Daring To Be Different Is Strategic

The VIA Group in Portland, Maine designed the Salvation Army "Cost Nothing" campaign for the Northern New England branch of the organization. Everything about this campaign stands out strictly because of its unexpectedness - from its locations to its message vehicles (literally). However, all the ads adhere to the organization's brand image and mission.

It is very easy to stick with traditional advertising avenues if they are part of the core marketing curriculum of a company. However, as you start in the month ahead to reassess your marketing dollars and advertising avenues, this campaign should serve as inspiration. The Salvation Army campaign is no-doubt creative and out-of-the-box but additionally it is well organized, strategic and brand savvy. Is your marketing plan meeting these objectives? If you don't know, answer the following:

- What is the mission and image of my brand?
- Is my advertising design, message and placement in accordance with this brand image?
- Are my branding touchpoints relevant to my brand image and my target demographic?
- Do I plan my advertising one-year out or month to month?
- What are my marketing goals and objectives?

Marketicity can help you strategize your marketing plan. We look at the whole picture, not just the pieces, to determine how each piece will work with and leverage the others to create an effective marketing strategy that is well planned and budgeted.

Rotnem: A Corporate Bridge Between Young and Old

"Younger employees help senior executives unlock social media mystery," reads the Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 Chicago Tribune. The story talks about the new trend in corporate America ... Gen Y is mentoring top executives in social media in a successful program called Rotnem - reverse mentoring.

The success of the program is not just in sharing knowledge, but in bridging the generational divide and corporate hierarchy in the workplace. In working with younger staff, business leaders are learning to appreciate and better understand their younger co-workers. Vice-versa, the young are reap the mentoring benefits of working with industry experts as well as seeing their leaders in more approachable and respectful light.

Rotnem need not be only for big business. It can certainly be applied at smaller levels. Even here at Marketicity, with each member of the staff from a different decade, we consult heavily with one another about how different generations will see an idea. More often than not, by pooling our thoughts and varied levels of expertise and experience, our ideas start to branch out into new arenas.

If your company is transitioning into the social media arena, incorporating a Rotnem program could be beneficial in equalizing the playing field ... and bridging the cultural divide.

Online Privacy: How Do You Feel?

In a September 29, 2009 New York Times article "Two-Thirds of Americans Object to Online Tracking," reporter Stephanie Clifford discussed a new survey by professors at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley that focuses on Americans view of online privacy.

The study reveals that 66 percent of Americans do not like tailored ads. In contrast, 51 percent liked tailored discounts and 58 percent like tailored news.

However, the more information that was revealed about the data collected on Internet users, the more adult Americans objected to the methods. This opinion did not vary significantly between 18-24 year olds as compared to older adults.

As the article reveals, marketers note that the amount of free information is largely made possible through advertising dollars. And tailoring discounts and news requires some tracking to do well. So where is the fine line?

As the debate about online privacy starts to enter the political arena and legislation is proposed, what are your feelings on online tracking? Does it scare you? Do you like tailored discounts? What is the fine line between providing relevant content and protecting personal privacy?

For some tips on providing yourself with more online privacy, read this Electronic Frontier Foundations "Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy."