Assignment Snapshot: Explain why people in the following roles should use social media – i.e. how would they benefit: Foreign news correspondent. Local beat editor. Photojournalist at TV News.
The All-Access Pass.
It’s kind of a right of passage when you become a journalist. Your photo is snapped. A number is assigned. A logo is embossed. You get your first badge. I remember my first badge with that beautiful, colorful NBC peacock. I felt like a bad-ass! (And don’t think I didn’t try to casually flash that sucker every time I could).
Then you grow up. You see a lot of things. You cover a lot of stories. The badge becomes a necessity, a lifeline, a key in and sometimes a one-way ticket to a swift exit. There are several reasons a foreign correspondent, a beat editor and a photojournalist should use social media but the greatest of all is access. It’s not just access TO the user/reader/viewer but it’s also access FOR the user/reader/viewer.
FOREIGN NEWS CORRESPONDENT
NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent is Richard Engel. I don’t know him personally but have interacted with him over the years in coverage and find him to be very sharp. His political views are worn on his sleeve at times and he is deemed controversial by many for his public comments on ISIS, Syria and the Middle East in general. He is very active on Twitter and truly worth a follow.
Foreign correspondents broaden perspective for their users by giving them access to places they can’t go. They both expose and enlighten. In the slide show below, you will see a small collection of Richard taking you to places (Everest) you may never see. Additionally, it’s an opportunity for the correspondent to get intimate and if necessary, defend their reporting. You may recall that Richard Engel was kidnapped in 2012 in Syria. In one of his tweets, he talks about that and adds the additional context of linking to his story:
While I can argue a case for social media and the foreign correspondent, I would much rather let the foreign correspondent do it himself! Below is a lengthy but fascinating segment on MSNBC with Richard Engel. In it he discusses what I believe is perhaps the greatest reason that foreign correspondents should use social media: they can affect change. He talks about the power of social media in the face of violent regimes among other things. It only strengthens the point that the foreign correspondent is able to give us access we’ve never had before.
We don’t really use beats in my current newsroom In fact, the beat is a bit of an outdated concept in most TV newsrooms I have been in. I was curious to see if the word “beat” would even come up in a basic google search with a semantic tie to a journalist. This is the result:
As you can see, it pulls from the concept of the police officer’s area of surveillance. There are reporters who naturally gravitate to certain areas they live in but the days of the crime beat, city hall beat and county beat seem to be behind us. The one beat that lives? The Political Beat.
The benefits for a local beat editor include all those mentioned above for the foreign correspondent but I would also add that for this person specifically, it’s a great resource. A local beat editor can narrow their focus, create lists of key influencers in their beat, follow and engage with local organizations and develop relationships. Social media give a local beat editor a multi-directional channel to talk with their users as well. This really applies to all but for local–it can become intimate because most of the time you are working where you live.
PHOTOJOURNALIST AT TV NEWS
When I first got into TV (and I do mean TV) I was working for my father on a magazine style show. It wasn’t journalism. It was infotainment. I learned by spending hours upon hours hanging out with the photographers/shooters. They were incredible. They could see things I never saw. They could look at a vast landscape or a person’s face in an ugly room and find the most beautiful shot possible. I became a sponge. I learned how to shoot, frame, iris up, iris down, rack focus and so on. I learned that a story isn’t much of a story without pictures. (is it any surprise the social media that performs the best is visual?) So I took this knowledge with me when I entered a newsroom, ever-vigilant that a good picture or a good piece of video will always add impact.
For everything I said above, photojournalists should be on social media. They typically are motivated by the visuals not just the facts. They see things others don’t see. They capture the moments that sometimes don’t require any words. They are promoters and advocates of journalism and take GREAT pride in what they do. I’m lucky in that I work with a lot of people who just *get* social media. Fortunately, some of them are photojournalists. I’ve captured two tweets below from Jim Zorn on Twitter and Erin Coker. Erin is just starting to develop her tweet chops but Jim speaks the language well and 99.9% of the time includes a photo.
One thing that hasn’t entered our newsroom yet but I believe should and will: Periscope. There is no one more primed to use that then the photojournalist. When they are on the scene they can live stream using their expert eye bringing people access to what matters. The other aspect of Periscope I like specifically for the photojournalist (and the foreign correspondent) is the ability to interact live in real-time with the viewer as things are happening. Viewers/users can ask questions and perhaps even steer coverage. It’s a whole different level of engagement.
EVERYONE
If you work in a newsroom, you are in the business of information dissemination. In this new media world we occupy, we all have the opportunity to tell stories any way we want. I’m a believer that everyone who works in this environment should be on social media: Producers, managers, photographers, digital staff, on-air talent and so on. Each person plays a role in the craft of storytelling and we all have something to offer the social discussion. We are the all-access pass only this one doesn’t require a velvet rope and a clipboard.
Assignment Snapshot: This post is an assignment for Social Media & News course for my Masters Degree program at the University of Florida. Below you will see the most shared media websites on Facebook and Twitter in January 2015 according to Newswhip. I am tasked with looking at relevant social media accounts and answering the following questions: What accounts for the successes in shares? Are there similarities in the ways posts are created? What are the key differences? What can you learn from the market leaders which you will put into practice?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We like to watch. As a human race, we are curious, visual-oriented creatures stimulated by images, video or anything that taps into our inner voyeur.
Another thing we like? *Me* We like anything that tells me something about me. Engages me. Showcases me. If you think that is just a millennial thing…think again. We’re all narcissists which is why social media works!
Despite our narcissism, Forbes tells us there is still a whole generation of us that wants to do good. Let me act. Let me engage. Let me fight. Let me be a change agent. Analyzing the social posts for the top two two sites in this data only reinforces all the above.
FACEBOOK
PlayBuzz has mastered the art of appealing to YOU! Just take a look at a handful of posts from this week:
As you can see the common thread is YOU. Not only do these posts tap your inner ego, they call you to action. The language is conversational, social, informal…and there’s eye candy to boot. PlayBuzz is pure fluff and I say that with no judgment. We all need a little mindless distraction and their numbers show, we aren’t alone. When it comes to what they do, they seem to only strike one note. Clearly that one note is a tune many want to hear though!
Huffington Post strikes a deeper chord but still manages to embody the three key things I mention above. Here’s a snap shot of some recent posts:
Police misconduct continues to rattle the United States from coast to coast. It resonates with many and Huff Po taps into that “Let me do something, let me be a change agent” aspect of social media that is so pervasive. Their language is a strong call to action and flat out states an opinion, “This is unacceptable.”
The “Lose Yourself” post is just a great example of viral video. In 3 hours, nearly 3500 shared this ASL interpreter bringing Eminem to a whole new level. (Who knew that was possible?)
Finally, you can’t go wrong with baby animals can you? All three of these posts are different topics, different visuals and possess different tones. They all appeal to emotion though. They all seek to engage and connect with YOU.
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TWITTER
BBC’s Twitter page is what I would call a parent tweet account. They essentially use it to Retweet the best of all BBC properties. Even in that, they manage to speak the right language and strike the right note. Take a look:
In this slide show, I captured the account’s first two tweets. Right off the bat, BBC didn’t miss a beat by capitalizing on conversational, every day tone: “Hello. Is this on? Brilliant. 1.4K shares worth of brilliant. Then they explain their accounts mission with Tweet #2. It would have been so easy to do that with Tweet #1. They didn’t. Stroke of genius.
The retweet of the BBC Radio scrabble piece continues to capture the vernacular and tone of the modern day tweeter. It presents a softer, funnier side of BBC letting its hair down. I mean come on! – When do you expect to hear the BBC saying ‘Fo shizzle!” Stroke of genius part two.
Finally, the appeal to YOU and the use of video in the third tweet is yet another simple way to engage.
The New York Times proves you can be a top-notch news organization and still get your social on:
The “here’s what you need to know” concept to start your day is not a new one. You see it online, on TV and hear it on the radio. So what makes this tweet effective? I think it’s the photo. The Freedom Tower’s One World Observatory opened to the public today. The picture is slightly point of view and it’s a place that everyone has some connection to, even if you haven’t set foot in New York.
I grabbed the multi-tasking tweet because in and of itself, it’s nothing special. There is no visual. It doesn’t speak to YOU perse. I can’t help but read it though and in 40 minutes it received 44 retweets. Without directly using “you” in the language, the question appeals to the text and driver in all of us. It appeals to the professional in us that executes conference calls we do during the morning commute. I also think that it drives to a little core fear. I’m a mom. The last thing I want is some company saying it’s safe to multitask behind the wheel. Yep, New York Times– you got me. I’m clicking.
Finally, you had me at “a whole lot of crazy.” Then you kept me for good with that UNREAL notebook picture. You spoke to me in a language I can hear and gave me something different to look at.
So what can be learned?
It’s really simple. Talk with your audience, not at them. Ask them to do something either for themselves or for another. If you can find that sweet spot that is all about me with a cause then you have struck gold. Make your people feel something. Give them something to dance to (Eminem), smile at (baby puppies) or get angry at (police misconduct). In other words: Move Me.
Oh…and include something for the eyes: an infographic, pretty art, a video or when all else fails… a selfie.
At the risk of sounding old, I took typing in high school. Yes, typing on an actual typewriter. There were computers but I went to an underfunded religious school so typing class was taught on this thing we call a typewriter.
I also remember walking in to my first television newsroom and seeing a teleprompter with a coiled roll of paper and a giant print press under it. We didn’t use it but the fact that it sat in a key position in the newsroom told me its days didn’t precede me by much.
Yep, that’s me. Courtesy of a really cool Google cam at ONA 2014 in Chicago
I also remember creating my Twitter account at CNN in 2008.
I’m fortunate enough to be in a prime spot in my career with a balance of just enough appreciation of where we came from and just enough understanding of where we are going. I’ve heard many colleagues refer to social media as the great disrupter in the newsroom. While that may be true, it still doesn’t change what my chief responsibility as journalist is. Tell you a story.
So about that great disruption? Here are 7 insights for survival:
Digital First Mobile First won’t just be a suggestion, it will be reality Digital first is a very popular expression in television newsrooms these days but very few are truly thinking and doing this way. In order to survive, television newsrooms must not only become digital first by year’s end, they have to think mobile. Consider this from Pew Research Center: 64% of American adults own a smartphone, up from 35% in 2011. Of those, 68% use their phone at least occasionally to follow along with breaking news events, with 33% saying that they do this frequently. 67% use their phone to share pictures, videos, or commentary about events happening in their community, with 35% doing so frequently. 56% use their phone at least occasionally to learn about community events or activities, with 18% doing this “frequently. Any questions?
It’s not a news network, it’s a brand and not all will survive
I have a pretty obnoxious title: Sr. Managing Editor: Broadcast, Digital & Social. My job didn’t exist 6 months ago. It was proposed by me in collaboration with my employer Meredith Corporation, specifically the Atlanta CBS affiliate. They were looking for a traditional Managing Editor. The problem with that is local newsrooms need to take a page from the marketer’s notebook. We are in the business of content distribution. We must evolve beyond the broadcast box into multiple platforms and speak the native languages. Get on board or prepare to sink. I work in a market where the advertising dollar available to television stations is decent but completely hoarded by one dominant station. There are four TV stations in this media market. In 5 years, there will only be two…and this story will play out across markets nationwide. The key to those left standing? Become a brand, not just a place that does TV News.
Forget Engagement Try Marriage
See point 2. Read again. This goes hand in hand. It’s not just a pretty ring and a promise. To become a successful brand, you have to understand that being a slave to Nielsen overnight ratings is a thing of the past. Gone are the days when we told you what was going on and you passively listened. Yet we still program like this is the case. We have to be where the people are. In sickness and in health. For rich or for poor, ‘til the next evolution do we part. I know when I woke up today, I was on Facebook on my phone before my feet hit the floor. I’m not alone.
ReadTell Show me a story
Video. Video. Video. Sites that haven’t will soon redesign to become all video, all the time. Take a look at your Facebook or Twitter feed. How far before you see a video? Instagram? Tumblr? Even Snapchat is completely built around a shared visual experience. We shoot video, we share video, we stream live video. Let’s face it people: We like to watch! Where there is demand, there will be a supply and the good news for the bean counters — it’s where the money is.
Me
You think it’s all about me now? Just wait. It’s only going to be more about me. Why? Because I don’t need you. I already tailor my social feeds to the sources I want and I’m not born of the generation that only knows digital. I watch my toddler with my iPad and then watch her interact with the rest of the world. She gets pretty miffed when the PBS logo at the bottom of the television screen doesn’t respond to her touch. My point? We are looking at a generation coming up that gets what they want, when they want and how they want it. (Thank you Steve Jobs). Learn how to program the “me” channel now.
REST IN PEACE
As we move forward at the speed of tweet, it is time to acknowledge the pending time of death on two journalism institutions.
Walter who?
I’m a Tom Brokaw kid. If you don’t know who that is, I don’t want to hear it. At one point, he signaled bed time and I would run and hide. Then he became a voice of comfort and authority in a changing and sometimes scary world. Why the world may still need the Tom Brokaws is another article altogether but the bottom line is…the anchor as we know it will soon be dead.
Frank Rich wrote a compelling piece for New York Magazine last month on what he dubbed an “inane institution”. In A Dumb job he writes, “No doubt some Americans of a certain age may still turn their lonely eyes to a patriarchal television anchor during a national disaster, but many more will be checking their phones.” By the time my 3 year-old is 10, the anchor will be nothing but a memory. Personality and emotional resonance replaces authority. People want and crave deeper relationship in an over-connected world and the person sitting on high, delivering information we already know is unnecessary and perhaps even insulting.
The death of appointment news aka the evening TV newscast
I’m calling it. By 2025, the network evening newscast will go the way of the typewriter, the evening edition and that paper-filled teleprompter from my first newsroom: to a museum.
It can be summed up by something I heard just this evening while watching the NBA playoffs. LeBron James sealed the win on Game 3 for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Atlanta Hawks. It was in overtime and the game was a battle. He fell to the floor as the buzzer blew. He stayed there on all fours. Exhausted. Emotionally spent. It was a sight to see. The old-school commentator said, “This will be a photo that will be all over the place in tomorrow morning’s news. I laughed and thought, “tomorrow morning? Try 5 minutes!” If there is no demand, there will be no supply. In short, there will be no demand for an evening newscast once a certain generation is gone. That time is coming. Coming fast.
NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS
From the oldest book to the classic rock song, we know there is a time for everything under the heavens. A time for the typewriter. A time for the newspaper. A time for the network newscast. That time will soon pass. While social media may in fact be the great disrupter, I would offer it is only in method.
At the end of the day, a good story is a good story. From hieroglyphics in caves to ink on paper to the printing press to radio to television, we are born to tell our stories. We all need our *once upon a time* to make us feel something.
I still have a typewriter. I also wear an Apple Watch and can tweet at the speed of light (ok, slight exaggeration). My point? It’s a journalist’s responsibility to appreciate where we’ve come from, to know where we are going, and to understand that in the end, it’s about the story. We just have to continue figuring out how to tell show it.
I remember the day back in 2005 quite vividly. I was working for the NBC affiliate in Phoenix as an Executive Producer. I walked in as I normally do every day and went straight to my desk. When I arrived, I saw it covered in AP wire copy. Yes! Clearly something important was upon us if my desk sit covered in printed wire copy.
My colleagues were highly amused but if you Google Kelly Frank today–that is what you will find. That…and apparently I am one hell of a professional team mascot! So much so—I teach other mascots how to shake, shimmy and do their silly string thing without getting canned.
Now clearly I am not a criminal or a professional mascot (although the latter would be pretty cool!) All kidding aside though, being aware of who you “are” out in the digital landscape is crucial. It doesn’t take much for an employer, prospective employer, friend, boyfriend, wife or colleague to find out what you left in your online wake. Luckily I am very tuned in to this. I knew what I would find when I googled myself because I do it often. I also set Google alerts to my name. I work in a high-profile field where your reputation isn’t just about you–it’s about the network you represent. I take that very seriously.
Now that I am married, I use Kelly Frank Green and I am happy to say…no celebrity stalking or mascot twerking to speak of. Googling Kelly Frank Green yielded exactly what I thought: my social media library. Here’s a brief slide show:
Aside from my social media footprint, there is the expected search services and directories to find “Kelly Frank Green”. I also looked through the search results that came up under News, Shopping, Video and Images. Video revealed my vine account and a “day in the life” video shoot at CNN. It was for an event for my alma mater:
The Images search results were a mix of pictures I took, posted or pinned along with some that have nothing to do with me:
Googling my email address produced similar results. The findings only extended about three-quarters of the page whereas my name went into a second page of results. This surprised me a little in that I use this Gmail account for many things. Clearly it is very public if I have it on this blog and it is associated with all my social media.
I also looked at the News, Images, Shopping and Videos for these findings as well. No news on News is good news! There was nothing under Shopping or Videos. The Images results were similar to those under my name. Interestingly enough, classmate Angela Cook came up “below the fold as you can see below. We are friends on Google+ and that seems to bump up her ranking! (Oh Google…you do like yourself!)
Googling yourself is a good practice to keep every month or so. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living, reputation management is something we should all take seriously. So stalk yourself now and then. Check profiles from the “public” point of view. Check in on what various groups see or what lists you are on. It’s important…you never know when you will find you are a twerking, silly string-slinging mascot or worse…a celebrity-stalking convicted felon.
The experience above is chronicled for my Web Research Methods class for the University of Florida Masters Degree program specializing in Social Media. As always…this exercise is purely academic.
If I were writing the story of BullHorn Media, that is how I would begin. Today’s consumer is savvy. They don’t want to be over-marketed, under-sold and spinned. They want an authentic experience but they want to know they are in the hands of experts. They want personal attention with professional results. BullHorn Media is uniquely positioned to do just that.
BullHorn Media is twenty plus years of experience in videography, production, design and story-telling. It is the brain child of Mark and Lisa LeGrand with roots dating back to the early 90s. What started out as a husband and wife team capturing love stories flourishes decades later as a full-service production company serving corporate clientele. Don’t let the humble beginning dissuade you. It shows what hard work can do.
One of the visionaries behind BullHorn Media is an award-winning craftsman. Mark LeGrand has been repeatedly recognized for his talent and creativity in editing and video production. What makes Mark excel is his never-ending desire to learn in an ever-changing technology driven world. He has a thorough understanding of the latest equipment ensuring your desires are not only met but exceeded.
The people of BullHorn Media do not have a “been there, done that” attitude. Each project is unique. Every client is an original. BullHorn Media leads the way because the minds behind it understand vision comes from never settling. BullHorn Media takes pride in your event the same way you do. Whether it is a black tie affair for a thousand or a convention for three thousand or an intimate speaker series for executives, BullHorn Media will amplify your image to the level you seek.
Bullhorn Media has the experience. BullHorn Media has the tools. BullHorn Media has the technology.
You may be thinking, “Yea…but so do the other guys!”
True. They probably do. What they don’t have though…is the personal touch.
BullHorn Media is designed to give each client a unique attention often missing in today’s world. They are with you from inception to completion. This one-on-one philosophy is a core value of BullHorn Media and they stand by it. It’s who they are. Amplified.
BullHorn Media is unique in that it can provide services to a wide variety of clientele. It’s target audience is anyone looking for that extra-added wow factor that only comes with a personal touch including but not limited to:
Small private or public businesses in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
Professional Associations in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
Non-Profit Organizations in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
Leadership and Training Organizations in and around or traveling to Orlando, Florida
Convention and Meeting Planners
BullHorn Media can:
shoot your commercial
recap that special leadership event you worked so hard to imagine
capture that perfect tutorial for your audience
enliven your marketing material to a new visual level
memorialize that special key-note address for those who could not make it…or those who just want to live it again
The BullHorn Media target audience is technologically savvy, forward-thinking and evolutionary but appreciates the quiet values of originality, authenticity and story-telling.
Interviews, speaker series, event summaries, meeting recordings, conventions, conferences & fundraisers…it’s not about the size, it’s about the personal touch. Amplified.
Why use an Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy?
BullHorn Media is in the business of image but there is nothing surface about their service. People need to know that.
Who wants to be a king without a kingdom?
The purpose of this Integrated Marketing Communications proposal is to provide recommendations on how to reach new customers while maintaining brand voice, brand vision, brand value and message.
Let’s be real. Small businesses are often resource-challenged. That’s why IMC is a friend. Marketing guru and social media influencer Steve Olenski constantly writes about Integrated Marketing in Forbes. No, wait…Correction: He preaches and rants! Question the method if you want, but not the message. It is solid. He’s a believer in IMC and wants everyone to get on board.
In one of his latest offerings, Olenksi points out that a recent study revealed 65% of marketers are not giving consumers what they want. 65%! So that tells me that 65% of businesses are NOT giving customers what they want.
To capture the personal touch and one-on-one experience core to their values, BullHorn Media must understand what their customer wants. There is a lot of noise coming at all of us non-stop. People don’t have to search far to find what they are looking for. BullHorn Media needs to be a part of the conversation.
Or settle for being part of the 65%.
Companies are still operating in silos. Integrating the message of BullHorn Media to a solid, consistent and defined brand makes it easier (and cost-effective) to spread your reach to the channels your customers live and work in.
BullHorn Media must live where their customer lives.
BullHorn Media must listen to their customer.
Only then, can BullHorn Media rise above the noise.
Integrating your marketing accomplishes just what you seek to provide: AN AMPLIFIED IMAGE.
Creating an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan can be overwhelming when you read a proposal like the one I have presented. (Especially when it is accompanied by a dozen others!) Don’t let it be. Once you get the structure in place it can be very rewarding and even fun to keep the content going. Most important though, it’s worth it. Your customers are out there and on these channels. You need to be where they are to stay relevant.
You have a business with brand message: Amplify Your Image. When that is your brand message, you need to walk the walk.
Week 9 Assignment Snapshot: Plan the hypothetical posts for Disney’s Magic Kingdom social media pages (Facebook & Twitter). –the theme park, not the overall Disney brand – for the month of August 2014.
“There’s so much that we share, that it’s time we’re aware, it’s a small world after all…” That song is one from my childhood. I grew up in Anaheim Hills, California. That made me a very lucky girl because I was in the shadow of Disneyland. “It’s a Small World” was a childhood lullaby.
Perhaps because I grew up near Disneyland or because my travels never took me there, I have never been to Disney World, Magic Kingdom or any of the parks that encompass this childhood (or the child in all of us) wonder. That makes this blog particularly interesting because it is one of discovery.
So if you are like me, you may need your bearings first. How about a little tour of Magic Kingdom 2014?
We have a couple of goals this month for our Magic Kingdom Social Channels. First, we are making August the month of the Hashtag. With Google now allowing hashtag search we want to capitalize and use #MagicKingdom every day in August. Keeping our calendar of events in mind, we are organizing a hashtag theme each day of the week:
#MondayMeet&Greet~ To capitalize on our many meet and greets with the faces of Disney, we want to pump up participation this month.
#TuesdayTours ~ Every Tuesday in August we will showcase a tour available at the Magic Kingdom.
#WildWednesday~ We’ll use Wednesdays to showcase our fantastic rides.
#TBT~ It is already a popular hashtag, why shouldn’t the Magic Kingdom get in on the action? We’ll share a classic image and ask people to share their Magic Kingdom Memories.
#FantasylandFriday~ Since we just made some big changes to Fantasyland, we will showcase something from Fantasyland each Friday.
#SavingsSaturday~ We will offer special discounts each Saturday for a certain window of time. It will only be posted on Twitter and Facebook so park patrons will need to log in to see what the offer is.
#SundayFunDay~ Show us your Sunday Funday. We will walk around with Mickey Mouse taking pictures and posting them on Facebook and Twitter each Sunday in August with #SundayFunDay. We encourage park patrons to do the same using #SundayFunDay. Below you will see mock examples of what #SundayFunDay could be.
Friday, August 1
Summer’s winding down but it’s still hot! Parents need a break while your kids play? Let them blow off some refreshing steam atCasey Jr. Splash’N’Soak #FantasylandFriday #MagicKingdom
Need to blow off steam? At least make it refreshing! Come beat the heat and CHILL: Casey Jr. Splash’N’Soak#FantasylandFriday #MagicKingdom
Saturday, August 2
Welcome to August! Each Saturday we will be offering a discount on Facebook and Twitter. Log in and save! Today you receive 10% off the price of admission when you buy your theme park ticket between 2pm and 4pm. Mention#SavingsSaturday #MagicKingdom
Receive 10% off price of admission when you buy your park ticket between 2p and 4pm. Mention #SavingsSaturday #MagicKingdom
Sunday, August 3
Mickey Mouse found the Millers from Saginaw going Mad Tea Party in the all new Fantasyland #SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom —INSERT PHOTO TAKEN OF THE MILLER FAMILY RIDING THE MAD HATTER— Show us your #SundayFunDay!
The Green Family of Atlanta getting their Captain Jack on! #PiratesLeague #SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom— Show us your #SundayFunDay! —INSERT PHOTO OF GREEN FAMILY AT THE PIRATES LEAGUE ATTRACTION—
Monday, August 4
Ever wonder what the main Mouse is doing backstage? Now’s your chance to find out. Come meet Mickey at Town Square Theater while he works on his tricks. The best magic happens when you give him a hug! #MondayMeet&Greet #MagicKingdom:
Watch him pull a rabbit right out of his hat! Come meet Mickey Mouse backstage at Town Square Theater#MondayMeet&Greet #MagicKingdom
Tuesday, August 5
Are you a super sleuth at heart? Then the Family Magic Tour is for you! This ain’t your momma’s tour! Gather clue after clue in this awesome, interactive adventure through the Magic Kingdom. Sign up today! #TuesdayTours#MagicKingdom
50% Guided Tour 50% Scavenger Hunt 100% Awesome See Magic Kingdom like never before-Disney’s Family Magic Tour#TuesdayTours #MagicKingdom
Wednesday, August 6
Magic Kingdom is many things but some…it is about the rides! All month long, we’re taking you on a ride through your favorites. We kick off our first #WildWednesday with Space Mountain! (You want a fast pass? Skip to 3:14!)
It’s#WildWednesday Each Weds in August we take you for a ride on one of your favorites! Hello Space Mountain! #MagicKingdom
***Video will be posted on our Facebook page. We will push Twitter followers through a link to Facebook. The bold text (non-hashtag) is where the link will be.
Thursday, August 7
It’s a Small World – October 1971
Getting in on the Throwback action! Share your Magic Kingdom Memories. Check out 1971.
#TBT #MagicKingdom
We all have our Magic Kingdom Memories. Share Yours! #TBT #MagicKingdom
Toll Plaza at the Magic Kingdom, January 1972
Friday, August 8
If you want to dine with Cinderella and her princess friends, act now. The Royal Table will be closing soon for a little renovation! You can still dine like royalty between now and January 2015 ~ Details here: Cinderella’s Royal Table #FantasylandFriday #MagicKingdom
Act now before it’s too late! Cinderella’s kitchen closes soon!Cinderella’s Royal Table#FantasylandFriday #MagicKingdom
Saturday, August 9
20% off any item $50 or more at Big Top Souvenirs in Fantasyland between 4p and 6pm Mention #SavingsSaturday #MagicKingdom
20% off any item $50 or more at Big Top Souvenirs in Fantasyland between 4p and 6pm Mention#SavingsSaturday #MagicKingdom
Sunday, August 10
Joe Frank from Columbus, Ohio getting his haircut and working on the High Notes at the Harmony Barber Shop! Hey! He’s not a professional?! #SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom —Show us your #SundayFunDay! —INSERT PHOTO OF JOE WITH MICKEY GIVING HIM A TRIM–
Who needs Tom Cruise? Craig McMillan of California satisfied his need for speed! #SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom Show us your #SundayFunDay –INSERT PHOTO OF CRAIG PUTTING TAKING HIS HELMET OFF POST DRIVE
Did you know there is an entire underground beneath the Magic Kingdom? Tunnels and hidden places used for all kinds of interesting things while you walk above on your Disney adventure. Now you can explore these hidden gems:Keys to the Kingdom Tour #TuesdayTours #MagicKingdom
Know what a Utilidor is? It’s a big Disney secret and one you can see for yourself:Keys to the Kingdom Tour #TuesdayTours #MagicKingdom
Wednesday, August 13
It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears, it’s a world of hopes and a world of fears. It’s also a world with cool HD cams which is why we can bring you this week’s #WildWednesday ride: It’s a Small World! #MagicKingdom
No trip to Magic Kingdom is complete without THIS. It IS a small world after all.#WildWednesday #MagicKingdom
***Video will be posted on our Facebook page. We will push Twitter followers through a link to Facebook. The bold text (non-hashtag) is where the link will be.
Thursday, August 14
Tomorrowland 1971
Taking you back to 1971 – Share your Tomorrowland memories! #TBT #MagicKingdom
Actress Amber Riley – 2010
It’s Thursday, time to tap your photo archives! Share your #TBT memories! #MagicKingdom
Friday, August 15
Ready for a concert for the ears AND eyes? Donald Duck is ready to be your guide…just grab your Opera Glasses and join us for a concert experience like no other: Mickey’s PhilharMagic #FantasylandFriday #MagicKingdom
What has a 150ft wraparound screen & 3D magic? Mickey’s PhilharMagicSee & sing classics like never before#FantasylandFriday #MagicKingdom
Saturday, August 16
Free drink with purchase of $10 or more at Columbia Harbor House in Liberty Square between 11a – 12p Mention#SavingsSaturday #MagicKingdom
Free drink with purchase of $10 or more at Columbia Harbor House in Liberty Square 11a -12p Mention#SavingsSaturday #MagicKingdom
Sunday, August 17
Sisters Avery & Grace from Florida didn’t make it through the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular but Mickey snapped this photo with them…bet they are having sweet dreams! #SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom —Show us your #SundayFunDay —INSERT PHOTO OF MICKEY SITTING BEHIND THE TWO SLEEPING GIRLS
Progress report looks good for the O’Harra family of Indiana#SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom – Show us your #SundayFunDay —INSERT PHOTO OF THE FOURSOME ON THE CAROUSEL OF PROGRESS–
Monday, August 18
We all have gadgets and gizmos aplenty, but not like Ariel’s! Come meet the Little Mermaid at her Grotto and be a part of her world! #MondayMeet&Greet #MagicKingdom:
They once hauled sugar cane in Mexico…that is until Disney Scouts spotted them in 1969. Want exclusive access to the 4 antique steam trains before the Magic Kingdom opens?The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour #TuesdayTours #MagicKingdom
Loco 4 locomotives? Exclusive access to Disney’s Water-Powered Work Horses! Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour#TuesdayTours #MagicKingdom
Wednesday, August 20
“Send us a message from somewhere BEYOND!”#Wild Wednesday brings you The Haunted Mansion
#MagicKingdom
Before there was Blair Witch Project, there was THIS #WildWednesday #MagicKingdom
***Video will be posted on our Facebook page. We will push Twitter followers through a link to Facebook. The bold text (non-hashtag) is where the link will be.
Thursday, August 21
Christmas at the Magic Kingdom
It’s hot out there people! Let’s beat the summer heat with a little Christmas in August. Share your holiday memories from the Magic Kingdom! #TBT #MagicKingdom
Cinderella gets ready at the Magic Kingdom – 1971
Did you ever come in your princess best to the Magic Kingdom? What about your kids? Share your #TBT best dressed! #MagicKingdom
Friday, August 22
Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! RESERVE before you go! Are you ready to rock around like never before? All aboard the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It’s open for business in the New Fantasyland!#FantasylandFriday #MagicKingdom:
15% off 2 tickets to the Family Magic Tour when you buy 4 for a tour TODAY Mention #SavingsSaturday #MagicKingdom
15% off 2 tickets to the Family Magic Tour when you buy 4 for a tour TODAY Mention #SavingsSaturday #MagicKingdom
Sunday, August 24
It’s the place to be this summer if you can catch the train. Looks like the Bognar’s from Boston made it to the station on time. The threesome talked Mickey into going for a ride on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train! (It wasn’t too hard to convince him!) #SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom –Show us your #SundayFunDay — INSERT PHOTO OF THE BOGNAR FAMILY WAVING FROM THE TRAIN WITH MICKEY
It’s 3pm, do you know where your kids are? They’re HERE! #SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom —INSERT PHOTO TAKEN AT PARADE
Monday, August 25
Let your hair down with Rapunzel! Make your dreams come true with Cinderella! No ball gown needed at Princess Fairytale Hall but Glass Slippers Optional! #MondayMeet&Greet #MagicKingdom:
Are you a history buff that loves all things Disney? Would you like the chance to enter Magic Kingdom before anyone else does? Go on a 3 hour journey through time and meet the man behind the mouse:Walt Disney: Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour #TuesdayTours #MagicKingdom
Summer may be winding down but the heat is still ridiculous! Forget the sprinklers, the pool’s been done. You want to beat the heat? Take our raft for a spin.
#WildWednesday brings you Splash Mountain! #MagicKingdom
Forget the pool. The Beach is dull. THIS is the only way to beat the heat. #WildWednesday #MagicKingdom
***Video will be posted on our Facebook page. We will push Twitter followers through a link to Facebook. The bold text (non-hashtag) is where the link will be.
Thursday, August 28
Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco – 2013
Have you celebrated a big occasion at the Magic Kingdom? Share them with us #TBT celebration-style! #MagicKingdom
Magic Kingdom is the place to celebrate. Share with us your #TBT occasion! #MagicKingdom
The Magic Kingdom Under Construction! Our #TBT from 1971 is a reason to celebrate ~ 43 years of memories!
Friday, August 29
You can become part of the story. “Deep in the depths of Magic Kingdom park lies a legendary world—New Fantasyland—that’s been long hidden from our view by a curse. It’s a place where mermaids sing, beauties tell tales, beasts roar and elephants fly. To discover—and break—the curse on New Fantasyland, visit Finding Fantasyland#FantasylandFriday #MagicKingdom
You think you know Fantasyland? You don’t know the NEW Fantasyland. Now you can experience it from home!#FantasylandFriday #MagicKingdom
Saturday, August 30
Be Our Guest for dinner mention#SavingsSaturday between 8p & 9p for 10% off your meal #MagicKingdom
Be Our Guest for dinner mention#SavingsSaturday between 8p & 9p for 10% off your meal #MagicKingdom
Sunday, August 31
Mickey was a little starstruck in Frontierland today and the Country Bear Jamboree were a little nervous! Country stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw brought their family by for a little jam session! #SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom —Show us your #SundayFunDay–INSERT PHOTO OF TIM MCGRAW, FAITH HILL AND KIDS WITH MICKEY-
A tutorial in progress??Look who Mickey found at the Country Bear Jamboree – Faith, Tim & Family! #SundayFunDay #MagicKingdom –INSERT PHOTO OF TIM MCGRAW, FAITH HILL AND KIDS WITH MICKEY-
Week 9 Assignment Snapshot: Plan the hypothetical posts for Disney’s Magic Kingdom social media pages (Facebook & Twitter) –the theme park, not the overall Disney brand – for the month of August 2014. This is just a reminder that everything above this is hypothetical. I did reference the Magic Kingdom calendar so some of these events are accurate or may align with the Disney information. This post is in no way affiliated with Magic Kingdom or any of the Walt Disney World properties. It is an assignment for the University of Florida Masters Program in Social Media. If you would like to know what is going on at Walt Disney World just click here!
Just For Fun: In this week’s Just For Fun, I take you back to my childhood. I mentioned at the top of this blog that I grew up in the shadow of Disneyland. My favorite ride was Big Thunder Mountain. Here is a little journey through Big Thunder Mountain! (fast forward to :44 if you just want to get to the ride):
(Assignment Snapshot: Pick an industry you are interested in and review an industry-related social network. Give details, target audience, how it works, overall thoughts, could it incorporate proximity marketing, what other channels work well with it as it relates to IMC)
Are you zany for zombies?
Perhaps you feel a higher calling and wonder if heaven is in your future?
Industry-related social networks or vertical social networks are not new but they are growing in popularity. They allow people to interact with professionals (or like-minded thinkers) and focus on news and events that have a direct affect on their lives. This is why some argue these sites are less distracting than regular social networks. (BBR Marketing)
“Wine is sunlight held together by water” Galileo Gallilei
So that brings us to my slight wine addiction. Ok, It’s not really a wine addiction literally…it’s more like a hobby. For the better part of 10 years, I have been collecting wine. I jokingly tell my friends it will be my back-up 401k should the market ever tank and it is not because I own ridiculously high-priced bottles. I’ve just been collecting for over a decade so where there are gaps in quality, there is quantity!
I stumbled upon Snooth when I was looking for a way to label and log my wine. I don’t use it often but do gravitate to it when I want to know something about a wine. I have watched it develop into a wine lover’s social network since its inception in 2006. It is now the largest online wine community with over 1 million registered users. Snooth is part of Snooth Media based in New York City. It identifies itself as a technology-driven media company delivering wine, spirits and food content to epicurean consumers. Its two other properties are What’s Cookin and The Spirit. (CrunchBase)
Why It’s Important
It’s wine…need I say more?
All kidding aside. Wine connoisseurs are passionate. They like to talk wine and compare notes. Wine can also be intimidating. This is a forum for everyone. In fact, that’s why it was created.
Phillip James launched Snooth with one goal in mind: making wine info clear, accessible and freely available. The idea came to him when he began working in the wine industry and realized just how complex wine was. To quote him, “If even the most seasoned wine collectors could become confused, what hope was there for the casual wine lover?” (Snooth Facebook page)
How It Works
For all of wine’s complexity, the network is pretty simple and it has something for everyone.
The Snooth Experience
The beginner can take a Wine 101 and learn about grapes, regions, what to expect from each and the vernacular of wine.
Want to become a student of wine?
Snooth is loaded with features including recipes, a search tool to find wines, a portal to buy wines from trusted buyers, an online community where one can write and read reviews, access peers, mentors and experts, explore wine pairings and research wine-focused travel experiences. It’s very easy to use as well. Simply go to Snooth and create an account. You can make your profile elaborate or simple. Snooth will also personalize your experience and recommend wines based on the tastes you indicate. You can also opt in on email like the ones below featuring tutorials, recipes, great buys and more:
Learn from the best…
Study wine-growing regions…
Explore timely recipes…
More on the Social Experience
In addition to the online community forum on Snooth, you can follow friends and compete for trophies inside your very own wine rack. The more you participate in the wine community, the more you are rewarded. In your personalized wine rack, you can save articles to your library, add wines to your cellar, create a wishlist, build wine flights and share through social buttons to Facebook and Twitter. Snooth uses a trophy system very similar to the badge system found on Foursquare.
The wine rack can also be personalized. Notice the bottom of the rack.
Target Audience
The days of snooty wine drinkers are fast becoming a thing of the past. The millennials are changing all that:
“Historically, wine has been marketed to older generations and came with a huge pretense. But this generation is blowing all of that out of the water, they don’t care about the pretentiousness of a wine they want something that is authentic and speaks to them. This is a huge marketing opportunity.”(Kathryn Buschman Vasel)
– Melissa Saunders, owner of Communal Brands
Take a look at these two graphics. They speak volumes.
Millennials are adopting wine at a faster rate than any other generation. They have very little brand loyalty because they love to experiment. “In terms of marketing to millennials, this audience prefers authentic experiences and hip, modern packaging and due to their use of social media, they rely on word of mouth recommendations from their friends rather than from industry professionals.” (Neeraj Singh) This is where Snooth is positioned to dominate. Two years ago, the site was already seeing 10 million unique visitors a month! (Robin Valenzuela)
Proximity Marketing
I don’t think that Snooth is the best candidate for proximity marketing because it doesn’t really need it by the nature of what it is. It is not a brick and mortar store…it’s an online service. People come to talk about wines. People come to research and people do come to buy. Snooth though just curates the best deal and redirects you to the merchant selling it. It’s an online transaction.
Our lecture this week tells us that “Proximity marketing offers marketers the opportunity to promote brands to highly targeted, on-location audiences.” While Snooth doesn’t have a physical on-location spot where they sell wine, they could “proximity market” at wine festivals, restaurants with good wine lists, on wine tours and at vineyards.
Where Snooth capitalizes on what they call “location aware” opportunities is with their awesome app. It features a tool where you can discover wine stores near you, check out what they have and ideally, buy! You can even interact with management.
Find a store near you on the Snooth App
Speaking of location-based apps, the Snooth headquarters in New York City can be found on Foursquare so if you happen to be near 49 West 24th Street, check in! I bet they would be willing to pour you a glass.
IMC, Social Channels and Content Communities
Snooth itself is part of a larger media company as I mentioned earlier. The other two sites focus on cocktails and food ~ a perfect pair to compliment a wine-centric social network. The recipes you see on Snooth, you will also see on What’s Cookin, wine pairings on What’s Cookin will send you towards Snooth. So within their own properties they integrate marketing.
Snooth is also on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. They prominently feature social share buttons “above the fold” and their mission, overall look, font and imagery is the same across all these platforms:
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A Stand out? Overall Thoughts?
I do think Snooth is a stand out when it comes to the wine industry. It’s founder set out to make wine accessible and that is exactly what he did.
Cellar Tracker is another big wine community. It’s a strong one as well with lots of good information but the user experience isn’t as social. As a result, the complex subject that is wine, doesn’t feel as accessible. It’s a site that at its core is best for keeping up with your own personal wine library.
Snooth’s app also sets it apart. It has image-based search which is great when you are at a restaurant or a friend’s house and you find a wine you love. You snap a photo and up comes all you wanted to know about that bottle. That is just one of its many seriously awesome features. If you are interested, check it out here. Good news for Android users too, there’s an app for you!
There is really only one competitor in this arena for Snooth and that’s Vivino. They are very similar and wine people have a lot of strong opinions on which one is better. I’ll let you decide for yourself!
Now, it’s late. I’ve spent the greater part of my 4th of July weekend doing school work and I’m thirsty.
So I’m off to enjoy a glass of wine with my name on it.
Just For Fun
In this week’s edition of Just For Fun…a little tribute to the days of snooty wine drinkers. Following content is NSFW!
I’m a Pearl Jam Fan. I mean a cross-country, international traveling, tattoo-wearing, every album-owning fan. We call ourselves the Jamily. It’s a passion I share with my younger brother.
Stickman! PJ20
Pearl Jam on a bus in Australia
My brother Joe and I seeing PJ in Wisconsin
Closing Night: PJ 20 in Wisconsin
My fave jam is Black. It’s always resonated with me primarily for the above lyric (blog entry title). I love the idea of horizons…seeing them, reaching for them, going beyond one to find another. It’s a mantra I believe in. It’s a concept I always turn to no matter what I am doing. I often use some form of the word Horizons in my usernames or something creative I am working on. In some ways, it is slowly becoming my brand title: KFG Horizons.
So that brings us to this week’s assignment:
For Intro to Multimedia Communications, we are to create the copy for an email blast promoting who we are as a brand, complete with links, YouTube videos and a content community. Since this is out on the world-wide web I include this disclaimer. I am a work in progress. I’ve been fortunate enough to tell amazing stories, produce content of all kinds and broadcast the news events of your lives from the hot seat of several network control rooms. I am pursuing my masters in social media because I am a journalist at heart and believe good stories need to be told. It’s 2014 though. You won’t find much news ink on thumbs each morning. How we deliver the story evolves every moment. I want to be a journalism evolutionist. (Aim high right?) That’s why I am a student: to keep telling good stories in whatever way you want to read/touch/watch/slide/pin/like/post/tweet/Instagram/YouTube them!)
EMAIL BLAST ASSIGNMENT:
Hi.
If you are reading this, chances are we may have something in common. You believe there are many people telling stories but very few storytellers. If you are like me, you believe in good journalism AND you don’t believe social media is the death of it. It’s a tall order to combine them but that’s where I come in. I’m a storyteller who believes in the Greater Fool. A Greater what, you say…?
Pretty cool right? Oh and if you want to know who the girl in the newsroom is, hang tight, I’ll get to that. The point is I want to work alongside other aspiring Greater Fools. I believe in the Fourth Estate but I also believe in Twitter and anything else that connects.
SO WHO AM I…
Save the flowery sell – just give you the resume?
My LinkedIn Profile
I’m not a rookie. I have produced with the best in local, national and international newsrooms. You want more flavor? My fast ball paid for my college degree so I know what it means to compete at elite levels. I have jumped out of a plane at 10,000 feet and lived so I can be fearless when needed. I dove the Great Barrier Reef so I like adventure. I shook hands with a Pope and a President (not at the same time) so I have manners and know how to respect. If you want the professional rundown, just click on my LinkedIn profile to the left.
So you may be saying, “That’s nice Kelly, but I need more…”
Ok, ok…I pride myself on being a great writer but a good writer knows when to let someone else wax poetic:
I guess you could say there is a little Lloyd Dobbler in me. I want to be authentic in a one-click, info-in-an-instant, twitter-me-this world.
Everyone’s an Expert…So Why Me?
Because I believe we can be innovative, engaging, interactive, relevant AND responsible in a new media world — without being stupid. No question, Journalism must be experiential. We have to embrace our audience without losing our audience. That means interacting but to Jeff Daniels’ point, being smart about it. I don’t think you have to “dumb it down” to be a social media journalist. In fact, I think you have to be even smarter, more witty and more aware. I’ve been telling Emmy-nominated, Peabody-winning, captivating stories for over a decade. That’s one-of-a-kind experience, combined with an education-backed social media prowess at your fingertips. It is about the story I can tell you today that captures the audience of tomorrow.
There is no question that 2013 was a breakout year for Athleta. So much so that the Chairman and CEO of parent company Gap Inc. recently said, “…It looks like Athleta is on its path to becoming the fourth iconic brand within Gap Inc.’s portfolio.” (Jeff Quackenbush) The three other brands he’s referring to are Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic. I have worn all these brands during various periods of my life but Athleta is where I have found my second skin these days.
When it comes to maintaining its brand in an integrated world, Athleta does an excellent job. As you can see on its main company site and across key social channels, it maintains the same logo, imagery and title fonts. It’s aesthetically cohesive and consistent. Occasionally, there will be a different image on one channel over another as you see below with Google+ but the subject is always the same: A strong, fit and active woman.
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On each page you will find a simple two sentence mission statement, something very key to success as outlined in this week’s reading Branding Your Website.
“The premier fitness fashion brand for women who see being healthy and fit as vital to life. Power to the She.”
Athleta’s website features social buttons connecting its consumer to some of its social channels including a button drawing attention to its mobile site:
Additionally, the mobile site is very user friendly. I have placed orders with ease on both my iPad and my Android phone. Having a sleek, clean mobile site that is consistent with the brand is key. It’s an understatement to say mobile is the future:
“Although most online purchases still occur via PCs, Digiday believes commerce will be among the industries most affected by the rise of mobile. Global e-commerce sales made via mobile devices are expected to top $638 billion in 2018, according to a forecast from Goldman Sachs. For perspective, that was roughly the entire size of the world’s e-commerce market in 2013. Goldman predicts that tablet, not smartphones, will be the primary drivers of mobile commerce growth. (Cooper Smith)
(You can read Digiday’s entire Mobile Forecast Report HERE)
Push & Pull:
Athleta combines push and pull marketing in many ways. On their company site, a consumer gets “pulled” with an option to receive emails and/or the catalog. Those emails and catalogs are then “pushed” out and might include upcoming sales, events in your city or just a product highlight. Below is an example of one I received recently that is both sale and product highlight:
Athleta also utilizes traditional push marketing such as billboards and advertising kiosks in malls:
When I recently visited my local Athleta store I saw this in the window ~ a little push marketing with a local social media twist:
Nice local integrated marketing!
Athleta leverages all their social channels as brand enforcers ~ not a one-stop shop. Athleta wisely houses all ability to purchase online on its company website only. It uses its social channels as a pull strategy by showcasing the brand message and linking to the main company site. It’s most effective pull strategy in my opinion is its blog: Athleta Chi
Athleta Chi Blog
The Daily Chi-Mail
The blog is a forum for women to discuss fitness, sports, wellness, travel, exchange recipes, view demo videos, learn, bond and share empowering, inspirational stories. Athleta wisely incorporates a “Fit Style” category which will take you to their product lines but it’s not shoved down your throat. You can also respond to the push marketing technique of opting in to receive a pull via “Chi-mail” (above right).
Marketing & Branding through Events:
Athleta has several partnerships, some they showcase right on their homepage including the Mudderella and Esprit De She. These events along with Athleta’s participation at expos for various 5ks and other races are another form of pull marketing. Women who participate in these events are exposed to Athleta in a supportive role. They get an opportunity to see the brand at work out in the community.
Empowering Events
Supporting & Informing
Recommendations:
The Athleta website is clean, beautifully laid out and reflective of their brand. Athleta’s relationship with Lifetime for Esprit De She & Mudderella are partnerships with like-minded brands of strength, empowerment, health and well-being. In creating partnerships with like-minded companies, Athleta stays true to its “Power to the She” brand message. In further analyzing their integrated marketing and brand, I have a few recommendations where Athleta could be a bit more consistent and drive consumers back to their main website.
Athleta is on more social channels than they link to on their company website. The social media consumer is widespread and consumers are loyal to different channels. There is an opportunity to measure click-through and see what social channels Athleta consumers are interested in. A recent loyalty social survey revealed “These channels are powerful and should not be ignored. Gather intelligence from these channels and aggressively seek opportunities to influence the conversation.” (Jim Tierney) Additionally we already know that having your brand on Google+ increases your chances of showing up in Google search results – so why not flaunt your Google-ness? (Kristin Curtiss) I recommend adding icons for You Tube and Google+. Loyal customers make loyal and knowledgeable employees. I would add a LinkedIn button as well. Then, I recommend making buttons consistent across the blog, company website and social channels that allow other social buttons. For example, on Athleta’s You Tube page (click below) there is a Google+ button but You Tube allows Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and blog buttons as well.
On Athleta’s main website, I also recommend moving the location of the social/sharing buttons “above the fold” similar to what Athleta does on its blog. As you can see below, on the main company site the social buttons are buried at the bottom of the page. This may be strategic with the thought being not to leave the main company site, however, the company wisely has purchasing ability housed on the main site. Sending potential customers to their social channels will only increase brand awareness and potentially strengthen a consumer connection. It’s a worthy gamble.
As discussed above, Athleta has a beautiful and informative blog for women empowerment and community. Interestingly though, Athleta does not link to their blog on their Pinterest page in any prominent way (see below)
We know that Pinterest is dominated by women. 94% of all activity on Pinterest is by women. (Craig Smith) This is a missed opportunity to expose women to a brand- defining blog. Additionally, the blog is not featured on their Twitter page either. I would add prominent links on both these channels above the fold.
Another recommendation I would make for consistency would be adding the main website www.athleta.com to the top of its Facebook and Instagram pages. It is on the Facebook page, but you have to click the “About” link in order to access the company site. On Instagram, the only link featured prominently takes you to the Athleta Chi blog (see below). I think promoting the blog is great but I would advocate prominent links to both the main website AND the Athleta Chi blog.
While Athleta has a beautiful mobile site, at this time they don’t have an option to receive text message alerts about new stores opening, sales or other events. I recommend creating this option for consumers. It allows the company to target a customer who is clearly interested.
Athleta should consider a Twitter and Pinterest Widget on its website.
Finally, IthinkAthleta can offer a more integrated brick and mortar experience. I recently made a purchase and noticed there is no social media imagery in the store promoting their channels. When I paid for my purchase, the sales team did not ask for my email to send me my receipt (and then have my email on file!). My purchase was packaged in an awesome reusable, recycled bag but there was no website signage on the bag at all. Lastly, I noted on my receipt at the very bottom there was a line about “Liking on Facebook” but that required a purchase to even reach that touch point. The below gallery is a visual of my experience:
No social media icons in the windows
Nice local integrated marketing!
No website or social button advertising
Nice bag…web address??
Top of my receipt: No website
First social mention: Facebook
Overall Thoughts:
Athleta could be a little more consistent in their social media integration, blog promotion and driving back to their main site for purchasing. That said, the company does a great job of keeping its brand message consistent on all its channels. They are all about creating a strong, empowered community for women and it is reflected in word and image beautifully throughout their pages. Each channel lives up to giving “Power to the She”.
I’ve been on quite a journey the last two years: A scary, amazing, life-altering journey. I became a mom. Twice.
To understand my journey, you would have to know I was an athlete all my life. My right arm paid for my degree. I could throw a pretty fast curve ball back in the day! I grew up in a competitive, fitness-oriented family. My older brother went to Ohio State on a football scholarship, my younger brother was a collegiate baseball player, my sister played tennis and ran track and my father made a business of training NFL, NBA and MLB players.
I’ve been pretty lucky. I’m one of those people who has enjoyed success…on the field, in the classroom, in the newsroom and at home. Don’t get me wrong. I worked my butt off for it! It wasn’t handed to me but with that success comes an expectation that you are always going to be at the top of your game.
So what does this have to do with this week’s assignment? Everything.
Like many moms, I gained weight. 60 pounds to be exact. I also quit my job in week 8 of my maternity leave. I could not fathom leaving my child and felt broadcast journalism was changing. It all seemed irrelevant. So I threw myself into motherhood…and then 9 months later was pregnant again.
This time was different. About 4 months after my first child Gracen was born, I was suffering a bit of an identity crisis. I had always been an accomplished television producer, making my own money, doing my own thing and now I wasn’t. I felt small. I felt worthless. I was a little lost. I needed a reset.
A friend and cancer survivor who had found peace in yoga introduced me to her teacher. On a cold December day, I signed up for a private lesson and life was never the same.
When you are feeling like I was and looking like I thought I looked, it takes everything you have to feel comfortable in your own skin. Enter Athleta.
Athleta came to be in 1998 as a catalog company specializing in yoga clothing. Gap Inc. acquired them in 2008 and they evolved into athletic wear, every day clothes, swimwear and accessories adding online sales and brick and mortar stores to their successful catalog business. (GapInc.com & Bloomberg.com)
Online Sales
Brick & Mortar Stores
Catalog
Athleta is more than a business though. They are a modern brand as defined in What is BRANDING? published by the Norwich Business School. As you see in that clip, brands of today are finding information, sharing films, selling stuff, making friends and adding to knowledge. Athleta accomplishes all of this utilizing the channels below and integrating a consistent, solid and straightforward brand message: Power to the She
With Power to the She, Athleta celebrates the busy lives women lead and how they make fitness a priority. They promise to put performance first and comfort a close second. (Maddy Lucier) I would add that “Power to the She” extends beyond making fitness a priority – it makes well being and empowerment a priority.
At its basic core, Athleta is a business with a product that it guarantees.
I know this to be 100% true. I had a short sleeve sweatshirt I just loved but after about 5 times wearing it, there were very discernible arm pit stains. Yuck! This was not typical of Athleta’s clothing so I returned it. No questions asked. Brands guarantee quality.
According to the Norwich Business School, Brands also instill values that lead to action. If you go to the parent company website at Gap Inc. you will read the following about Athleta:
At Athleta, we design the ultimate performance apparel and gear for every active woman, from the weekend warrior to the committed yogini to the fiercely driven competitive athlete. And as women athletes, we road-test, court-test and water-test everything ourselves to be sure each item we offer features the perfect balance: performance and style
Another key aspect of a successful brand is Ownership. Athleta lives this in the people who design and create the product. The corporate leadership of Athleta seeks to understand their customer by looking within. They take this introspection and make it a call to action:
Athleta exemplifies communications planning as we read about in Brand Media Strategy this week because their message is clear and uniform across all their platforms.
And what you see on Twitter…is what you see on Facebook…is what you see on Pinterest…is what you see on Instagram…is what you see on You Tube…is what you see on Google+ …is what you see on the company’s website. Each campaign and message lives on each platform:
Inspiring on Instagram
Taking Care of Business on Facebook
Creating Community Everywhere
Our journey this week also told us that Brand is Confidence. Brand is Passion. Brand is Belonging. Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman once said, “when people use your brand as a verb, that is remarkable”. (brainyquote.com). I would add that when people forget your Brand is trying to sell them something, that is remarkable as well. Athleta does just this by creating a forum for confidence, passion and a sense of belonging. They call it Athleta Chi. It’s a blog devoted to “connecting women to the energy of inspiration.” You can opt to receive inspirational emails as well. The blog features recipes, how-tos, travel information, training videos, health guidance and a forum for people like you and me to chat, engage and belong.
So what about that post-partum, overweight, insecure, somewhat lost new mom?
I’m getting to that.
The most important thing I consider in a “brand” is me. After all as our class this week reinforced “You” make a brand. “You” unmake a brand. Yoga is intimidating as hell. I always avoided it because it seemed clique-ish. It was for skinny girls that could put their heads in places I never wanted to go. Heck, I couldn’t even touch the ground when I started without hearing something shred inside me. As silly as it sounds, Athleta made it easier to start. I found a comfortable skin.
After I tried Athleta clothes for my yoga practice, I stayed with it because I found the “experience” of Athleta resonated. The women weren’t stick figures with untouchable goals and unrealistic representations. They were real. They were like me: Normal, Unique, Curvy, Curvy-er in some areas more than others. In the social community on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, I found women of all design…including me:
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I now own Athleta clothes of all kinds including the bathing suit below. (I really should own stock in the company!) The catalog arrives and it’s like Christmas. I get an email for a sale and I can’t resist. Yes, I am their target customer…and I am a brand loyalist.
It’s more though. I turn the pages and I see where I have been, where I am and where I want to be. I’ve lost 57 pounds. I can bend over and touch the floor with flat palms. I stand a little taller. I smile more. I breathe deeper. It’s not about the clothes…it’s about the community. It’s Power to the She…and Me.
Antony Young. (2010). A Shift From Media Planning to Communications Planning. Brand Media Strategy: Integrated Communications Planning in the Digital Era. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
occasionally to follow along with breaking news events, with 33% saying that they do this frequently. 67% use their phone to share pictures, videos, or commentary about events happening in their community, with 35% doing so frequently. 56% use their phone at least occasionally to learn about community events or activities, with 18% doing this “frequently. Any questions?
Why It’s Important
Social Chatter & Other Observations 