Everyone wants to talk about social media. But very few marketers or brands understand their digital or social media landscape or the importance of influencers.

That’s why, on a beautiful sunny winters afternoon I spent time looking for emerging digital influencers in and around Newcastle.

Picture by freefotouk

I didn’t look for influencers on social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook. That would take to long. I just stuck to people writing about their experiences of products, services and brands on blogs. I also included local brands that are embracing blogging as a method of connecting with customers.

So, welcome to ‘The Git’s Incomplete Guide to Newcastle’s New Influencers.’

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Has the City of Melbourne been taken to the cleaners paying $250,000 for a new corporate identity, or is the Premier of NSW Nathan Rees a tight arse paying a measly $4,600 for a new state logo?

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Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the new logo reflected a modern, vibrant, cool sophistication, intellectual, creative and urbane city. Does it? For me, it looks like it was inspired by Melbourne’s controversial ‘Love or Hate’ Federation Square.

However, across the border in NSW, our much maligned premier is defending himself against critics for spending only $4,600 on a new State logo. A logo some people are saying looks like a lotus flower rather than a waratah.

In my book, a city’s or a state’s brand imagery has to designed for longevity. It has to collect positive associations in the minds of people. What should not happen is change for change sake, redesigned to satisfy a new mayor or premier or a change of Government or marketing manager or a drop in tourism. That is just wasting money.

What do you think of the new logos? Is Melbourne’s new logo a very expensive folly? Or is the NSW Government just a tight arse?

While most TV network executives were contemplating slashing their wrists with the news that Ad revenue was down $300m for the financial year 2007-08. The people at Channel Ten’s regional office in Newcastle were all dancing in the street with last weeks local TV ratings.

The following is a small snippet of an email I received from our local Channel Ten rep:

The ratings win continues for Ten, coming in 1st across all key demographics w/c 12/7 even up against State of Origin.

Here is a summery of the week:

• Ten was Number 1, People 16-39, beating NBN in 2nd by 7.1% & smashing Prime in a distant 3rd by 25.2%
• Ten was Number 1, People 16-54, beating NBN in 2nd by a minimal 0.2%, Prime came in 3rd by 16.5%
• Ten was Number 1, People 18-49, beating NBN in 2nd by 5.1% & Prime again came in a distant 3rd by 19.7%
• Ten was Number 1, People 25-39, beating NBN in 2nd by 12.4% & Prime in 3rd by a massive 27.7%
• Ten was Number 1, People 25-54, beating NBN in 2nd by 1.1% & Prime came in 3rd by 16%
• Ten had 12 of the Top 20 Programs for People 16-39, NBN had 7, Prime only had 1
• Ten had 11 of the Top 20 Programs for People 25-39, NBN had 8, Prime only had 1
• Ten had 9 of the Top 20 Programs for People 16-39, NBN had 9, Prime only had 2
• Ten beat State of Origin with the Top 2 shows in 16-39, 25-39, 25-54 (amongst other demographics)

How long will it last? And what will Channel Nine & Seven do?

The Australia Marketing Institute has at last scheduled another event for the unloved marketer’s of Newcastle. Two events a year is not enough!

The ‘Strategic Perspective’ seminar brings together three speakers to present on differing aspects of strategic marketing. An artform that in my opinion is somewhat forgotten by many companies wrongly mistaking operational excellence and marketing tactics with strategic marketing.

I don’t want to give this event the marketing kiss of death, but I do hope these speakers don’t make the same mistake. I can’t wait to find out.

Al Ries and Jack Trout once made the point, “Strategy should evolve out of the mud of the marketplace, not in the antiseptic environment of an ivory tower.” I would like to make the same point to the AMI.

The Strategic Perspective seminar is planned for Tuesday 25 August 2009

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It staggers me the amount of business professionals that think of marketing only as selling and advertising. Then again, no wonder – every day we are inundated with people telling us how to market our business via television programs, newspapers, books, magazines, blogs, podcasts and sales calls. Someone is always trying to sell us the next big marketing fix.

It seems the marketing profession is dominated not by marketers, but with very loud advertising & pr people, graphic & web designers, copywriters, salespeople, tv & radio presenters, journalists, life & business coaches  and the scariest group, cardigan wearing accountants.

Therefore, it may be a surprised to these people that selling and advertising are only the tip of the marketing iceberg. Although these functions of marketing are important, they are only two of numerous other marketing functions and they are generally not the most important ones.

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I don’t want to give the boys at Newism the marketing kiss of death, but their latest web site is brilliant.

Newism partnered with the Email Standards Project and Campaign Monitor to develop & launch Fixoutlook.org project. An online project dedicated to sending a message to Microsoft over Outlook 2010’s poor display capabilities.

Since its launch, the Fixoutlook.org message has been picked up by a number of global media agencies & tech sites such as pcmag.com Reuters PC World ZD Net UK. At one point it was the leading Trend Topic on Twitter.

Microsoft quickly got the message forcing them to publish a response defending position.

I’m a big fan of any Newcastle based company causing trouble on the world stage – I love it! It’s a job well done, but don’t just believe me, visit Fixoutlook.org.

I’VE TALKED about it. I’ve read articles about it. I’ve even quoted from it. But now, I’ve read it. And guess what? Chris Anderson has written an astonishing book which explores the future of business. He has truly opened my eyes to the possibilities & opportunities of niche markets.

Chris Anderson excellent book explains how businesses which have mainly a digitally driven distribution and inventory business model can generate healthy profits out of selling small volumes of hard to find things to lots of people i.e. Amazon & iTunes. Rather than selling large volumes of a reduced number of popular items i.e. Wal-Mart.

Like Al Ries & Jack Trout’s book Positioning, I believe the The Long Tail is an important piece of marketing philosophy that belongs in the lecture theatre’s of our Universities. 

If taught well & if you throw in a few pictures, even accountants and lawyers may overtime get to understand these principles.

TWITTER is one of my favourite business tools.

Yes, not only do I talk CRAP over Twitter, but it allows me to network, train, research, promote our agency, build our reputation, manage some clients, conduct internal communications and monitor competitors. And make some bloody good friends.

However, it’s a lonely place for beginners. Especially those companies and people not totally committed or don’t understand social media. It’s a case of just do it!!!

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Unless you believe in ‘Intelligent Design’ you must agree the traditional printed newspaper industry is in trouble.  Some say its because of the current economic downturn, some people will say its consumers changing media consumption habits, it doesn’t really matter.

The real problem is that some journalists, media outlets and advertisers are ignoring the fact consumers and the media industry is changing.

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Even if our local media doesn’t notice or just plainly ignores, Newcastle has a thriving urban micro-blogging scene happening on Twitter.

It may not be as large as Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane micro-blogging communities or have lots of well organised Twitter events, but we have enthusiasm and a growing influence.

This is why I have decided to recognise our local secene with the formation of the ‘Most Influential Newcastle Twitterer’s’ list.

I hope to publish it every month.

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