Buzz Canuck

Buzz Canuck's 11 Lessons Learned From 2006

Ben Yoskovitz at The Instigator blog has an interesting campaign for lessons learned in 2006 with an altruistic bent ... here's my best from this last year, Ben thanks for the $5 donated to charity, hopefully this list of 11 has earned it.

#1 - Great ideas always bubble to the top - if you work hard enough, with enough passion and perseverance (and a good dose of listening), a great idea will triumph.

#2 - Marketing changes never happen in revolution - radio didn't radically change the way we market in the 20s, TV didn't in the 50s, the web didn't change it in the 90s and social media and word of mouth will take time to grow in this decade - why? in every changing world, there is the establishment and the movement and it is rarely a one-sided win

#3 - Competence in the new marketing world has few credentials - some of the best blogs on subjects I'm interested in are written by 22 year old students and enthusiastic young professionals - the takeaway for the more experienced - without continued reinvestment in learning and participating, you and your old ideas can get left behind quickly -  a span of two years is an eternity in this economy

#4 - Bloggers can be angry - even with the best intentions in approaching the blogosphere, a spirit of contrarianism runs through bloggers - sometimes it's a real positive in promoting change, expressing dissatisfaction with things that are unfair or exposing bad and negligent practice, sometimes it's just plain ego, envy or politics at play - caveat emptor

#5  -  Word of mouth has never been more important - in full disclosure, as a WOM specialist, I should feel this way - but the facts are on my side  - never before has the media world and marketplace been more cluttered with a more overwhelmed consumer -  word of mouth from friends and family has risen in importance in the real world and thankfully, this year in the lense of marketers and mainstream media (see the headlines)

#6 - Community is not a list or an event - every communications agency I know is laying some kind of claim to word of mouth or community building - there is a built in arrogance that if you're great in X it should easily translate to Y  - in this peer-to=-peer game, might does not make right - some of the best examples from this year are entrepreneurs working out of garages producing inspired peer-to-peer buzz because they are passionate about what they do, know their consumer well and live and die by the results (Stormhoek wines)    

#7 - The Web is a Friendly Place - beyond the reputation that the web has had for lurkers, fraudists and scheisters - in 2006, I have connected with a fascinating group of people that i would never have come in contact without participating in the conversation through this blog, my company and other social networks

#8 - You Can't be an Expert in Everything - although confident in my own skills, there really is just not enough time in the day nor interest in the heart to be a top tier performer in everything you do, this year I learned partnering with specialists can have big advantages, the dividends will reveal themselves in 2007

#9 - Work/Life balance is not just a motto - in 2007 is the year I need to do a much better job at this and lay down some ground rules for ensuring a business that has become a cause doesn't turn into a "life noose"

#10 - Shorter and more two-way blogging - candidly, I participate in blogging for different reasons -  I don't need reams of eyeballs (although I do enjoy them) and I don't need to spread link love  to the world (although I do like to profile people who have great insights), what I try and do is provide some thought leadership and profile for things and ideas I care about. However,  this year I should blend in more and become more of a "best practices" blogger by: 1) keeping my posts shorter, 2) becoming more a gatekeeper for conversation, 3) ensuring I always reciprocate comments, 4)scanning the universe of my blogroll more regularly and 5) adding an audio or video element

#11 - Doing something today and failing is better than envisioning something for tomorrow that doesn't get done - perfectionism only exists in religion and perhaps science,   the key to this economy is moving fast, keeping momentum and addressing and learning from failure quickly when it happens.. as Emerson wrote "the reward of a thing well done is to have done it"

To all my readers, have a great party tonight and an enjoyable and productive 2007! Spread the word...now take it away Kool & The Gang..

Canada's Word of Mouth Discovery #10 - Kicking Horse Coffee

Given the late nights and early mornings of this holiday season, my best friend has become my morning coffee and its name this year is Kicking Horse.

Started as an entrepreneurial venture ten years ago by Toronto transplants Elana Rosenfeld and Leo Johnson, Kicking Horse Coffee has grown into a grassroots jolt of  word of mouth emanating from a tiny hamlet in interior B.C. called Invermere (population 2,500) and is spreading quickly east and south.   With year on year growth of +50%  and without a hint of advertising, the ripples of peer-driven Kicking Horse buzz are getting wider. Here's why...

Kicking Horse's Word of Mouth Highlights:
- A Special Provenance - brewing coffee in the interior B.C. mountains more than 3,000 feet above sea level and near the pristine Columbia River has very positive allusions as their website states "having the right altitude creates the right attitude"
- The Good Cup - not only are all their brands Fair Trade, they are also Organic - empowering their consumers to participate in good business practices one cup at a time
- Flavour, Flavour - they have a roster of 21 different flavours with very funky handles like 454 Horsepower Dark Roast, Cliffhanger Espresso, Three Sisters Medium Roast, Mocho Yoho Dark Roast and KickAss Dark Roast, reinforcing their laid back and approachable West Coast roots
- Pursuit of Great not Just Good -  you can tell just by talking to the owners, the passion they have for coffee and the understanding that they need to be exceptional to be noticed from the "Big Boys" of coffee - being particular on shade grown coffee, packaging fresh coffee on the day of the roast  and scrutinizing complementary distribution partners and retail networks all help   
- Badging - it starts with a great logo that pops off the shelf, gets reinforced by relevant sponsorships in environmental and outdoor racing competitions and finishes the sale with a friendly and approachable business culture and rags to riches story  people rally around (I personally love the web news on Kids Day at the plant - very hard hitting stuff) .

The Laws of Word of Mouth Kicking Horse if Practicing:
Although self-admittedly not expert marketers, Kicking Horse coffee are quite adept at:

#1 - The Law of Stopping Power -  their line extension names scream "relax, I'm interesting, try me" and tell stories of the legends and folklore of Kicking Horse Pass. In fact, their KickAss Dark Roast was so laid back, one Ontario grocer  was asked to take it off the shelf, pity we're so uptight here in the East.

#12 - The Law of Community  - over the last 10 years, Kicking Horse's brand and product positioning and practices have supported its fair trade business practice and outdoor-friendly roots, carving out a passionately loyal audience to themselves

#19 - The Law of the Cause  - there's something special going  on in Invermere, in a world of corporate takeovers and fraud and overhyped ads lacking authenticity , Kicking Horse is the real mccoy - a "nice" company producing "better for you, better for the world" coffee that is gratifying to share with others

With $10 million in expected sales this year, expect Kicking Horse to make its way onto your kitchen table soon. In talking to the founders, you should also expect to see the company to come down from the mountain and build a number of coffee school/flagship cafes in a city near you. Cheers to that.   

Attention Canadian Media: Sounds Like We Have A Story Here! The Top 11 "New Marketing World" Magazine Covers

Canada's Word of Mouth Discovery #9 - Via Allegro

In a wind-blown strip mall on the western outskirts of Toronto, with a Staples on one side and a UPS on the other, you wouldn't think culinary buzz would seed itself here. Despite the odds and the downtown/uptown bias of most restaurant critics, word continues to spread about one of the best if not the best wine-based restaurants in the country - Via Allegro.

Set amid the concrete patchwork quilt of big box stores, Sherway Mall and highway off ramps, Via Allegro provides in their words "restaurant elegance without the attitude"...perhaps it's location is justifiably fitting.

The word of mouth highlights:
- Selection - Over 5,500 types of wine and between 50,000 to 100,000 bottles - the largest cave of bottles anywhere in the country (although likely disputed by Barberian's Steak House and Opus based on this weekend's National Post)
- Credentials - a roll call of the Wine Spectator, Toronto Life, LCBO, CAA/AAA and Now magazine testifying to its strengths in wine (particularly Amarones), scotch, grappa, risotto and overall quality experience
- Unique Philosophy - a restaurant positioning they coin as The "Three Sisters" Approach - Italian art, French technique and Californian flair
- Dishes with Edge - you could label a dish "the 10 oz. steak tenderloin" or "Pan-seared tuna" but why be so generic when you can create a signature dish line up of "The Moody Chef Tasting Menu"  or "Extravagant Dishes for Two"
- Investing Expertise in a Passion - behind an award-winning chef, they don't have just one sommelier, they have five of them - they are simply the pros when it comes to wine
- Quirks & Details - some of the largest pepper grinders in the world (some over 12 feet tall), a killer lemon vodka gelato between courses, impeccably clean washrooms with terry cloth towels to dry your hands and a wine menu that sits on you table the size of a long form bible
- Service That Makes You Want To Buzz - at a recent holiday meal, without any theatrics, prompting or staging, the sous chef came out from the kitchen and provided 2 porcelain dolls as a gift to my daughters (note this was the first time I had ever visited Via) - when does this type of experience ever happen?
- Attitude-Free - based on the breadth of clientele from first dates, business dinners, best friend reconnects, family get-togethers and group reservations, it appears a lack of snobbishness has broad appeal  (take note you white table cloth, cold-shouldered pretenders)   

The Laws of Word of Mouth Via Allegro is Practicing:
#4-  The Law of the Expert - they have the staff, the assets and the credentials to guide you though a "notch above" restaurant experience - you want to share their success with others because over a two-hour meal,  you grow to respect, like and enjoy them

#11 - The Law of the Brand Cult - with a business defying the standard retail rule of "location, location, location" , Via has harnessed the word of mouth testimonials from a cast of regulars over the last 10 years   

#21 - The Law of the Widget - Via understands that spending a $100/plate ($500/plate if your tempted by the wine list) is an investment, to justify it, you not only have to be good, you have to be different - it's easy to talk about something that has the most wine and scotch 700+ selection, the finest Amarones, the best risotto, acclaimed veal chops or platinum beef program...they are shrewd  in investing in their differences and display their awards prominently for people to see (notice the gold spoon under glass as you walk past the maitre dee)

The success of Via Allegro provides yet again another example that  if you do the right things, provide the right experience, attract the right people and invest in your edges...word of mouth will take care of the rest.

The Absolute 100s - The Best of Everything Cool

I have a real crush on Absolut's marketing efforts wherever I see them - their uncanny ability to create new creative twists on their iconic bottle and infiltrate art, literate and pop culture  is the stuff of legend.

They've perfected the medium of "marketing as ideas" in print, outdoor, guerrilla stunts and brand experiences, now comes their latest offering in social media called the Absolut 100s. 

Encased in a typically spartan but brilliant white background site, it's a voting and commenting platform for the Absolute Best in over 100 different categories. It's a bit Web 1.5 -y vs. Web 2.0 but inviting and interesting nonetheless.  275,000 peopel have already submitted their votes.

It's also revealing to see the three top voted-on categories and understand the tribe of influencers Absolut attracts:

#1 Absolute Best City - New York is winning, my vote Vancouver trails in 6th place
#2 Absolute Best Band Name - Led Zeppelin, my vote  Sex Pistols trails in 2nd place
#3 Absolute Best Bag - Louis Vuitton leads, my vote Coach trails in 2nd place

As the coolhunter I am, I'm looking forward to the results I get back in an email at the end of a campaign in a month's time...should be interesting see who wins Absolute Best Blog:
The Sartorialist (current leader), Boing Boing (my choice), The Huffington Post, Engadget, The Superficial, Gizmodo, Trent-Pink is the New Blog , 43 Folders

The Z-List Meme Collage

Great job by Purple Wren of adding steam to the Z-list buzz engine, I love the fact the time spent behind this was likely someone's afternoon (Sandy from Iowa) worth of pixel shifting and linking in the hopes of getting grassroots blogs noticed and talkked about. Hint: Buzz Canuck is two from the bottom and two from right - perhaps this is my wakeup call to change the spartan image of the current blog and generate a more memorable icon.

Rock the Vote - Vote for Rory

If you have ever wanted to support the underdog, the less fortunate, the grassroots cause, the shared cultural phenomenon, I enjoin you to vote for Rory Fitzpatrick.

Who the $$&^$^& is Rory Fitzpatrick?
Never mind that he is a defenceman that plays for the Vancouver Canucks (owners of the coolest retro jerseys in all of professional sports and shared owners of 1/2 my blog's namesake),   he is also a populist, word of mouth celebrity in the making!

From journeyman defenceman to topping the list of all-star ballot getters in the NHL.  Sure he has scored no points this year and barely even dresses for every other game...that's not the point, 450,000 people want him in the all-star game - that ruefully is more people than a nationally televised game registers in the U.S...  I know I've placed my vote and you should too!

Why? Fitzpatrick and the grassroots initiative around him  represents a vote for the good guys - he is the reluctant peer-to peer "Rudy"' . Let's remember there has been not one cent spent on promotional PR or ads. The campaign is inspired - part eclectic fun, part citizen-generated marketing and part support for a player who albeit short on talent genuinely resonated with a fan.

That one fan was a Buffalo Blogger Steve Schmid who started the whole campaign while posting on some message boards back in November and kick-started a campaign that  has now turned into a Facebook, My Space and YouTube social media tidal wave supported by a site VoteforRory.com.

His numbers slipped this week to 3rd place, you can't let the boring hockey purists win...save your new media souls and visit NHL.com and vote for the ice rink's version of Rocky Balboa.

Even the C-Suite Believes Customers Are The Fountain of Innovation

With some breathing space around the holidays, I've had a great chance to catch up on my favorite 100 blogs - 50 Canadian, 50 Global ...I'm enjoying the process of curiosity and learning as much as I'll enjoy the end game of being the most informed word of mouth marketer in Canada and the go-to source for great marketing ideas...I guess there really is no rest for the maniacally obsessed.

One of my faves?  I really enjoy our transplanted Canadian academic and cultural anthropologist Grant McCracken's blog - This Blog Sits At The...after a reading, I always walk away a lot more informed about the "why" we do what we do as people, consumers, citizens..typically from different sources...

On Grant's blog, I came across a graphic of a survey of corporate CEOs performed by MIT-IBM (shown above) used without permission (I'm presuming the same altruistic pursuit of sharing information exists here). Although Grant's bummed out purview is how poorly academia is wedded to corporate research, I'm actually looking through the other end of the lens finder..customers are a well recognized source of innovation even from the C-Suite!

In support, the Economist ran a great article last year that stuck with me "The Rise of the Creative Consumer"  outlining how GE Healthcare, Staples, BMW, EA, Lego and Bell Helmets are using their very best consumers (not a representative sample...eek)  to collaborate on breakthrough innovation.
Supporting the point from a more entrepreneurial angle, have a gander at Susan Abbott's great post on one-man garage shops use of blogs and citizen-based collaboration to build out their life's dream.   Love this stuff.

National Post Trumpets New Media Winning the Battle

I'm not too sure if this was a coordinated effort, but today, I caught two separate articles in two separate sections of one our national Canadian dailies The National Post proclaiming that the world had in fact changed to the new media, good, bad or indifferent. Whether this was a slow news day, evidence of relevant & objective coverage or despair thrown in with a bit of a white flag I don't know, but I found the multi-section coverage interesting.

In the Financial Post, "The Traditional TV Audience is Fading" by Barbara Shecter
- bemoans the loss of a common shared experience like viewers had with I Love the Lucy or Milton Berle half a century ago
- TV's future will happen when and where people want it (damn I just received a new un-webbed LCD TV for Xmas!)
- NBC is retrenching and will not be broadcasting any scripted shows for 8-9pm next year - the former juggernaut of sitcom comedy, instead  airing cheaper and in many cases more popular, game shows and reality programs
- YouTube adding to clutter - 100 million views a day but 65,000 new videos as well
- in today's economy says Syracuse prof Robert Thompson " it is very easy to avoid anything we don't like or believe in" and "seventy percent of the population doesn't share in culture anymore"

In the Arts & Life section,  "Behold The New Narcissism" by J. Kelly Nestruck
- some pretty revealing stats on YouTube's meteorological rise to fame within the traditonal media . mention of YouTube in CanWest's chain of daily newspapers:
- First Quarter 2006 - 21 article mentions
- Second Quarter 2006 - 55 article mentions
- Third Quarter 2006 - 287 article mentions
- Fourth Quarter 2006 - 500 article mentions
Yikes, that's hot.

On a sidebar note, even though I'm a huge new media advocate, in the future, I believe the New York Times, WSJ, the Guardian and potentially even our Canadian dailies The Globe & Mail and the National Post will have an even bigger role to take on in the future if they play their cards right  (although likely not in print) as people seek out more well-written and objective reporting. Some of the A-lister bloggers and pohotobloggers will be recruited to journalize and what is old will become new again.

What Do People Talk About & Is My Brand Conversation-Worthy?

One common question I get asked a lot is "what brand categories respond best to word of mouth (WOM)?".

This is a loaded question - the real question people want to know the answer to is "can you evoke word of mouth for my brand in my mature, low-involvement, boring, aging target, commodified category" - and with few exceptions, the answer is yes.

One only need to look at the fascinatingly buzzable Mr. Clean Magic Erasers as an innovative product-based way of overcoming lack of consumer involvement and disinterest.

However, never to duck a question - the long answer to the best WOM categories: there are 22 attributes that provide more favourable conditions to word of mouth. Check these out at our AW site.

The short answer:  the brand and brand situations can be bucketed into 4 different camps:
- new products, initiatives or target markets (fuelled by lead user interest and social currency)
- complex or expensive products (fuelled by elimination of personal and financial risk and seeking advice from experts/mavens)
- expert or taste driven products (fuelled by sharing interests and transmitting passions)
- everyday use/purchase products and services (fuelled by common experience and frequent exposure)

For some of the category stats, refer to the rankings by category in the research below:

Top Categories of Conversation:

UK Consumers - Category Rank by Word of Mouth Frequency
#1 - Sport
#2 - Holiday destinations
#3 - Shopping - home/family
#4 - Fashion
#5 - Education
#6 - Healthy Food
#7 - Films
#8 - Cars
#9 - Local Community
#10 - Do-It-Yourself Renos
#11 - Mobile Technology
#12 - Health Care
#13 - Environment
#14 - Technology
#15 - Grocery offers
#16 - Personal Grooming
#17 - Cosmetics
#18 - Savings
#19 - Loans
#20 - Religion
#21 - Advertising
Source: MEC:Medialab

US Consumers - Category Rank by Word of Mouth Frequency & (No. of WOM Conversations per Week)
#1 - Media & Entertainment (12)
#2 - Food & Dining (10)
#3 - Beverages (8)
#4 - Public Affairs (8)
#5 - Telecommunications (8)
#6 - Travel Services (7)
#7 - Technology (7)
#8 - Health & Health Care (7)
#9 - Shopping & Retail (6)
#10 - Automotive (6)
#11 - Financial Services (6)
#12 - Beauty Care & Fashion (6)
Source: Keller Fay

US Consumers - Category Rank - Topics Surrounding Word of Mouth Episodes  (% of total WOM conversations)
#1 - Life/Living (subsets categorized in order of frequency - family, special events, food/dining, casual, review, relationships, plans, support) (24.8%)
#2 - Arts  (sub-sites categorized in order of frequency - movies, music, television, theatre/concerts, culinary/cooking, fashion/culture, literature) (12.8%)
#3 - Buying/Using Services (12.2%)
#4 - Technology/Science (10.6%)
#5 - Buying Products (10.3%)
#6 - Workplace/Professional (4.3%)
#7 - Hobbies (4.0%)
#8 - Sports (3.2%)
#9 - Education/Learning (3.1%)
#10 -  News/Current Events (2.8%)
#11 - Travel (2.3%)
#12 - Home   (1.0%)
#13 - Animals/Pets (0.9%)
Source: Walter Karl,Northeastern University

Conclusion - humans talk and buzz about everything. With the right brand, the right consumer and the right way of connecting the two, people will rave about what inspires and interests them .