Ray-Ban's Never Hide campaign is an ongoing global marketing effort to target young, brave and nonconformist individuals. As part of this effort Ray-Ban sponsored Irish indie rockers Two Door Cinema Club as they performed at major American music festivals: SXSW, Coachella, and Lollapalooza.
Working with partner agency NMS, coBRANDiT covered the shows, conducted interviews, and shot behind-the-scenes content with the band. Finished pieces highlighted interview segments, top hits, and acoustic performances while also integrating fan content shot on consumer devices from the crowd and side stage. The results can be seen at Ray-Ban Films or at these locations: SXSW 1, SXSW 2, SXSW 3, Coachella 1, Coachella 2, Coachella 3, Lollapalooza 1, Lollapalooza 2.

During the week of October 4-8, 2010 internet business & marketing association MITX organized a multi-location event series known as FutureM. Hill Holliday agreed to underwrite a multi-faceted video series , but who to call? The production schedule would be crazy...12 formal interviews and 18 plus events to cover, all with a 24 hour delivery schedule.

The answer: coBRANDiT. We produced nearly 30 short format videos over the course of 5 days, garnering thousands of views for Boston's most dynamic series of marketing conferences as well as live streaming FutureM opening night. At the end of it all we put together a snappy 2 minute piece for use in promoting FutureM 2011.

A 2 part interview we shot at WOMMA's WOMM-U last spring: Above, Chris Pan discusses: Achieving goals via WOM | Facebook page as a voice | The engagement factor | Walls, tabs, microsites | Lenny Kravitz on Facebook | Tags | Brands with low follow rate | Quantifying business results. Part 2 is below.

In part 2 Chris talks about: Fan pages as an authentic voice | Brand fan pages by fans | Content is king | What people want to hear vs. what you want to tell them | Facebook marketing solutions | WOM is long term | WOM works best when integrated with social media.

Heidi Browning of MySpace talks about: Harness your advocates | Finding brand friends on MySpace | Hyper-targeted advertising | Advertising engagement | What is the impact of advertising in a social networking environment | Cultivation of creativity, that's what MySpace is all about | Creators and social activities | Cherry Coke example | Creating closed/private communities | Apply social learning to future campaigns | Video shot by coBRANDiT at WOMMA's WOMM-U conference, May 2009, Miami Beach, FL

Here's a great interview we shot at the last WOMMA event. Jeben is Google/YouTube's lead creative for cross platform solutions (he actually has a two-sided business card!) and in this vid covers partnering w/ top producers, buying search, linked multiple vids, and other tactics to get your videos out there.

An interview we shot for WOMMA last spring: Geoff Donaker, COO of Yelp, talks about WOM and social media, the importance of joining the conversation, and why it's probably not a good idea to pay your mother-in-law for dinner. Make sure to attend WOMMA Summit '09 this November...
co-sponsored by yours truly, coBRANDiT.

New video released by coBRANDiT today: WOMM-U is a 2-day comprehensive and interactive educational experience from WOMMA. It's built around giving you the real-world knowledge you need to execute exceptional word of mouth marketing programs that are most effective in today's recession economy.

When and where?
May 13-14, 2009 at the Ritz Carlton South Beach Miami.

For more info please visit http://womma.org/wommu/

There seems to be real push to get branded content out there via social media. But are companies following through on maintaining the community (or even just managing the comments) that then spring up? Are they developing content specifically for these communities? Seems to me that getting companies into social media is a series of incremental steps...and we should be happy with every little step taken. In this video David Armano of Critical Mass and Christine Morrison of Intuit discuss the issue. Presented in a fun little widget (aka white label video player) I put together...also pimping the next womma conference this May...Ritz Carlton South Beach, Miami. Be there.

Here's another fun sixthman mission we shot last winter: The Cayamo singer/songwriters cruise brings top performers Lyle Lovett, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, and others together with their fans on a six day Caribbean cruise. Visit cayamo.com for more details.

Jesse and I will be live vlogging portions of WOMMA's WOMM-U down in Miami May 7-9. For the next few days you can check out the action on our front page and here at a more permanent site. I'll do a more detailed post on what tools we're using soon. Hint: Mogulus, Qik, Nokia N95's and Flip Video Ultras.

We are taking the opportunity to make a PR announcement: coBRANDiT is teaming up with guerrilla marketing agency Street Attack to offer a full suite of alternative marketing services. We've built out the widget below to help spread the word. Check it out and let me know what you think! (That goes for the live vlogging too...)

WOMMA's next conference is WOMM-U, May 8 and 9 in Miami. Here's a video we put together to help publicize the event. Pass it on! and see you there. It's also here on blip.tv and here on YouTube and a bunch of other places...

Elliot Yamin of American Idol fame sat down in NYC with top bloggers to discuss his role as a global ambassador for Eli Lilly's Inspired by Diabetes and other topics related to living the dream. Video by coBRANDiT, 'natch. (Note: Videos are NLA as of 7/2010)

Inspired by Diabetes is a global campaign asking people with diabetes, as well as their family, friends and health care professionals, to express how diabetes has impacted their lives — and share those stories with others around the world.

To share your story, and enter the Creative Expression competition, visit www.inspiredbydiabetes.com. You could win a trip to Italy and backstage passes to an Elliott Yamin show. Eli Lilly will also donate money to the IDF Life for a Child Program, which provides insulin and diabetes supplies to children in developing nations.

This story in the NY Times provides the best breakdown I've seen on how Facebook's Beacon implementation (and communication about it) went down. The comments are good too--including tips and links to help disable Beacon.

I'm all for brand content moving through social networks...but people have to do the work themselves, because they want to. Not 'cuz it's forced upon them. Duh!

Part one is BrandNets--a "customizable software platform that connects consumers with the brands they love. Through viral tools, widgets, games and other applications, a brand can build a vibrant community which promotes brand engagement, inspires two-way dialogue, and fuels evangelism and positive word-of-mouth. The platform can also be used to deploy on-demand research and focus groups."

Part two is Tokns--a cross-platform video player that is powered by "tokns", meaning that in order to play the content a viewer has to cash in tokns which are earned by engaging with the sponsoring brand in a social media network or community. Send the player to a friend is worth X tokns, embed the player in your myspace page is worth 2X tokns, etc. The widget-like player is loaded (and regularly refreshed) with exclusive insider content from the sponsoring brand, and functions as a launching pad for word-of-mouth campaigns and interactive online experiences. The idea is to take video advertising (or branded content) out of the interruptive model and instead make compelling content a reward for loyal "brand lovers" who spread the word through social media. From the press release: "Tokns is the first universal, reward-based, social media currency. Tokns powers, tracks and rewards engagement with brands across all social networking environments. Deeper engagement with brands unlocks exclusive access to digital content, unique experiences, and brand sponsored rewards."

Brand Networks is launching specialized "BrandNets" for national clients and is conducting a private Beta of its tokns platform. They also provide "strategy, creative and implementation services designed to improve the effectiveness of viral marketing, social media, promotions and word of mouth among a company's existing brand advocates."

(All quotes pulled from the Brand Networks press release)

A PodTech.net Marketing Voices interview with David Meerman Scott, author of "The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly". I recommend this book because it's at the top of Amazon's marketing books list, and I'm in it...David interviewed me last winter. Here's some of what he has to say about me and coBRANDiT:

"Owen Mack, cofounder and head of strategy and development for coBRANDiT, a company that does social media video production, is a pioneer in using video for marketing and PR purposes. From the early days of online video Mack has helped companies like PUMA and Pabst Brewing create video strategies.

"Video is an extension of the blogging ethos," Mack says. "Do you have an interesting story to tell? If you don't, can you develop something? You need to see what people are saying about you already and know how you can mesh with that. Transparency and openness is required. Done properly, video is very compelling."

Here are the interviews we shot at WOMMA's Word-of-Mouth Basic Training 3.

Rocketboom got a lot of press a few months ago when they sold post-roll ad time on eBay for $40k. What's happened since then in terms of ad sales? I spoke with Andew Baron to get the low down. Seems he just sold a week of post-roll for $80k... I guess that explains why he was buying the drinks Friday night during PodCamp Boston. Thanks Andrew!

At PodCamp Boston I had a chance to speak with Rocketboom's Joanne Colan, so I took the opportunity to ask her a PSFK question: Where do you find inspiration? Here's her answer.

More of our interview with Gary Stein of Ammo Marketing. Here Gary discusses Google's Video ASdSense program and web video in general, plus a new term? Flash production crew...

I started off interviewing Gary (AMMO's Director of Strategy) about web video, he had just returned from a ClickZ video symposium in NYC. The conversation morphed into a discussion of SecondLife. Here's Gary's take. (And here's his blog. Good stuff.)

Geno sat down with us for a few minutes to describe the brand ambassador and community program Brains on Fire just launched for Fiskars (the orange handled scissors people.) He provides a very nice overview of a WOM program done right, from research to launch, with transparency and ethics. Check out Fiskateers.com to see the project.

Jackie is a WOMMA boardmember and WOMBAT2 keynote speaker, her blog (written with partner Ben McConnell) is the well-known Church of the Customer. We caught up with her and discussed one of the threads she's currently following: Snakes on a Plane.

Julian was on a panel at WOMBAT2 and used a term I had not heard before: "Pilferables." Here he describes some of AMMO Marketing's tactics for spreading buzz and talk within a community.

We continue following the career arc of the Scobleizer and get some background on his recent job change announcement. What are the factors that caused him to jump? In brief: his career follows the development of the PC and web communications, that leads him to web video (PodTech.net.) Where does it go next? SecondLife...

We filmed while WOMBAT2 keynote speaker Robert Scoble (scobleizer.com) was interviewed for an audio podcast by Judd Bagley of PRweb. Judd traces Scoble's career starting with his move to Silicon Valley at age 5, and in the process we find out why you shouldn't have skipped your typing classes.

Ryan discusses Buzz Marketing at Euro RSCG, his family roots in advertising, and the importance of trendspotting and analysis (his team linked Polaroid and Outkast in popular culture.) What is the tie between ads, events and WOM? What does it take to generate talk value? What are the Three C's?

The Well Advertising in Chicago specializes in producing microsites, which CEO Bill Hanekamp describes as 24/7 sales reps. Here Bill talks about how The Well came to focus on this niche, and why new compensation models make sense.

How has the role for PR agencies evolved in this new media world? John talks about Ogilvy PR and WOM, and the job of turning clients (Snap-On tools for example) into media producers. John maintains a good blog about these topics here.

Expo TV is a website and VOD channel with it's roots in infomercials. President Bill Hildebolt (WOMBAT2 attendee) talks about Expo's move into soliciting consumer generated product reviews (videopinions) and the differences between the web and VOD.

Rob Key, CEO of Converseon, talks about how affiliate marketing is morphing into a WOM practice. Where is the line between the two? And what about disclosure?

Trip is in charge of guerrilla marketing at Renegade in NYC. We discussed their recently launched Panasonic/Oxyride "Neuter Your Bunny" campaign, and asked him how Renegade works when going into a new business pitch.

Bill Mosher, Founder of Echopinion! is the first paying member of WOMMA, the Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association. Here he talks about WOM, his career and the descision to join.

Selections from Andy Sernovitz's opening address at the Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association's WOMBAT2 conference held June 20-21 in SF. Stay tuned for interviews with attendees, panelists, and keynote speaker Robert Scoble coming in the next few days.

An overview of ihaveanidea's Portfolio Night in Boston. Portfolio Night seeks to bring advertising students and hopefuls together with creative professionals for a night of portfolio critique and business schmoozing. Many thanks to all who participated and made this happen.

Shane Hutton and Tim Vaccarino of Modernista! on the state of the advertising industry. Mostly Shane. Taped at ihaveanidea's Portfolio Night in Boston.

Kevin Moehlenkamp, CCO of Hill Holliday talks about the thinking behind being the first ad agency to make it's homepage into a blog, as well as the kind of thinking ad students (and agencies) need to stand out. Taped at ihaveanidea's Portfolio Night in Boston.

Future Marketing Summit, NYC Feb 2006: Alex Bogusky of CP+B on what makes brands relevant, and his take on the future.

Future Marketing Summit, NYC Feb 2006: Paul Woolmington discusses moving Naked to NY, and what it means to have no vested interests.

Future Marketing Summit, NYC Feb 2006: Charles Rosen, CEO of Amalgamated on brand communications.

Future Marketing Summit, NYC Feb 2006: Benjamin Palmer of Barbarian Group makes web things such as Subservient Chicken. Here's his take on viral video.

Future Marketing Summit, NYC Feb 2006: Piers Fawkes of psfk.com talks about web publishing and plans for his new fashion site.

We asked a few people about WOMMA and WOMMA events. Here's what they said. (Including quotes from Laurent Flores and Nigel Roth, event sponsors from CRM Metrix. (Taped at WOMMA's WOMBAT conference, January 2006. coBRANDiT attended as official videobloggers.)

A testimonial, call to action, and CGM all in one.

Paul Rand of Ketchum has recently launched a new practice called Ketchum Personalized Media which focuses on blogging, podcasting, rss, mobile, etc. Here Paul talks about the new practice, and the changing role of the PR industry.

Mark Kingdon of Organic talks about what makes for "exceptional experience" with brands, and also about the power of video to connect with audiences. (Organic maintains a very interesting blog called three minds which they use as a platform to experiment with new technologies and methods. Any Organic employee can post.)

Steve Friedman of Weblogs Inc. on the business of blogging and integrating marketing with blogs. Volvo is about to start videoblogging with them...

Bob Garfield, noted ad critic and author, talks about WOMMA as an organization and WOMM as an industry.

Jamie Tedford of Arnold Worldwide speaks about the challenges of creating content in a new media world, and of the interplay between advertising and WOM.

Laurie Weisberg describes Informative's work building customer communities for brands such as LEGO, and how co-creation can result in fabulous products. (Did you see the cover of the Feb. '06 WIRED? All about LEGO...)

Ted Wright of Liquid Intelligence on how his company uses the power of WOM storytelling in the beverage industry, and how WOM synchs up with advertising.

WOMMA co-founder Pete Blackshaw of Neilsen Buzzmetrics coined the term consumer-generated media, or CGM. Here he describes CGM2 (multi-media) and the impact it is having on advertising and marketing.

Douglas Atkin of merkley + partners describes some of the research in his book The Culting of Brands, and how his client BMW Motorcycles is heading in a new direction.

David Fletcher of MediaLab UK talks about WOM as a media vehicle and the psychology of online behavior and empowered consumers.

John Moore of Brand Autopsy discusses WOMBAT keynote speaker Don Pepper's book Return on Customer and how how his own experience behind the counter as a barista at Starbucks influences his thinking about new marketing programs.

Steve Rubel of Micropersuasion discusses Cooper Katz's blogging efforts, notably Vespaway.com

An introduction to Womma, the Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association.

Josh Hallett of Hyku is a social media consultant whose clients include old media (The Florida Sentinel) and new (Micropersuasion.com). Here he discusses online engagement and the role blogs play. (taped at WOMMA's wombat conference)

Eric Rice interviewed by Michael Geoghegan of Willnick Productions, captured at the New Communications Forum in Palo Alto, March 2006. Thoughts on the evolution of Podcasting, and why aren't more business there (here) yet?

We put this together just before the Oct. 2005 BlogOn Social Media Summit. Burned DVD's and handed them out.