Since this week has already gone to the dogs, I thought I’d end it by barking about an experiential program that the folks at Alpo cooked up. This program is a unique service (albeit short lived) that Boston dog owners will clearly enjoy. Here’s what the folks at MediaPost said about it:

Boston-area residents today have a second and final chance to bring their dogs to Nestle Purina PetCare’s just-opened pop-up pooch restaurant, the Alpo Chop House Originals Grill at 167 Newbury St. Dinner hours are 3 - 8 p.m., reservations not accepted, pricing non-existent, and dress not required for dining. At Thursday’s opening of the “Dog’s Night Out” festivities, Red Sox great Carlton Fisk was scheduled to serve as guest waiter, providing canine customers with the house special: Filet Mignon made with angus beef, one of seven flavors in the Chop House Originals line of gourmet canned dog foods, which promise the pets of grocery shoppers “restaurant-inspired taste, right here at home.”

Those Beantown “can-noisseurs” lucky enough to savor that taste this week in a real restaurant can also take advantage of other themed amenities like a photo booth, where they get their pictures taken with their owners. They also get to take home a doggie bag with food for their next night’s dinner — and to make new friends not only with their dining companions at rustic wooden tables, but with adoptable dogs from Mass Paws, a local rescue organization.

Alpo, in fact, has promised to donate $8,000 to Boston-area shelters on behalf of all the dog dinners served. Other costs for the promotion were not revealed.

On the feline side, Del Monte’s Meow Mix Cafe from Grand Central Marketing in late 2004 cost the brand $150,000 for a 10-day run in New York City — and then reportedly resulted in $50 million in additional sales during 2005.

So what if Alpo marketers are essential COPY DOGs, borrowing the shelter donation component from Pedigree and translating the whole doggie diner concept from Meow Mix? With their sports teams gone to the dogs (how ’bout those Jets winning in OT?), those newly humbled Bostonians need something to lift their spirits and the Alpo Chop House complete with former sports heroes may be just the thing. Woof!

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Pedigree continues to cuddle up to dog lovers, unleashing this opportunistic plea to President-elect Obama as reported by MediaPost:

Pedigree wasted no time in getting a print ad to press following President-Elect Obama’s promise to his daughters to bring a puppy to the White House. The ad ran in last Thursday’s edition of USA Today and features an adorable shelter dog in need of a home. “…We think you’ll find that shelter dogs are among the most loyal, loving and special dogs in the world. And no dog is more in need of a little hope,” says the ad (see below).

I give this effort a double paws up, especially as it builds upon what I think is one of the best “purpose-based” marketing campaigns going (see my earlier post on Dogs Rule). So, who thinks the Obama team will heed the call?

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Yesterday, I gave a webinar for the PRSA called “9.5 ways to cut through regardless of the economy.” Point number 7 was “keep it light” and refers to the fact, the more gloomy the economic climate, the more marketers need to lighten things up. This is especially true when targeting the under 30 crowd which tends to favor brands that can demonstrate a perverse sense of humor.

Virgin Mobile is one of those brands that continues to find fresh ways to engage its target, this time with news to amuse as reported by MediaPost:

AP, Virgin Mobile Offer Celebrity, Weird News

The Associated Press and Virgin Mobile USA have teamed up to offer two new youth-oriented mobile sites focused on celebrity and unusual news, the companies said Tuesday. The AP Entertainment channel featured on the Virgin deck offers coverage of the music, film and TV industries along with celebrity news and gossip, while the “Can You Believe It?” site focuses on bizarre stories from around the world. The partnership includes an ad revenue-sharing agreement. The pair of new sites will also serve as gateways to AP’s Mobile News Network, which drew more than 26 million page views in September. “Our customers have a propensity for fun, entertainment and being clued in to what’s happening around them,” said Yomi Uaboi, product manager, data access for Virgin Mobile USA, in a statement. “By adding the AP sites, we are offering the widest coverage of breaking entertainment news from the most trusted source.”

Make no mistake about it, this is Marketing as Service for yutes.

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Thanks to many of you for the various links noting that President-Elect Obama’s Secret Service codename is–damn straight–nothing other than Renegade! Here’s what they said about it on YahooBuzz:

The Renegade Is Loose. We Repeat, the Renegade Is Loose.

The Secret Service takes a lot of risks for the first family. So it’s only fair that the agency gets the honor of coming up with code names for the president-elect and his family. Various sources within the Buzz recently revealed the not-so-secret nicknames. [DREW NOTE–according to Wikipedia, the White House Communications Agency actually comes up with the codenames!]

Mr. Obama will be known as “Renegade” (move over, Lorenzo Lamas). Michelle, a woman of many talents, will be referred to as “Renaissance.” Malia Obama’s name will be “Radiance,” while little sister Sasha’s will be “Rosebud.”

Former Renegade, Rich Ullman who recognizes opportunity when he sees it, asks “now, what are you going to do with it?” Well, great question, Rich. First, let me assure we are delighted with the Secret Service’s selection and honored to share that name with the President-elect but of course, we will be expecting royalties;-) Second, I am working on my annual predictions letter which will be entitled, The Year of the Renegade and will feature hoops as the annual metaphor. Third, for the moment, there is not third. Any thoughts? I’ve got signed photos of my Obumkin and one unused Obama for President bumper sticker for the best idea out there.

While you’re thinking up ideas, here’s a list of secret service names for past president’s. Can you guess who’s who? For the answers, click here.

• Scorecard or Providence
• Lancer
• Volunteer
• Searchlight
• Pass Key
• Lock Master
• Rawhide
• Timberwolf
• Eagle
• Tumbler

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Zurich Financial is taking a service, or should I say a zervice approach with its recent Z-booths at airports. Here’s what the New York Times reported about it (thanks to Theresa for spotting):

Speaking of airports, for travelers rushing through the London Heathrow or Frankfurt airports this week with a dead mobile phone or a missing hotel reservation, there may be a place to turn. Look for booths marked with a big blue “Z” in the international departures areas. The stands are help points set up by Zurich Financial Services. They will offer free Internet access, cellphone and laptop charge-ups and other assistance for travelers, including cleaning materials to deal with spilled coffee and information about travel destinations, the company says. One thing they will not offer is insurance, Zurich’s usual line of business.

Why is Zurich getting involved in the kinds of things that airlines used to do for their passengers? The stands are part of a new marketing campaign aimed at “focusing on customers when it really matters,” said Arun Sinha, head of marketing at Zurich Financial. Market research has shown that fewer than 15 percent of consumers trusted any insurance brand, he said. “This is not about hard sell,” Mr. Sinha said. “This is more about trying to build consideration and favorability for the brand.”

Delivering genuine value to people in a time of need is sure way of making friends for the long haul. I sure hope it zerves them well.

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To be effective, Marketing of Service needs to a genuine commitment versus a one-off stunt. While few marketers will have the perseverance to make it 108 years like Michelin with its peripatetic guides, I suspect they can make it longer than a weekend like the recent painfully misguided “free taxi” effort by Tylenol.

Thanks to Jason Wurtzel for spotting these when they first arrived in the city on November 3rd. Not knowing anything about the program at that moment, I neglected to post Jason’s shots (see below) or to feel any sense of flattery since these were another attempt to copy the HSBC BankCab, which I might add is in its sixth year of driving loyalty to The World’s Local Bank.

Still on the case, Jason then forwarded this snippet about the cabs on The Gothamist:

The Tylenol (global?) “Warming Taxis” will take you anywhere in Manhattan, today through Sunday, from noon to 8 p.m. Your best shot of catching one is heading to a CVS at 630 Lexington, 540 Amsterdam, 272 8th or 307 6th Avenues and waiting for a stranger in a white car to offer you a lift and some Tylenol.

One weekend? Is that really supposed to heat up our feelings about Tylenol? As the Renegade behind the BankCab, that just plain hurts. It wasn’t even a cold weekend by November standards so the warming part fell flat. J&J, a usually savvy marketer, should know better than to treat Marketing as Service as a Band-Aid or perhaps they got ripped off by an unlicensed guerrilla practitioner.

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At The CMO Club Summit today, I moderated a discussion among 35+ CMOs about social media. It was really a lively conversation representing the range of experiences of these CMOs. The group divided into three segments, from novices to making their way to “kicking butt and taking names.” David Spark provides a quick overview of the discussion on TheCMOClub site (yes, the very same social network that Renegade helped create!) but I thought add some more detail given the broad interest in the topic.

Introduction to Social Media
Here’s the definition of social media marketing from Frog Design’s blog that I used to start the discussion:

Social media marketing is all marketing that utilizes the social graph of both marketer and audience (in fact, the interesting thing is that they can be one and the same) to facilitate and cultivate a conversation. Social marketing is whenever more than two individuals collaborate online or offline for content generation and distribution. Social marketers harness the viral power of social networks in order to grow both the frequency and the reach of conversations exponentially. They know how to feed the social orbit with content that catalyzes conversations. And they understand that an “architecture of participation,” that lets employees be marketers, has become paramount for turning brands into live brands.

Social Media Numbers (or why CMO’s should care)

• 62% of consumers actively seek out and read customer reviews prior to purchase
• 82% of consumers found reading reviews better than researching a product in-store
• 60% of Americans use social media
• 59% interact with companies via social media; 25% do so once a week or more
• 93% of those that use SM believe companies should too
• 56% feel stronger connection to companies that they interact with via SMcompanies should use social networks to solve my problems
• 43% believe companies should use social networks to solve my problems
• 41% believe companies should solicit feedback on their products/services
• 37% want more ways to interact with companies

Renegade also created a Social Media IQ test for these CMO’s at CMOquiz.com which may be of interest.

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Add this one to your lexicon of “new” marketing approaches–”purpose-based marketing.” Somewhere between Marketing for Good and Marketing as Service, this one is being touted by former P&G CMO Jim Stengel which helps explain why it was prominently featured in last week’s Wall St. Journal:

Starting Monday, the 25-year P&G veteran is opening Jim Stengel LLC, which will try to persuade companies to buy into a newfangled way of selling. It’s called “purpose-based marketing,” which Mr. Stengel says is about defining what a company does — beyond making money — and how it can make its customers’ lives better.

I am truly excited to see someone as prominent as Mr. Stengel endorse what for traditional marketers like P&G would have been considered a radical approach just a couple of years ago:

The well-known adman maintains that the idea of “purpose” isn’t just the latest cooked-up marketing-speak. He says dozens of companies and brands have used this approach. He points to P&G’s Pampers brand, which several years ago decided it had a higher purpose: helping moms develop healthy, happy babies, rather than just keeping babies’ bottoms dry.

So I write this open letter:

Dear Mr. Stengel:

If you have a spare minute, we should talk. I’ve been gathering cases that support your thesis for the last 4 years and have no doubt what you say is true. More importantly, while having a purpose-based strategy provides a solid foundation, you still need an agency that can create a transformative 360° experience–an agency like Renegade.

Finally, as a fellow punster, I love the title of your upcoming book, Packaged Good, and can’t wait to read it.

Cheers,

Drew

CEO, Renegade

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Marketing as Service can be delivered in all shapes and sizes. Recently my assistant Kirsten spotted an example in a direct mail package from Queue Associates, a specialist in configuring Microsoft Dynamics (ERB & CRM) solutions for agencies. This particular mailer was about the only DM piece that made it through her rigorous screening process since last year’s jumbo holiday gift basket that must have been misdirected from Senator Steven’s office.

This package caught her eye because it contained useful stuff and information she thought I’d appreciate and she was right. I travel a fair amount and like everyone else, struggle to keep up with the security rules. This package not only contained the latest guidelines for carry-ons, but also it included a pouch with 4 empty plastic containers (see picture below.) With such handy largess, I simply felt obliged to read the letter which also didn’t disappoint:

You’ve heard the saying, “its not the destination that counts; its the journey.”

We’re sending you this TSA-approved carry-on pounch, along with time-saving tips for getting through security at airports, to make yournext journey easier. It’s our way of saying “thank you” for taking time to consider another journey–the one that takes your agency to successful outcomes and higher profits.

The letter goes on to explain what Queue Associates does and suggests that I call them or visit a website for more information. Unfortunately, that’s where the fun ended because before I could learn anything more about them online, they wanted me to fill out a log-in form. [Come to think of it, that’s kind of ironic for a company that already had my mailing info and is selling CRM solutions–couldn’t they have generated customized URLs that recognized me immediately?]

I also think they could have carried the travel theme to the landing page/microsite, offering even more content and thereby continuing to earn my gratitude and trust. Marketing as Service works best when it is genuine commitment (think 108 years of the Michelin Guide) versus a one-off teaser. So, Queue gets an A+ for a DM piece that was rich with value and C- for not carrying it through it the final destination!

All that said, I wouldn’t be surprised if this mailer proved to be a trip well taken for Queue.

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Its been a slow time for Marketing as Service. Frankly, I haven’t seen one example really worth writing about in several weeks. Desperate to find something of interest to you all, I decided to munch on a social media effort by Terra Chips. Here’s a taste of this effort as served up by MediaPost:

On Tuesday, the brand will launch a “Chip in for Change” campaign on Facebook. The concept: Tap into the patriotic zeitgeist and give Facebook users a channel to share their opinions not only with each other, but the new president–while also conveying that consumers by no means need to wait until next July 4th to enjoy Terra’s S&B chips.

The campaign centers on a Facebook product page where users will be able to register their ideas and priorities regarding changes that they would like the new president to address, via a virtual “Chip in for Change” suggestion box. The input will be gathered into a virtual gallery where users can read one another’s perspectives.

In addition, users will be invited to become “fans” of the Chips for Change “movement” by downloading the branded application and adding it to their personal Facebook profiles and/or sending it to Facebook friends.

It will be interesting to see if Facebookers find this to their liking or simply salt it away with the rest of the contrived attempts by marketers to invade their social network. When MoveOn.org or another politically savvy organization asks me to chip in, I’m prepared to engage. When a spruced up junk food says “lets talk,” the conversation on could go something like this:

Terra: “Hey Drew, chip in for a change and tell the next president what you think.”

Drew: “Hey Terra, are you serious? Why would I want you, a salty snack, to be my portal to the President?

Terra: “Now Drew, relax, we’re just trying to demonstrate that we understand your Facebookian lifestyle and want to engage in the conversation.”

Drew: “What conversation and who asked you become part of it? If you want to talk to me about the health benefits of blue potatoes, I’m all ears but when it comes to politics step aside. You’re cutting this thing the wrong way. I didn’t sign up for Facebook to face off with a tiny tater.”

Terra: “Now Drew, don’t be that guy. We just want to be your friend.”

Drew: “I’ve got plenty of friends already you specious spud. You want to be my friend, bag this Chip In program and do something useful that is somehow relevant to your brand.”

Terra: “Whatever dude. We’re getting great PR and our marketing folks are now being invited to every social media conference in town. So any way you slice it, we win.”

Drew: “You got me there. Serves me right for talkin’ to a bag of chips.”

For the record, Terra Blue is my chip of choice.

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Ambush marketing is one of those things you either love or hate depending on whether you’re the practitioner or the victim. Recently a Texas beer brand, Shiner, ambushed Heineken at the Austin City Limits Music Festival in a way that I think actually qualifies as Marketing as Service.

Here is part of the story as reported by AdAge last week:

Shiner wasn’t even available inside the festival. But that didn’t stop its ad agency, McGarrah Jessee, from targeting the 65,000 people attending. So the shop printed up Shiner koozies designed to look just like Shiner cans and had street teams hand them out to festival-goers. Sure, they might not have sold any beer that day, but they did get the brand out there in a way that anyone with a soft spot for scrappy underdogs would appreciate.

Providing koozies at a music festival is indeed Marketing as Service, however simple it may seem. In fact, koozies provide the dual service of keeping the beer colder longer while keeping the hands warmer and drier. It also gave beer drinkers the opportunity to “wear” a brand that some may have felt was more in tune with this heavily Texan event and their lifestyles.

Of course, if I had been working for Heineken I would have been pretty ticked off at the event organizers for letting the Shiner koozies onto the festival grounds. Perhaps at their next concert event they’ll provide Heineken branded koozies that attendees could take home, re-use and maybe even drive them to a website that tied it all together. Every event marketer has to be prepared for ambushers and the best way to do this is think like one and beat them to the punch with service (and not just messaging.)

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In the world of extruded potatoes, it is often difficult to find genuine goodness. Here’s how Pringles is attempting to bridge that gap, as reported by BRANDWEEK’s Elaine Wong:

Beginning this week, consumers can go to Pringles.com to play with its new “Can Creator.” The application allows users to design and print their own creations, which they can then tape onto their Pringles can.

For every can created, parent company Procter & Gamble will donate $1 to the Children’s Miracle Network (up to $20,000). The campaign runs through June.

Up to $20,000? Come on P&G, with $265 million in sales for Pringles alone, surely you can do better than that. Are we really supposed to prefer Pringles given such a modest charitable commitment? While I’m sure the Children’s Miracle Network isn’t complaining, this is the perfect time to step up and make a sincere commitment. I’d propose donating up to $1.0 million and shame the rest of the marketing world into doing good on a grand scale.

Would such a grand commitment be good for Pringle’s sales? You bet. More from the BRANDWEEK article:

The 2008 Cone Cause Evolution Study found that 79% of consumers said they would switch brands (provided price and quality were equal) to the one that is associated with a good cause. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they have a more positive image of a company when it supports a cause that is dear to them. And 38% have purchased a product associated with a cause in the last year.

I’m all for doing well by doing good. Just make sure your commitment is clear and sincere, otherwise there will be no pop in your sales.

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I had the pleasure of seeing Jim Collins speak at the World Business Forum a week ago. Collins is the author of Good to Great, the only business book I actually read from cover to cover and then re-read. His speech covered much of the same ground as Good to Great and included lots of helpful reminders:

1. Good is the enemy of great
   • It requires the hearts of lions and the courage of elephants
   • Decline is typically self-inflicted
2. Over night successes are typically 20 years in the making
   • Striving for great is a cumulative never ending process
   • “the moment we think we’re great, we’re dead”
   • If growth exceeds ability to hire great people, you’re in big trouble
3. Must have the right people on the bus even before you decide where you’re going
   • Hire self-motivated people who are committed to doing whatever it takes
   • The “plow horse” typically beats the “show horse” when it comes to great CEOs
   • Have the discipline to confront the brutal facts
4. Find your “hedgehog” concept
   • What are you truly passionate about?
   • What can you be the best in the world at?
   • What is the economic denominator that will make the business competitive?

He ended with a to do list for all the attendees, especially the CEO’s in the audience. Here’s his 10-point to do list that I somehow turned into 11 points:

1. Assess your company’s strengths and weakness (with the Good to Great diagnostic tool on jimcollins.com)
2. Figure out the key “seats” on your business “bus” and calculate the percentage of those seats that are filled with the right people and then make an action plan for improving that percentage
3. Establish your own personal “board of directors” that can advise like “tribal elders”
4. Get some young people “in your face” to challenge your perspective on things
5. Build an internal council for key decision making
6. Ask more questions; make fewer statements (he suggested doubling the quantity of questions & repeated some advice given to him years back–spend more time being interested and less time being interesting!)
7. Turn off your electronic devices and schedule time just to think
8. Create a stop doing list (eliminate the stuff you don’t need to do yourself so you can focus on contribution)
9. Forget titles and focus on responsibilities (titles are inherently limiting and responsibilities ensure jobs get done)
10. Make sure your core values are solid and that you and your team are following them
11. Set BHAG (big hairy audacious goals) for 10, 15, 25 year horizons (establish the risks and then remove them).

Collins also recommended tracking down John Gardner’s book from 1984 called Personal and Organizational Renewal (which could take some work since Amazon notes it is out of print.)  So, who’s ready to be great?

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This just in–cause marketing increases sales!!! And all this time writing about Marketing for Good, you thought I meant “good” as in good for your soul and not “good” as in good for your bottom line. Here’s the scoop as crafted by Ken Hein of BRANDWEEK:

Pier 1 Imports and Payless are likely to get a sales lift from their partnerships with Susan G. Komen during “Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” A series of new studies released today (Oct. 1) show that consumers are more likely to purchase brands that are associated with causes they care about.

The 2008 Cone Cause Evolution Study found that 79% of respondents said they would switch brands (provided price and quality were equal) to the one that is associated with a good cause. Cone, Boston, polled 1,100 adults polled online in August.

Eighty-five percent of respondents said they have a more positive image of a company when it supports a cause they care about. The same percentage said it was acceptable for companies to promote their affiliation with nonprofit organizations in their ads. And, 38% have purchased a product associated with a cause in the last year.

Knowing that consumers are interested in cause-related branding, how can companies make it more effective? Eighty-four percent of those polled wanted to select their own cause, 83% said it must be personally relevant and 80% said the nonprofit associated with the brand matters.

Even though companies are struggling, more than half of respondents (52%) said companies should continue to give to nonprofits. More than a quarter (26%) felt companies should give more.

A separate study, conducted in conjunction with Duke University, sought to see if consumers would put their money where their mouth is. In the “2008 Cone/Duke University Behavioral Cause Study,” 182 consumers were exposed to print ads (cause-related or a typical corporate ad) for one of four focus brands in a regional magazine. They were then sent to shop in a mock store that featured 150 SKUs.

All you marketers out there, take note. Now is the time to ramp up your Marketing for Good activities. Many non-profits are getting hammered by the collapse of the financial institutions that used to underwrite their activities. Ride to their rescue, align with a cause that makes sense for your business and or your target, get your employees involved so they feel good about working for you and do it now while your competitors sit on the rears waiting for the market to recover.

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As the markets retreat and marketers regroup, non-profit organizations, especially New York-based ones, are sure to feel the pinch. The Wall St. Journal reported on this last week:

Officials at charities are trying to devise creative ways to stand out. They are making urgent appeals through direct-mail and email campaigns and taking to the airwaves. Charities also are gearing up to tap their wealthy board members and other well-off supporters for extra cash. If they fail, charities may have to cut staff or seek loans.

As I’ve noted before, brave marketers will dig deep and keep investing in their marketing for good activities. These commitments don’t have to only be in cash. Marketers like Home Depot have learned that they can make a huge impact on their local communities by donating the time and expertise of their employees. Here’s an inspiring example followed by a happy video that should cheer you up:

On Friday, August 22nd, 2008 volunteers from WNY AmeriCorps, Home Depot, and Hands On Greater Buffalo came together to revitalize the outdoor space in front of the Henry J. Kalfas Magnet School in Niagara Falls. Projects included planting a new garden in place of dead or obtrusive plants, installing paver blocks on either side of the walkway, building two benches, and painting the flagpole. A community cookout following the project welcomed local citizens to become invested in their school. Watch the video of the project day below!

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I’m intrigued by a new program from Trip Advisor that a fellow Renegade (thanks Stef) shared with me:

Thought you might like to have another example of MFG in your back pocket. As far as I can tell, this is only a very thinly-layered one (doesn’t have too many legs to the marketing), but seems like a great fit for the Trip Advisor brand.

In November, Trip Advisor will donate $1 million to a worthy cause, to give back to the world that they help you travel in. Below is an email sent from their CEO, which I received because I’m a member. They appeal to me, as a TA member, to help determine where the dollars are donated. It’s as simple as clicking on the link, and presumably it makes you feel as though you’ve done some good for the world outside of your immediate environment (without moving off your seat or spending any of your own money).

Once you’ve voted, the Thank You screen offers you a few options to help spread the word, including adding to Facebook (MySpace, Digg, Delicious, etc), or sending to a friend. The follow-up email which you receive immediately also prompts you to Tell Your Friends. Because voting requires TA membership, the hope is that the viral activity will increase sign-ups for the TA site and services.

Dear TripAdvisor Member,

For years it’s been our mission to help travelers around the world plan and take great trips.

Now we want to help the places and people that we encounter when we travel. On November 12th, we’ll be donating $1 million to 5 great organizations that help these places and people.

Just as we believe in the power of the collective wisdom of our travelers, we believe in the power of your opinion.

Please vote – tell us where the $1 million donation should go.

 

Thank you,

Steve Kaufer
Founder & CEO
TripAdvisor LLC

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Edward Teach understood the fundamentals of marketing perhaps better than any leader of his age. His ship was easily recognized from miles away thanks to an enormous black flag burnishing a distinctive skull and cross bones. A man of extraordinary size, he crafted a unique brand experience for anyone who dared cross his path. Shortly before engaging his competition, he would weave hemp into his enormous beard and then light it on fire. His fiery visage coupled with the multiple guns and swords he stuffed into his pantaloons sent a clear message–surrender or die. More often than not, the mere sight of the flaming Blackbeard was enough to shiver anyone’s timbers and in doing so, he captured over 40 ships in under 5 years, many without a fight.

Lest we forgot me hardies, marketing is a battle for hearts, minds and share points. Make your brand strong enough and the battle is easier. You need to fly your brand flag high and often so everyone knows exactly what it stands for. Create unforgettable brand experiences and the word will get around, your prospects will become customers and your customers brand advocates.

So, aarr you ready to join me in celebratin’ International Talk Like a Pirate Day?

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This article on Marketing as Service by Kevin Zimmerman appeared in 1:1 Magazine earlier this week:
The concept of marketing with a heavy focus on service over selling may seem counterintuitive, but a growing number of companies are doing just that. Viewed as an evolution of “distraction marketing,” some marketers are looking to offer customers and prospects something of value that goes beyond the product they’re pitching.

A well-know example is Nike Plus, a joint program by Apple and Nike that gives users running tools while keeping both brands top-of-mind. Motorola in Hong Kong lets customers upload photos of themselves for their traveling family members to see in the airport waiting area. And Nivea has developed a multitiered program designed to help women eliminate cellulite.

These companies’ programs are all designed to give customers a warm feeling about the brand—with the hope that those customers’ favorable feelings will translate into sales down the line.

“It goes hand-in-hand with the emerging trend of social responsibility,” says Alan Siegel, chairman and CEO at strategic branding company Siegel + Gale. “Anything that provides value to people is brand-building and relationship-building.”

Not to mention a differentiator. “We are seeing more and more companies trying to differentiate their brands based on value-added service offerings,” says Drew Neisser, CEO of Renegade, which preaches “marketing as service.” “The idea behind ‘marketing as service’ is that marketers actually transform their messaging into a genuine customer service,” Neisser adds. “To demonstrate its commitment to customer service, HSBC has the BankCab in New York City, which provides free rides to HSBC customers. That generates tremendous customer loyalty and positive word of mouth. While it’s primarily designed to retain current customers, it has been used for acquisition and even employee morale building.”

In Nivea we trust
Nicolas Maurer, vice president of marketing for Nivea’s parent Beiersdorf, says that when the company launched its “Goodbye Cellulite” (GBC) program, it focused on the fact that the issue “is all about credibility and trust. We wanted to market our brand more as something that could play a role in the consumer’s life than selling a cure for a problem.”

To complement the 2007 launch of its GBC gel and patch, this year Nivea launched a 30-Day Beauty Program, which includes dietary tips. “It’s all about taking a more holistic approach,” Maurer says. “We’re careful not to overpromise—to say we’ve found a miracle solution—but instead we point out that you need to do a couple of things yourself to be really successful, and include tips on fitness, nutrition, and skin care.”

That holistic approach actually began three years ago with Nivea’s “Touch and Be Touched” overall brand message, “which was not just about selling moisturizer to consumers,” Maurer says, “but about helping them understand that with the right skin care they can improve a lot of elements in their lives, including sensuality.”

Nivea went with a multiplatform approach to promote GBC, beyond simple print and TV advertising. Key to the rollout was a partnering with TV talk show host Tyra Banks, who helped get her audience involved, which in turn led to People magazine coverage about a group of women’s fight against cellulite.

The company also has partnered with New York Sports Clubs to provide special cobranded workout classes to help women eliminate cellulite. The program is currently offered in New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Philadelphia, with more markets likely to be added later this year.

“The backbone was online,” Maurer says. “Our website was interactive with experts to advise/coach over the four weeks of the active push, and we have reached over 100,000 women.” Maurer says Beiersdorf in general and Nivea in particular firmly believe that it all comes down to consumer perception. “The evolving way that consumers perceive brands means we need to educate and challenge them.

There’s of course the central message that a certain product can give them a certain benefit, but we want to go beyond that—away from what’s simply functional to a more organic integration in the consumer’s life. If you do that often and consistently enough, the consumers are less likely to view [your product] skeptically, and can more fully understand the role you play in their lifestyle.”

There’s also a bottom-line impact, adds Renegade’s Neisser. “The extreme customer satisfaction generated by [using marketing-as-service] programs is money in the bank,” he says. “It helps with repeat purchase, customer retention, and positive word of mouth, and that drives new customer acquisition.”

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