Although long overdue, now may be the time to buy Citigroup.

Gone are the strategically unsound commercials from Citi where thirty-something mountain bikers without bikes descend down gravel mountain-sides only to land in their face.

Those misguided commercials are now replaced and finally on-target where Citi helps create opportunity and gripping inspiration for small and medium-sized businesses.

The new commercials provide a compass for Citi’s employee base to remind them which customer’s are important, and what Citi’s focus is.

It only took wasting several hundred million dollars in ads and media to get it right (I would have been more demanding the first round), but the commercials which act as a consumer and employee compass, is finally pointing in the right direction.

And as I drove by a Citi location, the sign was new, crisp, inspired confidence and innovation.

With a full-sweep of layoffs and write-downs, Citi is leaner and likely more driven.

CEO Chuck Prince hasn’t done much for the stock in the past several years (flat while Goldman Sachs grew 200%+) but America is the land of second chances, and his might be ripe for the picking.

Six months ago I wouldn’t touch Citi with a ten-foot pole.

But today, it’s worth a look. I’m watching.

Mark Hughes is a professional speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

Technorati Tags: buzz, buzz+marketing, brand, innovation, motorola, marketing,buzzmarketing,carl+icahn

No one knows Kelly Kibler, but she may be revolutionizing radio advertising…and maybe TV advertising.

It’s a return to the 1940’s.

Remember when Radio was radio, and announcers or narrators for radio soap operas simply read commercial sponsorship messages?

No 2 minute or 4 minute programmed ad slug back then…the technology didn’t exist.

No opportunity to change the radio channel back then.

But today, when radio programming takes a “commercial break” millions of consumers change the station, or make a cell phone…ignoring the millions of dollars spent on traditional radio ads.

In this time of advertising turmoil, Kelly Kibler came up with an idea now in test for Clear Channel’s KZPS Dallas.

No ad slugs. No programmed “commercial breaks.”

Announcers, though, integrate advertisers into the programming for a shorter 10-15 second period. Just like the olden days.

No commercial pods to ignore, no chance to change the channel, no chance to make a cell phone call until regular programming returns.

The Jack-FM format tried to address this issue, but didn’t quite get there. More programming yes, but programmed commercial breaks still gave consumers the opportunity to change the channel or make a cell phone call (believe consumers are not tuning in for ads).

This gets to the heart of the issue: consumers are ignoring ads today.

Consumers don’t want to be taxed with 2-4 minutes of gobbledy gook.

And, indeed, Advertisers don’t want consumers to ignore the advertising they pay for.

The commercial pod format is outdated.

It does not work for the advertiser. It does not work for the consumer.

Kudos to Kelly Kibler…perhaps an unknown at Clear Channel with perhaps the best idea in the radio advertising industry.

With the advent of “Oleg” content in commercial television pods, and the soon to be released data on TV’s commercial ratings due from Nielsen on May 31–will TV be following radio’s latest advertising solution?

If the Nielsen commercial ratings report says what I think it will say (consumers aren’t watching commercials)…you better believe it.

Mark Hughes is a business marketing speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

Technorati Tags: buzz, buzz+marketing, brand, branding, portfolio, nielsen,marketing,commercial+ratings

AdAge just published an article on the newest financial magazine (Portfolio) launched by David Carey at Conde Nast.

Within 60 seconds of finishing the article, I became a 2 year subscriber.

I subscribed because of one reason. Publisher David Carey.

One of the key people who made The New Yorker magazine a true success–this is David Carey.

One of the key people who understands the value of buzz–this is David Carey.

One of the key people who understands a concept critical to Buzzmarketing, and a mantra that I put forth in every speech…

Which is this:

Buzz, and successful business, is about giving.

Giving.

Giving is not a word you hear frequently in Business Schools (I didn’t hear it in the early 1990’s).

Taking is usually the word in business…taking market share…taking share of wallet.

But when I first met David Carey at The New Yorker, he was about giving and figuring out how he could help my former company half.com create buzz, and create it together.

Never have I experienced a true spirit of partnership like this before with a vendor. Never.

David knows the key to buzz is about giving people a unique experience. Giving people a great story to tell…whether it be an article in Portfolio magazine, or a unique event brought to you courtesy of the pub.

What David and his team did for The New Yorker, he will no doubt do for the newest business magazine, Portfolio.

I am a subscriber.

Anyone else interested in expanding their business horizons should be too.

Welcome David Carey, and welcome Portfolio.

Mark Hughes is a professional speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

Technorati Tags: buzz, buzz+marketing, brand, branding, portfolio, marketing,buzzmarketing,david+carey

Howard Stern has made a career out of nasty remarks. Some funny, some racist, some humiliating, some offensive, and some purely entertaining.

Ho’s and racial remarks are an everyday occurrence for him.

So why is Howard Stern rich and Don Imus fired?

Branding my friend…branding.

A brand is a combination of expectations plus experience.

Consider this.

Many wealthy people shop at both Nordstrom and Wal-Mart.

The service between the two retailers is night and day. How can a wealthy person be satisfied with this?

At Nordstrom, you expect to be pampered and have a certain experience. A live piano being played in at the escalator, and more.

Wal-Mart is self-serve. Bare bones. Some of their associates might be able to help you.

Now, how can a wealthy individual be satisfied with Wal-Mart and Nordstrom??

The answer begins with expectations.

The person driving the BMW, Benz, Land Rover- expects less from Wal-Mart because that is their brand.

Howard Stern does what Don Imus did every single day. And the public accepts it because people know what to expect when they listen to Stern (on CBS in past years, and now on Sirius).

Advertisers, too, know what to expect when they advertised on terrestrial radio Stern.

They knew that within a week, they would receive a letter from the American Decency Association threatening to boycott their brand. And those brands who know, might not care or they might relish it as contrarian branding for themselves

But Imus.

Our expectation of the Imus brand is edgy, yes. Controversial, yes.

But intelligent/controversial talk radio as a category (and as a brand) has expectations for listeners who listen and advertisers who advertise.

If Imus had defined his brand like Howard Stern (a daily repertoire of shock) we wouldn’t be talking and writing about Mr. Imus. Par for the course.

The Imus brand, however, defined itself with certain expectations.

And brand erodes down when it does not deliver on consumer expectations.

The words that Imus uttered broke the expectations of a brand…and this is the irony of why Stern is rich and Imus fired.

Mark Hughes is a professional speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

Technorati Tags: buzz, buzz+marketing, brand, branding, nappy, marketing,buzzmarketing,don+imus

I accidentally clicked on Comcast’s CN8 channel…

The one with usually below-average content on it, but this time I saw something brilliant.

People like you and me.
Talking…about funny dating experiences, about their worst dating experiences, about their ideal date.

It was Comcast’s “On Demand Dating” airing on CN8.

And yes, watching everyday people like you and I talk about their worst dating experience (edited and programmed by programming professionals) was actually entertaining content.

This was YouTube in full high-def. 1080.

Professionally shot. Generic backdrop. Great lighting.

It was unrehearsed.

It was you, it was me.

We could project ourselves into the screen, and recite our own experiences.

It gives people what they want on YouTube (their proverbial 15 minutes of fame) but much better quality, large living color…but most importantly, they really are on TV.

Imagine A Relationship with Your Consumer

Imagine Comcast having locations in regional malls…locations where you could have yourself videotaped and within 24 hours be on Comcast’s On-Demand system by search.

Comcast could even charge for the video much like the photographer’s sitting fee in the mall. Then a fee to keep it on the system’s searchable database. Then a fee to bold, and bring to the fore just like eBay’s ‘Gallery.’

Imagine this for dating.

Imagine this for a video resume

That video resume then linked to a text version…fully searchable by companies and recruiters.

Imagine this as a private social network…record a family holiday greeting for Grandma and Grandpa showing up on their TV screen the moment they turn on their TV December 25, July 4th, etc.

I know Comcast’s Brian Roberts has his tech group burning the midnight oil on technology and the future.

Content created by you. Content created by Comcast’s consumers.

This may be the biggest YouTube coming down the pike. Stay tuned to see if innovation like this sees the light of day from Comcast.

Mark Hughes is a professional speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

Technorati Tags: buzz, buzz+marketing, brand, branding, ugc, marketing,buzzmarketing,brian+roberts

Remember the Super Bowl? It used to be the beauty pageant of the advertising industry.

But the creativity we see today in advertising…is the worst it’s ever been. The Super Bowl shows it.

And Google, yes Google, will become the best thing for TV ads.

One word. Data.

What Google (not it’s search engine, but it’s ad tracking technology) has done for Internet advertising, it will soon do for TV advertising.

Google’s first foray into the TV ad-tracking/selling space was announced with Echostar’s Dish network, and it will be the tip of the iceberg.

That iceberg will change Madison Avenue like never before.

Not the brokerage of media…data just like Google’s ability to track clicks on Internet text ads, display ads, and even its ability to track activity down to the point of purchase.

What data has done for the Internet is make online advertisers smarter.

Imagine an Internet ad has a low click-through, it means nobody’s paying attention, nobody’s clicking, and the ads gets dropped in a heartbeat.

Test 20, 30, 40, 50 iterations of an ad very easily to find the best creative, color combination, copy, animation, etc.

What Google has done for us is provide us an amazing ad tracking tool so ad dollars on the Internet can be spent more intelligently every day, and even every hour.

Now Google will do the same for TV ads. Revolution is coming soon.

Today 92% of us skip ads with DVRs.

63% of us channel zap.

Although Nielsen has been around for decades, the quality of its data is archaic. Like automobiles in Cuba…it’s 2007, but its vehicles are from the 1960’s.

No one really knows how Google’s test will evolve with Echostar/Dish, but I do know several things:

#1 There are many intelligent people at Google

#2 Google is very focused on making money from targeted advertising, and the big target is TV

#3 They might not have the code cracked, but they will figure it out soon

#4 They have a model to follow. This one…

The model is in IMG’s entertainment network being taken to new levels by Rob Dalton, formerly at Fox. Right now, if you advertise on IMG’s Beauty & Fashion Network or other networks (in 33 million homes with Dish, DirectTV, and some HD cable homes), there is rich data. Advertisers can track how many people ‘clicked’ on their TV ad with their TV clicker, how many requested more information (Mercedes and BMW use it to get leads for test drives).

Advertisers LOVE this model with IMG. They can even track if the TV was put on pause, and for how long (hint: if the TV was paused during the ad for 18 minutes, they went to the Internet and researched the advertised product).

So the model for Google is already here…Google will perfect it just as it perfected Bill Gross’ GoTo advertising platform (maybe copied Bill Gross’ GoTo platform?).

What Does All This Mean?

It means that once there is Google-like data…bad ads will get better.

Once there is data, we will learn how bad the responses/’clicks’ are to ads.

Once there is data, ad agencies will be forced to improve their creative.

Once there is data, advertisers and agencies will produce more executions of TV ads at much lower prices per produced ad.

Once there is data, we will ultimately see better ads because the numbers don’t lie…they only tell the truth.

Once there is data on Dish…Google’s next deal will be with Comcast, and then Time Warner.

Once there is data from Google, Nielsen will fade away like a relic of the past.

And advertising, much to Madison Avenue’s skepticism, will become better.

Advertising will become better because of data…and the demand for better creative by advertisers.

Mark Hughes is a marketing speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

Chrysler’s parent company, Daimler might have some schizophrenia.

Where does Daimler go after disposing of Chrysler?

Who is Daimler?

Product quality of Mercedes-Benz has slid beyond reproach.

Of 11 Benz models review by Consumer Reports, none were recommended.

So let’s perform our SWOT analysis starting with Weakness.

Weakness: quality (surprising)

Strength: brand that stands for “luxury” and class

Opportunities: luxury branding

Threats: Lexus, Lexus, Lexus (translation = lower margins for Mercedes-Benz)

If Dieter & Executive Management are truly thinking about their company in ways they’ve never done before…they should be thinking about luxury.

Luxury, not necessarily cars.

Could it launch Mercedes-Benz Air?

Indeed.

Limited routes: LA to New York; New York to London, New York to Paris; add Berlin, Bonn…and keep your eyes peeled on Macau.

Every seat would be first class.

The famous Maybach back-seats would coddle each passenger.

Pricing would be above the $1300 round-trip from New York to LA…try $2600 round-trip.

After 10 round-trips per year, you’re converted to “Premier Status.”

And “Premier Status” allows you to see the profiles of other Mercedes-Benz Air members…and network using a tool similar to LinkedIn.

Convert to “Premier Status” immediately for the networking? Simply pay up-front for 10 round-trips. A CFO’s dream.

More expensive than First Class, cheaper than Net Jets, and the priceless benefit of on online Mercedes status network.

Search who’s on your plane, chat in 6o minutes before take-off, enjoy the Maybach seats.

Mercedes is luxury. Not necessarily cars. Mercedes could enter the high-margin space of the Internet…connecting high-level business people.

Think Daimler’s ready to think outside the Benz?

Mark Hughes is a marketing speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

Eleanor Roosevelt spoke one sentence with respect to innovation, which every Executive should write down.

“Do something that scares you every day.”

Innovation does not happen in a zone of comfort.

Innovation happens in a zone of discomfort.

My friend and mentor on positioning, Jack Kraushaar from Omnicom, put a slight spin on it. “If it doesn’t make you uncomfortable, it won’t succeed.”

Innovation may come naturally to some…but innovation can be accelerated, can be nurtured, can be optimized.

#1. Write down the one sentence of Eleanor Roosevelt “Do something that scares you every day.”

Obviously don’t jeopardize your personal health by rock-climbing, sky-diving, or riding motorcycles…do something that scares you and challenges you.

Get outside your comfort zone in a variety of ways.

#2 Physical: can you go 32 minutes on the treadmill at a 12% incline at 3.5 mph?
Challenge yourself physically (but safely). It has been demonstrated that more blood-flow to the brain actually produces a higher level of mental alertness. Mind is Body. Body is Mind.

#3 Mental: if you’re reading books about your own industry, if you’re looking for inspiration in your own category…think again.

Fellow Penguin/Portfolio author and speaker Jason Jennings never reads business books…yet he is one of businesses most popular speakers! His inspiration comes from outside the normal environs.

Mentally, you need to go to a different place and experience things completely outside your comfort zone.

Are your friends all from your industry?

Make new friends outside the industry.

Have you never been to France? Does it make you nervous? Good. Go. Now.

Because things that make you nervous…once you experience them, and once you overcome that nervousness, build confidence.

And this is the innovation equation resulting from confidence:

(Confidence + Talent) X (Desire to excel) = Innovation

Do something that scares you every day, and not only do you build confidence, you exercise your “desire to excel” muscle.

Have you done the equation?

Listen to Eleanor.

Mark Hughes is a professional speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

The Wall Street Journal’s Story on Fox introducing paired eight-second content clips during ad breaks…might be the biggest thing since cable.

For decades, networks have been interrupting programming with 2 minute commercial breaks. Fact of life.

New fact of life in the 1990’s: the number of commercial versus programming minutes escalates. The clutter war begins.

New fact of life in 2001: TiVo begins a shift. Consumers buy DVRs and 92% of them skip commercials.

Networks raise cost of advertising, consumers pay less attention to ads. Pay more, get less.

New fact of life: Biggest TV advertisers like Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson don’t take part in the TV upfronts…a traditional ad buying frenzy where brands make huge “forward buys” for TV ad inventory. Easy money not so easy anymore.

New fact of life: Internet ad tracking data becomes robust and data rich. Brands begin putting more dollars towards the Internet. Brands also tell Nielsen to wake up…Nielsen’s technology hasn’t changed in 30 years.

New fact of life: Nielsen responds by delivering the ability to track ratings of commercials (before they merely gave average ratings of the show with the ability to drill down into 15 minute, then two minute windows of the show).

Now Here’s Where the Bomb Drops…

What Nielsen’s new data rich system discovers, is the secret which smart marketers already know.

It is the following:

With this new tracking data, Nielsen shows that people are watching TV shows, but not watching commercials!

Behind closed doors, Nielsen shares early findings with networks.

Houston…we have a problem.

If networks and media buyers told advertisers that 5 million people were watching their shows…all along it was really only 4 million. In other cases, only 3 million.

And with many networks providing audience guarantees, this would likely spark revolution in an already fractious advertiser environment.

Advertisers (if they wanted) could sue for their missing audience guarantees going back seven years.

Instant revenue loss for networks–20% minimum.

What Happens Now Might Be The Smartest Thinking Since Cable

Beginning six days days from now, Fox makes the first step in changing the death of the 30 second commercial.

Fox brings Oleg.

Oleg is content. Eight second content which will air twice in a 2 minute commercial break.

A quirky taxi driver video blurb.

Not a commercial message plugging 24 on Fox…but true content.

Content is why we people tune in.

Content is the raison d’etre of Fox.

Ans content, might keep people from zapping and skipping the commercial breaks.

Brilliant.

Knowing that Nielsen technology officially ‘outs’ the industry in two months, Fox put on its thinking cap.

Fox finds a solution and acts…putting content inside 2 minute commercial breaks.

Welcome Oleg…the first idea which may save the 30 second spot.

Brilliant.

Now If I Were NBC…How Would I Outdo Fox?

Take this idea to a new level.

Taking a page from my own book, using the concept of Empowered Interactivity, the smartest thing to “out-Fox” Fox would be to copy the concept, but make these eight second content spots all user-generated.

Not schlock video, but high quality, produced by the above-average Joe in Wisconsin.

Now, you’ve got something.

Now, you’ve got involvement.

Now, you’re making your viewers famous.

Now, you’re creating buzz.

Now, you’re giving new viewers impetus to interact with your network.

…and get new audience (on TV and online).

Thank you Fox for perhaps the biggest thing in TV since Cable.

But who will “out-Fox” Fox?

Kudos to Jon Nesvig and whomever else made this happen at Fox.

Mark Hughes is a marketing speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

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The last place you’d expect to find innovation is in the halls of a 100 year old auto manufacturer.

Ford has it’s back up against the wall…and human nature shows us there’s a thin line sewn between desperation and innovation.

The fruits of Ford innovation are beginning to grow.

Witness Ford dropping emphasis on its own brand name and placing emphasis on pop culture icons like Funk Master Flex, and Chip Foose.

To the unfamiliar, Funk Master Flex is perhaps the most recognized hip hop DJ in New York and urban circles across America. A man who’s been associated with customizing cars and trucks. Great cross-over appeal to the malls of Billings as well as the streets of Brooklyn.

Chip Foose is perhaps the best known figure for designing and customizing very very expensive muscle cars…giving them a modern cool. Also a man with his own TV show and current media platform, his cars typically go for $125,000 and higher.

The news:

1) The dowdy Ford Expedition will be customized into a Funk Master Flex edition

2) The Mustang will be customized by Foose into a 500+ horsepower edition

To do this, somebody recognized what’s a rewind to the pre-Mustang days of the early 1960’s (also outlined in the Mustang chapter of my book)…which is the following:

Nobody young today wants to buy a Ford.

Ford has no buzz. No impetus to talk. No impetus to buy.

Somebody at Ford, however, recognized this and followed the path of somewhat risky innovation (definition: producing something like nothing done or experienced or created before). That’s risk.

Not just signing Funk Master Flex and Foose as commercial pitch men (young people see through this…star gets paid to stand in front of camera, then drives Porsche home). They embedded Flex and Foose into the car, into the product, and into the brand. A Flex product, a Foose product…not necessarily a Ford product.

Somebody at Ford took enough risk to reduce the importance of the Ford brand (mass and manufactured) in favor of becoming unique and personalized.

Keep track of my mantra to clients: look more personal, look less corporate.

Bravo for Ford on this.

Imagine, however, if we filmed the process and the meetings, and the healthy discussions which got them there.

My guess is it could have been ugly. It could have been easy.

But timing, unfortunately for most, is everything when it comes to innovation.

Most companies wait for desperation before they can discover innovation.

A Study in Innovation and Human Nature

Human nature in the corporate environment is not too dissimilar from poker.

When you’re up, you play conservative. You don’t want to lose your chips when you’re in the lead.

But as great poker players know (ask my Buzznation Studios partner Jamie Gold who is the $12 million World Series of Poker Champ)…results come from taking calculated risks when you’re up!

Corporate nature (and most human nature) is to avoid risk when you’re up.

Innovation = New.

New (and radically new) = Risk

When things are going OK…risk is avoided.

Unless you’re Andy Grove at Intel, most try to keep their chips with low risk bets when you’re up.

But ask the champion of Poker, Jamie Gold…and that’s not how you win.
That’s how you lose.

In order to win, with consistent stock price growth, risks are best taken when you’re up.

Unfortunately for Ford, half the value of their company had to be lost in order to find innovation. Glad to see it beginning to bud now, though.

Calculated risks when you’re up get you the gold.

P.S. If you’re looking to read Jamie’s White Paper on “Secrets of Calculated Risk and Success: Lessons from Business and the Winningest Poker Player in the World” fill out the contact form at Buzznation with a comment reading “Poker White Paper” here.

I can’t wait to read it myself. Should be ready in a couple weeks.

Mark Hughes is a professional speaker, consultant, and author of the book Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Penguin/Portfolio).

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