Posted: November 5th, 2009 | Author: Saleh Esmaeili | Filed under: advertising | Tags: Branding, campaigns, events, online advertising, social media, UAE | Comments Off
Facebook group, check. Twitter account, check. Youtube channel, check.
Slapping badges from the above sites on the Website, check. Ads on Facebook, check. Ads on Youtube, check. Ads on other sites, check. Now what?
Engage!
Using all the social networks, bloging n’ microbloging is not meant to be for showing the face, but to have a sort of dialogue and conversation with people(you can’t take them as customers).
Observing some of the campaigns lately I was excited to see all sort of badges on one of the campaigns for an event. So out of my excitement I started following event’s Twitter account, became a Fan on their Facebook page, subscribed to their YouTube channel and waited for the fun to start. Ten days before the event I started seeing Ad Banners on various websites and mainly on Google Network. Okay, no fun. No updates. So I moved my expectations to the day of the event. I’m at the event, checking Tweets, none, oh they post a link to a press release. Facebook fan page full of fans’ questions and answered by other fans. Youtube channel showing videos of last year’s event.
The event was such a success. But was the campaign? Worth noting that the so-called “Social Media Campaign” was ran by what they call “an emerging top-notch Social Media House”. So it’s all about badges? And tossing some names n’ buzzwords?
Everyone knows it, but do we really engage? Or what is engagement really? (check @jassim’s some two years old article on it)
Yes, it’s all about experimenting with the new toys n’ mediums. Yes, outcomes do not come fast but fact is a brief sarcastic tweet of mine from yesterday: I noticed something of rather high value, whoever can spell “social media” is a field expert from day 1 of its existence. hah?
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Posted: November 1st, 2009 | Author: Saleh Esmaeili | Filed under: advertising | Tags: arabic content, forums, middle east, social media | Comments Off
In Arabia it’s often mentioned that users are Forum oriented. And that Arabic readers tend to engage in online Forums or Bulletin Boards activities rather than other types of online activities.
So then came Online Advertising to the Arabia and everyone started searching for media spaces to monopolize on or just to serve some ads on. The shocking story was awaiting; Not enough Arabic websites. Better put, not enough Arabic content. The further Media buyers looked at it, they found only Forums.
Then came Maktoob to the rescue, bought a number of Forums and the Forum advertising went mainstream in Arabia.
Forums in the Arabia = Many to Many Mass Social Media
What amazes me is that once everyone heard companies should have some party to control/monitor twitter and facebook accounts just because they saw that happening elsewhere everyone started shouting for the same. Wait, why didn’t you engage in the Forums? Wasn’t there where your consumers were?
GCC’s online culture is a many to many when it comes to communication. Content dictatorship is not something they want to have in their daily online interactions. Blogs are hardly the way to go with content. Unless you’re a well known and established name odds are you’ll be lucky to have readers that follow you. So if you’re not “a somebody” users would prefer you reading their posts too. So drill down to that Forum topic and post along. It’s a many to many conversation and not someone’s discussion, it’s everyone’s!
And the obvious, anonymity. No real name needed. It’s funny how the Facebook users in GCC use odd Avatars and even hide their Real names. It’s Facebook and it’s a closed network, so if you don’t know someone you wouldn’t add or connect to them. But, the same anonymous culture is brought to every system they shift. So what does that tell you? That we in GCC are retarded? That’s the easy answer every agency carries around and spits every where. Culture is the answer.
Forums. So because every website used to be made by Forum applications just like how most of the websites use Blogs as their content management systems(CMS) one report stated that around 80% of Saudi Internet users visit Forums the most. Hah? So in that case are 90% of the websites in the Arabia Blogs?
Another misconception
Forums have a great number of Pageview and that’s because every topic is talked about and discussed by many. It’s awkward when you see banner ads between every “reply”. Ads served on Forums might exceed the number of Ads on some of the top portals in the region, but what is the return really? Less than a basic e-mail shot! (e-mail me for my data comparison). Forums n’ communities are all about interaction and engagement, the same reason why Traditional web banners in Facebook are not the best for Action-based campaigns.
Example, the widely topic back in May in one of the Forums was the high prices of cars at GCC dealers and everyone was signing a petition in a topic in Cars Forum. People were running a campaign themselves, trying to tell everyone not to buy Toyotas or Nissans and wait until they reduce prices. Between each two posts you’d find a Toyota Banner. So much for targeting? Not really, based on keywords n’ topic, they’re in the right place, but? This is not where you dictate content, it’s a Forum where everyone needs to talk! Instead engagement and replies were needed.
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Posted: October 12th, 2009 | Author: Saleh Esmaeili | Filed under: advertising | Tags: abu dhabi, online advertising, press, the national | Comments Off
You read Newspapers so you’re a telephony. You don’t want to click and read and then fill up a form or take down an e-mail address to subscribe.
The National's Ad Banner
Brilliant. The National has medium square banners served on YouTube(and perhaps elsewhere) with the title “Subscribe to The National”, picture of an issue folded and an 800 number. Because if you’re an analogue being you’ll probably be calling to subscribe.
Continued, if you happen to be an impatient user who clicked on the banner all you get is a page with more details in the same style. Call to subscribe. Amazingly integrated. I’d like to think this is a campaign that was internally planned with a maximum of a consultant help and that’s it. Not an ad-agency work, I’d like to think so.
The National's Campaign Landing Page
Doesn’t it feel original with a taste of Mont Blanc too? Great match.
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Posted: October 7th, 2009 | Author: Saleh Esmaeili | Filed under: advertising, cars | Tags: banner, campaign, cars, fail, online advertising | Comments Off
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Some Agency got this campaign really bad. An epic FAIL for Dodge Challenger not by car’s Design or Engine, by an Ad Agency. A car with such a long history treated that way. Fail!
I’m not a fan of Muscle cars, nor dodges but I love their V8 growl and the scary body design. I’ve driven many of them. I know many challenger owners and I’ve raced a good number of’em on the track. It’s a car with history.
I was browsing 7days.ae earlier this morning to see a banner on top of the page for Dodge Challenger. The Banner is not clickable. Too much for a test-drive campaign?
Below are snapshots taken from 7days.ae.
I don’t know where to start with this one. It’s wrong, it’s all over the place.
- It’s a SPORTS COUPE, V8. It’s a muscle car. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. No! When it comes to such audiences, what “we’ve built” ain’t important if you say it. Show something? On spot! Don’t say it!
- Sunset? Beach. It’s a Beasty Coupe, not a luxury family car. It’s an aggressive car, the beautiful angles and corners of this ride could easily be noticed! Close up!
- It’s a Muscle car, show me some V8 action, some Engine bay, Exhaust. Let me hear that Exhaust note.
- Show me the wheels. Show me those strips that slice the car.
- Make the banner clickable, at least!
So how could such a campaign go that much wrong?
What I wonder is, how could a campaign for such a car that has been resurrected go out that bad with no care. It’s a resurrected lineup. The above banner has nothin’ to do with the Car whatsoever. It’s just one of those let’s-jus’-get-this-done kindda’ work. No research. No physical contact with the car, and for sure no respect for the target market and audience.
FAIL.
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