Surviving the Tahoe Rim Trail 50 Mile Run

Race: Tahoe Rim Trail Ultra Marathon
Distance: 50 Miles
Teammates: Matt Voltoline

Where do I begin? 50 miles of running, 10,000 feet of climbing, 100-degree temps and an average altitude of over 8,000 feet (max of 9,550). While this wasn't the most physically painful race of my life, this was no doubt the most mentally challenging one.

Pre-Race:
Matt and I drove up to Carson City, NV on Friday to check-in, prepare our drop bags and get a good night sleep before the race. After years of talking about doing a 50 mile race together, we were finally here. And, not only had we picked an extremely difficult course, but one that was known as "A Glimpse of Heaven and a Taste of Hell." Our plan was to run the entire race together, have fun with the experience, catch up on life, learn a few things about ourselves and not worry about our finishing time.

Miles 0 - Mile 12: (Start to Tunnel Creek)
At exactly 6:00AM the gun went off and Matt and I began our adventure. The first five miles were uphill and difficult to run. The altitude made breathing difficult (especially when trying to eat or drink while running), and the single track course made passing sometimes impossible. But, we ran/walked our way up the switchbacks and made our way to the first aid station. After a short stop to refill our supplies, we climbed for another two miles to the top of one of the many alpine peaks that we would pass over. Three miles of downhill and rolling terrain followed before we arrived at the Tunnel Creek aid station (a few short steps from the top of Diamond Peak ski resort). Aside from the stunning views of Lake Tahoe and Spooner Lake, the first 12 miles were uneventful and very enjoyable.

Miles 12 - Mile 18: (Tunnel Creek, Red House Loop)
Leaving Tunnel Creek we faced a 6 mile out-and-back section down to Red House. Full of sand and very technical terrain, this section was basically 2.5 miles downhill, 1 mile of flat/rolling and then 2.5 miles of uphill. The flat section was a nice change and allowed us to actually "run" for a little while. Matt and I both felt great and Matt opened it up a little. Later, I would find out that Matt did not properly hydrate during this section and finished back at Tunnel Creek feeling dehydrated.

One note about hydration and nutrition... During a race of this length, it is critical, but very difficult, to eat and drink. Not focusing on your hydration for 20 minutes can be the difference between finishing and DNF'ing. So, for Matt, putting himself in a hole early on would make a challenging race even more difficult.

Miles 18 - Mile 26: (Tunnel Creek to Mt. Rose)
What followed was a torturous 9-mile section out to Mt. Rose. We climbed up and over two mountain passes, had very little flat running terrain and were exposed to the sun and heat. Matt and I both had dark times during this section. We talked with each other, helped remind each other to eat and drink, dodged a few mountain bikers riding the Rim Trail and pushed each other to keep things rolling. The arrival into Mt. Rose was uphill and really took a toll on both of us. By now, Matt was unable to go to the bathroom (a big red flag), I had a massive blister that I would have to lance and tape at each aid station for the rest of the race and the temps were in the high 90's. We sat at Mt. Rose for about 20 minutes to eat, drink, take care of our feet and prepare for the 9-mile section back to Tunnel Creek.

Miles 26 - Mile 35: (Mt. Rose to Tunnel Creek)
I won't bore you with the details, but these miles were difficult. The climbing was relentless and I started to get nauseated. My stomach was sour and the thought of eating or drinking made me gag. Even Matt spent most of this section dealing with his own demons. He hung tough, but I could tell he was having a hard go of it.

Pulling back into Tunnel Creek was like walking into heaven. A fully stocked aid station, cold sponges and ice cold Coke helped bring me mentally back into the game. Physically, I felt great. My legs and back were holding up. The challenge was to keep thinking positively and not worry about the hours that lay ahead of us.

I kept a close eye on Matt at this aid station and tried to get him whatever fuel he needed while he attended to his feet. I will let him tell his own story, but I was worried about him. We had people around us dropping from the race, sleeping while sitting in their chairs, and fighting the effects of the altitude (vertigo, headaches, nausea, etc.).

Mile 35 - Mile 40: (Tunnel Creek to Hobart)
After 30 minutes, Matt felt good enough to leave and he agreed to "just make it to the next aid station." After a short rolling section, the terrain pitched up and we faced a 3-mile climb to the top of another peak. I felt pretty good and was able to power-walk up the hill. Running was impossible at this point. The thin air and never-ending switchbacks forced everyone to walk. Matt was with me at the base of the climb, but I decided to go my own pace and wait for him at the top. I didn't want to leave him, but I was mentally in a place where I had to focus on just getting up the climb.

Reaching the top was awesome. Not only were the views of Lake Tahoe beyond description, but I enjoyed some time by myself. I found a large boulder in the shade, took my shoes off, ate some food and soaked up the experience. I congratulated runners as they crested the mountain and had the closest thing to a religious experience as I will probably ever have. After 30-40 minutes of waiting, I decided that I needed to get the legs moving again and that it would be best to run to Hobart where I would refuel and wait for Matt.

Hobart Aid Station:
I made it to the Hobart aid station feeling great and having had run the last two miles to the aid station. I spent some time tending to my feet, eating everything that looked good to me and helping a few other racers who came into the station that looked like "walking death." After 45 minutes, I determined that I could not longer wait for Matt and that my body would shut down if I did not continue. With a heavy heart, I decided to push on and focus on finishing the race.

Mile 40 - Mile 43: (Hobart to Snow Peak)
After an enjoyable 1 mile run out of Hobart, the course again pitched up and runners faced the steepest climb of the day. At over 9,550 in elevation, their are no trees on the slope and you feel very lonely and exposed. This section was not terribly hard and I made it to the top of the peak feeling physically intact. The problem was that my brain began playing tricks on me at the beginning of the climb. The wind sounded like peoples voices, cracks in the rocks looked like snakes and my own footsteps sounded like they were coming from behind me. I constantly turned around expecting to see someone following me!

Mile 43 - Mile 48: (Snow Peak to Spooner Lake Trailhead)
Leaving Snow Peak was amazing. We ran down a small single track trail that was seemed to hang off the side of the mountain. The first mile was very technical with a large drop-off to the right and a very steep decline. But, as we descended back into the trees, the trail became more runnable and I had a great time opening my stride up and letting gravity push me down the hill. My legs felt great and I knew that I could punish my quads as much as I needed. I was almost there! But, as with before, my mind was playing tricks on me. I swear I heard voices, saw a few snakes and was constantly being chased down by other runners. A few times, I even pulled off to the side of the trail to let the imaginary racer pass me on the trail. Yikes.

Mile 48 - Mile 50: (Spooner Lake Trailhead to Finish)
Truthfully, I didn't take care of myself on the descent down from Snow Peak. My stomach was bloated and I was unable to drink anything. Not wanting to implode in the final 2 miles, I drank some Coke and thanked the aid station volunteers. I ran the final 2 miles at a decent pace and continued passing other racers (I passed over 30 racers in the final 10 miles). The finish line marked the end of my journey and I quietly crossed the line, sat down and allowed my body and mind to relax.

I will let Matt tell his own story, but rest assured that he did something truly amazing. Not only did he finish, but he did so in a way that highlights his strength and mental toughness. Congratulations Matt!

Many people have asked me what I ate and drank. So, here is my best guess at what I consumed over the course of the day....
- 6 Gu packets
- 4 packets of Clif Shots (Strawberry and Coke)
- 3 boiled red potatoes w/ salt
- 2 turkey and cheese sandwiches
- 1 cheese sandwich
- Handful of M&M's
- 1/2 of a cheeseburger
- 4 smoothies made with Ensure and strawberries
- 2 Otter Pops
- Handful of dried ginger
- 1 piece of ginger candy
- 10 peppermint candies
- 20 oz of Coke
- 6 oz of Sprite
- 3 oz of Ginger Ale
- 12 oz of water
- 200 oz of Water w/ Nuun
- 15 "Salt Sticks" salt tabs

Cheers,
Chris

New Quarter at the MAS

The summer quarter officially began for me last night at the Miami Ad School (MAS). This is my third quarter teaching classes and I have really enjoyed the experience.

This quarter, I have gone back to teaching "Interactive Concepting," which is their introductory class to understanding how to concept for digital. In the class, I will help students understand how/why/when to concept for everything from rich media to email marketing to social media to website usability and much more.

It should be a fun quarter. The students were very excited to learn about digital and wouldn't stop peppering me with questions.

- Chris

Two Facebook Profiles?

I've noticed an interesting trend on Facebook recently. With the rise in popularity of online gaming (Mafia Wars, Sindicate, etc), many users are creating a second profile for the sole purpose of playing these games.

I first noticed this trend when a few "Facebook friends" sent me requests to be friends again. Is this the beginning of a new trend? What type of impact will this have on Facebook, or other social media sites, if it catches on?

Thoughts?

- Chris

Client Rolodex No Longer Enough

A recent article in Adweek, "No Sellers' Market For Traditional Shops," offers some great insight into the affects the economy is having on the M&A market. It's a great read and should act as a good kick in the butt for agencies who are hoping to coast through this recession without innovating.

"Gone are the days when agency principals could expect a nice payday just for selling their client Rolodex."

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6528956977944672654

- Chris

Fighting Cancer 140 Characters at a Time

The guys at Livestrong continue to set the bar with their use of Twitter. Both Doug Ulman (CEO of Livestrong) and Lance Armstrong are using the social media tool to further their efforts to fight cancer. Most non-profits get a bad rap for being behind the curve.... but not these guys.

Through their tweets, both Doug and Lance provide their insights on cancer research, survivorship, government policy, stories of hope and sacrifice, links to cancer-related articles and much, much more. Their tweets are more than just informative and entertaining; they provide their followers a look into the life of two men who are helping lead the global fight to eliminate cancer.

And, who wouldn't love to get an inside look into Lance previewing the Col du Columbiere.

liamlivestrong.MP4 -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

Another Class @ Miami Ad School SF in the Books

The Spring quarter has come to an end for my Digital Campaigns class at the Miami Ad School (San Francisco). I had a great time teaching the class and I am already looking forward to next quarter.

But, this class was very different from the previous quarter... different in that one of my main challenges was to get the students excited about digital. As I learned on the first day, many of the students only wanted to work on traditional advertising and thought that digital was "boring." Hmm, boring? Really? I have faced this at the more traditional agencies I have worked at. But, this was the first time I have experienced it with students who practically grew up with a mobile phone and PC on their laps.

As I learned on that first day, the students thought of digital as "banners." While I was able to get the students thinking outside of banners and developing integrated digital programs that spanned numerous digital vehicles, the concept of "Digial = Banners" really disturbed me. It disturbed me because this is exactly the approach that many traditional advertising agencies take when thinking "digitally."

I know a lot has been said in the past about how to get traditional agencies thinking digitally. For me, it begins and ends with education. Educating creatives, account management, planners and management on the "what, when, why, how" of digital is critical. The longer agencies, and clients, define digital as banners, the longer the agency business is going to suffer.

- Chris

From Gadget to Necessity

According to Gartner, the smartphone has moved from being a cool "gadget" to a necessity. Sales are expected to increase by 25% this year, due in large part to the releases of the Palm Pre and Apple 3GS.

Having spent months reviewing consumer trends and research data on the mobile industry, the latest news from Gartner comes to me as no surprise. The mobile phone has become so much more than a cool piece of technology. Being connected to email, social media, SMS and other digital media has quickly become the social expectation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/10/technology/10phone.html?_r=2

- Chris

Apple Announces New iPhone 3G S

Apple today announced the iPhone 3G S, their fastest, most powerful iPhone yet. The new phone, which will go on sales on June 19th, will be available in two versions: 16GB for $199, and 32GB for $299.

The new iPhone 3G S will include new features, such as:
- Easy to use video
- Cut, Copy and Paste
- 3 megapixel auto-focus camera
- Hands free voice control
- Longer battery life
- Landscape keyboard
- Voice memo functionality

Very cool stuff. For those not interesting in upgrading their existing iPhones, the iPhone 3.0 software will be available as a free upgrade on June 17.

- Chris

Real Estate Marketing Blunders

Until this morning, I couldn't think of a single company that hadn't evolved their marketing tactics since the internet took hold. That is, until I looked at the For Sale sign outside my building.

A Real Estate firm in SF, that we will call "ACME Realty" to protect their identity, is selling a unit in my building. To market the property, they placed a For Sale sign in the front of the building containing paper flyers highlighting the condo details and amenities. While there is nothing wrong with the use of paper flyers, it was the tactics the real estate company used to market the property that has me bewildered.

1. The flyer contained no URL to view the property; not even the URL to ACME Realty. How is this acceptable to the property owner, or to a potential buyer who wants to quickly find more detailed information?

2. Speaking of finding information quickly, it took me a total of eight steps to find the specific property online (over 5 minutes of searching).

3. The agent listed her Yahoo! email address as the method of contact. This was shocking. Not only did this make me immediately question the legitimacy of ACME Realty, but it offered me insight into the lack of CRM tools the company offered its agents.

4. Worst of all, the flyer was out-of-date. The open house dates listed on the flyer had already occurred.

I understand that budgets are tight right now, but I also know the tremendous impact that marketing can have on sales. Below are two quick thoughts on how to improve the tactics this real estate firm is utilizing to market their properties.

1. Make it as easy as possible for a buyer to learn more about the property:
- Include a unique URL on all marketing materials. It can be a unique URL, or something as simple as www.ACMERealty.com/1540lombard.
- Install Bluetooth devices into each sign so that buyers can download all pertinent information to their smart phones.
- Use social networking utilities to communicate with buyers (Twitter, Facebook, etc). This is a simple and free way to disseminate information on new listings.

2. Provide agents with a CRM tool that can aggregate and manage contact information, easily distribute email communications, etc.

Now, I am sure that some would argue that the marketing of properties is the responsibility of the agent and that little support is given to individual agents. While this may be true, this type of short-sighted approach drives me nuts. Here is why.... When making a $800,000+ purchase, I don't want to have to "work" to find a property I am interested in. I want to be given the information when and where I want it. And remember, a potential buyer today could be a seller tomorrow. So, if I have a great experience as a buyer today, the more reason I will have to use ACME Realty when I am ready to sell my home.

No question, ACME Realty has made some silly marketing mistakes, all of which can be fixed rather quickly and easily. I just hope they turn things around for the sake of future owners and buyers. If not, I know of at least one property that will not be sold through ACME Realty... mine!

Thoughts?

- Chris

More Than Just A Morning Ride

Athletics has always played an important role in my life. Playing sports in high school and college taught me the benefits of hard work, teamwork and the value of never giving up. In addition to being a great stress reliever, I now use training for ultra running and Ironman triathlon events as a great way to stay healthy and challenge my body and mind to break-through barriers I previously thought impossible.

While I really enjoy pushing myself both physically and mentally with my training, it is morning's like these that remind me of why I really love being out on my bike. There is simply nothing better than watching the sun rise over the beautiful city of San Francisco. Life is short, live every moment to it's fullest.



- Chris

The Divide Between Media and Creative

With brands trying to find new budget efficiencies, many are consolidating their media and creative with one agency. I couldn't be more happy with this trend. In my experience, it is the collaboration that occurs when Media and Creative professionals get together that results in the most creative, most effective work. A creative who has input into the media vehicles used, the type of ad types that will be created and who fully understands the media plan is more educated and has more ownership in the overall campaign. The same works for the Media team.

That said, some Media and Creative folks just don't know how to work together. It's not that they don't care, or are completely unwilling, rather, I believe it is simply a lack of understanding. While at BuderEngel, it was apparent that the Media team was very interested in working with the creative teams. But, unbelievably, they didn't understand the process in which creative was developed and seemed to be unwilling to raise their hand and ask questions. This lack of communication was also seen on the account and creative side. It wasn't the fault of one, but rather the unwillingness of all parties to raise their hand and ask questions.

It is in the best interest of the agency and its clients that the divide between Media and Creative ends as quickly as possible. Below are some easy ways to help close the gap....

1. Involve both parties in the initial internal sessions, even before a brief has ever been created.
2. Speaking of briefs, involve both parties in its development and internal approval processes.
3. Create open lines of communication between the creative team and the media planners. Encourage them to bounce ideas off of one another.
4. Start the media planning process early enough to allow any creative executions to affect the ad placements that are bought.

I am just scratching the surface here and will put some more thought into how to address this issue..... More to come.

Bike to Work Day

I just got back from a short ride with Pia out to Mill Valley and back to San Francisco. While riding to work is impossible for Pia, we decided to go for an early morning ride and show support to the many riders that we saw along the way.

The "energizer station" that was set-up on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge was amazing. The station was packed with local news reporters, dozens of cyclists and tables full of free swag, bagels and hot coffee. Best of all, volunteers were there to encourage cyclists to join the SF and Marin bicycle coalitions and help support their mission of creating a more bike-friendly community.

Creating more bike-friendly roads and generating awareness of bicycle commuting (and the impact they can have on the environment) is a very important issue. I only hope that the people who decide to commute today have fun and make it a daily activity.

KFC Debacle

I've been talking about the need for pre-planning before launching any new marketing initiative. Anticipating issues and having contingency plans in place is more than just important, it's critical.

Apparently, KFC would have found this advice very helpful before using Oprah to give away free coupons for their new Kentucky Grilled Chicken product. The video below was created to help remedy the mistakes that were made when customers were turned away by stores that refused to honor the coupon. In the video you will find Roger Eaton, President of KFC. Not only does his apology come extremely insincere, but the whole Australian accent really throws me off.

Word of Mouth Visualized

I recently came across this great illustration from David Armano's blog that helps visualize the concept of WOM. The visual was created by Mario Vellandi and communicates the concept very quickly.

What I really like about this visual is that it places focus on the impact of "detractors." While we all want to think that everyone will love our WOM campaign, it just isn't the case. As a marketer, the impact of detractors must be addressed in the planning phase of any WOM program. A plan should be created to not only anticipate negative forces and create contingency plans, but also to engage with detractors and change opinions. By engaging with detractors a potential threat can easily be turned into a wonderful opportunity.

Thoughts?

- Chris

Evolution of the Phone

I have spent the last three weeks consulting at 5th Finger, a mobile advertising agency located in San Francisco. They are a very talented group of people and I have really enjoyed working with them on some amazing Fortune 100 consumer brands.

Being so immersed in mobile has really got me thinking about how much the phone has evolved. When I first began using a mobile phone in 1997, I used it solely to place phone calls and have a one-on-one conversation with friends. Nowadays, my mobile phone allows me to find restaurant reviews, check my bank account, read news and connect with thousands of friends, colleagues and family using it's many social media applications.

Simply put, the mobile phone has profoundly changed the way we communicate. All you have to do is look at today's teenagers to see what I am talking about. With text messaging, they have developed their own language and are constantly in contact with one another. Sending notes during class are a thing of the past.... sending text messages is now the norm.

As the penetration of smart phones continues to increase, I am very excited to see how mobile phones, and mobile marketing, will evolve. I have a few different ideas that I am working on, but they aren't yet fully baked. What about you? What is the future of mobile?

- Chris

Agencies & Clients Need a Kick in the Butt

I recently ran across a study that nicely sums up what I have been trying to change on the agency-side for more than a decade. Despite the best posturing from some of the largest agencies and brands in the world, there is still a huge lack of knowledge about how consumers use digital media.

"Over ninety percent of respondents indicated they planned to increase marketing spend in digital. Yet many identified significant barriers including: insufficient metrics (62 percent), lack of organization support (51 percent) or lack of experience (59 percent) in the new media."

This study also mirrors the findings of a 2007 study... that's two years of the same findings, but no movement in closing the gap.
http://www.ana.net/news/content/856

This survey frustrates and excites me at the same time. It's a little frustrating given that we are making such slow progress. But, it also excites me because it means opportunity abounds. I am confident in my abilities to help agencies close this gap. But, are they ready to make the changes necessary to embrace digital, better engage with consumers and drive more profitable revenue? Sounds like a no-brainer, huh?

Call me when you are ready (415) 307-7289 - chrisjcrichton @ yahoo dot com

- Chris

The Screen Theory?

A few years ago, Kevin Roberts published a book, "Sisomo: The Future on Screen." According to Kevin, "the future of brands lies in distributing branded content via an endless range of new “screens,” each of which provides yet another outlet to capture the hearts (and occasionally minds) of a brand’s core audience. The key, explains Roberts, is utilizing the tools of “screen” media: sight, sound and motion, or “sisomo.”

This just doesn't hold water. For me, this theory falls down because digital is not just another medium to distribute a message. Whether we are talking about web, or mobile, digital is fundamentally different than print, tv, radio, etc. Not only do we interact with these "screens" differently, but its use and purpose is unique.

Furthermore, digital communications allow the consumers to shape the message. Unlike traditional communications, mobile and web are not passive experiences (or screens). Because of this, simply treating it like "another" medium to broadcast your message simply won't work.

Thoughts?

- Chris

Balance Has Been Restored

Last week I discussed my initial frustrations with my new class of students from The Miami Ad School. As one student put it, "I only want to work on TV and other sexy stuff." Hearing that the new generation of advertising creatives didn't believe in, and didn't want to work in, digital was disappointing.

I am happy to report that last night's class proved to be very successful. The work the students presented was far beyond my expectations. The level of creativity and their understanding of the digital space was refreshing.

Now, before I get too excited, they still have plenty to learn. Their knowledge about how to concept and design for the web remains to be seen. And, many best practices that they should know seem to be a mystery to them. Don't worry though, that will change very quickly.

- Chris

Death of the Phone Book

Is it me, or have you not used a phone book in years? Both the white and yellow pages have completely disappeared from my vocabulary, let alone my life.

While my parents have been online for more than four years, they have only recently discovered the power of Google. While looking for the address of a restaurant over the Easter holiday, my dad did something I have never seen before. Rather than reach for the phone book, he went straight to the computer and Google'd the restaurant's name.

This may not see like a big deal, but it is a HUGE shift in my dad's online habits. When I asked him about why he went online, he said that he had thrown away the phone book because the internet was just as easy to use. I was shocked. For someone who was happy simply using the internet to check his email account just six months ago, this is a big step.

I can't wait to see what is next for my dad.... mobile banking?

- Chris

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back?

Last night I taught the first Digital Campaigns class of the quarter for the Miami Ad School. The reason I chose to teach at the Miami Ad School is that I want to help inspire and educate future creatives about the digital medium. Even today, I work with far too many creatives who simply don't understand, or are completely uneducated, about the digital medium. Designing, writing or even concepting for digital is completely foreign to them.

As with the previous quarter, I began the class by asking everyone to talk about 1) why they had chosen to pursue a career in advertising and 2) the type of work they expected to get following graduation.

The answers I got last night left me frustrated, disappointed and confused. While there were a few students who understood the power of digital and integrated communications, many had absolutely no desire to learn about digital and were in the class only because it was a requirement for their graduation. These students believed that they would easily be able to find a job in an agency working solely on TV spots and print ads directly out of college. As one put it, "I only want to work on TV and other sexy stuff."

Honestly, I felt like I stepped back into the 1990's where TV ruled the marketing world. I had always thought that this younger generation would be more fascinated and willing to learn about digital communications.

What the hell? Did I enter the Twighlight Zone, or is this class as naive as I think they are?

- Chris

DiGiorno Pizza Uses Twitter to Help Launch New Product

DiGiorno Pizza will use Twitter, with the support of traditional advertising, to help launch their new Flat Bread Pizza product. With the help of their PR agency, DiGiorno will reach out to influential tweeters willing to host tweetups, or in-person get-togethers prearranged on Twitter, in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Kraft will deliver DiGiorno to the events and hope attendees spread the word.

While the idea isn't very innovative or ground-breaking, it's nice to see that more and more brands are beginning to embrace Social Media and include it in their budgets.

"DiGiorno is launching a flatbread pizza by way of TV, print and ... Twitter. The freezer aisle's largest-selling pizza brand is wading into social media for the launch, tapping tweeters with strong followings and offering to provide food for tweetups."

http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=135876

- Chris

Results Through Social Media

I recently completed an integrated program for the Monterey Bay Aquarium to help announce the opening of their new exhibit, The Secret Lives of Seahorses. This program included print, SEM, radio, DJ chatter, display campaign, contest promotion and a social media strategy.

While I can't go into too many details of the program, I can say that our social media campaign has been a complete success. Initiated months prior to the exhibit opening, our social media program has been a key component in driving results. In fact, the program has resulted in the aquarium 4x'ing their goals in less than month.

Keys To Our Success:
1. We crafted the social media strategy well before any work was ever executed.
2. We developed contingency plans and were prepared to execute on them had anything gone awry. I can't stress enough the importance for pre-planning.
3. We created unique content, which gave increased value and "reason for being" to our effort.
4. Innovation - We looked for, and executed on, strategies that we had never seen before.
5. We integrated our social media program with offline components.

There is a lot more to this story that I will discuss in the near future. Until then, I would love to hear what others are doing to break through the clutter and engage with their customers.

Anyone?

- Chris

Recovered.... Finally

It's been three weeks since I ran the Way Too Cool 50k ultra trail marathon in Cool, Ca. Since the race, many friends have asked me, "How long does it take to recover from a race like that?" My knee jerk reaction has been to say, "a few weeks." Well, I am happy to say that my legs are finally feeling back to normal. Unlike the first few weeks, I feel like I can push the pedals on my bike without cringing, am able to keep up with my friends on the climbs and can walk up the stairs without my quads from feeling like they are exploding out of my skin.

With the Tahoe Rim Trail 50M race coming up in July, I am curious to see how much longer it will take me to recover. 5 weeks? 6 weeks?

- Chris

Newspaper Revenue Declines in 2008

TechCrunch recently posted an article stating that "Last year was the worst on record for the U.S. newspaper industry. Total advertising revenues (both print and online) declined 16.6 percent."

My first reaction to this news was sadness. More and more newspapers are closing their doors and good people are losing their jobs. But, I also thought about my last experience placing media with a major newspaper. Not only did they actually fall short of their contracted obligations, but they told us to pull our media dollars if we were not happy. Now, I understand that this scenario does not mirror the actions of all newspapers. But, given our current economic climate, what will the future bring to the newspaper industry?

- Chris

Revenue Opportunity?

I recently completed an integrated campaign that included display, email marketing, sponsorship, and print; to name a few. Working across these different channels, it became very clear just how behind the curve local radio stations are. In addition to working with their on-air talent to produce DJ chatter, they offered to create an online contest and allowed us to place display ads on certain sections of their website.

While they were on top of things to negotiate and produce the DJ chatter, the online portions were no doubt uncharted territory. Not only did their sales teams not understand the value of online, but by the time it came to place our creative, my general feeling was that they were figuring it out as they went.

It certainly seems like they are ignoring an untapped revenue stream. Am I the only one was has experienced this?

- Chris

Think Before You Tweet

Below is a wonderful reminder of how social media can get you.... well, fired. It seems that a would-be Cisco employee made a big mistake when he uploaded the following tweet:

"Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.”

For anyone who uses Facebook or Twitter, let this be a reminder to you. And, don't forget the cardinal rule of social media: never post anything that you wouldn't say to your significant other, boss, mother, etc.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29796962/

- Chris

Agencies as Content Producers

When most people think about the type of content advertising agencies produce, they think of Print, TV, Display, OOH and other mainstream media. For me, the longer agencies look at themselves as producers of this type of content, the shorter they will be around.

As I have posted before, consumers are now fully in control of the conversation. They are both the medium and the message. But, as a colleague recently asked me, what does this really mean? To me, it means that agencies need to step out of their comfort levels and begin finding ways to engage with consumers and have a meaningful dialogue. This will mean the creation of unique content that can be shared, discussed and used across multiple platforms.

Just like advertising agencies were forced to reorganize their operations to develop spots for television, it's time again for agencies to reorganize to be successful in the digital world. Smart phones, Web 2.0 features, social networking sites, and other new technologies have completely changed the way consumers consume media. Agencies must address these changes and retool to produce content that fits into the lives of this digital consumer.

Thoughts?

- Chris

Way Too Cool 50k - In The Books

For a second year in a row, Pia, Greg and I hit the trails around Cool, CA for their annual "Way too Cool 50K" ultra trail marathon. Once again, this race didn't disappoint. The day started with perfect race conditions; temps in the 50's with a slight breeze. The trails were in decent condition, with only a few of the creeks overflowing. Even after months of training on Mt. Tam, this course was still much more technical than I was used to.

Pia and I at Mile 7

This year, I consider the race to have been a great "adventure." I felt great the entire day, executed my hydration and nutrition plan perfectly and enjoyed every moment of the day. Making it even better, I was able to run the first 15 miles with Pia. But, the day was not without its difficulties. To start, I took a hard fall around mile 8 while trying to take a technical downhill section a little too fast. I tripped, rolled and did some damage to my knee, hip and elbow. I laughed it off, kept going and was able to get back into the groove without any problems. Then, at mile 24, I took a wrong turn at a section that was poorly marked.

It didn't take me long to realize that I had taken a wrong turn. Knowing my finishing time was no longer relevant, I kept my pace and just enjoyed the trails I was running on. No stress, no pressure. After running by myself for about an hour, (I was on a lower trail that paralleled the course), I was able to find other runners and re-join the race at mile 28. In the end, I finished in 5:01:xx, with a total distance of around 32-33 miles (my Garmin said 32.8). I was bummed to have gone off-course, but knew that the extra mile or so would help me in my 50 mile trail run in Lake Tahoe this July.

I'll be back for more next year.

Happy to be finished.

Another Great Use of Twitter

It constantly amazes me that people in this industry don't understand the power of Twitter. Is it that they don't understand how it works? Or, have they never seen it applied in the right way for a brand?

To help a few of you out, I will give you an example of a great use of Twitter. Yes, I could always tell you about how Dell has used Twitter to sell over $1 million dollars in computers. But, that wouldn't be relevant to those of you in the industry. So, instead, I will tell you about how Critical Mass is effectively using Twitter. For any company, trying to find good talent (not just a body to fill a chair) can be both difficult and expensive. Critical Mass is putting a new spin on recruiting through the use of @venterchris. His tweets are friendly, conversational and go a long way towards putting a good face on the Critical Mass brand. By using Twitter, they have taken the typically dry world of HR and put a new spin on it.

Thoughts?

- Chris

Update: Skittles Tweets The Rainbow

After an overload of profanity-laced tweets on their homepage, Skittles has slightly changed their direction. Instead of a Twitter feed, users are now dropped directly into their MySpace page.

Honestly, I can't really say that I blame them. The profanity that dominated their homepage was ugly, mean-spirited and made me nervous as a marketer.

Despite the changes, I am still a fan of this initiative. Skittles made a bold move, brought the brand more media exposure than they have received in years, and I believe it will pay off in the end as more and more content is added to the experience. The recent integration of the videos were a nice addition and I can finally say that I have a better idea of what their brand is all about. And, as I predicted in my original post, the tweets have become less vulgar and are now more "friendly"... well, almost. The trolls and haters have moved on and the conversation is beginning to swing back.

Thoughts?

- Chris

Communicating in a Digital World

It seems like everyone these days is trying to find new ways to have a dialogue with consumers. Companies are creating Facebook pages, using blogs and posting videos on YouTube for the world to see. The explosion of social media has completely changed the game and the days of 1-1 communication should be over.

As Joseph Jaffe put it, "Consumers today are active participants in the advertising process, not silent targets and sitting ducks for one-way communication. Forget about the medium being message; today, consumers are both the medium and the message."

But, here is my question.... why are so many agencies giving this "new" way of communicating just lip service? I hear far too many agencies talk about how they consider digital to be core to their offering. But, do they really understand what that means? Do they understand how to provide consumers with the tools to engage and have a conversation with a brand? I doubt it. The plethora of TV, Radio, Print and Display Campaigns that look the same and contain the same messaging, but provide no tools to enable consumer dialogue only strengthen this point.

So, why is this? Are agencies too afraid to break from their models of producing campaigns? Do they even get the joke?

Thoughts?

- Chris

Skittles Tweets the Rainbow

WOW... Skittles has taken a big and bold step into the social media space. Realizing that they can no longer ignore the power of Social Media, Skittles has replaced its homepage with a Twitter stream. More than that, they easily linked users to their Facebook page to view Friends, Flickr to view pics, MySpace for videos and Wikipedia for product information; content that is primarily user generated.

While I feel the module they created for the navigation is far too big and may be confusing for some users, I love what Skittles is doing. Yes, they are already experiencing users tweeting negative comments about the brand, but I feel the upside is far greater than the downside.

First, Why It's a FAIL:
1. Skittles really should have thought about using a filter called JustSignal. By using JustSignal, they could have easily reviewed the Twitter stream before pushing the tweets to the public. I am very curious why Agency.com decided not to use this, or another service. I have my suspicions (i.e., cost associated with 24/7 review), but would love to know the true rationale.

2. I can't imagine the conversations that are going on between the agency and the CMO. The sheer number of negative and derogatory comments is overwhelming. This could have been easily avoided.

Now, Why I Love It:
1. Yeah, yeah, yeah.... it's been done before, but as an early adopter in the social media space, Skittles will garner more media coverage, press, PR and buzz than they ever could have with a traditional media push. And, probably did it at a fraction of the cost. I wonder how many people went to Skittles.com today for the first time because of this effort. I know I did.

2. Once all this attention dies down, the conversation will turn back towards Skittles; versus the off-topic conversation that is being tweeted about now.

3. Finally, a reason for consumers to go back to their website.

What does everyone else think?

- Chris

Digital Creative Future Looks Bright

As you may know, I have been teaching an Interactive Concepting class at the Miami Ad School. It has been a wonderful experience teaching students about the digital medium and helping them understand the role it plays in helping a brand sell product, build their brand, etc.

Over the past seven weeks with this new class, I have been pleasantly surprised and excited with the level of creativity and understanding of digital. Widgets, social media, rich media, mobile and emerging media are all in the forefront of their thinking and require very little discussion.

This level of understanding of the digital medium, along with the knowledge of how to integrate traditional communications is rare these days; especially from more experienced creative teams who are hesitant to dabble in digital. I guess change is scary for some.

This latest class has me excited for the future. I can't wait to see this new generation join the workforce and begin shaping the way agencies develop fully integrated marketing solutions.

Thoughts?

- Chris

Another Friday Ride

Friday's typically start out rough.... You see, I ride my bike on Friday mornings as part of my weekly training routine. It's not that the ride is hard, but it means that I have to get up at 3:45AM. I typically get up at 4:30AM, which is already way too early. So, losing those precious 45 minutes take its toll.

Feel sorry for me? You shouldn't. While it is tough getting up and I bitch about it for the first 10 minutes of waking up, I absolutely love Friday mornings. Riding with my wife across the Golden Gate Bridge, down to Sausalito, over to Mill Valley and back is absolutely amazing. The views of the bridge, the freedom of riding without cars on the road, the sunrise over the hills of the East Bay. I love it.

This morning's ride over the bridge. Amazing!

More Brands Seeing ROI w/ Digital

Yesterday I blogged about how two established hotel brands have seen tremendous growth by investing in existing and new digital channels. Mobile, display, etc. It seems that other well-known, trusted brands are seeing similar success within the digital channel. And, not only are they seeing success, but they are also increasing their marketing spends within the channel to support the brand and take advantage of competitors who are going into hiding.

According to Ian Friendly of General Mills, they have "been diverting funds online, driving traffic to recipe sites such as BettyCrocker.com. The company's cooking sites had about 8 million visitors last month. General Mills also recently launched a free Betty Crocker iPhone application, which offers meal suggestions based on what's in a consumer's pantry. We are seeing very high returns from digital than broadcast," Mr. Friendly said, declining to give the percentage of spending that's moved online. "It's not that our TV ads don't work, but when you're watching TV you're doing it for a different reason. When you go to a website you have a very specific purpose."

Again, I am not advocating shifting 100% of a brand's marketing spend to digital, but this is now a second strong argument for a brand to evaluate their media spend and explore shifting dollars to mediums that can prove high levels of ROI.

Thoughts?

- Chris

Shift Dollars to Digital?

Before we begin, let's put aside the argument about the merits of brands cutting their marketing budget in our current economic climate. This argument is already going on in every industry rag, news program, etc. We don't need to hash it out here. Agreed? Plus, this is not about cutting, rather shifting budgets to help bolster the bottom line. Now, doesn't that feel better?

AdAge recently reported that "Marriott Mobile generated $2 million in gross revenue between its August 2008 launch and the end of the year." and "Hilton's mobile channel has generated a 22% return on investment for the brand."

Wow, this news has me excited! But, what surprises me even more is the fact that these brands have not placed much, if any, focus on promoting their mobile websites. So, why/how are consumers finding and using them? One word.... Convenience. Obviously, these brands saw an opportunity and invested in a mobile site knowing that there was an opportunity with stranded travelers looking to easily book a hotel room once their flight was delayed. For other brands, it's a different story. But, it does prove the point that investing in emerging media can really pay off.

For me, this all points to the need for brands to focus portions of their budgets on emerging media, which can mean different things to different people. If there is an opportunity, it's time to take a risk and try something new. And, Chris LaRose from Hilton agrees. "We're seeing in general is a shift to ... digital across the board. The rate of return that we're seeing in online campaigns is much more favorable than what we've seen historically in print."

Before you jump to conclusions, I am not advocating that brands stop spending on traditional forms of communication (TV, Print, OOH, etc). But, I am saying that brands need to continue, or begin, looking at other mediums that can be accountable and produce the type of ROI that is needed during these tough times. For some, this may be mobile; for others is may be email marketing, display, SEM, SEO, etc.

Where is the opportunity for your brand?

- Chris

Introducing the Firefox "Add-Art" Plugin

A few days ago Firefox introduced a new plug-in that has many in the industry asking questions.

According to the Firefox website, the "Add-Art provides the millions of AdBlockPlus users with an alternative to blank space. Art shows are hand selected by curators of contemporary artists to bring the museum onto your screen and into your everyday activities. We'll bring new art shows to your browser every 2 weeks. Add-Art is partially supported by the New Museum/Rhizome in New York City and provides small stipends for artists and curators for their participation."

Screen Shot:

So far, reactions to the plug-in have been mixed. While some like the "spirit of the program," others believe that it "replaces advertising images with equally irritating images about abuse and political art." Me? As a marketer, I am on the fence for now. I have A LOT of questions about how the plug-in works before I begin jumping to conclusions and worry about the future of display advertising. For example, two of my biggest questions.... Can an ad server recognize that an ad has been blocked? And if so, how will my ad server partner track impressions served vs. blocked?

Putting aside the argument about the market share of Firefox for a moment, I also wonder if this may actually be a catalyst for agencies and brands to produce better display advertising?

Thoughts?

T-Minus 4 Weeks

It caught me by surprise, but the Way Too Cool 50k ultra trail marathon is coming up in four short weeks. Despite a trip back East, a bout of the flu and some lingering issues with my back, my training has been going pretty well. I am not exactly where I had hoped to be in terms of run volume, but I really can't complain.

This past weekend turned out to be a great weekend of training. Pia and I started with a long ride on Saturday and then followed it up with a 21 mile run up, down and around Mt. Tam on Sunday morning. I can't tell you how much fun it was to run the trails in the rain and mud. Charging through knee-high puddles made me feel like a kid again.

The next three weeks will be critical for us to continue to increase our mileage and get in as much hill work as possible. It should be fun.

- Chris

Growth of Facebook.... Mobile?

With over 220 million users, its hard to argue the Facebook phenomenon. Like many, I started using Facebook with a browser but have now primarily moved to my mobile device. With my iPhone, the Facebook UI is amazingly simple, contains zero advertising (I still can't believe this) and allows me to quickly stay up-to-date with my friends.

Facebook recently reported that 13% of user log-in from their mobile phones. While many brands would consider this a huge success, I actually see this as just the tip of the iceberg. As Facebook establishes relationships with more and more manufacturers (Nokia, Palm, etc.), mobile usage will rise at an even more rapid rate. And, with the Mobile World Congress kicking off in Barcelona next week, I am anxiously waiting to see what news will come out about new Facebook/mobile partnerships.

Anyone have any details?

NBA Launches New Facebook Application

According to AdWeek, the NBA just launched a new iPhone application that will allow users to view the All Star game straight from their phone. And, even better, viewers will be able to choose from four different camera angles. Sweeeeeet!

In concept, this applications sounds pretty frickin' amazing. What a great way to extend the reach of the game past a simple TV broadcast. I will be downloading the application and giving it a run this weekend. I won't be holding my breath..... I just hope the execution meets the hype.

To be continued.

Engagement Mapping

I recently met with the good folks of Atlas to talk with them about new technologies and methodologies for reporting on my agency's digital marketing efforts. Because of the level accountability offered with digital, I was very interested to hear their thoughts on how we, as agencies, can better use their data to inform our clients ROI.

Right now, the standard in reporting is based on the "Last Ad model." This model attributes 100% of the credit for a conversion to the last ad seen, or clicked on. The problem with this approach is that it ignores the contributions of any previous ad that led the customer down the road to that conversion. So, by placing such a high importance on the last ad, other aspects that support the advertising success are left out of the ROI equation.

Take a look at some existing Research:
- The last click or view typically only accounts for 6 percent of the touchpoints (impressions, clicks, and interactions) between a given advertiser and converters. Said another way, the average converter has a frequency of over 15 to 20 touchpoints.
- Nine out of 10 converters were exposed to ads from the same advertiser across two or more sites.

Based on this research, I am really beginning to question the Last Ad model and becoming a fan of what is called "Engagement Mapping." Engagement Mapping is basically a technology that reveals the entire conversion funnel. So, unlike the Last Ad reporting model, Engagement Mapping tracks all online customer touch points which occurred prior to a user clicking on an ad and making a sale. This is extremely powerful as it gets us away from only looking, and making recommendations, on the Last Ad that was clicked on and gives us a more holistic view of what actually led to the sale being made.

This is even more important when you look at the effect that SEM has on conversion. According to latest research, 72% of all SEM clicks were navigational in nature (i.e., exact-match brand names and URL's). Obviously, the users clicking on these ads must have seen an ad somewhere to get them to type in the exact brand name. By employing Engagement Mapping, we can truly tell our clients the effect of their overall advertising spend, versus what a single ad did for them in driving a sale.

While I don't currently use Atlas as a third-party ad server, I am very interested to see what my current partner offers that will get me the kind of insight that Engagement Mapping promises.

Anyone had experience with this? Thoughts?

- Chris

Facebook Ain't So Safe

Putting aside the phishing issues that have been plaguing Facebook lately, I have been seeing another disturbing trend on Facebook that makes me question just how safe people think Facebook really is. It's the use of status updates declaring "On vacation in Hawaii this week" or "Husband is away and left me alone with kids for the weekend" that baffle me.

Quite frankly, these types of status updates scare the hell out of me. How many people are being victimized because of their seemingly harmless status updates? Listen up people! Broadcasting to the world that your house is empty and ready to be broken into is, simply put, never a smart idea. Making matters worse, I have seen these types of updates from people who I am not friends with. Have you ever clicked a person's name and been entered directly into their profile page, even when you are not their friend? If so, these people most likely have their profile settings set such that anyone in their "network" can view their profile. And, have you looked at your networks recently? One of my networks is "San Francisco, CA." This means that anyone in San Francisco could view my profile (including my status update) if I had my settings set this way. Scary stuff.

So, for the sake of your homes, your families and your family pet; think before you post.

- Chris

Faux-Flash For The iPhone

If you are like me, you have a love/hate relationship with your iPhone. I've always had two main complaints:

1. Can't Copy and Paste
2. No integration of Flash

While I won't be copying and pasting anytime soon, Greystripe (a mobile in-game ad network) may have solved my issue with the iPhone's inability to run Flash. According to AdAge, Greystripe "developed a work-around program that replicates the PC Flash experience on the iPhone." Regardless of what happens with the eventual use of the technology, I am most excited that someone isn't waiting around for Apple to get their house in order.

It even seems that the integration of "faux-Flash," as I like to call it, has enabled Axe Body Spray to produce some pretty amazing resuls.

"Consumer intent to purchase the Axe Detailer, a shower product, rose 15%, to 74% from 59%, after consumers interacted with the game, according to a ComScore survey commissioned by Greystripe. The survey also found that 56% of respondents who interacted with the ad were more likely to purchase the product, vs. 35% who were exposed but did not interact with it. Among those who interacted with the ad, 64% said they felt more positive about the brand after the game experience, vs. 40% who had no interaction with the ad.

The "Dirty Night Determinator" promotes a shower product that's a sort of loofah for men. When users click through to the tongue-in-cheek, game-based ad unit, they can use a drop-down menu to determine how "dirty" their night was, and based on that, the game will identify areas on the body that need scrubbing and provide tips on how to clean.

Nearly 4,000 people took part in the effectiveness survey, with 943 falling into the control group, meaning they did not see the ad, and 2,447 in the group that did see the ad. Of the latter, 126 interacted with the game; the rest did not.

The campaign served a total of 3 million impressions, according to Greystripe."

Thoughts? Am I the only one who is excited about this?

- Chris

Back On The Grid

Phew, what a week it has been. After a few days back East for a funeral and then a few more days out of commission with a horrible bout of the flu, I am finally back.

During this time, I completely disconnected myself from the grid. No cell phone, no computer, no email, no text, no facebook, nada, nothing. I'll be honest; it was great! Picture this.... not being interrupted during a conversation by a phone call, or never feeling the buzz of a new email message coming from your BlackBerry. Ahh, it was nirvana.

But, now I am back answering emails, posting to my blog, updating my facebook status and returning all the phone calls I missed. The real world is a bitch.

Coast Ride 2009

Another Coast Ride is in the books. San Francisco to Santa Barbara, 3-Days, 380 miles... all by bike.

This was our fourth year doing this annual ride. In all, 15 cyclists made the trip down Highway 1. The ride averages around 125 miles per day, which is just enough to make you worried, but not enough to make you scared. We had spectacular weather this year (high 70's) and I am already counting down the days until next year.

Group rolling along Highway 1

Pia crushing it up one of the climbs in Big Sur


Mary undressing for all the boys in Guadalupe.... again

And, finally, my yearly pilgrimage to McDonalds

Don't Believe Everything You Read

Case in point.... I recently ran across a study conducted by PubMatic that was published on Clickz.com. According to the study, display advertising was suffering, and suffering badly.

The Title: Display Ad Prices Fall 50 Percent in Q4.

On the surface, the study seems pretty legit. The study, which looked at over 5,500 different websites found that "The price for advertising on Web sites of all sizes dropped by about 53 percent from Q4 2007 to Q4 2008, according to the index. The numbers also show that every vertical category suffered steep declines, with Business and Finance leading the way at 61 percent." This tells me that they had a pretty good sample size and they were looking across multiple verticals. Both of these facts made me think the study was on the up-and-up.

That said, I have run across recent reports showing that display advertising is actually gaining market share despite a down economy..... and have even experienced my own successes with display advertising (see my previous post). But, being a little skeptical, I dug a little deeper.

As I dug, the validity of this study, more importantly, the reality of what the study looked at shocked me. While never discussed in the article, the study included remnant inventory. That's right, this study included low-cost, bottom-tier ads that nobody wants. Being a closet research geek (thank you Jeff Rosenblum), this study is meaningless to me. There are simply too many questions that could affect the outcome and vailidity of the results. Fore example, how much of the data was based on remnant inventory? 10% 100%??? These kinds of studies infuriate me. They serve no other purpose than to mislead people by telling half-truths.

Lesson learned... Don't believe everything you read; especially online!

Budget Crisis

I spent an amazing weekend winding my way from San Francisco to Santa Barbara on my bike. Just me, my wife and a good group of friends. The things I saw were both amazing, and amazed me (and not in a good way). But, I digress.....

During our night in Morro Bay, I heard a news report announcing that California was likely to issue IOU's for tax payers. Seriously, an IOU?

Does this mean that I can issue the state an IOU for my property taxes? Sorry, I am having my own budget crisis.

Anyone else?

Update: Whopper Sacrifice

And the hits keep coming..... My previous post touched on some of the WINS and FAILS of the new Crispin effort: Whopper Sacrifice.

I just learned that the Whopper Sacrifice was recently hacked. Apparently, a blogger posted a line of JavaScript code that allowed users to get a free whopper without sacrificing their friends. The website has since been fixed to keep this from happening, but damn. I understand that a high profile campaign like this is going to get scrutinize more than most, but come on people. QA has to mean more than just checking links and browser/OS checks. Of course, I am making a big ASSumption that they QA'd the experience.

- Chris

Whopper Sacrifice

By now, most everyone has either heard of, or checked out the new Whopper Sacrifice effort by Crispin. I really like this latest effort. Here are some of my thoughts.....

Positives
1. They broke out of the traditional advertising model and used Social Media to promote the Whopper brand. For Crispin, this is a big win.
2. They spent pennies on the dollar to create and seed this effort versus producing a large national tv/print/radio campaign.
3. Everybody I know has heard about this..... ahh yes, the power of social media.
4. Every blogger in the ad world has picked up on this.
5. Rather than just "checking-the-box "and creating a "Whopper Facebook Page" they went one step further and created an actual application.
6. They built a small microsite to promote the effort and easily link users directly to Facebook to download the app. Very smart.

Negatives
1. As much as I like it, once again the Whopper brand is associated with something negative (de-friending your friends on Facebook). Then again, I can finally get rid of some of my Facebook friends that I really don't want.
2. They did not use SEM (Paid Search) to help drive users to their microsite. They spend all this money on the application, but when I type it into Google, they haven't bought SEM to ensure they are on the very top of the Google search results. Um, that is a big FAIL in my book.
3. And, as with typical ad agencies, they just don't understand SEO. The microsite isn't search engine friendly.... at all. Yeah, it looks good, but looking good isn't going to help customers find it (especially without SEM). Another FAIL.

Thoughts? Come on people, clickity-click the comments link.

Layoffs hit close to home

No surprise, the layoffs are happening everywhere; and not just within the technology or advertising sectors. At last count, 11 of my friends are out of work. When I was laid off in 2001, I re-invented myself and went to work as a Pharma Rep for Eli Lilly. It was a great way to learn new skills that would benefit me once the economy picked up and ad agencies began hiring again. I was selling my ideas, marketing strategies, etc in my advertising job. So, working as a drug salesman was a great way to build upon skills that I would use on a daily basis.

For many of my friends, they are also re-inventing themselves now that they are out of work. While some of them are continuing to pound the pavement in their old industries, others have explored new avenues. Here are my top three favorites....

1. Professional Bike Racer
2. Technology and Gadget Reporter
3. Gigolo

Ok, I made the last one up. But, its probably only a matter of time before this happens.

- Chris

The Power of Relationships

I was recently reading over three RFP's (Request for Proposals) that came across my desk this morning. While each RFP is unique, they all share the same basic requirements for the responding agency. As I read them over, it struck me that none of them asked for the agency to discuss what is important to them in a client/agency relationship. I was shocked.... Really?

For me, relationships are paramount. Good relationships between and agency and client are what breed trust and great work. Good relationships is what keeps agencies thinking about a clients business and going out of their way to ensure success. So, why don't typical agency searches do more than just give lip service to relationships? Meet-and-greet presentations are completely manufactured and the so-called "agency video" does little to give a client a feeling for the people they will be working with.

So, what is the answer? Why are relationships not given the importance the deserve? Is it too difficult to uncover until after an agency has been selected?

Clicky-clicky the comments link below. What do you all think?

Me, teach a class?

Recently, the Miami Ad School reached out and asked me to teach a class on Interactive Concepting. In reality, this class is less about how to "concept" and more about how to approach the digital medium(s) in relation to the offline medium(s).

Some of the things I hope to teach in the class are 1) Provide a thorough understanding of each digital medium to enable them to understand how they can be used to support a larger advertising program, 2) Discuss the uniqueness of each medium in communicating a message and how the value of each medium affects how it can/should be used in a program, 3) Discuss the importance of a clear key message or takeaway... and how each medium is best used to support this, 4) Why concepting for print isn't the same as concepting for an rich media ad unit or Facebook application or widget, etc., 5) The list continues....

I'm curious, what would you want to learn?

- Chris