Evolution of a Sample Marketing Plan: Sonic

When I wrote the first edition of my Marketing Plan Handbook for Prentice Hall back in 2003, I created a sample marketing plan focused on the fictional product "Sonic Personal Digital Assistant."

At the time, PDAs were hot, and it was fun to create a plan for a new product to compete with Palm, Handspring, and other handheld digital assistants that were taking the market by storm. I used actual market statistics as background for the sample plan, learning (among other things) that growth in wireless-enabled PDAs was far outstripping growth in non-wireless PDAs. Clearly, wireless was the future.

PDAs didn't double as phones in those days, and few were GPS-enabled. So as the upgrade to my fictional product, the Sonic PDA, I planned a cell phone/GPS/PDA with a color display and commands via voice recognition system. Also I added built-in MP3 play/storage functionality, a wardrobe of colorful cases for the fashion-savvy, and celebrity voices serving as the voice of the Sonic. In later editions, I dropped the PDA part and focused the sample marketing plan on a smart phone with so many bells and whistles that it could be a one-man band.

As I look ahead to the sample marketing plan for my 5th edition, that future has become reality: the iPhone's Siri is a mainstream voice command system, even more sophisticated than the one I had envisioned years ago. Phones are routinely multifunction, with way more features and options that the fully-loaded PDA model I thought up 8 years ago. Virtual keyboards, which I included in my sample plan for a Sonic smart phone, are now widely available. I included streaming video and video recording capabilities in a later marketing plan, and now those are also readily available in the real world.

So goodbye, Sonic Superphone, it's been fun but you're so yesterday. I'll be creating an entirely new marketing plan for a new fictional product. Watch for it in the 5th edition.

Dear CMO: What, No Facebook Page?

Dear CMO:

Ignoring social media is NOT an option in today's highly social world. Surprisingly, however, as Steve Olenski points out by quoting a UMass study, more than 25% of the Fortune 500 corporations have no Facebook or Twitter presence. His analysis is well worth reading.

Going social means giving up some measure of control, and that's why I believe so many of you CMOs are hesitating. After all, some dissatisfied customers may post on your FB page or tweet about problems with your product or service. You already have a process for managing complaints, now figure out how to do it publicly, in real time, so you can protect your online reputation and reinforce brand loyalty.

If you truly want to get closer to your customers, you must be where they are. And your customers, old and young, domestic and international, are very social these days. According to Pew, 65% of all US adults who are online are using social media. This isn't just the Millennials: Baby-boomers are going social at a record pace.

Not being involved in social media is an ostrich decision. Social media are not going away any time soon, and your competitors are already out there, building a follower network or engaging customers in a FB contest. Need some ideas? Here are just a few ways that big firms are using FB and Twitter.

Ford permits comments posted on its FB wall in response to specific posts. Hewlett-Packard hosts a customer support forum on FB. Walmart's FB presence handles public participation by segregating consumer comments on a "feedback" page. Target, a very active social media participant, has more than 200,000 Twitter followers. McKesson has a big disclaimer on the left of its Twitter account page, just in case.

What are you waiting for? 2012 is almost here. Sincerely,

Marian Burk Wood

Angry Birds Christmas

Now that the Angry Birds game has been downloaded 500 million times--yes, that's half a billion times--the company has been branching out with all kinds of products to capitalize on its good fortune during the holiday shopping season.

• Angry Birds cookbook. Above, one of the illustrations from this cookbook, Bad Piggies' Egg Recipes, all about eggs in every imaginable combination: scrambled, quiche, and so on. Lots of fun, with a dash of irony. It's #4,000 on Amazon at the time of this writing, but Santa hasn't finished his list yet, so expect the book to rise in the standings week by week.
• Angry Birds plush. In almost every major store, you'll find small and large birds and piggies for kiddies who love stuffed animals. Some of the toys can make sounds, some just look cute.
• Angry Birds board game. If your thumbs get tired from electronically pulling back the slingshot, try this board game, yet another branded item that has been doing well.
• Angry Birds backpacks, piggy banks, key chains, and other items. These were hot sellers for back-to-school and now they're great stocking stuffers. 

Will those birds be singing Christmas carols too?

The View from Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Here it is on Black Friday--the day after Thanksgiving, which traditionally signals the start of the holiday shopping season--and predictions for online buying are optimistic, based on sales to date and on today's buying patterns.

ComScore says November online sales are already higher than last year and it sees a lot of ka-ching for web retailers. PayPal and eBay are seeing strong demand so far. Amazon (above) is ready for a big weekend and holiday season worldwide.

Of course mobile marketing has been in full swing, with special offers, coupons, and contests galore. But tracking via cell phone is also a concern on Black Friday--"Black SpyDay"--and the easy way to avoid being tracked is to turn the mobile off in malls and stores.

Will all this online buying put a dent into store sales? For gadgets, the answer is likely to be yes, mainly because it's so easy to comparison shop and click to buy without crowds and 4 a.m. lines outside for door-buster specials in the mall. Meanwhile, small businesses are hoping that Small Business Saturday draws big interest. And Cyber Monday is still days away. Stay tuned.

2d Annual Small Business Saturday

American Express started the first Small Business Saturday in 2010 to encourage shoppers to buy from small, local businesses. This year, it's again promoting the day as a way to support small businesses all over the country.

There's a FB page with more than 2 million "likes" where consumers can learn more, pledge to buy from small biz on Saturday, and see who else is supporting the movement (FedEx, dozens of chambers of commerce, and many other corporations and civic groups).

TV, newspapers, blogs, and other media are spreading the word, giving the day more play and encouraging people to buy what they need and want from small, local firms. Wilmington, Delaware even switched its Christmas parade from Black Friday to Small Business Saturday to bring crowds of shoppers past the doors of local businesses. Great idea!

Occupy Branding

GoDaddy reports an avalanche of registrations for domains that begin "Occupy ____." More than 500 sites were registered in recent months with names like "OccupyThanksgiving" (save the turkey) to "OccupyDenver" (aligned with the Occupy Wall Street movement).

Advertising Age wrote about the Occupy movement and how it's affecting marketing here.

The Canadian Marketing Association has a video and thoughts about Occupy and marketing here.

How will the Occupy movement influence marketing in the future? In the short term, "occupy" will be a shorthand term that will pop up all over the place. Beyond 2012, who knows? I hope GoDaddy reports on how many of the "Occupy ___" sites renew their domain registrations in a year, 2 years, 3 years...

Happy Multichannel Holiday?

Shoppers are clicking from home, visiting stores, checking comparison sites and apps, watching YouTube product demos, looking at Facebook pages, signing up for deal-of-the-day messages and subscribing to promo tweets--in short, they're using multiple channels to browse and buy this holiday season. As many as 60 million shoppers will buy or compare prices via mobile on Black Friday alone.

What does all this mean for marketers?

• Multichannel strategies are a must. More than ever before, consumers demand the flexibility to buy when and where and how they choose. And they vote with their wallets. Marketers who don't make things easy will be left in the dust, and quickly. Be sure Web sites look good on the mobile screen. Think about shipping fees, sometimes a barrier. Walmart is making a start by offering free shipping on electronics over $45, in a bid to attract shoppers accustomed to the Amazon $25+ free shipping deal.
• Think tech. Consumers are using technology to research products and prices. Marketers better be prepared. The UK's John Lewis chain offers free WiFi so in-store shoppers can go online and check that its prices are the lowest. Lower price somewhere else? John Lewis will match, a good way to keep shoppers from slipping out the door without shopping bags in hand. At the very least, add QR codes to store displays, ads, etc.
• Catalogs? Sort of. JC Penney did away with its famous catalog but now those store racks, once full of bulky catalogs, have flyers that function like mini-catalogs for niche offerings like the JC Penney Sports Fan Shop. I picked one up at a local Penney store the other day; the full-color flyer says: "We have your team. Choose from over 150,000 items." Sports fans on my gift list, be warned.
• Get into social media now. You know--Facebook, YouTube, wherever customers are likely to be social, that's where marketers have to get into the conversation. Claim the name before someone unofficial does it. Multichannel now or customers will change the channel.

Grand Opening of Christmas Windows

It's not your imagination--Christmas marketing really is starting earlier and earlier. Macy's New York will unveil its new holiday window displays in Manhattan on Thursday, Nov 17, at 5 pm.

Not to be outdone, Lord & Taylor New York is unveiling its displays today--Monday, Nov 14--at 5:30 pm. (If you want to watch, log on here to see a live stream.)

Henri Bendel, the upscale fashion store, will unveil its Fifth Avenue windows on Thursday, Nov 17, as well, with the famous Radio City Rockettes as special guests.

We'll all have to wait until Nov 21 to see Lady Gaga's Barneys New York windows.

Canadian stores started their Christmas window displays even earlier. Here's what one store did to develop its holiday themes and decorations.

Travel Marketing: Reviving Interest in Trouble Spots

Egypt, Tunisia, and Thailand are all areas that have been in the headlines this year...Egypt and Tunisia because of political upheavals and Thailand because of floods (not to mention last year's political upheaval).

Now these three nations are using travel marketing to bring back tourists. The tourism office in Egypt is emphasizing security, a friendly welcome, and unique experiences like desert safaris. Egypt's tourist minister also observes: "We are selling sun, sea and culture, but Egypt can become the rehab centre for the Middle East." That's been one of Thailand's appeals in recent years.

Thailand's tourism is already bouncing back. The official tourism site offers frequent updates on the flood situation, which enhances its credibility and keeps travelers informed of where to go and where to avoid. Its beaches were untouched by the floods, so sun seekers are skipping the big cities and going to resorts for holiday fun. The "Amazing Thailand" campaign is on Facebook with 220,000 likes.

Tunisia's official tourism site puts the focus on how close the nation is to the UK and Ireland. "The Jewel of the Mediterranean" is how Tunisia describes itself, with historic heritage, spas, family destinations, crafts, and more.

With today's economy trying to recover and consumers planning trips with more care and sometimes less money than in the past, these nations will have to make a very strong case for themselves. Can they do it?

U-Turn on Rest Area Communications?

Continuing my November theme of travel and marketing, I present two exhibits from my road trip along the Garden State, better known as New Jersey.

These two photos show parts of a fast-food tray liner at a rest stop restaurant along the New Jersey Turnpike.

The Turnpike Authority wants drivers to know more about safety on the road, and what better way than inviting them to read a few facts and take a quick quiz?

Good idea, not as good execution. The folks who wrote the facts, quiz, and answers should have tested their communications before going to print.

In the top photo, the first sentence reads: "Signing is the primary medium at which the roadway has to communicate with motorists." Huh? Not so clear.

In the second photo, question #1 is clear and straight-forward: "Why is the Emergency Pull-Off sign yellow?" It's the answer that has me puzzled: "To enhance conspicuity."

My marketing advice: To enhance conspicuity, the Turnpike Authority should do a U-turn on communications and road-test all headlines and copy before hitting the print button. If it's a matter of safety, then it's safer to test before printing and distributing.