If social media is all about conversations, community and collaboration – why can’t or why aren’t social media agencies freely jumping into bed with each other?

Shouldn’t we practice a full range of commercial activities in which other agencies and consultants may take part?

  What is Communication? 
  Originally uploaded by Delta Niner

I know its happening on the individual level (Age of Conversation), but not at the agency level.

If social media agencies are going to succeed, agencies will sooner or later have to bite the pillow and take collaborative approach to building this new industry.

Social media is not just marketing, it’s a whole new lifestyle…get my drift?

Without speaking to my employer Sticky Advertising, I’d like to hold my hand of friendship out to other social media agencies and practitioners of the dark art, so we can start a conversation, start to build strong links as a community and start collaborating.

Social media agencies I know include The Population, Fnucky, Blather Skiter, Hoodlum, Shifted Pixels, Additude, Zest Digital and Tick Yes.

Not forgetting social media thought leaders such as servant of chaos, Laurel Papworth, Acidlabs, Get Shouty, and Adspace Pioneer.

As a card carrying commercial carnivore, I feel collaborating at this level will open a feast of fresh ideas and opportunities that can be exploited.

In the quest for the new and unusual, I’d like to start walking on the wild side…working together, rather than the old agency model of egos and closed doors.

Let’s be true to social networking…

Only the brave apply!

  Bomb The Media. 
  Originally uploaded by Canis Major

This post is dedicated to Carlee Potter and SNOBS for making me get off my backside and write a follow-up to my last post.

I was advised to be diplomatic and be open-minded, but no matter how hard the organisers tried at ‘Ask the Media,’ I left shaking my head feeling pity for the people living and working in regional Australia.

Compared with America, Europe, Asia and Australia’s capital cities, we are stuck in the dark ages with old media acting like gatekeepers restricting our access to information.

What was promoted as an information seminar on how business could use local media…all we got was three salesman flogging TV, radio and print.

Yes…I admit that they did offer contact details of editors, but in the traditional media environment editors act as filters, dictating what gets airtime or printed and when. That’s called censorship.

Regional Australia deserves better!!!

The future of regional news is in the hands of entrepreneurs like Carlee Potter who recently launched a businesswomen’s online news site.

Traditional media offers regional business…sweet FA, except for the opportunity to buy ad space, unless you kiss arse or good mates with the editor.

I’d like to commend the Chamber organisers for making the media turn-up, but like that old saying “You can drag a horse to water, but you can’t make it. drink.”

And it wasn’t the Chambers fault that the projector didn’t work…some git broke in their offices and nicked their computer gear.

Next month, the Chamber’s special seminar is promoting another media gatekeeper…called Telstra.

I’d like to put it on record that Telstra is the biggest threat to regional Australia’s digital future…

Telstra’s motto should be “If its broken…don’t fix it”

Squared Circle Poster as Millifiori
Originally uploaded by cobalt123

Some great marketer or advertising guru once said “By the time we die, we will have spent an estimated one and a half years just watching TV commercials.”

Maybe my generation…but what about future generations?

TV Advertising is still king and yet, social media and the power of social networking is making huge inroads into the way brands are trying to communicate and influence us.

Like the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries that had a profound effect on agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation in Britain. Today’s social media revolution will have a profound effect on all industries not just advertising.

With this change, I’m seeing a serious social media knowledge gap in the workplace and a resistance to change by business/management – not forgeting our loveable politicians.

As an example of this GAP and resistance – eighteen months ago, I sat on a government advisory board that was set-up to help Regional Australian exporters. When the subject of the Internet was mentioned, I had a continual battle with other board members on the benefits of exporters using the Internet. I remember one senior board member stating that he exports and didn’t see the need to use the Internet…if he wanted to speak to a client, he’d just jump on a plane.

Read the rest of this entry »

Marketing guru and author Seth Godin recently wrote “Ignore the new gatekeeper at your peril.”

I think my local business chamber are just about to, by hosting an ‘Ask the Media’ seminar populated with only traditional mass media representative’s.

  old_tv 
  Originally uploaded by Gal Mor

No digital or social media representatives…only The Herald (paper), NBN Television (TV) and KO/NX FM (Radio).

Seth defined the old gatekeeper as big media channels such as TV and print newspapers, where poor old business people had to negotiate with columnists and bullying editors to get a mention and that was at long shot.

The new gatekeepers are a completely different animal…who was Seth talking about? The Blogger.

As an active member and supporter of the Hunter Business Chamber, I’d just like to inform them of a significant statistic:

“March 2008 marked one of the most significant turning points in the rapid evolution of Australia’s digital advertising industry. It was the month in which, for the first time, Australians began spending more time online than they did watching television”
AC Nielson

However, I do support the Hunter Business Chamber in its activities. So if you are in the area, please join me and some very old mass media gatekeepers for a laugh.

Read the rest of this entry »

  Spiekermann House Numbers 
  Originally uploaded by Stewf

Has the Australian Marketing Institute failed marketing metrics 101?

Let’s consider a few facts to weigh up the question.

In response to criticism from Australian Marketing Institute members, Australian Marketing Institute Chairman, Roger James published the following facts on Marketing Magazine’s website, dated 20th Jun 2008:

“In 1999 our membership was 3,400. Our membership is now over 6,000 and currently growing at over 14% net per annum.”

But a few months later, Australian Marketing Institute CEO Mark Crowe wrote in the Marketing Update newsletter:

“In the year to 30 June 2008 the Australian Marketing Institute has achieved a record 17.6% net increase in membership. This performance easily surpasses our previous record of 9%.”

“A large membership base (now at 6,800 members) provides the Institute with greater financial strength and increased authority to represent and promote the marketing profession.”

Hello…within 10 days the Australian Marketing Institute membership miraculously jumps up by over 12% and the annual growth rate grows from 14% to 17.6%.

I thought the Australian Marketing Institute was championing marketing metrics…these are simple marketing metrics and Mark and Roger can’t even agree on the official membership numbers.

Are you confused? I am…

Under the polished floors of the Australian Marketing Institute’s ivory tower, who’s telling the truth? Or has there been some creativity going on?

The plot thickens!

If you are looking to break in to the social media industry…where do you go?

Well that answer has been solved…solved by a new online job site called SocialMediaJobs.com.au and I’m proud to say that my blogging and twitter buddy, Gavin Heaton is the brains behind the whole idea.

Gavin has launched SocialMediaJobs.com.au to help job seekers and potential employers to find one another.

At present, the site is free for both employers and job seekers. Of course, this may change at some point in the future.

Gavin has asked for any ideas on how to improve his site. It’s well worth a visit!

Knowing Gavin and how there’s such a shortage of experience in the social media industry, I think the word will quickly get round and Gavin will have a big success on his hands.

SocialMediaJobs.com.au gets my vote!!!

  I Love NY More Than Ever 
  Originally uploaded by gooskimo

I’m a strong believer in the power of branding a city to attract investment, talented people, visitors and events and I’m a stronger believer in the power of social media to connect people and communities.

But, I’ve never heard of cities embracing social media or social networking strategies to build their brand.

I’m not saying it hasn’t happened before; it’s just that, I’ve never heard of any.

I see social networking as being the perfect tool for cities to connect, communicate and collaborate with people and communities at home and abroad.

Or am I just naïve?

Do Governments fear social networking openness? If true, is this fear built on a political culture of confrontation.

I don’t have any answers….but I would like to know?

  best headline ever 
  Originally uploaded by kerry!

A good online headline is like two girls kissing…you may not want to, but you will look.

A poor online headline is like two blokes kissing…no one minds, but few dare look.

My point, if people ignore your headline, then your online article or press release has little effect and you are wasting time and money.

According to advertising guru David Ogilvy, “On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.”

In today’s online revolution, I suspect that this figure has blow-out a little.

I have not seen any research on the subject, but I truly believe headlines are even more important now than they were in David Ogilvy’s time, as our reliance on RSS feeds, search engines, mash-ups and aggregators grows.

I am increasingly finding myself filtering online content by scanning headlines looking for certain keywords or a headline which promises me a key benefit or contains news.

Less browsing content…more filtering headlines.

Again, I’d like to quote David Ogilvy, “The headline is the ‘ticket on the meat.’ Use it to flag down readers who are prospects for the kind of product you are advertising.”

And as my demand for more digital and social media increases, the more I realise I’ve become an expert at filtering headlines and relying on keywords.

Online consumers have more choices than ever before.

I would like to ask you…what rules do you use when you compose your headline? Or do you have a favourite headline?

The Age Curve By: Kenneth W. Gronbach

Unlike some other book choices you may have made, you’ll never regret reading  Kenneth Gronbach’s book ‘The Age Curve’.

This thought-provoking book opens your eyes to the facts and opportunities of the prevailing demographical storm, it maybe an ancient marketing message, but he has explained in terms compressible to all marketers.

Now is the perfect time to read this book, retreat to the coast and prepare to indulge in a serious brand rethink.

Product Details

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: AMACOM (July 3, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0814401813
ISBN-13: 978-0814401811

The Marketer’s Star Rating: 4 Stars

  Coffee Pop Art 
  Originally uploaded by Paula Bird Parent

This morning’s weekly read of my favourite blogger’s has been affected by the bloody artificial father’s day.

Yes, I would like to make it clear that I love my kids, but it the gifts…this fathers day I received a ‘bucket and sponge’ for washing my car and a fishing kit.

I’m a lover, not a car hoon or fisherman. But, at least they love me…I think!

Anyway, my week was dominated by the B&T’s Digital Bootcamp and studying the reactions of company CEO’s when they are shown their Google rankings against the number of Google searches for industry related keywords.

Less of me and on to a good read:

• Michael Walsh has to be worth a visit; I found his 40 minute presentation on the future of digital media, at last weeks B&T Digital Bootcamp enlightening. This man knows his sh*t!
• Media Hunter got a huge amount for his post on the release of Google’s new web browser – Chrome
• Stephen Collins post ‘Enterprise 2.0 – Enabling change or part of the problem?’ has to be one of the longest I’ve read for a long time, but it hits the nail on the head and it’s worth 5 minutes of your life
• Servant of Chaos…as the people at Nike would say ‘Just Do It’