Smart Marketing Strategy

Why Facebook Fizzled as a B2B Marketing Channel

May 15, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

f you’re a business-to-business marketer who still doesn’t have a business page on Facebook, relax: You probably don’t need to be on Facebook after all.

As social media has matured, each social media channel’s role and value has become clearer. Though Facebook is by far the dominant social network, B2B marketers increasingly are questioning its value for connecting with business decision-makers.

I’m no longer advising most of my B2B marketing clients to focus on Facebook. Here’s why – and what it might mean for your smart marketing strategy.

When Does “Edgy” Marketing Go Over the Edge?

April 30, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

Have you seen the new “Ship My Pants?” ad campaign from Kmart?

The TV spot is a viral sensation with nearly 16 million YouTube views. It’s been featured on CNN and The Today Show and it’s everywhere on social media.

But just imagine the discussion that took place at Kmart when the company’s ad agency, Draftfcb Chicago, proposed an idea that sounds a lot like what happens when you don’t have time to make it to the bathroom.

When is “edgy” marketing over the edge? Would you have said yes to “ship my pants?”

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to draw the creative line in marketing. Here are 10 tips for your smart marketing strategy.

A Peek Inside the C-Suite: CMOs Re-define Marketing’s Role

April 16, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

Chief marketing officers at top companies are using customer insights and passion to build brand equity and increase the strategic value of marketing within their companies, according to new research by Dr. Rachel Talton, an award-winning marketing and branding consultant, researcher, and author in Cleveland, Ohio. Here’s what Talton has learned about today’s CMOs and some tips for how marketing agencies can help clients create smarter marketing strategies.

Should You Hire that Marketing Agency? 7 Questions to Ask

March 29, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

Choosing a marketing agency to help you develop and execute a smart marketing strategy is a critical decision for your business. But how do you know if a new agency is right for you? And how can you avoid making a mistake? Here’s some advice for advertisers about evaluating agencies, from my experience on the agency side and as a former client.

More than Swag: Why Branded Premiums are Smart Marketing

March 12, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

Branded premiums and promotional products can be an extremely effective tactic in a smart marketing strategy, especially for business-to-business (B2B) marketers. Here’s why you should be using branded premiums and seven tips for selecting a premium for your business.

Marketers, Please Stop! 6 Creative Themes to Banish Forever

March 4, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

It was the Honda Presidents’ Day Sale TV spot that finally put me over the edge: Yet another marketing campaign with an overused creative concept that makes consumers roll their eyes and wonder what marketers and their agencies are smoking.

Why do so many marketers continue to develop ad campaigns that have no originality or insult the audience? Can’t we agree as agencies and marketers to stop the madness?

As a marketing consultant, I’m sure I speak for millions when I say I’ve had enough. Here are six marketing approaches I’ve seen far too many times and hope never to see again.

7 Tips for Creating a Powerful Tagline for Your Brand

February 19, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

A brand identity is an organization’s public face. The visual representation of a brand – the logo – is often paired with a short marketing tagline that positions and differentiates the brand in the marketplace.

The tagline’s role in branding is straightforward: Communicate the company’s most important advantage, benefit, or point of distinction in a few compelling words.

But it’s harder than it looks – and most marketers fail.

In part two of this two-part post, here’s advice for creating a powerful positioning tagline for your brand in a smart marketing strategy.

Branding Strategy: The Power of a Positioning Tagline

February 14, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

Which candy “Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hand”? Which car is “the Ultimate Driving Machine”? Which auto insurance company puts you “in good hands”?

If you’re an American consumer, you know the answers to these questions without even having to think, because smart marketers like Mars, BMW, and Allstate have created unforgettable positioning taglines that have become powerful components of their brands.

What is a positioning tagline? Does your brand need one? And how do you create a great one?

In part one of a two-part post, I explain why marketers use taglines in branding. In my next post, I’ll share seven tips for developing a tagline for your brand in a smart marketing strategy.

Is That Super Bowl Ad Effective Marketing? 7 Ways to Judge

January 29, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

An estimated 111 million people will be watching this year’s Super Bowl and a recent survey showed that many American adults prefer watching commercials to watching the game. That’s why marketers are willing to spend an average of $3.8 million for a 30-second spot.

When you have an audience that big and that eager to hear your message, your ad had better be great.

But how do you know if an ad campaign or creative concept will be a winner — or be worthy of such a huge marketing investment? What makes an ad effective?

As a marketing consultant, I believe the principles of great advertising are the same whether an ad appears in a mega-event like the Super Bowl or in a small industry trade publication.

Here are seven criteria I use to assess the effectiveness of advertising in a smart marketing strategy. Keep these factors in mind when you’re evaluating Sunday’s Super Bowl ads.

Why Listening is the Most Powerful Skill in Marketing

January 21, 2013 By jeangianfagna Leave a Comment

A successful career in marketing requires many skills, such as copywriting, graphic design, and project management.

But there’s one skill everyone in marketing needs to master, no matter what their role: Listening.

Here’s why listening is essential for marketing success and 10 tips for doing it better.

A Peek Inside the C-Suite: CMOs Re-define Marketing’s Role

Should You Hire that Marketing Agency? 7 Questions to Ask

More than Swag: Why Branded Premiums are Smart Marketing

Marketers, Please Stop! 6 Creative Themes to Banish Forever

7 Tips for Creating a Powerful Tagline for Your Brand

Branding Strategy: The Power of a Positioning Tagline

Is That Super Bowl Ad Effective Marketing? 7 Ways to Judge

Why Listening is the Most Powerful Skill in Marketing

Subscribe and Follow

Subscribe via Email

Recent Posts

A Peek Inside the C-Suite: CMOs Re-define Marketing’s Role

Should You Hire that Marketing Agency? 7 Questions to Ask

More than Swag: Why Branded Premiums are Smart Marketing

Older Posts

Jean’s Latest Tweets

Subscribe and Follow

Subscribe via Email

Blog Topics

Recent Posts

Older Posts

Jean’s Latest Tweets