Alone Together

I keep hearing this phrase alone together, most recently on Big Spaceship’s Think blog, and it’s bothering me.

Fellow Millennials and I are and have been growing up in a world of social media. We love it. We want more of it. In many instances, it’s a beautiful thing — keeping people connected regardless of geographical spacing. At the same time, it gives people an easy barrier to shield themselves from true interaction. Here’s my take.

Social platforms are like alcohol. They give people an excuse to do things that they normally wouldn’t do. Young and old, sociaholics stare at their monitors binge-ing on photos of people they hardly know, farming with their neighbors on Facebook, and lashing out against any proposed injustice under the masks of screen names and blogs.

And like alcohol, these platforms don’t solve any problems, they merely cover them up. While people drown their sorrows in alcohol, they drown their fears of rejection in social media. It’s a much easier blow over a network.

On the flipside, there are also those who are able to maintain a balance between face-to-face interaction and digital interaction. These social beings glance at photos responsibly, posting comments to keep in touch with their loved ones far away. They share music, videos, and articles that they think others will enjoy and utilize Twitter and blogs to stay informed.

Therefore considering all the previous, I’m going to put this assertion forth: the only people that are alone together in the digital realm are the ones that are typically just alone in the real world. Those who connect well face-to-face will also connect well digitally — both with people and with brands.

If only I had empirical evidence to test this theory, anyone up for some research?

The First Madman I Ever Met

http://smokeandmeers.blogspot.com/

“Everyone needs something to do, something to look forward to and something to love.”

Beautiful quote. The linked to monologue is the voice of Sam Meers, the first mad man I ever met. It was a few years ago — my first year in college if I remember correctly — when all I knew about marketing was that everyone told me I had a knack for it. We walked into Starbucks. He ordered an ice tea. I ordered espresso. Just espresso. I’d never drank coffee and was so nervous that I clambered out the first thing that I saw on the menu. He gave me a funny look that I wouldn’t understand until they called my name to come pick it up.

Thoroughly embarrassed, we started talking. I asked him what he did, how he got there. I asked him about the latest buzz words, and the biggest happenings of the day. At that time, blogs were on top of the world and advertisers were just figuring out how to utilize social media for their brands. Sam told me it was indeed an exciting time, one of change and one where only the strongest would survive.

Beyond all the insight he provided, what stuck with me most though was his passion. He wasn’t afraid of the challenges ahead, he was excited. Advertising was that something he looked forward to and love.

Years later, here I am on the brink of entering the world of advertising and up on my Twitter feed comes his post. I click on it, I read, and I leave him a comment telling the very same story I just told you and that I now understand his passion from that day.

To reiterate, “Everyone needs something to do, something to look forward to and something to love.” And for some of us, that something just so happens to be advertising.

Two months until Spain

So it dawned upon me over Thanksgiving Break. I have less than two months until I leave for Spain, less than three weeks until the end of the semester; therefore I have no time to waste.

Group projects, presentations, finals. Friends, family, employers. Applications, interviews, travel plans. Training the Hubba staff to thrive and make a smooth transition upon my departure. That’s the lineup before I leave, and I’ve never been more excited.

Life is moving fast, and I have no choice but to keep up. The next 9 months of my life could be away from anything I’ve known before. I’ll be submerged in a new culture for four months learning a new language, making new friends, and gaining a global perspective. After that, I could be anywhere from Dallas to New York for the next three months working long hours, gaining valuable experience, and getting closer to living my dream professionally.

“Without change, there is no progress. Without progress, there is no purpose. Without purpose, there is no life.”

It won’t be easy, and that’s the best part about it.

Taglines: Dialogue vs. Monologue

http://adage.com/digitalnext/article?article_id=140739

Just read the article above and it may me reconsider Hubba-U’s current tagline.

“Music. Videos. Articles. Voice of the Student Body.”

That tagline is a monologue, but the purpose of Hubba-U is for students to have a platform to share and interact with one another.

Therefore, according to that article my tagline isn’t as effective as it could be. Sure it’s branding the site, explaining what it is; but it isn’t calling them to action, calling them to be involved.

Next Hubba meeting, I’ll have the team brainstorm and debate. We’ll hash it out. Either way, we probably won’t change anything until next semester.

Verizon Ads: Well played McCann Erickson

Well played McCann Erickson

Don’t be So Mayo

http://adweek.blogs.com/adfreak/2009/11/colbert-withstands-miracle-whip-ad-assault.html

Watch and read all that. Then tell me whether or not its branded entertainment or not?

I just can’t decide. Last week, I discovered the story upon an adweek posting on Twitter. From there, I watched it, I laughed, I laughed some more, and then began to look at it from a more analytical viewpoint.

Is Miracle Whip and McgarryBowen serious? Don’t be so mayo?!?! Really?!?!

If you were to simply read me the copy void of visuals, I would look at you puzzled and wondered why I hired you. However, with the visuals, it still seems like a bad idea. I mean, is it even possible to make a mayo substitute seem cool? For heaven’s sake, I don’t even consider putting it on anything except to make tuna salad — and even then I’m reluctant.

But then I realized the beauty of it all. From now on when I see Miracle Whip in the stores, I’m going to think of that rooftop party with all the beautiful people generously lathering their burger with the creamy white substance called Miracle Whip.  And I’m going to buy it over Mayo, even the Great Value brand that I’ve come to love so much in the recession.

Moving on, the next question that came to mind was: Did Stephen Colbert get paid to feature it? Was it all methodically planned as a publicity stunt? Or did Colbert just think it’d be entertaining material for his show and the response by Miracle Whip was completely spontaneous?

That question, I have yet to solve. Either way, the positioning of mayonaise in my mind has been forever altered. Well played Miracle Whip. Well played McGarry Bowen.

Long Time, No See

Ladies and Gents,

I’m back, but most likely for only a limited time. You see, right now I’m supposed to be studying for my Organizational Management test. What am I doing though? I’m wide awake drinking coffee while maticulously going over Hubba-U’s analytics for this week. Needless to say, I’m obsessed. I just can’t quit.

Online marketing and web tactics consume my mind for the majority of each day. How can I drive more traffic? How can I increase my average time on site? Why is my bounce rate so low? It’s all I ever think about.

Today, Hubba-U received 539 visits, the 2nd highest it’s ever received, while averaged 4 minutes and 11 seconds time on site, a drastically low measure. What caused this?

1) We had some heavy hitting articles relevant to the hot topics on campus that drove a lot of traffic.

2) We didn’t have much of a supporting cast to those articles, hence the lower time.

How do we fix that?

1) We blast the bigtime articles via social media.

2) We get to work writing new articles in order to keep them coming back.

Nothing too complicated. In fact, it’s just logic. But that’s the thing about the web. It’s the little things. The color of a button, the positioning of a link. The time of day you post things. Each of the previous can have a major effect on your success.

But that’s only the beginning. That’s the micro-view. Looking at the macro, you have to look at the entire network. Hubba has to be a conglomerate. Hubba-U will be the mothership — big, bad, and easy to market. From there, we’ll need to provide further value with sites like frogmylife.com (already up, running, and getting over 3000 visits a week), circleyesorno.com (coming soon), hubba-deals.com, and hubba-announce.com. This expansion will not only enable us further satisfy our existing consumers, but it will expand our reach as each site caters to a different segment. And once that segment is engaged, they’ll have no choice but to engage with the rest of the network. And by they’ll have no choice, I mean that we’re going to affiliate the sites to drive traffic to one another in order to maximize the potential of the network and build value.

All the while, we’ll be having an amazing time making memories, friends, and gaining more experience than many will in years to come. Why?

Because we showed up. It began with an idea of mine that others grasped onto. Now, we’re grasping onto the ideas of one another, collaborating for greater innovation and greater ability. We’ve empowered one another to go out and make things happen.

In conclusion, I love the online realm. I love entrepreneurship. I love turning dreams into reality. Welcome to The Hubba Network.

Cadillac Dreams

Watch This Before Reading On

This commercial changed my life. Well, not really, because I’ve always dreamed of having a Cadillac, however in respect to advertising this thing hit me like an 18-wheeler.

You’ve all heard the phrase “Sex Sells”. Well, to some extent that may be true, however the phrase should really go something like this: “Sex Gets Your Attention”. Now, although that is the main objective of advertisers, that doesn’t necessarily mean it sells. I’ve seen plenty of scantily-clad women bouncing around my TV set with no recollection of the brand that was behind it.

But this ad is different. It’s tasteful. It’s discrete. It gets your attention without having to degrade the brand or the female starring in the commercial. All it has is a sultry voice and a good looking car, and copy that wraps you up tight in the mystique and grandeur that is the Cadillac brand. I mean, just listen to it…no really, go listen to it again. I’ll even make it easy for you. Click here. And listen closely to every word.

The copy isn’t anything creative or extraordinary, yet it’s perfect. It emphasizes the car’s extensive line-up of ridiculous luxury features and makes you feel as if you’re in the driver’s seat having the ride of your life. It draws emotion up out of you and tells you that this car is what you need. This car is what will make you happy. And this car is everything you could hope and dream for in an automobile.

And it does all this with nothing but a voice whispering sweet nothings in your ear. No skin. No sex. Just Kate Walsh driving a Cadillac CTS while wearing some heels that very well may could have been purchased at the Playboy Mansion’s garage sale.

Well played Cadillac. Give me a few years, and by a few I may mean a decade, and I’ll have one of those beauties in my driveway while I play some Keri Hilson featuring Lil’ Wayne.

This commercial changed my life. Well, not really, because I’ve always dreamed of having a Cadillac, however in respect to advertising this thing hit me like an 18-wheeler

You’ve all heard the phrase “Sex Sells”. Well, to some extent that may be true, however the phrase should really go something like this: “Sex Gets Your Attention”. Now, although that is the main objective of advertisers, that doesn’t necessarily mean it sells. I’ve seen plenty of scantily-clad women bouncing around my TV set with no recollection of the brand that was behind it.

But this ad is different. It’s tasteful. It’s discrete. It gets your attention without having to degrade the brand or the female starring in the commercial. All it has is a sultry voice and a good looking car, and copy that wraps you up tight in the mystique and grandeur that is the Cadillac brand. I mean, just listen to it…no really, go listen to it again. I’ll even make it easy for you. Click here. And listen closely to every word.

The copy isn’t anything creative or extraordinary, yet it’s perfect. It emphasizes the car’s extensive line-up of ridiculous luxury features and makes you feel as if you’re in the driver’s seat having the ride of your life. It draws emotion up out of you and tells you that this car is what you need. This car is what will make you happy. And this car is everything you could hope and dream for in an automobile.

And it does all this with nothing but a voice whispering sweet nothings in your ear. No skin. No sex. Just Kate Walsh driving a Cadillac CTS while wearing some heels that very well may could have been purchased at the Playboy Mansion’s garage sale.

Well played Cadillac. Give me a few years, and by a few I may mean a decade, and I’ll have one of those beauties in my driveway while I play some Keri Hilson featuring Lil’ Wayne.

The Power of Communication

An idea is the most powerful force in the world—above corporations, atomic weapons, and even compound interest. Ideas are everlasting and limitless with the power to affect the masses without any physical contact. They are intangible, with the ability to evoke emotions such as hope and despair, selflessness and greed. Ideas can change the world, and they can do so because they are infinite. Unlike resources, they cannot be depleted. They have no lifespan, even though their popularity may dwindle or even be forgotten altogether, their spirit lives on to one day make an impact on another lost individual in need—of a purpose, a passion, a reason to live. This person will grasp onto that idea and never let it go, taking it to heights previously thought unimaginable. That idea, if nurtured wholeheartedly by its possessor, has the potential to affect the masses—for better or worse.

But the only way to realize the potential of this force is effective communication through any medium, which is the basis for advertising. It is the voice of the ideas that were put into action–the ideas that became a reality. Therefore, considering the previous, advertisers are in control of the most powerful force in the world.

Now, look closely to the closing words of the first paragraph. For better or worse. As with all power, this previous possession comes with great responsibility. A responsibility to protect the masses from the ideas that will detract from 6 billion years of progress and promote the ideas that will allow it to excel for generations to come.

This is why I’m in advertising. Because I believe in the power of an idea; and I am steadfast in my beliefs that no amount of money is worth harming the benevolence of society.

Now, despite my fervor, I am not blinded by absolutes. Not all ideas have the power to lead to society’s demise. I pray that I will never become so apocalyptic. However, I do believe in the snowball effect, where one bad choice paves the way so that when its time to make another decision, the choice is clear. Why travel down a gravel road when there’s one of asphalt? The path of least resistance has a much greater appeal. So with each bad choice, individuals become more susceptible to continuing this trend, each time to a greater extent. The same is applicable to making good choices.

What makes the previous particularly menacing are the blurred lines of right and wrong. There are no right answers—only perceptions. What you believe may not be what someone else believes, but who is wrong? Neither. Like beauty, reality is also in the eye of the beholder. Therefore, each individual will use their logic, experience, and gut to analyze the grey and determine what is black and what is white in their minds. Depending on their background, the conclusions reached will be different. These decisions will be based on the individual’s ideologies, and will ultimately define them. This definition will be judged by everyone they’re in contact with, and will live on forever. Therefore, each individual will need to decide who they really want to be, how they want to be remembered, and hopefully they will choose in a utilitarian manner in order to preserve and improve the quality of life for generations to come.

This is why I’m in advertising. Because I believe that perception is reality, and that proper, benevolent communication can positively impact society.

This article was originally published on Hubba-U.com

Twitter: Hate it or Love it

Alright folks, I’ll admit it. I use Twitter…a lot. I think it’s an amazing platform for staying relevant with acquaintances while balancing a busy lifestyle. I think everyone should it, but it didn’t start that way.

I was turned on to Twitter by an ad professional in New York. I asked her about what I could do in order to set myself apart and she said: social media, which just so happens to include Twitter.

So I returned to Texas, and started to get my feet wet, posting once a day on basically my itinerary for the day. Then, a few weeks into, I quit. What’s point of this stupid thing? I was so naïve. (Point of Information: As of April 2009, the site had a retention rate of 40%, meaning that only 40% of its users would return the next month.)

About a month later I returned to the site, and fell in love. What was the difference? I had followers now, and I began to follow people. I Twittered with a purpose, not just for the sake of doing it. I began following businesses I liked, websites, and of course people I knew. Companies would post their new work allowing me to keep up with their accomplishments, and media sources such as AdFreak.com (my favorite site) would tweet about new articles as they were posted. On top of that, I gained insight into what my friends were doing, where they were, and what they were thinking. If they just read something funny, they could post a link to share it with others instantly. If they went to the pool and wanted people to join them, they could post it, and I would be informed without having a cluttered inbox.

Keeping the previous in mind, how can you not like Twitter? Well, I guess if you have no friends to talk to, and don’t have any desires to remain relevant with companies or anything else you love, then you probably wouldn’t like it.

So no longer shall I hear smack talking saying how dumb it is to only post 140 characters (that’s all your allowed on Twitter). Headlines get 5x as much readership as body copy. So Twitter is the ultimate in that you don’t have to swim through body text of a newspaper or magazine and you don’t have to visit twenty of your friends facebook pages in order to see what they’re status is.

For those of you moved by this piece, I’m glad to be of service. Feel free to follow TheMumble to receive the latest article updates and various other pieces of information. If you’re really brave, you can even follow me, mikervosters.