I’m the resident Miss Media here at Current and I love it!  I enjoy planning, love buying and get giddy about seeing the results of a campaign.  In addition, I’m also the resident Bracketologist™ on staff.  I love college hoops and can answer any question from why T-Will wears a shooting sleeve to if Brad Stevens should really sign a 12-year contract extension.

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in the Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic and act as a host to the players and their families while they were in town.  I work with our guests to make travel arrangements, provide transportation and make sure they have the best time possible while they enjoy all of the festivities in Louisville.

Aside from the good folks in Account Service, I’m not sure that many of us get to the opportunity to see the final product of what we all have worked so hard to produce.  That’s a big reason why this particular event is such an exciting and unique experience for me.

On the agency side, we kick off the creative by determining the overall annual theme for the festival.  While I’m not involved in that process, I’m always so excited to see what our team is able to come up with.  At the same time, I am working on media planning and buying.  Everything is usually finalized in the month leading up to the event, except for the event program which isn’t finalized until all of the participants have arrived safely in Louisville and been photographed for the program.

On the event side, I help to ensure that everything runs smoothly, including rescheduling missed flights and retrieving shoes that have been left behind at the hotel.  If there are any last minute cancellations that may affect any of our media or printed pieces, I call back to the agency to give everyone a heads up.

Most of my work is complete by the time the game tips-off on Saturday evening.  It is such a refreshing feeling to be at the game and look up at the 10,000 or so fans and realize all of the effort that it took from so many people to make this event, or any event for that matter, happen.  It is such a thrill at the end of an event to see everything come together, from design, to player contracts, to media placement, to crowd control and I am honored every year to play a small role in such a success!

Earlier this month within the span of 24 hours, I heard two things that when taken together, create a snapshot of the changing behaviors in the way we search for information.

First, I heard someone ask for a phone book so that she could look up a phone number.  I remember thinking at the time, “why don’t you just Google for that?” but went on about my business as my advice had not be requested.  It’s been so long since I used a phone book to look up a number, I honestly can’t remember the last time I held one in my hands or even saw one, for that matter.

Later I heard a report that AT&T Kentucky will end distribution of its White Pages directory to every customer in Jefferson and Oldham counties.  (The directory will be available upon request.)  I guess the number of people using the online White Pages directory, Google, or other online source finally tipped the scale and it no longer makes sense to print a directory that will sit in a drawer for a year or be thrown immediately in the recycling bin.  I can’t help but wonder how long it will take AT&T to stop publishing the White Pages completely.

The same report noted that AT&T will continue to publish and distribute the Yellow Pages directory, but really, how much longer will this even be necessary?  Some differences in search behavior are purely generational.  So when today’s youngsters grow to adulthood, will they even know what a phone book is, or used to be?

Dilemma: You wish to reap the benefits of a strong personal social media presence but solely use Facebook. You’ve tried Twitter and it isn’t your thing. You’ve considered a blog but aren’t sold on it yet. What should you do?

First, understand that Twitter isn’t right for everyone. The 140 character limit can be intimidating, even to the most highly trained communicators. Just ask White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. This past weekend, Gibbs was quoted as saying to CNN, “It takes an amazing amount of discipline to write out all of what you want to say in 140 characters or less. If you ever watch me do it, it takes me a few minutes to sort of edit even myself down.”

So the next obvious choice is a personal blog, right? Um, think twice about that one, bucko. Blogging is also not right for everyone and keeping up with a blog can strike fear in even the most ambitious of hearts. And rightly so! A personal blog takes discipline and a true time commitment. Start with caution and ask yourself questions about your lifestyle and blogging goals. Your blog could quickly fizzle out if you lead a busy lifestyle, enjoy a decent amount of personal downtime or have a procrastinator’s streak. But that doesn’t mean you should totally give up on blogging. Instead, get to know a microblog.

I’m talking about what I consider to be true microblogs, i.e. not Twitter. Tumblr and Posterous are the two leading services. The easiest way to understand Tumblr and Posterous? Half Twitter, half full blog. The “if they mated” of the blogging world. Posting is effortless and the format encourages short entries. Depending on the service, you can text, email or use an iPhone app to post. There is multi-media, and lots of it. Which is great because most average users find that it’s easier to post multi-media than to write a post. The result is that they post more frequently and become more active in the space. I’m a big fan of Tumblr because of its iPhone app but check both out if microblogging seems interesting to you. Or maybe there is another service that’s more appealing. Either way, before you jump to blog, decide what will work best for YOU!

It’s 7:14 am on Wednesday morning, and I promised I’d have a blog written before our daily “Jolt®” meeting (8:43 am, thank you very much!).

It was decided yesterday in our internal PR meeting.  Seems our agency tome, “Undercurrent” has been starved of content lately.  We’re screaming busy here, growing like crazy, and running hard to guide our clients through the media landslide spawned by all things digital.

So it’s easy to see why the lowly “blog” gets put off.

Yet, a major reason we’ve been so blessed with this rainstorm of new business is precisely because we ventured into blogs and other forms of “social dialogue” in the past few years.  It’s how we’ve learned...by “operating on ourselves” as I like to say.

It has set us apart from our “legacy media” peers and given us a unique advantage in attracting new business.  To neglect this “golden goose” now--because it has been so successful we no longer have time to maintain it--would be the equivalent of surrendering while winning.

So today we embark on a new initiative.  Over the next weeks and months, you will hear  the voice of every member of CurrentMarketing, offering observations of our times and our industry from each unique perspective.

One thing my dad taught me about leadership was to “never give an order you wouldn’t follow”...so here I am.

It’s 7:35.  And I’ve done my part.

Blog On!

Brilliant. That pretty much describes my experience thus far at South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi).

Clearly I’m wearing the newbie badge when I say it but I can’t help but feel the brilliant juice pumping at the heart of SXSW. I know it’s hokey. I know it sounds like I’m shooting off unicorns and rainbows. But SXSWi is a festival for the mind. How can it not be? It’s the convergence of some of the world’s most creative innovators, thinkers, wannabes and doers. A massive meet-up in Austin to hype-up certain technologies and dissect the next big thing. While the nerds aren’t saving the world, they sure in the heck are shaping it. For me personally, it has sparked new ideas and ignited different ways of creative thinking. Simply put, SXSW has been inspiring.

And now I’m done with the unicorns and rainbows portion of thoughts on SXSW. Stay tuned for the next few posts which will actually share some real thinking from sessions and conversations. (Did I mention that attending SXSW results in severe lack of sleep too?)

Growing up in New Orleans, I would often hear the phrase “Where ya at?” Chalk it up to that southern gumbo dialect of NOLA, but elsewhere in America the question would be “Where are you?” So I have a question for Super Bowl advertisers in the social media space, where WERE you?  With all the talk of how brands were going to leverage social media with their Super Bowl advertising, they were noticeably absent. Excuse me, not even present. As a result, my approach to this analysis turned out to be a little different than expected.

So one month later, here is my analysis of advertiser’s (lack of) social media presence during the 2010 Super Bowl. And before you get all jumpy about this being a month late to the after-party, there is good cause for my delay. But you’ll learn about that as you read on.

Prior to the telecast, several traditional Super Bowl advertisers put considerable effort into their social spaces. Doritos unveiled their “Change the Game” tab on Facebook that linked to their Madden NFL promotion web site. Coca-Cola teamed up with Facebook to distribute themed virtual gifts and preview its commercials to its fans. Hyundai aired their spots in a custom “The Big Game” tab on Facebook. During the game, some brands such as eTrade (@etradebaby) tweeted about their upcoming commercials. There were a few others, but not a peep was made about any brand’s social media efforts during the actual commercials. So for the average game watcher (remember old Tad?), there was no call to action or push to the social sphere.

In an effort to analyze the lack of participation, I broke down the Facebook and Twitter accounts of four different companies with some link to #SB44: Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Doritos and Focus On The Family. Why these accounts? Coca-Cola touted super bowl themed social marketing prior to the game, Pepsi promoted its now-famous lack of Super Bowl 2010 advertising, Doritos achieved some of the biggest buzz for its spots and Focus On The Family was new to the Super Bowl advertising bonanza.

Growth numbers were charted for one month. With social media, it’s not about the initial jump in fans/followers, it’s about keeping and engaging the consumers over time. So instead of giving you some fancy stats right after the big show, here is how these accounts panned out over roughly 30 days, along with some conclusions.

Coca-Cola (@CocaCola)
Before: Fans 4,856,957; Followers 16,079
After: Fans 5,156,602; Followers 17,855
Increase: Facebook 6%, Twitter  11%
Coke touted Super Bowl themed social marketing prior to the game and had zero social media tie-ins with spots that aired during the game. For a big brand such as Coca-Cola, why not go out on the limb? Air a single spot with an interesting reference to the company's social media presence and build some more brand fanatics. Or establish another account with a different promotion strategy and target a specific audience segment. See where it takes you in the long run. After all, there is unthinkable potential for long-term captive interaction with the consumers living in these social spaces.

The Pepsi Refresh Project (@Pepsi)
Before: Fans 374,099; Followers 17,710
After: Fans 605,983, Followers 21,148
Increase: Facebook 62%, Twitter 19%
Pepsi did not advertise at all during the game and instead used the money for a cause-related digital marketing initiative that included a major presence on Facebook. While they missed out on the largest audience in TV history, Pepsi’s Facebook account more than doubled in size. Sure that’s meager numbers in comparison, but Pepsi is a mega brand and it’s doubtful whether a few million-dollar commercials would have sold more soda. But with this Refresh project, the brand is giving back to many communities and building countless brand ambassadors at the same time.

Doritos (@DoritosUSA)
Before: Fans 764,277; Followers 756
After: Fans 792, 442; Followers 974
Increase: Facebook 4%, Twitter 29%
Doritos unveiled a NFL/EA Sports promotion and football themed social marketing prior to the game. There were zero social media tie-ins during the game. Doritos experienced meager growth within their established social spaces after the game but interestingly enough, several unofficial Facebook Fan Pages sprung up around their most popular Super Bowl commercial. “Keep Yo Hands Off My MAMA and My DORITOS!!” (869,621) and “Keep Your Hands Off My MAMA and My DORITOS!!” (631,463) fan numbers surpass and nearly equal Doritos’ own fan page audience. Lesson? Get there first, think beyond the standard brand strategy and a social presence can take on many forms.

Focus On The Family (@FocusPRTeam)
Before: Fans 17,303; Followers 402
After: Fans 24,782; Followers 497
Increase: Facebook 43%, Twitter 24%
Prior to the game, Focus On The Family had a few Facebook Fan Page status updates about their yet-to-air commercial. There were zero social media tie-ins with spots that aired during the game. For lesser-known brands such as Focus On The Family, this could have been an opportunity to get major bang for their buck. After the game there was a significant increase in their Facebook account numbers, but potential for much more. And for an organization on a tight long-term budget, social media marketing could prove to be especially beneficial in the future.

While social media is not the be all and end all in the future of advertising, it is a rapidly growing sector of the marketing mix. Brands need to understand social media as a key element in brand building and awareness. It’s a place to further engage with consumers, in a place where their consumers are already talking. The opportunities are yet to be fully realized, but organizations won’t get very far without taking some initial big steps.

What do Betty White, Abe Vigoda and Jim McMahon have in common?
They're all at least 25 years past their prime? Yes.
My mom would love to meet all of them? Yes.
They're all eligible for the senior citizens discount at McDonald's? Yes.
They've still got it? Definitely.

Quick recap of my self-imposed rules for Hyper-Bole:
- Not gonna review movie trailers.
- Not gonna review CBS promos.
- Not gonna touch the Tebow spot.
I can't guarantee the rest of my fellow Hyper-Bole bloggers will adhere to this stipulations. Just putting you on notice there.

Now that we've got that unpleasantness out of the way...my section of Hyper-Bole is gonna be short because the 1st quarter wasn't much to behold.

There are only two ways advertising can move me: humor or tears. Tell me a story that elicits either response and I'll at least take a hard look at the product. That being said, only 4 of the 24 ads in the first quarter deserve recognition:

1. Snickers: You can't pick up a bat and beat a pick-up football game with Rose Nyland and Tessio. I'm allergic to peanuts and I almost sent my husband out for a Snickers for me.
2. Boost Mobile: As a child of the 70s and 80s, I assume this spot is targeted at me. Bullseye. Only one issue - didn't see Refrigerator Perry. Ditka and his 'stache compensated well.
3. Doritos: The majority of the Doritos ads (and there were plenty of them) didn't impress me. I get it - they're addictive. But, the spot with the kid and his mom's blind date hurt my side. Maybe it's a gall bladder or acid reflux problem, but I pretty much tasted Dorito's after that spot.
4. Bridgestone Tires: Humorous payoff - bachelor party. Tearful payoff - saving the whales. Consider that a touchdown and extra point, rolled into one.

Honorable Mentions: Simpsons Coca-Cola spot and Bud Light T-Pain Autotone spot (only because I love the autotone effect)

Honorable Let's-Not-Ever-Speak-Of-Them-Agains: GoDaddy (Note to GoDaddy - there ARE women who handle tech too), Monster.com's animatronic beavers and Doritos' funeral spot

The latter part of 2009 marked a time of massive growth for marketing within the social media space, so it should come as no surprise that advertisers are revving up their social skills when it comes to the grandaddy of all things advertising, 2010’s Super Bowl. Even the NFL has gotten in on the action with #SB44, the official NFL hashtag of Super Bowl 44.

Leading up to #SB44, there has been quite a lot of online buzz about the brands who are going the social media route this year - Pepsi, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Monster etc. But to be quite honest, the people who are buzzing about this topic are the same social media nerds who buzz about social media all year long (myself included).

I’m anxious to see if the brands will make any significant impact in their social media spaces beyond the nerds. And since the Super Bowl is really about mass appeal and making an impression on such a large scale, I’m going to study the social media side of Super Bowl advertising from a casual user's perspective. This means that I’m not going to over analyze what the big brands are doing before Super Bowl Sunday - not for this case study, anyway.

I’m thinking about my cousin Tad in Tulsa who enjoys watching the Super Bowl for the game and, yeah, a little for the commercials too. He has a Facebook page and has fanned a few official pages, but he’s not out there hunting down his favorite brands. On a whim he set up a Twitter account but he’s only tweeted “Trying to figure this thing out” and “Haha, did you guys see that video?” Tad is definitely not sitting at home trying to see who’s doing what today in prep for their Super Bowl advertising.

So to understand the effect of any impact, I need to do a little Saturday digital sleuthing before #SB44. Consider it a social media nerd’s version of pre-gaming. I’m going to look at the heavy hitters and take note of Facebook Fan counts and Twitter followers and search results. And whatever else I might stumble or digg or delicious upon.

On #SB44 Sunday, in between making a roux for my gumbo and painting my face black & gold, I will casually monitor the social media shout-outs from television. I’m not going to seek out, rather I’ll see what comes my way. The goal will be to keep my head in the game from Tad’s perspective. I want to see if I feel compelled to seek out social media in addition to traditional advertising. I think that will be the best approach to determine if social media marketing will make an impression on the average American.

Then next week, once all of the turf has settled, we’ll meet again to hash over the hashtags and follow up on the followers. I’ll bring my numbers, you can bring your comments and together we’ll see if social media made any impact on #SB44’s advertising prowess.

Oh, and #WHODAT!

I don’t know about you, but I go to an awful lot of vendor presentations (media representatives, research companies, online service providers, application developers). Sitting through as many presentations as I do, I’ve come to see some commonalities among them. Namely:

• The presenter often knows nothing about our business needs coming in the door.
• The presenter frequently doesn’t understand that we work under a billable hour structure — and that taking 1.5 hours of 3 people's time costs us a lot of money.
• The presenter generally doesn’t leave anything useful behind.
• The powerpoint/keynote is rarely interesting (mostly, way too many bullet points).

This is not necessarily to fault these vendors (though I am). However going through the exercise of cataloging these failings has made me realize the extent to which most people take presentations for granted. It’s helped me improve my own presentation skills, and has helped underscore for me one of the key truths about the presentation: that it’s a precious opportunity, but one that’s almost always, unfortunately, wasted.

By doing our prospects the courtesy of getting down to business rather than simply taking up their time, we increase our own chances of success while at the same time repaying them for a gift they’ve generously given.

Stay tuned for more on this important subject!

Jim Beatty spent the Thanksgiving holiday engaging in what his personal trainer calls "self hate behavior" by indulging in a balanced holiday diet of sweet potato casserole and Lifetime movies. He still found time to sop up some sweet internet marketing goodness, though!

His fave:

I'm a man, sure, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy thepioneerwoman.com! This site is perhaps the highest expression of the commercial blog concept. A semi-magazine in format, it seamlessly blends elegant design, great writing and knock-out photography with tasteful — even interesting! —advertising and promotion. For as long as it's been out there, I don't think anyone has equalled it for its sophistication. It's a gem and clearly takes a lot of hard work.