Trending: Top 5 Must-Do's for Launching mCommerce

This is the first of a two-part series on non-traditional retail systems in Canada (Part II is available here).

Okay, I've heard of eCommerce... but what the heck is mCommerce??!

If you just asked yourself that, don't worry- you're not alone. Just like eCommerce was on the bleeding edge of retail technology at the turn of the century, we're now seeing the emergence of some extremely innovative commerce and retail applications for mobile platforms. As with the development of most new technologies, we're currently experiencing an explosion of competing products and services that directly precedes the eventual consolidation and standardization across an industry.

As a small business owner in Canada, one of your key questions about mCommerce systems should be this: are people actually using this technology to make purchases?

mCommerce: Defined

mCommerce is any retail technology that acts as a consumer purchasing system which replaces or complements the traditional Canadian in-store Point-of-Sale. This differs from eCommerce in one key way: eCommerce systems are designed to completely replace the traditional brick-and-mortar retail model. Simply put, there's no physical store front, and all of the traditional retailing functions (on the consumer side) are replaced by an online store.

Canadian mCommerce can mimic this approach by offering a digital storefront which is custom-designed for mobile platforms (usually in the form of a mobile-friendly website and secure shopping cart/payment systems). But, and this is a really fascinating but, mCommerce is also being used to enhance the traditional in-store and retailing experience (particularly in hospitality services). For instance, Starbucks offers a payment system for mobile devices which allows its customers to purchase in-store goods via the generation of a QR Code through the Starbucks Mobile App (this incorporates process elements of the mobile wallet concept; a subject for another day).

So, are people actually making purchases through mCommerce systems?

Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: Not as frequently as eCommerce or traditional store visits. However, the adoption rate of mCommerce by consumers in Canada is rather astonishing. KPMG's annual Consumers and Convergence Survey revealed that the number of people who used a wireless mobile device to make a purchase in 2010 doubled over the 2009 number

(which was up 30% or so from the previous survey). The Canadian Payments Association is fully onboard with this trend- one of their key priorities in developing the Vision2020 Strategy is to establish industry standards and a framework for mobile device payments.

Should you rush out to put together an mCommerce system to support

your existing operations right now? Probably not, unless you're a small business owner in the Canadian consumer packaged goods or hospitality/retail food services and cater to an affluent, technologically-savvy crowd (here's a good measure: how often do you see your customers whip out the latest BlackBerry, iPhone, or Android device?). Keeping an eye on the development of mCommerce systems and including a medium to long term goal of developing the infrastructure necessary to support mCommerce in the future is absolutely essential for the majority of B2C businesses, however. One day, you will have to go there to keep up; and spending a couple of thousand dollars now to prepare makes more sense than having to do a complete overhaul at the 11th hour (which will cost a lot more).

Top 5 Considerations for Bringing mCommerce to Your Business

1. Be a Savvy Planner - where does mCommerce fit in your sales model? What are your goals? How will you measure success?

2. Be Design Conscious - consumers using mCommerce are tech savvy: if the application is poorly designed, it will hurt your brand equity and kill the sale

3. Be Data Driven - ensure a robust analytics platform is built into your mCommerce system, so you can enhance your USP as time goes on

4. Be Security Conscious - consumers want to know that you're doing everything within reason to protect their personal information

5. Be Innovative - if you're not offering consumers a serious value-added with mCommerce, what's the point? Remember: the purpose of technology is to make our lives easier.

Your Mobile-Ready Implementation Plan

If you don't have a strong in-house web team, talk to an expert. Trust us, you'll save a lot of time and bypass the lion's share of the growing pains by getting expert advice and help in execution right from the beginning.

1. Invest in a mobile assessment - is your website mobile friendly across all three major smartphone platforms? Is your content mobile optimized? Does your content management system include mobile content options and tracking features specific to mobile? If your website IS mobile friendly, does the deployment include a browser sniffer? Mobile users won't punch in the URL for your mobile website, they'll punch in the URL for your regular website -- your website needs a mechanism to detect a mobile device and automatically serve up the optimized content.

2. Plan for digital - it's not impossible, really. Your existing promotions (contests, sweepstakes, coupons) port over to web and mobile technologies very easily. After all- most web and mobile applications were designed to make the real world easier and more fun.

3. Once you cross the threshold, don't look back - you've prepared, you've planned, you're ready to execute... so go do it. That's how you built your business in the first place, right?

Q&A: How does it go mobile?

Q: I already have a web video promoting my store online, and it's hosted on YouTube. How do I get this on mobile?

A: QR Codes! Use a QR Code on an advertisement, exterior signage (think roadside or store exterior in a mall/managed property). To fuel user engagement even more, you could use these QR Codes in an 'easter-egg hunt' style promotion (we've done it before, and people love them!).

Q: I run a monthly sweepstake through my website to build my marketing list and enhance CRM. How can I use mobile to fuel this growth?

A: Location-based check-ins! Add an element to your sweepstake encouraging users to check in with foursquare and offer nifty, innovative prizes to drive engagement. These customers will actually advertise for your business for free every single time they visit you in the future and check in. Turning customers into brand ambassadors is a great way to drive traffic... and it doesn't cost much (you'll spend more on one media buy for a newspaper ad).

Q: I'm trying to build out an exceptional customer-service team. Can I make this more efficient or user-friendly by adopting mobile technologies?

A: Absolutely! Services like live chatting can be migrated to mobile by integrating a 'live chat' function into your website, and ensuring that its design is mobile-friendly. Even a year ago, this would have been prohibitively expensive for many small business owners in Canada, but advances in coding via the html5 covenant are making many processes which previously had to be custom-developed a standard part of the web's native language.

Footnotes:

"QR Code" is a trademark of Denso-Wave Inc., used with implicit permission.

Sources:

CPA Payments Strategy, Vision2020

KPMG International, 4th Annual Consumers and Convergence Survey (2010)

MB Sweet 16 raises $6000!

On September 29, 2011, Marketing Breakthroughs, Ottawa’s best Marketing Firm, hosted one of Ottawa’s finest events: the MB Sweet 16 {Mad Men Style}.

One of the great things about celebrating our birthday is the opportunity to thank people and give back.  Instead of presents to ourselves, we decided to give something back to  two of our favorite charities: The Caring & Sharing Exchange and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.

We invited celebrity auctioneer, Stuntman Stu, to lead a benefit auction.  The crowd was highly entertained by Stu and we raised over $6000 in just under 15 minutes!

Thanks to the generosity of Paramount Properties (Stuart Ages), District Realty (Steve Ramphos), Valberg Imaging (Michelle Valberg) and Highlight Travel (Leslie Coates).  We would also like to thank our friend Stuntman Stu for his generosity in conducting the auction.

Check out these photos from the event!

Stuntman Stu and members of the MB crew auctioning off an autographed Dan Marino Miami Dolphins jersey and football.

Michelle Valberg (R) and Valerie Keeler (L) enjoying the evening (of Valberg Imaging)

Stuntman Stu and an MB crew member auctioning off a work of art by Michelle Valberg.

Stuntman Stu enjoying a "Manhattan Breakthrough" after the auction

Additional photos can be found at Facebook.com/MarketingBreakthroughs.

For more information on the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, click here.  To learn more about The Caring and Sharing Exchange, please visit their site.

Thank you to all of our guests and auction participants, and we hope you enjoy your winnings!

MB Celebrates its “Sweet 16” with Mad Men Theme

100 Guests to Gather for Tribute to the Golden Age of Advertising and

“Can’t-Miss” Celebration of the Year

Ottawa, Thursday, September 29, 2011 - Marketing Breakthroughs, Ottawa’s top marketing firm, celebrated 16 years in business by throwing an exclusive invite-only bash for Ottawa’s business community and selected VIP guests.

This exclusive event was held at SOMA, a downtown fitness studio and spa. SOMA was be transformed into a 1960s-inspired lounge, reminiscent of a Manhattan club from the era. With 1960s-inspired food and drink and full Mad Men-themed costumes and décor, guests felt like they are rubbing elbows with Don Draper and Roger Sterling.

Alongside the 1960s theme was a cutting-edge multi-media and social media showcase. Guests tweeted throughout the event using the hashtag #MBSweet16. All Tweets using this hashtag were displayed live on giant plasma displays – much like the interactive billboards at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest. By participating in this social media element, guests felt like they are truly a part of the event.

With walls lined with 1960s decorations and poster-sized advertisements from the era alongside MB’s plasma displays, this event will surely be the most talked-about business social gathering of the year. As Ottawa Event Producers, MB was thrilled to host this exciting event. “We’re proud to have successfully grown our business in Ottawa and to have fun while we recognize our achievements,” said CEO, Steve Klein.

In addition to a birthday celebration, this event also had a live charity auction (with celebrity-auctioneer “Stuntman Stu”) benefitting the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and The Caring and Sharing Exchange (home of The Christmas Exchange). Over $6,000 was raised for these worthy charities.

Steve Klein founded Ottawa's Marketing Breakthroughs in 1995. Since then, MB has helped some of Ottawa’s best known brands grow. This includes Preston Hardware, HolmesHeating, District Realty, Paramount Properties and MacEwen Petroleum. As the winner of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce’s 2009 Professional Services firm of the year, MB specializes in web marketing, traditional marketing, and offers Canada’s only “VP Marketing” service for companies that have neither the time nor the resources to have their own internal marketing department.

MB Produces Another Successful Ottawa Event

After months of careful and dedicated planning, Marketing Breakthroughs produced the 26th Annual Gold Plate Dinner on Tuesday June 14, 2011.


Marketing Breakthroughs' Steve Klein has been the volunteer Executive Producer of this unique Ottawa event since 2008, providing event production and design expertise. This year proved to be one of the most successful years ever with nearly 600 attendees.

Now in its 26th year, the Gold Plate Dinner is a gala fundraiser with proceeds going to the Hellenic Community of Ottawa and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. The Gold Plate Dinner is a unique and exciting gala on Ottawa's fundraising dinner landscape, due in part to the traditionally unconventional "elimination draw" where, one-by-one, every attendee is taken out of the running to win a brand new 2011 Mercedes-Benz C250, valued at over $40,000 from Star Motors of Ottawa. In addition to this phenomenal prize, there were live auction items and additional prizes.


Marketing Breakthroughs managed all aspects of this event, including graphic design of menus and table cards, video production, live auction coordination, website copywriting and design, staging, audio/visual production, decor, food and beverage planning, production of the day itself, and countless hours of meetings and planning to ensure that the event ran very smoothly.


Before the wonderful dinner, guests feasted on hors d'oeuvres under the big top - a 5,900 square foot tent erected at the front door of the Hellenic Meeting and Reception Centre. After guests took their seats, they enjoyed a presentation of the making of the Gold Plate Dinner and feasted on succulent duck salad, anti pasto, orange sorbet, a Frenched 14 oz rib steak with pearl onion au jus, sweet salty roasted potato, micro carrots, asparagus, and sweet pepper bundles accompanied with a butter crusted lobster tail. And for desert? A delicious trio of savory delights: deep fried cheesecake, tapioca pudding in a chocolate cup, and a delicious fruit tart.

Hosted by celebrity Emcee, Majic 100's Stuntman Stu, the dinner and live auction raised more than $130,000 for the Hellenic Community and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. Attendees ate fantastic food, bid on trips to Europe and the Napa Valley, and had a wonderful evening.

After this year's event, Erin Giakoumelos said the following about Marketing Breakthroughs' successful event production.

Thank you for taking care of the endless details of this event. It is a great comfort to have such a caring team to work with, and I am so grateful for your interest, dedication and professionalism that contributed to the success of the Gold Plate Event.

Erin Giakoumelos, General Manager, Hellenic Community of Ottawa

MB would like to issue a special thanks to the Gold Plate Dinner organizing committee and partners: Dean Karakasis, Erin Giakoumelos, the Hellenic Meeting and Reception Centre, Gold Plate Chair, District Realty's Steve Ramphos, Doris Ramphos, Duocom, Event Design, and Miller McConnell signs.

For more on our Ottawa Event Design and Event Production, be sure to contact Marketing Breakthroughs.

The Growing Impact of Video Marketing in Canada

It’s no surprise that online videos are playing a large role, not only in marketing and branding, but also in society as a whole. Want to listen to a new hit song? Watch the video. Missed your favourite CTV show? Turn to YouTube. Trying to learn how to “Grill the Perfect Steak” search it on Google…and watch the video.

According to comScore, Canadians viewed more than 5.1 billion videos in February 2011 alone, with the average viewer watching 232 videos. So what is it about Canada that makes video such an important aspect of our daily lives?

It may not be science, but here are my insights;

1. Wealthy developed nation with a high level of education. This one may seem like a no brainer, but as a wealthier developed nation more of our citizens have access to the technology and resources in order to watch online videos. Also, our high level of education means there are more of us seeking additional valuable information and, more importantly, in as fast a mode as possible. That’s not to say that non-educational videos don’t attract some views, such as this personal favourite of mine… "Muppets - Old Spice Spoof"
2. Limited access to some American broadcasts. While it may seem far stretched, this point has some real validity. Take, for example, the Super Bowl, where advertising has become almost as important as the game itself. With Canadian broadcasting not showing the highly promoted and astronomically expensive American ads, viewers turn to the web to catch up on what they’ve missed, and advertisers seem happy to oblige.
3. Cold winters and four seasons. While our weather is one of things that defines us as truly Canadian, the cold winters can leave us cooped up for extended periods. This just adds another opportunity to explore the web and view hundreds of videos.
   

While you can’t ignore the many other marketing mediums, promotional online videos are on the rise. If you haven’t created one yet, it’s time to start. Developing professional videos can be quite cost-effective even for small to medium-sized business and can have a large impact on your online presence.

AtlasCare, a Toronto Air Conditioner client, based in Oakville, recently launched a new video on the benefits of a SpacePak air conditioning system. To our delight, the video ranks on the first page of Google for “Toronto SpacePak,” and is being featured on the supplier website, www.spacepak.com. Other video success stories arise constantly, and, as a bare minimum, they are a great way of showcasing your products and services to potential customers in a medium that is becoming increasingly important.

Ottawa's Folk Fest Gets a new Artistic Director, but is it too late?

Ottawa, Ontario, city of festivals. From Winterlude to the Tulip Festival, there’s a festival for everyone in Ottawa. And one of the city’s favorites just got another helping hand from Bluesfest. After years of growing debt climaxing with the bailout from Bluesfest in 2010, Folk Fest is once again on shaky ground. Just before the holidays, Artistic Director Dylan Griffith stepped down after just one year on the job. Enter Bluesfest Artistic Director, Mark Monahan. Monahan is now doing double duty as the Artistic Director for both Bluesfest and Folk Fest.

But is it too late? Can Monahan revive Folk Fest and make it as profitable, notable and successful as Bluesfest? Let’s face it, when the lineup for Bluesfest is announced, the entire population of Ottawa is struck with the juxtaposition of “that’s not blues” and “oh wow, KISS!” Despite acts like KISS and Ozomatli, Bluesfest still throws in a number of the world’s greatest blues acts. It’s an exciting and eclectic blend of artists known and unknown in a series of beautiful outdoor spots in Ottawa.

From a marketing perspective, Folk Fest needs to do the same. If you take a look at the 2010 Folk Fest lineup, it’s all Folk; yes, that’s the point of a folk festival, but it is not bringing the fans to the seats (notable exception: Arrested Development, but most fans were wondering where Jason Bateman and Michael Cera were). Even bigger names like Ani DiFranco and Rufus Wainwright are missing from the list – those names are at least well known. It’s all about content marketing and with a music festival, your lineup is your content.

Mr. Monahan, please do the city a favour, do Folk Fest a favour, and sell out just a little bit. Get some bigger names into Folk Fest. While you may create an underground nickname of “Folkish Fest,” that’s ok. At least they’re talking. At least they’re buying tickets. At least you’re out of the red.

Tell us what you think by commenting below. What does Folk Fest need to do to get back on track? Is Monahan the right pick? Did Bluesfest sell out too much over the years? We want to know.

Click here for the source article from the Ottawa Citizen.

Tell me a story...

When was the last time you heard a good story? A great anecdote even? The type of story that you just couldn’t wait to tell your friends?

On my drive to work one morning last week, I heard a promo on CBC Radio from a woman with the Ottawa Storytellers. She was encouraging listeners to come to their upcoming storytellers' festival and she told a great, yet simple story about her experience as a child in a elementary school play.

I won't steal her thunder, but I will say it was captivating.

Likewise was the case at the Rideau Street Chapter’s bookstore in Ottawa last night. Author David Sedaris read from his book of wickedly funny short stories called Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk drawing a tremendous response from the crowd.

There is a considerable body of research in the social sciences done on narratives and stories and what they mean. It basically falls under the idea that the narratives we tell also say a lot about who we are. Such stories define our personalities, our character, our beliefs, and our values. A story about our past also tells where we intend to go in the future. The details included (or excluded) characterize what we deem to be important and can say a lot about the storyteller. After all, who doesn’t love someone that can tell a good story?

What does this mean for the Ottawa marketer? Narratives matter.

This is a concept not lost on politicians. The narrative portrayal of the party leader is constantly discussed amongst journalists and politicos. Here the primary question centres on how that individual is perceived.

At the same time, in business, a great narrative is basically a great brand. As a business owner, the story you tell about your past says a great deal about where you wish to go. It encompasses your values and your desires. Treat your customers following the values you wish to convey in your narrative and you have successfully defined your own reputation. A happy ending indeed.

Looking for a good movie this weekend?

It's getting to be that time of year again in Ottawa. Cold November rain creeps over the nation's capital mixed with wet snow. A bleak month before the Yuletide feeling begins to swell.

Nevertheless, it is an optimistic time for any film buff. Hollywood is eager to get its best material in the minds of Oscar judges and some quality flicks will soon hit theatres. What better excuse to get out of the Ottawa rain?

Ottawa certainly has a dearth of options for the moviegoer. There's the big name chains across the city for the latest blockbusters or specialty theatres such as the Mayfair and Bytowne for more artsy fare. But how do you decide what film to see?

Such a simple question keeps Hollywood producers up at night. That's why before a movie is released, we are bombarded with movie previews, stars chatting with our favourite late-night hosts, and various profiles of actors/actresses/directors. All of this is intended to create a "buzz" to get us excited about the "Upcoming Movie Event of the Decade!"

However, according to author Jonah Lehrer in an article in the Wall Stree Journal, it is difficult to gage how effective all of this supposed "pre-release buzz" actually is. He cites work by Brian Uzzi, a sociologist from Northwestern University, who specializes in buzz:

The question, of course, is what generates buzz in the first place. Mr. Uzzi's answer should strike fear into studio executives' hearts: He found virtually no relationship between levels of pre-release buzz and the ad budget of the movie or the presence of highly paid actors, even if millions of dollars were spent. The data suggest that pre-release buzz is mostly unpredictable, driven by intangible factors like the originality of the premise, the title of the film, or even a throwaway line in the trailer.

In other words, effective movie marketing - like other marketing - requires getting people talking. Our movie decisions are based on word of mouth and we trust the advice of our friend's judgement over what makes a good movie. Social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook expand this discussion to a larger audience in real-time and we learn quickly what could be a good movie versus what is a very, very bad movie.

Like any other product, finding out how to start a positive conversation about a movie is key to effective marketing. Get enough people talking and you surpass the tipping point, making a good movie a box-office smash hit.

______________

Addendum

Jonah Lehrer spoke with Terry O'Reilly from CBC Radio's advertising/marketing program The Age of Persuasion who was sitting in as guest host on Q with Jian Ghomeshi. To find the interview, click here and scroll down to the episode on October 26, 2010.

Try a Touch Point Audit

The Canadian Marketing Association's Canadian Marketing Blog featured a thoughtful article this week recommending that all businesses should do a "touch point audit" on an annual basis to ensure that they are providing their clients or customers with the best possible experience. The article is authored by SalesFertilizer.com's founder, Shelley McQuade. Essentially, McQuade argues that professionals get wrapped up in their day-to-day business, time goes by, and they take their touch points for granted.

McQuade recommends the following process of a touch point audit:

First, establish your positioning. Sit down and decide what message you want to convey. Then document it. Next, pull together samples in the three key categories [communications and media - advertising through invoicing; environment or space; and the people delivering the goods] and run them through your "positioning" filter. Are they on target or wandering off in a different direction? Prioritize and identify your biggest "touch point" offenders and plan to change them ASAP. You should set a three-month goal to get all of your offenders in line.

I think making it a priority to reexamine your touch points each year in order to ensure that you're doing all you can to serve your customers or clients in the best possible way is great advice.

My New Favourite Place for Summertime Fun in Ottawa

This summer, if you are wondering what to do in Ottawa to beat the heat, look no further than Canada's newest and largest theme waterpark, Calypso. Those in Ottawa, Montreal, and everywhere in between are in luck as this water wonderland is located in nearby Limoges, Ontario!

The park opened earlier this month and I can vouch for its awesomeness, having spent the day there this past weekend. Oddly enough, I heard about the park via the Globe and Mail in a recent article profiling owner Guy Drouin. I haven't personally seen or heard any marketing and advertising for the park around town, but I imagine that word of mouth for this destination will soon take off like wild fire.

All you need to do is check out the Rides and Attractions section of the website to get a sense of the excitement that this place generates for kids of all ages. My advice would be to arrive before the gates even open to avoid the lines!

Yo Gabba Gabba to Entertain the Kiddies in Ottawa

When searching for what to do in Ottawa, I happened to stumble upon the fact that Yo Gabba Gabba is coming to Ottawa in November to put on a live show at Scotiabank Place. I must admit that I'm pretty out of the loop when it comes to the kiddie scene, but I had heard of Yo Gabba Gabba thanks to one of my favourite shows, E!'s The Soup (check out the video below).

So when I found the Ottawa concert listing, I clicked on the link to the Yo Gabba Gabba website and took a peek just for fun. What I found that was most interesting was a video featuring Jimmy Eat World singing and playing their instruments on top of flying giant cats and dogs. Say what? Jimmy Eat World makes music for kids? Are kindergarteners really their new target market? After giving it a bit of thought, I realized how genius this is in terms of a marketing approach. While the kids will love it, their parents will think it isn't half bad, especially if their ears are still bleeding from some of those other children's performers that will remain nameless in this blog post. They may even check Jimmy Eat World out on iTunes and download old favourites or find new ones. Smart.

Ottawa Writers Festival 2010 Spring Edition Starts This Week

The Ottawa Writers Festival was launched in 1997. For the last 13 years, the festival has brought hundreds of celebrated authors to Ottawa, honouring "the world's best writing from home and abroad with an electric program that presents interactions with leaders in the worlds of science, history, poetry, politics, spoken word, economics, drama, fiction, biography, music, religion, spirituality and more." For more information about the festival, click here.

The 2010 Spring Edition runs from April 22nd to 27th. Most events will be held at a pretty cool venue - the Mayfair Theatre in Old Ottawa South. There are also some post-festival events lined up for May, June and September. The full schedule can be found on the official website.

I think I might check out Terry O'Reilly and Mike Tennant's presentation on Sunday, April 25th. Their CBC Radio show The Age of Persuasion is consistently interesting and Terry has a pretty compelling website as well. If you're interested in marketing and culture, this would be a great event for you. Maybe I'll see you there!

Keeping Up with "The Joneses"

"The Joneses" is a new Demi Moore/David Duchovny film coming soon to a theatre near you. Check out the trailer below. According to the synopsis, the film is about four individuals living undercover as a picture-perfect family. What their neighbours don't know (yet... I imagine), the fake family works for a marketing company and their job is to introduce new luxury-level products to neighbourhoods like theirs around the world, using undercover marketing techniques.

Fashion companies, including Reebok and Nike, do in fact have "coolhunter employees". Coolhunters seek new trends and act as brokers, bringing these trends back to their company and turning them into products for sale. As Malcolm Gladwell explains,

"The key to coolhunting... is to look for cool people first and cool things later, and not the other way around. Since cool things are always changing, you can't look for them, because the very fact they are cool means you have no idea what to look for... Cool people... are a constant."

Do big companies and/or marketing companies actually implant cool people into make-believe lives to sell a variety of products to their unsuspecting neighbours? I doubt they go that far. Although, I have heard of people being hired to walk around big malls with specific shopping bags in their hands, to influence others to shop at those specific stores, so maybe it's a slippery slope. I can't help but notice that "The Joneses" is in fact one big excuse for product placement.

In effect, "The Joneses" seem to me to be double-agents, the characters in the film are masquerading as cool people in the film trying to sell products to their neighbours while they are simultaneously trying to sell these same products to the film audience as well. While this product placement is most likely intentionally heavy-handed, to stress the message of rampant consumerism or whatever the director is going for... that doesn't erase the fact that it is still product placement.

Sound Too Good to Be True? It Probably Is.

Today, and today only, IKEA is offering a $1,000 gift card to Facebookers who 1) become "fans" of IKEA on Facebook and 2) "invite" their Facebook friends to do the same. Sound too good to be true? That's because it is. Unfortunately for the 40,000 fans of this page, this is a scam. Not only will you be spamming all of your friends, you'll be divulging personal information to untrustworthy scam artists. IKEA is obviously not too impressed. IKEA spokeswoman Mona Liss told WalletPop.com, "Needless to say this is most frustrating."

Let this be a warning to big businesses like IKEA that they should keep an eye out in the social media world for phony Facebook and Twitter identities that could tarnish their brand and offer the public insincere offers.

The Most Worthy of the World’s Best Commercials 2009

Recently, I had the pleasure of viewing the World’s Best Commercials as per the 2009 London International Awards. Although some spots were obviously made with the sole intention of winning awards, others were able to do the near impossible: connect us with the brand in an entertaining and surprising way. Here’s my top pics from the World’s Best:

First up, an automotive ad for Volkwagen that actually had an idea in it. I say that because the other automotive spots that took home hardware were all about making the Art Directors look like gods, and little else. You can’t help but be charmed by this one and good on Volkswagen for keeping up their tradition of amazing advertising.

How do you take a 19 second beer commercial and make it not only memorable but also absolutely freakin' hilarious? See for yourself.

Although these were my absolute favs, there are plenty more on the list that are worth watching. Check them out after the jump.

Friday Breakthrough: Clotaire, Conan, and Stephen

The Friday Breakthrough is Ottawa's weekly roundup of some of the Internet's best marketing and social media articles for a less-than-intense day at the office.

1. Clotaire Rapaille is a fascinating character in the world of marketing. He is currently working for a "completely neurotic" "sadomaschist[ic]" client with a "primal reptilian core"... aka Quebec City. His words, not mine, I assure you. The Globe and Mail reports that Rapaille is getting a $300,000 paycheque for his analysis of the city and a resulting strategy to give its image a facelift. That's a whole lot of money, but apparently this guy gets results. Some happy customers include Dubai and Signapore. The website for his company "Archetype Discoveries Worldwide" describes his "Archetype Studies" approach: striving to find the answers to the question "why do people do what they do?" by combining "a psychiatrist's depth of analysis with a businessman's attention to practical concerns". Want more of an explanation? So do I. However, according to the Globe and Mail's article, "it can cost as much as $135,000 to get information contained in the studies has has already done". Fascinating.

2. The Internet is a buzz due to the fact that Conan O'Brien (@ConanOBrien) is randomly following one young lady named Sarah Killen (@LovelyButton) on Twitter. Her world has been turned upside down in a very short time for simply being the only person this very famous person is following: "she [now has] nearly 19,000 followers, a new iMac, a free wedding gown, wedding rings, $2,600 in donations for her cancer walk, and the chance to meet Ludacris". As you read this blog post, I believe her 15 minutes are just about up.

3. Stephen Harper is taking a page from Barack Obama's book, reaching out to younger voters and interacting with them using using social media. The TalkCanada YouTube channel enables Canadians to submit their questions for the Prime Minister. He will answer a selection of top-voted questions on YouTube next Tuesday. So far there have been 65,080 votes on 873 questions from 2,496 people.

Jane Austen is to Zombies as Sir John A. MacDonald is to the Rolling Stones

Lately, I've noticed a few OC Transpo buses around Ottawa sporting a new ad by Chez 106. They are certainly eye-catching, due to the uncanny image of Sir John A. MacDonald with a bright red Rolling Stones' Forty Licks-style mouth supplanted on his face.

I'm impressed by Chez's mashup in the ad. It's clever and modern, reminiscent of the recent book "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies", by Seth Grahame-Smith (and Jane Austen).

How about you, Daily Breakthrough readers? What local ads have appealed to you recently? Let us know.

Based On A True Story

Tim Hortons is in a bit of hot water due to a marketing misstep. Their latest television commercial is a touching one, so much so that many viewers were moved to learn more about the featured family, the "true story" that this commercial was based on. The problem there is that there isn't one.

Dakshana Bascaramurty of the Globe and Mail burst everyone's bubbles today, reporting that Tim Hortons spokesperson David Morelli says the commercial was in fact based on "an amalgamation of stories". Cue eye-rolling by cynics everywhere.

Does this fib take away from the commercial? It is still heartwarming and patriotic, but it would definitely be even more so if we knew that it was 100% authentic. What do you think? Are you disappointed in Tim Hortons for misleading the public or should we expect such little white lies in today's advertising realm? Let us know what you think!

Friday Breakthrough: Olympic Edition – Part Three

The Friday Breakthrough is Ottawa's weekly roundup of some of the Internet's best marketing and social media articles for a less-than-intense day at the office. For the duration of the Winter Olympic Games, the Friday Breakthrough will be dedicated to reviewing The Good, The Bad and The "What Were They Thinking?!" of the marketing of the Vancouver Olympics.

Part Three: What Were They Thinking?

And now, the hot mess of Olympic marketing blunders. First up, I must discuss the train wreck of Olympic uniforms that we had to endure during the Olympic ceremonies. Don’t get me wrong, I loved a lot of countries’ Olympic threads, but some were so hideous. (And yes, for any naysayers, Olympic gear has EVERYTHING to do with marketing). Germany takes the cake on the worst uniforms. Pink for girls and blue for boys – I wish I were kidding. Sure, my fashion expertise is limited to episodes of “Project Runway” and my LouLou subscription, but I mean come on! Heidi Klum must be throwing up right now. I couldn’t seem to find a pick of the German uniform disaster, but look for them during closing ceremonies. Trust me, you won’t miss team Deutschland. It’s a bad fashion wreck, you won’t be able to take your eyes off. Also, there’s a good chance you’ll feel better about your grade 8 sewing assignment in Home Ec class. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t have you walk away without viewing a most excellent Olympic fashion faux-pas, I have included a pic of the Norwegian curling team.

Next up: bandwagon jumping of provincial tourism served up with the subtlety of Kanye West. Sure, the spirit of the Olympic Games has always diluted by the onslaught of advertising, sponsorship and press, but am I the only one who finds the constant running of the B.C. and Ontario tourism ads blatant attempts to cash in? I just have one question for British Columbia Tourism: How many of them ACTUALLY call B.C. home?

So who has reached the summit of ultimate Olympic blunders? The hot mess goes to Cold FX. There are several spots featuring Canadian Olympic athletes, all touting the benefits of this cold remedy. Uber cheesy and filmed with the quality that makes you think that local community programming has a bigger budget to work with. Also, the copywriting on the Clara Hughes spot reminds me of feminine hygiene ad from 1962 or something: “I guess it’s not a secret any more.” No Clara, it’s no secret that Cold FX seriously needs to reconsider their advertising. In the words of Charlie Brown: “Good grief!”

My apologies for not attaching the soon-to-be classic Clara Hughes spot, blame it on YouTube. If you’re any Olympic fan at all, you’ve already seen it 74 times at least and if you haven’t - go watch the Olympics!

I hope you enjoyed this three part series, I sure did. Be sure to catch our post-Olympic Friday Breakthrough next week.

Friday Breakthrough: Olympic Edition Part One

The Friday Breakthough is Ottawa’s weekly roundup of some of the Internet’s best marketing and social media articles for a less-than-intense day at the office. For the duration of the Winter Olympic Games, the Friday Breakthrough will be dedicated to reviewing The Good, The Bad and The “What Were They Thinking?!” of the marketing of the Vancouver Olympics.

Part One: The Good

1. Nike’s Force Fate

Nike nails it with “Force Fate”. No commercial in recent memory better captures the attitude of our determined athletes. And what about those golden expectations? Their defiant retort: “Destiny doesn’t decide if we win. We do.” Wicked line. Pow! They hit you in the gut with that. The music is killer, too. It’s a crank-up-your-ipod-I’m-gonna-run-10miles-flat-out kind of song. Honestly, if this spot doesn’t get you psyched up for Team Canada Hockey at Olympics, I don’t know what will.

If there’s one downfall for the commercial, it’s how pretty it looks. It’s shot beautifully, which makes me wish that it wasn’t. The attitude of this spot is so gritty that it leaves me wanting imagery that matches. Give me raw footage of practice; with sweat everywhere, whistles blowing, coaches yelling, and the heavy breathing of athletes pushing themselves past their breaking point. Now that is some serious “destiny” butt kicking. That would be the ultimate “Force Fate”.

2. CTV’s Believe, narrated by Donald Sutherland and set to the music of Oscar-winning composer Howard Shore.

Now I am a self-confessed Olympic junkie who loves those touchy-feely athlete profile stories that tug at your heart strings, but I have to say CTV has done a nice job with their promo spots. Donald Sutherland has the perfect pitch to carry the tone of the Canadian Olympic dream and adding in the music from the guy who won an Oscar for his work on the Lord of The Rings trilogy isn’t too shabby either.

Although I love the spots that profile our athletes, I am not such a fan of the other “Believe” spots that feature young Canadians. The thought is right and the message is right, but somehow it doesn’t feel authentic. It doesn’t pull at my heartstrings and it seems forced, like I know those kids were fed those lines. Canadian kids do have Olympic dreams and they’ll tell you about them, but I just don’t buy that they would tell you in the way that CTV is presenting. So overall, they got it right with Donald Sutherland, but they dropped the ball on the spots featuring the kids.

3. IOC (International Olympic Committee) – The Best of Us

This IOC spot with the cartooned athletes from the different continents in their respective Olympic gear. In the spot, these enormous cartooned athletes are standing on top of their home continents and each have a rope. They pull hard until they bring all the continents together. The different continents coming together is like a visual interpretation of the Olympic rings – emphasized by the continental colours. It’s imaginative, memorable and fun to watch. Kudos to the IOC!

Stay tuned for next week’s Friday Breakthrough. It’s gonna be ugly. I mean bad. Actually, Olympic marketing bad. Ok. You get the idea.