In a world where men get manicures and women race IndyCar, leave it to the soft drink industry to stir up sexism. Dr. Pepper has created a controversial campaign, “It’s Not for Women” to make a diet soda appeal to men.

And frankly, it’s about time someone stirred the pot!! We’re so uptight, especially when it comes to advertising, about who we’re going to offend that no one says ANYTHING anymore. C’mon people, it’s FUNNY… And I’m a woman!! I’m not mad that they “accuse” me of liking romantic comedies… I DO like them! But so do a lot of men… Just as men drink diet soda, women drink beer and we shouldn’t feel badly about it.

Bottom’s up!

Playboy is one of the most recognizable brands in existence. The sales from their magazine and radio station alone are staggering to say the least. Now add to that a Las Vegas nightclub and you’ve solidified success.

With the launch of this social media campaign, featured here on Simply Zesty, Playboy has taken interactive to the next level indeed. Smart, savvy and still controversial, Playboy is positioned as a leader in the industry (and with over 13 million views worldwide, this campaign is no exception;-)

With literally thousands of social media tools at your disposal, it is not only important to know WHO your audience is but also WHERE they are. So much of the focus lies on, what I like to call, the Fab 4: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. But a true social media strategy is developed by working backward INTO the tools, rather than starting with them.

First, define your objectives. Once they have been delineated, start researching!! Who is your target market? Where do they hang out online? And what is the best campaign to reach out to them? Remember, establishing an online presence isn’t about YOU it’s about THEM!! And it’s not short-term… In the late 90’s Yahoo had the lion’s share of the search engine market while Google was nowhere to be found… Just because Facebook is the biggest thing today doesn’t mean it will be in 5 or 10 years.

Finally, engage your audience. The beauty of social media, when properly integrated into a campaign, is the ability to listen to what your customers want; even if the feedback is negative, this is the perfect opportunity to improve your offering. Ironically, we often become so engrossed in what is good for our business, we forget to focus on what is good for our customers… So define them, find them and LISTEN to them. Your business and your customers will thank you;-)

Too often we find ourselves caught up in the hustle and bustle of every day life… Rushing between appointments, hurrying to destinations, fast-forwarding through life without ever taking a moment to really take it all in.

I’d like to share an emotional experience that will hopefully remind us, we are all human. And even though the fast pace of life sends us speeding through without so much as a glance in the rear-view mirror, remember to slow down and appreciate life, one day at a time.

In the immortal words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Life is a journey, not a destination.”

Our CSO, Peter Quill, is on the board of Miracles for Kids, a non-profit organization that recently had the opportunity and privilege to grant Homero’s wish.

We’re three weeks into the New Year and SO MUCH has already happened! We kicked off 2011 with a New Year’s ReSELLoution. Then we contemplated WWGD (what would Grandma do?) and Things That Make You Go Hmmmm…

We saw Starbucks’ Skinny Logo and Verizon Get The iPhone… Officially. Lastly, we discussed Funny Business and the importance of Listening…. And January isn’t even over!!!

We have an exciting year planned, so please join us next week as we dive into Social Media for B2B companies and explore some of these sites in greater depth. We also encourage you to connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn (listed to the right.)

And, finally, a viral video for your viewing pleasure:

We have quite a few clients who offer products that need tutorials. And almost every tutorial they have is in pictures and written instructions. While this is helpful, it is no where near as beneficial as having a video to watch. Unfortunately, many of them also believe that creating a how to video is way more costly than it’s worth. The good news is that they are wrong – you can create video without a huge overhead cost.

*Disclaimer: This should not be used for large scale videos or ones that are meant to be extremely professional. This is only for small scale videos – the ones that your clients can watch quickly, like tutorials or video blogging.*

So, how do you create a video like this?

• Pick up a small video camera – even the flip would work. You just want something that will tape, and not require a huge camera crew. You will want to invest into a stand too – this will eliminate camera shaking.
• Buy (or rent) a clip on microphone. Most videos fail because they are too hard to hear. Having a strong, clear voice will help the clarity of the video. Also, choose someone who is easy to understand!
• Pick a location in your office with a simple backdrop. Choose either a blank wall, or a wall with only a few pictures on it. You don’t want people distracted by your background.
• Practice. Practice. Practice. With a script! Just because it is an amateur video does not mean you can sound awful You need to know what you are saying, and be concise. Editing can only do so much.
• Use editing software to make the video clean, put it together well and feel free to add text. If there are parts that need more explanation, add diagrams on top of the speaker.
• Store the completed videos on youtube. Creating a youtube channel where all your videos are is a great social branding strategy and will allow your visitors easy access to all your clips.

Finally, remember that no body is perfect, and as long as the videos are clean, clear and concise, it will benefit your business to create them!

Turn the tub around? Really? I honestly didn’t think that a 70′s song like “Turn the beat around” could be made more obnoxious. I was wrong.

There is absolutely nothing about this commercial that makes me want to buy their butter. In fact, I would avoid their butter specifically so I wasn’t funding their ad budget!

Sometimes I wonder what the ad directors were thinking…

It just takes a minute to browse through the current most popular to realize that the formula for a stand out youtube video seems to be ever changing. But, with a little digging (and a lot of watching), I noticed a formula begin to emerge:

E+A+P=S

E – Emotion. The video needs to stir something inside the viewer. Whether you are getting them to laugh out loud, sing along or scream at their screen, they need to do something. This reaction is what makes them want to share it.Obviously, if your goal is to promote your product, the reactions are going to be a little more mild than those who are just creating a video specifically for a laugh or the gross out effect. But, you still must bring out an emotion. You have to get them invested into the video, feel the need to pass it along.

A – Audience. You must know your audience. If you are making a video that pokes fun at all the stupid things a president has done, your viewers are probably not going to be his supporters. This is okay. You can’t expect everyone to watch it, but your goal should be to get everyone that does fit your ideal audience to want to watch it. There are some videos that will span almost all audiences (and is probably the reason that the evolution of dance is one of the most watched videos ever) but this is rare. The only way for a video to really hit almost all audiences is if the video doesn’t have an age barrier and it stirs a positive emotion. In this one, it resonates with all ages and is appropriate for anyone to watch and you just can’t help but want to get up and do the dances with him.

P – Promotion. If you can get the emotion, and the right audience, promotion should a no-brainer. But, sometimes you need to give it that extra push. Ask your friends to view it and send it out, promote it through social media channels, ask for comments (always easier if the material is worth commenting on) and make sure that it gets noticed. The more views you get, the more comments you get and the more that continue to come. People want to see what others have seen, they don’t want to be left out of the trend. It is just up to you t oget the video to ‘trend’ level and then let the snowball effect take over.

If you can hit all 3 above, then you should be on your way to = Success. Simple as that.

And as a great added tip, if you are ready to make that youtube video, make sure that you are getting the best quality out of your film by learning to optimize your video properly.

What do you think? Is there a formula for great youtube videos? What makes you want to watch?

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.