Project DogfoodLessons in Transparency

New Marketing SummitOctober 14, 2008

If marketing seems more pre-occupied with talking, why not come up with a practice for listening?

How does a company know what its customers want from them online?

Ask. Listen. Communicate.

What is it?

•A new media marketing approach

•Engaging a community to launch a product, seed a market or enhance an offering

•A technology-enabled listening campaign

What We Learned

1. Communities have unique ideas backed by passion.

2. Given the chance, peer participation trumps bland surveys.

3. Listening and then responding/acting is an important marriage.

4. Make it about more than your product.5. The process is iterative. Doesn't stop after

once.

Using Dogfood: 4 Scenarios

1. New Product, New Market

2. Get More Eyeballs

3. Big Brand, New Product

4. Loyal Brand, New Product

1. New Product, New Market• Situation

– New product targeted for new segment– Online audience of gamers

• Complication– Low current market share, low mind share among

audience

• Answer– Seed the network for receptivity– Educate the power users

New Product, New Market

Power UserEngagement

Set Objectives

Network Analysis

Forum & Blogosphere Engagement

Listening and Measurements

2. Get More Eyeballs

• Situation– Rich site with extensive technology-related content

that would be valued by vertical B2B marketplace– Opportunity to both retain and expand customer

base

• Complication– Site usage low, poor web visibility, crowded space

• Answer– Dogfood the users– Enhance the site experience, align content –

participation, social bookmarking and usability– Expand links

Get More Eyeballs

Set Objectives

Network and User Analysis

Forum & Blogosphere Engagement

Social Media Listening and Measurements

User Engagement

Site Experience, Web 2.0, SEM

Aligned Content Development

3. Big Brand, New Product

• Situation– Very well known brand developing a newly branded

service for consumers/ merchants– Targeting a major roll-out

• Complication– New brand not aligned with old brand personality.

Threat of backlash, negative press– Traditional media not adequate – especially pre-

launch

• Answer– Engage blogosphere– Transparent adoption / implement suggestions

Big Brand, New Product

Set Objectives

Forum & Blogosphere Engagement

Listening and Sentiment Analysis

Online Focus Groups

Iterative Changes

Consumer & Merchant Campaign

4. Loyal Brand, New Product

• Situation– Popular brand, re-launching new version of mainstay

product

• Complication– Must not tarnish the brand– Must align with advertising campaign and existing

social media strategies– Timing and coordination critical

• Answer– Consumer participation– photo, video, mash-ups– Facebook marketing– Velvet rope with the power users

Loyal Brand, New Product

Social Network Analysis

Media-aligned Campaigns

Listening and Feedback

Measure Impact

EnvisionCampaignSet Objectives

Some Takeaways

•All programs are not created equal•Begin with the end in mind..set clear

objectives•Make it fun and innovative•Not all ideas are implemented –

communicate•Listen, measure- before, during, after•Participate and be transparent