Todd LaRoche, EVP, Managing Director of Creative, Palio

Social media delivers search-engine traffic – one reason why carefully managing social interactions is so important. Last year, I wrote about how offline social etiquette could be a key differentiator that delivers a competitive advantage. But, while you may think only crime busters and criminals compile dossiers on people of interest, our digital footprint says a lot about our character. And, as author Thomas Paine has said, character is much easier kept than recovered.

If you say something smart and thought-provoking, people may listen – but they’re also deciding if they like you, if your morals and values are reflective of their own and if you’re someone they’d want to partner with in business. Knowledge and expertise often trump personality, but with heavy competition and open sharing of ideas, it’s your people skills that can make or break your social media success. Proper business etiquette, even on informal social networks, can be a key differentiator that delivers a competitive advantage.

Being mindful of offline social skills can protect your personal and professional brand:

Avoid going in gangbusters. Whether you’re joining a discussion group on LinkedIn or following your prospects on Twitter, take the time to listen in on the conversation before participating. While it’s OK to highlight your knowledge, blatant promotion is considered taboo.

Stay on topic and promote sharing. To communicate effectively, know your audience’s interests and provide information of value. As you get to know your followers, be sure to respond to their comments and acknowledge their contributions. And if you read a great blog post, either leave a comment or pass it along using StumbleUpon, Delicious or via a shout out on Twitter.

Make it easy for people to learn who you are and what you do. Your “about us” section or profile is a marketing vehicle — communicate who you are interested in connecting with and the values that you hold. Make sure you include a picture to put a face to your name and personalize the relationship.

Forget about your number of followers. You’re never going to appeal to everyone. Rather than putting too much emphasis on the number of followers or friends you have, concentrate on interacting with your key audience. They’re the ones more likely to deliver the business results you want.

Confrontations can be catastrophic. What happens online stays online. That’s why it’s important to consider your actions and make sure all participation paints you in the most positive light. It is fine to address negative feedback, but being respectful is critical. When monitoring your own community or reputation, have a strategy for how you’ll respond – or not respond – to negative feedback.

KISS. Keep it simple, socializers. Channel your internal editor and avoid posting overly personal or mundane information. Some personal details adds dimension to your online persona, but constant griping or repeatedly sharing that you had the best chai latte may cause you to lose followers or irritate those that stick around.

Transparency is essential. Companies that demonstrate transparent communication are seen as credible, trustworthy and are more likely to build more meaningful relationships. Be upfront about your connection to your organization when participating on social platforms, create authentic messages, follow industry guidelines and be sure to get the tone right when communicating with others.

People interact with people, not companies. It’s prudent to define your corporate positioning and brand image, but don’t forsake the importance of being personable. Be friendly and show the human side of your company.

Online relationships can translate to real world success. Following social etiquette rules, regardless whether you operate online or office, will create better relationships and strengthen your reputation.

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten.

Quinn Tetterton, Executive Creative Producer, Palio

Ignite Social Media had a great post on Aug. 24 that offered 5 technologies that could change social media:

1. augmented reality
2. wearable technology
3. brain-control interface
4. holographic projection, and
5. omnipresent interactive surfaces.

It’s a great article worth checking out. What I loved most about it, though, is that the most amazing thing about their list, and the examples they offer, is that none of this is science fiction. It’s all already here. In fact, you’ve probably seen examples of all five of these in action yourself, without even thinking much about them.

Just as a few examples, have you noticed:

1. last holiday season’s best-selling Mind Flex toy
2. the amazing Star Walk mobile-phone app, or
3. CNN’s hologram interviews?

These technologies have snuck into our lives so quietly that we forget how amazing they are. And, on the flip side, because they sound so unreal in the abstract, we forget to consider them when we’re developing our own work. When was the last time you suggested, “Hey, how about we work some brain-control interface into this next project?” “Can we display this holographically?” “Why don’t we consider an interactive surface for this?”

Hopefully, you’ve done so recently… but realistically speaking, you probably haven’t. I know I haven’t. It’s only when you see these technologies in an atmosphere where your brain is already primed to think about the professional applications that they pop up.

1. Is your lobby or waiting area equipped with interactive tables?
2. Are your campaigns leading viewers to mobile apps so cool they’ll attract the attention of strangers on the subway?
3. Are your presentations at conferences and to prospective clients jazzed up with the occasional hologram?

It’s here. It’s doable. It’s not just flash – it’s interactivity and engagement. And, yes, it’s super cool stuff as well.

So I just have one question for you: “Why not?”

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten.

Just check out the facts: social media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the Web. It’s created a major shift in how we communicate with each other. Facebook reached 100 million users in less than a year. Facebook reached 100 million users in less than a year. Twitter has 140 million users who generate 340 million tweets a day. Social media is credited with everything from boosting brands to toppling governments.

For your brand, the message is obvious. You have to adapt to new ways to connect with your customers. Plus, you need to be where the new technology is to show people that your brand is relevant. Which isn’t as daunting as it sounds because Palio can help you navigate this new world.  We’re right at home in the flux of today’s fast-evolving communications ecosystem. We can show you how to talk to your customers via social media and provide other ideas on how to increase the size of your digital footprint.

At Palio, we’re not just on top of technological innovations, we’re building them. We have a department devoted to digital content creation, including Web and app development, video production, and interactive programs. In fact, all our brand teams “think” digitally, so any one of them is capable of creating a new idea that can take your brand places it’s never been before. Add to that our deep history in healthcare marketing and pharmaceutical advertising – a level of expertise few others can match – and you have an agency that can lead you past what’s happening now, and through what’s ahead, without flinching.

Since you’re already on our site, now is a perfect time to check out some of our other posts to see what we’re thinking. Then, if you want to know more, call Mike Myers at 518.584.8924. He’s not Nostradamus, but he can tell you how your brand will have a brighter future if it links up with Palio.

Catlin Renaud, Research Analyst, Palio

Marketers have long used consumer insight to guide decisions and strategy. Today, getting information about consumer attitudes, buying habits, preferences, trends and opinions is as easy as following a Tweet stream or collection of Facebook postings, right?

Not so fast. With the abundance of information available today it’s hard to distinguish critical data from noise. Before using social data to redefine your brand or offering, you need to take a step back and “look under the hood.”

Not everything that gets posted is accurate. Because of its immediacy, social media can become a platform for fleeting thoughts rather than well-thought out ideas. Someone writing that your new applicator is difficult to use may not follow up later with a positive post after they complete the learning curve. This makes this kind of data unreliable.

It’s easy to miss information. There’s so much activity on the social networks – in May, Twitter reached more than 4,000 Tweets per second at the beginning and end of President Obama’s speech – that you’re likely to miss critical information, even with rigorous monitoring. This makes your data incomplete.

Recognizing trends can be difficult because of skewed data and missing information. It also can be difficult because social media is still relatively new and companies are unsure of what to measure.

Listening in on customers via social media helps companies identify what people are saying about their products and services, but it’s important to validate the data before acting on it. By separating valid, actionable data from noise, companies can use this real-time feedback as the ultimate weapon in redefining their brand, products or services.

When thinking about social data and brand strategy, consider the following:

Size matters. The bigger your fan base, the more likely you’ll be able to raise awareness of your company or product and increase interactivity among consumers. Be sure to also look beyond size and at volume to identify frequent posters or tweeters. Encouraging either is likely to benefit your brand.

Follow your information. Want to know if your message resonates with your audience? Watch where it goes; is it being retweeted? Are bloggers linking back to your content? By understanding where your information is shared, you can further refine your messages and ensure you’re tapping into the interests of your buyers.

Don’t get hung up on time spent. Does it really matter how much time someone spends on your blog or Website? To a degree, yes, but that metric as a reflection of your popularity is flawed and hard to validate. How many times have you left a browser window open and walked away? Instead, monitor what people do when they interact with your brand. Look at activity and focus on where they came from, what they do when they arrive or why they came in the first place. This kind of feedback will tell you more about your target than your brand, which enables you to craft a strategy that aligns with their interests or requirements.

By listening to what people are saying, and validating what you hear, companies can get a better understanding of their buying audience and create a meaningful strategy that drives results.

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten.

Jeremy Lichtenberger, Senior Brand Planner, Palio

When Sally Field took the stage to accept her second Oscar award she exclaimed, “You like me. You really like me.”

The desire to be liked hasn’t changed over time, but how we express our approval has evolved. Liking is now an active expression of sharing, and we’re doing it through social media, whether that’s actually hitting the “like” icon on Facebook or retweeting a message on Twitter.

There has been a lot of focus on accumulating or generating likes, but social media is growing up. It’s time to move onto the next phase: deepening relationships and increasing engagement.

According to eMarketer:

Research has shown that people who voluntarily click the “like” button are apt to recommend the brand to friends and may also be more willing to purchase the brand. But at the same time, the simplicity of the “like” button means that there may be no actual engagement beyond the fleeting moment of the click.

Getting beyond likes is less about making impressions and more about generating expressions. As author and researcher Brian Solis says, it’s about loyalty, advocacy, and engagement. His advice:  Spend less time on superficial interactions and more time cultivating value.

To do that:

Understand what your customers want. Know their preferences, challenges and what they’re expecting. Then, deliver on it.

Go where they go. Remember that your Website or fan page is just a starting point. You need to interact with consumers outside your own house. That means participating in other communities to extend your reach.

Be responsive. Acknowledge positive feedback but also be proactive when negativity surfaces. Demonstrate that you value customer input in both words and actions.

Be authentic. People expect personality, whether that’s through brand messages or the ambassadors that carry the message. Stay away from scripted copy and humanize interactions as much as possible.

Foster ongoing interactions. Give people a reason to come back to your site, page or tweet stream. Whether that’s sharing content, asking for feedback, providing a coupon or creating an application or game, they need to know there’s something in it for them to continue the relationship.

If you want to keep people engaged, the focus should be on staying connected while serving as a resource to your target audience. Businesses want customer loyalty and customers want brands that deliver on (or exceed) their expectations.

If you want to retain your social media fan base and get customers to stick around longer, stop talking, start listening and focus on building great relationships.

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten.

Andy Smith, EVP, General Manager, Director of Global Operations, Palio

Are you familiar with NBC’s “The More You Know” public service announcements? The long-running campaign has been used to raise awareness of social issues and to move viewers to action. As social media becomes ubiquitous inside corporate walls, many organizations are embracing internal social networks – either proprietary communities or using platforms such as Yammer – similarly for employees, keeping them up-to-date with business activity, discussing ideas and fostering a stronger sense of community.

Social technologies, including wikis, forums or suggestion boxes in the form of blogs or message boards, provide employees with the opportunity to share and build on ideas in a collaborative arena that has visibility across the organization. This can make employees more knowledgeable, more connected and have a positive influence on business results. It can also shed light on where expertise is in the company and eliminates the boundaries of physical location.

By embracing internal social networks and encouraging employees to use these technologies to communicate, employees can participate in broader discussion of company goals, beyond their department or facility, and share ideas across many levels – beyond their department or senior leadership.

Naysayers may claim “I don’t need another network to check!” or “I don’t want to see pictures of colleagues attending the recent team-building event or read another status update,” but the reality is, the more employees know and can collaborate, the more likely innovation will occur.

Some people will take to internal social networks like a fish to water, but as with all new technologies, there’s likely to be some resistance. Recognize that embracing social media and implementing new modes of communication requires a cultural shift. Companies need to work at getting comfortable with the free flow of information and increased transparency social media offers rather than the traditional and limiting mode of keeping information in “silos” or departments.

Through social tools, employees can learn more about the business and their peers while increasing efficiency. A well-thought out communication strategy should be part of the initial foray into incorporating internal social networks because social media is a tactic, not a strategy. To use it effectively, educate employees on its value and how it can help them learn, grow and do their jobs better.

Social communication technologies empower employees to take action – whether that’s increasing interactivity, improving collaboration or fostering a stronger sense of community. For employees at every level, the more they know, and the more connected they feel to colleagues and team members, the more likely they are to be engaged and contribute to business success.

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten.

1. Google Body Browser – Google labs
http://bodybrowser.googlelabs.com/body.html#m=0&note=&ui=1&opa=s:1,m:1,sk:1,c:1,o:1,ci:1,l:1,n:1&nav=-4.73,115.6,160&sel=p:;h:;s:;c:0;o:0

Categories: 3D, Virtual Reality, Fluid Interface, Visualization

What it is: A 3D, interactive map of the human body

Why it matters: As technology evolves and visual interfaces become more robust with less processing overhead, it will allow for more interactive, more detailed user interactions.

2. Theo Hansen’s Strandbeest – constantly evolving
http://www.strandbeest.com/film_ted.php

Categories: DNA, Evolution, Mechanical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence

What it is: Mechanical devices based on DNA code that react to their surroundings

Why it matters: The link above is to Hansen’s 2007 TED talk, but it raises the larger issue of silicon based technology. As engineers work tirelessly toward nanotechnology, a world of AI that works off of mechanical means rather than code driven instructions, will be paramount to innovation. As pharma companies work with technology, our delivery of innovative compounds to patients in a more direct, non-invasive way may rely more heavily on mechanical engineering and less on software.

From Marty Hardin, SVP, Director of Emerging Media and Technology, Palio

1. Hacking Kinect for Teleconferencing – prototype
http://www.pcworld.com/article/224241/kinect_hacked_to_teleconference_is_now_cooler_than_skype.html

Categories: Social Media, Broadcast, Web Cam, Hacking, Twitter, Augmented Reality

What it is: A new way of conducting video conferences that shifts focus and tracks attendees

Why it matters: As we move further and further away from face-to-face interactions, this application helps create a sense of focus. It also allows participants to track who is in the room and where they are sitting.

Imagine: A doctor consults with a patient in a remote location. The doctor can maintain eye contact with the patient, while also having access to all of the patient’s medial information in real time. Imagine if vital statistics were also present. This could be a huge boon to rural areas where doctors are scarce, or in a crisis situation triggered by a natural disaster.

2. Store Data in Your Body – in the lab
http://www.pranavmistry.com/projects/sparsh/#CONTACTUS
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20325-store-data-in-your-body-without-cyborg-modification.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=tech

Categories: Data Storage, Data Transfer, Fluid Interface, Perceptual Interface

What it is: It’s a way to transfer data that relies on our perception to make data transfer as simple as possible

Why it matters: As devices become further embedded in our daily lives, the human to machine interface will become less and less daunting. Instead of modifying our behavior around devices, the devices will be built to behave according to our expectations.

Imagine: A patient answering a patient questionnaire at home and simply going to the doctor’s office and transferring to his/her device. No printing, no emailing, no worries of HIPPA compliance issues.

3. Mouseless/Invisible Computer Mouse – prototype
http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/03/man-steers-r-c-car-with-his-hands-not-to-mention-an-html5-based/

Categories: Technology, User Experience, Fluid Interface

What it is: A hands-free application that allows users to interact with a computer while using standard mouse “gestures” (click, double-click, right-click, etc.).

Why it matters: With non-contact driven gestural interfaces coming into their own (Kinect), this is another example of how we are starting to make computers “fade into the background.”

Imagine: A physician comes to a tradeshow booth. A representative from the pharma company strikes up a conversation, and, without being dependent on a device, is able to launce into a sales presentation anywhere in the booth area. No computer to carry or walk to. The device is secondary to the one on one conversation between the rep and the doc.

4. GOAB – prototype
http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663591/goab-ipad-app-brings-tv-watching-into-the-internet-age

Categories: Web Television, Interactive Television

What it is: An interactive television experience that works via your television and a content-aware app on a mobile device. It also assists you in finding shows based on your mood or interest-not listings.

Why it matters: While most interactive television projects have tried to meld all of the interactions into one interface, this one allows two devices to work in tandem. So you can watch a movie or television show and respond to ads, browse stats during a game, or tweet with your friends during your favorite television show.

Imagine: Watching your favorite show, and an ad appears for a drug in a category that affects a friend of yours. You can call up the product’s information, share it and continue talking about the show you were watching. A seamless integration of entertainment, social media, and marketing.

5. Adobe Photoshop Touch SDK – pre-release
http://mashable.com/2011/04/11/adobe-ipad-photoshop/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Mashable+(Mashable)

Categories: Technology, Mobile, Fluid Interface

What it is: An app lets you extend your computer workspace on to your mobile device. Not just an extra screen, but a shared interface.

Why it matters: Up until now, due to lower processing power, mobile devices have had “Lite” version of apps. This app allows the mobile device to take on lighter processing tasks and share those with the more robust desktop version. For all you Photoshop users, think mobile plug-ins.

Stories worth noting:

Mood Mapping Twitter
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19200-twitter-mood-maps-reveal-emotional-states-of-america.html
By using positive/negative words in English, a computer scientist maps the emotional state of the nation on Twitter.

Placebook: Visualizing your Friend‘s by Geolocation
http://geographics.cz/socialMap/
Designed to give users a better idea of how their friends are distributed around the world.

Bot shows signs of conciousness
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21028063.400-bot-shows-signs-of-consciousness.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=tech
A SOFTWARE bot inspired by a popular theory of human consciousness takes the same time as humans to complete simple awareness tasks.

HAPPY EXPLORING!

 

Palio is a full-spectrum global pharmaceutical and consumer advertising, marketing, and communications agency that excels in brand creation and specializes in brand strategy, product launches, global marketing, and digital and integrated media.

From Amy Levinson, VP, Communications Planner, Palio

Google Analytics says it…

Manhattan Research says it…

eMarketer says it…

Kantar Research says it…

The proliferation of smartphone usage is changing the way people engage online with content and one another. As such, we live in a world where information-seeking behavior is increasingly more prevalent while “on the go.”

In our world of pharma, today’s customer profiles demonstrate to us that there are definitely nuances to this adoption curve (whether it be an HCP or a motivated health-information seeker), however, over the next 4 years, this will radically change.

eMarketer recently projected that US smartphone users will increase by 50% over the next 4 years. From a global perspective, this increase will be by 107% with 75% of smartphone users concentrated in Asia Pacific (excluding Japan), Western Europe, and North America. So, for a channel that transcends global barriers, why aren’t our clients paying more attention to mobile strategy and Website optimizations?

Experiential connections are the name of today’s game. So when it comes to our Websites or digital content, we have one shot to engage. Subsequently, that experience needs to be device agnostic for seamless and uninterrupted access that will ensure a positive customer experience, whether via PC, MAC, iPAD, iPhone, Droid, Blackberry,  or Braille. This means our clients need to understand that this alters the composition of their budget and impacts their digital strategy.

To ensure that optimal customer connection, our thinking needs to evolve to include deployment from a technologic/device perspective but also from a user experience perspective and actually define what that optimal experience looks like that will support overall brand objectives and strategies. On the flip side of the equation, all good tactics must have a defined metrics component to track success (or lack thereof).

Interestingly, ClickZ recently published an article that not only supports the need to pay more attention to mobile but discusses a data capture game changer with the article “Device Fingerprinting Could Be Cookie Killer.”

Device finger printing is an emerging device identification technique that captures bits of information that get transmitted when content or services are accessed. These bits of information communicate details about that particle device/operating system that can get collected to form a unique “fingerprint” for that device that can be used for ad targeting, profiling, etc., which essentially replaces the standard of online measurement: the “cookie.”

While this technique may take some time to infiltrate our pharma world, the point is that this is another reason to move away from the current “desktop mentality.”

All this and we still haven’t talked about QR codes. Kudos to those brands who are deploying integrative mobile/print campaigns but if you’re going to invest in it, do it the right way! For most of the campaigns I have tried to access, mobile content was not optimized for my blackberry; I want to know, for these brands, who’s asleep at the user experience wheel?!  Someone is not paying attention to cross platform integration.

And what about the need for universal scanner software?! But that’s for a whole other day.

Palio is a full-spectrum global pharmaceutical and consumer advertising, marketing, and communications agency that excels in brand creation and specializes in brand strategy, product launches, global marketing, and digital and integrated media.

From Michael Villanella, Copywriting Intern, Palio

AstraZeneca hosted the first live pharmaceutical Twitter chat this past week. Leading up to the event, bloggers and tweeters created a substantial buzz on the web.  They wondered how successful/safe this event would be given the lack of FDA regulations. AZ’s main objective (among others) was to receive feedback on Prescription Savings Programs.  Although this seems innocent, many were holding their breath due to the potential of the chat going sour.

The format was simple. AZ led discussion by tweeting questions and participants gave their responses. In an attempt to have two-way discussion, followers would occasionally return fire at AZ. Depending on the risk factor, AZ may choose to answer or not answer these questions.

Since AZ had chosen the open forum of twitter, there was a concern for “hijackers” or individuals who take over discussion by asking off topic questions. Although AZ tried to combat this with an introductory disclaimer, hijacking attempts were in abundance.

At times, hijacking attempts were so outright and obnoxious that I couldn’t help but laugh. My hunch is that some of these people were being over the top on purpose in order to test the waters. I would guess they wanted to see how far AZ would go.

Was the AstraZeneca chat successful?

In regards to AZ utilizing social media, the chat reminded me of Alex Rodriguez’s steroid press conference in 2009. Questions were answered, but more sprang up as a result. The chat succeeded in proving that the use of social media is possible and safe. But the question becomes how practical was the use of social media?

By hiding behind the veil of Twitter, AZ was able to pick and choose, or simply ignore questions that didn’t fit their agenda. Their cold shoulder treatment served as both a blessing and a curse.

On one hand, AZ was able to avoid trouble by dodging touchy questions, but on the other hand, they were forced to shut out a lot of their followers who had decent questions. One frustrated tweet said “I would like to thank @AstraZeneca #rxsave @TonyJewell @ACUnderserved for ducking important questions & wasting an hour of peoples time.”

While there is some truth to this statement, it can’t be expected of AZ to answer the “important” questions through twitter; at least not at this time. In AZ’s defense, they did the most they could by taking the least amount of risk.

Was this a breakthrough in the social media realm for pharmaceutical companies? Probably not, but this is certainly a step in the right direction. It seemed as though AZ’s objective was  to gain information rather than give it. While AZ did answer some questions, they were restricted to scratching the surface. This is the main problem with social media – there’s only so much that can be done without taking risks.

At the end of the chat, AZ posed a final question regarding the success of its twitter event. It was almost unanimously agreed that this live chat was a great idea and had great value. Judge for yourself and check out the chat transcript here.

Palio is a full-spectrum global pharmaceutical and consumer advertising, marketing, and communications agency that excels in brand creation and specializes in brand strategy, product launches, global marketing, and digital and integrated media.