Social Media Needs Traditional Media
A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin
Mannequin American views and guidelines on marketing/PR trends, news from the world of puppets and ventriloquism, bits of humor and other interesting but useless information. I post every Tuesday and Friday.
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"Life's a pitch, and then you buy." Billy Mays
With their khakis and rolled-up long-sleeve blue shirts, pallbearers gave a fitting homage to the uniform that was almost as memorable as Billy Mays' well-manicured beard. Mays died at his home June 28 from apparent natural causes.
According to the Associated Press, which distributed the photo, Mays' eulogy covered everything from childhood memories to his devout Christian faith to his personal mantras. A one-of-a-kind pitchman, Mays will likely live on in his famous commercials ... which are now even more famous.
Direct-response marketers will launch at least three new products with ads produced before his death, apparently with the Mays family's blessing. While saddened by his passing, DRTV marketers cite numbers showing that Mays' ads are producing response rates as good -- or in some cases better than -- before his death. Mr. Mays, they believe, would have wanted it this way.
Social Media Calls on Traditional Media for Help
Here's a trend that I think is interesting. Some large digital and social media agencies, which have 250 or more employees, have begun buying traditional advertising/PR agencies. Why? Because they've found that without traditional marketing expertise, they're at a distinct disadvantage. And therein lies a major weakness of new media.
Social media, digital and online venues are not marketing "solutions." They are merely marketing "tools," the same as special events, print, TV, movie theaters, outdoor, direct mail, and other options are "tools." No single "tool" is a marketing panacea. If you're an expert at only one or two "tools" your clients need to go elsewhere to get complete programs. Successful marketing strategies typically incorporate many "tools" ... all reinforcing one another.
Marketing hasn't changed. Marketing options have been added. But marketing success is still based on traditional marketing concepts. And if your BtoB customers aren't tweeting, or on Facebook, there's probably no need for you to be there either.
How-to Books Back in Stock
Dale's best selling how-to books for ventriloquists are back in stock. All of these books are based on workshops that Dale and I have conducted at the International Ventriloquists' Convention, regional clown conventions, magic conventions and performer conferences across the country. Click on any of the links for more information.
Writing Original Comedy Dialogs for Ventriloquist Characters (our most popular course)
Making It Up As You Go - Ad-Libbing and Audience Participation
Putting Money Where Your Mouth Is - Getting Those First Paying Jobs
Hardee's "A" Hole, or "B" Hole
If you've ever wanted to see a commercial with passersby on the street saying "A-hole" over and over, Hardee's has made your dream come true.
In a taste test, regular donut holes are marked A, and Biscuit Holes are marked B. (Can you see what's coming?) People say they like the B-holes best because "the A-hole seems kind of small," "the A-hole is bad" and "the A-hole tastes funny."
I can't decide whether it's clever or nasty. But it's funny. Click here to see the A-hole commercial.
The Bikini Turns 63
Louis Réard created the bikini 63 years ago. The first one was made with a newsprint fabric and consisted of a halter and a tanga. The name bikini is associated with the atomic bomb. You'll have to go to Wikipedia to find out why.
American women spend nearly a billion dollars each year on bikinis. (The less bikini, the more you pay. What a great business strategy.) But according to fashion historian Olivier Saillard the bikini became popular not because of the power of the fashion industry but because of the power of women. "The emancipation of swimwear has always been linked to the emancipation of women."
Whatever the reason behind the bikini's popularity, it's appears from the tan lines on the model above that she had not worn such a revealing swimsuit before.
Engaging Outdoor Marketing Effort
St Trinian's star Talulah Riley (who?) kissed a frog to find her Prince last week as the iconic signs in Piccadilly Circus went green for climate change in honor of "The Prince's Rainforests Project." (I assume the pavement is marked so that others can pose with the sign and have their photo taken kissing the frog.)
In an earlier post I featured the McDonald's sign that enables passersby to take clever photos of themselves. It's an effective way to engage people with an outdoor marketing tool. This new effort in Piccadilly Circus is supported by McDonald's and Coke. The Coke sign turns green and shows the faces of Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Kermit the Frog ... I have no idea why?
Other campaign elements include MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.
