Who: Ted Rubin, Chief Social Officer of Collective Bias

When: Wednesday, February 29^th, 1:00pm EST – 2:00 p.m. EST

How: Tweet your questions to @SmartCMO; Follow #SmartCMO hashtag

One of the most active and recognized voices on social media and brand marketing, Ted Rubin will be guest host for this Wednesday’s #SmartCMO Twitter Chat starting at 1:00pm EST.

Ted has educated the marketing community around “Return on Relationship” – or “ROR” which he defines as “the value that is accrued by a person or brand due to nurturing a relationship”.  Ted knows how the best brands should be speaking and reaching out to their target audiences, and he will share personal knowledge about social media engagement with our online community!

Discussion Topics include:

-        Authentic ways to build an online community.

-        How permission marketing has changed the social sphere.

-        What your brand should NOT be doing in social media.

Tweet your questions for Ted in advance to us at @SmartCMO

Follow event hashtag #SmartCMO to stay on top of all the activity!

For More Info:

Watch Ted Rubin’s Smart CMO Interview

Who: Evan Greene, Chief Marketing Officer of the Recording Academy

When: Friday, February 24^th, 1:00 p.m. EST – 2:00 p.m. EST

How:  Tweet your questions to @SmartCMO ; Follow #SmartCMO hashtag

The 54^th Annual Grammy Awards generated a remarkable 13M million (via mashable) social media comments and Smart CMO is taking the social and marketing conversation to Twitter with Chief Marketing Officer Evan Greene of the Recording Academy  this Friday, February 24^th from 1:00 p.m. EST – 2:00 p.m. EST.

The first person to hold a marketing title at the Recording Academy, Evan has innovated and expanded the Grammy’s into an emotional brand experience  that actively participates in music conversations and touches fans around the globe. Join us online to discuss how Evan has spurred innovation in music engagement by focusing on social media, selective partnerships and maintaining a respectful conversation with his music community. Discussion topics include:

- The importance of social media: Did you Tweet, Facebook, or download the Grammy’s app this year? With new avenues to interact, the Academy’s digital strategy took engagement to a record-breaking level.

- Digital Leading the Way: What is your reaction to We Are Music? The Grammy’s latest campaign allows you to become a part of the music history by sharing how music has impacted your life.

- Crisis Communication in PR:  After the passing of Whitney Houston, how can marketers respectfully react to catastrophic events that may influence company or marketing initiatives?

Also, don’t forget to join us on March 1^st for the Smart CMO Forum  – Evan will be featured in an exclusive full length session, “Brand Relevance & Evolution from the Marketing Leader Behind the Grammy Award” – going behind-the-scenes of his marketing strategy.

Registration is complimentary, so join now by visiting: http://smartcmo.com/registration.html

More:

Want to learn more about the CMO Forum? Watch the preview video here.

@paullyoung

Event Details: Twitter Chat with Paull Young of charity: water

Event Date: Thursday, February 16^th

Event Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST

Discussion Topics: A case study of how charity: water has activated innovative cause marketing through powerful storytelling, integrated social media campaigns, and a strong focus towards the brand to share the water crisis story.

Hashtag: #SmartCMO

You may have already heard of charity: water, the non-profit is known for raising millions of dollars along with invaluable awareness to help create access to clean – safe drinking water in impoverished nations – but they’re also breaking new ground in the definition of “cause marketing”. Paull Young, charity: water’s director of digital engagement, is our guest host for the next #SmartCMO Twitter chat.

How is charity: water unique? They have been and continue to pioneer the social media space for non-profits by engaging their donors online to help share their core mission – and in doing so, have become the first charity to reach one million followers on Twitter. Their focus is on inspiring, motivating, and activating their donors through storytelling, a goal they accomplish without giving up their “lean startup” mentality – their entire marketing department is a staff of one, led by Paull. 

They also stand out in their promise of the 100% model – every dollar donated goes towards a specific water well project (a second fund pays for operational expenses), and they continue to embrace accountability by tracking each project on Google maps.  Any CEO would be impressed with the results: charity: water has raised over $40 million dollars in five years.

This Thursday, February 16^th, Paull will be answering your questions online for #SmartCMO Twitter Chat about building a strong community brand, the importance of storytelling to your audience, and using social media and content to create an authentic digital marketing strategy – as well as sharing examples from the charity: water model.

Join us starting at 1:00 p.m. EST by following the hashtagh #SmartCMO to chat with Paull Young and the Smart CMO community!

Kevin Alansky Hosts #SmartCMO Chat

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Smart CMO Twitter chat last week – this is our step into developing a weekly chat series dedicated towards social media, marketing, brand innovation and all things around the Smart CMO community. We’re very pleased to announce that our next chat will be hosted by innovator and previous SCMO speaker – Kevin Alansky (@alansky) of Blackboard, on Thursday, February 9^th at 1:00pm ET.

Kevin is a thought-leader in the product marketing and education space, and has taken an impressively open approach in his embrace of social media as the Vice President, Global Digital & Content Marketing at Blackboard. He will be joining us at 1:00pm ET to answer your questions on technology, media and the future of online education.

The event hashtag to follow: #SmartCMO

To make sure your topic is answered, we encourage you to pre-submit your questions by Tweeting your question to @SmartCMO before Thursday with #SmartCMO.

We will try to answer as many as possible, and post some of your comments afterwards!

More Info:

Read Kevin’s Blog: Market Brilliantly

Watch Kevin speak at the Smart CMO Roundtable

The Smart CMO team would like to invite you to join us for the launch of our Twitter chat series launching Friday, February 3^rd. at 1pm ET. This will be the first in a series of weekly chats hosted by the Smart CMO community, where we will discuss the latest in marketing, social media and brand convergence, as well as share sneak peek access into the upcoming Smart CMO Forum. We will announce special guests that will join us to share their unique insights and answer your questions.

Event Details: The first chat will be this Friday, February 3^rd at 1:00pm ET with scheduled chats taking place each week on Thursdays at 1:00pm ET.

Follow the Hashtag: #SmartCMO

Discussion Topics:

Advertising during the Super Bowl is one of the most talked-about topics for marketers. A few commercials have already been released before the big game (AdAge shares a few). Which brands do you think take advantage of the Super Bowl opportunity best?

Which devices will you use to interact during the game? A recent study shows that half of all Super Bowl viewers will check their mobile phones at least 10 times. Will you be of them? How do you like to watch the game – will you be Tweeting, checking Facebook or following the live stream online?

How much should sports play a role in your marketing efforts? Sports sponsorships, from marketing in live stadiums to the players’ official uniforms is increasing. How do you view the advantages for product placement in sports marketing?

We’ll also be taking advance questions from our community to pose towards our speakers, Frank Supovitz (@SupEvents) and Mark Waller from the National Football League, who will be joining us, live for the Smart CMO Forum on March 1^st. See our full agenda and complimentary registration for more information.

Recently I had a great opportunity to attend VES in San Diego, acting as the moderator for one of the session rooms for a content-packed day of 5 workshops with anywhere from 30 to 100 people attending. In addition to meeting some wonderful people – both presenters and attendees – I got a lot out of the content and dialog that the workshops enabled. I’ve thought about my ‘Top 5’ takeaways from my experience and thought I’d share them. If you would like to see any of the sessions from my room or the several others going on concurrently, you can do so online at the Virtual Edge Summit (VES) EPIC EVENT – registration is available on-demand.

1. Content that is audience-specific, digestible, concise and interactive should always be at the top of the priority list for keeping people in your environment. That, and how you are going to communicate and market your event – it is VERY different than physical event marketing.

2. Objectives should drive content; content should drive technology application. All too often we start with discussions of technology instead of developing really clear objectives and identifying stakeholders. It no different than meeting planning around a certain location or venue before discussing what is attempting to be accomplished.

3. It is important to question format, delivery, content, and anything that will be part of an audience experience online versus in person. All of the dynamics are different, and people just do not engage digitally the same way as they do physically. It is okay – and highly desirable – to rethink how interactivity, engagement, messaging and content ‘show up’ for the online user. Try something new regularly and assess the results.

4. Virtual product launches are an underused and huge potential for companies to augment multi-tactic major launch initiatives. In one workshop Microsoft shared some compelling examples of a global ‘follow the sun’ launch and results they were able to attain. Done correctly, they may be what sets launches apart in the future – just as digital extensions, experiential marketing approaches and mobile applications are doing for so-called ‘physical’ events.

5. 365 environments with evergreen and always-updated content can take your marketing and communications investment further. Like the post-event period following a physical meeting, successfully creating an always-on place for your members to return to and contribute into is more likely to show the maximum return on the event and build community.

1) Customization
No two virtual events are the same. VIVA Creative has produced virtual product launches that are lead generation machines, virtual user groups that are content-driven, virtual wedding expos that generate commerce, virtual annual meetings that extend reach, and many others. While some virtual events have similar goals, they are never identical.  To effectively meet your business goals, it’s reasonable to expect that your virtual event will require some level of customization – yet many platforms promise “off the shelf” solutions. While the virtual events business needs to be scalable to be sustainable, flexibility can sometimes be a challenge. Choose wisely and make sure that your technology platform offers enough customization to effectively meet your objectives.

2) Content
The power of content is enormous.  Good content can save a bad virtual event. Bad content can kill an otherwise great virtual event.  You can’t afford to step out without great content. At VIVA, we place tremendous emphasis on helping clients develop a content strategy that will support their intended virtual event outcomes. Rarely will this strategy include a back-of-ballroom camera filming a talking head with slides. We have established best practices for virtual event content – and the industry has responded. Ask yourself, does your content educate, entertain, inform, persuade, or change perceptions? Content doesn’t have to be expensive or flashy, but it does have to be high quality, engaging, and designed specifically for this interactive virtual medium. Settle for nothing else.

3) Context
After content, comes context. Context describes how the virtual experience is wrapped; it explains how the experience unfolds.  What is the design, background, environment, framework, or situation surrounding your virtual event? What navigation, copy, branding, colors, and style imbue the experience with meaning? What are the circumstances under which the event is created, including its function, purpose, timing, and intended audience? How do all of these things combine into a branded audience experience? What relationships will be formed because of your event, either online or in-person? If you get the context right, it will magnify your content in a way that resonates. If you design your virtual event without considering context, you will be making a huge mistake – because context is how audiences subconsciously process information online.

4) Connection
Technology should make interactivity fluid, intelligent, and incredibly useful to virtual event attendees, but interactive features on many platforms are clunky and awkward.  Innovation is desperately needed in this area.  We’ve learned that strong content presented in the right context is the key to unlocking connection. Connection is the Holy Grail for many virtual event producers – how do we get people to engage, interact, and socialize in a virtual event setting?  People are more likely to engage and actively respond to content when the context inspires them. This is why networks like AMC-TV turn to VIVA to create their virtual experiences. We understand the intersection of context and content to create interactive, fun, and discoverable virtual experiences that connect people and keep them engaged for hours – not minutes.

5) Creativity
Most virtual event platforms are built to be scalable and repeatable – with template-driven administrator tools. Financially it might make sense, but from a user-experience perspective it can be lackluster. As marketers, we know our audiences expect fresh, unique experiences. Don’t underestimate the importance of originality and creativity in virtual events. You need to take your audience by surprise, strengthen your brand, and imbue the experience with value. Don’t underestimate the value of design in the UI. Your virtual event is a reflection of your brand and your customers are watching.

A decade ago, you would not find many chief innovation officers on a brand’s leadership team. Today, it’s a common executive position. CEOs no longer need to be convinced of the importance of innovation and disruptive thinking within an organization – it is essential for market leadership and competitive advantage.

Does your company have a C-level position to drive the process of innovation?  Who has accountability for innovation at the executive level? Interestingly, in the absence of chief innovation officers, this role is often filled by the chief marketing officer.

Why? Organizations fall easily into old patterns. Chief marketers tend to shake thing up. Companies tend to be risk averse; they fear failure and change.  Chief marketers can deal with ambiguity, learn from failure, and are comfortable working in an area where measures of success may differ sharply from those of the core business.

Chief marketers often question old ideas and challenge the status quo. They are forward-looking and have the intention, energy and staying power to drive new ideas forward. Chief marketers understand that innovation comes with failure and therefore have a tolerance for trying new ideas and not being discouraged if they don’t work out. Chief marketers are also accustomed to being “idea champions” – pushing new ideas through the executive approval cycle.

The truth is: new ideas languish with no internal champion.  Every company should have someone at the executive level dedicated to innovation and open to new ideas that will improve the business.  The most successful companies are generating profitable revenue year after year by managing innovation as a business process–setting achievable goals, giving employees resources and building in accountability.

There are two ways to lead innovation, from the inside or from the outside. VIVA helps marketers begin the conversation on innovation through facilitated workshops with executives, managers, and subject-matter experts to create an actionable plan to rethink old ideas that are not driving enough value, and discover new ideas that will deliver improved bottom line results.

Event marketers are sprinting to develop customized mobile apps for experiential campaigns. In 2011, almost every show we’ve produced has included a custom app. Why?

Apps are a portable, powerful way to enhance the attendee experience. Apps also unlock untapped value for organizers, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees by delivering useful metrics that track back to overall ROI.

Existing first generation apps focus on paperless access to collateral, bios, presentations, and attendee lists. They provide instant access to event details, floor plans, social networking tools, and deliver live updates from event organizers. Many off -the-shelf apps also enable audience polling, session evaluations, and texting features to increase live engagement.

The next generation of mobile apps will focus more on rich media content distribution, sponsor exposure, and measurable revenue generation. The apps that win with users will enable real-time (productive) dialog between audience and organizer by facilitating conversations based on mutual interests. Apps will focus less on information storage and access, and more on interactivity, lead generation, and publishing. Location-based games that foster collaboration and camaraderie on-site will be a trend to watch.

Apps are being embraced as a cost-effective tool to enable a continuum of audience communication. Imagine specifically targeted reinforcement of key messages, content distribution, and personalized follow up based on how users interact with your app. It’s great when technology can actually encourage ongoing dialog and help awesome experiences endure.

Apps are no longer an “add-on” but a new channel through which attendees will engage, learn, and communicate. Today, brands have websites that perfectly capture who they are and what they do. Tomorrow, brands will have apps that are equally perfect – with the benefit of complete interactivity, portability and off the chart metrics.  Expect continued innovation in this area and a new breakthrough app that redefines the digital event experience.

Being a CMO today is perilous. The Chief Marketer is expected to bring strategic thinking to the C-suite with a focus on bottom line growth. The CMO is accountable to everyone, blamed for everything, and seldom credited when successful.

Consider this: the average CMO tenure is less than 22 months.  Incidentally, that’s the gestation period for an elephant.  And birthing a pachyderm is probably what it feels like to be a CMO in today’s challenging business world.

Why? Chief Marketers are under intense pressure. They face shrinking budgets in a constantly evolving marketplace. They are expected to implement new strategies to achieve better results with fewer resources and more precision. Metrics are demanded by their C-level counterparts to validate marketing spending and legitimize their efforts.

In years past, CMOs could simply turn to their Agency of Record to help them navigate these challenges. But that won’t work anymore either.

The economic situation of the last few years squeezed marketers like never before. Intense budget scrutiny forced CMOs to take a closer look at their agency spending.  Cost pressures meant CMOs could no longer validate expensive, long-term, retainer-based deals with large full-service firms. This triggered the largest back-off from “Agency of Record” relationships that our industry has ever seen.

And for the better. CMOs have risen to meet the challenges of the last few years, reinventing the way they work with agencies to regain control of their brands. There is a reason why CMOs are choosing to work with a hand-picked collection of specialty agencies to precisely service their needs in a nimble, cost-effective way. CMOs have created new rules of engagement and global inter-agency cooperation is a must.

Another new requirement: transparency. Gone are the days when the Agency of Record was the sole source of brand creative. Savvy CMOs are already crowd sourcing creative, and at the click of a button they know exactly how much agency services should cost on a global scale.

The bottom line: the Agency of Record is a dying breed, overtaken by the Agency of Results. In this new marketplace, CMOs are defining how they want to work with agencies – and we need to listen. Today, CMOs need reliable partners more than ever to drive value. They need real experts and advisors who understand their challenges, bring solid creative strategy, and are accountable for delivering measurable results.  Expect the industry to get more competitive, with more specialty agencies stepping in. Those who deliver the most value – will always find a warm spot in bed with the CMO.