A Look Back: Top Content of 2012

We're about to step away from the keyboard for a bit here at the Digital Impact Blog to have an unmediated holiday season. I'm not sure that I agree that "Google [is] Making Us Stupid," but taking time away from normal activities has been shown repeatedly to increase creativity. Most recently, researchers at the University of Kansas and University of Utah tell us all to go take a hike.

In the meantime, December is the time for year end best-of lists and reflection. As our official "look back," here are our top 5 posts from 2012. Browse through and see what you may have missed during a busy year, and as always, let us know what you think!

Our number one most popular post in 2012 was the announcement of our webinar with Jeffrey Hayzlett,"Driving Change with Mobile Marketing Strategies." If you missed it, catch the recorded webinar here.

Also popular from our coverage of The Mobile Marketing Conference was "What's your Digital IQ?" featuring 5 digital brand predictions for 2012.

Rounding up the list are: a feature on Gilt Groupe, our "Community Manager Appreciation Day" post and the recap of our Mobile Marketing expert panel featuring Carrie Chitsey, CEO, 3Seventy, Joseph Cox, President, VMBC and Brent Drake, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Best Fit Mobile & Marketing.

What were your favorite posts from this year?

To submit guest posts or content ideas for 2013, you can contact me, Michelle LeBlanc, at meblanc@iirusa.com

Happy holidays from the Digital Impact Blog team!

Michelle LeBlanc is a Social Media Strategist at IIR USA with a specialization in marketing.

Next Week: Winning the Brand Share Battle - Complimentary Web Seminar

In association with TNS, The Institute for International Research invites you to join us for a one hour complimentary Web Seminar. This webinar is part of the 2012 Insights Webinar Series: Your resource for insights on the cutting edge.

Winning the Brand Share Battle
Tuesday, December 18, 2012, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (ET)
Presenter:
• Kirsten Zapiec, Senior Vice President, TNS

Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/3qpxf2cfysqj
Please mention priority code: MWJ0022BLOG

Traditional research methodologies are fundamentally flawed. The industry relies on incomplete models that fail to reflect what people actually do, and fail therefore to give marketers a true understanding of what is happening to their brands - where the growth opportunities lie and when a brand is at risk.

To provide marketers with clear direction for profitable brand growth, research must better reflect how people make decisions. It must acknowledge that human beings are often indecisive, inconsistent and their spending patterns shift constantly for many reasons.

Using real examples from a global TNS study, The Commitment Economy, Kirsten Zapiec, Senior Vice President at TNS, will show you how to identify the biggest growth opportunities for your brand. They will reveal the three main marketing levers that prevent companies from taking advantage of these growth opportunities - and the best ways to deal with each of them.

Register Now: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/3qpxf2cfysqj
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

This webinar is sponsored by: TNS

Nate Silver Shares His Insights into Reliable Forecasting & Data-Based Predictions

Last month, Nate Silver, Founder, FiveThirtyEight.com and Author, The Signal and The Noise,  made history as he used innovative analyses of political polling to predict the winner of the presidential election.

And now we welcome him to the speaker faculty of The Future of Consumer Intelligence.

As Nate has proven, it's not about looking to see what happened, it's about predicting what will happen in the future. It's about delivering foresight, not just insight. It's about connecting ideas to data to culture to the future of your business and this, is the real data revolution.

Nate Silver

Nate will share insights into data-based predictions that underpin a growing sector of critical fields, from political polling and hurricane watches to the stock market and even the war on terror.

That means it's important to ask - what kind of predictions can we trust? What methods do the most reliable forecasters use? What sorts of things can be predicted - and what can't? 

Nate will take us on a tour of modern prediction science, uncovering a surprising connection among humility, uncertainty and good results.

Win a Meet & Greet with Nate Silver

Register today and secure your spot to hear from Nate at The Future of Consumer Intelligence. Plus, the first 25 people to register will be invited to attend an exclusive meet and greet with Nate Silver!


Exclusive Early Bird Savings for The Future of Consumer Intelligence Event - Register by December 21st & Save $700 off the standard & onsite rate


The Future of Consumer Intelligence unites the industry's most forward-thinking leaders to share insights, tools and skills needed to translate behavioral information into business opportunity. Hear best practices from: FedEx, General Motors, Harrah's Entertainment, Intel, Logitech, Mastercard, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and more.

The Future of Consumer Intelligence 2013 is still in development - stay tuned in the next few weeks as we reveal the full agenda.

Registration Information: 

Thank you for your reading! Mention your DI Blog VIP Code FOCI13BLOG to receive 15% off the standard and onsite rate.

Online: http://bit.ly/W0l9qz 

Email: register@iirusa.com  

Phone: 888.670.8200

Why are businesses still hesitant to adopt mobile?

Last March at the Mobile Marketing Conference, we heard from leaders in a variety of industries; healthcare, travel, and retail to name a few. In June 2012, Mashable reported that the restaurant industry was leading in mobile adoption.

"DudaMobile [found that] restaurants and food services from pizzerias and bakeries to food trucks take 28% of the total percentage of small to medium-sized businesses that have a mobile-friendly site.

This category is far more advanced than other industries looking to reach out to smartphone users, including professional services such as locksmiths and attorneys (16%), health and wellness including spas and salons (10%), travel and tourism such as hotels (8%) and automobile/transportation (6%). Retailer was number six on the list (5%) for small to medium-sized businesses."

Given the frequently local nature of mobile search, it makes sense for restaurants to immediately see the benefit of mobile adoption. Yet these numbers still seem extremely low across the board given that "there are now more than 1 billion smartphones in use worldwide." Are companies not feeling the pressure to innovate on mobile?

This morning, in an article about the legality of cab-hailing apps like Uber, Daniel Sperling, a professor of civil engineering and environmental science and policy at the University of California, Davis, and director of its Institute of Transportation Studies was quoted as saying:

“Transportation has been one of the least innovative sectors in our society...When I look at these new mobility companies coming, where they’re using information and communication technology, at a very high level it’s long overdue and should be embraced with open arms.”

From my point of view, yes, it is long overdue, and not just amongst transportation, but across industries. So why is mobile adoption amongst businesses so slow in coming? We've seen time and again the value of mobile across industries: why are businesses still so hesitant to adopt mobile?

Vote in this poll to share your thoughts:




Michelle LeBlanc is a Social Media Strategist at IIR USA with a specialization in marketing. She may be reached at mleblanc@iirusa.com

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to Work – A Good Business Strategy?

As the world gets increasingly mobile new challenges are arising both for the marketing department, as well as throughout a business enterprise. 

Today, we're pleased to feature a guest post that explores the big BYOD question that is currently challenging employers. (If you'd like to submit a guest post to our blog, email Michelle LeBlanc at mleblanc [at] iirusa.com)

Image courtesy of shutterstock.com

The policy of Bring Your Own Device or BYOD has become a pressing issue on businesses and enterprises adopting mobile solutions for their operations; it’s a bit of a double-edged sword.

Adopting a BYOD work policy definitely has its merits. In an increasingly post-PC era people are becoming more and more reliant on their smartphones and tablets for their daily tasks and activities – work included. Allowing people to connect to the company network and do their jobs on their own devices introduces more channels for employees to be productive.

For companies with people doing fieldwork, it can be a means for a truly mobile and connected workforce without the need to spend for additional (expensive) hardware. On the other hand, BYOD can also lead to more distractions and the diversion of a worker’s attention away from doing the job at hand. There is, of course, the very real risk of these devices becoming tools to spread viruses, malware, or open security breaches and data theft on the company network.

So what is the attitude of companies towards BYOD these days?

According to the second annual Consumerization IT survey from InformationWeek Fifty-six percent of companies now consider themselves proactive or accepting of consumer technology. Here is an infographic that neatly summarizes their report:

Source: http://visual.ly/byod-enterprise

It’s a strategic solution moving at a rapid pace. Within the enterprise, employees now enjoy using their own personal devices in offices and executives look at how efficient the movement is with more productivity gains by the process. More companies are now encouraging employees to use their own devices for work-related tasks on a completely voluntary basis. This is shifting the enterprise management process that is traditionally based on IT developing devices and managing what devices workers use. Accordingly, major changes are necessary to prepare company IT departments and enterprise networks to support the arrival of BYOD, especially in enhancing the privacy and security of data.

However, this may pose as a challenge for tech support teams as they have to become more responsive and capable of handling a diverse range of mobile devices and operating systems that will surely be used on a BYOD model.

BYOD challenges aside, companies are still willing to go with the trend. It’s a very simple business strategy that delivers operational benefits. BYOD is for the benefit of employees and businesses alike. With its rampant growth, it’s set to increase its value accordingly.

With the consumerization of enterprise mobility, employees are now bringing their own devices to access company resources. It’s an inevitable revolution happening right now. Statistics reliably show how BYOD in enterprise is an effective strategy that can be overcome with the rapid development of technology we have today.

About The Author
Jimmy Wentz is a budding freelance tech writer, gadget and gaming enthusiast, and social media junkie. He writes regularly about O2 and the latest news in the tech, gaming, and the social media world.
Connect with Jimmy on Google+ and Twitter.

Only Hearing 50% of the Engines Roaring

Keeping consumers aware of a brand’s integrity is one of the primary reasons for the utilization of social media. One would assume that all well-adept brands would engage with the community that is online and on mobile devices to keep appearances up, however there currently exists certain brands or even certain industries that are still having trouble with the curve, kind of like Clint Eastwood's outdated method of directing one’s thoughts to a chair to get one’s opinions through to an audience, implying the methodology of using social media is obscured.

Comblu having just released its fourth annual study of various companies’ utilization of social media, "State of Online Branded Communities." The Digital Impact Blog has previously published their findings here of last year's study. With 15 industries, 92 brands, and 219 communities analyzed, Comblu's study helps to illuminate the business side of social media and how it is trending.

(Source: Comblu)

What is surprising is that while the Chrysler claimed the Automobile Industry was to make the world “hear the roars of our engines" in Clint Eastwood's Superbowl commercial, the auto industry only has a 50% social media integration proportion. Really only 50% of the roaring is being heard on the online social mediums, yet the auto industry is still not positioned as the worst industry not integrated with social media. The Insurance (Property & Casualty) Industry fared just as badly with a 50% social media integration proportion as well, but with the OTC Industry at 80% and the Pharmaceutical Industry at 60%, there definitely is room for improvement for certain brands to step up their game in the untapped online community.

Also, if you are wondering why the need for the antagonism to bash Clint Eastwood, it is really all in good fun without any serious discontentment. He just happened to correlate with the topic of having "Trouble with the Curve," the film title he most recently starred in with the predictable plot in which all strained relationships are eventually repaired. His trouble with the curve also extended to his not so long ago act of explicating his thoughts to a chair in the GOP convention and his connection with the auto industry by his participation in the Chrysler Superbowl ad. Coincidentally that same Chrysler ad ironically mentioned and implied how the auto industry itself is at halftime just as is its social media integration. I guess Clint does say things that are not too offsetting after all.

Trouble catching up with modernity? Not like Clint Eastwood! 
He's got a whole movie about it. (Source: The Washtenaw Voice)

So the lesson is not to be like Clint Eastwood (unless you are trying to promote an old-school, kind of gritty countenance for your brand) and try to keep ahead of the curve, especially in the online communities that are obviously being utilized by more and more people. Not everyone has the privilege of being Clint Eastwood, acting out a Hollywood-esque, narrative conclusion where everything eventually ends up alright. Businesses in an ever-changing environment of social media must at least keep themselves in the loop in order to stay relevant. So take a look at Comblu's "State of Online Branded Communities" here to familiarize yourself with what is happening with the trends of what businesses have done with social media before you end up confused and frustrated, not knowing what to do for your brand.

(Source: The Commercial Appeal)

Chester Wai is a New Media Intern at IIR USA with a specialization in Economics, Cinema, and Cultural Studies. He may be reached at Cwai@iirusa.com

Official Call for Presenters: Shopper Insights in Action 2013 Conference

INDUSTRY ALERT: OFFICIAL CALL FOR PRESENTERS

The Institute for International Research (IIR) is currently seeking corporate practitioner presenters for:

  The 13th Annual Shopper Insights in Action Conference 

July 15-17, 2013 

Swissotel - Chicago, IL 

Submit your proposal by email to rmcdonald@iirusa.com by Friday, November 16, 2012

Due to the high volume of submissions, we suggest you submit your proposal early and no later than Friday, November 16, 2012, to Rachel McDonald, Senior Conference Producer at rmcdonald@iirusa.com. Only proposals from brand and retail corporate practitioners will be considered, for all other submissions please see sponsorship section below.

In July 2012, more than 578 retailers, brands and thought-leaders rallied in Chicago for a Shopper Insights in Action Conference experience that exceeded expectations and raised the bar even higher for 2013.

  

 Shopper Insights in Action is THE annual event for best-in-class national brands and mega retailers. Staying true to its core, the emphasis is always on the ACTION, every presentation must illustrate both the research and what was done with the research, moving beyond theoretical to real-world stories.

CONTENT AREAS FOR 2013:
• Mobile, Social & Digital Shopper Initiatives
• Activating the Shopper Along the Journey to Purchase
• Virtual Shopping Case Studies
• Multi-Channel Strategies & Emerging Shopper Channels
• Trends, Technology & Strategies Impacting Retail Environments
• New Store Formats & Store Experience
• Strategies for Integrating eCommerce & Brick and Mortar with the Shopper
• Category Reinvention & Retail Leadership
• In-Store Activation Strategies
• How do you Make Brands Relevant to the Shopper
• Mobile Shopping Innovation • Measurement & ROI
• Big Data & Analytics
• Neuroscience Case Studies
• Best Practices for Loyalty Card Insights
• Shopper Segmentation Research
• Understanding the Mindset of the Always On Shopper
• Trends & Innovation Driving Shopper & Consumer Behavior
•  Category Growth Strategies
• Collaboration Methods between Manufacturers & Retailers
• Aligning Shopper Marketing & Category Management Initiatives
• Strengthening Retail Partnerships
• Collaboration Practices for Category Growth
• Developing Global Capabilities in Emerging Markets
• Innovation in Private Brand & Brand Identity
• Integrating Traditional Research Around Categories, Brands and Shopper Insights

We are also happy to consider topics not listed here that you feel would add value and be appropriate. Corporate Practitioner Speakers receive FREE admission to the conference as well as any pre-conference activity such as workshops or symposium (a $4,000 value).

Sponsorship & Exhibiting Opportunities
What if I am not a corporate practitioner (from a client-side company) but still would like to participate? More than 70% of our content will be delivered by corporate practitioners from retail and manufacturing. If you are a consultant or solutions provider and wish to be a part of the program, please contact Jon Saxe, Senior Business Development Manager at jsaxe@iirusa.com or 646-895-7467. We will customize opportunities to fit your needs from speaking, branding, networking and/or exhibiting.

 How to Submit For proper consideration, please include the following information with your proposal:
• Proposed speaker name, job title, and company name
• Complete speaker contact information - address, telephone and e-mail
• Short biography of speaker (50-75 words max)
• JPG headshot photo, minimum 300 dpi
• Title of presentation (one line, benefit oriented)
• Short summary of content to be delivered (no more than 75 words), followed by three bullet points of what audience members can expect to "take away" from the presentation

 Tips/Guidelines to Consider
• Sessions are 30-45 minutes in length, inclusive of time for Q&A
• Preference will be given to proposals that clearly illustrate the full insights to activation process
• Commercialism and self-promotion from the podium is strictly prohibited. Your presentation will be reviewed by a Content Review Board prior to the event and should you self-promote during the session, you will not be invited to return as a speaker.
• The conference audience consists of brand-side researchers, brand-side marketers, retailers and vendors responsible for gathering, translating and actioning shopper-focused insights. Your proposal must present what's new, hurdles to get there and how it can move the industry ahead.
• Travel and expenses are the responsibility of the speaker.
• If your proposal is accepted you agree that it has not and will not be presented at any other industry forum within one year. It is important that the content is fresh and not repurposed here or anywhere else. Due to the high volume of proposals we receive, not every submission is selected. We rely heavily on three components:
• Content matches interest of audience identified through research.
• Compelling topic that showcases something new and exciting. It must show how insights were leveraged to drive action/sales/loyalty.
• Speaker is able to provide details in the format of a case study or interactive session. This event is about sharing with members of your industry, so the speaker must be willing to showcase the "how-to" details.

Those selected will be notified no later than January 2013. Stay tuned for more details on the event website at www.ShopperInsightsEvent.com.

This Thursday! Best Practices in Mobile Research - Successes, Failures and Lessons Learned - Complimentary Web Seminar

In association with Confirmit, The Institute for International Research invites you to join us for a one hour complimentary Web Seminar. This webinar is part of the 2012 Insights Webinar Series: Your resource for insights on the cutting edge. Best Practices in Mobile Research - Successes, Failures and Lessons Learned Thursday, October 4, 2012, 1:00PM - 2:00PM ET

Presenter: Sean Conry, Vice President of Mobile Solutions, Confirmit


Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/llpgc7vbb1hj
Please mention your priority code: MWJ0025-BLOG

Webinar participants will gain a new appreciation for the mobile industry and its current and future role in fostering customer engagement. Global case studies will demonstrate the challenges and pitfalls of implementing a research methodology that relies on mobile solutions. More importantly, we will share the wonderfully deep insights and findings that can be delivered through a mobile implementation as part of your multi-channel strategy.

This webinar will share best practices, dispel myths and show how recently introduced features, such as GPS tracking, photo capture, video capture and playback, increase the depth of data in a meaningful and measurable way. We will help you identify the opportunities in mobile and overcome challenges in managing the mountains of unstructured data that you can now collect. Understand how insights captured via mobile will allow you to deliver even more value.

4 Transmedia Campaigns To Learn From

Recent research by Google amplified a message that we've all been circling around:

Go mobile or get ready to lose customers

But if there is one takeaway that really sank in after the Mobile Marketing Conference last March, it's that silo-ed is not the way to go. Your mobile marketing campaign needed to keep the mobile user in mind...but it should also integrate fully with all aspects of your marketing strategy.

Some brands already do this beautifully, employing "transmedia" approaches to tie consumers in across mobile, social channels, print or television and more. These are some of our favorites, each tailored to their ideal user:


For the thirsty TV viewer: What do we do while we watch TV? These days the answer may include "grab a snack" or "drink a beer," but it frequently also includes using at least one other screen, perhaps texting with friends or playing an online game. Enter Grolsch / Big Bold Grolsch


This campaign goes from a TV spot to an online interaction to SMS to a coupon code with directions to the nearest store. Employing compelling storytelling and a continuous stream of actions for the viewer, the path to purchase couldn't be clearer. Casual viewers are turned into purchases as they are engaged across multiple screens.

For the fanatic:
Your audience already exists and they will be online talking about your product, how do you guide or harness the energy of that conversation? Recent blockbusters Prometheus and The Hunger Games already had built in audiences via the Alien movies and The Hunger Games Trilogy respectively, but would they have been such box office gold if it weren't for their multidimensional campaigns?

From this viral faux-TED talk: to a hashtag campaign Prometheus employed a wide range of strategies to re-energize existing Ridley Scott fans and drive online buzz about the film prior to its release.

Similarly, The Hunger Games played a long game with its existing fans, drawing the community into an addictive online world. As this New York Times article notes:

"But the campaign’s centerpiece has been a phased, yearlong digital effort built around the content platforms cherished by young audiences: near-constant use of Facebook and Twitter, a YouTube channel, a Tumblr blog, iPhone games and live Yahoo streaming from the premiere."

For brands that have a history and existing fans, consider using a compelling content strategy across media to re-energize your base and fuel new interest.

For the Savvy Showroomer: Target made waves last May when it opted out of selling Amazon's Kindle tablets. The New York Times reported that:

"Target has been trying to figure out how to stop Amazon shoppers from visiting Target stores to check out products, and then buy them online from Amazon."

However, the retailer is taking steps beyond the exiling of the Kindle to encourage shoppers to visit the store and complete purchases on site. Most notably may perhaps be the Target partnership with Shopkick.

Shopkick delivers rewards to a consumer just for entering a store, but also encourages behavior such as pre-orders or product scans via mobile ads and tie-ins with social media or television actions (watching specific ads on The CW can now earn users "Kicks".) With elements of gamification and an eye towards price-sensitive consumers, the app partnership helps to keep purchasers in-store.

I see multimedia campaigns like this continuing to grow. Mobile is an increasingly big slice of the marketing funnel and we're excited to see more solutions that incorporate it as part of the bigger picture. What interesting strategies have you come across lately, or how could you apply these strategies to your brand?

Michelle LeBlanc is a Social Media Strategist at IIR USA with a specialization in marketing. She may be reached at mleblanc@iirusa.com

Friday Inspiration Break: The Power Of Social

We frequently write about the power of social media to carry marketing messages here on the blog, and it certainly is powerful for that purpose, but ultimately it is so much more than that, changing every faucet of our lives: from how we interact with brands to how we communicate with our politicians or even start a protest. This video, which I was forwarded from Open-Site.org nicely sums it up. Take a few minutes to get inspired this Friday:

"When Gil-Scott Heron wrote that "The revolution will not be televised" he was right. Instead, it will be youtubed, it will be statused, and it will be retweeted. Social networking sites reach more than 82% of the global population: 1.2 billion people"

Michelle LeBlanc is a Social Media Strategist at IIR USA with a specialization in marketing. She may be reached at mleblanc@iirusa.com

Best Practices in Mobile Research - Successes, Failures and Lessons Learned - Complimentary Web Seminar

In association with Confirmit, The Institute for International Research invites you to join us for a one hour complimentary Web Seminar. This webinar is part of the 2012 Insights Webinar Series: Your resource for insights on the cutting edge.

Best Practices in Mobile Research - Successes, Failures and Lessons Learned

Thursday, October 4, 2012, 1:00PM - 2:00PM ET

Presenter: Sean Conry, Vice President of Mobile Solutions, Confirmit


Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/llpgc7vbb1hj
Please mention your priority code: MWJ0025-BLOG

Webinar participants will gain a new appreciation for the mobile industry and its current and future role in fostering customer engagement. Global case studies will demonstrate the challenges and pitfalls of implementing a research methodology that relies on mobile solutions. More importantly, we will share the wonderfully deep insights and findings that can be delivered through a mobile implementation as part of your multi-channel strategy.

This webinar will share best practices, dispel myths and show how recently introduced features, such as GPS tracking, photo capture, video capture and playback, increase the depth of data in a meaningful and measurable way. We will help you identify the opportunities in mobile and overcome challenges in managing the mountains of unstructured data that you can now collect. Understand how insights captured via mobile will allow you to deliver even more value.

About Confirmit:
Confirmit offers the world's most secure, reliable and scalable solution for Voice of the Customer, Employee Engagement and Market Research programs. Businesses that use Confirmit deliver stronger customer experiences and drive positive word of mouth. In the last 3 years, over 500 million surveys have been completed through Web, telephone, SMS, mobile and paper.

About IIR: The Institute for International Research (IIR) is the world's largest conference company and has been the leader in the provision of business information for over 25 years. IIR produces over 5,000 events annually through its network of offices in over 35 countries.

President Barack Obama: Redditor?!

President Obama's "verification" that he was on Reddit. Note the Reddit insignia on the cover of his laptop. (Source: imgr)

While the last presidential election prompted the initial utilization of YouTube and Facebook to connect with voters, President Barack Obama decided to take another step toward Internet prominence this week by engaging in an AMA, or Ask Me Anything post “I am Barack Obama, President of the United States – AMA” in the popular forum-like website Reddit. Starting the post as PresidentObama, a feat in itself that that username has not been taken yet, Obama covered subjects in this Q&A session ranging from NASA, Internet freedom, the possibility of losing the presidential election, basketball, beer, funding for elections, post-college qualms, to Obama’s personal day-to-day time management. 

As President Obama stepped into the uncharted territory of Reddit – a medium not previously utilized by past presidential candidates – the Republican Party took the more conservative (pun-intended?) route to promote their ideals and direction in Tampa, Florida with the Republican National Convention. The current face of the GOP, Mitt Romney formally accepts the Republican presidential nominee center stage, in front of the more mainstream news media outlets. Obama, taking the alternative means of reaching out to voters, actually at-times overwhelmed the Reddit servers, "reddit is under heavy load right now, sorry. Try again in a few minutes," causing Obama’s AMA post content to load very slowly, but nonetheless proving that his presence on the Internet was a hit.

My Facebook feed, the source of how I discovered this commotion, was heavy on the “OMG” and “COOL” in reaction to Obama's interaction, signifying the shock my peers felt as the President was taking the time to answer questions that they could ask. Though Obama already has achieved his Internet notoriety through the widely-used Obama’s Not Bad Rage Face meme, his engagement with Redditors brings him to a higher level of relatabilty, just as PresidentObama ends his last comment in the AMA post in reference to his popularly-used Internet meme with: “By the way, if you want to know what I think about this whole reddit experience - NOT BAD!”

 

(Source: quickmeme)

Mitt Romney, meanwhile, has his own popular meme, although not as positive as he would hope compared to Obama. Meet Relatable Romney, giving his strongest efforts to relate to the common people’s current woes but alas due to his known wealth and assumed wealthy lifestyle, he fails to do so.

I guess we all feel the summer heat, right Mitt? (Source: Huffington Post)

Does this bring Obama to an advantageous point having tried to connect with a wide span of potential voters with a never-before-used medium, while Romney attends the GOP convention that makes note of Obama’s failures as a president? Will Obama’s entry to where the common Internet users interact prompt other elected officials, perhaps Relatable Romney, to boldly go deeper into the depths of the Internet in attempts to sway more voters, a more no-holds-barred environment – where censorship is almost non-existent? 

Chester Wai is a Social Media Intern at IIR USA with a specialization in Cultural Studies and Digital Arts. He may be reached at Cwai@iirusa.com

Going "Beyong Social Media Listening" - Webinar Recording

Recently we were pleased to present a webinar entitled "Driving Best-In-Class Customer Experience: Beyond Social Media Listening" in cooperation with EmPower Research, a Genpact company.

In this session, presenter Sagita Joshi explored customer experience through a social media lens. We learned more about the ways that Twitter "has become the help desk" with examples such as Lenovo and Best Buy's "Twelpforce" leading the way. Joshi presented a "win me, delight me, keep me" approach to social media customer experience building, with Empower finding that over time increased awareness of a brand on social media lead to up to 37% more first timers visiting a brand's page. To learn more, view a recording of the webinar here.

Are you using social media for customer experience?


About EmPower Research:
EmPower Research, a Genpact company (NYSE:G) provides integrated media and business research services. We help our clients understand stakeholder perception and needs, empowering them to service better. We use proprietary methodologies to listen and learn about conversations in the customer ecosystem, deriving real insights for active stakeholder engagement.
For more information, visit http://www.empowerresearch.com 

Michelle LeBlanc is a Social Media Strategist at IIR USA with a specialization in marketing. She may be reached at mleblanc@iirusa.com

Create the Future, Don’t Follow It

As summer is quickly drawing to an end the Shopper Insights in Action International team wanted to send a quick reminder of two Shopper events you don't want to miss!

Shopper Insights in Action International - Keynote Spotlight

America, Belgium and China: A Retail Marketing Perspective of Three Countries/Continents presented by Stephen Smith, Chief Marketing Officer, ASDA

The world is getting smaller by the day, habits and behaviours are converging, many brands are universal - yet every market is unique and proud. Stephen shares his experiences, thoughts and insights about the changing customer, the impact of country culture and the role and management of marketing across the world; having been a retail CMO in these three regions. See the Full Programme here. 

Stephen Smith 

ASDA is just one of the leading retailers represented at The International Shopper Insights in Action Event. You will also hear from: Arla Foods, Google, Danone Group, Migros, Nokia, Energizer, Kodak, Philips Consumer Lifestyle, Lego, McDonald's Europe, Newell Rubbermaid, Tiger Brands, Wrigley, Ominicom Media, Pepsico Europe, Metro Cash & Caryy and many more. To see the full speaker faculty and for more information visit our website.




Plus....Preview The 2012 Shopper Insights in Action International Event:

Join us for a Complimentary Webinar on 

THE ART OF SHOPPING: HOW WE SHOP & WHY WE BUY

Date:  Thursday, 16 August 2012
Time: 10:00 AM EDT
Subject: Join Siemon Scamell-Katz, a leading expert in shopper behaviour and David Roth, CEO of The Store - WPP, in a conversation to shed light on consumer and shopper habits and what prompts their behaviour.

In this free webinar, you'll learn:
• How the latest learnings from neuroscience illustrate the realities of decision-making
• How consumer and shopper insight can link together to create maximum impact at the point of purchase
• What retailing will look like in 2020, particularly how off and online will migrate
• The future for brands in that new world

This complimentary Webinar is an exclusive preview of Siemon Scamell-Katz' keynote address at the International Shopper Insights in Action Event, taking place on October 24-26, 2012, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Register for this Webinar here.

Register to attend the International Shopper Insights in Action Conference.

* Save £200 - Register by 31 August  2012

Online: www.shopperinsightseventintl.com
Call: +1.941.554.3500
Email: register@iirusa.com

Free Webinar: THE ART OF SHOPPING: HOW WE SHOP & WHY WE BUY

Join Siemon Scamell-Katz, a leading expert in shopper behaviour and David Roth, CEO of The Store - WPP, in a conversation to shed light on consumer and shopper habits and what prompts their behaviour.

Everybody IS a shopper—a fact no company can ignore.

From the result of 20 years of pioneering research, Siemon shares thoughts for using shopper understanding to create strategies for growth in developed and emerging markets. In his new book, The Art of Shopping: How we Shop and Why we Buy, Siemon examines how well we really KNOW the shopper, questions the formalized decision-making process, the role of the retailer and advertiser and gives some thought to the future of retail. In this free webinar, you'll learn:

• How the latest learnings from neuroscience illustrate the realities of decision-making
• How consumer and shopper insight can link together to create maximum impact at the point of purchase
• What retailing will look like in 2020, particularly how off and online will migrate
• The future for brands in that new world
Submit your questions in advance and invite your network to attend.
Hashtag: #WhyWeBuy

Date: Thu, Aug 16, 2012 
Time: 10:00 AM EDT 
Duration: 1 hour 
Host(s): International Shopper Insights in Action 

Presenter Information:

David Roth

David Roth: CEO, The Store - WPP

Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia 

www.wpp.com

Siemon Scamell-Katz: One of the world’s leading experts in consumer behaviour. His clients include Coca-Cola, Unilever, SABMiller, Procter & Gamble; Tesco, Asda, and feminine brands such as Neutrogena, Oil of Ulay, and luxury brand Christian Dior.

Siemon Scamell-Katz

In his late twenties, Siemon founded market research agency ID Magasin which he later sold to TNS, part of the WPP Group, and the world’s largest Custom Market Research agency. Today Simeon is Global Consulting Director at TNS Retail and Shopper. Always at the forefront of shopper behaviour analysis, he regularly speaks at international conferences offering cutting-edge insights into consumer habits and needs.

Please visit www.tnsglobal.com for more information.

This complimentary Webinar is an exclusive preview of Siemon Scamell-Katz' keynote address at the International Shopper Insights in Action Event, taking place on October 24-26, 2012, in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Visit www.ShopperInsightsIntl.com to learn more about the world's most trusted conference brand for activating research at retail. We hope to see you there!

News Roundup: iPhone Gossip, Olympic Tweeting and Social Media Listening

Next week we'll be tuning in for our free webinar "Driving Best-In-Class Customer Experience: Beyond Social Media Listening" and this week we've been eagerly reading all of the iPhone 5 rumors, so we figured it was time for a mobile and social news check-in.

On the social media listening front: this Forbes piece questions whether companies are listening at all on social channels saying "As the social channels become more of an ‘accepted’ method of communications between customers and Companies it seems that the latter is falling some way short (in general) when it comes to responses." Business2Community warns against this, citing the fact that "It’s important to monitor conversation about your brand so that if there is ever a problem, you can tackle it head-on." Similarly, eCommerce times suggests a possible positive outcome, saying "handling customer complaints well, in other words, can actually transform complaining customers into loyal ones."

But there is hope! Our TMMC featured company L'Oreal has announced that they are pursuing "real time monitoring of the buzz about the 27 brands in L'Oréal's portfolio from social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, as well as blogs and user or professional reviews."
Perhaps the biggest social media news lately? Olympics fans have been tweeting complaints about coverage of the London Games under the hashtag #NBCFail. The situation is discussed in this PBS News Hour piece:

Watch Viewers Express Disappointment with NBC's Olympics Coverage on PBS. See more from PBS NewsHour.

One takeaway quote:

"And for people to get angry that there's Twitter, spoilers on Twitter, well, for heaven's sakes, of course there are. These events are live. And they're news. And they're important. And I think NBC is doing a great disservice to itself and frankly embarrassing itself. Because it should come into the 21st century and show them live and then, if they want to package them beautifully for people for prime time, do that."

Meanwhile, we have seen some fun mobile developments surrounding the 2012 games, as part of their official Olympics sponsorship, Samsung has worked with the Holiday Inn in Stratford Westfield to provide special services to those on site. According to this post on Android Authority: "Samsung makes sure that your Galaxy S3 can be used as a hotel keycard during the Olympics. More than just unlocking door, guests who own the phone can also use their Galaxy S3 to control the room’s lighting, and as a hotel room phone extension."1to1media rounded up 5 mobile marketing best practices for the Olympics, writing

"As audiences turn to these emerging mediums to watch their favorite Olympics events, advertisers and marketers shouldn't miss out on this valuable opportunity to effectively leverage the mobile platforms to deliver targeted messaging and to drive consumers to their companies' websites." 

In related news, Mashable added to the pile of iPhone 5 rumors, asking "Is an iPhone 5 at the Olympics?"(Spoiler alert: The answer is no. But they do have some potential images of what it may look like.)

Elsewhere, in the mobile marketing world, our Mobile Marketing Conference partners at 3Seventy are presenting an upcoming webinar: The Rise of Mobile Marketing: An Expert Panel of Best Practices, Trends, Do's and Dont's, for those of you who missed the expert panel at the event, we highly suggest you join.

What mobile and social news have you come across lately?  Follow The Mobile Marketing conference on Twitter and Facebook for more mobile advertising news from us. 


Michelle LeBlanc is a Social Media Strategist at IIR USA with a specialization in marketing. She may be reached at mleblanc@iirusa.com

The 2012 International Shopper Insights In Action Event - Last Chance to Save £300!

Real innovation comes from uncovering real insights. Understanding needs, purchasing behaviour and changing lifestyles of your consumers is critical to being able to deliver on their future needs. It requires the collaboration of the entire customer team - from insights creators to marketing folks to category management leaders.

100% focused on the collaboration to drive the action, The International Shopper Insights in Action Event experience brings together the right mix of stories and experiences offering a diversity of expertise:

• Uniting more than 35 countries and 300 attendees to explore, debate and respond to the evolving shopper ecosystem
• Content you can count on by the leading minds in shopper research, marketing and category management
• The right mix of keynote speakers offer you the growth and diversity you need to power the next great phase of shopper-marketing excellence
• 100% all new business cases, never repurposed or repeated
• The right people - 70% of our attendees are from FMCGs and mega retailers

The only thing that rivals the Shopper Insights in Action 2012 visionary keynotes, thought provoking speakers and jam-packed agenda is the networking. It's where relationships are strengthened. See for yourself in this new and exclusive video below from The International Shopper Insights in Action event.

Download the programme to see the full speaker faculty and agenda details. Last Chance to Save £300 ends this week - Register by This Friday, August 3rd, 2012.

Register Today:

Online: www.shopperinsightsintl.com
Call: +1.941.554.3500
Email: register@iirusa.com

Complimentary Webinar: Driving Best-In-Class Customer Experience: Beyond Social Media Listening

In association with EmPower Research, a Genpact company, The Institute for International Research invites you to join us for a one hour complimentary Web Seminar:

Driving Best-In-Class Customer Experience: Beyond Social Media Listening
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
12:00PM - 1:00PM ET

Presenter:

• Sangita Joshi, Managing Partner, EmPower Research, a Genpact company

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://cc.readytalk.com/r/ivporydm5oxu
Please mention your priority code: MWY0001BL

Today the rise in customer participation in Social Media is pushing marketers and researchers to listen and learn from Social Media conversations. While numerous applications of Social Media research are taking shape, understanding customer experience through the new media is gaining tremendous mind-share.

Social Media provides an excellent platform to listen to customer concerns, criticisms, and feedback, and address issues through one-to-one engagement. Social Media listening helps brand managers and marketers in not only differentiating their service quality but also aligning them with customer expectations, thus, driving greater satisfaction and better experience. In this session, you learn how Social Media can provide holistic insights on the “voice of consumer”.

Participants will learn:
• Understanding and measuring customer experience through Social Media – the possibilities today
• Beyond listening- Tracking voice of the consumer across the relationship cycle
• Social engagement- The path to improving Net Promoter Score/Customer Satisfaction Index

Sangita Joshi is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of EmPower Research - a Genpact company. She has over 20 years of experience in research of which the last eight years have been at the executive level. At EmPower, Sangita leads social media research and delivery to global clients, and closely works with the innovation team to continuously evolve solutions that aid decision-making in a dynamic business environment. She regularly writes for leading industry publications and speaks on topics related to social media-led insights.

About EmPower Research:
EmPower Research, a Genpact company (NYSE:G) provides integrated media and business research services. We help our clients understand stakeholder perception and needs, empowering them to service better. We use proprietary methodologies to listen and learn about conversations in the customer ecosystem, deriving real insights for active stakeholder engagement.
For more information, visit http://www.empowerresearch.com

About IIR:
The Institute for International Research (IIR) is the world's largest conference company and has been the leader in the provision of business information for over 25 years. IIR produces over 5,000 events annually through its network of offices in over 35 countries.

The Mobile Marketing Conference Experience: In Your Own Words

It doesn't seem that long ago that we were off to Miami for the first meeting of The Mobile Marketing Conference. Yet here in Mobile Marketing Conference HQ, it's already time to start thinking about 2013.

As we began planning, chairperson Jeffrey Hayzlett had the following to say:

"I've been saying it for years; It's all about mobile, mobile, mobile. It was evident from TMMC '12 that mobile is now in full transformation. If brands are not already implementing it at the forefront of their marketing strategies, they are going get left behind."

Before we got too far ahead of ourselves we wanted to take a look at feedback from our 2012 attendees and speakers to see what stood out, and what needed to be expanded for 2013. Check out this quick video for a peek at The Mobile Marketing Conference experience and a wrap-up of our attendee's feedback:


Want to learn more? Visit our website to download the executive summary. Stay-tuned for more information about The Mobile Marketing Conference 2013!

If you are interested in speaking, please contact Rachel McDonald at rmcdonald@iirusa.com or 646.895.7405.

If you are interested in sponsoring, please contact David Smith at dsmith@iirusa.com or 646.616.7627.

Michelle LeBlanc is a Social Media Strategist at IIR USA with a specialization in marketing. She is the voice behind the Mobile Marketing Conference on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. She may be reached at mleblanc@iirusa.com