Fulton’s and Rock Bottom Replaced by Enclave for Chicago ad:tech
Not that a few won’t end up atop Rock Bottom at the end of the night anyway but it’s nice to know that, for the first time in, like, forever, there will be a party at the Chicago ad:tech that won’t be held at Rock Bottom or Fulton’s. Nope. This year, it’ll all be happening at Enclave, a swanky nightclub where Kim Kardashian has been know to appear - not that that matters to anyone, of course.
ad:tech has a sponsor or two for the party but companies looking to tap into the creme de la creme of online marketing would be wise to contact ad:tech to get in on the action. After all, let’s be blunt, someone has to pay for all those expected free drinks. We can’t have conference attendees actually paying for drinks. That, as you know, just isn’t done in this business! Contact to get in on the action.
read more...What Happens in Miami…Can Also Happen in Chicago
Whoa. Weren’t we all just in Miami getting our interactive (and, um, other things) on at ad:tech? Indeed we were but now it’s time for the Chicago version of ad:tech. OK, OK, so it’s not hot, sunny, sand-filled Miami Beach but it is Navy Pier and Lake Michigan which provides an awesome skyline view of Chicago. That is, if you have a friend with a nice big sailboat who’s kind enough to take you out.
Someone will have a booze cruise. Someone will have a party at The W. CIMA will have a party at Fulsom’s. And, no doubt, one night we’ll all end up atop Rock Bottom at the end of the night. Aside from that, there will keynotes from author Clay Shirky and Google CPG Industry Director Kevin Kells. There will be three panel tracks covering Media and Branding, Tactical Marketing and Emerging Platforms.
Conversational Branding will be explored as will mobile, search, viral, the death of he banner, new media economy and, yes, of course, social media.
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ad:tech Miami May Not Be Forever, but Boy, Friendship Is.
I was in the hallway late yesterday, typing between sessions and recharging my computer at one of ad:tech’s precious outlets, when a shadow fell across my monitor.
It was Paige Dzenis of Brand Infiltration. She towered over me, smiling expectantly.
“Hello,” she said. We made small talk. Suddenly she cried: “Wanna go to the beach?!”
read more...SEM is a Tool, Not a Divining Rod
Here’s a taste of what I heard at ad:tech Miami’s The State of Search in Latin America.
How do you think search fits into the marketing mix?
“Research suggests AdWords placement impacts brand recognition,” said commercial director Andreas Huettner of Google in Brazil.
Do you think LatAm is behind [in terms of search marketing’s maturity]?
“We are definitely behind. Which is why we were on an evangelization mission.”
The Google director’s “evangelization” comment sparked a condescending panel-wide lament about how “traditional marketers” just don’t get search and are reluctant to try it.
These men talked of traditional marketing like it was some backwater village ritual. And, like overzealous missionaries, they failed to see the logical fallacies in their brave new religion.
read more...Hispanic Acculturation an Important Element in Marketing Toolbox
The ad:tech conference in Miami this week provided some great insights on U.S. Hispanic acculturation. Felipe Korzenny, Professor of Hispanic Marketing at Florida State University, John Gallegos, CEO of Grupo Gallegos, and Natasha Funk, Director of Research for Terra Networks US, discussed the topic during the ad:tech session “Hispanic Audience Segmentation: The Complexities of Acculturation.”
Felipe Korzenny provides an excellent definition of acculturation in his book Hispanic Marketing: “the process by which individuals acquire a second culture in addition to their first culture.”
read more...In a Multiplatform World, Brands Must Be Present, Relevant
Multiplatform marketing is about saturating the consumer’s world with the brand’s message.
As noted by GM’s Jaime de Valle, the old advertising adage “Fish where the fish are” has been flipped 180 degrees. Consumers are now the fishers, casting hooks to find the products, services, and brands they need, when and where they need them.
It is the marketer’s prerogative to swim where consumers are fishing, to be present and relevant at every touch point and tipping point in the decision-making process.
This is where the multiplatform approach becomes necessary.
In a world replete with marketing messages, the most competitive brands must use traditional media to place themselves before consumers before the decision becomes a priority. They must be present and relevant when research begins online. They must provide channels for response, interaction, and dialogue through nascent but omnipresent platforms such as mobile and social media. And they must send a consistent, persuasive message all the way to the point of sale.
read more...Hispanic Mobile Marketing Filled With Txting and Testing
The ad:tech Miami panel on mobile marketing for Hispanic cultures in North America kicked off with a tasty amuse bouche of Universal Truths About Mobile, courtesy Jose Villa, CEO of digital ad shop Sensis:
1. Mobile and SMS texting are part of life.
2. Mobile marketing must be permission-based.
3. Mobile is not the Internet, but the user experience is improving.
4. Mobile marketing programs should be tested and optimized starting now.
5. Mobile initiatives must be integrated with other media campaigns.
6. Mobile campaigns, at least right now, need to be simple.
Some may suggest the above statements are, in the spirit of Hooters’ tagline, painfully obvious yet delightfully apparent.
Still, that’s what universal truths need to be, no? What goes up must come down and all that. And once the above statements are taken as obvious and apparent facts of multichannel marketing, then we can all start getting somewhere, mobile-ly speaking.
read more...Terra Rocked Dream the Second Night of ad:tech Miami
With an 80’s theme - because, well it’s supposed to be cool or something - Terra hosted a party at the Dream Nightclub in Miami on the second night of ad:tech Miami. It was crowded and everyone was dancing so it seems 80’s music is good, at least, for something.
There was a dude dancing on a couch, a dude dancing on a pole, beautiful people posing for shots and the ubiquitous booty shot. Oh and let’s not forget the stupid “arty” shots the photographer simply had to include to somehow illustrate his photographic ineptitude. See ya next year, Miami.
See all the photos here.
read more...Digital Marketing Strategy--are you a modern agency?
In every panel, there always seems to be one person who dominates the conversation, mentioning great ideas that the rest expand on. At “The Modern Agency” seminar, that person was John Santiago, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Media 8 Digital Marketing. The main indication he was in charge? He dropped the word “agnostic” about a half-dozen times at the beginning and by the end everyone else on the panel was trying to work it into their comments.
I was interested in this session for two reasons. First of all, any lecture that is based on “introducing” new concepts to traditional marketers always has a great audience dynamic that I can’t help but observe. Case in point: when discussing the integration of digital media John stated “There isn’t going to be a ‘Traditional Media Buyer” and a ‘Online Media Buyer’ at your agency in a year--it’s just going to be ‘Media Buyer’.” Half the audience started to clap while the others recoiled in nervous shock.
read more...Agencies take note: Hispanic Cutting Edge Creative
Best way to kick off a discussion about cutting edge creative? Play YouTube’s “dramatic chipmunk” clip--which is exactly what Luis Miguel Messianu, Chief Creative Officer with Alma DDB did to prove his point that content is everything and the modern audience is like nothing we’ve seen (or been part of?) before.
There’s huge focus in all of the workshops at ad:tech Miami on convincing agencies and clients that digital media is the way to go. Of course, the Cutting Edge Creative: Hispanic seminar was no exception. After playing the chipmunk clip, Luis explained its popularity with a consumer term I haven’t heard before but was thrilled to learn about: Swarm Behaviour.
read more...Brands Discuss Representation in a Digital World
In the session entitled Brand Nation: Leading US Marketers Discuss Best Practices moderated by Real Branding Senior VP Susan MacDermid with panelists P&G Director of Interactive Innovations Ted McConnell, ESPNdeportes senior Director Carlos Caban and Coke Media and Interactive Integrated Communications Director Karna Crawford, the notion of best practices for brands was discussed.
read more...Learning LatAm By Osmosis: Three Different Sermons for the Price of One!
Each ad:tech Miami session I’ve seen follows the same painful format: a moderator introduces himself, then steps aside as each panelist gives a mini-presentation.
It’s like watching antsy children read book reports out loud. But unlike their grade school counterparts, each presenter stretches his time allotment as long as possible.
This afternoon I livetweeted Social Media and Consumer Generated Content in Latin America: Exploring the Value Proposition.
Here’s a synopsis of what each panelist had to say, taking into account these three operating generalities:
- Latin Americans (LatAm) are social people. Possibly more social than the rest of the world. (This struck me as more of a cultural conceit than a verifiable fact, but nobody in the audience contested the stance. Possibly because they were all either of Latin origin, or very eager to cozy up to those of Latin origin.)
- User-centricity is the new fetish. Each panelist cited his company’s user focus at outset. (Anton Chalbaud, pictured at left, emphasized Sonico’s user-centricity by attesting to his company’s ”INSANE” focus on real people.) Gone are the days when a quick buck, whatever the means, was a virtue.
- Mastering the elusive art of interactive media, especially digital, is considered crucial to taming the LatAm audience. (Especially now.) As Lucas Morea put it, “The audience is receptive.” Marketers should teach users how to create and publish content.
Now. On to the meat of the matter.
read more...Why Buy A Dog But Do The Barking Yourself?
Latin America Media Strategy and Planning, a session held Wed. afternoon at miami ad:tech, moderated by Bruno Almeida (Managing Director for US Media Consulting), kickstarted a barrage of great comments regarding the current state of online media buying/selling.
Panelists included Guilderme Gomide (CEO and Founder of Midia Digital), Juan David Pinzon (Founder and CEO of Ariadna), Denise Colella (VP International of Rich Media) and Ignacio Roizman (Managing Partner of Jumbo Exchange). They represented both the agency side as well as the publisher side, giving us an insight into the different perspectives each brings to the table when discussing current strategies/trends in online media.
read more...Press Room Faux Pas
Open power outlets are rare, and rarer still in the press room. Never, ever monopolize an outlet to charge your computer and cell phone at the same time—while you, Considerate Guy, attend sessions.
It’s evil.
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