It’s that time of year again. When we start thinking about Austin and ribs and digital friends and panel nerd badges. But first, we have to take care of business and do our job influencing, or at least commenting on, the submitted panels and talks.

Granted there is no shortage of great panels up at SxSW this voting season. In fact there are more than I’ve had the time to plow through. So, just in case you’re in the same over extended situation, I thought I’d share a few that Mullen colleagues and I have either submitted or been invited to join in hopes that they meet with your approval and ultimate vote. Of course, in the spirit of honest engagement, don’t vote for anything you wouldn’t actually want to attend. I’m not a big fan of the popularity contest approach to anything.

Ad Agencies Need A New Mindset To Survive

Submitted by Edward Boches:  read more and vote

If the advertising agency is to survive in an era when the reigns of media have been transferred from a few professionals to 2 billion individuals, it will have to revamp its entire way of thinking. The mindset will have to shift from thinking about target audiences to communities. Strategy will require more insight about a consumer’s relationship to media and technology rather than just how she feels about the brand. The team will change entirely to include production, mobile, and experience design in addition to art and copy. And the consumer will play an active, rather than passive role, in the creation and sharing of everything. What does an ad agency have to do to survive? What are the practices it must unlearn? What new skills will it require? This panel, comprised of agency leaders, each in a different stage of evolution, will explore the challenges and offer ideas.

Radian6 and Mullen Hijack the Superbowl

Submitted by Christian Madden: read more and vote

In 2010 (and again in 2011) Mullen and Radian 6 turned the Superbowl, an old media event, into a new media event. With a simple website, a hashtag, and real time sentiment analysis, Brandbowl2010.com analyzed Twitter conversation to rate the game’s commercials in real time.  Find out how sentiment analysis can fuel a creative idea and how an analog event can be converted into a digital experience. It’s a model that anyone can replicate.

Augmented Reality and the Launch of the Olympus Pen

Submitted by Michael Bourne: read more and vote

Augmented reality usually sucks. But this example is pretty good, (note it was done by Mullen). The agency, Total Immersion and Wired collaborated to create and run the first ever augmented reality camera demo.

What were the challenges in creating a fully functional “digital” digital camera that shot videos and still images using a computer webcam and what did WIRED learn in the process of activating the creative in its first iPad edition? Interested?  Give this panel a vote.

To see the rest of this post and some other panels we all agree are noteworthy, click here.

So, take a deep breath. Take a different view of the funnel. And think about it this way.

In a consumer-controlled world, where it’s less about taking the brand to the consumer and more about taking the consumer to the brand, behavioral patterns are less likely to be linear – or sequential. And therefore it’s hard to imagine a consumer who seamlessly transitions from a state of awareness to purchase, by smoothly sliding down the funnel as they consume media. But knowing this doesn’t mean that the funnel is no longer relevant. There’s more to consider. And let me explain why:

1. What we know from our work behind the 7 Modes of The Mind is that consumer behavior in a digitally-powered world is increasingly shaped by their mood, mode and mindset.

2. We’ve discovered that mode of behavior and potential brand receptivity is shaped by a confluence of consumption – based on how a consumer interacts with categories, brands, technology, content and media.

3. We’ve found that the consumer journey towards a brand experience begins at one of seven primary modes: entertainment, share, learn/research, task/transact, socialize/connect, play and information mode.

4. We’ve also studied how the consumer jumps from one mode to another as they make their way towards the path to purchase – based on what frame of mind they’re in while consuming different media, devices and content.

By connecting these dots together in this way it then becomes apparent that the consumer mode of behavior and the “gravitational-pull” towards the bottom of the funnel are highly inter-related. And what’s amazing is that when you take a peak inside the purchase funnel you can begin to see all this unfold.

Go beyond a two-dimesional view of the funnel, dig deeper inside, and with the benefit of a three dimensional perspective it’s fascinating to actually see this modally driven form of behavior unfold. Far from being a linear sequential series of steps, what you’ll likely see is a meandering path to purchase towards the center of the funnel – that’s akin to a journey through a twisting-turning labyrinth, with trap doors and blind alleys, trampolines and pitfalls. But because this journey is fraught with distractions along the way, it also means the consumer may or may not make it down to the bottom of the funnel – depending on when and how a brand engages them.

So far, what’s clear from our initial work in this area, is that knowing how and when to intercept the consumer within the funnel and understanding what mode they’re in at a particular moment, increases the odds they’ll take the chute to purchasing your brand and become an advocate. Using a snap-shot of the three-dimensional view from above the funnel as an integrated modal connections framework can also be helpful, as a way to potentially mapping-out the journey a consumer might embark on as they make their way through the complicated ecosystem within.

So in short, don’t be mistaken. The funnel is far from dead – because on the inside, what we’ve found is that it’s very much alive. Dare to dive in, and what you may discover might initially scare your brand to death. But equally, don’t be surprised if this new perspective of the funnel provides you with a better understanding of how to give your brand a new lease on life.

Microsoft Kinect:

• Available November 4th, the Kinect hardware plugs into existing Xbox 360 consoles. Prices have not been released by Microsoft, but some experts are estimating a $150 price tag (this does not include the Xbox console, but just the elements needed for body motion control).

• Technology includes a motion-capturing camera (for body and facial recognition) and a voice recognition system. A sensor reads your body, which enables you to control the system with your motions. The camera senses and responds to your body movements.
  • Need to rewind a movie? Simply say the words “Xbox, pause.” Want to play a racing game? Players simply extend both arms as if holding onto a steering wheel.
  • Kinect tracks 48 different points on the human body (vs. Wii and Move, which just track controller movement).
• Individual games cost upwards of $60. 15 games will be available at launch.

• The technology and game titles are aimed at casual gamers. Kinect takes more of a family/friends approach, trying to generate new sales among “casual gamers.”

Sony Move:

• Available September 19th, the Move hardware can be connected to any PS3 consoles. Sony plans to sell  $100-$180 bundles, which will include the camera, controller(s) and games.
• Technology includes motion-sensing controllers (similar to Wii). The camera maps the player’s motion via the controller and executes action on screen.
  • 1:1 mapping easily transforms the controller into an assault rifle or tennis racket.
• Individual games cost roughly $40. Up to 20 games will be available at launch.
• Move is targeting the more “hardcore gamer.”

What does this mean for advertisers? Well, it’s not surprising that Kinect has received the lion’s share of the industry buzz given its revolutionary technology. One marketer has already taken notice: Chevy has partnered with Microsoft to feature the Chevy Volt in the new game “Kinect Joy Ride,” which will be the system’s first racing game. Gamers can unlock the Chevy Volt after viewing a video advertisement within Xbox Live. The experience becomes a virtual “test drive” within the comfort of players’ living rooms.

The outstanding question is: How will motion sensing change the current gaming landscape? Some say it’s gimmicky and claim one round of Halo with motion control will make people realize they do not want to run in place in front of their TVs for a marathon all-nighter. The verdict is still out on Kinect and Move (especially how they’ll compete with the old favorite – Wii), but early indications are that Kinect will outsell the competition this fall.

You have weathered the economic storm. You were probably caught flat-footed by the recession, but now you sense the light at the end of the tunnel. Business and consumer confidence indices are improving although the US unemployment rate is still high. There is optimism in the air. You have cleared deadwood within your organization.   You have outsourced whatever you can outsource to reduce payroll. Remember that recessions are not unusual – happened over time (1980, 1987, 1991/1992, 2000/2001, 2008/2009) and across geographies (Japan in the ‘90s, East Asia in late ‘90s, Germany/France during mid 90s) – and we can use a few strategies and tactics that worked in the past as our guide.

Treat every dollar as your last

Your marketing and advertising budget probably shrank in the last 18 months. In tandem with your competitors, you migrated dollars to more “measurable” channels and new media – because you were focused on short-term performance.

The last time the CFO asked for ROI for each marketing and advertising tactic, you couldn’t quantify the impact and so the CFO controlled the conversation and the purse. Don’t go back to the CFO for increase in budget now. Instead tell your CEO and CFO what you will deliver by changing your budget or allocating it more optimally across media, geographies, target market segments and marketing tactics.

Hire analytical talent

You probably read the book “Competing on Analytics” and wondered how to bring similar rigor to your organization and decision-making processes in order to maximize marketing ROI. Take this opportunity to upgrade your talent pool while mixing right-brained and left-brained individuals. Let the magic happen.

Optimize your marketing communications

Are you getting what you want from your marketing and advertising services partners? How did your partners guide you through the recession? How are you planning to change the conversation with your prospects and customers? Now is the time to launch an aggressive marketing effort and get to your customers as their wallets thaw. Ensure that your brand stands for the one thing that matters to your target audience.

Don’t forget your employees

Another area where your company probably cut back: reduction in customer service personnel, training, etc. If the service you provide is an integral component of the brand experience, assess the components of the service that are indeed valued by your customers prior to making across the board investment increases.

Don’t let your brand falter

During the first spending reductions you cut back on brand building as your CFO wanted to take cost out of “everything.” Not just advertising, but also customer service, innovation, customer experience and more. You insisted on the value of brand building but couldn’t quantify the value of the brand on long-term performance. Maybe your competitor did not follow your budget cuts and instead maintained or increased spending during the recession. You may have to work smarter and be more surgical.

Take risks

Try to be the first mover in emerging media – mobile, video, social, iPad, and more – if you think that your customers and prospects are hanging out in these venues. Don’t be afraid to try unproven tactics, but adopt a disciplined test & learn approach to know the unknown and manage the risks. If your agency hasn’t proposed treading the untested waters yet, consider firing your agency!

Recession and economic recovery favor the prepared organization. Are you prepared? Now is the time for disciplined, deliberate, and thoughtful actions.

Brands beware. There’s a highly powerful and increasingly influential segment of women fast emerging.

She’s confident, she’s ambitious. She’s strong-willed and well educated. She’s married. And she earns significantly more than her husband. In short, we call her Wonder-Woman. She represents a large chunk of consumer spending power. And it’s time for brands to take her seriously.

But who exactly is this Wonder-Woman and where did she come from?

Based on our cultural studies and analysis of consumer behavior at Mullen, we found that the origins of this powerful female segment date back to the mid-70’s, at around the time the comic-book inspired “Wonder Woman” TV series aired across America. During that time, this segment of women (who out-earned their husband) was relatively small, representing fewer than 1 out of 20 married households.

Fast forward to today and we see that the power base of wonder women has significantly strengthened, in that she may be present in as many as one third of all marriages. She’s most likely to be a Gen-Xer between the age of 30-44 years old, and with an average personal income of about $75,000. She’s got a good job, although she’s not necessarily in the top tier of earning power. What defines her is that she’s not just the gatekeeper – but also the primary bread winner in the household.

Essentially, she’s become the Female Head of Household. But she’s not necessarily looking to wield her power – or to gain the upper hand. Nor is she looking to make a dominant gender statement, or to put her career ambitions before everything else. On the contrary, she’s looking to attain a better life work balance, in pursuing her career and managing her matrimonial and maternal responsibilities. In this regard she’s trying to master it all and to vanquish the arch enemy of her “to-do-list” with a swashbuckling tenacity – all without compromising her sense of individuality.

From a marketing standpoint, what’s truly fascinating about Wonder-Woman is her potential impact on society as a cultural tipping point. Not only is she changing the economic dynamics within the institution of marriage, but she’s also causing the fundamentals of “socially-accepted” gender roles to be questioned. Among her friends, family, and interactions with stay-at-home moms, she’s confronted with managing self-identity and stereotype dilemmas. And certainly, from the perspective of the relationship with her husband, she’s also faced with some unique challenges within her own household. Especially for a Wonder-Woman who has children, there’s the added issue of the interchangeable nature of parenting and nurturing roles within her marriage. There’s also the high likelihood of a Mr. Mom scenario and a role reversal within the relationship dynamic: “Behind every good woman, there’s a good man.”

Given the cultural significance of all this, it would seem surprising that few brands have empathized with the challenges and complex dynamics of a Wonder-Woman household. Certainly for female-skewed brands, there would seem to be a significant marketing opportunity in identifying with and targeting this valuable consumer segment. Not just because of Wonder-Woman’s spending-power, but also because she’s a key purchase influencer, propagator of word of mouth and opinion leader. That makes her an important target audience consideration that few brands can afford to ignore.

However, for brands that do decide to overtly target Wonder-Woman, it’s important to also recognize that engaging her isn’t going to be easy. Brands will need to recognize her unique needs, be relevant in how they speak to her, and  appreciate that her advertising defense systems are likely to be on full alert. For sure, relying on a one-message-fits-all approach or resorting to the “old ways” of mass advertising is less likely to work. Intercepting and engaging Wonder-Woman is going to take a highly targeted and focused messaging approach. Taking the following insights into consideration could help to increase a brands potential to win her over:

1. She will identify with being enabled – make your brand her secret weapon
2. She’s more receptive before she goes shopping, don’t wait until she gets to the POS
3. Earn the right to be part of her world, don’t assume she’ll automatically be part of yours – she’s active in the social media space, blogs and online communities
4. She’s multi-tasking when  wearing the Wonder Woman costume. Some brands might fare better trying to engage her when she’s off-duty.
5. For a Wonder-Woman with kids, don’t forget about Mr. Mom – her husband is still a key influencer in considered purchases
6. Understand her emotional needs – and she could become your most ardent brand ambassador

For women, sharing information (recommendations, experiences, advice) is important, but certainly not a purely altruistic act. Information is social currency. And while exchanging information is faster and easier than ever (copy, paste, click), information as social currency isn’t new. From medieval soothsayers to Gossip Girl, the woman in the know is the woman worth knowing.

But it’s not a numbers game. She’s only as “good” as the information she shares, and she’s highly selective. Before she “hits” send, she makes a rapid, but a critical calculation – one that determines if you’re sent or deleted.

We call this “share value.” And share value has never been more important now that the amount of information women have access to and their potential reach – thousands in a single click – have exploded. There are several factors women use to determine the share value of a ______________ (fill in the blank: brand, message, product, promotion, web-site, event). You can use this list to help evaluate the share-value of your current messaging or offering.

Here’s how to ensure your message is S.H.A.R.E.D.

1. Save. Does the information offer her the opportunity to save or earn money? Helping others save money pays big dividends toward her own social value. But beware – women are digging for even deeper savings – women tell us 10% and free shipping offers don’t do it.
2. Hurry. Urgency means more than a limited-time offer. Give her a compelling reason to act now – and make it fun. The Starbucks Free Pint of Ice Cream for Facebook Users promotion is a great example – with only 800 pints per hour up for grabs, the rush to participate was overwhelming, and those who scored, shared.
3. Access and exclusivity. Help her show she’s connected and in the know while inviting others to the party. Get her to the front of the line, offer her new products and experiences before they’re available to the public and consider co-branded promotions that up the all-access-ante.
4. Reward. What’s in it for her? How are you incentivizing her sharing? Give her a reason to keep your name on the tip of her tongue.
5. Express. Simply, what does the information she’s sharing say about her? Consider the values or traits she wants to convey about herself: savvy, relevancy, cool, consciousness, kindness, multi-dimensionality, responsibility, creativity. Align your values to hers.
6. Digital. It might seem obvious, but there must be a digital, mobile component to all of your messaging that makes it easy for her to send and share with as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

By contrast to the free-spending days of old, the post-apocalyptic consumer will be more savvy, responsible and prudent – although interestingly, as the year progresses, they’ll be increasingly more likely to splurge on “justifiable indulgences.”

Their spending mindset: cents and sensibility
In the wake of “The Great Recession” consumers have realized that unwieldy debt burdens and little to no savings makes them vulnerable to economic ruin. As a result they’re looking to regain control of their own financial destiny and seek out new ways to afford what they need. Their New Year’s resolution is “buy smart, or not at all.”

Shopping is a full contact sport
Consumers have upped their game when it comes to shopping strategies. They’re shopping around more – 75% of consumers state they use five or more channels just to get their grocery shopping done. Even when they are not shopping around they’re working every angle to their advantage – from trawling blogs, online search, deal aggregator websites, joining communities and seeking out e-coupons.

Culturally, looking back to the future
Consumers are regressing back to behaviors from days of old, but with new reasoning. For example, more consumers are line drying their laundry, with an eye towards saving money and justifying the environmental benefits. The victory garden has returned as a way to teach kids about healthy eating. And knitting is also back, as a way to save money and provide emotional therapy.

The oxymoron of naughty but nice
Consumers have a renewed desire for life’s little pleasures – but their resultant behavior is likely to be tempered by “devil vs. angel” psychology. They want to occasionally indulge, but need to feel guilt free in doing so. Many will happily treat themselves to a pint of Haagen Daaz (Five) knowing that it tastes great – and has reduced fat, and is also additive-free. But ostentatious indulgence is still likely to be out of bounds.

What are the implications for brands?
• Make consumers feel smart. Give them good reason.
• Create a multi-channel brand experience and make comparison shopping easier. The results might surprise you.
• Being traditional can be innovative. How can you make brand heritage feel contemporary?
• Strike up the emotional benefits of the brand and the consumer will play along.
• Indulgence is a permissible sin again – but be careful how you talk about it.

Success is incremental, righteous and calculated – Born into an era of over-scheduling and behavioral structure, Millennials believe they’re less likely to be on a fast track. They view the path to achieving their goals as a more calculated effort that begins with – attending “the right college,” living in “the right location,” getting “the right” job, and identifying with “the right set of values.”

They’re responsibly free to achieve – Unlike their Boomer parents who were more uninhibited and carefree, Millennials have a desire for freedom that’s more balanced with a sense of responsibility. For Millennials, achieving freedom doesn’t include the option to “drop out” or “take risks” – for them, the freedom to succeed is aligned with an entitled sense of purpose and the power of individual choice to become whatever they want to be.

Intangibly driven by the greater good — In contrast to the dog-eat-dog Gen X’ers that came before, Millennials are more “we-driven” and collective in their definition of success. For them, “making it” doesn’t simply equate to the tangible rewards of a luxury car, or owning a McMansion. Success is more likely to be defined by sampling a rich array of life experiences – including culture, travel, innovation, sustainability and the environment.

Growing their personal currency – Millennials are looking to make their mark on the world and work towards enhancing their net-worth and self-worth. To them, money is more likely to be the means than the end. They recognize financial security yields opportunity, and thus, take an active interest in financial strategy. They’re looking to take control of their finances, and meet their financial goals – so they can become “enriched” in a broader sense.

Implications for marketers:

1. Deliver M-power: Millennials embrace brands that help nurture their dreams and build confidence along the road to success.
2. App-rehend them: Build smart-phone applications that provide them with the ability to achieve quick wins and be more productive.
3. Get digi-with-it: To intercept Millennials, a brand needs to hang out in the spaces where they virtually spend their time online – creating user generated content, viewing online video, chatting or social networking.
4. Be a belief symbol: Millennials are more likely to seek out a relationship with a brand that promotes and connects with their values, rather than brands that just promote an image of status.

Dinesh Gopinath

Mullen announced today that Dinesh Gopinath, Ph.D., has joined the agency as executive vice president, director of strategic analytics. Gopinath, who was selected after a review of 35 candidates, will lead the agency’s analytics practice, which plays a key role in modeling, predicting and optimizing communications strategies across a wide range of client businesses. Gopinath comes to Mullen from ChoiceStream, Inc. in Cambridge, Mass., where he was chief solutions officer and active in using data for precision communications targeting and more personalized forms of communications. He has developed 1-to-1 personalization technology for clients including Zappos, Overstock, Borders, MTV, Yahoo! and AOL.

“In the hiring of Dinesh, we’re looking to further enhance our competitive advantage in gleaning data-driven insight,” said Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, chief strategy officer at Mullen. “Dinesh will provide an added edge to our precision targeting capabilities – in customer relationship management, digital, social media and beyond. He is a strategic and data analytics thought leader.”

“I‘m excited to join Mullen, focusing on the ROI of marketing and advertising while striking the right balance between short-term and long-term client business goals,” said Gopinath. “The timing is perfect,” Gopinath added. “The advertising industry is at a strategic inflection point dealing with the complexities of audience fragmentation, media proliferation, brand multiplicity, emergence of new technologies and the coalescence of advertising, marketing and selling.”

Gopinath had been with ChoiceStream since 2002, and some of his recent work there was in the development of personalized advertising and recommendation technology designed for so-called “advanced-TV” platforms. Previously, he was a principal with Oliver Wyman (formerly Mercer Management Consulting) and was at US West Advanced Technologies (Qwest).

Gopinath has a Ph.D. and an M.S. degree from MIT. His undergraduate studies were at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, India.

New Earthkeepers OOH

Being green is not a fad – it’s now officially a trend. In the past two years the number of green-minded consumers has increased from 12% to 38% – and the overall desire to be “greener” has become a universal need with over 90% of consumers believing that “environmental responsibility” is important. By 2010 the green market is projected to reach $400 billion. Given its growing significance and relative profit potential, we dug deeper to better understand the implications of being green for marketers:

1. There Are Shades of Green
There are no green strereotypes, and the widely held belief that green means granola-chasing tree hugger is just not true. According to Earthsense, there are four distinct green consumer segments: “selectives,” “habituals,” “believers” and “enthusiasts” – each with their own unique set of varying green attitudes, characteristics and buying behaviors.

2. “Green Consumer” is an Oxymoron
Consume is the exact opposite of what a green-minded consumer tries to do – being green is driven by preserving resources, not consuming. Today, green has a double meaning with consumers looking to save the planet and save money, as they look for ways to weather the recession – especially among the “enthusiasts.”

3. It Isn’t Easy Being Green
There are significant barriers inhibiting the mainstream adoption and growth of green-products: including, perceived performance, convenience, and cost. In addition, consumers are skeptical of companies that claim to be green and they’re increasingly wary of “greenwashing.” What’s driving the consumer hesitancy is that only 2% of green products have a truly legitimate claim.

4. Don’t Call Me Green
It’s wrong to call someone that thinks and behaves green…well, green. Green has become a dirty marketing word to sell products. Green consumers prefer to be called sustainable, eco-conscious or environmentally friendly, given that’s their endgame.

What are the Implications for Marketers?

• There’s no on one-strategy-fits-all green solution – take a targeted approach to increase green relevancy
• It’ll take a “green plus brand benefit” approach to overcome consumer barriers to trial
• The “greenest” segments will most likely shrug off your marketing efforts, no matter what
• Educate to motivate, so that consumers won’t wonder about what makes your brand green
• Be green, act green, market green, but don’t say green in your marketing