Last week Biz Stone announced that Twitter will launch a program in partnership with Room to Read, the non-profit literacy organization headed by CEO John Wood. Crushpad, whose mission is to democratize the wine industry, will collaborate with Twitter, whose mission is to democratize access to information throughout the world.
Social Philanthropy has arrived. Twitter staff will participate in making two wines, a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay with Crushpad (www.crushpad.com), a San Francisco based custom winery. We the people are invited to follow the progress of winemaking on Twitter, and pre-order the wine at a reduced $20 dollars per bottle here www.fledglingwine.com.
The best part is that $5 from every bottle will go directly to Room to Read, an organization that BRANDfog supports through our work and that of our CEO clients. Room to Read enables literacy programs in some of the poorest regions in the world. BRANDfog supports this organization based on one simple truth. If you can read, you can do anything.
You can follow updates, participate in a Social Philanthropy, and feel good all at the same time at: www.fledglingwine.com. What a great corporate holiday gift idea.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Panic Can Also Spread Virally
This fall the H1N1 Swine Flu has the potential to cause irrational fear and widespread panic, in addition to the real threat of sickness and death. The government is trying to ready themselves for both aspects of the potential epidemic. The real risk is the spread of the contagion across the population, but health officials are also bracing themselves for misinformation that can spread fast and furiously through social media channels.
Swine Flu vaccinations began this week, and health care workers, pregnant woman and child care providers are among the first to be vaccinated. Although deemed perfectly safe by the C.D.C, officials are worried that unrelated health problems may mistakenly be connected to the Swine Flu vaccine. Separating the incidents of naturally occurring strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages and death from the coincidence of receiving the vaccine will be a big challenge for health officials this year.
Managing the public perception about the Swine Flu, and keeping the population calm and well informed is shaping up to be the Super Bowl of public relations challenges for the government . With incessant social media chatter and the 24 hour news cycle, serious consideration needs to be given to the question of how we can control the flow of global information during times of crisis.
Fortunately, the C. D.C. is prepared to provide rapid-fire communications and information which is widely available through many social media channels. Press conferences can be seen live on the agency’s website, flu.gov, and updates are available through many social media outlets such as Facebook , Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube. All of these channels and more can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/.
So what else can the C.D.C. do for population? In addition to providing an outgoing, one-way flow of information, the C.D.C. would be wise to take advantage of the higher level of engagement that social media offers. By monitoring and then quickly responding to trending topics on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the blogosphere, they can build credibility and defuse rumors and fears before they can spread virally and cause real harm.
Swine Flu vaccinations began this week, and health care workers, pregnant woman and child care providers are among the first to be vaccinated. Although deemed perfectly safe by the C.D.C, officials are worried that unrelated health problems may mistakenly be connected to the Swine Flu vaccine. Separating the incidents of naturally occurring strokes, heart attacks, miscarriages and death from the coincidence of receiving the vaccine will be a big challenge for health officials this year.
Managing the public perception about the Swine Flu, and keeping the population calm and well informed is shaping up to be the Super Bowl of public relations challenges for the government . With incessant social media chatter and the 24 hour news cycle, serious consideration needs to be given to the question of how we can control the flow of global information during times of crisis.
Fortunately, the C. D.C. is prepared to provide rapid-fire communications and information which is widely available through many social media channels. Press conferences can be seen live on the agency’s website, flu.gov, and updates are available through many social media outlets such as Facebook , Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube. All of these channels and more can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/socialmedia/.
So what else can the C.D.C. do for population? In addition to providing an outgoing, one-way flow of information, the C.D.C. would be wise to take advantage of the higher level of engagement that social media offers. By monitoring and then quickly responding to trending topics on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the blogosphere, they can build credibility and defuse rumors and fears before they can spread virally and cause real harm.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Philanthropy is the Gateway to Power
“Philanthropy is the gateway to power… there are few people who decide what will happen in our world. You have been invited to join them – pull back the curtain and take your seat.” Roger Sterling, Mad Men
While watching Mad Men Season 2 last week, suddenly, mid-episode, I was brought up short by a show-stopping quote from Roger Sterling. Sterling, the senior partner at the fictitious Sterling Cooper Agency circa 1962, tells his Creative Director Don Draper that he’s been invited to join an arts foundation board. Looking puzzled, Don asks “What does that mean?” Without skipping a beat, Roger Sterling says “Philanthropy is the gateway to power.”
And so it was. For generations, it was the wealthy and powerful that sat on Foundation Boards and decided how important resources would be distributed and determined who had the most urgent need. Philanthropists from that era supported societal institutions, like the New York City Public Library, the Ballet, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Less attention was paid to local community organizations that struggled daily with the more pedestrian problems of hunger, unemployment, and education.
But times have changed. With the emergence of global social media and the lightning speed of the Internet, the ease of mobilizing people through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and a hundred other channels is staggering. We can now use technology to unleash support and create awareness with a broad base of social givers. People of all stripes are engaged with causes, political events and environmental issues. The term for this is “new philanthropy,” which means employing accountability and entrepreneurship to address some of the most troublesome societal problems of our time, such as poverty, global literacy, and disease.
In my business, we help CEOs to get involved with philanthropy on a number of levels. Without exception, the CEOs we work with are high achieving, passionate, hard driving individuals by nature. Powerful and influential, they are natural-born leaders whom others tend to want to follow. When it comes to philanthropy, they lead by example.
When CEOs engage with a cause they care about, everybody wins. The philanthropic organizations benefit from the passionate enthusiasm of a leader who spreads the word and influences others to get involved. The CEO experiences a deep level of satisfaction from producing results, and truly making a difference in the lives of others. The companies enjoy the invaluable benefits of brand association with a philanthropic enterprise. Employees have the opportunity to get behind a good cause, and take ownership over what their brand represents to the outside world. Not a bad way to become a good corporate citizen.
To use a quote from JKF’s 1961 inaugural speech that even Don Draper would appreciate,
“The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans…. The world is very different now, for man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty. “
While watching Mad Men Season 2 last week, suddenly, mid-episode, I was brought up short by a show-stopping quote from Roger Sterling. Sterling, the senior partner at the fictitious Sterling Cooper Agency circa 1962, tells his Creative Director Don Draper that he’s been invited to join an arts foundation board. Looking puzzled, Don asks “What does that mean?” Without skipping a beat, Roger Sterling says “Philanthropy is the gateway to power.”
And so it was. For generations, it was the wealthy and powerful that sat on Foundation Boards and decided how important resources would be distributed and determined who had the most urgent need. Philanthropists from that era supported societal institutions, like the New York City Public Library, the Ballet, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Less attention was paid to local community organizations that struggled daily with the more pedestrian problems of hunger, unemployment, and education.
But times have changed. With the emergence of global social media and the lightning speed of the Internet, the ease of mobilizing people through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and a hundred other channels is staggering. We can now use technology to unleash support and create awareness with a broad base of social givers. People of all stripes are engaged with causes, political events and environmental issues. The term for this is “new philanthropy,” which means employing accountability and entrepreneurship to address some of the most troublesome societal problems of our time, such as poverty, global literacy, and disease.
In my business, we help CEOs to get involved with philanthropy on a number of levels. Without exception, the CEOs we work with are high achieving, passionate, hard driving individuals by nature. Powerful and influential, they are natural-born leaders whom others tend to want to follow. When it comes to philanthropy, they lead by example.
When CEOs engage with a cause they care about, everybody wins. The philanthropic organizations benefit from the passionate enthusiasm of a leader who spreads the word and influences others to get involved. The CEO experiences a deep level of satisfaction from producing results, and truly making a difference in the lives of others. The companies enjoy the invaluable benefits of brand association with a philanthropic enterprise. Employees have the opportunity to get behind a good cause, and take ownership over what their brand represents to the outside world. Not a bad way to become a good corporate citizen.
To use a quote from JKF’s 1961 inaugural speech that even Don Draper would appreciate,
“The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans…. The world is very different now, for man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty. “
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Social Media Engagement Leads to Increased Revenue
In a compelling study just released by Charlene Li and the Altimeter Group, a link was firmly established between social media engagement and better financial performance for 100 most valuable corporate brands. This was accomplished by correlating the company revenues of these brands with their social media activities over the past 12 months. The brands that had the most strategic interaction through social media platforms enjoyed revenue increases of 18%, while the least engaged companies saw revenues drop by 6% on average over the same period.
To sum up the study’s findings, the key to brand success for the top 10 companies was effective engagement across more than 10 discrete social media channels, including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, wikis, and discussion forums. The winners took a conversational approach to social media channels, and really listened and responded to the comments of constituents.
The reason I like this study is that it helps to validate the ROI of Social Media Branding for companies, and from there it is just a short intellectual leap to understanding the importance of Social Media Branding for CEOs as individuals.
Others have written about the urgency for professionals to make the most of their own unique “personal brand” to advance their careers. I know from experience that executives can derive great benefits from leveraging social media to brand themselves, and to use this platform to wield a great deal of influence among their peers. In other words, social media can solidify personal brand reputations and help executives realize their full potential in the marketplace.
If there is one thing we’ve learned at BRANDfog, it is to believe in the power of social media branding as a tool to broaden life experiences, reshape reputations, and cultivate a wider circle of influence. Social media branding provides senior executives with the means and opportunity to become thought leaders, influence the market, attract new talent, build relationships and expand professional networks.
To sum up the study’s findings, the key to brand success for the top 10 companies was effective engagement across more than 10 discrete social media channels, including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, wikis, and discussion forums. The winners took a conversational approach to social media channels, and really listened and responded to the comments of constituents.
The reason I like this study is that it helps to validate the ROI of Social Media Branding for companies, and from there it is just a short intellectual leap to understanding the importance of Social Media Branding for CEOs as individuals.
Others have written about the urgency for professionals to make the most of their own unique “personal brand” to advance their careers. I know from experience that executives can derive great benefits from leveraging social media to brand themselves, and to use this platform to wield a great deal of influence among their peers. In other words, social media can solidify personal brand reputations and help executives realize their full potential in the marketplace.
If there is one thing we’ve learned at BRANDfog, it is to believe in the power of social media branding as a tool to broaden life experiences, reshape reputations, and cultivate a wider circle of influence. Social media branding provides senior executives with the means and opportunity to become thought leaders, influence the market, attract new talent, build relationships and expand professional networks.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Using Social Media to Do Good
We've all seen Ashton Kutcher rise to Internet glory by amassing a Twitter following that now numbers more than 2.3 million. So in a year of soaring unemployment, housing & health care misery, and political instability, who cares about a movie star with a megaphone?
Well sometimes people can surprise you.
A few celebrities and big brands are turning their captive Twitter audiences into “followers” of another sort, by asking them to join into conversations about helping others and donating their time to worthy causes.
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are working with KelloggCares to raise funds to feed the hungry in the US, and using their substantial Twitter following to get people involved. Mashable is transforming social media influencers into cause-marketing advocates by launching The Summer of Social Good. This is the first large scale online charitable campaign to raise funds strictly through the power of Social Media and the Internet. The best part, 100% of the funds collected will be donated to four charities, including Livestrong and the Humane Society.
Social media, celebrity endorsements and the interactive Web have enabled many charitable organizations to extend their geographic reach and increase awareness for many of the philanthropic causes that are especially relevant in today’s economic climate.
It’s always a good time to unite people toward the common good.
Well sometimes people can surprise you.
A few celebrities and big brands are turning their captive Twitter audiences into “followers” of another sort, by asking them to join into conversations about helping others and donating their time to worthy causes.
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are working with KelloggCares to raise funds to feed the hungry in the US, and using their substantial Twitter following to get people involved. Mashable is transforming social media influencers into cause-marketing advocates by launching The Summer of Social Good. This is the first large scale online charitable campaign to raise funds strictly through the power of Social Media and the Internet. The best part, 100% of the funds collected will be donated to four charities, including Livestrong and the Humane Society.
Social media, celebrity endorsements and the interactive Web have enabled many charitable organizations to extend their geographic reach and increase awareness for many of the philanthropic causes that are especially relevant in today’s economic climate.
It’s always a good time to unite people toward the common good.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Twitter, YouTube and the Iranian Revolution
The central principle of any dictatorship is control. Dictators want to control what people say and do, by controlling what they see. They also want to control all the money, but that is a different story.
Transparency is the enemy of a totalitarian state. What is so fascinating about the Iran revolution is that Twitter and YouTube are playing such an integral role in the overthrow of a dictator in an ancient civilization.
By the way, I'm not sure from my reading that the guy they want in is any better than the guy they want out. But technology and the Web are emboldening and facilitating what would have simply been repressed and silent rage at a fraudulent election. http://tiny.cc/atmKf
Transparency is the enemy of a totalitarian state. What is so fascinating about the Iran revolution is that Twitter and YouTube are playing such an integral role in the overthrow of a dictator in an ancient civilization.
By the way, I'm not sure from my reading that the guy they want in is any better than the guy they want out. But technology and the Web are emboldening and facilitating what would have simply been repressed and silent rage at a fraudulent election. http://tiny.cc/atmKf
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
When the Agency Model Breaks
When demand for hard data from Brands reaches critical mass, the agency model will break and be rebuilt around two fundamentals, Best Creative and a Technology Data Practice.
Advertising's new model
Clock-watchers no more
May 14th 2009 | NEW YORK
From The Economist print edition
A movement to pay advertising agencies for value, not hours, takes off
EMMA COOKSON, the boss of BBH, a global advertising firm, says her industry has been “approaching and avoiding” a change in how it is paid for many years. Avoidance, however, may no longer be an option. On April 20th Coca-Cola said it would adopt a “value-based” compensation system for the advertisers that do work for its 400 brands. Rather than paying advertising agencies for hours worked, Coke will pay for results achieved.
The industry, already sick because of the recession, turned a bit bluer in the face at the news. Global ad spending is expected to decline by nearly 7% in 2009, according to ZenithOptimedia, and by around 9% in America. Carmakers and other faltering firms have cut marketing budgets, and work is harder to come by. There have been lay-offs. It is hardly an opportune time to discuss a change in compensation models. Billable hours have been the standard way of doing things since the 1970s. Assessing a campaign’s value is much harder.
Coke, however, thinks it can do just that. Its new model guarantees to cover advertising agencies’ costs, plus a bonus of up to 30%. The bonus depends on a number of metrics, including the agency’s overall performance, and the sales and market share of the products being advertised. Coke insists that its aim is not to cut costs but to inspire creativity and efficiency. Procter & Gamble, a consumer-goods giant which has also ditched hourly fees in favour of performance-related fees for 12 of its brands, says the same thing.
Coca Cola
What is it worth?
Although the recession may give companies an immediate reason to reassess how they pay their advertising agencies, it is not the sole impetus for the switch.
Discussions about finding better ways to reward agencies for their creativity have been going on for years. The American Association of Advertising Agencies estimates that about 10% of compensation agreements are value-based. Coke’s announcement of its new approach will probably spur other firms to follow suit, and Coke has said that it wants its model to become the standard for the industry.
The shift away from the billable hour, however, may take a while. Some agency executives are sceptical about being paid for value, because it is so subjective. They interpret talk about value as code for cost-cutting. Jeff Goodby, co-founder of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, an advertising agency, dislikes the fact that Coke’s new policy guarantees only recouped costs. If he is going to take on a project in which he assumes risk by not knowing his profit margin in advance, “There has to be a big pot at the end of that rainbow,” he says.
But some advertising agencies have voluntarily moved away from billing by the hour and towards contracts that reward value. Jeff Hicks, chief executive of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, says this approach has helped his agency work more closely with clients by aligning the agency’s compensation and the advertiser’s profitability. Others, sensing the limitation of being paid by the hour, are trying to develop new ways to capture the value their work can create. For example, BBH recently launched a unit, called Zag, which designs and markets its own products, such as ready-made foods.
Advertising is not the only industry where there is discussion about whether to pay for time or results. Some accounting, consulting and law firms are also scrapping the billable hour, often at the request of their clients. Ron Baker, author of “Pricing on Purpose”, a book on pricing strategies, thinks service agencies need to grasp that they sell ideas, not time, and that ideas should be generously compensated. Imagine, he says, if J.K. Rowling had been paid by the hour to write about Harry Potter.
Advertising's new model
Clock-watchers no more
May 14th 2009 | NEW YORK
From The Economist print edition
A movement to pay advertising agencies for value, not hours, takes off
EMMA COOKSON, the boss of BBH, a global advertising firm, says her industry has been “approaching and avoiding” a change in how it is paid for many years. Avoidance, however, may no longer be an option. On April 20th Coca-Cola said it would adopt a “value-based” compensation system for the advertisers that do work for its 400 brands. Rather than paying advertising agencies for hours worked, Coke will pay for results achieved.
The industry, already sick because of the recession, turned a bit bluer in the face at the news. Global ad spending is expected to decline by nearly 7% in 2009, according to ZenithOptimedia, and by around 9% in America. Carmakers and other faltering firms have cut marketing budgets, and work is harder to come by. There have been lay-offs. It is hardly an opportune time to discuss a change in compensation models. Billable hours have been the standard way of doing things since the 1970s. Assessing a campaign’s value is much harder.
Coke, however, thinks it can do just that. Its new model guarantees to cover advertising agencies’ costs, plus a bonus of up to 30%. The bonus depends on a number of metrics, including the agency’s overall performance, and the sales and market share of the products being advertised. Coke insists that its aim is not to cut costs but to inspire creativity and efficiency. Procter & Gamble, a consumer-goods giant which has also ditched hourly fees in favour of performance-related fees for 12 of its brands, says the same thing.
Coca Cola
What is it worth?
Although the recession may give companies an immediate reason to reassess how they pay their advertising agencies, it is not the sole impetus for the switch.
Discussions about finding better ways to reward agencies for their creativity have been going on for years. The American Association of Advertising Agencies estimates that about 10% of compensation agreements are value-based. Coke’s announcement of its new approach will probably spur other firms to follow suit, and Coke has said that it wants its model to become the standard for the industry.
The shift away from the billable hour, however, may take a while. Some agency executives are sceptical about being paid for value, because it is so subjective. They interpret talk about value as code for cost-cutting. Jeff Goodby, co-founder of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, an advertising agency, dislikes the fact that Coke’s new policy guarantees only recouped costs. If he is going to take on a project in which he assumes risk by not knowing his profit margin in advance, “There has to be a big pot at the end of that rainbow,” he says.
But some advertising agencies have voluntarily moved away from billing by the hour and towards contracts that reward value. Jeff Hicks, chief executive of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, says this approach has helped his agency work more closely with clients by aligning the agency’s compensation and the advertiser’s profitability. Others, sensing the limitation of being paid by the hour, are trying to develop new ways to capture the value their work can create. For example, BBH recently launched a unit, called Zag, which designs and markets its own products, such as ready-made foods.
Advertising is not the only industry where there is discussion about whether to pay for time or results. Some accounting, consulting and law firms are also scrapping the billable hour, often at the request of their clients. Ron Baker, author of “Pricing on Purpose”, a book on pricing strategies, thinks service agencies need to grasp that they sell ideas, not time, and that ideas should be generously compensated. Imagine, he says, if J.K. Rowling had been paid by the hour to write about Harry Potter.
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