June 30, 2009 6:02 AM: summarized from Promo Magazine -- The Subway Scrabble game, which incorporates hundreds of millions of game pieces on Subway cups and sub wraps, has just begun its annual run. Each year the response has improved significantly. So, how do they do it? Take a look at these eight best practices:
1. Attainability - Boost the odds of winning by offering more lower-level prizing. Last year, an online instant-win chance was added to every game piece, which doubled the number of game codes entered online and sent more people back to the stores to buy product.
2. Communicate - Emphasize the number of prizes and odds of winning at all touch points: P-O-P, mass media, FSIs, tip-ins, paid search, search engines, banners etc.
3. Give away a free code - This gets consumers to register for the first time, try the promotion and then drives them back to the store to collect more game pieces. It's also a significant opportunity to boost op-in and build the in-house database.
4. Split registration - Optimize the registration process by collecting only the necessary data up front-name, e-mail address, age-then on the back end collect redemption information-address, phone number. The benefit? A consumer who has privacy concerns is more likely to complete the registration, minimizing drop-off rates.
5. Offer multiple ways to enter - Expand entry points for an online promo with a text-to-win option. Some 10% to 50% of sweeps entries now come in through SMS.
6. Virtual prize partners - Build excitement by seeking a partner to use for prizes that can be instantly won online, like music downloads or ring tones. This allows for an immediate reward to the players and increase response and viral sharing.
7. Build relevant landing pages - These pages should be grounded in insights about your target audience; how, when and where would they like to be intersected and what's the most compelling message. For example, a female, 35 plus should see a very different landing page than an 18-year-old male.
8. Paid Search - This also allows marketers to optimize response by moving marketing dollars around based on response to key search words.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/lh28uw
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Home Broadband Adoption 2009
LM Comment: Broadband Internet continues to penetrate deeper into core casino demographic groups.
June 17, 2009: summarized from Pew Internet & American Life Project -- Home broadband adoption stood at 63% of adult Americans as of April 2009, up from 55% in May 2008. The greatest growth in broadband adoption in the past year has taken place among population subgroups which have below average usage rates. Among them:
- Senior citizens: Broadband usage among adults ages 65 or older grew from 19% in May 2008 to 30% in April 2009.
- Low-income Americans: Two groups of low-income Americans saw strong broadband growth from 2008 to 2009: First, respondents living in households whose annual household income is $20,000 or less saw broadband adoption grow from 25% in 2008 to 35% in 2009. Second, respondents living in households whose annual incomes are between $20,000 and $30,000 annually experienced a growth in broadband penetration from 42% to 53%.Overall, respondents reporting that they live in homes with annual household incomes below $30,000 experienced a 34% growth in home broadband adoption from 2008 to 2009.
- High-school graduates: Among adults whose highest level of educational attainment is a high school degree, broadband adoption grew from 40% in 2008 to 52% in 2009.
- Older baby boomers: Among adults ages 50-64, broadband usage increased from 50% in 2008 to 61% in 2009.
- Rural Americans: Adults living in rural America had home high-speed usage grow from 38% in 2008 to 46% in 2009.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/llsprg
June 17, 2009: summarized from Pew Internet & American Life Project -- Home broadband adoption stood at 63% of adult Americans as of April 2009, up from 55% in May 2008. The greatest growth in broadband adoption in the past year has taken place among population subgroups which have below average usage rates. Among them:
- Senior citizens: Broadband usage among adults ages 65 or older grew from 19% in May 2008 to 30% in April 2009.
- Low-income Americans: Two groups of low-income Americans saw strong broadband growth from 2008 to 2009: First, respondents living in households whose annual household income is $20,000 or less saw broadband adoption grow from 25% in 2008 to 35% in 2009. Second, respondents living in households whose annual incomes are between $20,000 and $30,000 annually experienced a growth in broadband penetration from 42% to 53%.Overall, respondents reporting that they live in homes with annual household incomes below $30,000 experienced a 34% growth in home broadband adoption from 2008 to 2009.
- High-school graduates: Among adults whose highest level of educational attainment is a high school degree, broadband adoption grew from 40% in 2008 to 52% in 2009.
- Older baby boomers: Among adults ages 50-64, broadband usage increased from 50% in 2008 to 61% in 2009.
- Rural Americans: Adults living in rural America had home high-speed usage grow from 38% in 2008 to 46% in 2009.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/llsprg
Changing Roles Within Direct Marketing
LM Comment: Clearly a trend worth monitoring.
June 23, 2009: summarized from EmailInsider -- There are currently two big shifts going on in the direct marketing world that affect email marketers: the decline of direct mail and the rise of social media.
The current recession has accelerated the shift to digital media and marketing. Recently, Borrell Associates predicted that advertising revenue from direct mail is expected to plunge 39% by 2013. Email was singled out as the key beneficiary of direct mail's decline.
While there are certainly macro forces at work behind direct mail's decline and is value in retaining workers with long-term experience with your brand, it's vital to recognize that direct mail experts lack many skills necessary to be successful at email marketing.
1. Designing an email involves knowing how inbox providers render CSS and HTML, dealing with situations where images aren't enabled, and designing for preview panes and mobile devices.
2. Running an email program involves much more segmentation. "Batch and blast" is a recipe for subscriber revolt and delivery disaster.
3. Email subscribers can more easily punish marketers that abuse their time with irrelevant messages by hitting the "report spam" button. Annoy enough subscribers and you will be blocked by ISPs and have difficulties delivering your messages to even those subscribers who want them.
4. The success of a direct mail campaign is determined by a very different set of metrics than that used to measure the success of an email campaign.
A direct mail approach to email marketing can ruin your program, so make sure that any transfers are properly educated and play a secondary role until they're fully up to speed. Conferences, webinars, vendor education programs, industry publications and blogs play a critical role in the continuing education of email marketers. Make sure that even your seasoned email experts are given the time and budget to keep up to date with the ever-changing email landscape.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/nvh3d3
June 23, 2009: summarized from EmailInsider -- There are currently two big shifts going on in the direct marketing world that affect email marketers: the decline of direct mail and the rise of social media.
The current recession has accelerated the shift to digital media and marketing. Recently, Borrell Associates predicted that advertising revenue from direct mail is expected to plunge 39% by 2013. Email was singled out as the key beneficiary of direct mail's decline.
While there are certainly macro forces at work behind direct mail's decline and is value in retaining workers with long-term experience with your brand, it's vital to recognize that direct mail experts lack many skills necessary to be successful at email marketing.
1. Designing an email involves knowing how inbox providers render CSS and HTML, dealing with situations where images aren't enabled, and designing for preview panes and mobile devices.
2. Running an email program involves much more segmentation. "Batch and blast" is a recipe for subscriber revolt and delivery disaster.
3. Email subscribers can more easily punish marketers that abuse their time with irrelevant messages by hitting the "report spam" button. Annoy enough subscribers and you will be blocked by ISPs and have difficulties delivering your messages to even those subscribers who want them.
4. The success of a direct mail campaign is determined by a very different set of metrics than that used to measure the success of an email campaign.
A direct mail approach to email marketing can ruin your program, so make sure that any transfers are properly educated and play a secondary role until they're fully up to speed. Conferences, webinars, vendor education programs, industry publications and blogs play a critical role in the continuing education of email marketers. Make sure that even your seasoned email experts are given the time and budget to keep up to date with the ever-changing email landscape.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/nvh3d3
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
PlayerVantage Adds Internet Power To Casino Database Marketing
LM Comment: Yes this article is a product press release issued by our sponsor GameLogic, but still it is very relevant and worth taking a look at.
June 17, 2009: summarized from Business Wire - GameLogic (www.gamelogic.com) announces the release of PlayerVantage, a turnkey platform for harnessing the power of the Internet to improve a casino's database marketing activities. PlayerVantage combines targeted email communications with an interactive player portal with GameLogic's engaging PlayAway game content, to create a uniquely personalized online experience for casino patrons.
PlayerVantage includes three key components:
1. Personalized communications designed and timed to improve the effectiveness of traditional direct mail. Combining traditional mail with electronic media has proven to result in higher response rates and a correspondingly better ROI. In addition, long-term cost efficiencies are realized as players elect to opt-out of traditional mail and receive communications exclusively online.
2. GameLogic's PlayAway™ suite of online fun, bonus-delivery and tournament games designed to engage players in a daily Internet-based relationship, thereby capturing their email address, and serving as the catalyst for their interaction with all the other aspects of PlayerVantage.
3. The PlayerVantage web portal, providing every member a personal, online "play space", complete with free online games surrounded by personalized marketing calendar, promotions, advertisements and more. The portal is the gateway for each online marketing call to action (email offer, PlayAway games, etc.) and contains all of the information relevant to that patron and his/her relationship with the property, as well as general and targeted messaging.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/nja3wj
June 17, 2009: summarized from Business Wire - GameLogic (www.gamelogic.com) announces the release of PlayerVantage, a turnkey platform for harnessing the power of the Internet to improve a casino's database marketing activities. PlayerVantage combines targeted email communications with an interactive player portal with GameLogic's engaging PlayAway game content, to create a uniquely personalized online experience for casino patrons.
PlayerVantage includes three key components:
1. Personalized communications designed and timed to improve the effectiveness of traditional direct mail. Combining traditional mail with electronic media has proven to result in higher response rates and a correspondingly better ROI. In addition, long-term cost efficiencies are realized as players elect to opt-out of traditional mail and receive communications exclusively online.
2. GameLogic's PlayAway™ suite of online fun, bonus-delivery and tournament games designed to engage players in a daily Internet-based relationship, thereby capturing their email address, and serving as the catalyst for their interaction with all the other aspects of PlayerVantage.
3. The PlayerVantage web portal, providing every member a personal, online "play space", complete with free online games surrounded by personalized marketing calendar, promotions, advertisements and more. The portal is the gateway for each online marketing call to action (email offer, PlayAway games, etc.) and contains all of the information relevant to that patron and his/her relationship with the property, as well as general and targeted messaging.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/nja3wj
Outbound Marketing vs. Inbound Marketing - Where's The Smart Money?
June 17, 2009: summarized from Business Marketing Goldmine -- During the course of my work as a copywriter, I encounter a surprising number of established businesses who, in marketing terms, have so far allowed the 21st century to pass them by.
While they may have an online presence, they do little to enhance their branding through incoming channels. Many have never conducted an online campaign, and few attach much significance to their online rankings and flow of site traffic. The prevailing attitude is 'business as usual' - i.e. reliance on the traditional channels of trade shows, direct response, email marketing and cold calling.
But while these methods remain effective in the short term, they are, like the dinosaurs before them, locked into a slow and irreversible demise. The evidence is all around us. Just take a look at the prevalence of new tools for blocking interruptive marketing, including sophisticated spam filters, and caller ID. And, even more worryingly, laws such as the CAN Spam Act and Do Not Call lists mean that even if marketers find a way of getting past the gate keepers, they'll find it much harder to circumvent the law.
The fact is the way people research new products is changing forever right beneath our noses. Smart businesses realize this, and are slowly shifting the emphasis of their efforts from 'outbound' marketing - i.e. broadcasting your message to thousands of people in the knowledge that between only 1% and 7% have any interest whatsoever - to 'inbound' marketing - by which people seek you out when they're ready to buy something. This means making the move away from conventional old-school marketing and investing more in search engine optimization, pay-per-click, business blogging and social media marketing. It means you'll be found by more qualified prospects and convert more of them to paying customers, and you'll stop wasting money on costly, hit-and miss interruption marketing methods.
A good place to begin is by analyzing your business's internet marketing effectiveness. Currently, how often do you to get 'found' by prospects in search engines, blogs and social media? To get the relevant data for your company, do some keyword research using Overture Keyword Tool, search on Technorati for blogs in your industry; search on social media sites relevant to your industry (Facebook, LinkedIn and others).
Use the data from the report to see how you can build more opportunities to reach prospects who are searching for your products and services.
Finally, develop a plan for transforming your company's marketing strategy from inbound marketing to outbound marketing, and bring it screaming and kicking into the 21st century!
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/nemyqk
While they may have an online presence, they do little to enhance their branding through incoming channels. Many have never conducted an online campaign, and few attach much significance to their online rankings and flow of site traffic. The prevailing attitude is 'business as usual' - i.e. reliance on the traditional channels of trade shows, direct response, email marketing and cold calling.
But while these methods remain effective in the short term, they are, like the dinosaurs before them, locked into a slow and irreversible demise. The evidence is all around us. Just take a look at the prevalence of new tools for blocking interruptive marketing, including sophisticated spam filters, and caller ID. And, even more worryingly, laws such as the CAN Spam Act and Do Not Call lists mean that even if marketers find a way of getting past the gate keepers, they'll find it much harder to circumvent the law.
The fact is the way people research new products is changing forever right beneath our noses. Smart businesses realize this, and are slowly shifting the emphasis of their efforts from 'outbound' marketing - i.e. broadcasting your message to thousands of people in the knowledge that between only 1% and 7% have any interest whatsoever - to 'inbound' marketing - by which people seek you out when they're ready to buy something. This means making the move away from conventional old-school marketing and investing more in search engine optimization, pay-per-click, business blogging and social media marketing. It means you'll be found by more qualified prospects and convert more of them to paying customers, and you'll stop wasting money on costly, hit-and miss interruption marketing methods.
A good place to begin is by analyzing your business's internet marketing effectiveness. Currently, how often do you to get 'found' by prospects in search engines, blogs and social media? To get the relevant data for your company, do some keyword research using Overture Keyword Tool, search on Technorati for blogs in your industry; search on social media sites relevant to your industry (Facebook, LinkedIn and others).
Use the data from the report to see how you can build more opportunities to reach prospects who are searching for your products and services.
Finally, develop a plan for transforming your company's marketing strategy from inbound marketing to outbound marketing, and bring it screaming and kicking into the 21st century!
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/nemyqk
Hotels Are Jumping On The Social Media Bandwagon
LM Comment: Some examples of Twitter is use within the lodging industry.
June 16th, 2009: summarized from bNet -- With all the talk about Twitter, the micro-blogging social media platform, as a business tool, it's no wonder that the struggling hotel industry is now using it as a way to reach potential guests.
When a friend of mine, who keeps a blog that covers restaurants, told the Twitterverse how she had a sub-par happy hour experience at Hyatt's Andaz hotel in Los Angeles, the hotel (whose two-month-old Twitter handle is @andazweho) offered her a free meal at its restaurant. Andaz says it also made sure to correct my friend's grievance - that her party wasn't served enough bar food. How's that for customer service, social media-style?
And not only are hotels using Twitter to interact directly with its guests, they're also using the platform to generate general interest by giving away free stays and other goodies.
Marriott International Inc. (@marriottintl) recently held a "Deal of the Day" promotion via its Twitter feed and Web site, offering one discounted deal per day for a Caribbean, Hawaii or California hotel from June 1 to June 12.
Some hotels use their Twitter feeds to create a persona, essentially giving life to a hotel. The Westin Bonaventure (@thebonaventure) in downtown Los Angeles has given away free stays and meals at its restaurant to promote its business, but it also tweeted about the Los Angeles Lakers' championship run, ingraining itself into other parts of the city's culture. And then there's this: "Why didn't Lisa Bonet lay down her version of 'Baby, I Love Your Way' as a single? We love that song. 'Is that Peter #$@%* Frampton?'"
Some other hotels on Twitter include Shutters on the Beach (@ShuttersSecrets) in Santa Monica, Hotel Carlton in San Francisco (@HotelCarltonSF), the Iron Horse Hotel (@ironhorsehotel) in Milwaukee and the Charles Hotel (@CharlesHotel) in Cambridge, Mass.
While straying too far from business-like tweets, a la the Bonaventure, might not be all hotels' goals, reaching out to customers and potential guests on a more personal level than the traditional press avenues could be a good bet. While people are demanding lower prices and better deals from their go-to travel destinations, they also want better service, and communicating via Twitter or other social media platforms is an effective way to do it.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/lxxmhe
June 16th, 2009: summarized from bNet -- With all the talk about Twitter, the micro-blogging social media platform, as a business tool, it's no wonder that the struggling hotel industry is now using it as a way to reach potential guests.
When a friend of mine, who keeps a blog that covers restaurants, told the Twitterverse how she had a sub-par happy hour experience at Hyatt's Andaz hotel in Los Angeles, the hotel (whose two-month-old Twitter handle is @andazweho) offered her a free meal at its restaurant. Andaz says it also made sure to correct my friend's grievance - that her party wasn't served enough bar food. How's that for customer service, social media-style?
And not only are hotels using Twitter to interact directly with its guests, they're also using the platform to generate general interest by giving away free stays and other goodies.
Marriott International Inc. (@marriottintl) recently held a "Deal of the Day" promotion via its Twitter feed and Web site, offering one discounted deal per day for a Caribbean, Hawaii or California hotel from June 1 to June 12.
Some hotels use their Twitter feeds to create a persona, essentially giving life to a hotel. The Westin Bonaventure (@thebonaventure) in downtown Los Angeles has given away free stays and meals at its restaurant to promote its business, but it also tweeted about the Los Angeles Lakers' championship run, ingraining itself into other parts of the city's culture. And then there's this: "Why didn't Lisa Bonet lay down her version of 'Baby, I Love Your Way' as a single? We love that song. 'Is that Peter #$@%* Frampton?'"
Some other hotels on Twitter include Shutters on the Beach (@ShuttersSecrets) in Santa Monica, Hotel Carlton in San Francisco (@HotelCarltonSF), the Iron Horse Hotel (@ironhorsehotel) in Milwaukee and the Charles Hotel (@CharlesHotel) in Cambridge, Mass.
While straying too far from business-like tweets, a la the Bonaventure, might not be all hotels' goals, reaching out to customers and potential guests on a more personal level than the traditional press avenues could be a good bet. While people are demanding lower prices and better deals from their go-to travel destinations, they also want better service, and communicating via Twitter or other social media platforms is an effective way to do it.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/lxxmhe
Predictions About The Future Of Advertising
LM Comment: Some good ideas as we head into budgeting season.
June 16, 2009: summarized from Fast Company -- Let's start with what we know about media habits, structural changes in advertising practices, and advertising effectiveness.
Media habits
People are NOT watching less TV. Over 95% of video watching hours still occur on TV. However, many multitask and use DVRs. People are moving away from print toward digital. Time spent on social networking sites continues to explode; up 83% vs. last year according to Nielsen Online. Mobile is a main device for connecting to the Internet in many countries and is increasing here; apps and text messages bring brand messages right to the point of purchase.
Advertising practices
While Advertising spending is down because of the recession, TV, digital, and shopper marketing appear to be gaining share at the expense of radio and print (based on latest reports from TNS media). My guess is that spending on creating Web sites, communities, widgets, staff needed to participate in social media, etc., is growing but we don't really know since it isn't reported. Print is challenged, especially by classified advertising moving online. While print media now all have digital versions, they find that their audiences and ad revenues do not automatically transfer.
Structural changes
It's about integration. Media companies are putting their content on multiple platforms, making content rather than medium the organizing principle. Advertisers are creating integrated marketing teams. Advertisers and media companies are directly negotiating cross-platform relationships with deep integration of the advertiser into the program content (so people can't fast forward past the message).
Ad effectiveness
Despite people saying in surveys they don't like advertising, it still works. Perhaps the biggest surprise to some is the evidence that TV advertising works as well as ever. Even display ads and search are proven to translate into business without a click.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/lr5xl8
June 16, 2009: summarized from Fast Company -- Let's start with what we know about media habits, structural changes in advertising practices, and advertising effectiveness.
Media habits
People are NOT watching less TV. Over 95% of video watching hours still occur on TV. However, many multitask and use DVRs. People are moving away from print toward digital. Time spent on social networking sites continues to explode; up 83% vs. last year according to Nielsen Online. Mobile is a main device for connecting to the Internet in many countries and is increasing here; apps and text messages bring brand messages right to the point of purchase.
Advertising practices
While Advertising spending is down because of the recession, TV, digital, and shopper marketing appear to be gaining share at the expense of radio and print (based on latest reports from TNS media). My guess is that spending on creating Web sites, communities, widgets, staff needed to participate in social media, etc., is growing but we don't really know since it isn't reported. Print is challenged, especially by classified advertising moving online. While print media now all have digital versions, they find that their audiences and ad revenues do not automatically transfer.
Structural changes
It's about integration. Media companies are putting their content on multiple platforms, making content rather than medium the organizing principle. Advertisers are creating integrated marketing teams. Advertisers and media companies are directly negotiating cross-platform relationships with deep integration of the advertiser into the program content (so people can't fast forward past the message).
Ad effectiveness
Despite people saying in surveys they don't like advertising, it still works. Perhaps the biggest surprise to some is the evidence that TV advertising works as well as ever. Even display ads and search are proven to translate into business without a click.
Read more at: http://tinyurl.com/lr5xl8
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)