Integrated Branding Blog | Movéo

The future of search results is now

In 2008, there has been much talk about Google's plans to customize their search results. Many speculated major changes to come in 2009, but the end of 2008 has already provided us with some interesting tweaks. If you've performed a search in Google lately, you may have noticed some new icons housed next to each listing. The future of customized Google search results is here.

Google calls it SearchWiki and it's for users with a Google account.

Here's how the newly customized search results look:

Notice the icons located to the right of the top and bottom lines of each organic listing. The up arrow allows you to boost the listing to the #1 spot. The "X" lets you delete a listing that you find irrelevant, or simply don't want it in your results. The final icon lets you comment on the listing. Be careful what you say because your account name will be attached to your comment.

Here's a look at the rejuvenated results after I voted a Gifts.com listing (on page 2) to the top:

As you can see, the listing is now atop the results on page 1. I can now vote it back down if I so choose. Next, let's take a look at making comments on a particular listing. Here's a before and after view:

So what relationship does this have with branding? Branding is now more important than ever when it comes to searching. The voting only effects how you personally see results. The comments, however, will make a big impact on how everyone views Google search results now.

We're already well aware of the influence that comments and reviews have on a site or product. Now, users can view comments on a site before they even get there. This will no doubt have some influence on which listing a user decides to indulge in.

Jeff Swanson

The evolution of choosing a doctor

As the Internet evolves it takes many industries along for the ride. One such industry is healthcare. Way back in the old days, more popularly known as the ‘90’s, healthcare customers would rely on word-of-mouth references and telephone books to find a family doctor. But oh how the times have changed.

Nowadays, the Internet has molded us into a research-intense society. We can go online and scour the Web to help find qualified doctors. Thanks to user-generated content, some sites even allow us to categorize potential physicians not only by proximity, but by ratings and reviews.

Because of this migration to the Web, it’s critical that healthcare companies and physicians are visible online. The Internet is the new phone book, but more dynamic. Healthcare doctors and companies can host a blog, publish videos, educate their clients, etc. There's a whole new world of Internet healthcare marketing. Sites like WebMD.com have physician directories complete with profiles and contact information. It's important for physicians to be included in these major directories, so they don't miss out on potential customers.

Jeff Swanson, Organic Search Specialist

Moments of Truth

These days it’s hard not to read the news, turn on the TV or go for a walk without someone talking about the economy and bailouts for the financial and automotive industry.  Usually this news is followed up by a story that some company, who is begging for money is also throwing lavish training seminars at spas across the country or taking private jets to Washington.

What I find interesting is that these corporations, these marketing icons, are making such public relations fauxpas.  How would congress have reacted if the big three would have driven to D.C. in a new hybrids and said “We need to change they way we have been doing things and we’ll start by investing in fuel efficient cars,” or is AIG would have held meetings at their home office to train employees. These events have no doubt hurt their images on a national scale.

We at Movéo say that you are your company’s brand.  A brand is comprised of thousands of "moments of truth".  These "moments" are interactions that take place every day within a company, and outside of the orghanization with customers, clients, patients, etc. The examples that AIG and the big three have set over the last few weeks certainly did not provide a positive image of their brands.  For the sake of Wall Street and Detroit let’s hope they can figure out who they are as a brand and where they want to go into the future.

Lewis Bailey, Engagement Manager

Obama & Xbox...

Barack Obama is the first African-American president-elect of the United States, but that is not the only way he made history…

Obama also made political history by being the first to place presidential campaign ads in online video games. Obama featured Internet ads in 18 games through Microsoft Corp's Xbox Live service to promote his online voter registration and early balloting drive in 10 states - Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio and Wisconsin. All of which are swing states won over by President Bush in 2004, interestingly enough.

Appearing in the games as banners or billboards, the ads featured an image of Obama, the slogan "Early voting has begun" and a reference to his VoteForChange.com website. On this site users were able to register online to vote, obtain absentee voter information and/or find a polling location. Obama also ran a 30-minute ad on CBS, NBC and Fox on October 29.

Obviously Obama being elected president is the ultimate indicator of success, but I would like to know some hard statistics and the real correlation between these ads and Obama's victory. How were they tracked? How many of the people exposed to both the video game ads and TV ads voted for Obama? Did voting rates for males 18-25 (the target audience for the ads) increase? By how much? What was their attitude toward the ads? Will this become the norm for future presidential elections?

Amy Mengel, Engagement Coordinator

Do you want to be a leader or a follower?

It’s funny to me how it seems that the first thing companies tend to do in economic hard times is “trim” (PC word for cut) their marketing budgets.  I can understand that need to cut back spending during downturns but to cut back marketing dollars seems counter intuitive to me.  When budgets tighten, sales become even more elusive to capture so you would think that your marketing efforts would strengthen not weaken.

Instead of cutting the dollars that help generate revenue, cut the superfluous spending.  Nix the corporate trips and golf outings.  Wave good-bye to the retreats and luncheons and start looking at marketing budgets as an investment not a liability.  In a recent poll taken by B-to-B magazine, 66% of advertising executives said their clients were either cutting or reallocating their budgets elsewhere while 27% were actually increasing their budgets during these hard times.  No that’s not a typo, 27% are actually increasing their budgets.  Why? Because your competition could be on their heels.  As Bob Liodice, president of the Association of National Advertisers, says “In an economic downturn, this is the time for marketers to capture a greater share of market by investing robustly in a well-defined marketing mix.  Your competition may be letting their guard down”. 

In fact, 40% of the previously polled ad execs admitted that budgets would increase in 2009 showing confidence that economic downturn would be short-lived.  This means that in the big picture, the 27% of firms that increase their budgets now, will be in the drivers seat in 09 while the competition plays catch-up.  When it comes time to evaluate your current marketing budget keep this in mind; Do you want to be a leader or a follower?

Voiceovers Can Work Quite Famously

Whether you’ve heard it on the radio on the way to work or saw a spot on television, chances are good that you’ve been exposed recently to a commercial backed by a famous celebrity voice. And while this technique for selling products isn’t new, I’m curious to know if people today are receptive to it.

Call me a sucker, but I’m a fan of the celebrity voiceovers – especially if they make sense with the product. Take the latest campaign put out by Michigan’s tourism organization. Narrated by the much loved Tim Allen, (of Home Improvement fame), the radio spots (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIEk0ii8WfQ) and TV ads have a soft, homey feel, enticing the audience to visit “Pure Michigan” – where the simplicities of life and your family are all you need for a satisfying vacation. Allen’s welcoming voice, matched with his reputation of being a family man from his long running sitcom create a warm and fuzzy feeling for the listeners.

And then there are the in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is ads for the new Ford 150 trucks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xljekX8TCTY). With Denis Leary’s ranty narration and bold typography animation jumping across the screen, these commercials are hard to ignore. My guess is they hit their target audience perfectly as well – rugged men who haul heavy stuff with their trucks and like a lot of power in their vehicle.

So what’s my point? That celebrities and other notable people can be a great addition to a campaign – if they are a good fit. I wouldn’t want Pamela Anderson selling me life insurance. Thus, my vote is heck yeah, bring on the celebrity voiceovers, but don’t just hire on someone because they were in this season’s blockbuster. If there’s a disconnect between the product and the persona of the celeb, you’re just taking advantage of stardom and possibly leaving your audience confused.

INFRINGEMENT…OR JUST FREE ADVERTISING?

Over dinner recently, I found myself in a discussion about the importance of “policing” trademarks. The man who raised the subject described being chastised by a friend for misusing the brand name TiVo®. Their conversation had gone something like this:

“I really like that show. I always TiVo it.”
“But you don’t have a TiVo.”
“OK, no, it’s not literally a TiVo –– just a DVR.”
“Then you can’t say ‘TiVo.’ It’s trademarked.”

Technically speaking, the man’s friend is correct. Intellectual property ––  such as a trademarked name –– can only be protected if it’s unique. Let it become too much a part of the common parlance, let come to stand for an entire group of products or services, and you can lose the right to own it.

But as I told my dinner companion, it’s a long way between “household name” and “generic term.” After all, when was the last time you covered a cut with an “adhesive bandage,” or blew your nose on a “facial tissue”? BAND-AID® and Kleenex® are excellent examples of brands that have become culturally pervasive, yet are still viable trademarks.

And don’t forget this: From a branding perspective, being a cultural icon is never a bad thing. In fact, most brand owners aspire to just the kind of category dominance that BAND-AID and Kleenex possess. Each time their names are used, it further promotes their market leadership –– and makes it that much harder for competitors to get a foothold.

So while TiVo no doubt keeps on eye on how their name is used, I’m pretty sure they’d be pleased to know they’re still the industry benchmark.

-- Irene Westcott, Associate Creative Director

Effective Associations

Change. Over the past year Americans have learned to associate this single, simple word with hope, political reform, and a particular individual who promised both. Though the word is neither new, trademarked, nor rarely used, through successful marketing the word change has been universally associated with a single politician and his political ideals. While this is an example of a positive, effective, and universal word association, I have recently come across what I feel to be a less successful attempt. I recently saw this year’s holiday TV commercial from Macy's, and admittedly was not impressed. The commercial aims to highlight 150 years of Americans associating the department store as the best place to shop, particularly during the holidays. This is done through the use of old movie footage, clips from classic television, and footage of Macy’s sponsored holiday events. Call me bitter, but I am still not over Macy’s takeover of Marshall Field’s. I have always lived in Chicago and when I think of the holidays and holiday shopping, I will always think of Marshall Field’s, the holiday window displays, the giant tree, and the Walnut Room. In my opinion this nationally aired commercial didn’t effectively reach its goal, instead of evoking a universal feelings of familiarity and nostalgia, it reinforces Macy’s historic association as a New York staple. To master the use of word association as a marketing tool, the association must be universal among the audience to be successful.

Megan Warren, Media Coordinator

This is Who we are!

Did you ever noticed how symbols created for certain reasons were also used for other purposes as well? Groups have taken symbols and other icons to represent themselves and let the world know who they are by what they carry.This is how they branded themselves to be distinct.

Some symbols are used for nationality. For example, one good example is the cloverleaf. It’s a plant but somehow it made its way to become a symbol for Irish people. The same with a frog. The tiny green frog, the coqui, is used as well to represent Puerto Ricans. These nationalities pride themselves on the symbols they use  on flags, shirts, accessories, and much more. 

Symbols do not always represent countries and ethnic backgrounds. It is used a lot in religion as well. For Christianity, the cross, the fish, and dove are icons used to show the faith what they believe in. If you saw any of these icons on their car, you would know what their believes are based upon.

If you know your symbols well, you are intelligent to know which ones you would wear without being misjudged by others on what you are.

Generic vs. The Real Deal

I know that in times like these, my brand loyalty is constantly being tested. Whether I’m standing in the middle of the cosmetics or detergent aisle, I seem to second guess myself. “Do I go with the cheaper generic brand or the slightly more expensive and familiar brand? Do I go with the brand I know and I am used to?” Yes I know the generic brand is probably made at the same manufacturing plant as the pricier brand, and the same ingredients and labor are put into both, but it’s the brand loyalty that holds me back.

A recent Consumer Report surveyed over 1,000 women to see which products performed better – generic versus brand-name. They found that most of the generic brands performed better and cost less then their well-known, brand name competitors. For instance, Great Value laundry detergent from Wal-Mart did a bit better than Tide with a Touch of Downy. And store-brand dishwasher detergents from Wal-Mart and Target cleaned dishes as well as brand-name detergents, but cost a lot less.

One thing about the report that I found very interesting was that women, and I am guilty myself, are less wiling to switch from well-known brands of cosmetics and personal-care items, but 68% say they would go for over-the-counter medications. I am ok with battling a cold for a week or two, just as long as I have my Tresemmé moisture rich shampoo!

Katie, Gurney, Media Coordinator