March 25th, 2012
catherineadavis

adhibition:

Creativity by Kapiti.

They had me at the shoes.  

An incredible ad that captures the feeling of desire and indulgence that women feel for shoes, bags, and ice cream.  Beautifully executed.  

Reblogged from Here There Be Dragons...
15 notes·
Advertising Fashion Shoes Consumer insight
March 7th, 2012
catherineadavis
What could a Gen Y employee add to your corporate strategy?

A potentially more contemporary view of the strategy questions you should consider for your business.  A great read from Harvard Business Review.

3 notes·
Strategy Marketing strategy Gen Y
February 17th, 2012
catherineadavis
5 Ways To Think About Marketing Metrics

I am excited to be included in this new Fast Company article by Drew Neisser.

Marketing Metrics Marketing measurement ROI
February 7th, 2012
catherineadavis

Regardless of which Superbowl advertising poll that you follow, it seems to me that the Detroit automakers were the big winners. Whether it was the Clint Eastwood Chrysler ad that compared overcoming the struggles of Detroit with the US economy or the smart and memorable ads for Chevy, it signals that US cars are back. “Let’s hear the roar of our engines.”

1 note·
Advertising Marketing Superbowl ads Auto Chrysler Chevy GM
December 21st, 2011
catherineadavis

How Twitter can build your brand

When you make your first holiday dinner, all you can think about is getting the turkey right.  Not forgetting to take the giblet bag out before you cook it, or having it come out of the oven before your family starts to raid your cabinets.  But as you get your bearings and start to feel more comfortable, you begin to think about how all the dishes need to work together.  How the gravy enhances the turkey.  What kind of stuffing people will like.  How far after to dinner to serve the pumpkin pie.  (My family likes a little recovery time.)
As I read social media articles, it sometimes feels like we are still making our first turkey dinner.  We’re having conversations about maximizing the value of our brand’s Twitter or Facebook page, instead of identifying the role they might play as one of several channels within an overall marketing mix.  It is time for us to broaden our focus and think beyond how to make a great turkey.  Given brands somewhat slow adoption rate, let’s talk Twitter.
  1. What is the strategic role of Twitter in your marketing plan? (To drive immediacy? Provide news value?  Involve the reader?  Influence a broader audience?)
  2. Is Twitter the right place to reach your primary target audience or key influencer group?
  3. Does the message lend itself to the medium? (Have a sense of immediacy?  Work within 140 characters?  Is it designed to engage the reader?)
Once you’ve decided that Twitter will help drive your KPIs, how should it work within your marketing mix?
  1. Do you want to use it to amplify messages on other channels? Or is it best used to seed a larger effort? (Think last year’s Volkswagen Super Bowl commercial.)
  2. Is Twitter the destination or do you want to drive them somewhere else?  (Website for e-commerce?  YouTube channel or Facebook page for entertainment or lifestyle content? TV show or event?)
  3. How do we prioritize dollars vs. proven growth drivers? (Is there a poor performing channel you can eliminate?  A budget for innovation?)
  4. How do we measure success?
Twitter can whet your appetite for more, enhance the experience, build a relationship, or help share the experience with friends.  How you use it should be distinctly tailored to who you invite (and who shows up) for dinner.  These are just a few of the things to consider when you evaluate Twitter as just one piece of a more fully integrated plan to build your brand.  Next year, let’s think beyond just getting the turkey right and focus on the holiday experience.
 
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Social media Marketing strategy Media mix Marketing integration Twitter
December 12th, 2011
catherineadavis
Zoom Today, where we deliver our messages in the decision making process has become as important as the message itself.

Today, where we deliver our messages in the decision making process has become as important as the message itself.

(Source: jaymug)

Reblogged from AD TEACHINGS
45 notes·
Media Advertising Marketing
October 6th, 2011
catherineadavis

“Here’s to the Crazy Ones” The perfect Tribute to Steve Jobs.  As Tim Nudd said in Adweek this morning “One of the great Apple ads welcomes another visionary”.  It is still my favorite TV commercial of all time and particularly poignant today.

2 notes·
Steve Jobs Innovation
September 25th, 2011
catherineadavis

Is anyone really using their smart phones to make calls?

bitshare:

Smartphones can be used for a variety of things, mostly utilitarian as mobile devices let us do things on the go when in the past we were forced to be at home or work if you wanted to use your computer or get on the web.  Conversely, things that were typically used only on the computer can now be on mobile devices.

Read More

Reblogged from BitShare
42 notes·
mobile games app angry birds text social networking
September 12th, 2011
catherineadavis
Not all social media is social

A great blog post from influential VC Fred Wilson that reminds us that the vast number of people on social media consume it just like media, without content creation or curation.  And that is ok. Marketers (and their agencies) who focus almost exclusively on asking their consumers to create and share, need to consider this.  A highly involved reader can be a powerful asset, too.  

7 notes·
Social media Marketing Media Social media marketing
August 23rd, 2011
catherineadavis

10 Things Marketers Can Do to Build Brands


As we leave the dog days of summer and start the push toward the end of the year,  I wanted to revisit my 2011 list to see how much progress had been made and if it might be time to change our focus. What I found is that while many things have changed in the last eight months, we continue to face many of the same fundamental issues. Prioritization, integration across channels, and training remain critical to our success.  So with a few minor revisions, here are 10 things we can all do to be better, get smarter, and drive growth.   

1  More big bets and prioritization in marketing plans. Eliminate an initiative, channel, or program to help make execution flawless.

2. Real integration of behavioral data, social media, customer segmentation, and qualitative learning to better understand and respond to consumer wants and needs.

3.  Greater focus on the strategy behind the tactic and whether it makes sense for your brand.

4.  Better leveraging the synergy between digital, social, and offline media channels.

5. Recognition that creating content and expecting it to take off is not a sure thing.  It is crowded out there.  You need a distribution strategy.

6.  Identifying the right balance between strong branding and good content.  You have to have both to get noticed, be remembered, and build brands.

7.  Finding ways to increase speed to market.  In a world of tweeting and posting, first mover advantage becomes increasingly important.  

8. Training.  Massive shifts in consumer behavior,  media channels, and technology require new skills.    

9. Better integration and collaboration between brand, creative, and media agencies.

10.  A focus on effectiveness vs efficiency.  Greater competition for consumer attention makes relevance increasingly important.

What would you add to the list?


Image:  gregzweb.com

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Marketing strategy Marketing integration Marketing mix Talent and training Creative development
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@catherinedavis1

Blogging on what it takes to grow brands and drive integration in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Building brands like Absolut, Guinness, Morgan Stanley, Discover Card, Allstate, and Pillsbury has given me a broad marketing perspective that I hope you find helpful. Bookmark and Share

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