The document discusses how digital technologies like Google have changed consumer behavior and marketing strategies. It argues that brands can no longer rely on traditional advertising alone, and must engage consumers through social media in a way that positions the brand as a helpful resource rather than direct sales pitch. The document uses Whole Foods as an example of a brand that effectively engages customers through social media by providing useful information, contests and coupons in a voice that feels like a real person rather than a salesperson. It concludes that creative marketing strategies must evolve to match new media and demonstrate a brand's authenticity rather than just its messaging.

1. catfoa.blogspot.com
@catfoa

2. Your Brand Is Not My Friend
Presented by Alan Wolk

3. Ad agencies are no longer about selling

4. They’re about “storytelling”

5. and “engagement”

6. They want to be our friend

7. But

8. But Your Brand Is Not My Friend

9. Ads used to deliver news

10. Then they became all about branding and image

11. Then they became all about branding and image

12. Then along came
The Real Digital Revolution

13. Google changed everything

14. Now we can fact check ad claims

15. Now we can fact check ad claims

16. And see what other consumers think

17. And see what other consumers think

18. This has resulted in a
complete change in consumer behavior

19. Before

20. Before AD

21. Before PURCHASE
AD

22. Before PURCHASE
AD
Now

23. Before PURCHASE
AD
AD
Now

24. Before PURCHASE
AD
AD GOOGLE
Now

25. Before PURCHASE
AD
AD GOOGLE PURCHASE
Now

26. AD GOOGLE PURCHASE
That’s huge

27. Changes how we buy a car

28. Before: limited resources

29. Before: limited resources

30. Before: limited resources

31. Before: limited resources

32. Now: Full range of resources

33. Now: Full range of resources

34. Now: Full range of resources

35. Now: Full range of resources

36. Now: Full range of resources

37. New & improved needs to mean it

38. Faster!!
Limited
Time
Only!!!
New & improved needs to mean it

39. Your product needs to be buzzworthy

40. You want people talking about your product

41. You want people talking about your product

42. It’s all about getting to Google

43. Once this happened,
print and TV couldn’t close the sale anymore

44. They could offer compelling facts or create an image

45. So marketers looked at online

46. Microsites weren’t working: why would I go to one?

47. Neither were banners

48. When we “surfed” the web, banners took you
someplace just as interesting as where you were

49. But now that we go online for a reason, we’re not
likely to stop what we’re doing to “interact” with an ad

50. New ways to “engage” customers were needed

51. Social Media seemed like the next big thing

52. Everyone was becoming “friends” online

53. Everyone was becoming “friends” online

54. Why not brands?

55. Your Brand Is Not My Friend™

56. Social networks are today’s malt shops

57. It’s where we go to hang out with our friends

58. We don’t want to be interrupted by salespeople

59. But there are some brands people want to hear from

60. They’re called “Prom King Brands”

61. There are the usual suspects

62. Sports teams

63. TV shows, movies and music acts

64. 99% of brands are not “Prom Kings”

65. But they can still play in social media

66. They just have to do it differently

67. Five steps to making social media work for you

68. Step 1: Identify a need you can help with

69. (Maxwell House drinkers like to save money)

70. Step 2: Figure out how to solve that need

71. (Coupons are always appreciated)

72. Step 3: Approach your targets as a salesperson

73. (Salespeople have web pages, not Facebook pages)

74. Step 4: Use Twitter for customer service or to share
news. Don’t use it to sell.

75. (Customer service reps should have names)

76. (Customer service reps should have names)

77. (Customer service reps should have names)

78. Step 5: Don’t push it

79. (Give them the coupon and get out of the way)

80. (Give them the coupon and get out of the way)

81. Quick Case Study:
Why Whole Foods does Facebook right

82. Facebook update in my inbox

83. Facebook update in my inbox

84. $5 Coupon
Facebook update in my inbox

85. $5 Coupon
via PDF on
external site
Facebook update in my inbox

86. $5 Coupon
via PDF on
external site
Signed by a
real person
Facebook update in my inbox

87. The Whole Deal site

88. The actual coupon

89. Whole Foods Facebook fan page

90. Links to WF
external sites
Whole Foods Facebook fan page

91. Links to WF
external sites Useful videos
Whole Foods Facebook fan page

92. Links to WF
external sites Useful videos
Store photos
Whole Foods Facebook fan page

93. Whole Foods maintains consistency everywhere

94. WholeFoodsMarket.com - the consumer website

95. Blog
WholeFoodsMarket.com - the consumer website

96. Blog
Coupons
WholeFoodsMarket.com - the consumer website

97. Recipes
Blog
Coupons
WholeFoodsMarket.com - the consumer website

98. Contest
Recipes
Blog
Coupons
WholeFoodsMarket.com - the consumer website

99. The Whole Story blog

100. Contest
The Whole Story blog

101. Contest
Social media
links
The Whole Story blog

102. Contest
Social media
links
Links to
useful blogs
The Whole Story blog

103. Follow this game plan and you will see results

104. Soon enough, they’ll start to like you

105. They may not always talk to you,
but they will talk about you
Which is exactly what you want:

106. To be part of the conversation

107. But what then?
What if they’re talking about you and your
competition
And they like you both?

108. You’ll need to set yourself apart

109. But how?

110. That’s where branding comes into play again

111. You need to create an image for the brand

112. How you do that might not be with an ad

113. How you do that might not be with an ad

114. But rather with really great customer service

115. Really great design

116. Or really noteworthy innovations

117. Advertising serves as a reminder, not a driver

118. Brand messages now need to be more holistic.
More than words on a page or images on TV

119. Consumers see ads as Potemkin villages

120. They’re tired of brands saying one thing...
and doing another

121. And they want to see evidence, not ads

122. That’s why strategy is so important

123. Strategy is what sets brands... and ad agencies apart

124. Creativity is still important, but it will take on different
forms to match the different media

125. We can no longer focus on finding the exact right
shade of blue: it makes us contractors not architects

126. What will the creative department
of the future look like?

127. Less collaboration: writers work on blogs & web site
copy, art directors work on product and store design

128. More collaboration: tomorrow’s creatives will need to
work with people with all sorts of job descriptions

129. That’s because agencies will be doing a lot of
different things for clients, things that don’t fit into
the boxes of today’s 20th century agencies

130. Agencies will need to be flexible and staffers will
need to be able to do more than one thing

131. The more you can show that you are more than
just a copywriter or an art director, the better.

132. That can mean writing a blog

133. Creating a program

134. Making your own video

135. Agencies are evolving daily.
No one knows exactly what the future will look like.
But I can assure you one thing:

136. It will be interesting

137. Thank You Minnesota

138. Questions?

139. Alan Wolk
Toad Stool Blog: toadstoolblog.com
Email: alan.wolk@mac.com