Eire's in the Holiday Spirit!

This past weekend I was looking at emails and ran across a video of a man walking up to people on the street and asking them for a hug. I have included the short video below, but you will see every person he encountered on the street walked out of their way way to get around him. The video then cut to a shot of the same man asking to hug a homeless person. Each homeless person he encountered gladly hugged him back. At first I didn’t think much of the video but later that afternoon I was laying around the house not doing anything in particular.

I am part of a parish teen group and each year at Christmas we participate in an annual Christmas Carol and Gift Exchange with a group of developmentally challenged women from St. Mary of Providence, www.smopchicago.org.

I just didn’t feel like getting off the couch, but I ended up driving down to the facility located on the Northwest side of the city. Each year I supply the Santa outfit for one of the teen boys to wear and hand out the gifts. This year I forgot the beard, belt and boots and as I arrived the teens said that I had to wear the outfit because I was the only one with a grey beard – I fit the part.

Well, as I walked out into the gym I had over 90 woman wanting to see me. Some talked very softly about what they wanted, a couple dropped off letters, but every person came up to me and hugged me. I was grinning from ear to ear. What a gift! And just hours before I was acting like those people in the video not wanting to engage. A simple smile or a simple hug is such any easy thing to do and that small act gives so much joy to those giving – and those receiving – the HUG. 

As you can tell from the photos I had a great afternoon. What a great way to get into the Christmas season!

The Orphaned Sea Otter Pup 681

Who knew a baby otter can be so fluffy and adorable!  The story of Pup 681 has gone viral so if you haven’t heard about this heartwarming story of rescuing an abandoned baby otter, this is one you’ll want check out.

Curious how they came up with the name for the Pup 681, her story begins with being abandoned at just a week old on September 30. She weighed less than 2 ½ pounds, apparently small for a baby otter, and had been separated from her mom for more than 16 hours. The Monterey Bay Aquarium found her alone on a California beach where they quickly started rehabilitation.  It was critical she started consuming calories as quickly as possible in order for her survival. 

Pup 681 made it to her new home at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium on October 28, where staff makes sure she has round-the-clock care to learn necessary otter life skills of grooming, foraging and feeding. Normally, sea otter pups stay with their mother as long as eight months so this little pup has a lot to learn.

The tiny pup – now 5 weeks old and weighs a healthy six pounds — is also learning how to regulate her body temperature by moving to a dry towel when she’s done swimming. She’s reaching new milestones every day like taking formula from a bottle and eating shrimp and clams.

Sea otters were listed as threatened under the U. S. Endangered Species Act in 1977, and have made a slow recovery in California. In 2014, the population was 2,944, a growth of five (that's right FIVE) from 2013, according to the United States Geological Survey. 

For now, Pup 681 is still behind the scenes at the aquarium as she continues to grow. You can see her in action in the video above. Her squeaking sounds will simply melt your heart.

AirBnB vs. HomeAway

I'm sure all of you have heard of AirBnB and some of you may know HomeAway/VRBO. These websites offer options to booking a hotel room that are generally cheaper, more unique and more personal. You can rent a spot on a couch or a chateau.

Overall, AirBnB seems the better option for solo or coupled travelers to big cities who are on a budget and don't mind sharing a condo or townhouse with the homeowner or other travelers. There are many options for private accommodations on AirBnB, but the savings are not as significant. A million years ago I shared a "flat" in London with 3 other travelers and saved a bunch of money. I pretty much just slept and showered there so "the others" didn't bug me.

AirBnB gets a lot of press (good and bad) and they have done a great job creating awareness of the whole vacation rental industry. In reaction to the bad press, they have developed a whole battery of safeguards that protect both the guest and the homeowner. Reservations and online payments are easy and the review system works both ways – both the homeowner and guest get reviewed.

HomeAway is geared more to families or groups of friends looking to rent a single-family home in a resort area, although there are great number of condos and homes available in big cities. Guests and homeowners are usually older than AirBnB users and the accommodations are generally more expensive. But for the money, you get a lot more space (multiple bedrooms/baths, plus kitchen and living areas) and privacy. Online reservations and payments are also easy and there are reviews for each property (homeowners don't review guests). HomeAway also has safeguards for both the guest and homeowner and they are constantly improving the guest experience.

There is a lot of debate in the comments sections of articles about AirBnB and HomeAway and which one is better. The bigger differences are on the owner-side about things like fee percentages and payment timing. A slight difference for the guests on HomeAway is that you can be put in direct contact with the homeowner before you actually book, allowing you to ask more questions and get a better read on the homeowner. AirBnB's system allows for anonymous e-mailing between both parties. Both sites have lovers and haters that boil down personal experiences and preferences. And just like Yelp reviews, you have to use your best judgement to determine if the property is right for you.

There are a few other sites that do vacation rentals, but these are the two biggest for their respective categories. Here is a link to an article that gives a nice comparison.

Oh, and if you need a weekend out of the city before, during or after the holidays, I happen to know of two:

The Hollywoods, South Haven, MI
The Prairie Wood, South Haven, MI

Social Media Psychology Lessons for Smarter Marketing

 
Social Media Week took place September 22nd – 26th in 11 different cities around the world. The conference attracted over 30,000 people across five continents. While reading various reviews and highlight posts, I came across an article that really intrigued me. “These 7 Social Media Lessons Will Make Your Marketing Smarter” discusses the seven key studies that contribute to enhancing your social media marketing skills. Below I listed the 7 lessons and some key highlights pertaining to each.

1. Change of Mind Before Publishing Post
Studies show that users often censor their posts prior to posting. A study conducted by Facebook researchers found close to 71% of users have typed a post or comment but decided not to post it. Self-censorship effects the content and content value shared on social media sites. Users are often hesitant to share certain information on social media due to fear of spamming their fellow users. This challenges marketers to ensure the information they share on social networking sites is interesting enough to be shared by its consumers.

2. Emotions Spread Contagiously Online
Similar to how emotions spread from person to person, emotions are also easily spread online via social media networks. Researchers from the University of California evaluated the frequency of negative posts on Facebook to more deeply understand the spread of emotions online. Researchers compared the total number of negative posts shared by Facebook users on a rainy day to Facebook users in other cities. They found that the negative emotions posted on Facebook due to the weather were impacting other users regardless of if their city was also experiencing rainy weather. This demonstrates how effective social media networks are in communicating thoughts and information in a short amount of time. Marketers can use this to their advantage and efficiently communicate their brands value to various consumers.

3. Impression Is Made Within Seconds With Profile Photo
To successfully gain users interest it is crucial for a business to have an “attractive” profile photo. Businesses should display a clear picture of their logo or something else that is closely related to your business and/or industry.

4. Selective Sharing Is Preferred More
The percentage of users that choose to share “everything” varies among countries. 15% of users in the U.S. share everything or most things online versus the world average of 24%. Africa, Asia and Latin America have high rates of oversharing which directly correlates to the amount of Internet penetration and oversharing also present.

5. Social Feedback Presents A Better Sense Of Belonging
Active social media users connect with others through posts, but also by giving and receiving feedback. Users that share information as well as provide feedback to other users feel more connected online. This is important for businesses and companies to consider when they are posting and interacting with consumers online.

6. Inspiring Content Improves Social Sharing
Businesses looking to promote themselves on social media networks should focus on posting content that inspires users. A study conducted by Jonah Berger found users were more likely to share content that positively impacted them. 

7. Oversharing Our Thoughts Is Best Way For Social Media Promotion
Social media users want to share their opinions, thoughts and experiences. With 80% of social media posts relating to a person’s own thoughts and experiences, businesses can benefit and use this to promote themselves.

Social media use continues to grow exponentially and has surpassed traditional media outlets. Although TV, radio and newspapers are still accounting for majority of the media time, consumers are spending more time online. These tips can help any business or company more successfully market themselves on social media sites.

*Image from Brain Box Lab.

The IoT – The customer is always engaged.

Lately I’ve heard the term “Internet of Things” in conversations with friends from varying backgrounds including healthcare, high-speed rail, chemistry, engineering, technology, and social media.  It peaked my interest that people from such diverse backgrounds were all excited about the same idea. I conducted some research and came across an article on Forbes about “The Internet of Things/IoT”. From what I’ve learned I believe there are some pretty cool things we as marketers and consumers can look forward to stemming from developments in technology and the increased interconnectivity it will enable.

The IoT is the interconnectivity between things using wireless technology (each with its own unique identifiers) to connect objects, locations, animals or people to the internet, thus allowing for direct transmission of seamless sharing of data.  In essence the IoT refers to everyday devices that are able to automatically exchange information over a network.  It describes how the objects in our world will help us manage our environment, provide useful information and savings.  The IoT will also allow marketers to better tell their stories and connect with consumers. I found the idea of the IoT particularly interesting given that Eire’s client ComEd is working on a major initiative focused on improvements to the Smart Grid which powers the IoT.  The smart grid allows new technologies to tap into the grid such as smart homes and the smart devices.

The Forbes article focusses on how the IoT will also help improve marketing ROI in the future. The key takeaway for me is that as a marketer, the IoT will provide me with access to better tools to stay connected with consumers in real time. I believe we’ve evolved from “The customer is always right” to “The customer is always engaged” and the IoT will facilitate that engagement.

Forbes Article Highlights:

5 Ways the IoT Will Make Marketing Smarter

1. Easy Exchange of Sales Data: Smart devices can gather data and supply it back to brands in real time allowing business to create informed marketing strategies and improve ROI on future sales.

2. Smarter CRM – Instantaneous Customer Analysis: When used in conjunction with CRM tools IoT will be able to efficiently and accurately analyze data providing actionable results regarding a brand’s customer base.

3. Devices that know they are dying: The IoT will enable devices to perform self-diagnostics, self-maintenance and self-upgrades. This will ensure device issues are proactively addressed, that consumers have the latest upgrades and facilitate ordering new devices.

4. Predictive Social Media: The IoT will allow marketers to predict the development of social communities and target their efforts toward these communities. IoT devices when coupled with social media will allow marketers to identify and take advantage of new trends.

5. Imagine 100% CTR (Click through Rate): The age of interruptive commercial will end for consumers as advertising will evolve to be completely relevant.  The prospect consumer will be served relevant ads as brands will have detailed understanding of their consumer’s behaviors and needs via information provided by connected devices.  It provides brands the opportunity to stop being seen as marketers as start being valued as business resources.

Change is definitely good!

After 18 years in our River North office space, we moved one block to our new River North office space.  One block didn’t seem like a big move, but it felt like we moved cross-country.  It wasn’t so much the packing, although we had way too much paper in every drawer we opened, but it was all the changes that come along with a new space and address.  The end result was definitely worth it.

We’re settled into a brand new space with everything bright and shiny, and all new equipment.  Our team worked really hard to make the change happen, and we all love the new space.  I guess our enthusiasm was contagious because we’ve been busier than we were before the move.  The changes made us re-evaluate how we work, how much paper we use (our biggest learning), and how we interact now that our work space is smaller and we’re all “closer” than ever before.

  

I have to say that I was reluctant to move and to change anything about how we were doing business – we were comfortable.  But, what I recognized is that the best way to make new things happen, and to generate new business and new ways of thinking about how we do business, is to change.  We started by changing our environment, and along the way, changed how we were viewing generating new business from both current and prospective clients.

Clients want to do business with teams who are current, motivated and feeling great about themselves and their agency.  It reflects in the work we do, and we all benefit in the end.  So, just when you think that making that change is too much work and not necessary…think again.  Our lives and the marketplace are moving more rapidly every day, and to keep up, we have to move faster.  This often involves change…and, it’s good!

One of my favorite quotes on change…”If we don’t change, we don’t grow.  If we don’t grow, we are not really living.” – Gail Sheehy

We're Hiring: Traffic Coordinator

UPDATE: This position has been filled. Thanks to all the people who applied.

Please share if you know anyone looking for a job that meets these requirements. Thanks so much!

Traffic Coordinator  Job Description

Eire Direct, a boutique marketing agency in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, is currently seeking a motivated individual who enjoys a flexible and creative atmosphere. The traffic coordinator will be an integral part of the creative and production team. From onset of all new creative projects through finalized product to production, candidate should be a great team player and have strong organizational and time management skills.  Eye for detail a must.  Job responsibilities include:

•  Assist creative director and production supervisor in daily management of creative projects
•  Manage all traffic functions between creative and account service
•  Assist art directors in prioritizing daily workloads
•  Develop/manage all creative schedules on a project-by-project basis
•  Proofread all rounds of creative changes, with attention to typos, layout changes,
consistency of message, etc.
•  Work with account service team to communicate layout/type changes and requests back to creative team
•  Interpret client/account service suggestions, make creative recommendations
•  Ability to handle ongoing changes within tight deadlines
•  Work with account service to prioritize creative workload when necessary
•  Work with production supervisor to quote print jobs, review proofs, attend press OKs as needed
•  Work with production supervisor to learn postal regulations and requirements
•  Attend all creative input meetings
•  Attend all weekly status meetings
•  Maintain creative/production project files
•  Maintain sample files
•  Simple working knowledge of Adobe creative suite software a plus

Experience needed:  1+ years of experience in marketing or advertising coordinator position, or applicable project management role.  Competitive benefits package.

To apply, please provide cover letter and resume to jobs@eiredirect.com.

Film: Finding Vivian Maier

 

Last week I had the opportunity to go see the documentary film, Finding Vivian Maier, about a street photographer who spent the majority of her life in and around Chicago.

Vivian's story and artwork are unique because she was virtually unknown until a box of her negatives was purchased, after her death, by Chicago resident John Maloof for a book-writing project. Not quite suited for his needs, they were set aside until he eventually began scanning the negatives and created a blog posting the images. Maier's work is stunning.

The more he investigated this artist, the more he learned about her whereabouts, career as a nanny on Chicago's North Shore, and most importantly, her pursuit of photography. Literally thousands of negatives were uncovered in a storage unit, along with other memorabilia that filled the space floor to ceiling, wall to wall. There were also boxes filled with undeveloped rolls of film.

The film follows the pursuit of Maloof to uncover what he could about Vivian Maier. What unfolds is a series of interesting interviews, interspersed with image after image of Chicago and New York streets and residents, self portraits and even short "home movies" of herself and the children she helped raise. But regardless of all the clues left behind, you're still stuck asking questions and wishing there were more details. Vivian Maier was fascinating.

Without wanting to give too much away, I'll just say it's been over a week since I saw this documentary, and I find myself thinking about it daily. Wondering about this strange, complicated woman and going back again and again to look at her beautiful, tortured, stark and emotional images. If you have any interest in Chicago, photography, and eccentric artists, this is a must-see film.

*All images from website.

Billboard Advertising

 
Some people may believe that billboard advertising has become outdated. I happen to agree. In my opinion, they are not as effective as they once were and are usually rather plain and boring. The last time I took a good look and recognized a billboard was when I was on a road trip playing the Eye Spy game. Especially living in the city, I find bus stop ads, truck wraps, and ‘El’ stops ads more effective.

However, after coming across some articles on creativebloq and hubspot I may have to rethink a few of my comments, as there is nothing plain or boring about the billboards in the links below. It seems that if billboards are clever, creative and used in the right way they can be effective and memorable. My verdict is still out. What do you think?

http://www.creativebloq.com/design/billboard-advertising-1131681
http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/creative-billboards-around-world

A Conversation...

...is an art that we cannot let slip away as we become more and more dependent on technology.  I know that it is easier and quicker to send an email or text to get your message or question to someone.  But, with clients and team members, you can't under estimate the power of meeting in person and really having a conversation.

I don't mean a transactional dialogue where you're just exchanging facts.  I mean a real conversation where you are listening (not looking at your smartphone or checking email on your laptop) and participating.  It's amazing how much trust and understanding is built when you are able to look someone in the eye, read their body language and actually hear the words being said as they're intended.  I think that more problems and conflicts could be avoided if we just took the time to walk over to talk with a team member - try and solve the problem together instead of just pushing your own views back and forth in writing.  When taking feedback from a client, it's so much better to understand the context behind their changes or to hear why they are satisfied or dissatisfied.  Not every situation warrants an in-person meeting.  Sometimes a phone call can be just as effective.  And, in many instances, email can be the best choice for communicating if the information being shared is mutually understood.

The 'art' is knowing when this just isn't enough.  It's knowing when it's necessary to take the time to have a conversation...be ready to listen (whether the news is good or bad or just information you need to perform better).  Be ready to participate (honestly and authentically).  Be ready to problem solve and own decisions.

Technology advances with computers and smartphones make it almost a requirement to be available at all times.  And, it's an expectation that you'll reply right away.  What the technologies don't offer is a 'stop and think' button so that we are thoughtful and smart about replies; considerate of how the message comes through to the recipient; able to give us a clue that it's time for a conversation. 

I feel so much more connected to clients, co-workers, family and friends after we spend time together.  The better you know a person, the stronger your relationship, and the quicker you can resolve a problem or come up with a great idea together.  Make real connections...not just clicking buttons on social media.  Take the extra time to have a conversation.  It's worth it.

Direct Mail or Email Marketing? (It's Both!)

 

This cartoon made me think, "Is email losing steam? Is there going to be a trend back to good old fashion direct mail?" I know for me, my inbox is a lot more full than my mailbox. Is it the same for everyone? I decided to do some research.

As with all direct marketing, you need to know who your customer is. What is their preferred communication method?  According to Epsilon’s 2012 Annual Channel Preference Study of nearly 6,000 U.S and Canadian households, respondents’ stated preference is for information to be provided by direct mail on nearly every subject. These included health (general and sensitive), financial services, insurance, prescriptions, food products, and nonprofit/donations. Even cleaning and household products came out in favor of direct mail.

Over 60% of U.S. and Canadian survey respondents agreed with the following statements:

• I get a lot of email that I just don’t open.
• I am getting more email now versus a year ago.
• I enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products
• I enjoy checking the mailbox for postal mail

Before you abandon your email campaigns…the message here is simply that a smart multi-channel strategy should include print.

According to Epsilon:

“As consumer channel preference continues to evolve, marketers need to integrate the various sources consumers turn to when seeking brand and product information. Two to three channels are the most common way to communicate and build trust with a consumer.”

And this Production Supervisor thinks one of those two to three channels should be print – but I could be biased.

Medals, Marketing & the Sochi Olympics

I love the Olympics. I will watch the different events like I actually understand the strategy and brilliance the athletes are displaying, keeping a running commentary that rivals the experts on TV much to the annoyance of anyone in the room with me. While the sports are the majority of this love affair, I always look forward to the marketing efforts taking place around the games. As the games recently ended I thought about what you could learn from the marketing efforts only seen during this international spectacle.

Each event requires a carefully tailored strategy that works with the nature of the event. The tone of the messaging should be on par with the sport: Will it be about speed and strength seen during bobsled (a BMW sponsored event), or a more emotional tale of a partnership displayed with ice dancing (my personal favorite)? You always expect to see the familiar spots that are inspirational and heartfelt as well as those spots that are unabashedly patriotic and make you feel the need to chant "USA" out loud. The audience is engaged in the sports, most brands tried to carry that engagement over to their commercials.

While the commercials are highly visible, it’s not always about what you see on TV. Many brands will sport the rings on their packaging hoping to inspire spontaneous purchases based on how consumers are feeling.

Don’t forget the many opportunities that take place on social media around the Olympics. The U.S. Skier Gus Kenworthy tweeted pictures of the #SochiStrays he planned to save and had multiple animal adoption agencies retweeting how you could save an animal too.

The main thing I noticed is that you should take advantage of every opportunity to engage your audience. There are multiple channels to use and how you do it is up to you.

Generating Loyal Customers in 2014

Are you considering ways to increase loyalty and engage your customer base in 2014?  At Eire Direct, we support our clients by developing loyalty strategies with retention programs, communications strategies, and technology solutions to keep their brands and products top-of-mind (and top-of-wallet).  We came across a great article in Direct Marketing News with their outlook on ways that marketers and brands will address customer engagement and loyalty in 2014.

Our summary of the four take-aways from the article:

1. Focus less on gathering personalized contact data and more on analyzing customer behavioral data.

2. Using data, understand what matters most to your customers and analyze the ROI of your marketing efforts across the engagement spectrum rather than on a campaign basis.

3. Don’t try to integrate every mobile technology solution. Identify which solutions make the most sense based upon your consumer target.

4. If it makes sense, integrate mobile payment and loyalty as part of your engagement strategy.

To read the full article, click here.

Quick Tip

 

The other day I was coming to work on the el and saw these ads. It’s an interesting idea for an advertising campaign. On the surface, it seems like an obvious hint. Kind of like your mom telling you to zip your coat on those wintery cold days as a child. But the creative graphics make this simple message more eye-catching. I know there are lots of people who don’t like the look of CFLs, but I was browsing the aisle of my neighborhood home improvement store and was surprised to see CFLs that have a bulb around them so you can’t see the curly-cue. I picked up a couple of these for my dining room table overhead light. I also have been using them in other rooms for about 2 years, and have yet to replace one. Meanwhile, my remaining incandescent bulbs keep burning out.  And, my Christmas tree is filled with LEDs for the first time ever. While the colors have improved, they still aren’t as warm as incandescent lights, but I feel like it’s a worthwhile swap since I’m saving on my electric bill, and helping the future of the planet!

For more energy saving tips, take a look at ComEd's Energy Saving Tips.