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23 July 2010

Treme-ndously Guilty

by Karen Barone

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All posts by Karen Barone

Okay, let’s just get this out of the way: I’m not delusional. Here are the facts: In April 2009, I made a strong request (in this very blog) for more television programming like HBO’s The Wire. In April 2010, HBO, David Simon and other members of The Wire’s team, premiered Treme. Coincidence? Unlikely.

Okay, let’s just get this out of the way:  I’m not delusional.  Here are the facts:  In April 2009, I made a strong request (in this very blog) for more television programming like HBO’s The Wire.  In April 2010, HBO, David Simon and other members of The Wire’s team, premiered Treme.  Coincidence?  Unlikely.

This unambiguously causal relationship has left me with a nagging sense of responsibility:  TREME WAS MY REQUEST AND I COULDN’T MAKE IT PAST EPISODE 5.  I’m a disappointment to myself.  Go ahead.  Judge me.

The show started off so strong.  It had all the hallmarks of Simon’s work: (1) location as a main character; (2) the people, dialogue and situations were brutally authentic; (3) the connections among characters were tenuous, but clearly promising; and (4) it was gorgeous to look at.  Truth be told, I was almost in tears at the end of Episode 1.  I had a David Simon show again; my life would return to its natural order (that is to say, I would be obsessed with “good television” once again).  Additionally, and this can’t be overstated, Elvis Costello was in the first episode.  I’d watch Elvis Costello read the phone book.  (And for the amount I’ve paid for his concert tickets over the years, he should offer to do it for me.  Another topic for another blog.)

And so I watched…

Episode 2:  Not much progress in the plot, but there were promising narrative threads.  I just had to wait for Simon to pull them.

Episode 3:  Not much progress.  Just pull the thread, David.  Pull it!

Episode 4:  Pull the stinking thread!  Give me something.  Please.  Just hint at a narrative arc.

Episode 5:  Seriously?  Where is this going?  Jazz is important. I get it.  Sheesh.

Episode 6:  Didn’t watch it.  I just stopped caring.

I turn to you now, readers.  Did anyone stick with Treme?  If so, please make an argument for me to go back and pick it up On Demand.  After all, I MADE this happen.  I should see it through, right?

4 Responses to “Treme-ndously Guilty”

  1. Tom Smith says:
    July 24, 2010 at 8:32 pm

    Karen:

    My wife is as much a fan of HBO and David Simon as you and watched until the very sad end. It’ll be interesting to see if it has another season. It certainly could with NOLA’s current problems. Will the city survive? Given the spirit of the natives, I think so. But stay tuned.

    Tom

  2. Karen Barone says:
    July 26, 2010 at 10:50 am

    Hi Tom,
    Season Two is an open question, for sure. Yet, a sweet prayer for NOLA and her coastal sisters is always in order. Thanks for reminding me what it’s really about…there’s still work to be done. Now more than ever.
    Sincere thanks,
    Karen

  3. Julie says:
    July 26, 2010 at 11:07 am

    Oh Karen, come back! I agree — the pace is a little plodding, but the medium is the message. Recovering and rebuilding consists of relentless baby stepping, not search/voyage–>epiphany–>resolution. Treme demands that we walk in these characters’ shoes, experience the false starts and dead-ends as well as the breakthroughs.

    And actually, as I think about it, quest is the mainstay of any good narrative, and there’s a whole lot of that going on in Treme — the quest for the missing brother, for hope, for renewal. There’s also a lot of failure going on, and I wonder if part of the lukewarm response to Treme (as I know many Simon fans who feel as you do) is simply that as Americans, we’re not used to seeing that in prime time.

    Or maybe my senseless love for the music simply guarantees that I’ll love this show, no matter what.

  4. James Bailey says:
    July 27, 2010 at 10:16 am

    Although I agree with Julie’s comment, I totally understand where you are coming from, Karen. My advice: Jump to the season finale. I actually stumbled into Treme because I was too lazy to move my couch-potato bottom off the couch after the season premier of True Blood.–the finale of Treme followed and I was sold. The next day I started watching from the beginning and have loved every minute of it.

    I hear that they are releasing the soundtrack in conjunction with the premier of the second season, so it looks like the stories will continue…

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25 June 2010

The Me Networks

by Karen Barone

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To paraphrase Billy Idol, I’ve been “social networking with myself.” It’s not as dirty as it sounds, I promise.

Forget therapy. So long, self-help books. I’ve got two online sources that will put you back in touch with YOU.

I give you:

To paraphrase Billy Idol, I’ve been “social networking with myself.”  It’s not as dirty as it sounds, I promise. 

Forget therapy.  So long, self-help books.  I’ve got two online sources that will put you back in touch with YOU.

I give you:

FutureMe.org.  Now you can send yourself emails in the future.  Need to psych yourself up for that big presentation next quarter?  Send yourself a pep talk to arrive the day of.  Need to change your diet, but don’t think you’ll stick with it?  Send periodic emails that will arrive every New Year’s Day for the next five years.  Note however, you can also send future emails to other people.  Approach with caution lest you end up like a favorite co-worker whose ex-boyfriend recently received an email she sent him SEVEN YEARS AGO via FutureMe.org. (Gulp.)

And if email isn’t enough…how about creating a better version of you with whom you can speak and interact?

I humbly offer:

LifeNaut.com. Through uploaded pictures and information you can create an avatar that can interact with you, and better yet, your loved ones long after you’ve shuffled off your mortal coil.  Sure, the goal is to create an accurate facsimile, but are you going to upload that elementary school report card displaying your “unsatisfactory” in chorus or that unfortunate school photo with the bi-level perm and one hoop earring from 1985? (I may have revealed too much.) No, you’re going to populate that avatar with documentation of your beauty, talent and smarts. 

Of course, there are multitudes of ways to use these sites.  But for me, I’m “friending” myself, hedging my bets and choosing online self-creation over online self-actualization.  Let’s be honest, future imperfection is so 2009.

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11 June 2010

Expired Insight: Gwyneth’s Goop

by Karen Barone

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All posts by Karen Barone

There’s a reason we advocate for longitudinal studies, going back into communities to test and retest hypotheses. Insights have variable shelf lives and we need to keep checking the expiration date to see if they’ve grown stale. Sadly, I recently discovered the insight in a previous blog post is now the strategic equivalent of a liquefied carrot in the back of my fridge.

There’s a reason we advocate for longitudinal studies, going back into communities to test and retest hypotheses.  Insights have variable shelf lives and we need to keep checking the expiration date to see if they’ve grown stale.  Sadly, I recently discovered the insight in a previous blog post is now the strategic equivalent of a liquefied carrot in the back of my fridge.

In March 2009, I wrote my first blog post on Gwyneth Paltrow’s newsletter, “Goop”.  At that time, I praised Gwyneth for “simply being Gwyneth.”  I loved that the newsletter seemed aspirational, without actually trying to sell a luxury lifestyle.  It was Gwyneth letting us into her world, without apology.  I found this brave, and snickered at critics who faulted her for being out of touch. 

Silly critics, that’s exactly why reading “Goop” was so enjoyable.  It was Gwyneth sharing news from the world of Gwyneth.  That was it.  Readers were voyeurs and it was fun.  But something changed.  Gwyneth decided to share and … (gulp) … advise. 

“Goop” started advising me on how to be healthy ($350/week vegetable cleanse you can only get in Manhattan!), where to vacation (luxury hotel in Morocco!), how to be green (buy from the Stella McCartney Eco Collection $435-$1535!).  I had joked in my original post that Gwyn thinks, “I might want to be her, and she’s right.”  But what I’ve realized is Gwyn assumes I am her.  It’s made “Goop” painful to read and Gwyneth look like a fool. 

A good insight is like the mythical phoenix.  You can kill it with the fires of new evidence, but a new one emerges stronger and more actionable.  In my first blog post, I encouraged luxury brands to take a page from “Goop” and sell aspiration without shame.  The new insight provided by “Goop” is much more useful and powerful:  Don’t overstep.  Don’t confuse author with audience.  It’s a short trip from out-of-touch to completely delusional.

4 Responses to “Expired Insight: Gwyneth’s Goop”

  1. Renee Piazza says:
    June 14, 2010 at 12:52 pm

    Karen – this is a brilliant post, and so true! I find myself saying “yea right” lately when I read her newsletter. Nice post.

  2. Charlotte says:
    June 15, 2010 at 11:44 am

    AND, did you notice that her last “newsletter” (about sprituality) was basically a repeat of one she’d done before? Same sources and everything. Come on Gwen!

  3. Sho says:
    June 21, 2010 at 8:59 am

    Agreed! I love her, but bring back the OG Gweneth… please!

    And good point – “Don’t confuse author with audience” is key to what makes good journalism- well, good!

  4. marla aaron says:
    June 28, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    I too, started out luvin’ Goop–and all that Gwyneth stuff…Karen you absolutely pinpointed the moment she lost me….the CLEANSE! I loved her recipes, the tone…it all felt right and then came the cleanse and the seemingly constant doses of spirituality from a string of expert “lifestyle gurus” interspersed with hotel recommendations that seemed so utterly out of touch.
    You pegged it perfectly!
    Great post.

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28 May 2010

Social Network Connective (Facial?) Tissue

by Karen Barone

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Friendships are complicated and online friendships can be downright confounding. I know people who have nearly a thousand Facebook friends and use their social networks for a variety of reasons, both personal and professional. That seems to work for their purposes, but when it comes to people in my social network, I’m a less-is-more kind of gal.

Friendships are complicated and online friendships can be downright confounding.  I know people who have nearly a thousand Facebook friends and use their social networks for a variety of reasons, both personal and professional.  That seems to work for their purposes, but when it comes to people in my social network, I’m a less-is-more kind of gal. 

I never considered this a “high standard” for creating a social connection and maybe it isn’t.  What’s clear, however, is that our friends at Google have drastically lowered the bar.  Enter:  People Hopper.  This exciting application opens up an entire world of potential new friends based on….wait for it… similar facial features.

I get what might be fun about People Hopper, but let’s be honest, it’s not “friends” we’re making when we reach out to someone who also has almond-shaped eyes and/or a prominent nose.  What are these connections and how do we define them?  This is a whole new landscape of “similarity” and “connection.”

This has me thinking:  Can we have it both ways or, when it comes to building online connections, do we ultimately have to choose one of the two words in “social network.”

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13 May 2010

From “Sellout” to “Sold Out,” or How I Learned to Hate Success

by Karen Barone

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“Ah man, I saw that band years ago at a small club. I’m not paying $150 to see them at [insert name of big sports/music venue]! They’re a bunch of sellouts”

It’s a pretty typical story: small (often independent) band cultivates loyal following only to lose their most passionate fans when the band earns real notoriety and money. I’m one of these “bad weather fans,” as we’re often called. I’m fine with it; I’ve got an entire CD and cassette tape graveyard of bands I used to love, but who outgrew my affinity and loyalty.

“Ah man, I saw that band years ago at a small club.  I’m not paying $150 to see them at [insert name of big sports/music venue]!  They’re a bunch of sellouts” 

It’s a pretty typical story:  small (often independent) band cultivates loyal following only to lose their most passionate fans when the band earns real notoriety and money.  I’m one of these “bad weather fans,” as we’re often called.  I’m fine with it; I’ve got an entire CD and cassette tape graveyard of bands I used to love, but who outgrew my affinity and loyalty.

The truth is this:  I like to have secrets.  Whether it’s legitimate or not, I like to feel like I have insider knowledge, like I’m an early adopter.  I don’t like it when my favorite things “become mass.”  Which is why I was so angry when I recently logged on to my go-to shopping site, Diapers.com, and was informed that the site was out of commission due to…gulp…too much activity.

I stared at the screen in disbelief.  I kept clicking “refresh” in the hope that this mirage of popularity would disappear.  It remained.  Then it hit me, “This is my fault.  It’s entirely my fault.”

I’ve been telling any parent who would listen to use Diapers.com—great prices and free, super-fast shipping.  I can’t live without it.  (Shoot!  I just did it again. )  That’s the problem with word-of-mouth campaigns.   Once you endorse the thing you love, you run the risk of losing it. 

The irony of the whole thing is that early adopters often want their beloved musician or product to succeed, but they don’t want them to change.  There’s an emotional payoff in the “I knew them when” story. But it can quickly turn to disdain when fans/customers don’t feel like the memory is reciprocated.

It’s a real challenge for marketers.  How do you expand your market and keep your core customers satisfied?  I know it’s a particularly vexing question in the world of public television, and it’s certainly a pain point being felt by Facebook. 

I won’t pretend to give the answer here, but I’ll share this tidbit:  Elvis Costello often asks his crowd how many attendees were at smaller venues/shows in the past.  It’s a nice acknowledgement and a creative way to single out the loyalists.  As for Diapers.com, PBS and others dealing with these issues, they’d be well-suited to find their industry’s equivalent of the “backstage pass.”  What better way to find out then to ask those who have been loyal since the beginning.  As for me, I’ll take a free box of Sprout baby food from Diapers.com. 

Oh, have I told you about Sprout?!

One Response to “From “Sellout” to “Sold Out,” or How I Learned to Hate Success”

  1. Carrie says:
    May 13, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    I think it’s also your fault that Bare Naked Ladies got so big. You should have just kept them to yourself before all of that Kraft Macaroni and Cheese starting flying their way on stage

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16 April 2010

Getting to the Insight: A logic game

by Karen Barone

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Have you ever played one of those classic logic games? Here’s a pretty famous one: “Seth couldn’t go home because the man in the mask was waiting for him. Where is Seth?” Depending on the rules you play with, you either get to ask more questions or you just have to guess.

I like to think of that as the difference between what we do at Communispace and more traditional market research. If you come out of a focus group or phone survey with contradictory findings, you’re left to extrapolate and/or ask another group of people to explain the inconsistency. In a community, you can go back and ask questions of the same people to uncover the real basis for their original insights.

Okay, ready to play?

Have you ever played one of those classic logic games?  Here’s a pretty famous one:  “Seth couldn’t go home because the man in the mask was waiting for him.  Where is Seth?”  Depending on the rules you play with, you either get to ask more questions or you just have to guess.

I like to think of that as the difference between what we do at Communispace and more traditional market research.  If you come out of a focus group or phone survey with contradictory findings, you’re left to extrapolate and/or ask another group of people to explain the inconsistency.  In a community, you can go back and ask questions of the same people to uncover the real basis for their original insights.

Okay, ready to play?

Here’s a logic game based on fairly typical research findings.  Oh, and we’re playing with Communispace rules here.  Of course, you can ask more questions.

************************************

Consider these data about a customer of a local food establishment:

  • Susan goes there “several times a week.”
  • She “occasionally” goes there more than once a day.
  • She spends more than $30 there every week.
  • She’s “satisfied” with the food quality.
  • She will “definitely” go there again in the future.
  • They have several menu items that she considers to be “very good” or “good.”
  • When asked how much she likes the food establishment, she reveals: “Not at All.”

Question: How do you explain the individual’s lack of affinity for a place she frequents so often?

7 Responses to “Getting to the Insight: A logic game”

  1. Meghan Anderson says:
    April 16, 2010 at 1:50 pm

    An appropriate post, since I just got back from lunch. It sounds like a good summation the cafes that sit on the first floor of any office building in downtown Boston. Convenient, but largely uninspired. The woman’s relationship with the establishment is purely functional. She doesn’t connect with the brand or the experience outside of the transaction itself. despite visiting frequently and spending a fair amount there.

    The establishment can probably count on her continued business, because of the ease of transaction (It’s “on her way,” amid a very busy schedule, so it’ll do.) but not her loyalty or recommendation to others.

  2. Peter Chapin says:
    April 16, 2010 at 2:38 pm

    What I like is how much room for interpretation there is between the lines. Is Susan going there just because it’s so convenient, or…does her sister run the place, and she feels obligated to go? Are the walls painted a color that gives her a headache? Does her office have a deal with the establishment so that there’s some kind of incentive for her to go? Maybe the food is delicious but the place smells bad?

    All questions that could have a huge impact on understanding why Susan goes there, but if we couldn’t keep asking for more details, we’d never really know.

  3. Diane Hessan says:
    April 16, 2010 at 11:49 pm

    Great post, Karen. There are so many possibilities, right?

    Perhaps it’s a place where she buys food for someone else, like a child or a parent.
    Or, perhaps, it’s one of those “captive” places, like what Meghan describes: a company cafeteria or the like (we have a place like that near our offices, don’t we?)
    Or perhaps she loves the food but thinks the people are surly.

    Time to explore more.

  4. Karen Barone says:
    April 19, 2010 at 11:27 am

    Thanks, Meghan. It’s a great caution for all of us–don’t confuse frequency with loyalty.

    I love these questions, Diane. I’d also want to know more about how she feels about food, in general. What does eating mean for her? What are the emotions behind food? Is she dieting?

  5. Laura Carrillo says:
    April 19, 2010 at 11:36 am

    Hi Karen,
    Cool post! Does she work there?

  6. Jani Fraga says:
    April 20, 2010 at 3:16 pm

    As a current student in a marketing research methods class, I find myself stuck within these open paths during data collection. Diane came to speak with us last week and described Communispace’s drive to shine light on “the 5th P (participation),” allowing not only Susan, but her fellow community members to compare and contrast their thoughts, feelings, and reasoning for liking or disliking the brand. Not only would the 5th P allow Susan to express her concerns, but may permit new ideas and solutions to Susan’s distaste.

  7. Nicole Adriance says:
    April 21, 2010 at 3:27 pm

    Hmmmm … sounds familiar. I would venture to guess that she has no other choice but to frequent this place due to a lack of competition. Normally this place, might be pretty good, but since she goes there so frequently it tips the scale in favor of “Not at All!” Great post Karen … it really goes to show you that at this point we are all just guessing, despite having the data right in front of us. Exactly why the ability to probe further makes Community so valuable!

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2 April 2010

Here Comes the Sun (do do do dit)

by Karen Barone

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It’s the strangest thing. People are walking around outside staring at the sky. The look on their faces betrays only the slightest hint of recognition. As if the sun is a friend they grew up with and haven’t seen in 25 years. But it’s true…the rain has stopped in New England, and in addition to drying out our basements (err…cellars), we’re also getting ready to welcome spring into our lives.

It’s the strangest thing.  People are walking around outside staring at the sky.  The look on their faces betrays only the slightest hint of recognition.  As if the sun is a friend they grew up with and haven’t seen in 25 years.  But it’s true…the rain has stopped in New England, and in addition to drying out our basements (err…cellars), we’re also getting ready to welcome spring into our lives.

It’s got me thinking … we need a spring pop music hit.  The summer hit has long been a staple of the music industry.  Every year there’s a catchy, omnipresent little ditty that becomes part of the collective pop culture brain.  You want proof?  Despite being a few years old, I defy you to say “umbrella” without someone near you saying “ella, ella, ella.”  Summer hits are fantastic even when–and maybe especially when–they’re annoying.

So, why no spring hit?  Isn’t that when we need it most?  Aren’t we most desperate to roll down our windows and turn up our radios when the weather first starts to get warm?

Sounds like just the kind of problem a community could solve.  Hence, I call on you, my community.  To create, nominate, find and share the perfect spring song.

I nominate “Can’t Hardly Wait” by The Replacements.  It’s classic and perfect.

2 Responses to “Here Comes the Sun (do do do dit)”

  1. Jani Fraga says:
    April 2, 2010 at 9:04 am

    I always get the urge to skip everywhere I go when the sun finally peeks out. I can’t believe that this weather is taken for granted, even in New England…give it a few weeks to be too hot or cold or humid or “I can’t wait for this heat to be over”. When you find out the latest jam, please let me know – in the mean time, I personally will be blasting “No Rain” by Blind Melon on my commute home, and deciding what is for dinner – black raspberry in a cup, or peppermint stick on a sugar cone…both with jimmies, of course.

  2. Nina Kentsis says:
    April 8, 2010 at 2:25 am

    I LOVE the Replacements! They are truly one of my favorite bands. I think there was a bit of a resurgence of interest in them lately after Alex Chilton’s death last month. However, I’m not sure that “Can’t Hardly Wait,” while a fabulous song, is the best song for spring.

    I do like “Here Comes the Sun,” and yesterday as I was driving home, I heard “Rosalita” by Bruce Springsteen and that seemed just perfect to me. I would also nominate “A-Punk” by Vampire Weekend or “Click Click Click Click” by Bishop Allen.

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19 March 2010

Picking NCAA Brackets: A serious endeavor

by Karen Barone

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As I write, we are one hour away from the beginning of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. I can feel my pulse rate increasing. I’m not a huge basketball fan (save a wicked crush on Kevin Garnett), but I love March Madness and I love the yearly ritual of filling out my brackets.

As I write, we are one hour away from the beginning of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. I can feel my pulse rate increasing. I’m not a huge basketball fan (save a wicked crush on Kevin Garnett), but I love March Madness and I love the yearly ritual of filling out my brackets.

I like to get my brackets in early. I have a highly sophisticated system. I don’t do research and I don’t base my decision on team rank or recent performance. I go with a little algorithm I call, “Do I know anyone who went to that school?” (patent not pending). If I like the person who attended that school, I pick the team. If I don’t, I don’t. If there are two teams to which I have no “connection,” I pick at random. Unless, it’s Gonzaga; I almost always pick Gonzaga. Not sure why. I think I just like to say, “Gonzaga.”

I put my brackets in competition against some real serious sports fans and strategists. Am I worried? Nope. People have said that monkeys can pick stocks as well as some brokers. I don’t know if that’s true, but I know this monkey won 2nd place in her pool last year.

I have Ohio State winning it all. (Two of my favorite people in the whole world attended that school.)

So, how do you pick and who do you have winning???

6 Responses to “Picking NCAA Brackets: A serious endeavor”

  1. Devon Jeffers says:
    March 19, 2010 at 5:38 am

    I have the Jayhawks winning it all…as I am sure more than half the country does as well. Which kind of leads into my theory for my bracket:

    I go with what’s popular. Rely heavily on rankings and what analysts say on ESPN (aka my bible…in TV form). It may not be original, but it usually keeps me on the right path.

    Although I don’t really know what to say after last night…

  2. Steve says:
    March 19, 2010 at 6:55 am

    Lehigh looked pretty respectable last night, no? I thought it was funny the commentators kept commenting on their GPA’s and referring to the players as student athletes. Unfortunately, you can’t teach height. I also have KU winning, but only picked 8 of 16 games yesterday…currently 537th out of 557 brackets submitted in the pool I’m in. Yes, my son is crushing me and doing a lot of trash talking. Enjoy…go Cornell.

  3. Dan says:
    March 19, 2010 at 7:56 am

    I’m not willing to admit on this widely-read blog that I’m participating in sports betting or gambling of any kind. However, if I were, I’d select my teams after reading/listening to a few of my most trusted sources, catching at least one highlight reel from each team, evaluating their coach’s experience/success, and understanding who the team’s leader is. With that said, if I had to select a team to win this year’s tournament, it would be Kentucky (despite the fact that I am a big fan of Duke and Syracuse, who are also #1 seeds). Kentucky is a very popular pick this year (especially among my most trusted sources), they are insanely talented, and have an incredible coach (John Calipari) who has plenty of experience winning in the NCAA tournament. With all of that said, there is no doubt in my mind that I’ll lose (theoretically of course) to someone who selects teams based on who they know that went to a particular school, and whether or not that person made a good impression on her.

  4. Bill Alberti says:
    March 19, 2010 at 9:18 am

    Picking teams is like picking a name for your child. It cannot be taken seriously enough. You need to research, analyze, look at history, look at outcomes, look at the possibility of being made fun of or getting beat up because of it. It’s a near religious experience. That being said, I usually come in at the bottom of my pool and I named my son the same name as me. What do I know?

    And THAT’s the truth about the tournament that makes it so much fun. What do I know, I just love every minute of it.

  5. Nina Kentsis says:
    March 19, 2010 at 9:49 am

    I have stopped filling out brackets because I stopped having the time to watch (or attend) regular season games and barring any actual knowledge of the teams, I am like contractually obligated as a Duke grad to pick Duke for the win.

    It used to be that Gonzaga was the underdog but now they are consistently ranked very high in their region. I think the true underdogs are the Ivy Leagues because they show up every year, usually ranked at like 15 or 16 in their region, and then they scramble. They have, as the announcers like to say, “heart.” I love a good upset, unless it involves Duke.

  6. Rebecca Mackenzie says:
    March 22, 2010 at 8:23 am

    I loved reading this post, Karen! To share my scientific method for creating a bracket:
    1) Ignore rankings/everyone else’s “expert” opinions.
    2) If the team is from upstate NY, they must win at least one game.
    3) If the team name sounds good, then they go pretty far [agree with Karen's mention of Gonzaga].
    4) Randomly fill in rest of bracket based on stream-of-consciousness (“Kentucky…KFC…Derby…don’t they have enough cool stuff already?” Darn you, Kentucky!).

    I won’t specifically comment on my predictions on games yet to be played, lest I jinx them, though it was awfully funny to hear my boyfriend start referring to my bracket as “our bracket.” Nice try, but don’t think so.

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5 March 2010

Minivan Dreams Powered by Toyota

by Karen Barone

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I want a minivan and I don’t want to be judged! When I was in my early twenties, I drove a minivan and it was the car-of-choice among me and my friends. We didn’t care what we were driving in, as long as we were together and the music was loud. I could fit 10 people in that minivan; it was a punk rock clown car.

I now fit the profile of a minivan driver—I’m in my thirties and I’ve reproduced—and therefore I’ve been told by friends and family that I absolutely cannot drive a minivan.

It’s not fair!

I want a minivan and I don’t want to be judged! When I was in my early twenties, I drove a minivan and it was the car-of-choice among me and my friends. We didn’t care what we were driving in, as long as we were together and the music was loud. I could fit 10 people in that minivan; it was a punk rock clown car.

I now fit the profile of a minivan driver—I’m in my thirties and I’ve reproduced—and therefore I’ve been told by friends and family that I absolutely cannot drive a minivan.

It’s not fair!

I have musician friends who drive minivans. So, it’s okay to open that deliciously-easy sliding door if you’re taking a bass guitar out of it, but it’s lame if my son is the precious cargo?

Enter Toyota’s new “Meet the Parents” ads for the Sienna Minivan.

      

These ads are pure genius, playing on an oft-forgotten truism of cool: There’s nothing less cool than trying to be cool.

Will the ads convince naysayers to enter through the sliding door? I live with one data point who might be coming around. As for me, I consider myself an early adopter. (How cool is that?)

5 Responses to “Minivan Dreams Powered by Toyota”

  1. Noah Shaw (aka, Data Point Numero Uno) says:
    March 5, 2010 at 7:37 am

    This data point — the one who lives with the author of this post — is sooooooo not coming around. Sorry honey.

  2. Kate DeVagno says:
    March 5, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    The only thing cooler than a 2010 Toyota Sienna? The 1998 Toyota Sienna I’ve been driving for two years, prior to the birth of my daughter. The best part? After parents gave it to me, they missed it so much they ended up buying a new Sienna. How many retired boomers buy a minivan after their kids are out of the house? Now that’s love!

  3. K-Monayyyy says:
    March 10, 2010 at 11:35 am

    I purchased a swagger wagon. Now if I could only find the friends to populate the seats I’d be able to cruise around town in sweet victory!

  4. Jill (aka A Sienna Driver) says:
    March 12, 2010 at 6:26 am

    As a relatively new mini-van driver, I have 3 words for you that won my husband over – Automatic. Sliding. Doors. I can’t express how valuable it is to be doing the daycare pickup in the rain or snow and be able to open the doors from across the parking lot and have my son climb in and get into his car seat by himself. It’s little conveniences like this that meant the minivan was the only car we test-drove.

  5. Mama Mariko says:
    March 16, 2010 at 10:26 am

    I heart my swagger wagon. When I saw the ads on television for the first time I laughed out loud. When I saw them the second time, I turned to my husband, who is not in marketing and I’m not sure really understands what I do for a living and said, “that’s what I do!”. I hunt for insights as brilliant as this one. The campaign is obviously founded on a brilliant insight!

    The Toyota Sienna is the best. As a driver of a fully loaded, black, 2010 Sienna, I am one happy mama. My parents came for a visit last weekend and we happily traveled all over – together! We would have otherwise had to rent a second car and follow eachother around. Not to mention, we can jump in back and tend to a crying baby (or two in our family) – and not skip a beat. I couldn’t heart my Sienna more.

    My slogan when we first decided to break down and go minivan shopping was, “there are other ways to feel sexy”. Now with the ad campaign, I can drive around in my swagger wagon AND feel sexy. So there.

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19 February 2010

Traditional Market Researcher Saved by Online Communities

by Karen Barone

2 Comments »
All posts by Karen Barone

A lot has been written about the value Communispace brings to its clients . I, however, tend to selfishly focus on the benefits that Communispace brings to me…as a researcher and formerly frustrated focus group moderator.

Here are my top three focus group frustrations all alleviated by Communispace.

A lot has been written about the value Communispace brings to its clients . I, however, tend to selfishly focus on the benefits that Communispace brings to me…as a researcher and formerly frustrated focus group moderator.  

Here are my top three focus group frustrations all alleviated by Communispace.

1. The “That’s All Folks” Frustration:  Many of us have been there.  A focus group has come to an end, the audio/video tape has stopped recording and the clients in the back room are packing up their laptops when…it happens:  the respondents engage EACH OTHER in a conversation that is critical to the client’s business needs.  As a moderator you try to nose your way back into the conversation, you write down notes, you look directly into the two-way mirror and start flapping your arms to get the clients’ attention, but you know the truth:  Your next group starts in five minutes and these folks need to get going.  Opportunity lost.

In the community, these members would start their own activities and/or we’d be able to get back to them (and the whole community, if applicable) directly and probe further. 

2. The “That’s Very Helpful” Frustration:  More often than not, you can’t confidently tell focus group respondents how their feedback will be used.  Despite rumors that respondents are only there for a sandwich and a quick buck, I found respondents desperate to hear that their time has been worthwhile, their opinions respected and actionable. (In fact, some even requested a hug.  It’s true.)   It’s not surprising, respondents want connection and they want to feel (not hear) that their input is valued. 

Communities show members why and how they are valued.  By building long-term relationships, members and clients are often put in conversation with one another.  Part of creating a robust community is providing feedback on how member input is driving client business decisions. 

3. The “Are We There Yet” Frustration:  Travel.

Communities are online.  Enough said.  :)

Certainly, there are more than three ways that online communities alleviate focus group pain points. Stay tuned for an upcoming Vlog by yours truly and fellow blogger, Rocky Prozeller.

2 Responses to “Traditional Market Researcher Saved by Online Communities”

  1. Diane Hessan says:
    February 19, 2010 at 7:58 am

    Thanks Karen! Here are a few more: 1) More than 10 people — Hooray!; 2) If someone in the community is adding no value or being obnoxious, you can (nicely) kick them out; 3) You can circle back and ask follow-up questions; 4) THEY can circle back and add additional thoughts that occurred to them after the “event”; 5) It’s easy to search the community for content; 6) Cost-effectiveness — one month of a community, with 8-12 separate projects, is less expensive than 2 focus groups. I’ll stop now. :)

  2. Nelson Merchan says:
    February 20, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    Happy employees working for great companies deliver better results. Online communities are the way to go. Congratulations!

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