Twitter, the uber microblogging service, launched a new tool that allows users to instantly create shareable movies depicting their social footprint — top tweets, photos and followers. The videos will include a selection of 30 licensed soundtracks thanks to a partnership with Rumblefish. #FollowMe, a new way to express individual tweet style, is powered by Vizify, the Portland startup that teamed up with Twitter six months ago for the “Your year on Twitter” project. Vizify pulls social media stats into an interactive experience that is described as “about.me on steroids.” Leap forward to #FollowMe for brands… as a whole, #FollowMe is designed to improve engagement levels and show potential followers why they should be following a particular account and what this user has to offer their followers as a whole. The #FollowMe rollout won’t guarantee any additional popularity in the Twittersphere, but it should at least make for a stronger sales pitch,” wrote Jon Fingas, associate editor at Engadget. This will prove to be especially useful for companies and brands, both small and large, looking to expand their customer base and follower list.
Over the past few months there have been a few other updates to Twitter that can potentially benefit marketers. Twitter has introduced Tweet card: Lead Generation, made the Twitter Timeline Activity analytics tool free to use and updated its security features.  What brands do you want to see #FollowMe? As Always stay #TopRight.

2013 is a year for change in the airline industry. One could argue that nearly every year is a “year for change,” but  2013 is only half over and already it’s brought fresh uniforms, frequent flyer program updates, entirely new airports and terminals, and the rebranding of several airlines including American Airlines, Fiji Airways/Air Pacific, Avianca/TACA, Germanwings and  probably a few more. American Airlines revealed its’ new look in early 2013. AA’s competitors had all refreshed their brands within the past decade, but American hadn’t done so since 1967. While many fans identified with American’s iconic look, it had undeniably lost its luster. American had also ordered several new aircraft a few years ago, so the time was right to change customer perceptions. Marketing priorities included expanding international business and attracting younger customers. And, the airline needed to streamline its vast array of different logos across business units. But, Jill Surdek, Managing Director of Brand and Customer Experience, added, “the new look isn’t enough; we need to improve employees’ and customers’ experience and provide consistent service delivery, balancing hi-tech and high-touch. It’s a holistic redesign of the experience of flying American. It is exactly these kind of fundamental business challenges-bankruptcy filing and a merger in early 2013-that produces refreshed business strategies. The purpose of a rebrand is to alter public perception, create greater brand presence and inspire trust. Only time will tell if the rebrand will help American Airlines’ bottom line, but it has already succeeded in starting a conversation. What do you think of the AA rebrand? Let us know about your favorite rebrand. As always stay #TopRight.

Target is planning a re-launch of its organic, natural store brand as it works to rev up its grocery business. The brand, called Simply Balanced, is an outgrowth of similar products within its existing Archer Farms store brand. Simply Balanced was originally announced in 2010 as a “new food collection built around better-for-you nutrition that’s budget friendly”. One might think the re-launch of the line is in response to the rising popularity of organic foods which are growing at twice the rate of conventional groceries. As such, the Minneapolis-based company also plans to announce next week that it will boost its organic food selection to 25% by 2017. Target is also hoping to pump up its’ store brand-Archer Farms. Store brands typically carry fatter profit margins for retailers than name brands and help lure shoppers with exclusive offerings to fend off competition. But, retailers aren’t just focusing on cheaper prices when it comes to store brands. Many now have tiered store brands. For example, Target has a line intended as a cheaper alternative, Market Pantry, as well as its more premium line, Archer Farms, that competes with or seeks to be better than those made by mainstream food companies such as Kraft Foods and General Mills.
The Simply Balanced line, which will eventually include about 250 products over the next five months, will be priced more in line with Archer Farms and national brands. About half the items in the line are organic and three-quarters of it is free of genetically modified ingredients. Target says it will eliminate all genetically modified ingredients from the line by the end of 2014. The retailer has nevertheless been touting its groceries in recent years as a way to attract more shoppers and become a “one-stop” shopping destination. What is important to you as a consumer? One stop shopping, pricing or perhaps organic? As always, stay #TopRight.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco has returned to advertising Camel cigarettes in magazines again after a five-year hiatus. Ads for Camel Crush cigarettes, which contain a breakable menthol capsule in the filter, have appeared in at least 24 magazines published by Time Inc., Conde Nast and Wenner Media this spring. A spokesman for R.J. Reynolds confirmed the return to print advertising, but would not elaborate on the company’s overall strategy. ”We advertise in a broad range of titles to communicate to a broad range of adult tobacco consumers,” said David Howard, senior communications director for parent company Reynolds American. “When dealing with brand marketing, you’re always looking to evolve.”
Five national health organizations — the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Legacy, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association – have expressed outrage at this latest campaign. “R.J. Reynolds cannot be allowed to get away with yet another marketing campaign that entices America’s kids into a deadly addiction,” the groups’ letter said. Nine of the magazines named by the groups — Entertainment Weekly, ESPN The Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, People, Glamour, InStyle, Us Weekly and Vogue — show a total teen readership of 12.9 million. Most anti-tobacco advocates feel they’ve come out of the box after five years of being dark to target a who’s who list of magazines that appeal to teenagers. The tobacco industry spent $113.5 million on measured media, including $96.2 million on consumer magazines in 2012.

Magazines, which continue to face headwinds in print advertising, are free to accept advertising from tobacco companies. Camel’s other advertising strategies include displays at retail, direct-to-consumer marketing and promotional events. Currently, tobacco advertising is banned from radio, television and billboards.

How much should the tobacco industry be limited in their ad capabilities? Let us know what you think. As always stay #TopRight

Taco Bell is betting that eight one-of-a-kind rings it sent to social media-savvy Taco Bell lovers will generate the kind of online chatter that makes people want to eat at its restaurants.The nation’s largest Mexican fast-food chain, known for clever social media, sent glitzy, unique rings engraved with special Taco Bell script to eight young female quasi-celebrities. They’re semi-famous because they like to tweet and post photos on Instagram about all things Taco Bell.
Drawing from outcries of their online fan community to be in a “committed relationship” with Taco Bell and leveraging the theme from the popular Beyoncé Knowles song, Put a Ring on It, Taco Bell is hyping the conversation with it’s core 18-to-34-year-old audience. Taco Bell has 10.1 million Facebook fans, 500,000 Twitter followers and about 100,000 Instagram followers. On those social-media platforms, fans are asking Taco Bell for the rings — and more! “The way we approach social media is that every day is a new opportunity to engage with our fans,” says Tressie Lieberman, director of digital marketing at Taco Bell.

In today’s market, people are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on social media content. Taco Bell certainly has taken note that brands who create social media experiences have consumers who spend more time on that brand’s website. Integrating social media into marketing efforts, not only increases engagement but expands reach to new audiences and channels while also increasing the level of trust and positive perception by the consumer.

What do you think about Taco Bell’s latest thank you gesture? Wacky or way cool? As always stay #topright.

Have you noticed your friends on Instagram posting pictures every Thursday from the “glory days” when they used to be young and good looking? This trend can be attributed to the social media phenomenon Throwback Thursday, aka #TBT. Just searching under the hashtag #TBT, you will find thousands of users posting photographs of themselves, their families, old possessions, vacations, and anything that is sure to draw some sort of nostalgic emotion. Piggy backing off this trend, can you apply this concept to help your business?

“Throwback Thursday” could be used as a free method of interacting with followers, customers, and friends by providing content that engages and triggers similar emotions that personal pictures do.

Posting “Throwback” photos on your brand’s social media outlets shows that you are balanced, personable, stable, and evolving.

#TBT Dave Sutton and friends at TopRight launch in 2007

Staying on top of social media trends such as #TBT shows you are not too old of a company to stay fresh with the times, while still having a history. It’s a personable way of sharing because you can show followers who you are as a company and/or brand. Del Toro Shoes (@deltoroshoes) has done an excellent job of keeping followers waiting for their next new product to release, while making followers feel like they are chummy with the CEO who lives the lifestyle his brand conveys. Whether you are a fun lifestyle brand or a tech company, you can find personal, creative, and fun ways to interact with your social media community. #TBT also shows that your company is stable and has been around, which is always comforting to a potential or current customer. This trend also engages users and conveys the evolution of your brand. Brands like Coca-Cola could use #TBT to paint the picture of the evolution of their brand by showing a different “Coke” can each week, which can evoke personal emotions from the time or “era” a follower associates with a particular can or logo.

Pictures always tell a story, what story can #TBT tell for your brand? Stay #TopRight

Coca-Cola’s Small World Machine’s video is about to go viral (837,854 views). Marketing guru, Jonah Berger, assigns several key factors which drive people to share and in turn creating viralosity. This idea of a social currency; daily triggers; emotional resonance; observability; usefulness; storytelling; and a wow factor all contribute to the cause. Even though we often don’t realize it, we can be pretty self-focused when we share.
This spring, Coca-Cola set out to break down barriers and create a simple moment of connection between two nations — India and Pakistan. The initiative “Small World Machines” provided a live communications portal between people in India and Pakistan and showed that what unites us is stronger than what sets us apart. The key to engaging with each other through the machines was simple: people in India and Pakistan could complete a task, like touching hands, drawing peace, love, and happiness symbols — together. The technology alone is cool enough to want someone to share this video but, when you put it all together, the video inspires a deep emotional reaction with a great storytelling component. Bottom line, Coca-Cola has derived a very cool idea to connect two countries together who don’t even see eye to eye. Are you going to “open happiness” today and share? Stay #TopRight

In a recent New York Times article, David Carr wrote that nearly a year after announcing a plan to reorganize The Times-Picayune of New Orleans into a more digitally focused enterprise that produced a newspaper just three days a week – enraging local residents – its owners have added a new innovation: they will go back to producing a printed product every day. “We are excited about this opportunity to extend our daily reach in print,” an advertising executive at the newspaper said in the announcement. The Philadelphia Inquirer also announced that it would begin selling a Saturday edition on newsstands after a nearly two-year hiatus.
Publishing certainly has its share of economic challenges. Aside from the necessities of operating at a profit, newspapers have never before faced such a test regarding the pure availability of free content. What defines one source over the next? Is there a difference from the news the Times-Picayune reports versus hundreds of other options? While some content does remain original per the writer, much is pulled together through applications and news services. Everyone with a smartphone, Twitter account and Wi-Fi signal is now a reporter. CNN.com has made use of the millions of these “freelance” journalists with a section devoted to the iReporter. So why are newspapers willing to lose money in print to secure online loyalty? The short answer is that it’s what their customers want.
If you’re older than a Millennial, print is a medium that will always be part of your life. There’s no argument against the advantages of digital media. Print is not about the ability to share articles with friends or link to a different perspective, or even take action from a crafty advertiser. It has everything to do with the physical feel of paper and the emotional trigger to a brain that grew up reading a Sunday paper. The touch of the creases, smell of the ink, wonder of comics and excitement of box scores. The nostalgic feeling of bringing the paper in from the driveway (or flower beds) was a ritual for many that remind us of a simpler time, a time when we had to wait for most news until the morning.
The real-time immediacy of news today is part of our lives forever. Whether it is an announcement from inside the Vatican of a new pope or an eye witness to the tragedy from the streets of Boston, minutes literally separate old news from new. Just imagine through the looking [Google] glass of what’s to come.
As for online loyalty at the Times-Picayune’s NOLA.com, don’t be too quick to judge if that doesn’t exist. You’re probably reading this in the same browser used for the past few years, and will be visiting your preferred search engine shortly. What are your thoughts? Stay #TopRight

Employers have known for many years that healthier employees are happier ones, and that health insurance claims dramatically decrease when programs and incentives are in place to promote a healthy lifestyle. Food and beverage companies, along with a barrage of recent legislation, have become very aggressive in the fight to better educate consumers about the health benefits (and not-so benefits) of their products. So where does the responsibility lie for a media giant that doesn’t manufacture or sell consumer goods, but rather market them during their programming? When and how should they take responsibility in consumer health and wellness? We may have a few of these answers from Turner Broadcasting this summer.

Enter Upwave, a new effort to create health and wellness content for TV and digital media across their networks. The initiative will extend across several media platforms, kicking off a website in June, a mobile app and then TV in the fourth quarter, according to Molly Battin, senior VP and general manager of Upwave. Turner’s television programming will include scripted series, docu-dramas and reality competition shows on HLN.

There certainly is no shortage of media platforms that Upwave has at their disposal, then multiply that times 2 as the approach to consumers is both through their properties and advertiser channels. The integration is sure to include experiential marketing at venues and events, television programming, online properties, social & mobile initiatives, email, search and gaming. Turner has the luxury of reaching many different demo and psychographics through audience reporting and years of data gathering.

There are three tactics that could really build some excitment behind Upwave:

• 1. Get mobile, figuratively and literally! With the availability of a phone in almost every hand as well as the popularity of location based apps, check-in’s and mapping technologies, this is where the promotions, updates and messaging should live.
• 2. Social is about showing off. Friends and followers are waiting for your next update. When a third party tells your friends what you’re doing – it could even be better. Make incentives including site badges and shout-outs to friends. That will truly start a conversation.
• 3. Use your assets. Entertainers, scripted and non-scripted content, global brands, sports, drama, comedy, cartoons, etc… Nothing should be off the table with regard to getting the core message out.

Ironically, Turner is just the organization to enhance The TED movement (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) with the addition of a new pillar: Health.

Then again, if all else fails build an app that turns iPhones into 5 LB hand weights. Actually, there may already be an app for that.  Stay #TopRight

Social media is a relatively new platform from which to communicate for most people. Real-time marketing has transformed the way we shop, eat, date and share information. Many businesses have embraced the opportunity to create 1-1 relationships with new and existing customers. As tax paying citizens, we are all customers of the US government. What can the government do to build “likes” among their customers? Consider the following 7 ideas:

1. Who are you? Every representative throughout the various government branches should have an online presence and personality for their constituents. Keep it professional, but use the social platforms to identify and connect with people. They’ll remember come re-election.

2. Get out critical information! From storm’s barreling down on the Florida coast to local Amber Alerts – be genuine in the flow of information and signify when it’s something to pay attention too.

3. Promote objectives (That’s why you’re in office). Social communication should support the organizational mission and vision of the overall elected office strategy. Social media efforts should be strategically aligned to support those objectives – whether it’s updates on education, healthcare and/or infrastructure.

4. Transparency and collaboration. You have the capacity to control the first message to your followers! Twitter and Facebook are great tools to be proactive, as opposed to reactive. Use the available social media tools to create a more coordinated effort fostering external transparency and internal collaboration. Cover all bases with all tools available including social networks, blogs, micro blogs, image tagging, user comment options and rating options.

5. Engaging the public. This new era of ‘citizen engagement’ is perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of social media in government because it touches on a true dialogue between government entities and citizens. Take advantage and truly engage on all levels, from congestion on I495 to the upcoming Redskins game.

6. Privacy and Security. Everyone is concerned. Period. The need for Open Government is a stated priority. The need to protect data is also a priority.

7. Analytics and Metrics. Get a staffer on board to study the performance analytics. With rapid innovation in big data, social and mobile, it should be more interesting than daunting. Cater your approach toward what your followers ask for and respond to. Establish baseline goals for your initiatives.

The key is not the number of followers, it’s the engaged followers. Thomas Jefferson once said that well informed people can be trusted with their government. Go inform the people – via their Smartphones.

What are your thoughts? What do you want to see the government do from a social media perspective? Stay #TopRight