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Small Businesses Say 2M Facebook Fans Are Better Advertising Than Super Bowl Ad, Star Endorsement, or Twitter Following


The value of having millions of Facebook fans trumps any other type of advertising in the eyes of small business owners. This was the result of a recent Staples study of 500 small companies. These owners thought that having 2 million Facebook fans was much more worthwhile than some of the most coveted promotions, including a Super Bowl ad, a Beyoncé endorsement deal, or the same number of Twitter followers. VentureBeat.com posted specifics from the study, which clearly indicated the power and prestige that social media has gained among small businesses over the last few years.

“The results showed that these savvy business owners are not only utilizing social media in advanced ways but that the understanding of the philosophies behind why social media works and how it can help business were advanced,” said a Staples representative.

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DATE: May.21.2013 • POSTED BY: Jeff Cohen

Dove’s 3-Minute Video Goes Viral, Becoming the Most-Watched Ad of All Time

When Dove debuted its “Dove Real Beauty Sketches” video ad last month on YouTube, the beauty brand probably had no idea that the video would go viral and quickly turn into the most-watched ad in history. The video ad has already been viewed more than 114 million times and uploaded in 25 different languages. It’s also become the third most-shared ad ever. Mashable.com covered the ad’s poignant message and how it exploded into a viral video sensation.

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DATE: May.20.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Have You Seen Your Online Reputation? [Infographic]

Have You Seen Your Online Reputation? [Infographic]
The digital revolution has made it increasingly difficult for a brand to maintain control of its online reputation. From talk on social media to articles on other websites and mentions via search engines, it seems like everyone has an opinion about brands and an abundance of online channels to share these views. While positive posts can have a great effect on brand image and sales, negative talk can cause serious harm that could damage a brand for the long-term. This is why it’s essential for a brand to constantly monitor its Internet image and do everything possible to ensure a strong online reputation, from keeping customers happy to continually engaging with the social media community and constantly updating content.

MDG Advertising has developed a fact-packed infographic that offers advice for building a better online reputation. It features specifics on the state of online reputation management (ORM), along with both savvy and sorry ways that brands have handled their digital reputations. It also offers tactics and tips for getting started and managing mistakes. After all, how a company manages an online slip-up can make a world of difference in how the online world sees and speaks about the brand.

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DATE: May.20.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Mondelēz Unleashes 500 A Capella Singers to Promote Oreos in New York City

In the fast-paced hustle and bustle of the city that never sleeps, it’s difficult to get a cab, let alone the attention of an entire street of New Yorkers. Mondelēz’s Oreo brand used a unique approach to get attention from New York City natives this week. Bloomberg Businessweek reported on the elaborate stunt from Oreo.

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DATE: May.18.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Microsoft Places a Wi-Fi-Enabled Print Advertising Promotion


While offering free Wi-Fi as a customer incentive is nothing new, Microsoft has given the strategy an innovative spin to promote its Office 365 software. The tech giant created a special print ad that contained an actual router and battery that would provide 15 days of free Internet on five devices at the same time. Users simply had to carry the magazine ad around with them in order to access its Wi-Fi capabilities, which would provide ample opportunities for readers to engage with the print ad’s message and be persuaded to purchase the software. Springwise explained the inner workings of the wondrous ad and how it has opened the door to the endless potential of print advertising.

Microsoft launches Wi-Fi- Print Advertising Promotion

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DATE: May.17.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Outdoor Ad Reveals a Secret Anti-Abuse Message to Children

Child abuse is often veiled in secrecy, which makes a new outdoor ad’s secretive approach to helping kids in need seem only appropriate. Created by the Spanish organization called the Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk Foundation (ANAR), the ad is designed to display two different messages, with a general one for adults and an urgent one for children. Gizmodo.com gave a glimpse of the outdoor ad’s dual display.

When viewed by an adult or a person over four-foot-five in height, the ad looks to be an image of a sad-looking child with copy that describes child abuse as only being visible to the child experiencing it. The ad brings that message to life, because when viewed by a child, the boy’s sad face on the ad is marked in bruises. The child’s version also includes the stronger message to call the foundation for help in case of abuse: “If somebody hurts you, phone us and we’ll help you,” and includes the foundation’s phone number.

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DATE: May.16.2013 • POSTED BY: MDG Advertising

An Inside Look at How Banks and Credit Unions are Investing in Digital Marketing


Now that banks and credit unions can no longer deny the power of digital advertising platforms, they plan to allocate 40 percent of their budgets toward digital marketing efforts in 2013. This is just one of the key findings of recent research by Martini Media, which also discovered that the majority of financial brands intended to increase their investments in one or more of the digital channels that are currently part of their digital marketing strategies. The FinancialBrand.com shared more results from the research to reveal where bank and credit union marketing executives planned to direct their digital dollars.

“The results of our research clearly show that financial brands understand how their customers consume media,” said Tom O’Regan, president and CRO of Martini Media.

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DATE: May.15.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

MDG Develops Cool Outdoor Advertising Campaign to Highlight HCA’s Miami-Dade Hospitals


MDG recently developed an eye-catching outdoor advertising campaign for the HCA East Florida hospitals in the Miami area, specifically Aventura Hospital and Medical Center and Mercy Hospital. The goal of the campaign was to assert a leadership position for these two outstanding medical facilities while increasing their patient volume and appealing to the area’s younger audience. The challenge lay in capturing the attention of Miami’s younger demographic, so MDG created a fresh and edgy outdoor campaign that tied in to the fashionable Lincoln Road lifestyle.

The out-of-home campaign consisted of posters in kiosks on Lincoln Road and in Aventura Mall. Each ad had eye-catching images and copy that highlighted the hospitals A-list healthcare services for those who live in and visit the area. The message was that these hospitals are the “places to go” for outstanding healthcare in Miami.

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DATE: May.14.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Research Shows More Than Half of Bing Users Click on Top Search Result

The Bing Blog recently released a post by Dr. Ronny Kohavi of Bing’s Research & Development team. Kohavi’s insights provided a statistical exploration of how users interact with Bing’s search results during a standard browsing session, suggesting that Bing is in the process of refining its results based on engagement rather than relevancy. Search Engine Land delved into the actual adjustments Bing implemented to enhance its results in a search market dominated by Google.

When Bing shows deep links like this, the third search result on the page, i.e., whatever shows up two spots below what you see above, gets a CTR of less than one percent.

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DATE: May.13.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

“This is Water”—The Unapproved Video Tribute to David Foster Wallace Goes Viral

In 2005, David Foster Wallace delivered the commencement address at Kenyon College. In an incredibly dry tone of voice, Wallace dished out his raw and inspiring take on life after college. Wallace’s “This is Water” addresses the “capital T truth, with a whole lot of rhetorical niceties stripped away.” Fast-forward eight years, and the speech has now grabbed the world’s attention. Without any permission whatsoever, The Glossary, a small, Los Angeles video production firm, brought Wallace’s cynical words to life in a cinematic short film, aptly entitled “This is Water.” The video has already garnered millions of views and the views are growing fast. Adweek held a Q&A with the video’s director, Matthew Freidell, and its producers, Allison Freidell and Jeremy Dunning.

In the email interview, the creators of the video admitted that the undertaking was incredibly risky and said, “Wallace has an extremely passionate following and we knew it wouldn’t be easy to adapt the original version.” Additionally, the video was made without permission from Wallace’s publishing house. With great faith and passion, The Glossary made the bold move to film without consent. “We are in no way making any money directly from this video; it was purely a passion project. While we had high hopes for this, we could have never seen all of this attention coming. Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission,” the creators said. “Our main goal was to expose people to the content of the speech.” If the overwhelming number of YouTube views is any indication, Wallace’s words have officially been resurrected.

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DATE: May.11.2013 • POSTED BY: MDG Advertising

The Inside Track on Honda’s Low-Budget Social Media Marketing Success

The rise of social media has spawned the development of numerous new social platforms that offer marketers fresh and innovative ways to leverage the power of social media. One of the newest platforms that’s quickly gained a huge following is Pinterest. This unique photo-sharing site has opened the doors to some highly creative and effective examples of brand marketing, with one of the most compelling and cost-effective cases presented by Honda. MarketingMag.com took a look under the hood of the automaker’s savvy social media marketing strategy to see how their use of Pinterest delivered high exposure and engagement for a very low cost.

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DATE: May.11.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Global PPC Search Ad Spend Increases 15 Percent in Q1 on Higher Click Volume and Click-Through Rates


The Q1 global search ad spend has jumped 15 percent from the same time period last year. This finding was the result of a recent report conducted by Kenshoo Global Search Advertising Trends. This search ad spend increase has been largely attributed to a 62 percent rise in click-through rates and a 21 percent leap in clicks year-over-year. SearchEngineLand.com featured more of the highlights from this search ad survey.

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DATE: May.10.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Google Now Smart Search Service Expands to iPhone and iPad Users


Google has announced that Google Now will be available to iPhone and iPad users. Google Now is the search giant’s smart search service that acts that like a personal assistant to provide users with the right information at the right time. Android users were the first to have access to Google Now, and the service is now expanding to iOS users through an update to Google’s Search app, which is available at the App Store. Readwrite.com reported on the specifics behind this search service extension.

The iOS version of Google Now will be slightly different from the search service enjoyed by Android users because it won’t be as fully integrated into the mobile platform. iOS users will have the same general search capabilities and access to information from Google’s huge web of services, but they won’t have a swipe gesture for direct access, a homescreen symbol, or as many “cards” for conveniences like events and boarding passes. These “cards” serve as the delivery system for the desired search content and are completely based on the context of the user’s search.

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DATE: May.8.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

Top Email Marketing Tips for Making the Most of Mother’s Day


Email marketing can be extremely effective, especially if you’re aware of savvy strategies for maximizing open rates. While timing and frequency have traditionally been known to make huge differences in email campaign success, now elements like mobile optimization and personalized subject lines are also proving their value. Many marketers schedule their email marketing campaigns to coincide with holidays and special events. With Mother’s Day coming up, now is the perfect time to learn and leverage these powerful email marketing strategies. MediaPost.com listed the top email marketing tips to help make the sentimental holiday a happy one for brands.

Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday in May, so marketers need to develop a schedule for sending their emails at the most ideal times. According to research, email campaigns sent in the two weeks prior to Mother’s Day get 80 percent of the transactions and 75 percent of the revenue. Some marketers strive to schedule their emails as close to the holiday as possible, which is why 46 percent of email volume is sent within the week before Mother’s Day.

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DATE: May.8.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante

MDG Creates New Television Advertising Strategy to Support the Growth of Carls Patio

Just as new patio furniture can completely enhance the appearance and ambiance of an outdoor area, MDG totally revamped the branding, media strategy, and social media identity for Carls Patio to give the outdoor furniture brand a more contemporary look and feel. This retail marketing makeover began last year when Carls Patio selected MDG as its agency of record, and has resulted in such strong success that the brand is expanding into new locations. To celebrate Carls Patio’s rapid growth and promote the opening of its new stores, MDG developed an all-store savings event and created a new TV commercial to promote the event to their entire market.

“Our results for Carls speak for themselves. We revamped everything, from branding to social media to a targeted, cost-effective media strategy. This resulted in 18% year-over-year growth with fewer locations and a substantially lower media spend,” said Michael Del Gigante, creative director and president of MDG Advertising.

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DATE: May.7.2013 • POSTED BY: Joanne Del Gigante
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