Millennial vs. Boomer and Marketing

     Marketing is about understanding the client and their needs. Therefore looking at the population trends is important. With the boom of technology, are marketers forgetting the boomers? Now this article includes a wide generalization, but we are trying to look at the generational trends. Just because a consumer is older, does not mean they are behind on technology. It means that marketers need to keep in mind who they are targeting with social media.

     The problem with the two messages to two groups is brand inconsistency. With an online presence, you are speaking to the world and it may be harder to target one specific group without the rest hearing about it. Millennials are used to the instant gratification of consumerism whereas the boomers understand the slow process of working your way up.

Gross offers a lot of insights as to the difference between these generations. I believe there are a lot of opportunities available for both markets, but I am concerned for the opposite messages.

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/prospernow/2013/07/16/the-boomer-bust-working-with-a-fading-generation/?ss=future-work

I Don't Need My Phone, I Just Can't Live Without It

     Almost all of my blogs are about the idea of connecting technology with real life experiences. Biro brings up a good point in that we all need a time to be unplugged. The problem however, is can we unplug? She brings up a ton of really in depth questions that I believe are necessary for the public before moving further into an online presence.

     Of course we all say under dire circumstances I could leave my phone at home, but what is the reality here of our relationship with technology? An advertising professor of mine had given us a presentation of the effects of smart phones are similar to the effects of heroin. Most may not believe that, but it is a concern for the public to keep a balanced lifestyle. Another great question is how deep are we truly getting to customers by cutting of the face-to-face? I do not plan on throwing out all my technology yet, but this was a good reminder that we need a lot more chances to unplug.

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2013/07/07/the-digital-realities-of-work-life-blending/?ss=future-work

Why People Share

     Posting may not seem like a very complicated decision process, but Jonah Berger would disagree. In the Social Media examiner Podcast, they interviewed Jonah the author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On. Apparently word of mouth is over ten times more effective that traditional advertising. These kind of statistics are what businesses should be paying attention to. He uses the system STEPPS based on psychological drives that cause people to publicly share information.

     The important thing to take away from these statistics is that some things viral cannot be planned. Sometimes things happen and advertisers need to be on their toes now more than ever to predict some of what could excite people. There needs to be something more to offer to the public than the message itself. Entertainment is a huge issue. Overall this is a great resource to look over for further media campaigns. 

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/why-things-catch-on-the-science-of-why-people-share/

What's Your Brand?

     Being yourself as a business may not be the best decision. Just because you think something is a good idea, doesn't mean anyone else would buy it. This is a big reason why most new businesses don’t last. Remember a brand is not just one person but the idea of the company. With everything in social media, consumers are becoming sharper as to what companies are being genuine to those looking for a quick sale.

     This can also be shifted toward job applications. When we are creating all of these social platforms for ourselves, they need to be real and distinct. Not many people are interested in looking at the same thing twice, so we need to be cautious as to what kind of personal image we are setting.

Biro offers greats advice as to finding your authentic media self. Do some soul searching and revamp your media presence that is authentic to you.

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2013/07/14/rethink-brand-you-find-your-authentic-self/?ss=future-work

Creative Post Ideas

     A lot of companies I believe sell themselves short as to what social media can be used for. This article offers insight as to what we can do to use social media as a platform for launching products. I would advise caution as to not exclusively talk about products so that your image stays genuine.

     In my company we get a lot of traffic from offering the public to participate in decisions we make like voting for a Non Profit website. The point of social media is to connect personally with consumers, letting them get involved takes a lot of trust that the public truly appreciates. Stelzner offers some great creative ideas like posting a teaser about possible plans for the future. It give the public something to be curious and talk to friends about. Read the whole article for more great ideas for campaigns with Facebook and Youtube.

 http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-product-launch/

How Often to Post

     How often to post? Well I think this is something most companies would find very valuable. It is astonishing the difference is from two to five tweets in a day can do to website traffic. The author here breaks it down into lifetime of a post. We may think that a post a month is good enough to stay in the game, but we have to think about how many other posts may be getting in the way between a potential customer and your business.

     Now we need to stay realistic to your company’s budget, but keep in mind all of the web junk you customers need to go through. The conclusion from this article is blog twice a week, Facebook three times a week, and tweet five times a day. However, as a company you may want to test which formula works best for traffic and at what time of day. These are all things that had to be considered for television advertising too. What is interesting to me is how close this recommendation is to our class’s online networking requirements. 

http://www.getspokal.com/the-complete-guide-to-how-often-to-post-tweet-facebook-for-your-small-business/

Ford Day Fun

     Going to this event I was nervous because I didn't know anything about golf. Good news is that I wasn't alone. The Detroit Advertising Association had it's Ford Day mixed with a fun golfing event. This was a great networking opportunity to meet people from Ford, Lincoln, and even Food Network. You cannot underestimate how much you can learn from a simple day at the green. I think a lot of people make the mistake of only talking about business with other business people. Away from the office offers time to be a person again, and you may hurt your connection chances by only talking about what they do and where they work.
   We need to know how to act and when to say business. The best thing to do for these events is to be genuine. If an opportunity arises, don't spoil it but also don't look so desperate as to ruin the others day. Some people wanted to share some fun Alum stories and give advice about jobs that was very useful. Overall I think it was a fun day to get out and practice networking.

Ann Arbor is the Place to Be

     Even Ann Arbor is starting to gain more buzz in business. Over the past couple years there have been a lot of movies made in our area; it is nice to see more companies bringing in jobs for the locals. NVIDIA does not have the same leverage as other big companies, but they are focusing on our automotive strengths. These are the kind of companies that are making innovative processors for Audi, BMW, and VW. We are going to see a great shift in our driving experiences. If we know of any other big companies coming to Ann Arbor, I encourage you to share it with your friends. Our city needs more local promotion of great achievements like this. 

http://annarbor.com/business-review/ann-arbor-technology-center-with-eye-towards-automotive-market-nvidia-computer-processor/

Back to Detroit

     It has just been a matter of time for the outside world to see the possibilities of Detroit again. So many great things were invented and produced here. Campbell Ewald has the right idea to pack up and move to a up incoming creative hub. Many people can get caught up in the high life of places like NYC and LA.

     We need to remember to look at our local history to see the possibilities for the future. Innovation does not come from walking in successful footsteps. It is about carving a new way for something that others are afraid to try. I think it is wonderful what they are doing with Detroit, but we also shouldn't forget about the cities we live in like Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor.

 http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-move-to-detroit-land-of-opportunity-20130808,0,4541203.story#tugs_story_display

Networking First Things First

At the beginning of the year most of our class was thinking about the daunting task of completing our in person networking activities. I wish I had read this article sooner, but it did provide some new insights as to problems people have had with networking. It usually boils down to never networked before, not getting results from networking, or getting irregular results.

     One thing I think to mention is that networking is not a one stop shopping experience. It is about creating relationships. Just like other friendships in may be scary at first, but practice makes better, and people will understand. If the whole experience does not seem to bring results, try a different method or get a networking partner to look for clues as to where you may be going wrong. 

http://annarbor.com/business-review/when-developing-a-networking-practice-focus-on-first-things-first/