This past week, I reported and blocked 3 personal Twitter accounts for sending me a spam message. This is when "replies" are used to send the same message to multiple people via Twitter.
I don't mind receiving plugs once in awhile. However, if I open the sender's Twitter feed and all I see is the same message sent to multiple folks, I perceive that as spamming.
Here's what I suggest to avoid getting your Twitter account or you tagged as a spammer:
1. Use direct message.
If the person you are sending a message to is also a follower, best to send them a direct message.
Then add a follow-up message that you are doing it as a one-time plug and disclose if needed (like you are joining a contest or hired to send such one-time message).
By personalizing it, the person can even do you a favor of sharing (or re-tweeting) your message, among others. You might even get a prospective client referral.
Are these still familiar with you? Big Bad Blogger. Davao Judge Shoots the Sheriff. Yes to Life, No to Mining. Lopez Group on DBP Loans. What these articles or titles have in common? They are all discussed in the media and / or blogosphere where the presentation sometimes gets skewed to the point it confuses the reader.
Correcting mistakes online
I think media people and bloggers have a greater accountability, more than ever, on what they publish online as it gets subjected to public scrutiny where people can react.
Inquirer takes online reaction seriously and responds respectfully to their readers. The resolution, even though took a bit longer than expected, was still at its best, rather than no reaction at all.
News can be corrected online. However, as the error is in the article title and sub-title, Inquirer deleted the original article and replaced with the new one.
Inquirer also agreed with the request of having the url address of the old article point to the new one.
The news section of Inquirer gave far better response in comparison to handling of the irresponsible column piece - Big Bad Blogger.
As IMMAP’s version of the Japanese concoction that
is Pecha Kucha (chitchat) Night, this pioneer event promises surprises at every chance. Pecha Kucha is an activity that started in 2003 and now a global activity held in over a hundred
countries. In the Philippines,
Pecha Kucha Night is a thriving annual event organized by agency creatives.
The event will have twenty speakers, twenty slides (or a slide each), and at twenty seconds per slide. More or less, each speaker will have no more than 7 minutes. It will be intriguing to see which one will be able to do this perfectly.
Each speaker was also chosen through an online nomination and voting process.
The main question I have in my head now - who can "oh wow" the audience in 20 seconds?
Folks that I will eagerly watch out for are DigitalFilipino Club members: managing director, Chimes Digital Marketing Solutions and business director of Wunderman Chay Mondejar-Saputil and Google Inc. Philippines Country consultant Aileen Apolo-de Jesus. Of course,Globe Telecom social media manager, video blogger and genius Coy Caballes.
Look forward hearing what Yahoo! Philippines ‘Pitong Pinoy’,
actress, writer, activist, linguist and environmentalist, Anna Oposa has to say as well. (She spoke at the recent Mindanao Bloggers Summit.) Fresh face with great ideas in mind. Not to forget TV5 head of digital Carlo Ople, CTO of ArcusIT Jojo Colina, as well as blogger, philanthropist, new media advocate and online community organizer Jay Jaboneta.
Other speakers also include recent NYSE-lister, Groupon Philippines CEO
and yoyo masterPat Cuartero, blogger, SMART Communications consultant, AIM lecturer, UNO
magazine tech writer and editor Jayvee Fernandez, musician, producer, educator, writer, television personality,
workshop facilitator, and activist Jim Paredes, founder, as well as CEO and chief creative director of ad agency ideasXmachina Third Tres Domingo.
Add to that list, founder and CEO of digital storytelling company Ripple 100Andre
Yap, photographer, creative director of The Lighthouse Fashion Studio and
AIDS/HIV awareness activist Niccolo
Cosme, digital marketing executive for Nestlé
Philippines Ricky Baizas, managing director ABS-CBN Publishing Inc. Ernie Lopez, managing
director,and Celeste Prize Europe award-winning
contemporary artist Nasser Lubay.
Hosting IMMAP Open Mic Night is
blogger, radio jock and host of TekTok TV Vince Golangco. Knowing how fun Vince is as a host, I am sure this event will rock. Vince's biggest challenge is that the event run time with 20 speakers will be like 140 minutes excluding introductions and thank you(s). Hope the audience energy will be sustained up to the 20th presentor.
IMMAP likes diversity so being a digital marketeer is not a requirement
for entry, so for IMMAP Open Mic Night, it’s free admission for both members and
non-members alike. IMMAP Open Mic Night is an earnest attempt, and
with far-reaching kindness and support from major brands, industry affiliates,
true friends and volunteers, it’s the green light for this groundswell
event.
However, I am not in favor for Instagram to be included as a Klout scoring input signal. Simply because, you need an iPhone to be able to use Instagram and not all has one. An influence scoring system should get data from applications that anyone can have access to.
The proposed policy is in line with 4As thrust of promoting professional trade practices and conduct of all stakeholders in the marketing communications industry. It covers instances where a client requires 2 or more agencies to present their speculative creative work. It provides guidelines for both agency and client on how to organize, conduct and conclude a pitch process.
IMMAP believes that the essence of the Pitch Fee principle will put some discipline in the way marketing pitches are handled both by clients and agencies.
IMMAP subscribe to the idea of pitch fee policy even for digital once the engagement with the agency would require man hours for creative, strategic and production work required to mount the proposal. We feel that subscribing to a process is a good first step in maturing the practice.
As IMMAP, we support to giving its members, regardless of size, an equal opportunity to work with industry giants. As an organization, we submit to any processes in place that protects both clients and participating agencies.
However, the IMMAP board deliberated the following critical considerations to maintain equal treatment to its membership base:
1) Compensation: Appropriate confirmation for the man hours incurred in creating a pitch.
2) Ownership: To protect the intellectual property generated within the pitch, so that a client can own those ideas after the pitch's conclusion.
3) Exclusions: We have agreed that the Fees only apply to pitches that require the submission of creative materials, concepts, or mockups. Neither credentials nor technology pitches shall be covered by pitch fees.
4) Unintended Consequences: IMMAP has a very different eco-system wherein the membership has diverse backgrounds. We are very cautious on the unintended consequences of imposing pitch fees in our industry, particularly at a time when the client-agency-supplier structure is not quite defined, and clients are not yet sure where they will place digital marketing functions.
Therefore, the IMMAP Board has arrived at a resolution which states the following:
"IMMAP is supporting the 4As Pitch Fee policy for creative pitches. Aside from Credential Presentations, Technology pitches (like the PR exclusion in the existing guidelines) shall be deemed excluded. The pitch fee is only applicable to IMMAP members which are 4As members. To support this principle, IMMAP will create an online facility to report abuses of the policy within its membership ecosystem. All consolidated grievances and complaints shall be endorsed to 4As to take action for the appropriate sanctions and/or penalties as defined under its guidelines."
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After the meeting, it was agreed that IMMAP will create a task force and work with 4As to educate / communicate the principles of Pitch Fees to the IMMAP membership. Volunteers from the IMMAP membership is more than welcome.
It is interesting to note how branded medicines are becoming creative and high-tech even in their efforts to create awareness. Some of them have used online contest, social networks, and the likes. In their advertisements, we see some of them using celebrities.
Alaxan FR tapped Manny Pacquiao. During major fights, we see the Alaxan brand active in promoting its product. It even had an online contest lately recognizing people who do hard labor.
Biogesic has John Lloyd. The brand is also active especially when the actor has a major movie flick in cinemas. Running an online search shows one result citing a product warning.
Cortal SQR tapped Philippine Azkals. Although this part, I find its campaign not tightly integrated, as doing a search about "Cortal" will immediately show you 3 forum results on the 1st page discussing the brand as an abortion pill. On another extreme, you also see boxing champ Pacquiao on TV giving encouraging words to the Azkals after losing their recent game, then the Alaxan ad is shown.
Advil has Jerico Rosales promoting its brand. In my observation, the brand is not active in comparison to the above 3. Although recently, the brand has engaged in a flash mob type of activity with the intent of educating the masses about its product benefits.
Watching the video taken at Market! Market!, Advil focused its message in highlighting how the new types of pain-related ailments today (such as body ache, tooth ache, dysmenorrhea, and headache) are much stronger and can no longer be handled by traditional brands (represented by tablet man) we are used to. Rather than one super-hero coming to the rescue, the Advil Liqui-Force is represented by 3 persons attacking and defeating the pain monsters. Once over, the audience clapped showing appreciation to the mini-presentation given by the brand.
Recalling how I purchase pain reliever reminds me the little difference an ad makes that can influence it:
Actual demonstration of pain and getting relieved by it makes the Alaxan commercial effective. Recalled times with terrible back-ache (caused by stress) and that was the first medicine that came to mind.
Biogesic approach to family oriented commercials makes it known as a household first-aid kit product. Its availability in sari-sari stores helps make it a common brand. Although I regard the brand for basic pain relief, initial first aid, until I get a stronger one that works best for the pain condition at that time.
Cortal ad has not sinked well with me yet as I belong to an age group that still recalls how its perception was like.
Advil - very new local player - although based on ads, it claims to work really fast, I guess it is an alternative worth exploring especially for toothache (where Ponstan is usually known) and dysmenorrhea (Midol usually comes to mind).
For those considering to join the online class but have questions or would like to have an overview on what the module is about, you are invited to join this free webinar on May 12, Thursday, 7 pm to 8 pm.
Topics to be discussed are:
How to tap blogs and social media in various ways for promotion, awareness, and support to marketing and entrepreneurial pursuits.
Examples of blog promotions.
Business opportunities in blog and social media marketing.
I have been renting a car for the past few months now to get me around the city and out-of-town. It relieves the hassle of worrying whether a taxi will be available and spare the need to worry for fuel, driver, parking space, and car maintenance.
Although there are days that the usual for-hire is not available that creates the need to find an alternative.
Found one at AyosDito and glad to know that the rate I am paying for at the moment is already reasonable.
I think hiring a rent-a-car rather than maintaining your own provides a lot of convenience.
This is especially true when the car you rented is actually in good condition with a responsible driver handling it.
Recalled trying to maintain a van sometime ago. Thinking about parking tickets, fuel, maintenance, driver fees and food allowance tends to pile up what I initially thought will be a saving.
Although from time to time, I can't help but also check out used cars. Maybe someday, I will get one.