Archive for June, 2010

The Mom Connection

Thursday, June 24th, 2010
Making the Connection with Mom

Making the Connection with Mom

The Mom Connection

Moms buy everything from diapers to desks, lipstick to laptops and moisturizers to mini-vans.  With an annual spending of over $2 trillion, just about every brand has recognized the buying power they possess.  To effectively reach this lucrative demographic it is essential that marketers address the four key emotional drivers that motivate moms to make consumer decisions.

Marketers who speak to moms with a message that is relevant, valuable and in a language they understand will capture this advantageous buying power.  Perhaps most important are timing and placement – what good is the right message in the wrong place?

“Have to call you back, I’m lobbying Congress”

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

IAB Long-Tail Alliance publishers on Capitol Hill

Earlier this week, it was my pleasure to represent Apparel Media Group at the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s 2nd annual Long Tail Alliance DC Fly-in.  Over the course of the two day program, dozens of small content publishers and interactive ad networks participated in interactive panels on topics ranging from direct selling into brands to malware control and lobbied members of congress and the senate on behalf of more than 375 companies responsible for selling  over 86% of online advertising in the United States.

I had the opportunity to discuss key issues around consumer privacy and the collection of information online, interactive ad targeting, and industry regulation with five members congress and their legislative staffers.  In these discussions, it was clear that Members of Congress both on and outside of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce are concerned with the well-being of small businesses that depend on the ability to sell targeted interactive advertising to provide jobs for their employees and valuable content to their audiences.

Shout-outs to Google DC office staffers for hosting a heck of a dinner and to Tara at Venable for an awesome job chaperoning our group!

[Update - 6/24:  WSJ - To stem privacy abuses, industry groups will track web trackers]

[Update - 6/21:  NPR - Lawmakers try to introduce new bill]

[Update - 6/20:  Politico -  Website owners lobby against bill]

Mountain Dew Crowd Sources Media Planning

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
DEWmocracy Project

DEWmocracy Project

Mountain Dew Crowd Sources Media Planning

Mountain Dew is once again tapping the collective intelligence of it’s most passionate consumers.  The DEWmocracy project, now in its second iteration, kicked off last year with the brand asking 4,000 of its most loyal fans to help in creating three new Mountain Dew flavors.  Participants were first split up into groups to campaign for their favorite flavor followed by a series of nationwide events to drum up support for their particular drink.  This time, agencies were asked to pitch their creative ideas to the three groups, who in turn got to vote where the adverts would run and on which platforms.

Frank Cooper, chief engagement officer at PepsiCo said, “By maintaining an open dialog with our consumer through an intense, year-long collaborative project, we’ve offered them an opportunity to leave their imprint on a brand they truly love and have solidified an even stronger relationship with fans who matter most.”