Banyan Branch

By Allison O’Connor, Content Manager

The TEDxYouth@Seattle team

When Banyan Branch President Blake Cahill sent out a company-wide email a few weeks ago, calling for volunteers at an upcoming event, even he was surprised how quickly we raised our virtual hands.

The event was TEDxYouth@Seattle, and Blake had been asked if Banyan would consider letting the TEDxYouth team use our office space for the conference. As long as we could round up a few Banyan staffers to be here for it, he said we would be happy to host.

That, of course, was no trouble at all.

I think I speak for my fellow idealists and information nerds at Banyan when I say that simply seeing the term “TED event” in our inboxes was enough to make our ears perk up. If you’ve ever watched a TED talk or attended a TEDx conference, you know why. Inspirational speakers, innovative ideas, and an impassioned community of viewers—these are the marks of a TED talk. We were even more intrigued by the idea of a community of energetic young people leading their own conference.

The audience listening attentively

TED is a non-profit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, and Seattle’s own TEDxYouth conference was teeming with them. From challenging young people to step outside of their comfort zones and become agents of change, to using games to drive microbiology research, to reexamining the way we educate students in the Age of Internet, calling the ideas at TEDxYouth@Seattle inspiring would be an understatement. We were simply blown away by the sophistication and passion behind all of the presentations. If you ask us, it looks like the future is in pretty good hands.

Charles Koh showing attendees around Google Places

We’d like to give a huge thank you to the TEDxYouth@Seattle team for making us a part of this fantastic event. It was fun to work with such a dedicated team of organizers, and we were honored to be in the company of so many other fantastic sponsors, including Cupcake Royale, Google Places, DRY Soda Co., Zipcar, and PopChips.

We hope to see you all again next year!

Keep up Derek Belt

“Do Something” is the tagline for Seattle Works, a local non-profit dedicated to developing people’s passions for volunteering. At Banyan Branch, we’re all about developing people’s passions, and I was excited to “do my part” as I pulled up to Marra Farm in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood on Saturday, May 19. The sunroof was open and sunny-weather music was blasting in my car stereo. I grabbed my camera, tossed a snazzy “Media Team” lanyard over my neck, and headed into the farm for my first stop on the Seattle Works Day trail. Ten minutes later, I was learning about how this gorgeous 4-acre farm supplied 22,000 pounds of produce for the local community and welcomed more than 1,800 volunteers last year.

That’s Seattle Works Day for ya, and Marra Farm was just one of 33 volunteer sites happening across the city. Simply amazing!

Banyan Branch’s volunteer team was responsible for (what else?) the social media storytelling of Seattle Works Day. Our task was to spread the word about SWD’s big impact, and we traveled to sites all over the city—Kinnear Park, Golden Gardens, Jose Rizal Park, Carkeek Park, and more—as we helped generate hundreds of mentions on social media and had the hashtag #SWDay trending on Twitter all day long. Seattle Works is a remarkable organization, and our company is proud to have supported its efforts to clean up our fair city.

Banyan staffers covered about 20 sites in a few short hours and snapped 400+ photos that you can view on the Seattle Works Flickr group.

At Marra Farm, which the Italian-born Marra family worked from the early 1900s until the 1970s when they sold it to King County, I met several members of the FedEx team assigned to this site. I also met Sue McGann, Marra Farm’s charismatic coordinator, who told me the farm is a staple of the South Park area and even educates local schoolchildren about the benefits of sustainable farming. The team’s task at Marra was to clean up the farm by pulling weeds, mowing lawns, and generally going above and beyond in the name of community service and camaraderie.

Here are a few other SWD highlights from the Banyan Branch team:

Amy Rainey, Account Manager

“I thought it was really cool that my friend Holly and her husband, Tom, led a team at Jose Rizal Park to celebrate her 30th birthday. Not only is Seattle Works Day an amazing event that brings together hundreds of volunteers to serve our city, it’s also a major fundraiser to help sustain and grow Seattle Works as an organization. Everybody wins!”

Orion Gousie, Influencer Relations

“At Kinnear Park, a volunteer told me that he first participated in Seattle Works Day because he had a crush on a girl who was doing it. Now they are married and he’s still volunteering.”

Katy Balatero, Research Analyst

“Seattle Works Day is a great way to participate in giving back to our communities in a way that is immediately tangible. It’s also a good opportunity for bonding with friends and coworkers and meeting other people who may have similar interests.”

Karl Baisch, Sr. Research Analyst

“The parks department budgets have been slashed and will continue to be slashed, and this is a huge help for them – what with the city removing garbage cans from parks and all the invasive plant species that are out there.”

Across the city, more than 1,000 volunteers contributed a eye-popping 3,800 volunteer hours in one day. Banyan Branch was thrilled to participate, and many of us are still hard at work creating photo galleries, YouTube videos, and other digital assets that Seattle Works can use to promote its organization throughout the year. Visit the Seattle Works programs page to learn more, or get involved yourself with Team Works or Hot Projects to keep the #SWDay momentum going.

From South Park to Lake Forest Park, Seattleites came out in force to clean up city parks, community farms, conservation districts, school playgrounds, and more. Seattle Works Day is one of the largest volunteer opportunities in the city, and we made sure everyone in the Emerald City knew just how big this day really was. Thank you, all!

Follow Seattle Works on Twitter and Facebook to see how it connects volunteers, develops emerging leaders, and inspires dialogue in the community.

It’s time to pull your hiking boots and North Face jackets out of the closet (as if you ever put them away), and prepare to get your hands dirty. Seattle Works Day is Saturday, May 19, and Banyan Branch is helping with social media strategy once again!

In this annual volunteer event, nearly 1,300 people will take to the streets, community gardens, public parks, and community centers to give our beloved Emerald City a little TLC. It’s a good way to find your passion in volunteering (maybe you’ll discover you want to volunteer at the Braille Library or for a P-Patch). There’s just so much going on in Seattle!

As the dedicated social media team for Seattle Works Day, the Banyan Branch crew probably won’t be getting our hands too dirty, but you can bet we’ll be putting our thumbs to work. Our plan is to spread out in pairs all over the city to interview volunteers and organizers at different project sites, and drive conversation about Seattle Works. In other words, we’ll be live-tweeting!

Look for pictures, interviews, and updates on Twitter with the hashtag #SWDay.

Our goal this year is to get #SWDay trending, so don’t forget to use the hashtag in all conversation about Seattle Works Day, and retweet @SeattleWorks and @BanyanBranch to your heart’s content. We would have gotten #SWDay trending last year if it wasn’t for the Rapture, which was on the same day.

It’s not too late to sign up for a team, and if you can’t make it to the main event on Saturday, May 19, you can still help spread awareness and drive conversation with the hashtag #SWDay!

We’ll see you out there!

If you’re on the lookout for the next generation of fresh ideas and energetic entrepreneurs, look no further than The Entrepreneurship Center at UW Bothell.

Banyan Branch President Blake Cahill hosted the final round of UW Bothell’s second annual Business Plan Competition on May 4, and was very impressed by the range of innovative ideas on display.

Though dozens applied, only four teams made it to the final round of the competition: Art of the Soul, CondoBids.com, EzCar, and Valeni Boots. These teams put their classroom experiences and unique ideas to the test in a head-to-head competition for $20,000 in cash and prizes. They competed in front of a distinguished panel of judges that included Dr. P.V. (Sundar) Balakrishnan (Professor, UW Bothell School of Business), Trisha Gross (President and CEO, Hubspan), Dave Parker (CEO, bundled.com, Inc., and Director, Founder Institute Seattle), and Richard (Rick) Shea (President and CEO, Spiration).

Banyan Branch was proud to sponsor the event, and Blake was excited to witness the creativity and business savvy of all the student competitors. “The overall concepts and plans were strong and well thought-out,” he says. “I would be interested in learning more about the execution tactics each team would use to bring their ideas to market.” Blake’s favorite business plan was the team that won the competition: Valeni Boots. “I was surprised and impressed by the inventive business model Valeni came up with, and I could tell the judges were, too.”

Congratulations to winners Polina Semeykina and Lyamen Savy of Valeni Boots!

It’s exciting to see the wealth of ideas and ambition coming out of the UW business program, and we predict a bright and successful future for all the competing students. The many Puget Sound area CEOs, entrepreneurs, and angel investors who were sitting in the TEC Competition audience no doubt feel the same.

Written by Andrea Hofer, Sr. Community Manager, and Amy Rainey, Account Manager

Several members of the Banyan Branch team recently attended MarketMix 2012, which was held March 20 at Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle. Presented by the Puget Sound American Marketing Association, the day-long event is the largest annual gathering of marketers in the Pacific Northwest.

This year’s theme was “Thriving in the Conversation Economy,” and sessions ranged from mobile marketing and social TV to the content marketing cycle. Keynote speakers included Ben Huh, CEO and founder of Cheezburger, Ted Rubin, chief social marketing strategist at Collective Bias, and Allison Watson, Microsoft Corporate VP of U.S. Advertising and Operations Group. Here are some of the key takeaways and quotes from MarketMix 2012:

“CEOs talk ROI but decide budgets on a feeling. Social media is about feeling.” – Ted Rubin of Collective Bias

In marketing, it can be easy to get caught up in daily tasks and forget about the bigger picture. At Banyan Branch, we’re focused on leveraging social trends, influencers, and word-of-mouth for our clients, creating prime opportunities to get the right feeling across. Be sure and save shout-outs from fans, positive anecdotes, and supporting facts to share with stakeholders whenever possible.

“Social media drives engagement; engagement drives loyalty; loyalty correlates directly to increased sales.” – Ted Rubin of Collective Bias

Return on investment was a major theme throughout the conference, particularly during Rubin’s speech, “Return on Relationships.” Clients want to see ROI, and agencies should make this their goal. However, if marketers overlook engagement and loyalty as additional metrics of success, they miss the long-term effects of developing repeat customers. For example, marketers should track sales over time, brand sentiment, and the ongoing conversation around their brands, products, and services. Relationships are the currency that keeps paying off.

“80% of people watching TV are mobile multi-tasking: email, text, talk, or social networking. 15% are using phones the entire time they are watching TV.” – “New Ways of Looking at TV” breakout session

Social TV is here to stay, as we wrote about following the success of Connect with Jenni Hogan. Marketers in the entertainment field need to engage with viewers on multiple platforms—or someone else will. With tools like TV Everywhere popping up, marketers are expanding beyond household demographic information and honing in on individual users, learning who is consuming what content, and on what kind of device they’re consuming it.

“57% of companies have acquired customers through a blog.” – Andy Boyer of Relaborate

Marketers have a responsibility to prove blogs’ value to companies and to offer a collaborative content development strategy. Q&A templates can extract key insights from thought leaders, which a content manager can use to craft a post that is SE-friendly.

“Make sure you have your social properties and social campaigns on clients’ email unsubscribe page.” – Laura Ashley of TailoredMail

When customers reach your email unsubscribe page, it isn’t necessarily a setback. It can actually be an opportunity to connect with them in a different way, such as social media. Just because a customer opts out of email from a company doesn’t necessarily mean they want to end the relationship altogether. Highlight your social channels, campaigns, contests, or giveaways on the unsubscribe page  and introduce customers to other avenues for connecting with your company.

“The Internet has created more drive for people to connect in real life, not less. Like at conferences, like this one.” – Ben Huh of Cheezburger

Happiness, Huh noted, comes the same way it did years ago—through friendships and shared experiences. Social media succeeds when it facilitates connections, relationships, and experiences. There’s nothing like a campaign with an in-person element to drive online buzz.

“It’s time to change the dialogue from ‘content is king.’ Content is like gold.” – Russell Sparkman of Fusion Spark Media

Like gold, content is conductive, malleable, and is a long-term investment. High-quality content has long-lasting evergreen value that can consistently help your search rankings and serve customers over time.  Your content’s characteristics should match customer phases to be the most effective, Sparkman said. The “awareness phase” calls for compelling content that inspires, while the “consideration phase” necessitates authoritative content that informs a customer. The “decision phase” requires influential content such as case studies and testimonials, and the “final phase” allows for more opportunities to show off your brand.

“Your brand is what your customer says your brand is.” – Rod Brooks of PEMCO Insurance

This is an important reminder about the incredible power of word-of-mouth marketing. It’s essential to follow the key phases of social: listen, participate, engage, and respond.

Here is a SlideShare with all of the key takeaways from MarketMix 2012. Feel free to share!

Written by Derek Belt, Sr. Community Manager

Get ready for social TV. On Thursday, March 22, Banyan Branch hosted Connect with Jenni Hogan, a first-of-its-kind television show that fused traditional and social media. Viewers were able to engage directly with Jenni during the live broadcast, and the KIRO 7 CBS traffic anchor used viewer comments to drive much of the show’s conversation.

It was a night to remember for Banyan Branch, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News and especially Jenni, the country’s most popular local TV journalist on Twitter (she has 42,000 followers) and a 2011 finalist for the worldwide Shorty Awards, known as the “Oscars of Twitter.” Behind Jenni’s enthusiasm for all things social media and dazzling on-air presence, KIRO successfully integrated its TV and social media communities for an innovative and exciting hour-long special. You can watch the full-length video, including 30 minutes of online-only exclusives, on the Connect with Jenni Hogan site.

Banyan Branch President Blake Cahill was one of several guests along with Cheezburger CEO Ben Huh and actress Josie Bissett of Melrose Place fame. Blake, who jumped at the chance to host this ground-breaking program, said afterwards: “Social media and television are a natural fit, and Jenni is leading the way in bringing these two mediums together. We are proud of her and are excited to be a part of Connect.”

Jenni interviews Banyan Branch President Blake Cahill during "Connect."

Viewers were excited, too, tuning in from all across the country and as far away as London and Australia to engage with Jenni and “connect” with the television in a way American Idol audiences never could. Dubbed “Social TV,” this was a two-way conversation and may have kicked off a new era of television news. Jenni continually asked questions of her audience, inquiring as to their favorite devices (the iPhone or anything Apple) and the people who inspire them (Jenni herself got a lot of mentions). Those replies led the discussions Jenni had with her panelists.

I volunteered to work the event and monitored the online conversation via TweetDeck, relaying trends and interesting comments to the show’s producer, Paul Balcerak. It was thrilling to watch the live feed and see how many people were following along with the show. At the start of the broadcast, a lot of people were saying how pretty Jenni’s hair looked. We passed that along to Paul, who shared it with Jenni on the air. She laughed, and within minutes a Twitter handle for @jennihoganshair was created by a viewer.

Cheezburger CEO Ben Huh, left, and actress Josie Bissett.

For those of us in attendance, it wasn’t a surprise when the hashtag #KIROconnect reached No. 1 on the list of trending Twitter topics in Seattle. The buzz in the building was undeniable, and Jenni was on top of her game. But when the hashtag reached No. 2 on the list of trending topics nationally, well, that was icing on the cake. For Jenni, it was a remarkable accomplishment. She believed in this program, and she promoted it heavily on TV and social media channels. To her, seeing the hashtag atop the trends list must have been validation. For viewers, it was proof that a two-way conversation was, in fact, possible with the TV.

And that’s the real takeaway from this event. Social media has changed the way brands and organizations connect with and listen to customers. The news media is evolving, and social conversations are playing a major part in this dramatic sea-change. Jenni is a superstar in this space, and her celebrity, her influence, made this happen. We all feel like we “know” our favorite newscasters, but they don’t really talk back to us. Jenni is different. She uses social media to speak to a new generation of viewers. She brings social media into her traffic reports, and Connect was her chance to show that it would work in a prime time environment.

It’s going to take somebody like Jenni, somebody willing to push the envelope in an old media world, to show us how digital media can be leveraged for television news. She’s the kind of champion that can drive change and innovation in the industry.

Praise for the show was high. Todd Bishop, a former journalist and co-founder of GeekWire, wrote that ”KIRO deserves a ton of credit for putting on the show. Even the sheer logistics of the thing were impressive, and it’s good to see a traditional media outlet doing so much to explore the integration of traditional and new media.” Jenni herself was thrilled afterwards, writing on her blog: “I’m still on a high from the opportunity to have our wonderful online family show what we can do on live TV with our tiny little amazing voices (not sure I’ll come down).”

My hope is that we’ll see social TV practices adopted on a wider basis soon. Customers are engaging in two-way conversations with their favorite brands, and sports fans are chatting with their favorite athletes in ways never thought possible. Social media is bringing people together, and as Connect with Jenni Hogan showed, it’s only a matter of time before that connectivity comes to TV, as well.

Here are some behind-the-scenes images from the show.

Photos on this blog post by JasonTanaka.com.

We are so excited to host KIRO 7 TV for “Connect with Jenni Hogan” this Thursday night at the Banyan Branch offices! Check out the official press release below for details. Hope you’ll tune in!

KIRO 7 OFFERS VIEWERS A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE OF PRIMETIME TV AND SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT, SHOWING HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART OF HOW NEWS IS DELIVERED

Connect with Jenni Hogan to Include Integration of Livestream Broadcast

That Progresses to Interactive Primetime TV Format

Seattle, WA (March 19, 2012) - KIRO 7 Eyewitness News is announcing a new level of viewer engagement by introducing special programming during March Madness coverage that will mix traditional TV news with online livestream broadcasts and social media.  KIRO-TV anchor and social media enthusiast, Jenni Hogan, will host the show Connect with Jenni Hogan, discussing topics aimed at inspiring and educating viewers about the benefits of connecting online.

Throughout the 22^nd of March, viewers will be able to log onto www.kirotv.com at 10:00 p.m. to capture raw moments and extensive interviews with guests as they prepare to go on live TV at 10:30 p.m. on KIRO 7 Eyewitness News.

“We decided to bring this opportunity to our viewers because we are excited about being on the forefront of new ways to interact with the community and provide them with accurate and impactful information and resources delivered to them in the best way possible,” said Todd Mokhtari, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Web Manager.  “Viewers now have the opportunity to engage with newscasts in real time, and can truly impact the direction the show goes by sharing what they’re most interested in, asking questions, or making comments.”

KIRO 7’s Traffic Anchor, Jenni Hogan, was recently recognized as the ‘most followed local female TV anchor in the nation’ on Twitter, and currently has more than 120,000 Twitter and Facebook followers.  Hogan is passionate about sharing with viewers the opportunities and resources that social media can provide.  She will focus on topics aimed to inspire viewers to improve their lives and those around them through the power of connecting online.

The show will begin online with a livestream conversation, and then move to primetime TV.  The audience will be encouraged to interact online throughout the primetime segment by following hash tag #KIROConnect on Twitter, helping to create what the next generation of combined television and social media will provide.  The show will also highlight:

• Top Apps that can help save time and money;
• Ways to use technology to improve your life;
• Local celebrities and how they interact with their online communities; and
• The faces behind the online voices of your favorite brands.

Featured guests:

Josie Bissett, starred on Melrose Place

Ben Huh, CEO of Cheezburger

Blake Cahill, President of Banyan Branch

Porter Gale, Chief Evangelist of Kred

James Sun CEO of Pirq and former contestant on The Apprentice

Jean-Sun Hannah Ahn, Miss Seattle 2012.

“This is a show that can’t be done without the viewers and I’m excited to have them join us,” said Jenni Hogan. “They will be as much of a host as I am, adding their comments and helping to shape the direction as we explore the best ways to connect with each other during live broadcasts, using tools such as our mobile devices and laptops.”

Follow @BanyanBranch & @KIRO7Seattle, plus the hashtag #KIROconnect for tweets during the event!

Written by Megan Fleming

SXSW Interactive is one heck of a ride… 5 days packed with amazing speakers, insightful panels, innovative people and ridiculous parties. This year was my first SXSW experience, and I spent the first 3 days completely overwhelmed and looking, I’m sure, like a deer caught in the headlights. When I had finally begun to work out a survival strategy for the conference, it was beginning to wind down! I know a survival guide would have helped me, so I thought I’d share what I learned with all of you future SXSW newbies. Here are my top 5 tips:

1. Plan ahead:

Save money by buying your pass and booking a hotel room early. As a last-minute attendee, I cannot stress this enough. Spend some time researching before you leave for Austin and bookmark the panels and keynotes you want to see. RSVP’ing for the parties you want to attend in advance will also cut down the time you spend waiting in lines and ensure you actually get in. And finally, pick up your badge the day before the conference starts – the picture below shows only a small portion of the 2 hour line many got stuck in on day one – it’s worth the extra trip!

2. Be selective and accept the fact that you won’t make it to every event:

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of great panels and events going on, but try to get over that feeling as soon as possible. Curb your ‘missing out’ anxiety by accepting early on that it is humanly impossible to experience everything at SXSW. Do yourself a favor and pick out 2-5 events you want to attend each day and just enjoy them.

3. Don’t be shy:

Everyone is in the same boat. The majority of people at SXSW Interactive are there for work, and most of the time they’re wandering around Austin lost just like you. Don’t be afraid to sit down at a table of random people, say hi, start a conversation, and hand out those business cards. Take advantage of the designated hashtags at sessions and parties to jump into the online conversation too. The thousands of people who flock to SXSW Interactive are some of the most innovative and creative in the world. Get to know them!

4. Take care of yourself:

Don’t miss out by getting yourself sick. There is a smorgasbord of free food and drinks available everywhere at SXSW—enjoy it, but don’t skip out on sleep. Be sure to give your body time to rest and recover from all the late nights and over-indulgence. Drink water between all those free drinks, find some time to relax, and choose carrots over chips once in a while!

5. Get the Tools:

It’s time to pack. Don’t leave home without:

• Business cards – hand those suckers out!
• Phone charger – trust me, your phone/tablet is not ready for the amount of calling, texting, tweeting, emailing and Google mapping you’re going to put it through.
• The SXSW app – This handy app allows you to bookmark sessions and links directly to your social properties.
• Twitter – follow the #SXSWi hashtag and specific event hashtags to join online conversations and meet people who are in the same room.
• Pen and paper – yes, I’m totally serious. With so many people plugged into the wireless network, you’re not always guaranteed to have a fast/working connection. And remember what I said about batteries? It’s better to be safe than sorry.
• Comfy shoes – the amount of time you’re going to be on your feet is definitely worth an investment in some good shoes.
• A water bottle – Between the heat, the drinks, and all the caffeinated beverages you’ll be consuming, it’s important to keep drinking water.

I hope these tips help you out when you make the trip to your first SXSW. If you’ve been before, chime in and share your tips in the comments!

We’re honored to be a part of the Seattle Tweet Drive 2011, coming this Thursday, December 1st at Hard Rock Cafe!

The Seattle Tweet Drive is part of a national event, Holiday Tweet Drive.  “Holiday Tweet Drive is set-up to collect new toys for under-privileged children within each event’s local community,” explained Mark Gordon, owner of Seattle Night Out.  “The Seattle Tweet Drive provides a fun and social setting for online friends and allows us to collect toys for Treehouse, an organization which benefits the foster children in our community,” said Gordon.

“We’ll be giving out great door prizes, including a fabulous night out in Seattle worth over $500,” said Gordon. “We encourage people to come early as the first 100 attendees will receive amazing swag bags!”  Hard Rock Cafe will provide appetizers and drinks are available for purchase. Happy Hour prices will be in effect for the evening.

In conjunction with the Seattle Tweet Drive, Seattle Night Out will hold the finale of an 8-week Jammin’ Challenge at 8:30 p.m. Organizers invite all to come for the Tweet Drive, and then stay for the music!   Admission to the event after 8:30 p.m. is a new toy for Treehouse or a cash donation of $15.00.Seattle Night Out Radio Jammin’ Challenge will give one lucky and talented local musician or band an opportunity to play on-stage with some of the “greats” in the Seattle music scene at Play it Forward, the All Star, Icon Jam with Music Aid Northwest on Jan 14, 2012.

• Magic by ATG Magic, Seattle’s Comedy Magician
• Master of Ceremonies: Gene Dexter

Toys should be unwrapped.  Need ideas for what to bring? Treehouse Holiday Wishlist

RSVP through Facebook (if you’re bringing a toy)  or Evite (if you’re making a cash donation)

Seattle Night Out is  a locally owned event and entertainment website with a 6 station on-line radio channels featuring Seattle area bands and local artists. Seattle Night Out allows the consumer to discover easily what is happening at a number of different venues in Seattle on any given night.

See you there! Follow all the action of Seattle Tweet Drive on Twitter.

We’re at the WOMMA Summit in Vegas!

Looking forward to meeting and learning from brands, agencies and marketers alike.

If you’re here at the Summit, come visit us at the Banyan Branch booth! Make sure to catch Clarisonic and Blake Cahill‘s talk on social media for cause marketing today at 3:15p.m.

And tonight (Wednesday, November 16th from 8:00 – 11:00p.m.), join us at the Marquee Nightclub’s Boom Box Room for our private party with DJ Dig Dug. Can you say open bar & light appetizers?!?

Just show this flyer or your WOMMA Summit pass for entry!

Here are some highlights from our talk with Clarisonic on social media for cause marketing at Summit:

• Giving back is part of Clarisonic’s DNA. Social media isn’t just about growing fans and followers; it’s about leveraging their success to give back.
• Clarisonic partnered with Look Good…Feel Better in May 2010. This partnership has helped Clarisonic focused its cause marketing efforts while increasing brand awareness for Look Good…Feel Better.
• A special series of “Pink” products, like the “Hope” Mia, was created with proceeds benefiting LGFB.
• Success measures: Facebook likes, interactions, increase in new demographics within their fan base, overall mentions and resulting donation to LGFB.
• Pageviews increased 433%; Facebook fans increased by 82% and expanded beyond their majority demographic.
• $30,000 was raised for Look Good…Feel Better in 2010.
• In 2011, an “Almond Blossom” Plus was created. Clarisonic partnered with Glamour magazine for “Reel Moments” – $1 was donated by the magazine for every view of three short films (produced by Zoe Saldana, Eva Longoria & Olivia Wilde.) Daily page views increased by 305% and another $30,000 was raised for LGFB.
• Clarisonic’s three core components for a successful cause marketing plan:
• Be authentic – find a cause that aligns with your brand’s values
• Be holistic – look to all of your channels for how you can promote cause marketing initiatives
• Be generous – find creative ways to give back with your campaign (not just dollars.)
• Cause marketing is a two-way street; for Clarisonic, giving back to LGFB helped the non-profit increase its brand awareness. Fans have responded, thus marketing success has attributed to sales increase. The special edition Pink products are the best-selling products for the brand!
• Facebook is key to Clarisonic’s holistic marketing strategy. It’s a forum for marketing, customer service and social engagement.