McIntosh Marketing Blog

Madison Avenue must be reeling at the fast changes within our media world. How could they have predicted the sheer transformation of how YouTube, social media and the worldwide dominance of the celebrity mentality would shape how we market.

Nike just released a new advert that say’s so much about the changes of not only how world revolves, but how we interact with each other. Moreover, this advert from Nike indicates to businesses on how the majority of marketing has yet to really caught up with those fast-paced changes. The Nike advert that they just released, featuring soccer phenom Ronaldo, is not only a strong message in itself, but a commentary of where we are at as a global community.

Let’s look at the critical aspects of this advert from Nike:

• The advert is three minutes long, not 30 or 60 seconds. This is because YouTube has extended our ability and expectations from a video and an advert. Nike is not buying a traditional TV spot; they are telling a story and letting viral marketing run its course.
• The video shows how addicted we are to sports, but how much it is a part of our lives and even the ability to gain power, affect markets and transform the pride of an entire nation with sports. True sports heros are national treasures and icons, just as Ancient Greece revered their gods.
• Featuring in that video is how YouTube videos are not only watched, but how then drive new jargon, dances and even how we communicate, establish reality and that we understand each other, knowing we belong to the same “tribe.”
• The new slogan, “Write Your Future” captures the desire to determine our future in these uncertain times. Just like Nike captured a generation with “Just Do It”, they have now found three new words to embed the minds of a new generation looking for empowerment, even if vicariously through a brand and a hallowed sports figure. It offers hope and that one can do something about it without looking for government entitlement.

Nike has struck marketing gold once again, showing that like any art form one can capture and articulate a new feeling through a strong brand and simple message.

One of the least used methods to explode your brand is to identify and build relationships with Mass Influencers.

According to a recent report from Forrester research, 16% of all online Americans are responsible for 80 percent of the brand impressions in online social settings. “Social media has created a new type of influencer – one defined not merely by number of friends or frequency of dialogue, but by both,” said Forrester Research Senior Analyst Augie Ray.

The key is to not only to identify who these key 16% are for your market place, but to then make offers in such a way that starts to build a relationship with them. In turn, this turns into on-line discussion of your product.

Scott Voigt, VP of marketing at Silverpop said, “Start building goodwill by … providing them with special benefits. These persuaders can have a huge impact, so make them feel important. You’ll cultivate increased loyalty and give them further incentive to share even more.”

But be careful to what is said about your on-line, via blogs and on social media. Monitor what is being said and treat this as not only a survey, but an invitation to listen, change and adapt your product or service closer to what is needed and wanted.

By finding key influencers you can bring rapid and significant brand awareness. Not only that, you are entering an activity which puts you in the drivers seat of generating buzz.