I would be remiss if I didn’t participate in the conversation surrounding Steve Jobs’ highly publicized passing earlier this week.

An American icon, Jobs is being called today’s Thomas Edison.  His remarkable role as Apple’s leader makes him synonymous with the brand.  Jobs, a pioneer in both marketing and technology, single-handedly changed these industries forever.

Although he was extremely private, he was infamous for his attention to detail and perfectionism.  His Stanford commencement address encapsulates his extraordinary life.  Our world is a better place because of him.  RIP.

If you’re anything like me, music is everywhere… And anywhere!  It’s my alarm in the morning, my drive into work, streaming from my computer all day and finally, it sings me to sleep.  So I got to thinking, with all the new technology as it relates to music, what do most people turn on?  Or maybe (like me) you have your iPod for running, CD player in your car and Pandora on your computer…

But if you had to pick just one, what would it be?  Feel free to leave a comment as well!

I have come across several articles recently about places people use their smartphones… Before they get out of bed in the morning, in the bathroom, even at the top of Mt. Everest – then it occurred to me, there are probably very few places (if any, since we’ve already covered Mt. Everest) that people DON’T use their smartphone!!

Personally, ever since I got my INCREDIBLE Droid, I’ll be the first to admit it has become like an appendage. If I don’t respond to you within the hour, either I’m dead or my battery is… But I do try to keep it in my purse during social engagements;-)

In an ever-increasing mobile society, we want to know… Is there anywhere you WON’T use your smartphone?

The age old question… MAC or PC?!?!  Well, don’t look at me – I’m a PC girl in a MAC world but what I will give Apple is an A for advertising.   I  just found this hilarious commercial on Places to Yoga‘s blog.  I couldn’t get over how funny this was (probably more so since I do yoga myself;-) but either way I think it’s worth sharing!

Another feather for Apple’s cap – no wonder everyone wants to be just like them;-)

Are you a MAC or PC?

The future is mobile, plain and simple. Everywhere you look people are on cell phones; iPhones, Blackberries, Droids… It doesn’t matter what brand, what network, what have you; what matters is that pretty soon, they’ll be nothing you CAN’T do from the palm of your hand.

I was amazed when I first saw the ads for check cashing from your mobile device. Now, I’m actually surprised my bank doesn’t offer this feature! You name it and there’s ‘an app for that… ‘ You can even start your car with the touch of a screen! It’s astonishing to think there ever WAS a world without cell phones… I only know it’s true because I remember when these devices were the size of Mini Coopers! And they were called “car phones” and attached to your dashboard… And Zack Morris from Saved By the Bell had one!

It’s remarkable how far the technology has come – or to think it can go even further! But whatever’s next for mobile, one thing is certain; there WILL be an app for it;-)

What’s the next app you’d like to see?

I know, you’ve heard it before… But it’s official; Verizon announced yesterday the arrival of the iPhone 4 to their 3G Network (that’s right, the biggest disappointment was that the 3G, rather than the new 4G LTE, network would host the iPhone.) Still, after an exclusive 4-year contract with AT&T, Verizon will be the first carrier to offer the phone (I even got an exclusive invitation to pre-order before the February 10th release date, as an existing Verizon customer;-) So what does this mean from a marketing standpoint? Here are my assertions:

1. Competition – as ‘the world’s most reliable network’ Verizon already owns the lion’s share of the mobile market, now frustrated AT&T users will have the opportunity to switch carriers.

2. Marketplace – the new tag line “iPhone 4. Verizon. It begins.” and exclusive invitation to pre-order are more opportunities to advertise and perhaps, just the beginning.

3. Future – loyal Verizon patrons will likely extend contracts and new customers stand to be gained with the acquisition of the iPhone.

Overall, I think the addition (as well as anticipation) of the iPhone is a smart move by Verizon. Unfortunately, they turned the iPhone down initially, probably losing out on a monopoly. However, with Droid rivaling the iPhone and already on the Verizon network, maybe a monopoly is still to come…

What do you think of the Verizon iPhone announcement?

What can $120 million media buy get you?

Hopefully a new brand. But if you’re Brinks Home Security, you might as well have set that money on fire.

On July 1st, Brinks Home Security revealed that they would be separating themselves from the red trucks and armored guards we all associate with security and would be renaming their home security brand to Broadview Home Security.  Huh?

They started their campaign with a collection of new ads run on an aggressive media push:

Did you catch why they changed their name? Me either. They’ve poured money into ads that explain nothing. They’ve grabbed your attention just like they used to, and terrified you about home invasions. But all of a sudden the name is different without any explanation…that’s a little terrifying too.

How could the campaign be improved and be more effective at both selling the service while establishing the brand transition? Easy. How about answering the questions that you know everyone is going to be asking when the ad ends instead of just showing a new logo?

Let’s start with: Why are you changing the name in the first place? People know Brinks. They know what it means. They know the brand. Brinks is serious security – trucks, guns, tough black suits. You know your money is protected with Brinks, why not extend that to the home as they’ve done in the past? Clearly there’s a business decision behind this but c’mon, we’re adults we can take, go ahead and tell us the reasoning behind the decision to change the name and let us embrace you as smart business people serious about security, not awful marketers.

Once we’ve established the reason for the change, then we can move on to: What’s Broadview and why did you choose it? What new services are you offering? Are you better, stronger or more secure now? Did you improve my services in anyway?  Create and establish a believeable, marketable strategy for the name so that existing customers feel secure with the change and potential customers establish an understanding for the brand and the company behind the brand.

Those are the tough questions these ads should be answering, otherwise they are just pouring the $120mil down the drain.  What their competition should do now is to run a switch campaign to capitalize on the uneasy feeling existing Brinks customers will have with this sudden shift.  Most consumers don’t realize that you can switch your service provider anytime you like.  Just because you have Brinks branded security panels in your home  doesn’t mean that you have to use them for monitoring and you can just as easily use ADT or another provider, which at this point seems like a pretty good idea.

This all seems pretty shaky to me.  If your brand is all about security, you don’t want your customers thinking your company isn’t secure, do you?

Social media is for kids and consumers.

At least that would be your mentality if you worked for one of the top tech marketing companies. Most companies in the consumer electronics space have their heads buried in the sand, oblivious to the conversation going on about them every day. A few are shinning beacons of success and have captured the social media sphere, but many that should be seem to have turned a blind eye.

People are screaming, yelling, blogging and tweeting about their experience (or lack thereof) with companies all over the world. They want to be heard. They want to be acknowledged. And the fact that no one is responding is even more maddening.

Of course this isn’t the mentality that they should be having. They should be listening to the questions. Responding to the complaints. Helping their customers. And protecting their brand.

Creating a strategy to protect your brand while helping your customers and future customers is not brain surgery, but it does take time, effort and dedication. You can’t just set it up and let it go, social media needs to be monitored and tended to.

Are you managing your strategy or just letting the conversation go on without you?

Youtube is just for funny videos and bad spoof’s right? And Flickr is just one more place to put my photos?

No and no.

Youtube and Flickr are two channels that enable companies to connect with their target markets in a new and unique way. By sharing images and videos rather than just words, you can introduce your business and your product more 3-dimensionally and create more interest. Videos and pictures are just as easy to send out as a website link, which means that they can become just as popular – if not more so. People love watching and observing…visual experience can be much more powerful than a written experience. Have you ever shared a youtube video or a flickr photo with someone? The only thing stopping your video from getting shared is not creating it.

Here are a few businesses that can benefit from participating in flickr and youtube:

• Restaurants/Chef/Food industry – A video can show of the way to cook specific items, the pictures can show off fabulous menu items and the inside of the restaurants. The difference between McDonald’s and Morton’s? It’s not just the food. It’s how the place looks, the opulence of the environment, the presentation of the plates and the feeling you get when you’re there. Don’t just tell people you have killer food and a beautiful atmosphere – show it off!
• B2C Technology – How many times do you get the same questions from your customers? Make a video that answers that question and direct people to your you-tube channel for the answer! Not only are certain things easier to understand visually, but a good video can power up the SEO of your brand as well. The most common videos to go viral are comedy skits and well done how-to’s. What’s stopping you from making the next great youtube video?
  
• Graphics/Web Designers – really? I have to explain why? Ok, it’s pretty simple…you make visual items, how else are you planning to show them off? I know a lot of designers fear giving away too much online, but that’s just silly. Show people how you create an amazing graphic, and leave off the last couple steps. Make them contact you for the rest! It is one of the easiest ways to get people intrigued and amazed.
• Niche designers – Do you create something unique? Blown glass, artwork, wood working, clothing? If you design a unique product that is either hard to find, hard to do or both, you should be showing it off through all possible channels. As mentioned with graphic designers, many ‘creators’ fear their work will be stolen if they show it off online. This fear should not stop you from promoting your work online, it should make you want to share it even more. Items that are difficult to create or duplicate are the best items to show the world.

…any other business who feels they can benefit!

While the 4 types of businesses  mentioned are a natural fit for youtube and flickr, it doesn’t mean other business types can’t make it work as well. Find something worth sharing and go for it – see what happens. There is no harm in trying something new, especially when it is aimed at growing your business.