Simren Deogun – Simren Deogun

C’mon Marketing World, Find Me Some Integrity!

March 7, 2011 By Simren Deogun Leave a Comment

Don’t tell me about Charlie Sheen. Do not talk to me about foolish world records or incoherent messaging or ill-planned and ill-fated marketing.

I don’t care.

I struggle with having empathy for those who have so much and yet give so little. It’s not just about celebrities being struck down by the jaws of fame, drugs and misfortune. For me, it’s about the constant struggle of being human and humane.

To give so much and yet receive so little in return. Is this not the life of the impoverished? Of the sick and hungry? Of even the non-profits who stand up to protect these people?

As our culture becomes more of a do-it-yourself, everyone-is-an-expert, turnkey digital marketplace, I ask — what do marketers do anyway?

I’m officially declaring this a marketing epidemic! And yet, I choose integrity, sincerity, and trust.

Yeah, sure, it’s sappy. But emotion equals impact. Impact equals results.

So, what do marketers do? We give you a voice and an identity, and we transform it all into results. Find me some integrity, I know it’s out there!

Filed Under: Thoughts

Inspiring Website Design For The Masses

February 28, 2011 By Simren Deogun 2 Comments

I find myself emphasizing more and more these days how important it is to lay a solid foundation, to get the basics right before heading directly into battle unprotected.

For me, when we’re talking about online, it starts with the website!

If you don’t know how to code or don’t understand the technical mumbo-jumbo then find someone you trust to do it for you. You need a designer who understands the web and a developer who understands how to code creative designs. This is where you should begin. Then you plan, design, code, test and launch.

Here are website examples that even I draw inspiration from:

CNN

Charity: Water

Engadget

Seth Godin

Take the simple with the complex, the colourful with the monotone and find your own inspiration.

Stop Telling Me To Write Great Content!

February 20, 2011 By Simren Deogun 2 Comments

I’ve done it. You’ve probably done it, and if you haven’t, then I know you’ve read it. We keep reading and re-reading the same rules of thumb, same best practices, same tips on how to be good, nay great, marketers online.

But how many times can we read the same lists before we get frustrated? Before we tune them out completely?

And yes I do know the counter argument — not everyone is up to speed; in digital marketing we do not yet operate on a level playing field. But, in the same vein, I think we’re being so repetitive because we don’t know what else to say.

We can’t legitimately predict where the world of digital will take us. The beauty of its attraction lies within its unpredictability and its constant advancement.

And to that I say that there are no best practices, no rules of thumb — that there is something to be said about trying something new and not being afraid to do so.

There is a lot data can tell us, like when to send an email, where to put your call-to-action button, how to create a search engine optimized webpage, but in the end there are always going to be those thought-leaders that will disprove these ‘best practices’.

They will be the ones who try something new and by doing so create a new trend, which in turn impacts the course of all future data. Whether they send that email at midnight or turn that button into a video, they will find a way to transform our benchmark of success.

So my tip to you is to walk into work tomorrow, grab a piece of scrap paper and write a list of 3 benchmarks you’d like to break. Three benchmarks that have governed how you market online and made you fall into complacent obedience. Write that list and stick it up on your cubical or office wall. And remind yourself of it everyday, remind yourself that you are making the choice to be different, that you are choosing to set your own benchmark!

Filed Under: Best Practices, Digital

Five Lessons For All Marketers

January 30, 2011 By Simren Deogun 1 Comment

1. Listen — Online or offline. Books, blogs, newspapers, magazines. Tweets, posts, statuses, locations. Your eyes and ears should always be open. I believe the best marketers in the world never stop “marketing” — that is, they never stop looking, absorbing and analyzing. Always learning, because marketing is not something that can simply be learnt in a finite period of time. No, it and you evolve together into something more complex and beautiful everyday.

2. Ask — Why? Or How? Or any question under the sun that enters your mind. I always have a lot of questions to ask, and I love asking them. They don’t just have to be the intellectually-challenging, mind-bending kind of questions, they can be the simple ones too. Like, How is that going to affect our client’s bottom line? vs. How do we get our audience to care and become advocates?

3. Understand your Audience — Don’t just know them: who they are and where they live and what they buy. If you can understand them, know what truly motivates them, then you can begin to think like them. All the data in the world can tell you every measurable and quantifiable fact about your audience, but it cannot calculate the intangible properties that ultimately make them who they are. That is something that cannot be bought. But it is something you can learn and listen for.

4. Experiment — Never stop trying new things. Your audience isn’t going to stop, so why should you?

5. Be Fearful and Fearless — From your strategy to your writing to your design to your execution. Always be simultaneously afraid and not afraid at all. Fear of failure, of sub-par results, of below-average performance drives us to be better and to motivate others to do the same. I am always afraid, but I’m also just fearless enough to not let that fear stop me.

Being a marketer is tough stuff. It’s also underrated and often where the money gets cut first. If you’re a marketer, you will most likely have to live your career constantly proving you and your team are the heart of the organization. That’s part of the challenge of marketing. But if you’re not, then think about who has a pulse on your organization, internal and external, and ask yourself if you’re allowing them to beat as mightily and ferociously as they can.

Filed Under: Business, Lessons Learned, Thoughts Tagged With: Audience, Lessons, Listen

The LinkedIn Revolution: It’s More Than A Wallflower

January 23, 2011 By Simren Deogun 1 Comment

I love LinkedIn! I’ve been known to cry out in disgust when I come across a professional (of any kind) who doesn’t have a LinkedIn profile.

WHAT?! How can you not have a LinkedIn profile? With almost 2 billion people around the globe using the internet, what is your excuse?

Though, I admit my immersion in technology and marketing may impose the slightest of biases when it comes to this digital landscape. But I know that LinkedIn, though slower in its development and adoption of new features and functionality than its social network counterparts, is undoubtedly a powerhouse that is not going away.

On occasion, LinkedIn may appear the wallflower of the bunch, but I like to think of it as the cautious friend telling you to slow down lest you get a speeding ticket.

Social Media is a fad. Or at least the amount of time we allow social media to consume in our day-to-day is a fad. It will change and evolve, and then hopefully merge and simplify. But what sets LinkedIn apart from the ‘fad group’ is that it travels outside instant and real-time gratification.

I argue that it is viable and valuable because of the extremely long shelf-life of its content. It is, perhaps, the good twin of Facebook (i.e. Facebook = evil) because its service is based in professional development. (By the way, Facebook is by no means “bad” but rather driven by personal impulse, personal ego, and personal connectivity.)

What does LinkedIn have to offer?

Professional Network: LinkedIn is not for connecting with some high school acquaintance of yesteryear or last night’s pub crawl participants. It demands a mutually beneficial relationship between two colleagues, peers, or professionals. I believe in order to use it well, you must establish LinkedIn connections with those who can enhance your professional know-how and reach.
Profile: A detailed summary of the professional you. From specialties and skills to experience and education. That profile is a powerful indicator of not only your professional capabilities but also your professional brand. It is your online resume.
Apps: Yep, LinkedIn has apps too! But if you didn’t know about them that is certainly more LinkedIn’s fault than your own. Events, Tweets, WordPress and an Amazon Reading List are amongst the heavy hitters. This is where that “brand” really comes alive in your profile. You get the chance to inject a bit of the real you.
Twitter Integration: Beyond Twitter simply being an add-on app for LinkedIn, this integration helps to marry the real-time influx of info on Twitter with the more constant and cautious focus of LinkedIn. Maintaining a professionally-driven Twitter account is an amazing way to sync these two fantastic worlds.
Ads: Just two weeks ago, LinkedIn threw its hat into the social network ad ring, joining ruler Facebook and its sickly protege Twitter! Still in beta (sadly), LinkedIn DirectAds (let’s hope they drop the ‘Direct’ in Alpha!) offer what has made Facebook so successful in this realm: highly targeted online advertising that is cheap, simple and easy-to-use. I only wonder why it took them so long.
Sharing: Again, following in the footsteps of its predecessors, LinkedIn launched a share button late last year. But if you have a company or professional blog, this button is perfect to get people in your LinkedIn network talking about you.

More Fun Stuff from LinkedIn:

Create your own Email Signature: A customizable LinkedIn Signature for Outlook Express, 2000, 2003, 2007 and Mozilla Thunderbird.
Mac Search Widget: Search LinkedIn direct from your Mac.
LinkedIn Mobile: Get the LinkedIn mobile app for your BlackBerry, iPhone or Palm device.

Filed Under: Business, Digital, Social Media Tagged With: facebook, LinkedIn, LinkedIn DirectAds, Online Resume, Social Networking, twitter

Did Your 2010 Marketing Predictions Come True?

January 3, 2011 By Simren Deogun 1 Comment

In January 2010, I made my first set of predictions on what the year would hold for the ‘wonderful world of marketing’ (a la Disney!). Read my 2010 predictions post here.

I wanted to take this opportunity to review how wrong I was — and in some instances right!

2010 Prediction Review

1. Social Media Integration
VERDICT: True
WHAT HAPPENED: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube. Now add Foursquare, mobile applications, QR codes and Groupon. Marketing campaigns strived to integrate across the board digitally.
FUTURE: Is 2011 the year when businesses start taking social media seriously?

2. Social Media Failure
VERICT: False (Somewhat)
WHAT HAPPENED: Facebook grew exponentially by being the most visited site on the Internet passing Google, fuelled by the widespread adoption of Login and Like Buttons, reaching over 500 million users, and the introduction of Single Sign-on. Twitter continued to hold steady with increased funding, an influx of 100 millions users in 2010 and a new interface. LinkedIn remains a constant in the social media game, and quite depressingly added a ‘Share’ button. Foursquare — the biggest trend (dare I say) of the year — looks like it might just flop after all.
FUTURE: Will anyone really care about LBS-based apps? Will Twitter be able to sustain its social viability for another 12 months?

3. The Next Google
VERDICT: False (Maybe a bit early for this prediction)
WHAT HAPPENED: Launch of Google Instant. Launch of the Google eBookstore. Facebook became more ‘popular’ than Google. Chrome continues to rule. Buzz and Wave fall flat.
FUTURE: Is Google becoming too big? Is Google too diversified?

4. Content Ownership
VERDICT: False (Too early again)
WHAT HAPPENED: Web 2.0, though ancient in digital years, is still a learning curve for many. With social media as the major distraction of 2010, content licensing never became a real legal concern. And then there is the prickly issue of what kind of content — blog, video, social, etc.
FUTURE: Will it take until Web 3.0 to push for stricter content regulations online?

5. Mobile Marketing
VERDICT: True
WHAT HAPPENED: Apple stays in strong contention with its massive media-hog, iPhone 4, survives Antennagate, goes ape for iAds and revolutionizes yet another market with iPad. Google’s Android beats iPhone in growth and hits it big with HTC and Samsung. BlackBerry goes Torch with lacklustre results but keeps interest piqued with PlayBook announcement. Oh, and Microsoft releases Windows Phone 7.
FUTURE: As mobile continues to grow, how will marketers use this new platform to reach their audience outside of display ads?

6. Conversation Conversion
VERDICT: True
WHAT HAPPENED: Have a look at number 1 and 2. Social media integration was big and it will continue to grow, businesses became savvier with tracking and measuring and they will continue to get savvier, and marketers worked to capture data and keep the conversation going even after a visitor hit their landing page.
FUTURE: How will marketers respond to the overwhelming demands of social media and keep the conversation simple and relevant?

7. Video and, of course, YouTube
VERDICT: True
WHAT HAPPENED: YouTube is THE place for video and has become synonymous with viral. Viral is not something you can strategize and you certainly shouldn’t try. Everyone loves video and they REALLY loved YouTube in 2010 with over 700 Billion videos viewed!
FUTURE: Will YouTube streamline its advertising options? Can the YouTube Brand channel become more flexible to marketers (think Facebook Pages and Apps)?

8. AdWords are Dead
VERDICT: False
WHAT HAPPENED: AdWords is the word in online advertising. Brand integrity, loyalty and first-entry advantage. 2010 did not dispel any of this.
FUTURE: Will Facebook ads become a more viable, easier-to-use and more fruitful alternative to Google’s AdWords?

9. Traditional Marketing Continues to Endure A Painful Death
VERDICT: True & False
WHAT HAPPENED: Publishing continues to suffer, as do Print ads what with carrying a heftier price tag when compared to digital offerings. TV, Radio, Direct and the like continue on … though perhaps on eggshells.
FUTURE: Can ‘integration’ of online and offline truly be the overarching marketing theme for 2011?

10. Web 3.0
VERDICT: False
WHAT HAPPENED: Web 2.0 lives on with the help of social media.
FUTURE: Maybe 2012, 2015 or 2020. “Web 3.0 is coming around the mountain … Web 3.0 will be trying to make the web personal period. Personified by the ongoing, never-ending conversation between customer and provider, the intelligence of the web, and the ultimate in personalization and customization.”

What do you think 2011 be like?

Filed Under: Business, Thoughts Tagged With: 2010, 2011, adwords, content, conversion, marketing predictions, Mobile Marketing, social media, web 3.0

Coltan: Today’s Digital Epidemic

December 5, 2010 By Simren Deogun 1 Comment

A recent Globe and Mail Article — Smartphones: Blood stains at our fingertips — by Iain Marlow and Omar El Akkad discussed an extremely relevant issue concerning today’s technology that I knew nothing about: Coltan.

Coltan is a rare mineral located — in its largest deposit — in Eastern Congo, a noted war-ridden region of Africa. But, even in its rarity, it makes it into our everyday North American lives in the form of tantalum: an integral part of the circuitry inside our favourite smartphones, PCs, laptops and other treasured high-tech devices.

The mining and sale of this expensive mineral is known to fund warlords in Congo, while the consuming public remains oblivious. Much like the catastrophic impact of Blood Diamonds only a couple years ago, Coltan is the new-found blood on our ignorant hands.

As consumers, we thrive off of the marketer’s message. The guarantee of high-quality technology in an unavoidably digital age sold to us at a fair and reasonable price.

But we’re being duped. Or at least the segment of the consuming public that cares about human life is being duped. And I would hazard to say that that segment is markedly large.

When asked, we rise to the occasion — Americans and Canadians alike. I believe this wholeheartedly. If paying a little more for my BlackBerry or iPhone or iMac means saving lives, do I really have the choice to say no?

When disaster struck Haiti or Pakistan or even right here at home, did we say no? Did we say we wouldn’t help? This is another disaster, one that has killed millions of lives for more than a decade.

So, if it takes some more money for me to have the freedom to write this on my MacBook in a comfy chair with no threat at my door, then I readily accept that option. Because I think one thing we certainly can’t afford to say is no.

But, alas, one large part of this issue is marketing the need for that support, to reach out and help those in need. This next decade will present to us a new era in messaging and marketing. Wherein it is not only about the latest technology and its bevy of indescribably awesome features, but also about what that organization represents and what your purchase stands for.

Please read this article and pass it on: Smartphones: Blood stains at our fingertips. Change is now at your fingertips.

Filed Under: Digital, News Tagged With: Blackberry, Coltan, Globe and Mail, iMac, iPhone, Laptop, PC, Smartphone, Tantalum

RockMelt: A Social Browser Learning To Walk

November 14, 2010 By Simren Deogun 1 Comment

This past week saw the infectious rise of RockMelt, a new social browser built on Google’s open-source Chromium browser platform. It offers all the regular browser functionality of Google Chrome (and its competitors) except with the addition of side panes that instantly connect you to your desired social networks.

The primary caveat is that you are required to have an active Facebook account to even get your foot through the door. To begin using RockMelt, you must login with your Facebook credentials; pictured right are all the fanciful permissions RockMelt insists you ‘allow’ for its use. An immediate turn-off for me!

But, nevertheless, I conceded being the digital nerd that I am — under different circumstances though, the result may have not been the same, after all, my Facebook account is very personal to me. Just something to think about, RockMelt.

The heavy reliance on Facebook integration clearly defines (what at least RockMelt perceives to be) the hub of social connectivity on the web today: It’s Facebook or bust.

RockMelt is smart to offer quick and easy access to any social network of your choice, including Twitter and WordPress.

I was excited to try RockMelt, having searched extensively for that all-in-one social aggregator. I was always left disappointed, in some instances there weren’t enough features or maybe too many or I didn’t have enough control. And yet, when my Twitter stream lit up with innumerable mentions of RockMelt, a pang of hope resonated inside of me.

In these first few days of use, disappointment has seemed inevitable. Built on Chromium, RockMelt lacks a unique and consistent design for its UI, it feels more like pieces of a puzzle forced together as opposed to ones that naturally fit. The side panes offer extensive possibility, but with the whole left pane dedicated solely to Facebook, I was left feeling cramped.

There is something also unbelievably unintuitive about the whole thing that I just can’t seem to get over. To post a new tweet or status or the like, I have to use the left pane where my Facebook profile lives, input the content and select the relevant network. However, updates to my Twitter stream (and other networks) are viewed on the right. Why isn’t it all in one place? Why can’t I view and update Twitter in the same pane? Yikes.

I can’t help but think that much of the marketing and buzz propelling RockMelt into the media forefront is predominantly two-fold. One, that it is much of a novelty product with little competition (despite a lacklustre predecessor in Flock). And two, that it is mysterious. Just ask Sally Hogshead, and she’ll tell you mystery falls under “mystique” — one of her seven triggers of fascination.

And so the public is fascinated, but admittedly not impressed.

I contend that any individual social network does a much better job presenting to and handling its audience, from Facebook’s standalone experience to Twitter’s new two-column interface and its bevy of amazing third-party managers (including Hootsuite and Seesmic).

RockMelt is a step in the right direction for the digital landscape, especially when it comes to “social aggregation” and target marketing. But it doesn’t feel right yet, call it intuition or foolishness but I imagine something is on the brink of exploding, and RockMelt just might be the stepping stone to achieve that.

Filed Under: Digital, Resources, Social Media Tagged With: Chromium, facebook, Flock, Google Chrome, Hootsuite, RockMelt, Sally Hogshead, Seesmic, Social Browser, social media, twitter, wordpress

The QR Code Sensation

November 7, 2010 By Simren Deogun 1 Comment

QR Codes — or Quick Response barcodes — are two-dimensional barcodes that when scanned by a smartphone will direct the user to a predefined URL. The codes can also contain embedded messages, email addresses and images.

I used Kaywa QR-Code and BeQRious.com to generate my own barcodes in seconds.

To scan the codes, I downloaded a free application — QR Code Scanner Pro — on to my BlackBerry 9700 (for Android and iPhone, try QuickMark QR Code Reader) that when launched, I simply pointed at my codes to scan. Easy enough!

Kaywa Qr-Code

Beqrious.com

The technology behind the codes is simple to use and implement, as shown above. The barriers, however, are two-fold: one, knowledge and understanding, and two, the ability to scan and use the barcodes.

As a novel — and admittedly peculiar-looking — piece of marketing, these barcodes lend themselves toward innovation with the near certainty of becoming a mainstream channel incorporated into both print and digital marketing initiatives.

The catch is moreso usability. The public can be easily educated on these cute little codes, but even if they know what they are, we need to seriously consider if they have the technology to use them. Without a smartphone, the codes are essentially useless to both the user and the marketer.

However, let’s keep in mind that the smartphone market is growing: 17% adoption for the US, 12% for Canada and a staggering 28% for Italy. Still, these numbers are low, to be honest. And that means QR codes are (and will likely remain to be for the next 12-18 months) a niche marketing channel.

They’re cool, which definitely helps. Innovative, no doubt. Can hold a great deal of data/information. Appeal to that ever-important 18-55 demographic, who represent the largest age demographic group for mobile. And they’re INEXPENSIVE.

My take is to NOT shy away from the QR Code but to embrace it. Implement and use them in unique ways as part of your digital/social media marketing, just make sure you have a way to collect data, track metrics and measure success from them. Happy Barcoding!

And, if you’re really interested in the new world of barcodes, check out stickybits for some intriguing ideas around tagging digital content.

Filed Under: Digital, Technology Tagged With: Barcodes, QR Codes, Smartphone

What Did ‘The Social Network’ Teach Us About Marketing?

October 24, 2010 By Simren Deogun Leave a Comment

Now that “the Facebook movie” — better known as The Social Network — mania has subsided, I think it especially timely to resurrect its message, marketing-style!

The poignant part of the movie for me was when Zuckerberg turns to Saverin and says, “It’s cool now. And if it’s filled with pop-ups for Mountain Dew, it won’t be.” Saverin wants ads on The Facebook because ads equal money. But Zuckerberg doesn’t want the sanctity of his “cool” online networking experience to be infiltrated by overbearing advertisements.

What does The Social Network teach us? If it is cool, it will sell. Well, yea, if your target market is the young, college demographic!

Facebook, in its infancy, successfully filled the void of connecting and building relationships online with an uber-personal but rudimentary approach — friends! More friends must equal more cool, right?

But it’s not just about being cool. “Cool” ultimately represents the intangible properties of history’s ‘insanely great’ marketing successes. “Cool” is that which cannot be planned or manufactured or anticipated — it is precisely that which is ruined when it is planned, manufactured or anticipated. Yet, the concept and definition of cool is in constant flux.

Twitter embodies “cool” by being current and timely. iPhone takes on “cool” with good looks, charm and apps. Coca Cola is “classic cool” because it has modernized an old brand without abandoning its roots. Tickle-Me-Elmo was “cool” because it was unexpectedly infectious and cute.

Each of these products has its own difficult-to-measure but incredibly powerful cool factor. And almost each has evolved over time to effectively enhance and translate its intangible key to success on a global scale.

Ask yourself what your cool is. Where does it come from and why? And, if you have no perceivable cool to be found, are you trying too hard? Think back to high school and remember that one classmate who wore too much gel, too much makeup or sunglasses indoors, he/she was trying too hard to be cool. Don’t be that kid, be your own.

Cool is dynamic, influential and flexible. It can be neither consistently defined nor created. It comes from the purest form of invention, where intent is earnest, meaningful and driven.

Filed Under: Digital, Technology Tagged With: Cool, facebook, The Social Network

The Gap Surrenders: Should Failing Mean Giving In?

October 18, 2010 By Simren Deogun Leave a Comment

Ok, I know The Gap logo fiasco has been written about to no end, but let’s stop talking about the ill-designed logo and its succeeding ill-advised PR debacle and focus on the principle behind it all.

The Gap surrendered, simply put. They met resistance — though admittedly in the form of a strong front of marketing and graphic design experts — and they folded. But was it the right call? Many others are now questioning if the consumer (the purchaser of Gap’s merchandise) would have cared at all. If, in fact, the logo would have made any impact on the purchase decision-making process.

Despite this, the logo was indeed a failure. “The iconic blue box logo,” as president Marka Hansen called it after its reinstatement, would by no means be easy to successfully replace or replicate. And what I love most is that Hansen is quoted as calling the logo “iconic” — the state of being iconical should not be taken lightly, marketers! Nor should it be quickly dumped for a clunky clone of much lesser value.

The real crux of the matter lies with those behind the scenes, making the decisions. Such as deciding to redesign the logo in the first place — was it really an attempt to reinvent The Gap as a more contemporary clothing powerhouse and thereby miraculously boost sales? Or how about deciding to approve and launch the new logo despite its quite evidently poor design. Or — and here’s the rub — deciding to revert after some backlash and a few choice debasing words regarding the otherwise “iconic” brand.

What all these malnourished decisions summate to is perhaps an underlying chaos in the ranks of The Gap. A set of poor choices that has coloured The Gap perhaps a little less blue and a whole lot more yellow.

Failing is only ideal for an organization like The Gap when it never happens. Especially when it comes to something so simple, so minor as a logo, it shouldn’t be difficult at all, right? But then again, we marketers know that logos are never minor, never simple, are they?

So, what do you think, should failing mean giving in?

Filed Under: Business, Design Tagged With: Brand, Logo Design, The Gap