According to urbandictionary.com, the mustache “is a universal icon representing the epitome of authority and raw manhood.”   Since 2003, the mustache has also evolved into quite possibly the most genius non-profit marketing strategy of all time.  Every ‘Movember,’ men all over the world grow a mustache or a ‘Mo’ for 30 days to raise money for Prostate Cancer.  Not only are these sponsored mustaches raising money for a great cause, they have also become a recognizable symbol that forces people to discuss men’s health and the somewhat embarrassing topic of prostate cancer.  As our CEO Alan has found out, when you are growing a mustache there is no hiding it.  Wherever you go, people are going to ask questions, roll their eyes, or giggle, and men find themselves forced to talk about why they are growing and the cause behind it.  Combine that with testosterone, male camaraderie and a serious dose of competitive spirit (beware of peach fuzz… you will be mocked) and you have got yourself an incredibly successful fundraising campaign.  The mustache has arguably reached the elusive pink ribbon branding status, and it is growing every year.  Last year in Canada, Movember raised a total of $7.7 million for Prostate Cancer Canada.  This year they have already raised $4.4 million and it is only day 5. That is almost a million dollars a day. 

The secret to this year’s increased success is a combination of better merchandising and a great social media campaign.  Much like the pink ribbon, on the Movember website you can purchase t-shirts, jewelry, cufflinks, toys, skateboards, mugs and even flip cams all branded with the iconic Movember mustache.  In fact, the mustache brand arguably has better selling potential than the pink ribbon because it appeals to both men and women.  Ladies with “mustache envy” can purchase fake Mo’s and mustache jewelry, or they can support their mustached-man with t-shirts that say “I heart Mo.”   The mustache has the novelty factor that maybe other campaigns are missing, and that is the key to its branding success.  

Movember has also amped up their social media presence this year.  Mo Bro’s can link up their ‘Mo Space’ fundraising page to Facebook and twitter to keep their fans updated on their ‘stache, which increases awareness and boosts fundraising potential.  There is also a live plixi twitter photo feed that shows photos of Mo Bros from all over the world that have hash tagged #Movember, thus uniting growers and followers and demonstrating the true reach of the campaign.  Mustache growers can also make their own videos and post them on You Tube for a chance to enter the ‘Moscars’ – an award ceremony for the best Movember film.  Lastly, there is an app for that - iphone has created an app for Mo Bro’s, so they can keep track of their fundraising and share mustache updates with their friends and family on the go.   

           Just like Alan’s mustache, Movember is growing fast and it cannot be tamed.  The beauty of the campaign is its simplicity and its ability to grow organically through a universal symbol that everyone can recognize.  Rather than creating a new logo or branding to raise awareness for men’s health, Movember harnesses the natural essence of manhood and engages the most important marketing tool of all... face-to-face communication. 

Yesterday I spotted the first Facebook Places check-in on my news feed.

Facebook Places, a location-based social service, allows Facebook users to easily share where they are, what they’re doing and what friends they’re with using their mobile device. The 'check-in' immediately posts a status update to a user's personal profile.

Facebook Places is not the first location-based service on the market. Companies like Foursquare have also tapped into real world location check-in’s online, offering rewards or discounts at partnered businesses. In addition to check-in’s and discounts, Facebook Places gives users the ability to check-in friends with the tap of a button, whether they want people to be aware of where they are or not. Of course, users can disable this feature, but it raised a lot of questions about privacy.

When Facebook first announced Facebook Places, my immediate thoughts focused on privacy but also on purpose. Admittedly I am not on Foursquare or any other location-based service, so something may be lost between being an active user and being on the outside. Still I asked: why would people be motivated to essentially advertise exactly where they are at any moment and what risks would it create for personal privacy?

My ‘friend’, who is the first one I have seen use this service, updated to his friends list that he was at a Thai restaurant. I assume that some of the main reasons for check-in’s like this are self-centered. A user may want to get any available discounts that a business has offered by partnering with Facebook or they may simply want to share their whereabouts to show that they are social. In terms of importance for others, it is more difficult for me to find reasons for real world location online check-in’s. It’s not really interesting for me to know where this friend is at that moment, but to be truthful, many of the status updates that appear on my Facebook news feed are not very interesting either. Perhaps knowledge of where this individual is at that exact moment is more helpful for some of his close friends because they can meet up with him if they’re in the immediate area. Knowledge of his location also might be interesting for his family, partner or roommates if they’re hungry and in the mood for some good take-out. His check-in might also be useful for past girlfriends who want to keep… tabs on what he’s up to. Here lies the privacy issue.

The majority of Facebook users have friends on their list who they do not talk to IRL (In Real Life). A friend’s list may boast relationships with people users have lost touch with, met only for a moment or just don’t know very well. Does any Facebook user really want these types of Facebook 'friends' to know where they are? I’m sure the answer to this question all depends on personal preference, but I can say this, I disabled Facebook Places the minute it became available.

For those who share this sentiment, the following link may be useful.  http://lifehacker.com/5616395/how-to-disable-facebook-places

Social media is full of opportunity. It can help you stay in touch with family, it can help you meet new people and it can even help you become the President. Social media is sometimes underestimated or misunderstood, but if used properly it can be one of the best tools you have to promote your brand. Two examples of social media used in the right ways are:

President Obama

President Obama raised an astounding 87% of his campaign funds through social networking. Obama was personally active with his online campaign which was one of the differences between his massive success and the others minimal success. His exceptional online marketing had components that others lacked. Most important, was the intimacy Obama created with personal emails and exclusive videos. Social media gave Obama the platform to impact people he may not have other wise.

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber shot to uber fame when his mom started posting You Tube videos of the 12 year old middle school student singing at competitions. The views went from 100 to 1,000,000 and a producer by the name of Scooter Braun stumbled upon them and knew he had something special. Justin went from a regular kid to being loved by millions of young girls, and respected by many artists. 

Social media offers you a wide range of potential. When it is managed properly it can create exposure for your brand and allow for communication between you and your future or potential clients/customers. If your not taking part in the conversation, you will get left behind.  

There is no doubt that social media has made the world a smaller place.  By now most of us have incorporated Facebook, YouTube and Twitter into the fabric of our daily lives and changed the way we communicate with others.   However, no event has demonstrated the extraordinary power of social media quite like the recent earthquake in Haiti.  Suddenly Twitter is no longer just a fun way of socializing, but has become a critical tool in saving countless lives in the aftermath of the disaster.   As we speak, thousands of people are tweeting about Haiti, spreading the word, building support and disseminating important and timely information to those who need it around the world.  There are currently about 100 tweets a minute being posted about Haiti, and it is estimated that there have been more than 150,000 tweets about the Red Cross, helping to raise over $20 million for the charity’s Haiti relief effort.

Although social media has been used as a platform in emergency situations in the past, it has never had this much success in actually making a difference where it matters most.  Relief organizations seem to be harnessing Twitter more effectively than before, applying it in conjunction with other mediums to boost fundraising and spread awareness far and wide in a very short time.  Volunteers working in the disaster zone are using Twitter to share information with each other and coordinate their relief efforts to ensure that they are responding in the most effective way possible. 

Traditional media outlets are also using Twitter to disseminate news quickly and easily.  Early this morning a Toronto Star reporter tweeted in the middle of a 6.1 aftershock that she felt a tremor but had run outside and was safe.  As news of the second earthquake broke, Twitter temporarily crashed due to the high volume of tweets trying to get through.  News programmes were actually reading tweets from Haiti live on-air to give viewers the latest information about the aftershock.  Phone lines in Haiti are down and even text messages are taking up to 2 days to get through, therefore social media is stepping in where telecommunication is failing. 

Although people are still relying on traditional media to get their information about Haiti, they are using Twitter to react to the situation, share their feelings, and seek solace with people in the Internet community.  For the first time after a natural disaster of this magnitude, Twitter is allowing followers to witness events as they unfold through the eyes of those who are in the centre of the action.  Not only can people share in the pain of Haitians as they struggle to come to terms with what has happened, but they can also share joy in the wonderful stories of hope and survival that are emerging from the rubble. 

Some aid workers argue that immediacy is not the same as impact, and they worry that technology is actually having a negative effect on the Haiti relief effort by distracting people from the magnitude of the disaster.  Charities are concerned that social media users will have forgotten about Haiti in a few days and will turn their attention to another fad topic, when it may take years before Haitians fully recover from the disaster. 

While this may or may not be true, the point is that Twitter has started the conversation about Haiti and people are talking about it more than ever before.  Social media has allowed people to connect over this disaster on a global scale, and it has revolutionized the way we can help those who need it the most.  Imagine the possibilities if Twitter had existed during 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina.  Twitter is saving lives in Haiti because it is giving people a medium to come together and show how much they care.  While the earthquake is a terrible tragedy, it may make people finally sit up and take notice of this impoverished country and force the world to take steps to make a difference in Haiti, not just now, but in the years to come. 

Social media is the fastest growing medium to market your product and communicate with your audience.  And when it comes to branding your product it just might be the simplest and cheapest way to create awareness to potential clients.  Marketing is changing and it’s not always about selling something, at the end of the day it’s about creating and working on relationships.  But if you’re new to trendy online media activities, the following is sure to help you get on the right track to take advantage of what is right at your fingertips and a click away to branding success!  

Types of social media and what they can do for your company:

Blogs and forums

Used to gain new/returning business by participating in discussion forums and blogs. Become a source of information by sharing knowledge and answering questions.  Demonstrate your value for clients and potential clients.

Facebook

Creating Facebook groups attract interest and develop loyalty.

Online press releases

Make your website easy to find in search engines.

Online video

Posting videos on YouTube and on your company’s website can bring people onto the site and engage existing visitors.

Twitter

Using Twitter regularly to create and reinforce connections and to spread word of mouth about your business. 

Common Concerns:

Lacking time to learn and use social media tools

The best strategy is to pick one or two types of social media and focus on doing those well.  Have several employees share the updating duties on the company blog or contract a company outside to help with updating.  

Question the ROI?

Do you wonder if you will ever make any real business from using these social media tools?  Remember, it’s about making valuable connections and relationships with other credible business people and clients.

Worry about spam comments on blogs?

No problem, you can control and monitor inappropriate comments

3 Easy Steps To Help You Get Started!

Step 1: Finding and keeping your target

Position and describe your product. Blogging and posting updates about your product or service becomes a unique and innovative tool that can be used to spread the word.  It is a social media medium that keeps your customers aware and interested.  As long as you’re providing useful content for your audience, they’ll appreciate your effort and most likely visit again.  Social media is supposed to be conversational and casual, treat it as such and allow your audience to participate in your products.   

Step 2:  Keep it simple 

Make sure the content you post is clear, specific and something your clients can relate to.  Allow participation by making sure that the content being shared or discussed on the platform is relevant to your clients and their interests.

Step 3: Tools, Tactics, Techniques

Create peer pressure.  Get the right people involved in the beginning to encourage participation on a grassroots level, and then make sure the ongoing use of the platform is evident to your clients.

Keep in mind…!

If you do something great, people will find it. Nothing works better than word of mouse - one friend telling another.