Microsoft's ease of use campaign

Typically, little kids mostly annoy me, especially in certain commercials (Welch's grape juice anyone?), but in this commercial, developed by Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Kylie is an absolutely adorable little girl - and the campaign has been getting great media attention.

Kylie is a 4 year old little girl who takes the audience through Windows Live Photogallery and demonstrates how easy it is to put together a presentation with pictures, music (my favorite) and quotes she's found on Microsoft, which she dubbs "nice words."

Why does this work? Tugging on heart strings isn't always the best idea, but this commercial hits it right on the nose. First, it engages the audience with probably one of the cutest little girls ever, and modest too! Then, as only little kids can, she shows you precisely what she is going to do, what pictures she is going to send, adds some funny music for a 4 year old, and closes the deal with the mandatory Microsoft line - "I'm a PC and I'm 4 1/2." There's not many commercials you feel you need to watch, but when a 4 year old comes onscreen to show you something, the audience automatically goes into parent mode, and watches patiently.

Cute is not always the best way to go in marketing campaigns, but CPB has executed the commericals perfectly. Cute apparently works as a marketing campaign for Microsoft and the next ones should only get better.

Chic-fil-a: A Chicken above beef patties

Chic-fil-a not only has one of the best advertising campaigns, but its business model and way of conducting business is perhaps one of the best ever seen, and not just in fast food franchises.

I've mentioned it before, and I'll continue to tell you, but, my mentor Griffin Farley says, "Don’t plan for the ones you reach, plan for the ones they reach." Chic-fil-a has built a great brand for themselves through their mascots, the cows, but they didn't stop there.

You'll understand what I am talking about if you've ever been to the drive-through at Chic-fil-a during lunch time on a Tuesday. The line literally reaches the road and looks like it could take at least 30 minutes to get through. But don't fret! Chic-fil-a has hired a great bunch of people (respectful, helpful, and very efficient) to stand outside and take your order so that when you reach the drive-through window, your order is ready and all you need is to pay.

Many fast food enterprises should take note (McDonalds, anyone?). You can produce the best advertising campaigns and contests to entice people to purchase your products, but if the customers who are purchasing from you are not happy with your service, our social mediums give them the opportunity to speak their minds - to millions.

Brand advocates are priceless and Chic-fil-a has realized that - and have not stopped producing the best service even once they reached the top.

So, hats off to you Chic-fil-a, for understanding what the people want (chicken!) and giving us the best service while doing so.

One commercial to throw your glass at

First, let me start by saying, I'm not a feminist, simply a realist, and the one commercial (or commercials) that I CANNOT stand is the Godaddy.com commercials.

The advertisers are targeting the right audience (men) by portraying "pretty" girls as Go Daddy girls, but, other than that, it's a failed attempt at anything other than interesting guys in, wait, I keep forgetting, oh yes, DOMAIN NAMES AND WEB SITES?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't commercials typically need to advertise the product they are selling? It took me two or three commercials before I even found out what Go Daddy sold. And honestly, I'm surprised no one has mentioned these commercials as being as obscene as say, Paris Hilton eating a burger (at least they have the product in the ad)?!

Go Daddy, may I suggest writing and producing a smart commercial? It may get you further than you think.

One awesome commercial to raise your glass to

I like to recognize certain commercials whenever I note that the marketing and advertising department got it right.

Here is one that I absolutely love:

Snapple: Better Stuff (it makes me laugh everytime she says, "We're dating")

Mike's Hard Lemonade Marketing to Wrong Audience

Mike's Hard Lemonade has recently come out with a series of commercials marketing their adult beverage, however, they may be targeting the wrong demographic. Many of their commercials feature men ages 25 to 30 who, judging from the commercials, are manly bachelors trying to decipher how to advertise the drink (my personal favorite is when they bring in a sommelier to evaluate the flavors).

The one thing they failed to look at was what they were selling. Mike's Lemonade primarily sells to women because of the fruity nature of the drink. If they had targeted these commercials towards women aged 25 to 30, I believe they'd have a better chance of increasing sales and consumption.

I understand that perhaps they realize they are missing a large portion of the male population and would like to decrease that gap, but, maybe it's a better idea to focus on the audience who is intersted in your product instead of one that may be almost impossible to entice.

How to keep your spirits up when times are down

Many thanks goes out to EVP of Talent Zoo, Amy Hoover for putting forth some great advice. As most of you know, the economy has not gotten better as so many others tried to say that it was (June was one of the biggest months of people being laid off!), so Ms. Hoover wrote about how the newly (and not so new) unemployed can dust themselves off and attempt to keep spirits up.

1. Review your successes
2. Surround yourself with supporters
3. Recognize help when it appears
4. Try new things
5. Be good to yourself
6. Set small goals so you can feel a sense of accomplishment

"This is the time to be your own best champion," she says. The article is entitled "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough..."

Five Reasons I Love Social Media

I was asked a question today about why I love social media. Honestly, there are so many reasons and it’s hard for me to choose only a few. So I did what any other social media savvy individual would do, and posted the question on Facebook, Twitter and other outlets. Of course, I got the opportunity to pick and choose comments (and it helps that I had written about most of the topics already anyway) but I was able to use social media to explain through social media why I love social media. I think fellow blogger Jenna McWilliams says it perfect when she says, "Social media is not a trend, but a fundamental human urge to communicate," and now we have more ways to do so.

1. 1 800 Customer Care numbers? Consider it a thing of the past. Remember long, long ago when we had to call that 1 800 number and wait on hold for eternity to finally get connected to someone in another country who was so far from executives that we were sure our complaint or problem would never be heard? Social media has changed that. Now companies have to listen to their customers, otherwise, consumers can broadcast their hatred (or love) of the company through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and hundreds of complaint websites, among numerous other sites. It’s no longer a one-way conversation. Some companies have even jumped onto the social media bandwagon (as they should!) and created sites to ask consumers to help create and improve their brand (there are so many, but here are two of the most notable, Starbucks' My Starbucks Idea campaign which prompts consumers to share their ideas directly with the company; and Burger King’s WhopperSacrifice on Facebook, where consumers can trade in 10 of their friends for the love of the Whopper).

2. Networking: It’s not just face-to-face anymore. Look at social media this way – imagine all your customers coming together on a daily basis and talking about topics that pertain to you and your company, thereby spreading even more information about your company and gaining more recognition and consumers. I’m a huge fan of networking and brand advocates and social media gives us several more ways to do it. One of my favorite quotes comes from my mentor and good friend, Griffin Farley of 22squared, “Don’t plan for the ones you reach, plan for the ones they reach.” (Check out more on how brands are building advocates in social media on my post on Talent Zoo media’s blog Beyond Madison Avenue, The Friendship Model, Brandon Murphy of 22squared Gives the Down and Dirty.)

3. Being connected (this was the most popular answer I received after posting this question online). When something happens to ourselves or someone we know, instead of keeping it to ourselves, we share it with others through pictures, comments, Tweets, etc. It’s a new way to get news, support, or advice on anything! Not to mention, the best way to learn is through others, so what better way to educate yourself on advertising and marketing than following someone in that field’s blog, Tweets, etc. Who knows, it could even get you a job (Tweeter Neal Schafer had it happen for him after he started his blog and web site).

4. Creative campaigns. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – If I had a TiVo, all I would record is commercials. I like advertising, but not because I want to learn about products, but because I like the creative ways utilized to showcase a product to consumers. And now with social media, they’re becoming even more creative. Viral videos, Twitter give-aways, Facebook fan pages, etc. I can’t get enough! Old school + new school = awesome, consumer-activity-inducing campaigns.

5. The best thing about social media? It is changing the way we think and is growing exponentially. Not one social media professional is sure where these new mediums will lead us, but I can tell you, it’s exciting to see this conversation connection evolution!