John Drake

Don't Stop the Carousel

The Campaign Planning blog will pause for a bit as its author will be traveling...

But, in the meantime, please enjoy this wonderful clip from the series Mad Men. You can watch it a few times and it's still just as good as the original viewing...  (Thanks, AJ, for the link fwd.)

How The Web Was Won

The July issue of Vanity Fair is fantastic. Tons of good stuff in there: from a great story on Angelina Jolie to the now famous Clinton article. But what I found most interesting was a piece called "How the Web Was Won, An Oral History of the Internet." It's around 20 pages long and features commentary from all the heavy hitters--from Andreessen to Abrams to Cerf.

Over the course of a plane ride and three different sit downs, I got through it. And then after finishing I thought it might be beneficial, and kinda fun, to provide a Cliffs Notes version of the key milestones, commentary and quotes that I found particularly interesting or insightful.

Here it goes...

- Packet Switching is one of the first internet building blocks--The Rand Corporation conceived them around 1960.

- The culture for working with a scientist during the early development days according to Leonard Kleinrock (professor of computer science at UCLA in the 60s): "Find a good Scientist. Fund him. Leave him alone. Don't tell him how to do something... Tell him what you're interested in." (Pretty good advice.)

- Because they owned communication during the 60s and 70s, "AT&T fought packet switching tooth and nail" and missed out on early networking experiences.

- The mass production of packet switches was awarded to Bolt, Beranek & Newman over Raytheon via Government bid. BBN was chosen because of their "structure" and "people." (Agencies, take note.)

- The first packet switches were connected to the first host at UCLA in 1969. (What a year: Man on the Moon, Woodstock and the first real step in internet development.)

- Vint Cerf designs TCP and IP protocols, providing the basic linking structure of the web. He grabbed the @ sign off the keyboard to separate recipient names because that symbol wasn't taken yet.

- 1970s, computers were huge and occupied entire rooms... There were usually one or two per city. But then Apple launched a personal computer in 1977 and IBM followed in 1981. Small is good.

- 1985, Steve Case joins Control Video which later becomes America Online. They were creating IM and Chat Rooms around 1985.

- 1989, Modems were placed into PCs by IBM. Nice.

- Late 80's, email was used by some academics and the military. Who knew?

- 1988, John Poindexter was indicted for his role in Iran-contra and emails were entered into evidence. Lawyers said, "what's this email thing?"

- 1991, Robert Cailliau and Tim Berners-Lee introduced the concept of a "world wide web." (Yes, they named it---and they chose that name because it said exactly what it was.)

- 1993, first browser was invented: Mosiac by Marc Andreessen at the Univ. of Illinois. Go Illini. This allowed the access of multiple web services from a single program. Later it becomes Netscape.

- Al Gore, doesn't invent the internet, but rather funds the four national supercomputing centers that R&D it.

- 1995, Microsoft and Netscape fight for a while over browser control. (Internet Explorer/Microsoft had 5% share, Netscape pretty much had the rest.)

Consumer web brands begin...

- Pierre Omidyar (eBay founder who wrote the auction web code over a 3 day weekend): "I think what eBay has shown is that, in fact, you can trust a complete stranger."

- Craig Newmark (Craigslist founder): "I really did grow up a nerd.... This is not an exaggeration. And I felt left out all the time. Nowadays, I remember that feeling, and I want everyone to be included..."

- 1998, Matt Drudge broke the Monica/Clinton thing on the Drudge Report after Newsweek declined to publish the story.

- Internet companies went crazy. A 25 year old VP/Business Development dot com exec was quoted as saying, "We're a pre-revenue company." Classic.

- From March 10, 2000 and October 10, 2002, the NASDAQ Composite Index lost 78% of its value.

- After the drop, a Palo Alto bumper sticker read: "Dear God, one more bubble before I die."

But we rose again as a group, not as selfish individual companies and investors.

- Google grows huge. Larry Page (Founder): "You can capture the collective intelligence of all the people who are writing and use that to help the people who are searching... It's a sort of group intelligence."

- Wikipedia emerges. Jimmy Wales (Founder), abbreviated: "How do you innovate a social community? A website where every action is policed doesn't work, but complete anarchy doesn't work either. It's actually the same problem we face off-line. It's the problem of living together."

I think that's a brilliant way to look at the web these days... and I'm going to end there.

The article is great, has wonderful photos and discusses much more than above--from YouTube to Amazon to all the social networking sites and more. I suggest making the time to crack it open...

Moving Through Hurtful Posts

In the movie The American President, the President of the United States, Andrew Shepherd (played by Michael Douglas), has a wonderful monologue at the end of the film where he talks about what it means to be an American. In the middle of that monologue he says:

"...America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours..."

Great stuff.

I remind myself of these lines sometimes when I read purposefully-hurtful blog posts by mysterious authors and comment-makers who choose to remain nameless. People can truly write lots of hurtful stuff. I guess from a writing perspective, it's easy to be mean and passive aggressive when you're writing from the seclusion of your back bedroom or the anonymity of your own computer.

As blog participation continues to expand I fear this type of writing will, sadly, increase. Which is a shame because non fact-based, mean-spirited posts can hurt people and will not lead to further discussion of an issue like weblogs are supposed to do. Hate breeds anger which closes communication.

I think participating in a Web 2.0 world is a lot like being the American that Andrew Shepard describes... It's a wonderful thing, but you gotta want it and you must make yourself ok with the negative stuff that can be said and continue moving forward.

So if you find yourself, or your company, on the receiving end of a non fact-based, mean-spirited, anonymous post, don't get too bummed about it. Instead, try doing something a little different: think of one of your personal favorite brands or celebrities... things that you cherish and respect and defend publicly. Then, go directly to Google and type a hurtful-based search of that same thing, such as, "I hate _____." Or "_____ sucks."

When you do this you'll most likely see lots of people who (surprisingly) hate exactly what you love. And when you click on those posts you'll most likely say to yourself, "Wow, I'm not like this person at all on this issue," or "I can't believe someone out there truly feels this way!"

After reading some of that stuff, you'll probably feel a tighter bond with what you love and relax your anger about the blog that got you so riled up in the first place. You'll realize that anger exists everywhere and that, really, no brand of significance can avoid it.

I love Southwest Airlines, and one day I typed in "I hate Southwest" just to see what happened. There's some true SWA haters out there. I don't care. I love SWA. Fly them all the time. Those people just have different worldviews than me. I did the same for Jeep, and there's Jeep haters out there too, which seemed really odd to me... Hating Jeeps?

Be sure, you can find utter disdain out there for everything--from Target to Oprah.

Point is, there is no perfectly loved brand. No perfectly loved celebrity. There can't be. By pure definition if something is strong enough to love, those things that make it lovably strong are the same things that can induce hate by others.

For brands, you'll never make everyone happy. So participate in the dialog, be sure to correct factual errors and address misinformation, but don't let personal hatred by others get the best of you. Be proud of what you offer. Play to your core. Introduce yourself to new people who should love you once they get a chance to know you. Entice those on the fence. Build a club. Build a tribe. Because those who choose to only see the negative in what you offer, probably can't be won back. They'll keep seeing the negative they want to see, regardless of your good actions.

Conclusion: Look inside yourself and see how you can execute flawlessly and take care of your customers with love to build the largest, most powerful club you can. Then move forward through Web 2.0 with pride and confidence knowing that, all the while, your club is on your side.

Customer Anger

When customers are angry about something it's extremely hard for marketing to correct it. In fact, that anger totally skews the customer--business relationship in ways that require its own set of rules to correct, manage or permission to simply avoid.

I've thought about the issue of consumer anger over the years, but never quite knew how to focus my thoughts on the subject or how to articulate them... However, today, Seth Godin had a wonderful post about it, presenting the situation in an extremely focused way. So, if you haven't already, check it out here.

Start Thinking About QR Codes in the US

Be sure to keep an eye out for QR codes over the next few years here in the US as they should make mobile web use much more fun and engaging for all of us...

While a complete definition of QR codes can be found here and here they're basically a two-dimensional bar code designed to be decoded at high speed to deliver creative content directly to a cell phone. Just like a traditional bar code found on packaged goods, QR codes are individually created and can now be found on posters, print ads, inside of magazines, on clothing--basically anywhere, really.

When you see one, it works like this: If your camera cell phone has the correct reader capability, hold it up to a QR code and give it a scan. Once scanned, you will be sent to that QR code's home online to view on your phone. The result could by a message, a map to a retail location, more information on the product or even a prize of some kind. Pretty cool. The technology has roots in Japan where up to 40% of cell phone users have reportedly accessed bar codes on their mobile devices. There's also lots of QR code use throughout Europe, such as the below London street art mural by Banksy. (Found on Random | Culture.)


While QR codes may seem relatively new in the US, many types of companies throughout the world are currently using them. Some good examples can be read here.

The wise US marketer should start thinking about how this engaging technology can be used for their brands. While there are some hurdles to overcome here, such as QR code-capable phone distribution and marketer acceptance, we'll be seeing them in the US before we know it.

The Importance of Face-to-Face

After following this industry for the amount of years that I have, something has come to my attention... I got to thinking about great creative work--and by great work I mean the stuff that year-in and year-out is consistently fantastic. Sales are strong, the client-agency relationship lasts far past the industry average and creatively they always stand out. You know, the good case study stuff:

Nike and Wieden
California Milk Advisory Board and Goodby
Absolut Vodka and Chiat NY
IBM and Ogilvy
Burger King and Crispin
Geico and Martin
Corona and C-K
Axe and BB

What do all these relationships have in common?

They share the same city.

(Or, to be technically correct, while it may be a different city name, it's still a short drive between client and agency.)

Great creative work takes constant shepherding by both client and agency. It must be re-sold, re-affirmed and re-championed nearly every day. It's hard work. And it's really hard to do without constant face-to-face interaction.

Now, of course there are many great relationships that survive long distance, but is the work consistently great for years? One comes to mind in Apple and Chiat but even there the latter had a bay area office for many years, and, in all honesty, SF to LA is one of the most convenient travel routes in the country.

With all the improvements in technology great work can truly come from anywhere. But with the subjectivity of our business, nothing replaces face-to-face interaction. If your client is far away, and great creativity is a business priority for both marketer and agency, make arrangements for re-occurring face-to-face meetings. If that requires a plane flight, put it in the budget.

Advertising can be done from anywhere, but as far as I see it, great creativity will always be a face-to-face business.

Great Work

Stumbled across some great work and wanted to pass it on...

First, check out this ad posted by Ad Age for the Buenos Aires Indy Film Festival courtesy of La Comunidad, Buenos Aires... Very Cool.

Also listed by Ad Age, this fantastic idea for Tostitos from Element 79 (who needed some good energy following the Gatorade shift). Quite frankly, it's the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. Fabulous casting and production. I'm officially buying Tostitos forever...

Nokia has also been receiving a few write ups for their 3110 phone site. Lots of nice design and product info going on... Check it out here via W+K.

 

Starbucks and Fruit Smoothies

Ad Age reported this week that Starbucks' profit droped by 28% in Q2. While the news is unfortunate for the company I suppose it's not entirely surprising... when you have a company whose loyal customers visit a reported average of 18 times per month (for a higher price-point product), and then the economy dips, you're going to take a hit.

But what really got my attention in the article was the fact that Starbucks would soon be offering fruit smoothies nationwide. The quote from Howard Schultz on this was: "In our research, more than 60% of customers surveyed said they would come to Starbucks to buy healthy, nutritious beverages, and we are confident we have found the perfect answer to their needs."

I worked with Baskin-Robbins when they introduced fruit smoothies nationwide nearly 10 years ago... So now we have ice cream chains with smoothies and coffee chains with smoothies. For consumers, it just gets a little harder to tell brands apart, which ends up affecting margins.

I'm a big fan of Starbucks. Loved Mr. Schultz's book. And although smoothies and Starbucks seems like an odd pairing to me (weird in-store smells, noisy blenders, what about the current logo?), I'm confident they've thought it through. This post is not about whether offering fruit smoothies at Starbucks is a good idea or not. It's about staying relevant.

It's true that brands need to refine themselves to stay relevant. But successful refinement doesn't just come from massive product shifts. It's also how you communicate, what you sponsor, who you join up with, what you avoid and what your policies are.

Starbucks is a major brand and adding smoothies does put the core brand at risk of being diluted (e.g. lower margins). Yet many major brands do things like this--enter new product categories based on what consumers report to want in order to be competitive and relevant. History is full of successful and unsuccessful examples.

But entering new categories isn't the only way to remain relevant for the long haul. Consider:

In music:  Madonna, U2 and the Beatles all made major changes in their music product in order to remain relevant over time. But Bruce Springsteen, Prince and George Strait really have not. All six are successful today.

In beverages:  Budweiser, Miller and Robert Mondavi constantly change their products in order to remain relevant. But Corona, Guinness and Veuve Clicquot really do not. All six are successful.

In fast food: McDonalds and Jack In The Box regularly introduce new product categories while In-N-Out and Chipotle do not. All four are successful.

The point is, while offering drastic shifts in product can be good business, it's not the only way to go.

 

How do the brands who have stayed focused on their core offerings remain relevant today without entering new product categories? I believe they've refined other parts of their brand to stay relevant. They offer "underground" products (In-N-Out), continually refine quality (Chipotle), shift their brand campaigns (Absolut Vodka), create unique event promotions (Corona), add web 2.0 engagement tools (Southwest Airlines), get creative with their locations/distribution (Red Bull). There are many ways to stay relevant.

So I just hope that Starbucks hasn't been talked in to this decision by Wall Street as THE solution to remaining relevant. If they were convinced to do it, I'm sure there was lots of supportive data. But there's also lots of support out there that says sticking to your core products, and looking to refine other parts of the brand experience, is a good business decision too. 

Zagging with a Name

On the way in to work today the country song "Long Gone" came on the radio. The artist: Lady Antebellum.

That name got me thinking--when was the last time a female country music performer came out and called herself something other than her first and last name? Over the last few years we've come to know: Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Heidi Newfield, Gretchen Wilson, Julianne Hough, Sara Evans, Jessica Andrews and many more.

All of the above have talent, but from a consumer perspective, their names kind of blend together. And interestingly, all of the names above are either 4 or 5 syllables in length.

If a female singer came out and, instead of going by her first and last name (fictitious or real), grabbed something like "Lady Antebellum" they would immediately stand out and demand attention.

I think this train of thought is as true for bands as it is for brands--It's funny, you can look at something all the time and suddenly a way to zag can just pop right out of nowhere. Is it a good idea? Who knows, but at least there's an unique opportunity on the table to chat about.

As it turns out, Lady Antebellum is a band of two guys and one girl. (And they're quite good.) So, as far as country music naming goes, it's really no different than Sugarland or Little Big Town. But the moral of this random thought is that the stage seems to be wide open for a new artist to come along and call themselves Ms. so and so, or Lady such and such...something other than just a first and last name. Guess it would get my attention.

Just a thought.

Get Some Soft Cover Moleskine Notebooks

I've benefited greatly by tips from Russell Davies, Northern Planner and others on presenting ideas, organizing information and beyond. Figured it's about time to volunteer something I've found to be really helpful...

I never know when an idea will arrive. I also never know when I'm going to bump in to a colleague or client around town and need to jot down an immediate note or number.

In a past life when these encounters would happen I'd grab whatever scrap of paper or cocktail napkin was lying around and scribble stuff down.  And when I did I would frequently lose it. Ideas (especially half-way decent ones) are hard enough to come by as it is, so it's ultra frustrating when you actually had one and now can't find it!

All that changed with soft cover notebooks by Moleskine. (I guess they're relatively new.) I love them.

A mere 3.5" x 5.5" these books come in various page sizes (I prefer the 32 leaves size) and can fit nicely into the back pocket or jacket pocket.

Moleskines have been used for years, or course, but the nice thing about these is the soft cover: you completely forget that it's there until you need it. Personally, I like the graph paper version...

Also, in the back there's a flap that's perfect for tucking away a business card or any loose-leaf note you happen to gather.

I've been able to find these books in packs of three at book stores. I grab one every morning and carry it with me all the time. For me, there's no rhyme or reason as to which book contains which information... the important thing is simply to have one handy.

Happy idea gathering...