A Social Media Marketing Can Help Deb Shops Boost Sales

Executive Summary

Deb Shops, a low-cost mall retailer that specializes in junior and plus-sized merchandise in sizes 0 to 26 for young women ages 13 to 25, operates more than 340 stores in 43 states as well as an online store (Debshops.com, 2009). With roots dating back to the 1930s, Philadelphia-based Deb Shops “is focused on providing current fashion and compelling values” and strives “to guide young women with dependable advice and empower them with current fashion and styles that fit both their figure and budget" (Debshops.com, 2009).

The Situation

In 2008, Deb Shops had no online presence (Krol, 2009). Its Web site was information-based rather than product-based. A year later, the retailer’s first foray into e-commerce is considered a success (Krol, 2009). In addition to building an e-commerce site, Deb began collecting e-mail addresses in its bricks-and-mortar point-of-sale system, and started using affiliate programs to drive site traffic, paid search and SEO, banners and targeted media, and partnerships with established brands where it makes sense Prior to the site launch, Deb Shops had a file of 60,000 names, most of which were old and dormant. Since the site launched in February, the database rocketed to more than one million opt-in names (Krol, 2009).

The retailer partnered with Seventeen magazine on its first campaign for prom, linking to the publication's Web site to jointly promote a contest. That added exposure enabled Deb Shops to build its database more quickly and drive more customers to the site. Deb also partnered with Jay McCarroll, winner of the fashion-focused reality show Project Runway to promote homecoming events.

The campaign was a success. In the first four weeks of the campaign, www.debmodelsearch.com saw more than 25,000 registrations and more than 5,000 model entries, a growth of approximately 1,000 percent over the first week. Yet Deb has not continued the momentum the campaign created.



Deb has a presence on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and YouTube. Yet Deb, as of December 28, 2009, had no links to any of the social media sites on its main Web site. And despite an extensive store network, Deb’s Facebook site, for example, only had 6,844 fans as of December 27, 2009, an increase of nearly 450 fans since November 2, 2009 (Facebook.com, 2009). Deb’s YouTube site had only 147 subscribers on December 27, up just one subscriber from November 2. Channel views totaled 3,120 on December 27, 2009, up from 2,991 views on November 2 (YouTube, 2009). In addition, Deb’s MySpace blog, a good use of social media to build a brand, has not been updated since July 24, 2009 (MySpace.com, 2009). The other postings made in 2009 were on April 9; February 2, 18 and 21; January 4, 23, 29 and 30. Such neglect of a social media renders the tool virtually ineffective.

Marketing Objective

In a 10-K SEC filing filed by Deb Shops on April 13, 2007, the company said, “We believe that many of the malls in which we operate our stores are destination locations for our customers. We also believe that our target customer visits the malls in which we operate on a regular basis and that in addition to shopping in our stores they also visit other teen apparel retailers.

“As a result, we believe the most effective form of marketing is through visual merchandising within our stores. Our visual merchandising is designed to create an image of depth, with product offerings using coordinated and accessorized fashion displays. Our displays also present layered items to encourage multiple unit sales. In connection with the opening of a new or newly remodeled store, we frequently use radio advertisements to develop customer awareness of the new or remodeled location.

“Our Web site, www.debshops.com, is designed to drive additional store traffic, showing up-to-date seasonal fashions for our junior and plus-sized customer, some of which can be purchased online. It also serves as a marketing channel that helps to build brand awareness and contains a store locator. Our gift cards can also be purchased on our Web site.” In addition, Deb Shops said its goal is to increase “sales, profitability and cash flow.” In 2007, the company reported revenue of $324.7 million, with a profit of $21.4 million (10-K SEC filing, 2007).

Deb no longer relies solely on store displays and radio advertisements to accomplish its goal of increased sales, profitability and cash flow, having added social media into its marketing mix. However, Deb can benefit from setting a specific marketing objective. Such an objective should be specific, measurable, achievable yet challenging and build upon its goal.

With that goal in mind, an effective marketing objective for Deb would be “to persuade 25 percent of the target audience through a year-long social media campaign that Deb Shops offers them the most value for their money.”

Target Market

Every generation of teenagers believes it is unlike any that came before. In some respects they are right. Today’s kids never knew a world without the Internet. To them, control, alt, delete is as familiar as learning their ABC’s. Today’s teens also are part of a generation with access to more money and the free time to spend it.

The Teens Market in the U.S. Report (2009) predicts the market for products bought by and for the 25.6-million-member teen market is expected to increase from $189.7 billion in 2006 to $208.7 billion in 2011, despite an estimated 3 percent decline in the teen population (Marketing Charts, 2009). Specifically, teen girls account for a healthy portion of the billions that teenagers funnel into the economy. They also are receptive to advertising in traditional places as well as alternative media, making social media an important marketing tool for businesses serving the teen market (PRWeek, 2003).

In addition, USA Today’s Jayne O’Donnell reported on December 28 that discounters, price-conscious teen stores (like Deb) and social-media-savvy retailers are best-positioned to thrive in the 2010. While teen stores have tended to do better than others during the recession, those with the best prices have soared, putting Deb in a good position to affect its bottom line.

According to Quantcast (2009), 64 percent of Deb customers are female; 45 percent between the ages of 13 and 17; 84 percent are white; and 60 percent are from families earning between $30,000 and $100,000 a year. Given Deb’s demographics, the online world offers many opportunities to improve its marketing efforts. In addition, since Deb customers are heavy cell phone users who text more often than they talk on the phone, the retailer could benefit for experimenting there.

Deb’s principal competitors, according to Quantcast (2009) include Charlotte Russe Holding, Inc.; Gap Inc.; Hot Topic Inc.; Target Corporation; and The Wet Seal, Inc. Looking at Facebook alone, Deb has the fewest fans of any of its competitors. Compare Deb's 6,844 fans to Target's 683,771 and The Gap's 499,826. While these two stores also attract buyers outside Deb's target audience that Deb isn't likely to reach, Deb's other competitors with similar demographics also have better numbers. For example, Hot Topic has 130,397 Facebook fans; Charlotte Russe, 62,791; and Wet Seal, 42,394 (Facebook.com). In addition, Charlotte Russe, which also has a big presence on Twitter, has been called a "social-media supernova" and is currently the fastest-growing online retailer in 2009 (O’Donnell, J., 2009).

In its report “How Tweens & Teens Use Social Media, EPM Communications (2009) found that 29 percent of Twitter users 18-24 years old use Twitter to follow their favorite companies and 54 percent of 13-14 year olds have Facebook pages.

All in all, social media offers businesses like Deb an opportunity to create two-way communication with customers. While Deb has recognized the benefits of social media, the company could do a better job of reaching out to its target market through this valuable marketing tool.

Strategy

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, blogs. These are the tools of today’s marketing and public relations practitioner. Yet posting occasionally on your Twitter account or writing blogs or maintaining a Facebook pages just for the sake doing so doesn’t constitute a social media marketing strategy. Blindly jumping into social media is a terrible mistake that can create major setbacks. The value of Facebook is that it allows users to communicate with friends, family and long-lost classmates as well as businesses and nonprofit causes they support. The reality of many people in the 21st century is that their lives do not allow them to be as involved in their community as they would like to be. Facebook offers an easy way to keep in touch and connected to those they care about. But it also offers users an opportunity to seek out special offerings.

Deb Shops Facebook Fan Amanda Wilson proclaimed in a posting, “Debs should post coupons to use in the stores on the Facebook page!” She’s not alone in what she says she wants. A study released from Razorfish on consumer behavior, suggests all consumers really want from their favorite brands on social media is a good deal. FEED: The 2009 Razorfish Digital Brand Experience Report, posted November 8 on Media Post News (Walsh, 2009), surveyed 1,000 connected consumers about their attitudes toward social media marketing and how digital is changing the way they interact with brands.

The survey found that promotions and discounts were primary drivers of friending a brand for 37 percent of Facebook and MySpace users and 44 percent of Twitter users. The report points to companies such as Starbucks, which has amassed nearly 5.3 million fans and soared to the top of Facebook brand pages by offering coupons for free pastries and ice cream, and Dell, which has earned kudos for generating more than $7 million in sales from its Dell Outlet through Twitter.

The findings suggest social media marketing isn't so much about boosting brand awareness as enticing users with concrete offers. Garrick Schmitt, Razorfish group vice president of experience planning and editor of the study, said "That to me is a big 'Aha! What we're finding is that with Facebook and Twitter, marketers are assuming some deeper dialogue, but what's really going on is – people want deals" (Walsh, 2009).

Social Media Plan

Social media is different from traditional mass media in that it allows for the quick dissemination of information to an engaged and targeted audience. It also provides those who want to know more about a company the opportunity to seek out information in a different manner. While consumers still value open and honest conversations, they also want something for their time in the form of a discount. The Razorfish survey is important to retailers like Deb because companies that use social media effectively are creating loyal customers. Razorfish found that the overwhelming majority of consumers who actively engage with a brand, by following them on Twitter or entering a contest such as Deb Shops Ultimate Prom Makeover Sweepstakes for example, can evolve from passive reactors to advocates almost instantaneously (Walsh, 2009). Such contests not only attract consumers but can be used to build databases by asking for op-in data, including e-mail addresses, Facebook fan status and cell phone information that can be used in other marketing approaches.

On average, 97 percent report increased brand awareness; 98 percent show increased consideration; 97 percent will likely purchase a product from the brand; and 96 percent may recommend the brand to their friends. Perhaps more importantly, 64 percent of consumers report making a first purchase from a brand because of a digital experience (Walsh, 2009).

To retain and add customers, Deb needs to shift focus from brand awareness and impressions to create campaigns that drive people to make purchases and spread the word to friends about products they buy. Deb is taking steps in this direction. For example, the same day that Wilson suggested a coupon, Deb announced its first Happy Hour special. Shoppers who bought a sweater between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. got free leggings (Facebook.com, 2009). This is an interesting approach but it is limited to a specific item. A coupon, on the other hand, could have more wide-spread appeal because the decision about what to buy is in the consumers’ hands.

Deb has a great gallery tab on its Facebook page that allows visitors to try on sample prom dress and accessories. This should be expanded to include more styles. In addition, a similar tab could be created for back-to-school fashions, another busy time of the year for Deb.




In addition, Deb could benefit from an increased presence on Twitter. To date, Deb is only mentioned on other sites, such as coupon sites. A study released by Performics, the marketing arm of Publicis Groupe's VivaKi Nerve Center, and ROI Research, an analytics and technology firm suggest such inactivity is a poor marketing move (Sullivan, 2009). The study found that nearly 50 percent of people who saw a brand's name on Twitter went to a search engine to look for the product (Sullivan, 2009). The findings, presented at Ad:Tech, noted that about 44 percent of Twitter users have recommended a product on Twitter and 39 percent have discussed a product on Twitter (Sullivan, 2009). Twitter has evolved into one of the hottest social media platforms available and should part of Deb’s marketing arsenal.

Twitter, a microblogging site, continues to grow in popularity and importance in both the consumer and corporate worlds. No longer just a platform for friends to stay connected, it has evolved into an important component of brand marketing. From May 2008 to May 2009, Twitter was the fastest growing Web brand, increasing 1,448 percent from 1.2 million visitors in to 18.2 million (Nielsen Wire, 2009). Twitter, where ordinary people and business can make tweets of 140 words or less that can be updated at any time, even from a mobile device, offers companies a new tool to promote deals and interact directly with their customers.

As people spend more time on social networks, forward-thinking retailers are following their lead. Savvy businesses on Twitter know that effective communications isn't about just pushing content to readers; they also converse with others and respond to their concerns. Such retailers are rewarded with customer loyalty and increased sales. Dell, for example, reported in June (2009) that it had sold more than $3 million in PCs and accessories via Twitter promotions since it began experimenting with the social media tool in 2007 (Tode, 2009).

An Abrams Research survey (2009) of more than 200 social media leaders found that Twitter was the social media they would recommend businesses pay for if it were not free. In fact, survey responders recommended Twitter over Facebook by more than two to one, 39.6 percent to 15.3 percent, saying “It’s the quickest way I’ve seen to spread information virally to a wide scope of people attached in a lot of random ways” (Schonfeld, 2009).

The increasing use of Twitter coincides with a recent report from Interpret, which shows that Twitter users are twice as likely to review or rate products online than members of other social networking Web sites by a ratio of 24 percent to 12 percent. Twitters users also are more likely to visit company profiles than Facebook users and click on advertisements or sponsorships (Tode, 2009). According to State of the Twittersphere (2009), about 10,000 people create profiles on Twitter every day. This is good news for retailers. Yet Deb Shops has yet to make its presence known on Twitter, unlike several of its competitors.

At least three of Deb’s competitors realize the potential Twitter offers them to disseminate relevant and timely information to a captive audience. The Gap, Charlotte Russe and Target all have a presence on Twitter. The Gap has 17,514 followers, Charlotte Russe with 6,800 followers and Target with 4,107 followers (Twitter.com, 2009). These retailers know that Twitter can help them create awareness for their brand, promote a product or educate consumers. Twitter also can be used to promote tie-ins with a business’ Web site and retail locations. On Black Friday, The Gap used Twitter to inform New York City residents and visitors where its “Gap Cheer” bus (filled with dancers and drummers) would be parked to give away sweaters and jeans (Rosenbloom and Cullotta, 2009).

Twitter remains a great medium with a huge, untapped potential that smart retailers include as a practical and strategic part of their marketing communications plan. Deb would be wise to follow in the footsteps of competitors like The Gap, which embrace Twitter and all it has to offer.

Social media is so important in today’s business climate because it allows people to connect in the online world to form intimate relationships. In a very basic sense, social media adds a personal connection to content, whether it’s the written word, audio or video. Blogs, for example, in many ways are just electronic newspaper columns, the written word in a new, user-friendly, online format. Similarly, many videos posted on You Tube could just as easily been traditional TV commercials.

Chance Parker of JD Power (2009) has touted the benefits of social media, saying, “Social media can do great things, but focusing on measuring and metrics can be a trap. You can miss some really valuable insights. Don't stop there. You've got to not only listen, but hear what people are saying" (Cherecwich, 2009).
Using Twitter, Facebook and MySpace takes the written word, combines it with photos, and presents it in a more interactive, personal way that resonates with young and old fans alike. Social media is no longer an experiment. The way social media has exploded represents a culture shift in how we interact with each other and with businesses. Savvy businesses recognize this and have incorporated social media into their marketing plans. Those who fail to recognize this cultural shift will in all likelihood fail to thrive.

Sample Executions

Building on Deb’s sample prom dress gallery, Deb can make its messages stand out in increasingly cluttered online mailboxes by using digital greeting cards to entice customers into their stores. For the fourth year in a row, OfficeMax has teamed up with JibJab with the “Elf Yourself” (http://www.elfyourself.com/) holiday card promotion. About 35 million “Elf Yourself” cards were sent in 2008, according to OfficeMax (2009). Since 2006, the seasonal site has attracted 284 million visits in what some consider the most successful social-media marketing campaign that the Web has seen so far (McCarthy, 2009).



“ElfYourself” allows visitors to the Web site to affix their head, their family members' or even their boss’s to a dancing elf body put to music, ranging from hip and hop and disco to country and holiday classics. This year, Facebook and Twitter have joined in, allowing fans to tweet a link to their video creations or share them on their Facebook profile, or e-mail or embed the videos on their own Web sites. In addition, the site allows users to sign-in with Facebook Connect to find headshots from their own photo albums or their friends' (McCarthy, 2009). Those happy with their creations, can order merchandise featuring the elfin video for $4.99 to play back after the holidays or transfer it to an iPhone. Otherwise, the video expires once the holiday season has ended. Such changes promise to attract even more visits this year (Warren, 2009).

But instead of elves dancing around in traditional red and green regalia, site visitors could create videos with characters wearing Deb formal wear, seasonal favorites or other select fashions. Such a site would particularly appeal to Deb’s target audience, young women ages 13 to 25. The video would allow want-to-be models to try out the runway in a non-threatening, fun way. Such a site differs from the gallery already on Facebook in that it allows consumers to upload their own faces on the models.

Animation adds a sense of whimsy to shopping that will attract young and older buyers alike. It adds movement to an otherwise static object. While Deb’s target audience is the 13- to 25-year-old, many shoppers include older customers shopping for young friends and relatives. Animation is one way to garner attention and help Deb stand out among the clutter.

At a time when budgets are especially tight, animated e-cards and videos like "Elf Yourself" are proving more popular than ever. ComScore data recently reported that the category received a seasonal boost in traffic in October, thanks to Halloween, Boss's Day and Sweetest Day. The sector attracted 21.9 million Americans, a 15 percent increase from September, making e-cards the top-gaining category for the month (MarketingVox, 2009).

Deb could benefit from such a popular social media tool as "Elf Yourself," which has proven it can attract millions of visitors, many of whom also become customers.

Deb Shops is planning to team up with Seventeen magazine again. This time, the two businesses will be promoting the Ultimate Prom Makeover Sweepstakes. The contest runs from January 23, 2010 to February 22, 2010. This event offers Deb a great opportunity to delve into the Twitter world. In addition, Deb could seek to team up with Men’s Warehouse, which created a virtual prom to appeal to teen boys (http://www.virtualprom.com/shareprom.php?id=407). The site proved very popular.

References:

Cherecwich, R. (2009, November 4). Want Online Branding? Try Social Media. iMedia Connection Blog. Retrieved December 20, 2009, from http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/BlogDetail.aspx?BlogID=993.

Debshops.com. Retrieved November 2, 2009.

Deb Shops 10-K Annual Report (2007). EDGAR Online. Retrieved December 28, 2009, from http://sec.edgar-online.com/deb-shops-inc/10-k-annual-report/2007/04/13/Section3.aspx.
EPM Communications (2009, November). How Tweens & Teens Use Social Media. EPMcom.com. Retrieved December 28, 2009, from http://www.epmcom.com/products/youth/socialmedia.
Facebook.com. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.facebook.com/debshops.

Hayes, G. (2009, September 29) Gary’s Social Media Count. Personalize Media Blog. Retrieved December 14, 2009, from http://www.personalizemedia.com/garys-social-media-count.

HubSpot (2009 June). State of the Twittersphere. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://blog.hubspot.com/Portals/249/sotwitter09.pdf.

Knight, K., 2007, January 8). Study: Most Teen Girls Are On Social Network Sites: Teens are rushing to social networking sites. BizReport. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.bizreport.com/2007/01/study_most_teen_girls_are_on_social_network_sites.html.

Krol, C. (2009, September 14). Deb Shops' First Foray into E-commerce Ends Up a Success. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.netplusmarketing.com/netplus-news/news-article.cfm?id=77.

McCarthy, C. (2009, November 9). “Elf Yourself” Returns with Facebook and Twitter Power. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10393998-36.html.

Marketing Charts (2009, September 17). Millennials Highly Receptive to Permission-Based E-mail. Retrieved November 27, 2009, from http://www.marketingcharts.com/direct/millennials-highly-receptive-to-permission-based-email-10410/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_source=wmd&utm_medium=textlink.

MarketingVox.com (2009, November 23). Retailers Enlist E-card to Cut Through Crowded Inboxes. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://www.marketingvox.com/retailers-enlist-e-cards-to-cut-through-crowded-inboxes-045574.

MySpace.com. Retrieved December 27, 2009, from http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=430561480 and http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=430561480&albumID=796551&imageID=18187287.

Net Plus Marketing (2009, August 25). National Apparel Retailer Deb Shops and NetPlus See 1000 Percent Growth at DebModelSearch.com. Retrieved December 27, 2009, from http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/BlogDetail.aspx?BlogID=993.

Nielsen Wire (2009, June 22). Twitter Grows 1,444% Over Last Year; Time on Site Up 175%. Nielsen.com. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/nielsen-news/twitter-grows-1444-over-last-year-time-on-site-up-175.

O’Donnell, J. (2009, December 28). Retailer outlook: Discounters Best Poised to Thrive. USA Today. Retrieved December 28, 2009, from http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2009-12-28-retail-outlook_N.htm.

PR Week (2003). MEDIA ROUNDUP: Growing Teen Sector Finding Room for More Than Fluff. Retrieved September 26, 2009, from http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23149680_ITM.

Quantcast (2009, October 16). Debshops.com Demographics Summary. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.quantcast.com/debshops.com/demographics#summary.

Rosenbloom, S. and Cullotta, K.A. (2009, November 28). Buying, Selling and Twittering All the Way. New York Times. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/technology/28twitter.html?_r=1&ref=business.

Schonfeld, E. (2009, February 17). Survey Of Insular Social Media Elite Says: Twitter Is Better Than Facebook for Businesses. TechCrunch Blog. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/17/survey-says-twitter-is-better-than-facebook-for-businesses.

Sullivan, L. (2009, November 5). Consumers More Willing To Share Brand Info On Social Networks Than Previously Thought. Media Post News. Retrieved November 6, 2009, from http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116866.

The Teens Market in the U.S. Report. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/teen-market-to-surpass-200-billion-by-2011-despite-population-decline-817.

Tode, C. (2009, October 12). More Retailers Turn to Twitter for Marketing This Holiday. DMNews. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://www.dmnews.com/more-retailers-turn-to-twitter-for-marketing-this-holiday/article/151894.

Twitter.com. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://twitter.com.
Virtualprom.com Retrieved December 28, 2009, from http://www.virtualprom.com/shareprom.php?id=407.

Walsh, M. (2009, November 7). Razorfish Study: Special Offers Drive Engagement In Social Media. Media Post News. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117008.

Warren, C. (2009, November 10). Elf Yourself Returns for 2009 with Easy Twitter and Facebook Sharing. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://mashable.com/2009/11/10/elf-yourself-2009.

Wilson, A. (2009, November 8). Facebook.com posting. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.facebook.com/debshops#/debshops?v=wall.

YouTube.com. Deb Girl Model Search. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/user/DebShops#p/c/2069B3E8D4BCDC67.

YouTube.com (2008, November 20). Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc1BzHMsmpM&feature=related.

Social Media Is An Important Component to Marketing Today

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, blogs. A year ago, you might as well have been speaking Chinese to me, and I don’t speak Chinese beyond Wonton Soup and Mu Shoo Pork. Today, those terms are part of my daily vocabulary. Since enrolling in West Virginia University’s Digital Marketing Communications Certificate Program in August, my knowledge of these and other social media has grown exponentially.

I resisted Facebook and Twitter for the longest time. While I’m still figuring out the details of Twitter, I use Facebook regularly. Its value for me is that it allows me to communicate with friends, family and long-lost classmates as well as businesses and nonprofit causes I support. The reality of my life and many other working professionals is that I can’t be as involved in my community as I’d like to and Facebook offers an easy way to keep in touch and connected to those I care about.

My quest to learn more about all types of social media has taken me full circle. In 1983, I was a freshman at West Virginia University. Little more than 25 years after leaving WVU, I find myself returning to learn more after 14 years as a reporter for The Associated Press and three more in public relations for the West Virginia Department of Education. Working for the AP was a fun yet demanding job, and I am glad I had the experience. I have written stories that have appeared in publications and on television broadcasts all over the world. But I also knew I was ready for new challenges in the global economy of the 21st century.

Everyone has that ah-ha moment, Oprah says. For me, that time came last year when I was working on a marketing strategic plan and felt out of my element. It was a gap in my education for which my vast writing experience failed to prepare me. I learned quite a bit about new media in the introductory course and even more in this class, Social Media Marketing.

President Barack Obama has said “education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite.” I agree. It is one of the reasons I believe it was important for me to learn more about social media. Yet, compared to some people in the field, I am a novice. Still, I know I’ve compiled a wealth of knowledge as I’ve worked to acquire new skills that I hope to share with Deb Shops in this blog.

Why is social media so important in today’s business climate? Social media allows people to connect not only with friends and business colleagues but with brands that they like and admire. Social media allows people to connect in the online world to form intimate relationships. In a very basic sense, social media adds a personal connection to content, whether it’s the written word, audio or video. Blogs, for example, in many ways are just electronic newspaper columns, the written word in a new, user-friendly, online format. Similarly, many videos posted on You Tube could just as easily been traditional TV commercials.

Using Twitter, Facebook and MySpace takes the written word, combines it with photos, and presents it in a more interactive, personal way that resonates with young and old fans alike. Social media is no longer an experiment. The way social media has exploded represents a culture shift in how we interact with each other and with businesses. Savvy businesses recognize this and have incorporated social media into their marketing plans. Those who fail to recognize this cultural shift will in all likelihood fail to thrive.

Take a look at this compilation created by blogger Gary Hayes (2009). It shows how social media is growing and the power, if used right, marketers have at their fingertips.



Deb has taken some good steps along the social media path with its Facebook page as well as its model search with Seventeen Magazine. There is room for improvement, such as joining the Twitter conversation. It will be but one of my recommendations to help Deb Shops capture more of the disposable dollars young women have to spend.

Reference:
Hayes, G. (2009, September 29) Gary’s Social Media Count. Personalize Media Blog. Retrieved December 14, 2009, from http://www.personalizemedia.com/garys-social-media-count.

Retailers like Deb Shops Benefit from Twitter

Twitter, a microblogging site, continues to grow in popularity and importance in both the consumer and corporate worlds. No longer just a platform for friends to stay connected, it has evolved into an important component of brand marketing. From May 2008 to May 2009, Twitter was the fastest growing Web brand, increasing 1,448 percent from 1.2 million visitors in to 18.2 million (Nielsen Wire, 2009). Twitter, where ordinary people and business can make tweets of 140 words or less that can be updated at any time, even from a mobile device, offers companies a new tool to promote deals and interact directly with their customers.

As people spend more time on social networks, forward-thinking retailers are following their lead. Savvy businesses on Twitter know that effective communications isn't about just pushing content to readers; they also converse with others and respond to their concerns. Such retailers are rewarded with customer loyalty and increased sales. Dell, for example, reported in June (2009) that it had sold more than $3 million in PCs and accessories via Twitter promotions since it began experimenting with the social media tool in 2007 (Tode, 2009).

An Abrams Research survey (2009) of more than 200 social media leaders found that Twitter was the social media they would recommend businesses pay for if it were not free. In fact, survey responders recommended Twitter over Facebook by more than two to one, 39.6 percent to 15.3 percent, saying “It’s the quickest way I’ve seen to spread information virally to a wide scope of people attached in a lot of random ways” (Schonfeld, 2009).

The increasing use of Twitter coincides with a recent report from Interpret, which shows that Twitter users are twice as likely to review or rate products online than members of other social networking Web sites by a ratio of 24 percent to 12 percent. Twitters users also are more likely to visit company profiles than Facebook users and click on advertisements or sponsorships (Tode, 2009). According to State of the Twittersphere (2009), about 10,000 people create profiles on Twitter every day. This is good news for retailers. Yet Deb Shops has yet to make its presence known on Twitter.

At least three of Deb’s competitors realize the potential Twitter offers them to disseminate relevant and timely information to a captive audience. The Gap, Old Navy and Target all have a presence on Twitter. The Gap has 17,514 followers, Old Navy with 12,377 and Target with 4,107 followers (Twitter.com, 2009). These retailers know that Twitter can help them create awareness for their brand, promote a product or educate consumers. Twitter also can be used to promote tie-ins with a business’ Web site and retail locations. On Black Friday, The Gap used Twitter to inform New York City residents and visitors where its “Gap Cheer” bus (filled with dancers and drummers) would be parked to give away sweaters and jeans (Rosenbloom and Cullotta, 2009).

While Deb has not joined Twitter, it hasn’t shunned all social media. It has established a Facebook page that it uses to promote sales and offer special discounts to fans. While a good start, the benefits of such sites can be increased when combined with other social networking sites, like Twitter.

Twitter remains a great medium with a huge, untapped potential that smart retailers include as a practical and strategic part of their marketing communications plan. Deb would be wise to follow in the footsteps of competitors like The Gap, which embrace Twitter and all it has to offer.

References:

HubSpot (2009 June). State of the Twittersphere. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://blog.hubspot.com/Portals/249/sotwitter09.pdf.

Nielsen Wire (2009, June 22). Twitter Grows 1,444% Over Last Year; Time on Site Up 175%. Nielsen.com. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/nielsen-news/twitter-grows-1444-over-last-year-time-on-site-up-175.

Rosenbloom, S. and Cullotta, K.A. (2009, November 28). Buying, Selling and Twittering All the Way. New York Times. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/technology/28twitter.html?_r=1&ref=business.

Schonfeld, E. (2009, February 17). Survey Of Insular Social Media Elite Says: Twitter Is Better Than Facebook for Businesses. TechCrunch Blog. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/17/survey-says-twitter-is-better-than-facebook-for-businesses.

Tode, C. (2009, October 12). More Retailers Turn to Twitter for Marketing This Holiday. DMNews. Retrieved December 7, 2009, from http://www.dmnews.com/more-retailers-turn-to-twitter-for-marketing-this-holiday/article/151894.

Twitter.com. Retrieved December 7, 2009 from http://twitter.com/.

E-cards and Animation Can Make Christmas Shopping Fun

With Thanksgiving just days away, it’s hard not to think about the holidays. After the turkey, pumpkin pie and football are over, it’s time for shopping. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has historically been one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Online shopping also has gained momentum with the Monday after Thanksgiving becoming the busiest online shopping day of the year and earning the moniker Cyber Monday.

In an attempt to make their messages stand out in increasingly cluttered online mailboxes this holiday season, a number of retailers are using digital greeting cards to entice customers into their stores. For the fourth year in a row, OfficeMax has teamed up with JibJab with the “Elf Yourself” (http://www.elfyourself.com/) holiday card promotion. About 35 million “Elf Yourself” cards were sent in 2008, according to OfficeMax (2009). Since 2006, the seasonal site has attracted 284 million visits in what some consider the most successful social-media marketing campaign that the Web has seen so far (McCarthy, 2009).

“ElfYourself” allows visitors to the Web site to affix their head, their family members' or even their boss’s to a dancing elf body put to music, ranging from hip and hop and disco to country and holiday classics. This year, Facebook and Twitter have joined in, allowing fans to tweet a link to their video creations or share them on their Facebook profile, or e-mail or embed the videos on their own Web sites. In addition, the site allows users to sign-in with Facebook Connect to find headshots from their own photo albums or their friends' (McCarthy, 2009). Those happy with their creations, can order merchandise featuring the elfin video for $4.99 to play back after the holidays or transfer it to an iPhone. Otherwise, the video expires once the holiday season has ended. Such changes promise to attract even more visits this year (Warren, 2009).

Check out this card on YouTube:



The concept of animated digital greeting cards is one that Deb Shops could use as well. But instead of elves dancing around in traditional red and green regalia, site visitors could create videos with characters wearing Deb formal wear, holiday favorites or other select fashions. Such a site would particularly appeal to Deb’s target audience, young women ages 13 to 25. The video would allow want-to-be models to try out the runway in a non-threatening, fun way.

Animation adds a sense of whimsy to holiday shopping that will attract young and older buyers alike. It adds movement to an otherwise static object. At holiday time, Deb shoppers will include many shopping for young friends and relatives, shoppers who normally may not find themselves among Deb customers. This is one way to garner attention and help Deb stand out among the clutter.

At a time when budgets are especially tight, animated e-cards and videos like "Elf Yourself" are proving more popular than ever. ComScore data recently reported that the category received a seasonal boost in traffic in October, thanks to Halloween, Boss's Day and Sweetest Day. The sector attracted 21.9 million Americans, a 15 percent increase from September, making e-cards the top-gaining category for the month (MarketingVox, 2009).

Deb could benefit from such a popular social media tool as "Elf Yourself," which has proven it can attract millions of visitors, many of whom also become customers.

References:
McCarthy, C. (2009, November 9). “Elf Yourself” Returns with Facebook and Twitter Power. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10393998-36.html.

MarketingVox.com (2009, November 23). Retailers Enlist E-card to Cut Through Crowded Inboxes. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://www.marketingvox.com/retailers-enlist-e-cards-to-cut-through-crowded-inboxes-045574.

Warren, C. (2009, November 10). Elf Yourself Returns for 2009 with Easy Twitter and Facebook Sharing. Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://mashable.com/2009/11/10/elf-yourself-2009.

YouTube.com (2008, November 20). Retrieved November 23, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc1BzHMsmpM&feature=related.

Facebook Fans Say They Want Discounts Not Conversation

Deb Shops Facebook Fan Amanda Wilson proclaims in her posting, “Debs should post coupons to use in the stores on the Facebook page!” She’s not alone in what she says she wants.

A new study released this week from Razorfish on consumer behavior, suggests all consumers really want from their favorite brands on social media is a good deal. FEED: The 2009 Razorfish Digital Brand Experience Report, posted November 8 on Media Post News (Walsh, 2009), surveyed 1,000 connected consumers about their attitudes toward social media marketing and how digital is changing the way they interact with brands.

The survey found that promotions and discounts were primary drivers of friending a brand for 37 percent of Facebook and MySpace users and 44 percent of Twitter users. The report points to companies such as Starbucks, which has amassed nearly 5 million fans and soared to the top of Facebook brand pages by offering coupons for free pastries and ice cream, and Dell, which has earned kudos for generating $3 million in sales from its Dell Outlet through Twitter.

The findings suggest social media marketing isn't so much about boosting brand awareness as enticing users with concrete offers. Garrick Schmitt, Razorfish group vice president of experience planning and editor of the study, said "That to me is a big 'Aha! What we're finding is that with Facebook and Twitter, marketers are assuming some deeper dialogue, but what's really going on is – people want deals" (Walsh, 2009).

Such results suggest that The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual, released 10 years ago, may have missed the mark when it declared “markets are conversations” (Levine, Locke, Searls, and Weinberger, 1999). This series of 95 truisms about marketing in the Internet era almost immediately attracted a cult-like following, serving as a precursor to what we today know as blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social media.

An excerpt reads, “A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and inventing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets are getting smarter – and getting smarter faster than most companies. These markets are conversations. Their members communicate in language that is natural, open, honest, direct, funny and often shocking” (Cluetrain.com, 2009).

While consumers still value open and honest conversations, they also want something for their time in the form of a discount. The Razorfish survey is important to retailers like Deb because companies that use social media effectively are creating loyal customers. Razorfish found that the overwhelming majority of consumers who actively engage with a brand, by following them on Twitter or entering a contest such as Deb Shops Ultimate Prom Makeover Sweepstakes for example, can evolve from passive reactors to advocates almost instantaneously (Walsh, 2009). Such contests not only attract consumers but can be used to build databases by asking for op-in data, including e-mail addresses, Facebook fan status and cell phone information that can be used in other marketing approaches.

On average, 97 percent report increased brand awareness; 98 percent show increased consideration; 97 percent will likely purchase a product from the brand; and 96 percent may recommend the brand to their friends. Perhaps more importantly, 64 percent of consumers report making a first purchase from a brand because of a digital experience (Walsh, 2009). Read more about the study at http://feed.razorfish.com/.

To retain and add customers, Deb needs to shift focus from brand awareness and impressions to create campaigns that drive people to make purchases and spread the word to friends about products they buy. Deb is taking steps in this direction. For example, the same day that Wilson suggested a coupon, Deb announced its first Happy Hour special. Shoppers who bought a sweater between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. got free leggings (Facebook.com, 2009). This is an interesting approach but it is limited to a specific item. A coupon, on the other hand, could have more wide-spread appeal because the decision about what to buy is in the consumers’ hands.

In addition, Deb could benefit from an increased presence on Twitter. To date, Deb is only mentioned on other sites, such as coupon sites. A new study released by Performics, the marketing arm of Publicis Groupe's VivaKi Nerve Center, and ROI Research, an analytics and technology firm suggest such inactivity is a poor marketing move (Sullivan, 2009). The study found that nearly 50 percent of people who saw a brand's name on Twitter went to a search engine to look for the product (Sullivan, 2009). The findings, presented at Ad:Tech, noted that about 44 percent of Twitter users have recommended a product on Twitter and 39 percent have discussed a product on Twitter (Sullivan, 2009). Twitter has evolved into one of the hottest social media platforms available and should part of Deb’s marketing arsenal.

References:
Levine, R., Locke, C., Searls, D., and Weinberger, D. (1999). The Cluetrain Manifesto. Retrieved November 4, 2009, from http://www.cluetrain.com/.

Sullivan, L. (2009, November 5). Consumers More Willing To Share Brand Info On Social Networks Than Previously Thought. Media Post News. Retrieved November 6, 2009, from http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=116866.

Walsh, M. (2009, November 7). Razorfish Study: Special Offers Drive Engagement In Social Media. Media Post News. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117008.

Wilson, A. (2009, November 8). Facebook.com posting. Retrieved November 9, 2009, from http://www.facebook.com/debshops#/debshops?v=wall.

Deb Could Better Use Social Media to Reach Teen Consumers

Every generation of teenagers believes it is unlike any that came before. In some respects they are right. Today’s kids never knew a world without the Internet. To them, control, alt, delete is as familiar as learning their ABC’s. Today’s teens also are part of a generation with access to more money and the free time to spend it.

The Teens Market in the U.S. Report (2009) predicts the market for products bought by and for the 25.6-million-member teen market is expected to increase from $189.7 billion in 2006 to $208.7 billion in 2011, despite an estimated 3 percent decline in the teen population (Marketing Charts, 2009). Specifically, teen girls account for a healthy portion of the billions that teenagers funnel into the economy. They also are receptive to advertising in traditional places as well as alternative media, making social media an important marketing tool for businesses serving the teen market (PRWeek, 2003).

One such company, Deb Shops, specializes in junior and plus-sized merchandise in sizes 0 to 26 for young women ages 13 to 25. The low-cost mall retailer operates more than 340 stores in 43 states as well as an online store (Debshops.com, 2009). With roots dating back to the 1930s, Philadelphia-based Deb Shops, according to its corporate Web site “is focused on providing current fashion and compelling values” and strives “to guide young women with dependable advice and empower them with current fashion and styles that fit both their figure and budget" (Debshops.com, 2009).

According to Quantcast (2009), 64 percent of Deb customers are female; 45 percent between the ages of 13 and 17; 84 percent are white; and 60 percent are from families earning between $30,000 and $100,000 a year.

In 2008, Deb Shops had no online presence (Krol, 2009). Its Web site was information-based rather than product-based. A year later, the retailer’s first foray into e-commerce is considered a success (Krol, 2009). In addition to building an e-commerce site, Deb began collecting e-mail addresses in its bricks-and-mortar point-of-sale system, and started using affiliate programs to drive site traffic, paid search and SEO, banners and targeted media, and partnerships with established brands where it makes sense Prior to the site launch, Deb Shops had a file of 60,000 names, most of which were old and dormant. Since the site launched in February, the database rocketed to more than one million opt-in names (Krol, 2009).

The retailer partnered with Seventeen magazine on its first campaign for prom, linking to the publication's Web site to jointly promote a contest. That added exposure enabled Deb Shops to build its database more quickly and drive more customers to the site. Deb also partnered with Jay McCarroll, winner of the fashion-focused reality show Project Runway to promote homecoming events.

Deb has a presence on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and YouTube. But despite its extensive store network, the Facebook site, for example, only has 6,400 fans as of November 2, 2009 (Facebook.com, 2009) and the YouTube site had just 146 subscribers and 2,991 views (YouTube, 2009). Given Deb’s demographics, the online world offers many opportunities to improve its marketing efforts. In addition, since Deb customers are heavy cell phone users who text more often than they talk on the phone, the retailer could benefit for experimenting there.

Deb’s principal competitors, according to Quantcast (2009) include Charlotte Russe Holding, Inc.; Gap Inc.; Hot Topic Inc.; Limited Brands, Inc.; Target Corporation; and The Wet Seal, Inc. Looking at Facebook alone, Deb has the fewest fans of any of its competitors. Compare Deb's 6,400 fans to Target's 568,000 and The Gap's 475,000. While these two stores also attract buyers outside Deb's target audience that Deb isn't likely to reach, Deb's other competitors with similar demographics also have better numbers. For example, Hot Topic has 87,000 Facebook fans; Charlotte Russe, 57,000; Wet Seal, 28,000; and The Limited, 17,300 (Facebook.com).

All in all, social media offers businesses like Deb an opportunity to create two-way communication with customers. While Deb has recognized the benefits of social media, the company could do a better job of reaching out to customers through this valuable marketing tool. Over the next few weeks, I plan to make social media marketing suggestions that I beleive will help Deb better communicate with and attract the teen consumer.

References:
Debshops.com. Retrieved November 2, 2009.

Facebook.com. Retrieved November 2, 2009.

Knight, K., 2007, January 8). Study: Most Teen Girls Are On Social Network Sites: Teens are rushing to social networking sites. BizReport. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from
http://www.bizreport.com/2007/01/study_most_teen_girls_are_on_social_network_sites.html.

Krol, C. (2009, September 14). Deb Shops' First Foray into E-commerce Ends Up a Success. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.netplusmarketing.com/netplus-news/news-article.cfm?id=77.

Marketing Charts (2009, September 17). Millennials Highly Receptive to Permission-Based E-mail. Retrieved November 27, 2009, from http://www.marketingcharts.com/direct/millennials-highly-receptive-to-permission-based-email-10410/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_source=wmd&utm_medium=textlink.

PR Week (2003). MEDIA ROUNDUP: Growing Teen Sector Finding Room for More Than Fluff. Retrieved September 26, 2009, from http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23149680_ITM.

Quantcast (2009, October 16). Debshops.com Demographics Summary. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.quantcast.com/debshops.com/demographics#summary.

The Teens Market in the U.S. Report. Retrieved November 2, 2009 from http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/teen-market-to-surpass-200-billion-by-2011-despite-population-decline-817.

YouTube.com. Deb Girl Model Search. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/user/DebShops#p/c/2069B3E8D4BCDC67.

Marketers Take Note -- If You Can't Protect It, Don't Collect It

As I was doing my weekly grocery shopping this week, I picked a couple bags of candy for Halloween. I don’t have many Trick-or-Treaters in my neighborhood but I never want to be caught empty-handed so I usually opt for the favorites like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, made by Hershey Foods. It has been America’s favorite treat for years, mine, too.

While doing research for my Introduction to Digital Marketing Communications class this week, I learned that Hershey was one of at least 10 businesses that have been fined in recent years by the Federal Trade Commission for violating the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (The Associated Press, 2003, Dobrow, 2006). The FTC in 2003 fined the chocolatier $85,000 for collecting personal information from children on one of several Web sites that market candy and for posting the names and hometowns of children who won online contests, all without receiving proof of parental consent (The Associated Press).

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), passed in 1998 and adopted in April 2000, restricts the online collection of personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13 (Simmons, 2007). To legally collect such personal information, businesses must obtain verifiable parent consent, provide a means for a parent to review the information, not make providing such information a requirement to participate in a game or collecting a prize, and maintain procedures to protect the confidentiality of information that is collected (Simmons).

No doubt children today are much more techno-savvy than many adult. Yet, nearly a decade after COPPA became law, privacy and kids’ marketing remains a key area of debate in the online world. Lillie Coney, associate director of the Electronic Privacy & Information Center, said the fact that addresses, birthdays and other information can be retained cheaply and easily for decades is reason enough that no data on any minor child should be retained in any database, period (Dobrow). “Young people are not cautious about the information they share with others,” Coney said. “Parents know to tell their kids not to give an answer if a stranger walks up to them and says, ‘Where do you go to school?’But that's exactly what's happening to them on the Internet.”

Although reputable marketers do not set out to harm children, there are those who seek to blur the lines or ignore them altogether, making laws like COPPA necessary. Marketers of child-driven products and other more-widespread services would be wise to follow the law and protect their customers. Failure to do so could ultimately lead to the loss of a marketer’s greatest asset – access to private customer information.

References:
Dobrow, L. (2006, March 13). Privacy Issues Loom for Marketers; Creating Relationships with Kids Under Age 13 Presents Sticky Situations. Advertising Age. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://www.lexisnexis.com.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T7671641039&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T7671641048&cisb=22_T7671641047&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=8093&docNo=1.

Dolnicar, S. & Jordaan, Y. (2007). A Market-Oriented Approach to Responsibly Managing Information Privacy Concerns in Direct Marketing. Journal of Advertising. 36(2). Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/bsi/pdf?vid=6&hid=112&sid=49535893-727d-440b-a765-a7f358edac23%40sessionmgr110.

McCarthy, M. (2009, October 8). Halloween Candy Favorites: What Are America's Top Picks for Trick-or-Treat Candy Brands? Suite101.com. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://homemanagement.suite101.com/article.cfm/halloween_candy_favorites.

Simmons, C. (2007). Protecting Children While Silencing Them: The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and Children's Free Speech Rights. Communication Law and Policy. 12 (2). Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://web.ebscohost.com.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/bsi/detail?vid=5&hid=112&sid=49535893-727d-440b-a765a7f358edac23%40sessionmgr110&bdata=JnNpdGU9YnNpLWxpdmU%3d#db=buh&AN=25183468#db=buh&AN=25183468#db=buh&AN=25183468.

The Associated Press (2003, February 28). Hershey Fined for Violating Children's Privacy Act. Retrieved October 21, 2009, from http://www.lexisnexis.com.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T7671393592&format=GNBFI&sort=RELEVANCE&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T7671394102&cisb=22_T7671394101&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=304481&docNo=5.

So long old friend ... Gourmet to cease publication

I found out this month that I’m losing a friend. Publishing giant Conde Nast announced it was ceasing publication of Gourmet magazine because of financial reasons. In circulation since 1941, Gourmet provided not only recipes and tips but commentary on a variety of food issues. Conde Nast has decided instead to keep Gourmet’s less fancy sister publication, Bon Appétit, which has more readers. While I enjoy both publications, I will miss Gourmet.

My love for food and cooking is a relatively new hobby. It started a few years ago when a couple friends were going through divorces. We decided to get together once a month, talk about our problems, share some food and some wine. Our little Supper Club has been going on more than 10 years now. None of us were experts when we started by any stretch of the imagination. But each month we would pick a theme, head to our cookbooks or Internet sites like Gourmet’s Epicurious, find an interesting recipe and try it for nonjudgmental friends. Sometimes the recipes were great; sometimes not. Along the way, we honed our culinary skills and deepened our friendships, something many of us could use a little more of in today’s hustle and bustle world.

I found myself reminiscing about Gourmet this week while doing some research for my Digital Marketing Communications class. My classmates and I were charged with comparing the media kits of two similar magazines. Of course, I looked at two cooking publications. Instead of Gourmet, my old faithful, I turned to two newer friends — Cooking Light and Every Day with Rachael Ray. While doing my research, I was surprised to learn the average reader of both magazines is a 40-something married woman earning between $73,000 and $75,000 a year. There are so many people who could benefit from the health tips in these magazines. Unfortunately, the reality is that many families who would benefit the most are the ones who can ill-afford a monthly magazine subscription, which is why, I suspect, the monetary demographics are what they are.

I can’t help but like Cooking Light and Every Day with Rachael Ray. Both of these magazines provide quick, mostly healthy, balanced, flavorful meals. I’ve had some health issues in recent years and enjoy trying out the healthier recipes both publications offer. Still, I’ll keep my favorite Gourmet recipes around. Here’s a popular one at my house: Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Mustard (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pork-Tenderloin-with-Apricot-Mustard-238677). Add a tossed salad, some green beans or asparagus, roasted potatoes, bread, a bottle of wine, a few friends, and enjoy. And think about Gourmet when you do.

References:
Cooking Light Media Kit. Retrieved October 14, 2009, from http://www.cookinglight.com/magazine/media-kit-00400000033153.

Every Day with Rachael Ray Media Kit. Retrieved October 14, 2009, from http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Help/advertise-with-us-information.

Roberts, J. (2009, October 8). Just How Much Did Conde Nast Lose? Ad revenue at the high-end magazine company may drop by $1 billion by year's end. Retrieved October 16, 2009, from http://www.newsweek.com/id/216921.

An Apple a Day? Is It for Me?

I think I want an iPhone. Or do I? All the new touchscreen phones are confusing me. Still, since 2007 when Apple introduced its first iPhone, the sleek palm-sized computer that doubles as a cell phone has captured about 19 percent of the Smartphone market in the United States. While the iPhone has set many firsts in the cell phone market, it shares a common component with phones made by a competitor. The iPhone and Smartphones made by Korean electronics giant Samsung all run on the same Samsung-made processors (Crothers, 2009).

This common denominator has helped Samsung become a major player in the wireless market and set the stage for Samsung to launch an effort to follow in Apple’s footsteps. Samsung, one of the largest mobile phone providers in the United States, last month launched its own mobile applications store in Europe (http://www.samsungapps.com) with plans to expand to 30 countries through 2010. The apps are compatible with phones running the Symbian or Windows Mobile operating system (Kolakowski, 2009). Samsung opened its app store with about 300 applications and plans to expand to about 2,000 by the end of the year (Kolakowski). Samsung hopes its app store will help it capture a slice of the mobile-application pie that has been led mostly by Apple's App Store for iPhones and iPods.

Juniper Research estimates mobile application downloads will reach 20 billion annually by 2014 (Adhikari, 2009). Mobile data consumption continues to grow at a rapid pace, with data services now representing a quarter of total U.S. operator revenues, which topped $19.4 billion in the first half of 2009 (Ankeny, 2009). Wireless subscribers in the U.S., which now total 276.6 million, transmitted 740.3 billion text messages in the first half of 2009, about 4.5 billion messages per day (Ankey). With those kinds of numbers on the line, it’s no wonder Samsung and other mobile providers are doing what they can to increase their share of the ever-growing mobile pie. Now which one to buy???

References:
Adhikari, R. (2009, August 31). Samsung Leaps Into App Store Arena. E-Commerce Times. Retrieved October 7, 2009, from http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/68002.html?wlc=1254969627.

Ankeny, J. (2009, October 7). U.S. mobile data revenues close to $20B the first half of this year . FierceWireless.com. Retrieved October 7, 2009, from http://www.fiercewireless.com/ctialive/story/u-s-mobile-data-revenues-close-20-billion-h1-2009/2009-10-07.

Averitt, M. (2009, October 7). Samsung Mobile Announces Comprehensive Commitment to Deliver Support, Innovation and Services to Enterprise Market. Retrieved October 7, 2009, from http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Samsung-Mobile-Announces-bw-2158629657.html?x=0&.v=1.

Crothers, B., (2009, September 18). Samsung's 'Apple' Chip Rides iPhone Market Gains. Cnet.com. Retrieved October 7, 2009, from http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10356877-64.html.

Jones, A. (2009, July 30). Samsung Launches Samsung Application Seller Site. IT Business Edge. Retrieved October 7, 2009, from http://www.itbusinessedge.com/cm/community/news/mt/blog/samsung-launches-samsung-application-seller-site/?cs=34556.

Kolakowski, N. (2009, August 31). Samsung Application Store to Compete Against Windows Mobile, Apple App Store. Eweek.com. Retrieved October 7, 2009, from http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Samsungs-New-App-Store-Looks-to-Compete-Against-Windows-Mobile-Apple-App-Store-782741.

What is it about Facebook???

I’ve spent the last week reading and writing more about social media, including Facebook, than I ever thought I would. My Digital Marketing Communications class started out discussing whether companies that use social media, including Facebook, should create an in-house team to monitor activity. I personally think this is the best move for companies that are serious about using new media to reach customers. Who to better protect and promote your brand than your employees?

As part of this discussion, I came across a nugget of information in Fortune magazine (2009) that really struck me: “If Facebook were a country, it would have a population nearly as large as Brazil's. It even edges out the U.S. television audience for Super Bowl XLIII, which drew a record-setting 152 million eyeballs.”

What is it about Facebook that attracts millions of teenagers, professionals and grandparents alike? Recent Nielsen data show that when Americans go online, they spend 17 percent of their time on social network and blogging sites, particularly Facebook, nearly triple the time spent on such sites last year. I think one reason Facebook is so popular is because it offers us an easy way to reconnect with people, particularly through photographs. These images allow people to quickly share what they’ve been up to with family and friends, old and new. Plus, they’re just fun to look at. This addictive quality keeps Facebook's typical user on the site for an average of 169 minutes a month, according to ComScore. Compare that with Google News, where the average reader spends 13 minutes a month checking up on the world (Hempel & Kowitt, 2009).

All too often these days we find ourselves rushing from one meeting to the next, to soccer games and gymnastics, then home to make dinner, do some household chores and collapse into bed only to get up and repeat the process all over again. There often is little time left for friends and other interests. Facebook helps fill this void in so many of our lives. For me, it’s another avenue to stay in touch. It will never replace spending time with family and friends in person.

Still, I find it funny that no matter the environment, in person or online, some things never change when it comes to men and women. A Harvard study (2009) of social media usage, including Facebook, found the biggest usage categories are men looking at women they don't know (think the beach, the mall, a bar), followed by men looking at women they do know (repeat), while women like to look at other women they know (think of celebrations, shopping finds, new do).

What can you say? Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus.


References:
Hempel, J. & Kowitt, B. (2009, March 11). How Facebook is taking over our lives. Fortune. Retrieved October 3, 2009, from http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/16/technology/hempel_facebook.fortune/index.htm.

MarketingCharts.com Web site (2009, September). Ad Spend up 119% on Top Blog, SocNet Sites. Retrieved October 3, 2009, from http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/ad-spend-up-119-on-top-blog-socnet-sites-10534/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_source=wmd&utm_medium=textlink.

Silverthorne, S. (2009, September 14). Understanding Users of Social Networks. Harvard Business School Working Knowledge. Retrieved October 3, 2009, from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6156.html.

Digital Content Advances Prove Writers Were Right Walking

I’m a “Grey’s Anatomy” Fan so I was right at home in front of the TV for the recent season premiere. Such new shows aren’t always available. This was the case in 2007-2008 when the Writers Guild of America went on strike over compensation for digital content, including streaming video and DVD residuals. In earlier negotiations, the writers had lost out on their fair share of the highly profitable home video market. The writers didn’t want to be victims yet again. They wanted just compensation for their contributions, and rightly so. Such was the topic of discussion this past week in my Digital Marketing Communications class.

While I missed seeing new episodes of "Grey’s Anatomy," I believe the 12,000 writers had little choice but to go on strike. The New York Times (2008) said the strike enabled writers “to wrest a major concession from management — winning a piece of digital revenues — the kind of victory that has largely eluded organized labor in the past few years.” Tony Gilroy, the writer and director of Michael Clayton, said “there is no one who can argue that the strike was not necessary. We would never be in the position we are without it. Anybody who says the strike was a bad idea is dead wrong,” (Carr, 2008).

As a former shop steward for The Wire Service Guild, part of the Communication Workers of America, it was easy for me to side with the writers on this one. During my years as a reporter with The Associated Press, I never actually had to walk a picket line, however, I came close several times. During one tense negotiation period, reporters across the country participated in byline strikes, refusing to put our names on stories. Such a move never sat well with AP officials in New York, who wanted a name attached to AP stories to distinguish them from member contributions. This was particularly true on national stories, where news competition is fierce.

No doubt technology has changed not only how reporters and other writers do their jobs, but also how consumers watch media. Companies, both large and small, expect employees to produce more with fewer people and less compensation. Yet, it is common to hear arguments that unions have outgrown their usefulness. I would argue that those who make such assertions have never worked for a company where they were treated as little more than a widget in the production line.

The writers fought to get compensation at great personal cost. Some of them, who had yet to earn the minimum of $30,000 to have union health insurance, went without. In the end, the writers got just $1,200 a year for the first two years for streamed programs, small potatoes compared to the millions studios can make off a single movie or TV program. More importantly, the writers got much deserved recognition for their work, whether it appears online or in print.

References:
Carr, D. (2008, February 12). Who won the writer’s strike? The New York Times. Retrieved September 23, 2009, from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/arts/television/12strike.html?_r=1&ref=arts.

Pandora Helps the Digital Immigrant Discover New Music

I made a musical discovery this week, four weeks into my Digital Marketing Communications class. Sure, I have streamed audio onto my computer from radio stations that were simulcasting their on-air signal, and I’ve downloaded music to my iPod. But I really have never been a big consumer of Internet radio. That could soon change. I’ve discovered a service for those of us who aren’t afraid to try new technology but would like a little help. We’re the ones who love our Smartphones like the iPhone and all the apps that can be downloaded on them. The service? Pandora, a personalized music streaming site: http://www.pandora.com/#/stations/create.

What I like about Pandora is it simplifies the online music-listening experience. Based on the Music Genome Project begun in 2000, Pandora is the most thorough analysis of popular music ever undertaken. Each song in the collection is analyzed by one of more than 35 trained musicians, and assessed against up to 400 distinct musical attributes such as melody, harmony, and rhythm. This is great for music fans like me who like listening to new and upcoming performers, particularly ones I might hear on West Virginia Public Radio’s Mountain Stage (http://www.mountainstage.org/). With Pandora, when I enter an artist's name or a song title, Pandora automatically suggests similar tracks and builds a playlist. Listeners can then accept or reject the suggestion. Pandora remembers the responses and then will fine-tune subsequent recommendations.

I liked discovering this service, but it made me stop and think about how much the music industry has changed. I remember as a child in the ‘70s, buying a Kiss album, my first venture into rock-and-roll. No more bubble gum pop music for me. I listened to that album for hours, learning songs that had yet to make it on the radio. I still have that album (and a turntable to play it on). Kids today don’t even buy CDs anymore; they only buy songs they like from Internet sites, so they don’t get the experience of discovering other songs that could become their new favorite. That’s what technology has done.

The music industry is not unlike many businesses going through a transformation because of technology. Wired’s Eliot Van Buskirk (2009) called today’s use of social media by artists "music’s curse and salvation." With music now being distributed on social networks, radio no longer is the only place to hear new music for free.

Such changes in consumer behavior ultimately forced historic Tower Records to close in 2006, (The Associated Press, 2006). Social media and the digital distribution possibilities it offers has empowered a new generation of music fans as well as musicians. Performers like Taylor Swift appeal to fans directly on social sites such as MySpace, bypassing traditional record label distribution avenues. Music industry executives should embrace this consumer change, and work with it and adapt, or they will find themselves in Tower Records’ unenviable position – simply put out of business.

References:
ACountry.com (2008). Retrieved September 15, 2009, from http://www.acountry.com/music/taylor_swift.

Van Buskirk, Eliot (2009, April 9). Social Media Networks Are Music’s Curse and Salvation. Wired. Retrieved September 15, 2009, from http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/04/social-networks.

The Associated Press (2006, October 10). Tower Records Victim of iPod Era. Retrieved September 15, 2009, from http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/News/TowerRecordsToClose.aspx.

When Two Worlds Collide: Digital Publishing and Politics

My journey over the digital divide brought me to familiar territory this week as we looked at publishing and politics and how both have changed in the era of Facebook and Twitter.

My friends and family know that I love to cook for them during my spare time so the fact that I often visit Epicurious.com, the online home of Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines since 1995, comes as no surprise. Both publications are owned by Conde Nast, the world’s largest magazine publisher.

Epicurious.com is the premier Web destination for food lovers like me. The site has won more awards than any other food site. It uses blogs and video to complement its articles and vast database of recipes, complete with user reviews and ratings. I use it more than many of the cookbooks in my expansive collection.

What I didn’t know is that there were so many of us foodies out there allowing our cookbooks to gather dust while we turn to the Internet for new recipes. The growing popularity of Epicurious.com and sites like it has led some traditional magazine subscribers to dump their subscriptions altogether. In response, Conde Nast is streamlining its approach and putting more of its money behind digital darlings like Epicurious.com (Kinsman, M., 2009). In fact, fans can now access the site’s database of more than 25,000 recipes on their iPhones and iPod Touch. Such accessibility could lead me to make the leap from my tiny BlackBerry Pearl, which I love for its size, for the larger, snazzier iPhone.

Such a phone would also make it easier to remotely access e-mails, like the one I got this week from President Obama’s camp. Not only has the Internet changed how elections are conducted, but also it has changed the way the president of the United States governs and communicates with citizens. Obama has refused to give up his cell phone and has maintained e-mail communications with his supporters through his campaign network.

Obama’s campaign capitalized on the popularity of the Internet to connect with hundreds of thousands of supporters and to mobilize multitudes of volunteers in a new type of grassroots movement that had never been possible in previous elections. Now Obama has asked his campaign supporters to support him again in his efforts to reform healthcare in the United States

“I just finished laying out my plan for health reform at a joint session of Congress. Now, I'm writing directly to you because what happens next is critical — and I need your help,” the e-mail said. “Change this big will not happen because I ask for it. It can only come when the nation demands it. Congress knows where I stand. Now they need to hear from you. Add your voice: Ask your representatives to support my plan for real health reform in 2009.”

Whether Obama’s approach will help him in his quest for healthcare reform is not clear. One thing is certain, however. His use of digital media during his rise to the presidency will be studied for years to come as the textbook example of a new kind of campaign driven by people and technology.

References:
Kinsman, M. (2009, February 28). Conde Nast and Others Are on a Push to Finally Make Digital Work. FolioMag.com. Retrieved September 9, 2009, from http://www.foliomag.com/2009/internet-nickels-digital-dollars.

Epicurius.com (2009, April 30) Epicurious.com Introduces iPhone Recipe Application in Apple App Store. Press release. Retrieved September 9, 2009, from http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/04-30-2009/0005016926&EDATE.