The difference between a meme and a viral

A viral is the same piece of content that is passed from person to person. The content is 'static'

e.g Vanilla Ice Sorry


A meme is an idea/piece of content that is remixed and passed from person to person. The content is 'fluid'.

e.g LOLCATS


Memes are superior because they usually have a longer shelf life as people can keep changing them and the peer who passes them on can help effect the content and has a vested interest in the outcome.

2 Best Social Media Marketing Academics

When I was back in my academic thesis writing days my two Academic idols in Social Media Marketing were Susan Fournier and Danah Boyd. Danah has the biggest online bookshelf of online social networking academic papers. If you can understand academic jargon, that link is like pure gold, you will even see my ol' thesis get a mention. ;)

Anyways, Susan Fournier wrote my favourite paper, she cracked the idea of Brand Relationships. In a nut shell, we have relationships with products and brands similar to how we perceive our relationship with people.

Fournier has come back again and written a cracking article on Brand Communities in Harvard Business Review. Get ready to have your mind blown. Here is a taste, I am going to get a few more blog post out of her article.



Spot on, I think that Facebook Fanpages act more as badges rather than communities. I do not see that much conversing going on, it is more about just associating with those brands.

The ROI of Social Media

You are often asked to show the ROI of social media. How many rolls of toilet paper is this going to sell?

When was the last time someone asked for the ROI of running a television commercial?

I've been told this is what all mediums go through at the start of their lifecycle. It happened with TV when people would only advertise in newspapers and radio and it will happen with Digital.

I forgot who told me this, probably Ben.

Unicorn Tattoos and Blog Comments

I really want to give my blog a tattoo, which one do you think I should get?
Via this






Sometimes blog comments can get lost or people do not go back and read them, I just wanted to highlight two comments that really got me thinking. Both came from the same post on The Wire and Institutional Dysfunctionality.

This one by Ben Shepherd is right on the money talking about companies adopting social media.

The problem is a difficult one but my feeling is it comes back to resource like most things.

Companies want more results for less resource - lower staff numbers, agency fees etc

Digital channels generally require more resource per dollar spent.

This can be the hurdle.

I take my hat off to Telstra too but they're a big company with a huge spend and I would hazard a guess their social team on paper would not be scrutinised like their other CRM touchpoints in terms of ROI.

Remember too, companies often continue doing things the way they've always done them because they continue to work for them. I guess social media needs to present itself as something other than 'a shitload more work or responsibility for someone already at capacity'.

And Returnon.

Loved The Wire, one of my 3 favorite series along with Deadwood and Arrested Development.

David Simon also created one of the best miniseries I've ever seen, and I consume film, TV, cable, etc like Coolio consumes crack.

Its called Generation Kill, about the 1st recon marines during the 'Shock & Awe' campaign in Iraq. Another exploration of Institutional Dysfunction, this time with the fog of war clouding judgment, not to mention senior officers keen to add another star to their epaulets before the end of what they predict will be a quick war.

As with The Wire, those on the front line in Generation Kill are arbitrarily denied basic tools to get their job done efficiently, often due to misplaced priorities. I see that in many Australian businesses, where the majority of an ad budget is spent on a run-of-the-mill TVC campaign, while online struggles with pocket change.

The senior officers in corporations and Generation Kill desire quick, visible results with which to sate their hunger for credit and promotion. Neither wants to get mired in what they deem confounding and unnecessary like humanitarianism or social media.

The fundamental difference is that the senior officers in Generation Kill are responsible for lives and operating with the fog of war limiting their judgment. Corporations can claim no such excuse when children are adept with the tools they shun. Where metrics are freely available and candid consumer feedback can be clarified with engagement. Where positive ROI has been established as more likely than traditional media.

Its not like lives are stake when marketing directors tell their agency or the enthusiastic marketing junior that they're waiting to see how Twitter turns out...

Smart Spammers

It is not often that you see a smart spammer. Normally they cannot even spell. But I think I found a smart one.

This is potentially the best broadest targeted blog comment I have seen. It makes it feel like it is related to you. The problem is that she cannot remember what her name is Ruth or Tessa?!?!?! It is only when you go to her site and see the response from everyone else that you realise it is a spammer.

I take my hat off to you Ruth......or Tessa

5 new Australian Marketing blogs worth reading

I have not done a five new blogs worth reading for awhile. Twitter has definitely helped to uncover alot of new marketing blogs (therefore I have included Twitter handles in the following bloggers summaries).

1. Dan Pankraz vs. Youth (@danpankraz)

Dan looks at youth brands and culture. He has a good series where he segments the Youth Market (e.g Social Netsetters - travelling to show off). If you like Gen Y blogs you also have to check out Three Billion.

2. Community Girl (@emmakatetyler)

Emma Kate Tyler blogs about the topic of Community Management. An interesting blog which draws inspirations from a number of sources. She has a great post on the David vs Goliath stories from Social Media.

3. Joely Righteous (@JoelyRighteous)

Joel Pearson works for PHD digital and writes a blog on digital media and everything thereabouts including KFC Zinger Tower Burgers. He wrote a cracking post on 'The problem with all these Social Media Specialists'

4. Hayley (@hayleygleeson)

Hayley Gleeson works in advertising however her blog is more of a general outlet than specifically just about advertising. She shares a similar story to mine of moving to Sydney for work. She shares the feelings of moving city in a great post.

5. OMG with Emily (@emilyomg)

Emily is by no means a new blog however I have forgotten to include Emily on the Top Australian Marketing Blogs list in the past. Emily talks about the fine line between music and marketing. We both share a love of Kid Cudi which is always a bonus!


Top Australian Marketing Pioneers Blogs
I am going to update the Top Australian Marketing Blogs in June and it looks like we will be pushing over 150 Marketing Blogs.

If you have a Marketing Blog that you do not think is on the Top 150 Marketing Blogs, please let me know through a comment or email and I will add you to the list.

Jungle Boys swing in - 4 Production Companies becoming consumer facing

Happy Easter!


Production company The Jungle Boys have set up a comedy skit show on their Youtube Channel, they promise to deliver new content every month.

I think this is a really good strategy by the boys, as they are becoming a consumer facing brand. If they consistently keep creating good content then they will gather a loyal audience via subscribers; which then in turn can becoming part of the selling proposition to brands. They start to create their own media channel. I also just think it is great that they are just getting out there and creating great content, I want in! :)

Here is my favourite one of their so far


Other examples of Productions companies creating content online.

The Nice Guys - The guys behind the Sprite Truth Hunters also have their own channel. Here is there 'Poogee Bay Hotel' Skit


And from Melbourne the Vive Cool City guys who have done the Chupa Chups MTV Awards interviews stuff lately.

Anyone know of any other local examples?

The most successful global Production Company / Person would have to be Kevin Nalty / Nalts (86th most subscribed Youtuber of all time) he is a career marketer by day and video producer by night. He also writes the blog Will Video For Food which looks at brands and how they interact on Youtube.

15 Fashion Brands using Social Media in their Marketing Mix

All links point to more information on the examples. Thanks to everyone who helped via Twitter.

1. American Apparel finds models through blog Chictopia (USA) and they are on Twitter as well.


2. Burberry Beat for Men - Burberry launched a new cologne and had profiles on all the major sites giving information about style/music/fashion through the following portals (UK) - Facebook/Youtube/Myspace /Bebo


3. Billabong (Australia)

Little Weeds – Help give people the chance to follow their dream in surfing (competing, modeling, journalism, photography) reminds me of V-Raw. Joint project with StabMagazine.

Billabong also have a Twitter/Facebook Page/Blog account for both boys and girls.

4. Street Fashion Bloggers shooting big brand ranges (Global)

Above Street Fashion Blogger Jak and Jil shooting the new range of Lane Crawford

Other Blogger + Fashion Label Collaborations;
Satoralist + DKNY
Pete Muzak + Urban Outfitters

5. Marc Jacobs named a bag after fashion blogger Bryanboy after BB made this documentary about Marc (USA)


6. Bluefly – Confessions of a Shopaholic (USA)


7. Oasis Facebook Wadrobe (UK) - You can create your own outfits on and then share them with your Facebook friends. Smart and simple.



8. Diesel The Heidies (Germany) -Can someone tell me the difference between this Gold Cannes winning work and Witchery Man Jacket hoax?



9. Lover (AUS)
11. Lover is a Australian label that is living and breathing social media and Twitter/Facebook/Podcast


10. Sportsgirl Facebook App - Hot or Not (Australia)

11. Howies Clothing – Blog (UK)


12. Facebook FanPage for Victoria Secret 'Pink' (USA) - Fanpage plus videos of two guys travelling around USA in a truck (lost, so am I)


13. TopShop Myspace Profile (UK)Had profile on Myspace ran by store attendants, currently have 8,000 friends give discounts too. 5% of visitors comes from Myspace

14. H&M Facebook FanPage – Style Guide (UK)


15. Puma Mash Clothing Styles (UK)

Adidas Urban Art Tours iPhone App!

Adidas Originals (Germany) is kicking arse this year, first the Ultimate House Party, now Urban Art Tours Iphone App. I don’t know German so I cannot tell you the functionality; but I am hoping that people would be able to submit their own stories behind their favourite graffiti work from around the city and you also had the chance to vote on the best pieces.

This seems like a natural extension from the Melbourne Laneways Podcasting Tours from 2 years ago.

For more examples of great iPhone Branded Applications.