ONLINE MARKETING LESSON - Session 7: Digital & Social Marketing (PT 1)

Being able to reach current and future marketing leaders across the globe is an amazing opportunity and with advanced online technology, the pandemic lockdown hasn't limited students' ability to learn.  Having presented countless in-person lectures for universities including USC, UCLA, CSULB, ASU, San Jose State, and many more, I am confident my sports and entertainment marketing seminars based on real-world cases really drive home the art and science of today's brand marketing.   And as a recent graduate student having achieved my MBA online exclusively, I also understand that a combination of relevant content, high engagement, and easy accessibility can create dynamic opportunities to learn and grow.

Here's a segment from my recent online marketing session regarding Digital and Social Media Marketing.

Social Media Marketing

CASE STUDIES
What does it take to win in the social media space?  While content is king, there are several key components to ensure that your communications across social and digital hit the right audience, provide an actionable message, and most importantly drive ROI.

Earning a "like" isn't a KPI that any true marketer will value and while affirmation is nice, our perspective when utilizing social media is to approach the results similarly to traditional platforms, albeit one that is fluid and dynamic.  Simply put, we want to reach an ever increasing audience, provide content that serves a concise message, and has a CTA that is both actionable and measurable.

I use the "Three E's" when creating social media content. Entertain, Engage, and Educate.  They are fairly self explanatory but we want to ensure all three areas contribute to a post that serves a purpose.  If it becomes a viral hit, fantastic.  But more likely, a follower should want to be compelled to view your post, find a positive connection quickly, and understand the process to consume more of the desirable content.  Combine that with previous tips like star-power (see the chapter on STAR FISH), influencers, funny, shareable video, graphics and instant 'wow' factors, and topical relevance, and your posts should work to tell a story.  The Three E's work for developing online content and overall, we add a forth "E" for Evaluation.  Making sure the tactics resonated, have metrics we can compare and analyze, and determine best practices for future success.

Here are a few award-winning case studies I've championed that integrated social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and others) with celebrities, influencers, engaging content, and most importantly, ROI to drive a successful, measurable campaign.

CASE STUDY #1
With the launch of streaming service Rivit TV, I created a digital campaign that focused on driving users to the new platform via social media, search, and digital.  The campaign exceeded all expectations by utilizing a "reverse engineering" process to identify distinct clusters of demographics that most likely would engage in the various Original series.  Creating hundreds of bilingual assets including video, promos, BTS, and more and then seeding a paid campaign across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and other platforms drove over 40M impressions and over 1M unique site visits.  With an engaging influencer effort, we had an unheard of 50% full :30 trailer view and record-setting conversion with 4.6M followers.  Check out the recap video for more.

CASE STUDY #2
Utilizing social media and digital to support a larger-scale marketing campaign, we took to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms to drive awareness for former New Kids On The Block boy-band star Joey McIntyre's new series Return of The Mac.  To promote the show, we had a multi-city tour featuring meet-n-greets, in-store appearances with Comcast, and lots of media.  Utilizing NKOTB social fan groups, bloggers, micro and macro influencers, local radio, and other partners, we drove social media buzz with event pages, calendars, posts, tweets, videos, live streams, and other sharable assets.  Garnering millions of impressions via social media, the Return of the Mac tour was a huge hit.

CASE STUDY #3
On the Record with Mick Rock was an Ovation TV series that had the rock photographer dubbed "The Man who Shot The 70s" as the host of an artist-filled interview series.  In order to reach a younger crowd and make the show as relevant as possible, we created a social media video series "Minute with Mick" for our partner Verizon FiOS.  The goal was to engage followers in the classic debates of music including "best live performance," "best artist." and even a few age-old standard discussions like "Paul vs. John."  With a targeted push exceeding 10M impressions targeting a key FiOS demographic, dynamic graphics, music and quick-cut editing, partnering with social media influencers and music bloggers, and of course the larger-than-life Mick Rock, we exceeded all KPIs and drove viewership for the series by 1,600%  Social media can be an incredibly effective tool when done properly and as a marketer, the results I merchandise aren't just the likes, follows, or shares, but rather how we drove the bottom line for the company!

CASE STUDY #4
FX Networks' original series Light's Out starred Holt McCallany as former boxer Patrick 'Lights' Leary.  With the show centered around a possible comeback for the fictional boxing legend, we wanted to create a social media campaign that had everyone buzzing.  To create excitement, we engaged over 100 celebrities, media personalities, etc. to discuss Leary and his comeback as if the fictional character was doing everything in the real world from dating a Kardashian to attending a Super Bowl red carpet!  With celebrities like Drew Brees, Jordin Sparks, and George Lopez in on the stunt, we built significant social media traffic by "drafting" off of the celebrities' social followings, engaging their fan groups and high profile followers, and utilizing pop culture and lifestyle bloggers to seed the vignettes of talent discussing the character, we had the internet buzzing with a knock out campaign.

CASE STUDY #5
Pop TV (CBS) wanted to drive viewership for the original series Hollywood Darlings starring 90's child stars Jodie Sweetin, Christine Lakin, and Beverly Mitchell.  On the set of their promo shoot for Season 2, we engaged the cast to discuss their favorite childhood '90s toys growing up.  The combination of nostalgia and talent personality, combined with visibility gained from YouTube influencers, was the perfect formula to make the Hollywood Darlings YouTube campaign the highest network partnership effort YouTube TV had seen to date.

Integrated Marketing Campaigns

In The Surfer's Guide To Marketing we devote a significant amount of time for discussion around building a multiplatformed marketing camapign.  Utilizing mixed media including on-air, on-site, digital, social, bloggers/influencers, "Starfish" or talent, PR, and more, brands can create a fully interactive engagement that builds awareness, drives branding buzz, and enables fans to experience the brand first-hand.

Having created award-winning multi-city tours with entertainment properties for ABC, FOX, POP (CBS), DIRECTV, and others, I love to present case studies of how bringing talent to local markets and integrating various platforms can drive huge results!  And if you are on a "Pufferfish" budget (trying to make your brand look much bigger than the budget allows) then maybe a grass roots experinetial tour is right for you?

For our new series Return of the Mac starring New Kids On the Block's Joey McIntyre, we brought the NKOTB singer to multiple local markets and rode the wave of "Blockhead" fandemonium to promote the series.   To follow that up, we brought the cast of Hollywood Darlings, including former 90's child stars Jodie Sweetin, Christine Lakin, and Beverly Mitchell as part of the "Go Hollywood" tour where fans could meet the cast, get Hollywood makeovers, and much more.

Enjoy the recap videos and consider an interactive tour next time you paddle out!

THE SUPER (COLD) BOWL

With the big game coming up, its time to discuss how to create a successful marketing effort during the most cluttered event in America.  In The Surfer's Guide To Marketing, we devote an entire chapter called Big Waves to marketing efforts that are developed and activated around the most competitive environment.    Retail during the holidays, travel during the summer, and of course trying to promote your product or brand during the Super Bowl.

Just like last week's contest at Mavericks that featured a record swell, the bar is raised when the world is watching.  With 40-foot faces crushing surfers, it is not for the weak or those who are fearful.  The big stage is only for those with the skills (and guts) to drop in on a wall of water four stories tall.

Even Laird Hamilton doesn't 

always win on Big Waves

This year, with the game in New York, it's shaping up to be an interesting experiment.  The biggest stage in the biggest city in the world.  And with bad weather looming, there is a significant chance that the elements might make for a marketing disaster!  And it wouldn't be the first time.

Several years ago, when the Super Bowl was in Dallas, we were challenged with creating an interactive consumer experience for AT&T and ESPN.  We accounted for huge amounts of traffic, excited fans wanting to participate, star-power with celebrities, and we ensured we had everything we needed to make our clients happy.  But as I say in the book, sometimes it isn't IF something goes wrong, but WHEN!  And the Case Study below is taken from the book and just goes to show that even on days with Big Waves, where the stakes are high, the competition fierce, and Mother Nature is ready to throw you a curve, you can utilize the proven marketing tactics in the book to avoid a wipeout.

CASE STUDY

The Big Game

The biggest event in the United States every year is the Super Bowl.  As a marketer, it’s the big leagues in terms of scale, cost, and exposure (see the chapter on Big Waves).  Ad time in the game costs seven-figures for a thirty-second spot and sponsorship of various official Super Bowl elements are a huge investment.  So creating your own Super Bowl event that cuts through the clutter and stands out among literally hundreds of events is a costly and extensive undertaking.

So when our client wanted to be part of the action of the Super Bowl, they approached us with the ultimate opportunity to demonstrate our Barnacle philosophy and latch on to someone else’s huge efforts.  For Super Bowl XLV in Dallas, our mission was to create a presence for our client at the big game in Big D…. but without the hefty price tag or reasonable lead time.  After all, creating an engaging experience that competes with the biggest spectacle in sports without all of the pesky budget or months of preparation is what every marketing veteran lives for, right?  But as the saying goes, “Go big or go home.”

When our client’s major sports partner announced that they were going to be broadcasting all of their television and radio shows from a local mall in nearby Fort Worth, including all of their talent-filled programs, we took this as an opportunity to drive awareness and branding without having to reinvent the wheel and create the event itself.  This weeklong festival would attract hundreds of thousands of passionate fans and it was simply our job to carve out a place on the reef to get our share of plankton.  

So in an expedited manor, we secured space and created the Digital Living Room activation that accented the various broadcasts and events throughout the week.  Our interactive booth would allow fans to experience our outdoor living room complete with sofas, tables, chairs, rugs, multiple flat screens showing the network’s programming in HD and 3D, broadband displays, and tons of branded premiums all promoting how our client and its partnerships were the only option for sports fans.  Add to that our beautiful Brand Ambassadors and Starfish appearances from Hall of Fame RB Eric Dickerson, former All Pro RB Christian “The Nigerian Nightmare” Okoye, and three-time Super Bowl Champion Roger Craig and we had an attractive booth that held it’s own with the existing large-scale production.

While some brands spend millions creating their own Super Bowl event including the Bud Light Hotel, DIRECTV’s Beach Bash, and more, we were able to reach thousands of passionate Super Bowl fans attending the shopping center’s events as a complement to the host network.  While our Digital Living Room was a component of the bigger picture, we served as a supporting actor to the main event and even provided value-add to their experience.   And in so doing, saved our client significant dollars playing the role of the Barnacle attaching to the existing event and the crowds they generated.

Editors Note:  As mentioned previously, surfers are the ultimate optimists and make lemonade whenever presented with lemons.  So when the 2011 Dallas/Ft. Worth Super Bowl week was hit with “the storm of the century” including wind, snow, and -5 degree temperatures, our outdoor living room seemed like a disaster in the making.  But, a few quick adjustments (and several large space heaters later) our virtual living room became a shelter from the elements for the crazy fans that still braved the cold.  While we had to endure some good natured ribbing for the unfortunate circumstances (including comments that our living room was “just like the fan’s own homes…only with five inches of snow inside”, or people wanting to tell Christian Okoye to change his nickname to “The Siberian Nightmare”, we still exhausted our inventory of client literature and branded premiums representing the maximum quantity of impressions we were targeting!

Radio Interview On The MO SHOW

Here's the latest interview with author Randy Rovegno.  Click on the link and simply play the clip.  Randy comes in at the 20 minute mark.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/moradioshow/2013/09/04/mo-radio-show-on-sports

Purchase The Surfer's Guide To Marketing

The Surfer's Guide To Marketing is out just in time for summer!  Be sure to pick up your copy today.  It's an innovative, entertaining look at the various marketing tactics that have proven success.  From social media to celebrity integration, we cover everything small businesses and Fortune 500 companies utilize to drive their brand.

A few of the outlets to purchase the future best-seller include:

CreateSpace

Amazon

The Surfer's Guide To Marketing's Tips on Starfish

With Sergio Garcia making negative headlines this week, his sponsors are backpedaling faster than a ball on the slick green on 17!  The irony is that the target of his abuse is Tiger Woods, himself no stranger to having brands turn their back on a once-promising relationship.  Having worked with hundreds of celebrities ranging from using their likeness on packaging, filming on-air spots, event appearances, and more, I have insight into the proper selection and use of talent to drive your marketing needs.  In my new book, The Surfer's Guide To Marketing, I discuss celebrity engagements, or what I call the use of Starfish.  Here is an outline of considerations when deciding if you should engage celebrity talent, what person to best align with for your brand, and the best practices to leverage your relationship with the celeb.  

Every brand is different and requires a unique voice, positioning, and style.  You speak to unique audiences and segments so we need to ensure that we all understand there is no one surfboard for every condition.  The next star might not be the right star.  So let’s explore some of the criteria for adding a Starfish to your roster.

1) Define what your brand is and what you want to say.   Write a few key words that your brand would demonstrate if it was a human being.  Are your shoes cool, sleek, stylish?  Is your vacuum cleaner reliable, easy, and quiet?  Whatever your brand identity is, make a note of it.

2) Who are you targeting?  It's Marketing 101 but we need to identify if we are looking at an upscale, cerebral demo or a fanatical, face-painting everyman.  While certain big names transcend the brand, it makes sense to ensure that the ideal representative is identifiable with your target.  Sports fans want athletes but the same probably can't be said for a mom at the retail make-up counter.  Ensure you have the right demo in mind before trying to sign a name to speak to them.

3) Credibility.  Knowing that Starfish are human (did I just write that?!), we can start to target athletes or artists that have the similar characteristics as your brand or appeal to the demographic.  Similar to the chapter on Environmentalists, this association must be true and relevant.  Michael Jordan can promote Haines because he wears underwear (I’m assuming).  But would he be a good Head & Shoulders pitch man since he’s bald?  Probably best saved for Troy Polamalu and his flowing mane.  The credibility of the Starfish is key to persuading the consumer to follow the spokesman’s lead.  

There are two parts to credibility; the Starfish’s perceived honesty and probability.  The first is simple; would a consumer believe the spokesman?  Are they honest or at least appear to be honest?  If a convicted felon appears on TV and tells you the hamburger shop down the road is great, do you automatically believe him?  

The second-half of credibility is the consumer’s impression that the Starfish is an expert in his field and the brand they use is a factor.  Their perceived expertise or ability to excel in their field while possibly using said product is a key to the story.  Halle Berry is beautiful and she probably uses the makeup she promotes to get there.  Sergio's clubs are TaylorMade and as the tools of his trade, it's a logical connection.  It’s a capable story that the consumer can associate with.  Does the identity, credibility, and expertise of the brand and Starfish intertwine?  If so, highlight those names and continue.

Take the brand attributes and the human characteristics we’ve listed in Step 1 and Step 2 and start to list appropriate Starfish that could support both columns.  Don’t worry at this point about unique factors like cost, accessibility, etc.  We can eliminate those later.

4) Appeal.  In the most vapid, vain line in The Surfer’s Guide To Marketing... I ask if the Starfish is attractive?  While it’s a no-brainer to have a beautiful supermodel promote makeup and clothing, a pitchman must skew high on a physically attractive scale based on the most primitive laws of attraction.  I discuss how our Brand Ambassadors need to meet a level of criteria that includes physical appearance because countless consumer research has the targeted demographic responding more favorably to those who they rank higher on a scale of attractiveness.  

While there are exceptions to every rule (Ask anyone who knows my beautiful wife and wonders if I’m holding her hostage in our marriage) the rule of attraction, combined with credibility, and awareness form the basis for your Starfish.  Sergio may not be quite a looker himself but the more appealing a Starfish is, the more likely they will be received by the public.  How often does Tom Brady's "movie star" looks come into the conversation when discussing his endorsements?   Check your list, highlight the Starfish who are still on the roster and now you know who would be an ideal representative for your brand.

5) Reality.  Even though Hugh Jackman is your ideal representative and his looks, honesty, and multi-talented acting and singing abilities would make your restaurant or clothing line a huge hit, is it feasible?  Many Starfish are not inexpensive and there are “levels” that you need to stay within if you are a smaller company or brand.  An MLS soccer player in your market would still drive traffic at literally one-hundredth of the cost of getting Wolverine to appear.  After all the exploration of the right celebrity for your brand, there needs to be a realistic look at what you can afford and the logistics of using the Starfish.   Perhaps the national star or league MVP mirrors a similar type of player on your city’s team that will have a great impact.  Replacing an Oscar winner with a reality star might fit both your brand and budget.  Explore the limitations and see if your ideal Starfish is able to swim with your brand.

Once you have the ideal candidate to represent your brand, you need to establish the best way to leverage that relationship.  For an entire discussion on how to utilize a Starfish in your campaign, check out The Surfer’s Guide To Marketing.

Randy Rovegno is an award-winning marketer with LONGBOARD Marketing and his list of brands he has created celebrity engagements for include ESPN, NFL, FOX, AT&T, Upper Deck, ABC, and more.  He has worked with countless athletes and celebrities including Drew Brees, Wayne Gretzky, Ray Romano, and more.  His new book, The Surfer's Guide To Marketing is available this week and features a humorous look at marketing and demonstrates his proven techniques and tips via real-world case studies.  Follow The Surfer's Guide To Marketing  on Facebook.
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