Community

The afternoon seminar in Chicago showcased eight different presentations of how major companies, and even the Mayo Clinic and US Coast Guard, were using cheap social media to spread positive word of mouth campaigns. Key speakers included reps from the blogcouncil (a group of corporate marketing execs in charge of social media), who in turn represented companies and brands such as Procter & Gamble, The Home Depot, Allstate, H&R Block, Sharpie, and Molson Beer.

Hearing interesting beer facts from Molson's Adam Moffat, such as why a frozen mug isn't best (he says it oxidizes beer, causing it to go stale), was certainly a highlight. But from a business standpoint, the two presentations I found most interesting were put on by the Mayo Clinic and Sharpie. Both of those presentations talked about some of the expenses behind remarkably low-cost social media campaigns. And of course low-cost is key to marketing this year.

Mayo's Aase showed off a tiny Flip Video Camcorder, which can plug directly into a USB drive. Aase claims that the audio from a video segment was good enough for a CBS News radio program, and a video interview was embedded with a Wall Street Journal story the day after being filmed. The Mayo team also use it to create content for the clinic's own YouTube channel and for videos on its blogs, such as the brand new feelgood Sharing Mayo Clinic blog, which showcases patient and employee stories. And Aase says the camera only costs $150 to $200.

Sharpie's in the beginning stages with its social media campaign, but its off to a promising start. They just launched a sweet-looking blog on the main Web site, which showcases Sharpie fan art and celeb Sharpie sightings. Sharpie's Susan Wassel said she manages the blog totally on her own in addition to her regular marketing work. The overall additional company cost for this new blog - less than $2000, most of it spent on designing the masthead.

The BlogWell event was a pretty sweet scene, but a much bigger shindig approaches. Come Monday I'll be abandoning my much loved but mighty freezing Chicago homeland for sunny Orlando. AMA's Mplanet event is next week (finally!) and yours truly will be there to soak it all in. Keep an eye out on the Marketing News blog next Monday through Thursday for updates from myself, John Frank and Elisabeth Sullivan. We'll also be posting on the Mplanet blog and the Mplanet Twitter page.

Enjoy the weekend!