We had a discussion in class on Monday evening about the internet, social media, blogs and the dissemination an/or borrowing of news, opinions, facts and fallacies via the internet.
If you’re interested in this subject there was an interesting book review in Saturday’s Globe and Mail. The title of the review is “the triumph of the digital parasites.” The book is called Free Ride, and the author is Robert Levine.
From the book and the online review,
“For those who think the Internet should remain a sprawling bazaar of free samples, a utopian clearing house for consumers who don’t pay, Levine has a harsh, well-researched wake-up call: “It’s time to ask whether any significant professional media business can thrive in an environment where information can be taken so easily. When nearly a quarter of global Internet traffic consists of pirated content.”
The following came across my (electronic) desk this morning for a conference on the following:
“IBM’s w3 is now“social” on steriods. The long list of social tools now powering employee engagement, collaboration and innovation include:
IBM Connections: Social software for business that includes blogs, wikis, profiles, communities, bookmarks, files, and activity management capabilities
SocialBlue, a purely social internal network
Blue Pages, IBM’s employee directory with rich profiles
BlogCentral, employee blogs
Bluepedia, an online wiki that serves as a user-driven encyclopedia about IBM
Jams, a platform for huge, tactically-focused online discussions
TAP, a space for employees to test, share and promote innovative technologies
The On Demand Community, a collaborative community based on IBM’s corporate citizenship program
Expertise Locator, a service enabling real-time, contextual connection between IBMers.
But even more remarkable than the social business tools themselves is the way w3 has been continuously and organically improved by the good ideas of rank-and-file employees. That takes an open leadership and governance process that earns strong support by senior management.”(http://www.communitelligence.com/content/ahpg.cfm?spgid=440&full=1)
Needless to say I cannot attend, but it is really fascinating to see how the workplace is metamorphosizing into a communal hive.
HairCrafters is a chain of 10 salons (nine in Hamilton and one in Brantford). The salons are in the lower to moderate price range geared to families, women, men, children and seniors. Traffic is walk in; clients do not make appointments. HairCrafters stylists are trained to offer the latest looks that include precision haircuts, colour, perm waves, waxing, ear piercing, foils and updos. The salons carry the full line of Goldwell and KMS California hair products. HairCrafters accepts all competitors’ coupons.
The HairCrafters Promise which is posted in all ten salons states “We promise our customers a memorable experience – every service, every visit.” (www.haircrafterscanada.com)
HairCrafters Canada’s social media presence (to date) is as follows: email blasts, website, blog, Twitter and Facebook. HairCrafters is now in the process of instituting QR codes. The aim of HairCrafters social media is to promote brand awareness; increase salon traffic-i.e. sale of services and products, and create customers in the younger-teenage and 20-year-old demographic.Audience participation, with regard to the website/blog, Facebook and Twitter is small. However, the email blast initiative has met with large success (with a client base of approximately 420).
Situational (SWOT) Analysis
Strengths
Longevity and reputation: HairCrafters has been in business in the Hamilton area sincde 1955; HairCrafters has the HairCrafters promise which is posted in each salon
Hours: Clients do not have to make appointment and the salons are open 7 days a week
Locations: salons are located in plazas along major transportation routes, and have free parking
Staff: stylists are ethnically diverse and speak a multiplicity of languages
Clients: ethnically diverse
Service: the salons are full service family salons
Price range: moderate
Marketing and specials: HairCrafter advertises in Hamilton Spectator, Hamilton Community News, Coupon Clipper, CHCH News, and has online coupons and special promotional sales such as the perm and colour certificate sale
Social media presence: HairCrafters has a website/blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and MailChimp accounts
Weaknesses
Client mix: high percentage of seniors and low percentage of late teens and twenty year old demographic
Staff: many of the stylists have no knowledge and/or interest in either social media or email.
Social media: social media dialogue mainly one way with little buy-in (the exception being MailChimp which has proven to be very successful)
Opportunities
Competitors: HairCrafters honours all competitors coupons.
Social Media; opportunity to use more widely and vigorously
Competitive pricing positions chain well in economic downturn
Location: ample parking, but routes, other shops
Wider audience for promotion/marketing of HairCrafters products and services
Growth in seniors demographic
Threats
High percentage of seniors as clients
Low percentage of late teens and 20-year-old demographic
Competitors: franchise chains and salons
Natural attrition of the older demographic (seniors)
Risk of negative client feedback via social media outlets
Why Study HairCrafters?
HairCrafters is a locally owned chain and has a long and stabled reputation in the community with ethnically diverse staff and clients, and although it has a blog to go with the website, Haircrafters has had limited success with getting customers/clients to “friend” the Facebook page, to follow HairCrafters on Twitter, and subscribe to the website. By contrast, Albert Snow has 155 fans liking their page even though the communication on the page is mainly one-way communication. Maison Fritz has 14 people liking their Facebook page and they too have only one-way communication on their page. HairCrafters have good online presence with varied and interesting blog content but few followers.
The HairCrafters website has 119 posts, 6,460 views, 59 views today (Sunday as of 1:14 p.m), 8 comments and 42 followers. Blog posts are hair and fashion trends, videos and HairCrafters specials. (www.haircrafterscanada.com)
In the hair care sector of the beauty industry the major players are the large brand names such as Goldwell, Joico, Loreal, etc,, companies that are global in scope, have large advertising and marketing budgets and produce slick, high quality promotional material. For example, the company Goldwell is based in Germany
As of Friday, January 20th at 4 pm this video (Color Zoom 2011) has received 11,013 views, 4 likes, 1 dislike (not me–I really think it is catchy). As you can see the production values are extremely high.
This video was uploaded on January 3, 2012. To date (as of Sunday, January 22) there have been 1,086 views.
“As seen on the catwalks of London, Paris, New York, Berlin and Milan, this year’s fashion is all about the joy for life! Think nature in its most expressive shapes and colours. Fascinated and inspired by the surreal beauty of nature, the International Color Zoom Creative Team has translated the natural magnificence of colours and shapes into fashionable trend colours and styles. The beautiful result? The Color Zoom ’12 FasciNature Collection – looks with enormous visual intensity, vibrant colours and expressive cuts.” (Godwell Color Zoom 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBi7YZJYt84)
The smaller players are the franchises (large and small), and single or multi-owned salons.
For example, First Choice, is a franchise chain throughout the U.S. and eastern Canada. FirstChoice engages in social media primarily trough Facebook and Twitter and are now running a contest to win a trip to New York (they do advertise heavily on television and in the print media). Strangely, on checking their tweets I found the following (current as of 3:50 on Friday, January 20); following 4; 152 followers, and 5 listed @FirstChoiceHair.
The FirstChoice Facebook page is more robust with (as of 3:55 on Friday, January 20th) with 1,643 likes and 54 talking about it. The majority of the Facebook posts are related to product although there is some two-way conversation but it mostly appears to be with salon staff.
Keeping in mind the examples of Goldwell (poduct) and FirstChoice (franchis chain) we are zeroing in on a much smaller, local HamiltonBrantford based chain of salons, HairCrafters and will examine its social media presence, how it is working, how it can be improved, the target audiences, and how they can be enlarged.
In this assignment we are to choose a Canadian industry sector and research the impact is having on the chosen sector. The sector I have chosen is the beauty industry, more specifically the hair care sector.
Since the arrival of mass media with the advent of the TV (roughly starting in the 1950)’s there has been much discussion and research done in the field of media stereotyping. This assignment does not cover media stereotyping, but a good place to go if you are interesed in this topic is: http://www.media-awareness.ca
Today, throughout the world (with the exception certain countries under repressive political regimes) the beauty industry with its myriad of beauty brands (hair, cosmetics, skin care, diet, fashion, etc.) is actively utilizing numerous social media channels to engage its various publics.
For example designers and manufacturers stream their runway shows and post to YouTube and other platforms.
As of today, there are some 6,010,000 blogs dealing with both the beauty industry and social media, and there are 23,600,000 blogs on hair care.
The beauty industry major players spend have large marketing/social media budgets. However, there is a caution that must be adhered the social media techniques are to work.
“Social media is communication and communication only works if you start a dialogue with your prospects and customers instead of using your social media accounts to solely push out sales messages.”
Yesterday I attended the The Social Media Strategy and ROI/ROE Measurement Panel discussion hosted by CPRS Hamilton.
The three presenters were
Andrew Laing, President, Cormex Research (Toronto): “Measuring Social Media: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”
David Scholz, Vice-President, Leger Marketing (Toronto): “Social Media Campaign Evaluation: Can’t I just count the ‘likes’?”
David Bourne, Manager, Corporate Communications, The Scarborough Hospital (Toronto): David Bourne: “Taking the pulse of healthcare social media strategy.”
Andrew Laing spoke about ROI (return on investment) and ROE (return on engagement). Some of the things that Andrew mentioned that can be measured are: geographic area of campaign; issues covered; scope and sources of coverage,
Dave Scholz spoke about inputs, outputs and outcomes which is a crucial distinction to make because the output may be good but the outcome not so good and mentioned an interesting statistic that 56% of Canadians were not yet on social media. Another point he made was to say that if you measure your social media you will probably know more about your subject that anyone else.
David Bourne defined measurable objectives as opposed to strategic objectives, Below is a link to an excellent webinar on social analytics courtesy of http://www.mwdadvisors.com. The site has much resource material.
Have you every attended one of the Metropolitan Opera’s Live Performances in HD at Silver City? If not, put it on your “to do List” to attend at least one. They are magnificent.
Last Saturday, I attended the rebroadcast of Philip Glass’s Satyagraha. Satyagraha was a sold-out sensation when it had its Met premiere in 2008. It tells the story of Gandhi’s early years in South Africa, where he developed his philosophy of non-violence.
Below is the opening from a 2007 production. The lyrics are all sung in ancient Sanskrit. Glass’s music washes over one. It is an amazing experience! Listen and enjoy . . .
QR Codes Best Practices and Tips – BVK chats, via Google +, with Patrick Donnelly of 2ergo.com. Patrick addresses common mobile marketing mistakes, what makes a campaign successful, and the future of QR/Mobile marketing.
This is an excellent video. Patrick talks about testing your QR code thoroughly – make sure it works!!! Patrick stresses that the QR code and mobile marketing are becoming universal – you get to have content on demand. You can interact with the brand instantly.
