“Content themed to your target’s daily passions, routines or rituals are
great for habituating conversations. And, habituated conversations have
the greatest opportunity to generate ongoing revenue and almost
unbreakable customer loyalty.”

Marketing: Communications Strategy for a Conversation Model – Advertising Age – CMO Strategy.

Allow us to break it down:

Setting up a Facebook page is not enough. That’s like hearing that someone wants to have a conversation, and handing them little finger sandwiches so they can snack while they have the conversation. It’s nice and all, but it’s also irrelevant.

CONSUMER: “I’m thinking of buying a hybrid.”

BAD MARKETER: “Great! Would you like a sandwich?”

CONSUMER: “No thanks, I just ate. So where are the reviews of the top three hybrids?”

BAD MARKETER: “Sandwich?”

CONSUMER: “Still no. Are there surveys? Forums I could read?”

BAD MARKETER: “These sandwiches are delicious. We cut the crusts off.”

CONSUMER: “Grrrrrr.”

Aaaaaand scene.

The point is – treat  your marketing like a real conversation. Listen. Respond. Act like a human, not a robot.

If you're wrestling with whether to follow the lead of Geico's Gekko, Aflac's Duck or The Jolly Green Giant, Cadbury's have a lesson for you. Remember that spot we posted back in 2007 with the drumming Gorilla? well according to an official spokesperson that ad alone helped drive a 10% increase in Cadbury's sales. Quote: 

"….It's a phenomenal amount.

Ad-man
Ben Walker says the commercial also changed advertising by opening
companies up to more exciting ideas. He sat on a jury that voted it one
of the best ads of the year.

From then on, the question in corporate boardrooms has been…

WALKER: What's the next Gorilla, we want the next one of those, yeah."

NPR continues:

"None
of the ads have run in the U.S., but Cadbury's Tony Bilsborough says
they've received millions of hits on You Tube, and inspired dozens of
homemade spoofs from all over the world.

BILSBOROUGH: The advertising itself has actually made Cadbury — the brand — cool again.

And cool is something Kraft will probably have to pay extra for."

Food for thought. Full story here.

Ok, there are a few other qualities you need in order to participate. So click here, fill out our survey, and we'll let you know if you fit the bill. Oh, and we'll pay you $75 bucks. Not too shabby. Cheers!

San Francisco’s Mortar takes on branding for TransFair USA

TransFair USA- the independent, non-profit organization behind Fair Trade Certified™ products- has turned to Mortar to accelerate the adoption of Fair Trade labeling in the United States.
 
While best known for its role in transforming the coffee industry Fair Trade Certified has grown in recent years to encompass numerous other product categories in the U.S. marketplace including tea, sugar, cocoa, flowers, wine and much more. 

So be on the lookout for the new face of TransFair USA. We're excited to have them as a client.

World Fair Trade Day is May 9th; learn more and take the pledge here.