Prankvertising: How and Why the Big Brands Pull off Master Pranks, Part 1
Forget about April Fools’ Day. The days of anticipation, of knowing when the pranks were coming and where they were coming from, are long gone. Watching your back is no longer a suggestion; now, it’s a way of life. That is, if you want to get through the latest stream of big brand advertising spoofs with your head still on straight. What on Earth are we talking about, you ask?
Prankvertising.
It sounds just like what it is: prank-advertising. But, in some ways, prankvertising has become its own animal, especially with respect to how the big brands are using it to garner attention in mainstream media.
Try this analogy on for size: if prankvertising were a spit-ball, the target advertising market would be the teacher. No matter how gooey and gross that spit-ball is, when it hits the teacher’s leg, he or she is most certainly going to pay attention to the brand who threw it.
The Branding Scoop on LinkedIn Company Pages
What’s one of the best places to showcase your brand, build audience trust and encourage positive interactions, making the conversion from potential customer to client? LinkedIn, of course!
LinkedIn Company Pages* are quickly becoming a preferred and trusted medium for potential customers looking to research and engage with a business. In fact, LinkedIn has found that “50% of LinkedIn members are more likely to purchase from a company they engage with on LinkedIn.” That’s a pretty big deal.
Here’s the scoop…
Value Your Brand: How to Decommodify Your Business
Remember the good old days when things like McDonald’s cheeseburgers and cans of Coca Cola were a special treat? I remember being as excited for the 4th of July fireworks as I was for Santa’s arrival each year. Just the thought of either one of those incredible events was enough to make me squeal with anticipation.
Why were these items and occurrences so special to me? Today, it seems like every holiday on the books gets a celebration of over the top fireworks and the like—and for most people, cheeseburgers and Coke are as everyday as soap and water.
These days, many people just purchase their own fireworks and set them off from their own backyard.
Though they’re still beautiful, the feeling you get just isn’t the same as it used to be.
So what’s changed?
10 Ways Tradeshow Sponsors Can Use Twitter To Boost Their Brand
Savvy tradeshow sponsors know that using social media is a great way to boost their brand presence before, during and after the event. But you can’t just sign up for Twitter or Facebook and hope for the best. You have to implement a smart strategy to reap the benefits of social media success, no matter what industry you’re in.
So as a sponsor, what’s the best way to shift your tradeshow or conference presence into high gear and increase your booth attendance while boosting brand engagement?
Tradeshow sponsor, meet hashtag.
Since 2009, Twitter users have been utilizing hashtags to link tweets about the same subjects together so they can be viewed easily in conjunction with one another. Not only is this a great way to connect with people who share similar interests, but it’s also an incredibly handy tool to group tweets together at events. Especially at large events, like tradeshows and conferences.
3 Easy Ways to Track ROI on Print Ads
With the advent of the Internet, measuring your return on investment (ROI) for your print advertising is easier than ever before—you just have to know the ropes. For the most part, the secret is to tie your print campaigns in with an online marker that clearly indicates performance—but there are other interesting ways to gather insight into your ad performance and your potential customer demographics.
Try these tips and tricks for measuring your ROI on your next print advertising campaign. You won’t be disappointed!
Offer Up a Unique Phone Number
When your ad contains a unique phone number, measuring ad response is easy: Simply count the calls coming in from that number and use a smart CRM system to track the results from lead to closing the deal. Want smarter analytics with more detail and/or for multiple campaigns? Try a paid system like Marchex. Set up your number and they do the legwork for you. Pretty handy. If you’re a smaller business or just starting out, pick up a free number plus voicemail from Google Voice.
4th Quarter Business Boom: Wrap Up the Year Right!
Now that we’ve entered the 4th quarter, it seems like time keeps ticking away faster and faster. The New Year is just around the corner, and we’re not slowing down any time soon. Well, you know what they say: time flies when you’re having fun!
You may have had a great time running your business in the last year, but you likely have some concerns as well (after all, you’re human!), especially as we enter the last quarter of 2013. So, are you nervous? Clueless? Do you know what you’re supposed to do in this last quarter?
Think back to the beginning of the year. Did you happen to write up some business goals? If not, don’t fret. Try writing up your business goals at the start of next year—and keep moving forward.
But, if you did record your business goals, you’re in great shape. Pull the file, clear off the dust, and let’s get to work!