ME52-15: Getting a Handle on Tech Space

A cocktail mix of gaming and digital and now, Adam Ziccardi operates in a world where speed and adaptability are key attributes of any good marketer. With social graph and buzz words like global/local infiltrating the everyday workspace, Ziccardi believes it will take the art and science of marketing to remain on top of the tech-sphere.

Adam Ziccardi

Product Marketing Manager,

CBS Interactive

What sites do you have to visit every day for marketing news?

Ad Age Digital, Product Marketing blogs, but lately more and more friends and collegues will post links on Facebook or Twitter.

What sites do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?

Make Magazine blog, Hack-a-Day, Instructables--I'm by no means a hacker but I love to see what cool things people are doing with technology.

Greatest skill a good marketing professional requires?

The ability to balance creativity with analytical skills.

What's the recent "it" marketing phrase/trend of the moment that you hear almost every day and what does it mean for the industry and marketplace?

Social Graph--Marketers wainting to take advantage of the rise in "public" word-of-mouth interactions (Facebook, Twitter, Buzz) and weave their way into that conversation. It's a crowded marketpalce with a lot of noise but brands still want to message users in this space, whether it is appropriate or not.

There have been fads in the marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?

Global/Local--with technology moving as fast as it is, I think the buzz term Global/Local is becoming more and more a reality. Mobile advertsing by location is making its way into more aspects of everyday consumption.

What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your specialty?

You can't be closed-minded or have a negative attitude.

Can marketing ideas travel across continents, countries and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?

Haven't seen globalization work in display advertising.

Best piece of advice you've received professionally or personally?

Listen first, talk second.

Growing up what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?

Scuba diver who painted pictures of the ocean.

To tweet or not to tweet? Fad or here to stay?

I'm not a big Twitter contributor. I do find some value in following companies/brands that I like because of interesting news or offers they might send.

Is Marketing more of an art or more of a science?

Science when it comes down to execution, but I think the art lies in being able to look at the data with the right perspecitve to take advantage of it.

ME52-14: Unleashing the Power of "Match" in Non-Profit

Not-for-profits not only face the new challenge of a tough, tough economy but also the age-old challenge of matching resources available to those that require resources. Like any commercial operation, non-profits have customers, but beyond the 'clients' that require the services, there are also the 'donors' of the funds that have entirely separate needs and also need to be marketed to and addressed--and the area of expertise for Noelle Ito.


Noelle Ito
Director of Donor Relations,
BronxWorks

What site(s) do you have to visit every day for Marketing news?
I usually rely on my friends for this information to see what they are posting on Facebook and on blogs.

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
Same as above and I like to check out what’s on Daily Candy and Urban Daddy. I also check out Biz Bash for event info.

Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?
Being gutsy. I’m not a fan of recreating the wheel but at the same time, I think it is important to try wacky new ideas. I think the wackier the better because it catches people’s attention. A good marketing professional has to be willing to go out on a limb.

What's the most recent "it" Marketing phrase/trend of the moment that you hear almost every day and what does it mean for the industry and the marketplace?
The non-profit world is a bit slow to marketing trends since often the fundraising person is also the marketing person and there’s often a nonexistent marketing budget. With that said, I think most non-profits are spending their time on Facebook and social networking. Not only is social networking helping to market an organization, it helps to build a volunteer and donor base.

There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?
Anything that allows people to receive information faster and at the tip of their fingers. Non-profits have to communicate their mission clearly and quickly whether it is in a video, online or on print materials and it has to be easily accessible.

What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your area of Marketing specialty?
For non-profits I’d say that they shouldn’t just rely on the good work they are doing to be their selling point. There are close to 2 million non-profits in the US and the majority of them are also doing good work so what is it that sets your non-profit apart from the others? What’s the hook?

What's an imminent hurdle in the Marketing world that you think will cause significant chagnes to the way we market to consumers or businesses?
The lack of attention spans that we have grown accustomed to. Everyone bounces from one thing to the next so the big challenge is not only how do you attract your consumer but how do you retain them? This has always been tough but I think it will get increasingly more difficult.

Can Marketing ideas travel across continents and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?
Concepts can travel across continents and languages. Although to be even more effective, I think its important to customize marketing ideas to fit your local community.

Best piece of advice you have received professionally or personally?
Listen more and talk less. Soak in everything and then when you say something or come up with an idea it will be that much more powerful cause you’ll already have an idea of your surroundings.

Growing up, what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?
A veterinarian. I shadowed a family friend who is a vet and almost passed out. It was way too bloody for me.

To tweet or not to tweet?
I never caught on to Twitter and I am hoping it is a fad that will go away very soon. I don’t think I am that important in the world that people need to know what I am doing every minute of the day. Although I will give you my Facebook status once a day.

What is a recent campaign/presentation (not from your organization but your field of marketing) you admire?
In terms of other nonprofits, I am a big fan of Homeboy Industries. They are currently holding a virtual car wash which speaks to the local community in an innovative way. They are always very creative with their marketing. In terms of corporations, I am impressed with Chase’s Community Giving program they did on Facebook. Genius to give people a say and get your logo all over Facebook while being a socially responsible company.

ME 52-13: Technology drives change in marketing

With a background in journalism and entertainment, Any Hsu has recently moved into the technology sector, and believes that technology is definitely a key driver in shaping marketing and the business world. And of course, her most admired marketer is Steve Jobs.

Any Hsu

Sales Account Manager,

LiteOn Technology Group

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/any-hsu/4/802/5b

What site(s) do you have to visit every day for marketing news?

Woot , Facebook, TED, You Tube, BNet, Yahoo Bid, 10+ individual blogs

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?

Same as above. I must admit that I do not have the time to go to all of the websites but I make sure I do it at least once a week.

Greatest skill a good marketing professional requires?

Passion, creativity, great sense of humor and intelligence.

What’s the recent “it” marketing phrase/trend of the moment that you hear almost every day and what does it mean for the industry and marketplace?

“Find us on facebook, twitter, youtube, myspace, etc.” What does it mean? Your friends now check their FB inbox more often than their mail box. So where do you go to find your customers within the shortest time?

There have been fads in the marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?

Social media will definitely be sticking around for a while, however I do anticipate changes in user behavior which will come with more new technology.

What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your specialty?

Nothing, always think outside the box, there is nothing you can’t do, but always consider the consequences.

What’s an imminent hurdle in the marketing world that you think will cause significant changes to the way we market to consumers or businesses?

I think technology is what will bring the next big change, from the internet to smart phones, I-pads, etc, mobility will change consumer behavior and eliminate certain traditional marketing channels.

Can marketing ideas travel across continents, countries and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?

Absolutely yes but not ALL ideas. Some ideas may not travel across different cultures, which could be some what challenging. Comparing globalization to localization is like comparing apples to oranges. They both work and be effective in such different ways. But I think living in a world of no boundaries, glocalization is the way to go.

Best piece of advice you’ve received professionally or personally?

“Vision without a task is only a dream. A task without a vision is but drudgery. But vision with a task is a dream fulfilled.”

Growing up what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?

A lawyer or a law maker.

Is Marketing more of an art or more of a science?

It’s literature.

Who is your most admired marketer, and why?

Steve Jobs

ME52-12: The Rise of Prosumerism - The Progressive Consumer

Very succinctly put, Shaun Ching states that Marketing is an art form driven by science. A product manager in a world-leading innovative logistics service company, Shaun talks about the shift away from business' purpose of maximizing shareholder-value to consumer-driven capitalism, and the rise of "prosumerism".

Prosumerism - the progressive consumer- is a modern consumer who searches for the highest quality product that best meets their needs and fits their budget criteria, through researching the product’s value, performance and price through social networks and consumer product reviews.

Are you a progressive consumer?

Shaun Ching

Marketing Specialist Advisor

FedEx Corporation

What site(s) do you have to visit every day for marketing news?

www.bbc.co.uk, www.wsj.com. www.smartmoney.com, www.cnbc.com

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?

www.theonion.com, www.oprah.com

Greatest skill a good marketing professional requires?

Leadership flexibility to adapt strategies in the fast changing pace of marketing environment, and the ability to make fact based decision in ambiguous business situation where few data points are available.

What’s the recent “it” marketing phrase/trend of the moment that you hear almost every day and what does it mean for the industry and marketplace?

Reinvent marketing to steer organization to be customer-manager driven and not product manager driven. Basically it is the customer centric approach to develop customer managers who engage individual customers on narrow segments in two-way communications, building long-term relationships by promoting whichever of the company’s products the customer would value most at any given time. To compete in this aggressively interactive environment, companies must shift their focus from driving transactions to maximizing customer lifetime value. That means making products and brands subservient to long-term customer relationship. And that means changing strategy and structure across the organization-and reinventing marketing department altogether. Transformation of this scale must be driven from the top down. But however daunting, the shift is inevitable. It will soon be the only competitive way to serve customers.

There have been fads in the marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?

The era of the purpose of corporation should be to maximize shareholders’ wealth has shifted. It is a tragically flawed premise, and it is time we abandoned it and make the shift to a third era: customer driven capitalism, where CEOs are free to concentrate on building the real business, rather than be constrained by managing shareholder expectations. The quality of corporate decision making would improve because thinking about the customer forces you to focus on improving your operations and the products and services you provide, rather than on spinning lines to shareholders. This does not mean that you will lose cost discipline, the profit motive will not go away. It means we need to reinvent the purpose of corporation to not fall in the trap of trading long-term gains from temporary gains.

What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your specialty?

Failure to keep abreast of the latest thinking in marketing and business world and stick to the old dogma of how previous marketing successes were formulated.

What’s an imminent hurdle in the marketing world that you think will cause significant changes to the way we market to consumers or businesses?

The proliferation of marketing mediums to reach customers and the rise of prosumerism.

Can marketing ideas travel across continents, countries and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?

It definitely can, with screwed localization tactics to bring the global ideas that can connect with local customers.

Best piece of advice you’ve received professionally or personally?

At the end of the day, one would not cringe on the deathbed and say to oneself: “ How I wish I spend more time at work!”. Career is only a one part of our lives, don’t let it over rule our being.

Growing up what was the first thing you can remember wanting to be?

Newscaster in BBC news

Is Marketing more of an art or more of a science?

It is an art form driven by science.

What is a recent campaign that you admire?

The HTC wants you campaign is brilliant. HTC “Quietly Brillaint” brand positioning focuses on “You”, the consumer. Rather than technical capability or product specifics (yawn, IPad), the “You” campaign trumpets the emotional connections made possible through smartphones. It is a riveting positioning and the television commercials undermine the marketing principle that companies that offer products that complements consumers just the way they were are emotionally more resonating, rather than offer products that will make them a better person – more responsive, better organized, less cluttered.