DigitalNext

Social-Media Pranksters Had Fun With Walmart's Caskets

And What We Can Learn From It About Monitoring Your Brand's Health

Posted by Craig Daitch on 11.05.09 @ 08:43 AM

When it comes to social media, it's best to start with a solid listening strategy. And while you're fine-tuning the "what, where, when and how" as you're eavesdropping on conversations around the social web, remember that while analysis can be assisted through technology, it's by no means a fully automated process.

Take, for example, the recent press release announcing that Walmart has begun selling caskets online. A bit odd, but as it was introduced with Halloween around the corner, the news caught on and was aggregated across the social web.

As the casket story grew, it began to trend on social news sites such as Reddit, and because Walmart empowers its consumers with the ability to rate, comment and share product reviews, a few clever folks started writing fictitious (yet highly entertaining) comments about the products on Walmart.com. The hilarity of the reviews began to border on the absurd.

Can 'Woody' Deliver Facebook Fame to T.G.I. Friday's?

Burger-Loving Persona Moves Social-Network into New Territory

Posted by Craig Daitch on 09.11.09 @ 11:51 AM

Craig Daitch

T.G.I. Friday's is launching a new Facebook campaign, which drives people to a fan page featuring "Woody" (short for Woodward), a 30-something slacker who still lives with his parents. Woody claims to have made a bet with Friday's: If he can accrue 500,000 fans to his Facebook page by Sept. 30, Friday's will give away a free burger to all who fanned him.

Social Media: When Ecosystems Become 'Egosystems'

Or, Answer This: Why Do You Participate?

Posted by Craig Daitch on 09.02.09 @ 07:36 PM

Ever wonder why we blog? Or where our insatiable appetite to tweet comes from? How about why we update our Facebook statuses constantly?

Earned Media: Is No Chatter Worse Than Negative Chatter?

The Importance of Listening, Reiterated

Posted by Craig Daitch on 07.02.09 @ 10:30 AM

While we discuss how earned media is an output of the combination of paid media and owned media, I think the simplification of the three terms has made a mess out of the expectations of clients everywhere.

@Oprah Already Bored With Twitter? So What?

Those Who Really Use the Microblogging Service Will Stick With It

Posted by Craig Daitch on 04.29.09 @ 12:24 PM

I just read a relatively entertaining piece on Oprah's abandonment of Twitter. Apparently it's been four days since @Oprah sent her last tweet -- in this case, asking Hugh Jackman if he wanted to catch dinner.

The post goes on to explain that she's sent 20 tweets in 11 days, with almost half from her April 17 dalliance with Ashton Kutcher and Twitter CEO Evan Williams.

So is the sky falling? Is the mainstream fascination with Twitter officially over?

Surprised to See Boomers on Skype? Don't Be

Older Generation Adapts to Technology That Connects Them With Loved Ones

Posted by Craig Daitch on 04.06.09 @ 05:02 PM

Craig Daitch also writes the blog Thought Industry.

At least once a week, my parents in Michigan get to see my daughter in New Jersey. No, I don't have a million frequent flyer miles. We use Skype. For those unaware of Skype, it is a VoIP service that allows users to make both telephone- and videophone-based calls over the internet.

I have to give credit to my parents: What started out as a relatively laborious process -- figuring out how to get their webcam to work properly 600 miles away -- has turned into an easy way for Grandma and Papa to keep tabs on their growing granddaughter.

Their willingness to adopt new technology isn't that surprising when you look at the research, however. According to a 2009 Pew internet study, boomers in 2008 look nothing like they did in 2000. More than half of all boomers are online on an average day, and more than a third go online several times a day. And 41% of boomers go online just to have fun. Imagine that!

How the Digital Shift Changed One Recruiter's Business Model

It's Never Too Late to Learn a New Trade

Posted by Craig Daitch on 02.27.09 @ 02:32 PM

Craig Daitch also writes the blog Thought Industry.

Two weeks ago I had the good fortune to speak on a mobile marketing panel at New York University to some Stern MBA alumni. And while I intended to use this post to rehash a wonderful night of discussing the industry, the mobile ecosystem and how marketers can take advantage of new platforms such as the iPhone and Google's Android, all of that was derailed based on one simple conversation with one of the members of the audience, Steve Goldberg.

What I Learned When Facebook Disabled My Account

Customer Loyalty Is About How You Treat Your Power Users

Posted by Craig Daitch on 01.19.09 @ 03:24 PM

Craig Daitch also writes the blog Thought Industry.

On Friday I received notification that my Facebook account was disabled. There was no reason given. No explanations, no email, nothing.

For a social network, that sounds surprisingly unsocial, doesn't it?

I'm still trying to find out why their administrators decided to throw me off the Facebook train. Was it my high frequency of posts? Was I sacrificed for a Whopper? Or was it the video of me singing a Radiohead cover song? I swear I tried to croon it in key...

A Tale of Two Moms: My Latest Lesson from the Blogosphere

Target Influentials, but Don't Forget to Listen to Their Audiences

Posted by Craig Daitch on 12.15.08 @ 04:30 PM

Craig Daitch also writes the blog Thought Industry.

Recently I downloaded a marketing report that said 40% of women in their 40s use online social networks. The report sparked in my memory a more personal blog post I read recently. It was written by a D.C. mom who was given by Ford a Ford Flex to test drive with the premise being that she keep the vehicle for a few days and blog about her impressions. She seemed to have the general "mommy blogger" attributes that so many brands yearn to tap into so it was logical that Ford tap her and many others like her who help curate online communities.

Socializing Customer Service

Posted by Craig Daitch on 11.10.08 @ 11:08 AM

By now you've probably heard how companies such as Comcast and Dell have been using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to build relationships with their audiences and mitigate service issues with their customers. Though their willingness to "join the conversation" is certainly appreciated and admirable, I question the scale of what one person behind a Twitter account for, say, General Motors or Ford can handle. That's not to say I don't appreciate the relationships I've forged with these brands in my online social life. Many agree that the mere presence of a company on Twitter is such a strong sign of goodwill that most are open to wipe the slate clean and give their relationships with the brands a fresh start (see the screen shot from Twitter as example).

In its current state, I think of Twitter as a fantastic platform to spread goodwill. But as a medium for customer service? Paint me skeptical. Until now.