were well done. Not huge hits, I don't think, but well done nevertheless. Especially considering the budgets. This one about the relationship between man and his dog hit home for me. Does make the point about intense snacking situations, that's for sure!

And finally, the spot from MetLife, while late in the game, was also noteworthy. The messaging was spot on in that everyone, everyone, should be able to have financial security.

These are my favorite picks for the hidden gems from the SuperBowl.

Also noteworthy are the spots that are more obviously targeting women. Not a lot ... but certainly my "Best in Show" pick from Bud Light "Weego", Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt, and of course David Beckham at H&M. The interesting thing about the David Beckham spot, which also makes it a hidden (well not so hidden) gem is that it could be viewed and understood in any situation (noisy, dark, quiet, bright) -- the spot works no matter how you view it.

Can't wait for next year! What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

PS - We'll be doing live tweets again during the Grammy Awards this Sunday 2/12 at #GrammyExp on Twitter. Join us!

SuperBowl 2012 Best in Show

2012-02-07T06:48:00.000-05:00

In my post yesterday, I called out some of the standouts in this year's SuperBowl advertising lineup. It was definitely the year of the D-O-G, where brand after brand used cute, adorable dogs to attract their audience.

My friend Mike Brown from Brainzooming co-curated our Twitter party #SBExp during the game and he made this very astute observation: the "party" you were at became a serious factor in how you react to a spot. Loud and crazy party, then the subtlety of Chrysler's "Second Half" would not resonate, as an example. Or if you are alone at home intensely watching the game, then the launch of Bud Light Platinum may bore you to tears.

So it's time for me to pick "Best in Show," at least from my perspective. The ad that I think hit it during the game, regardless of your viewing situation. The ad that resonated with women and men, and took the "Year of the Dog" and owned it.

Bud Light "Here Weego!"

Best in Show, why?

First of all, it was a departure from the standard beer commercial. Sure it was a social setting and there were lots of beautiful people drinking beer, but it just felt different. Less stereotyped with bikini girls and gawking guys. And it launched a new "spokesperson" for the brand, Weego, yet it tied to a running brand there of "Here We Go!".

Second of all, it featured a rescue dog and it highlighted the brand's initiative to help save animals in rescue shelters. That was cool. Shows that the brand understands its young demographic: they care about giving back and they want to see what you are doing as a brand.

Thirdly, it had a strong call to action (aside from buying beer) to go to the brand's Facebook page to like it and donate to rescue shelters. Social media integration, cause marketing, and an action step for consumers. Score.

And lastly, I believe that it would work in any party setting. Even with loud music and conversation, you could still see what was going on and the "type" on the screen still told you what to do. And certainly seeing it with focused eyes and ears gave the viewer entertainment pleasure as well.

I was on TheStreet.com yesterday, talking about this very spot. You can see my interview here.

So I give Bud Light "Here Weego" Best in Show! What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

SuperBowl 2012 In Review

2012-02-06T05:58:00.001-05:00

That was so much fun! Let's do it again!

I'm not necessarily talking about the SuperBowl game (although it was a good old fashioned nail biter) -- I'm talking about the advertising and the live tweeting about it at #SBExp. Along with my friend Mike Brown from Brainzooming, we hosted a Twitter party last night to share our thoughts about the spots.

It was fast and furious and filled with commentary. I'll try to recap it here the best I can.

Overall Impressions
- where were the insights? the benefits? the branding?
- it felt like it was all car commercials -- very little beer, beverage, pizza, credit cards, etc (or so it felt)
- story telling is back, but generally not connected to the branding
- seems to have been the year of the dog
- it was definitely a good idea to NOT preview the spots ahead of time, the surprise was half the fun

Biggest LOL
Skechers and the French Bulldog. Admittedly, I have a Frenchie so I am partial. But after the brand's debacle with Kim Kardashian last year, Mr. Quiggley was a total laugh riot. Have to give credit for the Doritos (consumer created) spot with the Grandmother and the baby - that one got me too. And "The Voice" had a good chuckle with Betty White, although it appears that you can never go wrong with Betty White.

Most Competitive
While many would say it was the Samsung vs. Apple spot (people tired of standing in line), I would argue that the Chevy "Apocalypse" vs. Ford was the most competitive. The tie-in (?) with Twinkies was brilliant. Only thing to make it better would be if Cher had come out of one of the trucks.

Best Reaction on Facebook
Although we were tweeting, there was also a lot of commentary going on over at Facebook. The consensus was that Honda's "Matthew's Day Off" was the big hit. Me? That would have made a great movie sequel (hence the extended YouTube version was so much better than the on-air version).

Most Tired
When I first starting seeing the trailers for the new NBC show "Smash," I was so intrigued. During our Golden Globes Twitter party (#GGExp), it was the smash. But now, it's so played and tired. I'm over it already. I also have to say that the sentiment for the Coca-Cola polar bears was tired as well. Too much, even though the idea that you could watch them watching the game was pretty cool.

Biggest Dud
By far and away, Go Daddy. By the end of the game, my party goers were calling for a ban. Although Mike Brown did bring up a good point - we all know their brand yet probably can't name a competitor!

Biggest Surprise
For me, the surprise of the night was Bud Light's "HereWeGo." Not because it was cute and not because they walked away (somewhat) from the girl in bikini action, but because it was about animal rescue and the brand gave back money to help rescue animals. Unexpected from this brand and a total score in my book!

Best Insight
There were not many to be found as I mentioned earlier. I think it has to go, almost by default, to Chrysler's sequel to last year's Imported from Detroit. Clint Eastwood was a great pick to deliver the narrative about how America is recovering and is going into the "second half." It was very moving and dead on. Brought a tear to my eye, and I could personally relate to the message. Great work. It was also the best of the lot in terms of matching up message with the media - it's our second half!

Best in Show
So who gets the pick for best in show? Not sure yet ... I want to go back and watch "the tape" as they say. I purposely did not preview many of the spots, and in fact I am disappointed that I watched the three that I did see ("Matthew's Day Off", "Happy Grad", and H&M David Beckham). So tomorrow's post will feature my pick for Best in Show. Stay tuned.

I know I left a lot of spots out ... what's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

PS - Big big thanks to Mike Brown to started this last year with #BZBowl, and who transferred all his love over to #SBExp this year!

SuperBowl Advertising Preview

2012-02-03T06:02:00.001-05:00

The SuperBowl is once again upon us, and folks are talking just as much about the advertising as they are about the game. Previewing the advertising has become a frenzied sport, even The Today Show did an entire segment showcasing some of the upcoming advertising. It's a marketer's dream!

Please join us live on Twitter during the game where we will be commenting on all the advertising as it is being shown. Use the hashtag #SBExp. We did it last year and it was a blast.

I understand why advertisers are spending so much time and attention to get their spots previewed. Between production costs and media time, SuperBowl advertising is a huge investment. They have to spread it out and try to get more bang for the buck as they say. So they tweet about it, post it on YouTube, get it shown on "news" shows --- anything to get more eyeballs on it. I get it and recommend it for all my clients. Social media has become as important to SuperBowl advertising as, well, the SuperBowl itself.

For me, though, I'm not participating ... yet. I'm a little old school here. I want to see them live during the game, for the first time, and enjoy that initial reaction. When we are tweeting during the game, I want my reactions to be real time, not thought through ahead of time. Sure I will go back and watch them again and again on YouTube, especially the ones I like, but only after I've gotten the real experience of television advertising and the SuperBowl.

I have seen a couple previews, and the entertainment value is certainly there. It's also nice to see the extended versions (sort of like the "director's cut) -- lots of fun. Like this one from Honda:

What's great about this spot, is that it's part of Honda's comprehensive "Leap List" campaign and a great insight about "getting out there" and enjoying life. Love it.

For the most part, though, I am staying away until game time. Am I not being "modern?" Perhaps, but just trying to keep those tweets sincere.

What are you going to do? What's your experience? Jim. (see you at #SBExp)

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

My new book The Experience Effect for Small Business is out! Big brand theory for small business owners.

Go Daddy

2012-02-02T06:27:00.002-05:00

With the SuperBowl upon us, I thought it might be fun to talk about an annual advertiser ... one that always captures a lot of attention at the SuperBowl. Whether we like it or not. Go Daddy.

Do you even know what Go Daddy is all about as a brand?

One of my colleagues at the agency weighs in on the brand, and asks a very important question.

Thanks, John. What's your experience? Jim

What do you want to be remembered for when your career is over? I thought about this question when I saw this humongous billboard in Times Square last weekend.

When I first sat down to write this blog post I was going to talk about Go Daddy’s marketing strategy. A strategy that consists of racy ads that get people talking about Go Daddy in both a positive and a negative way.

I was going to talk about how Go Daddy took it too far this time. (note from Jim - I think they always take it too far, and I'm a customer!)

But, that is nothing new for people who have been following the Go Daddy brand. I couldn’t have my first guest blog post be boring. That would ruin your “Experience” on this blog. After talking to very smart women I realized the real story is about Danica Patrick.

For those of you who don’t know who Danica Patrick, she is the only woman to have won an IndyCar series. She also finished 3^rd in the Indianapolis 500, the highest finish ever by a women. These are two huge accomplishments in the sport of racing. Patrick has made a huge impact on the sport, and paved the way for other females who have always dreamed of becoming a racecar driver.

In the mind of some sports fans Danica Patrick is a superstar athlete. But why would a superstar athlete feel the need to pose half naked on a billboard in the middle of Time Square?

I understand that Go Daddy is her sponsor, and that she probably makes a lot of money doing these ads, but it takes away from her brand as a female racer. Being the most successful women in racing, she could have easily found another sponsor and not shoot racy Go Daddy ads. If her goal is to be a super model on the side, then maybe it is a good move. I have not heard that she is pursuing that line of work though.

Kobe Bryant recently did a commercial for Nike. The commercial not only reinforces how good he is as an athlete, but he is also saying that Nike shoes elevate his game. This is consistent with his brand. Having good sneakers is important to a NBA player of his caliber.

Patrick could have looked for sponsorship opportunities that tie back to racing that would help build her brand as a racing superstar. Does having a domain name from Go Daddy make her a better racecar driver?

After all the practice, hard work, and obstacles she has had to overcome to become the most successful women in racing history, she is risking her legacy by doing these Go Daddy commercials.

Will Danica Patrick be remembered as the “Go Daddy Girl”, or “The Women that Changed Racing History?”

That is for you to decide.

- John Muscarello from Lippe Taylor

Join us for live tweets during the SuperBowl on Twitter at #SBExp!

Jim Joseph

President of Lippe Taylor

Author of The Experience Effect series

Professor at NYU

BlackBerry and #BeBold

2012-02-01T06:14:00.001-05:00

Didn't we just ask ourselves last week ... What can we learn from McDonald's and #McDStories? Or Walgreens and #ILoveWalgreens?

We should know by now that if we are going to put ourselves out there, we are going to get it back. And we might not like it.

Enter Blackberry and #BeBold. It started on New Year's Eve for me because quite honestly when I saw all the promotion in Times Square and the product placement with Dick Clark's show, I was scratching my head. The brand Blackberry was challenging people to "Be Bold" in 2012, and asking them for their bold and daring new year's resolutions. Honestly felt like a disconnect for me. Would have made more sense for the brand to sponsor New Year's Eve texting to loved ones. I would have loved a text from Jenny McCarthy, live from Times Square!

But instead, the brand went bold with a comprehensive product placement, advertising, point-of-sale, and now social media campaign asking people to "Be Bold."

The challenge continued onto Twitter, where once again consumers took over the conversation. And the brand didn't like many of the tweets because consumers were pretty much saying whatever they want. Comments got snarky, even rude.

Here we go again ... what's a brand to do.

First of all, you have to know what you are getting into and be prepared for the inevitable snarky comments. They are going to happen, at least for now. It's becoming a part of the Twitter culture. Accept it, if you can, and embrace it. Nickelback did and it worked.

Secondly, don't ask these open ended questions that either really have no connection to the brand or are just asking for trouble. Disconnected questions allow the Twitter public to take it where ever they want. And if you have skeletons in your closet, they will indeed come out.

Thirdly, know your brand (who you are) and know your consumer (who they are) and connect together on ideas and conversations that matter to both of you. Conversations where you have something relevant to say and conversations where they will have fun contributing positively. And as I said, be prepared to respond to the negative too. But the more relevant, the less negative.

Marketing is a spectator sport ... let's learn from these brand experiences!

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

(Tweeting live during the SuperBowl advertising at #SBExp @JimJosephExp)

PS - My new book focused on small business is now available at amazon! The Experience Effect for Small Business. Check it out and share!

SuperBowl Live Tweets

2012-01-31T06:49:00.000-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! The SuperBowl ... the marketers' holiday!

Last year proved to be quite entertaining, at least in my book. We had VW "The Force," and CarMax "Talking Cars," and Chrysler "Imported From Detroit." Although not every ad resonated, there were a bunch of hidden gems.

And just like last year, social media has been gearing up the action with sneak peeks and foreshadowing, with the critiques already funneling in. Me, I like to wait and see it all live during the game, the way that advertising was intended and the way that consumers see it. Then I'll go back and review them all on YouTube after. So you won't see a lot of previews coming from me.

Although I do love this teaser from Volkswagon, hoping to gather steam from last year's breakout.

What will I be doing during the big game? Live tweeting!

Last year my friend Mike Brown from Brainzooming invited me to participate in his Twitter party and it was a blast. Well this year we are joining forces to co-curate #SBExp ... continuing the momentum of last year's #OscarExp and #OprahExp. Plus we had a blast a few weeks ago at #GlobesExp we just had to keep it going.

So join us at 6:30EST on Sunday, February 5th. Get your fingers in shape because it moves fast. Check out these exercises!

To get us in the spirit, here's another sneak peek (no more spoilers after this, I promise!). It was released on YouTube yesterday for the new David Beckham underwear line at H&M.

BTW, I'll be on TheStreet.com Monday morning for the play by play - of the advertising!

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

PS - My new book, The Experience Effect for Small Business, is now available! Check it out and share it with friends, especially entrepreneurs with their own small business! Appreciate it!

The Marketing Month of January

2012-01-30T04:59:00.001-05:00

Well 2012 certainly kicked off with quite a busy month of marketing. Holy cow! I have not seen this much marketing drama in one month ever. Let's break it down.

The Weight Loss Wars: We always start out every new year with a barrage of weight loss messaging. This year was no different with Jennifer Hudson and Weight Watchers winning the war in my book.

A Mouse in Mountain Dew:  When a consumer announced that he found a mouse in his can of soda, the brand had a head scratching response.

Madonna Truth or Dare - Golden Globes:  The ultimate music marketer makes an attempt to stay relevant. Tell the truth ... is it working? She did prove, once again, that timing is everything.

#ILoveWalgreens:  The brand discovered that you can't buy love ... online.

Brand Paula Deen:  The cheeseburger heard round the world. Her brand took (and continues to take) a lot of heat for her well-timed health announcement. Days after her announcement, a consumer took this picture ....

Paula Deen, days after her Diabetes announcement

Bald Barbie:  This girl has been making social media headlines for years, but nothing like the debate that raged on about making a Bald Barbie.

#McDStories:  What a different two hours makes! We all learned "be careful what you ask for!"

Blonde at Starbucks:  Is blonde a strength, a color, or a mood? Starbucks flooded its stores to let us know.

JCP EDLP:  In one of the boldest moves in retail, JCP reinvents its business model, starting February 1st. Should make for an interesting month ahead.

What a month! Get ready for the marketers' holiday coming February 5th! I'll be tweeting live at #SBExp ... hope you can join me as we talk about all the advertising (and maybe a little bit about the game). Here's a little something something to get us in the mood ...

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Honda's Leap Lists

2012-01-27T06:37:00.000-05:00

I love a new insight. It's rare these days in our over saturated market place, but I love when a brand uncovers a new insight.

Honda uncovers a very interesting new insight in their new television campaign called "Leap Lists." The notion is that when you go through major milestones in your life, or big "leaps" in your life, then there's a lot of things that you need to get done.

Like when you're having a baby. There's a lot to do, so you need a "Leap List." You've got to buy this and that, and get ready with this and that. Or when you get a big promotion at work, you have to buy new clothes, get a new hair cut, polish up your shoes, etc. Or before you get married, you want to visit the Grand Canyon, that kind of thing. :)

When you advance to the next level in your life, there are things you have to do to get there. Leap Lists.

It's a great insight, and a great way to serve up a promotional engagement with consumers. As Honda says on their CR-V Facebook page: "We all have a few things to do before leaping into life's next big chapter. Put them on your Leap List, and learn how the new 2012 CR-V can help you get to every one of them." On this Facebook page, you literally enter your "leap" and what you need to do, and presumably Honda will help you.

Very clever, but I have to say ... I'm not sure I understand the connection to the brand. In the advertising, the brand shows how its car can help you get around to all the items on your "Leap List." But that's a stretch if you ask me. Not sure I get it. But I do love the insight.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

JCPenney EDLP

2012-01-26T07:00:00.003-05:00

My very first job ever in the world was at the JCPenney catalog department. I was 16 years old and never been kissed. Over time, I moved upstairs to the Men's Department where I would spend hours folding sweaters. In Syracuse, NY the local JCPenney was all the bomb. I made lifelong friends there and cherish those memories.

So I always kind of keep track of what JCP is doing through the years. It's an amazing brand that has had its ups and downs, but with incredible longevity.

Yesterday's move though, has to be the brand's most dramatic and I also believe the brand's smartest. It started out with a huge launch party, teaser television advertising campaign, website count-down clock, and a social media assault on Facebook and Twitter.

JCP is ending it's co-dependence on sales - big dramatic sales - and instituting an "everyday low price" strategy instead. As low as possible prices, same price all year round. And following on their success of their Sephora boutiques, JCP is also adding more store-within-the-store boutiques from the likes of Nanette Lepore and Martha Stewart.

I would have skipped the Martha Stewart part, personally, and the subsequent lawsuit with Macy's, but that's not the point I'm making. I think this is brilliant. Although expert sentiment was mixed, social media and fashion industry sentiment seemed to be loving it.

A price you can count on. Quality that you've known for years. Revamped style and product offerings. As a consumer and shopper, what's not to like? And complete transparency that the journey will begin on February 1st, as the brand rolls through the store, department by department, and restyles.

Oh and BTW, at a time when we all hate logo changes, I like the new logo! :) Double Oh ... between now and February 1st the stores are having crazy crazy sales for the last time.

Brilliant. makes me long for the good ole' days!

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

Be Careful What You Ask For

2012-01-25T05:58:00.001-05:00

I always say that marketing is a spectator sport ... we can learn a lot from each other. This is particularly true in social media, where consumer behavior and brand activation is still uncharted territory in many ways.

Just recently I wrote about how Walgreens learned that it can't buy love on Twitter with a promoted trending topic like #ilovewalgreens.

Well yesterday, McDonald's learned a similar lesson with #McDStories - the brand created a hashtag to tell stories about the quality of its food, and asked for stories back from its consumers as well. McDonald's started the stream, and then opened it up. Well ... what happened over the next two hours of warp speed tweeting is incredible.

The stories quickly turned snarky with tweeters posting comments about how bad their experiences have been at McDonald's. Not exactly what the brand was hoping for. Even some tweets back and forth with PETA. McDonald's was looking for a love fest, and got something far short of that. The brand quickly shut it down. It made national news ... McOuch.

There have been similar instances with the airline Qantas, the band Nickelback, and Kraft Mac & Cheese. Instances where the brand was hoping to open up a positive dialogue with its Twitter followers and instead got a lot of criticism. Criticism about bad customer service, cheesy music, and poor product quality. Things inherent to the brands that perhaps they were not prepared to defend.

Nickelback responded by responding to every single tweet - often with a snarky comment in return. Worked for them and their "brand," but wouldn't work for a conservative brand like Kraft.

The lesson learned here?

Despite everything we say in the conference room, we can't "own" the conversation. We can put it out there, but consumers decide which direction it takes. If a brand wants to open up, which it should, then a brand needs to be prepared for what comes back. And continue to dialogue in their own brand spirit.

No brand is squeaky clean when it comes to business. Every brand is a work in progress ... so be prepared for all the skeletons to be pointed out. Which is ok, if the brand owns up to it and discusses it openly as well. Transparency and honesty is key in social media.

If you're not ready to really and truly dialogue with your consumers, like Nickelback, then wait until you are ready.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Starbucks Blonde

2012-01-24T04:50:00.000-05:00

In case you hadn't noticed, Starbucks introduced a new coffee blend in their stores ... Starbucks Blonde. It's a "lighter" version of their infamous coffee, presumably to address consumers who feel that most Starbucks coffee is too strong.

I stepped into my local hot spot to get my usual Skinny Vanilla Latte, and I was hit not only with multiple displays popping from every corner, but also "wet"sampling from one of the baristas well as free take-home samples. It was a full frontal assault. It makes sense, because I think it's addressing one of the brand's weak points -- the regular coffee blows your socks off!

But I have to say that I immediately had what is probably a weird perception of Starbucks Blonde the minute I heard about it and saw the "light" packaging. I assumed that the coffee would be light colored ... well, blonde. It's not though, it looks like any other coffee sitting in a mug. I guess that's the case, coffee is coffee, but with a name like Blonde I just assumed it would have a much lighter color. I'm sure it can't, but that was my assumption from the name. I guess it would look like there was already cream in it otherwise.

Maybe they should have called it "light" instead? No, then people would probably assume that it's lower in caffeine. What a conundrum! Honestly, because it didn't match my expectations, I have no desire to even try it. And then it doesn't really match the naming hierarchy for the rest of the products that then go from Medium to Dark. How does Blonde as a name fit into that?

I do like the name though, it's catchy. Although with multiple options within each variety, on several occasions now I have witnessed people trying to figure it all out with great dismay and a whole lot of attention from the baristas. Oh boy.

I'm sure it's a good move on the brand's part. I just thought it was interesting how certain words bring up certain expectations about a product. I also thought it was interesting to see how the company has pretty much completely rolled out its new logo now, almost one year to the date.

What do you think about new Starbucks Blonde? What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect series
Professor at NYU

Twitter - The New Book Tour

2012-01-22T16:46:00.020-05:00

I had the pleasure of being a guest host for two different Twitter chats last week: #prstudchat and #prwebchat. They were both a lot of fun -- we discussed the different elements of a compelling brand experience. I have to say that these Twitter chats run fast and furious as the tweets come piling in one on top of the other. The one with students was especially fast. I was on my toes ... fingers and toes, actually.

You can read my guest post about #prstudchat here!

As I prepare for the launch of my second book on January 31, I got to thinking ... are Twitter chats the new book tour? Do these one hour sessions take the place of sitting at a Barnes & Noble table, with Sharpie in hand?

They certainly make a lot more sense. It's a captive, engaged audience, there to talk with you. No standing in line, no random awkwardness. Just a group of like-minded people looking to learn and share. Doesn't matter one bit if they buy a book. Marketing is a spectator sport and we can learn a lot from each other. I certainly did.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effext"
Professor at NYU

Bald Barbie

2012-01-19T04:08:00.005-05:00

It's been a busy few years for our dear brand Barbie.

In 2009, Barbie celebrated her 50th birthday, right along with a whole bunch of baby boomers. 50!

In 2010, Barbie got a new career as voted by her public on social media. It was a write-in vote, actually, because so many people wanted her to be a Computer Engineer. Sign of the times.

In 2011, also as voted by her public, Barbie got back together with Ken. It was quite the social media sensation. On Valentine's Day, no less.

So I guess it's not too much of a stretch for there to be a movement to have a Bald Barbie, right? Whhhaaatttt?

I think that was the innocence of the sentiment in the beginning anyway. But it's now turned into a career-defining, brand-bashing, charity-churning nightmare for many. And I can't believe I am entering the fray. But there is a lot of branding driving a lot of the facts and emotions, so here I go.

It all started out with a petition to have Mattel make a Bald Barbie, to show little kids who are suffering from diseases that it's actually ok to be bald. At least that is what I think was the sentiment. And at first blush, it seems fine. This is about kids after all, so if a toy will help them deal with the trauma in their lives, then that's ok by me.

The problem is that all of us adults got involved. And all sorts of brand perceptions got tangled into the discussion. I'm also not sure that Mattel responded in the most 2012 social-media-savvy kind of way. They pretty much turned their backs to it ... but a can of worms was opened and it became a feeding frenzy of article after pov after debate.

Enter argument #1: why should kids be getting self esteem from a toy?

Argument #2: Barbie, for 50 years, has been perpetuating body image issues for girls so who is she to take this on?

#3: This seems like it's all about cancer, what's next? Down's Syndrome?

#4: Shouldn't all that money and effort go into research to cure the disease, not make and buy toys?

#5: Aren't the proceeds from all those "charity" projects super inefficient, with very little going to actually do anything? Enter another brand issue and another debate about how to help a cause.

And on and on. All of them valid arguments, I am sure. I am not going to debate any of those points because I don't know enough about any one of them. But here's what I think ...

I don't think anyone who started this intended to be arguing any of those points. Now maybe they should have thought it through first, but I don't think that's where it started. And I don't think they had any idea of the powerful emotions around some of these brands that ended up in the arguments. Like Barbie and Susan G. Komen.

I think it started out as something innocent. Something that a group of parents were trying to do to make their kids feel better. Could a toy possibly do that? Maybe, I'm a parent and I'd be willing to do almost anything.

I also think that we are burned out on "pink" (and all brands pink) and that we so are skeptical of anything that smacks of being inauthentic or bureaucratic or sneaky ... that we turn off. So we all jumped on this issue in reaction to brand perceptions that became a part of the texture of the debate. Not saying that any of that is wrong, just trying to break it all down and understand it.

But these are kids and these are parents trying to do anything for their kids. Is there something wrong with them asking for a big, iconic brand to help them out? Mattel doesn't have to do it, and it doesn't have to pick a cause ... but isn't ok just to ask? Was it that bad of an idea that it couldn't even be put forth as an option?

It's amazing to me how brand perceptions drive almost instanteous reactions ... I guess that's the power of branding and the power of social media in communicating a brand's behavior.

What's your experience? Jim

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Brand Paula Deen

2012-01-18T06:46:00.000-05:00

It was the diagnosis heard round the world, after days-weeks-months of speculation. And for some, years of -- duh!

Paula Deen officially announced yesterday that she has Type II Diabetes. She also simultaneously announced a partnership with a diabetes drug to help educate Americans on how to live with diabetes and how to live more healthy in general. Oh -- and a mention about how her son has already been promoting more healthy recipes as his own brand of "chef."

This coming from the often criticized Queen of Butter. As I've been following this story the last few days, particularly in social media, it's amazing to see the range of reactions.

Sure, some feel badly for her. Not many from what I can tell. Although I am sure that there are many many fans that are pumping through letters of support to her. I'm not sure that Al Roker from The Today Show is one of them by the tone of his interview yesterday.

Most people were not shocked, given her eating habits and her recipes. I mean -- a burger with bacon and an egg between two Krispy Kreme donuts? Wow! Many said that with that lifestyle, she should have known it was coming. She's had more than her fair share of criticism from nutritionists, other chefs, you name it.

Many, though, were down right mad. The way she announced it seemed oh so contrived and planned. Not at all authentic, something that is becoming a requirement for a brand to survive these days. Once we knew that she knew for years now (some say since 2008), and yet kept up those tv shows ... anger set in.

For me, from a marketing perspective .... sad. Sad to see the person behind a brand not well. Sad to see how she manipulated her lifestyle and her fan base to orchestrate the next move of her brand. Sad to see that basically her health is for sale (as one of my friends on Twitter so adeptly commented). I think that's crossing the line, and I think that's why we are seeing the range of reactions.

I am not in her target market, and I am not a fan personally. But as a marketer, I hope that it all turns out ok. I hope she stays well. And I hope, in the end, that she is able to help her fan base turn their lives around too. They could use the help, and she does have the power. She's just going to have to do that in a much more transparent and honest way for her "brand" to continue successfully.

You can read a little more about the saga here. Stay well.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Happy Birthday Betty

2012-01-17T07:37:00.000-05:00

Betty White. Is there anyone more cooler than her right now? All these other brands, like Madonna or Chelsea Handler or Kathy Griffin, they try so hard to be cool. And they are, but Betty White does it without even trying.

Last night NBC had a birthday party special for her. More like a roast and retrospective actually. It was quite good mostly because I had forgotten just how many characters she had played through the years. Mind boggling.

As many people who honored her said, "Betty White is a national treasure."

She also has an amazing sense of timing. Comedic timing for sure, but also career timing (or some may call marketing). Just in the last two years alone. The Facebook campaign to get her to host SNL was brilliant, as was the television advertising for Snickers. My blog post on that remains to be the second most read post I have ever written.

Last night's special was another example of great timing. It started with a trending topic on Twitter over the weekend, which by the way was promoted. But it then became organic too. Lots of mentions during The Golden Globes on Sunday, also an NBC property.

All of it really, though, to not only promote her show "Hot in Cleveland" but also to promote her candid-camera-esque new show which debuted right after the birthday special. It's called "Off Their Rockers." Betty has a team of fellow seniors who do pranks in front of unsuspecting bystanders. It's actually quite hysterical (I tried to catch a few minutes of it last night).

Good for her. Comedic diva. Marketing master. Brilliant brand. National treasure. And makes it all look so natural.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

2012 Golden Globes

2012-01-16T05:19:00.002-05:00

Welllllll ... I have to say that The 2012 Golden Globes were a bit of a disappointment. As a brand unto themselves, these awards are supposed to be the most fun. The most daring, the most irreverent. They weren't. Let's break it down.

The acceptance speeches. This is a pet peeve I have with all of these awards shows. These very famous, very influential people have 45 seconds (or more) to say something to the world. To make a statement. To start a movement. To acknowledge something going on in the world. And 99.9% of them blow it by fumbling through a list of names that is mostly incoherent. Why didn't Meryl Streep talk about the incredible woman that was Margaret Thatcher? Why didn't Octavia Spencer talk about all the people that suffered during the 50's and 60's as portrayed in her winning performance? At least Modern Family was entertaining when they won. And thank you William H and Felicity for making a nomination fun too.

The production. The Golden Globes have been on for years now. In the same venue, from what I can tell. Why can't they figure out pathways for people to walk so that they can get to the stage gracefully?

The host. Featured to be the biggest part of the "brand," Ricky was supposed to be daring and irreverent. He was hardly ever on at all, and he was a bore. The best thing about him was his vest. He was drinking beer, so why not in a Stella glass since the brand was a sponsor? Sorry, I'm in marketing!

The dresses. They were pretty stunning, have to say. Lots of color, especially in the blues and greens. Lots of metallics and beading. And the return of the fish tail ... love it. Also in season where curves, probably boosted by said fish tail. Women had a little size to them, which is as it should be. Best brands? Prada and Zac Posen IMHO. Charlize and Angelina stick out in my mind as well.

The accessories. The bow tie is back (some quite big) and clearly beat out the regular tie. Love it. And Madonna sporting a single black glove ... good for you to still be trying to affect trends.

The celebrities. Smartest one of the bunch, in my opinion is Madonna. Perfect timing, girl, for your upcoming Super Bowl appearance and release of another album (do we still call them albums?). There are no coincidences in marketing so I have to hand it to you. Thank you for dropping the British accent, that was a phase I am happy is over. Plus a shout out to my other girl, Sofia Vergara. Always a charmer. Just be careful, please, about over exposure.

The marketing. I hosted live tweeting during the Globes at #ggexp. A bunch of us where there, commenting on the marketing (and throwing in a few other things as well). The marketing was disappointing. Sure, the new spot for Diet Pepsi with Sofia Vergara was entertaining, because anything with Sofia Vergara is entertaining these days. But not an insight in sight, and way too overplayed to just have one execution. The Volkswagon spot was good, showing how what we "care about" changes as we age. Reminded me of The Force from last year's Super Bowl. The Fiat spot caught me at first, but then when I really paid attention they lost me ... too long and windy like the endless cars driving around mountains shots of most car spots. And of course Moet owned the tables, with bottles clearly sticking up (and showing up) in every table shot. Smart of them, year after year. But for the most part, nothing memorable or motivating. On Twitter, L'Oreal and Spanx had Red Carpet promotions, but you had to search for them to find them. Nothing break through on what turned out to be a run of the mill night.

Sorry to be so vanilla today. It was an unexciting night which is a real disappointment. The Golden Globes are an opportunity to be daring and inventive, and I didn't see many take advantage of that.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

#ILoveWalgreens

2012-01-13T09:22:00.000-05:00

I happened to notice a trending topic on Twitter the other day called "#ILoveWalgreens." I pay some attention to these things, mostly because they give a nice peek into what's going on with pop culture. That's of course, when the trending topics occur naturally and organically. Like the one recently about Beyonce and her baby.

#ILoveWalgreens, though, was a paid trending topic meaning that Walgreens paid to have it appear as a trending topic. Which is fine, because Twitter allows one paid trending topic a day. The work then is to get people to trend along.

It didn't appear to take much to get them to trend along, actually, which is probably what caught my eye most. The tweets ranged from serious to hysterical and a few scary ones in between like the ones about making meth. There were also some very obvious brand-generated tweets as well. You can read them for yourself here.

The issue that surprised me the most, though, was that once some people figured out that it was a paid trend, they got annoyed. Which to me is surprising because it's clearly labeled as such ("promoted"). So what's the big deal? Lots of brands, almost one a day actually, use promoted trending.

It was probably a good move by the brand, in indirect response to Express Scripts de-listing them as a prescription provider. Don't know any of the details around that, but it's smart of the brand to try to drum up some loyalty and love in the process.

I think the issue is the title. When you put "love" into something, people want it to be authentic. They don't want it paid for. Shouldn't have to pay for love.

What do you think? What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

You Got Work Done!

2012-01-12T15:31:00.000-05:00

I've seen the new tv spot for Tropicana a few times now, and couldn't quite figure out what had me so intrigued. It's the spot with Jane Krakowski (from current "30 Rock" fame) where she is so psyched that her friends think "she had work done!"

And then it hit me. They've turned an insight on it's head.

Most skin care and anti-aging brands these days promote the fact that "you won't look like you had work done." Sure, you'll look great, but in a more natural, fresh, non-arresting way. And here is Jane Krakowski, selling orange juice with an "anti-aging" benefit that at first makes no sense.

Unless you think of "having work done" as a status thing. And a life style thing. And as an aspirational thing. Timed perfectly for the new year when we are all thinking about calories (this spot is for Trop50, its low calorie version) and losing weight and "getting work done."

"Here's to a new look in the new year!"

Still not sure it makes total sense, but I do like how the brand has turned a universal truth on its side to get pure attention. And I like how the brand is thinking differently about its benefits ... out of the box so to speak. I think it kinda works.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph

President of Lippe Taylor

Author of The Experience Effect

Professor at NYU

Making a Mountain Out of a Mouse

2012-01-11T04:20:00.001-05:00

Now I know that we are in an age where "spin" is not "in." Consumers are constantly telling brands that they want "authenticity" and the "truth." Consumer trust is at an all time sustained low, so marketers need to be completely transparent if they are going to win consumer affection.

I guess that's the sentiment that drove Mountain Dew's response to this particular consumer complaint.

I'm sure you remember soaking teeth in cola in science class in grade school, right? Well this certainly smacks of that! Evidently a consumer contacted Mountain Dew to say that he had found a mouse in his can of soda. Mountain Dew responded that it would be impossible to find a mouse in a can of soda because in fact the soda would de-compose the body ... turning it into a jelly-like substance. The mouse simply wouldn't make it through being immersed in the formula for what is apparently 15 months. Yuck.

The case is currently in court, and the makers of Mountain Dew are claiming that the claim has to be false, which I guess only Mountain Dew can confirm based on the science. It's turned into a big "thing" as the story (now urban legend status) runs through social media. You can read an article here.

Seems like the brand may win the case but will it win consumer reaction to the facts presented?

Ouch. I guess it's an honest answer, but not exactly making it seem like soda is so good for you. But then again we know that. I was just expecting a little spin, that's all.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect
Professor at NYU

Communication and Car Buying

2012-01-10T05:45:00.001-05:00

From a brand experience perspective, there is none worse than cars. Not so much the brand itself, although I wouldn't put many of them at tops of the marketing field either, but more from the buying experience. It's awful, and in fact I've written about it before. The experience is not consumer friendly, and it's not geared towards adding value for the shopper. It's just not.

Evidently I am not alone. As part of The University of Kansas #Blogapalooza, today I have a guest post from a student (her second time here) about her own experience negotiating for a car. There is such an opportunity for a brand to improve this -- it's amazing to me that no one has seized it yet. It's all about a consistent brand experience, fueled in this case by just ole' customer service and communication. Boggles the mind!

If you've read my book, you know it's a common theme. And in fact right up in the forward! Today Katie shows us how some simple inter-departmental communication could go a long way towards making some improvement.

Katie, what's your experience? Jim.

I dislike few things as much as negotiating during a car purchase. One thing I dislike more is miscommunication between departments of a company. I had the pleasure of encountering both during a recent car shopping experience.

After completing hours of research on Edmunds, Hyundai, and Car and Driver, I felt that I was ready to purchase an SUV. I had the exact vehicle selected, had already negotiated the price down several thousand dollars, and free oil changes were thrown in for 60,000 miles. I really felt that I was getting a good price. I was merely seconds away from signing on the line when I happened to mention that I thought the free oil change promotion was interesting. The salesman then commented that he'd be glad to see me every 7500 miles for the oil changes.

That comment quickly brought his sale to a halt.

I had purchased the car from the same dealership two years earlier. The salesman during that encounter had also promoted the benefit of only needing an oil change every 7500 miles. However, upon the first visit to the service department, the service manager was quick to point out that anyone driving under "extreme" conditions, which he stated was about 90% of drivers in this area, was required to change their oil every 3750 miles to maintain their warranty. I informed him that his salesman was selling cars on the premise that oil changes were only needed every 7500 miles, saving a substantial amount of money each year. The service manager brushed my comment off and I highly doubt he followed up with the sales department like I asked. I gave the dealership the benefit of the doubt and chalked it up to the ignorance of one salesman.

Fast forward two years, and I found myself in the same position. I explained to the SUV salesman what my experience had been in the service department with required oil changes. Instead of offering to speak with the service department and clear up any confusion, he insisted that the service department was incorrect and my warranty would certainly be valid with less frequent oil changes. I told him that I would rather either need that in writing from the dealership or free oil changes every 3750 miles, or I would not be purchasing the vehicle.

The salesman would not deliver on either, and I simply stood up and walked away.

Now I'm the type of person that will assume the best in anyone and am going to assume that the sales department was simply trained with different information than the service department was. This is still a huge oversight, however, and an example of miscommunication between departments that affects every consumer at this dealership. The fact that both departments were unwilling to speak to the other when I made the request shows that they operate as silos and are nowhere near ready to integrate their marketing communications.

In the end, it doesn't really matter if the sales department was simply misinformed or if they were being downright dishonest; the end result was the same. They lost a sale that day (note from Jim: they lost a sale from a "loyal" customer). How many sales will they have to lose to take a look at consistency in their communications?

- Katie Jolly, graduate student in the Marketing Communications program at The University of Kansas and a Communications Professional at a health care information technology company

Down's Syndrome Model

2012-01-09T04:26:00.002-05:00

I found a great example of "don't talk the talk, walk the walk" in marketing over the weekend.

Target recently released a print ad for children's clothing featuring a down's syndrome child as one of the models. Great way to show diversity and respect, in my book anyway. But the cool part is that they didn't make a big deal about it. No copy mentioning it. No "special needs" language. Nothing written on his t-shirt. Just another kid in a print ad with other kids. That's just down right cool and just the way it should be.

The best part too, is that this same kid is starting to rack up regular gigs in modeling. Just a few months back, he appeared in an ad for Nordstrom. Same deal, they didn't say a peep about it, just used him in the ad. Gotta respect that.

Now on a completely different note, file this under "whoops." A print ad from a fashion brand in France recently discovered that perhaps they should have done a little retouching. It was shot on the beach, but no one noticed the nude beach goer in the background. So there it ran ....

Congrats to Target and Nordstrom for being who you are. What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President @LippeTaylor
Author of The Experience Effect

Using Drugs Over Timeline

2012-01-06T05:57:00.003-05:00

File this little marketing gem under "gggoooooddd." Yet so simple.

Many of us have been complaining about Facebook's changes, and in particular the new Facebook Timeline. It's a great concept but truthfully I'm not used to it yet either. I find it clunky and I feel like I'm missing some of my posts and my friends' commentary. Maybe not, but it feels that way.

A brand has figured it out, though, rather quickly, and is putting it to great use: The Israel Anti-Drug Authority.

Much like the organizations in the US, the IADA's mission is to stop drug use. I don't know a lot about the organization, but I'm sure they've used many of the tactics that we've seen used domestically here.

But this one really hits home. The organization created a character, Adam Barak, and used Facebook Timeline to show a year in his life. With and without drugs. So you can follow two different Facebook Timelines to watch how this young man's life progresses (emotionally, physically, socially) based on his drug usage.

Now the truth is that Facebook Timeline isn't really open to brands yet. IADA got around that by actually using a person. Clever. It's incredible, and very moving. You have to check it out.

This is not the first compelling anti-drug campaign, that's for sure. But it is the first "branded" use of Facebook Timeline that I know of, which makes for a very contemporary and compelling anti-drug message. Yet so simple.

Excellent. Let's hope it really works.

What's your experience? Jim.

Jim Joseph
President of Lippe Taylor
Author of The Experience Effect