TCC Insights

There's a right time and a wrong time to join Twitter conversations

 Lisa Cialfi, Account Coordinator

We often advise our clients to join in the trending conversations happening on Twitter (and we do the same with our Twitter account @traverscollins). We tell our clients that a company should not simply share information through social media, but interact with consumers through meaningful content.

However, there’s a time to add a little humor to the conversation, and there’s a time where it’s just inappropriate.

  
It’s a risk for a brand, such as Entenmanns, to comment on hot-button topics. The Casey Anthony Trial is not a laughing matter to a lot of tweeters and even a harmless comment, like the one above, can be offensive.  In fact it doesn’t take long for a controversial tweet to leave Twitter, I found out about this tweet through a blog. 

What's in a Name?

  By Drew Shields, Creative Intern

Yesterday morning I awoke to an interesting story on the Today Show about how the founders of US Fidelis, the automotive extended warranty firm, had been indicted on multiple felony charges. The laundry list of white-collar crimes was read over mugshots of the owner brothers, followed by a slideshow of expensive cars, watches, and helicopter shots of million-dollar mansions bought with defrauded money. Turns out that after an damning NBC investigative report in April 2009, the company discontinued selling its services in December 2009 and declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2010.

At this point, the company's clearly down for the count, but I elect to take this opportunity to kick it while its down to learn a thing or two about "misleading" marketing messages: chiefly, how not to market a service so it is perceived as a skeevy scam.

Old Navy Sways, Spike Follows

By Drew Shields, Creative Intern

Whether or not the Vacay Sway is your dancefloor move of choice, Old Navy has been making moves in the world of television advertising by teaming up with mobile app company Shazam earlier this year.

Since its inception, Shazam's music identifying and tagging app has solely been focused on saving individuals from the mind-wrangling torture of trying to figure out the name of the song that's playing overhead while you wait for your oil change. The Old Navy team-up, which allows you to shop the items from the commercials right from your smartphone, is just the first play in Shazam's full-court press to expand its tech beyond simple redirects to iTunes and Spotify and into the realm of non-music marketing.

A Disappointing Finish

 Carolyn Human, Account Manager

This past weekend, three of us at Travers Collins made the trek down the I-90 to run the Cleveland half marathon. Despite the blog title, we did not have a disappointing finish – in fact all three of us earned a PR (personal record) at the race.

However, one company trying to sell a product at the race expo set a PR for the most misleading and disappointing packaging in my book. For those out there trying to get into social media, this is a perfect example of what NOT to do.

Giving Buffalo a Real Brand

 

 By: Joe Sweeney, Associate Creative Director

Yesterday, Visit Buffalo Niagara (formerly the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau) unveiled a new brand for our city, during a classy, no-frills presentation at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center. Anchored by the tagline “Buffalo. For Real,” this campaign attempts to encapsulate the spirit of the Queen City, in a bid to attract “cultural tourists” (aka history buffs, art geeks, architecture dweebs, etc.).

Simply put: I love Dash’s Market.

 By: Lisa Cialfi, Account Coordinator

I live in walking distance to the Tonawanda/Kenmore location and visit the store about five times a week. With four locations total in western New York, it’s a true mom ‘n pop shop, which is why I choose to shop at Dash’s over larger grocery stores.

As an avid Foursquare user, my check-ins at Dash’s earned me the Mayorship of the store. Because of this I receive free coffee, daily from the SPoT coffee that’s attached to Dash’s.

Apple Blew It

By Bob Travers, Principal

For the fourth year in a row Apple has been number one on FORTUNE Magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.  Not surprised here.  Personally, I love Apple products and as a matter of fact, I own six Apple products including two iPhones (my wife’s and my own). And at the marketing communications company my partner and I own we have multiple Apple computers, products and accessories.

So I am what you would call a loyal purchaser of the Apple brand.  And why am I so loyal?  Because I know they will always deliver to or exceed my expectations, in what we in the marketing world call key moments of truth.  Whenever I interact with Apple, whether it’s through the features or benefits of the product I’ve purchased, or when I call their customer support or technical support services, I’m continuously satisfied, for the most part beyond my expectations.  As I counsel my clients, a great brand not only delivers what a customer is looking for, the overall experience is always a positive one.

However, in my opinion and I’m sure it’s shared by thousands of Apple customers across the country, Apple has blown it big time with the launch of the iPad 2. 

Oh Apple How You Disappoint Me

By Alyssa Mayer, Account Manager, Interactive Strategist

My love affair with Apple has been going for seven years now, dating back to my first iPod mini. My most recent purchase was the iPhone 4 through Verizon. Apple has always gone above and beyond with their service. When iPods broke, Apple provided new ones. When my MacBook Pro battery died, Apple had a new replacement battery waiting.  These are the characteristics that keep me coming back (oh, and the products are sweet!).

However I was extremely disappointed in Apple yesterday morning.  I arrived at the Galleria Mall in Buffalo, NY at 7am, to wait in line for the iPad 2. I had been told Sunday that they would be available at 9am Tuesday when the store opened.  I sat in line, chatted with a few customers about our love of Apple and our excitement to own an iPad 2.

The Starbucks Brand

 By Alyssa Mayer, Account Manager, Interactive Strategist

I am among an elite group of coffee drinkers – the Starbucks Gold club. This essentially means that I spend too much money on coffee.  But it is not just the delicious drinks that I love about Starbucks.  I am a very loyal customer at businesses that recognize my patronage and make every effort to make me feel special.  From a free drink on my birthday, to discounts on purchases, everything about Starbucks has me hooked.

I recently started reading The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary that outlines how Starbucks has created such a strong brand. In 1971, Howard Schultz had an idea to take a “quality coffee bean and merge it with the charm and romance of the European Coffeehouse.” That first coffee store in Seattle has grown to over 11,000 stores worldwide.

It's All Art, Baby

By Sue White, Production Design Supervisor

As much as Lady Gaga never thought she'd be asking Cher to hold her meat purse at the MTV Video Music Awards, I never thought I'd find myself at a Lady Gaga concert. Yet, here I was, thanks to a gift from my brother, taking in a Gaga concert last Friday at HSBC arena, ready to "just have a fun time." Now, I certainly am not president of the Gaga fan club, but I can appreciate her creativity, and passion and energy – clearly, she has an abundance of that. But the concert evolved into much more than just a "fun time." I was able to experience some effective guerilla marketing first-hand.