Posts Tagged ‘tools’
Poll: Will Facebook Places Kill Foursquare?
Thursday, August 19th, 2010SCVNGR: A New App That Hunts for Consumer Engagement Treasure
Monday, July 26th, 2010There is a cycle to all popular trends, regardless of industry. There are the first to market, either classics with staying power or fleeting successes, and then followers are guaranteed. Sometimes, these are cheap knock-offs, but other times, even better versions than the original. For instance, for all you basketball fans out there, the “Big 3” in the NBA originally consisted of Boston Celtics Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett, and the league is now led by LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade who have teamed up in South Beach for the Miami Heat. In the social media space, Friendster led to MySpace which was eventually followed and overpowered by Facebook.
The curve for social media trends seems to be shorter than in other industries, new apps are popping up daily. SCVNGR is a great example of this; the increasing popularity of FourSquare and other location based social apps led to its creation. According to its website, “SCVNGR is a game about doing challenges as places.” Much like FourSquare, you are able to check in at various locations using the app on your smart phone. However, with SCVNGR checking in is not enough, the experience is more interactive. With this new app, you can go to your favorite local spots to check-in and once you’re there, you will be prompted to complete different tasks or challenges to gain points. You may have to take a photo at a park, solve a riddle at a museum, scan a QR code at a theater, or do some other kind of adventurous activity. The points you earn for completed challenges are redeemable for bragging rights as well as unlocking badges and other features. Companies can create their own challenges or hunts as a cheeky way to involve adventurous consumers with their brand.
Recently, the New England Patriots tapped SCVNGR for a promotion to get fans excited about the upcoming football season. They have created their own “Trek” and compiled a list of themed challenges for fans to complete at various locations throughout New England, in order to help Patriot player Vince Wilfork find his “stolen” Super Bowl ring. The campaign has received much press for both the NFL organization and the application itself. Other SCVNGR adopters include major universities (such as Duke University and Princeton), city tourism councils (the City of Rochester and Boston are both users), and several museums throughout the country.
Marketers are just starting to jump on board the location-based social media app train, with good reason. The interactive nature of these applications lend themselves to promotions – put an incentive behind these behaviors and the usage rate will surely soar. FourSquare, Loopt, Gowalla and now SVCNGR are great new platforms to attract, engage and reward consumers and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
New FREE Download – Social Media Marketing Kit
Monday, June 7th, 2010Social media sites like Facebook & Twitter offer a platform for brands to directly connect with their consumers. While brands have begun to adopt this trend, many marketers are still wondering what really works in this space. We’ve put together a handy kit with tips and best practices to adhere to in order to get the most out of any social media campaign.
Learn how to get started, gain a following and continue to engage that following with Strobe’s Social Media Marketing Kit. This convenient download includes our Strategic Thinker’s Guide to Marketing through Social Media, our Strategic Thinker’s Guide to Achieving Promotion Objectives and tip sheets on how to run engagement campaigns on Facebook and Twitter. The advice in this packet will show you how to analyze and improve any current campaign, and is helpful whether you are a social media novice or a more advanced user.
Click here to download your FREE copy now!
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How to Run an Efficient Kitchen (or Promotion)
Thursday, April 29th, 2010Things can get dicey when working for a valued client and simultaneously dealing with several different agencies on their project, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m going against the cliché here, but I think sometimes having too many cooks in one kitchen isn’t a bad thing, as long as you all work together. With more creative minds, you can end up with a diversified menu that will appeal to any palette.
Working with other agencies doesn't have to be like an episode of Hell's Kitchen
Think of it this way, the client is the common priority, so keeping them in the loop is key, but making sure all chefs share their cookware is essential. So the first thing to do, after the initial introduction of all agencies, is to arrange a follow-up call with only the agencies. This allows all to speak freely and identify everyone’s individual responsibilities. This will serve to set the expectation among all the players. Second, come up with a strong promotion together, allowing each agency to utilize their expertise. Everyone has their own special ingredients to bring to the recipe and this is the time to share. Third, develop a timeline outlining all deliverables, like a sous chef staging the food preparation. Last, but most important, present the final recommendation to the client as a team. The best way to work well together is to act like you all work for the same company. (Essentially, at this point, you do!) And viola, you have your perfect entrée.
Every diner has their favorite food, and every chef brings something different to the table. When all the partnering agencies lend their particular spice to the recipe, it should result in a very tasty dish, baked to perfection and aimed at satisfying the client’s hunger for a successful campaign!
