Grandparents, co-workers, children, students, friends, and families all join in on the Starbucks holiday experience with the simple purchase of a Starbucks beverage in the famed red cup. Although a simple change in packaging, this tribute to the holiday season brings customers from far and wide to get the first picture with their Starbucks red cups. Some even suggest that the cup is the start of their holiday season. Starbucks has truly differentiated itself by positioning themselves as a part of the holiday season rather than “just a coffee.” More distinctly, Starbucks has done an incredible job of leveraging the offline success of the red cups through a well planned online campaign based on the red cups and the experiences associated with them through the holidays.

For instance, Starbucks created numerous websites devoted distinctly to the red cups, such as itsredagain.com in 2006, distinctly for the purpose of building hype before the launch of the cups on Nov.1. Additionally, this year in the UK Starbucks launched “The Red Cup Challenge” encouraging participants to “earn points for their city through daily challenges including word searches and trivia, creative challenges including a town post card, and sharing on Facebook and

Twitter[1].” As well, this year Starbucks truly took consumer behavior into consideration with their red cup car guerrilla marketingcampaign. By sticking red cups to the tops of cars with magnets and randomly allowing them to roam the city streets, when a kind citizen would stop the car to remind the driver of their coffee mind-slip, the driver would award the individual with a $5 gift card. Starbucks then leveraged this offline campaign into an online marketing strategy through YouTube videos, Twitter, and Facebook content.

Year after year Starbucks builds on their holiday campaign by launching more YouTube videos, contests, Twitter contests, and most recently the holiday cup app launched last year devoted to animating the holiday cup experience. A true pioneer in building the online and offline bridge, Starbucks is well versed in bringing the magic of marketing to an object as simple as a red cup.

Approximately 27 million pieces of content is published daily with almost 60% of content-sharing messages mentioning a brand or product name[1]. Although companies are making a strong effort to communicate with their consumers regarding product and service offerings, not enough of an effort has been made to strictly listen to what the consumers have to say about the company, industry, and associated trends. At times, businesses become overwhelmed by the amount of content published regarding their business or market and block themselves off from understanding what their consumers are trying to communicate. Content monitoring and auditing tools have been created for the distinct purpose of addressing this problem by making content management easy, simple, and most importantly manageable.

Primarily, local company Hootsuite has created an integrated social media dashboard for individuals and businesses alike to manage their social strategies by aggregating numerous social pages such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., all on one platform.

With a clear layout, Hootsuite enables the user to keep track of numerous profiles at once as well as post similar content to various profiles all through one organized base.

Although Hootsuite is a free online service offering, a Pro version enables social media managers to engage on even more social profiles than an average user. Moreover, a key feature of Hootsuite allows users to pre-schedule tweets and posts, hence making sharing online content more regular and consistent. However, it is vital to not overly pre-schedule posted content as the information that is shared becomes somewhat robotic and not engaging for the online community. In addition, tools such as Google Plus allow individuals to be notified when content is shared regarding key words such as company name, industry, or selected words that the individual themselves selects. Therefore, keeping a tab on what is shared in the broader online community becomes a part of the monitoring process for individuals and businesses alike.

A key list of analysis tools to become a “modern-day inspector:”

1. Hootsuite: Social aggregation dashboard
2. Google Alerts: Notifications on key words
3. Wildfire: Brand comparisons online
4. Social Mention: Social media search engine
5. Google Reader: RSS feed aggregator
6. Blog Pulse: Blog communication tracker

Consumers globally have been influenced for generations by authority figures such as celebrities, sports figures, politicians, socialites, and ultimately people of power or status. To some degree, such figureheads still hold some influence over consumers as individuals follow them for guidance and inspiration, however to a certain extent the power has been shifted to average individuals looking to make a difference and contribute to the “socialsphere” either through a unique voice or strong purpose.

To illustrate, CIBC’s newest campaign for “Canada’s luckiest student” for the grand prize winner to receive a prize to be shared

with friends and family has dominated Facebook and Twitter profiles all over Canada. With the simple strategy of creating a profile, choosing prize-mates, and earning extra entries through additional postings on a variety of social profiles CIBC has allowed the influencer to become the content sharers, or the students themselves. Additionally, YouTube has become a prime location for individuals to use as a platform to make their voices be heard across a public platform. Numerous artists from the likes of PSY famous for Gangnam style or even YouTube sensation Justin Bieber were all able to make their mark in the entertainment world through the dedication of their social following on YouTube.

Various marketing tactics from a number of brands such as Coke, Lululemon, Starbucks, and even Nike are making the consumer the hero and showcasing their experiences with the brand as the driving force behind powerful ground-breaking campaigns. A significant shift in power truly awards the average individual with the power to make a difference that is anything but average. It is extraordinary.

From photo albums to Facebook profiles, picture sharing is a cultural phenomenon that people of all backgrounds can understand and utilize to express themselves, their interests, and ultimately tell their story. Photographers can be anyone, from the highly paid natural geographic artists to your father with a digital camera in hand. However, Instagram truly brought the professional touch to the average joe through their inventive photo capturing app technology.

Primarily, Instagram was born from the need to capture a moment and share it; instantly. As the inventive word derived from “instant” and “telegram” its mission was to dominate the photo sharing space and become the best. Unimaginably, Instagram was not the original creation of its founder Kevin Systrom, age 28 (wow, only 28) and Mike Krieger. In fact, Burbn was the original name of the location-based photo sharing company. The underlying concept of Burbn was to “let users check-in to locations, make future plans with acquaintances, earn points for hanging out with friends, and post pictures.” However, once in developing stages, the founders discovered that the over-complicated and overabundance of features would confuse their users and would not dominate the field in any one capacity. As a result, as instantly as the name suggests, Instagram was created. Within a short time span Instagram had been developed, keeping in mind simplicity, ease of use, and clear communication of its core goal; photo sharing. [reference: Inc. – Erin Markowitz]

Classroom Take-away: The e-marketing project entailed building a social communication strategy or implementation plan designed to best fit the business client. After discussions with the restaurant Catch 122, it became clear that Instagram was a key fit for their business and its dedication to being different.

 The concept: A photo menu.

 Ever walk into a restaurant not knowing what your order would look like until it arrives to your table after it leaves the kitchen in the back of the restaurant you almost never see. Think again. Through the usage of an Instagram profile for the restaurant and the hashtag #Catch122menu, my group and I designed a well orchestrated strategy to invite the people themselves in the restaurant to participate in becoming “food photographers” as well as true “foodies” by seeing the food on Instagram when ordering and adding to the menu by photographing and tagging it for others to view.

Simple ideas are truly dominating the technology space. As high-tech as it may seem, it pays to be a true believer in a simple solution.

Instagram was acquired by Facebook for $1 billion. Simple.

Check out this Instagram blog to see how Instagram was used to capture images of hurricane Sandy! 

One story leads to two. Two leads to four. Four leads to…Millions? Going viral has become a goal of many advertisements, YouTube videos, awareness campaigns, songs, broadcasts, and virtually any other shareable content. In particular, companies strive for their consumers to do the talking and spread their message while they watch it proliferate among the masses. However going viral is an oxymoron in itself, as going viral is essentially something that is believed to be unplanned. Therefore, it forces the average consumer to wonder, are viral videos planned or targeted? There is no real answer as some planned viral videos fall flat, yet unplanned content garners attention even when unexpected to do so. The fate of all viral videos truly lies in the hands of the viewers who truly value the content more than the motive behind it.

What makes it viral?

Viral content does not have a distinct shape or size, color or feeling. It can be emotional with a powerful hidden message, shocking, or simply entertaining to watch. It can even be in a language we don’t understand to a song we can all dance along too, Gangnam style. However, when observing commonalities between what goes viral, it can be determined that viral videos share a sense of extreme or emotion evoking content that raises opinion. Those attempting to make viral content use extremes to guide the creation of their content, hoping to raise enough emotion within their audience to encourage them to share.

Viral All-Stars. Who does it best?

Old Spice 

Old Spice emerged as a true leader in showcasing the power of viral campaigns.The almost iconic voice of the “Old Spice Guy” was proliferated through YouTube videos viewed hundreds of millions of times, ad campaigns which again went viral,

Old Spice Advertisement: “Smell like a man, man.”

advertisements, and a suite of marketing pieces on behalf of Old Spice. “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” became essentially a spokesperson for Old Spice, helping the brand to transition and differentiate itself amongst a field of competitors.

Building on “Twitterverse” a more in-depth discussion on the how-to’s of tweeting and building content is outlined below. Need a guide, follow this one.

Bringing 140 characters to life, Twitter has developed into a hotspot for social connectivity. Connections are built through following people or subjects of
interest, getting followed by those that find you of interest, as well as tracking topics that one cares about. Twitter newbie? Allow me to break it down for you.

Twitter: What’s the gist?

• Followers: Users that an individual tracks for content and updates.
  • AKA: People that you dig.
  • Follow: Users that subscribe to an individual’s succession of tweets.
    • AKA: People that dig you.
    • Hashtags: Keywords or phrases that individuals use to categorize those tweets and allow them to come up more frequently in search. Selecting a #[word] will show a list of all tweets using that #[word].
      • AKA: Words that you dig.
      • Helpful hint!
        • Don’t #overuse #hashtags as it can #become #distracting to those #viewing your #post.
        • Users recommended to limit hashtags to of 2-3 per post
        • Popular hashtags become trending topics and if relevant to the post, should be used within posts to gain maximum exposure to Twitter audiences

Celebrities, businesses, individuals, and average Joes form the almost 250 million active user base of Twitter. Whether using the service to share news, increase awareness, or connect with others, Twitter truly gives everyone a voice.  In specific, retailers are given a platform to extend their voice to customers. Ranking in the top 20, top brands such as Starbucks, Nike, Pepsi, McDonalds, and even Best Buy invest time and funds into  the Twittersphere.

Whether established or start-up, business born into a generation of technology must engage with customers in order to become trusted and relevant. In fact, some businesses such as Twitpic have even been built themselves as a company on Twitter itself.

Twitter Takeaways

 Listen up! Listening to conversations centred around your brand, engaging in topics relevant to your business, and becoming more aware of industry trends will enable your business to add value to your Twitter posts and content.

• “Adding value to tweets

Be content with your content! Insuring that posted tweets provide the viewers of the content with valuable information, facts, updates, and subject mater that is relevant to them. Simply posting for the sake of pointing won’t attract an audience that engages with you or your brand.

Following these few simple Twitter basics will build your Twitter universe, engage your followers, and create your brand personality.

Listen. Engage. Tweet. 

Tweet: a short burst of inconsequential information,” as well as “a chirp from a bird.”

Twitter is the platform, You are the voice. 

Twitter has not only revolutionized the way we view information and updates but it has created a category all its own through the voices of celebrities, retailers, businesses, and the average Joe. Primarily, Twitter truly holds its own personal meaning for whoever utilizes the service.  For instance, anyone from businesses utilizing it for creating consumer connections to individuals looking for fun tweets to brighten their day; Twitter is truly defined by the user.

Why use the Business bird? 

From a business perspective Twitter enables an open platform of communication to be established between a brand and its customers, followers, fans, and anyone who chooses to engage with a company. Primarily, by creating an online presence through Twitter, brands are able to voice their newest achievements, products, and announcements to those who genuinely care about their brand. More importantly however, Twitter creates a place where companies can listen to what is being said about them and convert the information into actionable movements benefitting their brand. Valuable insight on product/service usage, customer concerns, complaints, and opinions are openly available on Twitter for which companies would pay millions otherwise as market research studies.

Moreover, a key attribute of Twitter is the open and casual conversational form that all messages hold. Not only do contributors feel that brands are more approachable and open to engaging with them, but consumers also feel that brands become more real and almost personified. Businesses take on not only a theme or concept but also a voice that brings consumers closer to the brand itself.

Key Takeaways 

When addressing social media businesses should take into consideration:

• WHO they should talk to?
• HOW they should talk to them?
• WHAT they expect them to do?
• WHAT impact they will have on others?”

[reference: class discussion]
With Twitter’s almost half a billion-user base businesses must be aware of their audience. The audience’s likes, dislikes, tendencies, concerns, and areas of importance must all be considered when deciding what to write, tweet, retweet, or even who to follow. As well, it is vital to not underestimate the power of one person’s voice on Twitter, as whatever is said about the business is heard by a virtual audience and is therefore virtually unlimited in its viral capability. Twitter is a powerful tool. Use with caution.

 Final thoughts: Tweet away!

Email marketing has become an underappreciated segment of marketing strategy plans in recent years due to a funnel of attention being given to the social media frontier. However, companies looking to stay connected and maintain a long-term relationship with customers should look into revamping this category. Email marketing is truly is a diamond in the rough when it comes to pulling in new customers and building relationships with existing ones.

Primarily, as a regular touch point between the company and the consumer, an emailnewsletter can keep businesses connected to their customers. Promotions marketed through emails have the potential to become targeted campaigns geared towards specific leads. Wishpond’s Social Analytics framework can aid in the breakdown process of the leads themselves, contributing to your company’s greater success in meeting the needs of your customers.

Additionally, it is always key to keep in mind the end goal with any marketing strategy; driving potential clients back to the site, and converting them into a new, developing, and interactive clientele base. For instance, Wishpond’s easy-to-use Social Sweepstakes system can be utilized to engage an audience through a social campaign and ultimately capture a larger range of emails, and therefore potential clients from sweepstakes shared in the social-sphere.

Finally, as an exceptional yet affordable marketing option being both cost and time sensitive, email-marketing promotions must also maintain regularity to become part of the customers’ “inbox lifestyle.” Your company can gain exposure through Social Offers and develop key connections with new customers though regular emails. Ultimately, Wishpond helps you create a never-ending sea of opportunities for your company through a developed email-marketing plan. What are you waiting for, wish away!

Today marks the 10^th anniversary of the Vancouver based dessert phenomenon, Cupcakes. Building a simple product and name into a niche market success story, co-founders Heather and Lori have truly developed a noteworthy business and have truly tasted sweet success. Taking a plunge into their online personality, a viewer is easily able to pick up on the core attributes enforced by the brand on their website and social platforms.

Primarily, when taking the 7 C’s into consideration, content and context play a key role in establishing the personality of the customer interface. For instance, key consideration has been given to the choice of colours, photographic images, text, layout, and design of the Cupcakes’ website. To illustrate, a clear whimsical, nostalgic, and retro image comes across through their website interface. In addition, although commerce appears on the Cupcake website as a “shop” option, it is evident that it is not a primary area of concern for the business, as majority of the cupcake purchases are intended to be made in-the-moment, essentially as a crave item rather than a pre-planned purchase. As well, links to Cupcake’s Twitter and Facebook are available through the website, however there are no other forms of connection, community, or communication through the site, where it be site-to-consumer, or consumer-to-consumer. Finally, as Cupcakes is a niche market specialty product, they steer away from customization of their site to the customer, as their product is already very specific and targeted. Ultimately, Cupcakes channels their sweet side as they aim to charm new customers and maintain brand loyal fans.

Recently, the need for a new laptop took me to Future Shop, Best Buy, and the Apple store in search of the best option. A tech novice with relatively little knowledge of what aspects I should be looking for in a laptop. I stuck with my primary need of a lightweight laptop ideal for carrying to and from campus. Aching shoulders after lugging a heavy 15” Toshiba truly drove my desire for a laptop that solved the weight issue first and foremost.  My venture to “the big 3” in reference to Future Shop, Best Buy, and the Apple store was for one key purpose, test out the weight of laptops. However, my purchase intention was very low. I tested out a variety of laptops weighing one after the next and looking for simple features and a sleek design. After testing out laptops at all three stores, I walked out with…nothing, as expected. Ultimately, although Future Shop, Best Buy, and the Apple store all offered a great showroom of product, their overpriced merchandise in comparison to online shopping outlets for tech products or even the corporate websites themselves generally leads shoppers to use the retail stores as a “showroom” rather than a place of purchase. I later found out that my trip to “the big 3” is a common practice among a wide range of consumers who prefer the lower price point to the service benefits offered by large retail chains. Following researching the future prospects of Future Shop and Best Buy, it became evident that opening up large stores was not in their plans and lower retail sales as a result of this change in purchase behavior was evident. The biggest push of the change in purchase behavior, strictly disintermediation. Cutting down links in the supply chain brings the end goal closer to the consumer than ever before. Online distribution encourages disintermediation as they essentially eliminate the need for bricks and mortar businesses to supply product to the end consumer.  A first hand experience with the value of online versus physical retailers has truly lead me to believe that disintermediation brings true value to the end consumer.