Scoopler Gives You The Scoop
June 18, 2009 @ 12:42pm
Updated — June 24, 2009 @ 8:43pm
by Mason Razavi
What exactly are real-time search sites? Imagine being able to type in a buzzword, a hot news item, or just any word that could spark a conversation. Then imagine being able to get a real-time stream of information from both major news sources as well as people all around the world.
Now stop imagining. It’s real. And your boss isn’t going to like you sitting around with your eyes closed looking like you need your 3pm shot of java.
I’ve checked out a few of these sites, my favorite so far being Scoopler. A search engine with a clever and dynamic twist, Scoopler will take whatever words you enter into it and pull up relevant articles and videos on the right side of the page while pulling up Twitter feeds on the left side of the page. If you want to see how it works, try typing in a few words related to a hot topic. Simply typing in “Iran” or “Obama” will give you enough information to make your head spin right off your shoulders – in a good way.
If you’re trying to stay abreast with what is going on in Iran, this is an excellent tool. As I mentioned in my last entry, Twitter has become the preferred vehicle of repressed Iranians to spread their word around the globe. By seeing all of the Twitter feeds relevant to the situation all in one place and chock full of links to pictures, videos and articles (oh, and did I mention it updates Twitter feeds in real time?) is juicy enough, but to have all of the coverage from major news sources in an adjacent pane makes for an atmosphere that can only be defined as media-junkie bliss.
Scoopler and other real-time search engines are slightly less exciting when you are searching for anything other than white-hot news. I typed in a few words related to my beloved hockey team, the San Jose Sharks, and got nothing more than a couple of Twitter feeds and a couple of uninteresting articles.
The lesson learned here? Use Scoopler to find out about the latest, most exciting, and most relevant news out there. Give it a shot, I’ll bet you’ll be hooked!
Tags
Iran, Obama, real-time search engines, Scoopler, twitter
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Iranian Election Coverage Proves The Power of Social Sites
June 16, 2009 @ 2:46pm
by Mason Razavi
Politics are neither my forte nor my preferred topic of discussion, however as a new media marketer it’s impossible not to realize the impact that social media sites – particularly Twitter - have had on the happenings surrounding the Iranian election.
According to CNN, the U.S. State Department asked Twitter to reschedule maintenance in order to keep the social network alive and pumping information out to the web during crucial election-related moments. Furthermore, sites like YouTube and Flickr have become great resources for getting video and pictures for those who want more insight, and, unsurprisingly, blog posts from individuals on the scene are providing more useful than the media when it comes to providing up-to-date coverage to the public.
Despite the Iranian government’s attempts to shut down social media sites including Facebook and others(do a quick Google search), relentless bloggers, Twitterers, and other social networking site fanatics have been posting away.
All of this amounts to what could become an incredible case study in the value of social websites to the public. When the U.S. State Department is banking on Twitter users to relay important political information, when foreign governments attempt to shut down social websites in order to control how their image is presented to the world, and when there is global attention paid to seemingly amateur bloggers, it is time to admit that social media sites have begun to transcend traditional media.
Tags
Facebook, Flickr, Iranian election, social media marketing, social netoworking, twitter, YouTube
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Facebook Usernames Set to Cause Friday Night Stir
June 12, 2009 @ 3:57pm
Updated — June 12, 2009 @ 4:03pm
by Mason Razavi
If you have a date to go on, a movie to catch, family to see, or any other typical Friday night brew-ha-ha planned, I have bad news for you. You’re going to have to cancel.
After all, the joyous warmth of human interaction pales in comparison to the radiant glow emanating from your computer monitor, in front of which you will be accessing Facebook after 12:01 EST in order to select your username. As attached as you are to an ID like profile.php?id=1064330513, you just won’t be able to pass up the opportunity to finally pick a name that reflects your true character, like PrInCeFaN4eVa.
Sure, Cassandra is a lovely girl, worldly, bright, and certainly deserving of your company for your first date. But please. Priorities here, people.
Rest assured, everyone is expecting a flood of traffic to Facebook in order to take advantage of the first come, first serve system of distributing user IDs. So, make sure you giddy on up to be the first “johnsmith” out there.
For more info, see Facebook’s blog.
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MySpace Giving Way to Facebook, Twitter
June 9, 2009 @ 7:06pm
by Mason Razavi
“Why-eee-iii-eee-iiii-eee…..yeaaaa….MySpace is dead….”
MySpace seems to be suffering the same fate as the Our Lady Peace, the band who’s lyrics I so artfully butchered. Like the mid-nineties pop-rock outfit, MySpace got its 15 minutes of fame and now seems to be on its way to the land of irrelevancy.
In the world of social networking, it’s all about what’s hot, what’s new, and what everyone else is doing. We’re nothing if not a society of sheep!
In an article from CNN, the author points out the decline of MySpace and the rise of Facebook, as well as the social media tool that may eventually dethrone Facebook: Twitter.
Really, who uses MySpace anymore? It may be better for blogging, and it is certainly a better site for bands, but for the average Joe who wants to connect with his network, Facebook and Twitter have successfully usurped MySpace as the industry leaders.
What’s your take?
Tags
CNN, Facebook, MySpace, Our Lady Peace, social media, social networking, twitter
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Web Marketing Craze Sparks Web Marketing Education Craze
June 8, 2009 @ 7:39pm
by Mason Razavi
I’ve been noticing a few institutions lately that have been offering courses and even certificate programs geared towards learning about web marketing and web 2.0. I suppose this shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, web marketing is hot right now, and “web 2.0″ is a buzzword being thrown around like a rag doll in a windstorm.
Leading Bay Area institutions like UC Santa Cruz and University of San Francisco offer certificate programs in marketing geared towards new media and web marketing studies. One has to wonder about the validity of such programs. After all, can a college classroom really keep up with the rapidly changing world of new media and social media marketing? And furthermore, aren’t these things driven experientially much more so than academically?
Those are good questions indeed. I am proud of myself for asking them.
My colleague and I disagree on this. My thinking is that college courses offer a structured course of study, where one can make connections and apply their coursework to the real world. Taking college classes in web marketing might allow you to learn from others in the industry (and related industries) about things you hadn’t even thought of. Plus, it’s one more thing to pad a resume. My colleague, however, believes that the industry changes too quickly to be adequately covered in a classroom setting. He also argues that many people in marketing and especially web marketing don’t have a formal marketing education, instead relying on real-life knowledge and trial-by-fire experience, and therefore an education in web marketing is futile.
What are your thoughts? Perhaps I should take a few classes and double my fees? 
Tags
college, web 2.0, web marketing
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You spent how much?
June 1, 2009 @ 8:08pm
Updated — July 6, 2009 @ 5:28pm
by Mason Razavi
Let me start by saying that as a general rule of thumb, I’m not the type that tends to cling to a brand name. For example, I have a friend who will only buy Sony electronics, Ford cars, and Oakley sunglasses. My nose ironically stuck in the air, I often considered myself to be above this seemingly baseless snobbery. Sadly, I recently found out that I too am privy to the expectations, vision, and lifestyle associated with high-end products…which is why I spent about $200 on a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses. A pair of Ray-Ban Cockpit RB3362’s, to be exact.
Why? I had never before spent more than maybe $20 on a pair of shades before, yet for years I had been attracted to the allure and understated class of a pair of Ray-Ban aviators. Finally, I had some disposable income that I could feel less guilty about throwing away on a pair of sunglasses that, without the little logo on the right lens would probably be worth about $25.
So I did it. They’re awfully nice, and come with a little cleaning cloth and case, also stamped with the classic logo.
Ah, the power of branding.
Those $25 shades that work the same as their $200 Italian counterparts are missing one thing: a brand. Much more than just a logo, a brand allows a company’s products to transcend the ordinary to become associated with a lifestyle, an exclusive club, or perhaps just a sense of endowment (no jokes about overcompensating. This is a family blog).
For me personally, I don’t care if other people on the street see them and think “wow, this guy must be some hot S.O.B.”. Rather, it’s to satisfy my own needs, my own desire to sport a pair of sunglasses that have achieved legendary status.
For what it’s worth, I showed my friend. You know, the one who’s all about Sony, Ford, and Oakley? According to him, these look like $10 sunglasses. Go figure. I guess the understated isn’t for all of us.
Tags
branding, consumer behavior, marketing, purchase, Ray-Ban
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Marketing and The Economy Part 2: Binky’s Bananas
May 20, 2009 @ 4:58pm
Updated — May 20, 2009 @ 5:01pm
by Mason Razavi
Back for more info on marketing and the economy? How could you not be! Examining corporate behavior during desperate economic times not only makes business sense, but is fascinating as well.
This time around I want to talk about a company that probably doesn’t want me divulging their clever marketing plan to the public. So, let’s just say this company is called “Binky’s Bananas”, and let’s say that they manufacture and sell high-end bananas through retail stores as well as several other sales channels.
Binky’s had a relatively rough year last year, though not as bad as many companies out there who had to seriously restructure their business or shut down altogether. They finished their fiscal year at about 75% of their sales goal company-wide which, while not great, is relatively respectable considering the uphill battle they fought against the crumbling economy.
During not-so-rosy economic times, it becomes difficult for high-end manufacturers and retailers such as Binky’s Bananas to convince people that they should fork over hard earned dough for products perceived as luxuries. So, with a new fiscal year, new and attainable sales goals, and the promise of new products coming out, Binky’s also decided to re-vamp their marketing campaign.
You see, Binky’s is perceived as an unattainably expensive brand by most, so these crafty marketing primates have to find a way to re-position themselves as a brand that offers quality products at attainable prices. With this in mind, their new campaign focuses on positioning their most affordable products at the forefront. This is evident at their stores; the window displays use images and copy that stress value, and the main banana in the window is their most modestly priced model.
But Binky’s isn’t done monkeying around just yet. What’s really interesting – especially to consumers – is how they are using different promotions and promotional copy in different regions. You will find that their retail stores that are in rural areas stress value using one tagline, whereas stores in affluent areas use different words to essentially say the same thing. What’s more is that they are running different promotions in their western region versus their eastern region. So while the print ads in California offer a free banana rack with a purchase of their fully featured Big Blamo Banana, the print ads in New York City entice you with a free banana launcher if you buy one by the end of the month.
The best is yet to come. What Binky’s is doing is running A/B tests across the country to see what promotional items and compelling copy is best reaching their customer base. Throughout the year, they’re going to compile their data to assess what has been working and what has not. With this in mind, their future campaigns can be more focused, more in tune with their customer’s needs, and hopefully will drive more sales.
There is a moral to this story, for consumers and also for businesses.
For consumers, keep your head up and your eyes open! You never know what kinds of deals are out there, and how they differ from location to location. Businesses are desperate to make a sale these days, so don’t be afraid to do your homework and walk into that local car dealer/electronics retailer/high-end banana shop and ask for what you want.
For businesses, keep an open mind and utilize the most creative people around you to find new ways to reach your customers. Things have not only changed, they’re in flux as we speak. Some of the rules of yesterday don’t apply, and new technologies in the social networking world are changing the ways that consumers behave, spend and advocate. Now is the time to try new things, to unleash that creative beast inside, and let the brightest creative minds at your disposal take charge to create compelling campaigns in an effort to deliver an extraordinary experience to your customer base.
Hey, if you need some expert advice, don’t be afraid to pick up the phone or click the mouse a couple of times to get a hold of Elative Marketing. Our team of highly advanced, bi-pedal primates can help you reach your clients through engaging, compelling promotional campaigns. No, really. No monkeyin’ around, I promise.
Tags
binky's bananas, campaign, creative, economy, marketing, plan, strategy
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Marketing and The Economy
May 12, 2009 @ 5:22pm
Updated — July 6, 2009 @ 5:26pm
by Mason Razavi
We all know what happens when an organization starts to lose money: the creative departments are usually the first to take a hit.
Take public school systems for example. When there are budget issues (and believe me, us Californians know about budget issues), the art and music departments are shut down and the teachers running those departments get the boot. This is all too sad, but I guess some school districts feel that the investment we make in trying to develop creative-minded individuals who are not just left-brained robots is a boondoggle.
In the business world, it’s the marketing and advertising arm of the company that gets downsized. After all, pretty pictures of a company’s products are more of a luxury than manufacturing and other departments, right?
I hate to talk about the economy, as anyone who has had any contact with any news source over the past year and a half is probably tired of talking about it. To that end, I won’t dwell on the economy, but rather the shift in marketing resources and the rise in email and social media marketing.
Excited? Good! You should be.
I was reading an interesting article from the Associated Press about how companies are turning to more cost-efficient, internet-based alternatives to their traditional marketing tools.
That article is a well-written testament to the power of the internet when it comes to contemporary marketing strategy. In a day where companies are forced to steeeee-retch their dollar, e-mail marketing campaigns and websites like MySpace and Facebook are coming to the forefront as powerful and cost-efficient marketing tools.
Some companies have gotten clever and have put together an integrated online marketing strategy. This would involve putting up a website as well as accounts on all of the popular social networking websites. Then, updates are made on all of the websites to reflect what is happening with the company. Smart organizations track who follows them on which website, and they use the information they gather to come up with focused, targeted advertising campaigns. As the Associated Press article says, there is some cost involved in terms of paying the right people to execute such a strategy, but there is no doubt that that the return is significant.
Tags
marketing, marketing promotion, social media, social networking web 2.0, strategy
