Just after the Marketing VP set the bar at 20,000 downloads in the first six months, Petra Neiger and the myPlanNet game team at Cisco wondered, “How the heck are we going to do that?” The marketing budget was well under $50,000, her team was tiny and each of them had other marketing responsibilities. Nonetheless, when I met Petra this May, the program was already a stunning success and being honored with BtoB’s Social Media Marketing Award for Best Integrated Campaign.

In fact, myPlanNet, a simulation game that “puts you in the shoes of a service provider CEO,” exceeded expectations at every turn. Launched in October 2009, the game surpassed the download goal by 3,200 the end of January and has gained at least 20,000 more players since then. The game has attracted over 60,000 fans on Facebook with players from at least 2500 different companies and over 130 different countries. With 5,000 new fans joining between mid May and mid June, myPlanNet is a case worth studying, revealing six game-changing steps to social media innovation.

1. Get Management Blessing

It’s a fundamental truth that innovation requires support in the highest offices of any company. Not surprisingly, the myPlanNet game concept was “formed out of an internal innovation contest,” noted Ms.Neiger. “The idea was to find an untraditional way to engage our customer and teach them about Cisco,” she added. “Cisco is very big on innovation, wanting to show the human network in action,” offered Petra. That said, management did not write a blank check and instead put a cap on financial resources, limiting the development budget to $200,000 thus requiring the team to make the most of every dollar. This hedging approach to innovation is not unusual and can inspire further creativity as it did with this program.

2. Channel Internal Energy

Often companies overlook the importance of encouraging widespread employee involvement in their innovative initiatives, particularly in social media. This was not the case with myPlanNet. First, noted Ms. Neiger, “we had an internal group that tested the game every step of the way.” This helped keep the program on budget. Then, added Ms. Neiger, “We launched the game internally 2-3 weeks before external launch because it’s a very robust game so we didn’t know how it would work once a lot of people started playing.” This had the added benefits of enhancing morale and as Petra noted, “started a trend inside the company where other groups are starting to play the game and are inspired to try more innovative approaches.”

3. Create Something Innovative

Admittedly, this sub-head may seem a little obvious, but the key word here is “Create” and you’d be amazed how often marketers seek social media success without actually creating something of genuine value for their target. In Cisco’s case, they created a simulation game that according to Petra, was “easy to play but difficult to master; you can play five minutes or you can play for an hour.” One sure sign of success that you’ve created something innovative is unplanned press attention. “We had no PR outreach whatsoever,” added Ms.Neiger, yet the Washington Post, The SF Chronicle, numerous magazines and blogs all reported on the game, which in turn fueled social media engagement.

4. Seed Your Efforts

Bestselling author Doug Ruskoff recently suggested that all a company needed to do was to create a superior product and, in the new world of social media communications, consumers would find out about it and beat a virtual trail to their door. This idealistic viewpoint may ultimately prove to be true but few marketers can or should take this chance right now. At a minimum, marketers need to jump-start the conversation, as was the case with myPlanNet. The game demoed at a big tradeshow in Geneva last October where, noted Ms. Neiger, “We had a camera to record people’s experiences and put these videos and images on our Game Support and Facebook fan pages.” Judiciously allocating their $30k launch budget to demos, welcome ads and content syndication, Cisco also spent $100 per day on Facebook to bring people to their fan page all of which helped spark interest in the game.

5. Keep on Experimenting

Given the dynamic nature of social media, it is essential that once you get started you keep adapting to consumer feedback and experiment as the opportunities present themselves. Noted Ms. Neiger, “six weeks after launch we started doing social media even more and experimenting a lot.” When they started seeing comments in foreign languages, they responded with a monthly report of fans by country. “People have national pride and are very into it so they passed along the link,” offered Petra who noted enthusiastically that users could be traced back to 130 different countries, thus fulfilling an important objective for this unique marketing initiative. Later on they added a holiday challenge, mini-online games and even a multiple choice quiz about the game, all of which increased fan engagement.

6. Think Small

Unfortunately, a lot of innovative programs, especially ambitious ones in the social media arena never see the light of day because their initial funding requirements are deemed to be too large by management. myPlanNet, the game, was built in 13 months with the help of external experts at a budget cap of $200,000. Though previous gaming efforts by Cisco had achieved some success, management still asked, “Why would this be different from what we’ve done before and how do we get the word out?” Petra and her team were quick with answers, having baked in a more “inclusive gaming experience” and social media-friendly elements like in-game testimonials and a dynamic leader board that allows players to see top scores by week, month and all-time. At the same time, Petra noted that “We would have loved to do more personalization within the game and to include a multiplayer aspect,” but that would have required more time and money, changes that might have prevented this winning game from launching in the first place.

Final note: Petra was quick to remind me that myPlanNet, “started as a side project.” Since then, she added, “The company realizes that the game is really good and really successful,” but she “still has a day job” as does the rest of her team–so much for award-winning marketing being all fun and games!

How Shelly Palmer is fast becoming the Martha Stewart of Digital Life

Catherine and her team at the world’s largest spirits company set the bar high, aspiring to “own cocktails” and to “preempt the competition” in order to gain share. When the program rolled out in the latter part of 2008, it soon achieved all its goals providing a “top-shelf” example of the power of Marketing as Service.

The argument raged until 2am when the guy stormed out. The guy, an MBA student at UNC insisted that “games are for kids and IBM isn’t going to buy it,” while the demure Phaedra Boinodiris, also a first year MBA candidate, stuck to her guns, knowing the case challenge posted by IBM “screamed for a business SIM.”  Just a few hours later, Sandy Carter of IBM was asking Phaedra to build a prototype of her idea, an idea that became Innov8, a highly successful “serious game” that explains business process management to non-technical people and is my new favorite example of Marketing as Service.

In retrospect, it wasn’t really a fair fight. Phaedra was not your typical MBA student with ten years of entrepreneurial experience under her belt, having founded two companies including WomenGamers.com, now a popular portal for female gamers.  Thus, her expertise on the gaming world was substantial and while Sandy Carter’s request would have tripped up most students, Phaedra was up to the challenge.  In my interview with Phaedra at Impact 2010, IBM Software’s annual conference, her experience with IBM over the last two years provides a gripping playbook for innovators, especially “intrapreneurs” seeking to build “start ups” within large companies.

1.     Pursue your Passions

Phaedra got into the gaming business back in 1999 because she was a gamer, her sister was a gamer but not one of the industry publications addressed the category from a female perspective.  Knowing that 35% of women play video and computer games, she leapt into the void by setting up WomenGamers.com. She became an activist for the cause, starting the first scholarship program for women to get degrees in game design and development in the US, helping to share her passion with others.  After two years full-time with IBM, her passion for the power of games remains strong, adding that, “through self-discovery and experience consumers can better understand what you’re selling.”

2.    Find a Champion

When Sandy Carter first approached her at the Case Competition, Phaedra wasn’t sure what to make of her prototype request.  Now she knows that Sandy is the kind of internal champion that every “intrapreneur” dreams about finding.  “What amazed me is that Sandy attends the Case Competition’s herself instead of delegating this to a junior person,” marveled Phaedra.  “That takes real cajones and reflects Sandy’s commitment to find innovative ideas,” added Phaedra.  After the Case Competition, Sandy offered Phaedra an internship that lasted the rest of her time at business school and led the way to the now successful Serious Gaming group at IBM.

3.     Partner with Pros

Given only three months to build a prototype, Phaedra and her team at IBM knew they needed great partners and aligned with Centerline.”  “There are so many bad games out there,” noted Phaedra, “you really have to find a developer with a light touch,” to create an engaging experience.  In fact, Phaedra notes that of the three key ingredients of entrepreneurial success; people, process and ideas, people is by far the most important.  “A great idea without the right people will fail, whereas even an okay idea could succeed with great people,” she added.   Phaedra’s confidence in Centerline was thoroughly justified as they turned the initial idea first into a prototype and later into a simulation game played now played at over 1000 colleges and business schools around the world.

4.     Start with the Low Hanging Fruit

Once Innov8 was produced, it was quickly adopted and lauded by teachers, students and the press.  USC’s Marshall School of Business soon required every student to play Innov8.  Phaedra noted with understandable pride, “One class at a Turkish University uses Innov8 for its final exam!”  Teachers thanked Phaedra because “BPM is not an easy thing to teach.”  “We took something that was highly technical and made it more intuitive,” added Phaedra.  “Students were the low hanging fruit but they also represented future business opportunity,” which would eventually help to get Business Process Management software adopted by more and more companies.

5.     Build from Success

Once Innov8 had gained traction with graduate schools, Phaedra got approval to develop a flash-based online version of the game that could reach and engage a wider audience.  Adding social networking elements like a leader board, the online version soon became a lead machine.  Currently thossands of potential and current customers play Innov8 2.0 Online per month generating thousands of leads, many of which have been converted into sales.  In fact, Innov8 online generates many times more leads for IBM’s BPM software than any other source, creating an ROI that even “VCs would love.” “We took baby steps, building our case internally, showing ROI of each subsequent project, just like we would have to external investors,” offered Ms. Boinodiris.

6.     Don’t Sell Chocolate Broccoli

One of the happy by-products of the online Innov8 game was that it introduced the idea of serious gaming to a broader audience.  Soon IBM’s business partners were asking if they could customize Innov8 for their customers.  And eventually a new group within IBM Global Business Services was set up to do just that!  This speaks to the power of selling by educating as well as the quality of the game itself.  As Phaedra opined, “people can smell chocolate broccoli from a mile away,” so even educational games have to be extremely well crafted.  This insight is a truth for all such marketing as service programs, if the experience isn’t top notch, the customer or prospect simply won’t engage.  On the other hand, if the experience is rich and educational, there is simply no better way to sell.

7.     Revel in the Naysayers

Since her late night argument with a fellow MBA, Phaedra has reveled in the challenge of selling games as a serious business tool and formidable marketing weapon.  Some have resisted the idea, calling games “fluff” and “kids stuff.”  When I asked her about sales force adoption, she noted that there has been some resistance there too. “Sales has their lucky underwear and don’t like to change it,” she winked. Fortunately, her continued emphasis on proving ROI internally has been rewarded with the green lighting of a next gen simulation game called CityOne that will launch Fall 2010.  CityOne is already being lauded by the press, with Gizmodo saying “if SimCity introduced legions of gamers to the world of urban planning, then IBM’s upcoming CityOne game looks to take that education to the next level.”

Final note: I consider myself lucky to have met Phaedra.  As proud as she is of her accomplishments thus far, she remains humble.  She states with realistic clarity that “games won’t displace anything; they will supplement other sales tool, driving people down the purchase funnel.”  My guess—the potential for games as educational sales tools for highly technical products is truly unlimited and Phaedra will remain on the forefront for quite some time.

An online friend and I use ”friend” loosely since I have no idea who she really is other than a helpful sharer, sent me this link.  She knows that I am always on the hunt for interesting examples of Marketing as Service and true to form, this one qualified.  Carte Noire, a brand of coffee sold in the UK by Kraft, has assembled a hunky cadre of actors who read delicious bits of novels on camera under the promise “For a more seductive coffee break.”

The readings are quite well done and they leave you thirsty for more.  I’ve now watched actor Joseph Fiennes read a few pages from Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, and Greg Wise liven up Oscar Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Gray.   Other readers include Dominic West and Dan Stevens. All told, there are 37 of these luscious treats waiting for you on the website.  Clearly Kraft has gone to a lot of trouble to make this online effort pleasing, offering free samples of their coffee and a sweepstakes for the “spa” inclined.  And partner Penguin Books is just a link away, ready to sell you the complete novels sampled on the site.

As an example of Marketing as Service, this one is reasonably fresh.  The sales pitch is gentle, as long as it doesn’t bother you that the reader is holding a cup of coffee much of the time or is sitting so close to a mug that he risks scalding himself on the steam.  In truth, the product information is so scant, that about all I could learn about Carte Noire is that it’s made from a “100% Arabica bean blend.”  And don’t ask me what “Arabica” is because I’m too busy watching my next chapter.

After a bit of sleuthing, I did find at two offline extensions of this idea.  At some point last year, Carte Noire hosted a major sampling event at which fresh coffee was served, stories were read, and everyone left with a bookmark that had a sample of the freeze-dried product attached.  It looked like a rich experience from the video, but I can’t tell if this was a “one-off” or an ongoing program.  There was also a blog post about  some Carte Noire sponsored readings at The Cheltenham Literature Festival.

What I didn’t find was much in the way of social media or grass roots activities. Perhaps they are going on in England as I write, but I couldn’t find a word about them online.  So let me take a coffee break of my own and imagine how they could brew up a truly special 360° campaign at just about any budget level.  Hopefully, if I’ve got the wrong flavor here, the kind folks at Kraft UK will set me straight.

Again in full ignorance I ask, why isn’t Carte Noire sponsoring “seductive book clubs” all over England?  Take a look at what e.l.f. did with their “make-up parties” and you’ll see an easy formula for grass roots efforts that could certainly connect the brand with their target.  Provide a pot full of product, gift certificates from Penguin and reader notes prepared by a worthy scholar and you’ve got the recipe for trial-generating, loyalty-building revelry. Then imagine if Joseph Fiennes showed up unannounced at one of these parties to read for a bit.  Surely that would be a piping hot story for the local press.

Carte Noire also seems to be going light on the social media front.  Sure they have links to FB, Twitter, digg and delicious at the bottom of each page but why not share more of this beautifully produced readings on YouTube and Facebook?  Your fans are far more likely to spend time with you on social media that on your website.  I did find that some of the actors are sharing their Carte Noire readings via podcasts, which is a nice touch, but again, I really had to dig to find these.  How about becoming a major advocate of “seductive book clubs” on Twitter, following your target and sharing your unique POV on having a “seductive coffee break?”

Of course, I may be all wet here.  Carte Noire is marketed across the pond and for all I know, this campaign is more than a coffee break, and instead is a full course meal of integrated marketing applying the latest techniques in guerrilla and social media.   If so, roast away Kraft UK.  I promise not to be bitter.

Detailed case history of MyRetirementShop.com, a retirement portal AXA created to help retain customers which also attracted new ones.

Brugal Rum created free road signs where none existed to help Dominicans find their way around the island AND remind them of the brand wherever they went.

Last Friday, I sent out this tweet about ExpenseASteak.com:

CFOs face flood of flawless faux receipts http://pic.gd/7ab1a9; ExpenseASteak.com vies for guerrilla site of 2009 http://bit.ly/IsLY3

Today’s AdAge article on ExpenseASteak.com by Bob Garfield reminded me of both the brilliance and limitations of Twitter. While Tweets are timely treats, they simply can’t deliver the whole meal. My tweet tried to call attention to both the ethical issues and the sublime cleverness of Expense A Steak.com and did neither very well. And since I don’t have a lot of time at the moment, I’m going to borrow a few of the highlights from Garfield’s review.

Just in case you haven’t visited the site for yourself, here’s how Garfield described it:

Go to expenseasteak.com and fill in the obscenely large amount of your Maloney & Porcelli meal. Out will come a PDF of receipts for exactly that amount — innocuous (and extremely realistic) proof of purchases for taxis, panini lunches, office supplies, business books and so on. Accounting doesn’t ask why you’ve bought $700 worth of anti-static floor mats and toner? That’s their problem

And here’s Garfield’s appraisal of the stunt:

We LOVE this thing. It is brilliant. It is charming. It is hilarious. In short, it is brothermucking genius.

And here’s Garfield’s acknowledgment of the potential ethical dilemma of putting highly realistic looking phony expense reports into the hands of meat lovers and vegetarians alike:

All right, granted, the 61,000 phony receipts downloaded over the first four days might suggest the stunt is actually being slightly “abused” for a touch of “fraud” by a few tens of thousands of bad-apple “thieves.” But, c’mon. Expense-a-Steak apps don’t defraud corporations. People defraud corporations. In the meantime, Maloney & Porcelli is suddenly on the lips of those who hitherto could remember only Smith & Wollensky, preempting its major competitor into a corner. Because how to top expenseasteak.com?

From my perspective, ExpenseASteak.com is a rather clever and potentially degenerate example of Marketing as Service. It is unquestionably relevant both to the economic times and the restaurant brand it supports. It is remarkably entertaining–be sure to print out your own receipt and read some of the clever details baked into them. It also delivers the basic service of creating fake expense reports which is humorous until people actually turn them in at which time it becomes a nightmare for CFOs–proving once again that “everything is funny until it happens to you.”

Which begs the question: will companies send Maloney & Porcelli the bill when false expense reports are actually filed using their cute little app? Or will consumers sue Maloney & Porcelli when they lose their jobs after submitting false expense reports? Hopefully none of this will happen but stunts like this can go bad–just ask Toyota who is getting sued because of a Matrix prank campaign that according to AdAge terrified one consumer. Evidently, she missed the joke. Just in case someone misses the expense joke, I hope that Walrus, the NYC-based agency that created the site, carries as much liability insurance as we do!

Ran into a neighbor this morning who asked me about my blog. I had to admit that for a variety of reasons I’d been neglecting it. Perhaps the biggest reason is that I simply haven’t seen any interesting example of Marketing as Service, that is until today!

American Express, one of the true believers in this approach, is at it again, this time providing exclusive experiences during New York’s Fashion Week, including a fashion show by Phillip Lim.  This is a text book case on how to do Marketing as Service as reported by MediaPost:

The exclusive cardmember-only consumer show by Lim will be hosted by André Leon Talley, editor at large for Vogue magazine, and Linda Fargo, senior vice president, fashion office and store presentation for Bergdorf Goodman.

The event will provide cardmembers with access to the coveted floor seats. Along with Lim, the evening’s hosts will open the event by offering expert insights from their respective designer, editorial and retail perspectives on a selection of 3.1 phillip lim looks currently available at retail

In addition to this one-time event, AmEx is extending exclusive access to fashion experts:

…including Project Runway’s Tim Gunn — to speak directly with cardmembers. Throughout this week, Platinum Card and Gold Card members will be given an up-close view of the runway shows from the Jonathan Adler-designed American Express Skybox under the Tents at Bryant Park, where they will meet with designers and industry experts who will help translate the looks they are seeing on the runway into their personal style.

By Invitation Only experiences provide an even deeper look into the world of fashion via coordinated meet-and-greets with elite insiders, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Tents at Bryant Park and hair and makeup touch-ups done by industry professionals who work backstage with the designers and models throughout the week.

Wisely, AmEx is also showing its commitment to the fashion industry:

American Express will donate proceeds from the sale of event invitations as part of its $250,000 donation to the Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund, a program (of the council) to help emerging American designers succeed in the business of fashion by providing ongoing support.

Reinforcing their commitment to personalized VIP service, cardmembers can also avail themselves to American Express concierge who will be in the lobby throughout Fashion Week:

The concierge can provide cardmembers with access to highly coveted reservations at a selection of New York’s restaurants across all five boroughs, as well as transportation and additional hospitality needs.

And for customers who simply can’t make it to NYC, AmEx is posting videos of the show online exclusively for cardmembers.  This will also significantly extend the life of this service.

Frankly my dear readers, it would be hard to design an example of Marketing as Service any better than this.

Providing free rides is not exactly a new idea even in the alcoholic beverage arena–Captain Morgan’s has been helping out party goers for a couple of years in select markets. So MillerLite’s decision to support the Kentucky Derby with free rides is hardly big news:

Thank you for visiting the Miller Lite Free Rides™ web site. The Miller Lite Free Rides program is a collaborative effort between transit systems, community organizations, law enforcement agencies, civic organizations and others to help keep our streets safe and prevent drunk driving on major holidays and throughout the year.

Take advantage of a safe transportation alternative during your Derby Eve celebration on May 1st. Miller Lite Free Rides will provide evening service to many popular destinations, including the Derby Eve Jam concert on the waterfront, restaurants, bars, local family events and neighborhood celebrations.

So why then am I writing about it? Well, simply as a reminder that Marketing as Service requires just as much consistency, commitment and creativity as other marketing approaches in order to cut through.  A one-day free ride program is hardly a sincere commitment to public safety.  Because free rides have been done so often they can’t really expect much PR or points for creativity.  I’m not saying Miller is wrong for doing this just that they should be careful not to offer it up as a meaningful pro-social activity.  Now if this is the beginning of year-long program to offer free rides at major sporting events then let me know and I’ll buy a couple of six packs and toast to their health (at home, safe, far from a car!)

I recently completed a brilliant (says me) speech on Cause Marketing that was recorded for release later this year. In the course of my research, I found a number examples of cause marketing that are worth sharing in bite sized blog chunks.

Brita has found a highly relevant cause with its Filter for Good program. While transparently self-serving, this program promotes the environmentally friendly case against drinking bottled water. The Filter For Good.com website encourages consumers to “pledge” to drink less bottled water, noting that one Brita pitcher filter can effectively replace as many as 300 standard 16.9-ounce bottles.  (Feel free to take “the pledge” like I did–it’s a quick and does make you think about buying less bottled water.)

On the site you can find out about all the layers of the program, including the recent Brita Climate Ride and The College FilterForGood Eco-Challenge, that solicited eco-friendly ideas from universities and from which Brita was so overwhelmed by good proposals that they elected to fund 5 of them.   The relevance of this effort is irrefutable, providing Brita a pure and simple way to do well by doing good

This example shows how Marketing for Good and Marketing as Service can overlap, as the cause is the service. From where I sit, its all good.

Another example of Marketing as Service is rolling out in Motown this weekend as Captain Morgan does his best to make sure Final Four revelers don’t end up falling off the plank. Gawker described the annoucement as the “best press release ever.” Here’s what fellow Renegade Steph Isaacs reported about the program:

In an effort to curtail people from getting in their cars after celebrating in the host city of the Final Four this weekend, Captain Morgan will be offering The Captain’s Caravan as March Madness takes over the city of Detroit. The Caravan will be there to make sure that those in the area for the big event are staying safe while having a good time. While in Motor City The Captain’s Morganettes will offer free shuttle service dropping off adult consumers at hotels in the downtown area. The Captain’s Caravan includes two 20-passenger shuttles and one 56-passenger bus that will be available from 2:00PM to Midnight, April 3rd, 4th and 5th. Marketing As Service disguised as an escort service, or vice versa?!

This is certainly not the first time The Captain has mixed in a “drink responsibly” service into its overall campaign. Last year, they ran a “Don’t Go Overboard” sweepstakes in Canada (grand prize was pizza and taxi service for a year) and offered a late night shuttle service in a few markets in the US. They also aired the commercial below which features two “happy” gents finagling a ride home with a pizza delivery guy.

With all these efforts, The Captain is certainly driving home their commitment to responsible partying and performing a genuine service to those who might otherwise forget to do so.

Love this example of Marketing as Service by KFC as reported by Louisville Business Journal:

Yum Brands Inc. subsidiary KFC has offered its services to Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government to fill the city’s potholes.

Hiring a road crew for its “pilot infrastructure renewal program,” the restaurant chain has pledged to conduct street repairs, which would include the message “Re-Freshed by KFC” stenciled in temporary street chalk.

As part of the marketing effort, KFC randomly will choose four other U.S. cities whose mayors describe to the company their cities’ needs for street repairs, according to a news release.

“Budgets are tight for cities across the country, and finding funding for needed road repairs is a continuing challenge,” Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson said in the release. “It’s great to have a concerned corporation like KFC create innovative private/public partnerships like this pothole refresh program.”

So, KFC fixes the pothole and then spray paints a logo on the fresh asphalt. And to increase the news value, they hire an actor who looks like Colonel Sanders to do the spray painting. Talk about leaving your mark on the road less traveled! While this has little to do with “finger lickin’ good chicken,” KFC certainly drives away from this with lots of good press and good will.

P&G keeps finding fresh ways to serve its customers. This one was spotted by a fellow Renegade (thanks Steph):

Procter & Gamble’s Charmin has partnered with SitOrSquat, a Web site that allows picky pottygoers to identify the cleanest (or dirtiest) toilets around. The application is available for download on most BlackBerrys and iPhones. Users enter their target city and state, and a host of available toilets—(some “sit” or “squat”)—pop up.

Since I’m on an airplane writing this, I can’t actually give this app a trial run but it seems like the Charmin team is definitely on a roll (keep in mind these are the same folks that brought you sparkling clean potties in Times Square.) They are certainly giving Scotts a run for their money. Some might say I’m piling it on just to make a point. Or that I’m trying to squeeze every last pun out of this meager offering. And of course, to them I say, plunge ahead, Marketing as Service in any form, is never number two in my book.

American Express has been committed to the notion of Marketing as Service for a long long time and their programs have been featured in this blog (many, many times). This commitment continues even in the current economy as reported by fellow Renegade, Trip Hunter:

Yesterday at the B-B breakfast I saw Marcella Shinder, the VP of Brand Strategy for Open from American Express speak about their marketing efforts during these troubled times. Aside from the fact that she was the only optimist of the group, what appealed to me most was how Open is using Marketing as Service to deepen their relationship with their customers. Marci explained that their mission is to provide tangible ways to help small business manage and grow that are appropriate to the times.

Sounds like a bunch of marketing speak until you visit openforum.com, a social networking/resource site designed to facilitate information sharing among small business owners. Besides the wealth of information that many small business sites have, Open Forum seems to go a step farther by creating a robust social network where members can engage with the best small business bloggers, or join forums concentrated around their topic of choice.

Seems like a good time to me to be charged about Marketing as Service. Assuming small businesses continue to use this service and find ways to survive now, surely they will be that much more loyal to American Express when its time to thrive.

When I first started playing with Twitter a few months ago, it seemed like the biggest waste of time since the invention of Chia pets. I simply couldn’t understand why anyone would want to track the inane utterances of the geeky-inclined or could find the time to share their own “every little moment” with a flock of clearly under-worked followers. Boy was I wrong.

Like so many things in life, appreciation for something only arrives after diving in head first. Critics of Twitter are simply modern-day Windys who are “always window shopping but never stopping to buy.” And sure enough, after about a month of sitting on the sidelines, I jumped into the game and have been fascinated, entertained and enlightened by practically every spare minute I have given over to Twitter.

The only downside I can find is that relentless Twittering has just about killed this blog (which may or may not be such a bad thing!) While I might post 2-5 times a day on Twitter in a matter of seconds, posts here require significant time for research, writing and editing. But more importantly, I find myself reading a lot more and writing a lot less. Each good Twitter post one reads (and yes there is a lot of worthless tripe to sift through even if you are as ruthless as I am about who you follow) is like opening a door to a new room of knowledge. That new room requires careful study and inevitably opens up yet another train of thought worth pursuing. Further evidence that Jim Collins’ mentor was right when he said “it is more important to be interested than interesting.”

Just in the last few weeks, consider these outcomes as a result of tweeting:

• Recruiting–I found two qualified candidates for a client by tweeting about a Social Media Director job opening. This effort was aided by the fact that my tweets are also automatically posted as updates on my Facebook, LinkedIn and Plaxo pages.
• Preparing–Discovering that a prospective client was also a Twitterer, it was very easy to get up to speed on the key category influencers based on the folks the client followed. Time will tell if that insight will help close the sale but it sure won’t hurt.
• Connecting–Finishing a good book on Social Media, I started to follow the author via Twitter. From there I was able to open a dialog with the author, which is almost unimaginable via blogging.
• Breaking news–Moments after the US Air flight hit the Hudson, tweets directed me to live video feeds as well as the best news coverage and photos. While following this story as it broke wasn’t necessarily that important, it did open my eyes to the likelihood that there will be stories of extraordinary personal relevance that I’ll learn about and be able to act upon faster because of Twitter.

So yes, suddenly I find myself proselytizing about Twitter and practically ignoring this blog. Of course, I take some comfort in the fact that this blog always has fresh content as a result of adding a Twitter box to upper right corner! And in another post sometime soon (don’t hold your breath), I will be to explain how Twitter is yet another way marketers can deliver Marketing as Service to customers, prospects and influencers.

There are a number of service companies out there that are loathe to give away free content, content for which their customers pay big money. This concern is understandable but nonetheless surprising given all that has been written on the value of free (see great Wired Mag article). In my discussion with one client facing this dilemma recently, I offered up a quick story:

• Just back from a week of sun and fun in Florida this Sunday, my wife and I had a craving for lox and bagels. Of course, this meant visiting Sable’s (2nd Ave/78th) which we think is the best in the city. One of the reasons that we are so loyal is that while you are waiting in line for your bagel they always offer up a free taste of something and yesterday it was their amazing lobster salad. A generous gesture indeed given that their lobster salad goes for more than $20 a pound but oh the loyalty it buys. And of course, don’t forget the word of mouth this little freebie generates.

Now my client wasn’t exactly bowled over by this story so I started to think of a few other examples of when a mere taste became a tasty marketing dish:

• Hale & Hearty Soup offers petite samples every day of every one of their soups. And of course, I always take a sample even if I know in advance which soup I’m going to order just because I can. By the way, I probably average two of their soups a week!
• Crest gave out free samples of one of their new line extensions on a recent JetBlue flight. Trying the new version was a no brainer and reminded me that Crest is my favorite brand for good reason. They also made a potential convert out of my teenage son who simply loved the idea of getting something free.

In each of these examples, marketers gave me something of value for free in exchange for my time, my attention, my loyalty and or my word of mouth. This is the very essence of Marketing as Service. Doing something for your customers and prospects is simply more persuasive than saying something about what you’re going to do for them. I’m not saying to give away the store but surely a small taste will open up their mouths and their wallets in a big way.

Buried in holiday e-greetings, I’m finding myself deleting all but a random few. Why? Because the few that I do bother to click on are either self-serving drivel or simply banal. Like yours, my time is precious. If you are going to send a holiday ecard, make sure it is worthwhile. Better yet, send it in November or January when yours won’t be lost in a sea of sameness.

Of course, the same holds true for any kind of marketing. Zig when others zag. And ideally make sure your zig is a service of some kind. If it is, undoubtedly your target will be so grateful they’ll share it with all the friends and look forward to your communications in the months and year’s ahead. Elf Yourself zigged big time and in its third year was sent around a whopping 57 million times. On the odd chance that you didn’t get one, click here to see the one I created starring Pinky.

Finally, I did want to share an email I got from NYS Governor Patterson. It just seemed spot on. Happy Holidays to all. D

My Fellow New Yorkers,

As you read this, I am now returning from visiting our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Germany.

It is a tremendous honor to spend time with our servicemen and women, especially the many that I have met from New York. Each and every solider who I have had the pleasure of meeting embodies the very best traditions of America: a commitment to one another, a commitment to service, and an understanding about the necessity of shared sacrifice.

I am also asking New Yorkers back home to do much of the same. If there was ever a time to work together to make the best of a difficult situation, it is now.

During this holiday season we are reminded that it is the people we spend our important moments with that count the most, not the gifts that we receive. And it is not necessarily how we, as a people, react to the good times, but how we take on our challenges during the tough times, that defines us as a state, and as a nation.

That spirit of commitment is what binds us together, it is why we join with friends and family to celebrate the holiday season, and it is why we optimistically look forward to each New Year. The holiday season is, first and foremost, a time to renew our commitment to one another.

The choices that we make together right now are not easy, but they are necessary. The challenging times that we are facing make it even more important that we come together this holiday season and that we recommit ourselves to our shared values and our shared bond as New Yorkers.

I hope that you are able to spend some time this holiday season with those closest to you, and if you are able, please find some time to support a charitable organization in your community.

I wish every one of you a happy and safe holiday season.

Governor David A. Paterson

I visited a client last week who had six copies of David Meerman Scott‘s The New Rules of Marketing & PR on his desk. He has made it required reading for his staff so of course, I ordered two copies on Amazon, one for me and one for my staff (okay, so I’m cheap!). When the books arrived, I added it to my growing stack of B2B books I “planned” to read. The truth is that I loath biz books especially ones on marketing. Of the 100 or more I felt compelled to buy, I’ve started half and finished two. Frankly, I get more out of historical fiction and it doesn’t put me to sleep as fast (currently reading The Physician, an epic circa 1000 AD.)

But then I got sick and used some of my down time to start Scott’s New Rules. Before I knew it, I was half way through and determined to finish it. While much of it was familiar (after all, we do a lot with social media at Renegade) the book was crammed with fresh case histories and useful links. It was also an ode to the concept of Marketing as Service. Whether reaching out to the press or Twittering, creating podcasts or blog posts, Scott prescribes creating “thoughtful content.” Says Scott:

Do not write about your company and your products. Thought leadership content is designed to solve buyer problems or answer questions and to show that you and your organization are smart and worth doing business with.

Or in other words, create something of value by providing genuine utility instead of mere messaging. Scott’s book aggregates a number of cost-effective ways to deliver Marketing as Service with enthusiastic zeal encouraging marketers “to jump in and see what you can do.” Here. Here.

If Joan Rivers were to ask, “Can we talk?” My response might be, “Later Joan, I’m trying to keep up.” The truth is that those of us in “new media” are faced with a Sisyphean challenge, the harder we try to stay informed, the less we can actually get done. Recognizing this challenge, HP has served up Tabbloid that Ed Reilly spotted as a great example of Marketing as Service:

 

HP has created a wonderful service called Tabbloid that aggregates all your rss feeds into a daily newspaper of sorts that is e-mailed to you as a pdf. It’s a simple service, but something I have been looking for for a while. I think it is a good first step in the right direction. I’d like to see a .pdf version I can view on-line where the links work, and I can still click and browse to get more info. An opportunity to customize the design a bit would be totally rad too.

On this strong recommendation, I created my own Tabbloid (see for yourself) from 5 RSS feeds and the first edition was a whopping 25 pages! Hopefully, subsequent issues won’t be so voluminous BUT I can’t help wondering if HP is hoping I’ll print them out on my Officejet Pro K550 which would be good for them but not so good for the trees I consumed. While this is no threat to Google Reader (or other RSS aggregators) especially without the live link functionality Ed suggests, for those who prefer to read their news on paper, Tabbloid may just ink the deal for you.

When advertising no longer talks at you but actually does something for you, then it becomes a service. Samsung places charging stations in airports and road warriors get the fuel they need to carry on the battle. The longer the program runs, the longer everybody wins. Samsung gets meaningful exposure, airports get happier travelers and consumers come to recognize Samsung as a helpful & reliable “mobile” resource. The exchange of value is crystal clear.

That’s why I’m only lukewarm about a new program from Kraft as reported by MediaPost:

In the Windy City this month, frozen commuters and holiday shoppers will be treated to heated bus shelters and samples of Stove Top’s new Quick Cups instant stuffing, courtesy of Kraft Foods.

 

“Stove Top Stuffing is all about warming up families with hot, delicious meals when the temperatures drop,” said brand manager Ellen Thompson in a release, “and we wanted a stand-out way to demonstrate this to consumers this holiday season.”

This is a thin a commitment to Marketing as Service as you will find. Only 10 bus shelters are being heated and only in Chicago. 49 other markets will just see bus shelter ads. So really, this is a insincere stunt that Kraft hopes will inspire lots of PR. And perhaps it will (which may be enough for them.)

Imagine for a moment Kraft committed to bus shelters in cold cities the way Samsung has to airport terminals. Commuters would be thanking Kraft by the bus load and telling all their friends how the kind folks from Glenview warmed them up on a frigid morning. Cities would be competing to get the Kraft bus shelter program as a way of encouraging and rewarding the use of public transportation.

Okay, maybe I’m dreaming but I’d bet on this approach versus 49 markets worth of bus shelter posters that get the cold shoulder treatment from ad-weary consumers. Marketing as Service has the potential to transform the way consumers interact with and perceive your brand. And to quote one genius at self-promotion, “that’s hot.”

Service comes in all shapes in sizes. Friday when I called Verizon to tell them that the Blackberry Storm they just sold me had more bugs than entomology section at the Natural History Museum, they couldn’t have been more helpful. As I explained that the camera had a funny way of going on when you were trying to type an email, they listened politely, told me how to send it back and helped reset my old phone. So even though I was disappointed with the equipment, I couldn’t fault Verizon. Their service is simply stellar and assuming I can find a satisfactory phone, I’ll end up renewing my subscription with them.

That’s service as service. Before you should even think about Marketing as Service, you better have your service basics in order. One such company is UPS. Their service is consistently excellent, something you used to really appreciate when you had enough money to buy a lot of last minute gifts. But, what’s a smart shipper to do when new gift purchases are expected to be down in the dumps?

Duh! Encourage regifting. That’s right, regifting. Send you friends the stuff you never used but for some reason couldn’t part with. Actually, I’m only half joking. UPS has set up a mildly amusing website called UPS Regifter.com that allows you to choose from a series of wonderfully tacky gifts that you can then email to a friend. (Thanks to MediaPost for delivering the head’s up about this one.) I elected to use the Facebook application and sent my assistant a Hawaiian dancer (doll), which she will no doubt appreciate.

While the concept is funnier to talk about than it is to play with, I give kudos to UPS for trying to deliver some levity in this otherwise bleak holiday season. And who knows, UPS may actually get some extra shipping biz out of it as people identify some real “regifts” they can pass along.

One thing is for sure, these are challenging times… to find a fresh headline. Here are two I found on pages 9 & 10 in the first section of the WSJ today:

• In these challenging times…
• In a challenging economy…

That said, we know business is bad because even Santa’s can’t find work. The WSJ reported on this as a national problem a couple of weeks ago and the New York Post noted “It’s a Lost Clause” in the city as well.

So, what’s a savvy marketer to do, scramble for a new approach to reflect the times or stick with a tried and true Marketing as Service experience? I know, I know–my bias is showing. Sue me.

Great Marketing as Service programs age nicely and become more cost effective with time. Witness the BankCab which is in its sixth year of driving loyalty to HSBC. So you can imagine my relief when I heard on the radio this morning that the Charmin bathrooms are coming back to Times Square for their third in-stall-ment! P&G is clearly on a roll with this program which reaches thousands in a true time of need.

And speaking of third-timers, I’m even more excited to report about ElfYourself 3.0 which is a shoe-in for the viral hall of fame. This JibJab creation, is just the kind of silly service that will bring holiday cheer to all who seek it and will keep Office Max top-of-mind even in these challenging times. Click here to see my silly creation.

Hopefully, my bad puns haven’t distracted you from the main point–find a service that your prospects and customers truly appreciate and run with it until you’re certain its time to find a new one.

Zurich Financial is taking a service, or should I say a zervice approach with its recent Z-booths at airports. Here’s what the New York Times reported about it (thanks to Theresa for spotting):

Speaking of airports, for travelers rushing through the London Heathrow or Frankfurt airports this week with a dead mobile phone or a missing hotel reservation, there may be a place to turn. Look for booths marked with a big blue “Z” in the international departures areas. The stands are help points set up by Zurich Financial Services. They will offer free Internet access, cellphone and laptop charge-ups and other assistance for travelers, including cleaning materials to deal with spilled coffee and information about travel destinations, the company says. One thing they will not offer is insurance, Zurich’s usual line of business.

Why is Zurich getting involved in the kinds of things that airlines used to do for their passengers? The stands are part of a new marketing campaign aimed at “focusing on customers when it really matters,” said Arun Sinha, head of marketing at Zurich Financial. Market research has shown that fewer than 15 percent of consumers trusted any insurance brand, he said. “This is not about hard sell,” Mr. Sinha said. “This is more about trying to build consideration and favorability for the brand.”

Delivering genuine value to people in a time of need is sure way of making friends for the long haul. I sure hope it zerves them well.

To be effective, Marketing of Service needs to a genuine commitment versus a one-off stunt. While few marketers will have the perseverance to make it 108 years like Michelin with its peripatetic guides, I suspect they can make it longer than a weekend like the recent painfully misguided “free taxi” effort by Tylenol.

Thanks to Jason Wurtzel for spotting these when they first arrived in the city on November 3rd. Not knowing anything about the program at that moment, I neglected to post Jason’s shots (see below) or to feel any sense of flattery since these were another attempt to copy the HSBC BankCab, which I might add is in its sixth year of driving loyalty to The World’s Local Bank.

Still on the case, Jason then forwarded this snippet about the cabs on The Gothamist:

The Tylenol (global?) “Warming Taxis” will take you anywhere in Manhattan, today through Sunday, from noon to 8 p.m. Your best shot of catching one is heading to a CVS at 630 Lexington, 540 Amsterdam, 272 8th or 307 6th Avenues and waiting for a stranger in a white car to offer you a lift and some Tylenol.

One weekend? Is that really supposed to heat up our feelings about Tylenol? As the Renegade behind the BankCab, that just plain hurts. It wasn’t even a cold weekend by November standards so the warming part fell flat. J&J, a usually savvy marketer, should know better than to treat Marketing as Service as a Band-Aid or perhaps they got ripped off by an unlicensed guerrilla practitioner.

At The CMO Club Summit today, I moderated a discussion among 35+ CMOs about social media. It was really a lively conversation representing the range of experiences of these CMOs. The group divided into three segments, from novices to making their way to “kicking butt and taking names.” David Spark provides a quick overview of the discussion on TheCMOClub site (yes, the very same social network that Renegade helped create!) but I thought add some more detail given the broad interest in the topic.

Introduction to Social Media
Here’s the definition of social media marketing from Frog Design’s blog that I used to start the discussion:

Social media marketing is all marketing that utilizes the social graph of both marketer and audience (in fact, the interesting thing is that they can be one and the same) to facilitate and cultivate a conversation. Social marketing is whenever more than two individuals collaborate online or offline for content generation and distribution. Social marketers harness the viral power of social networks in order to grow both the frequency and the reach of conversations exponentially. They know how to feed the social orbit with content that catalyzes conversations. And they understand that an “architecture of participation,” that lets employees be marketers, has become paramount for turning brands into live brands.

Social Media Numbers (or why CMO’s should care)

• 62% of consumers actively seek out and read customer reviews prior to purchase
• 82% of consumers found reading reviews better than researching a product in-store
• 60% of Americans use social media
• 59% interact with companies via social media; 25% do so once a week or more
• 93% of those that use SM believe companies should too
• 56% feel stronger connection to companies that they interact with via SMcompanies should use social networks to solve my problems
• 43% believe companies should use social networks to solve my problems
• 41% believe companies should solicit feedback on their products/services
• 37% want more ways to interact with companies

Renegade also created a Social Media IQ test for these CMO’s at CMOquiz.com which may be of interest.

Add this one to your lexicon of “new” marketing approaches–”purpose-based marketing.” Somewhere between Marketing for Good and Marketing as Service, this one is being touted by former P&G CMO Jim Stengel which helps explain why it was prominently featured in last week’s Wall St. Journal:

Starting Monday, the 25-year P&G veteran is opening Jim Stengel LLC, which will try to persuade companies to buy into a newfangled way of selling. It’s called “purpose-based marketing,” which Mr. Stengel says is about defining what a company does — beyond making money — and how it can make its customers’ lives better.

I am truly excited to see someone as prominent as Mr. Stengel endorse what for traditional marketers like P&G would have been considered a radical approach just a couple of years ago:

The well-known adman maintains that the idea of “purpose” isn’t just the latest cooked-up marketing-speak. He says dozens of companies and brands have used this approach. He points to P&G’s Pampers brand, which several years ago decided it had a higher purpose: helping moms develop healthy, happy babies, rather than just keeping babies’ bottoms dry.

So I write this open letter:

Dear Mr. Stengel:

If you have a spare minute, we should talk. I’ve been gathering cases that support your thesis for the last 4 years and have no doubt what you say is true. More importantly, while having a purpose-based strategy provides a solid foundation, you still need an agency that can create a transformative 360° experience–an agency like Renegade.

Finally, as a fellow punster, I love the title of your upcoming book, Packaged Good, and can’t wait to read it.

Cheers,

Drew

CEO, Renegade

Marketing as Service can be delivered in all shapes and sizes. Recently my assistant Kirsten spotted an example in a direct mail package from Queue Associates, a specialist in configuring Microsoft Dynamics (ERB & CRM) solutions for agencies. This particular mailer was about the only DM piece that made it through her rigorous screening process since last year’s jumbo holiday gift basket that must have been misdirected from Senator Steven’s office.

This package caught her eye because it contained useful stuff and information she thought I’d appreciate and she was right. I travel a fair amount and like everyone else, struggle to keep up with the security rules. This package not only contained the latest guidelines for carry-ons, but also it included a pouch with 4 empty plastic containers (see picture below.) With such handy largess, I simply felt obliged to read the letter which also didn’t disappoint:

You’ve heard the saying, “its not the destination that counts; its the journey.”

We’re sending you this TSA-approved carry-on pounch, along with time-saving tips for getting through security at airports, to make yournext journey easier. It’s our way of saying “thank you” for taking time to consider another journey–the one that takes your agency to successful outcomes and higher profits.

The letter goes on to explain what Queue Associates does and suggests that I call them or visit a website for more information. Unfortunately, that’s where the fun ended because before I could learn anything more about them online, they wanted me to fill out a log-in form. [Come to think of it, that's kind of ironic for a company that already had my mailing info and is selling CRM solutions--couldn't they have generated customized URLs that recognized me immediately?]

I also think they could have carried the travel theme to the landing page/microsite, offering even more content and thereby continuing to earn my gratitude and trust. Marketing as Service works best when it is genuine commitment (think 108 years of the Michelin Guide) versus a one-off teaser. So, Queue gets an A+ for a DM piece that was rich with value and C- for not carrying it through it the final destination!

All that said, I wouldn’t be surprised if this mailer proved to be a trip well taken for Queue.

Lest you think Marketing as Service is this idealistic notion that is tough to execute, consider this simple but brilliant example from SmartCar. SmartCar, that tiniest of autos with a six-month waiting list, has lined up deep parking discounts for its New York customers. Here are the details as reported by MediaPost:

The company has negotiated a deal with New York City parking system Meyers Parking to get steep discounts for owners of the Smart ForTwo car, a super-short two-seater.

Owners of the 106-inch-long vehicle get a 50% discount off daily and monthly posted parking rates at any of six Meyers Parking facilities in New York City.

“Meyers actually reached out to us and our customers for this deal. We hope other privately–and publicly–owned facilities move in this direction. It just makes sense that a car half the size of a traditional vehicle should receive a parking discount: The car takes up less space.”

Brilliant, indeed. The service reinforces a major benefit of owning a SmartCar (i.e. easy to park) and costs SmartCar nothing. The garage also wins since they might pick up a few new customers. And of course, the SmartCar prospect has one more good reason to buy, knowing that the total cost of ownership will be even smaller.

This must be self-serving week since I’m about to share another example of Marketing as Service as executed by Renegade. I’d be embarrassed except for the fact that this is a highly effective program and the services provided are outrageously target-appropriate. The client in this case is Ubisoft, who asked us to generate excitement about the upcoming release of their WWII action video game, Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway.

We kicked things off last weekend at a video gaming convention in Seattle called PAX where we set up a WWII vintage “recruiting station.” Volunteers could get their choice of a HELL CUT, a military style buzz-cut with the word HELL emblazoned on the back of their head, or a stylish air-brushed tattoo (about 550 opted for the tats).

In exchange for a free copy of the game, over 150 ‘recruits’ volunteered for a HELL CUT including several members of the media. One reporter from Game Spot, a leading industry site, featured his HELL CUT experience as the lead story in this video:

Happily for our client, the Recruiting Station was the hit of the show. The line for HELL CUTS extended outside the convention hall and was at times three hours long. Another 450 recruits received their vintage Hells Highway tattoos (see photo below.)

The services provided, buzz cuts and tattoos, may seem unappealing to you, but our gamer target though it was “the most unusual booth at PAX this year” covering the Hell’s Highway Recruiting Station extensivly on blog after blog: GameVortex, PSXGames, Kotaku, The Exploding Barrel, ThePlatformnation, GameSpot, N4G, Boards.1up, Sarcastic Gamer, Gamertell, NerdFellowship, GameTrailer, YouTube, ArsTechnica and more.

Bottom line–want some buzz, try giving away a buzz cut. Its a service that cuts through putting in this case, Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway at the head of the class.

There’s a second act to this guerrilla/viral program but I’ll write about that separately. If you want to discover it for yourself, visit: enlist4hell.com.