A man approaching his 40s and 50s has one medical procedure on his mind that he would gladly avoid; a prostate exam. Just the mere idea of the procedure is enough to make the manliest of men cringe. You’ll never hear a story about how pleasant the procedure was or how kind the nurse was. In fact, most men prefer never to speak about it again.

With that being said, it is also one of the most important procedures that a man can get. This 15 minute screening can add years to a man’s life. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men. Even after hearing those staggering statistics, most men will remain extremely apprehensive to the idea of the screening.

So how in the world do you promote prostate screenings if the majority of the patients refuse to get the procedure?

Unlike most campaigns, the target audience wasn’t exactly who we targeted. Men, as stubborn as they can be, will listen to the women in their lives. So that’s who we targeted in one of the ads. The ad focused on a woman challenging her father to “Man Up” and get his prostate screened. Every variation of the ad focused on challenging men to “Man Up” and get the exam.

The results were incredible. In fact the results were so good last year (additional exam dates needed to be set-up), that we used the same ad concept this year. It didn’t fail. 94% of the men who scheduled a screening “Manned Up” for their prostate exam! I guess a few weren’t man enough.

If you have great video content, I’ll wait while you give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back. You’re way ahead of the game. Whether you have 10, 25, 50, or 100+ videos, it sure feels great to have such a wide variety of content online, doesn’t it?

Now, take a step back for a moment. Approach your channel and your library of videos from the perspective of a new visitor. Chances are that the plethora of videos you have on display is overwhelming for this newcomer, so much so that he or she will gladly exit to more familiar territory.

In a striking Catch-22, YouTube channels are where this is most prevalent. YT made it possible for you to upload video after video for public consumption, but your library soon became so daunting that visitors didn’t know where to begin. So they never did.

What’s the solution here? Step away from YouTube and try categorizing the videos on your web page. Take our client, Wet & Forget, for example. Their multitude of videos ranged from application how-tos to interviews about the product. Their library had grown steadily, and having every video on the same page was simply too overwhelming. Pictured below is the new look to the Wet & Forget Videos page.

If you feel that you have great video content that should be getting more attention, take a look at your videos from a new visitor’s perspective. Is it overwhelming? If so, it may be time to re-think the aesthetics of your page. An overwhelmed visitor is a lost visitor, so better categorizing of your material could work wonders.

A lot of times our creative pursuits outside the office help us find new technology. Since that’s the biz we’re in, we like that!

You  might remember a little post I wrote about the creatives here at DC. Danielle has a fabulous shop on Etsy called Whimsy Garden. When she decided to start showcasing her work at craft shows, she was a “cash only” kinda stand. But now, she is able to accept credit cards thanks to her little friend “Square”.

Square is a credit card reader that attaches to your phone through the headphone jack. With just a few steps, you can easily set up shop! Then you can use their free app to accept any Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express card from your lovers…..I mean patrons at a small fee – similar to PayPal. This is an awesome deal for someone like Danielle, who gained around 50% more business this year by accepting credit cards at her booth. Of course, this app wouldn’t be so fabulous if it didn’t work for both iPhone/iPad users and those of us who are still using Android (ahem…Danielle). Either way, it’s worth checking out if you are in this kinda biz.

Your sad devotion to that ancient Jedi religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, but now it may give you the clairvoyance to update your Facebook status. Or perhaps you’d like to boot up the old the W.O.P.R. or tap it out on your brand new iPhone 5.

Well now you can! With Status Via (inspired by a redit post) you can choose your method of Facebook status delivery.

But come on, really folks — let’s back up a minute. It’s cute. But how can we really use this to our advantage? Well, why are there those little tags declaring that that post was delivered from your Droid anyway? Advertising, of course. This is could be a clever little opportunity for marketers to allow customers to post status updates directly from their organizations or products.

Status updates from a product you sell or manufacture? How about from patients at your hospital? How can you do this? You’d have to use Facebook’s Status Message API to label updates with whatever source you want. Go forth and have some fun with your next marketing campaign. And may the force be with you.

Example:

With Google+ being launched on a field trial basis this past month, much commotion has been made among internet consumers and marketers alike. The Google+ project is said to take on the Facebook dynasty in new and innovative ways. The network is similar to Facebook but has many of its own unique qualities. Google+, already being labeled as a social network, will essentially utilize all Google products into its navigation bar for a more complete experience.

For marketers, Google+ should provide enormous opportunities. While Facebook marketers can gain some insight into their consumers based on likes and their history on the Facebook website, Google+ may have the ability to do much more than that…

Imagine a consumer searching the Google homepage, researching a new electronics product they wish to purchase. After clicking on an ad from Google Adwords they are transported to your website promoting and selling that product. They come close to purchase but never convert. This would be the end of tracking for a marketer without Google+. What if you could then follow the consumer to their Google+ account where they go to ask for recommendations from the people they trust? This is the place for “remarketing”, where you could utilize hyper-targeted ads for these on the fence buyers to offer them free shipping with their purchase of the electronic item. Boom – Conversion.

Google+ has yet to launch to the public, nor has it made any announcement about its plans for Google+ advertisement, however the potential is there. Personally, I believe that privacy issues will be the biggest concern for Google+ when ad and marketing development comes into play. It will be interesting to see in the future how Google+ pans out for marketers, consumers and just plain internet users in the future.

Almost two years ago, Microsoft unveiled its premier search engine – Bing, where users can perform “educated” searches on the web. While Bing has been no match for Google in market share, their recently introduced rewards program has potential for expansion.

In September 2010, Microsoft emerged with a loyalty rewards program to “engage” casual users of the Bing search engine. Bing Rewards works much like a frequent flyer program or credit card point system. Upon signing up, users can simultaneously surf the net and rack up valuable points. Participants can later redeem these points for products such as games, gift cards and even charitable donations.

You earn yourself 250 points just for signing up for the service, with a limit of up to eight additional points you can gain per day (one for every five Bing searches performed). Further points can be earned through the use of the “discovery engine” or through participation in Bing sponsored activities.

If the gigantic presence of Google has you leaning toward other places to get stuff done on the Web, Bing could be worth your time.

The words “Facebook” and “Twitter” have been banned from being used on French television, Social Times reports.   The use of the social networking sites’ names on TV leads the Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA) to believe that smaller social networking sites and start ups have very little chance of competing with the networking giants.   The CSA, which is very similar to the FCC, asks that advertisers be more generic when directing consumers to their sites.

“Find us on social networking websites” is more appropriate than the “Follow us on Twitter” or “Find us on Facebook” taglines, according to CSA spokeswoman Christine Kelly.   She adds, “If we allow Facebook and Twitter to be cited on air, it’s opening a Pandora’s box…other social networks will complain to us saying, ‘Why not us?’”

France apparently has a soft spot for Friendster, Bebo, and Myspace, which remain unaffected by the ban.   This makes me wonder about the last time the words “Check out my Bebo!” were uttered by anyone at all.

While the CSA certainly is correct in pointing out that Facebook and Twitter are at the top of the social networking pyramid, they fail to recognize that many companies use these platforms as a primary means of interaction with customers.

In today’s conventional advertising model, a TV ad refers to the company’s social network, which in turn refers back to the company’s website for purchases to be made.   Businesses are intentionally choosing the top two networks because they have the largest target audience. I personally think that the top social networks increase the bonds with customers much more than TV ads will.   Consumers in France, upon hearing “Find us on social networks” on TV will still probably check Twitter and Facebook first, as they are so widely established and universally accepted.

The CSA insists that the ruling was not an attempt to regulate the adoption of English words via France’s Toubon laws, either.

Some related data from Nielsen shows that consumers around the world spent 82% more time on social networks in December 2009 than in the previous year.   The average time per person in the same study for the month of December 2009 was four hours for France:

So is this decree really about fair competition, or is it a modern example of unnecessary micro-regulation?   It will be interesting to see if any petitions from Facebook, Twitter, and/or the people of France will help remove the ban in the near future. While I am not a citizen of France, I find the CSA’s decision to increase regulation on TV advertising to be redundant.   More and more individuals choose to remain on the computer rather than watch television as it is, so why is it necessary to create more red tape for the creators of ads for this form of declining media? I’d like to see what Twitter-reliant (read: obsessed) CNN would try to do in that country.

The inclusion of Facebook, Twitter, and other social network names in commercials is not intended to be advertising for these sites.   At its extreme, saying “Find us on Facebook” is a challenge directed at potential customers to try and remember the name of the brand the next time you are on a computer. Time will tell whether or not such a ban may upset more people than it benefits.   Laissez-faire will have to wait, for now.

Microsites have been around for some time, but I still encounter quite a few people who either don’t know what they are — or how they can be a powerful addition to an advertising and marketing campaign.

This microsite was developed as part of our “Memorial ER Stories” campaign. The campaign was designed to extend the lifespan of the core message that Memorial’s ER was the number one choice of Springfield, IL residents.

For the uninitiated, microsites are exactly what they sound like: small websites that exist at a separate domain from your corporate website. They’re similar to landing pages in that they help with tracking and analytics, you can choose clever domain names and fun graphics — but there’s more.

Let’s take a look at the seven most important principles of microsites.

1. Each microsite should have a single purpose
Microsites tackle a specific segment of your overall market, a specific message, a particular important event, product or service, advertising campaign or geographic location. Basically they can help deliver a set of information quickly and more compellingly than your larger corporate website. The best microsites have a simple and engaging design, a highly focused message and no more than about a dozen pages (here’s a great example of a very small microsite.  So small it’s called a landing page). They’re an important spoke in the wheel of your overall herding (what’s herding?) campaign — which may involve print, social media, radio, TV, PR and online banner advertising.

2. A microsite should improve confidence
When you’re wading though search results and information online the water tends to get a little muddy. Sending people directly to your website doesn’t usually help either. Microsite visitors aren’t distracted with complex navigation choices and information that’s not directly relevant to why they’re there in the first place. By delivering only the most pertinent information — in an easily viewable way — you can promote confidence in your potential clients or customers — leading to higher conversion rates.

3. Microsites should be small but meaty
One of the biggest mistakes some marketers make can make with a microsite is making it too light and fluffy. Microsites should be meaty — but lean. In most circumstances there should never be any teasers. Without enough information to satisfy a visitor they’re likely to leave.

4. Microsites should provide instant gratification
Build it for speed. After all, you’re creating a microsite so that viewers don’t get bogged down in the wealth of content on your full site. Give the viewer what they came there for, only what they came there for — and do it fast — but never in a Flash.

5. Microsites should allow users to find information on their own
Don’t be so controlling. Unless you have a very specific story or message to tell, “guided flow” site architecture can seem a little suffocating. Provide clear navigation choices to allow a user to explore on their own terms and at their own pace. This type of navigation has a secondary benefit. Studies have shown that users who discover things on their own through information foraging can develop an information scent trail. When users feel that they have found information on their own they take ownership of it, building an affinity with your brand and less like you’ve sold them something.

6. Microsite navigation should be intuitive
If there’s one tenet of a microsite it’s simplify. Offer a few simple, quick choices on the landing page, followed up with highly targeted information. Breaking your information into several subtopics makes it easier for people to consume what they need. Each navigation link should allow the viewer to explore and learn more — without forcing them to dig for the information they really want. A big, long, scrolling page of content isn’t useful.

7. Microsites should be economical and agile
Creating a microsite shouldn’t be an ordeal. Designing one should be only a little more work than a simple landing page. Because they’re part of your marketing message and not directly tied into your corporate website they can be deployed quickly, hopefully without committee after committee tangling it up in red tape. You can even create two microsites with  A/B versions so you can conduct multivariate testing to experiment with different content, presentation and conversion offers.

If there’s an 8th principle, it’s that microsites shouldn’t be reserved for special occasions. Much like that champagne in your refrigerator, what are you saving it for? Microsites can be created for just about any purpose, quickly and easily. If they’re created on an open platform they can be changed easily and updated at little cost.

Usually we don’t hear businesses attacking their competitors in ads.  That dark world is dominated by politicians who will say just about anything for a vote.  But now, months removed from elections, we’re getting hit with Pennington’s claim that Scotts Miracle Grow is half seed and half filler while their product is 100% seed.  Ouch.  I feel Scotts’ pain.

It’s a very nice strategy.  After all, who wouldn’t want to spend their money on a full bag of seed, right?  They basically planted a nice seed in the buyer’s mind that there was more to think about than just the name.

Ah, but Scotts is too big to take such a challenge (and such a powerful one at that) lying in the grass.  Within weeks, Scotts launched two radio spots explaining that their grass seed is coated with an exclusive product that allows it to absorb water and thus work better. It’s not filler, but rather advanced technology that you’d expect from the leader.

Touche.

So whose grass is greener?  When all is said and done, I think both companies win, but with Pennington’s gaining the most ground.

Pennington’s could have just talked intelligently about their seed, but that would have been a big waste.  If they had focused on their own quality, they would have found buyers who simply wanted a less expensive alternative to Scotts and felt confident that, thanks to the message, Pennington’s could deliver on their quality promise.  In essence, this type of advertising would have only earned Pennington’s those buyers who were willing to take their chances on a lower priced seed.  That’s not a good strategy for any type of growth.  Cheap people are fickle, and the competition for this cheap market is, well, cheap.  It’s hard to grow a business when you’re going for the lowest part of the market.  The other guy will just keep lowering the price.

If Pennington’s ran this type of informative advertising instead of attacking Scotts, they would have still found themselves competing in a crowded field of also-rans since buyers could choose from not only Pennington’s, but from all the other seed makers who have a lower price.  Would Pennington’s intelligent message sway people at the moment of purchase, when a few dollars here or there will make the difference?  Probably not enough to make the radio buys worth it.  If people are going to buy on price, then price is practically all that matters — even if there’s some intelligent message about the quality of the seed.  After all, doesn’t every seed manufacturer claim their seeds are good quality?  And what do we, the average Joe’s buying the stuff, know about quality seed anyway?  If we’re going to spend a few extra bucks, might as well get Scotts and be sure.

Unless someone gives the buyers a reason not to trust the expensive guy, which is exactly what Pennington’s did.  As with campaign ads, whether the message is wrong or right doesn’t matter.  What matters is how the consumers file it all away.

Quite simply, advertising isn’t about intelligent talk (just look at campaign ads for proof), and Pennington’s knows it.  Rather, good advertising about carving out a solid position in the market so that buyers can easily identify with your product.  It’s about grabbing a spot in the buyer’s brain that is valued more than the price.  It’s about giving people a good reason to select you over others.

In the grass seed market, there are many competitors.  What Pennington’s did was shrink this market down to just their company and Scotts with the rest of the competitors left to fight for the “cheap” buyer.  Pennington’s insisted on throwing their hat into Scotts ring.  By doing so, they immediately get credit as the next best seed maker or, if Scotts didn’t respond, the best.

So no longer is it Scotts, the expensive but proven seed, and the rest.  It’s Scotts and Pennington’s taking the quality seed route (with Pennington’s being a bit cheaper) and the rest of the competitors fighting for the bottom. This is easy for seed buyers to understand, and believe.

Scotts, on the other hand, used the door that was left wide open by Pennington’s to pitch their unique position — seeds that are coated for better growth with less water.

So stay tuned to see how this all turns out.  And let us know if you see this happening elsewhere — except for election advertising (we see those all the time).

The Sherman ICE App that we developed has been live on iTunes for a little over two months. It has been performing increasingly well in terms of downloads. The success of the app has been due to some nice local press, social media mentions, and our traditional advertising.

However, we also wanted to make sure the ICE app was advertised where the iPhone users were; on their iPhones. This is where we have had tremendous success. With an inexpensive budget, we can reach iPhone users while they are using their mobile device. With a single click on a mobile ad, users can reach the iTunes page where your app is ready to be downloaded.

So once your hospital purchases our ICE app, it’s time to start mobile marketing. Check out the case study here.