1907 Men's Advertisment

We live in a post-TiVo era.  Every schmo with a Twitter handle tells you how the world is changing.  Social Media's rising!  Two-way dialogues!  But, advertising isn't dead.  Smart advertising, that is.  It's simply changed form, leveraging insights and best practices from Word of Mouth.

A recent Old Spice spot is a jolt to the jugular, breaking the "fourth wall" to spur direct dialogue with its Ikea-computer-chair-sitting consumer.  Currently, it is infinitely talked about and recommended on Twitter.  It has been viewed over a million times on YouTube.

It's a reminder of what great ads should be.  Unforgettable.  Fully-articulating and linking the product's functional and emotional benefits, in a way that you want to keep watching, appreciating and sharing, over and over again.  Cleverly targeted to the product purchaser (the woman in the house), it still vehemently appeals to the product user (the man).  By its very nature, it demands to be reckoned with.  The ad reminds tech-savvy, video/photo sharing, self-sufficient, 21st century consumers that a larger, more powerful, and more expert force exists [the brand], able to create an experience and deliver a tangible benefit [the product] capable of improving their lives.  The ad empowers the brand to spark and lead a dialogue with its consumers.  It is a perfect example of how advertising and word of mouth work hand in hand. 

It is reminiscent and perhaps inspired by the same consumer insights that sparked the recent (and highly talkable) Dos Equis "Most Interesting Man in the World" formula:

1. Present holier than thou immortal to couch-slumping Americans.
2. Show him leading an extraordinary, ridiculous, adventurous life in a tongue in-cheek way that incites excitement and laughter.
3. Articulate that while you, mere consumer, will never be as immortal as he, you can take a first step to becoming like him. 
4. Insert product and articulate or imply its benefits here.
5. Button up ad and reinforce recall of brand through clever tagline ("Stay Thirsty, My Friends") or non-lyrical jingle (the Old Spice whistle)
   
   

This ad, like the Dos Equis spot, effectively addresses the fact that consumers know they are being marketed to, and are resistant to it.  Rather than trying to manipulate them into coveting something they don't have, it humors them into acknowledging it.  It doesn't claim to elevate their lives to a wonderful new frontier.  It implies it.  And it tells you, directly, that it implies it.  No, but seriously, go check the Brand's YouTube page.  Transparency of intention.  Thus sparking a conversation.





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As most of you know, WOMMA has helped shape and lead the charge for effective and meaningful social media disclosure.  The recently introduced FTC Guidelines, in fact, make numerous positive references to WOMMA's Ethics Code.

As a next step in the process, WOMMA is working to finalize the explicit  best practices for social media disclosure for both marketers and bloggers* (like the FTC, WOMMA applies the term "bloggers" to refer to individual posting online content, whatever the channel).

Our goals: Facilitate dialog around and provide explicit recommendations around:

• Where and how marketers can effectively and transparently disclose -- and be in compliance with FTC Guidelines
• Where and how "bloggers" can effectively and transparently disclose -- and be in compliance with FTC Guidelines
  

WOMMA has been following a very deliberate process to gain membership and industry consensus on these issues.

• Began dialog at 2008 WOMMA Summit
• Convened expert panel on transparency and disclosure
• Facilitated discussion on "Living Ethics" blog
• Drafted preliminary disclosure guidelines
• Reviewed preliminary disclosure guidelines at 2009 WOMMA Summit (November 20)
  

Our next steps are to post current guidelines on the Living Ethics blog for feedback and then to issue final recommendations.  Please review all of the following information and go to www.womma.org/ethicsreview to provide any specific suggestions on what would make the direction either clearer or most consistent. 

Key platforms we're covering:

• Blogs/forums
• Video and photo sharing sites
• Social Networks
• Review Sites
• Twitter
• Other forms of user generated content
  
  

Our Guiding Principles:

• Disclosure must be clear and conspicuous
• Language must be unambiguous 
  
• Considerations must be given to targeted consumers•  Disclosure must appear "above the fold."
  

Marketers' responsibilities:

• Educate "bloggers" regarding responsibilities
• Educate internal corporate audiences regarding responsibilities: create a "culture of compliance"
• Require disclosure from "bloggers"
• Monitor to ensure disclosure is happening
  

"Blogger" Responsibilities

• Confirm understanding of responsibilities with marketers
• Disclose all material connections
• Communicate proactively with marketer to demonstrate compliance
  

Best practices for: Blog Disclosure:

Editorial blog

• Disclose any product, service or compensation provided by a marketer
• Disclosure requirement:
• As part of editorial copy
• "I received ____ from (company X) as a sample, to review, etc."
  

Review blog

• Disclose any product, service or compensation provided by a marketer
• Disclosure requirements:
• As part of editorial copy
• "I received (X product or service) from (company X) to review"
• "I was paid by (company X) to review"
• Create "Disclosure and Relationships" section on web site
  

Best practices for: Video Sharing Sites

• Disclosure options:
• As part of video content
• "I received (X product or service) from (company X) to review/create this video
• "I was paid by (company X) to review/create this video"
• As part of video description
  

Best practices for: Photo Sharing Sites

• Disclosure requirement:
• As part of photo description
• "I received (X product or service) from (company X) to create this
• "I was paid by (company X) to create this"
  

Best practices for: Social Networks

• Disclosure options:
• As part of photo or video description (see photo and video sharing sites best practices)
• As part of status update
• "I received (X product or service from (company X)
• "I was paid by (company X)
• Create "Disclosures and Relationships" section on profile
  

Best practices for: Review Sites

• Disclose any product, service or compensation provided by a marketer
• Disclosure requirements:
• As part of editorial copy
• "I received (X product or service) from (company X) to review"
• I was paid by (company X) to review"
• Create "Disclosure and Relationship" section on profile of website
  

Best practices for: Twitter

• Disclosure requirement:
• Must clearly state hash tag within tweet
• #spon or #paid
• Create link to "Disclosures and Relationships" section on profile
  

Feedback on this topic and the specific requirements for transparent disclosure online is requested and encouraged as we continue to make this process as clear as possible.
 



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There has been a lot of discussion and opinions circling since the release of the FTC's revised guidelines around endorsements and testimonials in advertising online.

Zócalo Group President/CEO, Paul Rand, provided some initial insights on the topic directly following the FTC's announcement last week and continued the dialogue at a panel hosted by the Publicity Club of Chicago. Fellow panelists included Esther J. Cepeda, Columnist at Chicago Sun-Times and Self-syndicated columnist of 600 Words; Toure Muhammad, Chief Creative Strategist at Bean Soup Times; and Daliah Saper, Principal Attorney at Saper Law.

The conversation centered around what an endorsement in the online space means - basically anything brands or marketers offer of value to someone who can publish it online - and what marketers and advertisers can do to ensure that the guidelines are upheld. In summary, transparency is key - endorsers should disclose the fact that they are given free products or services. Some interesting perspectives offered by Daliah Saper on the ambiguity around copyright infringement and defamation in the online space were also an important focus of the panel.

From an agency perspective, I found the following key takeaways helpful:

• In a post, the consumer should be given the information they need to make their own purchase decision. They should be able to say to themselves "I know blogger x got this product from company x, so I will take that into account when considering the product for myself."
• As agencies continue to communicate directly with consumers who have the ability to publish content, open communication becomes more important than ever. Encouraging full disclosure becomes imperative as marketers have less control over how their brand message is shared.
  
• Disclosure needs to be clear, open and simple. It should be easy to see in the body of the article or post so that there is never any question regarding intent.
  
• Marketers have an obligation to guide and train the bloggers they choose to work with - often times, these individuals haven't had the same level of training a traditional journalist would receive through school, or their employer.
  
• Legal departments are taking different approaches to social media. Copyright infringement can be found in everything from a brand name's hyperlink to a competitors website to a song being played in the background of a YouTube video. It's important to be aware of a brand's legal department's stance on sharing content via social media. 
• If incorrect or negative information about a brand is shared, or if full-disclosure is not evident, then a marketer or brand has a right to approach the writer, asking for edits or to have the conversation taken offline. It's easy to overreact when new rules are put in place, but engaging a legal team should continue to be a last resort.
  

What is your opinion of the new guidelines? Will this change your marketing approach?




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