CEO Dianne Wilkins Speaks at Forrester

CEOs Dianne Wilkins, Critical Mass and Billy Vassiliadis, R&R Partners, will be speaking at the Forrester Consumer Forum in Chicago on October 27, 2009. Their presentation, entitled “Viva Las Vegas!” will discuss Las Vegas’ resiliency through these turbulent economic times:

When the stakes are high, it pays to listen. The current economic trials have caused unprecedented adversity for the tourism industry: high gas prices, low consumer confidence, and the economy in decline have created a perfect storm of reasons not to travel. Yet, through it all, Las Vegas has persevered. Learn how the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Critical Mass, and R&R Partners have kept Las Vegas on the map as the No. 1 tourist destination by bringing Vegas to life — through the eyes of real people who experienced it.

• See how an integrated 360-degree marketing strategy kept Las Vegas rolling despite the odds.
• Discover how social channels, from word of mouth to viral campaigns, can create a groundswell of passionate advocates for your brand.
• Understand how to listen, learn, and continually adapt your strategy to stay on top.

Scott Shamberg & Luxury Institute Present "Redefining Luxury Online"

On October 7, Critical Mass in partnership with the Luxury Institute recently hosted an invitation-only gathering for senior luxury executives at New York City’s exclusive CORE Club. Executives from Mandarin Oriental, Forbes, Intermix and illy caffe among others came to hear Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute, deliver a sneak preview of his new Luxury Institute WealthSurvey “Social Networking Habits and Practices of the Wealthy.”

Critical Mass Senior Vice President Scott Shamberg also presented on the topic: “Blending High-Touch and High-Tech: Redefining Luxury Online.” The presentation discussed how consumers, empowered with more access, tools and information than ever, have changed, while the fundamentals of luxury have remained the same. Quality. Exclusivity. Impeccable service. To thrive, Shamberg advised, luxury brands must learn how to translate their high-touch approach to the online world. Executives in attendance learned how to build meaningful relationships with valued, time challenged clientele by:

• Ensuring the online experience is worthy of their brand
• Designing an experience with customers in mind
• Managing the interactions across various channels

Recent Launches

Critical Mass Launches Multi-Channel Measurement Group Called Marketing Science

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – CALGARY, AB and CHICAGO, IL – Critical Mass (www.criticalmass.com), a digital marketing agency and unit of Omnicom’s Star Marketing Group (www.starmsgroup.com), today announced the launch of a new multi-channel measurement group aimed at driving accountability for marketing initiatives.

As more dollars shift to digital, with options for spend across all consumer touch points, a key area of focus for brands and agencies alike is proving their marketing efforts actually work. Critical Mass’ new Marketing Science group focuses on gathering insights to improve marketing and experience effectiveness through development of measurement strategy, KPI frameworks, and multi-channel data aggregation and analysis.

According to Shaina Boone, Group Marketing Science Director, Critical Mass, the team’s primary focus is to understand “the why” behind the data—across the breadth of marketing channels—in order to optimize and achieve long-term business goals. “We believe in analysis, not reporting,” said Boone. “Rather than simply focusing on objectives and results over a finite period of time, we ask questions that get to the root of causality: Why did an initiative do better than expected? What did the consumer do differently and why? This information helps with planning and optimization as we continue to improve the success of our clients’ marketing initiatives,” Boone added.

“In this business climate, clients are being held accountable for their marketing spend, and they are looking to us for proof that their marketing investments are working,” said Dianne Wilkins, Chief Executive Officer, Critical Mass. “Marketing Science is about providing them with the expertise and tools to deliver the right message at the right time to the right consumer—and ultimately, to measure effectiveness across the entire marketing mix,” Wilkins added.

Critical Mass’ Marketing Science Group is focused on developing customized solutions based on client needs. Services include Web Analytics, Customer Behavior Modeling, Marketing Mix Model design support, Brand Affinity, Neuromarketing, and Social Sentiment & Influencer Monitoring and Measurement.

According to Colleen DeCourcy, Chief Digital Officer, TBWA Worldwide, who collaborated with Critical Mass to form Omnicom digital agency, RIOT, “Critical Mass’ Marketing Science experts played a pivotal role in the development of Riot because they were able to participate in developing the overarching strategy for our client, and devise a methodology to prove that the strategy worked simultaneously.”

Contact:
Celia Jones
Critical Mass
312.705.4169
celiaj@criticalmass.com

Critical Mass Hosts AIGA SMALL TALK in Chicago

On September 15, Critical Mass opened its doors to the Chicago creative community for the AIGA “Small Talk V.” Group Creative Director JT Andexler opened the evening with a short history of Critical Mass, chronicling our humble beginnings as an interactive CD-Rom company and ultimate evolution into a world-class digital marketing agency with a client list that includes Rolex, adidas and Budweiser. Following JT’s introduction, three CM creative teams each presented a case study on some of our work:

Vegas Bound: The first case study, called “Vegas Bound,” took half the population of a small town in Texas and sent them to Las Vegas as part of a promotion encouraging America to “take a break.” The project took 13 weeks from initial sketches to the final production. Art Directors Jeremy Hlinak and Duane Wheatcroft humorously shared their experiences staying up late in Cranfills Gap, where there are no traffic lights, only two gas pumps, and just one bar in three counties.

Brandon and the Frog: The second case study, “Brandon and the Frog,” was a promotion directed to young DIYers for Valvoline. Greg Arvanitakis and Jamie Toal, creative leads on the project, presented a series of instructional videos starring gearheads Brandon and his best friend the Frog, who like to change their own oil. The project’s timeline was only 10 weeks and the budget was less than 200K — both very tight for such a production. “We had to beg, borrow and steal,” said Jamie who in addition to helping direct the project also wrote the scripts and the soundtrack. To stay in budget, and to keep up the DIY spirit, the team at CM hacked into Blogger to create the initiative’s web site. They also made use of popular social media sites to generate interest.

Gillette Stylers: After a short break, Tim Schavitz and Scott Serilla showed their online promotion for Gillette Stylers. Taking a choose-your-own-adventure approach, the project was called, “Take charge of your hair.” It showed men about to style their hair at crucial moments (like before an important meeting) with an angel and a devil character on either shoulder. The voice of reason, Mr. Gillette, would encourage good style. On the other shoulder, a coach, a mother or an unfashionable friend would suggest outlandish hair styles that only resulted in the main character's fall from grace. Again, the project had a small budget. “We do billion dollar web sites and incredible Flash work,” said Scott Serilla, “but tonight, we’re showing you labors of love.” An “all hands on deck,” approach was taken to this project as well, with art directors holding lights and acting as extras. A notable take-away from this case study is that Critical Mass had to convince the client that they could engage their audience with branded communications that didn't heavily push the product.

The evening concluded with a Q&A session. One member of the audience asked, “How does a print designer get online experience in order to stay marketable?” To this, several CM staff members suggested that traditional designers should begin by taking the time to understand new media by first getting involved— by signing up for Facebook or visiting YouTube. JT Andexler also asserted that “a good idea is a good idea,” and ultimately designers who produce good ideas, regardless of technological savviness, are the kind of people that Critical Mass seeks to work with and employ.

Alberta Venture – Steal Market Share in a Recession

It seems like everyone is doing it. Every time you turn on the TV more companies are sympathizing with your smaller budget. But when Quaker Oats suggests the high protein value of oatmeal makes it a viable alternative to costly meat – as if anyone is going to serve porridge at their next barbecue – you have to wonder if recession advertising has gone too far. So should you introduce a recession message into your marketing? Three experts weigh in.

“I think it shows a sensitivity to the current economy. However, businesses have to be careful not to send a message that price is the only reason to buy a product, because it may cheapen the image. If Sleep Country started pushing all low-end mattress, it might give the impression that they blow out bad quality. If a business is constantly having sales, it looks like they are in economic trouble, or they’re conditioning people to think of them as the discount solution.”

Jacqueline Drew, president, Start Marketing, Calgary

Some companies are probably using that message because it’s in line with their strategy, so if you’re the budget brand you’re reinforcing your strengths. But if your key position in marketing is a luxury brand, it would do you a lot of damage to position your product as budget conscious. Do you want to jump on the recession bandwagon, or move past it? If every product is using that message, more consumers will think “Oh, it’s worse than I thought.” Advertising can affect public perception and consumer confidence.

Geoff Grimble, Account Director, Toybox Media Inc., Edmonton

There is nothing inherently wrong with tweaking your brand to reflect the recession. But like most things, it’s the execution that matters. McDonald’s “Appetite Stimulus Package” is the same old value meal, wrapped up in slump slang. It’s lazy to slap a recession veneer on your brand; instead, strive for a deeper connection with your customer. Target’s “Brand New Day” ad series, for instance, is pitch-perfect. Recession-era products (i.e. hair clippers, self-tanner) are introduced as means to interact with the family. Thrift has never been this fun. “Dirt cheap” isn’t a long-term strategy; aspirational partner is. Ensure that brand tweaks make consumers feel like savvy shoppers, not scroungy skinflints.

DJ Francis, Author, OnlineMarketerBlog.com and senior content analyst, Critical Mass, Chicago

Critical Mass Announces Experience Distribution Practice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - CALGARY, AB and CHICAGO, IL – Critical Mass (www.criticalmass.com), a digital marketing agency and unit of Omnicom’s Star Marketing Group (www.starmsgroup.com), today announced the creation of its Experience Distribution practice. Focused on driving consumer engagement at the point of need, the group’s proprietary methodology aligns business objectives and consumer insights to relevant marketing channels, and evaluates success across the breadth of digital initiatives—ultimately connecting brands with customers on their terms.

“Online behavior has fragmented into nearly infinite touch points—yet each one can be incredibly important in the total customer experience,” said Scott Shamberg, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Distribution, Critical Mass. “We believe marketing today is about conversation, dissemination and brand relevance. Our focus is building distributed experiences with purpose, not to interrupt, so they serve the customer and their needs uncovered in the planning process,” Shamberg added. Beyond the site, the group’s aim is to deliver portable content wherever the consumer is—from banners, email and widgets to mobile, social and video experiences—and to install the most effective method of measurement.

Critical Mass’ Distribution Methodology is based on a rigorous analysis of consumer behavior in order to identify clients’ Consumer Engagement Opportunity. Once business objectives and consumer insights are determined, the group implements a proprietary scoring methodology—based on Searchable, Syndicated, Situational and Social content—to prioritize and recommend the best avenues to influence desired consumer behavior. Measurement is the final step to evaluate effectiveness and evolve recommendations based on key learnings.

“Experience Distribution is about listening, learning, and capitalizing on relevance to drive conversion,” said Dianne Wilkins, Chief Executive Officer, Critical Mass. “Portable brand engagement and social media are tightly tied in our future view of the digital landscape and our business has evolved to meet that need,” Wilkins added.

According to Wilkins, breaking down traditional silos between disciplines such as strategy, media planning and search is a key point of differentiation. “Our Experience Distribution Methodology is integrated across all delivery teams. We believe this holistic approach leads to extraordinary brand experiences—ones that deliver relevance and customer value,” Wilkins said.

Contact:
Celia Jones
Critical Mass
312.705.4169
celiaj@criticalmass.com