ME 52-19: Social Creatures Tracking the Cultural Currency of Brands

Teresa Lin is a well-traveled, well-heeled agency expert. Her job calls on her to appreciate ever-changing markets in multiple hemispheres--Chicago to NYC to Shanghai. Her daily role requires her to wear several different hats simultaneously, from strategic planning on Fortune 500 brands to corporate global work and international new business development. Lin is an embodiment of ME52--an individual who stretches her marketing abilities and imagination across disciplines, industries and continents.


Teresa Lin
Senior Global Strategist
Draftfcb
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/teresa-lin/14/715/183
Tumblr: http://teresalin.tumblr.com

What site(s) do you have to visit every day for Marketing news?
Periodicals: New York Times, Fast Company, Monocle Magazine Internet: PSFK.com is a must, Iconoculture.com, sites from "downtown" planners and brand consultants to keep an ear to the ground, WSJ.com iApps: AdAge, NYTimes, Tedcasts

What site(s) do you go to at least once a day for fun and inspiration?
I'll always have a live steam of Pandora or WNYC (hurrah for Brian Lehrer) to keep calm throughout the day; UrbanDaddy, Thrillist and Daily Candy mailers get a couple of click-throughs from me; and unfortunately, Refinery29 and Gilt for my noontime compulsive shopping disorder.

Greatest skill a good Marketing professional requires?
Enterprising. It's about plus-ing it [adaptability, flexibility] up in today's cutthroat, low bullsh*t environment.

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 the marketplace?
Social media. Let's challenge ourselves to worry less about the "media" bit and to try to understand what it means to socialize in 2010/2015, why and what it means to have a brand be cultural currency. We have always been social creatures, that's nothing new. but sometimes I think we spend too much time figuring out ways to (poorly) exploit it and not enough time trying to figure out the underpinnings of why it matters.

There have been fads in the Marketing world. In your opinion, what are recent developments that are here to stay?
Location trackers and networks such as Foursquare. Adoption will accelerate as integration with existing platforms such as Facebook, Yelp and Google become even more seamless. The "check in" behavior at this year's SXSW conference is a good microcosm to reflect upon.

What is essential NOT to do when it comes to your area of Marketing specialty?
I've got a couple: Don't lose honesty and integrity. It will always come back to haunt you. Don't mistake arrogance for confidence; practice humility. There's always another you around the corner. Don't forget about your consumer--that they are people just like you and I with real stories to tell, worries, responsibilities, a hope.

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?
A very millennial challenge: Over saturation--in media, messaging, marketing. Too many choices and not enough attention. Hopefully, this will end up being a boon to the consumer as we are forced to better optimize context and content delivery and start giving them information they really care about.

Can Marketing ideas travel across continents and languages? Does globalization work or is localization more effective?
Sure. A good story is universal. A great brand truth stretches beyond borders and continents to strike at the heart. That said, I'm a big fan of "glocalization" but of course, it depends on the sector and product we're talking about.

Best piece of advice you have received?
"Never have a career, have a project. Set short-term achievable goals and achieve them." That one's courtesy of Rob Sherlock, our Chicago Chief Creative Officer who has traveled the world and back. It's been a wonderful axiom to go by to keep things challenging, fresh and in perspective.

Growing up, what was the first think you can remember wanting to be?
A lawyer. But there's early footage of me somewhere trying to hawk Stomachin [Chinese ulcer powder] on VHS.

Where are growth opportunities within the Marketing industry, as people are looking at their careers?
So many! This is a challenging but exciting time. China, China, China. Look to emerging markets as they try to quickly scale up marketing know-how. There are a lot of expats exporting both qual and quant research tools and methodologies (many of them proprietary) in the marketing start-up gold rush. But even within the States, analytics are in every sense bursting and shopper marketing has yet to reach saturation.

What is a recent campaign/presentation you admire?
The Google Superbowl spot. Wow. I want to cry every time I watch it. Storytelling at its best. Fantastic product demonstration (I mean, could the product logo get any bigger?) based on simple human truths, wonderful narrative arc, heart-warming ending--all within a 60-second spot that went viral. I also have to bring up David Butler, whose visionary leadership on the impact of design in the Coca-Cola world once again reminds us how design has a a rightful, critical and strategic place. When embraced, it is one of our most powerful change agents in the world of marketing and beyond.

ME 52-18: In the Consumer Products World: Play Big, Don’t Play it Safe

In many countries in the world, purchase intent and brand inclination is highly driven by celebrity endorsements. This is the same case with the consumer market in Taiwan, where a Senior Marketing Executive at Unilever speaks about marketing in the FMCG world , how it’s important to think creatively and play big when dealing with trade and channels.

Ping Wen, Wang

Senior Marketing Executive,

Unilever

http://www.linkedin.com/in/pingwen

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

Fast Company, Forbes, and our internal Unilever web

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

Facebook , WSJ

Greatest skill a good marketing professional requires?

Creativity, strategic thinking, on time management, bringing back consumer insights into company strategies for future product development

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?

1. Mobile marketing is getting important and may bigger than internet search/ads in the next 5 years.

2. Social networking sites like facebook/twitter plays significant WOM power in terms of connecting people/ WOM opinions. These are most updated trends in real world, not yet reached validity in businesses but convincing

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

In terms of marketing activities, celebrity opinions play an important role in Taiwan. Any product endorsed by popular idols, singers or actors, will impact significantly on consumer purchase intention and image on a brand/product. In terms of consumer behavior changes, they are smart on the selections through price associated with quality. The channels is highly competitive in FMCG industry, any creative promotion fits with brand image and trend will bring effective result as return.

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

Play cheap to gain volume and neglect your brand image or quality check.

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?

Depends on the different categories - in homecare, such as detergent and softener products, consumers are driven by price, so we are always facing the issue in how to keep the profitability and gain market share. We need to better manage the price in channels like big-box retailers ( such as Hyper) that play with lower prices. It is also important to know how to manage channel conflict when given the same marketing support.

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

Ideas can surely go around the world. The more important thing is how local marketers adapt, leverage, utilize and maximize the effectiveness; whilst tying in culture differences based on different consumer needs. Concept is the key, and it only matters on the execution itself.

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

Don’t play safe.

From my regional Senior Vice President, he always reminds each of us to keep thinking what will be the best for your brand. We must be aggressive and win in the market instead of play the safe game because it will not lead you to success. Given the routines of daily work and non-stop competitions, it is easy to get used to what you have done in the past. If the current business situation is not yet satisfied, the only way to turn the situation around is to think differently and play big.

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

I would say both. Based on activities, it is an art, it is about using creativity to impress our consumers. Based on ROI, it is a science, any investment must bring positive ROI with different KPI settings.

ME 52-17: Playing Games with Social Media

No newbie to gaming himself, Brian Shiraishi is an experienced gamer and marketer. Now he focuses his daily attention on tracking innovation at the convergence of games and social platforms--while always keeping his eye on user behavior.

Brian Shiraishi

Marketing Manager
EA, pogo.com

linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/shiraishi-brian/4/379/9a6

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

Appdata, TechCrunch, Metacritic, Kotaku, AdAge

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

Amazon– I have an online shopping habit.
Engadget– Finding more gadgets to buy on Amazon.
Facebook– I’m a social bug!
TravelZoo– Work Hard, Play hard!

Greatest skill a good marketing professional requires?

The ability to adapt to new trends. In the social gaming industry, new trends emerge on a weekly basis. Always use my coined phrase as a reference when thinking of new ideas…“set the trend, don’t be the trend.”

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?

Facebook Social Applications. With the success of Zynga and Playfish, the shift from packaged goods to online gaming is changing the gaming world. Today, our Marketing strategies must accommodate the surge of social online gaming and the ability to change these strategies on a whim can prove to be your best attribute.

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

Free social gaming has been around since the .com era. However, the Facebook phenomenon has turned the social gaming industry on its head. The ability to play games in a social space where you can instantly communicate with your friends and family has emerged. Not only can you message your friends and play games together, but you can send digital gifts, share your game progress, and invite new friends to play. Social gaming within Facebook has created a community that reaches more than 600 million users. With such a large user reach, this attracts advertisers who want to use these games as a catalyst to expose their brand to their niche market. If the cash flow from venture capital and advertisers continues to grow, I guarantee free social gaming is here to stay.

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

Do NOT underestimate your users. Our users are fairly tech-savvy and will voice their opinions on blogs, forums, Facebook and even…YouTube. The user should always be kept in mind when making decisions. The reason your users visit your gaming site is simple…they just want to relax and have fun. Monitor your forums and blogs to ensure you are meeting your user needs. Gaming should be fun. Listen to your users.

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?
In a gaming world diluted by Facebook applications and social games, our immediate goal is to distinguish ourselves and prove why our gaming site is the first destination for social online gaming. If we fail to solidify our branding with this goal in mind, this hurdle may determine our fate down the line.

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

When it comes to conveying a general idea or message, globalization works to a certain extent. Localization tailors the message to a targeted audience which gives the idea or message purpose and significance.

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

Be yourself! Creativity is difficult to convey when your ideas don’t come from the heart. Believe in yourself and success will come with time.

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

As a little boy, I was inspired by my dad who worked for a major U.S. airline. I loved to fly and hoped to become a commercial airline pilot. Unfortunately, this career path requires 20/20 vision and good looks.

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

Marketing is definitely an art form. In Marketing, your vision is conveyed through creative outlets. Like Michelangelo and his sculptures, Marketing sculpts an idea to communicate a message. Art expresses emotion, passion, and knowledge. As a Marketer, you want your audience to FEEL the emotion, passion and knowledge you are trying to convey. The connection you experience with your audience ultimately determines the success of your campaign.

Where are growth opportunities within the Marketing Industry, as people are looking at their careers? Social online gaming is growing fast. New products are being created and new companies are emerging. Product Managers, Project Managers, and Producers are needed in many gaming companies to accommodate the rapid growth of this sector.

*Any comments/views expressed in this blog post reflect the personal opinions of the original authors, and not EA, pogo.com.

ME52-16: Why social media is impacting the way people search

Involved in the digital world for a decade, Richard Deede is a hardcore SEO guru. Over the past 10 years, he experienced real time evolution of digital marketing and seen fads come and go. Ultimately he chose SEO as his expertise, and has lead SEO campaigns for many major global corporations. Here, he talks about how search engines are starting to acknowledge the important of social media and its impact through “Real Time Search”...and stresses the importance of no matter what area of marketing you are in, understanding consumer behavior is key.

Richard Deede

SEO Manager,

Critical Mass

www.linkedin.com/pub/richard-deede/1/91b/a4

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

Since my field is SEO focused, I visit matt cutts blog, Search Engine Watch and Google Webmaster Central as my primary news sites.

http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/

http://searchenginewatch.com/

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

I guess Facebook would count, I also still enjoy Fark and Groupon.

http://www.facebook.com/

http://www.fark.com/

http://www.groupon.com

Greatest skill a good marketing professional requires?

An open mind to new ideas is vital.

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?

Real Time Search. It’s basically the inclusion of social media and real time information within organic search results. It’s the search engines acknowledgment of the importance of Social media and the impact that it has on the way people search for information. It has the potential to have a large impact on the world of search as results users see could become increasingly more and more geared towards real-time results.

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

Social Marketing is definitely here to stay. It just makes sense. We live in a fast paced ever changing world and the way we use the web should reflect that. Static, slow moving information becomes out-dated and incorrect information. Social media outlets tap directly in to that need for up-to-the-minute information.

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

Get comfortable and fall behind the times in terms of understanding how users are searching and accordingly how the engines are reflecting that information within search results.

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 don’t know if it’s a hurdle, but the overall direction of understanding consumer behavior is evolving. With so many outlets to reach consumers, you have to know which is best for you. Choosing incorrectly or using the wrong message can make or break a campaign, probably more then ever before.

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

Good marketing ideas can certainly gain international traction. There are differences however that you need to account for obviously, such as language, customs, etc., so customizing your site to fit the needs of individual markets is important. In the SEO world knowing your target audience is key because if you don’t know how they search for your customers information, you will not be able to optimize your information properly to reach them.

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

Don’t eat yellow snow. Brown snow too.

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

I’ve always wanted to work in SEO even before I was just a glimmer in my mothers eye.

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

I think it’s a mixture of both. It’s a matter of knowing the fundamentals (science) and know how and when to use those principles most effectively (art).

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

I personally think that it’s a fad, an extended fad, but a fad. I don’t think it will have long term staying power in its current form.