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<title>Jan Kelley Marketing Blog</title>
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<description><![CDATA[Jan Kelley Marketing Blog - Description]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 19 May 2012 17:59:41 -0400</pubDate>
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<title>In the moment Capturing the moment Are they the same</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/in-the-moment-capturing-the-moment-are-they-the-same</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 May 2012 15:41:55 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I recently attended a concert at the fabulous Koerner Hall where Cuban-Canadian pianist and composer Hilario Dur&aacute;n led a 20 piece big band in an evening of latin jazz with special guest Paquito D'Rivera, a fellow Cuban ex-patriate.
The evening was, to my mind, the best form of entertainment in that it exceeded my anticipation, held my attention from first note to last and inspired my imagination during the performance and days after.
It never occured to me to record the experience in real time. For me, reaching for my iPhone during the performance to connect with my social network would have disconnected me from the performance I was experiencing, and thoroughly enjoying.
But that's just me.
As Mitch Joel relates from his own recent concert experience, many in his audience were documenting the peformance as it happened and sharing it with their own personal audience outside the arena.
Different venues and types of concerts to be sure but it's not as if the weren't plenty of smart phones at Koerner Hall. I never noticed any of them in action during the performance however.
This instant documentation of life is something CBC host Nora Young explores in her new book "The Virtual Self &ndash; How our digital lives are altering the world around us". And the presence of personal technology at concert halls and theatres is something Kate Taylor investigated in The Globe and Mail.
The performing arts are wrestling with how to attract a new generation of patrons with new social technology habits and balancing that with the expectations of their traditional audience and their performers.
How will catering (pandering?) to a new type of audience alter the nature of the performance? Should there be separate seating for smart phone users and non-users, like beer-free sections in baseball stadiums? And, ultimately, does the inclusion of social networking during live presentations (or at the cinema for that matter) enhance the experience or diminish it?
It's been said that new technology is often overestimated for its value at introduction and underestimated for its impact over time. As mobile devices become ever more prevalent in our daily lives, finding the balance between experiencing the present and archiving it is a fascinating challenge.&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>lturner@jankelley.com (LyleTurner)</author>
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<title>Decoupling and Single Source Content  Focus and Consistency</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/decoupling-and-single-source-content--focus-and-consistency</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 May 2012 15:44:57 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Decoupling and Single Source Content Management are two important principles in software design and content management &nbsp;&ndash; and following these principles can also help you organize and manage your digital marketing assets.
Decoupling is a term used in object oriented analysis and design, which speaks of removing unnecessary reliance between entities. The basic idea is to ensure that an entity is self-sufficient for its purpose and that the entity does nothing except for its main purpose.
Single Source Content Management states that content should flow from one source to avoid content anomalies. This principle helps to ensure that content is manageable and helps to keep messaging consistent.
So what&rsquo;s the connection with digital marketing? Let&rsquo;s look at decoupling first.
With the explosion of tools available to digital marketers, most companies now have a slew of digital marketing assets that they manage, for example websites, microsites, mobile sites, mobile applications, blog posts, Twitter feeds, Facebook pages, etc. In following the decoupling principles, each of these entities should have a specific purpose, and each should focus solely on this purpose. Step back, look at your assets as a whole, and determine the basic purpose of each tool and ensure that each tool is focused on that purpose.&nbsp; For example, if your website&rsquo;s main purpose is to convert prospects into clients, then the entire focus of the site should flow from this purpose. Every page must address the opportunity to convert the prospect. Any page that does not help with this effort should be eliminated.
Now what happens if multiple tools have the same basic purpose? That&rsquo;s OK, but you need to understand why you have multiple tools doing the same thing. What are their differences beyond their basic purpose? Let&rsquo;s look at the fact that you may have a mobile site with this same purpose, converting prospects to clients. How should these tools differ (aside from the obvious design differences)? This is where you need to think about behavioral differences between these tools. &nbsp;Are there different intents of a visitor coming to you via your website versus your mobile site? Is there more of a sense of urgency from a visitor using the mobile site versus the website? Do your research and understand these differences and then design the functionality of each tool accordingly.
The single source content principle is probably a little easier to understand in terms of its benefits, but tricky to attain.
In a perfect world your brand message should remain consistent regardless of where it is or who is reciting it. OK, the theory sounds solid, but how the heck do you obtain that through the numerous sources that recite your brand message: website, mobile site, sales reps, social media - yikes?
For the tools that you control, a solid content management system (CMS) can help. Most CMS will handle pushing content out to your digital tools (website, email, mobile site, social medial posts) they can even interface with your customer relationship management (CRM) tool to help with your sales messaging.&nbsp; But, what about what others are saying about your brand through social media? While it&rsquo;s true that you cannot control what others say, it is still important to listen and understand. Social media auditing tools are a real asset with keeping track of your brand in the social media environment. You can search for comments about your brand, filter by tone (good or bad) and even target individual accounts, should you wish to respond.
In the end, it&rsquo;s all about focus and consistency. Ensure that your digital marketing assets are focused on their purpose and strengths, and ensure that these tools allow you to keep your messaging consistent.]]></description>
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<author>rclifford@jankelley.com (RichardClifford)</author>
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<title>Mission to MARS</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/mission-to-mars</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:43:10 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you've poked around the 'People' section of our website long enough (and let's be honest, why wouldn't you?) you will notice that a good number of our younger employees are from MARS. Though an intergalactic excursion may be on the Agency's horizon, the truth of this puzzling acronym lies much closer to home. Marketing, Advertising, Retail and Sales is a group of programs at the DeGroote School of Business with a focus on providing practical and experential learning to the business students of McMaster.
MARS Apprentice, a program started over seven years ago by a group of students led by Professor Mandeep Malik, is an intensive 8-week competition that plots two teams of six senior students against one another to find solutions to real RFP's and present them to a different corporate sponsor each week. Sponsors of the program include Sears, Canadian Tire Financial Services, JAN Kelley Marketing, PEPSICO and Maple Leaf Foods. The goal is to win the majority of the challenges for a chance to interview with these companies for a shot at one of the half-dozen internships on offer.
The first challenge, sponsored by our wonderful little agency was focused on Metrolinx, a government agency tasked with addressing the coming transportation needs of the Greater Toronto Area. Teams were tasked with innovating a "burning platform" to put transportation top of mind for the citizens of the GTA. After two phenomenal presentations, Team Synapse took home their first win based on their thinking that the key audience to reach were the suburbanites scattered around the city.&nbsp;
JAN Kelley has been with this program from the beginning and as someone who landed a job through this experience, I hope we stick with it for years to come!]]></description>
<author>jmaxwell@jankelley.com (JamesMaxwell)</author>
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<title>International Trucks lets customers toot their horn for them</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/international-trucks-lets-customers-toot-their-horn-for-them</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:34:09 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[To build awareness of the TerraStar among small business owners and place it firmly on their consideration list, International Trucks turned to satisfied customers. Perhaps satisfied is a bit of an understatement, these testimonials were truly glowing.
Until now, many small business owners hadn&rsquo;t considered the TerraStar and felt intimidated by the trucking industry in general. So we thought who better to talk about buying a Real Truck than Real People, business owners who&rsquo;d recently purchased a TerraStar. Real People just like the ones we wanted to reach and convince to make the switch. These testimonials document a day in their life as they talk openly about their authentic impressions.
What they found&hellip;in short, when you pick up a Real Truck, business tends to pick up as well. For every job there&rsquo;s a truck best suited for it, and when it comes to the needs of a small business the TerraStar is that truck. But don&rsquo;t take our word for it, take a listen to what small business owners have to say about their TerraStar. They say it better than we ever could.]]></description>
<author>elees@jankelley.com (EdLees)</author>
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<title>Archiving Creativity to Stimulate the Future</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/archiving-creativity-to-stimulate-the-future</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:43:38 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I recently took an active role in an historic event at McMaster University's Ron Joyce Centre. It was historic because McMaster University President and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane was there to officially announce the donation of a significant collection of advertising campaign materials from some of North America's most iconic brands - Molson, Coca Cola, Pepsi, McDonald's, General Motors and Budweiser among them - to McMaster University from the Pirate Group.
Anyone in the ad biz will tell you that Pirate Group is the largest advertising audio production company in Canada, co-founded in 1990 by Terry O'Reilly (host of CBC Radio's "Under the Influence" &ndash; formerly "Age of Persuasion"). For the record, Pirate partners include Tom Eymundson, Chris Tait, Tom Goudie and Vanya Drakul.
The real highlight of the night was the casual and often humourous storytelling that took place as part of the one hour "Master Class" led by Terry, Tom (Eymundson) and Chris. Terry talked about the personal insights that led to his award-winning campaign for Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Tom presented clips from Pirate's hilarious work on Bud Light Institute and Chris presented some of their ground-breaking video music work for Maynard's Candy.
As a part-time MBA instructor at McMaster for more than 20 years, and as someone who had worked with Pirate over the years as a member of the JAN Kelley Marketing team, it was my distinct pleasure to moderate a question and answer period following the Master Class. We had great discussions about the critical role of strategy in guiding the creative process &ndash; something that Mr. O'Reilly referred to as "ballet in a phone booth". We also talked about the challenge of selling unique ideas to conservative clients; Chris quipped that "it works best when we sing to them", while Tom and Terry pointed to the need for an endless stream of usable rationale so that the decision-makers can, in turn, sell their recommendations to everyone else. The evening concluded with lots of one-on-one discussions and Terry signing his book, "The Age of Persuasion; How Advertising Ate Our Culture".
So how did Pirate's unique archive - which documents the creation of some 50,000 radio and television commercials from 1981-2007 &ndash; land at Mac? Virtually every college and university in the country had expressed interest in Pirate's treasure trove, but Terry O'Reilly and his partners picked McMaster mainly because of the compelling plan put forward by the University for archive use, evolution and student access.
But here's the real back story. O'Reilly had also run into Professor Mandeep Malik &ndash; one of McMaster University's greatest ambassadors &ndash; at Canada's Next Top Ad Executive, an event that Malik had helped to personally create and develop. I have known Professor Malik for a great many years, and he had often spoken of an idea that he had for McMaster &ndash; an idea that he referred to as "The Journey of Influence". He described it as a living record of the evolution of advertising in Canada.  I imagine that Professor Malik was a bit like an anemic vampire at a blood bank when Terry O'Reilly mentioned that he had an exhaustive archive of advertising treasures in search of an academic home!&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>jletwin@jankelley.com (JimLetwin)</author>
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<title>Congratulations Teachers Credit Union</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/congratulations-tcu</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:39:28 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[We are proud to announce that&nbsp;Teachers Credit Union&nbsp;has been nominated for their 6th&nbsp;Readers&rsquo; Choice&nbsp;Award in a row.
Teachers Credit Union has been nominated within the&nbsp;&ldquo;Best Business/Service&rdquo;&nbsp;category as part of the&nbsp;2012 Hamilton Community News Readers&rsquo; Choice Awards.
Please be sure to support the Teachers Credit Union team and cast your vote by visiting:&nbsp;www.hamiltonreaderschoice.ca&nbsp;&nbsp;
Voting begins Feb 16-Feb 26.&nbsp;Winner announced w/o Feb 27.
Best of luck to our client!&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>sspinney@jankelley.com (StephanieSpinney)</author>
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<title>Can switching off keep you on your game</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/switch-this-off</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:58:58 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As our world becomes ever more connected via the web, Facebook, Twitter and a host of other networking options some are suggesting the best way to live with the mounting cache of information growing all around us is to disconnect.
A New Year&rsquo;s Resolution recommendation from San Francisco based artist Ivan Cash is to take a Facebook sabbatical, a project inspired by Pico Iyer&rsquo;s essay &ldquo;The Joy of Quiet&rdquo; in which, among other things, he sees the future of travel &ldquo;lies in &lsquo;black hole resorts,&rsquo; which charge high prices precisely because you can&rsquo;t get online in their rooms.&rdquo;
Volkswagen has already created virtual black holes for some of its employees. In a recent New York Times article, Roger Cohen describes how the German automaker and other companies are dealing with the &ldquo;modern curse&rdquo; of ITSO (Inability to switch off).
But Facebook sabbaticals and respites from email may be more valuable than simply a means to combat burnout, as important as that is. Unplugging may, in fact, lead to discovery. Writing in the latest issue of Intelligent Life, writer Ian Leslie makes the case for serendipity, the kind of serendipity that led to the invention of the microwave oven and the discovery of penicillin. (The article is only available in the print edition or iPad app version.)
&nbsp;&ldquo;&hellip;innovation thrives on the serendipitous collision of ideas,&rdquo; writes Leslie. &ldquo;If you are searching for something, you can find it online, and quickly. But a side-effect of this awesome efficiency may be a shrinking, rather than an expansion, of our horizons, because we are less likely to come across things we are not in quest of.&rdquo; Leslie argues that serendipity is something we can&rsquo;t just leave to chance.
On the flip side, writer Steven Johnson outlines a path of his online research that he describes as serendipity. Intriguing as his journey is, I&rsquo;m not sure I&rsquo;d call it that, at least not in the original meaning of the word as coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. Writing to a friend, Walpole relayed a Persian fairy tale in which the three Princes of Serendip were &ldquo;always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things which they were not in quest of.&rdquo;
Today&rsquo;s world wide web is amazingly good at organizing and making available the exponential increase in information. But as Pablo Picasso said, &ldquo;Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.&rdquo;
Some conditions are more conducive to accidental discovery than others and you may find new inspiration by switching off and taking a route less travelled.&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>lturner@jankelley.com (LyleTurner)</author>
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<title>Theres a little Harley in everyone</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/theres-a-little-harley-in-everyone</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:10:15 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[After and extensive agency review, Deeley Harley-Davidson&reg; Canada recently announced that the Ontario Retailer Regional advertising business has been awarded to JAN Kelley Marketing. Dom Bovalino, Marketing Director for Deeley Harley-Davidson&reg; Canada, said &ldquo;A strong background in working with retail networks, along with their commitment to create and deliver an exceptional brand experience and strong cultural fit, made JAN Kelley Marketing stand out as the best partner.&rdquo;
Jim Letwin, President and CEO of JAN Kelley Marketing stated that we gladly accept the challenges of best representing a brand as strong as Harley-Davidson&reg;. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s a little Harley in everyone &ndash; and for all of us at JAN Kelley Marketing, we are delighted to have the opportunity to work on this global brand.&rdquo;]]></description>
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<author>lridley@jankelley.com (LynnRidley)</author>
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<title>MeyersBriggs exercise spawns agency turf war</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/meyersbriggs-exercise-spawns-agency-turf-war</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:26:12 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The JAN Kelley Senior Management Team was shocked to find they now face a budding gang crisis across the traditionally friendly agency. The divisiveness stemmed from a Meyers-Briggs session where staff-member personality types were identified and analyzed in an effort to aid workplace harmony and productivity. Toward the later stages of the session, rival factions made up of &ldquo;Perceivers&rdquo;, characterized by their flexible and spontaneous approach to life, and &ldquo;Judgers&rdquo;, who prefer more structure, were showing signs of clashing.
Less than two hours later, the first signs of the turf war were revealed as a spray painted gang tag was found just outside the boardroom &ndash; the apparent efforts of those affiliated with the North Side Judgers. It was also worried that recruitment was taking place for the Original Pragmatic Perceivers, as a song entitled &ldquo;O.P.P&rdquo; blasted from speakers situated near the agency&rsquo;s studio.
&nbsp;Despite the quick escalation of this situation, Roger Gonsalves, head of the JAN Kelley Gang Control Task Unit, doesn&rsquo;t see this being a long term problem. &ldquo;While we are keeping tabs on this, the early numbers indicate this isn&rsquo;t as widespread as first thought&rdquo;, says Gonsalves, noting that gang membership is estimated at under 30% of staff. However, his investigation has been plagued by allegations of corruption &ndash; most based on the Gonsalves&rsquo; surname and, thereby, his potential involvement in the Mexican drug cartels. The Task Unit has managed to detain one subject for further questioning. Associate Creative Director, Stew Farago, is currently facing reprimand for flashing the O.P.P&rsquo;s signature hand sign while walking past the window of a full meeting room. &nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>Open Season  The Jan Kelley Advent Calendar</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/open-season--the-jan-kelley-advent-calendar</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:46:23 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[&nbsp;
It's here. Greeted with frosted roof-tops on the first December morn,&nbsp;the Holiday has officially begun. The opening of the first door of the&nbsp;Advent calendar symbolically christens the season as the countdown to&nbsp;Christmas begins. Well, your friends here at JAN Kelley are offering you an Advent Calendar of our own to help guide you along the path to the big day.&nbsp;&nbsp;
We invite you to open Day 1 &ndash; where we see if one of our newest hires bites off a little more than he can chew. Let&rsquo;s call it, "One Entire Advent Calendar, One Sitting, One James."
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10100160609844107]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>Lessons from the Pool Man</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/less-from-the-pool-man</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:47:09 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Earlier this fall I attended the World Content Marketing Conference in Cleveland, Ohio.&nbsp; We arrived in town the night before the official start of conference. We boarded the Rapid Transit System from the airport to the hotel travelling among a handful of local Clevelanders&hellip;and one outgoing pool man from Virginia.
And, that&rsquo;s where we got our first lesson in content marketing. Marcus Sheridan, one of the conference speakers, owns a pool company and he shared with us how he started using content to drive traffic to his website and increase sales in a depressed market.
The formula was simple. Identify what people want to know when they&rsquo;re shopping for a pool company&hellip;and answer their questions. This was unchartered territory for a trade business and it paid off big time.
His results are incredible. His website, &nbsp;http://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/ became the most popular pool website in the US. His company can&rsquo;t keep up with the demand.&nbsp; And he did it all just by serving up the relevant, useful content his potential customers are looking for.
I forgot all about our friend, the pool man, until my dad, who likes to share articles on marketing, business and current events, forwarded me an article from the Globe and Mail: How to come up with 100 ways to create content. And, there he was, Marcus Sheridan, one of the industry's content gurus.
For anyone wondering what the heck to talk about in their next blog, Facebook Post or Tweet, look no further than your customers&rsquo; top 25 questions...and answer them.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-marketing/sales/how-to-come-up-with-100-ideas-to-create-content/article2239490/]]></description>
<author>mfearon@jankelley.com (MaryFearon)</author>
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<title>I Need More Cowbellno waitMore Content</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/i-need-more-cowbwellno-waitmore-content</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 24 Nov 2011 21:18:52 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA["Content, content, content," &ndash; say that with a petulant whine &agrave; la  Jan Brady. Are we making too much out of content? Content is all the  rage today. Content is King! Content is everything, and everything is  content!
Christopher Walken as "The Bruce Dickinson" delivering that iconic phrase.
&nbsp;
While  everything is content, not everything is relevant.&nbsp; I cannot count how  often I&rsquo;ve been told: &ldquo;I need more content!&rdquo; &nbsp;&nbsp;That statement always  brings to mind the hilarious SNL&nbsp;skit with the amazingly talented  Christopher Walken as Bruce Dickinson demanding that he needs more cowbell.&nbsp;  And just like in the skit, the cowbell eventually overpowers the music,  takes on the ridiculous, becoming annoying, so does the demand for more  content. Content for the sake of content is useless without context or  value to the audience.
Content marketing - the next big thing
Successful  content marketing means communicating with customers and prospects  about products and services without the hard sell. The focus is on  freely sharing information, arming the buyer with what they need to know  to make intelligent purchase decisions. Through the delivery of  relevant content, an organization can develop a relationship with the  customer over time, gain permission to communicate with the customer via  other mediums (email, direct mail, online) and eventually lead to a  sale. The customer is seeking information that solves a problem or gives  them insight. They want information that has value &ndash; the business that  provides that information authentically, freely, and without an  immediate sales pitch will gain trust and credibility with their target  consumers.
So how do you break through the clutter and create not  just any content, but content that is interesting, important and  energizing for customers - content that builds trust in the business,  initiates conversation, and eventually leads to conversion? Here's a few  questions to consider:

What is the marketing objective? Focusing on driving quick response or building a relationship over  time? Content marketing is not a one night stand. It&rsquo;s building equity  with the consumer over time. If you&rsquo;re only interested in making the  sale, getting customers to make instant decisions, then content  marketing is not the right fit.
What keeps customers up at night? What problems  do they need answers for? What are their concerns, what are they  talking about online or with sales people, how can you provide the most  value? &nbsp;Get the full picture of what your customer really needs and then  help them get it.
Where are they?&nbsp;Are they  online reading blogs or talking on Twitter? Do they make comments on  Facebook or through customer reviews? Depending on where your content is  being consumed, and the preferences for your target audience on how  they consume content, this will make a big difference in how content is  being written&nbsp;and presented. A print ad is not like a PR announcement,  which is not like website copy, which is not like a Tweet, which is not  like a blog post, which is not like a direct mail letter, which is not  like an email...you get my drift. While the underlying message may  be&nbsp;similar, the way it is presented&nbsp;is vastly different. Depending on  where the customer is on their purchase decision journey, tailor your  message to suit. But always start with compelling, interesting, value  added content to draw the customer in. Creating a whitepaper&nbsp;that is  overwhelmingly &ldquo;advertorial&rdquo; will not instil consumer confidence or  build trust &ndash; especially if you require&nbsp;customers to provide their email  address to download the information. All they will think is that  they&rsquo;ve been hoodwinked into giving away their permission.
How do you write it? These  two statements say it all: &ldquo;Content without copywriting&nbsp;is a waste of  good content. Copywriting&nbsp;without content is a waste of good copy.&rdquo;  Sonia Simone of Copyblogger Media provides an interesting overview&nbsp;&nbsp;of  why copywriting&nbsp;and content go hand in hand. Even though you  provide&nbsp;valuable information to a customer, it doesn&rsquo;t mean you neglect  giving customers a call to action. Don&rsquo;t be blatant and turn an  excellent article into a hard sales pitch, but at least drive them  gently toward your end objective.

Now, next time someone  says to you "I need more content,&rdquo; aside from thinking of cowbells,  hopefully you can get the context you need to make the content work for  your customer.
And now, back to Christopher Walken. Yes, this is somewhat irrelevant content, but you have to admit, he is amazing...
Weapon of Choice]]></description>
<author>kmcwatt@jankelley.com (KimMcWatt)</author>
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<title>Ontario Uncorked for Adventurous Connoisseurs</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/ontario-uncorked-for-adventurous-connoisseurs</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:33:35 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This spring, Winery &amp; Grower Alliance of Ontario approached us to develop a website that makes planning a wine tour in Ontario&rsquo;s famous wine regions fun, engaging and efficient.
Our first step was to understand our audience: how they are currently creating tour itineraries, what they are looking for from a wine tour planner, and so on.&nbsp; We gathered consumer research and had conversations with countless wine lovers (luckily there were plenty within close proximity) and developed a consumer profile and digital persona for the target wine region tourist.
Our Adventurous Connoisseurs are passionate about wine. They know that there is more to wine than the liquid that is in the glass. &nbsp;They know about wine tasting and pairings but they really get excited when the commentary goes &lsquo;past the grape&rsquo; and into the story, the mythos, behind it all. &nbsp;To them, visiting wine country is about discovery and getting away. &nbsp;It is an escape from the grind of city life where everything slows down; they can relax and take it all in. &nbsp;After all, a fine vintage takes a little longer to tell its story.
Also &ndash; they are busy urbanites who want technology to make tasks more efficient.
We made OntarioUncorked.com to be a marriage between these two insights. The homepage is a stylish, old-world illustration of Ontario&rsquo;s wine regions produced by Ontario artist, Tim Zeltner*. The illustration is intended to remind you of the simpler time and way of life that awaits you in the rural communities that grow Ontario&rsquo;s wines.
Once you select your region to discover and begin building your itinerary, you are empowered by a blazing fast web application supported by Google Maps that allows you to intuitively find wineries, restaurants and accommodations, add them to your itinerary and share it all with friends. OntarioUncorked.com is quite simply the most fun, engaging and efficient way to learn about Ontario&rsquo;s wine regions and create a tour itinerary. Cheers.
&nbsp;
Ontario Uncorked: www.OntarioUncorked.com
*You can view the illustration process at the Ontario Uncorked Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ontario-Uncorked/190547400998664).
Winery &amp; Grower Alliance of Ontario - http://www.wgao.ca/
&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>apritchard@jankelley.com (AndyPritchard)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>Public Relations  The New 101</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/public-relations--the-new-101</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 16 Oct 2011 12:21:02 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Public Relations is the practice of connecting organizations to their key stakeholders. By establishing and cultivating positive relationships with them, we gain important insights into their needs and interests. We also create advocates for who we are and what we do. They support and tell our story for us.
I've always believed an effective communications program should be a part of any marketing effort, but until recently PR was an afterthought to many companies and most marketing campaigns. A relatively small budget allocated to media promotion or an event to complement the large advertising spend.
For years the PR discipline has focused on identifying and influencing a few key opinion leaders in any given sector &ndash; driving journalists to support our brand in print; tapping into industry experts to endorse our products or holding attention-getting events to shine the spotlight on what we have to share. These tactics remain useful tools of the trade, but we have the opportunities today to reach more people, in more meaningful ways, more rapidly than ever.
Technology is changing and communications along with it. That's nothing new, but what is new...are the behaviours people are adopting to connect with others. Where our sphere of influence used to centre around a few friends and family, people can now search for and find individuals and groups with the very same interests as their own &ndash; both on a personal and professional level.
More and more people rely on their own ability to search and connect with peers who help inform their decision making process.
This is great news for marketers &ndash; more influencers, more channels and an unlimited window of opportunity to reach them. But it's crowded out there and people have less and less time to focus on even the most interesting information. So, how do we break through the clutter? We need to be even more focused than ever before. We need to target the right people and be meaningful and relevant to them - always.
Everyone is an influencer. Every brand is trying to identify, engage and mobilize their ambassadors. And that's how public relations and traditional marketing programs are working together like never before.
Successful organizations today will be able to identify who specifically they're talking to, they'll understand what is relevant to them and they'll be able to deliver content that meets those needs. And, none of this has to do with promoting their products (directly, that is).&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>mfearon@jankelley.com (MaryFearon)</author>
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<item>
<title>Is your online data safe from prying eyes</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/is-your-online-data-safe-from-prying-eyes</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:05:39 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[These are some interesting analogies regarding potential changes to online information exchange and our government and law enforcement entities access to our private data.
The final link provides further information about these possible changes.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaEEm7tj-tk&amp;feature=related&nbsp;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwqIYHwRcxY&amp;feature=related&nbsp;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp9xy9wtZwc&amp;feature=related&nbsp;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyHnOCDewuQ&amp;feature=player_embedded&nbsp;


]]></description>
<author>dpaige@jankelley.com (DonovanPaige)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>Whats in a name</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/whats-in-a-name</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:25:09 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In rebranding USC Education Savings Plans Inc. as Knowledge First Financial, our goal was to articulate a unique positioning in the market. Bringing the brand to life in this video was a pleasure, as there is no shortage of meaning in a name that came about so honestly. It really exemplifies the company's roots, philosophy and path forward.]]></description>
<author>mbzowski@jankelley.com (MikeBzowski)</author>
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<item>
<title>Fostering Innovation Forget Solutions Find problems</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/fostering-innovation-forget-solutions-find-problems</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:20:48 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Our clients come to us with problems. All the time. Every day. As their agency, we like to think of ourselves as innovation experts &ndash; the ones that solve their problems. But solving problems or coming up with &ldquo;big ideas&rdquo; is only one part of the creative thinking process that leads to innovation. The real key to innovation is identifying a problem in the first place. Consider Edwin Land, inventor of the Poloroid camera. He recalled that the key to inventing this camera was sparked by his daughter&rsquo;s innocent question &ndash; &ldquo;why couldn&rsquo;t she see a picture the camera had taken instantaneously&rdquo;?
To anyone who is interested in driving innovation within their own organization, I would strongly recommend they acquaint themselves with Min Bassadur&rsquo;s model of the creative process. Mr Bassadur suggests innovative thinking practiced by multidisciplinary teams is driven through an appreciation and adherence to this four-stage process. His academic paper outlines the importance of each stage and is a must-read for everyone in business today.
Leading others to think innovatively: Creative Leadership
The first stage of the model is the Generation Stage. This is where innovation begins &ndash; using our knowledge to create new problems to solve. In marketing, we tend to focus our efforts on the Conceptualization stage of the process &ndash; coming up with the ideas to solve the problem. But imagine what your clients might say if you came to them with a problem that never occurred to them AND you had a good idea on how to solve it?
In Japan, Toshiba ensures Researchers and Scientists start their careers in the sales department to teach them the process of &ldquo;problem finding&rdquo;. If agencies want to be valued as innovation drivers then we have to do a better job of finding problems to solve within our client&rsquo;s business instead of passively waiting for them to hand us their problems.
&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>lridley@jankelley.com (LynnRidley)</author>
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<item>
<title>Hyperbole</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/hyperbole</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:08:10 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Hyperbole&nbsp;(&nbsp;/haɪˈpɜrbəliː/&nbsp;hy-pur-bə-lee;[1]&nbsp;Greek:&nbsp;ὑ&pi;&epsilon;&rho;&beta;&omicron;&lambda;ή, 'exaggeration') is the use of&nbsp;exaggeration&nbsp;as a&nbsp;rhetorical device&nbsp;or&nbsp;figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally.]]></description>
<author>apritchard@jankelley.com (AndyPritchard)</author>
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<item>
<title>Build versus Buy</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/build-versus-buy</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:58:38 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This is a classic implementation decision - should we build a custom solution or buy a packaged solution.
After the requirements are developed for a project, this is one of the first alternatives to look at. It involves researching application alternatives that can best meet your project objectives, followed by a gap analysis to determine what you can buy versus what you'll need to build, including any middleware that you'll need to develop to pull your applications together.
There are several advantages to buying a packaged solution:

The solution is often rigorously tested (fingers crossed) prior to being put on the market, which helps ensure a stable solution;
Package solutions often go through several versions at which point new features are added, enhancing the flexibility of the solution - &nbsp;these features are often requested from previous buyers, which makes the solution rich with sought-after functionality;
They come with a robust API (application programming interface) which allows encapsulated access to the application, simplifying the process of modifying the look and functionality of the tool.

It&rsquo;s not all roses however there are some disadvantages that can add hidden costs to your project, such as:

Some have rigid templates that require you to bend your business processes to accommodate how the application is designed, this is often the case when the developers attempt to satisfy the sweet-spot middle group, hoping to attract a larger audience for their application;
If the application is an open source solution, there may not be a lot of support for helping you solve obstacles as you merge the application into your system; the best solution for this is to ensure that it has a large enough community of users that you can draw on for support through knowledge forums;
Lack of documentation &ndash; yes trying to build an application with poor instructions can be a bit of a pain, especially when you need to customize the application to suit your needs.

Here are a few great buy choices (I use the term buy loosely here, as some of these have free alternatives).
Google site search
I know that it&rsquo;s relatively easy to build your own search application, especially if it&rsquo;s a database driven application, just query the database and let the database management system (DBMS) do all the work, but it&rsquo;s the algorithms that Google adds on top of the query where the real benefit comes into play; adapting for spelling errors, plurals and returning relevant results based on their wealth of search statistics. Because of Google&rsquo;s massive grip on the search market, most visitors are familiar with how effective Google&rsquo;s search is, this builds up the expectations of visitors. So the bottom-line is - if your search tool isn&rsquo;t as good as Google&rsquo;s, then most visitors will be disappointed.
Google Maps API
Most sites are already taking advantage of this application, and why not, it has a great API that will let you bend it to your heart&rsquo;s content, it&rsquo;s fast and extremely reliable. If you can&rsquo;t build a better alternative, then why not use it.
MailChimp
I love this email marketing tool, it is rich with features and the developers have a great sense of humor, every screen has friendly links to YouTube videos to make sure that you can have a good chuckle while you work. It also has an extremely flexible API to allow you to hook into it via your application or website, and a strong following of community support with great developer forums.
Amazon Webstore
Built on Amazon&rsquo;s powerhouse retail ecommerce engine, this can be a great ecommerce solution. It has a rich set of templates to choose from and a lot of pre-existing widgets to allow you to add common features like a best sellers list and cross-selling tools. You will need to adapt to it however, which can be tricky if you have a unique business process.
There are plenty more out there, so feel free to add your own favorites in the comment section.
And oh, by the way, I did end up buying the INSANITY workouts, and all I can say is holy crap they are hard!]]></description>
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<author>rclifford@jankelley.com (RichardClifford)</author>
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<title>Psychologist Engineer Traffic Cop Cat Herder  Goodwill Ambassador</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/psychologist-engineer-traffic-cop-cat-herder--goodwill-ambassador-</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:00:46 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s the job description of the San Francisco cable car &ldquo;gripman&rdquo;, a name which derives from the fact that the levers in the car control the&nbsp;"grip" of an underground cable that moves the trolley car along the tracks.
On a recent trip to Fog City I made it a point to stand on the side runner and cling on to the pole of a San Francisco cable car as it hurdled up and down those amazing hills from downtown Union Square to Fisherman&rsquo;s Wharf. I&rsquo;m glad I did - it was a riot. My first thought was &ldquo;they&rsquo;d never allow this in Ontario &ndash; at least not without a government-approved helmet&rdquo;.
Although I was entertained and amazed by the old cable technology and the ride it delivered, the real power of the experience was watching the cable car operator or&nbsp;gripman in action. He was a confident, well-spoken man who looked to be in his 30&rsquo;s. He operated those levers and brakes with authority and navigated the busy streets and crowded environment with the kind of focus that made me feel like I was in good hands.
But his obvious operating experience was only half the story. His rider management techniques were the real entertainment. As he pulled up to a stop he would shout out to awaiting would-be riders comments such as &ldquo;How many in your party? Three? I have room for three stand up pole riders on the other side of the car&rdquo;. As the three made their way around the cable car other passengers attempted to board and he shouted &ldquo;Whoa &ndash; and where are you going? I said I had room for three and the three were in front of you right?&rdquo; The stunned passengers would stop and look at each other and then slowly agree before nodding to the gripman. &ldquo;OK, how many are you? Two? Let&rsquo;s see if we can make room in the back for you&rdquo;.
Those seated in the back were asked to shuffle around to make room when much to my surprise I heard the&nbsp;gripman say &ldquo;Sir, you&rsquo;re going to have to move out of the way to let those people beside you get seated &hellip; come on now, you&rsquo;re going to have to do better than that!&rdquo;
He was humorous, assertive and highly directive, but never rude. He was a great study in managing complexity. His customers were distracted people of all ages, riding experience, shapes and levels of mental and physical capabilities. And he was managing them all while operating what seemed to me to be a fairly complex piece of moving machinery.
As someone who is not easily impressed, I found myself pleased to be so. And all the things that I have read and learned about the great impact that we can have on the world by simply doing our job really well rang true. It occurred to me that all the advertising and coupon books promoting San Francisco had much less impact on my opinion of the city than one well-trained, thoughtful and engaging gripman on the iconic cable car.
What a great marketing and branding lesson!]]></description>
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<author>jletwin@jankelley.com (JimLetwin)</author>
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<title>Everything Ive learned about this business Ive learned from my kids</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/everything-ive-learned-about-this-business-ive-learned-from-my-kids</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:11:39 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Okay, so maybe not everything, but since becoming a mother almost 6 years ago, I've had many opportunities to learn some life-lessons from my two children and reflect on those (when I'm not doing their masses of laundry and/or feeding them a steady stream of snacks and meals... lucky they are so cute. I digress.)&nbsp;Some of these lessons I believe are directly relevant to our own practice as marketers and brand strategists, and that our children can help us to remember some of the fundamentals that drove most of us into the industry.
1.       You Gotta Take Some Risks.
My 2 &frac12; year old son is a total risk-taker. Nothing fazes the boy. And while my heart skips a few beats when he does something crazy, he has no fear. He literally jumps off with both feet &ndash; and with the biggest smile on his face. This has been a huge lesson to me personally and professionally. Brands should do the foundational strategic work to enable such unbridled spirit and fearlessness. Successful brands are not built by the passionless or the unfocused - especially in the current state of mass collaboration. There is no such thing as being able to "control" your brand any longer and with that inherently comes risk. My motherly advice: find a way to manage and embrace it.
2.       Ask "Why?"... All. Of. The. Time.
My kids have reminded me that asking "why" is the best question in the world (when not done in that grating whiney voice...). Instead of it being annoying, it should be a question that brands ask all of the time to get deeper answers and better outputs: "Why are we relevant and meaningful? Why does our audience need us/want us/want more of us? Why do we keep doing the same thing and expecting different results? Why do we matter?". Simon Sinek who is a well-known lecturer in this space, gave a great TED talk on this very subject. His premise is that people don't buy the "what" or "how" from a company or brand; instead, people respond to and connect with the "why" because that's what has meaning and depth on an emotional level. At JAN Kelley, we have long held the belief that people may shop rationally, but they buy emotionally.  If you have a few minutes, check out Sinek's TED talk here: http://bit.ly/9DzfOY. And when your kids ask you "why" remember that they are searching for more meaning and that curiosity is one of the most valuable skills that they should continue to develop. Just work on the whining.
3.       Make A Choice. Stick To It. Learn From It.
As I clumsily make my way through the parenting battleground, I have found that giving my children choices helps them to become more independent and active in our family (and, to be honest, it's usually to stop them from behaving badly). The lesson here is that you ultimately have to make a choice - a decision - and get on with it. And there are risks to doing that and there are risks to not (see first point.). Ultimately, whatever choice you make in business and in life, you've got to try to follow it through. Whether the outcome is good or bad, at least you have valuable learning. We all know that kids very often choose to be stubborn as bulls  (ever had to pull a screaming toddler through the grocery store?) but in marketing the goal is to make choices that are thoughtful and clear, and importantly, intentional.  (The caveat to this point is if you know it's a really bad choice to start, at which point I'd suggest nipping it in the bud immediately. Like sticking a pea up one's nose. Or changing the GAP logo. Things like that.)
4.       Sometimes, You're Going to Get a Timeout.
Yep, it's true. Even for us perfectionists. You're going to get in trouble one day and you're going to need some time to sort out why you did what you did (or even worse, didn't do) and to figure out how you can do better. My daughter hates the timeout tactic and she comes by it naturally as do I, but I've learned (the hard way) that once in a while, I need one too. Case in point was a bad scene early in my career which was suitably horrific and happened over the Christmas break. I was forced to take the time to stop and figure it out. I wasn't able to totally fix the situation but I got pretty close. Point is that reacting badly will get you into even more trouble than what you were in originally, kids. Take a breath. Take a timeout. You'll be better for it in the end.
There you have it &ndash; my lessons learned from my kids. So far anyway... just wait until the teenage years!]]></description>
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<author>kkay@jankelley.com (KristaKay)</author>
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<title>The Medium is the Message</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-medium-is-the-message</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:34:59 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[July 21, 2011, marks the 100th anniversary of Marshall McLuhan&rsquo;s birth. Such milestone occasions often give rise to special celebrations and McLuhan&rsquo;s anniversary is no exception.
Beginning in the 1940s and continuing through most of the 1960s, his groundbreaking work (The Mechanical Bride, The Gutenberg Galaxy, Understanding Media), is essential to understanding media and how it affects the way we think. (Fellow University of Toronto scholar Harold Innis actually pioneered the study of mass media, although he did not attain McLuhan&rsquo;s celebrity.)
Often credited with, among other things, foreseeing the Internet 30 years before its invention, McLuhan's work nevertheless began to fall out of favour in the years before his death in 1980 and was at times severely criticized.
Marshall McLuhan was always a polarizing figure. As author Norman Mailer once observed, McLuhan &ldquo;had the fastest brain of anyone I have ever met, and I never knew whether what he was saying was profound or garbage.&rdquo;
There has been an ongoing debate about the effects of a digital world, from Clifford Stoll&rsquo;s Silicon Snake Oil versus Nicholas Negroponte&rsquo;s Being Digital, from Clay Shirky&rsquo;s Cognitive Surplus to The Shallows of Nicholas Carr.
Now fully living in the age of the Internet, with new forms of communication such as Facebook and Twitter rivaling traditional print and broadcast, Marshall McLuhan&rsquo;s centennial year provides the opportunity to renew our media perspective.]]></description>
<author>lturner@jankelley.com (LyleTurner)</author>
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<item>
<title>Guilt by association who can you trust to deliver your message</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/guilt-by-association-who-can-you-trust-to-deliver-your-message</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:36:19 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As details about the phone-hacking scandal involving News of the World became public, among the first to demonstrate their disapproval were advertisers. Ford, among others, abandoned the tabloid rather than be associated with its deceptive, and quite possibly illegal, practices &ndash; despite the fact that it delivered the largest newspaper audience in Britain.
Advertisers were, of course, protecting their own brands from guilt by association, somewhat similar to their actions towards Tiger Woods when sordid details of his private life became public. But Tiger, as spokesperson, was endorsing a brand; News of the World was merely a vehicle to deliver a brand&rsquo;s message.&nbsp;
Although Rupert Murdoch&rsquo;s News Corporation ceased publication of the 168-year old newspaper in an effort to control the damage to its brand, the story still has legs, as they say in the newsroom.
In some aspects, the news about News of the World isn&rsquo;t new. It was a newspaper after all, The Guardian, which uncovered the story and not an expos&eacute; from Wikileaks. And the controversy over the style and content of tabloid journals has existed since the days of&nbsp;yellow journalism over a century ago and even well before then.
At the same time it is a modern drama involving the technology of our time. It also takes place at a time when all newspapers, in fact all news organizations, are struggling to survive and redefine their place in a world where every reader can also be a reporter and traditional funding models no longer apply. In the age of the Internet, what is the future of journalism?
One thing seems certain. Despite this recent controversy, the public is unlikely to lose interest in the often salacious stories that tabloid media delivers. Is that enough for advertisers or will they increasingly examine the ethical behaviour of the media in which their brand appears?]]></description>
<author>lturner@jankelley.com (LyleTurner)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>New agency video instructs staff to not be slobs</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/new-agency-video-instructs-staff-to-not-be-slobs</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jul 2011 11:48:15 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Could it have been the stack of plates teetering like the great Tower of Pisa? Perhaps it was the scavenger hunt for coffee cups, reminiscent of many an Easter morning. Or maybe, just maybe, it was that rim rejection of a tossed milkshake from 3-point land. It&rsquo;s hard to pinpoint what the catalyst was, but the thinkers at JAN Kelley knew it was time to take action. For the good of the agency&hellip;nay, for the good of the advertising industry, it was time to ensure the environment within JAN Kelley Marketing would be rightly respected for generations to come.
It was then that the idea for a hard-hitting internal PSA was borne.&nbsp;
Inspired by an infamous &ldquo;Keep America Beautiful&rdquo; PSA from the &lsquo;70s, the JAN Kelley internal spot also aims to shame the littering offenders into changing their behaviours. While the original ad entitled, &ldquo;The Crying Indian&rdquo;, had the benefit of an incredibly politically incorrect stereotype combined with a seemingly racist climax to ensure memorability, the JAN Kelley installment appears to be working. Less than 24 hours after the release, the tearful confessions have come pouring in.
&ldquo;I once crushed a pop can and filed it with some old status reports,&rdquo; claimed an account coordinator.
&ldquo;I ate 2 pounds of chicken wings and left the bones on the kitchen counter, figuring someone else would take care of them,&rdquo; sobbed a member of the IT department.
&ldquo;I felt guilty about eating my third Mars bar, so I jammed the last half in the printer&rsquo;s toner compartment,&rdquo; confessed studio manager, Roger Gonsalves.
One can only hope that the effectiveness of the JAN Kelley campaign can capture a shred of the success the &ldquo;Keep America Beautiful&rdquo; campaign had in the &lsquo;70s. &ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s a great spot to use as inspiration,&rdquo; says Account Director, Krista Kay. &ldquo;Thanks to that spot you can practically eat off the sidewalk these days in Buffalo.&rdquo;&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<item>
<title>Evolution in Action  The JAN Kelley Experiment</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/evolution-in-action--the-jan-kelley-experiment</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 Jul 2011 22:11:30 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[How long you have been at a company, says a lot about who you are. We have observed that people take on certain characteristics depending on their tenure. Take for example this diagram which outlines our JAN Kelley staff members and the stage they are in their career here at JKM. I am in the Seasoned Veterans bucket and can especially relate to the 'tire easily' trait. I got tired just writing this. I chuckle as I reflect back and see myself in the previous segments.
In all seriousness though, it is pretty revealing to map out our staff members and look at where they are placed. We have a broad mix of young and (ahem) "mature" and, as a result, have a strong blend of experiences and perspectives. As a group, that makes us stronger. We spend more time together than we do apart. And we love having new recruits onboard. Our "Infant Era" segment has so much passion and energy, and breathes new life into our organization. Us Seasoned Veterans have a lot to learn from them, just as they do from us.
In the ad industry, turnover is typically pretty high. For our company though, we don't have that same turnover. People tend to stay and grow &ndash; and evolve. I would say this has a lot to do with our culture and our values. And let's not forget about our work. We are pretty proud of the work we have accomplished over the years for our clients, and the brands we have helped to build.
As an agency we have a lot of fun together and as we like to say &ndash; we take our work seriously but not ourselves.
Which segment do you fall into?&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>kbenz@jankelley.com (KristaBenz)</author>
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<item>
<title>JAN Kelley staff irked  EmployeeoftheMonth goes to Servers</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/jan-kelley-staff-irked--employeeofthemonth-goes-to-servers</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:20:36 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[
Few were in a celebratory mood at the usually-upbeat agency this week as Employee-of-the-Month honours were awarded to the Server. This marked an incredible run of five consecutive monthly crownings in 2011. Given the firestorm of controversy, comments from the Senior Management Team were limited. One source, requesting anonymity, offered some context to the decision.
&ldquo;During months where statutory holidays and vacations are a factor, it&rsquo;s hard to overlook the level of consistency the Server has shown.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp; Another added that, &ldquo;there was one weekend I found myself (at the agency) and the Server was working away, getting me my files just as fast as during the week.&rdquo; Both statements certainly have merit. There is no doubt that long hours have definitely been logged. However, questions have been raised about bestowing an employee award on a non-human element of the agency, despite the admirable service.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s ridiculous,&rdquo; ranted media diva, Stephanie Spinney. &ldquo;A lot of people, operative word, work awfully hard. Unfortunately, we have to sleep at some point.&rdquo; The backlash nearly boiled over when two hot-headed staffers were seen near the server room with what they claimed was a &ldquo;celebratory Gatorade jug&rdquo;.&nbsp; That immediately resulted in a tarpaulin barrier being installed &ndash; much to the chagrin of graphic designer, Rob Murray, who believed his long-time requests for an agency Slip n&rsquo; Slide had finally been granted. Currently, IT department personnel are manning around-the-clock patrols. More to come on this situation as it develops.&nbsp;
]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>Megaregions Pack a Huge Punch</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/megaregions-pack-a-huge-punch</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 May 2011 09:22:47 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[While doing research on the future of freight logistics I was intrigued by the term &ldquo;mega-regions&rdquo; and how they would affect freight flows and the commercial activities that generate them. So I googled it and took a detour...&nbsp;
Mega-regions
They are huge concentrations of population and economic activity that cover multiple metropolitan areas and can cut across state and even international borders; they however share environmental systems and topography, infrastructure systems, economic linkages, settlement and land use patterns, plus culture and history (see Wikipedia)&nbsp;
In the US
At this time 11 mega-regions have been identified and they are expected to account for three quarters of the national economic activity and 80% of the population.&nbsp;




Arizona Sun Corridor


Cascadia


Florida


Front Range




Great Lakes


Gulf Coast


North East


Northern California




Piedmont Atlantic


Southern California


Texas Triangle


&nbsp;




Side-Note: FYI Canada has a footprint in the Great Lakes and Cascadia mega-regions through the Toronto and Vancouver metropolitan areas.&nbsp;
Globally
Looking to find global distribution of mega-regions I came across an analysis by the Martin Prosperity Institute (The Rise of the Mega Region)&nbsp; that used night-time light emissions (pretty cool insight!) and other parameters to identify 40 global mega-regions (including the 11 from the US). In their results they identify that:&nbsp;
&ldquo;The world&rsquo;s 40 largest mega-regions, those which produce in excess of $100 billion in LRP (Light Based Regional Product) account cover only a tiny fraction of the habitable surface of the earth, and are home to less than 18% of the world&rsquo;s population, yet, they are&nbsp; responsible for 66% of global economic activity and about 85% of technological and scientific innovation.&rdquo;&nbsp;
So while the concentration of economic output is there, the concentration of population is diluted, maybe because there are very large urban populations in the developing world that don&rsquo;t generate the economic output to qualify as a mega-region plus large numbers of dispersed rural populations. Still the population densities within the mega-regions will be comparable.&nbsp;
Transportation
Literature points out that every mega-region is unique in its industrial characteristics and the this will influence the level and mode of transportation. In general certain types of industry (i.e wholesale) will dominate the volumes in mega-regions while others (i.e mining will be more important outside of them. Elements associated with high population densities like congestion, zoning, and other regulations will also influence the type of transport that can function efficiently in them. The challenge is to unify criteria across the metropolitan areas (and political divisions,&nbsp; borders and ambitions) that are subsumed by these regions.&nbsp;
And what about globalization? 
In the Harvard Business Review article Megaregions: The Importance of Place Richard Florida states:&nbsp;
&ldquo;The rise of megaregions doesn&rsquo;t mean that globalization isn&rsquo;t real: The amalgamation of technology and trade leads to the dispersal and decentralization of economic activity. At the same time, however, the economic benefits of colocation&mdash;the concentration of similar kindsof productive and innovative activities in the same area&mdash;have spurred a strong countervailing tendency toward clustering. Writers like Thomas Friedman have overemphasized the centrifugal forces of globalization, arguing that the world is flat. In so doing, they neglect the equally powerful centripetal forces that trigger economic concentration. As Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter told BusinessWeek: &ldquo;The more things are mobile, the more decisive location becomes. This point has tripped up a lot of really smart people.&rdquo; Amen! &ldquo;&nbsp;
Marketing
On the marketing side of things the mega-regions will concentrate the purchasing power that comes from strong economic activity and large volumes of consumers. And if each mega-region has a unique industrial characteristics and &ldquo;the concentration of similar kinds of productive an innovative activities in the same area&rdquo; clusters consumers with shared interests and needs, won&rsquo;t the mega-regions evolve into distinct markets for a number of products and services?&nbsp;
Take a look at the map (Map of emerging Mega-regions) and you will see immense areas outside&nbsp; off the mega-regions,would it make sense for companies to rejig regional boundaries to set strategy and&nbsp; track performance&nbsp; to maximize results by mega-region? I wonder if some corporations are already doing so, particularly if you are franchise or dealer based operation.&nbsp;
&nbsp;On a global basis structuring around mega-regions may be a harder decision because while they pack a very large economic punch they don&rsquo;t include the overwhelming levels of population that they do in the US. Still it is something to consider, especially if your strategy focuses on early adopters with money to spend.&nbsp;
Do you have any examples?
Urbanists have been looking at this phenomenon for some years now, I wonder if corporations are. Please let me know if you come across any examples.&nbsp;
Below you will find some more links to literature on mega-regions&nbsp;
Mega-regions and Freight&nbsp;
America 2050]]></description>
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<author>ppetch@jankelley.com (PeterPetch)</author>
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<title>The New B2B Customer</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-new-b2b-customer</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2011 10:42:17 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[
According to census predictions, Generation Y (or Millenials) born between 1976 and 2000 outnumbered Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers in 2010.
Why is this important?
This is an important consideration for B2B companies for a number of reasons.&nbsp; The Gen Y cohort has grown up in the age of technology. They are the most plugged-in generation yet with over 96% having joined a social network at some point in their lives. Gen Ys are:

Impatient
Speak their mind
Demand flexibility
Tech savvy
Have high expectations of themselves, the companies they work for, and the people they deal with.

And, most importantly: &nbsp;These are your customers.
The Changing B2B Customer
Gen Ys have and will continue to have a dramatic social and economic impact on business.&nbsp; These customers have changed the way business operates. Of today&rsquo;s B2B buyers

59% engage with peers online who addressed their challenges
48% follow online industry conversations on topics
41% follow online discussions to learn more about topics

(Source: Inside the Mind of the B2B Buyer)
The world has changed

Information is free
The traditional sales channel is no longer the only information conduit for customers to gain insight into products or services
Prospects are accessing information online
&ldquo;Sales&rdquo; is not able to read the&nbsp;digital body language&nbsp;of customers.

That means marketing now needs to take on a greater role in understanding and interpreting the needs of the buyer.
A New Reality
This shift towards more intensive use of the internet has also changed the way B2B buyers interact with companies when making a purchase decision.&nbsp; Instead of a &ldquo;sales funnel&rdquo; there&rsquo;s now a &ldquo;consumer decision journey&rdquo; (CDJ).&nbsp; David Edleman discusses this concept in his article &ldquo;Branding in the Digital Age.&rdquo;
For years, marketers assumed that consumers started with a large number of potential brands in mind and methodically winnowed their choices until they&rsquo;d decided which one to buy. After purchase, their relationship with the brand typically focused on the use of the product or service itself. New research shows that rather than systematically narrowing their choices, consumers add and subtract brands from a group under consideration during an extended evaluation phase. After purchase, they often enter into an open-ended relationship with the brand, sharing their experience with it online.
THEN: Sales Funnel Decision Process

NOW: Consumer Decision Journey

&nbsp;
A core part of this revised sales model is the use of social media. B2B buyers are utilizing the internet to research their choices during the consideration and evaluation phases: reading blog posts, examining product reviews, checking the latest buzz on Twitter, and engaging with others in virtual communities.&nbsp; Being a part of the social sphere ensures customers include your products and services in their evaluation process. Plus, engaging with customers after the purchase decision utilizing various social media channels (i.e. Twitter, Facebook. LinkedIn, blogs, communities, etc) makes sure they become loyal advocates of your brand.
Case in Point: Social Customer Service
Research conducted by&nbsp;CustomerThink Corp.&nbsp;shows that &ldquo;today&rsquo;s social customer, along with our fast-moving competitive world, demand more of a real-time approach.&rdquo; Utilizing social media to monitor customer feedback, satisfaction, and loyalty is becoming more and more critical especially with the increasingly connected and tech savvy individuals entering the business world. This requires taking advantage of the social technologies and integrating them into your business processes.
Take for example Twitter, which is increasingly being used to enhance customer service and outreach capabilities. Set up an account, start a dialogue with current and potential customers, link back to your website for more information, and monitor conversations utilizing tools such as HootSuite or TweetDeck.&nbsp; Develop a feedback loop internally to respond quickly to requests or concerns found by listening to the voice of the customer.
The result of taking the time to explore the use of social media tools could mean an increase in customer engagement, stronger relationships and ultimately increased sales with this new breed of customer.
How are you engaging with the new B2B customer?
]]></description>
<author>kmcwatt@jankelley.com (KimMcWatt)</author>
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<item>
<title>Sprinting Through A Marathon</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/sprinting-through-a-marathon</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2011 10:07:47 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When we first described our Metrolinx TV concept to the producer, we were told it would take 8 weeks or more to complete. That was three weeks before we had to be on air.
So how did we get there on time?
First, we had the right client. One who respects our ideas, trusts our judgment and cleared access to the places we needed to go in a hurry.
Second, we had the right partners. People who understood our ideas and helped them evolve, despite the limitations of time that could have led to a compromise.
People like director Charles Wahl, who gave our concept a vision and scope only hinted at in our storyboard. People like Jennie, Wayne and the Cornerstore crew who, among other things, rearranged schedules at the drop of a hat to capture that all-important extra shot. People like Kate, Sandy, Shiv and the rest of Relish/567vfx who cut it all together in record time, blending live action and Matt&rsquo;s animation into video that feels much shorter than its 60 seconds. People like Allan who explored many musical paths to land on the right note, and Keith who mixed Allan&rsquo;s score into a soundscape that resonates perfectly to picture. And the people at Airdate who got us to our final destination as the time to deadline became measured by a tenth of a second.
Finally, of course, there&rsquo;s our agency team who kept their collective eye on the finish line while making sure not to trip up on the details along the route. We may have never run a real marathon but Anita, Stew, Tanya, me and the people who support us now know what it might feel like to sprint through one.]]></description>
<author>lturner@jankelley.com (LyleTurner)</author>
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<item>
<title>HiTech HiTouch Not what you think</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/hitech-hitouch-not-what-you-think</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 11 May 2011 14:31:11 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[My colleague Krista Benz and I had the opportunity to present at the&nbsp;Canadian Franchise Association&rsquo;s annual Marketing Day held at The Old Mill in Toronto. Our topic was on&nbsp;strategies to engage and excite your dealer, franchise and sales networks.
If You Build It...They Will Come
If you build it...they will come
As shown in our experience and in the discussion at the session, corporate offices continue to develop marketing tools and promotional programs for their dealer or franchise channel, only to experience a low adoption rate in the channel. It&rsquo;s the whole &ldquo;If you build it...they will come&rdquo; concept.
Create an amazing promotion, develop a point-of-purchase kit with detailed instructions, send it out and you get...meh.&nbsp; Either the network doesn&rsquo;t even notice or they look and say &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t have time for marketing.&rdquo; Having great tools does not mean the channel will use them.
This is where our approach comes in.
Hi-Tech, Hi-Touch
To get your network engaged, it takes a combination of two things:
Hi-Tech / Hi-Touch
Hi-Tech&nbsp;&ndash; fast, efficient, and effective web enabled marketing solutions. These can be marketing resource centres that offer the templates and tools to create local store marketing programs quickly and effectively. Or centralized dealer portals that provide instant access to not only the marketing resources, but training on how to effectively use the tools plus communications conduits to reach out to corporate to get the support they need. Or even social media communities that connect corporate to employees within the franchisee network (think Best Buy Blue Shirt Nation or even a simple closed Facebook group)
AND
Hi-Touch&nbsp;&ndash; specially trained marketing specialists who can help the channel understand and adopt the tools in their local markets. These individuals give the training and support to help a dealer or franchisee get the most from the marketing programs corporate offers. They become the conduit for feedback and continuous improvement of programs and promotions.
This combination of technology and support leads to that ultimate business relationship nirvana known as TRUST. When corporate and their network learn to trust each other and understand each other&rsquo;s needs, this leads to wider adoption of marketing programs.
Have a look at our presentation from the session which highlights a couple of case studies on building engagement. For more information on channel engagement, check out Krista's blog post. To learn more about conflict resolution and building trust, Michael Halbmeier provides some great insights.
Bottom Line
Dealers and franchisees are focused on their business &ndash; marketing is not always a first priority. Because of this, don&rsquo;t expect full adoption of programs or promotions without ongoing support to the channel. Collaboration and communication between corporate and the channel will build trust &ndash; which in the long run will lead to sales success out in the market.
What has been your&nbsp;experience&nbsp;launching a promotion to your network? Meh or WOW?]]></description>
<author>kmcwatt@jankelley.com (KimMcWatt)</author>
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<item>
<title>The blog that flogs the Bulldogs</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-blog-that-flogs-the-bulldogs</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 11 May 2011 12:25:25 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s a bit of a migration from the regularly scheduled programming &ndash; but there&rsquo;s some ranting to be done!
Two nights prior to this post our hometown Hamilton Bulldogs defeated the Manitoba Moose in game seven of the North Division finals &ndash; a game needing triple overtime to yield a winner. An impressive script that only about 2,500 souls witnessed.
&nbsp;&ldquo;Where are the fans?&rdquo; everyone cried, quickly pointing to the 9,400 that streamed into Winnipeg&rsquo;s MTS Centre for the Bulldogs game 6 visit to a city poised to see the NHL return. Instead of the usual scapegoating and fan-blaming, perhaps there&rsquo;s a more productive question that should be answered. Rather than asking why fans aren&rsquo;t attracted to the Bulldogs games, we should be examining what is repelling them.
(And here is the part where I hop over the boards, line up beside a member of the Bulldogs brass and inform them that &ldquo;we&rsquo;re goin&rsquo;&rdquo; when the puck drops.)
The key issue and/or marketing challenge the &lsquo;Dogs face is that there is absolutely no emotional attachment to their brand. Zip. Zero. And to turn off 700,000 people in a hockey-soaked market takes some effort. But here are just a few ways this feat can be achieved:
Wear the uniforms of a hated rival.
Whether the Bulldogs administration, their Montreal Canadien-parents, the proud-Hamiltonian, or the AHL want to admit it, the Toronto Maple Leafs are king here. A befuddling NHL-imposed monopoly since 1925 has, naturally, resulted in a prevailing allegiance to the Buds. Here is an insight that, somehow, has been overlooked -- Leaf fans hate the Canadiens. Almost amazingly, the black and gold that permeates throughout the city thanks to the 140 years of Tiger-Cats history &ndash; not to mention the old NHL Tigers &ndash; hasn&rsquo;t been pursued as a means to garner some attachment by association.
Make the gameday presentation irritating to hockey fans.
&nbsp;Yes, this is definitely the most subjective &ndash; that said, you wouldn&rsquo;t have to go far to find someone who would echo this point. Since the late-&lsquo;90s, there has been a fervent push to make sporting events &ndash; especially minor league ones &ndash; fun for the kids. And that&rsquo;s great, so long as it doesn&rsquo;t come at the expense of everyone else. Too often, the Bulldogs game presentation has left the actual game feeling like an afterthought. So, you have to hope Mom loves her AHL hockey; otherwise the knowledgeable fan won&rsquo;t be renewing their season&rsquo;s tickets. &nbsp;
Make prospective fans feel bad about themselves.
&nbsp;I&rsquo;ve been in the ad-game for a while now and I&rsquo;ve yet to see a strategy document or a briefing that includes guilting prospects into buying a product &ndash; informing them that by choosing a competitive product they are negatively affecting the brand being advertised. But this appears to be a cornerstone of the Bulldogs public relation efforts. During the heights of Jim Balsillie&rsquo;s attempt to bring the Phoenix Coyotes to Hamilton, the entire region was in a tizzy about the prospects of NHL hockey coming to Copps Coliseum. Media attention went beyond obnoxious and water-cooler discussion was extensive to the point of exhaustion. Did the &lsquo;Dogs leverage this long-shot attempt and join in the excitement? Nope. Instead they took a &ldquo;What about us?&rdquo; approach and scoffed at the lack of attention.
&nbsp;When 6,000 people showed up at an NHL rally in downtown Hamilton, the only Bulldog presence was&hellip;get this&hellip;protesters. Yes, you read that right.
For as long as I can remember, this city has been chasing the NHL dream. But, wait!?! Chasing the NHL dream&hellip;.hmmmm. Isn&rsquo;t that the exact function of the Hamilton Bulldogs? Isn&rsquo;t the AHL positioned as NHLers-in-waiting? That sounds like a fine way to weave a brand story into the lives of prospective customers.
Threaten to move.
Related to the previous point, professional sports teams are famous for using the &ldquo;show up or else&rdquo; argument. In this country, anyway, that rarely results in a stampede for the ticket wickets. The Bulldogs have proven that point. Sabre-rattling about a move to Laval, Quebec has done nothing but further erode the potential for generating an emotional attachment to the brand. Representing the hometown is the basis of spectator sports. Calling that connection into question by inferring that it&rsquo;s only a tenuous relationship only increases the perceived distance between the city and the team.
But, there is one thing that can mitigate the alienation and adversarial approach to fan relations &ndash; winning. Winning is a nearly-universal cure-all. While it&rsquo;s usually temporary, it has an incredible ability to cause amnesia. (The Ticats may be banking on this to smooth things over as well.) Right now, the Bulldogs are winning.
&nbsp;As we lead up to their conference finals against the Houston Aeros, I wish them all the best on the ice and at the box office. By the way, game 3 is here at Copps Coliseum &ndash; May 17th, 7:30pm. Tickets only $21.50.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>Conflict resolution and trust management in the FranchiseDealer channel</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/conflict-resolution-and-trust-management-in-the-b2b-channel</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 07 May 2011 22:48:40 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Everyone knows relationships are complicated, especially those that involve multiple stakeholders all with vested interest and sometimes varying agendas.&nbsp; Each may wish to push their own agenda, but can&rsquo;t push too hard because of the nature of the channel interdependencies.&nbsp; It may also come as no surprise that at times trust and lack thereof rears its ugly head.&nbsp; Often times this mistrust is the result of poor conflict resolution.&nbsp; Poor, whether by lack of clarity of the issue at hand, timeliness in resolution, or even complete dismissal or refusal to believe there is an issue that requires intervention for resolution.
The following is an aggregate summary of the key insights gleaned from the 2009 Griffith University Study:&nbsp; Towards Conflict Resolution.&nbsp; Griffith University is home to the Asia-Pacific Centre for Franchising Excellence.&nbsp; This study focused on the following key areas:

Level of preparation by franchisees prior to entering the franchise agreement
Franchisee opinions about franchising relationship
Franchisee opinion on franchisor support level and the franchising relationship
Franchisees' experience with conflict and conflict management

Let&rsquo;s take a look at each more closely as we begin to unravel the invaluable wealth hidden within the channel &ndash; a treasure for those willing to take the time to listen, understand, and act decisively and with resolve!
1) Level of preparation by franchisees prior to entering the franchise agreement:

Over       50% felt they proactively sought out information about the franchise       before making a commitment &nbsp;&nbsp;
In       hindsight only 1/3 felt they had conducted sufficient due diligence prior to       purchase
Over       50% relied heavily on their gut feeling in order to make a decision
A       majority of franchisees felt that the information provided to them by       their franchisor was satisfactory

KEY POINT:&nbsp; Many prospective franchisees do not conduct sufficient due&nbsp;diligence&nbsp;and do not rely heavily on facts to make their purchase decision. &nbsp;While this is the prospective franchisee's responsibility, it is in the best interest of the prospective franchisor to do business with an informed, well prepared buyer.
It is very possible that the ignition for initial conflict could be a direct result of the lack of understanding on the part of the individual/organization entering the franchise agreement.&nbsp; The conflict could pertain to processes, legalities, royalties, training, product and pricing, marketing, sales, or number of other factors.&nbsp; The franchisor has both an obligation and an opportunity here.&nbsp; The obligation is to ensure the issue at hand, whatever it may be is resolved in a positive and timely manner.&nbsp; More importantly here is the opportunity for the franchisor to be seen by the franchisee as both a mentor and authoritative figure.&nbsp; Mentorship comes in the form of explaining to the franchisee the opportunity costs of non-compliance to franchise regulations or the overall impact they play in brand stewardship.&nbsp; The franchisor must also tread firmly with resolve but in a manner that shows it really is for the good of the franchise and the franchisee.&nbsp; The franchisee must see head office as an ally and someone who should be respected and emulated not feared or resented.
&nbsp;
2) Franchisee opinions about franchising relationship:

Majority      of franchisees reported their preconceptions about franchising were      different to reality
1/3      stated their expectations were not met
42%      of franchisee experiences were what they expected
Majority      of franchisees trusted their franchisor but over      25% were mistrustful of their franchisor
Similar      trust/mistrust was found when it came to franchisor-franchisee      communication
Mixed      feedback on conflict resolution - 50% felt that conflict was dealt with      fairly and openly, while the other 50% felt the opposite
KEY      POINT:&nbsp; Majority of franchisees      felt that the franchise agreement enabled them to operate their business      without undue interference by the franchisor

&ldquo;Undue&rdquo; is the key word there; however a franchisor must "interfere"/intervene from time to time.&nbsp; When a franchise strays from the brand, whether by design or without knowing, the franchisor needs to be present. A franchisor must come knocking when messaging, products/services or brand expression of any kind other than franchise compliance is in circulation.&nbsp; Franchises can only survive as a result of consistency.&nbsp; Consistent customer experience, consistent quality in the products and services, time of delivery and how these products are received in the end are all by design.&nbsp; It is because of these outwardly simple (yet sometimes difficult to enforce), franchise compliance requirements that your Tim Horton&rsquo;s coffee tastes the same no matter where you travel in this great country of ours.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s the same compliance that helps you navigate major retail outlets because they all follow the same planogram.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s why franchising works &ndash; a formula for success has been established, and with it a reputation that over time becomes the essence of the brand.&nbsp; This very vital life source to the franchise must be protected and revered at all costs.
&nbsp;
3) Franchisee opinion on franchisor support level and the franchising relationship:

75%      rated franchisor support positively
Similar      response given to relationship satisfaction, 25% feeling disaffected
Dispute      resolution was split 50%/50%
KEY      POINT:&nbsp; Although franchisor support      was perceived as positive dispute resolution dropped the approval rating      and has significant impact on long-term support perception

Quite simple really &ndash; listen, understand and help the franchisee with franchise compliance.&nbsp; Now that is much easier said than done.&nbsp; The execution of this simple statement can be nearly impossible at times.&nbsp; All attempts to understand the franchisee should be made, and if there is any deviation to compliance a review should be conducted as to why.&nbsp; As franchisees are often the ear to the ground, it may behove the franchisor to listen closely to feedback, as it may actually provide the seed of genesis for franchise improvement.&nbsp; If however the deviation is the result of naivet&eacute; or direct disagreement without just cause action must be taken by the franchisor to course-correct the franchisee in question.&nbsp; If this escalates to dispute, and if after many attempts to resolve the dispute, mediation is no longer a viable option, legal action may be the last course to resolution. &nbsp;This is costly for both parties and should be avoided if at all possible.&nbsp; Franchise agreement nullification is a time consuming, tiring and costly process and may not always end well.&nbsp; Even if the franchisor is awarded ownership of the given franchise location in question, other franchisees may view the franchisor as a bully who will simply take legal action and could significantly alter the livelihood of all those involved.&nbsp; Not a position that makes for a healthy channel relationship, but at times a necessary one.
&nbsp;
4) Franchisees' experience with conflict and conflict management:

Slightly      more disagreements requiring resolution were reported by franchisees in      year 2 and year 3 over the first year of operation, but the association      between length of time in the franchise and reported level of conflict was      insignificant
Most      common means of resolving conflict were via franchisor staff, by      negotiation and through contact with other franchisees
Major      causes of conflict reported were:&nbsp;
Lack      of support from franchisor
Compliance      with the system
Issues      relating to franchise fees
Communication      problems
Misrepresentation      issues
Marketing      issues
Profitability
Analysis      of their explanations for the causes of conflict revealed that most were      unhappy with the level of perceived support offered by franchisors
1/3      indicated that conflict had been satisfactorily resolved
50%      indicated their franchisor had a formal process for dealing with conflict      but only 25% had been provided any formal training on dealing with      conflict
KEY      POINT:&nbsp; Franchisors need to focus      on conflict management training for staff and franchisees, as well as      designing systems for efficiently managing conflict

The best thing a franchisor or franchisee can do is be prepared.&nbsp; For the franchisor the preparation is even greater, as you must consider the enterprise, as well as the individual franchisees, their employees, and finally the customer.&nbsp; Well developed, and well communicated and understood processes and policies need to be in place so that the franchisee can understand who to speak to about an issue, and how they should go about conducting the conflict discussion.&nbsp; For the franchisor it is imperative to have these be in place so that legal action is mitigated so that internal policies can govern the franchise and all that reside within it.&nbsp; The third aspect that needs to be considered is customer conflict resolution.&nbsp; Franchisees need proper training so that conflict can be resolved uniformly across the entire franchise network &ndash; it&rsquo;s all part of the softer side of the customer-perceived brand experience.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s my take on basic conflict resolution within a simplified view of a franchise/dealer channel.&nbsp; &nbsp;So what then does conflict resolution have to do with trust management?&nbsp; Well that&rsquo;s the evolutionary leap within the human psyche played out in business.&nbsp; If there is a poorly managed or unresolved conflict there can be no trust.&nbsp; If there is positively-viewed conflict resolution then you have the beginning of trust, as the parties involved experienced something together.&nbsp; These are the deciding moments in time when trust and differing agendas meet face-to-face.&nbsp; The outcome is decided through a delicate dance of negotiation, posturing and the willingness to work things out for the good of the franchise, for the good of the brand, for the good of the customer.&nbsp; If the process is repeated, and the outcome between the parties continues to provide symbiotic interdependencies then a strong cohesive force emerges.&nbsp; The close relationship then has the opportunity to create a high-trust environment that can overcome many hardships. &nbsp;Perhaps even more importantly it will encourage two-way forgiveness in those weak moments of poor decisions, or indecisiveness to act &ndash; even if that action at times causes heartache.
Distrust resident within the channel can be disastrous as it can breed more distrust with additional stakeholders within the overall value delivery chain. &nbsp;The dilution of trust can often be found as the by-product of inconsistent behaviour by those that have influence over others. &nbsp;More importantly, and difficult to measure is the absolute power brought on by a group forged by trust. &nbsp;The energy and entrepreneurial spirit that can lead to product innovation, service innovation, customer target, and sales/marketing innovation can be embraced by all channel partners. &nbsp;New and valuable insights will be brought to light through open council, feedback and the desire to be the best in the field you are operating in.&nbsp; It will foster a spirit of growth that can only be harboured in a sea of trust.
So, if you are in a position to listen &ndash; seize the opportunity!&nbsp; If you are in the position to make a lasting impression on a franchisor or franchisee do so.&nbsp; If you find yourself at the centre of a dispute, resolve it justly and swiftly.&nbsp; Do these things, and you&rsquo;re on your way to effectively managing the trust within your franchise and business channel.&nbsp; Do none, or even some of these ineffectively and you run the risk of disenfranchisement running rampant within your channel.&nbsp; The choice is yours.&nbsp; I know what I would choose.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Tablets  Gain a Marketing and Sales Advantage</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/tablets--gain-a-marketing-and-sales-advantage</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 05 May 2011 23:47:35 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Well it&rsquo;s on!&nbsp; It&rsquo;s actually been on for a while and if you&rsquo;re not into tabs you will be soon.
So what tablet is right for you?&nbsp; Well it really depends on what you&rsquo;ll be using it for.&nbsp; Are you in the market for an Android tablet?&nbsp; Windows tablet? iPad tablet (IOS)? webOS tablet? Blackberry OS tablet? eReader tablet? &hellip;not sure?
Perhaps a better question to ask is what will a tablet do that a laptop or SmartPhone can&rsquo;t do? You may be hard-pressed to find a good answer at first.&nbsp; After all a laptop, from a raw computing power standpoint clearly wins.&nbsp; And when looking at SmartPhones they are much smaller and portable than a tablet, and rival in power while on the go.&nbsp; So why purchase a tablet?&nbsp; Why shell out $500+ for yet another device?
Well I would like to offer a sales and marketing perspective and opinion.&nbsp; Tablets are great!
&nbsp;
The Marketing Perspective&hellip;
For visual impact larger screens will always score better.&nbsp; Whether you&rsquo;re in the boardroom or Trade Fair floor, the larger the screen the better, you can never get enough real-estate space when in demo mode. &nbsp;&nbsp;While we&rsquo;re on the subject what will you be showcasing?&nbsp; Products?&nbsp; Services?&nbsp; Applications?&nbsp; Make sure you pick the device that helps you sell to the best of your ability.&nbsp; If colour is crucial, iPad should weigh in heavily into your decision set.&nbsp;&nbsp; Visually stunning stills and vividly animated presentations display great on the iPad.&nbsp; The expensive technology that was the pre-runner to the iPhone4 screen technology is employed in the iPad1 and iPad2.&nbsp; It remains to be seen whether the iPad3 will be home to this amazing, but expensive technology.&nbsp; Colours display more accurately and you won&rsquo;t have to worry about display angle issues which creep into less-advanced LCD technology. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Sales Perspective&hellip;
Are you more of a road warrior with an established routine working out of your car?&nbsp; Or are you an urban warrior using public transit to get around for long jaunts, and then finishing the route on foot.&nbsp; Perhaps a smaller 7-inch tablet is up your alley.&nbsp; When it comes to sales you can get away with a smaller screen because you&rsquo;ll tend to be speaking to your customer or prospect face-to-face.&nbsp; A 7-inch tablet may be all that you need.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Sales people will surely appreciate the microSD feature &ndash; a quick way to upload content while on the road and potentially removed from a Wi-Fi hot spot.&nbsp; This feature is not available on the iPad but is on Android, Windows, and the BlackBerry PlayBook device.&nbsp; BlueTooth file transfer is another easy way of course that helps you work between devices.&nbsp; Finally, when it comes to data transfer the Motorola Xoom may find many friends for the simple reason it has a USB 2.0 media slot.&nbsp; You&rsquo;ll be hard pressed to find a USB connection on many tablet devices.
Do you need Flash capabilities?&nbsp; If so stay clear of the iPad1 and iPad2 &ndash; no Flash playback to be found there.&nbsp; In this case go with an Android based device or the BlackBerry Playbook.
Here&rsquo;s a handy little chart that takes a look at some of the key tablet players and the key attributes in a direct comparison.
Prepared by Ralph Winterle/StrategyOne Digital

How&rsquo;s your charge?&nbsp; It may seem like a simple thing or non-consideration but take a look at how quickly battery life is depleted.&nbsp; Especially if you&rsquo;re on the road and are dependent on your device you don&rsquo;t want to be left scrambling for juice when it&rsquo;s pitch time.&nbsp; iPad1 and iPad2 lead the charge here easily beating out competitors like the BlackBerry PlayBook.
&nbsp;
Are you looking to use your tablet primarily for documentation?&nbsp; A point of view based on usage, here again is Ralph Winterle/StrategyOne Digital.&nbsp;
&ldquo;As a documentation device, the issue is readability. The iPad has 168 more pixels on the short side, but it makes the difference for reading eBooks published to the 7 x 9 inch standard. You can usually get by reading from the full page in portrait mode. A lot of airlines have selected the iPad for replacing printed manuals on the flight deck.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&hellip;so it&rsquo;s decision making time right?&nbsp; How do you go about making the right purchase?&nbsp; So many factors come in to play.&nbsp; As mentioned take a close look at what you&rsquo;ll actually be using it for - business or personal use?&nbsp; In either case do you and those you&rsquo;ll be interacting with share similar hardware and software?&nbsp; If not will that pose a compatibility issue?&nbsp; Will you be synching devices?
&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s take a look at some expert reviews then. &nbsp;Here are some &ldquo;top lists&rdquo; (courtesy of CNET).&nbsp;
The 5 best tablets:
1)&nbsp; Apple iPad2
2)&nbsp; T-Mobile G-Slate
3)&nbsp; Acer Iconia Tab A500
4)&nbsp; Asus Eee Pad Transformer
5)&nbsp; BlackBerry PlayBook
Check this link for more details:
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-tablets/?tag=contentBody;edPicks
&nbsp;
The 5 best Android tablets:
1)&nbsp;&nbsp; T-Mobile G-Slate
2)&nbsp; Acer Iconia Tab A500
3)&nbsp; Asus Eee Pad Transformer
4)&nbsp; Motorola Xoom
5)&nbsp; Samsung Galaxy Tab
Check this link for more details:
http://reviews.cnet.com/best-tablets/best-5-android-tablets?tag=

The 5 best 7-inch tablets:
1)&nbsp;&nbsp; BlackBerry PlayBook
2)&nbsp; Samsung Galaxy Tab
3)&nbsp; Barnes &amp; Noble Nook Color
4)&nbsp; Dell Streak 7
5)&nbsp; ViewSonic ViewPad7
Check this link for more details:
http://reviews.cnet.com/2733-3126_7-936-3.html?tag=
&nbsp;
Interested in currently released tablets, and what's coming next? &nbsp;Check out this handy little reference chart:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20037960-1.html?tag=contentBody;contentHighlights
&nbsp;
Before you drop the cash on your device of choice, take it for a test drive. &nbsp;Go to a local dealer, or several and use as many devices as possible. &nbsp;Look for the small things - how's the weight? the size? screen resolution? how does it feel in your hands? and of course how does the screen itself feel to your touch? &nbsp;These may be small things but you'll be glad you checked them out as you'll be left with these subtleties&nbsp;for the life of the device.
Finally, if I may be so bold to impart one piece of advice. &nbsp;Purchase with your specific use in mind. &nbsp;Make sure you purchase based on utility not based on status symbol or a feeling of "me too". &nbsp;If it has a "2" on the end of the name will it give you that much more? &nbsp;Will you put it through its paces? &nbsp;Or are you buying because it's simply the newest thing to hit the street?]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Kung Fu Panda</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/kung-fu-panda</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 03 May 2011 00:07:21 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Well not really, but almost.&nbsp; It might as well be if you're talking about the world of SEO.&nbsp; If you offend this Panda it will slap you silly and send you reeling.&nbsp; Better listen up or you may have the &ldquo;noodle dream&rdquo;.
The new algorithm now incorporates more &ldquo;user feedback signals&rdquo;.
So, what was the main driver that led Google to change its Algorithm that in large part helped shape the company to the giant it is today?&nbsp; Two words &ndash; Content Farms.&nbsp; Content Farms are SEO experts that basically designed their site map and web pages to have one primary goal in mind &ndash; to be easily picked up by search engine web bots and crawlers.&nbsp; Content was no longer created to benefit the customer searching out content on a site.&nbsp; In many cases those that scored high had poor crafted writing, but writing that was easily spotted by a search engine, easier than well-written content that was more hidden within a page or site.
Of course there are other SEO strategies at play in the SEO mix:

Keyword-rich pages
Link development
Site architecture
Page layout
Blogging/Forum Posting
Backlinks
Rich content development

And more still!&nbsp; All at play in hopes of raising your sites &ldquo;Google Trust&rdquo;.
&nbsp;
But in many cases the content was all a fa&ccedil;ade - a crafty way to gain higher page rankings and entice users to click on a site as a result of that higher ranking.&nbsp; Well Google had had enough.&nbsp; And who could blame them?&nbsp; The biggest search engine company...no the leading technology company on the planet, no longer had a secret formula. &nbsp;Their algorithm was now, in part understood, and could be manipulated for personal gain. &nbsp;When you&rsquo;re a technology company and you don&rsquo;t have an edge over competion that is biting at your heels you&rsquo;re finished.&nbsp; Toast.
Enter the Panda algorithm.&nbsp; 
In addition to content farms, aggregator/spam sites were targeted.&nbsp; Google of course won&rsquo;t comment on how specific sites are impacted by the algorithmic improvements.
So what can you do to ensure that your site is rich with high-quality user-feedback signals?
1)&nbsp;&nbsp; Link tracking.&nbsp; Make sure low-quality sites remove their links.&nbsp; You do not want negative association as a result of a low-grade backlink
2)&nbsp; Focus on growing backlinks for reputable sites with like-minded industry vertical sites.&nbsp; Join with your friends.&nbsp; If a backlink from a site sounds or feels weird &ndash; it probably is, and should be removed
3)&nbsp; Content is king!&nbsp; Keep up with the constant content creation.&nbsp; How&rsquo;s the blog aspect of your site?&nbsp; If you can aggregate content from a number of contributors you&rsquo;ll have a goldmine of content on your hands
4)&nbsp; Social Media.&nbsp; LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, etc.&nbsp; Learn to love it.&nbsp; You&rsquo;ll be happy you did &ndash; trust me.&nbsp; Your target is on social media, you need to be too.&nbsp; Share the benefit of a product or service &ndash; don&rsquo;t give people the hard sell.&nbsp; Social media can become an online sales force unlike any sales personnel you employ now.&nbsp; Nothing beats a recommendation from a friend &ndash; even if it is a single serving online friend.&nbsp; Purchase influencers are all over social media.&nbsp; Be sure to listen, and engage when it&rsquo;s time to do so.&nbsp; Interested in a list of social media sites?&nbsp; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites
So, having said all that, it&rsquo;s good to know that your SEO partner is well versed with Google&rsquo;s new algorithm and has things well in hand for you.
&hellip;
&hellip;your SEO partner does know about the Google Panda algorithm right?&nbsp; Of course they do, because if they didn&rsquo;t then their SEO strategies would be antiquated and as a result your page rank, and Google Trust factor diminished.&nbsp; So it&rsquo;s a good thing they have this covered.&nbsp; Well if they don&rsquo;t you know who does &ndash; your friends and partners at JAN Kelley.&nbsp; Anyone up for a little Kung Fu Panda?
&nbsp;
In case you&rsquo;re interested in diving a little deeper, here are some other links you can use as resources:
http://techchunks.com/seo/google-panda-update-seo-survival-guide-best-tips/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20054797-281.html?tag=rtcol;inTheNewsNow
http://www.seobook.com/google-update-panda
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/110304-095114
http://www.webpronews.com/google-panda-algorithm-update-whats-known-whats-possible-2011-03]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>myEDGE  myPromos 20  meet the Navistar channel</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/mypromos-20--meet-the-navistar-channel</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 01 May 2011 20:42:42 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[myEDGE unveils myPromos 2.0
&nbsp;
myPromos 2.0 has received unprecedented fan-fare at Navistar and for good reason!&nbsp; This application allows users to access and customize a large number of templates online at any time and email the result to their customer base, or download high-res, print-ready files for local print.&nbsp; More importantly this version of myPromos is very visual, extremely intuitive and FAST!&nbsp; In mere seconds a fully customized template can be created.&nbsp; Before we get too far ahead about why this new application is so great, let&rsquo;s back up first and take a look at the reason myPromos even came to being.
It all started back in 2006 when the myEDGE crew knew that dealers could take advantage of a tool that provided customization ability to a plethora of collateral elements available through an online system.&nbsp; The admin beta was built after months of hard fought R&amp;D.&nbsp; Navistar however had opportunities elsewhere and myEDGE was right there to support with those initiatives.&nbsp; myPromos, for now, took a back seat.
Then, in the fall of 2008, myPromos 1.0 was released and immediately struck a chord with dealer and suppliers.&nbsp; The opportunity to create sales flyers, in-store materials, and coupons 24/7/365 was something this program&rsquo;s stakeholders were looking for.&nbsp; myPromos was officially off to the races!
Never resting on our laurels though, we knew we had an opportunity to have an even greater impact with our channel partners.&nbsp; Learning from user feedback, and closely watching changes in technology and the new opportunities for development that were coming, myPromos went into R&amp;D mode once again.
In the fall of 2010 myPromos 2.0 admin beta was released.&nbsp; Now was the time to demo this new interface and user experience with existing myPromos users &ndash; and new ones as well including IC Bus dealers, and Global dealers.&nbsp;
myPromos 2.0 just launched to dealers this weekend and has leap-frogged over its predecessors on many fronts.&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s take a look at what the new myPromos has to offer:

Templates: &nbsp;&nbsp;Is over 1000 enough? &nbsp;Well that's what is in the system. &nbsp;We'll work on that one...&nbsp;
&ldquo;My Favourites&rdquo;: &nbsp;A way to bookmark the most commonly used templates for easy, repeat access"
&ldquo;Pending&rdquo;: &nbsp;A quick link to return to a template being worked on in the case a user moves to another area of the application without completing the template being worked on
&ldquo;Saved&rdquo;: &nbsp;A repository of all previously created documents.&nbsp; Users can quickly access templates previously created, make modifications to an offer and then re-save (rather than starting from the beginning)

All templates access the parts data in the proprietary myEDGE system with over 2,200 to choose from.&nbsp; In addition to parts, user can customize templates by creating service offers &ndash; fully customizable (the sky is the limit here).
Users can create custom offers by searching the filter tool for coupons, flyer templates, in-store signage, postcards, and print ads.&nbsp; But that&rsquo;s just the first step.&nbsp; After that, users can select another layer down which includes others &ndash; customer promotions, segment, service, and supplier offers.
Currently, myPromos has 17 (14 more than the original) user experience configurations that span attributes including Navistar contracts for whole goods, branding experiences, &nbsp;dealer attributes, user attributes, an interface in multiple languages, and even paper size differences for Imperial vs. Metric.
myPromos is not only used by various departments at the dealer level &ndash; like Parts Managers, Parts Directors, and Outside Sales Staff, this application is also used by Product Team members at Navistar WHQ responsible for the continued growth and promotion of suppliers and their product lines.


What&rsquo;s next on the myPromos front?&nbsp; 
Well how about an ecommerce front end that lets users order collateral materials online and have those printed at the highest quality standards with one of our print partners, shipped to their location?
How about a community-based ranking system that allows users to provide input to the collateral pieces that they have access to.&nbsp; Users rank on a sliding scale and the highest recommended templates populate the &ldquo;Featured Templates&rdquo; on the landing page.
How about a searching mechanism that allows users with the same dealer corporation search out materials created from other locations?&nbsp; In some cases this is upwards of 15 locations!&nbsp; Users can replicate a template, and then start customizing a copy of the original.
How about&hellip;well you get the point.&nbsp;
What about the competition?&nbsp; Well we know we have a leg up when suppliers tell us that CAT and Freightliner don&rsquo;t have a product, or a suite of applications like myEDGE.&nbsp; We also know we have a leg up on the competition when multi-line dealers tell us the other OEs they support do not have a tool like this. &nbsp;It's for this very reason dealers look to this application to support their aftermarket All-Makes parts sales.
You see, the partnership between StrategyOne Digital and JAN Kelley is the reason why tools like this reach this high-level of user-simplicity.&nbsp; As part of a large group behind this, and all the myEDGE business building tools, I can personally guarantee there will be no rest until there is perfection.&nbsp; And when we have reached perfection, we&rsquo;ll release our next version pushing the envelope even further.&nbsp;&nbsp; As a result of continuous feedback and tireless effort, there&rsquo;s no end in sight to the innovation that will drive local marketing and sales efforts for all of our program partners.
Wanna take a test drive of one of the finest print collateral on demand systems out there?&nbsp; Give me a call.&nbsp;&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>myEDGE launches over 160000 unique websites</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/myedge-introduces-over-160000-unique-websites</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 25 Apr 2011 23:56:47 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[...I'm not kidding.
&nbsp;
5 years ago the myEDGE Virtual Parts Counter (VPC) was born.&nbsp; From its humble beginnings of a promotional site pushing offers to customers en mass, it has undergone several iterations of refinement.
NATIONAL VIRTUAL PARTS AND SERVICE COUNTERS:
The newly released National Virtual Parts Counter is in its 3rd generation. &nbsp;Available since the beginning to customers in the U.S. and Canada in English and French.&nbsp; Navistar has been able to promote parts and service offers and unique promotions to potential customers online. &nbsp;When it originally launched, Dealers enjoyed this new functionality, however sometimes they didn&rsquo;t support a given supplier or price point.
DEALER CUSTOMER VIRTUAL PARTS AND SERVICE COUNTERS:
Enter the Custom Virtual Parts Counter, launched along with the National VPC 2.0 in 2008.&nbsp; Each of the 230+ primary myEDGE dealers had their very own Virtual Parts Counter that they could link to their corporate dealer sites, or use as a stand alone site if they so wished.&nbsp; This site brought on new functionality for the dealers who now enjoyed a site they could customize according to all offers they supported&nbsp; through the myEDGE bimonthly flyer.&nbsp; In addition, the CPVC allowed dealers to add parts from the myEDGE database, and include cross-sell, up-sell service offers. &nbsp;Dealers could customize 24/7/365 giving them the flexibility to anticipate, and react to their local markets, their competitors and most importantly offer the most relevant promotions and information to their customers.
CUSTOMER-CENTRIC PERSONAL URL VIRTUAL PARTS AND SERVICE COUNTERS:
But of course we weren&rsquo;t done yet.&nbsp; We have now ushered in the era of Personal URLS (PURLs) to the myEDGE program. &nbsp;In addition to continuing to offer the National VPC, and Custom VPCs, myEDGE now has over 160,000 active PURLs.&nbsp; Each PURL acts as its very own customer-centric Virtual Parts Counter website &ndash; a site dedicated to the individual customer&rsquo;s parts, promotion, and information needs.
Dealers can continue to make all the customizations they enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) on their Customer Virtual Parts Counter, but can now customize each target group, or target customer&rsquo;s site with unique and compelling offers tailored specifically for them.&nbsp; This opens all kinds of unique targeting opportunities including segmentation by:

Customer      Type
Contact      Method
Geographic      Segmentation
Vehicle      Segment
Vehicle      Class
Fleet      Size
Truck      Brand
Industry

Dealers can also send a PURL segmented offer to target customer(s) via HTML email.&nbsp; Once a customer clicks on the email, they are redirected to their PURL site.
In addition to having PURLs on the www, the customer&rsquo;s PURL is now printed on their myEDGE bimonthly flyer.&nbsp; This means that myEDGE produces over 160,000 unique direct mail pieces every 2 months.
You might be curious how the myEDGE program could possibly manage over 160,000 websites. &nbsp;Well that&rsquo;s a secret I won&rsquo;t divulge here.&nbsp; Let me just tell you a lot of creative minds were at the table &ndash; that&rsquo;s right our partners at StrategyOne Digital and the rest of the myEDGE team at JKM pulled it all together.&nbsp; As always, if you want to know more look me up for a chat.
So what will the next evolution be in the myEDGE PURL?&nbsp;
How about Customer Profile data collection via the PURL to enrich their own profile within a given dealer&rsquo;s database?&nbsp;
How about allowing a forum for customer feedback, and then present that feedback to the dealer via a customized Program Portal experience?&nbsp;
How about a customer referral program that allows a customer to pass along offer details to friends/prospects via HTML email.&nbsp; Once a friend clicks on the HTML email, a PURL is generated on the flyer for that new prospect, and automatically back-feeds to the dealer database with an alert advising a new prospect has expressed interest in an offer.&nbsp;
How about&hellip;well you get the point we have a list that rivals Santa&rsquo;s in length&hellip;
myEDGE always has, and always will be a program run by a passionate team that truly offers a competitive advantage for dealers, suppliers and Navistar corporate alike.&nbsp; A program that every year prides itself on being on the leading edge of technology, and a healthy dose of daily dedicated customer engagement.&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;re looking for second-rate, you won&rsquo;t find it here.&nbsp; You&rsquo;ll have to look elsewhere.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>myEDGE Bimonthly Flyer  Its all brand new baby</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/myedge-bimonthly-flyer--its-all-brand-new-baby</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 23 Apr 2011 00:24:19 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The myEDGE mainstay has just received a complete overhaul making an online experience second-to-none for an in-context print collateral development tool.&nbsp;&nbsp; myEDGE dealers are currently using this newly overhauled application for their current JUL/AUG 2011 promotional period.
This tool is exceedingly complex on the backend, but it&rsquo;s that complexity that makes the user experience so easy.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s the dedicated and devoted team behind this application that allows it to run smoothly for over 550 International dealer locations across North America.
Resident within the myEDGE portal (which is home to 5 regions, 3 branding experiences, 3 languages and &nbsp;11 different dealer experiences based on their participation in the program) &ndash; the bimonthly flyer truly is the king of this program.&nbsp;
To ensure the best possible user experience this application (like all other myEDGE applications) is tested against 11 browser environments &ndash; including IE 6, 7, 8, 9, FireFox, Chrome, Safari, and Android-based browsers.&nbsp; This is a necessity as we can view the technology the dealers are using with our Enhanced Google-Analytics implemented on the myEDGE portal approximately 5 years ago. Don&rsquo;t have Enhanced Google Analytics for your portal environment you may wish to consider it &ndash; the investment pays for itself quickly.
The new flyer application has now become a rich in-context experience akin to leading edge self-promotional applications used by WIRED magazine.&nbsp; Don&rsquo;t believe me &ndash; come by and ask to see it for yourself.&nbsp; I&rsquo;ll put this application up against any other flyer app in the business.
Dealers are no longer &ldquo;pushed along&rdquo; a linear stream of steps, but are given the full freedom to view and modify virtually all elements of their flyer &ndash; including parts ad blocks, cover selection, back panel information via notification, and custom ads with a new customer ad builder tool.
The system tracks all part customizations and actually changes the colour of the ad blocks so that a user knows once they have made a modification &ndash; a handy feature for our busy audience who are often called away from their desks and return many minutes later.
As Jim ("Just Jim") likes to say, at JKM we prefer PURLs vs. GURLS, and that&rsquo;s precisely why the myEDGE flyer application is the poster child for Personal URL (PURL) usage.&nbsp; Each flyer is unique not only based on a dealer&rsquo;s geographic region, or language, branding, parts and service customization &ndash; but it is also unique based on the customer receiving the flyer.&nbsp; Each of the over 160,000 printed flyers each promotional period will now receive a Personal URL printed directly on the flyer.&nbsp; This PURL directs the individual customer receiving the flyer to a rich-media based online website experience &ndash;devoted solely and specifically for them!&nbsp; Imagine 160,000 websites, all managed by the myEDGE team right here at JAN Kelley Marketing.
Upcoming features include &ldquo;SMART VIDEO&rdquo; help that will track a user&rsquo;s movements on-screen and will dish up help videos (when requested) based on a user&rsquo;s activity to drill down on the salient point at hand &ndash; rather than have the users pick from a multiple listing of videos.
I won&rsquo;t tell you about the parts database, supplier database, customer/prospect database, or the complicated print process involved to produce and mail flyers on time, every time but if you want to know about that too &ndash; come on by, let&rsquo;s chat.&nbsp; You might want to bring a sleeping bag with you because we&rsquo;ll be at it for a few days just to top-line it.
The flyer is supported by a full-time, dedicated team of Dealer Marketing Specialists who can be reached through each and every step of the application.
myEDGE will never rest, it will never cease to evolve and lives by the mantra of constant improvement based on ALL stakeholder feedback.&nbsp; Luckily with our partners at StrategyOne Digital we have the braintrust, dedication and desire to create the &ldquo;ultimate dealer experience&rdquo; (Peter Petch, 2011).&nbsp; The bar will continue to be raised until our competition can no longer see us and collectively decide to battle it out for second place.
You see, there's a passion here on myEDGE. &nbsp;An unconquerable spirit that is exemplified any time a piece of communication leaves the building, any time a dealer calls for local store marketing and engagement assistance, and certainly every time the myEDGE suite of digital application is enhanced - which pretty much happens on a daily basis.
Are your service providers keeping up in much the same light? &nbsp;Are you? &nbsp;Can you afford not to...?]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>myEDGE SalesPRO unleashed</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/myedge-salespro-unleashed</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 Apr 2011 23:10:28 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Well the myEDGE team has done it again &ndash; pushed the envelope for dealer sales tools.&nbsp; A tool for Sales Staff managers and Outside Sales Staff alike!
myEDGE SalesPRO allows dealers to react to market conditions and really stand out from their competition.
This is a dealer B2B-facing application, not a consumer-facing application.
&nbsp;
myEDGE SalesPRO allows Sales Staff managers:

To keep their team informed of promotions, Navistar corporate and Supplier programs, and training information for complicated technology like the MaxxForce Engines, or DPF cleaning systems or new products or line extensions.&nbsp; Knowledge is presented in PDF and rich media format to allow customers to view information presented in the best possible manner so they can make informed purchase decisions
Generate customer specific offers on-the-fly!&nbsp; No need to wait for parts and service programs to be developed by either Navistar corporate or dealer corporate offices &ndash; now Sales Staff managers have an easy way to get promotional messages to the feet on the street 24/7/365
Monitor the activity of their sales staff and see if offers have been shared with customers
View customer information that has been collected by the Sales Staff &ndash; customer&rsquo;s /prospect&rsquo;s first name, last name, company name, email and what specific offer was shared
Parts can be pulled in from the database &ndash; over 2,200 parts to choose from
Additionally, reports can be pulled to view historic offers, and messages sent by date, or even to the specific sales person!

&nbsp;
myEDGE SalesPRO allows Outside Sales Staff:

To communicate real time offers with their customers &ndash; but more importantly have tool at their hands that avoids a paper trail &ndash; avoiding their customers from taking a sales flyer to a competitor and asking for a price match, or a better offer
Strengthen their sales conversations with timely information to close the sale.&nbsp; If a new offer comes in while the sales effort is being conducted, an alert notifies the sales personnel and can prompt the customer to react with either new offers, additional savings, or limited time deals
Continue the conversation &ndash; each time an offer is shared with a customer, myEDGE SalesPRO creates an HTML email that the customer can view.&nbsp; If the email is clicked on, the customer is then taken to their own PURL &ndash; Personal URL.&nbsp; This essentially is a customer-specific Virtual Parts Counter.&nbsp; myEDGE has created over 160,000 of these PURL websites!!!
Connect the loop &ndash; follow up with customers&nbsp; that have expressed an interest; see what can be done to close the sale

&nbsp;
myEDGE SalesPRO is a unique application for many reasons (in addition to those mentioned above).&nbsp;&nbsp; This application is actually a mobi site &ndash; a site specifically designed with mobile viewing and optimization in mind.&nbsp;
This application is not native to any device or technology.&nbsp; This means users can download to their iPhones, Android-based phones, Windows SmartPhones, BlackBerry, iPad, Android-based tablets like the Samsung Galaxy, BlackBerry tablet or the upcoming Windows-based HP tablet.&nbsp; And of course, any laptop or desktop system.&nbsp; So, no matter what technology you may be running, myEDGE SalesPRO will be running right there with you.
So what do our users have to say about this piece of technology?
Well at the recent 2011 Navistar Parts and Service EXPO (attended by over 1500 dealers from around the Globe, Over 70+ supplier partners, 18 of the largest National Account Customers in North America, and Navistar Corporate brass) the feedback was resounding acknowledgement of the tremendous utility and potential for this application. &nbsp;
More importantly however is the feedback. &nbsp;All of the myEDGE tools are built on the continuous flow of feedback from all stakeholders driven by a team that nurtures and understand the value of these relationships. &nbsp;Candid user feedback is the real power of the program, and something the entire Navistar team at JKM are priveleged to receive.
Thanks to our partners at StrategyOne Digital, many new enhancements are already in development for this version of myEDGE SalesPRO...and a new tablet-based interface is coming in 2012.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Getting Transit in TO MovingFinally</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/getting-transit-in-to-movingfinally</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:52:05 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I am so happy the City and the Province have finally hammered out a plan that will allow everyone to get to work building out transit in the GTHA. &nbsp;A strong public transit system is critical to region's economic prosperity not to mention our quality of life. &nbsp;
I truly believe that if we can just get this one transit project under our belt, we'll all see the immense benefits improved transit delivers and many more will follow.
Read more about it.
I'd like to know what others think about this announcement. Are you as excited as I am?]]></description>
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<author>cbroten@jankelley.com (ChantelBroten)</author>
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<title>A Truck Parts Sales  Marketing Experience in Colombia</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/a-truck-parts-sales--marketing-experience-in-colombia</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:41:26 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Navistar recently held a regional meeting at their Latin American Training Center in Bogota, Colombia, for a leadership group of Parts Managers from the Caribbean, Central and South American International dealer network.&nbsp; Besides the planning and strategic components of the&nbsp;&nbsp; meeting this was&nbsp; an opportunity to learn about the issues affecting the trucking industry in the region and also about some of the tools available to resolve marketing and sales challenges.
The local host was...
NAVITRANS a leading truck dealer in Colombia and during our stay we visited one of their very impressive Bogota facilities. They are based out of Medellin and have a 19 locations distributed around the country. This location had 10 service bays connected to their parts inventory through underground passageways; a very large shop area for engine overhauls and other services, plus a very comfortable parts and truck sales and customer service space.
&nbsp;Their market, Colombia, is a country with a population of 46 million (Canada has 33 million), a GDP of US $ 431.9 B (Canada&rsquo;s is US$ 1,335 B) and 164,245 km or roadways (1,042,300km in Canada). All references are from the&nbsp; CIA's The World Facebook for purposes of consistency.
The dealer&rsquo;s organization and professionalism was evident in their employees and in the state of their service bays, parts warehouse, offices, shop, truck and part sales offices.&nbsp;
Mobile telecommunications were very much in evidence as we moved around the city, people were talking and texting everywhere. The participating parts managers were also permanently connected, answering emails during every break. The parts manager for&nbsp; MACO International, the dealer from Chile, stated that &ldquo;every one in Chile had a Blackberry&rdquo;,&nbsp; and they have and use the mobile numbers for all their clients. &nbsp;&nbsp;
This led me to search out some data on the regional mobile market and as per an INFOBRAND&nbsp; article, by the end of 2009 there were 470 million mobile users in Latin America, and 578 million by the end of 2010. Of these mobile users approximately 37 million have access to one of the 63 3G networks in the region.&nbsp; Latin America concentrates 11% of the&nbsp; 5,100 million mobile connections in the world.
Smart Phone penetration in this region is still low. About 1.5 million of these phones were imported into Argentina, more or less 7% of the installed base. INFOBRAND assumes that Chile probably has a similar penetration, but that it will drop off sharply for other Latin American countries. Still it is a very important trend to follow.
Tension between government and truckers seems to know no boundaries. While we were there the Association of Colombian Truckers known as the ACC (one of six freight transport associations) was in the middle of a strike that paralyzed more than 130,000 vehicles and blocked many of the main arteries in Bogota as well as highways leading to the main ports. Nearly 90% of the retail establishments in a sector of the capital remained closed and food prices started rising due to a lack of supply. On a macro level it generated a short spike in inflation.
The strike was called primarily because the government eliminated a minimum freight rate system that had been in place for years effectively de-regulating the industry with the objective of reducing transportation costs. The ACC claimed that this move would ruin small firms and put independent owners out of business.&nbsp; The strike ended with ACC agreeing to a government proposal to work with them to implement the de-regulation in a manner that will not harm the small fleets, backed up by a threat to use the riot police to remove the vehicles that were blocking traffic.
It was a very productive and educational trip that contributed to our knowledge base of this important region and also generated many questions for ongoing research. If you have any info or experience on trucking, social media or mobile for this region please do share.&nbsp;&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>ppetch@jankelley.com (PeterPetch)</author>
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<title>Social Media in the Transportation Industry</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/social-media-in-the-transportation-industry</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2011 07:49:36 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Social Media is not only for trendy Business&ndash;to-Consumer fashion or entertainment organizations and digital developers (see &nbsp;Social Media Outside of the Mainstream) but also for all manner of Business-to-Business enterprises, including the transportation industry.
The Ontario Trucking Association (@OnTruck) recently organized a webinar on Social Media in the Transportation Industry and invited Todays Trucking (Marco Beghetto @Todaystrucking) and Jan Kelley Marketing (Kim McWatt @KimMcWatt)&nbsp; and myself @peterpetch) to participate. The objective of the webinar was to provide a primer on social media and some of the top tools (primarily Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter) with some examples sourced from trucking and logistics companies sprinkled in and topped off with Today&rsquo;s Trucking social media experience.
We also did our best to answer the questions asked&nbsp; and it is the seeds planted by those questions that lead the way to more research.
The Transportation Industry is complex and covers, as&nbsp;&nbsp; Dan Hawk recently posted in Linkedin,&nbsp; the&nbsp; &ldquo;three phases in the life of a load: Shipper, Trucking, and Receiver&rdquo;. These three phases are divided and recombined into multiple corporate identities:&nbsp; manufacturers, brokers, truck owner operators, truck fleets, warehousing,&nbsp; 3PL, 4PL, among others, and they are all increasing experimenting with social networks.&nbsp; It would be impossible to cover all the permutations in one post (there are also a couple of mountain ranges of research I would have to do!) so I will start with some info on...
Social Media in the Trucking Industry is of course growing, and why not. Truckers have a history of communicating and networking among themselves and with their employers through CB radios (Truck News Blog and Truck News Story). The demographic skews toward older age ranges so they may not be technology early adopters and the economics of trucking have been harsh for the last years so buying the latest and greatest communication tools may not have been a priority. But as the technology is proven and costs decline more and more truckers seem to be adopting it. 
Land Lines&rsquo; March 2010 Reader Survey (@Land_Line_Mag, Land Line Reader Survey), a good barometer of Owner Operator practices, shows that 56.1% of their readers used Facebook., 7.5% are on Twitter, 6.4% &ldquo;use&rdquo; blogs and&nbsp; 3.2% are on Linkedin. More and more tweets from self identified truckers are referencing Foursquare a location based social media application.
Large truck fleets and logistics providers are adopting these communication channels more and more. For example the&nbsp; A Truckload, Trucking, Logistics, Supply Chain, 3PL, Distribution group. in Linkedin has 9,442 members, the Logistics Network group has 5,063 and the Canadian Transportation &amp; Logistics Networking Group has 1,212. Twitter searches for the terms #Trucking,&nbsp; #3PL, #Logistics, #Warehousing , #Storage, or #Shipping will also show multiple and ever increasing references.
An Example of a successful B2B social media experience is probably a good way to close out this post so take a look at&nbsp; what&nbsp; Shipserve a leading e-marketplace in the maritime industry achieved (by the&nbsp; way this case was also sourced from Social Media for Logistics group on Linkedin, courtesy of Kenneth Kowal).
While there are important differences between B2C and B2B business cycles and sales processes, the need for transparency, authenticity, value and engagement that are served by effective social media efforts works for both. I&rsquo;ll keep my eye out for more examples and statistics on the use of social media in the transportation industry, but if you come across any please send them my way.]]></description>
<author>ppetch@jankelley.com (PeterPetch)</author>
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<title>Who do you want to know</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/who-do-you-need-to-know</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:29:46 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Every so often you come across a speaker who you don&rsquo;t ever want to stop. Last night Cathy and I attended our monthly Association of Administrative Assistants meeting where the speaker was Donna Messer from ConnectUs.
Donna was there to speak about networking, but we got so much more. Donna was engaging, interesting, and just plain funny. She had a way of pulling information from you &ndash; which in our group who are used to doing the pulling &ndash; was not an easy task.
Donna asked me about some of my interests which include animals. She said she could hook me up with Dog Guides of Canada. Someone else mentioned an interest in finding a job where they could help organize a company that is restructuring. That person is going to get an intro to PMI &ndash; Project Management Institute.
Networking is not about creating business, but creating relationships. What happens after that can&rsquo;t be anything but good.
If you&rsquo;re looking for help in learning to network, fostering better communication, help in getting a business started&hellip;contact Donna. She&rsquo;s a speaker who can handle a crowd as large as 1,000 to the 15 of us present last night.
Check out Donna&rsquo;s Web site at www.connectuscanada.com.]]></description>
<author>jellis@jankelley.com (JenniferEllis)</author>
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<title>Whos the leader of the club thats made for you and me  JIMLETWIN</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/whos-the-leader-of-the-club-thats-made-for-you-and-me--jimletwin</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:28:46 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Jim Letwin is a self proclaimed sufferer of shiny object syndrome. So it was only fitting to honour his 25th Anniversary at JAN Kelley with the shiniest object co-conspirator Ken Nicholson could find &ndash; A glass engraved plaque shaped like Mickey Mouse Ears. Why you ask? Well as his friends at JAN Kelley can vouch for, he quite literally refuses to grow up. His yearly vacations to Disney World are proof of that. Luckily, he also refuses to give up on a dream we call JAN Kelley. And for 25 years Jim has led us and in no small part made us the agency we are today. And that&rsquo;s no Mickey Mouse outfit. Despite all the shiny objects in the world Jim&rsquo;s managed to keep JAN Kelley on track and made it the only place outside of Disney World where it&rsquo;s not only ok to act like a kid, it&rsquo;s expected.
&nbsp;
Walt Disney once said, &ldquo;A man should never neglect his family for business&rdquo;
Congratulations Jim on 25 magical years from your family at Jan Kelley.]]></description>
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<author>elees@jankelley.com (EdLees)</author>
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<title>What if what if</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/what-if-what-if</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:12:01 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In the late &lsquo;60s, I was one-sixth of a band out of St. Catharines, Ontario, called The Looking Glass. A few nights ago (Sunday, Feb. 6/11), I was one-fifth of the same band.
The reason we got together again after 42 years was because one of the original band members passed away last fall and his family and friends were organizing a tribute concert in his memory. They were hoping we would reunite for a one-off performance.
Here&rsquo;s the thing &ndash; as much as I liked the idea, I was terrified. I haven&rsquo;t performed in decades and the thought of doing it sent my fear-of-failure meter through the roof.&nbsp;
"What if my playing wasn&rsquo;t good enough anymore? What if my voice couldn&rsquo;t cut it? What if I forgot lyrics?&nbsp;What if&hellip; what if..."
And then I realized that I was doing exactly what I have spent so much of my life urging clients not to do &ndash; I was saying, &ldquo;Great idea, but there's definitely risk involved. Not sure I want to take the chance.&rdquo;&nbsp;
What?!
A special opportunity was staring me in the face and out of fear I was ready to shut the door on it. What&nbsp;the hell was I thinking?
The five of us finally got together in early January for our first of three rehearsals. Two hours into it we still hadn&rsquo;t played a song because we were too busy drinking from the deep well of memories. That in itself made my decision worthwhile.
So how did the concert go?&nbsp;Better than any of us were expecting. It was a blast.&nbsp;
The crowd had a great time and so did we. Our performance wasn&rsquo;t perfect, but the night was never meant to be about perfection as far as we were concerned. It was about remembering a good friend and reliving the music that defined who we were &ldquo;back in the day&rdquo;.
For me, it was also about reminding myself of what fear is so good at depriving us of &ndash; that adrenalin rush that comes from taking a chance. Putting yourself out there on the edge. Going for it.
Let's face it, that's when we feel most alive. The heart beats faster, the breaths are shorter and the nerves tingle. The game &ndash; whether personal or business &ndash; becomes a lot more exciting.
A 1971 song by Crowbar sums it up perfectly, &ldquo;Oh, what a feeling!&rdquo; And to think I almost passed up experiencing it because of "What if... what if..."
Fight the fear and take a chance. It'll do you good.
More brands should try it, too.
Note: Here are two unfinished tracks from a never-released album we began recording in New York in 1968. They&rsquo;ve been transferred to digital from a 42-year old two-track stereo tape we found in my basement, so please pardon the odd &ldquo;wrinkle&rdquo; in sound quality.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>sfarago@jankelley.com (StewFarago)</author>
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<title>For Ronald McDonald House Hamilton were from MARS this week</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/for-ronald-mcdonald-house-hamilton-were-from-mars-this-week</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 30 Jan 2011 16:24:04 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you&rsquo;ve ever watched the Apprentice show on TV, you&rsquo;ll know that the program is pretty intense. Just looking at The Donald&rsquo;s hair week after week takes courage. The premise of this show is the basis for DeGroote School of Business, MARS Apprentice program that runs from January &ndash; March each year.
Two teams of top-performing full-time students are thrown into real-life case challenges for 6 weeks in a battle for ultimate supremacy. The winning team gets first dibs at real internships with the corporate sponsors &ndash; including JAN Kelley Marketing. We are long-time supporters of the program and two of our current best, Sinthu Jeyarajah and Amanda White came from the MARS program.
Each year we issue a client challenge to the teams. This year, it&rsquo;s all for a great cause. We&rsquo;ve been working with Ronald McDonald House of Hamilton for the past 9 months in the development and execution of their House Expansion campaign. Our challenge to the teams this year is to raise money for the House.
The JAN Kelley Boardroom event takes place at DeGroote this Tuesday night at which time the teams will present their strategies and tactics as well as the total amounts that they have raised for the House. If you&rsquo;re in the Hamilton area, come on out at 6pm for what should be an intense evening of presentations for the teams as they each try to win the first case challenge of the program.
Ultimately though, it&rsquo;s the House that will win in this challenge with additional funds raised by the MARS teams going towards the total goal of $5 million from the community. The funds will enable the House to expand its services to families who have sick children receiving treatment at McMaster Children&rsquo;s Hospital. These families come from all over the province &ndash; as far away as Owen Sound to the north and Niagara Falls to the east. And pretty much everywhere in between!
The House needs your support today to avoid having to turn families away during their greatest moments of need. Go to www.helpourhomegrow.ca today to donate.
Good luck to the 2011 MARS teams on Tuesday night and throughout the program! &nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>kkay@jankelley.com (KristaKay)</author>
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<title>JAN Kelley storms on to Male Modeling scene</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/jan-kelley-storms-on-to-male-modeling-scene</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:17:57 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A quick browse through the profiles of Canadian advertising agencies reveals a spectrum of aptitudes and capabilities. Some are specialized and some wear many hats. Noticeably missing is an agency that prides itself on their ability to nurture and develop Male Models.&nbsp;
Until now.&nbsp;
At JAN Kelley Marketing, we have embraced the global need for strong, charismatic and incredibly polished Male Models. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a commitment we&rsquo;ve made, essentially, to make the world a better place &ndash; and that has direct benefits to our clients&rdquo;, says Roger Gonsalves, Director of Male Model Development at the agency. Gonsalves along with those who work within the ever-expanding Male Model department are very excited to see their first project explode on to the world fashion scene.&nbsp;
During Ad Week 2011, JAN Kelley Marketing&rsquo;s own Andy Pritchard &ndash; Male Model will be making his runway debut at Ad Ball on January 27th in Toronto.&nbsp;
To see portions of &nbsp;Andy Pritchard &ndash; Male Model going through JAN Kelley&rsquo;s Male Model Development process, check out this video.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>Apple Security Loopholes Open Mac App Store to Piracy</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/apple-security-loopholes-open-mac-app-store-to-piracy</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 Jan 2011 09:54:40 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[A number of security loopholes in the applications listed on the Mac App Store allow users to download paid applications for free and repackage bootleg programs with malicious code.
Security oversights by Mac developers and Apple allow users to pirate or modify applications downloaded from the Mac App Store, several users reported on Jan. 6.
Less than 24 hours after Apple unveiled the&nbsp;Mac App Store for the Mac OS X, reports emerged on various user forums, including Pastebin and Daring Fireball, that some paid apps do not properly validate App Store receipts, making it easy to obtain those programs for free.
Users can copy the App Store receipt from any legitimate Mac App Store download&mdash;free or paid&mdash;and paste it to validate other paid applications, according to the posted instructions.
"This isn't true for all paid Mac App Store apps," wrote John Gruber of Daring Fireball, but only for those applications with which developers were lax about applying Apple's recommendations on validating store receipts. The app checks to ensure there is a valid receipt, but it doesn't check that the ID listed on the receipt belongs to the app.
Just how many developers and apps didn't implement receipt validation correctly is unclear at this time, but the popular Angry Birds game happens to be one of them.
The lack of proper receipt validation makes it easier for users to pirate Mac App Store applications, and it seems inevitable that they will become readily available. "Someone who claims to provide you with paid applications for free may not simply give you a free program, they may give you an unwanted infection," said Sophos security researcher&nbsp;Chester Wisniewski on the Naked Security&nbsp;blog.
While this means Apple and Mac App Store developers miss out on legitimate revenue because of piracy, what's more worrying is the fact that many validations appear to have been skipped, said Wisniewski. Other than receipt checking, some developers neglected to perform other checks that open their apps to the possibility of being modified, he said.
Wisniewski found that some applications could be modified to include other executables, tricking users into running something other than what they expected. In his video example, Wisniewski showed how easily he could swap out the Angry Birds executable with the Firefox code. From the user's standpoint, it looked like Angry Birds, and the OS thought it was running Angry Birds. But when executed, it opened up Firefox.
"It wouldn't surprise me to see a surge in markets for pirated applications that might just be booby-trapped to include unexpected surprises," Wisniewski said.
Every program in the Mac App Store is reviewed by Apple and must pass a series of tests before it is accepted in the store. Gruber said it is surprising that Apple hadn't tested for something as basic as receipt validation before approving the apps.
Apple said that there were more than 1 million downloads from the Mac App Store on its first day. It was not clear what the breakdown was for paid and free apps.
If that isn't enough to give Apple a headache, Gizmodo reports that a group known as&nbsp;Hackulous&nbsp;has developed a program called Kickback, which claims to break the protection on any Mac App Store application, but that it will not release it until next month. "We're not going to release Kickback until well after the store's been established, well after developers have gotten their applications up," the group's spokesperson, "Dissident," told Gizmodo.]]></description>
<author>dpaige@jankelley.com (DonovanPaige)</author>
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<title>Agency Pot Shots</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/agency-pot-shots</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:16:19 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Who doesn't like a snowball fight &ndash; especially when the other side has no snowballs? As our seasonal gift to you, we've created this "one sided" user experience because we also know there's been many a time when you've wanted to level someone here at the agency.
Attention clients, suppliers, industry partners and employees past, present and future: take heart, take aim and fire. We're going to make your Christmas, Hanukkah, Las Posadas, and Kwanzaa wishes come true!
www.jankelley.com/xmas]]></description>
<author>lridley@jankelley.com (LynnRidley)</author>
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<title>Amazon is moving VMWare into the Cloud</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/amazon-is-moving-vmware-into-the-cloud</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:14:41 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[
Amazon Web Services has announced a new feature called VM Import, which allows IT departments to move&nbsp;virtual machine images&nbsp;from their internal data centers to the cloud.&nbsp;The new feature can be used in a number of migration and disaster recovery scenarios, according to&nbsp;a blog post.&nbsp;VM Import can handle&nbsp;VMware&nbsp;VMDK (Virtual Machine&nbsp;Disk&nbsp;Format) images of Windows Server 2008 SP2.To import images, IT departments use Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) API tools to point to a virtual machine image in their existing environment. Next, they specify the amount of compute capacity they need and where they want to run the image in Amazon's cloud platform. VM Import will then automatically transfer the image file, migrate the image and create the instance in Amazon's cloud, Amazon said.For the move to work, the virtual machine must be in a stopped state before generating the VMDK image, according to&nbsp;an Amazon FAQ.&nbsp;The virtual machine can't be in a paused or suspended state. Also, encrypted disks and encrypted image files are not supported.The length of time to import a virtual machine depends on the size of the disk image and your network connection speed. For example, a 10GB image takes about two hours to import over a 10M-bps broadband connection.&nbsp;The conversion process is free of charge. But users have to pay for bandwidth for the upload as well as for storage and computing capacity, which are all charged at Amazon's usual rates.Amazon plans to make VM Import compatible with additional&nbsp;operating systems&nbsp;and&nbsp;virtualization&nbsp;platforms. Additional operating systems will include other versions of Windows and Linux. Other virtualization platforms include Microsoft's Hyper-V and Citrix's Xen Server.&nbsp;Amazon also plans to make VM Import available via a plugin for VMware's vSphere management console in the coming months. People who want to participate in a private beta of the vSphere console plugin should send an e-mail toec2-vm-import-plugin-preview@amazon.com.Companies that want to import Amazon EC2 Windows instances to their virtualized VMware environment can use the vCenter Converter tool, VMware said.
]]></description>
<author>dpaige@jankelley.com (DonovanPaige)</author>
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<title>Google  King of Paid Search  BingYahoo alliance  Viable Competitor Gaining Ground</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/google--king-of-paid-search--bingyahoo-alliance--viable-competitor-gaining-ground</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:53:21 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Although there are countless others that make up Pay-Per-Click or other models of paid search - it really comes down to three major players - Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
There is no doubt that Google is king of search, but you must consider your Yahoo and Bing options as well.&nbsp; The ultimate decision will rest on knowing your customers and prospects online behaviours &ndash; specifically as it relates to search.&nbsp; You may end up finding that when reviewing behavioural data that Bing or Yahoo score and perform higher than Google.
Having said that however, Google and their products &ndash; especially Google Ad Words may be a safe starting point from where you can establish a safety benchmark.&nbsp; After that it&rsquo;s up to your online goals and objectives.
Let&rsquo;s look at some quick facts&hellip;the following is based on three major players in the world of online research and analysis &ndash; comScore, Hitwise, and Neilsen/Netratings.&nbsp; The following takes a look at search engine rank by volume &ndash; all three research firms show similar numbers:
ComScore study

Google:&nbsp; 61.60%
Yahoo!:&nbsp; 20.40%
Microsoft (Bing):&nbsp; 9.10%
Ask:&nbsp; 4.30%

Hitwise study

Google:&nbsp; 67.30%
Yahoo!:&nbsp; 20.30%
Microsoft (Bing):&nbsp; 6.70% &nbsp;&nbsp;
Ask:&nbsp; 4.10%

Neilsen/Netratings study

Google:&nbsp; 62.0%
Yahoo!:&nbsp; 17.5%
Microsoft (Bing):&nbsp; 9.7%&nbsp;
Ask:&nbsp; 2.1%
AOL:&nbsp; 4.3%

In a recent 3rd quarter 2010 study of pay-per-click market share helps to put an exclamation point on their share of revenue in this space with an astounding 80.2% share which is a 7.9% increase from the same time last year.&nbsp;
Interesting to note however are the year-over-year spend growth by search engine.&nbsp;

Google:&nbsp; 7.9%
Yahoo:&nbsp; -10%&nbsp;
Bing:&nbsp; 21.0% &nbsp;&nbsp;

CNET offers some great additional insights &ndash; for additional insights please consider their full October 12, 2010 report:&nbsp; &ldquo;Bing-Yahoo set to shake up paid search&rdquo;
The Bing/Yahoo alliance rolled out in September 2010, and with it, a new player has emerged to battle it out on the paid search frontier.
Users of either Bing or Yahoo have steadily been providing suggested improvements to the User Interface of each marketing engine. &nbsp;Here are some of the benefits Pay-Per-Click clients can enjoy as result of the alliance:

Negative keyword expansion beyond 1026 characters
Negative keywords at ad group or campaign level
Campaign performance dashboards
Web import options of any format - Google, Yahoo, or MSN
Significant upgrades to the adCenter Desktop tool
Search network controls - can choose just owned &amp; operated properties, or search partners
Reporting upgrades, including removal of the 92-day time limit
Enhanced conversion tracking options, including revenue tracking

For additional information specific on each of the major search engine players and their paid search products take a look at their sites:

Google Ad Words
&nbsp;Bing Advertising + Yahoo! (SEARCH ALLIANCE):

or Bing and Yahoo individually&hellip;

BING
&nbsp;Yahoo! Advertising

It remains to be seen how much ground the Bing/Yahoo alliance can gain on Google.&nbsp; Rest assured though, if the early marketing results of the alliance continues Google will be losing some significant share in 2011 and beyond.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Privacy Practices  are you compliant</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/privacy-practices--are-you-compliant</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 Dec 2010 01:01:40 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[To some it&rsquo;s a grey area of compliance and understanding, to others - an afterthought, and some cases privacy, unfortunately never enters the conversation.
Perhaps the following words can shed some light on the subject from a Canadian perspective (The U.S. is another story &ndash; let&rsquo;s save that for another day).&nbsp; I will also introduce some new fines for non-compliance that have recently been instituted via Canadian legislation &ndash; you may be shocked at the extent penalties could run you.
First, let&rsquo;s start with some privacy basics.&nbsp; Let&rsquo;s take a look at Canada&rsquo;s privacy law&hellip;PIPEDA (Personal Identification Protection and Electronic Documents Act)

The right it gives to individuals:
Control what personal information is collected, how it is used, and to whom it is disclosed by and to others
Right to access and correct personal information
Right to complain if they believe any of their privacy or access rights have been violated
Follow rules to protect information
Be accountable and transparent
Obtain consent
This in turn, requires businesses to:

So that&rsquo;s the legal definition, fine, but how to put this into practice? &nbsp;Well, Canada Post offers some suggestions.&nbsp; Here are CP&rsquo;s 10 suggested principles for Fair Information Practice:

Be accountable for personal information in your       custody
Identify purpose
Obtain consent
Limit collection
Limit use, disclosure and retention
Accuracy
Appropriate security and safeguards
Openness
Provide individuals access to their data
Complaint-handling process 

&nbsp;
Well that&rsquo;s nice, but what does all that mean?&nbsp; More pointedly what does it mean to a marketer?&nbsp; Let me explain&hellip;

Consent is required 

Collection use and disclosure
Must be meaningful and upfront
Can come in various forms




Privacy vs. secondary issues 

Secondary uses water down consent &ndash; i.e.       sharing with partners and list rentals
Be upfront and transparent &ndash; do this before vs.       afterwards




Choose your partners wisely 

Outsourcing, data brokers
Your privacy practices are only as strong as       your partners &ndash; do you have confidence in your partners?&nbsp; Do you know their data protocols and       governance?




Strong data governance 

Security and privacy go hand-in-hand ensure you       take appropriate measures according to protect privacy.
Be mindful of the backend &ndash; act on consumer       profile information preferences and updates.
Invest in good consent and preference tools &ndash;       this will help you stay in your consumer good books and out of the       courtroom.



So with that background, let&rsquo;s get to some tactile specificity
&nbsp;
ANTI-SPAM (Email Communications &amp; Marketing)
Canada&rsquo;s formal legislation is titled:&nbsp; FISA (Fight Internet and Wireless Spam Act).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The intent of this act is to provide greater control to consumers, and greater requirements for businesses to transparent

Control:      

Consent for electronic commercial outreach,       malware installation checks, prevents address harvesting, and provides       greater enforcement and recourse for regulators.


Transparency:      

Requirements include &ndash; easy to execute opt-out,       clarity of the sender of communication, finally, clearly defined understandable       and visible content.


There are administrative rules which include      timelines for implementing an opt-out and also the definition of customer
FINES (Get ready for it&hellip;) Up to $1 Million for      individuals, and $10 Million for business! 

Remember ignorance of legislation is not a       viable defence in a court of law!&nbsp;



For more detailed information visit:
&nbsp;http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ecic-ceac.nsf/eng/h_gv00567.html

DO NOT CALL LIST
This has been primarily driven by privacy concerns&hellip;

Control:      

Calling hours
Stopping calls from enterprises with no prior       relationship &ndash; i.e. cold calls not acceptable
Automatic dialling devices or service &ndash; I bet       you&rsquo;re thinking of that cruise line that calls at least once every two       months


Transparency:      

Quite simple&hellip;where did you get my number       from? &nbsp;If I don&rsquo;t have a       relationship with you, or a past one within the last 12 months you are       not legally allowed to call if I register my number.&nbsp; There are some exceptions.


Example will be set&hellip;currently regulators are      waiting for a substantive complaint against one company, which they will      then prosecute to the extent of the law.&nbsp;      You know this will come, its happened so many times in the      past&hellip;file sharing users, file sharing companies, U.S.-based email      spammers, etc.

For more detailed information visit:
https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/index-eng
&nbsp;
MANDATORY BREACH NOTIFICATION
If a breach to the data you control or hold in trust occurs you are obligated to advise of the breach and take immediate corrective actions.&nbsp; A breach is defined as the loss, theft, or unauthorized disclosure of personal information.&nbsp;
The severity of a breach depends on:

The significant harm to the individual (i.e. is      there a potential for physical harm, defamation of character, extended      family impacts, are minors involved)
The number of individuals impacted
Sensitivity of the information&nbsp; (i.e. full loss of financial privacy      and security vs. simply the loss and privacy of a home number or address).

So, how can you avoid a breach? &nbsp;The best way is to be proactive and provide greater transparency to regulators, customers, and in some cases competitors to your company's privacy and security practices. &nbsp;They'll be sure to keep you honest with regards to infrastructure needs, and protocols and methodologies.
A breach could result in a negative brand impact and/or investigation and audit.&nbsp; Simply put&hellip;avoid a breach at all costs!
At this time, I&rsquo;ll leave privacy as it relates to behavioural advertising/interest-based marketing for another time &ndash; i.e. geo-location apps like FourSquare, Social Media Analytics/conversation monitoring tools.
So I ask you, when you take a look at your marketing efforts &ndash; are you compliant to privacy legislation?&nbsp; Make sure you are - it could be quite costly not to be.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>Hazed and Confused  Welcoming JAN Kelleys newest recruits</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/hazed-and-confused--welcoming-jan-kelleys-newest-recruits</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 Dec 2010 23:29:13 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[JAN Kelley Marketing's roster of talent is growing with the addition of three new recruits. The new faces walking our hallways are Andy Pritchard (Account Supervisor), Lyndsay McDonald (Account Executive) and Jillian Michaels (Account Coordinator). This gifted and upbeat account team didn't waste any time getting settled into their new digs &ndash; they have hit the ground running applying their talents to our largest account, Navistar, working on the truck division.
Not only do they bring experience working on notable brands such as Rogers Communications, Trojan, Arm &amp; Hammer, FujiFilm, Molson and Jack Daniels (just to name a few), this team fits in extremely well with our agency culture.
To ensure that we weren't fooled by their suberb performance&nbsp;during our recruitment process,&nbsp;we held an initiation ceremony filled with the usual umbrella whipping, keyboard smacking, slap-shots, and paddling. Our newbies and veterans battled it out. With only a few bumps and bruises, Andy, Lyndsay and Jillian made it through courageously. Now we can officially say they are part of our family. Check out the entertaining photos on our Facebook page.&nbsp;
http://www.facebook.com/pages/JAN-Kelley-Marketing/107368959336437]]></description>
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<author>kbenz@jankelley.com (KristaBenz)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>JAN Kelley launches Facebook Fan Page</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/jan-kelley-launches-facebook-fan-page</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 02 Dec 2010 10:35:14 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In what observers are calling &ldquo;a moderately remarkable feat&rdquo;, JAN Kelley Marketing has proudly launched a Facebook Fan Page. While &ldquo;launch&rdquo; may be a rather grandiose term, the plans for this page will, without a doubt, have you clicking that little &ldquo;like&rdquo; button with wanton enthusiasm. Besides, NASA actually launches vessels into outer space amid less fanfare.
So far, staffers are energized about the new online face of the agency. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t want to go as far as saying this could revolutionize how advertising and marketing agencies present themselves in the social media sphere,&rdquo; says Account Director, Krista Kay &ldquo;but, this could really revolutionize how advertising and marketing agencies present themselves in the social media sphere.&rdquo;
Whether Kay&rsquo;s assessment comes to fruition remains to be seen. Until then, JAN Kelley Marketing extends an invitation to you to join this fan page &ndash; and, of course, use that &lsquo;like&rsquo; button indiscriminately. &nbsp;
&nbsp;http://www.facebook.com/pages/JAN-Kelley-Marketing/107368959336437
&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>PURL Jam</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/purl-jam</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:37:05 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As I sit here listening to Pearl Jam &ndash; a band that led a generation of musical rock influence, I wonder whether PURLs will be viewed as a comparative equal in the context of breaking down barriers, and driving change? &nbsp;Will PURLs be seen as groundbreaking? &nbsp;A catalyst to drive marketers to form new norms when engaging their online community? &nbsp;I certainly think so.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Hail Hail&hellip;Eddie screams in the background and I bring myself to the task at hand, my attempt at describing the power of PURLs.&nbsp; Can we hail PURLs as the saviour of stale broadcast, one-to-many online web environments? &nbsp;Of course it is &ndash; if you don&rsquo;t agree, your competition will surely see you in their reviewmirror.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
So what are PURLs exactly? &nbsp;Simply put they are personalized URLs.&nbsp; Personal landing pages - sliced so thinly it is down to the individual consumer level.&nbsp; For example a URL may be:&nbsp; www.rlle.ca, and PURL may be www.chucknorris.rlle.ca.&nbsp; In the latter case the consumer's name helps to define the PURL.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
A potential sample tactical execution could be as simple as adding a PURL to your DM or Email campaign.&nbsp; In doing so you&rsquo;ll be able to:

Increase response rates
Customer-tailor interactive online efforts
Prompt consumers to provide additional profile      information to enrich your database &ndash; in a PURL they may be more likely to      do so since it&rsquo;s viewed as a one-to-one conversation vs. one-to many
Convert more prospects into customers, and then      through continued conversation bring them into your loyalty loop (stop      filling your leaky bucket &ndash; plug the holes you have!&nbsp; It will cost you far less).
Manage CRM efforts more effectively and      efficiently
Connect sales staff with qualified leads more      readily
Track and measure campaign responses in      real-time

&nbsp;
&nbsp;
If you truly become a student of PURL marketing &ndash; you too will be able to reach that elderly woman behind the counter in a small town.&nbsp; And if she fits the target consumer profile of someone who accounts for 80% of sales then that&rsquo;s just what you want isn&rsquo;t it?
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) offers some astounding figures:

PURLs can increase response rates by as much as      400%
Reduce your cost per lead by up to 50%

&nbsp;


While the rest of the marketing world trying to solicit your business is busy screaming &ndash; this is not for you, I feel alive because I know I am correct in my dissident toward the established paradigm of an online environment built for all.&nbsp; That my friend, is not for you, and I hope you&rsquo;ll soon be parting ways with that thinking.&nbsp; That thinking has no place in the future of online engagement and 2-way conversation.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
PURLs can act as the core connection string in your marketing campaign:

Email to PURL
Direct Mail to PURL
Pay-per-click to PURL (great offer and message      testing opportunity)
Corporate website to PURL (i.e. login)
Print ad to PURL (think subscription base)
Social media to PURL
Radio and TV to PURL (media delivered via online      channels &ndash; perhaps owned vs. paid or earned)

&nbsp;
Now, think of the engagement power of a variable print with the power of a PURL to continue the discussion from offline to online. &nbsp;In a B2B environment take it one step further...provide your dealers or franchisees with a variable print collateral on demand tool that generates PURLs on individually addressed mail pieces. &nbsp;Distribute those for them, then generate PURLs for each individual customer that was mailed to. &nbsp;Finally provide your dealers and franchisees the ability to custom tailor offers and messages to each of their intended targets.
&nbsp;
Fantasy?...no, a reality here at JKM.
&nbsp;
The next time you come by my office don&rsquo;t be surprised if you see my marketing wishlist with PURLs ranking near the top.&nbsp; And if you spend that extra moment to stop and say "hi", you&rsquo;ll see a man who&rsquo;s passionate about what he does, passionate about the clients he serves and someone who once worked with clients who didn&rsquo;t demand that PURLs be part of their Marketing Communications plan&hellip;.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
You may also ask yourself&hellip;what&rsquo;s with his corduroy pants?]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>TAG  Youre it</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/tag--youre-it</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 20 Nov 2010 22:05:48 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[How well do you know your 2D bar codes? &nbsp;Do you know what a JagTag is? &nbsp;
&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;ve just broken out into a cold sweat because you&rsquo;re not sure here&rsquo;s a quick and easy read.&nbsp; Mind you this is the surface&hellip;I&rsquo;ll let you scratch further (or stay tuned for future blogs for more in-depth review of this Japanese-invented 90s technology.
&nbsp;
So, let&rsquo;s take a quick look at the different types of codes available today &ndash; here&rsquo;s a quick look at the most prevalent options available to you
&nbsp;

QR      code 

Marketing       Benefit:     

Campaign        metrics can be measured by traffic to a QR code-directed URL, then        followed through with web analytical tools &ndash; such as Google Analytics


Generator:&nbsp; http://qrcode.kaywa.com/



&nbsp;

Datamatrix      code 

Marketing       Benefit:     

Similar        benefit to QR codes, URL traffic monitoring


Generator:&nbsp; http://generator.beetagg.com/



&nbsp;

Microsoft      Tag (Proprietary technology)     

Marketing       Benefit:&nbsp;      

Can        be published in colour formats, B&amp;W, and custom designs allowing for        more visual impact and unique creativity
Provides        an interface for managing tags and tracking consumer activity


Generator:&nbsp; http://tag.microsoft.com/create-your-own-tag.aspx (Click on Tag Manager)



&nbsp;

Bee      Tag (Proprietary technology)     

Marketing       Benefit:      

Ability        to imbed your logo!
Also        provides an interface for managing tags and tracking consumer activity


Generator:&nbsp; http://generator.beetagg.com/



&nbsp;

ScanLife 

Marketing       Benefit:     

Free        service up to 1000 created codes (that should be enough for a while)


Generator:&nbsp; http://www.scanlife.com/us/services.html



&nbsp;

JagTag 

Marketing       Benefit:     

Is        the ONLY 2D code that does not require a reader &ndash; this means that        feature phone with camera functionality can enjoy the use of this        technology


Generator:&nbsp; http://www.jagtag.com/




Aztec Code
 Marketing Benefit:
 Well suited for cell phones and mobile devices
 Robust according to several printer technologies
 Generator: &nbsp;http://www.barcode-generator.org/

 
You get the point...I won't get into other 2D bar codes like Aztec Runes, Maxicode, or PDF417. &nbsp;And I'm certainly not going to get into the countless 1-D bar codes like Code 16K, Code39, Code128, Codabar, EAN, Planet, Channel Code, or MSI Plessey...no, I won't go there :)
&nbsp;
So that&rsquo;s a quick look at the technology that&rsquo;s available &ndash; but what about a quick look at how you can use the technology, and things to watch out for?&nbsp; No problem&hellip;
&nbsp;
What 2D bar codes are capable of:

Display      text
Initiate      email dialogue &ndash; even to the point of pre-populating a partial response
Initiate      SMS dialogue
Initiate      a web browser session
Initiate      audio stream &ndash; streaming or download
Initiate      video stream &ndash; again streaming or download

&nbsp;
Things you&rsquo;ll want to keep in mind:

Make      sure the code leads to a mobi site not a regular website.&nbsp; The consumer will be viewing this on      their mobile device
Keep      the URL short &ndash; the code is simpler and more likely to be read easily and      without error
Of      course provide something worth while for the consumer &ndash; more than just      repeating what was in the original message that was seen and prompted the      interaction
Avoid      being &ldquo;too creative&rdquo; with the code or tag image &ndash; the tag needs to remain      identifiable by the consumer

&nbsp;
So the next time you&rsquo;re working on a poster, a floor decal, a transit shelter, a bus wrap, consumer packaged goods, billboards, well&hellip;you get the idea&hellip;
&nbsp;
Before you go 2D bar crazy, make sure you know your intended audience well enough to understand phone type penetration (i.e. Smart phone vs. Feature phone), understand what phone carrier they are likely with and how that could impact your targeting.&nbsp; After that, I say have at it!
&nbsp;
KEEP 2D BAR CODES IN MIND &ndash; they are an invaluable FREE technology! &nbsp;QR codes can make an impact in even the smallest "conversations" you are having with their customers and prospects - take your business card for example. &nbsp;One of JAN Kelley's resident Social Media experts asked the question "what about QR codes on business cards?". &nbsp;What a brilliant idea! &nbsp;Think of the possibilities - each business card could link to specific online content to continue to the conversation you likely just had with a customer or prospect. &nbsp;In the case of JAN Kelley the idea will be to have QR codes link to individual blog pages.
 Well, I think now that you&rsquo;ve read this you&rsquo;re officially &ldquo;IT&rdquo;&hellip;no tag-backs.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<item>
<title>Social Media Outside of the Mainstream</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/social-media-outside-of-the-mainstream</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Nov 2010 09:04:39 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When you think of the types of organizations using social media technologies, most people would automatically think of fashion retailers, restaurants, or big corporate brands / manufacturers.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s actually quite exciting to see other industries starting to embrace social media in their marketing tactics. Clearly, any company who needs to connect with their customers should consider social media as part of their communications mix.
An interesting example came to my attention in the April 2010 edition of Bodyshop magazine. The article titled &ldquo;Social Settings&rdquo; by J.D. Ney talks about the &ldquo;newfangled&rdquo; world of social media and provides a case study for bodyshops and collision repair facilities to model themselves after.
To differentiate themselves in a competitive market, many collision repair turn to traditional media choices like flyers, radio and direct mail to message their customers. For others, the time is ripe to put some effort into non-traditional media. With a changing consumer demographic, focusing only on baby boomers (their current customer base) will not promote future sales growth.
According to Chris Sheehy, president of Autobody Consulting Group in Rhode Island, &ldquo;That younger age bracket relies heavily on word of mouth, and more importantly, the kind of referrals and testimonials you get with social media. They simply won't believe something that comes from a company website. They believe and interpret what others are saying about it. So, they're very dependent on the Internet to get this information. If they can't find you there, or find out what people are saying about you there, then they're not going to get to know you.&rdquo;
A social media usage poll done on bodyshopbiz.com indicated that less than half of respondents had any kind of social media strategy at all. &nbsp;Early adopters, like South Barrie Collision, the case study presented in the article, highlights the opportunities social media can open up for early adopters of this communications strategy.
The South Barrie Collision story underscores three key points:

Monitor your audience: Periodically review who is actually following and responding to your Tweets or Facebook updates. It&rsquo;s not about how many people you reach, but WHO you reach which is more important. Identifying a small group of highly engaged and energized potential customers is more rewarding than hundreds of somewhat interested followers. South Barrie Collision first focused on the end customer, but then recognized their followers were more in the insurance business and changed their communications accordingly to maintain visibility with insurance brokers too.
Test &ndash; learn &ndash; adjust: As with any marketing campaign, you need to start with a solid strategy. But you also need to be flexible and adjust your strategy as needed. South Barrie Collision constantly adjusts their message to not only focus on their shop &ndash; they provide advice, tips, news, fun &ldquo;stuff&rdquo; in order to maintain engagement with their audience
Social media requires commitment: Do you want to create a short term interaction or are you committed to work towards a long term relationship with your customers? As the Sheehy points out "I search around and see a lot of bodyshops who have a presence in this space, but I see an awful lot of one-liners&hellip;&rdquo; Social media requires constant attention; otherwise, long-term benefits will never be realized.

Social media is not only for the retailers, restaurants, and big corporate brands in the world. It can work for any company who wants to seriously engage with their customers and build strong relationships. From commercial truck dealers, independent automotive or truck repair facilities, to tow truck operators or vehicle rental shops &ndash; develop a social media strategy that works for your business and follow through. It&rsquo;s time to get the conversation started.]]></description>
<author>kmcwatt@jankelley.com (KimMcWatt)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>Polite gesture averts Agency punchup</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/polite-gesture-averts-agency-punchup</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:23:29 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Any anthropological study of the human condition will show that conflict is simply a part of life. And when close proximities combine with a high-stress working environment, the potential for friction is near-imminent.
Such was the case Monday morning as agency Art Director, Mike  Bzowski, exited the kitchen with a hot cup of coffee. Unexpectedly appearing from the opposite direction was Roger Gonsalves &ndash; head of the JAN Kelley studio and known agitator. Gonsalves nearly collided with Bzowski, which surely would&rsquo;ve sparked a ferocious fist fight, likely causing thousands of dollars in damage and untold injuries. However, mere moments before emotions boiled over, Gonsalves offered a simple, &ldquo;Oh, sorry about that&rdquo;, and all was averted.
&ldquo;Sometimes, given the pace of our jobs and how much running around we do, that sort of thing can happen&rdquo;, offered Gonsalves. When asked if he was worried about things escalating into a physical confrontation, he dismissed the notion as &ldquo;completely absurd&rdquo;.
Onlooker Geoff  Redwood was less impressed with the peaceful demeanor of his agency coworkers; &ldquo;Actually, I was kind of hoping something was going to happen there.&rdquo;]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>Wow has it been that long</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/wow-has-it-been-that-long</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 14 Nov 2010 14:59:30 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Yeah, thanks I have been working out &ndash; a lot.
Have you ever noticed how awkward it can be trying to start up a conversation with someone that you haven't spoken to in years? In fact the less frequent that you speak to them the more difficult it becomes and then you simply avoid them all together.
Well if you look at the date of my last post, you can understand why I have been avoiding this conversation.
Building a relationship with clients is the same in this regard, but with gas prices rising (thanks HST), you can't always afford to jump in your car and go visit. So, what can you do?
Blast off a nice, personal email.
Don't do one of those plain vanilla emails that you CC every one of your friends with &ndash; hey everyone I'm doing swell, I hope you are. Take the time to personalize the message and add in some nuggets that only you and they share in common, something that let's them know that you remember them.
Email marketing has come a long way in the last ten years. Most email campaign tools will allow you to do a ton of sophisticated personalization right out of the box. And email is still a very effective means of communication.
Here are some of the advantages of email marketing according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email_marketing):

An      exact return on investment can be tracked ("track to basket")      and has proven to be high when done properly.
E-mail marketing is often      reported as second only to search marketing as the most effective online      marketing tactic.
Advertisers      can reach substantial numbers of e-mail subscribers who have opted in      (i.e., consented) to receive e-mail communications on subjects of interest      to them.
Over      half of Internet users check or send e-mail on a typical day.
E-mail      is popular with digital marketers, rising an estimated 15% in 2009 to      &pound;292m in the UK.
E-mail      allows marketers to reach out to consumers with personalized, relevant,      dynamic messages.
Transactional      e-mails allow businesses to respond automatically to important consumer      events like purchases or shop-cart abandonment.

Make sure that your friends can find you, and heck maybe they'll just drop by. I am not talking about posting up one of those garage-sale-type signs; I'm talking about search engine marketing.
There are three components for search engine marketing that you should keep in mind:

Google      Places &ndash; an extremely effective local search tool.
Natural      Search &ndash; both on-page optimization and off-page optimization (link      building).
AdWords      &ndash; beefing up your campaign with some well placed and well targeted keyword      purchases.

Done right, search engine marketing can be extremely effective and affordable. When your marketing budget gets slashed you better make sure that you remember to keep this humming. It is an effective and track-able ROI vehicle.
If you really need to make amends, try jewelry, like a fancy PURL. PURL stands for persistent uniform resource locator &ndash; that's a mouthful for what I like to call a personal URL, or website.
I often use these in conjunction with a personalized email campaign. You set up a micro-site that is personalized for the recipient and you promote the site with their name in the address, such as www.yoursite.com/RichardClifford. Then you customize the content of the page for that recipient. Its one-on-one marketing - highly targeted.
You don't have to rely solely on email to promote a PURL site. QR codes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code) can be an effective way of getting visitors to their PURL. QR codes work like a barcode for your smart phone, download a QR code reader and then use your smart phone camera to activate the QR code (take a photo of it). The QR code provides your smart phone with the location of the PURL and takes the smart phone right to it, without any typing.
Well, I have done my bit to save our relationship, now it's your turn, send me a note and let me know how you are doing already!  ;-)&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>rclifford@jankelley.com (RichardClifford)</author>
</item>
<item>
<title>A Passenger Charter for GO Transit</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/a-passenger-charter-for-go-transit</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Nov 2010 22:20:07 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[GO Transit has launched its first-ever Passenger Charter, a set of five commitments to be on time, to be safe, to keep customers informed, to make them comfortable and to be helpful.&nbsp; GO has publicly declared their focus and desire to transform themselves from a railroad and bus company to a customer-first organization - and JAN Kelley helped drive the process.
&nbsp;
We started by working with GO Transit &lsquo;s customer service group to write the Passenger Charter in alignment with their Key Performance Indicators. Once the Charter was established it needed to be rolled out internally and shared with all employees. We worked with GO to ensure the promises outlined were relevant and embraced by each and every employee. Many discussions and presentations took place resulting in a set of five promises everyone could commit to and believe in.
&nbsp;
JAN Kelley then worked with GO Transit to develop the communication tools used to launch the Passenger Charter to their customers. This took the form of print advertisements in local newspapers and posters in stations and on trains. However the one communication piece instumental in expressing this commitment in personal terms was our Passenger Charter video. http://www.gotransit.com/publicroot/en/passenger_charter_video.aspx
&nbsp;
The video features six employees, each sharing personal stories reflective of their commitment to their customers. This approach provides a genuine tone and manner and a true representation of a new customer-first organization. Each and every story is compelling and positive.
&nbsp;
These employees are also featured online at www.gotransit.com as each promise is further detailed with an opportunity for customers to provide feedback.&nbsp; Mary Proc, GO&rsquo;s Vice President of Customer Service shared a story when interviewed on Metro Morning about a bus driver who took care of hundreds of teens stranded after a rock concert with no way to get home.&nbsp;
http://www.cbc.ca/metromorning/2010/11/well-do-our-best.html. This example among others, depicts the commitment and pride employees take in servicing their customers.
&nbsp;
We were thrilled to be a part of this initiative with GO Transit.&nbsp; Working with them to develop and facilitate such an important transformation as an organization was truly inspiring.
&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>tgarcia@jankelley.com (TanyaGarcia)</author>
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<title>Five reasons you may want to think twice before adding that Facebook friend</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/five-reason-you-may-want-to-think-twice-before-adding-that-facebook-friend</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:49:30 -0500</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Admittedly I am a Facebook junkie.&nbsp; I am not quite the addict that some are, and you will never get a status update about how long I brushed my teeth this morning, but I did dress up at Halloween as my own Facebook page!
A number of opportunities to add friends recently has helped me create a set of mental guidelines to help me determine whether or not to add someone as a "new friend."&nbsp; Here are the words of wisdom that I now live by when it comes to adding someone to my Facebook list.&nbsp; Remember these are guidelines, there can be exceptions to the rule, but you will need to be careful how you apply them.
1.&nbsp; Is this person an "ex"?&nbsp; Adding an ex-girlfriend (or boyfriend) as a Facebook friend is never a marriage enrichment exercise.&nbsp; Do you really want your current partner to be asking you questions about your past romances?&nbsp; This can open up a real can of worms.
2.&nbsp; Is this person under the age of 18?&nbsp; Especially important if that person is of the opposite sex.&nbsp; The older you are, the more important this rule.&nbsp; Would you want some 45 year old male chatting online with your daughter without your knowledge?&nbsp; Then you need to inforce that rule for yourself.&nbsp; This is a sobering point, but in this day and age we really need to "avoid the appearance of evil," especially when it comes to our on-line communications.
3.&nbsp; Is this person a co-worker, work supervisor, or direct report?&nbsp;&nbsp; This is a bit of a grey area but one that you need to think long and hard about.&nbsp; Do you want your co-workers to be informed about your out of work activities?&nbsp; Do you want your Boss on Monday morning to be quizzing you about your party that went into the early hours of the morning?&nbsp; Here is a good rule of thumb.&nbsp; If you do a social activity outside of work with a co-worker, then feel free to invite them as a facebook friend.&nbsp; For all others consider using LinkedIn as a professional business substitute.&nbsp; It is quite easy to say "Thanks for the invite, but I prefer to stay connected with co-workers through LinkedIn."&nbsp; Other people I know handle this by creating two Facebook personas, one for home and one for work.&nbsp; It is an interesting idea but I think that it would needlessly complicate my life having to keep track of two Facebook accounts.
4.&nbsp; Is this person a needy person or someone who is going to make unreasonable demands on your time?&nbsp; One person, who I barely knew, initiated chat sessions every time that I signed on to Facebook.&nbsp; This person could not take subtle hints, or eventually even direct statements that I did not want to chat with them every day.&nbsp; Eventually I had to "un-friend" them from my Facebook account.
5.&nbsp; Have you had face-to-face contact with the person making the friend request?&nbsp; Often I will get friend requests from people I have played on-line games with.&nbsp; The fact is, other than our on-line interactions during a game, I have never met them, and I have really no idea if they are who they say they are.&nbsp; Remember that when you agree to be someone's "friend" you are opening up a world of personal information to them.&nbsp; Do you want a relative stranger to know your full name, home town, employer's name, birthday, or the names of your kids.
Finally, don't forget to lock down your Facebook settings.&nbsp; Have someone who is not a Facebook friend go to your site, and report back what they can find out about you.&nbsp; You do not want to be a victim of identity theft.
Interacting with your friends on Facebook can be an enjoyable experience.&nbsp; Following these simple guidelines will help you enjoy your social networking for some time to come.
Do you have other rules that you follow when accepting friends?&nbsp; I would love to get your comments.]]></description>
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<author>mbell@jankelley.com (MikeBell)</author>
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<title>Wikia  THE Wiki Destination</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/wikia--the-wiki-destination</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:19:05 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I heard Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikipedia, speak yesterday at the CMA&rsquo;s annual Digital Day.&nbsp; Unless you&rsquo;ve been living under a rock, you know that WIKIPEDIA - an essential summary of knowledge &ndash; is the ultimate in consumer generated media. Wikipedia is completely not-for-profit and all of the content is managed by volunteers. Wikipedia receives 402 million unique visits per month, is offered in 207 languages. The content is rich, deep and accurate.&nbsp; It has become part of the world&rsquo;s information infrastructure &ndash; to the point where kids today don&rsquo;t even really know what encyclopedias are!
Jimmy Wales is now actively promoting a for-profit (ad-supported) initiative called WIKIA &ndash; a platform to create collaborative, wiki-based communities.&nbsp; Established in 2004, WIKIA is meant to be a place where people connect and communicate on topics they love. The platform enables you to get your own free website/community in less than a minute.&nbsp; It allows people to go deep into any subject users want. For example, the Muppet Wiki: contains over 22,000 articles and an entry for every single episode of Sesame   Street that ever aired. There are 44,000 pages on the Yu-Gi-Oh Wiki and over 80,000 articles on Wookieepedia &ndash; the Stars Wars Wiki.
Wales positions WIKIA as the &ldquo;the ultimate destination for fans and brand evangelism&rdquo; as they control the quality of the content and ultimately the &ldquo;superfans&rdquo; take control of the site and manage the brand image. I looked up WIKIA wikis for BMW and Mercedes Benz and there is little to no activity which leads me to conclude that it is not &ldquo;the WIKI destination&rdquo; yet.&nbsp;
The big question is will WIKIA gain the same kind of traction and consumer adoption that Wikipedia gained over many years?&nbsp; Will WIKIA become a dominant enough destination to move people over from where they are currently holding these conversations?&nbsp;
In my opinion, the jury is still out.&nbsp; What do you think?]]></description>
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<author>cbroten@jankelley.com (ChantelBroten)</author>
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<title>The Age Of Imagination</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-age-of-imagination</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 31 Oct 2010 17:09:09 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In 1969 they sang, &ldquo;It is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius&rdquo;, and while many are still debating whether this age has yet to arrive, there can be no doubt that this time period marked the dawning of a new age. Technology ushered in the Information Age and a mere forty years later, I bet no one is complaining about the lack of information available. In fact, today most of us suffer from information overload. That&rsquo;s because technology has also given us the tools to not only access a world of information but also to share our discoveries with the entire world. One could argue that the Information Age has given way to the Communication Age as we tweet, blog, post and update our status 24/7. Never before have we been able to connect with so many in so many different ways.
But what makes information or communication meaningful?
This is where imagination comes into play. Without it, information is simply data and communication is mostly noise &ndash; with the loudest shouting for our attention. Those who manage to simplify the complex, create relationships where none seem to exist and make connections to bigger ideas will lead us into the Age of Imagination.
Some great examples from David McCandless in his book &ldquo;The Visual Miscellaneum&rdquo;]]></description>
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<author>lridley@jankelley.com (LynnRidley)</author>
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<title>Good Branding or Innate Human Tendencies</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/good-branding-or-innate-human-tendencies</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:35:25 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Apple and the Apple logo are within the world&rsquo;s top 10 most recognizable trademarks/ brands. To have such recognition Apple has gained the support of a loyal fan following, I would go as far to call them fanatics. However, we need to ask ourselves the question: Is this because of Steve Jobs (and our love of black turtlenecks) or is another factor at play here? &nbsp;
For those of you who chose the charismatic black turtle neck, sorry try again next time! Although having a great visionary leader is advantageous for any business, it is not a necessity in garnering a&nbsp;fanatic&nbsp;base. Surprisingly enough, human nature is what gives Apple the upper hand.
40 years ago, psychologist Henri Tajfel wondered why normal people could commit genocide. He developed an experiment that meant separating the participants into groups after performing arbitrary tasks.&nbsp;These people quickly developed loyalty to their group with very little reason to. Those involved in the experiment became emotionally invested into these newly formed groups and began to ridicule those in the other group. These findings meant with the most trivial distinctions, loyalties could be created within groups of people. Tajfel&rsquo;s experiment led to the theory of social identity which states people have&nbsp;an inherent tendency to categorize themselves into groups.
( http://www.age-of-the sage.org/psychology/social/intergroup_discrimination_tajfel.html)
Now that we&rsquo;ve got the sociology lesson out of the way we can go back to marketing!
So what does all this mean? Does Apple have this fanatical following because they have positioned their ads to trigger this innate sense of loyalty, the need to become part of this elite group? The Apple ads you see mention little product information and focus on the differentiation in the characters. This suggests, the dislike of all PC products by Apple users is an inherent tendency when the sociological theory is applied. It really makes you wonder if we all knew this information earlier, how loyal would our consumer be to our brand? And if every marketer had this knowledge tucked away in their brain somewhere, would the advertising age we live in now still remain the same? Would every person choose the group with which they relate most or least? Would brand loyalty even exist anymore?
Others have tried and others have failed because they aim to compare brands (eg. Friends don&rsquo;t let friends buy Chevy, Pepsi Generation), not people. Mac continues to see success because they pit &ldquo;nerds&rdquo; against &ldquo;cool people&rdquo;. Society has seen these groups again and again throughout our socialization and a clear distinction has been made. This approach by Apple was first noted in 1984 and has remained the same to do this day. Thus creation of the fanatical base we see today for all Apple products. Can you think of any other brand that has done this kind of comparison and seen success?
Now, Apple is an innovative company but this sort of branding seems to leave the competitors weeping in their wake.&nbsp; They are consistently ahead of the pack when it comes to new product launches and they seem to stump RIM when it comes time to upgrade the iPhone. Does any of this come into play when one is choosing which brand to become loyal to? Sociologists might disagree with me but I believe it does, even though it may be the &ldquo;arbitrary task&rdquo; people are sent out to do, it has to count for something. Apple solidifies its position in the market by launching new and innovative products and services before anyone else does; iPad, iPhone, iTouch, iAd and the list goes on. Although sociological theory is made to guide research, I don&rsquo;t believe that the social identity theory is the only factor at play here. All in all, Apple pits these groups against one another, and has the products to back up the success they have been seeing. &nbsp;
The thought I&rsquo;m left pondering: Is Apple&rsquo;s person comparison coincidence or was this sociological info something they knew all along? Also, I think I want a MacBook&hellip;
http://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/us-vs-them.htm?utm_source=feedblitz&amp;utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&amp;utm_campaign=neuromarketing]]></description>
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<author>awhite@jankelley.com (AmandaWhite)</author>
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<title>The Power of One</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-power-of-one</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 22 Oct 2010 17:42:34 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you are a parent, you know the old African proverb &ldquo;It takes a village to raise a child&rdquo;. You know that to raise a happy, healthy and hopeful child, it takes a family, friends, teachers, neighbours, clergy - it takes a village.&nbsp; You probably also recognize that this is more true than ever in today&rsquo;s fast paced, ever changing environment. &nbsp;
But what if there is no village? What if for a variety of circumstances a child doesn&rsquo;t have the support system needed to nurture and help them thrive?&nbsp; Wednesday night, I was reminded of a concept contrary to &lsquo;it takes a village&rdquo;.&nbsp;
The Power of One.&nbsp; I was lucky enough to attend a reception at Queen&rsquo;s Park being held in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters.&nbsp; Big Brothers Big Sisters understands the power of one &ndash; the difference that one person can make in the life of another. &nbsp;And in turn the difference that he or she can make in their community and in society. &nbsp;For 96 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been facilitating life-changing relationships that inspire and empower children and youth to reach their potential, both as individuals and citizens. &nbsp;
Lady Bird Johnson is quoted as saying &ldquo;Children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.&rdquo;&nbsp; Often a child lives up to their full potential simply because one person says &ldquo;I care about you&rdquo; and &ldquo;I believe in you&rdquo;.&nbsp; Whether it be through One-to-One Mentoring, In-school Mentoring, Go Girls or Game-on, Big Brother Big Sister programs are all about believing in a child and helping them believe in themselves.
Premier McGuinty, Minister Broten and Minister Matthews came out in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters and the important and work it does.&nbsp; They understand that seemingly simple acts of caring towards a child will ultimately lead to poverty reduction, stronger communities and large scale societal change.
It was an honour to participate in the evening and to be part of such meaningful work.&nbsp; I believe in the Power of One. Do you?]]></description>
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<author>cbroten@jankelley.com (ChantelBroten)</author>
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<title>Time to Bring in the Experts</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/time-to-bring-in-the-experts</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:15:20 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[At JAN Kelley, we&rsquo;ve learned that there&rsquo;s always so much more to learn. Even though we&rsquo;ve been working very closely with dealer, franchise and sales networks for more than 20 years now, our work requires us to get to the next level of thinking, capability and marketing know-how. And there&rsquo;s always another level.
We believe we&rsquo;ve earned the right to say that we have specialized knowledge in marketing to and through dealer, franchise and sales networks. We have helped home offices establish dealer and franchisee advisory councils; we&rsquo;ve taken&nbsp;the lead role in recommending and establishing new and exciting financial models. We&rsquo;ve attended countless meetings designed to help establish and shape integrated national and local marketing campaigns. We even developed a web-based application that gives dealers and franchisees the freedom to customize nationally branded marketing materials to suit their local market needs. By today&rsquo;s standards, the 90&rsquo;s version of our first iteration of that platform was a bit clunky, but today&rsquo;s version is extremely easy and very fast to use. It works because we&rsquo;re not a software company trying to sell our latest technology into a business environment we don&rsquo;t understand; we&rsquo;re a marketing company working closely enough with dealer and franchise based organizations to understand exactly what the software has to do.
But getting to the next level begins with thinking at a higher level.
That&rsquo;s why I invited a panel of experts together to share common experiences, challenges and opportunities associated with networked environments.
The panel consists of Wade Bryanton, a multi-unit Apple Auto Glass Franchisee from PEI; Ron Baugh, Senior Vice President of Wendy's Restaurants of Canada; Duncan Reith, Senior Vice President, Merchandising for Canadian Tire; Glen Steeves, a multi-unit McDonald&rsquo;s franchisee and former Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for McDonald&rsquo;s Restaurants; and Christian Collucci COO of Instant Imprints, a relatively young and growing North American franchise network. To round out the panel, I also invited Professor Mandeep Malik, an innovative and highly respected Professor within the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University.&nbsp; As a long time instructor within the MBA program at DeGroote, I have been impressed with Professor Malik&rsquo;s inventive approach to business problem solving.
The goal of our expert panel is to share experiences and information, to pursue common areas of interest and to identify areas of need and opportunity for innovation. Marketers selling to, through and from within dealer and franchise networks within Canada generate more than $90 billion in annual revenue, and represent 10% of our GDP.&nbsp; We should have lots to talk about &hellip;. Stay tuned!]]></description>
<author>jletwin@jankelley.com (JimLetwin)</author>
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<title>India Rising</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/india-rising</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:05:03 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I recently attended the Canada-India Business Council's 7th Annual Diwali Gala dinner and came away both impressed and amazed.
Diwali (pronounced de-voll-ee) is a "Festival of Lights" and celebrates the triumph of good over evil. It is about hope. As I understand it, the most important day of the Festival is actually November 5th, but the Canada-India Business Council launched the celebration early given the schedule of keynote speaker Ms. Chanda Kochhar, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of ICICI Bank. I attended the event as a guest of our client, USC Educational Savings Plans Inc.
I was impressed with the people I met and heard speak at this prestigious event. Mesaages from the podium were delivered with passion - not from carefully crafted words read from a piece of paper or a teleprompter, but from the heart.
I was amazed with what was said - facts about the Indian economy and population and the opportunities that were now being realized. John Stackhouse, Editor in Chief of the Globe &amp; Mail, spoke directly and personally about the time he had spent in India and the great progress that he had witnessed, even if he had to wait 5 years just to get a land line.
Ms. Chanda Kochar acknowledged the challenges that India will continue to face as it works to build its economy but presented compelling facts regarding India's tremendous potential. Ms. Kachar spoke of the "demographic dividend" that India will deliver, given that 400 million people there are under the age of 18. She pointed out that this very young population represents a ratio of working to dependent people which will be much stronger than any other country in the world, especially China. She also reported trends on Canadian investment in India which were most encouraging - a reflection of the business community's belief in the value and sustainablity of the projects now underway.
Navistar Inc., a long-time client of JAN Kelley has recognized India's great potential through its partnership with Mahindra, having opened two major truck &amp; bus&nbsp;dealer locations&nbsp;(Hyderabad and Bangalore). The plan is to open 100 dealerships, thereby enhancing India's growing ability to deliver reliable and fuel efficient vehicles "made for India, made in India".
India is indeed rising!
&nbsp;
&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>jletwin@jankelley.com (JimLetwin)</author>
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<title>Social Media and B2B</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/time-to-bring-in-the-to--through-experts</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:40:28 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I recently joined Paul Gillin and Manish Mehta, Vice President, Global Online for Dell Online in a webinar panel discussion of the role of Social Media in B2B. Here are some of the points that I covered during that very interesting and lively panel discussion.
Business to business marketing has always been about relationships. These have traditionally been created, built and sustained through face to face contact via personal selling, with secondary support from inside sales, trade shows, direct mail and advertising.
But technology has been a significant disruptive force within that traditional relationship building model, resulting in &ldquo;disintermediation&rdquo;. The dictionary says that disintermediation is the elimination of an intermediary in the transaction between two parties. In our case, can anyone guess who the intermediary is? If you were thinking the sales force, it is exactly that. The difference in our case is that they aren&rsquo;t being eliminated, but their influence and effectiveness is being reduced, and in some cases, quite severely. Because the average B2B buyer spends much more time researching and comparing than actually &ldquo;buying&rdquo;, the window to customer behaviour may be more visible through the computer screen than the car windshield.
That&rsquo;s because a lot of the information that used to be shared only in face-to-face sales meetings through carefully crafted spec sheets and sales presentations is now readily available on line. A good amount of the networking that used to happen only at trade shows and industry events has also moved on-line. So as Chris Woods of Eloqua has stated, the body language that current and potential buyers demonstrated during those frequent sales pitches, has become less visible to the sales force. This means that physical body language, once observed and interpreted by the sales force, must now be increasingly observed and interpreted on line by the marketing department. This is a real opportunity for B2B marketers, but because it&rsquo;s relatively new it can also be challenging.
The first opportunity is to listen to find out where your buyers and potential buyers are spending time on line. Who&rsquo;s blogging? Who&rsquo;s asking questions? What questions? What are the sources of complaint and unhappiness in service and product performance? What is being said about you and your products? What is this basis for the commentary?
There are many social media monitoring tools available for this type of listening activity, some of which are completely free or have a free trial period. As you gain an understanding of what is being said and by whom, you can begin commenting on and participating in the conversations. An easy point of entry is via LinkedIn answers. You can search past questions and answers, you can post questions and of course, you can provide answers.
A question posted on LinkedIn Answers asked for recommendations on analytical tools for getting to know customers.
Interestingly, the best answer recommended visiting chat rooms, to begin blogging and to provide relevant content as opposed to sales messages. This will provide valuable feedback and commentary, revealing buyer mind states, attitudes and needs.
Here is a link that you may find valuable &ndash; vital statistics for every B2B marketer.
&nbsp;http://ht.ly/1WG3j.]]></description>
<author>jletwin@jankelley.com (JimLetwin)</author>
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<title>The Agency Stairs Smalltalk rising</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-agency-stairs-smalltalk-rising</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:09:33 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[While much maligned for their impact on knees and lower backs, the JAN Kelley stairs have become an undeniable hot-bed for small-talk. The most remarkable finding, from the recent study conducted by the JKM Behavioural Analysis Unit, was that the subject matter is often the stairs themselves. Early morning ascents are typically kicked off with a dreary-eyed, "Ready for the long climb?", "I wish we had an elevator" or, simply an expletive followed by the word "stairs".
Conversations were found to quickly shift to the weather or a work-related topic.&nbsp;"Personally, I think it's a great way to kick the day off," commented agency chatter-box, Stephanie Spinney. "The stairs get your blood flowing and give you something to talk about."  However, not all JKM'ers enjoy the banister banter.
"Usually, I'll pretend I forgot something in the car," studio overlord, Roger Gonsalves, explains of his efforts in avoidance. "One morning I made four trips back to the parking lot before I was able to climb in peace." An unnamed senior staff member said that they simply glance at their watch and feverishly run up the stairs &ndash; giving the illusion that they have some place they're supposed to be. A stark contrast to the approach agency scribe, Ed Lees, takes. "I like to get about three-quarters up then sit down, take a breather, and enjoy the rest of my coffee. It's nice to say 'good morning' to everyone &ndash; you just have to watch out for people racing to meetings."&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>Teachers Credit Union Is Putting Their Roots Down in Burlington</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/teachers-credit-union-is-putting-their-roots-down-in-burlington</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:45:04 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[
Taking a drive through Burlington? Be sure to keep your eye out for the Teachers Credit Union (TCU) billboards and transit wrap that will be live throughout the city over the next few weeks! &nbsp;
We are excited to announce that TCU has recently branched out with a new location at 3455 Fariview Street. To promote the new branch, our media team was tasked with an awareness campaign and with help from the creative team, we&rsquo;ve come up with a really unique execution!
Not only will the TCU name be floating around the city, via a &ldquo;mobile billboard&rdquo; (aka. bus wrap), but at Guelph Line (south of Upper Middle), we have transformed your everyday billboard to resemble a giant tree, bringing the &ldquo;branching out&rdquo; message to life in the Burlington community. &nbsp;
The grand opening event takes place on Sat Oct 16th from 10am-1pm, so if you&rsquo;d like to come out and witness a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony, meet the staff &amp; enjoy some refreshments, be sure to stop by.&nbsp;
]]></description>
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<author>sspinney@jankelley.com (StephanieSpinney)</author>
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<title>A fresh take on Williams</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/a-fresh-take-on-williams</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:00:28 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[&ldquo;It seemed like Susan&rsquo;s life was full of compromises.&rdquo; So begins one of two new radio spots we recently recorded for our client, Williams Fresh Caf&eacute;. Maybe you&rsquo;re even familiar with them by now.
&nbsp;
The category of fresh is not unique (in fact it&rsquo;s jam-packed these days), however, when it comes to unique, Williams is. Williams falls into the rare zone of fast casual dining, specializing in healthy and indulgent food. Latte anyone? California salad with that Mediterranean Flatbread? It&rsquo;s not your run-of-the-mill Subway or Wendy&rsquo;s or Tim&rsquo;s.
&nbsp;
Williams really does have a fresh take on, well, fresh &ndash; including free WiFi and a pretty comfortable selection of booths. And they&rsquo;re sharing the good news through radio spots that empathize with women&rsquo;s everyday challenges&hellip; such as compromising, multitasking and even missing out on connecting with friends. Susan, our Tina Fey-type character, is likeable, witty and hard to keep down. A woman after my own heart.
&nbsp;
There is growing consensus among marketers and business leaders alike that if a brand focuses on behavior, conversation, innovation, and utility (among other noteworthy qualities, such as great-tasting, healthy food choices in our case) it might actually make friends. A pretty good idea given that friends listen, share, support, forgive, come back and maybe even stay loyal when someone new comes along.
&nbsp;
As for me, I&rsquo;m with Susan &ndash; my money is on Williams.&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>akitchen@jankelley.com (AnitaKitchen)</author>
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<title>Ronald McDonald House Hamilton takes facebook by storm  JAN Kelley guides the sleigh</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/ronald-mcdonald-house-hamilton-takes-facebook-by-storm--jan-kelley-guides-the-sleigh</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:08:34 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Finally JAN Kelley puts all its time spent on Facebook to good use.
In a quest to help spread the word for Hamilton&rsquo;s Ronald McDonald House, JAN Kelley has launched a social media campaign leveraging the &ldquo;Red Nose&rdquo; facebook app they created. The app allows people to place a red nose on their Facebook profile picture to show their support, and to help spread the word for this great cause. So don&rsquo;t be surprised if you start to see red noses popping up on all your friends' profile pictures.
Ronald McDonald House Hamilton provides a home away from home for hundreds of families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at our local hospitals. Unfortunately due to limited space they are forced to turn away families in need every day. That&rsquo;s why they have launched their capital fundraising campaign to expand the house from 15 to 40 bedrooms. The campaign goal is $5 Million. The need is great, so please visit www.helpourhomegrow.ca to donate, and use the app to add a red nose to your profile to help spread the word for this wonderful cause. You can also use the app via Facebook directly. Please show your support and give what you can.
Time to strap on the &ldquo;Red Nose&rdquo; and Help our home grow]]></description>
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<author>elees@jankelley.com (EdLees)</author>
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<title>Unleashing Potential</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/unleashing-potential</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:50:45 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[USC Education Savings Plans Inc. is a company dedicated to providing secure investment vehicles for education savings. The idea is that parents don't want to take risks with the possibility of higher education for their children.
When developing this package to recruit candidates for their nationwide sales network, we needed to insure that they are motivated by more then compensation. The message here is that a career with USCI is about helping people reach their potential and in turn, reaching one's own.
This idea of "People Potential" is expressed in a feature story that explores one realtionship between sales representative and client, and the benefits reaped by both parties.]]></description>
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<author>mbzowski@jankelley.com (MikeBzowski)</author>
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<title>Lights Camera Action</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/lights-camera-action</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:24:43 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[
On Sept. 20th, two 30 sec. television ads hit the airways. If you've ever worked at an agency and had to deliver a television campaign, you'll know what I mean when I say it's a bit similar to birthing a baby. 
The most important part of development came well before conception of scripts or storyboards. Valuable customer insight led us to the idea. &ldquo;We heard time and time again that even current customers are unaware of the importance of windshield safety,&rdquo; explains Account Director, Krista Kay, &ldquo;so, it became paramount that we establish windshields as a key component to ensuring you&rsquo;re safe in your car.&rdquo;  The other part of the challenge was to find a way to interest you in the subject of your windshield in the first place, while interrupting your favourite show.   About Apple Auto Glass&reg; Apple Auto Glass&reg; is a Canadian-owned company founded in 1983 with over 121 locally owned and operated stores. With a focus on quality and safety, Apple Auto Glass&reg; is the &ldquo;local expert&rdquo;, offering customers personalized service backed nationwide by the Apple Auto Glass&reg; Guarantee.]]></description>
<author>lridley@jankelley.com (LynnRidley)</author>
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<title>Fat Chance for Marketers</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/fat-chance-for-marketers</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:19:54 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Advertising Age recently issued an article, "Product Offerings are Pretty Slim for Obese Consumers", highlighting the fact that although the majority of American consumers are overweight, many marketers continue to ignore this demographic http://adage.com/article?article_id=145967. Even more interesting has been the variety of responses the article has prompted from the community. My POV: Developing marketing to target this demo isn't about encouraging obesity. It's about mining the untapped opportunities that lie within this growing demographic.
As marketers, our job is to solve problems for consumers. If we take the issues mentioned in the article, including the lack of fashionable clothing options for overweight consumers (and the poor retail placement of such clothing), and then recognize the fact that 68% of Americans are overweight, and 33% are obese -- well it doesn't take a marketing genius to see what we've got. It's what we in the biz like to call an incredible marketing opportunity.
And just to be clear: Marketing to this demographic isn't promoting unhealthy living. It's not in poor taste, and it's not taking unfair advantage of the situation. What it is doing though, is recognizing that not everyone is a size 7. It's not our job to place judgment on someone's size. All we should care about is that everyone is a consumer - be they a size 2, 12, 18 or 24. And if our job is to provide solutions for consumers, then we need to start paying attention to all consumers -- not just the skinny ones. It's unbelievable to me that more companies aren't targeting this demo in their marketing efforts. Furthermore, I'm dumbfounded that more clothing designers and retail outlets aren't addressing the issue. Listen to what consumers are saying -- essentially they feel like lepers hidden in the back of stores because of their size; digging through shapeless, ugly clothing. Want to see your sales break out of that recession-driven slump?? Want to tap into a new market segment with unrealized potential?? For goodness sake people -- get past the social stigma of 'fat' and the potential Carrot-Cruncher backlash and start paying attention to what consumers want and need. And then, as true marketers do, solve the problem and get on with it.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>ldraksler@jankelley.com (LeanneDraksler)</author>
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<title>Anecdote derails productive meeting</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/anecdote-derails-productive-meeting</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 21 Sep 2010 11:50:15 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[﻿A fruitful brainstorming session, for an undisclosed client, nearly came to a halt early yesterday afternoon. Agency Account Director, Krista Kay, had gathered a diverse group of brainstormers from throughout the agency and prepared them well for the session.
&ldquo;They had reference materials, some short background documents and just enough inspirational stimuli. It was the perfect set-up for great ideation.&rdquo; Kay also reported that the initial momentum was generating &ldquo;some excellent ideas&rdquo;. Unfortunately, the session came unraveled as agency funny-man, Michael Halbmeier, began telling attendees about a comedic slip-and-fall accident he observed involving an elderly couple over the weekend. The details of the story haven&rsquo;t been released, but apparently a chocolate cake and a wayward road-hockey ball were key factors.
&ldquo;It was an entertaining story, and I hope no one was hurt, but it cost me almost ten minutes,&rdquo; lamented Kay. It was also reported that the participants from the creative department had the most difficultly regaining their focus on the task-at-hand.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>Apple Should Worry About Burgeoning HTC 10 Reasons Why</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/apple-should-worry-about-burgeoning-htc-10-reasons-why</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:29:06 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Apple Should Worry About Burgeoning HTC: 10 Reasons Why
&nbsp;
HTC has unveiled two new smartphones for the European market. And those announcements prove all too well that HTC is a company that Apple will need to reckon with.HTC unveiled two new smartphones on Sept.15.
The devices, called the Desire HD and the Desire Z, will deliver impressivefunctionality to customers looking for vastly different experiences. The DesireHD boasts a 4.3-inch display and a full touch screen. The Desire Z includes aQWERTY physical keyboard for those who aren't too keen on virtualkeyboards.&nbsp;
HTC's announcement&nbsp;effectively demonstrated that, along with Motorola, the company is determined&nbsp;to take on Apple in the mobile market. So far, it has been quite successful,&nbsp;thanks to its HTC Droid Incredible.&nbsp;But for now, Apple is leading. And it's the single company&nbsp;that most firms should be concerned about. However, HTC&nbsp;is proving with each passing month that it's a viable contender too. And it's a&nbsp;company that Apple should worry about. Here's why:&nbsp;
1. The track record speaks for itself&nbsp;HTC might not have the namerecognition that Apple enjoys, but it has proved to be an extremely successfulcompany. Not only was it the leader in the Android market when it was in itsinfancy, but its HTC Droid Incredible is widely regarded as one of the top smartphones&nbsp;available now. That should translate to even more success going forward. And&nbsp;that is not good for Apple.&nbsp;
2. High-end is where Apple plays&nbsp;Apple has been successful catering to those who want a premiumproduct.&nbsp;But HTC has decided that thatmarket segment is also where it wants to compete. And so far, as the Droid&nbsp;Incredible has shown, it can be successful in that space. Look for that to be&nbsp;an issue for Apple. And expect HTC to&nbsp;continue to cater to that sector in the coming years.&nbsp;
3. Android OS&nbsp;
Although HTC providesWindows Mobile devices, the company is heavily invested in the Android space.
In fact, its most successful products (and the devices it most recentlyannounced) run Google's mobile operating system. That's not good news forApple. As recent reports have shown, Android OS is outpacing iOS quite handily.As more consumers get their hands on Google's operating system, they might bemore likely to buy an HTC product over anyother&mdash;including Apple's iPhone.&nbsp;
4. Physical keys for those who want them&nbsp;Unlike Apple, which has decided to ditch physical keys, HTC&nbsp;has realized that there is still a large market for users who want a physical keyboard. Admittedly, that market is shrinking as more and more people seek out&nbsp;virtual keyboards. But by providing a physical alternative, HTCcan more easily attract a wider range of customers than Apple. Not only will&nbsp;that help its sales, but it could impact Apple's, as well.&nbsp;
5. Carrier agnosticism&nbsp;One of the biggest mistakes Apple continues to make with itsiPhone is making it exclusively available to AT&amp;T customers. HTC,on the other hand, has decided to be carrier agnostic.By doing so, HTC has maximized its market.And in the process, the company has enjoyed strong sales. Apple's decision tostick with AT&amp;T is a problem that so far HTChas capitalized on.&nbsp;
6. The big display is impressive&nbsp;The HTC Evo 4G and now the HTCDesire HD boast a 4.3-inch display. At first glance, that might not mean much,since Apple boasts a 3.5-inch display for its iPhone. But anyone who has pickedup a larger-screen product knows it's impressive. And it adds considerablevalue to a device when surfing the Web, checking e-mail or viewing video. HTC'sdecision to double down on big displays is a smart one. And it's something thatmakes its strategy effective against Apple.
&nbsp;7. 'Customer-first' seems to work&nbsp;In a statement announcing its new smartphones, HTCsaid that it has taken a "customer-first" approach to device design.Marketing-speak aside, it seems that that might be true.As noted, HTC offers both touch-screen&nbsp;smartphones and those that include a physical keyboard. It makes devices&nbsp;available on multiple carriers. It also offers phones running different&nbsp;software. HTC is delivering a fine&nbsp;experience to any customers seeking just about any option. That's important.&nbsp;
8. The more phones, the better&nbsp;HTC offers a slew ofdevices to customers. Currently, Apple offers the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS.And those devices are available only to AT&amp;T customers. Such a smallselection could be hurting Apple. But HTC'sdecision to keep offering new smartphones has proved successful for thecompany. And it has shown that quantity matters in the smartphone market.&nbsp;
9. It's equal to Motorola&nbsp;Recently, all the talk in the Android space has revolvedaround Motorola. The company's Droid X and Droid 2 are captivating customers.But HTC is on an equal level as Motorola.
In&nbsp;fact, the company is delivering products that customers want just as much as&nbsp;the Droid X and Droid 2. Thanks to that, Apple has multiple, powerful Androidcompetitors. And that's not good for business.&nbsp;
10. It works closely with Google&nbsp;Since Android OS launched, HTC has worked closely with Google.In fact, HTC developed Google's own Nexus One smartphone. Going forward, thatrelationship will likely strengthen. And as it does, Apple will be faced with amajor issue. Its top competitor in the mobile market will be working closelywith (arguably) its top competitor on the device side. That alone could causesome concern for Apple as it attempts to fend off competitors in the smartphonemarket.]]></description>
<author>dpaige@jankelley.com (DonovanPaige)</author>
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<title>Lines of Communication Are we getting less from more</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/lines-of-communication-are-we-getting-less-from-more</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:55:42 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[In the summer of 1968, Chicago police battled protesters outside the Democratic National Convention&nbsp;while I, still an impressionable youngster, watched in fascination &ndash; not only the violence on the streets but also at the clash of opinions broadcast on TV. The ABC network had enlisted conservative writer William F. Buckley Jr. and liberal author Gore Vidal as commentators. At times they appeared to be on the verge of fisticuffs themselves but, in the end, limited their battles to verbal jousting.
I wonder if their strongly held and wildly divergent opinions could exist in the same space today what with media fragmenting into more channels broadcasting to more narrowly defined audiences.
Coming soon to Canadian TV is a cable news channel from Quebecor Media that&rsquo;s already been dubbed &ldquo;Fox News North&rdquo; while in the U.S., the original Fox is being outflanked by The Right Network, starring Kelsey Grammer. All in response to a perceived liberal bias of so-called &ldquo;mainstream&rdquo; media.
But what about the Internet? Isn&rsquo;t it providing us more information and a greater range of opinion than ever before?
Well not exactly, according to Harvard academic Ethan Zuckerman. "We think we're getting a broad view of the world, because it's possible that our television, newspapers and internet could be giving us a vastly wider picture than was available for our parents or grandparents," he told the BBC. "When we look at what's actually happening, our world-view might actually be narrowing."
Maybe it was Buckley vs. Vidal that started it, or because I was in a media program, but as a student I read the anti-establishment magazine, Ramparts, as well as the establishment newspaper, The Globe and Mail. I offer this example only to illustrate that it was possible (and to my mind beneficial) to consider diametrically opposing views at a time when media options were far fewer than they are now.
Today, social networking is a major influence on how we think and act and there&rsquo;s much to recommend about these new forms of communication. However, we invite friends to join us on Facebook, not enemies, and we&rsquo;re unlikely to follow tweets from people we dislike or disagree with. There is comfort in being part of a group but groupthink can create a false sense of security.
The 19th century British philosopher John Stuart Mill believed that people benefited from listening to moral views, for example, that were different than their own. He believed it forced a person to fully understand why they held their particular view and thereby be able to explain and defend it.
Challenging assumptions.
As advertisers it&rsquo;s a valuable exercise, either to confirm our ideas or to investigate other possibilities. And understanding diverse opinions is essential if we want to participate in the conversations of increasingly fragmented audiences.]]></description>
<author>lturner@jankelley.com (LyleTurner)</author>
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<title>78 Recommendations  Customer Service</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/78-recommendations--customer-service</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:03:56 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[TTC officials are promising to start work immediately on improving customer service with 78 improvements recommended Monday by an outside expert panel.&nbsp; This is a good start but is really just the beginning.&nbsp; In order to create a culture of customer service, the TTC must undergo true organizational renewal and transformation.&nbsp; And that begins with leadership.
&ldquo;Leadership is lifting a person's vision to high sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations."&nbsp;--Peter F. Drucker
Employees (union and non-union) need to buy-in to and support a common goal and vision.&nbsp; You cannot write an SOP (standard operating procedure) for every potential customer issue.&nbsp; They will have to make decisions regarding customer service every day. They have to live the brand.&nbsp;
Read the full article:
http://www.thestar.com/article/851197--ttc-has-its-work-cut-out
&nbsp;Read the full report:
http://ttcpanel.ca/report-executive-summary/&nbsp;&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>cbroten@jankelley.com (ChantelBroten)</author>
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<title>The Search for the Next Great AE is ON</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-search-for-the-next-great-ae-is-on</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:04:02 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Are good people, hard to find? Well, we&rsquo;ve amassed a top-performing team here so far that we think not &ndash; and we are looking to add to it!
&nbsp;
If you are an amazingly organized innovative thinker who loves working on a variety of interesting client businesses and projects, you could be our next Account Executive.
&nbsp;
See the posting in the Careers section (while it lasts&hellip;) and drop us a note.&nbsp;
&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>kkay@jankelley.com (KristaKay)</author>
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<title>Photocopiers and Printers fuming mad  threaten workstoppage</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/photocopiers-and-printers-fuming-mad--threaten-workstoppage</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:54:34 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It appears the JAN Kelley photocopiers and printers have had enough. As JKM'ers opened the doors to a new week, they were greeted by crudely articulated demands and threats of a work-stoppage piled up in the agency printer trays. Fortunately, the demands are relatively simple:
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

An end to large piles of uncollected print jobs in their print trays&nbsp;- as the weight is burdensome. 
Limiting the ability to cancel large print and copy requests while in progress&nbsp;- apparently a &nbsp;key trigger of psychological stress and frustration among the machines. 
A zero tolerance policy for verbal and physical abuse during malfunctions. &nbsp;

While the threats of any wildcat strike by the printers and copiers seem rather empty, they aren't being taken lightly. System Admin jockey, Alex Brans, is keeping close tabs on the situation. "We're going to do what we can to make things workable&nbsp;- obviously, there are some issues that need to be addressed."
Attempts to get a digitized comment from the agency's Docucolour 242 resulted in a paper jam and a toner cartridge being tersely ejected.
Additional details on this labour unrest will be provided as they arise.]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>Aha  I have a great idea</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/aha--i-have-a-great-idea</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:13:57 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[If you boil it down to the bare roots of delivering a marketing campaign, there are two key factors - idea and execution. &nbsp;Let's take a closer look at each.
&nbsp;
IDEA

The first factor is the idea factor.
&nbsp;
Isaac Newton himself, often told the story that watching an apple fall from a tree inspired him to formulate his theory of gravitation. &nbsp;Cartoons have gone further to suggest the apple hit Newton's head, and it was in this exact moment where we formulated the gravity theory. &nbsp;Both of these are incorrect. &nbsp;The apple never did hit Newton in the head according to the biographical manuscript by William Stukely, which was published in 1752. &nbsp;Further, although the apple was the inspiration, the full gravitational theory took over two decades to complete.
&nbsp;
It could still be argued that Newton had an "Aha!" moment.
&nbsp;
Chances are, watching an apple fall won&rsquo;t inspire you. &nbsp;Should you be (un)fortunate enough to have it strike your head the result surely will not come in the form of a revolutionizing theory for humanity - rather it will&nbsp;most likely result in a bruised apple, a headache, and a thoughts that could be expressed as the following - *@!$*@#&amp;*@*&amp;@
&nbsp;
So, having said that....how can you achieve your own "Aha!" moment?
&nbsp;
Sure, sometimes the big idea comes quickly and almost without effort. &nbsp;At other times the&nbsp;process&nbsp;can be a long and frustrating one as good ideas are pushed aside because you know it's not THE idea. &nbsp;Now add to this time and budget pressures and constraints it can be&nbsp;particularly despairing at times. &nbsp;The following is a look at a creativity and innovation process that may help you.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Information Is Your Only Starting Point
Information is the first piece of the puzzle - without it, big ideas cannot be developed or imagined. &nbsp;Information&nbsp;really becomes your "food for thought". &nbsp;In the marketing world, this food can come in the form of industry research, consumer reports, company and product-specific information, and competitive marketing efforts. &nbsp;The most crucial piece however is personal immersion. &nbsp;Immerse yourself in the culture and behaviour of your target to achieve a deep understanding of their values.
&nbsp;
Techniques for Generating the Big Idea
Despite information and potential insight gleaned from immersion it is possible that the big idea still has not come to the forefront. &nbsp;In this case a methodical approach may be required to develop an idea you many be fostering from your&nbsp;initial&nbsp;information collection. &nbsp;Here briefly are some techniques that can be used to stimulate thought that could lead to insight:
&nbsp;

Changing patterns&mdash;unexpected juxtaposition
Looking at things in different ways&mdash;making the strange familiar and the familiar strange
Adaptation&mdash;changing the context
Imagining&mdash;asking &ldquo;What if?&rdquo;
Reversal&mdash;looking for the opposite
Connection&mdash;joining two unrelated ideas
Comparison&mdash;building a metaphor
Elimination&mdash;subtracting something or breaking the rules
Parody&mdash;making fun of something, looking for the humour

&nbsp;
Even after trying these techniques, the big idea your are looking for can still be&nbsp;eluding&nbsp;you. &nbsp;As is often the case, you may need to step away from active thought on your marketing problem and allow time for the mind to continue working on the problem at the&nbsp;subconscious&nbsp;level. &nbsp;I'm sure you've had it happen before that an idea will come to you while driving and listening to music, or while you're out for a job. &nbsp;It's all part of the amazing way the human mind works.
&nbsp;
The Aha Moment
Arriving&nbsp;at the big idea for a marketing campaign requires&nbsp;information&nbsp;gathering and immersion efforts so that you can create an engaging message for target that&nbsp;elicits&nbsp;a positive response for your product or service. &nbsp;Sometimes you must go further and be methodical in your approach and apply ideation techniques if the big idea is still not at hand. &nbsp;Finally give your mind time away from actively trying to come up with the idea. &nbsp;This subconscious time is crucial. &nbsp;Your mind continues to work even though you may not be aware of it. &nbsp;Then when the idea finally comes back to the&nbsp;conscious, your aha moment has arrived. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
EXECUTION

The second factor is the execution factor.
&nbsp;
There are many approaches to the successful execution of an idea. &nbsp;One marketing school of thought uses unconventional systems of promotions - Guerrilla Marketing. &nbsp;This approach relies on unique timing, energy and imagination - your great idea, instead of a large marketing budget. &nbsp;By nature guerrilla marketing campaigns are unexpected and unconventional. &nbsp;Target consumers are interacted with in unexpected places - the best way to "cut through the clutter'. &nbsp;If someone is expecting messages to be pushed onto them, chances are they already have their&nbsp;defence&nbsp;mechanisms in place to minimize their perceived annoyance.
&nbsp;
Guerrilla Marketing's mandate is to create a compelling, engaging and thought-provoking concept, perfectly executed in hopes to generate buzz at first, then achieve viral status in a short period of time. &nbsp;Unusual approaches such as intercept encounters in public places, street-level product giveaways, and PR stunts. &nbsp;Essentially, any unconventional marketing approach is viable. &nbsp;Getting the biggest bang for your buck is the working mantra here.
In hopes of providing you with some Newton-apple-inspired ideas coupled with&nbsp;Guerrilla-style execution, I would like to share with you a small gallery of some outstanding campaigns with true "Street Stopping Power". &nbsp;
What other unusual campaigns can you find? &nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Day in the Life of JAN Kelley</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/day-in-the-life-of-jan-kelley</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:51:58 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Have you ever pondered the diversity of things that happen around the world in one day?
On July 24th, millions around the world will answer just that. "Life in a Day" is a global YouTube experiment where millions of people around the world will be&nbsp;filming a&nbsp;day in their lives and uploading it to a dedicated&nbsp;YouTube channel. Thereafter, a cinematic presentation will be developed from these videos.
I think this is another&nbsp;brilliant idea from YouTube that takes "Broadcast Yourself" to a whole new level.&nbsp;Here's a teaser of our LifeinaDay experiment!]]></description>
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<author>sjeyarajah@jankelley.com (SinthuJeyarajah)</author>
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<title>Proximity Marketing  Here I am</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/proximity-marketing--here-i-am</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:27:37 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Where are you?
&nbsp;
Something you may be asking your friends while using your favourite location-based app. &nbsp;Or perhaps more of a rhetorical inflection...where am I when it comes to proximity marketing? &nbsp;You may also hear it labeled as "geo-targeting", "location-based marketing", or "location-based social networking". &nbsp;For a marketer it all means the same thing...delivering the right information, to the right person, at the right time, in the right place in such a way that the message inspires action. &nbsp;That action of course is to purchase your product or service!
&nbsp;
Proximity Marketing affords the marketer the unique opportunity to engage their target on one of the most personal mediums available - the mobile device. &nbsp;This engagement can also occur&nbsp;without&nbsp;knowing the intended target's mobile phone number.
&nbsp;
On the more technical side of proximity marketing, let's take a look at how it actually works. &nbsp;It is essentially the localized distribution of marketing communications based on location and user preferences as defined by location activity/traffic. &nbsp;Transmissions can be received by anyone who has the technology, is in the desired location, and wishes to receive the message.
&nbsp;
The location of a device equipped to receive can be determined by:&nbsp; 

A mobile device being in a particular location
A Bluetooth or WiFi device being within range of      a transmitter
An Internet enabled device with GPS enabling the      device to request localized content from a server

&nbsp;
Target communications could include for example:&nbsp;

Tourists - communications received as a result      of device registered outside the local area and referenced against their      origin
Time + Place specific - Content defined by      location and an event in progress. &nbsp;(i.e. the Air Canada Centre on a      specific date plays host to a rock band. &nbsp;3 hours prior to the show,      mobile device found to be located within a designated physical radius are      transmitted coupons for a local restaurant
Distributed communications can also include:      &nbsp;additional information pertinent to an area [i.e. tourism industry,      gaming/gambling (think Niagara Falls casinos), Social Applications and      "traditional" digital space advertisements

&nbsp;
Now how can all this magic take place? &nbsp;Through location-based apps...and there are a ton out there. &nbsp;Essentially the all work the same - here's a quick user synopsis:

User registers with their preferred      location-based app
User checks-in to their favourite locations
The more times you check into a location the      higher your "status" within a give location
Based on your status level and activity at the      location, retailers can offer up incentives and promotions

&nbsp;
Here is a brief look at some of the most popular apps:&nbsp;

where
foursquare&nbsp;
Gowalla&nbsp;
Radar
Loopt
Google      Latitude
Google      Buzz for mobile&nbsp;
Bliin&nbsp;(Dutch      Service)
Twinkle&nbsp;(Twitter      client)
Plazes&nbsp;(Gerrman      Service)
Toai&nbsp;(Portugese      Service)
Parallel      Kingdom&nbsp;
Brightkite
You      can even Tweet your location in Twitter! &nbsp;Here's&nbsp;how
Facebook...a      social media list of any kind wouldn't be complete without it. &nbsp;CNN      was reported advising that Facebook will soon be adding a "Places"      feature on their site. &nbsp;Here is the&nbsp;CNN report&nbsp;for more      information.

&nbsp;
This certainly isn't an exhaustive list, I have come across listings of over 50 different Location-Based Apps. &nbsp;There are additional iPhone apps which include "Usonar", "Hear Planet", "Whrrl", and "Traffic". &nbsp;Surely there are others. &nbsp;See how many you can find? &nbsp;What are their merits and pitfalls?
So, have I convinced you yet of the power of and importance of what I would like to call "Narrowcast marketing 2.0" - the new age of digital proximity marketing?
&nbsp;
No? &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Consider some of these facts (source&nbsp;http://www.cwta.ca):

At the end of March 2008, Canadian wireless      phone subscribers numbered 20.1 million, representing a national wireless      penetration rate of 62%. Recent CWTA research estimates wireless      penetration in major urban centres has exceeded 70%, with some greater      metropolitan areas approaching the 80% mark.
Despite the atypical distribution of Canada's      relatively small population across our vast land mass - and perhaps      because of it - Canada has been and remains a world leader in      communications networks and technology. And for an industry that is just      two decades old, Canada's wireless phone industry, in particular, has made      remarkable progress. Together, Canada's wireless carriers now offer      coverage to more than 98 per cent of Canadians.
Customers in Canada continue to enjoy prices      that are below or close to the average wireless prices across the      30-member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and      Development (OECD). According to the OECD&rsquo;s recently published biennial      Communications Outlook 2007, Canadian customers fare significantly better      than their neighbours in the US and Mexico in almost all usage categories.
Two-thirds of Canadian households have access to      a wireless phone.
Canadians send 63.7 million text messages per      day.
Each year, Canadians place more than 6 million      calls to 9-1-1 or emergency numbers from their mobile phones.
Wireless revenues in Canada totaled $12.5      billion in 2007.
Half of all phone connections in Canada are now      wireless.

&nbsp;
If you have any thoughts I'd love to hear them. &nbsp;In the meantime, you'll have to excuse me...I need to check in at my favourite bike shop. &nbsp;A few more check-ins and I'll be eligible for a 20% discount on a new pair of bike shorts and clips...sweet!]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Youve achieved the holy grail of marketing  your campaign has gone viral</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/youve-achieved-the-holy-grail-of-marketing--your-campaign-has-gone-viral</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:27:50 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[...now how did you get here? &nbsp;How were you able to achieve "viral" campaign status?
&nbsp;
There's a good chance you engaged in several of the following four principles...
&nbsp;
1) &nbsp;Giveaways: &nbsp;yep, good old-fashioned free stuff. &nbsp;Free stuff makes people happy. &nbsp;Sample MP3s for music promotions, the first chapter of an ebook, a temporary subscription to a digital tool you've developed...whatever it may be that you're trying to promote. &nbsp;But be sure that it's only a tidbit of the whole thing. &nbsp;Make sure it's of some value - if your audience likes it, they'll share it with others, talking it up, and help generate some interest in your product or service.
&nbsp;
2) &nbsp;Videos: &nbsp; Create a really cool video about your product or service and upload it to YouTube and your website. &nbsp;Take a look at any of the most popular viral marketing campaigns to date, and you'll see the extreme importance of this exercise. &nbsp;Videos are very viral-friendly. &nbsp;If possible, make them funny too - that gives them a little more longevity.
&nbsp;
3) &nbsp;Social Media: &nbsp;Work the network you already have. &nbsp;Social media has made viral marketing opportunities easier than ever - but make no mistake about it - you still need to set yourself apart somehow. &nbsp;You can use the social media landscape for additional exposure once your viral campaign is well realized. &nbsp;Cross promotion anyone?
&nbsp;
4) &nbsp;Visibility: &nbsp;Create buzz, then sustain it. &nbsp;Never let it falter. &nbsp;You want people talking about your product or service all the time. &nbsp;The point is always to be a subject matter of conversation and thought. &nbsp;Memes are one way that marketers have been able to successfully create viral buzz. &nbsp;For example, the promoters of the movie 2012 started the Armageddon meme. &nbsp;The viral buzz around the movie was so substantial it fuelled viewer interest to the point of bringing in over $500 million at the box office. &nbsp;Blogging, may be a more realistic approach for many. &nbsp;Promote your post to your network, and as many social sites as possible.
&nbsp;
The key trick is to manage the initial momentum your campaign creates. &nbsp;You must be quick to fuel the fire. &nbsp;Failure to do so will result in your campaign sputtering out, never having a chance to truly go viral.
&nbsp;
So now, keeping those principles in mind, I would&nbsp;like to share with you an example of a campaign that truly has gone viral. &nbsp;It's a new favourite of mine, The Old Spice Guy. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It all started with two&nbsp;commercials. &nbsp;These were broadcast, and posted to YouTube. &nbsp;From there, more and more social media content has been added...and no end in sight.
&nbsp;
The spots that started it all...
Old Spice: &nbsp;The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
Old Spice: &nbsp;Questions
&nbsp;
And now for all the rest....
&nbsp;
-&nbsp;YouTube Channel
-&nbsp;Old Spice Voicemail Generator (Connects to Reddit, Digg, Twitter, StumbledUpon)
-&nbsp;Facebook (619,942 people "Like" this at the time I wrote this blog)
There is an entire section of this Facebook site dedicated to being able to "Talk to the Old Spice Guy"! &nbsp;Last count had 310 pages of comments. &nbsp;There are 23 short video answers on the first page. &nbsp;The Old Spice Man is directly responding to comments on Facebook and posting them back on Facebook and on YouTube...brilliant!&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Facebook Question Responses (there's are over 23 - here are just a few samples)
Adam White / Old Spice
Michael Wriston / Old Spice
Andrew Quinn Oviatt / Old Spice
&nbsp;
Twitter &nbsp;(79,867 followers at the time I wrote this blog)
http://twitter.com/oldspice
&nbsp;
Twitter-based tweet feeds Old Spice &amp; Gillette cross promotion video on YouTube
Gillette / Old Spice Cross Promotion
&nbsp;
And here is how they managed the end of the Facebook and Twitter-driven video responses. &nbsp;You can imagine how it would be impossible to manage all responses through video...
Everyone / Old Spice
&nbsp;
SMS Twitter-based updates:
Get updates via SMS by texting "follow OldSpice"&nbsp;to "21212"&nbsp;in Canada
&nbsp;
With the sheer vastness that is the Internet and my media consumption preferences within it, I surely haven't uncovered all there may be when it comes to the Old Spice Guy. &nbsp;So I'll leave you with a challenge - what else can you find?
&nbsp;
This blog is now diamonds...
&nbsp;
....I'm on a horse.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Using Emotion to Create Long Term Commitment to a Cause</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/using-emotion-to-create-long-term-commitment-to-a-cause</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:39:23 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I was invited to speak about public engagement at the Toronto City Summit Alliance Roundtable on Transit and Transportation Infrastructure Funding yesterday.&nbsp; It is a complex and often polarizing issue but I hope that as a marketer from the 905, I brought a slightly different perspective to the challenges and opportunities. Here are a few of the thoughts that I shared.
Among the public &ndash; informed does not equal engaged and engaged does not equal committed. Successful transformation of our city&rsquo;s transportation system will require real long term public commitment to the cause.
There is a sound, rational argument and a logical value proposition for transit and transportation infrastructure as well but I believe that in order to engage people we need to connect with them on both a rational and an emotional level. Why? Because we shop rationally but we buy emotionally.&nbsp; Think about it &ndash; you&rsquo;re buying a car &ndash; you need all the details&hellip;features, specs, fuel economy, safety ratings but it the end we pull the trigger because it makes us feel good.
Social marketing research shows that fear/negative appeals are most effective when the public is in a state of ignorance and you are trying to awaken the public to the issue. Alternatively, we tend to be more successful at achieving sustained long term behavior change with positive inspirational messaging.
&nbsp;
As an example, we worked with Canadian Blood Services for a number of years following the Krever Inquiry. &nbsp;Although our early communications began with fear based messaging, over time, we evolved to more positive inspirational messaging.
Successful transformation of our transit and transportation system depends on securing long public commitment and in order to do that it we have to create a sense that people are part of something larger.&nbsp; We need to make it about more than simply &ldquo;fixing a problem&rdquo; because the public will lose interest and patience when it is not fixed quickly.&nbsp; We need to make it about an aspirational vision - about making our region a better place for our children and our children&rsquo;s children to live and work in.&nbsp;
People &ldquo;buy bricks&rdquo; for capital fundraising of schools and churches because they want to be part of a positive legacy. If we look to our very own Sick Kids Hospital we see that people throughout the GTA regularly contribute because they want to be part of something great.
Further we know that all great social change is driven by youth so getting commitment from them is critical. We also have great online platforms to have the conversations that will galvanize the kind of commitment we need.
Let&rsquo;s face it - no one is going to be happy about paying more taxes or tolls for this initiative but if we can appeal to both the head and the heart, we can successfully get people committed to this critically important cause.
Here's the Toronto Star article covering the event.]]></description>
<author>cbroten@jankelley.com (ChantelBroten)</author>
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<title>Online Market Segmentation  A World Apart</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/online-market-segmentation--a-world-apart</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:53:34 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It's no secret that the worlds of broadcast, print, and out-of-home engage consumers quite differently than the full on engagement opportunities the digital/online world offers. &nbsp;With an environment so vast and ever-evolving how can you properly target your intended audience? &nbsp;More importantly how can you reach them efficiently and effectively minimizing wastage expenditures? &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Well...let's take a look at some approaches. &nbsp;Keep in mind that there is no wrong way to segment your target, and the following methods certainly are not exhaustive. &nbsp;I welcome you to share your thoughts.
&nbsp;
For starters let's make a comparison. &nbsp;Let's first take a look at how you might segment consumers for broadcast, print and out-of-home media consumption in both the B2C and B2B channels.
&nbsp;
Consumer Segmentation (B2C):&nbsp;

Geographic&nbsp; 

Land or region
Rural or metropolitan areas


Demographic&nbsp; 

Age, gender, marital status
Income, occupation, education
Religion, nationality, ethnic group


Psychographic&nbsp; 

Social status
Lifestyle led
Personality&nbsp;


Behavioural&nbsp; 

Intensity/frequency of product/service use
Brand loyalty
User behaviours



&nbsp;
Industrial/Commercial Segmentation (B2B): &nbsp;

Intermediary or final consumer
Type of corporation (public or private sector)
Size of corporation
Geographical locations - one or many. &nbsp;What      similarities or difference might there be between locations? &nbsp;
Intensity/frequency of product/service use
Organization of purchasing/procurement function
Centralized or decentralized - who has decision      making authority?
Purchasing policies, rules and criteria

&nbsp;
Even though you are targeting a business - you of course, are also targeting an individual, who in turn is a consumer. &nbsp;Keep this in mind and apply consumer-based&nbsp;segmentation&nbsp;strategies in addition to the most important B2B methods above.
 
Now that we&rsquo;ve briefly looked at the base segmentation methods let&rsquo;s move on...
....In the online world the rules change completely. &nbsp;New principles must be used.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Here are&nbsp;3 basic areas you may wish to consider starting with:
Where did the visitor come from?

Referrers&nbsp;   

Direct       Traffic (user enters web address)
Google       Natural (Search engine search&nbsp;/       address bar search)
Google       Paid (paid ads, AdWords, etc...)
Strategic       search (key phrases, brand key phrases, etc...)
Display       advertising


Geography   

Geographic       segmentation by country or region (based on IP addresses)



 
What type of visitor are they?

Mobile      device or computer
Network      properties - connection speeds
Browser      usage (IE, FF, Chrome, Safari, etc...)
First      time or returning visitor
Site      flirt (2 pages or less)
Site      browse (2 pages or more)

&nbsp;
What content areas did they visit on the site?

Pages      viewed&nbsp;
Items      viewed
Duration      of visit (measured in minutes and seconds)
Exit      pages (where did they leave - what was the last thing they saw?)

&nbsp;
What tasks did they engage in?&nbsp;

Cookie      values captured
&nbsp;Converters      against non-converters (amount      of time and number of visits it takes for visitors to convert)
Review      product or service
Saw      payment details (eCommerce&nbsp;sites)
Internal      site search
Data      Capture - i.e. Forms (saw, partial completion, full completion)
Items      downloaded
Items      clicked on

&nbsp;
As was the case of B2B segmentation&nbsp;methodologies&nbsp;requiring the selection of relevant B2C methods to complete the segmentation process, online segmentation also requires some additional offline thought. &nbsp;Offline considerations can have an impact on the interaction with your brand - i.e. external constraints and influences on purchase life cycles. &nbsp;Make no mistake though, offline is for context only - you're after online behaviour here.


Using the online methods for segmentation mentioned will help to start maximizing your ROI for online expenditures. &nbsp;Don't be left stuck on Mars while your customers are on Venus...online&nbsp;segmentation&nbsp;truly is a world apart. &nbsp;


]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>QRCode marketing  The evolution of print and outofhome media</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/qrcode-marketing--the-evolution-of-print-and-outoffhome-media</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jul 2010 23:44:14 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[What is your QR-Code strategy within your Marketing Communications plan? &nbsp;Don't have a QR-Code strategy? You may want to think about one.
&nbsp;
QR-Codes (aka Quick Response Codes) are two dimensional barcodes that are designed to have its contents decoded at a high speed. &nbsp;These black and white codes made it to the mainstream thanks to parts tracking needs by vehicle manufacturers. &nbsp;Today however the biggest driver of their current applications is the telecommunications industry.
&nbsp;
QR-Codes can store many different kinds of data within its 7,089 character / symbol limit. &nbsp;One large symbol can be further separated into 16 different symbols making data capacity quite large. &nbsp;You may be wondering...what's the difference between a barcode and a QR code? &nbsp;Approximatively&nbsp;7,069 characters that's what! &nbsp;Traditional barcodes hold a maximum of 20 characters.
&nbsp;
So what does this mean to a marketer? &nbsp;Why should you take a good hard look at QR-Codes for any campaign that has a print component to it?
&nbsp;
Well...first and foremost any medium that can accept print can take advantage of QR-Codes:
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Posters
- Business Cards / Letterhead
- Floor Decals
- Indoor and outdoor signage
- Billboards
- T-shirts &nbsp;(imagine how you could engage an audience at a special event!)
&nbsp;
So how does it all work?
Take any mobile device that has a camera and QR code decoding software (there are over 10 available to choose from). &nbsp;Take a picture of the QR-code. &nbsp;The software then transforms the encoded data into a meaningful action:
- Download files - MP3 Audio, Video
- Dial a phone number
- Connect to a web address
- Download a coupon
- Send an SMS to a friend
&nbsp;
All this can happen almost&nbsp;instantaneously&nbsp;- linking print to mobile to online. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
The days of "traditional" print and out-of-home are officially gone. &nbsp;
And why would you ever want them back? &nbsp;With QR-Codes you can truly engage your target. &nbsp;Delight them. &nbsp;Intrigue them. &nbsp;Most importantly have them interact with your brand, your message and your offer....instantly!
&nbsp;
Here are some examples of how QR-Codes could work:
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;...remember possibilities are limited only by your creativity...
Sample 1: &nbsp;Outdoor to Mobile to Online to Mobile (...within seconds!)
When was the last time you could truly say your train platform advertisement had an impact with your audience? &nbsp;Well next time, try adding a QR-Code. &nbsp;Link the train rider to something that engages them further. &nbsp;Perhaps it's a related podcast message. &nbsp;Maybe it's a limited-time offer coupon - perhaps one for riding the GO - the very Train they are waiting to catch! &nbsp;While you're at it make them feel special by giving them a limited download recording of a hot new artist via MP3 audio file. &nbsp;They can listen and groove while on their commute. &nbsp;Think they'll talk about how they got the song the next time they listen to it with their friends?
&nbsp;
Sample 2: &nbsp;Online to Mobile to Retail
Adding a QR-Code generator to your website is easy too! &nbsp;You can embed a code generator widget to your website (one I was looking at today was a mere 11 lines of code). &nbsp;Consumers can generate their own codes, load them to a mobile device, then take them into your retail environment. &nbsp;There the codes can be scanned by a hand-held reader for promotional redemption.
&nbsp;
Sample 3: &nbsp;Print to Mobile to Online (...again within seconds!)
A sports journalist for the Toronto Star writes about the England vs. Germany soccer match in this year's South African World Cup. &nbsp;He mentions that England was denied a goal that clearly went in and could have altered the game. &nbsp;You would simply have to take his word for it. &nbsp;Introduce the QR-Code and everything is different. &nbsp;If a QR-Code is placed within the article along with a caption that advises the no-goal replay could be seen using their mobile device. &nbsp;The QR-Code could direct the readers' mobile device to a URL (YouTube for example) where they can watch the replay.
&nbsp;
Sample 4: &nbsp;Print to Mobile to Retail
A newspaper ad promotes a 25% discount off a line of clothing. &nbsp;Within the ad is a QR-Code. &nbsp;The reader can take a picture of the QR-Code, save it and at a later date/time take it to the retailer. &nbsp;The retail location can then scan the mobile device, read the discount code within the QR-Code and appropriately apply the 25% discount mentioned in the ad.
&nbsp;
Track results...instantly - you can now track interaction with your print and out-of-home marketing efforts. &nbsp;Any of the above-mentioned activities can be easily tracked - just like you would track web activity through Google Analytics or Enhanced Analytics for any web properties you manage.
So, do you think that if something is technology-related Google might weigh in?You bet! &nbsp;How about QR-Codes within Google Places (Free Local Business Listing) and Google Maps - Check&nbsp;this&nbsp;out!
&nbsp;
Welcome to a new age of marketing activation my friends. &nbsp;Welcome to the age of QR-Codes.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Agency Angst Beethoven or Bird</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/agency-angst-beethoven-or-bird</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:33:05 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Every year in June there's one day where the business of the day is our business: JAN Kelley Marketing. Not that we just think about our business only on this day but rather that on this day we have a collective focus on where we are, where we want to be and what we need to do to get there.
This year, fresh from the ICA eCEO Conference, our Chantel Broten presented some provocative thinking by Tim Williams, founder of Ignition Consulting Group. In his presentation, Agency 2.5 How Agencies are Transforming for the Future, he suggests that agencies should be organized more like a jazz ensemble than a classical orchestra.
Now too many writers will twist a metaphor to fit their premise (particularly those of the business and self-help variety) but an analogy can be a useful device to help explain ideas and, as a jazz fan, this one struck the right chord with me.
Williams advocates that small groups who can improvise are better suited to the speed, and speed of change inherent in today's world &ndash; more agile than the command-and-control structure of a symphony orchestra and its precisely practised repertoire.
Invited to comment at our meeting about this concept, I related an experience from a recent trip to Chicago, specifically to the Green Mill where every Monday evening (when not on tour) Patricia Barber plays with her quartet. On this evening she was not playing with her regular bassist. As she called out a song from the set list he began to fan through the sheet music.
"Oh there's no music for this," said Patricia. "It starts as a bluesy thing in G and then goes crazy in the middle."
For the group to play as well and as interestingly as they did required more than the ability to improvise. Each player had to be confident in their talent and trust in the talent of their fellow musicians. Each one had to know when to give someone else space to shine and when to take the lead. They had to be willing to take risks and know how to reach a collective finish. Above all they had to listen to each other and talk to each other, musically speaking.
As metaphors go, the jazz ensemble is a pretty good model for modern advertising agencies and, I suspect, many other organizations. But I think there's more to the analogy.
The best jazz artists can take any song and reinterpret it with their own unique personality. In her set, Patricia Barber played original compositions, jazz standards and songs by Laura Nyro, Smokey Robinson, Bill Withers, Canned Heat and Stevie Wonder. Once during a Thanksgiving dinner I played music by various artists without anyone noticing the only song on the playlist was Autumn Leaves.&nbsp;
The move from mass messaging to mass customization means people aren't simply consumers of content but creators of it. However your brand story is written, your audience will write their own tunes.
In this new jazz age, agility and improvisation are essential to be able to write songs they want to sing. Not a substitute for original talent or the fundamentals though. The pioneers of jazz were influenced by classical composers and Charlie "Yardbird" Parker once played with an orchestra arranged and conducted by (sing along with) Mitch Miller, proving that structure and improvisation can coexist.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>lturner@jankelley.com (LyleTurner)</author>
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<title>Stand out in a crowd</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/stand-out-in-a-crowd</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:21:50 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ 
Your market is crowded and you need to be heard and understood to have any hopes of growing and expanding - let alone surviving.
&nbsp;
Innovation guru Clayton M. Christensen, Intuit cofounder Scott Cook, and Taddy Hall of the Advertising Research Foundation had an article in the&nbsp;December 2005 Harvard Business review &nbsp;called&nbsp;"Marketing Malpractice: The Cause and the Cure". &nbsp;This article has some important&nbsp;take-aways &nbsp;for&nbsp;developing and differentiating products and servcies in crowded markets, including crafting the most effective messages.

Here is a look at some of the key highlights:
Wrong, right &nbsp;out of the gates
- Avoid defining target segments in terms of customer types (small business, large corporations, franchises), instead develop based on customer needs. &nbsp;To grow share in crowded markets, or expand into new ones the focus has to be on customer needs - what do they want to accomplish with the product or service you have to offer?
An&nbsp;observation&nbsp;made by Harvard Business School marketing professor Ted Levitt:&nbsp;"People don't want a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole."

"Job" vs. Rudimentary&nbsp;Utility
The article cites an example of McDonald's Shakes - Observing and interviewing shake buyers and sales patterns, researchers found that a surprising number of shake sales were made during breakfast hours. Researchers discovered that many people who bought these morning shakes had long, boring commutes and needed something that would last most of their commute so they wouldn't be hungry again at 10 a.m.
So what "job" did the customer want the product or service to accomplish in this case?&nbsp;&nbsp;Satisfy their hunger, remove boredom in their commute, and make it quick and convenient to consume behind the wheel.
This article went further to offer suggestions for improvement and what some customers may want this particular product to accomplish: &nbsp;Include fruit to make people feel more positive about the shakes' nutritional value. Sell prepaid cards to speed checkout, and include a card dispenser next to the register. &nbsp;You get the idea...there are countless other possibilities.
What's my point? &nbsp;In going through this exercise they just ended up with a new customer segment - "long distance morning commuters". &nbsp;The conventional way of target segmentation overlooks opportunities defined by the "job" approach.
This approach also gives the marketer valuable insight into promotional&nbsp;methodologies.
&nbsp;
Building Brand Equity Through Accomplishments
The article postures today's great brands as "purpose brands" - the product did the "job", customers talked about it, and brand equity was built. &nbsp;On the negative side, when a brand does not signal customers when they should, and should not buy the product or service, marketers run the risk of brand consumption for a task it was never meant to accomplish.
&nbsp;
Three examples of companies that have taken a "jobs" approach to product marketing:
1) &nbsp;Ektron (a&nbsp;content management system company)&nbsp;has been recommended as the best CMS for companies needing to translate Web pages and other content into multiple languages for foreign markets. &nbsp;&nbsp;
The seized opportunity: &nbsp;An unmet need that is removed of company size or customer type (B2B vs. B2C).

2) &nbsp; SpaceClaim "a" (a 3D modelling company) has introduced a product design tool for engineers - another very crowded space. &nbsp;&nbsp;
The seized opportunity: &nbsp;Recognition that different users of 3D modeling products needed the software for varying projects and exploited that difference.

3) &nbsp;SpaceClaim "b". &nbsp;Both SpaceClaim and CAD (computer-aided design) can build 3D models. &nbsp;However the features that make CAD a powerful tool , also make it a cumbersome tool for revisions. &nbsp;It is therefore best suited for designs close to completion. &nbsp;SpaceClaim however, allows for speedy, nimble revisions that make it best suited to engineers and designers that require quick computer-generated modelling with the ability to make quick and multiple changes before finalizing in CAD. &nbsp;
The seized opportunity: &nbsp;A finely targeted group of users that can successfully be converted from CAD. &nbsp;Further, this has provided the marketing insight for effective communications - "Fast creation and revision to 3D models".

...now you need to apply it to your business
Take another look at how you position and communicate your product or service. &nbsp;Is your communication focus directed to a product category, customer segment, or customer size? &nbsp;Be sure to emphasize the "job" and you can take advantage of niche opportunities within your vertical. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
If you don't well...you're just selling a quarter-inch drill then, aren't you? &nbsp;And there's plenty of people selling those.
]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Practicing Safe Social Media</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/practicing-safe-social-media</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:56:17 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[To have a social media policy or to not have a social media policy?&nbsp;  That is the question. For some, the answer is no. Policies are useless,  uninspiring, inhibit creativity, and essentially are stupid. For others,  policies are important to protect both employees and the employer. What  do I think...well I fall into the group of those who think it's  important.
Why would it be important to have a policy or guideline set up for  social media usage at work? People have common sense and should know how  to behave online! Yes, they certainly should. However, we've all heard  stories of people on Facebook saying something harsh about their boss  only to forget their boss is one of their Facebook friends. Ooops!
It certainly is interesting to note just how many instances of people  doing very foolish things online and paying the price for it - either  getting themselves severely reprimanded or even fired.&nbsp; I for one, would  rather have a&nbsp; policy put into place which eliminates any doubt about  what my employer would consider "bad behavior" online.&nbsp; As Shel Holtz  notes in his blog post "Social media policies are stupid. Your company still  needs one.":
Hiring smart people...doesn&rsquo;t automatically mean employees know  every compliance issue that could come back to bite the company. Many of  those compliance issues are unique or have special applications to the  online world.
No one wants to get bitten. So, based on a review of a number of  social media policies published online, here are a few basic  guidelines:

Be transparent. You represent your company on any online  company properties. You also represent your company on personal social  media accounts. If anywhere in your profile you've mentioned you work  for "X Company" then you should always remember that what you say can  and may reflect on your company.
Ask for permission. Do not disclose confidential information.  Confidentiality is especially critical for clients.&nbsp; Ask before  disclosing any information about a client - a client relationship always  comes first.
Cite any references. As in a university term paper, citations  and references are critical to make sure proper credit is given to the  originator of the thought.&nbsp; Plagiarism is never a good thing. Copyright  laws offline work the same online.
Be accurate. Facts and statistics must be correct - but if  you do make an error, correct it as soon as possible and clearly  indicate an error was made.
Disclose relationships. Clearly indicate your relationship to  the client when posting approved content - as with transparency about  your own company, it works the same with clients.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T. This is what it means to me - no obscenity,  insults, offensive remarks. Demonstrate respect for other's opinions and  comments. Take the high road and don't pick fights online. Constructive  criticism is always appreciated.
Remember - the Internet never forgets. Everything on the web  can be tracked - so be aware of what you are saying and doing online.

In many instances, these are no different from phone, fax or email  policies that came into existence when these technologies were new.&nbsp; Mr.  Holtz sums it up nicely when he writes:
One day, when the newness has worn off social media, the policies  that govern its use will be inherent in an overall communication or  behavior policy. 
How would you practice safe social media at your organization? Any guidelines you would add?]]></description>
<author>kmcwatt@jankelley.com (KimMcWatt)</author>
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<title>Why you need an effective Customer Touchpoint Management plan</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/why-you-need-an-effective-customer-touchpoint-management-plan</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jul 2010 22:42:22 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It doesn't matter whether you call it Customer Life Cycle (CLC), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), or Customer Touchpoint Management, it all boils down to the same marketing principle - effective communications, paired with relevant offers, that drive ongoing sales to customer who is increasingly engaged with a product or service.
&nbsp;
Why should you care? &nbsp;Let's start off with&nbsp;3 compelling reasons:
&nbsp;
1) &nbsp;Save Money:&nbsp;&nbsp;An increase of customer loyalty of 1% is equivalent to 10% cost reduction (Source: &nbsp;Bain &amp; Co.)
2) &nbsp;Increase Sales:&nbsp;&nbsp;The probability of selling to a new prospect is only 5% - 20% while the probability of selling to an existing customer is 60% - 70%. (Source: &nbsp;Marketing Metrics)
3) &nbsp;Grow Profitably:&nbsp;&nbsp;Customer Loyalty accounts for 38% of margin, 40% of revenue growth, and 38% of shareholder value (Source: &nbsp;Accenture Research)
&nbsp;
You're probably reading this now, and have nodded your head in affirmation to the above, and are ready to tackle your specific business scenario.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Perfect. &nbsp;Let's go on.
&nbsp;
As a savvy business professional, you'll need to engage in 6 ascending steps of engagement to reach your own apex of&nbsp;Customer Touchpoint Management.
&nbsp;
The 6 steps are:
1) &nbsp;Target:&nbsp;&nbsp;Deliver the right message and the right time through the right channel
2) &nbsp;Acquire:&nbsp;&nbsp;Persuade the customer that you will meet and exceed expectations
3) &nbsp;Onboard: &nbsp;Convert prospects into customers. &nbsp;Hit them with an offer they can't refuse!
4) &nbsp;Serve: &nbsp;Allow customers to self-serve in a collaborative environment.&nbsp;
5) &nbsp;Grow:&nbsp;&nbsp;Deepen your relationship with your customer base. &nbsp;Get to know them on an emotional and behavioural level.
6) &nbsp;Retain:&nbsp;&nbsp;Reduce your customer churn. &nbsp;It's the best way to thwart the competition.
&nbsp;
To close the loop, I'm sure you'd be interested to know how your customers&nbsp;interpret&nbsp;and&nbsp;actualize the efforts you've undertaken in the above 6 steps. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Consumers will go through 7 steps - here they are:
1) &nbsp;Know:&nbsp;&nbsp;The very base - you have to be known in some form to be able to move on
2) &nbsp;Like:&nbsp;&nbsp;The Facebook&nbsp;equivalent&nbsp;of a thumbs up - you are on the radar
3) &nbsp;Trust: &nbsp;Your name, and what you stand for now holds merit and value with the consumer
4) &nbsp;Try: &nbsp;The trial phase of your product or&nbsp;service
5) &nbsp;Buy: &nbsp;A full on purchase -&nbsp;congratulations!
6) &nbsp;Repeat: &nbsp;This help greatly for revenue forecasting and your recurring monthly revenue efforts
7) &nbsp;Refer: &nbsp;Pat yourself on the back...and that person too! &nbsp;This is the crowing achievement. &nbsp;Someone is doing the marketing for you.
&nbsp;
Now the interesting thing is that consumers need not start at the "bottom" with the "know" step. &nbsp;They can be influenced by family, friends, colleagues, or social media factors. &nbsp;I've been guilty of skipping right to the "try" and "buy" stages myself. &nbsp;Of course there are many other factors that come into play - price points, emotion,&nbsp;seasonality, relevance, timing, and many others.

The key to remember is that you can save money, increase sales, and grow more profitably by heightening the engagement and&nbsp;advocacy&nbsp;of your brand with the customers you already have.

Well...that's my take on the importance of having a solid Customer Touchpoint Management plan - what yours?]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>The 4 Cs of B2B  A more contemporary model than the 4 Ps</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-4-cs-of-b2b--a-more-contemporary-model-than-the-4-ps</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:59:05 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The 4 P's of traditional marketing - Product, Price, Place, and Promotion are dead. &nbsp;Or so, some may argue. &nbsp;The four P's gave the marketer control over internal and external constraints. &nbsp;I believe they still hold value as your baseline marketing efforts - especially for broad-based consumer packaged goods.
In the B2B realm, however the smart marketer needs something more to augement the 1960's 4 P's model - something a little more contemporary.
&nbsp;
Enter the 4 C's...
&nbsp;
Content&nbsp;- the ongoing development of engaging content at relevant frequencies
Connection&nbsp;- emotional and behavioural connection with your target audience
Communication&nbsp;- ongoing, relevant, and timely communications with your target audience
Conversion&nbsp;- sales conversion at the precise moment of need
It could be argued that the 4 C's are really an extension of the fourth P - Promotion. &nbsp;That may be true but the 4 C's can impact the other P's as well, but to a lesser degree...

&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; ...bring on the discussion...

Social media further impacts the 4 C's in that Social Media is operated by defined consumer-pull preferences of media consumption. &nbsp;

&nbsp;Content - your audience can define the content so give them choice - if you don't you may be passed over. &nbsp;
Connection - connection&nbsp;is defined by the preferential consumption of media - you better know how they are consuming media so you can be there with your message. &nbsp;
Communication - dialogue occurs faster than ever before - make sure you keep up - in fact, you should be leading the conversation. &nbsp;
Conversion - finally your audience can&nbsp;assist or interfere in your sales conversion efforts. &nbsp;Monitor conversations through social media analytics tools.

So remember as you embark on your next marketing communications efforts - make sure you mind your P`s...and now your C`s.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>619 meetups 93 countries 24 hours ONE passion</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/619-meetups-93-countries-24-hours-one-passion</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:52:52 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[June 30th was Social Media Day and was celebrated by thousands worldwide with over 600 meetups organized through Mashable, streamed live on their site.&nbsp;I attended the Toronto meetup at Madison Avenue Pub where over 250 inspired minds had gathered.&nbsp;
Kicking off the night, were three great speakers that put their point of view on social media forward. Scott Stratten, a Twitter enthusiast, challenged the crowd to think beyond a monetary ROI for social media. 
"Social media is about relationships,&nbsp;and that requires real people and real consideration. If you don't really care, about what your customer thinks - this isn't for you," Stratten had expressed. I agree, and one of the things I've learned from Jim Letwin is that you can't push a toolset without having the right mindset.
"People buy things from people they like, trust and know and a social media strategy should work to fill those three silos," Stratten had said.&nbsp;
The end of the night was a networking opportunity where I had the chance to meet fellow social media enthusiasts, most of whom had written their @twitter address on their name tags. For those interested in joining the gang - come to the next meetup on July 28th in Toronto.&nbsp;
http://www.meetup.com/Mashable/12371/]]></description>
<author>sjeyarajah@jankelley.com (SinthuJeyarajah)</author>
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<title>Dont forget about the less technologically savvy consumers</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/Dont-forget-about-the-less-technologically-savvy-consumers</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:22:31 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[One of the popular topics of our recent JAN Kelley Marketing annual conference was the ever-present nature of digital communication platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, SMS and blogging.
Today, you cannot compete as a full service agency without building competencies in the digital marketing space. While I am personally not an active user of Facebook or LinkedIn, and have yet to Tweet my first post or send a text message (still hooked to my land line), I see the power of these emergent channels into the market. And I am not alone in the "non-plugged-in" community.
Fortunately, JKM recognizes there is a segment of the market still relying on offline communications and businesses who remain committed to low-tech, high-touch outreach - even if to augment an integrated online strategy. Many of our clients today value multi-channel campaigns and traditional direct response, including; Navistar (direct mail), Jiffy Lube, Reliance Home Comfort (radio), Rust-Oleum, Melitta (TV), Novelis (Alcan Foil), Genuine Health (newspaper and magazine), Suncor/Petro-Canada (mixed media).
It is a reminder that while we continue to innovate ways to use technology to reach the consumer, we're not going to forget those tried and true, good old-fashioned media options. There are still lots of us out there who still enjoy the morning paper with a glass of juice!&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>jellis@jankelley.com (JenniferEllis)</author>
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<title>Turn that frown upside down  Effective negative wordofmouth management</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/turn-that-frown-upside-down</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:39:09 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[You can have the best product or service, fantastic customer service support but you will experience disatisfied customers &ndash; it&rsquo;s unavoidable.&nbsp; These customers tend to be more vocal than happy ones.&nbsp; Those that can effectively manage and minimize negative word of mouth will have greater success than those who are ineffective.
&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m sorry.&nbsp; I&rsquo;m sorry.&nbsp; I&rsquo;m sorry....
&nbsp;
Don't be afraid to say these words. &nbsp;And when you do, mean it. &nbsp;Put pride aside.&nbsp; Negative word of mouth about your brand is more dangerous than ever before.&nbsp; Consumers are more savvy, and have the power and interest to use various forms of social media and web communications to express their satisfaction...or dissatisfaction of a brand.
&nbsp;
But wait!&nbsp; All hope is not lost.&nbsp; Here are three tactics you can use to effectively manage negative word of mouth:
&nbsp;
1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Face criticism head on.&nbsp; Ask for candid feedback and be prepared for what you will hear &ndash; you may not like it.&nbsp; This is a key opportunity to identify devaluing brand experiences and erradicate them.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
2)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Identify a given problem - and its emotional impact.&nbsp; Statistics are great, but do not provide the emotional and behavioural insight you&rsquo;re craving.&nbsp; For example:&nbsp; A 5 minute wait time to speak to a computer repair service representative at an electronics retail chain is not enough of an understanding of the customer&rsquo;s experience.&nbsp; What was their emotional experience?&nbsp; How did they feel?&nbsp; How did it impact their interaction once serviced? &nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
3)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Resolve the issue.&nbsp; Attempt a conversion. It may be difficult, perhaps even costly to resolve an issue.&nbsp; Not only is proper resolution the right thing to do, from a branding standpoint it pays.&nbsp; Think of lifecycle marketing and customer management.&nbsp; A short term, up-front cost to you can be worth the investment as the customer relays his experience to family, friends, and colleagues.&nbsp; Now...imagine the power of influence that conversation could hold if you manage a conversion of brand diluter to brand advocate.&nbsp; &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Any persuasion efforts must start with an apology &ndash; a genuine one.&nbsp; Otherwise the rest of what you have to say will fall on deaf ears.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>ColdCan Technology Packaging Innovation or Marketing Gimmick</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/coldcan-technology-packaging-innovation-or-marketing-gimmick</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:45:54 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The cold certified beer cans are back, and this year, Coors Light has brought cold certification to a whole new two-tiered level: "Cold"&nbsp;and "Rocky Mountain Cold". I ask you -- is cold beer simply not good enough for us anymore? What's next...Tundra Cold???
More further to the point, what does it say about us when we can't tell if our beer is cold unless it's literally spelled out for us? I mean, what happens if the beer can isn't facing you -- do you really need to turn it around to determine its temperature? Or should you, as a fairly evolved individual, be able to tell that it's cold enough to drink by touching it as you turn it around to read the prognosis? I know, I know -- it seems like an incredible amount of effort to have to figure it out all by yourself, but c'mon people -- we can be fairly bright at times. At least bright enough to know hot from cold.
In the past, Coors has come up with some truly innovative packaging ideas that help to differentiate themselves, and more importantly, ones that have helped consumers to better enjoy their product. Of particular note is the plastic bottle cooler box which was pretty breakthrough at the time (2005). Consumers just added ice to the package and voila -- they had beer in a cooler. The plastic bottles in the box meant that consumers could enjoy beer where glass wasn't allowed, and the resealable plastic bottles kept beer colder longer than glass bottles and aluminum cans.
Now that was innovative packaging which truly benefited the end consumer. But what benefit does two-tiered cold-can technology provide for consumers? And as a consumer, how much influence will you allow cool (pun fully intended) packaging to play in your purchase decision? No disrespect to Coors Light -- I just think the packaging fails to provide any tangible benefits. It feels more like a marketing gimmick. And a pretty transparent one at that.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>ldraksler@jankelley.com (LeanneDraksler)</author>
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<title>Black Bloc to blame for messy desks</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/black-bloc-to-blame-for-messy-desks</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:06:27 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As the G20 Summit came to a turbulent conclusion in Toronto, could the spotlight be shifting to Burlington?
An early morning peruse of the JAN Kelley Marketing offices revealed an inordinate number of out-of-sorts work areas&nbsp;- particularly in the media department. Speculation of Black Bloc's involvement (the headline grabbing G20 disruptors) began early Monday morning. An unnamed passerby pressed agency Media Director, Shauna Chan, about the disordered state of her desk. Chan nonchalantly responded, "I have no idea how, or when, it got this way". Given the events in Toronto, the most logical deduction pointed the finger squarely at Black Bloc.
According to the Hamilton Police Department, there was no word of any planned or impromptu protests in the Hamilton-Burlington area. Attempts to contact Black Bloc directly to inquire about their alleged involvement in this situation have come up empty. Most key spokespersons have either been detained or have returned to their positions at Maple Leaf Sports &amp; Entertainment.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>Inefficient  Ineffective  The True Definition of Multitasking</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/inefficient--ineffective--the-true-definition-of-multitasking</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 27 Jun 2010 14:11:51 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Pierre Vivant&rsquo;s "Traffic Light Tree" - a giant sculpture of fully-functioning traffic lights in London is what I think of when I think of multi-tasking (and a great art piece). &nbsp;
&nbsp;
If you were to look at multi-tasking as an exercise of form and function - form would be the concept, very interesting, daring and intriguing. &nbsp;From a functional standpoint however&nbsp;very confusing, and very ineffective.
&nbsp;
It can be argued that in the current work environment, multi-tasking cannot be avoided.&nbsp; If this is the case it should at the very least be minimized.&nbsp; Creating daily priority lists to augment larger strategic pieces you may be working on in parallel is one good approach.&nbsp; These lists can and should be revisited after each task is completed and new initiatives are brought forward.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
A recent blog entry (http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2010/05/how-and-why-to-stop-multitaski.html) in the Harvard Business Review by Peter Bregman (CEO of Bregman Partners, Inc., a global management consulting firm), talks about how and why to stop multi-tasking.&nbsp; Some key takeaways from cited research includes:
-&nbsp;A study showed that people distracted by incoming email and phone calls saw a 10-point fall in their IQs
-&nbsp;heavy multitaskers are&nbsp;less competent&nbsp;at doing several things at once than light multitaskers
-&nbsp;Research shows that multitasking isn't just inefficient, it's stressful
&nbsp;
Can you image losing 10 IQ points? &nbsp; That's the equivalent of losing a night of sleep.&nbsp; I can see the marketers of energy drinks like Red Bull rubbing their hands together already &ndash; I wonder when we can expect to see communications on the negative impacts of multi-tasking paired with the supposed energy benefits of energy drinks.&nbsp; If you see one let me know, I may have a case for copyright infringement.
&nbsp;
But seriously, think of how many times in a day you face an interruption during a productive time on a specific project.&nbsp; Interruptions come in many forms: &nbsp;face-to-face, phone calls, emails, text messages, MSN, Facebook, Twitter, RSS, and so on.&nbsp; Some are welcome, others are not.&nbsp; Many of these interruptions force you to multi-task, that is, give the task you had been working on perhaps 50% of continued attention, while you work through the new task at hand.
&nbsp;
How can you possibly give either your best effort? &nbsp;You simply can't.
&nbsp;
So how can you minimize the anxiety you may feel? &nbsp;How do you maximize effectiveness? &nbsp;You need to prioritize.&nbsp; This leads into the second part of this discussion&hellip;Prioritization of tasks.

There is a very helpful tool called "The Four Quadrants of Planning".&nbsp; This tool can be found in many organizations and papers &ndash; here is one of many links to the tool in visual format that brings this concept to life:&nbsp; http://demetriosaperdikis.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/priority_matrix2009002-300x232.png
&nbsp;
Essentially there are 4 quadrants.&nbsp; Each item on your own to-do list can be placed into one of these quadrants.&nbsp; Let's take a look at each.
&nbsp;
Important + Urgent
- Items found in this quadrant are of high importance.&nbsp; They truly are emergencies, and should trump all other work being undertaken.
&nbsp;
Important + Not Urgent
- Items found in this quadrant are prevention, planning and foresight items.&nbsp; These often get pushed aside and later become emergencies.&nbsp; Items found herein are often victim of procrastination.
&nbsp;
Not Important + Urgent
- Items found in this quadrant are crisis items.&nbsp; These often seem as important because of the nature in which they arrive at your attention &ndash; urgent phone call, email, or drop-by visit.&nbsp; Ask yourself each time is this truly urgent, or can this wait? &nbsp;What is the direct impact if I do not participate or engage in the activity? &nbsp;Often times these "crisis" items become a non-issue in a matter of hours or days.&nbsp; This is the quadrant to be most wary of.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Not Important + Not Urgent
- Items found here are true time wasters.&nbsp; Links, videos, blogs, essentially all information that is presented to you that does not have any direct benefit to you, your team, or your efforts.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Challenge yourself.&nbsp; Take a look at your current to-do list and see where each item falls.&nbsp; You may be surprised to see your area of focus change slightly.&nbsp; The next time you are interrupted by design or not, before reacting and going the multi-tasking route, see where the new task truly falls in the quadrant.&nbsp; Remember if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.&nbsp; So start planning!]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Missing book baffles staff</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/Missing-book-baffles-staff</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:26:53 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The whereabouts of&nbsp;the composition book belonging to agency Art Director, Geoff Redwood has many staffers scratching their heads. The book, containing interesting little doodles, scribbled down dates and numbers as well as a handful of meeting notes that Redwood acknowledges are "more-less, just for show", was last seen in the agency's kitchen.
Many members of the agency staff were somewhat surprised by the mystery. Included was Media Assistant, Stephanie Spinney,&nbsp;enthusiastically stating,&nbsp;"I saw that book sitting there like 10 seconds ago."
Looking to solve the mystery is the head of the JAN Kelley SIU &amp; Forensics Committee, Roger Gonsalves.&nbsp;"Based on Miss Spinney's statement, we've roped off an 8 metre radius from where the book was last seen -- about the distance a human can conceivably travel on foot&nbsp;in 10 seconds."
Gonsalves feels quite confident the book will be returned in short-order. "We've got Forensics scouring the area as we speak."
"Really, it's only a matter of time."]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>Earthquake on Twitter Social Media Spreads the News in Real Time</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/earthquake-on-twitter-social-media-spreads-the-news-in-real-time</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:05:21 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[This afternoon at around 1:50 pm we felt the ground shake and wondered if we might have actually experienced an earthquake. The shaking lasted about 30 seconds and shortly after confirming that everyone was ok, we went online to see what was going on.
Here's a quick update on the social media landscape:
In one hour, there were over 1,383 mentions of earthquake in&nbsp;the U.S. and Canada.&nbsp;230 mentions were from Wikipedia, 35 from Answers.yahoo.com, 31 from Flickr and unsurprisingly, the leading source was Twitter with 385 mentions.
Stay tuned for more.
*****
UPDATE: 3 hours later (4:50 pm), the volume has more than quadrupled with 6,781 mentions. With over 5,628 Tweets, Twitter continues to lead in volume of mentions. In the last three hours, Twitter's Share of Voice for "earthquake" in Canada and the&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;has grown from 75% to 83%.]]></description>
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<author>sjeyarajah@jankelley.com (SinthuJeyarajah)</author>
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<title>The tie that kind of binds</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-tie-that-kind-of-binds</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:51:29 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Sports, world and history are words that come together in more ways than I care to count. They are words that are difficult to define, and carry great meaning on every continent.
&nbsp;
These words are currently on display in South Africa. The 2010 FIFA World Cup is underway, and - like all major International sporting events - has provided our planet a rare sense of global spirit and togetherness. Sport and play are identifiable from childhood, and are visible across the species barrier. Sports have the ability to transcend national boundaries, penetrate inherent hatred and disdain and captivate a globe filled with vastly different individuals.
&nbsp;
Social media and advancements in live streaming have enhanced the global connectivity, and improved the overall feel of the sporting event. Work or no work &ndash; everyone has a chance to take in the action.
&nbsp;
Despite this rare feeling of unity, most sponsors have been unable to capitalize. Despite catching a portion of almost every game, I was forced to investigate to confirm the title partners and sponsors. (Before you ask - No, I am not fast-forwarding through commercials.)
&nbsp;
While I couldn&rsquo;t identify the title sponsors, I was immediately able to identify the orange Adidas cleats donned by a North Korean mid-fielder. This is a common trend with avid sports fans. Equipment and &lsquo;gear&rsquo; are immediately recognized, while traditional communications are missed.
&nbsp;
Have the world cup organizers done a poor job showcasing their partners and sponsors? Are avid sports fans desensitized and immune to traditional ads?
&nbsp;
The answer seems to highlight on the latter, as the sponsors seem to make an impact with fringe viewers. Fringe viewers represent a large number during an event like the World Cup, but represent a small portion of the overall viewership.
&nbsp;
This trend is not unique to the World Cup. Like many &lsquo;core&rsquo; sports fans, I readily recognize elements of the game (plays and gear), but I fail to recall even one sponsor, or creative from the experience.
&nbsp;
This represents a major problem for advertisers - the &lsquo;core fans&rsquo; of all major sports are not retaining your message. Like millions of others, I am going to watch the World Cup, the U.S. Open and the (remainder) of the NBA finals. However, we&rsquo;ll continue to remember exact sequences from these events, while subconsciously blocking all other forms of messaging.
&nbsp;
I do not have a fool-proof solution to the problem. Nonetheless, with billions of dollars spent annually on sports gambling (and fantasy sports), I would suggest placing marketing communications where the &lsquo;core audience&rsquo; is receptive. Among other options, the &lsquo;core audience&rsquo; quenches their insatiable appetite for sports by visiting/contributing to blogs and playing fantasy sports. The audience is engaged by the sporting events and engaged by the blogs, articles and digital applications &ndash; why can&rsquo;t we connect the dots? 
Some companies have recognized the value of this opportunity. Unfortunately, they have responded with banner ads. The active &lsquo;core audience&rsquo; is not engaged by these communications. Like the numerous 30 second spots encountered during an event, banner ads simply do not pass through the &lsquo;core fans&rsquo; filter.
&nbsp;
Sport and play remains a tie that binds the globe. Unfortunately, marketers are having trouble tying avid sports fans and their ROMI.]]></description>
<author>tlush@jankelley.com (TrevorLush)</author>
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<title>Understanding your Audience</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/understanding-your-audience</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:50:09 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[We live in a world of previously unfathomable gadgets. We&rsquo;re often enamored by shiny digital applications, innovative creative and unique delivery.&nbsp; As such, many organizations expend copious resources trying to summit the peak of innovation. While the aforementioned aspects play an important role, they may be better served as a support mechanism for most organizations.
&nbsp;
For years, new brands broke into the golf industry with &lsquo;flashy&rsquo; infomercials. Despite their best efforts, most campaigns were not so innovative, and far from engaging. As a result, it has been very difficult to break into the golf industry as a club manufacturer. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Unlike their predecessors, Rife putters opted for a different approach. Understanding the inherent reverence that the surrounds the game of golf, Rife provided putters to Champions tour players. In other words, they let their product do the talking. Within a relatively short period of time, they were the leading putter on the Champions tour. As such, they had generated credibility and a revered referral without investing heavily in sponsorships (PGA) and media buys.
&nbsp;
This case concisely underlines the importance of understanding the nuances of your market place. Understanding and capitalizing on the market influencer is essential, and should be applied to all environments. Although it seems relatively simple, it is easy to lose sight of. After all - this is a building block on the road to sustained success.&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>tlush@jankelley.com (TrevorLush)</author>
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<title>And so it goes when you work with good talent</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/and-so-it-goes-when-you-work-with-good-talent</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:02:52 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[&ldquo;Instead of a piano, let&rsquo;s try an accordion,&rdquo; says Clive.
Love it.
&ldquo;And it&rsquo;s not a pub band without a guitar player who&rsquo;s always tuning,&rdquo; adds Reg.
We laugh.
&ldquo;Yeah, and it&rsquo;s always to House of the Rising Sun,&rdquo; shouts Clive.
We laugh even harder.
&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s how it was putting together our new radio campaign for Firkin Pubs that officially hits the air June 14. It was a blast. And we&rsquo;re pretty pumped about it because the campaign features something brand new for Firkin &ndash; a pub anthem. It&rsquo;s a great device for radio and we think it has the potential to be very &ldquo;sticky&rsquo; (memorable) and a lot of fun.
In addition to the anthem, this campaign also pairs Clive (the iconic British voice of Firkin Pubs) with a likeable new character named Reg.
In real life, these two guys have been creative comrades for decades, and believe me you can tell the instant they start to perform. Playing off each other. Experimenting with their characters. Sharing. Pushing. Joking. Constantly mining for humour, yet always mindful of Firkin&rsquo;s &lsquo;business&rsquo; needs.
Which brings me to the real subject of this blog entry &ndash; good talent.
I love working with good talent &ndash; people who are true professionals. One obvious reason is because real pros tend to be better than most at what they do, so they&rsquo;re quick studies. But what really sets them apart as far as I&rsquo;m concerned is that they also have the confidence to speak honestly and a level of integrity that drives them to challenge themselves and all those around them to raise the bar, so you end up with a superior finished product.
Clive is a perfect example. Every time we&rsquo;ve gone into the studio to record over the past 10 years we&rsquo;ve come out with something a little different &ndash; and a little better &ndash; than what was originally on the script. Why, because we&rsquo;ve always welcomed Clive&rsquo;s creative input and he&rsquo;s generously given it.
My point is, there&rsquo;s talent and then there&rsquo;s good talent. Go for good talent whenever you can, it&rsquo;s always money well spent. And if you can bring yourself to lighten your grip on the reins and give good talent the freedom to run a little, you'll end up getting even more than you paid for.
&ldquo;What if my character is one of those guys who has to sweep into a song when he sings,&rdquo; suggests Reg. &ldquo;You know, every verse starts with a big glissando... Ooohhhh, when we&rsquo;re out on the town&hellip; know what I mean?&rdquo;
And so it goes when you work with good talent. I hope you like the campaign.]]></description>
<author>sfarago@jankelley.com (StewFarago)</author>
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<title>Welcome Apple Auto Glass</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/welcome-apple-auto-glass</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:17:22 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[After a thorough agency search and pitch process, JAN Kelley has won the Apple Auto Glass account!&nbsp;
With over 121 stores, Apple Auto Glass&reg; is the largest national franchise system in Canada specializing in automotive glass repair and windshield replacement.
Apple Auto Glass&reg; Administration and the Franchise Advisory Council undertook a search for a new agency partner that had experience in the unique requirements and challenges of franchise network marketing.
&ldquo;We felt that JAN Kelley worked harder to earn our business, was more dedicated, brought great ideas to the table, and has the experience in marketing through and to franchisees that we need,&rdquo; said Roman Plawiuk, Marketing Director of Apple Auto Glass&reg;.
We wanted a long-term partner, not just a supplier, and JAN Kelley has enjoyed lengthy client relationships.&rdquo;
JAN Kelley will be building and positioning the Apple Auto Glass brand, developing turnkey tools for franchisees and executing national promotions.
All of us on the JKM team are excited to be working with the franchise network of Apple Auto Glass. The franchisees are much like JAN Kelley: local, independent businesses who are deeply entrenched in their communities.&nbsp;
We welcome Apple Auto Glass to the JAN Kelley family!&nbsp;
&nbsp;
]]></description>
<author>kkay@jankelley.com (KristaKay)</author>
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<title>PRESTO JAN Kelley taps into hiphop tappers for GO video</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/presto-jan-kelley-taps-hiphop-tappers-for-go-video</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:52:44 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[There&rsquo;s a new video making the rounds on YouTube these days that&rsquo;s starting to gain some pretty decent numbers.
It&rsquo;s not about a cigarette smoking two-year old or the 10 greatest goals in World Cup history or the latest way to get 6-pack abs. It&rsquo;s about PRESTO &ndash; the new, convenient one-card fare system for commuters in the GTHA.
The one thing our client, GO Transit, wanted people to get about the PRESTO Card is the fact that it&rsquo;s easy to use &ndash; just tap and go. There are plenty of other benefits, but ease-of-use headed the list.
Naturally, we needed a killer idea, and as weird it this sounds, it came in a Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland-like moment right out of an old Andy Hardy movie.
Anita and Stew were kicking around ideas, none of which was upping their heart rates, and then one of them (Stew says it was Anita and she says it was Stew) shouted, &ldquo;Say, let&rsquo;s put on a show!&rdquo; Instantly, 150 bps &ndash; they knew they were on to something.
To clearly identify the number one benefit, the idea was to have a couple tap dancers do a performance before a live audience and film it. The dancers&rsquo; tap board would be a giant Presto Card. And instead of doing the show in a barn, the venue would be Union Station.
A few weeks later, there we were filming a surprise &lsquo;flash&rsquo; event during afternoon rush hour, featuring two of Toronto&rsquo;s best hip-hop tappers &ndash; Shawn Byfield and Janaye Upshaw. And a few weeks after that, the video is completed and out there doing what it&rsquo;s supposed to&ndash; creating awareness, building interest and generating sales for the PRESTO Card. In fact we just heard from GO Transit that the cards are moving faster than they expected. Hurray!
All in all, it was a very exciting, intense and gratifying experience. I&rsquo;m glad I was a part of it. And hats off to all the people who helped make it happen. Everyone who touched this project was fantastic, starting with Vasie, Nancy and Sheena at GO Transit. Then there&rsquo;s Jennie, Charles and Derek at The Corner Store (production), Allan (music and sfx), Lucius (titles), Shiv at Relish (editing), our entire team here at the agency and, of course, Shawn and Janaye.&nbsp;
What&rsquo;s left to say but &ldquo;Tap on!&rdquo;]]></description>
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<author>ramoroso@jankelley.com (RandiAmoroso)</author>
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<title>For Progressive Women Only</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/for-progressive-women-only</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:24:32 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It's finally happened. A feminine hygiene company has found its sense of humour. Instead of telling&nbsp;women to have a happy period (any way&nbsp;I can get the guy's number who created that line so&nbsp;I can chat with him during my next&nbsp;"happy" time?), Kotex is promoting its newest line of products "U by Kotex" with an honest, witty and&nbsp;in my opinion, brilliant campaign. You have to watch the TV commercial&nbsp;-- it blatantly&nbsp;pokes fun at all the other ridiculous maxi pad and tampon advertising out there -- and I'm sorry,&nbsp;but it's about time that somebody did. And thankfully, they matched a wicked marketing campaign&nbsp;with bold new packaging, coloured tampons/maxi pads, and a website that would be a useful tool&nbsp;for any girl trying to navigate their way through Periodville.
I applaud the&nbsp;gutsy advertising (JWT), the new website, and the social marketing (check out the hilarious video where a girl asks strangers to buy her tampons; and the one where a guy asks for advice on what period products to get his girlfriend). Lined up against the web pages of Always and Tampax, Kotex's new ubykotex.com&nbsp;site shines through as the most progressive, energetic, non-commercial site of them all. If you had asked me two weeks ago who had the strongest hold on the youth feminine hygiene market, Kotex wouldn't have even crossed my mind. But based on their innovative packaging and fresh marketing campaign, I'm eager to see how Kotex sales will measure up to the heavy-hitters in the months to come.
Kotex, I'm so impressed that you may have just won yourself another customer.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>ldraksler@jankelley.com (LeanneDraksler)</author>
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<title>To Test or Not to Test</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/to-test-or-not-to-test</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 31 May 2010 16:45:04 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As direct response marketers we strive to pinpoint the key drivers of response rates, open rates, conversion rates, click throughs etc. How do we do this? We test.
Start with a test strategy, ie. Which version will provide the highest lift in revenue dollars instead of which version will get the highest response.
Testing creative is everyone&rsquo;s favourite test but not the only test to consider. Popular dm tests are OE, letter versions and offer tests. With or without email, how often to drop or deploy, purchase list test?
Test every chance you get. Testing is the best way to yield bigger and better response rates. So, to test or not to test? Definitely test.]]></description>
<author>cmazzocato@jankelley.com (CatherineMazzocato)</author>
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<title>Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-reports-of-my-death-have-been-greatly-exaggerated--mark-twain</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 28 May 2010 15:31:56 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When talking about branding these days, I often think of this quote by Mark Twain.
Last week, I attended the ICA&rsquo;s (Institute of Communication Agencies) FutureFlash conference.&nbsp; There was an amazing line-up of speakers discussing how digital technology has fundamentally changed marketing and continues to change it. Really exciting stuff.&nbsp;
Some of the discussion topics included:

David Armano (Edelman PR) talking about the changing role of PR
Bill MacLean (Simply Good Technologies) talking about how mobile technology is changing the way people use technology and therefore the way marketers must engage them.&nbsp; 
Paul Kemp-Robertson (Contagious Magazine) talked about how agencies must change to be &ldquo;more Silicon Valley and less Madison Avenue&rdquo;

It&rsquo;s true. Technology has changed the world. It&rsquo;s changed how people live and accordingly has changed how marketers market. The way we build brands and engage consumers has changed. The rules have changed.&nbsp;
This week, I spent time with three different clients talking about the marketing challenges and opportunities resulting from this new world in which we live.&nbsp; And as we talked, I realized that one thing hasn&rsquo;t changed.&nbsp; Marketers still need a unique and compelling brand story to tell.&nbsp; This brand narrative will take shape in many different ways &ndash; through social media channels, mobile platforms, apps and games to name a few.&nbsp; But you still need the story.
In an era of new technologies, new media channels, media fragmentation and consumer co-creation, I propose that it is more important than ever to establish a clear, concise, uniquely differentiated brand strategy and position in the marketplace (and ultimately in the hearts and minds of consumers).
Think of it as your moral compass or your home base.&nbsp; This clear sense of who you are as an organization, allows you to embrace co-creation, capitalize on the unplanned, and even stray a little when it makes sense.&nbsp; But you always have that brand strategy to guide you back home.&nbsp;
So contrary to popular belief, branding is NOT dead. Positioning is NOT dead. &nbsp;It comes to life at each and every consumer touch point. And the great news is that there are now more consumer touch points, or engagement opportunities than ever before.&nbsp;
Alive and well thank-you very much.]]></description>
<author>cbroten@jankelley.com (ChantelBroten)</author>
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<title>Who cares aboot typos</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/who-cares-aboot-typos</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 17 May 2010 09:50:07 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Bob Green from CNN had a great article on www.cnn.com yesterday about the lack of concern about typos, called Typos &ndash; no big Deal? Think again.
The article came about because of CNN&rsquo;s David Daniel noticing Julia Louis-Dreyfus&rsquo; name spelled incorrectly as Julia Luis Dreyfus on the soon-to-be-unveiled Hollywood Walk of Fame star.
Bob makes some great points, particularly about the &ldquo;fat finger theory that was floated around for a few days about the Dow Jones plummet&hellip; If this was so, it would have been the typographical error of all time: the Babe Ruth/Muhammad Ali/Frank Sinatra of typos. If one keystroke could put the world's economy on the brink of collapse, this would mean that a typo could be as powerful as an atomic bomb.&rdquo;
Unfortunately for those of us who notice commas, apostrophes and punctuation where they should and shouldn&rsquo;t be, it was a big let down. Once again, the typo goes back into obscurity.
If you&rsquo;re not going to get it &ldquo;write,&rdquo; then why do it at all? Too often when people are gently corrected, they respond with &ldquo;whatever.&rdquo; If I was to call you Steve instead of Bob, and said &ldquo;whatever,&rdquo; when you corrected me, don&rsquo;t you think you&rsquo;d be at least a little upset? So when someone says &ldquo;I seen John yesterday,&rdquo; and I cringe and correct it, why don&rsquo;t they accept the correction gracefully instead of rolling their eyes?
Too often words are used so repeatedly, they become part of the norm. A perfect example is &ldquo;irregardless&rdquo; which has actually made it into a dictionary. It&rsquo;s not a word, never has been and, in my opinion, never will be!
E-mail is now email; Web site is website. I look at these words, know they&rsquo;re incorrect, but leave them because it&rsquo;s now the accepted way of spelling them.
Bob also says, &ldquo;In our computer-screen age, typos &ndash; and their cousins, misspellings and grammatical errors &ndash; have been given a reprieve. What once prompted people to shake their heads in stern disapproval when it appeared on newspaper or magazine pages &ndash; a flat-out mistake, caused by lazy typing and indifferent proofreading &ndash; produces not as much of a stir when seen on a glowing screen.&rdquo;
But the biggest surprise was the comments? Now granted most of them were positive, but there were a couple&hellip;
Wow, in my &ldquo;opinion&rdquo;, you are all just a bunch of &ldquo;holier than though&rdquo; pompous asses&hellip; You are all probably the type that will be in an email argument with someone and have nothing to debate so you resort to pointing out grammatical and typographical errors. That is tantamount to calling someone a &ldquo;poopy face&rdquo;.
and
Really...someone actually spent the time to write an article about this?!? I couldnt even finish reading it. Get a life Bob Greene
Now how many typos did you spot in those comments?
For the full article, click below.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/16/greene.typo/index.html?hpt=C1]]></description>
<author>jellis@jankelley.com (JenniferEllis)</author>
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<title>Using Social Media for Social Change</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/using-social-media-for-social-change</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 12 May 2010 21:15:46 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[1 in 5 Ontario children and youth has a mental health problem - that's about 500,000 kids. Disorders range from anxiety, depression and conduct disorder to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and bi-polar disorder.&nbsp;
Mental health is a widely misunderstood and difficult to discuss subject. And when children and youth are involved, it is even tougher.&nbsp; Last week during Children's Mental Health Week, Children's Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) took an important step towards demystifying children's mental health by engaging youth dealing with mental health issues to speak out on the issue. Youth were invited to produce videos that challenge some of our perceptions and thereby CHANGE THE VIEW.&nbsp;
Social media is allowing these insightful, talented young people to speak openly and honestly about the stigma of mental illness in a creative, compelling and very human way.
Colleen DeCourcy, Chief Digital Officer for TBWA/Worldwide, often speaks about advertising at the speed of culture...what used to take six weeks, now takes 6 days and what used to take 6 hours now takes 6 minutes. Imagine what could be accomplished if we could apply that same speed of culture factor to the time it takes to effect a change in beliefs regarding mental illness.&nbsp;
Take a moment to watch a few of the videos. I think that they will give you pause to rethink some of your views regarding mental health - I know I did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqYZ9fJpH1c&amp;feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c-LWcC0tGo&amp;feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jDdWhi3q-g&amp;feature=channel]]></description>
<author>cbroten@jankelley.com (ChantelBroten)</author>
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<title>Caught in a Spring Fling</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/caught-in-a-spring-fling</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 11 May 2010 10:47:36 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Many companies will not shut down operations for a day of fun and learning with the entire staff. For those few companies who do, this is a particularly hard year to justify it. Most do not have spare funds or the time to plan anything outside of day-to-day work. So, having said all that, why did JAN Kelley still shut down operations for a day? Because it's important.
Spring Fling 2010 was held April 30th. It was a day to celebrate accomplishments and sharing future vision with the whole company. To top off the day there was a team building scavenger hunt which linked back to the company goals and vision. It encouraged groups of four to work together, realize their weaknesses and play to their strengths. And most of all it stressed thinking outside the box. Even the organizers were unprepared for the enthusiasm, quick thinking and creative solutions that the groups used to bend the rules and throw convention out the window.
The final ceremonies were held at a local bar and all the scavenger hunt photos played on the bar's big screen. The top three groups were announced and the grand prize went to the group that thought so outside the box it had the competition rechecking the rule book.
At the end of the day, the company came together to share the future vision, establish some goals and solidify the camaraderie that makes JKM what it is. A great place to work. Mission accomplished.]]></description>
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<author>rgonsalves@jankelley.com (RogerGonsalves)</author>
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<title>Victory Strategy</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/victory-strategy</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 May 2010 16:48:48 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory; tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat". Sun Tzu - The Art of War. Advertising strategy is all about how to achieve marketing objectives; communication tactics is how to implement strategies, and proper execution holds the whole thing together. In these tough economic times and very competitive world it is easy to just say "GO, get something out there...we have to stay one up on the competition." The problem is there is often very little thought into what's being done. Job pick-ups from last year, slight revisions to copy seem to be the norm. But, in reality, this is the time to spend more time on a powerful well thought out strategy even if it means spending less on the execution. The multitude of ways to get your message out there is great and each medium brings its own benefits which if utilized properly can generate a much greater result. Often, one great idea that stirs the audience's interest and creates a buzz is better than saturating them with many poor ideas that are easy to block-out and ignore.Here is a job that was done for AARP (American Association of Retired Persons)...not something that would generally create any buzz but in this case it clearly shows how some good insight can develop into a powerful concept and can create fantastic impact becoming viral with relatively low production costs. This video has been loaded on many sites since its creation. This one, on youtube, alone has over 13 million hits. Watch it, and tell me you don't get goosebumps...]]></description>
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<author>rgonsalves@jankelley.com (RogerGonsalves)</author>
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<title>Does perfect entertainment strike the right chord</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/does-perfect-entertainment-strike-the-right-chord</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 May 2010 15:03:33 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[On an evening shortly after the closing of the Vancouver Olympics (having relinquished control of the clicker box), I found myself watching a PBS fundraiser featuring doo-wop and pop vocal groups of the '50s and '60s. It struck me that they we're reprising hits (for many there was only one) from almost half a century ago. Hard to image anyone performing quite like they did when they were 50 years younger, yet there they were singing to a live audience without the aid of auto-tuning or the safety net of lip-synching.
Some of today's singers have used (or are suspected of using) the former. The ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics relied heavily on the latter.
"Most live events are performed probably 90 per cent synched," according to David Atkins, executive producer of the Vancouver opening ceremonies. Protection from a bad mic, a botched lyric or a wrong note, the argument goes.
There were no pre-recorded performances by athletes however, and no synchronization of the Olympic torches as it turned out.
Granted, the PBS show was a recorded performance. Recorded, minor flaws intact. And the audience loved it. Maybe they couldn't hear the singers over the sound of their own voice. Maybe they unconsciously auto-tuned vocals to the sound of their youth. In any case, the odd missed note didn't matter. They still loved it.
I recall a concert by the Keith Jarrett Trio in which the pianist (who has several classical recordings to his credit) found one piano key marginally off-key. "Close enough for jazz," joked Mr. Jarrett, and on he played... brilliantly. As for botched lyrics, one of Ella Fitzgerald's most remarkable performances (in a lifetime full of them) was a 1960 recording of a Berlin concert in which she forgot the words to Kurt Weill's most famous song.
"Do not fear mistakes," said Miles Davis. "There are none." Of course the improvisational nature of jazz inspires such thinking. And a malfunctioning Olympic torch in the opening ceremonies turned into an impromptu skit that perfectly fit the self-deprecating humour of the closing ones.
So what's all this got to do with advertising?
Authenticity. It works. It lasts. It doesn't make you wonder whether what you experience is, well, authentic.
Creativity. It's not a wrong note. At least it doesn't have to be. It could be the start of a new song.&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>lturner@jankelley.com (LyleTurner)</author>
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<title>Five burning questions a social media analysis can answer</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/five-burning-questions-a-social-media-analysis-can-answer</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 09 May 2010 15:14:09 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Whether you are actively in the conversation or preparing to make your entrance, the starting point and evaluation point for your social media strategy should be a situation analysis. Here are the five burning questions a situation analysis can answer:
&nbsp;1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What is being said about your brand? What is your brand volume? What is the customer affinity to your brand? What was their response to your product launch? Do customers recommend your brand?
2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; What is being said about the category or industry?Is the category growing or declining? What is relevant to this audience? How does your brand fit in this context?
3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Where are the conversations taking place?Are there hot spots where most of the conversations are taking place? Is your brand being discussed there?
4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Who are the key influencers?Who are the thought leaders in your category? What do they think about your brand? How influential are they? Are there one-off mentions of your brand or do you have strong brand advocates?&nbsp;
5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; How is your brand positioned against competitors?How do you measure up in volume and sentiment? What positioning do you own versus your competitors? What strategies are your competitors employing and how are they performing over time?
A&nbsp;well-defined problem is half-solved and a good social media situation analysis will&nbsp;do the same. ﻿﻿﻿﻿]]></description>
<author>sjeyarajah@jankelley.com (SinthuJeyarajah)</author>
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<title>Lets Get Personal</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/lets-get-personal</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 May 2010 15:12:17 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Life is not as simple as it once was. As consumers we are inundated with information, we demand the best quality at the lowest price, we are more elusive and less brand loyal. So, as a marketer &ndash; how do we cut through all that and connect with you? We get personal.
It starts with the data. Customer databases are a wealth of information which can be used for acquisition, up-sell and retention campaigns. As marketers we have to be sophisticated in behavioral targeting and modeling. Predictive modeling is vitally important as it strengthens the targeting and we can narrow the reach as we have ideal candidates for the products or services we offer. Maintaining your database is vital &ndash; make sure you have the right marketing partner to help you retrieve and integrate your data and execute 1:1.&nbsp; Consumers are savvy and we have to ensure that we satisfy their communication experience. Talk to them directly. Personally. Make it feel like a unique experience &ndash; you&rsquo;ll lure them in, increase retention and build brand loyalty. Let&rsquo;s get personal.]]></description>
<author>cmazzocato@jankelley.com (CatherineMazzocato)</author>
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<title>Is your Channel Engaged</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/is-your-channel-engaged</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 04 May 2010 15:37:08 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Struggling with ideas on how to engage and motivate your channel? As an agency, we specialize in marketing to and through dealer, franchise and sales (DFS) networks. Through our experience, we have recognized that "engagement" in marketing initiatives that need to be driven through at the&nbsp;DFS network level, is critical to a campaign's success. Why is channel engagement so important? It's simple:

They are the brand 
They own the relationship with the customer
We need them more than they need us
Improved channel engagement drives greater results

When it comes to promotional campaign implementation, achieving a higher degree of&nbsp;DFS network&nbsp;engagement will generate greater performance in terms of marketing execution and ultimately sales. Through our experience with clients such as Navistar, we have identified the following key factors in facilitating ENGAGEMENT at the DFS network level.
Exchange &ndash; two-way communication
The two-way communication of purpose and objectives between corporate and the DFS network to clarifying roles and responsibilities, expectations and driving factors (what is their individual role and contribution to the campaign's success)
Educate &ndash; continuous knowledge transfer
Continuous knowledge transfer to internal and external parties (DFS network and customers). This step ensures all parties have an understanding of the promotional offer, elements, mechanics, key dates, expectations, purpose, objectives, rationale, etc.
Excite &ndash; activities that motivate
The activities taken to motivate the DFS network to take action with all elements of the promotion including customer interaction. It results in the DFS network believing in the initiative and positively pre-disposed to take action.
Execute &ndash; preparation for rollout
The activities undertaken to get DFS network organized and prepared including the rollout of every aspect of the promotion
ENGAGE &ndash; aligning local activities with plans
The activities the DFS network undertakes to execute on their local plans based on alignment with the corporate strategy and resources provided to them. The&nbsp;DFS network act and are motivated based on perceived value and results.
Evaluate &ndash; measuring and improving performance
Defining what's working, what's not, and tracking and measuring the success of the promotion. TEST &ndash; LEARN &ndash; ADJUST.
&nbsp;
Next time you are running a promotional campaign that requires implementation at the&nbsp;DFS network level; give this model a try to drive marketing success or feel free to drop us a line to help you out.&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>kbenz@jankelley.com (KristaBenz)</author>
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<title>Alice Fazoolis Presents the Ultimate Ladies Night Out</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/alice-fazoolis-presents-the-ultimate-ladies-night-out</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:30:24 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[That&rsquo;s right, our Media team has been busy developing an exciting contest for Alice Fazooli&rsquo;s &ndash; and ladies, this will be right up your alley!
The&nbsp;Ultimate Ladies&rsquo; Night Out&nbsp;will take place on Th May 27, where the grand prize winner will receive the following, for her and 5 friends:
-A private makeup application by CityLine&rsquo;s Dino Dilio (professional makeup artist)
-Luxury limousine service
-Delicious dinner prepared at Alice Fazooli's (Adelaide St. W location)
-Reserved seating for the premiere of Sex and the City 2 (Cineplex Varsity Theatre, TO)
Talk about star treatment, this prize is valued at $1200!
The campaign (mix of print &amp; online media) began April 22, so be sure to look for contest promotion over the next few weeks (winner announced May 13).
Check it out (be sure to note the rules &amp; regulations):
www.alicefazoolis.com/ultimatenightout/]]></description>
<author>sspinney@jankelley.com (StephanieSpinney)</author>
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<item>
<title>The Evolution of Social Media</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-evolution-of-social-media</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:32:26 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The more I dig into this thing called Social Media the more I realize that I could spend endless hours reading different opinions and strategies and not find one the same but all equally interesting. And, as I read more, I of course begin to develop my own set of opinions and views.
The one thing that struck me of all my reading in the last few weeks was when I typed into Google &ldquo;What is Social Media&rdquo; and came up with over 186 million hits and that of those blogs and sites that I read, none of them summed it up the same way. To me the best was to explain social media is that it is sharing of experiences, feeling and stories using a variety of media. Sometimes this sharing is exclusively to friends and family and in some cases to the world.
&nbsp;
Social media has been around since the time cavemen were writing on the walls of their caves. They used to etch their stories and legends on the walls of their caves to pass them along to the other generations. In later generations we used books, diaries and then we moved to news papers and faxes. With the evolution of the internet we now have a whole new set of tools, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, youtube and blogs. With these tools it is now possible to get news, whether relevant or not, in real time as they are happening.
&nbsp;
So, where is social media going to take us next? I really don&rsquo;t know, but I do believe this, social media is going to change the way companies market themselves and is going to give the consumer greater power in the evolution of the brands they love and hate.&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>egaudreau@jankelley.com (EricGaudreau)</author>
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<item>
<title>When it comes to print the writings on the wall</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/when-it-comes-to-print-the-writings-on-the-wall</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:06:16 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Traditionally, printing was accomplished through a personal relationship between the print buyer and the printer. Many of us who started out before the Internet prefer to do printing the conventional way, face to face with an established printer. The careful examination of colour proofs, the pungent smell of fresh ink and working side by side with a pressman until you reach perfection is one of my passions.
However, times have changed and new technology in the print industry has altered the way we produce materials. Print can now be ordered over the Internet. Proofs and press approvals are being replaced by templates, customization, on-line ordering and e-commerce. You can simply log into a private site showcasing various marketing materials, customize if you choose, review, pay with your credit card and poof, your goods are delivered within 5 business days. This is scary times for traditional printers and print buyers. The craft is becoming a commodity and web-to-print is providing solutions to large companies with branches and franchises that need the ability to acquire marketing materials quickly and without paying large set-up charges for small runs. Web-to-print and print-on-demand not only reduces waste and eliminates inventory management but also avoids companies absorbing 100% of their branches print bill.
Although I do agree that on-line printing solutions can deliver convenience, efficiencies and cost-savings, I can sleep better at night knowing there will always be projects that require the experience and passion for preserving the craft of printing&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>splace@jankelley.com (SusanPlace)</author>
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<item>
<title>Yo Quiero Taco Bell</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/yo-quiero-taco-bell</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 20 Apr 2010 13:34:29 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[My mom loves the new Taco Bell commercial. She called me last week to turn to the Blue Jay game because the commercial had just played and was sure to play again. I watched the game for about two hours, but no Taco Bell commercial. Because I was now intrigued by why my mom loved this commercial, I have watched four subsequent Jays games in order to catch it. You guessed it. The commercial has not played once. But I am getting to know the names of the ball players.
Such was my obsession, I even went to youtube today to try to find the commercial. Lots of Taco Bell commercials, but not the one described by my mom.
Is this the power of word of mouth advertising, or am I just watching baseball because everything else is reruns? You decide.]]></description>
<author>jellis@jankelley.com (JenniferEllis)</author>
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<title>Foozball game marred by lack of skill</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/foozball-game-marred-by-lack-of-skill</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:58:38 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As scheduled, last Friday's post-5pm Fooz festivities began as many have before it -- the teams traded competitive glares and glances and then the ball was dropped. Both figuratively and literally. Players from both squads exhibited the coordination of an inebriated juggler with an amputated arm.
"Some days you have it, other days are just a disaster", lamented forward Roger Gonsalves. "It's just a frustrating way to end the week." Gonsalves noted that it would be tough not to take this performance, and the 2 games to 1 series loss, home with him. "I do my best to leave work at work -- but, Fooz is different. Fooz is life."]]></description>
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<author>csanislo@jankelley.com (ChrisSanislo)</author>
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<title>He said she said and the new speed of brand influence</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/he-said-she-said-and-the-new-speed-of-brand-influence</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 20:44:20 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Unless you&rsquo;ve been living under a rock, you&rsquo;ve heard of social media, and the plethora of social media analytics tools available to the&nbsp;savvy&nbsp;marketer (For a list of the top 11 social media tools as identified by Daily Bloggr see below).
&nbsp;
So what? &nbsp;What&rsquo;s the big deal about social media monitoring? &nbsp;Well how does 3 billion real-time conversations sound? &nbsp;Imagine being able to read what your customers are saying about you, your brand, the experience they had &ndash; good or bad.&nbsp; Now, go a little deeper and review what your customers are saying about your closest competitors &ndash; what is truly driving their trial, or repeat purchase with them and not with you?
&nbsp;
Now, it will be a while before focus groups, and advertising testing goes the way of the dodo bird.&nbsp; But what you might expect to see is a decrease in high-cost customer information insight sessions.&nbsp; Why bother with a small group of 10-15 when you can review thousands of relevant conversations about your brand? &nbsp;Not only can you review conversations, you can go much further.&nbsp; They actually provide you true Big Brother powers.&nbsp; You can actually interact at the time of conversation!&nbsp; Let&rsquo;s take a look at a possible scenario:
&nbsp;
John Doe says on his Twitter or Facebook page:&nbsp; &ldquo;Have you tried the chicken fingers at (insert restaurant here)?&nbsp; When I went last Friday &ndash; they came out cold, and my drink was 10 minutes late coming!&nbsp; I&rsquo;m never going back there again!&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Before social media tracking this would have gone unnoticed and not acted upon.&nbsp; Through the new tools available, a marketer can review comments, and actually receive in some cases the IP address or email that the comment actually originated from &ndash; and thus having the option to respond back.&nbsp; Perhaps offering an apology for the poor experience, and a free appetizer, dessert or other incentive to lure the customer back in.
&nbsp;
This is where you must tread lightly to avoid the &ldquo;creep factor&rdquo;.&nbsp; Imagine writing an email to a friend or writing on your Facebook wall about your experience, and then have a complete stranger responding directly to your message.&nbsp; As a marketer it can be done &ndash; just review your tactics, and know when and where to apply them to avoid even more negative publicity.
&nbsp;
Be careful also to not react too quickly, too often, and to the wrong people &ndash; that is where the greatest flaw could come about.&nbsp; Knee-jerk reactions in the social media realm are seldom a good thing.&nbsp; Remember, you are approaching a customer in their social network &ndash; and in some cases perhaps you were not even invited in.&nbsp; Fan pages are more likely to forgive, and easier to navigate.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
With social media tracking you are at the helm of your brand influence.&nbsp; Can you steer the ship?&nbsp; You have a window into what is happening, as it is happening and can therefore react, should you choose to, just as quickly.&nbsp; Before social media competing brands would go head-to-head with print advertisements, or the much faster reactionary route &ndash; broadcast, where a competing message or value delivery could be instituted in days.&nbsp; With social media, old timelines are out the window &ndash; but do you have the resources in place to track, trend, and respond?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Call us at JKM for a demo of our Social Media tracking tool &ndash; and how we can help you harness the power of social brand influence.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The top 11 Social Media Analytics tools currently are:
1) &nbsp;Radian6 (http://www.radian6.com/)
2) &nbsp;Alterian SM2 (http://www.alterian-social-media.com/)
3) &nbsp;Scout Labs (http://www.scoutlabs.com/)
4) &nbsp;Self Service (http://www.collectiveintellect.com/)
5) &nbsp;Social Mention (http://socialmention.com/)
6) &nbsp;Brands Eye (http://www.brandseye.com/)
7) &nbsp;Trendrr (http://www.trendrr.com/)
8) &nbsp;Spiral16 - Spark (http://www.spiral16.com/)
9) &nbsp;Sysomos -&nbsp;MAP (http://www.sysomos.com/)
10) &nbsp;Attentio (http://attentio.com/)
11) &nbsp;DNA13 (http://www.dna13.com/)
&nbsp;
Most of these tools have similar&nbsp;functionality&nbsp;with the differences coming in the user interface, reporting ability, and cost. &nbsp;There is a tool just right for you! &nbsp;You will also find data warehouse specialists sell the above listed via licensed agreements.]]></description>
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<author>mhalbmeier@jankelley.com (MichaelHalbmeier)</author>
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<title>Have your shopping habits been affected by Integrated Marketing Communications IMC</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/have-your-shopping-habits-been-affected-by-integrated-marketing-communications-imc</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 13:21:46 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[As Chris Sanislo points out in my bio, I am a bit of a home fitness junky. It started when my first son was born. I chose to stop working out at the gym. I felt an obligation to tend the nest and stay closer to home.
I am a different type of shopper. I take a long time to make a purchase. I analyze all the details of what I need before making a buying decision. But, once I have made my mind up the purchase decision happens pretty quickly.
I am a perfect candidate for an Integrated Marketing Communications campaign (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_marketing_communications). I am constantly thinking about my buying decision, agonizing about it - you never know what will influence me. Anything related to my buying decision will catch my eye. A point of sale piece; an advertisement in a magazine; a TV commercial; heck I'll even sit through one of those Shopping Channel shows if it's related to my buying decision
For example, I needed a home gym. It had to provide as good a workout as I was getting at my gym, yet be affordable and compact enough to fit my budget and into my basement. I researched my options online, in catalogues, watched some clips on the Shopping Channel (http://www.theshoppingchannel.com) - I was so close to buying the BowFlex system (http://www.bowflex.ca), but when it came down to putting my money on the table, it was an everyday shopping adventure at Costco where I finally made my purchase. A Nautilus home gym (http://www.nautilus.com) with Olympic size bars and weights was on sale. It was exactly the same type of equipment that I used at the gym and was available at a bargain rate.
When I first started working in Internet Marketing we used to call this the triple play. You were encouraged to integrate your campaign through TV, print and online. Now there are a slew of options available to push your message through, and all have a chance of moving the buying decision along. That's why you need to carefully plan your campaigns across all mediums and be aware of how these campaigns push and play off each other. Continuity and simplicity are key; to keep your message clear. There is a lot of clutter out there that can confuse a buyer. It's the well thought out, well integrated campaign that provides an anguished buyer with some peace of mind and good advice to help them relax and be comfortable with what you have to offer.
Since then I have bought a rack of dumbbells from the Fitness Depot (http://www.fitnessdepot.ca), a boxing heavy bag and speed bag from eBay.ca and a slew of fitness DVDs. My favorite site to visit is http://www.beachbody.com &ndash; I am a huge fan of Tony Horton's P90X. I have both the standard version and the Plus version. I am getting a little bored of Tony however - waking up every morning at 5:00 am to workout 7 days a week and you would be bored too.
So I started a new venture to find the next greatest fitness DVD. I have been thinking about getting the Insanity program (http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/best_sellers/insanity.do?code=BBHOME_CONTROL_INS) by Shaun T.
I almost bought it this weekend &ndash; I mean seeing those people killing themselves on the Shopping Channel; listening to Shaun T. yell out "keep digging, keep pushing". Then I take a poke at the Beach Body website to watch a few videos, man those people are sweating hard! I call the number on the website and within 2 rings I am on the line with a top-notch sales rep. I am ready to buy, but I need a little comfort from someone like me, someone that takes working out seriously. So I pepper her with questions about the program and she is doing great at answering them. I am just about ready to give her my credit card number, but I guess I asked one question too many and she referred me onto their Customer Service number. She rifles off a number and then hangs up. Snap, the buying decision is stopped.
The incentives for the sales rep conflicted with the integrated marketing message. She was encouraged to close as many sales as possible, as fast as possible. And, although she had a customer ready to buy on the phone, her performance metrics encouraged her to move on.
So, I will think a littler more. Consider some other options, I may return to purchase the DVDs, but there's an opportunity for a competitor to capture my interests in the meantime.
As the old saying goes advertising works &ndash; it works for you and it works for your competitors, so make sure your campaign is tightly integrated and focused on the ultimate objective - closing the sale.
See you tomorrow morning Tony!&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>rclifford@jankelley.com (RichardClifford)</author>
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<title>Wake up with Melitta on CP24 Breakfast</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/wake-up-with-melitta-on-cp24-breakfast</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 10:37:36 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[We were so excited when our client, Melitta Canada became the official sponsor of the CP24 Breakfast Show. Melitta was eager to work with a group that enjoyed bringing a fresh take to their audience&rsquo;s morning. Now this new, dynamic breakfast team are taking over the morning airways.
Melitta continues to fuel the CP24 team with their full line of coffees and will be featuring their latest launch of super premium World Harvest coffees over the upcoming months.&nbsp;
Check Melitta and CP24 out every morning and enjoy some me-time!&nbsp;]]></description>
<author>tgarcia@jankelley.com (TanyaGarcia)</author>
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<item>
<title>The Glamorous Life of Advertising</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/the-glamorous-life-of-advertising</link>
<pubDate>Sun, 18 Apr 2010 06:51:52 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[When you think of travel and advertising, what comes to mind probably includes the likes of NYC, LA, Moscow, London, Toronto. These days, the top destinations on my travel itinerary are places such as Hawkesbury, Kincardine, Madoc and Wallaceburg. Over the past month I&rsquo;ve been videotaping stories in small towns across Eastern, Central and Western Ontario. I must say it&rsquo;s refreshing to hit Hwy 2 instead of Hwy 403 and 401. The drivers are polite &ndash; not to mention relaxed! Google maps have become my best friend. And large black coffees have become my main form of sustenance. (I still haven&rsquo;t won a roll-up-the-rim &ndash; wth?)
Sunroof open (it has been gorgeous weather), I&rsquo;ve had the pleasure of winding alongside lakes, through quaint downtowns and over graceful old bridges. A few mornings ago, I enjoyed my dockside coffee in the company of the neighbourhood black cat. Hmmm&hellip; very friendly.
If authentic is where it&rsquo;s at these days &ndash; I&rsquo;m there. Every town has their stars and the personal stories I'm capturing for elearnnetwork.ca will soon be posted on their website. I&rsquo;ve met the most inspiring individuals, who, while battling the harsh economy, are finding time to go back to school full or part time. And doing it all online. Just last week a woman shared her fears of returning to school after 30 years in the work force. While enjoying the life of small, close knit communities, elearnnetwork.ca gives them access to the most prestigious universities and colleges Ontario has to offer.
&nbsp;The coordinators who run the Centres are by nature helpful, kind, resourceful individuals. They see, firsthand, the direct impact they make on lives every day. Todd wants to finish secondary school and open his own business. Robert&rsquo;s not ready to retire and is redefining his role in the work place. Betty is a life long learner who teaches others as she goes.&nbsp;
As for me, the glitz and glamour never stop. Not quite what I was envisioning, but I&rsquo;ll take the passionate sparkle in a person&rsquo;s eyes over the polished shine of a big city any day.]]></description>
<author>akitchen@jankelley.com (AnitaKitchen)</author>
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<title>Advanced Segments in Google Analytics For Marketers that Love Customer Segmentation</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/advanced-segments-in-google-analytics-for-marketers-that-love-customer-segmentation</link>
<pubDate>Sat, 17 Apr 2010 11:10:06 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Observe. Segment. Observe.
&nbsp;
This is what the Advanced Segments feature in Google Analytics allows you to do. It provides data that indicates varying behaviours among these segments as they interact with your site. Is segment A more interested in purchasing something on your site than segment B?&nbsp; You can find out.
The feature allows you to define visiting segments by setting criteria for certain metrics. While it may take a few minutes to setup, this feature can save tons of data manipulation time if you are manually exporting, manipulating and analyzing. For example, one of our clients, elearnnetwork.ca has 18 Centres across Ontario. Google offers data by city, but because the catchment area of each Centre extends beyond the city it is located in, we can group the data from nearby cities together using Advanced Segments in Google Analytics.
The segments can be turned on and off at any time and these filters can be used to overlay all other data available in Google Analytics. For example, by turning on the Toronto segment you would see the Toronto-specific data for Traffic Sources, Content, Goals and Visitors data. This is powerful data for tracking and comparing performance by Centre, especially when there may not be an individual micro site or webpage on the website dedicated to that particular region. Try setting up a segment today, you can find the feature on the left hand panel of the navigation under My Customizations.]]></description>
<author>sjeyarajah@jankelley.com (SinthuJeyarajah)</author>
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<item>
<title>MARS Apprentice 2010</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/mars-apprentice-2010</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 07:05:04 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Since the program began six years ago, JAN Kelley has been a partner and supporter of the MARS Apprentice program that is organized by the students and faculty at the McMaster University DeGroote School of Business.&nbsp;
As an agency, we love participating in this program for two main reasons:
1. It provides our staff with the opportunity to write a case study for a Boardroom session (think Donald Trump) about a client challenge and engage a highly focused group of impressive business students to find creative ways to solve it. We all benefit from their fresh-thinking - and some ideas through the years have morphed into tangible marketing strategies.
2. One of the awarded prizes is an internship for one of the MARS students at the agency. We've had some impressive ones in here (LL, young Derek....). We not only challenge them - but these students challenge us. We are all more enriched by the end of the summer. And we've still got one kicking around who has been described by some of our clients as a "rockstar" (that's you, Sinthu).&nbsp;
Overall, these are impressive, determined, and terrifyingly smart young people who are (quite literally) going to be taking over the world sometime soon.
While we get ready to welcome Amanda White for Summer 2010, check out the MARS website for more information:
www.degrootemarketing.com/mars-apprentice]]></description>
<author>kkay@jankelley.com (KristaKay)</author>
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<title>Cinema ETickets Now Include A Dinner Coupon  A First in Canada</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/cinema-etickets-now-include-a-dinner-coupon--a-first-in-canada</link>
<pubDate>Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:07:50 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Making plans on which movie to see has certainly evolved from the old days of 'Cheap Tuesdays' (although, still available). &nbsp;Now the choice of movies seems endless with options like 3-D, and VIP seats. &nbsp;Thanks to a new media we conceived for our client Service Inspired Restaurants, pre-dinner movie plans have Jack Astor's and Alice Fazooli's at the top of the consideration list. &nbsp;
Through the e-ticket technology at Cineplex Entertainment, guests who purchase advance tickets online will now receive a coupon at one of the restaurants (each location is customized based on the nearest restaurant to that cinema). &nbsp;A printed coupon appears below the confirmation bar code of the online cinema ticket when the guest prints their ticket(s). &nbsp;
The key insight to this innovation was the realization of how close Cineplex movie theatres are to so many of the SIR Corp Restaurants. &nbsp;Our goal was to capitalize on the movie-going crowd and get them to commit to either Jack Astor's or Alice Fazooli's before they even arrive at that cinema where other competitive restaurants are located near by. &nbsp;
The best part of this case is the cost ratio benefit. &nbsp;For a 2.9% redemption rate based on the number of online tickets purchased and then redeemed in store, there was no cost for production, distribution and a very reasonable cost to Cineplex Entertainment for use of the space on their e-tickets. &nbsp;
For more information on this case please feel free to drop me a line at any time.]]></description>
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<author>schan@jankelley.com (ShaunaChan)</author>
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<title>Coupons Delivered Through NOW Magazine</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/coupons-delivered-through-now-magazine</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:27:53 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[I love clients that take calculated risks the odd time. &nbsp;Such is the case with Service Inspired Restaurants, specifically their restaurants Jack Astor's, Alice Fazooli's and Canyon Creek (they have others as well, but these 3 are the only ones involved in this media execution). &nbsp;
Last summer, NOW Magazine was planning to launch their new App for iPhone that contained all the restaurant reviews for Toronto GTA in one place. &nbsp;Being the first advertiser with our foot in the door, we were able to lock in a category exclusive deal for a period of one year. &nbsp;The purpose was to test a new method of coupon delivery and ultimately drive more customers into their restaurants. &nbsp;
Just 7 months into the program, our impression goals have been exceeded 3-fold, and early indicators are proving that the redemption rates are roughly 1.9% based on those who clicked on the banner ad within the application, and requested a coupon by entering their email address. &nbsp;Not bad considering $0 production or Canada Post charges had to be incurred.
The back-end preparation was a great learning experience for the technical teams at NOW Magazine as well at SIR Corp head office. &nbsp;Gift card numbers were pre-programmed with $10 off discounts, so as a person clicked on the banner ad and entered their email address, a coupon was automatically issued to that individual. &nbsp;Careful consideration was made to limit duplication of users, and ultimately maximize awareness of the program and get the early adopters of the technology on board with this brand new methodology of on-demand coupon delivery. &nbsp;
We're excited to be at the forefront of this trend, and with experience under our belt, new challenges will help us set industry benchmarks. &nbsp;
I welcome any new or existing client interested in this for their business to please contact me for more information.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>schan@jankelley.com (ShaunaChan)</author>
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<item>
<title>And You Thought Canada Was Already Multicultural</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/and-you-thought-canada-was-already-multicultural</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:39:31 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[The bulk of the media surrounding the release of the Stats Canada report "Projections of the Diversity of the Canadian Population "(91-551-X ) centered on the significant growth estimates that populations identified as  "visible minorities" in Canada will achieve by the year 2031.
But while race continues to be newsworthy the important data for marketing (and government services) has to do with the growth of culturally diverse groups and the communication challenges this implies.
By 2031 it is estimated that up to 30% of the Canadian population will be foreign born. But while in 1981 a majority of this group was of European birth (66.7%) it is estimated that by 2031 almost 80% of first generation Canadians will have been born in Africa, Asia or the Americas. If you include second generation Canadians you will find that "nearly one Canadian in two aged 15 and over would either be foreign born or have at least one foreign born parent". What does this mean in terms of the cultural considerations you should include in your marketing plans to make them more effective?
What about languages? In 2006 one in five Canadians had a mother tongue other than English or French (allophones) but it is estimated that this group could include almost one in three Canadians by 2031!
And these trends become much sharper if you consider Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs). In general two out of three Canadians lived in CMAs, but since the early 1990's over 90% of newcomers have settled in them so by 2031 it is estimated that "55% of persons living in metropolitan areas would be either immigrants or children of immigrants, compared to 19% in the rest of the country." An estimated 91% of all allophones will live in CMAs. These are large numbers. Do you have the capabilities to communicate with them?
Multicultural communities will continue to grow, the numbers for first generation immigrants will increasingly justify multicultural marketing efforts, and while second and third generation members will become ever more integrated into the Canadian culture, becoming fluently bilingual and eventually English dominant, they will still carry forward their heritage and traditions. Having the capability to consider and refer to these markers will enhance your relationships with them and increase the effectiveness of your communication efforts.
Look to your current client base and learn from them. Look to your employees, are they culturally diversified? If they are, get them involved in your efforts to learn about their communities; if they are not maybe you should review your staffing criteria.  No company or brand will achieve multicultural credibility overnight, so don't wait until 2031 to start.&nbsp;]]></description>
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<author>ppetch@jankelley.com (PeterPetch)</author>
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<title>Marketing in a Recession</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/marketing-in-a-recession</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:23:20 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s no secret that the last couple of years have been some of the toughest economical years we&rsquo;ve seen in a long time.&nbsp; One of my responsibilities at JAN Kelley last year was to provide bi-weekly e-mails to help our Firkin Franchisees with their local store marketing initiatives. As we started off 2009, I thought to myself &ldquo;What can I say to give some hope to start off this year?&rdquo; &nbsp;People were losing their homes, businesses and jobs all across North America. Below is a snippet of what I sent out at the start of 2009. Yes, 2010 is supposed to be a better year than 2009 but that doesn&rsquo;t mean that businesses should be spending any less time and effort on their marketing. &nbsp;
Even though the economy isn&rsquo;t back into full swing, there is still opportunity for growth and success during these times. A number of studies have shown that advertising and marketing during recessions not only increases sales but increases profits. Many companies have a tendency to cut spending and time spent on marketing during tough times. However, this leaves room for the competition to become top-of-mind and steal market share. In the 1989-91 recessionary period, most of the beer industry cut their advertising and marketing budgets, but Coors Light and Bud Light increased theirs and saw sales jump 15% and 16% respectively -- not an easy thing to do in a market with such a loyal customer base.
Advertising and marketing is going to take some financial resources, however that doesn't require breaking the bank. Businesses with limited budgets may want to consider different ways of getting their name out there and to the right audience. Developing a strategic marketing plan to target the right audience is a crucial and important step. This is not the time to waste money and energy advertising to the wrong audience. Recession or not, no one can afford to be all things to all people.
In the words of adman Martin Puris, "In good times, people are less apt to try new things. In bad times, they have to start to do things better".]]></description>
<author>egaudreau@jankelley.com (EricGaudreau)</author>
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<title>So you want to win a contest</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/so-you-want-to-win-a-contest</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:52:24 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[One of the ways that our clients build on their relationships with their customers is through contests.&nbsp; As a database analyst, much of the contest data comes across my desk, and so I have seen some winning strategies, along with common mistakes made by contestants.&nbsp; Here are some tips that might help you in your contest entry success.
1.&nbsp; Read the rules.&nbsp; All contests will have a link to the rules.&nbsp; Read them.&nbsp; Read them again.&nbsp; If your entry does not comply to the rules, you won't win.
2.&nbsp; Don't try to "stuff the ballot box".&nbsp; If the contest allows one entry per day, that is what we will process.&nbsp; Trying to enter more often than allowed can get you disqualified.
3.&nbsp; Make sure you have correctly entered your contact information.&nbsp; If we can't contact you we can't give you the prize.&nbsp; Don't laugh, this does happen!
4.&nbsp; If friends can "vote" for you in the contest, utilize social media.&nbsp; Some of our top vote getters have really utilized facebook in getting the word out about their entry into our contests.
5.&nbsp; Utilize any "Refer a friend" component that you see.&nbsp; Often it will give you additional entries, and give your friends a chance to win as well.
6.&nbsp; If the contest involves a creative component, such as story writing or video, and creativity is not your strong suit, then get a friend to help who is a little more gifted in this area.
7.&nbsp; If the contest gives you additional entries for providing additional information (like a picture of a product for example), then take as much advantage of this as you can.
8.&nbsp; Don't be afraid to get on a company's e-mailing list.&nbsp; You will likely find out early about their future promotions and contests.&nbsp; In some cases the promotions will only be available to their mailing list.
9.&nbsp; Enter the contests most appropriate to you.&nbsp; If you are a coffee drinker, sign up for some of the coffee related contests.&nbsp; There is no point entering a contest where you won't appreciate the prize.
10.&nbsp; Have fun!&nbsp; Take a few minutes and browse the contest sponsors website.&nbsp; Perhaps this is a company or product that you haven't considered before.&nbsp; See if it might be a good alternative to your current choices.
Finally, if you're interested in a contest or other advertising to help promote your business, give us a call.&nbsp; We would be happy to meet with you to discuss how we can help grow your business.
&nbsp;
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<author>mbell@jankelley.com (MikeBell)</author>
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<title>Brands as Platforms</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/brands-as-platforms</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:40:45 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Over the years, brands have been thought of, managed, marketed and experienced in many ways. We have shaped their evolution from "what it does" to "how it makes me feel" to "who I am". And now, enabled by digital technology and social communities, brands have increasingly become gateways and launching pads to "what I want to become". While brands have long been viewed as platforms for launching line extensions, many marketers have only now begun to recognize crowd wisdom, co-creation and user collaboration as key ingredients to making brands much more than that.
All those years ago, insightful marketers and customer-aware salespeople recognized the emotional power of great brands, whether they existed in b2c or b2b markets. Today, the old adage that we shop rationally and buy emotionally is well understood by even the most cynical number crunchers. When Faith Popcorn told us that women don't buy brands - they join them - she provided insight into the communities of brand users, fans and advocates who can help elevate brands to much higher-level meanings than most would have thought possible. By recognizing that consumers and customers own brands, marketers are beginning to do what they've always said they wanted to do; interact directly and openly with those who buy, use and attach meaning to their brands.
Why is this so beneficial? As human beings, we are driven to share our thoughts, feelings, insights, fears, hang ups and moments with those around us. We seem to be hard-wired for searching out new levels and channels of self expression, self-awareness and spirituality. The drive to achieve some sort of harmony with each other and our environment is ever-present and relentless. Brands are part of our daily lives; our memories, our families, our entertainment and even our aspirations. We connect them to events, thoughts and emotions. And when we share those connections with others who see and experience the world as we do, yet another level of experience is achieved.
The brand becomes a platform that we help build, define, shape and extend. Smart marketers listen and observe the consumer-driven activity and then thoughtfully participate, contribute and shape. And it works.
Is your brand a platform?&nbsp;For more on this see Jeff Jarvis' book What Would Google Do? - Chapter 2, page 32.]]></description>
<author>jletwin@jankelley.com (JimLetwin)</author>
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<title>Microsoft  Forced to help the competition</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/microsoft-forced-to-help-the-competition</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:04:01 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Microsoft is now providing a "Web browser choice screen" for its European users.
As of March 1st, European users who have IE as their default browser, will be greeted with a screen providing browser alternates to Microsoft's own IE.
The browser alternates include other popular browsers such as Mozilla's Firefox and Google's Chrome. Often these broswers offer faster browsing, more efficcent processing and advanced features.
According to the BBC News, there is already a noticeable difference in the number of downloads the popular web browser Opera received since the change in policy.Back in 2004, Microsoft's IE had over 90% of the world using it for browsing the web. Since then, that number has been falling. Now, 6 years later, Microsoft is barely holding onto a 60% market share. With this new policy, I expect that number to continue to fall.From a web-developers standpoint, this is music to my ears.I can only hope Microsoft are forced somehow to do this in North America too.
If you havent tried them, I strongly reccommend the following browsers:

Mozilla's Firefox
Google's Chrome
Opera
]]></description>
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<author>msmith@jankelley.com (MikeSmith)</author>
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<title>Formula for Effective Communication</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/formula-for-effective-communication</link>
<pubDate>Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:11:21 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Communication is a powerful thing. It can be a potent healer or the  most hurtful of weapons. A maker of success or a propellent of failure.  In the right hands it can save our world and in the wrong hands destroy  it.
Whether you believe communicating in today's world is more science  than art or vice versa, let me share what I believe is a formula for doing it effectively &ndash; in a positive,  motivating way, that is.
First of all, be relevant. Consider who it is you're  speaking to and what things or values are important to them. If you  don't make a connection on this level, you won't have a person's  attention on any level for very long.
Next, be honest. Be yourself and say what you want  to say truthfully. I don't know about you, but I don't have much time  for people I don't trust, and nothing is more critical to earning trust  than honesty (a.k.a. genuineness).
Lastly, be interesting. Reward their attention by  making the experience enjoyable and entertaining. Great storytellers do  more than just fill our heads with information, they fill our imaginations with  emotion &ndash; bringing ideas, characters and situations to life through  words, pictures and sounds.
Be relevant. Be honest. Be interesting.
On second thought, it isn't  really a formula at all. It's just courtesy and common sense.
]]></description>
<author>sfarago@jankelley.com (StewFarago)</author>
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<title>Following the Golden Rule Online</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/following-the-golden-rule-online</link>
<pubDate>Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:36:45 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Whether you&rsquo;re interacting with someone face-to-face, via telephone, or online, there are still basic common sense rules of etiquette which should be followed. Unfortunately, common sense doesn&rsquo;t always come into common practice, especially for online etiquette.
Many people still think that because they&rsquo;re online, the rules of etiquette aren&rsquo;t as important. You can see example after example of this on Facebook, Twitter, on blog comments, and in reviews. For some, there&rsquo;s a belief that because you&rsquo;re online, you can hide, use a pseudonym, be anonymous. The exact opposite is true - to be truly successful online, you should still follow the rules of social etiquette so you don&rsquo;t become the poster child for &ldquo;what not to do&rdquo;.
Word spreads fast &ndash; remember the old Faberge Organic Shampoo commercials (boy am I dating myself)? One person will tell two friends, they&rsquo;ll tell two friends&hellip;and so on, and so on.&nbsp;
And with that, here are a few etiquette rules to follow.

Remember the old adage:&nbsp; if you can&rsquo;t say anything nice, don&rsquo;t say anything at all. Everyone agrees upon this primary social media etiquette rule: be nice. You can still provide a contrary argument for a blog posting or Tweet, but do it in a way that is intelligent and generates conversation, not backlash.&nbsp; Comments that are rude, profane, or just plain ignorant should be avoided at all costs.
Just like in real life, the persona you present online should be the same as the one you present to a customer face-to-face. Be professional at all times and build that trust online like you have in person.
Easy rule of thumb here &ndash; what would your mother say if she saw what you posted (be it a photo or Tweet or comment on a blog)? If you would be mortified if she saw it, then why on earth are you posting it online for everyone to see in perpetuity? Especially if you are utilizing social media networks for business building, why even remotely take the risk?&nbsp;
Give credit when credit is due. Re-Tweet and give credit to the person you first learned about an issue from. Cite blogs in your postings. By being transparent and honest in your postings, you gain credibility and trust.&nbsp;
Help others, and they will help you. For example, if an error is made in a reference to your company or yourself in an online posting, provide feedback or assistance in an open and non confrontational way. If you receive a complaint about a product or service, reply quickly and ensure they are being looked after.&nbsp; The more direct and helpful you are, the more people will respond in kind.&nbsp;

Social media networking is all about building relationships, not tearing them down. Show respect to the community and they&rsquo;ll show it back to you. Ultimately just follow the Golden Rule:
&ldquo;Do unto others as you would have them do unto you&rdquo;]]></description>
<author>kmcwatt@jankelley.com (KimMcWatt)</author>
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<title>Your Marketing Investment</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/your-marketing-investment</link>
<pubDate>Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:37:37 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) in its simplest form measures the margin contribution derived through incremental sales directly related to a specific marketing activity.&nbsp; The problem with this simplified ROMI measurement is that it ignores the values of long-term brand building through other communications inserted into the market.&nbsp; It works well as a tool to measure and compare different initiatives.&nbsp; This information can then help guide future marketing investment to methods that provide the greatest ROMI.
Increasingly, large organizations with sophisticated metrics that can balance both marketing and business analytics are using a long term approach to ROMI.&nbsp; The information these metrics produce helps the company prioritize the allocation of marketing and other resources by getting to the bottom of value for money challenges.]]></description>
<author>knicholson@jankelley.com (KenNicholson)</author>
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<title>What Social Media has taught me about sex</title>
<link>http://www.jankelley.comblog/what-social-media-has-taught-me-about-sex</link>
<pubDate>Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:12:13 -0400</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[You&rsquo;ve probably heard or seen this quote posted on twitter by Avinash  Kaushik, Google&rsquo;s analytics evangelist: &ldquo;Social media is like  teen sex. Everyone wants to do it. No one actually  knows how. When finally done, there is surprise it's not better."
You may not agree with his premise but you just can&rsquo;t deny that sex  and social media have a lot in common. Like many others, I am online  every day, reading and sometimes experimenting with social media. But  for the most part, I&rsquo;m sitting on the sidelines. It reminds me of being  sixteen all over again. Then I came across this post by Loyan  Roylance from a conference he spoke at. Underneath the  humour, he makes some very astute observations. If you don&rsquo;t have five  minutes to watch the video, I&rsquo;ve captured the 12 key points he makes.  Bottom line? Don&rsquo;t be afraid to put yourself out there. There&rsquo;s good  reason why everyone is doing it.
What Social Media has taught me about sex

You      can do it by yourself but it&rsquo;s not as good. 
The      first time is scary. People might think you&rsquo;re doing it  wrong.
You      don&rsquo;t have to be perfect. 
B.S.      doesn&rsquo;t work. Transparency does. 
You      can learn a lot from the experts. But no matter how  much Dr Ruth knows,      she can&rsquo;t do it for you. If you really want to  get something out of it,      you&rsquo;ve gotta do it yourself.
Share      your experiences, that&rsquo;s how you learn.
Knowing      what your partner wants is very important.
Experiment.      There&rsquo;s new tools to try. Be Creative.
You      can get a lot done in two minutes. It&rsquo;s all about the  relationship &ndash;      having multiple touch-points. Even a quickie works. 
Be      generous. The more you give, the more you&rsquo;ll receive.
Control      is overrated. If you want the other person to  contribute, give up control.
Oh, and video can really enhance the experience.
]]></description>
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<author>lridley@jankelley.com (LynnRidley)</author>
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