Allis Collective

Flickr: lwr

Once in awhile, I wax poetic and unfairly find the common threads with life’s raison d’être and a brand’s raison d’etre - this is one of those times.

I currently find myself amidst a brand positioning assignment conducting the customary executive workshop, competitive research and messaging analysis. While I believe highlighting strengths and finding a market opportunity are key to crafting a sustainable positioning, I feel more strongly about the need for true brand heart - regardless of B2B or B2C environments.

The ever evolving USP has almost become the Unbelievable Selling Proposition. Consumers or customers are skeptical of claims and need Presidential substantiation to be convinced of it. But, heart and passion are undeniable and inspiring.

To find this guiding light, your research also has to be extra-ordinary.  Nielsen articulated this well.

While surveys provide a sense of size or magnitude but are not ideal for capturing passion or intensity. - The Nielson Company, April 6, 2009

With the influx of freelancers symptomatic from the outflux in agency layoffs, there is a new agency business model emerging. One that won’t be beneficial to clients.

A hypothesis: A large client comes to an agency needing a campaign including TV, print, digital, and/or buzz. A couple years ago, the agency would have created a highly complex Excel spreadsheet denoting everyone’s hourly rate + approx. time on projects, percentage of overhead including rent, equipment and supplies, derived a profit percentage (sometime known by the client) and this became the budget.

What’s changed is that the on-staff producers were let go, the digital team now just consists of a web designer, and the star (and only) creative team is busy with their only client that is still holding strong through the economy. So, what to do?

Outsource.  While this is typically a cost effective solution - outsourcing has become a tangled mess of large teams without any unity or leadership, and many layers of inefficiency.  For instance, on the digital project, the traditional agency (because they had to go back to their roots) hires and marks-up a digital agency, who marks up and outsources the web design, build and SEO to another agency who marks up and outsources the CMS and SEO to other freelancers who had done some work in a completely irrelevant industry, but due to his/her eagerness to now have work, he/she faked knowledge.

The result  - a long game of “telephone” with consequences of expense in time, cost, and potentially quality.

This expensive new agency model does provide opportunity for consultants who are able to directly manage the thinkers + doers creating a team of specialists (i.e. following the adage of cutting out the middle-man). Transparency is important in this process, but due to the cost efficiency, the rewards are significant.

In a world wanting to mitigate risk, client beware on whether you are hiring an agency  - or a global staff of freelancers with an exponential cascade of mark-ups. Just ask them, see if they’ll confess.

Nokia - HK Honey from The Silentlights on Vimeo.

Purifying the elements.
Deconstruction the human cause.
Writing naked.
Painting the environment.
Respecting the audience.
Fearlessness.

After perusing a topline report for “B-to-B Marketing in 2010: Trends in Strategy and Spending” by MarketingProfs/Forrester Research, I thought one chart important to share with my readers. It points to a significant increase in developing digital tactics due to more cost-efficiency and targeted reach. While communicating digitally is certainly predominant, you can see marketing leaders are continuing to keep an integrated campaign with PR, tradeshows/conferences, direct mail, and print remaining relevant.

What I thought even more interesting was their spend didn’t equate with what they deemed the best drivers of leads and brand awareness respectively.  More on this in next weeks’ blogs.

As a three time entrepreneur, two service businesses and one product, I can attest to the at times insurmountable challenges that this journey provides. For every small up there can be an equal or exponential down. The emotional exhaustion, financial insecurity, and overwhelming responsibility can derail the best of us. For those that have made this choice and stuck by it amongst adversity, I applaud you.

These insatiable believers I also guarantee will be the most insightful and effective to drive your business. They understand the importance of competitive differentiation, product/service distinction, and target engagement. They view the opportunity as one needing a financial return, not just vague deliverables that end in large consulting fees without actionable plans.

In my own world of branding and marketing, we often focus on emotional takeaway and long-term equity development. An understanding of business operations and sales/product life cycles becomes that much more heightened in this arena. Many strategist don’t intrinsically connect branding and communications with the DNA of the company, often creating a large divide between those marketing the business and those managing it.

The next time you hire an advertising agency or marketing professional make entrepreneurial experience a mandatory. You may not see how their widget making is relevant to your technology outsourcing conglomerate, but your bottom line will.

One of the most subjective processes in launching a new company/product is choosing a name. One that encapsulates the brand promise, product portfolio, personality, values, etc. and accelerates the company/product to an increased state of value.

Before proceeding down this often treacherous path, take a common-day example to heart. Think of the last time you chose a name for your pet or child. What was the process you went through?

Perhaps:

1. Competitive Assessment - Investigating names in your neighborhood/family tree. Talking with people about their naming process, why they chose the name they did and what it means to them.
2. Brand Platform - Finding the “platform” that the name accentuates. How similar or dissimilar do you want the name to be? Based on religion? Nostalgia? Uniqueness? Status?
3. Target Forecasting - Visualizing how that name might effect their acceptance in society. Will it make them seem academic? Popular? An outcast? Or perhaps it’s so unique it will make them special/coveted?
4. Constructing Identification -  After analyzing (or perhaps over-analyzing), one may think - does the name really matter? Won’t a strong identity and personality surround the name and create its own context? Just as celebrities craft their equity - the word Madonna once known as a the “Mother of Jesus,” now is seen as a recording artist, actress and entrepreneur.
5. Proving Acceptance - With this acknowledgement, one may realize that they can’t secure the fate of their new name. But what they can control are the efforts to bring education, depth and authenticity to that name - allowing it to convey the personality in a way that’s memorable and individual.

The naming process is challenging and charged with opinions. It could be developed by the best naming agency with 6-12 months of testing - similar to Bing - and still be seen as a “me-too” proposition or it could be cherished and adopted into society lexicon - Google, Kleenex, Tivo, etc. One must focus more on what is supporting the name as proof to the value promise, than believe that the name will do that itself.

Because at the end of the day, a Stephen can still make a choice of being a Baldwin or a Hawking.

The below will be an evergrowing list over the next six months. Some may say these words/phrases have already become tired, I would suggest that they may take on new meanings or approach mainstream.  I welcome comments and additions.

1. “Now that the dust has settled.” An anti-recessionary message for economic growth in 2010. A derivative of this burgeoning optimism is currently seen throughout airport billboards citing, “when the dust has settled.”
2. Latency. A time delay between the moment something is initiated, and the moment one of its effects begins or becomes detectable. Specifically linked to the challenges in the growth and standardization of the data center market.
3. Recession warriors/heros. Those that fought to pull society out of a downturn including government officials, entrepreneurs and the everyman.
4. Transformation. A fresh word to replace “innovation” or a way to describe rebirth (e.g. environmental transformation, cultural transformation, cellular transformation)
5. Augmented reality. A field of computer research which deals with the combination of real-world and computer-generated data (virtual reality), where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real time. A hot topic currently in advertising and gaming to create an interactive consumer experience.

While reading this month’s Inc. issue, I came across a very powerful visual that stood apart from all of the images of leisurely entrepreneurs seeming intelligent. The image looked like a mesh between a paperclip and a leveling tool.

Inc. June 2009, pg. 46

What pulled me in further was a quote by the CEO stating, “Your physician has a lot less information about your body than your mechanic has about your car. We want to change that.” A simple concept. This spread (likely brilliantly secured by a PR company) could have been swimming in acronyms and technological facts (much like the Dell B2B advertising that bookends the spread). But, instead the power was threaded in possibility.

The possibility of this tiny sensor (magnified here at 480 percent) providing our physicians information that doesn’t have to be either described by us, the patient, or the multitude of tests and dollars spent to come to conclusions. This “Disease-Fighter” created shock and awe in one reader (namely me) with very little information other than the eye-opening possibility.

I investigated.

I went to the company website hoping to extend this same level of enthusiasm and was whole-heartedly disappointed. Same old, same old. Generic stock photos, generic scientific animations, an overwhelming amount of text. Granted, I am not the target for this device, but how can you take such a mind-blowing healthcare technology breakthrough and make it mundane?

If you have the opportunity to be exceptional, let nothing stop you from creating that impression at every turn. Make it meaningful. Commit to cultivating that same enthusiasm that started the product or service and conveying that in every touchpoint. Nothing is too big or too small. Fight the instinct to be conservative.

The details are not the details. They make the design.

- Charles Eames

A post in Business Week Online earlier this year, is worth reblogging. Bruce Nussbaum, is a seasoned writer who focuses on innovations in all areas - technology, service, design, communication, etc. His articulation of the 10 worst mistakes you can make in a recession are a perspective refreshment as we enter the second half of 2009 this week.

Here are the 10 worst mistakes you can make in a recession that will hurt innovation:
1. Fire talent. Because of America’s accounting laws, investments in talent are expensed, not capitalized, so cutting back on people, especially really smart, high-priced people, is a quick way to cut costs. The accounting rules only hurt companies who follow them. Talent is the single most important variable in innovation.

2. Cut back on technology. Xerox and others report that companies are already curbing investments in technology to save money. Banks especially. The rise of social networking and consumer power means that companies have to be part of a larger conversation with their customers. This means big money spent on IT.

3. Reduce Risk. Innovation requires taking chances and dealing with failure. Recessions push managers to be more conservative. They need to fight this instinct.

4. Stop New Product Development. Saving money often means cutting back on new products and services during an economic downturn. This hurts companies when growth returns and they have fewer offerings in the marketplace to attract consumers.

5. Boards Replace Growth-Oriented CEOs with Cost-Cutting CEOs. Sudden declines in revenues and profits often leads boards of directors to search for managers with experience in pinching pennies. That’s what appeared to happen recently happened at Bang & Olufsen. Boards forget that most recessions last only two or three quarters and, these days, are relatively shallow. Penny-pinching CEOs don’t have the skills to grow, when growth returns.

6. Companies Retreat From Globalization. It’s expensive to expand globally and managers often save money by cutting back on emerging markets. It’s a big mistake. Emerging markets are sources of new revenue, business models, and talent.

7. CEOs Replace Innovation As Key Strategy. By turning defensive, top managers take innovation off the top of the official agenda and replace it with systems management and squeezing costs. The entire organization follows. It is extremely hard to reverse this when growth returns.

8. Performance Metrics Are Changed. To Save money and cut costs, managers shift employee evaluations away from rewarding riskier new projects toward sustaining safer older goals. Risk-averse behavior follows. Again, this is hard to change.

9. Hierarchy Is Reinforced Over Collaboration. Sudden drops in revenue and profit often lead companies to panic and mobilize to stem the decline. The need for fast decision-making often leads to a return to command-and-control management. This alienates creative-class employees, young Gen Y and Xers and stops the evolution of corporation organization toward a flat, collaborative, open source model.

10. Retreat Into Walled Castles. Cutting back on outside consultancies is seen as a quick way to save money. Yet one of the key ways of introducing change into business culture is to bring in outside innovation and design consultants. They know what companies across a broad range of industries around the world are doing to promote change. Not receiving this information can hurt a company’s global competitive position.

Flickr: scitech

As someone heavily involved in B2B technology branding, I dream in acronyms.  

It seems that for every million in company revenue, 10-20 acronyms can be born. While I understand the short-hand exercise and quite honestly many would be writing all day to spell out each acronym, I also believe we begin to wear them like a badge of knowledge. The more acronyms we know, the more “expert” we are perceived.

The challenge with this ritualistic practice is that we begin to think this is a known language. One that our customers, media and community don’t understand - creating further barriers between a brand and its constituents.

For one meeting next week, create a list of “can not say” words and acronyms. See if you create a new dialog around your brand and purpose that you haven’t understood before. A refreshing exercise that develops a new badge - one that those outside your four walls can embrace.

When digging deeper into your core demographics, often you find surprises of ways that connect them outside of “male/24-34/tech spirited/golfer, father, entrepreneur.” Taking the time to study the individuals, say through an ethnography, may reveal other threads that tie your audience. Perhaps they are also all Trekkies? CNET gives the top 7 sites where you will find this audience primed for new information.

Did you know constant zoo-goers are also green thumbs? Gardening/nurseries creates another interesting avenue for mindset and media opportunities.

Perhaps potential Zuners are into sudoku.
Or adult Wii users pair playing with a fine chardonnay.

Stop segmenting targets and uncover the hidden ways they group themselves.

Over the weekend, Dell launched a female-targeted microsite called Della - primarily focusing on the exploding netbook market. Through visual and behavioral language, the site was created to appeal solely to women and is yet another attempt to capture this influential gender using a more mass-relatable approach than the Adamo by Dell. Below are my thoughts on its success.

Pros:

• Concentrates language on the role technology plays in a woman’s life vs. feeds/speeds
• Gives a sense of community through testimonials and social networking avenues
• Creates empowerment by supporting female artists and highlighting their achievements

Cons:

• Uses forced language such as “excited” or “OMG-that’s-so-cute-I-want-one!” that is contrived and stereotypical
• Overwhelmed with patterns, colors and unrealistic photography which gives a consumer takeaway of disposable fashion vs. like-minded technology
• Tagline “Yours is here.” connotes that this product is the only designed for women, establishing alienation from the rest of the product line

I’m typically an early adopter, or at least on the early part of the curve, but I also am a highly tactile, visual learner/thinker. Perhaps this is why I have yet to buy a Kindle. I do know once I use one, that I’ll likely become addicted, a tech trait I covet. But the smell of a book, the touch of the pages and the satisfaction I receive when I’m more than 1/2 way complete prevents me from embracing the innovation. This is a similar reason why I still receive my magazines and don’t adopt the online option. 

Times will change. I’ll surrender to the Kindle at some point, just as my grandparents gave up the typewriter for the computer.

But, what’s interesting is as a culture, we’ve changed many of our sensibilities. What imagery once brought a sense of newness? A crisp shirt brought back from the dry cleaners or the scent of a new car. Now? The factory freshness of airtight packaging or taking off the protective plastic on an iPhone screen. What about the lure of vintage? I vividly remember Pong on the Atari, but as seen by Atari sales, there is no room for nostalgia in innovation.

An evolving and inevitable redefinition of sensibilities will continue to change the way we read, listen, talk and touch. A continuous wave that will hopefully balance what makes us more efficient with what makes us individually unique.

I prefer to not blog about people who blog. I fear that journalistic authenticity or insight deteriorates in quality like making a copy of a faxed copy. 

Although, I came across this image today and found it an incredibly over-simplified yet a refreshingly simplistic view of cultural trends.

Source: darmano.typepad.com

Flickr: lobraumeister

When is haggling appropriate? At car dealerships, tourist traps, and perhaps with your cable provider. But, haggling is becoming more and more common with retailers suffering. A writer from the New York Times had one such experience at Best Buy this weekend. He was able to negotiate down his 42″ LG Plasma and also include a four-year service package (if Best Buy is still around then). What struck me wasn’t the negotiation but what he overheard from the salespeople while paying for his LG.

When I was standing at the counter sliding my Visa into the credit card reader, a sales associate sprang toward the counter where I stood with six other blue-shirted sales associates and one manager.

“He’s thinking about it,” the intruding associate said to the manager, without further context or explanation.

The manager paused from whatever he was doing, looked at the young man and issued a grave, “Whatever you do, don’t let him leave the store.”

“O.K. He’s calling his wife to talk it over,” the associate responded.

I inferred from the conversation that the sales associate had been trying to close a deal with a customer. I asked the associate what the customer was thinking about buying.

“A full package – TV, stereo, speakers,” the associate said to me.

This is a fascinating qualitative glimpse into what could be the foundation of a brilliant communication program. Often times as marketers, we acknowledge consumers as the barer of the keys to product success. But, the sales associates can provide priceless insight.

The Best Buy Guy(s) knew the typical process a consumer went through to make a large purchase, and what to do to steer them in the right direction.
The path is as follows:

1. Consideration - narrowing down the choice (based on brand, technology, price, etc.)
2. Rationalization - connecting it to a need (better sound, fits the space, good guarantee, etc.)
3. Emotionalization - justifying a want (friends will be in awe, family/party nights, etc.)
4. Validation - call friends/spouse to feel secure in decision 
5. Confirmation - make a choice 
6. Final Confirmation - make a final choice after second guessing

How can we tap into every part of this pathway? “Call a friend” kiosks sponsored by Samsung? Branded spreadsheets so you can make notes? Utilize the mavens in the sales process - a greater understanding and support of the decision path will create consumer awareness, connection and ultimately increase the chances for that sale.

For my faithful followers (in the millions now! ;)), my sincerest apologies for slacking on keeping up with my blog. Since we last spoke, I’ve had two things happen:

1. I’ve been busy practicing what I preach
2. I had my laptop stolen by the Best Buy Guy

Ok, maybe not a Best Buy Guy specifically, but a guy/girl who broke into my car outside Best Buy in San Francisco. To that person surfing my net, checking out my bookmarks, finding my design apps “fun to play with,” and enjoying my ITunes, I hope you find some peace in your life.

When speaking of luxury, one typically thinks of Prada, BMW, or perhaps Eames. When speaking of technology, does “luxury” come into play? Typically not, says Tim Herbert, senior director market research for CEA (Consumer Electronics Association).

One difference between CE and other markets like jewelry is CE products are considered more necessity than luxury in many cases, said Herbert. For example, GPS devices can be used to save time and mobile phones and other devices are integral to communicating with family members, he said.

Although, in this economy, regardless of financial status, luxury is being viewed as anything that isn’t a necessity. So, is that affecting the CE industry? According to industry articles, consumer are being more cautious with their digital choices, but are being thrifty on other purchases to be able to spend on technology must-haves. Also, The Department of Commerce has reported that the proportion of dollars spent on electronics versus other “durable goods” such as cars has never been higher.

Does price point come into consideration? IMO, only if both branding strategies and product excellence aren’t in unison. Below are some of my thoughts on how to go to market with a higher-priced CE SKU in this economy.

1. Create emotional technology
   Exploration, community, and authenticity are top-of-mind for tech-savvy consumers (specifically influential women) - dig into these communication platforms and uncover a deeper role the technology plays in their life.
2. Truly be the gold standard
   Quality and dependability is fundamental to influence purchase decisions.
3. Find your zealots 
   Establish your product/brand within a culture of consumers and let them be the marketers. As choices are made more cautiously, positive reviews and WOM are paramount.

A harmonious marriage was released today, Skype has finally launched on the iPhone. The free app will be available shortly on ITunes making it easy to see your loved ones and business types while going about your daily life (barring you are close to a Wi-Fi source as the video capability won’t work over your cell phone network.) Skype, acquired by eBay in 2005 for $2.6 billion, now has more than a billion downloads and should continue its exponential growth with its multi-platform experience.

Why is Skype so contagious? Certainly the ability to see others as well as its either free or low-cost ability to connect with others is the influential core offering. But, they also indoctrinate users to feel like in-the-know innovators, even when Skyping has become part of mainstream vernacular. 

Coincidentally, The Neilsen Company released a study today on consumers desire for convenience in phone innovation. While this seems obvious and is a key benefit underlying many consumer choices, it does highlight how important ease-of-use is to the products consumer adopt. Another data point from the study highlighted the increased frequency of daily mobile internet use by the US market, thus providing a good case for the inclusion of mobile advertising in marketing mixes.

Yesterday, Nokia released images of the fully-functioning song-inspired winners of the Nokia Music Almighty Headset Competition - an ingenious idea developed by Wieden + Kennedy London. The competition began last year, in which 6,000+ entrants crafted their Nokia Bluetooth headset around inspiring songs such as Daft Punk Robot Rock or Kelis Milkshake (one looking almost identical to an Astro Gaming headset was inspired by the Free Willey song by Michael Jackson). After the winners were chosen by online poll, the designers met with Nokia production teams to develop functioning models - thus giving the headset a real voice, and further positioning Nokia in the area of music. The winners will be on display at Nokia flagships stores around the world.

Inspired by R. Kelly song "I believe I can fly."

Inspired by Daft Punk song "Robot Rock"

This launch idea has crossed over many channels (digital, print, retail, PR) and worked on both brand and product levels. What I also love is that it focuses on experimentation with product design and ID, an area that often doesn’t receive the needed attention and forethought. While, a headset with wings certainly isn’t of the near future, technology inspired by the personality and passion in music is a good placed to start.

This competition gives Nokia some much needed buzz both for headsets and handsets. Once the leading brand of phone in the US, Nokia’s share of the market has dropped to about 10 percent.  Nokia hopes to get its phones in more American hands with its launch of the 5800 Music Xpress handset, which is rumored to include its “Comes with Music” (CWM) service. This service provides unlimited music downloads from the Nokia Music Store for either 12 or 18 months depending on the service agreement. This all will likely be offered by TMobile as yet another attempt to secure contracts in the carrier wars.

While flipping through the pages of Fast Company’s April 2009 issue, this clip to the left caught my eye. The Zikmu, by Parrot looks like two big trumpets with a small ipod on the top. The cool look made me dig further to find a product launch flash site and an inspiring video from Philippe Starck himself. 

As you may not have time to watch, I’ve transcribed below. It’s abrupt, but to the point. He articulates the difference between designing with more feminine characteristics vs. masculine traits (note that the Zikmu is not pink, but strong, striking and fluid.) These nuances also carry from product design into communication differences.

Transcript:

“The male way of thinking, it’s like boxing, you know?
At the end, both die. That was the old way to make the product.
A type of product like that (referring to Zikmu) its more aikido….
The male intelligence is completely exhausted and shows a failure, sort of bankrupt.
I cannot understand today, a product which is designed, like some advertising said ‘beautiful like a weapon’.
My god, who needs a loudspeaker, or a razor ‘beautiful like a weapon?’
Also, I cannot understand the female product made for the female market which is round, soft and pink.
No, I’m sorry, I have one - women are not like that.  
Now, we must understand deeply the fantastic female intelligence which is more intuitive
which is more … I don’t know, it’s a problem of global comprehension.
Why make complicated, when you can make it easy?  
But I can tell you, to make something so simple,
it’s ten times more difficult than to make something more complicated.
To fight, millimeter by millimeter, to have less.
Product are so stupidly complicated just to show the intelligence of the people who do it.
They don’t show the intelligence of the people who design it.
They show the stupidity of the people who design it.” - Philippe Starck

Virgin's RED In-flight Entertainment System

I flew Virgin America over the weekend, my airline of choice. I will spend just a little extra to use the simple kiosks stands equipped with orchids, sit at the gate as Coldplay fills the air and walk onto the plane where the purple glow feels cozy and comforting. I always sit down in my seat, excitedly put in my earphones and plug into RED, their in-flight entertainment system. Although, rare is the flight that RED is working properly.

Typically, the hip, young attendants have to “reboot” the system with apologies and hope that the system will work properly because, of course, it was “working well on the last flight.” The reboot takes about 20 minutes, by that time you are in the air, which somewhat negates the reason I enjoy the in-flight system being that the mindless entertainment helps soothe nerves when taking off and landing. After the reboot has been successful, I begin flipping channels to find some incredibly intelligent documentary (or slightly better than Springer program) to relax and escape. Either all of the channels are fuzzy or, as was on my last flight, completely black. So, then you have to decide whether to tell the attendant and have her/him reboot your system for another 20 minutes or if you should just watch some TED interviews - inspiring, but not the type of mindless relaxation one was hoping to attain.

So, the question I ask is should Virgin, or any other brand for that matter, release technology that is laden with bugs to be first? I believe the theory is if you are busy perfecting technology then you will likely be the last to market. I agree that first to market is a claim that, used properly, can be far more impactful than any claim other than ‘free.’ But, are you willing to risk consumer frustration for being the first?

A few thoughts to keep in mind:

1. Do you have any other points of differentiation? Virgin has many distinctions that support their promise, so they don’t rely solely on RED as their brand difference.
2. How soon can you upgrade your technology? Early adopters have more forgiveness for being on the cutting-edge of innovation.
3. Are there incentives you can give to apologizes for issues? Individual attention is one of the best ways to receive brand loyalty. When Virgin first launched RED in early 2007, they were giving free movies and drinks to flights where RED wasn’t working properly. Consumers felt cared for and their disappointment changed to empathy.

I do believe to stay on the edge of innovation, companies often have to launch technology and continuously make upgrades to work out bugs. The above questions should be asked to try to prepare for some of the aftermath of an unperfected release. 

As for my Virgin trip, I discovered they now how wifi on-board specific planes. Instead of watching RED, I watched some old episodes of The Office on my laptop and happily received the type of Virgin Experience I have come to expect.

Flickr: kpwerker

As mentioned in my blog on March 11th, Cisco has squelched the rumor of acquiring Pure Digital Technologies, the makers of the ever-so-simple Flip Video mini camcorder, by publicly announcing the $590 million agreement. Cisco used this announcement to also address their commitment to the consumer electronics space and plan to become a house-hold name in the near future.

What lessons are to be learned by this acquisition?

On the surface, it shows that the strategy of creating a simple way to bring user-generated video to the web and then delivering on that promise in every way, worked. Their product was easy to understand and intuitively created, thinking of all of the minor design details as much as the standard technical specifications. The brand was carried from concept through packaging, retail/distribution strategy, communication and PR in a very disciplined way.

It’s obvious that Cisco will retain the Flip promise as Ned Hooper, senior vice president of Cisco’s Corporate Development and Consumer Groups, was discussing the possibilities of connecting Flip directly to the internet and said, ”we’re not making any product announcements right now, the answer to how we will do this will be driven by what consumers want and what is easiest to use.”

Last year, Philips released a series of LCD TVs called the “Design Collection.” With similar strategies as outlined in my Adamo blog, the brand wanted to further appeal to the females whose CE influence and purchase power would strengthen their position in the evolving technology market. According to Philips’ research, 98 percent of women consider style important so their communication supported the inspiration behind the design and how it fits into people lives and living rooms.  Cue brand video:

The video is set up as a problem/solution piece with a female voice over (v/o) attempting to create empathy. The problem is supposed to elicit a “yeah, I feel that way too” subconscious thought and the solution “ta da” is Philips. While I applaud Philips strategic marketing choice, the launch video seems like a collection of vague visuals and superfluous words without clearly articulating key product messages. 

Electronic products don’t engage me, I mean, there’s a lot of them and they all look the same, technical, angular, and boring. I want things which trigger my emotions. - Philips uninspiring robotic female v/o script. 

In contrast, the Adamo launch video creates a distinctive brand voice, but still speaks both respectfully to their audience needs/wants and technically about the intuitive nature of the product. They highlight design, craftsmanship, performance and competitive claims through a montage of executive level leadership that seem to sincerely be passionate about the product. They couple this with images of the photoshoot creating a behind-the-scenes intrigue.

Adamo Launch Video: Sr VP Consumer Product Group

A launch video is as much about differentiating the brand as it is about selling the product. Marketing is developed to support the product, not eliminate the need for product excellence.

As the iPhone OS 3.0 will no doubt steal the blogosphere today, I thought it important to give some well deserved credit to the other white meat - the new PC debut, Adamo by Dell. There has been great anticipation to the official release and finally they are available today.

"A union of advanced technology and exquisite design, Adamo was inspired by an irrepressible love of engineering."

The Adamo, latin for “to fall in love with,” has created a powerful identity through striking design, fashion-forward imagery, and vibrant language like perfect chemistry, inner strength and quick wit. Their website is as much a photographer’s portfolio as it is about product worship. They’ve concentrated on the connection between consumer and technology even guiding them through the phases of relationships - “encounter,” ” discover,” “admire,” and “commit.”  Dell also created a partnership with Tumi for accessories, which certainly elevates the Adamo through brand association. This is a far cry from “dude, you gotta get a Dell.”

The Adamo has two key ingredients for success:

1. They’ve leveraged strong marketing insight to develop an androgynous yet completely engaging product strategy (which will help me further explain to clients the need to capitalize on more female-relatable characteristics while not being feminine) 
2. The product design (and packaging) completely pays off the marketing strategy and seems effortless in its insightful details (backlit scalloped keys, ultra-slim, use of authentic materials like aluminum and glass)

Although, there are a couple of items that are still questionable:

1. The weak(er) technical specs, primarily the 1.2GHz and 1.4GHz processor, have certainly created some side by side comparisons.  I look forward to hearing user reviews, specifically from more life/work consumers, as to whether or not they see a bottleneck in the speed of these machines.
2. The price will inevitably decrease after the influencers purchase the initial models and there is a plateau in sales. They will need to hold strong with their pricing strategies to not devalue the product launch or the materials used for the quality tactile experience.

If anyone has purchased an Adamo, please contact me, as I’m still skeptical that Dell can deliver on such a powerful product. I have hope, but “love is a crazy thing” (not often you can quote Pink.)

As the ultimate homage to fashion meets technology, the Japanese Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology unveiled a ‘fashion model robot‘ today. She is 5′ tall, 95 lbs, can speak, express emotions and walk with grace. She will hit the catwalk in Tokyo on March 23rd and likely many tradeshow floors shortly thereafter.

While the fascination with robots is not a new thing, I remember Johnny 5 fondly, the feminine detail and media savvy (catwalk debut) proves to be a new level for effectively commercializing robotics. While “HRP-4C” still needs a unique name and some identifying characteristics to fully embrace celebrity status, this may be the mainstream tipping point between technology being used by humans to technology completely replacing humans.

Flickr: GustavoG

There are many facts supporting female’s power over purchases made in every B2C sector. Although, most of these studies don’t further segment women into those who drive the female consumer to make these choices. Just as in any other demographic segmentation there are those who influence and those who are influenced.

The strategic challenge becomes highly-complex when searching, enticing trial and securing loyalty from a female influencer, but it is well worth the efforts. The New York Times completed a study highlighting the strength of those women, who they define as “Marketing Multipliers.” Marketing Multipliers are a subsegment of affluent women who spend more, know more and talk more about the products they like.  They become word-of-mouth zealots which is a primary source of information for the general female market. The study also cites that this segment has almost five times as many conversations about CE products than other affluent women, they “spend more than twice as much; and more than half (52%) say they accompany family members on shopping trips to advise them on consumer electronics and other tech items.”

In times where marketing budgets are being cut, segmenting the female market and only reaching out to these WOM drivers makes financial sense - barring the product is insightful enough to promote positive discussion. Nielsen released a study yesterday highlighting how strategic decisions can offset reduced marketing budgets due to recessionary times. Through their analysis, they found that a media plan with less dollars and accurate strategic focus can be as metrically effective as a broader-reaching, fully-financed media plan.

Reach “marketing multipliers”, secure their loyalty and you exponentially grow your marketing impact.

Simple and direct has replaced complex and obscure.
Example: Flip sales figures and acquisition rumors this week.

Function and ease-of-use marry exclusivity and fashion.
Example: Fergie promoting HP usability. 

Reliability and convergence usurp bleeding edge.
Example: Engadget’s nod to Nokia for exploring the next big trend.

Consumer retention outweighs acquisition.
Example: Kodak’s new upsell technology released at PMA.

Insightful innovation leads ubiquitous invention.
Example: Intuitiveness of the PalmPre charging dock receives as much press as the Pre itself.

If you missed Engadget Editor-in-chief Joshua Topolsky on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, you didn’t miss much. Their energized tête-à-tête at CES didn’t carry over to national television, it became a lovefest over the not-yet-available Palm Pre. As this type of mainstreaming of technology fascination becomes a staple on talk TV, it will be a creative challenge to bring the experience to the at-home audience. CE brands pay hefty production budgets to dynamically convey functionality through online demos and TV spots, the user-driven on-screen demo is a huge opportunity and needs to be better supported.

For all those who attended CES early this year, you may have noticed a celebrity comedian roaming the aisles - Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy Fallon and Engadget editor-in-chief Joshua Topolsky, put on a funny impromptu review discussing the PalmPre and the “not netbook, ultra-portable, coat pocket-fitting” Sony Vaio P. 

Obviously, this duo hit it off and Jimmy has invited Mr. Topolsky to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to air on NBC tonight. He only launched his show on March 2nd, but has had Robert Di Nero, Justin Timberlake, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Chace Crawford, Mario Battali and the list goes on. How does Mr. Engadget fit in?

No longer is Jack Hanna showing his exotic creatures, now gadget geeks are showing off their technology. As a new, more digitally influenced era of TV personalities surface, this mainstreaming of technology fascination will prove to be beneficial to the consumer electronics industry. 

(As Jimmy is also a blogger and an avid tweeter, it will only be a matter of time until he becomes a spokesman for the latest and greatest techinvention. If he fits with your brand persona - I’m sure his agent is taking calls.)

GE’s interactive “Smart Grid technology” YouTube spot shows you how to create your own virtual Smart Grid - with only a printer, a webcam and a microphone. Impressive and a unique approach to connect consumers with the company’s value of innovation. The site is also visually engaging.