Five* new Australian Marketing Blogs that you probably have not read!

Last month, I showcased five blogs that started in the month of October, well I am back at it again with four new blogs that have just started in the month of November. So get your RSS readers ready and check out these great Australian Marketing reads.

Another Advertising Wanker
With a name like that, how could you not like this blog? He has had some cracking posts to start off with including his questioning of Commonwealth Bank over the recent fiasco and an interesting perspective on the alcohol advertising regulations.

Think Story Experience
'Matt Jones' reflections on the role of thinking, stories, and experiences in building brands and strengthening ideas.' He actually started blogging in September, except this month he has really stepped it up, writing a post every day and good quality posts as well.

Who put the devil in you?
Is written by Bones Lawley, I really like that name, he joins the raft of student bloggers who are blogging about Marketing. Some great posts on Movember and Doughnut King's strategy.

Stop, collaborate and listen
Written by Andy Mallinson the ex-MD of NetX Sydney, he started off by creating a list of the Social Media Monitoring tools in Australia, which is a handy little list. I look forward to reading more.

* It was originally Four blogs but Clare alerted me to her blog via Twitter, which is also a great read!

Clare Lancaster
Clare has also set up a blog ‘for enterprising women creating and working online’. It is great to see more women represented in the online marketing space. She is doing some great work covering off the basics and we can all learn a thing or two reading these posts.


Gavin called me the Pied Piper of New Marketing Blogs, when searching the interwebs for video on Pied Piper, I came across this old favourite of mine, DJ Pied Piper - Do you really like it?

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Adidas House Parties - Transmedia Planning Heaven

Adidas have just launched their Advertising Campaign for 2009 'adidas Originals house party'. Everything about this campaign is beautiful. This is like a Transmedia Planning wet dream. There is already so many little pieces of currency in this video?

Do you see any celebrities that you know?
Do you know the music track?
Do you know who the graffiti artist was?

There is so many angles to tell this story from, they have started with such a rich base. It looks like they have started too.


And finally, to build the story around ‘the ultimate house party’. Who does not like house parties? They are always the most fun, right? And what a thought starter who would be at your ‘ultimate house party’!

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Social Media Freestyle: Cole vs. Cole

Really interesting discussion around the Social Media Freestyle. I think we have a good number of question to now go and have a good session.

Ben Shepherd had a good point about the audience at Ad:Tech, I had always envisioned this to be for an audience of people that were in the advanced stream of Ad:Tech or people that knew about Social Media quite well. So maybe this would be better for another event.

A Christmas Beersphere/STUB/Social Media Freestyle where we all donate $10 to the WaterAid fund for a good night?

Cole vs. Cole


Also for those wondering about the Sydney Social Media Soup Kitchen, I am speaking to Wesley Mission at the moment about getting us to do some work. You would not believe how hard it is to find a Soup Kitchen in Sydney that needs volunteers!

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Social Media Freestyle

I am really keen on getting this idea of the Social Media Freestyle together for Ad:Tech and pitching it to them.

I am just trying to think of some of the other topics that could be debated from two sides. Here is what I have come up with so far.

1. Every company needs a Social Media strategy
2. Full disclosure from a company or brand is not always necessary in social media.
3. Kevin Rudd should of remained a broadcast medium on Twitter.
4. Metaverses will stay niche and will not see the popularity of Social Media
5. Micro Blogging will be the death of Blogging
6. A Social Media presence online is best presented by just one person within an organisation
7. Blogging is not journalism
8. Agencies are not necessarily structured to implement Social Media (Dave)
9. All media communication has a Social Media element, whether intentional or not. (Ian)
10. Social Media will be the death of the 30 second spot (Zac)
11. Social Media Marketing and WOM is the same thing (Matt)
12. You can create a Social Media Campaign without a remarkable product (Matt)
13. Above the line Campaigns to not translate to 'viral' online campaigns (Adam)
14. Social Media is not just words but images (Graeme)
15. Social Media Marketing not remain a specialist area once those in communication roles get a grasp on it (Nathan)
16. Social Media Marketing Bloggers are scaring away potential clients (Kate)


I really want to get at least 10 debate questions. Please feel free to add.

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Ad:Tech Social Media Freestyle, whose in?

So the presentation went really well. I thoroughly enjoyed performing it and Zac, Peter and Alex White (who filled in for David) were all really great and got into character as car loving bogans (mullets included).

One of the highlights from yesterday for me was Peter Williams and Robert Leech in the panel discussion having a verbal stoush over the future of free to air television.

This got me thinking ahead to Ad:Tech and I thought it would be great to have a live debating session. Something similar to the Hip Hop freestyle battles.

The premise would be that a topic would be chosen (e.g Paying Bloggers to write about a brands is unethical) you would then have two people from the industry arguing ‘for’ and ‘against’. They would each get 2 rounds of one minute to debate there point and for rebuttal. The result would then be chosen by 2 judges and the audience would also get a vote.

Would anyone else be interested in participating and helping pitch this idea to Ad:Tech?


The real 8 Mile story
106 & Park is a hip hop show in America, they had a segment called Freestyle Friday where the amateur rappers could get on stage and battle a champion. In 2001, they created a cult hero in Jin, an asian rapper who won seven nights in a row.

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Melbourne Beersphere Friday Night

Melbourne Beersphere this Friday night after the Digital Marketing and Media Summit. We will have interstate guests, including Katie Chatfield Strategy Director at The White Agency and blogger behind Get Shouty.

Details
6:00PM, Friday 21st of November
Madame Brussels
Level 3 
59-63 Bourke Street 
Melbourne, VIC 3000 
Australia
Contact David Gillespie (0404 078 686) or myself if you get lost

Anyone and everyone is welcome, can everyone help spread the word as I have not had enough time to let everyone know personally.

Update on the presentation:
It is going really well, it now includes a V8Owners Chatroom being played out offline, flannels, Full disclosure, Holden Astra's, Angry Members.

I am still nervous about the new structure but I think that is a good thing it means I am challenging myself. I think Renee Creer said it best to me 'There’s a fine line between epic fail and pure genius…why not walk it.' : )

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Online Copywriting is a woman’s job

I have just realised that my favourite unrelated online content is all written by females.

Twitter

_neek
I would put likeomg up there as well.

Blogs
Imnotantisocial – I am clearly not in target demo for this blog but really enjoy reading it?!?!??!

Tavi – She is 12 years old, WTF?

Why the hell is there not more female online copywriters?

If we do not do something about this, we will be left with shit like Hooking Up.

Really good ideas to a Social Media Startegist (Audience Equity from the top vloggers on Youtube, how could this not be a success?) but such a massive error on the copywriting.

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An All Star Social Media cast presenting the Rules of Engagement

I am speaking at the Digital Marketing and Media Summit this week on the Rules of Engagment. I have decided to do away with the ‘lecture to powerpoint’ style and try something new. I am going to work through offline examples of the Rules of Engagement.

Instead of just me speaking about the subject, I have invited an all star social media crew (Zac Martin, Peter Wagstaff and David Gillespie) to help present and work through examples with me and provide valuable banter of the Rules.

These are some of the thoughts that I have had around the presentation so far;

Rule 1
'Social Media is about behaviour not the technology'
I will have a massive board that will have a computer on the front of it. I will suggest this is what most marketers think social media is about the technology! I will then move the board and there will be someone behind the board. I will then bring it back to the Buying Decision Process Model and show how technology is actually effecting these steps to purchase!


Rule 2
'Add value to the conversation'
I will have a offline chatroom (Peter, David and Zac sitting around, I will ask the crowd to choose a topic for the chatroom and a brand, I will show the wrong way and right way to approach people online). Highlighting (Relevance, Full Disclosure, Listen, Dont Shout and most importantly adding value to the conversation)

Rule 3
Negative feedback is gold
I want to have a real version of Dell Hell, show that when you answer negative publicity it is actually the best place to start with social media, it shows that you are human. I was thinking of having a Connex complaints box and then have someone actually come out of the box and respond?!?! * I need to work on this one!

Rule 4
Long term not campaigns
With 5 minutes to go, mid way through a sentence I will just walk out, I will then play a video telling people that most companies now look at social media and having a campaign in social media when you should really be thinking about a long term investment.


There will also be a Beersphere afterwards so if you know a good pub near the Hilton on the Park please let me know.

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AdNews 40 Under Forty! Bloggers FTW!

I was just announced in the AdNews 40 Under Forty – ‘The rising stars in Australians Advertising, Media and Marketing.

This came as a complete surprise! I think it may have had something to do with my killer graphic design skills in my last post.

I think it was a fairly good result for bloggers, with Bannerblog’s Ash Ringrose aka ‘The hardest working man in the industry’ also copping a gurnsey!

Anyways, the criteria for the list was as follows.

-They must be in a position of leadership or on the rise within their organisation, or running their own show
-They must have the respect of their bosses, peers and competitors
-They should be rewriting marketing riles or interpreting them in a new way
-They must be in tune with community attitudes
-They have an opinion and aren’t scared to share it.

In no particular order here is the rest of the people on the list;

Sundeep Gohil (Planning Director, Partner at Droga5)
Darren Ryan (Assistant General manager Marketing, Canon)
Mark Holden (Managing Partner, PHD)
Amy Copely (Sales Director, News Magazines)
Michael Buckley (Media Director, Amnesia)
Dave Bowman (Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi)
Bob Mackintosh (Digital Creative Director, Host)
Chris Brown (Managing Director, DDB Sydney)
Dave Cain (Sponsorhip Manager, Virigin Mobile)
David Whittle (Managing Director, Mark)
Al Crawford (Planning Director, Clemenger)
Scott Nowell (Creative Director, Three Drunk Monkeys)
Justin Drape (Creative Director, Three Drunk Monkeys)
Darryn Wallace (Marketing Director beverages, Cadbury Schweppes)
Corrine Valleonga (Account Director, OMD)
Jeremy Nicholas (Startegic Planning Director, BMF)
Michael Johnstone (VP Advertising Sales, MTV)
Kirsty Shaw (General Manager, Stayz)
Rebekah Horne (Managing Director, Fox Interactive)
Neil Robinson (Group Sales Director, NewsNet)
Helen Farquhar (Marketing Director, McDonalds)
Paul Taylor (Partner, Day&Age)
Chris Brown (Marketing Manager, Mini)
Ben Couzens (Art Director, GP Y&R)
Jim Ingram (Copywriter, GP Y&R)
Kate Burleigh (National Marketing Manager, Intel)
Todd Sampson (CEO, Leo Burnett)
Tara Lordsmith (General Manager Retail Marketing, Simplot)
Anouk Darling (Manageing Director, Moon Group)
Damon Scarr (Sales Director, Yahoo7)
Bram Williams (Head of Startegy, Saatchi & Saatchi)
Kurt Burnette (Sales Director, Seven Network)
Kimberley Francis (Marketing Director, Microsoft)
Kate Martin (Communication Manager, Ikon Communications)
Scott Thompson (Corporate Advertising Manager, Toyota)
Lauren Fried (Founder, Pulse Marketing Group)
Dion Appel (CEO, Lifelounge)
Paul Meischke (Trading Director, Carat)
Asheley Ringrose (Director of Technology, SOAP)

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I can create a Facebook Page, why would I need you?

Ben Cooper has come out with a pearler

"When Photoshop came out your cousin’s mate could create your brand identity for a slab of beer over the weekend. Have graphic designers gone out of business?"

I had a stab at The Population logo before we launched. If anyone is interested, I still do a bit of freelance work on the side.

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Scott Drummond is pretty much my hero!

Sorry for the lateness of this post!

Case Study: How Scott Drummond created a Brand (MarketingMag) Community

In late August I was puling my hair out trying to find a great example of an Australian Community Manager, someone who had helped to create a community around a brand. Where had a brand come into an environment and been accepted by the community. It just so happens that the perfect case study of creating a Brand Community had been in contact with me and become one of my friends over the last four months. I speak of none other than Scott Drummond the person who created and put a face to the Marketing Magazine Brand.

Scott Drummond was amazing the way he reached out to the influential members online and got them to create engaging content that would drive traffic and conversation to the site. Additionally, He was on the frontline making sure that he was in the on Twitter, Plurk, other peoples Blogs and Youtube making sure that Marketing Magazine had a presence.

He has left a great community in the safe hands of Kate Kendall who has had a presence online through her blog The Zeitegist and will surely drive Marketing Magazine to the next level while other traditional channels struggle to acclimatise to the new media landscape.

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International Beersphere and STUB combine for a killer night!

Faris Yakob is the genius behind International Beersphere. On November 13th people will be meeting in pubs in New York, Berlin, Toronto, Boston, Melbourne Sydney, Berlin, Bucharest, and Amsterdam to talk turkey about everything marketing, technology advertising and ninja related.

Like some awesome transformers I am joining the Sydney leg of the Beersphere with STUB that was planned for the same night.

The details are as such.

Date: Thursday 13 November
Time: 6:30pm
Venue: The Cricketers Arms, 106 Fitzroy St, Surry Hills (map)

If you are not in Sydney here are the details of the other Beerspheres. If your city is not on the list, get in touch with Faris and organise a venue!

The Date: Thursday November 13th 2008

[That's next Thursday]

The places - well....

New York [with me]: Obivia, 201 Lafayette Street from 6pm. [Happy hour runs until 8pm and there should be some free Ketel One splashing about too. Don't say I don't look after you.] MAP.

London [with Rachel and Co]: Will meet 6.30pm onwards at the Commercial Tavern,
142-144 Commercial Street, London E1 6NU. We've got the upstairs bar.
See you there! Details.

Toronto [with Jason and Dino]: 6:30pm The Bedford Academy, 36 Prince Arthur Avenue. [Featuring interpretive dance by Dino, and late evening partial nudity by Jason.]

Melbourne [with David]:Red Hummingbird, 246 Russell Street, just up from the corner of Lonsdale from 6:30pm. We’ll meet on the rooftop as I’m banking on the weather being lovely (currently predicted to be 29 degrees!), if you haven’t been there before you will see a red birdcageover the entrance. Map.

Berlin: [with David]: Berlin Beersphere is from 7pm at PonyBar (alte schönhauser strasse 44 10119 berlin-mitte). MAP.

Boston: [with Conner and Gareth]: Bukowski’s @ 50 Dalton St, Boston, Map.

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Relevance is key to measuring influence: Dizzee Rascal!

When we look at influence, it is key to look into the relevance of the channel to the message.



Dizzy Rascal (channel) to Hip Hop (message) = High relevance

Dizzy Rascal to World Politics = Low relevance

Does anyone (this is a call out to the people I think may know the answer Peter, KD Paine, Scott and Jason)know any social media monitoring tool that measure relevance of the brand to the channel in their influence score?

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All media is Social Media, The First Australians proves this!

The definition of Social Media in Wikipedia is wrong!

Definition: Social Media
Social media are primarily Internet-based tools for sharing and discussing information among human beings

Isn’t all media, social?

Definition: Social
Refers to an interaction between two organisms whether they are aware of it or not.


With media one person is producing and another person is consuming. There is an interaction taking place. The only difference with online is; to a third party we are aware of this happening because we can see it. The internet could also be argued to make interaction between humans easier, breaking down barriers.

HOWEVER Social Media is not primarily internet based tools, all media is social.

This point came to me while watching The First Australians (if you have not watched it, you should!) on Tuesday night. It was during the following excerpt about the newspaper John Patten set up.


The Abo Call helped to give the aboriginal people a voice for their plight to be heard, it also prompted to let people know that they were not alone. It helped to bring a community together.

Media brings people together to form communities. The more interactions the stronger the community.

Media is great in aiding the formation of communities.

Communities in my eyes are interacting organism sharing a social object (wikipedia suggests an environment).

My aim is to create interactions between organism (brand-consumers, consumer-consumer) who share a common social object. So am I really doing Social Media Marketing or am I performing something else?

For more infromation on the Marketing of the SBS brand or any of their shows, you should check out the blog 'The SBS Brand' written by Jacquie Riddell the Marketing Director of SBS.

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ad:tech brain is alive!

ad:tech has launched the ad:tech brain, a site where they are going to co-create the speaker list for ad:tech 2009. Instead of consulting a small group of industry experts they have left it open to the industry to tell them what they would like to hear. Already you can weigh into the discussion on what topic areas you would like to hear at ad:tech. Or you can also join the discussion around my guest blog post on whether Australian bloggers are cannibalizing the role of Social Media Marketers? ;)

Along with Jenny Williams and Beth Etling; Tony and I (1/2 of The Population) have been helping out with the social media strategy for the project, so it is good to see it come to life.

And in some completely unrelated news, I just came past some footage of my childhood idol Peter

via I'm not anti-social, just short sighted.

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Social Media Marketing for Short Film Makers

This week, I am a guest on the Film and Television Institute WA Forum for part of their series on ‘The Secrets of Short Film Marketing’. Graeme Watson asked me to help advise on how Short Film makers can use Social Media to market their films.

Laurel Papworth just wrote a cracking post on this, which has been a good start.

Tomorrow I will be starting a discussion on the social media environments that Australian Short Film Makers should be aware of.

Check it out and feel free to join the forum, if you don’t want to join but have some good resources or advice please share here.


Here is one of my favourite SMM for a film; the leaked crocodile attacking footage around the Australian film Black Water

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