Emerging Media Recruitment: A New Generation of Talent Acquisition

Marketing to consumers via emerging media is common. Marketing to potential employees via emerging media is not as common, but is undeniably becoming more popular in our digital concentrated world.

Surprisingly, 33% of recruiters don’t spend anything on social recruitment efforts, and only 18% consider themselves to be experts on social recruiting.

Explore the full survey here: Social Recruiting

On the other hand, 73% of recruiters have signed a candidate they initially found on social media. So, who is thriving in this sector?

LinkedIn is the top site for social recruitment, weighing in at 79% usage in talent departments. The site is notorious for listing relevant jobs with the tagline, “picture yourself at said company.” Also, the site uses your picture to make a job seem like the perfect fit. While these tactics are productive and inviting, they are not brand specific. The site makes a generalized attempt to find candidates for all of its companies.

As for brand-specific targeting, Journey’s is using emerging media to its advantage in finding the perfect employees. Recently, I received the email below with the subject header, “#workforshoes. With the use of the hashtag, Journey’s is attempting to appeal to the younger, tech-savvy generation.

The email also contains a video why it is “cool” to #workforshoes with Journey. I think this promotes the brand personality as free-spirited and fun, just like its fans and potential employees.

(YouTube, 2014).

Other brands such as UPS and Marriott have jumped on the social recruitment bandwagon, and seem to be thriving as well.

Read the full details here:  5 Companies that have Nailed Social Media for Recruiting

Essentially, emerging media recruitment is becoming the way of the future for employers. Brands will have to create new ideas in order to keep up with the ever-changing demands of social involvement, especially when it comes to recruiting.

Can you think of a brand that is successfully promoting recruitment via emerging media outlets? What suggestions would you provide to other brands who are interested in improving social recruitment efforts?

Priscilla

Is Convenience Your Forte? Mobile Apps You Need Now

After visiting my local Kroger this week, convenience became a fresh topic in my mind. In a rush to complete the grocery shopping, I remembered that I did not have a Kroger plus membership. Although I knew the savings were better for a member, I decided to give it a try without. Then, it dawned on me…

Kroger has an app for that!

Hallelujah! I found the savings right at my fingertips before I ever entered the store. The barcode was added to my new account and fully ready to use. The convenience of the mobile application not only saved me $40 on my total cost, but also exposed my marketing thought process to a concept that is thriving in the world of emerging media.

The images below are examples of how this app can add a new level of convenience to your shopping experience. From pricing and points, to coupons and special savings offers, Kroger has created a platform that screams convenience for the tech-savvy shopper. Too lazy or busy to print those coupons and check store ads before your next trip? Download the Kroger application for a conveniently effortless shopping experience.

RetailWire – SmartPhones in the Retail Customer Experience

Mobile Commerce Daily : Mobile Strategy 

Target also has an app for that. 

Target’s Cartwheel application is a lifesaver for convenience lovers as well. With the brand’s new “Brick and Mobile” strategy, this application aligns the brand’s efforts to cater to the consumer through mobile marketing. If you want to know all things on sale in every category possible, Target’s app can help. From sales promotions and coupons, to personalized picks for your shopping trip, the app is the perfect combination of elements. Essentially, Target has found a way to make consumers spend even more countless hours roaming the aisles in search of things we didn’t even know we needed.

AdWeek: Target Cartwheel App Driving Store Traffic

The Big Picture

As the graph below from 2014 shows, mobile app usage in the Lifestyle and Shopping category is the highest growing section versus others. Clearly, Kroger and Target are on the right path in attempting to target consumers who crave convenient shopping and digital access to deals at their fingertips.

Source: http://heidicohen.com/mobile-app-trends-2015/

What mobile apps do you frequently use to add convenience to your shopping experience? Do you suggest any must-have downloads for future shopping endeavors?

Priscilla

Small Business Sector Thriving on Instagram

Emerging media promotion is crucial to the success of any small business. Specifically, social media outlets such as Instagram can catch the eye of key audiences for brands from independent clothing retailers to small-town bakeries. If you’ve scrolled through your Instagram feed recently, you may have noticed the increasing amount of these smaller entities posting to reach as many users as possible in order to sell products and services for their brand. Not only can these postings share products, services and promotional events, they can also increase the awareness of brand personality and characteristics.

In my own Instagram feed, there are a few examples that I regularly check for updates. One in particular, The Retail Therapist Boutique, is an online and now storefront clothing retailer that promotes new products and details on how to purchase these products via Instagram. 

As you can see in the examples above, the brand promotes its new additions and gives options on its postings as to how to purchase.

Personally, I love when an owner is present in promoting his/her brand and its personality. See owner Whitney Rife below sporting some of the featured items in her shop via Instagram as well. She frequently wears items she sells, which makes it easier for consumers to see a realistic picture of the items on this platform before deciding to purchase.

See the full Instagram page here: The Retail Therapist Boutique

Another example of a small business thriving via Instagram is My Little Cupcake, LLC. This local business is close to my hometown, and keeps fans drooling over its tasty creations via Instagram postings like the example below.

Similar to The Retail Therapist Boutique, My Little Cupcake, LLC. promotes its offerings and where to purchase via Instagram postings.

The owners are also proudly supporting their products by posting pictures like the one below. Clearly, their products are good enough to eat even after they spend countless hours in the shop making them all week.

See the full Instagram page here: My Little Cupcake, LLC.

So, what’s the key takeaway? 

Small businesses can personalize the customer experience via Instagram in a way that builds the brand perception, all while making it relatable and delightful to view in pictures on the feed.

In an article on how to grow your small business via Instagram, two key points include “portraying your brand’s vibe” and “responding to comments” for success. The two examples above are implementing these tactics within their Instagram efforts. In return, the popularity and sales of each small business are growing with every picture that is displayed on the social media platform.

To learn more tips on how to grow your small business via Instagram, click here: 10 Ways to Grow Your Small Business via Instagram

Cause Awareness Marketing – A Facebook Niche?

Scrolling through my personal Facebook news feed is always an interesting experience. On occasion, it is also an eye-opening experience. Cause awareness marketing has become a frequent topic on many pages that I currently follow. In one particular case, there is a support page for Jack Rollins, a 4-year-old little boy from my area who is fighting his battle with Neuroblastoma.

Read the full story here: http://www.connect-bridgeport.com/connect.cfm?func=view§ion=News&item=3-Year-Old-Jack-Rollins-Needs-Our-Help-in-His-Battle-with-Cancer7349

The Jack Rollin’s Journey Facebook page is open to those who want to follow his story and send well wishes. It is also used to promote fundraiser events, including a local 5K and restaurant drives. The page has become quite the success for raising awareness and supporting Jack’s family throughout his journey.

See the full Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-Rollins-Journey/891968194199675

Cause Awareness Marketing is also effective via Facebook for other organizations, including Alex’s Lemonade Stand. This is another prime example of the success Facebook can bring for promoting a cause and supporting events for funding.

See the full page here: https://www.facebook.com/alexslemonade

Read the full story of Alex’s cause here: http://www.alexslemonade.org/campaign/2015-alexs-million-mile?gclid=CI_XwYH5pcYCFYgkgQodNF8AjQ

Going Social Means Going Viral with a Cause

It’s clear that going social is everything to any type of campaign in today’s world of marketing. Thus, implementing a social media strategy for your cause marketing campaign is essential, according to Lanette Jorgensen of Sage Island. According to her research, Facebook was key in the success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

“Within twenty-four hours of its launch, you couldn’t scroll through your Facebook news feed without seeing a video of someone pouring a bucket of ice over his or her head,” Jorgensen stated. 

The social media promotion of this campaign proves that Facebook is a great avenue for going viral and achieving success. Videos were viewed via Facebook more than 10 billion times and reached more than 440 people. The ALS association received $115 million in donations and a tremendous increase in registrations for their Walk to Defeat ALS since the viral Facebook campaign launched.

Essentially, going social is truly going viral, especially when it comes to promoting a cause via Facebook.

Read Jorgensen’s full ALS analysis and other tips for successful cause marketing here: https://www.sageisland.com/5-tips-successful-marketing-campaign/

Priscilla

Sweat with the Best: “What Would You Do?”

ESPN’s commercial lineup is always targeted to reach an audience who loves sports. The Gatorade Sweat with the Best commercial spot proves this point, as it is full of celebrities from all types of sports, including NASCAR racing.

The Gatorade Campaign is taking off without a hitch, and reaching millions through its social media promotion and a microsite advertised through the TV commercial. Along with the emerging media outlets, Gatorade is marketing its campaign in combination with traditional mediums as well.

The idea of the campaign has been done before, with codes on the bottle caps to win prizes. However, Gatorade’s microsite and YouTube Channel take things up a notch from the expected.

See the microsite with full details here: http://sweatwiththebest.com/

The microsite is inviting with its colorful display and action videos throughout. Video marketing advertisements like the one below are another element of this campaign proving to be a benchmark for success.

As you can see in the video above, the campaign makes for a relatable experience, and encourages the average person to believe in themselves as if they were just as strong and successful as the athletes they admire.

See the full Youtube page here: https://www.youtube.com/user/whatsg

Analysis: Relatable & Memorable

So, you’re probably wondering how this campaign stands out beyond the traditional, celebrity-endorsed bottle cap contests. Well, my answer is simple. Gatorade has found a way to implement a campaign that encourages consumers to follow their dreams, and gives hope to make those dreams become a reality. “What Would You Do?” The brand asks this question because they want to know how the audience would make their dreams come true through this contest.

The videos are all catered to different athletes in various sports, but all have one common theme. They cater to the consumer and make their watching experience memorable.

The use of the hashtag, #sweatwiththebest is also another element of emerging media usage that is working well for the campaign. Consumers are tweeting the hashtag, and Gatorade uses this opportunity to engage with their audience with real-time responses.

See full Twitter page here: https://twitter.com/gatorade

Can you think of a previous campaign that used a bottle cap contest with celebrity endorsements? How does Gatorade’s campaign compare to similar endorsements?

Additional Sources

http://hoopshabit.com/2015/06/03/gatorade-offers-chance-to-shoot-hoops-with-dwyane-wade/

http://shawsports.net/sweat-with-the-best-via-gatorade/

Microsites in Pharmaceuticals: Meta-Moments & Brand Promotion

After working in the world of pharmaceuticals for the past six years, I’ve become what one may call “immune” to all the media around me in healthcare related fields.

However, today I started to realize the relevance of emerging media in my world of work. I began to think about how specific emerging media elements are truly impacting consumers and employees of pharmaceutical companies around the world.

For starters, let’s talk microsites. These are great elements for Pharmaceutical companies to promote specific products and promotions.

Let’s look at AstraZeneca, for example. The brand uses its “Purple Pill” microsite to promote its brand, Nexium. The site contains many elements for consumers to learn more about the products and its offerings such as cost assistance programs.

Visit the full microsite here: Nexium

I found it interesting that when first visiting, the site asks for information and email in order to send updates regarding this product, if interested.

Wait, is this a Speedbump / Roadblock / Meta-Moment? Absolutely! As I found in my weekly class discussion topic, meta-moments are created to keep the consumer engaged in the site long-term, rather than just the first impression. This is a prime example of how a site can use these meta-moments to promote their brand via emerging media properly. Please see the site image below.

Abbvie Pharmaceuticals is another example of product specific microsite promotion. Their product, Humira, has a site catering to all of its aspects and promotions to simplify the learning for the consumer.

See the full product microsite here: Humira

As you can see, microsites are essential to successful emerging media promotion in the world of pharmaceuticals. By implementing these sites for consumers, companies can target consumers for each specific product and make an impact that is more focused on the specific market of users.

In addition to the commercial advertisements, social media, smart phone applications and other medias, microsites are key in reaching the consumer base effectively.

“The concept of a brand microsite is as akin to that of a search campaign landing page: it’s the most direct route between an ad and a product, or an ad and related campaign content” (Wegert, 2013).

See full article from Wegert here: Modern Brand Microsites Showcase Campaigns

Are microsites relevant to your world of medicine as a consumer?

Pheed: An Emerging Media for Business?

I discovered a new media outlet this afternoon called Pheed. I was unaware of its existence until a coworker mentioned it today. Apparently, this is an up-and-coming media outlet that consumers have to pay in order to subscribe? Strangely enough, I’m intrigued.

After researching, I’ve learned that Pheed is a new platform similar to Vine and Instagram, only better. This platform allows the sharing of text updates, video, audio, photos, and live broadcasts. Allowing 420 characters, Pheed offers more breathing room with sharing any type of post to the fullest. As indicated, it’s “A place to express yourself.”

Read more here: http://www.surfandbiz.com/en/pheed-social-media.htm

As for the business aspect, it makes sense that celebrities such as the mentioned David Guetta obtain followers for live videos and exclusive content. However, as for other industries, I can’t see consumers paying up to $34.99 for content updates. In my line of work, I can’t imagine this would be a successful outlet to increase exposure.

I think it makes sense for the entertainment industry to use this tool and thrive within its platform capabilities. However, I’m not so sure it will become a practical expense for any other business realm.

Do you feel this will be a tool worth using as a consumer and/or a marketer?

More info on Pheed and other up-and-coming outlets: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/7-emerging-social-networks-to-watch-in-2014/

Personalization – An Emerging Trend in Digital Media and Why it Matters

Hello, all!

This is the first posting on my very first blog. I’m unsure of how this process goes, but I’m ready to tackle this blogging thing one post at a time. For the next nine weeks, I will be posting about various topics in emerging media for my IMC 619 course.

In researching the importance of emerging media and why it matters to in today’s world, one specific element stood out to me: Personalization. This element has become increasingly necessary in building consumer-brand loyalty within the last few years of emerging digital media promotion.

While we may not realize its presence, personalization is everywhere in our current media outlets. I know we have all experienced the “suggested friends to follow” on Facebook and Twitter, and the “picked for you” pins on Pinterest. Because these outlets are using our previous history on the platform, they are able to personalize the experience to make it catered to our individual use.

  

(Pinterest, 2015).

Other outlets and brands have adapted to the personalization in emerging medias, as well as their own branded websites. For example, CVS has used customer needs to create the site page below. As you can see, it is made “personalized just for you.”

(Google Images, 2015).

“The idea is to make every brand interaction highly relevant and tailored to a specific individual, based on his or her online, social or app behavior, shopping history, preferences, tastes, family and lifestyle details.”
Read more: http://www.referralsaasquatch.com/10-emerging-trends-digital-marketing-2015/#ixzz3bCxiNbGt

By pursuing consumer interests and catering to those preferences, brands are able to reach consumers through emerging medias and websites one step further.

(Google Images, 2015).

Sephora is another great example of a website that uses purchases and a profile to hand-pick products for its consumers. On my accounts, I have new suggestions every time I log in as to what I should purchase next, and I like that. The brand is taking the next step to make my shopping more of an individual, special experience overall, which makes me more likely to shop with them in the future. In addition to this, Sephora uses its Instagram to spotlight consumers, showing their appreciation for brand loyalty.

(Instagram, 2015).

On the opposing hand, some experts say this personalization could be a negative thing rather than a positive. “When websites show us only what we like, we get cut off from the diverse points of view that can enrich our understanding of the world.” Read More: http://mashable.com/2011/06/03/filters-eli-pariser/

Essentially, some claim this could alter the opportunity for consumers to be challenged. The ease of suggestions and personalization may be convenient, but could it also cause us to become a little lazy as consumers? In my opinion, personalization is what keeps me in tune with brands and organizations that I follow. If they want to assist in finding the best options for me, how am I going to argue with that?

Do you feel that personalization is a positive or negative trend in emerging digital media? Could it be true that we are growing to love the convenience more than the challenge? Does personalization matter to the future of emerging digital media, or it is excessive?

Priscilla