Parc Entertainment - A Video Production Company - Birmingham, AL

Our free e-newsletter is distributed every first Monday of the month. Included in each issue is the “Public Parc,” a forum for discussing different topics pertaining to sales, marketing, advertising, and branding. Subscribers to the newsletter and readers of the blog are encouraged to get involved in the discussion by posting their comments here. You can also post your thoughts on Twitter, using the hashtag #PublicParc. Here is this month’s Public Parc discussion:

In this month’s issue we posted an article about E-Consultancy, a company who decided to put a live Twitter feed on their home page to see what people are saying about their brand. Comments are not filtered and may reflect positively or negatively on E-Consultancy. Do you feel that this decision was good or bad for the E-Consultancy brand?

Our free e-newsletter is distributed every first Monday of the month. Included in each issue is the “Public Parc,” a forum for discussing different topics pertaining to sales, marketing, advertising, and branding. Subscribers to the newsletter and readers of the blog are encouraged to get involved in the discussion by posting their comments here. You can also post your thoughts on Twitter, using the hashtag #PublicParc. Here is this month’s Public Parc discussion:

When you are faced with a purchasing decision, what is it that prompts you either to buy or to shop elsewhere?

Periods of uncertainty often plague both the freelancer and the small business owner. Staying motivated is key, and everyone has their own methods of self-inspiration. Many people surround their work area with inspiring quotes, just to maintain an aura of postivitity. Here’s a little nugget that I keep taped to my desk. I refer to it from time to time when negative thoughts start creeping in. I’d be intereted to know how you stay motivated.

This is the beginning of a new day.

God has given me this day to use as I will.

I can waste it or use it for good.

What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place I have traded for it.

I want it to be gain, not loss - good, not evil,

Success, not failure in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it.

Ameriquest Mortgage created a memorable TV campaign with a series of spots centered on the theme “Don’t Judge Too Quickly.” Each spot features someone in a perfectly innocent situation that doesn’t seem so innocent to other characters who walk in at just the wrong moment.

The campaign has a solid theme which is executable in a variety of fresh ways. Each spot is funny, simple, and memorable. However, when I first saw these spots I was a little surprised that they were advertising a mortgage company. The creative approach to each ad just didn’t feel right, considering the client. Take a look at a some of the spots below and tell me whether you think the strategy was smart move for Ameriquest.

I was listening to an internet marketing podcast recently and the hosts of the show were discussing how E-Consultancy is using Twitter to join in on public conversations related to their company. Here’s a quick synopsis of E-Consultancy, as stated on their website:

Econsultancy is a community where the world’s digital marketing and ecommerce professionals meet to sharpen their strategy, source suppliers, get quick answers, compare notes, help each other out and discover how to do everything better online.

Founded in 1999, Econsultancy has grown to become the leading source of independent advice and insight on digital marketing and ecommerce.

Our reports, events, online resources and training programmes help our 80,000+ members make better decisions, build business cases, find the best suppliers, look smart in meetings and accelerate their careers.

E-Consultancy searched for what people were saying about them on Twitter and placed a live feed of those tweets right on their home page. And there’s no content filtering, so if there are people out there with negative feelings toward E-Consultancy, those thoughts will show up right on the home page.

Just a few years ago, this practice of exposing potential customers to potentially negative reviews would be a no-no. However, in today’s social media world, this transparency might be refreshing. It demonstrates to the public that this company listens to their customers and strives to be prompt in addressing all concerns. It shows that they are engaged and tuned in to conversations about their brand.

This doesn’t mean that you have to put a live Twitter feed on your home page, but it does illustrate the point that as business owners, we have a responsibility to the people we serve. You need to be engaged in what people are saying about your brand. Listen to them. Respond in a timely manner. And always look for ways to improve your brand.

What are your thoughts about E-Consultancy’s move? Good or bad?

My brother Steven turned me onto this spot from American Airlines and I thought I would share it here. I think this spot works for a number of reasons:

1. Premise - It’s a simple idea: a film producer trots around the globe with her eccentric director scouting locations for a film. She’s exhausted, but because of American Airlines new international business class, she can enjoy some much-needed rest while traveling the world. In your own marketing and advertising efforts, keep your strategy simple and on point. Find that key selling point you can wrap a campaign around.
2. Problem & Solution - Notice how the commercial sets up a need: busy world traveler wants some quality rest. The solution is the new international business class from American Airlines, which offers seats that can transform into a small bed.
3. Characters - The eccentric, quirky film director is stereotypical, yet funny and memorable. Even in a thirty-second spot, characters are important.
4. Pacing - The cuts are quick, but they don’t confuse the viewer. And they add to the humor in the spot. The style of edit should match the subject matter of the piece and support the mood you’re trying to achieve.
5. Comedy - The movie is about Parisian squirrels who ride scooters. The premise of the movie is irrelevant to the overall strategy, but it provides the quirky comedy necessary to help the spot stay memorable.

And as always, feel free to leave your impressions on this commercial in the “comments” section.