Baer Performance Marketing – Green Bay, WI

In the most recent Apple iPhone advertising campaign promoting and humanizing the phone’s Siri feature, the company decided to recruit the quirky actress/indie songstress Zooey Deschanel and high profiled celebrity, Samuel L. Jackson to showcase Siri’s capabilities. The ads are short, sweet and honestly not all that exciting with Jackson and Deschanel giving Siri orders while acting like “every day” people. They follow the company’s marketing strategy of depicting “normal people doing amazing things with Apple products”.

The ads are unique, however, because the use of celebrity endorsements is rare for the company. Apple typically lets the products speak for themselves. However, Siri is really the star of the iPhone ads – Deschanel and Jackson play supporting roles and are merely there to interact with the phone.

Celebrity endorsements can be a very powerful marketing tool for businesses – especially now in a society where fans can follow and connect with musicians, actors, and athletes through social media networks. Deschanel currently has a following of more than 1.1 million Fans on Facebook and Jackson also brings a similarly sized fan base to the ad campaign.  Popular stars have always provided a boost to well thought out marketing campaigns, but in the social age, ads now have the potential of going viral through the internet with the help of fans.

Apple’s ad campaign performed very well with young women who were less affected by Apple’s feature-focused ads promoting the iPhone earlier in the year. And while endorsements can be risky because of the polarizing factor of many celebrities, using both Zooey Deschanel and Samuel L. Jackson (celebrities with a broader appeal) was a very effective and profitable strategy for Apple.

Sources:

http://simunlockiphone5.com/apple-airs-new-iphone-tv-ads-featuring-samuel-l-jackson-and-zooey-deschanel-updated/

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/04/16/new_samuel_l_jackson_commercial.html

http://www.techedon.com/2012/04/18/apple/social-theres-two-versions-of-apples-samuel-l-jackson-siri-ad-ones-not-by-apple/#more-4026

http://www.samgrant.com/tag/samuel-l-jackson/

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/celebrity-endorsement

Do you use a DVR to record and watch your favorite television programs? Have you added your number to the national “Do Not Call” list? Did your car come equipped with satellite radio?

Have you also noticed a decline in your business’ advertising response rate?

While putting together marketing strategies, it is important to keep in mind that consumers’ behaviors continually change and evolve. You won’t find your target market sitting at home on a couch waiting for your television ad or direct mail piece. Studies show that consumers have already completed two thirds of their research before actually reaching out to a specific brand, and the majority of this research occurs online. Tools like Google, Yelp, and Facebook now allow consumers to search and find specific answers to questions or solutions to problems — they certainly won’t be waiting around to be bombarded by fluff and rhetoric.

And while traditional marketing (when used correctly) still holds value and should have a place within your marketing plan, the importance of an effective inbound marketing strategy is increasing every day, and inbound marketing is also currently one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to grab the attention of consumers and build trust in your brand.

What is inbound marketing?

Inbound marketing is a rather new term that refers to a marketing strategy made up of a variety of tactics focused on “engaging” a target market. In contrast to outbound marketing, that uses channels like print, radio, and television to talk “at” consumers, the goal of inbound marketing is to talk “with” consumers. It’s all about getting potential customers to find and look to your brand when they are in search of something and presenting them with valuable information that offers a solution to an existing need or want.

Here are some easy inbound marketing tactics to freshen up your marketing plan:

Blogging: Blogging is a great way to get valuable information out to potential clients all while boosting website traffic. Studies have shown that companies with frequently updated, user-generated content have 55 percent more visitors than companies without, and 57 percent of companies with a blog report to have acquired new customers through it.

White Papers: White papers are basically a comprehensive report covering a specific subject or issue. They are a great channel to demonstrate expertise within an industry. Through insightful and objective information, white papers can be used convince potential clients that not only do you understand their needs but also know exactly how to satisfy them.

SEO:  SEO is an abbreviation for “Search Engine Optimization”. If you boost your website’s ranking within Google and other search engines, potential customers are more likely to find you.

Social Networks:  Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn are great tools to help expand customer service, manage your reputation, and build brand awareness. And with a relatively low investment, businesses have the opportunity to communicate with a potential audience of millions.

Are you ready to update your marketing plan and get started on an inbound marketing strategy? Contact Baer Performance Marketing today!

Also, check out this infographic put together by HubSpot for look through the lens of marketing history:

 http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/31278/The-History-of-Marketing-An-Exhaustive-Timeline-INFOGRAPHIC.aspx

Sources:

http://inblurbs.com/blog/what-is-the-most-effective-seo-tactic-creating-content/

Hands-on experience, real world experience — the world of internships is all about experience. But getting a good experience versus a bad, “Why am I even at this internship?” experience can be challenging. Thankfully, Baer Performance Marketing gave me a great experience that will help me enter this “real world” everyone talks about.

I was always looking for an internship that could teach me a different perspective on the wide world of marketing, public relations, advertising and design and how they fit together. When I saw Baer’s post for an intern, I was interested in both the variety of tasks I could be doing and having the opportunity to have professionals critique and guide my work .

So, I applied and succeeded in getting the job. Since here, I’ve done it all — from market research, designing logos, posters, Facebook pages, creating cross-promotional campaign ideas, radio ad writing, blogging, etc. This variety of tasks helped me understand marketing from all angles.

Another advantage I’ve had from working here is that they really take the unique skills you as an intern can bring to the table and help you utilize them in real world settings, all while helping you with other skills that you may need to build upon.

I couldn’t have added to my resume that I’ve created Facebook cover photos or pages for the Green Bay Bullfrogs, CrossFit, Breast Cancer Family Foundation, and logo ideas for EPI-HAB if it wasn’t for Baer Performance Marketing giving me the opportunity to do so.

If you are thinking about an internship, my advice is to apply at Baer, but if they are at full capacity, my advice is to find somewhere that is an established business  with set goals and tasks for you to help with. Also, be prepared to do hard work while gaining valuable experience.

Blog post by: Becky Bauer, Baer Performance Marketing Intern

The time has come for robots to have a place in our homes — starting with the floors. Roomba is a newer gadget from iRobot, a company that focuses on creating robots for multiple uses.

This specific home robot will vacuum your floors, but they also have robots that can mop your floors, clean your pools and empty your gutters. Other robots they have are used as military drones and used in deep ocean settings.

So, how did the brand  get these artificial intelligent products out to the consumers? Originally launched in 2002, the company invested in infomercials along with selling the robot vacuums in upscale stores and magazines such as Brookstone and the Sharper Image.

 Based off the information found, the target audience seems to me to be  tech savvy, 30+, career driven, busy homeowners. And in order to reach this audience, iRobot needed s to have a strong online and social media presence, along with creative ways to make the device seem ‘cool.’

 They launched their new multifaceted campaign in mid April of this year with the debut of their commercial which showed people dancing like a robot while the Roomba cleans. The slogan iRobot created was: “iRobot, Do You?” Having the slogan with the name of the company in it helps with brand recognition and development.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu_61SCjUAg

The company is also currently running a contest where consumers can post their best robot dance onto the company’s YouTube channel for a chance to win a Roomba. They also have a Cool Stuff page on their website where you can learn about iRobot “DNA” and explore the building blocks of the world’s coolest robots.

An app game was also developed for the product; where you pick up dust bunnies before time runs out. The app was voted one of iPhone’s top games when it debuted.

According to first quarter 2012 financial results, strong growth occurred in the home robot’s revenue with a 20 percent year over year Q1 increase. They now expect revenue in home robots sales to go from a current 60 percent of its total company revenue to 75 percent by the end of 2012. And their marketing campaign will no doubt play an important role in succeeding in this percentage.

So, does the innovative iRobot brand excite you or do you believe it is just one step closer to robot domination?

(iRobot movie)

Resources:

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2012/01/31/irobot-ceo-robot-doctors-will-drive.html

http://www.brandchannel.com/features_profile.asp?pr_id=329

In an effort to battle a recent loss in market share to Fanta and Sprite as well as a seven-year decline in national soft drink sales, Mountain Dew is looking to target new audiences.

While the brand is currently the nation’s best-selling non-cola soft drink, the majority of its consumers are white, suburban males located the in the Plain and Southeast regions of the United States. To achieve revenue growth and solidify its domination of the market, the company has chosen to amp up its national TV buys and refocus its brand’s messaging to speak to new demographics while still providing a consistent message for its brand’s current advocates.

This new messaging can be seen in Mountain Dew’s most recent ad campaign. Focused around the new tagline, “This is How We Dew”, the new advertisements feature a motley group of celebrities ranging from rapper Mac Miller to pro skateboarder Paul Rodriguez. Mountain Dew has developed multiple spots, each being narrated by a different celebrity.  The company will air each celebrity’s commercial in a region of country best suited to the celebrity’s niche. For example, commercials voiced by Lil’ Wayne will be focused on potential consumers in the Los Angeles market — whereas Jason Aldean’s ads will be aired in Nashville.

This isn’t the first time a brand has reached out to a new audience. Cadillac recently took a step away from its traditional buyers and refocused its message of “luxury and safety” to “fun”. With a sexy, stylish ad campaign featuring actress Kate Walsh asking drivers, “When you turn your car on, does it return the favor?” the brand’s message targeted a younger demographic.

The campaign was a huge success for General Motors. Within a couple weeks of its debut, Cadillac was already seeing a significant increase in sales.  The marketing director has since commented on the campaign saying it will likely provide base for brand’s future marketing strategies.

Do you think Mountain Dew will see similar success with its new messaging?

Resources:

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Catera+Targets+a+New+Market+for+Cadillac-a018782843

http://www.boston.com/cars/news/articles/2008/02/17/from_stodgy_back_to_young_and_sexy___gm_shifts_gears/?page=full

http://www.crowdsourcing.org/document/mtn-dew-does-national-tv-as-it-hunts-for-upside-in-key-regions/13526

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-17/pepsico-aims-to-bring-urban-cool-to-mountain-dew-image-retail?category=&BB_NAVI_DISABLE=PULSE

After being edged out as the United State’s number two hamburger chain by Wendy’s, Burger King is embarking on an extremely ambitious marketing initiative. The fast food giant will be rolling out new décor, adding delivery options, and offering new menu items including garden salads, real fruit smoothies, and snack wraps.

To promote the company’s rebrand, a new commercial for Burger King’s chicken wrap was posted on the fast food chain’s YouTube account and is certainly creating quite the buzz – just not in the way the brand had probably intended.

In the spot, Mary J. Blige soulfully sings about the brand’s new crispy chicken wrap to the tune of “Don’t Mind” from her latest CD.

The singer’s appearance in Burger King’s ad let loose a flood of fury. Since its release, African Americans have criticized the brand for playing to stereotypes. Many also criticized Blige for “selling out”.

The ad was yanked from YouTube (for what the company describes as music licensing issues – not because of its criticism). However, it has since gone viral and has even been remixed.

And while many people have written articles describing what a disaster this has been for Burger King, many also believe the “slip-up” was intentional and that Burger King hoped their ad would lure in bloggers and the media to help boost the publicity for the its rebranding efforts.

The art of advertising has evolved quite a bit within the last five to ten years, and many public relations professionals would argue that there is no such thing as bad publicity. For example, in 2010, McDonald’s announced they would be re-releasing their McRib sandwich – a sandwich that failed miserably when it was added to McDonald’s menu in the 80s. The news quickly spread across the internet, and while there were certainly people advocating the brand and its sandwich, there were just as many people (if not more) blasting it.  The relaunch of the sandwich ended up being a huge success for McDonald’s suggesting that negative buzz or controversy creates interest and can even translate into huge sales.

So, what do you think?  Is all buzz good buzz?

Resources:

http://www.wlwt.com/r/30828350/detail.html

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-burger-king-mary-j-blige-ad,0,470643.story

http://loop21.com/mary-j-blige-burger-king-commerical-crispy-chicken

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamespoulos/2012/04/05/drama-and-fries-burger-king-bungles-mary-j-bliges-crispy-chicken-ad/

http://voices.yahoo.com/in-business-public-relations-there-7224912.html?cat=3

Many times, when business owners think about marketing, they compare their company to bigger, well-known brands or franchises and make excuses about why they aren’t investing in developing their brand because “it’s different for bigger businesses who have million dollar marketing budgets.”

However, the value and the fundamentals of marketing are the same for small businesses as they are for big.  And while you may not have the budget of The Gap, Facebook, or Nike, you still want your brand to be at the top of your target audience’s mind while identifying and reflecting your company’s values.

So, what lessons in marketing and advertising can a startup company learn from multinational corporations?

Tell a Great Story

The human race is naturally fascinated and influenced by storytelling. And because of this, storytelling can prove to be an incredibly powerful marketing tool. It isn’t dependent on a company’s size or budget and can be one of the most effective ways to brand your company with your target audience. Engaging ad copy can be compared to a good joke — it is likely to be remembered and retold.

For example, one of the most memorable ads from 2010’s Super Bowl was Google’s touching “Parisian Love” ad.

Within a 30 second ad spot, Google was able to tell a compelling, easy to follow story, demonstrate its service’s value, and generate an emotional response.

Also, it should be noted that Google accomplished all of this promoting something as boring as a search engine. So, with a certain amount of imagination, great, brand strengthening stories can be written about any product or any service in any industry.

Create a Hook with a Focus on the “Little Things”

Jimmy John’s really has it together when it comes to marketing and brand positioning. I’m always amazed at how fast I can get in and out of their restaurant during my lunch hour or how quickly it takes for my online order to arrive at my door. And while that may seem like a small thing, the efficiency really does add to my overall “lunch experience” and plays a huge role in why I choose the Jimmy John’s brand in the first place.

A promise or giveaway doesn’t have to be big for it to make a difference to a client — take for instance M&M’s claim that their candy will melt in your mouth not in your hand.

What “little” guarantees can you offer your target audience? What could make a difference in how they feel about your brand? To start, make a list of intangible things you can offer to your clients at little or no cost. While making this list you may also realize you are already providing a unique value that isn’t being marketed.

Hold Back with the Creativity

Many large brands struggle with being overly creative in their marketing. You can typically see a good example of this during the Super Bowl. Good marketing isn’t about filling your trophy case with advertising awards; it’s ultimately about selling your products or services.

A good example of a creative concept that went too far is Geico’s cavemen  ad campaign. They may have created a buzz, but did they provide a clear message about why someone would benefit from the company’s insurance products? The ads’ tagline, “So easy a caveman can do it,” definitely needs more of an explanation than what the ads provide. When ads get too creative, they will lose parts of the audience they are targeting.

An effective ad clearly communicates a brand’s unique selling point. Your audience shouldn’t be left trying to interpret your commercial. It is important your message is instantly understood.