Truth In Advertising May Come To Bloggers; Consumers Win
November 25, 2008
Proposed new rules by the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) will extend, in their current form, the truth-in-advertising regulations to bloggers, street teams, discussion boards, and other online. Mainstream marketers, according to the BNet article, are not too happy about this.
I’m extremely pleased about this particular piece.
And I am an online marketer.
Why? Because I think consumers deserve that protection. Disclosure should be REQUIRED. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve overheard or talked to those who love skirting the rules of disclosure online; it’s scarily common.
In my opinion, if a company sends you a sample of something, as a blogger you should clearly disclose you got it from them, including payment if applicable. I also am not a fan of pay-per-post whatsoever and consider it disingenuous to pay someone to mention their product without disclosure.
This happens a lot in the technology business. One of the reasons I listen to Leo Laporte and Andy Ihnatko for gadget information is that they do not do paid “stand ups.” These are segments created by the gadget companies with a news “reporter” that talk about their gadgets; they then edit them and send them to news organizations looking to fill space on their news program for free and they air them as regular news pieces with little, no, or unclear disclosure.
I’ll step off my soapbox. What are your thoughts?
A Motrin Mom Mob?
November 17, 2008
This post is guest-written by Beverly Cornell. She was honored with the 2008 Connectech “blogger of the year” award and blogs and podcasts at Global Business Perspectives and also can be found on Twitter with her handle, @beverlycornell. The opinions expressed are her own.
This weekend, while laid up due to bronchitis I was reading twitter and saw the flurry of tweets regarding the Motrin Moms. They were twittering like mad to each other over a new campaign that Motrin was launching. (link to ad on Youtube).
I thought the ad was cute…a bit cheeky, but cute. What some very active twitter moms found offensive, I found clever. I can pretty much assume that Motrin meant no malice in their advertising to this segment of the population but what came as an avalanche of criticism no one could have expected. Now, I am not a mom and maybe my perspective is not aligned with all those moms who were so upset but I do see the merits of baby wearing.
But, I wonder if the Motrin Moms that were up in arms over this ad had just stumbled upon the ad by themselves, if they would have felt so angry. Or did one or two mom’s very loud opinion create a perception? Did the power of the mob take over…did they lose site of the real purpose of the ad? I would call that a social media mob mentality.
Is it just human nature that we gather online (and offline) only to find that we can be swayed by a few folks to say and do things we wouldn’t normally do?
The way I see it, the purpose of the ad was to help the average mom who has back pain. If you don’t like it don’t buy it – why badmouth the product so viciously? No moms or babies were hurt in the making of the commercial.
What I don’t understand is where are all these caring, united voices are when talking about education, poverty, the economy and other topics that have far more impact and can truly make a difference for themselves and their children’s lives? And such outrage, as is it now expected for companies to have a 24-7 monitoring presence, even on weekends, for everything, and then get told “they’re not listening” when they’re probably taking care of their families on a Saturday or Sunday?
Ultimately, the power of social media can be good, bad, or in this case even ugly. Whichever way you dice it …everyone is talking about Motrin around the water cooler today.
I ask you this…what should we really be mobilizing for or against today?
The Carmakers’ Failure To Sell The “Bailout.”
November 17, 2008
Lee Iacoca, before he asked for a dollar, lowered his salary to $1.
Engendered good will. Lead by example.
Rick Wagoner, on the other hand, said he won’t resign for government dollars.
Angered lots of potential allies, showed hubris, and by his statement gave the impression that he came first before the company or the taxpayer’s hard earned money.
The contrasts here are stark. According to Sarah Webster, a reporter for the Free Press while on WDET’s “Detroit Today,” Chrysler did a PR smash in 1978, showing people what was in the pipeline, having much more apparent transparency – and what does GM do? Show the Volt, and that’s it. Nothing more about their plans. Nothing to the vast parts of America who have misconceptions about Detroit because they’ve been disconnected for a generation. Cerberus, being the private venture entity they are, is even more of a curtain.
A friend of mine talks about “The Ask.” He talks about how in order to get people to care about helping you, they need to know you. Right now, the Big 3 are doing a horrible job with the public; in many ways, they’re taking the same approach the financial industry did for their bailout, and it’s only angering folks.
Sure, there’s majority opinion in some polls to help the US automakers, but it’s tenuous. America does not have the affinity for US carmakers that they once did, and do not have the knowledge of the changes that have been made because of their multi-faceted disconnection with Detroit. Many are taken care of by their foreign purchases; and their friends are employed in foreign-owned plants, service centers, and dealerships. Toyota and Honda are as American to them and their lives as General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler.
The Big 3 need to start, today, having a real conversation with the community, put the hubris away, and start treating the taxpayers like the good citizens they are; that if told the story and engaged would be more than glad to lobby even their conservative congresspeople to get a sensible plan with the right regulations passed.
Even more importantly than the congresspeople, the nation needs to be behind this package so that they feel they have ownership; even be more motivated to buy U.S. automaker’s vehicles because “they’re doing their part” instead of what’s happening right now, which is dragged along for the ride.
Update: Looks like a senator from Florida, Bill Nelson (D), agrees:
The Florida senator also said he worries that, unlike 1979, when Chrysler got $1.2 billion in a government bailout, there is no figure like Lee Iacocca – the company’s head back then – to soothe doubts that the auto industry was ready to change.
“Where are the Lee Iococca’s?” he asked. “We don’t see them.”
Six Social Media Tips From My Grandmother
November 13, 2008
OK. So she passed on before Youtube existed.
However, I have to say that the basis of so much of what I feel is “common sense” in social media and online relationships came from my grandmother. So many of what the luminaries say, when I think about it, is stuff that grandma told me when I was seven.
If she were 25 today, she’d be using every single one of the tools out there today. Why? Because she used the equivalents of her day, and used them well, to be celebrated and loved by many, many people. She was a bright socialite, who regularly held conversations with world figures (Kuwaiti princes, British Members of Parliament, etc) at her house, CEOs, Labour leaders, entertainers, all walks of people, straight, gay, the whole shot.
What were the things she valued?
Always Be Aware of Your Personal Brand. In short, everywhere you are, you’re representing yourself. Be the same person you are with every single crowd, and don’t falsify yourself. Be authentic, yet polite, well spoken, appropriately dressed, and realized that at any moment you could be making a first impression when in public, and don’t swear in public as it’s crass (I violate that one sometimes, sorry Grandma, I’ll work to be better). And online, you’re always in public.
The Power of Gratitude. She wrote thank you cards for EVERYTHING. Everything. You took her to coffee, you were getting a thank you card within a week. She’d usually sit down to write them the next evening at her bureau. Do you thank people? Do you realize that everything comes from other people in some way, shape or form?
Even if You Don’t Agree, Get Along With and Respect Others. You never know when the next day that they’ll be on your side of the argument. They may or may not remember they disagreed with you, but they WILL DEFINITELY REMEMBER how you treated them.
Always Bring Something to the Table. Grandma NEVER came unprepared to a party. Even if you told her not to, she’d bring something. That endeared her to a lot of people, and they knew that she valued their friendship because of her extra effort. No one could ever label her a “taker;” she was always a “giver.” And because of that, she could make a phone call and make darn near anything happen with anyone in town.
Apologize. You will make mistakes. You will say things that are taken wrong sometimes. Apologize promptly when you do, and try to rectify the situation as best you can.
Keep Good, Positive Company. Associate with people that bring you up – that are focused on success (whatever that may be defined as). On her bedroom wall was always, “Tis not the gales, but how ye set the sails, which determines which way they go.” (I know this one might be hard with all the negativity on the internet, but really, you only have so much time on this earth, spend it being happy).
Blogging and Podcasting as Cornerstones Of Your Social Media Strategy Speech at Podcamp Michigan
November 10, 2008
I spoke on Saturday at Podcamp Michigan, and thought I’d share the speech. Apologies for the audio, we weren’t individually mic’ed and I have a slight problem with pacing too much 
Podcamp Michigan – Session #3 from Coefficient Media on Vimeo.
P.S. – I really appreciate the opportunity from Mark who put this together, and apologies to the hardcore podcasting geeks who weren’t so into the “ROI” and “For Business” talks. I promise I’ll have something targeted for you next year, maybe bring Erik who’s the certified audio engineer of the group. Also, many thanks to the luminaries way before me, specifically Merlin Mann, Gary Veynerchuk, Chris Brogan, and countless others who have shared so much.
