Techno//Marketer - Matt Dickman on Digital Marketing and Social Technology

New year, new opportunities

If I’ve seemed distant here on the blog for a couple of weeks it’s because I’ve been going through some changes in my professional life. After eight wonderful years with my previous employer I decided to shift direction a little bit and jump in to the digital side of the PR world. I am officially (as of yesterday) the new Director, Digital Marketing at Fleishman-Hillard here in Cleveland.

If you don’t know who FH is, that’s okay. I didn’t either before I looked at my LinkedIn “who’s viewing you” page one day and saw one of their recruiters had stopped by my profile. I did a deep dive and was impressed with what I saw. FH is one of the largest PR agencies in the world and part of the impressively diversified Omnicom network. That’s all well and good, but why choose PR now?

Why PR?
I could have (would have) continued in digital marketing firms, but I’ve truly been impressed with the thinking coming from the PR side of the marketing blogosphere. Specifically, I’ve been impressed with the new media thought leadership. The PR industry is full of people whom I greatly respect like Kevin Dugan, Shel Holtz, Geoff Livingston, Rohit Bhargava, Katie Paine, Steve Rubel, David Reich, Neville Hobson, Phil Gomes, Brian Solis, Doug Haslam and numerous others.

Why Fleishman?
Fleishman is very respected, digitally savvy company that is taking new media and technology seriously. PR has always been about forming relationships and engaging in conversations and there is a natural progression into social media (maybe more so than ad agencies or digital shops). They’re also very supportive of this blog and the social media activities that I participate in, which will continue full-force.

I am looking forward to learning a lot and being able to share some of that knowledge with you, my readers. I am still 100% focused on digital marketing, but the PR effect will certainly be fun to weave into my arsenal and hopefully yours as well. This blog will not turn in to a place to pitch, it will remain a place to learn and grow together.

If I’ve ignored an email you’ve sent me over the past couple of weeks, don’t despair. I’m slowly catching up.

(Btw, did you know that PR doesn’t stand for press release? Just kidding! I had to say it.)

The blogger, journalist divide

This post is a little off-topic for Techno//Marketer, but I think it's an important issue to address concerning social media and it happened in my hometown. (This post is not, and will never be, political in nature.) The local newspaper here in Cleveland, The Plain Dealer, took a fairly progressive step and created an area of their site dedicated to political debate and hired four bloggers to create the content. Two covered things from a liberal perspective and two from a conservative under the banner "Wide Open".

As of November 2, 2007 the project has been cancelled in the midst of quite a bit of controversy. Here is how things played out. These four bloggers were hired by the paper to present their opinions as bloggers. One of the bloggers openly attacked a politician's policies and stated that he had contributed to the campaign of that politician's opponent. The politician who was attacked complained to a Plain Dealer reporter who relayed his concerns to the PD's editor. The editor asked the blogger to refrain from covering that candidate and when the blogger refused, he was fired. Subsequently, one other blogger quit the project in protest which led to its suspension.

According to the blogger who was let go, he (and the others) were hired as just that. Bloggers. Not reporters. The bloggers were being paid, which is where I think this gets a little gray and his contribution to the opponent's campaign just adds to the fire.

So let me turn this to you, my readers and get your input on the crossroads of blogging and journalism. Here are some important questions to ponder:

• Can a newspaper include blogger content and have editorial separation?
  
• Are bloggers and journalists separate anymore?
  
• If they are, are they bound by the same code of ethics?
  
• Does paying the bloggers create the conflict of interest?
  
• Do you think the Plain Dealer would have pulled an editorial piece under pressure from a politician?
  
• Can traditional newspapers survive against pressure from citizen journalism?
  
• What if no money had changed hands and the bloggers just contributed? Does that change things?
  

Let me hear what you think! Can we all just get along?

Technorati Tags:
Cleveland, Matt Dickman, Techno//Marketer, Plain Dealer, Newspapers, Journalism, Blogging, Ethics

Giving back

I have the great fortune to be part of the young professional board for a couple of great non-profit organizations here in Cleveland (Shoes and Clothes for Kids and Ronald McDonald House). Through those two outstanding organizations I feel like I am truly helping people in my community.

This idea of giving was taken online when a group of bloggers rallied around one of our own a while back. You've seen the banner in the top right column of my blog as well as many other bloggers remembering CK's mom. Since this weekend is Mother's Day we think it a great opportunity to do a little something extra. CK's amazing mom was involved with Habitat for Humanity, a fantastic charity that does a lot of good all over the world. If you are interested in donating click here and your donation will be made in honor of CK's mom. Know that your money will go directly to the people who need it.

Presentation on user generated content for marketers

I gave a presentation yesterday to a great group of people at the Canton Ad Club. The SlideShare is embedded below. If you click through to SlidShare you can download the whole thing.

[UPDATE: a couple of people have asked for more details so here is a narrative for each slide. See Greg, the rocks are less stacking and more balance.]

Feed readers, click through here to view.

I pride myself on clean, bullet-free presentations and this one turned out quite nicely. You can follow along pretty well I think. A couple of notes. This is a low resolution version to make it play faster. Also, Slideshare doesn't accept Apple Keynote presentations, which is what I present with. Therefore the video that was embedded doesn't show up so here is where to find them when you get to each slide:

• Slide 57 - Apple Beautiful
• Slide 68 - Where the hell is Matt
• Slide 69 - Evolution of Dance
• Slide 70 - Hasselhoff (so sad)
• Slide 77 - Frank on treadmill
• Slide 80 - Doritos
• Slide 82 - SWA

Technorati Tags:
strategy, marketing, MySpace, video, advertising, wiki, innovation, interactive marketing, user generated content, trends, social networks, Cleveland, viral, blogs, Flickr, tagging, Web2.0, Conversations, PR, technology, Techno//Marketer, Matt Dickman

The geography of ideas

What makes one city more successful over another when it comes to technology? When you think of innovation, where do you think? Mountain View/Silicon Valley, Seattle, New York, Boston? All the usual suspects. Those cities have lowered hurdles for established businesses and startups when it comes to recruiting talent, offering raw technology and money.

The tenets behind Web 2.0 are enabling a shift in this long held view. While the money and the raw technology are still centralized, something far more important is breaking free. Ideas. The open nature of the user generated content movement is based on open technology architectures. That means that, while the heavy engineering is still done in the traditional tech centers, many more people are able to capitalize in order to ideate and innovate. Information that was previously held tightly in Silicon Valley is not relayed in real time to the rest of the world through sites like TechMeme or TechCrunch. There is almost no geographic advantage as far as information goes any more.

Just tonight I attended an panel event here in Cleveland centered around emerging technologies. I talked to a lot of people at some really great companies who are doing some progressive and interesting things. More companies everywhere are able to get in on technology early and create solutions for their clients. This is happening in Cleveland for sure. Smart people are getting together and sharing great ideas and it's happening elsewhere too. Blogging tools are letting new voices be heard and the ideas are leading the way. Take Des Moines, Iowa for example. Up until a year or so ago you wouldn't have necessarily thought it to be a hotbed for great marketing thinking, but Mike and Drew have changed that.

Are you noticing this in your area? Have you see a city/region capitalize on this to make steps toward recruiting new talent to the area in a real, successful way? Do people in your area even know what's going on right next door? Let me know.

Viva ideas!

Technorati Tags:
marketing, innovation, interactive marketing, user generated content, trends, social networks, Cleveland, Web2.0, technology, DrewMcLellan, Matt Dickman, Techno//Marketer, Mike Sansone

Buzz Friday (week of April 13)

Here is a look at what is happening across a couple of sites I keep an eye on. Let me know if there is anything you would like me to add on.

Items I am watching:

• Apple is telling vloggers to get their content working right for TV. All vloggers need to keep this in mind as video goes beyond the web. - via TechCrunch
  
• Rolling Stone is launching a social network around the publication - via GigaOm
  
• Tim O'Reilly's proposed blogging code of conduct took a lot of heat. He responded top those concerns with an update. Adoption is unlikely, but it's a good conversation to have.
  
• Cleveland ad agency Brokaw created an ad for the world renown Cleveland Institute of Art and AdRants liked it. I do too. Check it out.
  
• Seth Godin reviews what he thinks drives word of mouth.
  
• Thomas Hawk (one of my photography idols) shows us what he carries in his camera bag. One of the things that makes Thomas so engaging is his openness. He encourages use of his work, shows users how he shoots and does things like this. All of it makes you want to learn and see more from him.
  
• Rohit Bhargava of Ogilvy PR created a fantastic social media bio. Mine will be online soon. Subscribe to his blog right now if you have not already.
  
• The uses for Twitter keep on coming. Robert Scoble shows some of the power of the service as Twitterers reported last night's earthquake in Mexico City before authorities like the USGS. It's evolving far beyond its intended use and the possibilities are endless, untapped and thrilling to see evolve.
  

Top Five Technorati Blogs

1. Engadget
   
2. Boing Boing
   
3. Gizmodo
   
4. Techcrunch
   
5. The Huffington Post
   

View Top 100

Top 10 Technorati Searches

1. imus
   
2. re-publica (this is a german blogger conference)
   
3. kurt vonnegut
   
4. youtube
   
5. duke lacrosse
   
6. myspace
   
7. sanjaya
   
8. american idol
   
9. joost
   
10. habitaquo
    

Top Five Web2.0 Movers of the Week (using Alexa data)

1. Geni
   
2. 37 Signale
   
3. Bolt
   
4. Ze Frank
   
5. Frappr
   

More

Top Five Web2.0 Sites (using Alexa data)

1. YouTube
   
2. MySpace
   
3. Orkut
   
4. Wikipedia
   
5. hi5
   

More

Top Five Marketing Blogs from Viral Garden

1. Seth's Blog
   
2. Creating Passionate Users
   
3. Duct Tape Marketing
   
4. Gaping Void
   
5. Marketing Shift
   

View the top 25

Top 5 "Viral" Videos This Week

1. Alanis Morissette "My Humps Video"
   
2. Otters holding hands
   
3. 300 movie trailer
   
4. Gangsta Happy Feet Remix
   
5. Xbox 360 Spring 2007 Dashboard Update Video
   

More

Technorati Tags:
trends, buzz, buzzfriday, mattdickman

Marketing campaign shrouded in mystery drives fans online

Who says you have to terrorize an entire city to drive buzz around a marketing campaign? Kudos to John Booth at Crains Cleveland Business for pointing out this article on CNN.com. Cleveland's own, and Nine Inch Nails lead singer, Trent Reznor is rumored to be behind a cryptic marketing campaign which has used USB drives left in restrooms, phone message recordings of songs and rogue web sites to stir up fans.

Nine Inch Nails' new album 'Year Zero' is due in stores and the band is using a mysterious, grassroots campaign to drive interest. The band isn't saying much at this point, their fans are driving the conversation. The discovery marketing tactics started with a T-shirt which fans realized led to a URL. Once on the site, fans were pointed to other locations, criss-crossing the Web to uncover the next clue.

Some of the site URLs are:

• www.bethehammer.net/bio.htm
  
• www.anotherversionofthetruth.com - click on the image and drag your mouse
  
• www.churchofplano.com
  

Fans also found cleverly placed USB memory sticks in restrooms at European NIN concerts that contained new, unreleased tracks. The files spread like wildfire though email and peer-to-peer file sharing networks. Yet another T-shirt pointed to a Cleveland phone number that played a recording of one of the tracks.

This goes more to prove that the group understands marketing and their fans. They're trying to reach people in new ways using a mix of promotion, technology and guerilla marketing. Fans get to experience the band's personality, interact in new and more personal ways and get to connect with the band before the general public. No matter what you think of their music, they really get the marketing side and their fans benefit in the end.

UPDATE: Spike at Brains on Fire has a humorous take on the RIAA's response to this campaign. Left hand, meet right hand.

Technorati Tags:
marketing, innovation, interactive marketing, trends, viral, buzz, Boston, stealth marketing, technology, Cleveland, Nine Inch Nails

Like giving birth

There are some projects that you work on in your professional career that you invest yourself in a little bit more. You take them extra personally. You dedicate yourself to the project outcome being a success. The journey is rewarding and paved with tears, hard lessons and moments of pure, inspired innovation.

I had one such project launch a couple of days ago and I'd love to share it with you now. Disclaimer - I work for DigiKnow, an interactive marketer in Cleveland, OH, and one of our sweet spots is sports and entertainment. We've built sites and systems for some great sports teams over the years.

About a year ago, we came up with an idea for revolutionary venue marketing product and were extremely fortunate to partner with the Cleveland Cavaliers to get it done. The marketing team at the Cavs was fantastic and as driven as we were to come up with the best possible solution. The final product is a patent pending marketing system called SeatServer.

The product, located here http://seatviewer.cavs.nba.com, combines Flash and AJAX technologies to deliver a smooth, realistic experience. The solution shows real video views from each seat section, allows the team to add an up-sell message in each section (e.g.; "Did you know that for $10 more you could sit in the lower bowl?"), incorporates the team schedule and a lot more (check out the interactive 360 video in the seating chart pull down). On top of that, the team can showcase premium seating options and give you personalized directions from your front door all the way to your seat.

Sports teams are certainly becoming more aware of the fact that the experience is more than just what happens inside the arena. It starts when you come online, extends as you leave your house and concludes when they get back home. The more value teams can provide throughout that process the more successful their online efforts will become.

Do you have a project like this in your career? What did you learn?

Technorati Tags:
strategy, marketing, video, innovation, interactive marketing, trends, usability, Web2.0, technology, XML, AJAX

Speaking to PRSA's Cleveland Chapter today

Brian Bloom from Liggett Stashower and I are speaking at the PRSA Cleveland Chapter's luncheon today. The topic is right up my alley, 'New Technology for Communicators'. I love getting these opportunities to share and evangelize technology as a function of marketing. Too many companies try to make technology scary when it should really be transparent.

I'm trying to get over a cold right now, so they'll have to bear with me. I'll post reactions to the event later today when I'm back in the office. In the meantime I'm going to enjoy this warm 40 degree day.

Update: What a fantastic event this was today. Kudos to my presentation partner Brian Bloom, he did a great job communicating the impact of technology on PR with real, tangible examples. Thanks also to Tony Santana from PR Newswire for setting up the event.

The group was very enthusiastic and had a ton of great questions. I saw a lot of people perk up when I talked about a couple of key issues:

• Transparency in social marketing
• Second life and avatar marketing
• Creating lasting conversations through social media
• Tagging as a PR tool (I even gave Buz Buzogany a demo of del.icio.us afterward)

Events like this show me that marketers are interested in technology, but perhaps they need a little hand-holding to get going. As I mentioned, some companies like to make technology seem more complex than it is. Marketing drives technology, not the other way around. Marketers need to grasp what is possible and current, but their ideas shouldn't have pre-conceived limitations.

Download the presentation here. (21Mb PDF)

Technorati Tags:
user generated content, trends, social marketing, blogs, tagging, Web2.0, PRSA, PRNewswire, Cleveland

Blogging on bloggers

I attended a nice event at Corporate College East this morning run by NEOSA. I've posted about it here on the DigiKnow blog. There are some great people in Cleveland that really care about enabling more people to participate in an open dialog.

Note the photo which I took on my cell, which I uploaded to Flickr in real time and cross-posted to the blog. See more about cell phones and marketers.

Update: Check out George Nemeth's post on Brewed Fresh Daily. While you're there, poke around, George has done great work to showcase Cleveland and help keep us all moving ahead.

Technorati Tags:
marketing, interactive marketing, user generated content, trends, Cleveland, social marketing, relevance