Keywords as Marketable Branding Tools

by Fred Victor

It’s really a question when this is brought to the table, many of us could have possibly ignored it, perhaps. In brief, when writing Website content, blog post or product/service description on a leaflet, by including powerful keywords that your target market uses to find you is undeniably important when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO).

Wonder if you have ever thought of any unique keywords to best describe your business, vis-à-vis the rest of your products and services? Needless to say, one of your business goals is to stand out, and to have your customers and new customers find you with those relevant keywords before they have the chance to think of alternatives, right?

Probably it’s time for you to start considering of any unique keywords to best describe your business, your brands, and your products/services.

To begin, here’s some tips to conduct keyword research which in a way to ensure your business becomes synonymous with those keywords.

Define Your Keywords

Always be remembered that to avoid using hyper-competitive keywords that will easily pull up millions of hits e.g. fashion. Having said that, you should narrow down the list of possible keywords by adding 2 to 3 words e.g. Fashion Online Malaysia.

Conduct Keyword Search

There are several online tools available that you can easily use to conduct keywords search.  Let’s start with some popular platforms like Wordtracker, Market Samurai, or Google Webmaster Tools.  Once determined, you should inform your marketing team to consistently use them, online and offline.

Linking Keywords Consistently

Once every keyword is defined, you should not ignore including relevant keyword into your each online post or printed material such as brochure. Just include those relevant keywords into your brand’s slogan, Facebook, Twitter, catalogue and so on. Last but not least, make sure your colleagues are using those keywords in ALL their communications with customers!

Again, it’s all about consistency ;-)

VW Ad Hits at Super Bowl

by Fred Victor

When the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers clashed at Super Bowl XLV in the United States recently, it wasn’t the final score of this American big show that sent the Internet. Oops, it wasn’t the tumbling singing sensation Christina Aguilera’s National Anthem too;

It was the VW’s clever commercial ad that stole the show!

In brief,  the ad featured Volkswagen’s (VW) The Force, which featured a child in a Darth Vader suit using mystical powers (or The Force, made famous in the Star Wars films), to move the home’s washing machine, family dog, a doll and his breakfast – albeit in vain.

Feeling dejected, the tiny “dark lord” than decides to use The Force on his father’s parked VW Passat 2012 in the driveway – and actually starts it, much to his surprise.

The humorous appeal started here when the car is actually started from a distance by his father via the vehicle’s “remote control start button” featured by VW!

The Super Bowl has been known to be a great platform to boost ads, and it’s not difficult to see why. The event is the most-viewed programme in the United States, and this year’s game attracted a record 111 million viewers.

The ad, which gave viewers a glimpse at Apple’s vision for its then upcoming Macintosh computer, has been widely regarded as one of the most memorable and successful American television commercials ever, as it was considered an important symbol of fighting conformity (considered to be IBM at the time).

At that time, Apple saw a 30% increase in the number of people going directly to their job search site!

“This year’s Super Bowl delivered an incredible audience count of 111 million. As an addition, the online audience reached nearly 30 million, we would probably look at figures that most advertisers would die for, and that’s without even considering the buzz and word of mouth interest this ad has generated.

When you look at these numbers, the US$3mil price tag starts to look reasonable for you. Sounds good deal huh? If you consider what it would have taken to reach that audience without the unique opportunity presented by the Super Bowl, you could even call it a bargain.

When you look at these numbers, the US$3mil price tag starts to look reasonable for you. Sounds good deal huh? If you consider what it would have taken to reach that audience without the unique opportunity presented by the Super Bowl, you could even call it a bargain

It is pretty interesting to learn that VW would have spent a bomb on the commercial at a cost of US$100,000 per second (for a typical Super Bowl ad), and the 30-second spot would have cost the German car manufacturer US$3mil just to air it.

In return, however, this commercial ad leveraged off the unforgettable Star Wars score and humour to create an emotional appeal and achieved more than 20 million hits on Youtube in less than a week.

Let’s take a shot!

PLC Management on The American Idol Season 10

By Fred Victor

The premiere American Idol (hereinafter called AI) auditions have finally returned on the 19^th day of January 2011, the first episode was aired with New York / New Jersey.

After 9 years of running, the American Idol Season 10 is a classical example of maintaining a product in a declining stage (in my personal opinion) within the Product Life Cycle (PLC) process – possibly rejuvenating it by adding “new features” and finding “new users” and “viewers”.

Instead of using unfashionable ways like price theory. Some tactical strategies have been deployed by the FOX and AI show producers. Let’s take a shot:-

The show’s producers lowered the minimum age requirement from 16 to 15 years old (market development strategy of Ansoff Matrix); the FOX and show producers intended to further develop “new” market so to access broader market consumption (e.g. new participants and viewership).

Stunning new judges hired (celebrity endorsement of A&P Strategy) – Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler feat. Jimmy Lovine (Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records who acts as in-house mentor) to replace Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen Degeneres. The show producers have tempted to further qualify the use of celebrities in their marketing campaigns, thus enhancing the AI’s awareness, appeal, and relevance to AI’s brand image – ultimately, influence hits on consumer buying behaviour.   

Moreover, the AI promos for idol were aired earlier on TV – round the clock since 7^th January 2011 (repetition theory of communication and/or consumer buying behaviour).

The first AI promo video reveals Kelly Clarkson, Lee DeWyze, Ruben Studdard etc. that “where they came from” before this AI season 10. The AI 10^th season’s slogan – “Who’s next?” appears (hero effect of consumer behaviour).

In another AI promo video, you’ll see footage from the audition rounds featuring Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks and Fantasia Barrino. To witness the powerful promo video which attacks both potential participants’ and viewers’ emotions and dreams, click here http://www.youtube.com/geconsultgroup#p/a/f/0/vZP0TTzWCmg.

So what do you think about the changes of American Idol Season 10 is making? As a Marketer’s point of view, are you getting excited for the new season?

Like Randy always says: “Yo dog (dawg) / dude, that was hot!”

What do you think? ;-)

End Note

This article is about the marketing term (of PLC management) to describe the life of a particular product in a particular market. PLC management in marketing term refers to the management through a sequence of stages from introduction to growth, maturity and decline. The American Idol Season 10 is a classical example – maintaining the product, possibly rejuvenating it by adding new features and finding new users.

The PLC management in engineering term refers to managing product design and production details.

Celebrity endorsements have proven successful in China recently where, due to increasing consumerism. In fact, it is considered a status symbol to purchase an endorsed product.