Trends - President's Choice Looks at Kids and Mobile Devices

A survey conducted by Leger Marketing for President's Choice Services shows trends and opinions related to the use of cell phones by children.  The survey covered the responsible use of mobile devices including, manners, rules, security and leading by example.  Here are some response highlights:

• 48% of Canadian children 11 and older carry cell phones
• 52% felt kids shouldn't have a phone until 13-16 years of age
• 31% felt teens 17 or older could better handle the responsibility
• 10% cited 9 to 12 as the right age for a phone
• 1% felt children aged 6 to 8 should have their own mobile device
• 26% of respondents did not take any steps to teach their children mobile safety
• 8% use GPS options to track the whereabouts of family members
• 57% complained about, but 32% admitted to texting or talking and not paying attention to their surroundings

ACCESS THE SURVEY

Brand - Authentic Citizens Develop a Brand and Create a City

It's common to trash talk politicians or communities for the lack of authenticity, but it's time to give praise to a community that really delivers an authentic brand experience!

Over the weekend, Janice and I attended a unique festival in the little community of Morden, Manitoba. We were the guests of Art Petkau, Reeve (Mayor) of the Rural Municipality of Stanley, which surrounds both Morden and Winkler. Art has been inviting Janice and I to attend this event for 20 years.  We finally accepted the invitation.

The Corn and Apple Days festival is a 46 year old tradition carried on by the citizens of Morden and Stanley. We expected a small local event, but by the time we had picked up our car from Avis in Winnipeg, we knew this must be different. Both young ladies behind the counter, knew of Corn and Apple Days and were hoping to get down to Morden for the concerts on Friday and Saturday. Talk about a strong brand!  We didn't encounter anyone during our meetings in Winnipeg who hadn't heard of the event and most everyone we met had attended even though Morden is over an hour away from Winnipeg.

The home grown brand and the accompanying message promises that Morden will deliver a wholesome family event everyone can afford to attend and enjoy. Key messages include:  FREE Admission; FREE Hot Buttered Corn-on-the-Cob; FREE Ice Cold Apple Cider; FREE Bus Tours; FREE Shuttle Bus Service; and FREE Live Entertainment at two different stages.

What we encountered was a well oiled, volunteer driven machine, that delivered truckload after truckload of corn and cider.  Meanwhile vendors, artists, buskers, entertainers, food and midway services ply their trade for the benefit of visitors along the length of Morden's main and side streets.  The citizens were friendly and accommodating.  The environment was inviting and satisfying. 

A typical Mennonite approach to innovation and invention married a classic, fully restored, wood burning Case steam engine from the local museum to a converted milk cooler which uses the steam to cook up a new batch of corn-on-the-cob every 7.5 minutes.  With support from an original mechanical corn husker and two hour shifts of volunteers from local service clubs, hockey teams, professionals, associations and area companies, this production system backs up the Corn and Apple brand with more than 22,000 cobs of high quality product over the three days.

So what has this brand and authentic experience delivered for Morden? It swells the community of 7,800 by tens of thousands of people during the event. It introduces these visitors to a community that has maintained small town values while achieving city status and amenities. It has created an area that is now the fastest growing municipality in Canada with one of the lowest unemployment rates. Our observation shows the Morden/Stanely area as a great place to live, to raise a family, to work and to retire.

It was an honor to be in Morden for the official announcement of their achievement of city status on Friday evening. Having a chance to meet local politicians, volunteers and business people was also of immense pleasure to both of us.

Art PetKau and his corn cooking volunteers have given 'riding for the brand' new meaning!  The team deserves an award for 'Authenticity' even though I am a little skeptical about the liquid butter. 

Janice and I give the citizens of Morden and the Rural Municipality of Stanley, four thumbs up!  

Maybe another year we'll bring the horses along for the Saturday parade!

Strategy - Is Social Media worth Billions or Just Another Bubble?

On Friday, 17 August 2012, Facebook shares hit a low in the area of $19 which is about half of the IPO price. Since the Facebook IPO, millions of words have been written about social media and the economic value of this channel.  

Rita McGrath is a professor at Columbia Business School who studies innovation, corporate venturing, and entrepreneurship.  While she sees the role of social media as profoundly changing the business landscape she observes that pertinent questions need to be answered about how value will be derived.

"The algorithm we don't yet have is the one that translates time spent on a site into economic returns for the company hosting the experience. Unlike a membership or subscription organization, Facebook and its kin depend on users either buying from advertisers or spending money on other activities, like games, to generate income. The fact is that these dependencies are based largely on untested assumptions about user behavior — specifically, whether user behavior will eventually become buyer behavior."

Rita has also been writing about the need for companies to create a complete 'consumption chain" in order for their products and services to be successful. What she means by consumption chain is the total set of activities a customer goes through in order to have their needs met or a job completed. 

Take a look at Rita's blog

Answer the pertinent questions she raises about value as you think of your social comm strategy. Move away from hype into the reality of a good social comm strategy and reveal the greatest illumination you received.

Strategy - McKinsey on Being Strategic

You live in a time when disruption is accelerating.  Things seem volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) more than ever before. You're a 'digital immigrant' surrounded by 'digital natives' and you struggle to understand their language, culture and customs. The need to discern between danger and opportunity is great. As you contemplate your career and the future, you wonder - Where in our company does strategy live?

Whether you manage a business area, a brand or direct the entire company, you can be forgiven if you are sometimes consumed by thoughts like these.  As a long time member of the McKinsey Institute I participate in survey's and read articles that speak to some of these issues.  Recently McKinsey published an article with three tips I believe will help you to become strategic, equipped and comfortable to deal with the environment in which you live:

• Understand what strategy means in your business.
• Identify potential disrupters.
• Develop communications that can break through.

Review the article then reveal how you intend to become strategic in your activities as well as develop an initial thought in each of these three areas.

Education - Smartphones are Invaluable for Students

Mobilicity survey finds smartphones are playing a big role for education both in and out of the classroom.

The Mobile Student 2.0 Survey found:

• 66% of Canadians would use a mobile phone to conduct online research anywhere, anytime 
• 56% of Canadians think that mobile phones are an invaluable tool for students
• 46% would download mobile apps to stay organized
• 42% would coordinate school and social activities 
• 41% would record lectures and tutorial sessions
• Biggest Illumination:  Back channel use - tweeting insights and conducting polls during lectures - is increasing student engagement and enhancing the classroom experience

Take a moment to read the whole Mobilicity Student Survey then reveal the changes you see coming for the way brand education will be served up in your environment.

Events - Delivering a Compelling Summit Experience

Two years ago, Karen Dawson from Create Now and I discussed delivering a more unique and compelling 'experience' for PetLynx clients in the Summit program. She suggested we use lessons/ideas from Theater and Improv to create this client experience and that started me on a journey to discover just what 'experience' PetLynx clients desired and how this could be delivered.

Along the way, I discovered a resource that turned out to be very useful - Joe Pine's book 'The Experience Economy'. In this book Joe suggests using theatrical methodology to deliver a compelling client experience and he provides examples from a host of providers including Disney.

For PetLynx Corporation, this made perfect sense.  In February 2012, management set up two streams of activity to bring about the new alignment: Weekly scrums were re-factored to incorporate 'rehearsal', 'performance' and other nomenclature that would remind each 'actor' of the need to deliver client experiences; and, A new management structure for the Summit program incorporating titles and responsibilities you would expect to find in a theater or on a movie set was outlined. Here's what the management structure for the 2012 International Summit in Lake Louise looks like:

Executive Producer:  Sets the creative objective and vision for the Summit program and has the final determination of cast and management positions.  The executive producer is responsible to deliver the delegate (client) experience within budget.

Production Manager:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible to supervise the physical aspects of the production including technology, production personnel, scheduling, equipment rental, infrastructure  and other needs of the talent.

Director:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible to deliver the Summit vision through the content and staging of the Summit production. The Director brings talent to stage, manages thematic continuity and delivers an environment that encourages the best performance talent can deliver. All of this adds up to an experience that inspires delegates and creates a level of trust that facilitates Summit conversations.

Scrum/Stunt Coordinator:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible to facilitate real-time polls (Stunts) and Scrums that make up the Open Space aspects of the Summit program.

Screenwriter/Communications Manager:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible to develop content used in the Summit production as well as the Social Comm program that maintains contact with the broader industry audience.

Script Supervisor: Reports directly to the Executive Producer and is responsible for developing the briefing document for the Summit program that prepares delegates (clients) for their active role in the Summit production.

Casting Director:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and assists with the selection and management of talent for the Summit Program.  During the  Summit Production the Casting Director transfers the talent to the Director together with the briefing notes he requires to stage the production.

Archivist/Analyst/Production Assistant:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer/Director and manages the nominating process as well as the academy style awards routines to select the winners of the Summit Awards.  This assistant is also the goto person for historical items, data and analysis that is required to support the production.

Legal/System Administrator:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and administers the contracts and production agreements for the Summit production. 

Accountant:  Reports directly to the Executive Producer and administers the financial aspects of the Summit production.

Illustrator:  Reports directly to the Screenwriter/Communications Manager and assists the S/CM and Script Supervisor as required with graphics and illustrations.

Various individuals from both inside and outside the companion animal industry will participate. Those with a passion for delivering 'experience' in the areas identified above are invited to contact the Executive Producer of the 2012 Summit, Larry Evans.

Strategy - Don't force - Let the play develop

Early in my career, I had the good fortune to work with Bob Thetford and Pat O'Sullivan of Maxon Electronics, in Kansas City. These gentlemen were connected in a previous life with John Madden and the Oakland Raiders. Since John hated flying, as a sportscaster he crisscrossed North America by rail or bus, and occasionally it worked out that he would drop by Kansas City for a visit which I was privileged to attend.  

I learned things from these sessions that influenced my thinking about social comm and brand development.  One of John's favorite sayings was "Don't force - Let the play develop", and he backed it up with lots of great 'real game' stories.

The idea of 'letting the industry set the pace' or 'letting consensus develop' is more important today then ever before.  Why is this the case?  Because a desire for 'authentic experience' is what is driving virtually every decision in our economy today. Joseph Pine was the first person I heard identify the move from a 'service' to an 'experience' based economy.

In 2011, PetLynx provided Summit Alumni with a copy of Joe's updated book, 'The Experience Economy' and presented Tom Trifaux as the keynote speaker on 'abundance' versus 'scarcity'.

The 2012 Summit will provide alumni with Bob Johansen's book, 'Leaders make the Future'. The Summit will also feature really important and strategic conversations that can move the companion animal industry along. I have encouraged conversation leaders to be authentic, patient and to let consensus develop. How we as leaders make the future today has a lot more to do with letting the play develop and understanding where opportunities will come from then ever before.

Take an opportunity to refresh your memory on the experience economy from Joeseph Pine's TED Talk in 2004 and then reveal the areas where you think the industry is forcing behavior instead of waiting to 'let the play develop'.

Brand - Stepping to the Music

Over the past few weeks we have looked at brand influence and tried to understand how social media brings consumers toward a brand. We have observed a natural inclination to be 'instep' but we also recognized that being in step doesn't always achieve a positive result if the influencer plan doesn't correctly contemplate reaction and consumer experience.

Many of you know of our Percheron draft horses here at Paradigm Corporation. As I was preparing these essays I realized our horses are yet another example of how we generate a behavioral response and influence animals to be in step.  

Watch in this clip from 2011, as local drover Brian Coleman, takes the 2011 World Champion, Jackson Forks Six Horse Hitch for a victory drive around the arena at the Calgary Stampede.  You will see the horses pick up the beat of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and 'step to the music'. The path generating this response to rhythm is, Conductor to Orchestra, Orchestra to the Six beautiful Percheron mares in this hitch.

Watch the Video

For your convenience I have noted a number of the effects we have talked about here below:

• Collective Consensus
• Rhythm
• Social, Emotional, Cultural, Behavioral responses
• Trone Brand Energy and their Firefly effect

Strategy - A. G. Lafley Talks About his Run at Procter and Gamble

A. G. Lafley presided over one of the most prolific periods of growth in Procter and Gamble history.  Early last year he made himself available to the students of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas in Austin.  What followed was a candid interview that provides perspective on Lafley the man as well as the strategy he believes made success possible.

In the VUCA world we live in good strategy is essential. These are highlights that resonated with me:

• Build an organization that is AGILE, open and transparent
• Recognize that change will be constant (companies obliterated, natural disasters, economic uncertainty and social/political conflict)
• Establish a culture of courage
• Recognize failures as learning experiences (keep score)
• Terminate relationships with issues of performance or integrity
• Constantly infuse management with younger talent
• Business succeeds where demographics and economies are growing
• Global markets are key
• Habits and practices differ but needs and wants are similar around the world
• Grow from core products, services and market strengths
• Accelerate in emerging markets

WATCH THE VIDEO

As Lafley says in this interview, there were key elements at work in the organization he took over.  Procter and Gamble was a family owned business that was purpose and values driven. The company's well known role was to make life better.  They enjoyed a high level of trust with their employees, their clients and vendors. Every employee was an owner with a portion of compensation in shares and an eye on long term company performance. This made for a decades long approach to strategy, not a near term objective for the next quarter or next annual report. From this base, Lafley and his colleagues changed acquisition successes from 30- 60% and innovation successes from 10-50% and this turned out to be a primary contributor to growth and profitability.

Please take a moment to reveal what you found as the most influential take-away from this interview.

Brand - Is it Always Positive When Things Synchronize?

In an earlier blog we considered the 'firefly effect' identified by Trone Brand Energy.  This phenomenon can bring male fireflies into synchronous effect so the light of many male fireflies attracts greater numbers of  females to mate with them.

As brand developers and designers, we are interested to influence large groups of consumers.  With new technologies this seems to be more possible and affordable then ever before.  But are the things we use to create synchronous behaviors always positive or do we create experiences that are less than positive for the consumers we seek to influence.

Steven Strogatz explores synchronous behavior in nature and finds four rules that seem to apply in biological systems as well as some situations that have not created a positive experience.  Enjoy Steven in this TED Video and then add your comment on a positive or negative experience that has resulted from a 'brand influencer program' you were involved in.