Tag Archives: marketing

Feb 13 2012
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marketing, Millennials, Writing

What We Really Think: Annonymous Reviews vs. Personal Recommendations

Anyone can do research on milllennials. But what we’re actually thinking? For that, you’d need to ask one. In the “What We Really Think” posts, I compare what the market research says I do to what I actually do. How close or far-off are they?

First up, how do millennials weigh online reviews from strangers to friends’ recommendations? Let the research/life experience battle begin!

Everyone knows that social media influences millennials’ purchasing decisions, but did you know that they just as likely to be swayed by anonymous comments on a company website?   According to this eMarketer report, twentysomethings rely just as much on strangers on the internet as they do their friends and family when it comes to getting the scoop on a company. In fact, they actually favor anonymous comments on a company website slightly higher than their own friends and family. Ouch.

Here’s what the data says.

I know you like this restaurant Aunt Sara, but proudfoodie86 only gave it two stars so….maybe next time?

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Jan 26 2012
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marketing, Writing

The Lunch Table Analogy 2: Putting Theory Into Practice

Yesterday I suggested you identify your ideal lunch table and target your efforts there. Not sure what I’m talking about? Check out this article first, then come back to me. Today, I’m going into how small groups advocate big change and concrete ways you can engage your lunch table.

Once a brand saturates a market, people tend to take it for granted and forget to ask how it got there in the first place. Usually, a small number of innovators work to inspire action in a larger group.  In his book The Tipping Point, social psychologist Malcolm Gladwell names this phenomena “The Law of the Few” which he explains, “in any situation roughly 80 percent of the ‘work’ will be done by 20 percent of the participants”.

You can never go wrong quoting Malcolm Gladwell.

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Jan 25 2012
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marketing, Writing

The Lunch Table Analogy 1: Why You Need to Get Specific About Demographics

Last night I attended an online networking event for bloggers through Brazen Careerist. I found it incredibly helpful and got some great advice. As a very recent blogger (happy 1- week birthday blog!), I thought I would be doing a lot more asking questions than answering them. However, a few questions were asked of me over and over.

“Where do people your age hang out online?””How do I attract a younger audience through my blog?”

These are great questions! It makes me excited that people out there are asking them. However, there’s more to it than that. The truth is, the college student and twentysomething demographic is huge. According to the US 2010 Census, there are 21.5 million people in the US between the ages of 20-24. When your only qualification is “young” or “college student”, you might be thinking too broadly. It all depends on who you are and who you’re trying to reach.

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Jan 23 2012
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Millennials, Writing

Why College Kids Are Cheap–And How It Benefits You! Part 2: Needs vs. Wants

When people think of college spending habits, it’s easy to just say “cheap”.  And yes, we are. But there’s more to it than that. In Part 1: No Brand Loyalty, I argued that one reason college kids are cheap is that purchasing habits aren’t developed yet, which provides an opportunity to hook a relatively “blank-slate” purchaser more susceptible to price and advertising. Now, I’d like to talk about what college kids actually do spend money on by breaking down purchases into…

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Jan 19 2012
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marketing, Millennials, Writing

Why College Kids Are Cheap–And How It Benefits You! Part 1: No Brand Loyalty

Usually, when people think about about college purchasing habits, they think of one word: cheap. Everyone knows the stereotype of a cheap college kid. There’s some truth to it too. I have one friend who saves plastic utensils from Wendy’s instead of buying silverware. But to think of college kids are just “cheap” is missing a big part of the picture.  After all, while pinching pennies on some items, they are certainly willing to splurge on others. This meme sums up the discrepancy perfectly.

There’s multiple reasons that college kids and twentysomethings are cheap about some things and not about others. And understanding what those reasons are could help you cultivate a potential customer for life. Listening now? I’ve decided to do a mini-series on why college kids buy what they buy and where the opportunity lies. First up….

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Jan 19 2012
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marketing, Writing

COVERGIRL and Sofia Vergara: Wins on Video, Loses in Print

When I discovered that Sofia Vergara would act as one of the celebrity endorsers for COVERGIRL, my immediate reaction was “Yes! I love her!”.  While I don’t normally get excited for celebrity endorsers, Sofia Vergara has such a big, fun personality (as Gloria on Modern Family and as herself on the red carpet) that I couldn’t help but root for her.

Having the right celebrity endorse a product is almost like hearing a friend’s recommendation. There’s an implicit level of trust. After all, celebrities spend countless dollars and hours promoting a brand for us to remember and recognize them by–to feel as if we know them. And if an individual that I feel like I “know” tells me to buy a product, it carries more weight than some stranger.  That’s why the most effective endorsements play into what the viewers “know” about a celebrity into the company’s product pitch.

In Sofia’s case, her brand is well-established. Funny. Loud. Columbiana. Flirty. Smiley. See how well her personality/brand shines through in the COVERGIRL commercial below.

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