Banyan Branch

Written by Derek Belt, Sr. Community Manager

Written by Allison O’Connor, Content Manager

What does it mean to be “green”?

Seattleites are no strangers to the concept of recycling, keeping parks clean and shopping at farmer’s markets, but sometimes being green is harder than it looks. Another Earth Day has passed and we here at Banyan Branch are thinking more about our eco-footprint as a company. How can we reduce our impact, support our community, and make a difference?

A few of us got together after work one day to discuss these very questions. “What if we created a team of people who were ‘into this stuff’ and just started making things happen?” we wondered.

We came up with so many ideas in our first Green Team meeting that I can barely read the notes I frantically scribbled down. From small changes (“We should switch to paper towels made from post-consumer waste,” and “What about composting?”) to bigger ideas (“How about doing monthly volunteer events?”), we came up with some tangible and exciting goals.

In honor of Earth Day 2012, we want to share those goals with you. Here goes…

1) Clean up our act

A little goes a long way, so we’ll make sure we’re on top of our game around the office. No water bottles in the trash. No wasted paper towels in the bathroom. We’ll turn off projectors when we finish meetings and shut down our computers before leaving the office. Easy enough.

2) Go the extra mile

We’ll ride our bikes to work, use our bus passes, and walk when we can. We’ll head outside during lunch and take in the view of those beautiful mountains over the sound. And we’ll continue to support our local businesses (that means lots of Marination Mobile tacos and lattes from Cherry Street).

3) Volunteer in the community

We’ll keep an eye on local events and won’t be afraid to get our hands dirty when volunteer opportunities pop up. First on the list is Seattle Works Day, where we’ll be doing on-the-ground social media outreach for the citywide volunteer event on Saturday, May 19^th.

We’re excited to dive into these goals and will keep you updated on our progress. If you know of any community events or volunteer opportunities in the Seattle area we can participate in, tweet us at @BanyanBranch. We’d love to hear about how you (and your company) do your part!

Have you started to notice social media terms, symbols, and logos popping up in your favorite TV shows? How about on the big screen at the end of each new movie trailer? According to Accenture, a global consulting firm, 64% of U.S. consumers recall seeing social media symbols on TV; 42% remember a “Like” button, 28% remember a QR code, and 18% remember a Twitter hashtag. Even more important, a full “33% of viewers actually went ahead and either “Liked” the show on Facebook (20%), scanned a QR code (11%) or searched for the related hashtag on Twitter (7%).”

What’s in it for brands: Most of these viewers said the main reason they looked up the social channels mentioned on TV was to get more information. They are looking for behind-the-scenes details, deals, contests, and other fun and rewarding ways to get involved. Brands that have a presence on TV, whether in actual television shows or commercials, can play it up by offering something extra to viewers on their social media channels. Connect the one-way conversation of mass media TV with the more compelling two-way conversation of social media. TV may be the initial spark for the conversation, but social channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest are the platforms fans use to discuss and share what they saw.

Here’s your weekly round-up of major news points from the social sphere:

• Spotify announced it will launch brand pages soon. A few megabrands like AT&T and McDonald’s will get an early look at the offering, with other brands getting the service later this year.
• Thinking about pitching to bloggers on Pinterest? Here are some tips on the right ways to do it.
• Don’t let your message get lost in the campaign. Read three lessons non-profits can learn from the Kony conundrum.
• Do you really need to check your email again? A clever flowchart will help you decide.
• Facebook’s IPO is getting closer. Cue epic music.
• What did you think of the Tupac hologram at Coachella? Twitter went nuts over it!
• 61% of parents log on to their kids’ Facebook accounts. Are you one of them?

 Have a great weekend!

Written by Orion Gousie, Influencer Relations

What happens when your message gets lost in your campaign? That’s one of the issues Invisible Children, the non-profit behind the infamous Kony 2012 campaign, has grappled with since the wildly successful video went viral in early March.

Non-profit messaging should be all about your cause and the ideals you’ve worked so hard to promote. Don’t let your organization become the story.

Invisible Children grabbed tons of attention but struggled to capitalize because the organization itself wasn’t fully prepared for the level of success it achieved with this campaign. The video raised eyebrows, obviously. But it also raised questions about Invisible Children, such as its complex funding structure, and as a result the organization became the story. Much of the Kony message got lost.

There are now two Kony videos and the original video generated more than 100 million views in a week. Released less than a month later, just when you’d think interest in the campaign would be sky-high, the Kony 2012: Part II – Beyond Famous follow-up amassed just 1.5 million views.

How could the most successful viral marketing campaign of all-time see a 98% drop in views in less than a month? Time will tell if Invisible Children can keep the conversation going, but it’s clear the momentum is waning. On April 20, they attempted to turn online awareness into real-world action with the “Cover the Night” campaign, but the effort was largely mute and led Mashable to write The Decline of Kony 2012: Where Did the Online Buzz Go? Clearly, the momentum was no longer there.

Here are three key lessons non-profits can learn from the Kony conundrum:

Don’t let your message get lost in the campaign.

The original Kony video proposed that anyone can change the world and that by taking action (i.e. sharing the video) they can protest the crimes of an African warlord. The creators of the video did a fantastic job making it easy to share, and they gave us characters to connect with and actionable ways to help. However, many complaints followed about the over-simplification or even misleading content of the film. By the end of it, viewers weren’t sure what the message was. All they knew was they had been captivated, and their blind enthusiasm fueled the awesome virality of the video.

Most non-profits dream of this type of energy and attention. Getting YouTube views, tweets, and Facebook likes are all indicators of a successful campaign, but they don’t represent the ultimate goal, which is to inspire and enable people to take action, more than once. That important purpose appears to have been missed here, as indicated by the follow-up video’s low numbers in comparison to the original.

29 minutes probably won’t work for everyone.

The Kony video likely gave many people a moment of pause before clicking play. At 29:59, they must have thought, “There’s no way I’m going to last through this whole thing.” Well, Invisible Children proved that our short online attention spans can, in fact, be overcome with compelling content. Just because it worked for Invisible Children, though, doesn’t mean it’s a smart move.

Take the follow-up video. At 19:47, the second Kony push by Invisible Children felt like a marathon. It failed to re-capture the magic of the original, and because of its length the campaign’s message was likely missed by viewers.  Time went so far as to call it a dud. You want your organization’s success to be long-term and sustainable. Invisible Children’s misstep was in failing to prepare for the momentum it earned. A shorter, more concise follow-up video that drove home the message and moved people to action could have been more successful.

Instead of introducing new context or explaining what can be possible, however, Invisible Children chose to focus on “selling” us on their trustworthiness and good intentions. The audience didn’t fall for it.

Be ready to answer questions.

Don’t wait for people to start asking questions about your campaign. Be ready with answers. Credibility is one of the most important elements donors list when asked why they give to non-profits, and organizations of all sizes are under great scrutiny these days, with people demanding transparency, not just asking for it. If your group has a complex funding structure or other issues that take time to explain, don’t wait for your video to go viral before addressing it. If donors feel there is a gap between what your organization is offering and the services you are providing, you may lose their trust and, more importantly, their dollars.

Once those are gone, earning them back could be difficult, if not impossible.

We love dogs here at Banyan Branch and encourage employees to bring theirs to work. Get to know our favorite four-legged assistants in the Dogs of Banyan blog series.

There’s something about the sight of a wagging tail that just makes people feel good.

Unless you suffer from a rare case of extreme puppy phobia like this guy (or allergies), there’s probably nothing that will lower your blood pressure faster than a cute pair of floppy ears. In fact, studies show that having dogs in the workplace makes employees feel more relaxed and happy, causes them to get up and walk around (more playtime with the dogs!), and even stay with the company longer.

We love our pups here at Banyan Branch, and on any given day you’re certain to see at least one or two snoozing under employees’ desks. We want to share the puppy love with you and introduce our favorite dogs of Banyan. Kicking it off is a bulky little guy lovingly known as “The Tank,” Marketing Director Jess Estrada’s very own: Spike!

• Name: Spike
• Owner: Jess Estrada, Director of Marketing, and Blogger, Fresh Jess
• Age: 4
• Breed: English Bulldog
• Treat of choice: Chicken and sweet potato treats
• Favorite place to sleep: Fresh piles of laundry on my parents’ bed. Sometimes my own bed or the couch.
• How I spend my day at the office: I sleep at my mom’s feet until I get bored. I say hi to everyone in the office. When my mom leaves her desk I like to sneak off into other parts of the office. I know which door has no lock and I use my brute strength to push through that one.
• My story: I was born and raised in Olympia, Wash. I had a bunch of medical issues come up and when my parents couldn’t take care of me anymore, Bulldog Haven NW took over from there. My mom is a volunteer and supporter of BHNW, and she saw a tweet from them about me. She clicked over to their Facebook page to see a picture of me and it was love at first sight. What can I say, I’m a looker!

Jess wrote a post on her blog to raise money for my surgery, and when BHNW called to thank her, she said that she and dad wanted to adopt me. Now, I’m living the life in downtown Seattle. I get to come to work in mom’s cool office with her, and sometimes I go work out with my dad at his mixed martial arts gym. I get tons and tons of cuddle time and dog park dates. I can’t complain!

You’ve heard all about the influence of mommy bloggers, but how about the dads? According to a recent survey by Edelman PR and The Parenting Group, dads are participating on social media channels at a higher rate than ever. In fact, 42% of dads with kids under the age of 2 regularly share updates on their families. Huggies learned the hard way last month that portraying fathers as inept parents doesn’t go over well these days, and other brands are taking note.

What’s in it for brands: “The dad niche is still largely untapped,” says Andrew Schrage of Money Crashers. Though moms and dads are increasingly sharing parenting responsibilities, they still represent different marketing segments. Stick to tips on time management, budgeting and funny parenting stories when it comes to dads. Just don’t portray parents in gender-specific roles. “Brands that really want to push the envelope now will start engaging parents together,” says Christine Perkett of Perkett PR. Both parents are changing the diapers now, and they want brands to acknowledge that.

Here’s your weekly round-up of major news points from the social sphere:

• In the biggest news of the week, Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion! Instagram users weren’t thrilled at the news, but few seem to have stopped using the app.
• LinkedIn has debuted new tools to help businesses target followers, including the ability to tailor content by criteria like industry, seniority, job function, and geography.
• CEOs take heed: a recent survey concluded that employees trust CEOs who use social media more.
• Facebook’s Seattle employees are getting comfortable in their new Seattle offices that overlook the Space Needle.
• Google+ underwent a redesign. Take a look at how the design changes affect the social experience.
• Remember when Facebook was just for college students? In an apparent nod to its early days, Facebook launched Groups for Schools.
• Smart car company Smart Argentina created the first-ever Twitter commercial.
• Heartwarming viral video Caine’s Arcade has already generated over $100K for 9-year-old Caine Monroy’s college fund. If you haven’t seen it yet, grab some tissues now!

The talented team at Cheezburger visited our office today, bringing bags of information about their incredible business and even more important bags full of Dick’s Drive-In burgers, fries, and shakes.

Funny memes are everywhere (we’re looking at you Hillary Clinton), and they are fantastic ways to measure the impact of your brand marketing. Take Dos Equis’ Most Interesting Man in the World, which is more popular than ever despite a campaign launch date of 2006. The time and money spent on advertising and branding can be amplified through clever user-generated memes, which is where Cheezburger comes in. They make it easy for brands to leverage memes to promote their products, and social media adds fuel to the fire by making it easy to share memes across networks.

We’re excited to see where this relationship goes. Cheezburger and Banyan Branch go together like fries and milkshakes.

Another special thanks to the Cheezburger team. You guys (and gals) rock!

Written by Erik Magnuson, Influencer Relations

For a typical politician, a rogue Tumblr account sharing snarky pictures of you in somewhat unflattering outfits is a problem. Turns out, Hillary Clinton is not the typical politician.

If you haven’t seen Texts From Hillary yet, take a moment to enjoy its simple-yet-funny narrative. Clinton schedules a brunch with Meryl Streep. Clinton tells Mitt Romney to “drink” when he asks for campaign advice. Clinton blows off Jon Stewart for Stephen Colbert. You see what I mean.

Started by a pair of Washington, D.C. communications specialists, Texts From Hillary is a perfect political meme. It makes the Secretary of State look cool. It makes her look in control. More importantly, though, it’s a tongue-in-cheek yet flattering perspective on the once-strained relationship between her and Barack Obama, portraying Clinton as a master stateswoman who doesn’t take herself too seriously.

Sometimes it can be hard to imagine what the real lives of the people we see on the news are like. This Tumblr does just that, giving us a glimpse of what it’s like to have the President’s number on your Blackberry. Plus, it’s just plain funny. Clinton telling Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner “sucks for you” when he says the economy is tanking. Classic!

The rest of the country thought so, too. Texts From Hillary reported generating 83,000 shares on Facebook, 8,400 followers on Twitter, and more than 45,000 followers on Tumblr in just a few days. The authors, Adam Smith and Stacey Lambe, are huge Clinton supporters and admitted, “What started as a joke at the bar between two friends turned into a national conversation.”

It was enough to get Clinton’s attention, and the Secretary surprised everybody by posting her own submission. That’s what we call owning it.

The Texts From Hillary site could have been a PR problem, especially for someone in a sensitive government position. But she embraced the opportunity and shared a meme of herself texting with the site’s creators (click to enlarge). She even poked fun at Lambe. So often, public figures and politicians use social media in the wrong ways, like never, ever responding when supporters ask follow-up questions to tweets. In this case, it was refreshing to see Clinton acknowledge the meme and use it to her advantage.

Texts From Hillary is a case of someone generating tons of free publicity for you. But it wasn’t necessarily great publicity. Clinton could have distanced herself from it, or moved to control the message somehow. Instead, she embraced it. By getting involved, Clinton sparked a much different conversation, one focused on her savvy use of social media instead of her more serious nature, which the meme was capitalizing on.

This is how to harness the power of social media. Be a part of the conversation and engage with your supporters. They want to hear from you, but they also want to know that you can hear them. Clinton could have panicked, but she didn’t. Many brands and organizations have vocal critics online and make rash decisions when faced with issues like this. But take a lesson from Clinton, who saw this as a real opportunity. In the process, she scored tons of earned media for doing something that many politicians usually shy away from.

She showed her personality.

For several years now, it’s been standard practice for HR managers and college recruiters to look at publicly available social media profiles when reviewing job candidates or applicants, but more and more people are making their social media profiles private. This prevents outsiders from seeing personal information, comments, and photos. Some HR departments across the country have started asking job applicants for their usernames and passwords so they can look around.

Some say asking to see a person’s private information on social media goes too far, and the ACLU says “it’s an invasion of privacy” and that “people are entitled to their private lives.” There are even legal, discriminatory, and ethical consequences for HR managers and recruiters using somebody else’s private social media profile. On April 9, Forbes published a story called Facebook and the Job Interview: What Employers Should be Doing. In it, the author says companies should stay away from somebody’s private profile because it’s a PR disaster waiting to happen and shows a lack of understanding of what’s important to Mellennials.

The following infographic explores some of these issues and highlights a Social Network Users’ Bill of Rights that was drafted at the Computers, Freedom, and Privacy conference in 2010.

What do you think?

Infographic by BackgroundCheck.org.

The fashion industry has long been a leader in social media marketing thanks to intensely loyal brand advocates. According to a new report by EMarketer, apparel is now the fastest-growing segment in e-commerce and is expected to grow by 20% to $40.9 billion, up from $34.2 billion in 2011. That’s a larger sales increase than books, music and movies, categories that have dominated the e-commerce landscape for years.

What’s in it for brands: EMarketer attributed the growth to new tricks retailers are using to display products online. Amazon’s MyHabit, for example, produces videos of models wearing the clothes for sale, which makes the purchasing decision less of a guessing game for consumers. Displaying products on websites is a critical part of the sales funnel, and the more interactive those displays become the more engaged consumers will be in the product’s conversation. Social media will play an important role in this process, as customers rely on user reviews for guidance and share their thoughts about purchases in real-time with their friends and networks. This is word of mouth marketing at its best.

Here’s your weekly round-up of major news points from the social sphere:

• A new study shows that many new Twitter users rarely tweet. According to AYTM Market Research, this could make the influencers who are tweeting all the more attractive.
• Google unveiled “Project Glass“, which allows you to control music, get directions, take pictures, give voice commands, and more—all through augmented-reality glasses.
• Oprah Winfrey is thriving in Social TV, encouraging viewers at home to live tweet responses to topics mentioned on the show and then discusses them with her guests.
• Google+ grew 27% in March, logging 61 million visits. The data comes after Google CEO Larry Page wrote in blog post April 5 that Google+ now has 100 million active users.
• Pinterest is now the third most popular social network, behind Facebook and Twitter.
• YouTube now lets you automatically turn your 2D videos into 3D videos. You’ll feel the pain when you watch “Charlie bit my finger!”
• Learn how police departments are using social media to fight crime.
• Cheezburger CEO Ben Huh is getting his own reality show on Bravo. Laughs will be had.