Response Marketing || The Pause Project V1

Marketing trends, opportunities, insight.
The
The Pause Project was created by Response Marketing to help brands think
about opportunities and trends in marketing and media.
Via quarterly reports and presentations Response aims to pause day-to-day
distractions and stimulate discussion about the now and the next.
thepowertoprovoke.com
2013.V1
thepauseproject.com

thepauseproject.com | PAGE 12013 | Response Marketing | Pause Project | Vol 01
01.Customizing for conversions
02.Graph Search’s effect on brands
03.Micro-content campaigns
04.Mobile as silent salesperson
05.Marketing at the speed of culture
3-9
11-13
15-18
20-23
24-28
Table of contents

“Improve the user experience to
increase conversions.”
2013 | Response Marketing | Pause Project | Vol 01
"One size ﬁts all" may work with
socks, but not the web. The
combination of short attention
spans and increased content
options means brands must
worksmartertoconvertcustomers.
Onewaybrandsareaccomplishing
this is through customized sites
that improve the user experience.
Like a good restaurant, a good
site provides an easily enjoyed
experience that you're excited to
revisit time and time again.
Luckily, the world of user
experience customization is
thriving with options and
ease-of-implementation.
01Customizing for conversionsCarolyn Walker, Managing Partner
thepauseproject.com | PAGE 3

Location customization can provide
geographic information, language
information and, in some cases, what
company users are coming from.
Sites using geo-marketing may
provide web content or products that
are better suited to that location.
Location customization
Customizing for conversions
Groupon’s homepage detects a user’s
county and displays deals for that area.
Jet Blue displays flights that
use airports near the user.

Device customization, better
known as responsive design,
modiﬁes a website based on a
device’s screen resolution. A site
will ideally shrink in width for
mobile phones, provide
landscape and portrait options
for tablets, and adjust to ﬁll
browser windows on computers.
The desktop and mobile versions of
NETGEAR’s responsive Connected
Entertainment site.
Device customization

System and browser recognition are helpful when downloading software updates, and
some companies have even begun pushing different offers at different operating systems
based on average user demographics.
System and browser recognition
Adobe automatically detects operating
systems to expedite software updates.
®
Your system: Mac OS X , English, Safari
Your system: Windows 32-bit , English, Firefox
DOWNLOAD
DOWNLOAD

Orbitz displays more expensive options to Mac users than Windows users.1
System and browser recognition
1
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304458604577488822667325882.html
Orbitz Average Room Rates
$0
$150

Social integration can customize site content based on the activity of your friends from
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.
Social integration
Recent Activity
Sign up and join them13 of your friends have already joined Yelp.
Facebook Friends
Robin S. rated a business 4 days ago
Tequila Mockingbird
33 reviews
Ashley M. checked into a business 4 days ago
Tequila Mockingbird
33 reviews
Yelp shows which of your Facebook friends have already joined and their recent activity.

Behavior customization can help display relevant information and products to a user
based on their past site behavior.
There are inﬁnite customization options, so
brands should be careful not to bite off too much,
and instead focus on the big wins.
Start by deﬁning and testing audience segments,
monitoring the results and then optimizing.
Transparency is also vital to sustainable
customization. Inform users of your intentions and
they'll reward you with loyalty and respect.
Lot18 offers reduced prices on abandoned carts.
Behavior customization

“A search functionality for
Facebook’s massive database
of social information.”
Mark Zuckerburg describes the
main pillars of Facebook to be
Newsfeed, Timeline, and now,
Graph Search.2
The third and
most recent pillar is a search
functionality for Facebook’s
massive database of social
information.
Facebook presented the key
draws of Graph Search as "Find
people who share your interests,"
"Explore your world through
photos"and"Discoverrestaurants,
music and more."
But riding quick on the heels
of Graph Search’s beta release
was Actual Facebook Graph
Searches3
, a blog exploring the
potential of Graph Search by
displaying results for humorous
and unsettling searches.
Graph Search’s effect on brands
2
https://www.facebook.com/about/graphsearch
3
http://actualfacebookgraphsearches.tumblr.com/
Reed Immer, Strategist
02

Though the information in these
search results was already
available before Graph Search, it
was not as readily accessible.
Connecting the dots created a
much more disturbing picture
than the dots alone.
But extreme examples like the
ones at right won’t resemble
most Graph searches, which
Facebook hopes will be for
interests, photos, restaurants, etc.
Facebook's motivation to
improve search functionality is
likely linked to Google's
tremendously proﬁtable ad
network, on which brands pay
big money to connect with users
actively seeking certain products,
services or ideas. The advertising
counterpart to Graph Search
hasn't been announced yet, but
its general concept will probably
resemble Google's while also
factoringinfriendrecommendations.
"Clothing companies that my
friends Like" could be a Graph
“Facebook's motivation to improve search
functionality is likely linked to Google's
tremendously proﬁtable ad network.”
Search in which brands relevant
to this search could pay for
higher placement in search
results, very similar to Google's
auction model.

of Facebook users Like brand pages primarily
for promotions, discounts or giveaways.
But the "that my friends Like"
portionofthissearchiscomplicated
by the Like's messy history. A
2012 survey4
from Lab 42 found
that the biggest motivator in
Likingabrandpage,forawhopping
55% of respondents, was for
promotions,discountsorgiveaways.
This was weakly followed by 14%
saying because they were a loyal
customer, 11% because they
trusted the brand, and 20% for
other reasons (including to
receive the page's content).
Users searching for clothing
brands Liked by friends seek
brands that their friends love and
purchase from, not ones that
they've claimed a coupon from
but otherwise don't care about.
Facebook is deﬁnitely aware of
this predicament, and will likely
address it with a disambiguation
of brand-user connections: users
will be able to claim deals from
brands without publicly supporting
the brand, and vice versa.
The age of fan-gating, in which
brandsoffersomethinginexchange
for a Like, is coming to a close.
(Facebook already took a step in
this direction by banning5
mentions of deals or Likes in
brand cover photos.)
Brands will be forced to build
Facebook fanbases by providing
high-quality content and being
actually likable (in the emotional
sense). And though this is a more
difﬁcult task than simply providing
a coupon, it will ultimately be in
the brand's favor. Cutting corners
is out, true engagement is in.
4
http://mashable.com/2012/09/24/facebook-brand-page-value/
5
https://www.facebook.com/help/480139172013267
55%

“Short attention spans pervade
every nook of the web.”
Twitter revealed the power of
micro-content by restricting
tweets to a maximum of 140
characters. It was a decision that
turned out to be perfectly in tune
with the habits of digital users.
But micro-content isn't just for
Twitter, especially because short
attention spans pervade every
nook of the web. Unsurprisingly,
a 2012 Pew study6
on the digital
habits of millennials noted "a
thirst for instant gratiﬁcation and
quick ﬁxes, [and] a loss of
patience."
Brands are realizing this effectively
in the form of micro-content
campaigns in a variety of media
including text, photo and video.
These campaigns are relatively
cheaptostartandmaintain,achieve
impressive user frequency, and
bypass the problem of users not
engaging content fully.
Micro-content campaigns
6
http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Hyperconnected-lives.aspx
Reed Immer, Strategist
03

Whether it’s an inspiring portrait, simple minigame, or
heartwarming video, the Google Doodles are
manageable and delightful distractions. They give
users something to look forward to about using
Google and have generated loads of positive press.7 8 9
Notable micro-content campaigns
7
http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahsweeney/2011/09/27/the-13-best-global-google-doodles/
8
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2007-06-17/the-man-behind-the-google-doodle
9
http://mashable.com/category/google-doodle/

The value of these comics become even more apparent
after reviewing the 404 pages of yore.
So thank you Reddit for making the world of errors a less
ulcer-inducing space.
Reddit put a positive spin on 404 pages by creating silly comics featuring their red-eyed
mascot. Each illustration features the little guy in bizarre locations, and any frustration that
usually accompanies 404 pages are avoided.

Micro means short but it doesn’t mean shoddy. These campaigns are all impressive
examples of strategy and creative, which will always be essential for effective user
engagement. But above all, these campaigns demonstrate the power of micro and the
effectiveness of user empathy. Keep it short and make them smile.
The New Balance 365 campaign consisted of 365 very short, silly videos that all involved a
New Balance shoe. The campaign was an excellent example of favoring long-term user
frequency—and the meshing of New Balance into users’ everyday lives—over the ﬂeeting
impacts of other campaigns.

“No longer is there a
completely captive audience
at the point-of-sale.”
The mobile device as the second-
screen device is ﬁrmly established.
Beyond the multi-tasking of
watchingTVandcheckingaphone
or tablet, the second screen
experience is fully entrenched in
the consumer’s path to purchase.
This presents a unique opportunity
forthemobiledevicetohelpbrands
and retailers as it can become their
“silent” salesperson.
As an increasing number of
consumers use their mobile
device to research products,
comparison shop and buy while
in-store, no longer is there a
completely captive audience
at the point-of-sale.
Savvy stores are ﬁguring out how
mobile can improve the in-store
experience while opening up
otheropportunitiestocross-market
and increase sales. Macy’s
recently created an app for their
NYC store in Herald Square that
gave turn-by-turn directions,
provided offers based on where
you were in the store, and
provided more product info
based on your location. Meijer
supermarkets now uses sensors
in its stores to offer customized
information and virtual coupons
via mobile phone. Customers
who prepare shopping lists
online can open up the retailer's
app inside the store, and the app
reorders their list based on their
location in the aisles, speeding
up the shopping process.
Mobile as silent salesperson
David Klineberg, VP, Strategy
04

of smartphone owners
use their mobile device
to research products,
comparison show and
buy while in-store.10
Google has recently launched maps for indoor locations in Australia, which paves the way for
them to tie their advertising products to the in-store experience. Google also wants a piece of the
pie when it comes to "showrooming" as they have recently extended their Google Shopping
product listings to mobile search as well.
55%
10
https://www.paypal.com/webapps/mpp/ent-instore-mobile

As Near Field Communication
(NFC) technology starts to
become increasingly pervasive,
the link between the online and
offline world becomes that much
more synergistic. Mobile-triggered
consumerinteractionsatthepoint-
of-sale can open opportunities to
even curate in real-life. As the
Gap has done in Tokyo, users
were asked to connect their app
to their Facebook account, then
while in store, were able to Like
specific outfits which were then
displayed in their news feed.11
These technologies provide the
platform for users to become more
engagedwithbrands.Kraftrecently
experimentedwithNFCtechnology
in San Francisco Safeway stores.
The results included engagement
levels 12 times higher than QR
codes and consumers engaged
with brands for 48 seconds when
using NFC devices.12
Near Field Communication
11
http://adage.com/article/global-news/field-communication-shifting-marketing-japan/235260/
12
http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/kraft-nfc-pilot-delivers-12-times-the-engagement-level-of-qr-codes
$

The mobile device is now the primary screen, and brands now have the ability to
connect to their consumers at the very moment where that person can use their
messaging the most.
Ensure that the use of the technology is providing value (convenience, savings,
exclusive content, etc) and not just a marketing message.
Opportunities to reach consumers on their mobile devices aren’t limited to in-store.
Think of large events or other locations where the idea of reaching someone based
on their proximity to a certain location aligns with a brand.
Help the consumer shopping experience. Is a product in a non-premium space in
store? Help a user find it in a particular aisle. Is a product a perfect complement to
another product?
Geo-targeted ads that can add the nearest location of a store with calls-to-action
about product availability can opportunistically take advantage of proximity to
stores.
Using intelligence from data will help lay the foundation to understand how consumers
are actually interacting with brands on their mobile devices.
Thisyearwillstillbeayearofexperimentation. Wearestillintheinfancyofmobilecommerce,
and by bridging the gap between online and offline behavior, the mobile device will
become one of the most integral pieces of technology for a marketer to understand.
The second first screen

“We are increasingly consuming
content in ‘feeds.’”
With all the talk of content
marketing, smart brands will
continue to look for ways to
engage their audiences that
don’t seem forced, and remain
true to the essence of the
brands. Being culturally relevant
is becoming the price of entry for
brands to effectively utilize their
social presence.
In the digital world, consumers
and their conversations happen
incredibly fast and are often
impulsive. While the very nature
of being impulsive scares a lot of
brands, we are increasingly
consuming content in “feeds.”
This has shifted a lot of the focus
from how marketers can disrupt
someone's experience to
communicate a message, to
earn their attention to how they
can earn their place within
someone's feed and stay there.
The concept of a brand inserting
itself into a relevant moment isn't
new, but there was one moment
that had starry-eyed agencies
Marketing at the speed of cultureDavid Klineberg, VP, Strategy
05
dreaming of the end of long
approval processes and brand
marketersenvisioningtheircontent
being shared with the masses.

Oreo has been the most recognized
trendsetter when it comes to
reacting to a moment in time and
becoming part of what is culturally
relevant. Their 100-day “Daily Twist”
campaign gained notice and increased
Facebook shares by 280%, and
re-tweets by 510%; the series had
more than 1 million total Likes and
earned230millionmediaimpressions.13
They continued their reign as real-time
creativity kings when they took
advantage of the Super Bowl
blackout with the below tweet:
In the context of consumer behavior, the timing couldn’t have been better as the break in the action
gave viewers the chance to check their feeds while not missing the game or any commercials. The
resulting earned media from the tweet overshadowed the $4 million investment in their 30-second
spot during the game.
That one tweet set off a barrage of articles, blogs and debates about ushering in a new era in
marketing, declaring it jumped the shark, and whether brands needed their own “newsrooms.”
What was lost was in those debates is that great content, in the right context, at the perfect
opportune moment increased the relevancy. Many brands tried to mimic the success with lackluster
results because they were more focused on the timing and not the content.
The tweet heard ‘round the world
Marketing at the speed of culture
13
http://www.360i.com/work/oreo-daily-twist/

Ron Faris, head of brand market-
ing at Virgin Mobile USA told
Digiday that an investment in
“good copywriters and designers
who have a newsroom sense of
urgency”14
can really help make
marketing dollars go further.
Specsavers, a UK-based optical
retailer has even capitalized on
being hyper-agile in their print
creative, taking advantage of a
mix up of the North and South
Korean flags during the Olym-
pics, as well as a controversial
goal in an England vs. Ukraine
football match. In each instance,
their print ads ran within 2 days
of the newsworthy events.
Being agile isn’t strictly relegated
to social outlets themselves. Ad
units incorporating feeds from
Twitter and Facebook, such as
AOL’s Devil Ad units, bring the
social conversation into the
display space. For years, mar-
keters have been jumping on
keywords within search, and it
took just four minutes for the
first Promoted Tweet to appear
against searches for “power
outage” on Twitter14
during the
Super Bowl. Maintaining fluidity
within a portion of the media
budget can help amplify these
moments as well.

It isn’t all about being agile to
deliver a piece of creative. The
increased focus and access to
data enables brands to shift
creative and change direction on
the fly. Data and social listening
that is gathered in real-time can
help frame strategies. Initiatives
can be deployed around trending
topics and adjustments can be
made based on the sentiment
around certain efforts.
Familiarity and recognition of
what is happening in the zeitgeist
triggers consumer desire to be in
the know of what is happening in
the world. The “selective
attention”15
theory states that a
person’s attention can be earned
away from its original stimuli in
the event of something significant.
Significance of what is happening
now will continue to resonate
with consumers.
15
http://www.simplypsychology.org/attention-models.html
Others have tried to follow in the footsteps of what Oreo accomplished with limited
success. The GRAMMY Awards, being the first big post-Super Bowl event, saw
many brands, including MasterCard, creating content related to what was happening
at the show.

Relevance
What doesn't change, no matter the timing, is that the communication needs to be relevant and it needs to
be in context. Trying to forcefully insert a brand into a “now” moment will only fall flat.
Alignment
Brands need to have a proper approval process established to take advantage of how quickly content
needs to be distributed to be “first.” Protocols, a legal stance and a set of guidelines all have their place for
making the spontaneous well-planned.
Brand knowledge
If working with agencies, the team that is involved must have a thorough understanding of the brand voice.
Collaboration
Many different stakeholders need to be rowing in the same direction with roles clearly defined. Designers,
strategists, brand managers, publicists, copywriters, and media specialists each will have their role to not
only craft the message but to help it scale.
Respect
Smart brands will also understand their place. Many brands jumped on the meme bandwagon in 2012 but
the very nature of memes and their origins sets an obvious trap for the non-savvy brand to walk into and
have it backfire. There is a need to step back from the role of marketer and understand that we don't
always need a brand message in every moment of our life.
As Twitter’s Revenue Chief Adam Bain said, “Marketing has evolved to a series of ‘now moments’…”16
Keys for success
16
http://adage.com/article/digital/twitter-grow/239992/

Thanks for pausing. thepowertoprovoke.com
2013 | Response Marketing | Pause Project | Vol 01 thepauseproject.com | PAGE 30

Response Marketing || The Pause Project V1

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (6)

Similar to Response Marketing || The Pause Project V1

Similar to Response Marketing || The Pause Project V1 (20)

More from Response Marketing

More from Response Marketing (8)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Response Marketing || The Pause Project V1