Interactive Marketing

Last week, we mentioned how mobile phones have made Internet even more relevant in our every day lives. Right now, we can already program and activate our TV and laundry machine (to name a couple) with the ease of a click; here's an example of potential new ways to connect in a future not so far away, where we'll still be able to check our e-mails first thing in the morning, while showering, cooking or simply opening the fridge. I think each interaction in this video presents us with the perfect opportunity to target customers in a more precise manner, and can make us reflect on why internet marketing strategies are such an important piece of the overall marketing mix. Think about your fridge not only reminding you that you're about to run out of milk, but showing you the latest offers from your favorite brand along with related information relevant to you.

CMOs are Strategic Interface

This recent study supports what I was saying in class on Wed. and the comment is highly apropos.http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/166263/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+social-media-marketing-daily+%28MediaPost.com:+social%29

Can you trust online reviews?

In today's New York Times, there is a front page article about manipulating the product rating system at Amazon.com.

Since I've converted to mostly online shopping because I like peer product reviews to affirm my purchase decisions, I find this news about Amazon’s rigged ratings to be most troubling.

While the article only covered one particular product, how do we know this isn't wide spread?

And even though Amazon immediately stopped this particular technique of offering rebates for positive reviews, how do we know there aren't other techniques that are presently manipulating reviews, techniques that have yet to be uncovered?

I believe Amazon now has a problem because one of the reasons I personally shop at an internet store over a brick and mortar store is the comfort of independent reviews, which guide and confirm my purchase, but now I can't look at online reviews without wondering if they’re corrupt.

What can Amazon do to restore my confidence?

Here is a link to the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/27/technology/for-2-a-star-a-retailer-gets-5-star-reviews.html?_r=1&hpw

Social Media in the Executive Suite

A number of you have already indicated special interest in social media marketing, which is hardly surprising. Getting top execs on board can be a difficult task, and we'll talk about it when we cover the chapter. This post has good advice and an ebook on Twitter for CEOS that might be helpful to some of you.

Super Bowl of Advertising

I know a lot of you don't share the glee of Boston fans that the Pats are in the Super Bowl. And I'm sure there are disappointed Ravens and 49ers fans in this particular audience.

However, I'd like to draw your attention to the advertising super bowl, which I personally think is even more fun.  This article helps to explain the Chevy ad (technically a promoted tweet, I think) at the top of my social media tool this morning.
Think about what's going on:

1. In terms of content that is driving Internet marketing
2. In terms of integrating across many online and offline channels.

And I'm sure there's more to come before the Super Bowl actually airs!

Of course there's more to come; here's more about the costs and nature of the audience.

Signing Onto the Class Site to Retrieve Course Materials

There are always a lot of questions about how to use the class site, so please read this carefully. The site is working properly as far as I can tell, so if you follow these instructions and you have problems, you need to contact IT help. The only common problem is passwords not working and IT can take care of that promptly.

So the instructions are:

View the class site
    At this point you will only see the "world viewable," that is the non-passworded pages

To sign in, hit the Login button, top right of the page

A login box will appear; enter the information given to you when you registered

If the login works, you will be taken to the class page, with 3rd Edition Chapters for Download and Assignment Dropboxs now showing.

I'll be adding other pages as the semester progresses, and they will generally be passworded. I tend to post things on an 'as needed' basis after I've talked about them in class to encourage you to focus on the current material.

And remember to contact IT right away if you can't get into the class site.

Happy reading!

Heading Toward First Class

I've posted Chapter 1; the PPT will be available toward the end of this week. Please note that YOU CANNOT SEE THE CHAPTERS FOR DOWNLOAD or any ASSIGNMENT DROPBOXES unless you are signed in. Please take time to download the chapter and read it closely before accessing the video lecture. I encourage downloading and printing the PPT for note-taking during the lecture.

Technically IT has 48 hours to post the lecture videos. They will usually be available on Thursday following the class. If you cannot access the video properly, PLEASE CONTACT IT HELP immediately. I can't help with the videos, nor, unfortunately can I assist with any of the administrative functions. I do maintain the Class page, but if something goes really wrong, I have to ask for IT help too.

As I was getting ready to make this post I ran across this article about cause-related marketing in AdAge. Chapter 1 ends with a brief case history of Charity:water, so this is relevant. Cause marketing will come up several times during the semester.