Congratulations! Wait, What?

When it comes to getting to know your customers, how far is too far? How would you feel if one of your favorite stores knew that your wife, girlfriend or daughter was pregnant before you even had a clue? Whether you’re unsettled and unsurprised by this, Target found a way to predict not only if you’re pregnant, but also how far along you are in your pregnancy.

Target statistician Andrew Pole analyzed tons of information and ran multiple tests to figure out when a woman is expecting. He noticed women that were on the baby register were buying large amounts of unscented lotions and soaps, along with big bags of cotton balls. So, how did Pole discover that women who weren’t registered were also pregnant?

Target assigns every customer a guest ID tied to their credit card, name or email address. This ID keeps track of everything a customer has ever purchased from Target and demographic information they’ve gathered. When customers were buying large amounts of unscented lotion, soaps, etc., they would score high on the Target pregnancy scores. Soon these customers were receiving coupons in the mail for everything from maternity clothes to formula.

Pretty smart marketing, right? Some customers did not find this very amusing. One man came into a Target store yelling to see a manager because his high school daughter received coupons for baby clothes and cribs. The manager called the man a couple days later to apologize only to find the man was apologizing to him because he found out his daughter was due in August.

Target quickly discovered that, although legal, this method creeped out customers. The store then started to randomize the coupons sent to those they thought were expecting, placing a grill next to baby clothes, or wine glasses next to a crib. Target wanted to give off the impression that the coupons were accidental and not sent to customers because they received a high pregnancy score.

Where should Target draw the line? Many would argue that this is a big invasion of privacy; others would argue that this is a great marketing strategy. Should Target keep running these pregnancy scores or should they set some limits? Should there be an age limit to the customers they send coupons to?  What side are you on? Let us know via Twitter or Facebook!

Social Media Reacts to Whitney Houston’s Death

Here at King Media we strive to stay on top of the latest news. Unfortunately, it cannot all be good news. Since Whitney Houston’s unexpected death this past Saturday, there has been an overwhelming amount of media regarding renowned singer Whitney Houston.

Houston has not only been the heart of every social media update, but her life was celebrated during last Sunday’s Grammy award show. It was a very respectful look-back at the life of Houston, as well as a time to mourn her death. Host LL Cool J began the award ceremony with a prayer dedicated to Houston. Many other celebrities devoted kind words to the singer during their introductions, acceptance speeches and performances.

The news of Houston’s death went viral almost immediately after the announcement was made on Saturday, February 11, 2012.  Social media users were certainly shocked by the news of her death — it was reported that during the first full hour after the news broke, 2,481,652 tweets and retweets mentioned the singer. That is nearly the same amount of tweets per minute made during the Super Bowl game.

These days you can instantly locate any piece of news you are looking for with a simple connection to the Internet. Tweeting, blogging and posting have stepped in as the new and improved form of word-of-mouth.  Breaking news can spread globally within a matter of minutes through social media.

At King Media we are interested in what prompts something to go viral. In previous blog posts we’ve credited a lot of online viral marketing success to the humor appeal, but tragic news can spread just as fast, as we’ve witnessed with the story of Houston’s death. What elements of a story cause it to go viral?  We want to know what you think! Check out this link and see what the most popular topics of 2011 were. We can’t wait to see what news will make the top list of 2012.

King Media is looking for a Web Programmer!

Candidates must possess excellent communication skills and excel working in team situations as well as independently. Our ideal programmer will have a diverse creative style, capable of producing a wide array of programming solutions suitable for our wide range of clients. Attention to detail, exceptional time management skills, a dedicated work ethic, self-motivation, excellent organizational skills, and respect for a collaborative creative process are required.

Applicants must also have excellent debugging and trouble shooting skills and possess the ability to develop and implement ideas for client web development needs and expectations. They must be a team player and willing to both teach and learn. Candidates must demonstrate technical and analytical skills and the ability to communicate effectively in both technical and business environments. Flexibility, adaptability, and the  ability to learn quickly in various technical and creative environments while delivery quality work by tight deadlines are a must. Applications must also be able to promptly solve support related questions.

To apply, email Kerri Molitor (kerri@kingmedianow.com) your resume and samples of your work. We look forward to meeting you!

Qualification Requirements:

• Experience building Content Management Systems
• Experience with Joomla
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and Dreamweaver
• Development experience with HTML/XHTML and CSS
• Experience in Java Script and PHP
• Proficiency with Google tools is a plus (Google Analytics, Google AdWords, etc.)
• Advanced Organic Search Engine Optimization Skills
• Front-end and Back-end development experience.
• Experience with jQuery
• Proficient in Internet related applications such as E-Mail clients, FTP clients and Web Browsers.
• Proficiency with creation and modification of CSS
• Proficiency with optimizing of web images and graphics
• Good understanding of server side scripting languages like ASP/JSP/PHP.
• Familiarity with W3C standards, browser compatibility, and ADA compliancy.
• Experience with seamless integration of front-to back-end functionality
• Solid understanding of navigation and GUI for maximizing usability
• Experience with building, testing, debugging, and troubleshooting clean, web standard-compliant code.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for meeting expectations and deliverables on time and in high quality
• Responsible for the development of web applications and components
• Responsible for developing of Web pages, GUIs
• Responsible for designing, developing, testing and delivering web sites, applications and components.
• Must maintain and enhance existing Web applications.
• Must develop in a clean, well structured, easily maintainable format, and documented/commented code
• Documenting web site functionality.
• Perform complete testing of Web applications unit and system, engaging users as necessary.
• Design and implement user-driven templates, databases and interfaces for ease of use.
•  Develop database-driven Web interfaces for rapid, real-time information sharing.

An Advertiser’s Look at Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and we at King Media would like to take the time to admire some creative Valentine’s campaigns that we have seen this year. We’re not just talking about your run-of-the-mill flower shop and jewelry store advertisements either; you may be surprised at the companies we chose!

The first campaign that really impressed us was a Heineken Facebook app titled ‘The Serenade.’ Based on the brand’s second global film ‘The Date,’ the new app enables Heineken consumers to send humorous personalized songs to potential partners, inviting them on a date. The app comes in a variety of languages so that laughter and love can be enjoyed around the world. Check out the funny advertisement that Heineken is using to promote the new app!

We also enjoyed AT&T’s Valentine campaign—another great use of humor. This advertisement was appropriately titled ‘Shout Your Love from a Mountaintop.’ The tagline might be a little cheesy, “When you love someone you want to tell the world.  You want to shout it from the mountaintop,” but we can overlook that.  The campaign is similar to Heineken in that customers are able to create a personal ‘shout’ that is submitted to AT&T, which in return will be shouted to your special someone in time for the holiday. So far they have been pretty successful. Take a look here at how many shouts they have received!

The last advertisement that we chose is for a floristry website. But Teleflora did a fantastic job of combining sex appeal and class in this advertisement featuring the gorgeous Adriana Lima. Maybe this will be able to convince those lazy men to step up to the plate and surprise their loved ones with flowers. Either way, we appreciate the simplicity and elegance of this advertisement.

What do you think about these advertisements? Do you like the idea of using social media for romance? Is humor the right way to convey a passionate message? If you and your business are pursuing fresh and creative ideas, King Media is always happy to help! Happy Valentine’s Day!

King Media is looking for a Sales Representative!

King Media is seeking a talented Sales Representative to join a dynamic team that is passionate about creating innovative and creative solutions for our clients. Based out of East Lansing, Michigan, with a national footprint, King Media works in a range of mediums, including print, television, radio, outdoor, web and social media.

Candidates must possess excellent communication skills and excel working in team situations as well as independently. Our ideal Sales Representative will demonstrate technical selling skills and product knowledge in all areas of the company.   Attention to detail, exceptional time management skills, a dedicated work ethic, self-motivation, excellent organizational skills, and respect for a collaborative work process are required. Candidates are responsible for meeting expectations and deliverables on time. Primary duties are to interest buyers and purchasing agents in our company’s services and to address clients’ questions and concerns.

 Apply today! Email Kerri Molitor (Kerri@KingMediaNow.com) with your resume. We can’t wait to meet you!

Qualifications:

• Ability to develop a database of qualified leads through referrals, telephone canvassing, face to face cold calling on business owners, direct mail, email, and networking
• Excellent skills in communication and memorization
• Ability to maintain accurate records of all sales and prospecting activities including sales calls, presentations, closed sales, and follow-up activities
• Knowledge of advertising and sales promotion techniques
• Responsible for meeting expectations and deliverables on time and in high quality

Position Details/Requirements:

• Full time, paid
• Start Immediately
• 2 Years Professional Experience
• College Degree

Our Favorite 2012 Super Bowl Spots

Coca-Cola’s “Mean Joe Green.” Apple’s “1984.”  Volkswagen’s “The Force.”  These Super Bowl spots have been called some of the best of all time. Were the ads from Super Bowl XLVI as impressive?

Many spots created a lot of buzz, some for being great and others for being, well, not so great. Here’s a handful that had us still talking in the office Monday morning:

1)      Chrysler – It’s Halftime in America (Clint Eastwood)

Did this spot give you goose bumps or what? Yes, it may have been a tad long, but like last year’s “Imported from Detroit” ad, this will keep people talking long after the Super Bowl.

2)      Honda – Matthew’s Day Off (Matthew Broderick)

Who isn’t a Ferris Bueller fan? While nothing could top the original, we think Honda did an excellent job paying homage ‘80s smash hit.

3)      Doritos – Man’s Best Friend

There were a couple different spots that featured hilarious pups, but we thought this one was especially clever. Doritos had another spot, their “Sling Shot Baby,” that also created a lot of positive buzz.

4)      E*TRADE – Fatherhood

Everyone’s favorite talking baby was back in E*TRADE’s Super Bowl spot. Always insightful, the baby reassures a new dad about planning for the future. That’s not the best part, though. We loved the speed dating line at the end!

5)      The Voice – Vocal Kombat (Betty White)

The always hilarious and adorable Betty White made a cameo appearance in a spot for NBC’s “The Voice.” Never one to disappoint, the actress upstaged all of the celebrity judges in our opinion.

This year’s Super Bowl spots were filled with celebrities, dogs, cars and babies. Some inspired us, while others made us want to change the channel. What were some of your favorites, and which ones will join the ranks of the best Super Bowl spots of all time? Let us know via Twitter (@kingmedianow) or find us on Facebook!

 

29th Annual Greater Lansing Orchid Society’s Orchid Show & Sale

Supporting community organizations and non-profits has always been a major part of King Media’s business strategy. The Greater Lansing Orchid Society, a non-profit with the purpose of creating an awareness of orchid culture, is one organization we have had the pleasure of working with for 14 years! Now we are gearing up to support them once again. We will be donating our services to promote and sponsor their 29th Annual Show & Sale that will be held February 25-26th at Michigan State University’s Plant and Soil Science Conservatory.

This two-day event will exhibit hundreds of exotic blooming orchid plants from all over the world. Spectacular orchid photography, art and stunning flower arrangements will be
The show is free to the public and will be held on Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The event will be located on the corner of Bogue Street and Wilson Road, near the Wharton Center. There will be free event parking for both days of the event.showcased and available for purchase. The show will also offer free educational talks and advice on how to care for orchids from industry experts. The event is family-friendly and a must-see event for those who love the natural beauty of these exquisite tropical flowers.

The event will be sponsored by King Media, a marketing, advertising and public relations agency based out of East Lansing, and WLNS TV 6 of Lansing. At this year’s show, each attendant will receive a gift certificate for King Media’s services at the door!

The Greater Lansing Orchid Society (GLOS) exists for the purposes of creating an awareness of orchid culture, fostering the preservation of native species of orchids, supporting research and development of orchid culture, and holding meetings, lectures, and exhibitions.  The Annual Orchid Show & Sale is an opportunity highly valued and anticipated by members.  The event is a prime occasion for the society to help educate the community about orchids and generate interest in the exotic flower.  GLOS meetings usually take place on the third Saturday during the months of January, March, May, September, and November.

For more information about GLOS or the 29^th Annual Orchid Show & Sale, visit their website, http://greaterlansingorchidsociety.com, or call 517-332-0004.