Celebrities love talking about their pets and Ark Naturals joined that conversation at the Emmy Gifting Lounge while introducing many of the attendees to the benefits of holistic pet wellness care and the benefits of the entire Ark Naturals line. We shared the entire experience, including pictures on the brand’s Facebook and Twitter pages and held a “Red Carpet Pet” contest on social media, which resulted in great fan interaction and dialogue.

For The DivaCup, an established brand looking to take things up a notch, we recommended getting celebrities involved in the dialog with their brand ambassadors.

At the recent Emmy Award Gifting lounge, The DivaCup founders Francine and Carinne Chambers had fun interacting with many celebrities who were already familiar with their brand and delighted to get their “Diva” gift bag. Images from the event were posted on The DivaCup Facebook, where an “Emmy Diva” contest was put in place, leading to great conversations and interactions with their fans.

Eco18 is a collective of creative writing individuals with a common goal—to live a healthier more natural lifestyle. A reflection of their diverse backgrounds, cultures and interests, the website explores green and sustainable in a practical, engaging and fun way. Created for easy navigation, the “18’ theme is a recurring element designed to add a unique dimension to the site while continually reinforcing the branding. Eco18 is a destination for “all shades of green”, a multi-media entity for sustainable living.

A media event at a NY chef’s private kitchen in a Tribeca loft provided attendees with a hands-on experience with KAMUT® Brand Khorasan wheat. The intimate setting afforded the opportunity for some really healthy eating, education on ancient grains and great schmoozing. Editors from magazines like Family Circle and Food & Wine to food bloggers such as Serious Eats and Feisty Foodie were serious KAMUT® converts by the end of the evening!

Sue Taggart, Chief Brand Strategist at ADinfinitum, appeared for the second time as a guest speaker at the recent Natural Products Consulting Sales Seminar. Sue talked about how brands can leverage social media to grow sales. Citing examples of the agency’s successes and tips to develop engagement with key influencers. The audience in San Francisco was given the opportunity to ask questions with the NY-based team via Twitter.

MARCH 2011 marked a very special occasion for Bob Quinn and the KAMUT® team. For their 25-year celebration at Expo West in Anaheim, CA, we created a contest and cake cutting that mirrored Bob Quinn’s trademark cowboy hat. Retailers, manufacturers, friends and family helped make this a memorable event. Hats off to KAMUT®

With an uncertain economy, consumers search for more affordable items, driving a different kind of shopping behavior. Comparison websites and surfing for deals delay the impulse to buy in a retail store. Information gathering and reading reviews online is part of the research process savvy shoppers are engaging in.
Today’s shopper falls into three main categories:

• The end user: For them shopping is done almost exclusively online. They shop from home and they use price comparison websites extensively

• The shopper: They walk around town, visiting shop by shop to see what’s on sale. They then use the web to see if they can get a better deal online

• The buyer: They buy physical items in real shops. They may still shop around, but they make the purchase at a physical store. It’s a real experience for them

The challenge that marketers now face is that the power has shifted from the brand to the consumer. The consumer makes the decisions about where, when and how they will shop. Technology allows them to find the best product, the best brand and the best price. It also allows them to build a relationship with these brands before and after they purchase. So, how can a brand pull ahead of the competition to capture those social shoppers?

Brand advocates are key in the social universe. Developing a dialog with these key influencers is essential to broaden a brand’s message, to get it shared and amplified beyond the first connection.

Here are some simple steps that will build consumer connections:

• Remember that every consumer has a very different lifestyle. By studying their lifestyles you will begin to understand how to market to them and know what they want to buy.

• You have an opportunity to provide consumers with timely and relevant
content in the right place – on the right device. Make sure your content is compelling and interesting.

• Social Coupons are easy to share, which means they can go viral – paper based coupons cannot. This gives them a potentially huge reach and return.

• Integration is key. It’s no longer enough to run just a TV campaign. Brand advertising works together with PR, Social Media and promotions to create a mutli-media strategy that pays dividends.

• Cater to consumers, give them what they want, in the form they want, on the device that they want. You have to fit their lifestyle preferences.

Image credit:  KMP Blog