Ari Herzog: McDonald’s and Coca-Cola Among Early Online Marketing Adopters

Last Updated on Sunday, 31 January 2010 11:45 Written by Daisy Harley Sunday, 31 January 2010 11:45

Note: The below is an amended version of this story from AriWriter.

It was March 2006 when Fernando Sosa and Thomas Middleditch rapped a video in the streets of Chicago about their love of McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets. Maybe you know this story.

The video was filmed by Matt Malinsky, with a McDonald’s franchise in the background. The company had nothing to do with the citizen-generated video; their only involvement was they made the food product which the two 20-something fans liked so much they created a rap.

The video saw tens of thousands of views on YouTube in the first year. Arnold Worldwide, an advertising agency based in Boston, was tipped about the video and, after consulting with the burger-and-fries empire, it was decided to adapt Sosa’s and Middleditch’s rap into a TV commercial. The media gulped it down, TV viewers raced to the stores to buy McNuggets, and one of social media’s earliest case studies was born.

Here’s the original video with over 2 million views today:

Here’s a version of the TV adaptation, with over 579,000 views since July 2007:

If you don’t know it by now, companies will fail online if they do not go where their customers go. Companies will fail online if they do not engage with their customers, from customer service to brand management.

Unless your customers are not online to begin with — which you’ll never know if you don’t look for them or ask them directly — there’s no way around this tenet of online marketing.

Companies will also fail if they don’t reward their biggest fans.

What Sosa, Middleditch, and Malinsky are to McDonald’s, Dusty Sorg and Michael Jedrzejewski are to Coca-Cola. Maybe you also know this story.

When Dusty wanted to click a button and be a “fan” of Coke on Facebook, he ran into a brick wall. There was no page. So, the out-of-work actor and his writer friend co-created a page, filled it with useful content, and — to the astonishment of both Facebook and Coca-Cola management when they learned of the page — observed 3 million people voluntarily opting to be fans in 7 months. The duo were not alone in wanting to fan the company, hindsight showed.

Coke executives flew the guys to their Atlanta headquarters, treated them to a company tour, and met with them… leading to the pair continuing to administer the Facebook page (aided by a Coke representative), and undoubtedly to a monetary tune. You can befriend Coca-Cola on Facebook here.

If you were in the beverage manufacturer’s shoes and saw what they saw, how would you react to an unofficial Facebook page with fan statistics you would want for yourself? What would you do? If you were Arnold or McDonald’s, would you have capitalized on the citizen-created video? Do you even look if anyone’s created a video about you?

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Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-herzog/mcdonalds-and-coca-cola-a_b_443882.html

Tom Doctoroff: China’s Senior Market: Gray Today, Golden Tomorrow

Last Updated on Sunday, 31 January 2010 11:45 Written by Daisy Harley Sunday, 31 January 2010 11:45

Within the next several years, China’s “gray” (50+) market will be the most potent spending demographic on the planet. By 2025, there will be more than 500 million “mature” Chinese consumers, up from 300 million today, or almost 36% of the Chinese population, up from 21% now. Their per capita spending power will exceed $4,100, up from $1,620 in 2006.

But, to date, this potential bonanza has been ignored by most marketers. According the National Seniors Bureau, only 10% of products and services bought by senior citizens are actually targeted to them. Why? First, their current incomes pale in comparison to younger, middle class cohorts, who mostly reside in Eastern coastal cities. Second, mature consumers are assumed, often erroneously, to be ultra-conservative culturally, caring little about brands and the aspirations they embody. As Chen Yimu, a 62-year-old netizen, makes perfectly clear, such apathy will fade: “We want to look pretty. But there are no fashion brands for seniors. When will our turn come?”

Mainland gray can be golden. Marketers, however, must realize that, as incomes rise, the Middle Kingdom will become more modern, more international, but not more Western. Goods must be positioned in accordance with cultural imperatives. Brands must resolve a fundamental and uniquely Chinese conflict – between fear of an ever-changing modern world and titillation by new-found freedoms and broadened horizons — at the heart of elderly existence. Those that do will be rewarded with deep loyalty and robust price premiums.

Displacement vs. Optimism

On one hand, the 50+ generation suffers from a sense of displacement. From civil war, World War II and Liberation to the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, they matured during a politically and economically insecure era in which “success” or “acknowledgement” was contingent on sacrifice, on both familial and national levels. They were conditioned to have faith that absolute loyalty to authority – by son to father, younger to older, ruled to ruler – was the gravitational force that would pull “New” China out of 150 years of imperial and Republican chaos. Their worldview is characterized by Confucian faith that age is tantamount to wisdom, that obedience by and respect from the younger generation are the fruit of their long, hard struggle through sixty years of nation building. As one senior citizen puts it, “We sacrificed. We deserve a return. We deserve dignity.”

The forces unleashed by economic reform and “opening up” – mandatory retirement; mobility that increases the physical distance between parents and adult children; an epic inter-generational values gap in which traditional collectivism co-exists uncomfortably with new-fangled ego affirmation – threaten the honor due life-long warriors for the Motherland. The 50+ cohort, anxious and self-protective, questions its own relevance.

That said, hope springs eternal. Driven by rising incomes, the power digital technology and a Middle Kingdom connected with the outside world, sunset days can blossom into rainbow years. The mature market is also beguiled by the promise of new friends, burgeoning fitness and travel options, on-line self-expression and a revolutionary concept that “fun” need not be guilty pleasure. Brands must mitigate an anxiety of displacement by becoming guiding lights into a new world of opportunity. They must pivot from fear-based messaging or, worse, neglect by either unleashing “possibilities of me” or forging new constructs of “we.” Beyond a self-evident need to enhance product accessibility – i.e., enlarged mobile phone key pads, anti-shake digital cameras, a Walmart senior “corner, a C-trip gray travel mini-portal – smart marketers can dive deeper by touching the heart of desire. Here’s how:

Possibilities of Me

Justify the Treat. We should provide permission to bite into forbidden fruits by positioning old-fashioned values as the source of future happiness or self-indulgence as a reward for enduring deprivation. Older Chinese are ruthless savers so AIA skillfully assets that, after years of hardship, freedom from worry is a worthy financial goal. Burberry’s “real quality never goes out of fashion” and Dove’s celebration of “real beauty” can be focused into mature-targeted campaign platforms.

Make Olden Golden. Brands must explicitly acknowledge 50+ wisdom and generate admiration of “elder masters.” Shide wine elegantly links the clarity of white alcohol with the “acumen of ancient sages.” In a one droll HSBC ad, a silver-haired father wields a credit card to restore family harmony while paying for an expensive meal. Even Nike, during the lead up to the 2008 Olympics, aired a droll TVC featuring a guru to personify an ageless Just Do It spirit. In airing senior-relevant copy, these brands suggest an unusual, if sub-optimally harnessed, insight into the minds of mature Chinese individuals.

Attain “Forever Young.” Brands promoting health benefits should move beyond worry-based protection (e.g., supplementing calcium deficiency to ward against weak bones) to embrace life-enhancing liberation. Furthermore, pounding clichés of lively grandmas and grandpas have passed their sell-by date, as assaulted viewers of relentless Nao Bai Jing commercials will attest. New Balance targets running shoes to elderly who crave “new roads and a new life.” New Zealand Tourism Board’s “100% Pure” campaign is begging for a senior spin that fuses Daoist celebration of qi with the promise of timeless rejuvenation. Vitality benefits can also be dramatized by beating the whipper-snappers – i.e., using the young generation as a playful foil. In Japan, Pocari Sweat, a sports drink, fueled the victory of spry old men over SMAP, a local boy band.

Reinforcement of We

Tighten Family Bonding. To strengthen the 50+ market’s sense of belonging, brands can bridge the gap between new and traditional ways of life by lubricating inter-generational communication. Historically, non-differentiated “gifting” has been the most prevalent means of encouraging offspring to fulfill Confucian obligation to parents. Recently, however, a few products have begun to address the widening generation gap with a bit more nuance. Ericsson reminds sons that real caring is conveyed through on-going dialog with fathers. China Mobile has gone beyond “connecting people” by opening “lines of love” between daughters and mothers.

Relatedly, in China, a culture in which the extended clan supersedes the nuclear family, every Little Emperor has six parents, not two. Savvy brands acknowledge grandparents’ interest in – indeed, obligation to contribute to — their grandkids’ well being. Both joy and responsibilities should be shared. Nestle’s Taitaile, a flavor enhancer, explicitly endorses — and facilitates — a mother-in-law’s dominion over the kitchen and, hence, the entire family’s nutritional well-being.

Build New Communities. In an era of sweeping change and social disorientation, brands should be platforms for social bonding. Which property tycoon will break ground by building a luxury village for seniors? When will DeBeers throw Diamond Anniverary Parties for couples whose love lasts forever? Digital technology – elderly chatrooms, blogs and social networking sites have begun to up everywhere – already facilitates the fortification of old and new acquaintances. Few marketers, however, have capitalized on this sociological paradigm shift. Who will be the first to sponsor on-line “silver dating?”

“China pride” can also be a vehicle for drawing together like-minded soldiers, heroes who, collectively, molded a great nation. Brands should give legions of patriotic seniors a new age megaphone to help them, together, cheer for China. Anta or Lining, mass market sports brands, could support a “Revolutionary Pep Squad” during upcoming Olympic games. China Mobile, perhaps the most ubiquitous Chinese brand of all, should exploit the spirit of senior citizens in ensuring a successful Shanghai World Expo.

In conclusion, China’s mature market will be gigantic but it is being ignored by most marketers. As spending power mushrooms, brands must tap into the tension between “fear of displacement” and “excitement for new beginnings.” Those that do will emerge as guiding lights on a vast new commercial horizon. We have listed five ways – justifying the treat, making olden golden, attaining “forever young,” .tightening family bonding and building new communities – to help manage the first steps on a beautiful journey towards everlasting relevance.

This article first appeared in Advertising Age.

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Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-doctoroff/chinas-senior-market-grey_b_443885.html

Isabel Cowles: When Yoga and Civilization Collide

Last Updated on Sunday, 31 January 2010 11:45 Written by Daisy Harley Sunday, 31 January 2010 11:45

Last week’s New York Times article, “When Yoga and Chakras Collide,” threw the debate between yogis and civilization into relief. Essentially, the piece can be read to pose the following question: If we practice yoga, are we obliged to withdraw from society?

The article highlights the tension many yogis face: whether or not to walk away from animal products and eat primarily raw fruits and vegetables. According to Eva Grubler of the Dharma Yoga in New York (one of America’s most revered yoga studios), the ideal yogi diet should consist of, “steamed vegetables, salads and fresh juices.” The article also quotes Steve Ross, author of Happy Yoga: Seven Reasons Why There’s Nothing to Worry About, who explains in his book, “I get a toxic, icky feeling from eating something that’s basically inedible.” By that, he means cooked food.

And yet, as the Times reports, some yoga studios are providing meals–complete with meat, wine and chocolate–at the end of practice. And they are causing quite a stir in the hardcore vegan / rawfoodist yogi camp. While a sweaty studio would not be my eating-place of choice, not a day goes by when I don’t eat cooked food or animal products. And not a day goes by when I don’t practice yoga. Both feel better with company.

Until recently, I felt that my innate appetites and love of cooking were directly at odds with my yoga practice. And yet, when I have tried to eat a primarily raw or vegan diet, I feel profoundly unsatisfied, both physically and socially. After having read Richard Wrangham’s book, Catching Fire: How Cooking Made us Human, I understand why I want and need to eat warm, rich food, which sometimes includes flesh. Moreover, I am hardwired to enjoy it with others.

This is how Wrangham’s argument boils down: the human discovery of fire essentially catapulted some of our ancestors out of the realm of Neanderthal and into the realm of Homo–Erectus and eventually Sapien. I am not one to distrust a person simply because he or she is not a scholar, but in this case, the distinction is striking. For example, Ross (whose nutritional background appears to be purely anecdotal) claims,”Approximately 85 percent of all vitamins and 100 percent of the enzymes are lost in the cooking process. If you cook anything above 118 degrees F, the enzymes naturally found in that food are destroyed.” Unfortunately, Ross does not cite his source. Wrangham, on the other hand, is the Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology at Harvard; Curator of Primate Behavioral Biology at the Peabody Museum and Director of the Kibale Chimpanzee Project in Uganda. The scholar devotes the final third of his book to footnotes. Both my gut, and my brain are inclined towards his argument.

Indeed, it is both our guts and our brains that distinguish us from our chimp cousins, Wrangham argues. Physical evidence that human beings evolved to cook food–and evolved because of cooked food–appears in both our stomachs and brains. The relatively small size of our digestive systems indicates that we evolved to eat food that is easy to digest, including cooked meat. Furthermore, the ease of digestion (cooking makes food easier for the body to process) essentially lends calories to whatever we cook, which in turn allowed our ancestors’ brains to develop at a pace unparalleled by any other species. Because their bodies weren’t working all day long to digest raw, fibrous foods, our ancestors’ brains suddenly had the nutrients necessary to grow exponentially in size. We owe our intelligence to cooked food.

In addition to physical benefits, cooking helped foster society. For example, heating food can be preserved longer, therefore guaranteeing more nutrition for longer periods. Cooking also caused early humans to lose their hair, one of our most distinguishing characteristics. Because of an availability of warmth and warm food, early man no longer needed his furry insulation: I’m sure most raw foodists, if given a choice, would opt to eat cooked food rather than grow a coat. Indeed, as many anthropologists have noted, including Jared Diamond in his book, Guns Germs and Steel, it’s the cultivation of agriculture and fire that made it possible for entire civilizations to develop. Without the need to wander in search of food–be it foraged vegetables of wild animals–human beings suddenly had the time and energy to sit together and think. It is because of cooked and cultivated food that man eventually built towns, appointed leaders and had the luxury to create art, literature, music, even yoga.

I know many vegetarians and many vegetarian yogis, whom I respect very much. I even know a few who eat primarily raw food–these are choices that I happily accept. However, when a person tells me that human beings were not designed to eat meat or cooked food, or that my yoga practice is inferior as a result of my diet, I must respectfully disagree. (The common theory that people were not meant to eat meat because of their blunt teeth and small jaws has also been defunct by Wrangham’s work: we are meat eaters, we just eat soft meat–of the cooked variety.)

I used to wonder why I felt so drawn to the stove and to a table full of friends. I long for the very thing provided by yoga studios that offer a communal meal after a communal practice. And yet I felt guilty about it–as though some primal impulse were keeping me from a truly enlightened practice. Now I realize that the opposite is true: the very thing that makes us human is our desire to cook, cultivate, kill and share our food. There is indeed a beast within each of us, calling us to do the same–the Homo Sapien.

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/isabel-cowles/when-yoga-and-civilizatio_b_443886.html