Sept. 2009 version of "Your Brand Is Not My Friend" presented at the KickApps Seminar in Los Angeles.

1. Your Brand Is Not My Friend
Presented by Alan Wolk

2. Brands are no longer about selling

3. They’re about “storytelling”

4. and “engagement”

5. They want to be our friend

6. But

7. But Your Brand Is Not My Friend

8. A Brief History: How We Got Here

9. Ads used to deliver news

10. Then they became all about branding and image

11. Then they became all about branding and image

12. Then along came
The Real Digital Revolution

13. Google changed everything

14. Now we can fact check ad claims

15. And see what other consumers think

16. And see what other consumers think

17. This has resulted in a
complete change in consumer behavior

18. Before

19. Before AD

20. Before AD
PURCHA
SE

21. Before AD
PURCHA
SE
Now

22. Before AD
PURCHA
SE
AD
Now

23. Before AD
PURCHA
SE
AD GOOGLE
Now

24. Before AD
PURCHA
SE
AD GOOGLE PURCHASE
Now

25. AD GOOGLE PURCHASE
That’s huge

26. Changes how we buy a car

27. Before: limited resources

28. Before: limited resources

29. Before: limited resources

30. Before: limited resources

31. Now: Full range of resources

32. Now: Full range of resources

33. Now: Full range of resources

34. Now: Full range of resources

35. Now: Full range of resources

36. It’s all about getting them to Google, not the
showroom

37. Once this happened,
print and TV couldn’t close the sale anymore

38. The “magic advertising words” weren’t working

39. They could offer compelling facts or create an image

40. (Provided there was one)

41. But they couldn’t close the sale.
So marketers looked at online...

42. Microsites weren’t working: why would I go to one?

43. Neither were banners

44. In 1996, we “surfed” the web, and banners took you
someplace just as interesting as where you were

45. But now that we go online for a reason, we’re not
likely to stop what we’re doing to “interact” with an ad

46. New ways to “engage” customers were needed

47. Social Media seemed like the next big thing

48. Everyone was becoming “friends” online

49. Everyone was becoming “friends” online

50. Why not brands?

51. Why not brands?

52. Why not brands?

53. Your Brand Is Not My Friend™

54. Social networks are today’s malt shops

55. It’s where we go to hang out with our friends

56. We don’t want to be interrupted by salespeople

57. But there are some brands people want to hear from

58. They’re called “Prom King Brands”

59. There are the usual suspects

60. Sports teams

61. TV shows, movies and music acts

62. 99% of brands are not “Prom Kings”

63. But they can still play in social media

64. They just have to do it differently

65. Traditional media is about what the brand wants to
say

66. Traditional media is about what the brand wants to
say
Social media is about what consumers want to
hear

68. Social media always involves an exchange

70. Prom King Brands provide “coolness” (aka “social
currency” or “whuffie”)

71. But if you’re not a prom king brand, you can
provide one of four things:

73. • Entertainment (Something I’d want to see even
if a brand wasn’t sponsoring it)

74. • Entertainment (Something I’d want to see even
if a brand wasn’t sponsoring it)
• Information (Exclusive information I feel good
about knowing)

75. • Entertainment (Something I’d want to see even
if a brand wasn’t sponsoring it)
• Information (Exclusive information I feel good
about knowing)
• Utility (Something that makes my life easier)

76. • Entertainment (Something I’d want to see even
if a brand wasn’t sponsoring it)
• Information (Exclusive information I feel good
about knowing)
• Utility (Something that makes my life easier)
• Money (Literally a coupon, a discount or
something else of monetary value)

77. Here’s How Those Exchanges Work:

78. Entertainment

79. Entertainment
• Entertainment can be:

80. Entertainment
• Entertainment can be:
• Anything featuring celebrities or entertainment properties you have a deal
with

81. Entertainment
• Entertainment can be:
• Anything featuring celebrities or entertainment properties you have a deal
with
• Third party content that has a tie-in to your overall marketing strategy

82. Entertainment
• Entertainment can be:
• Anything featuring celebrities or entertainment properties you have a deal
with
• Third party content that has a tie-in to your overall marketing strategy
• (That means if you’re a serious insurance company, a comedy video is a
no-go)

83. Entertainment
• Entertainment can be:
• Anything featuring celebrities or entertainment properties you have a deal
with
• Third party content that has a tie-in to your overall marketing strategy
• (That means if you’re a serious insurance company, a comedy video is a
no-go)
• Your own TV commercials (if they’re something people would enjoy
watching)

84. Entertainment
• Entertainment can be:
• Anything featuring celebrities or entertainment properties you have a deal
with
• Third party content that has a tie-in to your overall marketing strategy
• (That means if you’re a serious insurance company, a comedy video is a
no-go)
• Your own TV commercials (if they’re something people would enjoy
watching)
• Beware: it’s tough for agencies and brand managers to judge this

85. Entertainment
• Entertainment can be:
• Anything featuring celebrities or entertainment properties you have a deal
with
• Third party content that has a tie-in to your overall marketing strategy
• (That means if you’re a serious insurance company, a comedy video is a
no-go)
• Your own TV commercials (if they’re something people would enjoy
watching)
• Beware: it’s tough for agencies and brand managers to judge this

86. What Would Maxwell House Do? (WWMHD)

87. What Would Maxwell House Do? (WWMHD)

88. Entertainment: WWMHD

89. Entertainment: WWMHD
• Maxwell House has an endorsement deal with comedian Nancy Nevins who
has a well-known routine about how crabby she is before her first cup of
coffee.

90. Entertainment: WWMHD
• Maxwell House has an endorsement deal with comedian Nancy Nevins who
has a well-known routine about how crabby she is before her first cup of
coffee.
• A 3-minute live clip is posted to the Maxwell House Facebook page. The clip
also appears on their YouTube page, their blog, their website, and is
promoted via their Twitter stream

91. Entertainment: WWMHD
• Maxwell House has an endorsement deal with comedian Nancy Nevins who
has a well-known routine about how crabby she is before her first cup of
coffee.
• A 3-minute live clip is posted to the Maxwell House Facebook page. The clip
also appears on their YouTube page, their blog, their website, and is
promoted via their Twitter stream
Watch Nancy Nevins do her “Coffeeless Morning” routing live at The

92. Information

93. Information
• Information can be:

94. Information
• Information can be:
• Facts or useful information (e.g. reviews) that your audience would be
interested in

95. Information
• Information can be:
• Facts or useful information (e.g. reviews) that your audience would be
interested in
• You can utilize third-party vendors for this

96. Information
• Information can be:
• Facts or useful information (e.g. reviews) that your audience would be
interested in
• You can utilize third-party vendors for this
• The information needs to tie in to your overall marketing strategy

97. Information
• Information can be:
• Facts or useful information (e.g. reviews) that your audience would be
interested in
• You can utilize third-party vendors for this
• The information needs to tie in to your overall marketing strategy
• Access to “behind-the-scenes” footage, exclusive clips, or advance notice
from celebrity endorsers or properties you have a sponsorship deal with

98. Information
• Information can be:
• Facts or useful information (e.g. reviews) that your audience would be
interested in
• You can utilize third-party vendors for this
• The information needs to tie in to your overall marketing strategy
• Access to “behind-the-scenes” footage, exclusive clips, or advance notice
from celebrity endorsers or properties you have a sponsorship deal with
• News related to your product or category

99. Information: WWMHD

100. Information: WWMHD
• Maxwell House hires celebrity chef Umberto Toscano to create a series of
recipes using Maxwell House coffee. The deal gives them access to behind-
the-scenes footage from Toscano’s widely viewed show and that footage is
posted exclusively on the Maxwell House Facebook page.
Watch exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of Viva La Cucina! with Umberto Tuscano

101. Utility

102. Utility
• Utility can be:

103. Utility
• Utility can be:
• Anything that makes the consumer’s life easier: recipes, how-to videos, a
way to buy things off a social site

104. Utility
• Utility can be:
• Anything that makes the consumer’s life easier: recipes, how-to videos, a
way to buy things off a social site
• Anything from a PDF to a website to a widget to an app

105. Utility: WWMHD

106. Utility: WWMHD
• Maxwell House hires celebrity chef Umberto Toscano to create a series of
recipes using Maxwell House coffee.

107. Utility: WWMHD
• Maxwell House hires celebrity chef Umberto Toscano to create a series of
recipes using Maxwell House coffee.
• The recipes are posted on the Maxwell House website, on their blog, on a
special YouTube channel and on Facebook and MySpace. There’s even an
iPhone app.

108. Utility: WWMHD
• Maxwell House hires celebrity chef Umberto Toscano to create a series of
recipes using Maxwell House coffee.
• The recipes are posted on the Maxwell House website, on their blog, on a
special YouTube channel and on Facebook and MySpace. There’s even an
iPhone app.
• The Maxwell House twitter account lets people know when a new video has
come out and users can comment on the videos everywhere using Facebook
connect.

109. Utility: WWMHD
• Maxwell House hires celebrity chef Umberto Toscano to create a series of
recipes using Maxwell House coffee.
• The recipes are posted on the Maxwell House website, on their blog, on a
special YouTube channel and on Facebook and MySpace. There’s even an
iPhone app.
• The Maxwell House twitter account lets people know when a new video has
come out and users can comment on the videos everywhere using Facebook
connect.

110. Money

111. Money
• Money can be:

112. Money
• Money can be:
• Coupons or discount codes

113. Money
• Money can be:
• Coupons or discount codes
• Group discounts

114. Money
• Money can be:
• Coupons or discount codes
• Group discounts
• Contests and promotions with financial incentives

115. Money
• Money can be:
• Coupons or discount codes
• Group discounts
• Contests and promotions with financial incentives
• Be careful not to make it seem like you’re bribing people to join you

116. Money
• Money can be:
• Coupons or discount codes
• Group discounts
• Contests and promotions with financial incentives
• Be careful not to make it seem like you’re bribing people to join you
• That seems as desperate coming from a brand as it does from a person

117. Money: WWMHD

118. Money: WWMHD
• Maxwell House has a Twitter account and runs a contest through Twitter,
giving a month’s supply of coffee to the 25th person to tweet the date and
place Maxwell House was first introduced.

119. Money: WWMHD
• Maxwell House has a Twitter account and runs a contest through Twitter,
giving a month’s supply of coffee to the 25th person to tweet the date and
place Maxwell House was first introduced.
MAXWELLHOUSE: New Contest: 25th person to tweet date & place MH was born wins month’s worth
of coffee #mhcontest

120. Money: WWMHD
• Maxwell House has a Twitter account and runs a contest through Twitter,
giving a month’s supply of coffee to the 25th person to tweet the date and
place Maxwell House was first introduced.
MAXWELLHOUSE: New Contest: 25th person to tweet date & place MH was born wins month’s worth
of coffee #mhcontest
BOND006: RT MaxwellHouse: New Contest: 25th person to tweet date & place MH was born wins month’s worth
of coffee #mhcontest

121. Money: WWMHD
• Maxwell House has a Twitter account and runs a contest through Twitter,
giving a month’s supply of coffee to the 25th person to tweet the date and
place Maxwell House was first introduced.
MAXWELLHOUSE: New Contest: 25th person to tweet date & place MH was born wins month’s worth
of coffee #mhcontest
BOND006: RT MaxwellHouse: New Contest: 25th person to tweet date & place MH was born wins month’s worth
of coffee #mhcontest
IMPOSSIBILITY: @MaxwellHouse: Hoboken NJ in 1896?

122. A Few Basic Rules of the Road:

123. Step 1: Identify what your customer’s need is

124. Step 2: Figure out how to solve that need

125. Step 3: Approach people as a brand, not a buddy

126. Step 4: Use social media for customer service,
promotions or to share news

127. Comcast Cares is a great customer service story

128. Real identity
Comcast Cares is a great customer service story

129. Real identity Real identity
Comcast Cares is a great customer service story

130. Real identity Real identity
Comcast Cares is a great customer service story

131. Comcast Cares is a great customer service story

132. Step 5: Don’t push it

133. (Give them the “candy” and get out of the way. No
“capturing names” or other annoying tactics)

134. (Give them the “candy” and get out of the way. No
“capturing names” or other annoying tactics)

135. No hard sell or upsell.

136. Step 6: Make everything as easy to find and as
easy to share as possible

137. Case Studies

138. Quick Case Study #1:
The Mad Men Get It

139. Mad Men has been one of the most buzzed about
shows on television

140. Social media program is anchored by the AMC web
site

141. Social media program is anchored by the AMC web
site

142. Social media program is anchored by the AMC web
site

143. Social media program is anchored by the AMC web
site

144. Social media program is anchored by the AMC web
site

145. Social media program is anchored by the AMC web
site

146. Social media program is anchored by the AMC web
site

147. Social media program is anchored by the AMC web
site

148. Social media program is anchored by the AMC web
site

149. Blog links out to other social content (iPhone)

150. Active message boards - some threads have
hundreds of comments

151. Pump content
Active message boards - some threads have
hundreds of comments

152. Wonder where all those MadMen icons came from?

153. Wonder where all those MadMen icons came from?

154. AMC’s Mad Men Yourself game proved a smash hit

155. AMC’s Mad Men Yourself game proved a smash hit

156. 500,000 people have downloaded the avatars to
share on their social networks

157. 500,000 people have downloaded the avatars to
share on their social networks

158. 500,000 people have downloaded the avatars to
share on their social networks

159. Artwork by Dyna Moe
500,000 people have downloaded the avatars to
share on their social networks

160. Mad Men’s Facebook page has over 150,000 fans

161. The Facebook page actively promotes other platforms

162. Games
and
quizzes
The Facebook page actively promotes other platforms

163. Games Clips from
and this
quizzes season
The Facebook page actively promotes other platforms

164. Mad Men has an active Twitter account that links to
articles about the cast and crew

165. Mad Men has an active Twitter account that links to
articles about the cast and crew

166. But the real activity on Twitter comes from fans

167. Last year, a group of random fans began tweeting as
Mad Men characters

168. Last year, a group of random fans began tweeting as
Mad Men characters

169. Last year, a group of random fans began tweeting as
Mad Men characters

170. Last year, a group of random fans began tweeting as
Mad Men characters

171. Last year, a group of random fans began tweeting as
Mad Men characters

172. Last year, a group of random fans began tweeting as
Mad Men characters

173. Last year, a group of random fans began tweeting as
Mad Men characters

174. This is the kind of love entertainment properties
can own. But they need to work with fans, not
against them.

175. Quick Case Study #2:
Red Bull: All About Sports

176. Red Bull has a dynamic Facebook presence

177. Over 1 million fans
Red Bull has a dynamic Facebook presence

178. Over 1 million fans
Twitter feed from athletes
Red Bull has a dynamic Facebook presence

179. Lots of content
Over 1 million fans
Twitter feed from athletes
Red Bull has a dynamic Facebook presence

180. Lots of relevant, unique content

181. Highlights of events
Lots of relevant, unique content

182. Polls
Highlights of events
Lots of relevant, unique content

183. Polls
Highlights of events
Free music
Lots of relevant, unique content

184. Polls
Highlights of events
Free music
Links to athletes
Lots of relevant, unique content

185. Photos from athletes and from fans

186. Photos from brand
Photos from athletes and from fans

187. Photos from brand
Over 2,500 fan photos
Photos from athletes and from fans

188. Fans can RSVP to upcoming events on Facebook

189. Links to upcoming events
Fans can RSVP to upcoming events on Facebook

190. Links to upcoming events
View guest list
Fans can RSVP to upcoming events on Facebook

191. Red Bull maintains consistency on MySpace

192. Similar content re: athletes
Red Bull maintains consistency on MySpace

193. They are consistent on Twitter

194. Tweets about Red Bull athletes
Here
Here
& here
They are consistent on Twitter

195. They are consistent on YouTube

196. Videos about Red Bull athletes
They are consistent on YouTube

197. And on their web site

198. Events
listed
here
too
And on their web site

199. Events Videos
listed available
here here
too too
And on their web site

200. Red Bull gives fans a lot of exclusive content and is
consistent throughout.

201. Quick Case Study #3:
Coca Cola: Prom King Brand Capitalizes on Fan
Love

202. Comments are frequent & global
Coke has a very popular Facebook fan page

203. Coke has 3.5 million fans
Comments are frequent & global
Coke has a very popular Facebook fan page

204. Coke has 3.5 million fans
Comments are frequent & global
Coke has a very popular Facebook fan page

205. Coke reached out the fan page’s creators and
involved them

206. Dusty & Mike made a video
about their experience
Coke reached out the fan page’s creators and
involved them

207. Dusty & Mike made a video
about their experience
Lots of people liked it
Coke reached out the fan page’s creators and
involved them

208. Coke actually interacts with fans on Twitter

209. Lots of @ messages
Coke actually interacts with fans on Twitter

210. Coke also maintains a very popular YouTube channel

211. Popular retro spots
Coke also maintains a very popular YouTube channel

212. Popular retro spots
International spots
Coke also maintains a very popular YouTube channel

213. Coke maintains consistency everywhere and
reaches out to fans and engages them.
Their audience is very international compared to
other US brands

214. Quick Case Study #4:
Think Local: Pump Energy Foods, NYC

215. The Pump is a small chain of health-conscious take-
out restaurants based in Manhattan

216. The Pump pushes its social media links from its web
site

217. The Pump pushes its social media links from its web
site

218. The Pump pushes its social media links from its web
site

219. The Pump pushes its social media links from its web
site

220. Their blog has a distinct POV & also shows where to
find them on other social media sites

221. Their blog has a distinct POV & also shows where to
find them on other social media sites

222. Pump uses their Facebook page for promotions

223. Free samples
Pump uses their Facebook page for promotions

224. Free samples
More free samples
Pump uses their Facebook page for promotions

225. Free samples
More free samples
Contest
Pump uses their Facebook page for promotions

226. Free samples
More free samples
Contest
Charity promotion
Pump uses their Facebook page for promotions

227. They talk to fans on Twitter & promote giveaways

228. Trivia contest
They talk to fans on Twitter & promote giveaways

229. Trivia contest
Free samples
They talk to fans on Twitter & promote giveaways

230. They use YouTube so fans can see news about them

231. Serena
Williams
gets lunch
at Pump
They use YouTube so fans can see news about them

232. Pump’s promotions help local fans develop a
relationship with the store and use social media to
spread the word to their friends

233. Four quick case studies, four unique plans.
Try something similar, and you’ll start to see results

234. Soon enough, they’ll start to like you

235. They may not always talk to you,
but they will talk about you
Which is exactly what you want:

236. To be part of the conversation

237. But what then?
What if they’re talking about you and your
competition
And they like you both?

238. You’ll need to set yourself apart

239. But how?

240. That’s where branding comes into play again

241. You need to create an image for the brand

242. How you do that might not be with an ad

243. How you do that might not be with an ad

244. But rather with really great customer service

245. Really great design

246. Or really noteworthy innovations

247. The world has changed and consumers are now in
charge of marketing

248. That’s changed the way products are conceived

250. Before

251. Before Product

252. Before Product

253. Before Product Marketing

254. Before Product Marketing

255. Consumer
Before Product Marketing
Demand

256. Consumer
Before Product Marketing
Demand
Now

257. Consumer
Before Product Marketing
Demand
Consumer
Now Demand

258. Consumer
Before Product Marketing
Demand
Consumer
Now Demand

259. Consumer
Before Product Marketing
Demand
Consumer
Product
Now Demand

260. Consumer
Before Product Marketing
Demand
Consumer
Product
Now Demand

261. Consumer
Before Product Marketing
Demand
Consumer
Product Marketing
Now Demand

262. Consumer
Product Marketing
Demand
That changes everything

263. Marketers and their agencies need to do more
than just create ads

264. It’s something they used to do (remember Braniff?)

265. Traditional advertising now serves as a reminder,
not a driver

266. Brand messages need to be more holistic.
More than words on a page or images on TV

267. Consumers see ads as Potemkin villages

268. Or as just another form of entertainment

269. They’re tired of brands saying one thing...
and doing another

270. And they want to see evidence, not ads

271. That’s why strategy is so important

272. Strategy is the new creative. It’s what sets brands
apart

273. Creativity is still very important, but it will take on
different forms to match the different media options

274. We can no longer focus on finding the exact right
shade of blue: that makes us contractors not architects

275. Digital media gives us the chance to experiment, to
redefine “failure” and try new things.

276. If people like an idea, they are surprisingly willing to put
up with its flaws. (So long as you listen and adjust)

277. Social media is forever. That means brands need to be
able to recalibrate on the fly

278. What will the marketing and advertising
departments of the future look like?

279. Less collaboration: there will be specialists in
everything from search to content to augmented reality

280. More collaboration: we’ll need to work as a team
with people with all sorts of job descriptions

281. That’s because marketers will be doing a lot of
different things that don’t fit into the boxes of
today’s 20th century agencies

282. Marketers will need to be flexible and staffers will
need to be able to do more than one thing

283. Marketers definitely need to evolve

284. They need to become general contractors

285. So the agencies in their roster aren’t fighting over
budgets and responsibilities

286. Marketing is evolving daily.
No one knows exactly what the future will look like.
But there are two things I can guaranty:

287. It will be different.

288. It will be different.
It will be interesting.

289. Thank You Los Angeles

290. Questions?

291. Alan Wolk
Consulting: ToadStoolConsulting.com
Email: alan.wolk@mac.com
Blog: toadstoolblog.com
Twitter: @awolk
Hive Awards: hiveawards.com
To get a business card, text “wolk” to 50500