Lately, the most interesting campaigns generated by brands had a common focus: engaging the consumer in dialogue in innovative ways. This has become the main “battle field” for companies in terms of gaining visibility and buzz.

There are two possible ways of considering consumer engagement. In 2006, Jeff Howe introduced the “crowdsourcing” term in an article with the following phrase: Remember outsourcing? Sending jobs to India and China is so 2003. The new pool of cheap labor: everyday people using their spare cycles to create content, solve problems, even do corporate R & D.

In reality, crowdsourcing is more than an efficient way of outsourcing services to the masses - it’s the way to let the consumer know that he is important. The “The betacup challenge” campaign empowered communities to put their creativity at work for a social cause and for a special prize. The challenge for the consumers: finding a way to eliminate paper cup waste. General context: a research conducted in in North America, in 2009 shows that over 58 billion paper coffee cups are going into landfills. A jury made out of designers, engineers, and entrepreneurs selected 430 creative ideas. Starbucks offered $10,000 for the big prize and $2,000 for another five ideas chosen by the community, on the company’s website. The campaign helped the brand by delivering fresh ideas, relevant insights, global visibility and by opening up new potential for interacting with the consumer.

Romanian companies have successfully integrated crowdsourcing into their communication strategies. A good local example that takes after the Starbucks project is the “GCAN” campaign created by Grolsch beer with the occasion of its launch on the Romanian market. Part of “The experimentalist”, a digital platform dedicated to alternative consumers, the “GCAN” challenged people to find the perfect design for the new beer can, inspired by the brand personality. The choice was made by the jury (60 %) and by the votes of the public (40%). The big prize consisted in 2.000 Euros and the pride of seeing your creation on every beer can.  The “GCAN battle” made the brand visible for the targeted audience and established what we call “the beginning of a beautiful friendship” with consumers.

On the other hand, activations based on user-generated content can be an alternative to big crowdsourcing projects, that doesn’t require a substantial prize. In this case, the hook is the way you motivate people. How do you convince the consumer that his contribution to your project is important? By tackling his ego, by finding an emotional connection with the brand or by exploiting a group identity – these are just a few of the examples that worked.

The Burberry brand offers one of the best examples of its kind. “The art of the trench” is a user-generated campaign, based on the desire of celebrating an important clothing piece- the Burberry trench. Basically, the digital platform is a living document of the trench coat and the people who wear it. It the result of the collaboration with well-known photographers but also the contribution of regular people around the world and their images with street-fashion. The campaign reached its objective, by bringing the brand closer to young consumers. It also had a wide impact on the media all over the world, generating articles about the most innovative fashion project.

Going back to the local market, we find a pretty good example of user-generated campaign created by Microsoft. The idea of an online book written by Internet lovers was transformed into “Twitterature”- the first book written exclusively through social media.  8 VIPs and 216 regular Internet users (along with the most influential Romanian bloggers) shared their stories about the first interactions with the Internet through Twitter, by using #tweetIE8 hashtag. The book included 127 authors and 1015 tweets, and it is still available, here: http://issuu.com/microsoftromania/docs/tweetie8

Still, as appealing as it seems, empowering the consumer can be a tricky choice. Why would companies agree to assume this risk and engage in a project where they don’t have 100 % control? A brand has a lot to win when it creates a direct and emotional interaction with its audience, becoming authentic and credible. Nowadays, it’s difficult to say to consumers: “but my product: it will change your life”, but it’s easier to invite them to become long-term partners in a win-win situation.

Consumer in the driver’s seat: crowdsourcing and user generated content is a post from: Oxygen PR

Years and years I’ve been longing to discover in Bucharest the same little boutique restaurants and shops you find in western cities by strolling in the town’s old center. I have always loved the feeling you get just by walking on one of those old streets, with small tidy shops (treasures waiting to be discovered) and quiet bistros that warmly welcome you to get in a sip a cup of warm coffee.

Even some Romanian towns understood this earlier (Sibiu is definitely the example that stands out). These cities refurbished and renovated their old towns to give the tourist a better experience, nicer memories and got in return more visitors and more open purses.

In the meantime, Bucharest’s old town remained numb and deserted like a baroque graveyard with buildings waiting to crumble on unsuspecting visitors and squatters. A few restaurants and cafés attracted a small bunch of bohemians, here and there.

However, after a slow and feeble start, some involvement from the Municipality, more and more new businesses have started to appear in the Old Town. Lately, the whole place has entered a hype of development and excitement. It rebukes the crisis and even scorns at it. Real estate goes up in the Old Town, while it crumbles in the rest of Bucharest.

Now, why is this happening? Is it just a trend and everybody has blindly jumped in the bandwagon? How can this be in an environment that has made all of us much more careful and demanding when it comes to where we want to spend our bucks?

First things first – it fills a need, a gap – that of a “real” old town – something most of us Yuppies and expats have longed for, here in Bucharest.

Secondly, and more important- it brings real competition at its best. It’s variety to choose from- definitely more care for us, customers. It’s about small and medium size businesses that have understood the need to be more careful and opened with their customers. It’s guerilla marketing and word of mouth by the book.

This is a vivid example that, crisis or no crisis, if you have identified your target, you keep and opened and caring attitude toward your customers and are willing to go the extra mile – you will be rewarded.

If you go into the old town after an absence of a few weeks, you will be simply amazed by the number of new placed that have opened up. Café, restaurants, pubs, bistros – the place is becoming a culinary Mall. But most importantly it rapidly decides who are the winners and the losers. If you don’t keep up the pace, if you make a wrong step, others are waiting at the door glad to take your place. And this is an example we should all have in mind.

Photo source :

New stuff, old wisdom is a post from: Oxygen PR

Some might say: Impossible. Others might add: the wonders of social media. Well, it happens… on Facebook. Why is social media the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution?

There are many conferences, forums and debates on trends in social media. The truth is that social media is the engine that turns communication into dialogue. So, why engage in social media, as a company and as an individual?

Because:

Storytelling and social media dance the perfect tango. People don’t want statistics and data; they want people, stories, and personal connections. What’s your story? How can you use social media to convey the story? Stories sustain interest and your social media efforts.

Transparency is the badge of social media trust. Social media begs transparency. Don’t hide anything because there are hundreds of people who would love to know the dirt and don’t mind digging for it. If you know there is something hidden or you are not being as forthright as you should, you also have to know that it will come out… Eventually… somewhere on social media. And then it will be a big mess.

There really is such a thing as ROI or the new ROI — Listen, Learn and Adapt: Return on Insight. Create a social media strategy that supports your goals. Implement your strategy and adjust as needed. Sustainable social media means having a recipe and following it.

You need to create a strategy. Then follow it, and adjust it along the way. Your approach to social media should be strategic. Without an overall strategy, you’re just throwing pasta at the wall and hoping some of it will stick.

In conclusion: markets are getting smarter, more informed and more organized. People in the networked markets have figured out that they can get far better information and support from one another than from the vendors.

So, start the conversation, reach the right people, because it’s a brave new world every day in social media.

How can two people have 100 friends in common and never have met? is a post from: Oxygen PR

People ask me, when did I first know I want to start my own business? The answer is: I have always known. Even when I was going for my very first job interviews, as a young and aspiring candidate, I knew my end goal was that of starting up my own business. That’s maybe because I have been an independent (and at times, rebel) soul and wanted to always hold the reins in my professional and personal life. But only a few years ago, the idea of opening up a boutique PR shop started to take more shape in my mind.

I recall only a couple years back, when I was still in the corporate system, that my personal coach (a friend that had just started her own business by practicing coaching) asked me to visualize the next step in my career. And it came out natural and quite specific: I wish to start up my PR consultancy shop, to be located in the Old City center and to enjoy the job among a team of great (and professional) people. That was it. And somehow, it all really happened. Two years later, Oxygen was born and brought a fresh breath of energy to my life. Despite the crisis, despite the hard times, despite the huge amount of work and effort, the sacrifices and risks taken. But this is just the beginning.

I am happy. I have a job I love, I work with people I love, and I’m having fun. And I am grateful for all of it. My recipe? Follow my dreams, but keep my feet firm on the ground. Together with an ounce of luck and the firm belief that positive energy brings about good things.

Since it’s time for the holidays, thanks to all who’ve helped me make it all happen.

I can happily say that my wish has already come true.

For 2011, I wish that yours does too.

How it all started… is a post from: Oxygen PR

Not because it’s Christmas, but because your brand needs it. Or better said: because the consumer, public, average Joe, your most important business asset (call it whatever you want) is longing for it.

Let’s look at it from a cultural frame: what have we achieved – we, beautiful human beings, over the past centuries? We are smarter, we have great cars, we have smart phones instead of dumb-phones and we’ve out smartened ourselves! But we are becoming more emotional, more aware of our limits, paranoid when it comes to health-related issues. We like bio-food, we are obsessed with tradition and we value it, we adore the romantic past, we transformed the word “vintage” into a cult.  And not to forget, we like to be “pampered” and we love to be “engaged”, we like to see that our opinion matters. It is obvious that successful brands are those that operate with these cultural traits, especially when we refer to this period.

So take all this information and translate it into communication practices for your business. And you will have the following tips to exploit: let people talk about your brand, listen to them and take notes, don’t blow it out of proportion when you see that they are not always praising your business. Talk to them, show consideration and respect for their opinions and feelings, offer things without expecting anything in return, create digital and social media applications that do not emphasize on the benefits of your products but on your public, their needs and their well-being, their personal concerns or global concerns, things that connect with their daily life, their friends, their emotions

Think about it: why would your consumers click on “like” if you don’t tickle their ego, pique their interest and make them the lead actors in your brand story? And last, but not least, give them the power to “share”. People are not interested anymore in enjoying something by themselves; it’s more fun in a group. On top, the consumer voice becomes louder and his powers bigger by associating himself with communities of larger numbers. This has been declared one of the most important trends for 2011, translated in new marketing or PR practices like: “group buying” or “crowdsourcing”, etc.  It is true that people are becoming more selective with the use of social media and more interested in being part of small groups that share common interested with big communities.

Maybe there is something more to holidays than just another overdose of emotions and traditional food. When it comes to shaping a relationship with the consumers, companies may use a bit of the seasonal wisdom: care, share, give without asking something in return, listen carefully, love.

Have an inspiring Christmas!!

Start getting E-motional! is a post from: Oxygen PR

We listen, we take notes, we learn, we listen (again). And we COMMUNICATE.

Prepare yourselves for some storytelling… about us and our ideas, projects, myths and trends in the communication world, some juicy PR gossip along with the afternoon tea. Come back again for a treat!

Hello! is a post from: Oxygen PR