Businesses have always tried to promote their brand to a target audience but with the rise of Generation Y this has become increasingly difficult.  Not being able to pinpoint a certain age or location for this group has created a grey area for marketers.  Recently, however, the rise of social media has brought back the personalization of promotion.  While some see the rise of technology as impersonalizing communication, others argue that it allows for much more individualized marketing.  Social media has allowed marketers to get to know their consumers on a whole new level, which, in turn, has caused Generation Y to identify and connect with their beloved brands.

As a member of Generation Y and an avid social media user, I am drawn to brands that make me feel something as opposed to its overall popularity.  More often than not, a brand is able to build a relationship with me through Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.  There is a sense of personalization on these sites that bridges the gap between big businesses and individuality, sustaining loyalty from consumers like me and invoking a deeper connection with a brand.

Events which bring in thousands of people from all over the country, like SXSW, Coachella, and Lollapalooza, for example, are an opportunity where companies and brands can use the power of social media to promote business to Generation Y.  For months before these events, companies and brands use contests and sweepstakes as a way to get their consumers involved, while building brand awareness, increasing traffic to their sites, and increasing sales.

There is no denying that technology shapes how Gen Y communicates. As communication becomes faster and more efficient, these individuals are desperately grasping at the tread of individuality.  The personalized marketing that social media allows is great for businesses looking to connect to and build a relationship with Generation Y.

What is Pinterest?
Remember the good old days when you would cut out pictures from magazines and tack them to a cork board in your room?  Well, those days are back in a new, virtual form.  Pinterest allows you to create your own “boards” and pin different links and pictures to them.  Organized however a user pleases, these boards are able to viewed by other Pinterest users, who can then repin the content onto their own respective boards.  It is an easy way to share and discover new websites, blogs, and ideas in a personalized and social forum.

Is It Right For Your Business?
Pinterest is a niche platform where businesses can go and creatively share information about their company or brand. This is a chance for a business to have fun and connect with people in a way we never thought possible.  Businesses are very much in control of what they can share, giving them an opportunity to brand themselves in a different light.  Through pictures, recipes, craft ideas, fashion tips, posters, links, etc., a business can reflect their slogan and mission onto their Pinterest boards and interact with consumers in a new way.

Check out the 10 Most Followed Brands on Pinterest!

Pinterest and Promotions
With such a unique forum, Pinterest is a great tool for businesses to flex their wings and get creative with promotions. In the last couple months, we’ve seen an increase in the amount of brands and businesses that are using Pinterest as a way to promote business and launch new products.  Running contests and sweepstakes is a good way to increase followers, as well as promote your products. We see this trend becoming big in the world of promotions and looking forward to working and offering this to our clients.

We know the last thing people need is another social network to keep up with, but Pinterest has made it as easy to find content as it is to create content.  Rather than trying to sell something, have fun with it – show your followers that your company is creative. So instead of deciding whether or not Pinterest is right for you, why not jump on the Pinterest wagon and give it a shot?  Request an invite now!

1. M&M – Just My Shell

As if it were possible to not love the cartoon M&M characters and their respective colorful personalities before, this commercial just confirmed what all of America already knew: M&M’s are the candy to beat both on and off the screen.  Whether it was the introduction to Ms. Brown, the misinterpreted “naked” M&M, or the all-too perfect placement of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” that got you laughing, it is safe to say that this 30-second ad “worked out” better than most this year.

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2. Chevy Sonic – Stunt Anthem

Seeing Professional skateboarder and funny guy Rob Dyrdek kickflip Chevy’s Sonic to “We Are Young” was one of the coolest commercials we’ve seen in a long time. Chevy’s decision to market to young adults was successful through both the song choice “We Are Young”and brand ambassador Rob Dyrdek. Anyone who’s ever watched Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factor knows that when Chevy flashed Drydek’s face something epic was about to happen, and it did.  A car bungee jumping, skydiving, and flipping mid air? You just don’t see that everyday. Familiar or not with Dyrdek, this ad got its point across in an extreme way.

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3. Doritos – Sling Baby

Out of the thousands who entered, Sling Baby earned the #1 spot in this years “Crash The Super Bowl” contest. Earning the creators a whopping $1 million, the commercial features a 17 month old baby,  sailing through the air to grab a Doritos bag from a boy in a swing set. For the last couple of years, Doritos has left it up to the consumer to develop their 30 second Super Bowl ad, and it’s paying off.  What’s funnier than seeing a baby being flung from a sling by a grandma?

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4. Honda – Matthew’s Day Off

Although we wish this commercial would have been more a of a surprise to us, you simply can’t hate anything Ferris Bueller.  A perfectly quirky twist on the 1986 movie, this CR-V ad featured an older Matthew Broderick skipping work instead of class and running into things only Ferris could be familiar with.  Ending the commercial and staying true to the movie, Broderick quotes the most famous Ferris line, “Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it.”  Honda made sure we didn’t miss this one; they released the commercial a few days before the big game.

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5. Skechers – Mr. Quiggly

Prior to the Super Bowl, all we had heard about this Skechers ad is that it would feature a dog instead of Kim Kardashian.  Whether this news broke your heart or made your day, it is safe to say that Mr. Quiggly was just as soft on the eyes as Kim K.  Winning a race amongst greyhounds, Mr. Quiggly moon-walked across the finish line, proving he had some personality to go along with his looks.

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1. Super Bowl ads: It’s no secret that much of the hype surrounding the Super Bowl is generated in anticipation for the commercials. Whether you’re looking out for the funniest or the most creative advertisement, this is the number one day you should give your DVR a much-deserved break and check out the big money commercials. For Super Bowl 46, expect more 60-second advertisements than normal. Advertisers are turning to storytelling to give their products substance and are making this happen by forking out the big bucks to get longer airtime.

2. Google+: While we saw a glimpse of the power of Google in 2011 (Google+ has already gathered over 60 million users), thus far this supposed rival of Facebook has disappointed many. However, Google+ has continued to grow steadily into 2012–and it’s not stopping there. This year, we expect this social media outlet to distinguish itself from the other giants—Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr—causing it to delve deeper into the everyday lives of users. We definitely think Google has something up its’ sleeve with this one.

3. End of the World: Whether you’re a believer in the Mayan hypothesis of December 22nd, 2012 being the last day of the world or not, there’s no avoiding the hype surrounding this heavily talked about date. We can only assume the promotional world will follow suit and present us with a variety of “End of the World” sweepstakes and contests. As the date approaches, look out for a lot of Twitter and Facebook activity focusing on this topic. The largely controversial date is undoubtedly going to light up the social media screen.

4. QR Codes: As we have seen, marketers are consistently trying to keep up with technology and utilize the advances that have been made. In 2012, look out for an increase in usage of QR and 2D codes, which were developed to quickly and easily link content to smart-phones. Don’t underestimate the power of the QR/2D code. They store more information than we ever thought possible. Advertisers may not have these tiny squares of information figured out quiet yet, but QR codes are their best friends.

5. London Olympics: Since its inception in 1896, the Summer Olympics have occurred in the same year as the United States Presidential Election. Every Olympic year, Democrats and Republicans blast each other over petty disagreements, but come late July everyone is on the same team for three weeks to cheer on the best athletes the United States of America has to offer. In 2012 we welcome the London Olympics, which are sure to not only unify the USA once again, but also make a presence in the promotional world. If you have dreams of seeing the red, white, and blue in all its glory this Olympics, look for promotions this spring and summer that have a London trip as the grand prize.

Here are some of the ways our company models this idea:

• Turn lights /equipment off when finished for the day
• Distribute reports via email to limit paper waste
• Recycle pop cans / tops after lunch
• Recycle old /unwanted electronics
• Utilize the reusable containers that are available instead of paper products

What do YOU know about your recycling program?

Many of us here were surprised by our recycling program’s list of “acceptable” and “not acceptable” items, so we thought it might be a good idea to share it with you.

Find out more info about ways to recycle here: http://eartheasy.com/live_recycling.htm

Ways that MRI employees save and give back

1. “ I reuse the bows, boxes, and tissues that I gathered the year prior, so that I can save money and time spent on decorating presents for the next year.”

2.  “Making sure that I recycle anything and everything I can.”

3. “Every year I check for drafts in my home and one of the easiest ways to do that is by holding a lit candle against any window or door that you speculate might have a draft. If the light of the candle goes out, you know where the draft is coming from.”

4.  “The week after Christmas I notice that a lot of my neighbors throw away old toys and furniture, so If I see something that I feel would be of benefit to someone,  I’ll make sure to pick it up and bring it to the local church or Salvation Army.”

5. “ My family donates books and clothing to our local grade school to help the less fortunate kids.”

6. “Donate food and blankets to the local animal shelters.”

Be a Green Company!

By choosing to operate a green business, not only is it good for the environment but also for your business’s bottom line because conserving resources and cutting down on waste saves money and time.  What are some of the ways your company is giving back, or more importantly, what are you doing to improve as a company in 2012?

After the three frames were completed we had a winner!

Congrats to Tad who came in 1st place, Greg who came in 2nd and Joelle who placed 3rd.  Special shout-out to Janel who got the always-desired “yam” prize for acquiring the lowest score!

#TweetTerms

Followers
The people who will see your tweets.  Similar to your “friends” on Facebook or for brands/pages, how many “likes” you have.

Twitter feed
The live stream of tweets from people you follow.

Mention (@)
How you directly communicate with another Twitter user.  By simply typing the ‘@’ symbol followed by a username, you can direct a tweet or “mention” a user in a tweet.

Hashtag (#)
Used on Twitter for users to categorize their tweets. It’s a great way to search Twitter for specific information and to follow conversations even from users who you don’t currently follow.

Retweet (RT)
Read something that’s really interesting and think your followers should know about it? By hitting the RT link you have the ability to share another user’s tweet with your own Twitter followers.

Read more at Wiki Answers

#PromotionPowerhouse

As Twitter’s number of users increase, so does its importance as a promotional tool. Companies can utilize Twitter and its unique features to promote their brand and reach out to more consumers in a few different ways.  Here is a sampling of ways you can use Twitter to build your brand:

1.) Having the customizable Twitter wall displayed at local events.

Hosting a live Twitter stream at an event is an easy way to turn your event into a conversation, stimulate your guests and buzz your event virtually all over Twitter. Establishing a simple #hashtag is the first step in creating buzz about your event. It helps to encourage attendees to tweet before and at the hosted event. By using either the @mention and #hashtag features, companies are able to collect all tweets that mention their name or brand and once collected, these tweets can be compiled into one real-time feed. Now, here is where our services come in…

MRI has the capabilities to compile and sort tweets into a feed that is both appropriate and positive press for the company. As event attendees see the live feed scrolling by, they choose to join the conversation by tweeting from their smartphones. People build on the positive brand engagement and spread the word to everyone who follows them as well. Whether this feed is projected at a party as a promotional tool, or seen only by executives’ eyes to discover what people are saying about a brand, Twitter is an extremely useful communication device for companies.

2.) Tweet-to-Enter as a means of entering a sweepstakes

In the world of online promotions, we see Twitter as becoming one of the fastest growing means of entry for both sweepstakes and contests ever. Individuals are now given the option to enter via Twitter simply by using some of the earlier terms discussed: #hashtags, @mentions, and ReTweets. In addition, those who ReTweet the link usually have the opportunity to gain bonus entries in return for promoting the organization and/or brand. The question of how that exactly works is where our expertise comes in. MRI has the technical capabilities to track when these features are used and when they are not. If tweets don’t include the right components, our system will filter out those entries and not include them for drawings or as contest entries. All the filters are customizable and easily catered to each client’s needs.

#8GeneralWaysTwitterCanHelpYourBusiness:

1. Promotion power tool: Whether you choose to run a sweepstakes, contest, or daily promotion, it’s a simple way to promote business.

2. Build brand recognition: Advertising your company and/or brand at virtually no cost to you.

3. Keep up on current industry news: An Instant news feed keeping you connected to what is going on.

4. Keep that competitive advantage: An additional monitoring outlet for viewing what your competition is doing.

5. Promote your blog: One more way to engage your target audience.

6. Reputation management: Expose the truth to the people who mean the most.

7. Engaging your target audience: Get to know your audience on a more personal level.

8. Lastly, just another way to have some fun: Creativity is endless [keeping it under 140 characters, of course] & people value that quality in companies.

Each new project brings its own unique set of challenges. Here at MRI we have mastered the use of Twitter in promotions and are ready to take on your company’s next project. By choosing to use our expertise in managing your more common online sweepstakes and contests we will ensure that it will be run effectively and fairly.

WE HAVE A TIE!!!!!

1st Place

Team 17%

Pumpkin Partiers Pilsner Tap

Simple idea proved to have mass appeal for this winning team.

Congratulations to Tarah, Greg, Jeremy, Laurie, & Aaron

1st Place
Team Jack-O-Tack

Jerseylicious

Pauly D from Jersey Shore was Team Jack-O-Tack’s winning inspiration.

Congratulations to Tasha, Tim, Daria, & Melissa

Team B-Hawks

Chi-town Represent!

Nice execution on the Blackhawks emblem.

Great work!

Bridget, Chris, Daryl, Linda, & Mike

Team Jacob

Jacob the Werewolf…Rarrrr!

The scariest and definitely most detailed pumpkin.

Nice job!

Taylor, Pam, Bill L., Joelle, & Todd

Team Bum Flippers

Spike

By far the cutest of the bunch. Creative Idea!

Good Work!

Joyce, Steve, Joe, Cassie, & Preston

Team Mumpkin

Spooooooky!!!!

Simple idea yet so unique. Nice work team!

Tad, Kristen, Andrew, Janel, & Bill B.

THE ART OF THE TICKER

The new Facebook not only introduces a completely different design, but it also adds a “ticker” function as a separate entity from the news feed, which previously displayed all user activity.  With the new ticker function, more trivial activity will be placed into a live ticker that will constantly update in the upper left corner of the screen.  Because it is live, much of the information posted to the ticker is only visible for a few seconds.  The news feed will then only display what Facebook deems to be the most important information for a user to see.  This presents a challenge for brand marketers to produce enough high quality content so that their information doesn’t get pushed into the ticker.

NEW BRANCH OF MEDIA APPS

With the new Facebook, brands like Hulu, Spotify, & Netflix have the opportunity to collect information about users and more directly target their services to these people.  For example, when users log-in to Spotify, they now have the ability to share the music they are listening to in real time via the Spotify Facebook app. The impact that these changes have largely depends on the way the users react.  They have the potential to give marketers a look into their everyday lives, essentially giving them the information necessary to advertise on a more personal level.

While we await the outcome of Facebook’s newest updates, marketers can still rely on promotions such as sweepstakes, contests, and instant win games to interact with consumers.  Facebook requires that approved third party applications are used to run these types of promotions. Marketing Resources’ GoSweeps app allows our customers to run sweepstakes, contests and games on Facebook while following Facebook’s promotions guidelines. Marketing Resources also brings over 16 years of promotion administration experience, so our clients can be sure that their promotions are legally compliant and properly executed.

Even though Facebook is continuously changing and adding new features, marketers can still use Facebook to reach and interact with consumers by using sweepstakes, contests, and instant win games.

You can enter daily through June 20th, 2011 at www.facebook.com/WorldHarbors and click on the “Sweepstakes” tab. If you have more questions about this promotion or Facebook Sweepstakes, contact us and we’ll be glad to help you out!