Google responds to Buzz consum…

Google responds to Buzz consumer privacy concerns: http://om.ly/hlXJ

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-04-04

• Finally a newspaper success story: http://om.ly/hfoN #
• RT @mashable Flash Comes to the iPad… At Least for Advertisers http://om.ly/haOT #
• RT Smashing Magazine needs your help: support them by buying the new eBook on web design… http://om.ly/hZmp #
• RT How the Social Media Really Gets Made At Agencies http://om.ly/hZla #

Don’t Take That Tone With Me!

If the 3 rules in real estate are location, location, location then the 3 rules of marketing are audience, audience, audience. ProBlogger Kelly Diels recently posted “Do you hate your customer?” and examined what can happen when contempt replaces a deeper understanding of your audience. Kelly reminds us that no one does business with companies “that don’t even like them.” Take a look at your own blogs and marketing messages. Do they express a thinly veiled disdain for the values of your audience? If so, you may be ostracizing the very people you hope to attract.

The Birds and the Bees Can’t Always “Make it Happen”

Finally!  A healthcare advertising message that is funny!  This campaign is brilliant.  Instead of taking itself too seriously, EMD Serono, the manufacturer of fertility drug Gonal-f, has launched a viral campaign that takes a serious medical condition and takes the taboo out of it a bit.  The videos, currently only on the web, are hilarious and are relatable, even for those of us who have not experienced infertility.  What couple hasn’t given two very different versions of the same reality they’ve both shared, as these two have in the video called, “A year and a half”?

The videos sends viewers to the website www.increaseyourchances.org, where they can click through and learn more about why 1 out of 8 couples have trouble conceiving.  No sterile images of a hospital where all your fertility procedures make your baby-making dreams come true.  No images of the previously-troubled couple at last walking off into the sunset, mom-to-be gently rubbing her baby bump.

These videos are at once effective and funny.  And brilliant.  My only suggestion is to get these on TV pronto.  These are too good not to share with the masses.

Clarity, Transparency & Simplicity

I hate being deceived. I think we all do.  Yet, we tolerate intentionally deceptive, misleading, and inaccurate language in  documents ranging from legislation to loan agreements.  This is often also true of marketing communications and advertising, where cleverness substitutes for imparting useful information, and entertainment directs our attention away from troublesome shortcomings of the product or service.  That’s not to say that you can’t be clever and communicate real, differentiating value at the same time — just look at the oft-cited Mac vs. PC ads.  The growth of online social networks, and the enhanced power of consumer-to-consumer, one-to-many communication may yet lead us toward more responsible, clear, useful and simple advertising.  Those companies that realize this and respond first may have an advantage.

Thanks to Valeria Maltoni for bringing this item to my attention via her site, Conversation Agent.

RT @mashable Flash Comes to th…

RT @mashable Flash Comes to the iPad… At Least for Advertisers http://om.ly/haOT

RT Smashing Magazine needs you…

RT Smashing Magazine needs your help: support them by buying the new eBook on web design… http://om.ly/hZmp

RT How the Social Media Really…

RT How the Social Media Really Gets Made At Agencies http://om.ly/hZla

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-03-28

• Finally a newspaper success story: http://om.ly/hTiR #
• @ Acquired. No, really. http://bit.ly/cqtBhB #
• Think Social Media is not right for your company? Not so at Fortune 100 Companies [STATS] http://om.ly/hLVi #
• Crystal Light campaign benefits water conservation. http://om.ly/hLSO #
• RT @mashable 4 Easy Ways to Engage Your Facebook Fans http://om.ly/hKxC #

@ Acquired. No, really. http:/…

@ Acquired. No, really. http://bit.ly/cqtBhB