Facebook ads at work

I've been spending a lot of time lately on Facebook. At work. Yes, I'm admitting it! Don't worry though, it was all work-related. OK, maybe not ALL. Anyway...IMD has started a Facebook campaign for one of our clients - KODAK. If you're not one of the half-million plus that saw them pop up in the ad column next to your profile, here they are!

Of course, there are all kinds of stats to show that users are clicking through, that they're getting viewed, etc, but I can tell you from my own experience that Facebook ads DO work! Why? Because they're targeted to each viewer's interests and activities, as reported by you - the viewer- in your profile.

 I have clicked through on numerous ads, and have become aware of products that I didn't even know existed! (Pazzles, a custom cutting machine being the most recent. How AWESOME is this for a graphic designer!!! If only I had $600. Merry Christmas to me?)

Magazine, Meet Video. Video, Meet Magazine.

I grew up in a small town, and when I mean small, I mean 420 people, two bars, one post office and one gas station kind-of-small.

I vividly remember a project in elementary school that our teacher had us create. She said, “What do you think Irene will look like in the year 2010?” So, there I was, sitting at my desk with pigtails and stone-washed jeans thinking what my town will look like in 15 years. I drew a Super 8 and a mall with a movie theater. In my mind I imagined Irene to be something similar to Sioux Falls at that time. If you drive through current day Irene, you will find the population sign, which now reads 423, the same two bars, post office and gas station. 

My 5^th grade visions were far from reality.

When I think about times like these I realize that some things will never change. On the flip side, as a 5^th grader (View this photo) I never would have thought by the time I was 25, I’d be part of a generation where magazine and video meet to create powerful advertising.

Currently, CBS and Pepsi Max are pairing up to promote the upcoming fall season on CBS. Entertainment Weekly will feature 40 minutes of video and sound, including a Pepsi Max commercial, with a small plastic screen. Copies will be sent to a limited number of subscribers in New York and Los Angeles.

According to USA Today “Pepsi Max joined the promotion because the shows' audiences match up well with Max's 25-to-39-year-old male demographic, and those consumers like new technology.”

I like it. I want a copy. How can I get one?

Payless

I received a direct mail coupon for 20% off my next purchase at Payless.

And let me tell you they have some cute shoes for Spring. What I don't understand is why the coupon came to my husband. He isn't going to go out and by me some shoes. Let alone buy himself any shoes. He even gets coupon postcards for Bath and Body Works, and I know he has never stepped foot into that store!

How does he get his name on these mailing lists? A better question is: how do I get my name on these lists? Either way they have information wrong. I'm the consumer, not my husband.

When Vandalism Becomes Art

I think we have all become very familiar with the image on the left over the past couple months, or years. It’s a great piece of art and has become an icon for our new President, Barack Obama.  

But how many of you are familiar with the image next to it?

If you have ever lived on the West Coast then you probably know it well. Both images were created by the same “vandal,”  Shepard Fairey. Why would I call this great, dare I say, "American artist" a vandal?

Because for the past 20 years he has been a graffiti artist. He's been vandalizing buildings and property, and has the rap sheet to prove it. He was actually arrested in Denver at the DNC for wheat pasting his now famous Hope poster.

I shudder to think what we all would have been missing out on if after one of his many arrests he decided to stop doing graffiti. I respect the fact that the person's property that is being "vandalized" might not be so happy, but instead of punishing these artists, why don't we help them rechannel their art to approprate avenues? Because none of us knows what these artists will produce in the next 20 years. Maybe a national icon, maybe the next Mona Lisa...

New Technology Generates New Strategy

With the recent boom of DVRs, advertisers are finding other ways to reach their audiences.

Product placement.

This method of advertising has been around for years, especially in movies, which gives the product an extra long shelf life. Every time someone watches the movie, it’s shown again. Of course, TV shows haven’t missed the boat either. I ran across this clip on Seinfeld featuring Junior Mints.

Recently I’ve noticed product placement taking on a new dimension. On NBC’s, The Biggest Loser, they have actually taken about 30 seconds during the show to promote a brand.  The trainers on the show take a few moments and talk about the specific product and how it may benefit the contestants' health/weight loss. I’ve seen Brita, Jell-O, Subway and many others promoted the last few seasons.

Advertisers are finding a way around viewers skipping their commercials and ending up smack dab in the middle of the show.

It just shows there are creative ways around the obvious obstacles in advertising. That’s what we do every day. Insighters think of different avenues and directions to send the message in a unique manner but still be effective.

SEO. ASAP.

Are you putting SEO to work for your website?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is one of the services Insight offers to our clients.

After all, you can have the coolest website ever, with all the bells and whistles. But it doesn't matter if people can't find your site. 

SEO is an ever-evolving field of knowledge. It's a little like pinning jello to a wall. That's partly because search engines are continuously refining search strategies and technologies, keeping the rest of us busy continuously following what they're up to. 

When we create websites, we cover our SEO bases. But it doesn't stop there. Part of maintenance is to continue optimizing.

This includes incorporating key words, metatags and descriptions on every page, adding content, creating links and using analytic tools.

We also use AdWords campaigns to draw attention to client websites. Because we run a number of campaigns for various clients simultaneously, we're able to keep refining ads and keep getting better results.

To keep ourselves up-to-date on SEO, we stay on top of industry research and discussion.

It's just another service we can offer to make our clients' lives a little easier.