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How to Choose the Right Hashtag For Your Campaign

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February 3rd, 2014

As traditional, digital, and experiential  campaigns are being integrated under an umbrella marketing strategy, the hashtag has become an important cross-channel aggregate tool. In fact, 57% of nationally-run Super Bowl ads incorporated a hashtag to extend the life of the ad past its 30 or 60 second spot and connect with consumers digitally. You can find hashtags on virtually all giant social media sites, allowing for both brands and consumers to track topics in real time. It is a way for consumers to chime in and also a way for marketers to listen.

Crafting a golden hashtag is a delicate balance of creative genius and strategic mastermind. Okay, maybe not that complex, but a few guidelines should be taken in consideration before plastering #BadIdea on every traditional and digital marketing channel you’ve got.

Determine #Function.
Decide how you will be using the hashtag. Is it purely a listening tool? Is it a consumer content curating tool? What channels will it be promoting? How will your brand or company use this information? Take the time in the planning stages to consider all functional aspects to avoid uncertainty down the road.

Be #Relevant.
A hashtag loses its effectiveness if it is too obscure and your consumers are unable to associate it back to the brand. Remember, this is an opportunity to connect with consumers, not to confuse them. Don’t bewilder the customer by changing it mid-campaign or jumping on a trending topic bandwagon if it doesn’t align with your brand.

Stay #Consistent.
Like any other important component of your campaign, be sure that the hashtag is consistent with the campaign strategy and objective. Once you pick a hashtag for a campaign, stick with it.

Do #Research.
Investigate. See if the hashtag has been used previously or is associated with something you don’t want related to your brand. Try to think of the worse case scenario of how it can be used or misinterpreted. Sometimes, you may have to think like a teenager and be sure that the hashtag is void of any double meanings or unfortunate letter combinations.

Get #Specific.
A wishy-washy, generic hashtag is not beneficial when tracking through a campaign. Pick something that  speaks to your brand, but also isn’t so broad that messages are getting lost in a sea of posts. Make it unique to your campaign.

By following these simple guidelines, you can successfully integrate a hashtag into your campaign to amplify your message and interact with consumers.



Beyond Traditional Launches Moto Maker Tour

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December 6th, 2013

Beyond Traditional has teamed up with Verizon and Motorola to launch the Moto Maker Tour designed to promote the new Moto X customizable phone. This tour acts as a test market for Motorola and Verizon to engage with consumers by demonstrating the ease of the Moto Maker and also give them the opportunity to experience the slick curved design of the Moto X.

The 3D mobile showroom is tricked out with seven Motorola mobile devices including 3 Moto X phones, a Xyboard tablet, and Sol Republic headphones. While inside the showroom consumers can design their favorite version of the Moto X, with over 2,000 customizable options. Consumers can walk away with Motorola branded touchscreen that keeps their hands warm while allowing them to still use their phones.

The Moto Maker Tour is making stops at events through December 22nd, including the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis concerts at Key arena.  To see where you can catch the Moto Maker tour and design your own Moto X phone visit Beyond Traditional’s Facebook page.

 



Black Friday Guerrilla Campaign

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December 4th, 2013

The next best word to describe Black Friday after chaos is lines. Some people begin lining up as early as Monday before Thanksgiving to be sure that they were the first ones in those doors to grab the best deals. This year, Black Friday promotions had an earlier start than past years, leading us to conclude that people would become hungry once the turkey coma subsided and tired as they forged on through the wee hours. To prevent consumers from making rash decisions due to the effects of being exhausted and “hangry” (that’s anger induced by hunger), Beyond Traditional deployed the Jack Munchie Mobile and kicked-off the Verizon & Motorola Moto Maker Tour to engage with consumers in a surprise-and-delight manner.

The Jack Munchie Mobile, currently in Oklahoma City, rolled into a Best Buy parking lot before the doors opened for its big promotional deals to serve people waiting in line. Consumers and employees were excited to sample tacos, Jumbo Jack® burgers with cheese, seasoned curly fries, and milkshakes. With the extra burgerpower fuel, consumers were ready to brave the chaos that was about to ensue while others treated themselves to a victory burger after emerging from the store, purchases in hand. Overall, 1,260 food items and 1,500 coupons were distributed.

The Verizon & Motorola Moto Maker Tour officially launched at the Seattle Macy’s Day Parade, but we decided to offer a teaser to Black Friday shoppers. Armed with Black Friday survival kits complete with energy drinks and snacks, a brand team infiltrated busy mall locations to distribute these packs to consumers. Consumers graciously accepted the packs, allowing for brand ambassadors to interact with consumers in a unique way. The brand team was able to directly interact with 200 consumers in addition to the hundreds of consumers who viewed the branded mobile showroom and bright visual TV display.

Not all marketing promotions during Black Friday need to promote a savings event. It provides an opportunity for brands to think differently by creating campaigns that engage with consumers through direct interaction. We took the opportunity to position our clients as the hero of the day in the midst of the craziness surrounding Black Friday to create meaningful relationships between the brand and consumers and the results were overwhelmingly positive.

 



Scent Marketing And Integrated Brand Identity

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November 1st, 2013

Brands work incessantly in establishing emotional connections with consumers and in particular, leverage the power of the five senses. Whether it is a color, audio, or visual cue, we have all experienced brand association in every day life. Think about the McDonald golden arches. What is the first thing that immediately comes to mind? Or when someone mentions Red Robin, do you feel compelled to finish the jingle?

Marketers are now looking into the power of scent marketing in creating an integrated brand identity. It is the only sense that goes directly to the emotional and memory centers of our brains (Scent Marketing Digest).By successfully creating a connection between brand and scent, marketers can tap into these sensory powerhouses, creating deeper emotional relationships and building stronger brand loyalty.

For example, imagine walking into your hotel room and catching a waft of a pleasant, yet distinct, aroma. You have stayed at this hotel previously and have always had a positive experience. Even though this is your first time staying at this particular location, you feel a sense of familiarity and comfort. Your mind has associated the distinct scent with good memories and places you at ease. Why would you choose to stay at an unfamiliar hotel over this one?

By its nature, experiential marketing provides sensory brand experiences, making incorporation of scent marketing only natural. Experiential marketing allows for brands to produce unique experiences to reinforce association with a particular scent. A holistic brand activation can tie brand associations for all senses together to create an impactful brand statement and further develop lasting relationships between consumers and brands. Staying top-of-mind with consumers is a valuable position, and scent marketing offers an additional way to interact with consumers.

 

 

 

 



How to Work, Travel, and Stay Sane

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October 28th, 2013

Between travel arrangements, gathering up every possible file you may need, packing your luggage, and actually getting there, a business trip can be a huge undertaking. Once there, you have to immediately organize yourself in preparation for client meetings, event check-ins, and whatever else is needed. It can be overwhelming trying to balance being out of town, keeping up with your regular work, and trying to add a bit of fun. With some simple preparation, you can keep your stress levels at a minimum and maximize your time with the following tips:

Take a few minutes to list anything and everything you might need on your trip. Think of any documents that might need to be printed and any files needed for your trip. Be prepared for anything that may come up while being out of office. If you are worried about misplacing any important documents, consider making copies and keeping the originals safe back in your office.

While packing, organize your outfits based on all possible situations. You should be prepared to dress to the occasion, whether it is a formal client meeting or a casual dinner. Otherwise, you may have to go on a shopping trip or two.

Double check you have all the essentials, especially any chargers. Often, you have to stay connected to the office while away and a dead electronic doesn’t help with that. Consider keeping extra cords in your travel bags to always have a spare in hand.

By following the tips above, you can avoid a few travel stresses and focus on having an efficient, and yes even fun, work trip.