Pepsi Refresh Campaign Critique
Today on the Buzz Bin I wrote a piece on Fragmented Branding that breaks down the Pepsi Refresh corporate social responsibility campaign as an example. Five points that should be noted in that piece:
1) Brand distortion creates a situation where communicators attempt to paint the abstract. In the case of fragmented branding, some pieces are issued by corporate, others are the expressions of stakeholders, positive and negative.
2) Both Richard Laermer and I dubbed the campaign an instant success on our podcast, simply because of the many conversations it has created.
3) What was notable about Pepsi Refresh project was the size of the purse, as well as the opt out of the Super Bowl. Copy cat marketing efforts are sure to arise, and less successfully so.
4) Corporate social philanthropy needs to be authentic to the core of the company. Customer-centric efforts with crowdsourcing efforts are cool, but ultimately represent a novelty, especially for niche brands that are not serving mass markets. Companies will be better served building programs around the corporate culture or strategy.
5) Contest fatigue is setting in. And criticism of cause-based contests is also on the rise. Make sure this is the right tactic as opposed to engaging your community in a different, more sustainable way.
You can read the whole post on the Buzz Bin, where I blog every Monday about social media communications.
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Snowmageddon DC – The Blizzard of 2010 in Pictures
As visualized in pictures taken in Alexandria, VA…
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Social Zen
One of the more interesting aspects of the social web lies in its ability to enable ideas to be spread further throughout society. Movements really catch fire when people identify with an idea and spread it further. Thus ideas need to be attractive, rather than promoted. Zen Buddhism — a spiritual ethic that attracts its practitioners rather than seeking growth through promotion — proliferates the social web.
And like other online movements, social Zen (and other forms of buddhism) seems to be characterized by those who have embraced the concept, but have morphed into their own expression. Consider the widely read Zen Habits blog, YouTube videos, these collected Zen CSS templates, Zen iPhone apps, Zenish social networks, etc.
Everything’s Zen!
There does exist concern in the formal Zen community that pop Zen will dilute the faith. Hipsters wearing new leather jackets, eating meat at every meal, checking their cell phones in the middle every activity, and generally walking around without any formal knowledge of mindfulness, etc., often represent the antithesis of Zen teachings.
One can even buy Zen tea now in most parts of the country (image by Robert Donovan)
But one cannot argue that the proliferation of the Zen ethos into west has had a positive impact, from personal life in the moment reflections to business approaches. Further, some forms of the Buddhist tradition — including Zen — have traditionally morphed to meet its residential culture’s needs. Thus the rise of people like Phil Jackson who identify themselves as both Zen and Christian. With the demands of the urgent needs of day-to-day digital life, an undercurrent of Buddhism has arisen within the social web and mainstream life to bring back a meditative, purposeful reflection on life.
Online movements are generated by people and communities, though some corporations and governments have certainly started to figure out how the social web works. And similarly Buddhist monasteries have found their way to the social web, too. In many ways this fascinates me, not only on a personal level, but also as someone who helps nonprofits and mindful companies understand social media.
Consider the Dalai Lama’s impressive Facebook page. The Dalai Lama’s form of Buddhism -Vajrayana – is a different route to enlightenment than Zen, which is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Yet arguably his presence has made the greatest strides in branching the formal teachings of Buddhism to the west on the social web.
On the Mahayana Zen side, one of the most well known teachers is Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Thich Nhat Hanh, from whom I’ve had the great pleasure of learning (above photo shows me providing blog training at Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village). Nhat Hanh’s sangha has built out a Facebook and Twitter presence as well. The sangha has used blogs and Care2’s petition site for activism as well.
Theravada Buddhism also pervades the social web with discussions and blogs. Unlike the other two major Buddhist vehicles, Theravada training has traditionally been limited to monastic life. It will be interesting to see if social media enables transmission of the Theravada ethic to laypeople.
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Torres del Paine (Chilean Patagonia): A Photo Set
Unlike the Argentinian equivalent, which yielded some fantastic weather for photos, the real Patagonia showed up in Chile. Torres del Paine –or Chilean Patagonia was rough with high winds, nasty weather, microclimates that would move from sun to rain in 30 minutes, and then would pound you with bad weather for hours.
From left to right, Paine Grande, the Devil’s Horns and Almirante Nieto, holding the W Trail.
Featuring Torres del Paine’s W-trail — which kicked my butt in spite of the shape I’m in — this rugged landscape challenged me as a photographer. Bad lighting, drizzle, brief periods of good weather, all of which forced me to have a camera ready at hand so that when it broke, even slightly, I could take pics. Rare are the photos without a cloud.
In this post you can see some of my favorites, or you can see the whole slideshow here.
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Super Bowl Hugs4Holly: The “Other” Halftime Show
Note from Geoff: Zoetica is training the COPD Foundation team this week on social media best practices. Along the way, we discovered this Hugs4Holly Super Bowl effort, being supported by some of friends in San Antonio like Alan Weinkrantz. Collectively, we decided to support Holly and friends in their efforts as part of our training. I hope you will, too, this weekend.
Guest Interview by Katelyn Harding, COPD Foundation
This Sunday, there’ll be another Superbowl halftime show after “The Who” leave the stage. Immediately following, Twitter Jam Band will be streaming live online to raise $100,000 for Holly Julian.
Holly, a COPDer who quit smoking in 1992 after 25 years, is facing a double-lung transplant at University Transplant Center in San Antonio, Texas. Julian, along with husband Steve Julian, the National Foundation for Transplants and a team of friends, created the Hugs4Holly campaign to raise money for her transplant.
COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the only chronic disease growing in mortality. It affects approximately 24 million Americans but only about half of them are diagnosed. COPD includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and adult onset (refractory) asthma. Symptoms include breathlessness, wheezing, and chronic coughing. The COPD Foundation talked to Holly just days before the Superbowl to get a better understanding of what her goals are.
Q:Tell us your story. When/how did you find out you had COPD and what was your reaction?
A: When I was in my mid-thirties, I had a respiratory infection and went to see my family practitioner. He told me at that time that I had COPD and I just scoffed at him. I remember telling him, “Don’t say that! Only old people have COPD.” Well, I was wrong.
Q: How did “Hugs4Holly” start? Where did the idea of fundraising for your transplant at the super bowl come from?
A: Hugs4Holly began with the fundraising team of friends we have. In order to cover expenses not paid for by insurance, the University Transplant Center suggested fundraising. We contacted a non-profit organization that focuses on transplant patients, National Foundation for Transplants, and they helped guide us in this endeavor.
Q: What are your thoughts on the attention “Hugs4Holly” has received from the online community?
A: We are amazed and grateful for the attention this has received! Mostly, we are inspired by all of the people helping us.
Q: A COPD diagnosis is life changing. What are some ways in which you had to make a lifestyle change to help overcome challenges and still be able to live with COPD?
A: When I was diagnosed 17 years ago, the doctor said I should “get my affairs in order.” First, I changed to a different physician. He helped me get stable using new medications. Then I began exercising. With the doctor’s guidance and my determination, I became the best I could be despite having COPD. Now, I am using oxygen 24/7 and the important things are to follow my physician’s advice, continue exercising as much as possible, and continue to fight.
Q: You are one of the success stories for quitting smoking. What message do you have for those who smoke? Any tips to help them quit smoking? What else are you doing to help spread the word?
A: The message I have for smokers is that nicotine dependence is an addiction. In order to quit, they need help.
The items that are available today are helpful by eliminating one element of smoking, just enough to allow a person to deal with other aspects. For example, physical addiction will be reduced and then someone can deal with the psychological part of it. I spread the word one person at a time. They have to have a desire to quit.
Q: Many COPDers blame themselves for “having brought” the disease onto themselves. What can you say to these folks who feel ashamed for having COPD?
A: You can’t go back or beat yourself up over having the disease. Just go forward and do as much for yourself as you can. Stay off of cigarettes, follow your doctor’s advice, and exercise. The exercise will help make the best of the lung function you have.
Q: Who are you cheering for at the super bowl?
A: Let’s see, there are the Saints, the Colts, and the Twitter Jam Band, who is doing The Other Half Time Show. I’ll be cheering the Twitter Jam Band at www.TheOtherHalfTimeShow.org … they are friends reaching out to raise funds for Hugs4Holly.org.
For more information about Hugs4Holly and the Superbowl halftime show, visit the Other Super Bowl Half Time site, the Hugs for Holly site, and RT @hugs4holly whenever possible. If you are watching the show and discussing Twitter, please use the #twitterjamband hash tag. The COPD Foundation will be supporting, too, via our Twitter account and Facebook fan page.
Other links:
www.hugs4holly.org
www.transplants.org/donate/hollyjulian
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Join Me for the @LiveEarth Run for Water
Many of you know I volunteer as a weekly blog writer and social media advisor for Live Earth. But my commitment will go farther this Spring as I participate in the Live Earth Run for Water on April 18.
No small commitment from me, because though I am a gym rat and partake in cardio five times a week, I hate running. The environment is worth it, so no whining from me.
There are events throughout the country and the world, but the DC 6k will be a signature Run for Water event:
The 6k course, which is still being finalized, will be hosted by the National Harbor. If you haven’t been to the National Harbor yet, it offers stunning views of downtown Washington, D.C. and Old Town Alexandria (my neighborhood), and is just a 15-minute drive – or water taxi ride- to the heart of DC.
In fact, if you are one of my readers and you feel so compelled to run in the DC event, I’ll buy your first drink afterwards. So join me for the Live Earth Run for Water.
Geoff Livingston is a regular contributor to the Live Earth blog.
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The El Show Episode 20: Refresh Already a Win for Pepsi, Oscars & Toyota
Episode 20 starting off with Geoff futzing around on his Android phone trying get Richard Laermer into the podcast. Two minutes later we had greetings, then chatted about winning, the Pepsi Refresh contest, and why it was already a win for the cola company. We also discussed the Oscars and Toyota.
- A breakdown of what happened with Obama post our social media clinic. A little at the beginning and the end of the podcast.
- What gives people the ambition to succeed in work? We think ownership.
- Pepsi Refresh is on its way and how it compares to a Super Bowl ad.
- The nonprofit community has lots to say about contest like Pepsi Refresh (some valid, too), but in the end, it’s a win for Pepsi just based on the halo effect and all the conversation it has created. Much better than a Super Bowl ad or three.
- Generally, speaking the pros and cons of social philanthropy contests like this for corporate America (including why Chase failed).
- Toyota’s gas pedal disaster and why it sucks for their customers. Backing up your talk and responding authentically.
- The Academy Awards, some of the nominees and the impact of ten Best Picture possibilities.
- The Miami Herald’s lousy quality
- CBS’s rejection of the ManCrush Super Bowl ad, and whether or not its discrimination against the gay community
Download or listen to the El Show Episode 20 today! Also available on iTunes!
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The Chevrolet Volt Rocks + Your Answers!
Earlier this week in Washington, DC, Jen Conner, John Taylor and I had the privilege of driving the Chevrolet Volt. We wanted to share our experience with this new technology-driven, plug-in electric car with Live Earth readers. Our primary goal was to find out if it would actually function as a day-to-day car. Here’s a little video on our findings:
In addition, we crowdsourced many questions from you, my readers. Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director for the Chevrolet Volt, joined us for our ride and took questions.
Here are the answers to some of your Qs. The back seat answer for Todd Jordan is in the main video above. Video for all of the transcribed answers below can be found here on YouTube.
Q from Jim Woods: I’ve always heard that hybrid/electric cars lacked the power for fast pick-up, especially on hills. True or false?
A: False. A vehicle like a Chevy Volt is an electric drive vehicle, not a hybrid vehicle. Electric drive provides you instantaneous torque The peak torque of the Chevy Volt is at 111 kilowatts, [or translated] it’s like a 250 horsepower V-6 engine.
Q from John Taylor: For someone who is not a car person, what does that mean?
A:: It’s the equivalent of a CTS, our entry level luxury sports car. [We then punched acceleration to prove it, and yes, it's fast enough.]
Q from Marc Meyer: How is the sound system?
A: We’re not going to show it today, but in the future you will see a Bose premium sound system, very unusual for a compact or a small car to have it. It’s the first of its kind, the most energy efficient sound system. It actually recaptures the energy from the shaking of the speakers, and it has a lower electric consumption than our base system.
Q from John Taylor: Do you feel that the Chevy Volt is a great car that happens to be green, or is it green vehicle that just happens to be a great car?
A: Our engineers who worked on this car viewed it as let’s create a technological marvel. The technological marvel had a few goals: Displace petroleum and make the car able to be your everyday car. I think it’s a technology car first that does so many things well: It can be your primary car and green and fun. I don’t think any car [available] today has been able to do it.
Electric cars have been attempted to be delivered to the market for 100 years. Thomas Edison, Ferdinand Porsche, no one has been able to solve it, and they were smarter than my team is. But collaboratively we’ve made this thing happen, and I think this can be a mass market car.
Q from Rebecca Davis: What does it feel like?
A from Geoff while driving: It feels like a real car. I’ve driven a lot of cars, I’ve had some sportier cars like Audis and obviously, I ride motorcycles. This is a nice ride, it’s pretty tight, feels good, it’s got some gumption. It definitely feel like it’s got some horsepower under it’s hood, I like it a lot. It’s very nice.
Q from Roger Williams: How close to 230 mpg do you get from start to finish of your trip?
A: It all depends. If you drive 10 to 20 miles a day, 30 miles day; if you get more than one plug in, you may get even better than that. We’re not advertising anything. The 230 was really an identification of the potential this car has, and it’s different than a conventional car. More news will come on tha., but the more plug-ins you have, the more electric miles you get.
Q from John Taylor: Talk to me about the larger approach GM has with green.
A:Well, if you look at the Chevy portfolio, we’ve used the language of gas-friendly to gas-free, so we probably have more choices for folks. The Volt is really about choice… Look at what the Volt offers you, the opportunity to use E-85 as your extended range fuel, regular gasoline, plugging it in at 120 volt in your garage, 240 volt with a special system… Chevy offers hybrids from Silverados to Tahoes, and we have more ethanol vehicles than anyone else. So I think the future is one of choice and a blended set of solutions.
Q from Andy Sternberg: Do you see any opportunities to recharge along the way?
A: One of the things we’ve announced here are start-up regions. So we’re hoping that now that someone knows [these] cars are coming, infrastructure will be put in place. And the beautiful thing is there’s some interesting fast charging technology. If people are willing to invest the monies, the Volt can literally be charged up in 10-15 minutes with one of these fast chargers. In a normal situation with 120 volt eight hours while you’re sleeping, 240 volt, three hours.
Follow up Q from Geoff: How will that impact carbon emissions with an electrical charge versus an actual gas charge?
A: The electric grid is getting greener and greener all the time. Depending on the source of the energy — and they have their own standards they have to meet — we think the battery the Volt has right smack in the center of the car, if this car is plugged in and people want to use solar and wind energy, I’ll gladly collect it in this battery and give you a green ride all the way through.
Geoff Livingston is a regular contributor to the Live Earth blog.
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Messaging Still Fails
One of the greatest triumphs of the social web remains the open citizen revolt against marketing messages (bored image by Samael Trip). Note how well the Apple iPad name flew yesterday online (ahem, let’s not go there). Nonprofits experience the same disinterest from their stakeholders as companies due.
In fact, a recent report by marketer Nancy Schwartz (hat tip to Beth Kanter for forwarding me these stats), 84 percent of 915 nonprofit leaders who completed the survey last month said their messages connect with their target audiences only somewhat or not at all. Nancy’s post includes comments from survey participants explaining why their messages fail to connect:
- “Our messages need to be more succinct to communicate how effective we really are.”
- “We don’t move our base to action.”
- “We have individual elements that are ok solo, but no unified path.”
- “Our messages aren’t hard-hitting or targeted enough. So they fall flat.”
- “We need to shape messages that are simple enough for staff to remember and feel comfortable in repeating it to others.”
- “Too much jargon. I can’t even understand what we’re saying.”
Maybe, but… Let’s be frank as I’ve written about this over and over again in the past on the Buzz Bin: The Cluetrain Manifesto was right! “There’s no market for messages.”
It doesn’t matter if you have a compelling cause or a public interest, or if your company contributes to society. If you drill people with messages, they will absolutely turn their back on you.
And you know what? You deserve it. It’s like entering a party and spamming people with solicitations, stale lines, and hucksterisms. Thanks for talking about yourself and what you want from me all night. Cause or not.
The 20th century approach of communications is over, regardless of medium. Mass communicating at people no longer works. Even Super Bowl ads are starting to fail now, thus Pepsi’s $20 million (troubled) social refresh program.
Whether its social or not, cause and corporate communicators alike need to stop and retool their strategic approach towards messaging. What we learned in business or communications school has changed. The old dynamics of media, specifically the concept that there are limited channels of media that people get information from, no longer applies.
Look at messages as conversation starters (see this post I wrote on the starter message premise). You won’t control the dialogue, but the fact of the matter is you already lost control and some argue, you never had it. Instead let’s have real interesting conversations that matter to us (organization and person), and society, in general.
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Argentine Patagonia: A Stunning Photo Set
Get ready for an incredible visual experience. Is it any wonder I fell absolutely in love with this amazing part of the world?
The set flows through three major attractions in Los Glaciares National Park, the Mount Fitz Roy hike, the Mount Torre/Glacier Grande hike, and the Perite Moreno glacier tour. All in all, the photos were taken over a one week period. You can browse the whole set here on Flickr.
Next up is my Chilean Patogonia set. But while stunning, make no bones about it, Argentine Patagonia was my favorite part of the trip.
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