When I started my digital media course just 6 weeks ago, I couldn't believe I was being forced to get on the digital media bandwagon by joining Twitter and Blogspot and having to become a regular contributor on both. I just knew that I was wasting my time trying out new technologies that were over hyped and under delivering.
Now I realize I couldn't have been any further from the truth. The digital media channels available today are excellent sources of knowledge and entertainment that rival encyclopedia sets every house with school age children use to have. There are so many ways to find fresh, fun, creative information about almost any topic. The information is normally free or very low cost and extremely easy to share. The interactions that people have finding and sharing this information is simply immeasurable.
I now consider myself not just a passenger on the bandwagon, but an excited one who can't wait to see where the road leads next. I have become so inspired that I hope to keep my blog and tweets active and update to date even though my educational obligation is ending. I really want to continue to learn more about this exciting space and make personal connections I never thought possible. I also hope that over time I just might be able to convince a few more people to come along for the ride, because the best part of the ride is getting other people to join!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Week 6- In Review
The material this week did a good job of describing harder to use social media channels like video games and social networking sites. But the Always On chapter emphasized the importance of trying all new digtial channels, no matter how challenging, because they are proving to be more effective and popular than the more traditional media channels.
There were also some good examples of how these channels were being leveraged, and some areas of opportunities that were pointed out.
Overall, I think all channels of digital media have great potential and more research just needs to be done to better show how to use them most effectively.
There were also some good examples of how these channels were being leveraged, and some areas of opportunities that were pointed out.
Overall, I think all channels of digital media have great potential and more research just needs to be done to better show how to use them most effectively.
Week 6- Article: "Advertisers Face Hurdles on Social Networking Sites," The New York Times, December 14, 2008
This article gives a very depressing look at the success of brands to penetrate Facebook and other social networking sites. It gives examples of P&G who has a been trying to successfully utilize Facebook for a couple of years now, but has not been able to achieve large success. In all the examples, a heavily branded Facebook page was created to draw in visitors and "friends" of the page. But, very few people came to the sites and even fewer agreed to befriend the brand. Sadly these branded Facebook pages still had greater success than the banner ads, which appeared on regular Facebook pages, because these brand ads were deemed non-credible or downright ignored.
I definitely see the point the article was trying to make and think it can be very hard to penetrate social network sites that people use to make personal connections with their friends and family. When people are on these sites, they are engaging in very personal interactions and could feel that advertising is just invading this personal space. But I also think the examples of implementation these ads on Facebook was poor. People are trying to make deep personal connections when on Facebook and they do have some brands that have special meaning to them. People also have certain activities that they see as personal. If brands could do a better job determining how consumers interpret their brand or its purpose on a personal level, they would have a much better chance of interacting with consumers on Facebook. Maybe P&G, which offers many consumer products that fulfill an array of consumer needs should focus more on building a less branded ommunity on Facebook that encourages people to chat about some of their favorite or odd personal daily experiences and then find a way to promote their products that would enrich these experiences. For example, people spill stuff on their clothes all the time and often post interesting statuses about these embarrassing moments. P&G could post statuses that highlight its Tide-To-Go pen which can remove stains on the fly or give tips on how to remove really bad stains with Tide products. But again, it would have be offered more as a suggestion to help people's day to day issues rather than just random advertising to promote the brand.
Social networking sites are definitely tough marketing propositions, but they can used effectively if implemented well.
I definitely see the point the article was trying to make and think it can be very hard to penetrate social network sites that people use to make personal connections with their friends and family. When people are on these sites, they are engaging in very personal interactions and could feel that advertising is just invading this personal space. But I also think the examples of implementation these ads on Facebook was poor. People are trying to make deep personal connections when on Facebook and they do have some brands that have special meaning to them. People also have certain activities that they see as personal. If brands could do a better job determining how consumers interpret their brand or its purpose on a personal level, they would have a much better chance of interacting with consumers on Facebook. Maybe P&G, which offers many consumer products that fulfill an array of consumer needs should focus more on building a less branded ommunity on Facebook that encourages people to chat about some of their favorite or odd personal daily experiences and then find a way to promote their products that would enrich these experiences. For example, people spill stuff on their clothes all the time and often post interesting statuses about these embarrassing moments. P&G could post statuses that highlight its Tide-To-Go pen which can remove stains on the fly or give tips on how to remove really bad stains with Tide products. But again, it would have be offered more as a suggestion to help people's day to day issues rather than just random advertising to promote the brand.
Social networking sites are definitely tough marketing propositions, but they can used effectively if implemented well.
Week 6- Camtasia: Advertising in Video Games
This Camtasia presentation was an interesting overview of video games and their advertising opportunities. It definitely gave some insights into the popularity of gaming and game advertisements, which I was unaware of. I was especially impressed with the success of some of the branded games like Burger King's games based around its King brand figure and Orbitz's success with its more fun, casual games.
Overall though, I am still not as convinced about the effectiveness of gaming advertisements as I am about other digital media advertising opportunities. I am waiting on the effectiveness research, mentioned in the presentation, which is being conducted to really measure just how useful ads in games truly are. For now I guess gamers and consumers will just have to "play on" and try out these new digital media channel as they are all the rest.
Overall though, I am still not as convinced about the effectiveness of gaming advertisements as I am about other digital media advertising opportunities. I am waiting on the effectiveness research, mentioned in the presentation, which is being conducted to really measure just how useful ads in games truly are. For now I guess gamers and consumers will just have to "play on" and try out these new digital media channel as they are all the rest.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Week 6- Always On: Chapter 3: "Mutiny in Media," pp. 79-105.
As the title of this Chapter implies, it serves a wake up call to traditional media platforms that new media platforms are here, growing in popularity and have the potential to be the favored norm in the future. Therefore, if traditional media hopes to continue to stay relevant and in-demand, it will need to position itself as a team player in this new digital revolution and not a bully who thinks they can force things to stay the same. Many great example of companies that are implementing digital media into their advertising campaigns are highlighted.
Week 6- Advertising, Promotion, and Public Relations in the Web World
Required reading
• Always On: Chapter 3: "Mutiny in Media," pp. 79-105.
• Always On: Review Chapter 4: "Metrics: Moving from Impressions to Impact," pp. 107-139
Required viewing
• Camtasia: Advertising in Video Games [Flash video with PowerPoint Part 1] [Flash video with PowerPoint Part 2]
Suggested readings, podcasts, Camtasia presentations, and videos to select from
• Secret of Googlenomics: Data-Fueled Recipe Brews Profitability(Download content.)
• Article: "Advertisers Face Hurdles on Social Networking Sites," The New York Times, December 14, 2008. (Download content.)
• Article: "Advertisers Face Hurdles on Social Networking Sites," The New York Times, December 14, 2008. (Download content.)
Week 5- In Review
Economic downturns cause everyone from major corporations to individual consumers to question their spending habits. Every activity is examined to determine if it is really a necessity or simply a want. Based on this analysis, changes are then made to only keep the activities that are true necessities or very effective, engaging wants. Initially I thought this economic downturn might cause companies to not be as willing to invest in marketing areas like digital media and instead go with the tried and true traditional forms of marketing. Some companies might even follow this mentality.
But based on the information I reviewed for Week 5, I think that this is is the perfect time for marketers to abandon their older methods and find ones that are more effective. Marketing and advertising are a necessity for every company, and with such competitive environments, making these campaigns effective is becoming even more important. Therefore, I think with new, more effective metrics, digital media will start to become a very important endeavor for all companies. Instead of having to reach millions of consumers with the hope of engaging a few, digital media allows companies to reach a few, targeted consumers with the hope of gaining the vast majority and even more as the buzz spreads. The Kimberly Clark example just proves how excited marketers are about these new digital opportunties, how far they will go to take advantage of them (i.e. creating their on digital marketing product since their wasn't one currently available.
I hope digital marketing will be one of the forces that helps companies through these tough times and allows them to come out even stronger!
But based on the information I reviewed for Week 5, I think that this is is the perfect time for marketers to abandon their older methods and find ones that are more effective. Marketing and advertising are a necessity for every company, and with such competitive environments, making these campaigns effective is becoming even more important. Therefore, I think with new, more effective metrics, digital media will start to become a very important endeavor for all companies. Instead of having to reach millions of consumers with the hope of engaging a few, digital media allows companies to reach a few, targeted consumers with the hope of gaining the vast majority and even more as the buzz spreads. The Kimberly Clark example just proves how excited marketers are about these new digital opportunties, how far they will go to take advantage of them (i.e. creating their on digital marketing product since their wasn't one currently available.
I hope digital marketing will be one of the forces that helps companies through these tough times and allows them to come out even stronger!
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