We recently met with a prospective client that was referred to us by one of St. Louis area’s talk radio stations. We are always appreciative of the recommendation and referral.

So why were we referred? They were looking for a new direction that was creative but was also thinking about the brand strategy. The problem is that the messages that were being promoted in the past were not consistent with the brand or the actual user experience. So, we have a problem. Actually the brand has a problem.

Their target demographic is men. But in today’s advertising world the way many seem to want to market to men seems to be one of 2 things:

• Make men look like they can’t accomplish anything on their own and they are incompetent
• Call out their manliness if they haven’t wrestled and killed a 200lb tiger.

The reality is while men have many dreams, whether that is to go mountain climbing or sky diving, many men also savor the time with their kids. I think of the Craftsman tool ads that show the son handing their dad a tool while working on a project. This is the type of emotional connection that can really appeal to men. Most men savor the little time they have to work on a project with their dad. This is a positive emotional connection that can be tapped into to create loyalty.

The reality is this brand is focused on showing men the way things used to be in a classy, retro way. The goal is for men to get away and relax in a good way, such as a nice private country club. But the previous advertising said the complete opposite.

How would an ad feel with a father and son spending time with the product and service together? Branding is about appealing to emotions. While the intention of these videos and ads was to appeal to men, I think it actually reflects in a negative manner on the product and appeals to a negative emotion.

The videos and ads that were created made it seem as though you did anything with the women in your life you were not a man. In my world, most men would do anything for the women in their life. Does that make them any less of a man?

The problem these videos create is that it makes it seem like there is a war between men and women. 80 percent of men want to live their lives their way and not be stereotyped as a buffoon or as prize fighter.

In the end when marketing, always map your campaign back to the brand strategy to keep things focused and avoid confusing your customer. If you don’t have an overall brand strategy then now is the time to put one in place. Make your advertising dollars more effective.

If you would like to know more about emotional branding, check out Daryl Travis’ great book, Emotional Branding: How Successful Brands Gain the Irrational Edge.

If you live and breathe, chances are you’ve heard of Pinterest. According to Experian Hitwise, a tracking service for online trends, Pinterest is the fastest growing social media site EVER. They launched in March 2010 and have been growing like wildfire ever since.

Pinterest can be an amazing tool for promoting your business and gathering ideas.  Here are some simple tips to keep in mind to get the most out of your pins:

1. Be precise  -

As a business on Pinterest, you want to bring traffic back to your site. Be as specific as possible when pinning photos. If the photo is from a blog, pin it from the specific blog post page, not the blog home page. You want to make it EASY for visitors to find the photo and/or content they are looking for.

2. Detailed descriptions –

Pinterest is becoming a one-stop-shop for inspiration. Rather than surf the web, many users are going straight to Pinterest. So much for going to the source!  …but that’s okay. With a little attention to word choice, you can bring the pinners to YOU!  The key is in the descriptions you write for your pins. Use keywords and common phrases relative to the photo you’re pinning.

Source: http://www.countryliving.com/homes/house-tours/farmhouse-decorating-ideas#slide-1

For example, if I was pinning the photo above, I could caption it as “country kitchen with custom island, cream cabinets and white subway tile backsplash,”  I could even go a step further and talk about the pot rack, shelf above the sink or the glass front cabinets. …and check out those great stools!  Any (or all) of those keywords are going to better the odds of this photo showing up in someone’s search results on Pinterest. Don’t get lost in pages of “country kitchen” search results. Dive in and get descriptive!

3. Do your homework

One of my favorite things about Pinterest is being able to see what people pin from my site. Sound vain? Well maybe… but it’s also helpful! Figure out what’s popular for Pinterest users. We want to increase traffic so identify what people are pinning and cater to it!

How do you know what is being pinned? The easiest way is to type http://pinterest.com/source/INSERT_YOUR_DOMAIN.COM  into your browser. It will pull up all Pinterest pins that link back to your site. Fun right!?   If your latest bathroom remodel was a Pinterest hit, or maybe your new product is showing up often, you’ll know you’ve captured the attention of users and can build upon it.

These are just a couple tips to get you started. Have fun with Pinterest and pin to your heart’s content… but don’t blame us if you get addicted!

Don’t have a Pinterest account?  We can help!  The easiest way to get an account (and avoid the wait-list) is to be invited by an existing member. Send an email to dana@kolbeco.net and we’ll send you an invite right away!

Do you know what I really hate? Regional accents? Mayo? Windows Vista? The word “Fiancé”? Well, of course I hate all those things, who doesn’t? However, there is something I hate even more: people that measure social media by “Likes” and “Follows”.

Since the dawn of Facebook marketing, every social media “expert”, “ninja” and “guru” has tried to come up with some sort of formula that will measure one’s success in the digital space. Some will hang their hat on their large number of fans while others will tout their robust Klout score. While these metrics might look impressive on paper… do they really mean anything?

As a Social Media Manager, it is my goal to not only create dialogue with the target, but increase the brand’s reach within the industry. Do I want people to LIKE the page I manage? Yes, but only if they fit within the mold of the demo I am targeting. I could have a million LIKES, but if they aren’t my target, how is it going to benefit my client?

For example, I used to manage a page that only had a few hundred LIKES, but the level of engagement was very high. So high that the client actually started to turn the conversations I started into sales meetings.

What about Klout scores, you ask? Well, the real issue I have with Klout is the fact we don’t truly know how they’re measuring one’s “True Reach”. Back in October Klout changed their algorithm and many users—including myself—saw their scores plummet. Now engagement seems like a bad thing. The more you converse with others and the more information you share, the bigger hit your score takes.

Social media is—and always should be—about engagement. If you’re creating conversations and developing a following organically, your brand’s reach will expand.

Not happy with your brand’s presence on social media? We can help! At KolbeCo, we develop innovative personalized marketing messages that not only resonate with the audience, but increase brand awareness.