The Voices of Social Media

A blog has one voice with a chorus of commentary. You post your message and others comment on it in separate replies but no one can change your original message. Yours is the voice initiating the tone and tenor of the communications. Your message is the focus and cannot be altered except by you.
On the other hand, a wiki has a community voice. Someone posts a message and, unlike with a blog, everyone can edit that post. Version control is usually present so previous versions can be retrieved and even differences between versions highlighted.

At my job, we are using blogs, and wikis for project management work; in our case web services projects. In fact, web services is being moved under public affairs in most organizations, considered more of a communication function than a technology support function.

Design reviews by client offices are done in blogs since we have superior knowledge of computer and communications systems. The design has one voice but the ability to comment by interested parties. Internally, we prepare a design using wikis. Everyone within my office has superior knowledge in different facets of a system to contribute to an overall proposal. When we have a proposed design we transfer the communication to a blog as a design review by external offices.

These approaches get buy in from both the internal staff and our external clients more so than traditional methods. The internal public experiences a more direct hand in preparing the design. The external public can see other s’ comments in parallel. Stultz (2009, p 11) says that

“But the blog rules for now. Solid relationships can be built by you and by corporations (again, you) based on honest, open dialog with superior content.”

Secondly, we are using txt messaging gateways as one method of broadcast communications for continuity of operations. Cell phone carriers, such as Sprint or Nextel, provide SMS gateways for the transfer of text messages from computer to mobile phone. These gateways are the foundation of the mechanics for an organization, be it an aggregator mobile marketing service or a commercial business entity, or government agency to implement a mobile communications broadcast. Wikipedia has a list of mobile phone SMS gateways by carrier (see SMS Gateways in Wikipedia).

All email messages broadcast as text messages to mobile devices go through such gateways to both verify permissions you set on receiving and allowing the messages through. As an example, assuming my phone number is 800-555-1213 and my carrier is Sprint, the Sprint SMS gateway is messaging.sprintpcs.com according to Wikipedia. So I could create an email on my computer that would be sent to the gateway by using the following as the To: address

8005551212@messaging.sprintpcs.com

The messaging gateway (messaging.sprintpcs.com) converts my email to mobile txt and in turn forwards it to the SMS client on my cell phone. This can also be done programmatically with a function like the one below to loop through a list of recipient mail addresses. In addition, the from-name can be changed to an email alias relevant to the receiver, so they don't trash the email right away as spam.

Duncan (2005, p 392), says an important aspect of mobile marketing is that “messages can be targeted not only by individual cellular phone number but also by time and location of targeted customers.” Critical here is permission of receiver. In their article Driving Sales through Mobile Marketing, authors, Say and Southwell (2006, p262) imply that mobile direct marketing, especially text messaging can be ruinous because “the mobile phone is almost certainly the most personal electronic consumer device.” In support of this warning, another researcher Alan Chappell (2006, p1) cites a study that found 80% of cell phone users would consider ‘mobile spam’ a reason for switching carriers. Direct Marketers who fall short with mobile etiquette risk bad public relations, hardship in the mobile media, and Say and Southwell believe that ultimately it can degrade a brand (p 262).

They must be in control. Stultz notes (2009, p 13) “Marketers are encouraging consumers to become part of the conversation; in fact, to control it. “ This is true for both social media and mobile communications technologies.

References
Duncan, Tom (2005). Principles of Advertising and IMC. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Chappell, A (March 19, 2006). Mobile Marketing & Opt-In (Chapell & Associates). Retrieved on March 7, 2009 at http://mmaglobal.com/modules/article/view.article.php/352

Say, P. and J. Southwell (Jan-Mar 2006). Beep, beep, beep, beep, that’ll be the bank then – Driving sales through mobile marketing. Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice.

Stultz, Larry (2009). Non-Traditional Media and Interactive Marketing.

Causal Maps

As discussed in the previous posting, we determine the stability of a causal loop by offsetting plus and minus segments in the loop. A Causal Map is a hierarchy of interacting, interlocking causal loops. A map represents the overall model. An important question for such a model is will it reach equilibrium based on the nature of casual loops within it.

There are several strategies for determining the stability of a map that can be generalized into two categories: 1). Loops within a map are of unequal importance; 2.) Loops are of equal importance.

If loops are of unequal importance, one strategy for predicting equilibrium is to assume the fate of system is determined by most important loop. An issue arises that the judgment of loop importance may be arbitrary. We can address this with knowledge of the process being modeled to argue about the most important inner dynamic.

On the other hand, we can also neutrally look at which loop has the most variables of interest and asssume such a loop is most important. The greater the number of inputs to and outputs from a variable, the greater its importance. The loop with the greatest number of important variables is the most important loop. This is also known as the degree of the system.

In the example of urbanization that was modeled in the previous posting, variables P, M, S all have more than one output, as do variables P, D, B. So P,M,S,D,B are most important variables. We look for the loop that contains greatest number of these: P-M-S-B-D-P is that loop.

Causal Loop P-M-S-B-D-P has an even number of negative signs so it is deviation amplifying. We would conclude the system represented by the entire Causal Map is unstable, using this strategy. It will eventually destroy itself if something is not dramatically changed.

Now let’s assume a different strategy category for P-M-S-B-D-P –that the loops are of equal importance. To predict system stability, count the number of negative loops. If this is an even number, then the system is deviation amplifying, if odd then stable. In the urbanization case, we have one of the four loops negative, P-G-B-D-P. If the relationships are of equal importance, in our example the result is a stable system. The system will ultimately reach an equilibrium.

Another tactic for a strategy that assumes the causal loops in a map are of equal importance is to count the number of negative relationships between variables, making sure to count a relationship more than once if is in multiple loops. Relational algebras can be developed for such calculations for maps of any size.

It’s possible both strategy categories are applicable to a map, albeit at different times. Urbanization, in our example, may be stable for some period of time when all causal relationships are more or less equal in effect on overall system. Imbalances can, however, accumulate over time to change the egalitarian inter-relationships.

A differential speed that cycles are completed, or a growth in the number of times a particular loop is activated across periods of time can result in an aristocratic set of relationships – some holding more power and control over the system. Then we would change from a strategy assuming equal importance of all loops to analyzing the most important loop.

In sum, Causal Maps are a means to portray a complex interdependence so one can better question the situation. They help to impose some order to the domain being analyzed.

Cherchez la Femme at the Ritz

Short films and streaming media are increasingly being incorporated into an integrated communications strategy. The promise of the Internet as an effective tool for many uses including business communications, marketing and branding, sales, training, and customer support is now being rapidly fulfilled. Larry Bouthillier and Tim Napoleon have a great article on the technology behind it, streaming media. (see VitalStream)

I looked at how Ritz-Carlton Hotels has integrated short films into its Experience More marketing messages. The Heads or Tails movie can be viewed at Heads_or_Tails. This movie quickly got to the point, two men struggling for the attention of a women, and stayed with it without deviation to the end. I was caught off guard by the tempo. The two men are quickly drawn into Pushkin's doomed duel, and one even says to the other with bravado, "Let's do this thing", the modern venacular for "Let's begin, if you are willing" of Pushkin's Russia.



The plot was simple. A man and a woman meet another man and the competition between the men starts. The Herculean labors of mental one-upsmanship in the middle of the film end with a physical contest and a surprise finish. It is a short film noir. It even uses the lighting and music of classic film noir greats such as the Maltese Falcon, ChinaTown and The Great Gatsby.

I believe the film effectively and subtlety communicates the message of elegant experiences at the Ritz. The Experience More Campaign by Ritz is based on a marketing analysis of their customer public, according to a Hotel Motel Management article. Heather Gunther (see Hotel_Motel_Mgmt ) quotes Jerry Landeck who has developed seven Ritz properties, “Our clients are demanding more experiential elements in the resort.”

They have designed signature restaurants and bars with the able assistance of artisans such as Wolfgang Puck, Gordon Ramsey and Laurent Tourondel. The main action of Heads or Tails takes place in a restaurant bar. The bus boy wears a Baume & Mercier watch. The barkeep is a sommelier. The marketing short film integrates smoothly with the Experience More grand strategy that also guides construction.

Regarding the ethics of short films in marketing communications, Packard (see Hidden_Persuaders) asked the essential question that is still relevant today

"What is the morality of playing upon hidden weaknesses and frailties -- such as our anxieties, aggressive feelings, dread of nonconformity, and infantile hang-overs -- to sell products? Specifically, what are the ethics of businesses that shape campaigns designed to thrive on these weaknesses they have diagnosed?"

Packard quotes a Madison Avenue Industrial Complex insider, Nicholas Samstag with the industry reply:

"It may be said that to take advantage of a man's credulity, to exploit his misapprehensions, to capitalize on his ignorance is morally reprehensible -- and this may well be the case. . . . I do not quite know."

It would be blind denial of plain fact to say that Heads or Tails was not engineered to exploit the apeing frailty of those with airs above their station. Yet the customers are asking for the fantasy, and to some extent that is what a vacation is all about anyway. Unlike, Samstag I am going to say it is not unethical, at least in the case of Ritz Carlton. It is an unspoken intent of the resort vacationers Ritz serves to assume the stale pretense of "acquired taste" and "rich appointments."

Mobile Marketing for the National Gallery of Art

A proposed mobile campaign for the National Gallery of Art will use QR Codes to integrate National Gallery print materials with its online assets. QR Codes are a special type of barcode that is optimized for use by mobile devices. Smith (QR Codes) echoes the view of many. He observes that QR Codes and mobile form factors link print media with the Internet. By strategically locating QR Codes, mobile readers of Gallery print media can link to the Gallery Web site, getting more in-depth coverage, and the other useful online services.

By using a QR Reader, such as a mobile phone with camera and QR software, one can jump from the print world to the online world. This is unprecedented value for the customers of the Gallery store. As an example of QR Codes, consider Leonardo’s Ginevra de’ Benci. The URL for the web page with the detailed explanation of the painting is Ginervra, while the QR Code for that URL is below.

Gallery print materials for the book store will have QR Code to link to always up-to-date reference materials on the works of art or the artists. By also forwarding users from the Gallery Web site to associated blogs, and community sites further information becomes available and communities of interest can be accessed from print materials.

For a comprehensive look at the potential of mobile marketing at the Gallery, see Redmond Review Gallery