“Regardless of your opinion of her music and sense of artistry, there is something to be learned from her marketing prowess, and specifically from her use of social media to truly engage with her audience.” -Paloma Vazquez, PSFK.com
Discover Card's Peggy is Social Media Gold
“The ineffectual Peggy, now the star of eight TV spots, answers the phone for “USA Prime Credit” and proceeds to mangle, deflect, ignore and laugh at customer-service questions. But his offbeat prose and quirky incompetence have vaulted him from ad character to social-media and pop-culture phenomenon…Discover decided that taking the opposite tactic — that is, showcasing bad customer service as the antithesis to Discover’s good customer service — would tap that shared consumer experience and show non-card-members what they’re missing.” - Beth Snyder Bulik, Adage.com
Decrease In Credit Card Debt All Down To Write-Offs, Report Says
There has been a fundamental shift in attitude and behavior towards credit cards. As Gregory Daco, an economist at IHS Global Insight says: “A lot of people are taking on less debt and paying off existing balances.” However, Americans still spend beyond their means. The decrease in credit debt is not from Americans paying down their cards, but sadly, defaulting on the payments.
Source: Huffington Post article 3/20/11
AMERICAN EXPRESS LAUNCHES ‘SERVE’ ONLINE PAYMENT SERVICE
“Credit card company American Express has created a new online service that allows the sending and receiving of funds between people and sellers. The service also offers a special Serve card that can be used in ATMs and at certain retailers.”
You can send money to another person. Haggle over prices with merchants and it also has a bank card component that works on the Amex network and in ATMs.
Old Spice Social Campaign Case Study Video
(Source: youtube.com)
TAKING A LESSON FROM BARBIE AND KEN ON BUZZ
Barbie’s been around since 1959 and is one of the most iconic toy brands. However, knowing that customers aren’t just focusing on TV, Mattel changes their media mix to focus where the customers are in order to build buzz and, hopefully, increase sales.
With the “Genuine Ken” series on Hulu tied Facebook and Twitter, they’ve built the buzz around Ken (and Barbie) for more than just kids, but also adults with an emotional tie to the brand. Mattel also launched a Facebook-Twitter campaign to get people to vote on whether “Barbie Should Take Ken Back” (after their break up in 2004). On Valentine’s Day - it was announced they got back together.
Taking a different approach is a fresh way to inviting engagement: “It’s a little unusual for us to do something just with Ken,” she said, but added that “the effort has really hit a chord. Our Facebook likes have risen to 1.7 million in recent weeks.”
Can Buzz Increase Sales: Media said Mattel spent $18.5 million on advertising Barbie dolls and accessories last year. The Ken doll is a small part of the estimated $1 billion annual sales of the many Barbie lines, but drawing attention to him with his milestone birthday could help increase sales — just as Mattel did when it revamped Barbie before her 50th.
NYTIMES Article 3.22.11 The Ken Doll Turns 50, And Wins a New Face
Mobile phones become electronic wallets
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ON BOARD: Bank of America, Bank of the West, ING Direct and PNC Financial already have technology that allows for P2P transfers via the web or a mobile device.
THE STATS: In 2008: 27% of US Consumers made at least one online P2P fund transfer. In 2009: 44% making at least one P2P transfer online. By 2014: Expected P2P transfers = 60 million Americans.
GROWING TREND: Right now, only 5% of Americans have made a P2P transfer with their mobile phone, but as the article says, that number is bound to go up because of SMARTPHONES.
Source: P2P Payments Are Coming, and the Credit Card Companies Won’t Like It
Additional article: The Payment Industry Buzzes About Mobile Commerce
With just a wave of your phone, payments can be made. Already airports are accepting tickets via smartphones, it’s not surprising that credit cards are looking to do the same thing.e-Wallet ways to pay Visa on smart phones
HUGE LAUNCH. BUT WILL THE MOMENTUM KEEP GOING?
THE LAUNCH: Capital One launched their “Match My Miles Campaign” on Friday, March 10th and had over 156,000 likes within 24 hours. Three days later it’s at 156,356. Granted, it was the weekend. We’ll see if the momentum picks back up.The campaign began with teasers of Alec being a “smart alec” and announcing that on March 10th, on Capital One’s Facebook page, he would reveal his smartest thought yet.
THE OFFER: New Capital One Venture Card cardholders will receive the match, plus 10,000 bonus miles, when they provide proof of current airline credit card miles & spend $1,000 on their new card in the first three months.
THE GOAL: Get frustrated airline credit card holders. Capital One promotes easier redemption of accrued miles.
FoxBusiness.com: Huge Capital One Mileage Giveaway
