Dear Diary,
Yesterday’s #unfiltered Lunch & Learn at Radius was the best yet! We tackled some of the thorniest questions around the topic of social marketing (my new fav way to describe the Thing Formerly Known as Social Media) over incredible food and a near-perfect bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The Genius was pleased!
In fact, the questions raised and discussions shared were so juicy, that I thought I’d share a few tidbits here. In no particular order…
1. What advice do you have for brands just starting out on Facebook?
Tip #1: Know the platform.
Seriously. The best brands on Facebook are the ones that genuinely know and “get” the platform.
If you haven’t already done so, set up a profile. Invite some friends. Check out some of the popular applications. Snoop. Yes, snoop. continue reading »
Dear Diary,
It’s been a busy month for this marketing genius. I wont get into all of the nitty gritty here and now, but I did want you to know that I haven’t forgotten you. And I’m not dead. I’m just spending more time here, because, well… it’s just kind of easier.
Yes, that’s right, Diary. The mile-high club. And I’m bragging about it. On the interwebs!
Why would I, a Genius, and a married woman with two f**king amazing children, [and a mouth like a sailor] brag about a sexual conquest at 30,000 feet?
Well… because it will get me GREAT SEO rankings, that’s why!
And also, I am not actually referring to a sexual conquest. I am referring to the fact that I am officially BLOGGING, emailing, Twittering, Facebooking, Flickring, and otherwise CONNECTING… at 30,000 feet. continue reading »
Hard to believe it has been a whole year since I first suggested that ready or not, the social media train is leaving the f**king station (remember that? Ah, sweet nostalgia…). Since then, the train seems to have only accelerated. Now, the fastest growing demographic on Facebook is over the age of 35, Oprah’s on Twitter, and the Leader of the Free World was able to mobilize a grass roots movement that rewrote history.
The only problem with sharing the presentation with you, Diary, is this: I may be a bonafide marketing genius, but apparently I am not a WordPress genius, as evidenced by the fact that I can’t figure out how to embed my latest, greatest masterpiece here for you to enjoy.
*sigh*
So for now, I’ll have to just leave a link here and hope that you’re curious enough to click it.
I’m not the first or only marketing genius to point out that if the average person is exposed to [bombarded with?] 3000 to 5000 ads or marketing messages each and every day, then it’s highly unlikely that an average, run-of-the-mill billboard, flyer, banner ad, postcard, TV commercial, radio spot, etcetera! will yield much of a result—since it’s not very likely to be remembered.
Given these pitiful odds, The Marketing Genius suggests, quite strongly, that you either:
a) Spare us (and yourself) the agony of enduring another piss-poor ad campaign. Instead, try donating all those marketing dollars to a nonprofit? Or just set them on fire and roast some marshmallows, why don’t you? Really, it will be so much less painful than putting up with that mediocre crap that litters the streets and screens [*sigh*]; or…
In November of 2007, the marketing Genius whom you know and love (MOI!) wrote an entry entitled Search vs. Social Media Smackdown, Round 2 in which I made, in my oh-so-humble opinion, a very compelling case for taking one’s SEM blinders off and dipping a brave little toe into the murky waters of social media.
At the time, of course I was unequivocally sick of search engine marketing with it’s CPCs and CPAs and various other annoying acronyms [blech!]. While I still find the acronyms and the tediousness of setting up and managing a successful search campaign quite excruciating, I have amended my view on which tactic wins “the smackdown”. In fact, I am now 150% certain that the two are not mortal enemies… but soul mates!
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of speaking at Social Media Breakfast #14 on the timely topic of “Social Media Overload.” I’ll admit, I was tempted to call my presentation “What the F**K is Social Media Overload?” —but as a marketing genius, I decided it’s best not to play the One Trick Pony card.
I’m sorry you missed it, Diary. It was a spankin’ good time. And since I’d hate for you to feel left out, I’m posting the “transcript” below. Enjoy!
***
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT!
Has this ever happened to you?
Or someone you love?
One minute, they’re quietly updating their Twitter status… checking out their friend’s baby shower pictures on Flickr… or taking one of those fun “which celebrity boyfriend would you be” quizzes on Facebook… when suddenly they see a Tweet about a must-see YouTube video and BAM!, just like that, their head explodes.
Dear Diary,
Is it me or does it seem like a lot of marketers have lost their way lately?
Don’t get me wrong. I recognize that what was once a pretty simple discipline has become remarkably complicated thanks to competitive pressure, media fragmentation, technological advancement, migration from one screen to three, the rise of the Digital Native, globalization, broadband, and the extinction of the Dodo. Still, marketing does not need to be so complicated… continue reading »
The Secret Diary of a Bonafide Marketing Genius is neither "secret" nor "bonafide"—but we won't tell if you don't. It is, however, written by one Marta Kagan, Managing Director, US, for integrated marketing agency Espresso (the Brand Infiltration specialists).
I'd like to state for the record that I'm not nearly as obnoxious in person as I pretend to be on this blog.
