The Night the World Saw Blue

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct 26, 2009) - When the University of Kentucky announced the theme of the annual Big Blue Madness as "Blue All Around You," they meant it literally. Today, UK Athletics announced a never done before recap of the event - translated into eight (yes eight) different languages and posted it online at www.kentuckywildcats.tv.

"Our great basketball tradition is a logical tool to promote the University of Kentucky and its drive to become a Top 20 university," UK Athletics Director of Marketing and Licensing Jason Schlafer said. "We're proud that both UK and Kentucky Basketball are becoming even bigger players in the global marketplace."

The University of Kentucky basketball program extends new Men's Basketball Head Coach John Calipari¹s message to the Big Blue Nation via the world's first, multi-language, picture-in-picture (PIP) video player. This innovative media platform enables users to stream the on-demand replay in eight different languages. Leveraging Adobe Flash technology, Cornett IMS designed the Web site to also include features like full screen viewing mode, multiple audio controls based on a single slider and the ability to switch PIP videos in real time.

To watch the full speech and enjoy one of eight translations, including Afrikaans, American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, German, Kazakh, Russian and Spanish, go to kentuckywildcats.tv.

Traditional and online coverage was unprecedented for Calipari's first Big Blue Madness. Besides being featured on televised networks ESPN and Fox Sports South, it was covered live by the Big Blue Sports Network, streamed on UKathletics.com and more than 400,000,000 Chinese could follow the event via live blogging on Titan Sports, the largest circulation sports newspaper in China.

"Calipari's speech for the opening of Madness was an amazing moment for the program and with all the communication tools now available to us, the decision to make it accessible and understandable to the world was easy," Schlafer continued.

"International outreach, diversity, and innovation are certainly cornerstones in UK’s Top 20 strategy," said UK President Lee T. Todd, Jr. "We are proud to be working hand-in-hand with UK Athletics to deliver UK's

powerful brand to a broader global audience."

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Introducing UKNow - The University of Kentucky’s Online News Portal

Let me begin by saying that I do not personally work on the University of Kentucky account (only University of Kentucky Athletics) so I don't have all of the details about this INCREDIBLE communication piece. But, I did want to share it with you and then have the UK team that developed it follow up (when they come up for air). 

There is no better way to show our capabilities than to allow you to see and tool around with the work yourself.

Check out this site.....you will be impressed - http://uknow.uky.edu/

UKNow is a news portal that integrates familiar social media techniques to help build a community and organize preferred news. The site allows users to create accounts or use Facebook connect to quickly start a UKNow porifle that saves the desired content configuration on the homepage. Example: Move around the News Modules and Edit the sub-categories that interest you in particular.

Additionally, the site has Twitter style "following" system that allows you to follow professors, students, general users and staff of UK PR/UK Now News team. This style of "headline/status" organization allow you to see updates from the users you are following. Example: The President and other professors will have blogs so you will see the blog headline in your feed. Similarly, the News Writers will have articles so when you follow them, you receive their article headlines with links to the story. A general user can update their status, just like on Twitter and Facebook. And, if you "follow" this user, you will see their status update just like the headlines and blog entries.

AMAZING work!!! Congratulations to all of the Cornett and UK PR team members that worked so hard on this.

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Where have we been? PART THREE

Every month we create a new look for Urban Active sales materials - to keep the energy level high for both potential members and the staff.

Below are a few pieces from the October campaign getting ready to roll out (Sticky note and 7 days free website pass).

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Where have we been? PART TWO

Next up: Spotlight Lexington - the free 17-day downtown festival celebrating the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Get ready for it!

Think of this as a 17-day PARTY celebrating the games and showcasing our great city! There are three main venues for the Spotlight events:

1. Cheapside Park (basically, Thursday Night Night for 17 days straight)

2. Courthouse Plaza (this is where the main stage will be for national acts and a huge video board streaming live coverage from the Horse Park)

3. Triangle Park (the destination for childrens' activities, Arts and Theatre)

E-vite for the Community Forum and the graphic to mark the future venues of Spotlight Festival shown below:

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Where have we been? PART ONE

You may not have heard from us lately, but I'm sure you've seen our work.

We've been in a zone - producing a ton of wildly creative and successful campaigns. The next few posts will show a few elements from each of our latest campaigns.

First up: University of Kentucky Football - Fight Song Outdoor

Covered by ESPN Magazine (see below), Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, Media Post, Marketing Daily and more...

Reads: Post Mo Bills

College teams have used billboards to incite interest and hype Heisman hopefuls for some time. But this year a host of SEC teams have take the tactic, and subsequently their rivalries, to new heights, not to mention wavelengths. Kentucky recently erected "singing" billboards to trump up some school spirit. Drive to within a mile of the ads - they've been erected in both Lexington and Louisville - and a transmitter broadcasts snippets of cheerleaders singing "On, on U of K" on the AM dial. Pity the unwitting, and presumably uninterested, passersby, particularly those in Louisville. (Piling on, one of the ads portrays a Wildcat tackling a Cardinal.)

Meanwhile, down in Atlanta, Auburn has seeded more than 20 boards to promote the school and its football team. Others have been planted in the even more hostile environs of Birmingham and Mobile. And Tennessee has spent a chunk of its marketing budget so that Lane Kiffin and All-America defensive back Eric Berry can look down upon the masses not only in the Volunteer State but also in the rival lands of Florida and Georgia.

"Looking as a marketer, I see the utilization of a variety of media," says Richard Southall, director of UNC's College Sport Research Institute. "Billboards generate interest on talk radio, in newspapers, on message boards and in magazines." In the end, though, the real audience might not be fans. "They're selling the school and the exposure directly to recruits and their parents," Southall says. Because if you can't overwhelm your opponent on the field, maybe you can overwhelm commuters off of it.

-----------------

Below is some more great work created for University of Kentucky Football to enhance the game day experience at Commonwealth: Huge Stadium Graphics

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Social Media Responsibility

It is no secret that the economy is in rough shape these days. Unemployment is hovering around 9.4 percent, which equates to about 5.0 million adults out of work. Others are starting their own small business. In either case, marketers and job seekers are leveraging networking tools such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Remember to use good judgement when posting information, or photos about yourself online. This is where most people will tune out and dismiss this as “common sense” and everyone knows this. Guess again.

In a recent article on Mashable they cite that 45% of employers screen social media profiles when considering someone for employment. The article cites a study by Harris Interactive, commissioned by CareerBuilder.com and here is what they found:

• 35% of employers reported they have found content on social networking sites that caused them not to hire the candidate

• 53% declined to hire due to provocative photos

• 44% dismissed candidates due to social media content with alcohol and drugs

• 35% cited candidates bad-mouthing former employers

• 14% of employers also disregarded candidates for using emoticons (friendly smiley faces)

On the brighter side they report that 18 percent of employers have hired candidates based on the content they had on social media networking sites.

I remind my school age children that anything they say in email, texts or on myspace can come back to haunt them. The advice I give them is not to say anything they wouldn’t be willing to say directly to someone, or stand on a table in the cafeteria and shout to the entire school.

With social media comes freedom and responsibility. We have the means to instantly post what we are thinking or feeling at any given moment. Will you think twice about posting those spring break pictures... or venting about a coworker? The choice is yours.

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35 Marketing definitions: What’s your favorite?

The experts weigh in on marketing's definition.

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Elizabeth Heaton :: Guest Intern Blog

I Began working for Cornett in January. Like many other interns I thought I would be running the company by week four. Little do we know that working in a “real” office is nothing like what we college students expect. We think each office is exactly like “The Office,” television series. Everyone knows each other’s business and there’s extensive flirting between employees. It’s a rather skewed view of how an office actually runs. Cornett is nothing shy of professional.

Their loyalty to the client is phenomenal, as they will go to great lengths to complete any task asked for them. They also care about their employees a great deal. On my first day I walked to every office and was introduced to each creative mind and account manager. Although my plan of taking over the company and running it the way I was taught in my 400-level classes and applying my leadership abilities learned on campus organizations, I soon learned that I needed to “watch and learn” rather than “watch and act.” It’s important for an intern to sit back and watch from a distance until all parties are comfortable enough to take you under their wing. I was fortunate enough to work with a few big accounts like Keeneland, UK, and Urban Active.

If I could give any advice to future interns it would be, say yes. Start saying yes to the opportunities that come along that could impact your character. When I was in high school I said yes to doing a small modeling bit. In March, I was featured in an Urban Active commercial and then again in the “Bridal Bootcamp” promotional ad. I said yes to getting involved on my campus and in organizations. I was able to use my experience of being a leader in an organization and talked about it in a UK See Blue video. Once Cornett started investing in me, I began investing in them. My Facebook and Twitter account became a running advertisement for our different clients and any down time I had during the day was a time for me to organize parts of the office.

Saying yes and investing yourself into a company can change how you work and feel about the business. Since starting at Cornett in January my internship has extended through the summer months and I could not be anymore excited or grateful for my opportunities.
 

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University of Kentucky Singing Billboard

Most every sports team at one time or another has used billboards to promote season tickets or an upcoming big game. But we are taking it one step further for the University of Kentucky  2009 football campaign --- make that several “notes” further with this year’s outdoor campaign.

Yes, a singing billboard.

Starting July 1st, UK’s Big Blue nation can listen to the fight song – “On, On U of K” – around the clock on billboards placed in Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky.
Thanks to a radio transmitter placed on the boards, a recording of the fight song can be heard up to a mile away.

But what separates this “singing billboard” campaign from others – is that we are relying completely on their fanatic fan base – not advertising. The only place you’ll find
the radio frequency is through on-line contact and chat rooms.

“We’ve created a statewide football campaign before,” said UK’s Associate Athletics Director Jason Schlafer. “And it was time to do something more than a high-impact
visual. So we recorded “On, On U of K” with our cheerleaders and gave our fans something to pump them up when they drive around town,” continued Schlafer. “The
visuals were great, but nothing gets the juices flowing for football like the fight song.”

The thinking emerged from an initial direction to take each phrase of the fight song and build visuals around it. Cornett developed the idea for the low frequency radio channel --- along with a photo “Scavenger Hunt” to reward any fan that found and photographed the entire campaign.

It’s a great example of a truly integrated campaign. While the centerpiece, billboards, is very traditional – the rest of the touch points are entirely digital.

To see the entire campaign on line, go to http://www.ukfightsong.com.

“I hope our fans love it – and I think they will,” says Schlafer. “Especially out in the state. There’s only one board that has the song’s closing line – Bring Home The
Victory - and I can’t say where our fans can find it. But trust me, they will!”

The outdoor campaign runs right up to UK’s opening home game with cross-state rival Louisville. “There’s something about a fight song that can bring a smile to your
face when you hear it --- and now our fans can hear it 24/7 anytime they pass our billboards,” stated Paul Blodgett, Creative Director of Cornett-IMS.

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Excercise your creative muscles daily

Being creative is not a 9-5 job for most, but rather a way of life. Creatives are passionate, constantly striving for perfection on a daily quest for excellence. Creatives think, read and observe. A lot. We are constantly stuffing our brains with ideas and thoughts. I am sure I am not the only one who has woken out of a dead sleep at 3am, and HAD to get up sketch out a layout. While waiting at a doctor's office or supermarket, I often browse through magazines I don't ordinarily read to see how their industry is marketing to their consumers. Inspiration is everywhere.

My wife often jokes about what a curse it must be... not being able to look at an ad or billboard without analyzing the typeface used, the use of white space, or the pantone colors used. Quite the opposite of being a curse, it is a blessing. A blessing to be able to make a living expressing your thoughts and feelings, all the while crafting effective communications for your clients. Their success is our reward. Creativity is not just picking out colors and photography, but solving a complex objective with simple imagery.

To grow creatively, one must apply their unique outlook to everyday life, not just client projects.

Children are naturally creative and blessed with vivid imaginations. I know... I have four of them. One way I manifest my creativity daily is making up "pretend stories" with my kids at bedtime. I ask them each to select a character or element for the story, and to use their imagination. My daughter Justina (6) often selects mythical animals, such as a pink and purple polka-dotted talking Pegasus horse named Sparkles. My son Wesley (3) is partial to large shiny blue monster trucks that go fast, fast and super-fast. These trucks serve as rescue vehicles and fuels his desire to be a fireman when grows up.

My task then is to improvise a story incorporating these items. I begin with once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named Justina, and handsome prince named Wesley, then weave their selected items into a fantastic story, where their characters use their special powers for good. These stories are great teaching moments, such as Wesley using his big blue truck to pull a school bus out of the mud and save the day. He loves being a hero. Justina loves working with mythical creatures, to save animals in distress by giving them magical carrots she grew in her garden that helps hurt bunnies get well quickly. Once the story is over, they are eager to add to it with their own details. It helps me exercise my creative muscles, and allows this dad to tap into their creative minds that don't have restrictive, pragmatic  boundaries.

How do you apply creativity to your day-to-day life?

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Finding time for social media

To effectively use social media, you need to be engaged and have a presence with your audience on a consitant basis. How does a busy professional find time in their busy schedule to surf facebook, join the conversation on twitter or catch-up with colleagues on LinkedIN? Two words. Daily commitment.

Make a commitment to spend at least 30 minutes a day using social media. Identify your primary goals with social media whether it be self-promotion, education or conversation with your industry peers. Upon arriving at work, take 10 minutes to review recent posts and listen to the conversation that's happening that day. Also to send new followers a personal thank you, not an automated response. After eating lunch, take 10 more minutes to scan recent tweets, retweet links that add value to your followers, or read updates from industry LinkedIn groups. At the end, take 10 more minutes to check Tweetbeep or tweetdeck to monitor your or your customers brand and how they are being discussed that day.

Admittedly, I don't always write a blog post, or tweet up a storm every day. Some days I have more flexibility in my schedule to engage more in conversation, but I am listening every day. There are many tools available to help you monitor social media and brand monitoring. Tweetbeep, Google alerts, netvibes are only a few that help you manage your social media presence.

Finally, don't try to learn everything there is to know about a social media at one time. Dedicate a few weeks to primarily researching how Linked IN could benefit you and your customers. The following weeks can be spent evaluating twitter and listening to the conversation there.

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Creativity - going beyond the ordinary

Urban Active is a national cutting-edge fitness chain that's quickly becoming known for their unique fitness programs. Our creative team was tasked with creating imagery and art direction for their upcoming "Bridal Bootcamp" promotion.

The Bridal Bootcamp is a six-week camp that meets twice a week to help whip the bride-to-be, bridesmaid or groom into shape. Our visual identity system included in-gym signage, collateral, t-shirts and a tie-in with their email newsletter, Get Active!. We created a special edition of this newsletter that highlighted this innovative promotion. That, combined with our other collateral materials, exposed members to this program multiple times.

The obvious imagery for a "boot camp" is military, but how do you present that to a primarily female market? Feminine camo can be a tough sell, and the use of pink was just too ordinary. Through the effective use of type and a yellow camoflauge texture, our creative team was able to establish a  military tone without a predominantly masculine feeling. Adding a young bride in combat boots, military helmet and dog tags created a memorable image. The type treatment was effective due to the juxtaposition of type styles; using script for the bridal, and a stenciled font to add military flavor.

Our research indicated that the majority of weddings occur in the month of June, so we timed the promotion to launch in early May. The program was a resounding success, selling out all 30 spots in only a few days.

Cornett's creative team approaches each project by first establishing a basic art direction strategy. We ask "how can this integrate into the other components of the campaign?" Then our team builds on the concept through research, brainstorming and initial sketches. After we are comfortable with the concept, we work quickly through the mock-up stage and set art direction for client approval. The ability to comp quickly allows us more time to spend on craftsmanship and execution—something that sets Cornett apart from the crowd.

Our results are anything but ordinary.

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Spring is for Engagements!

On a cold, icy day in February, I gathered the many people who make up the Cornett -Keeneland team along with our media partner, Right Place Media, for a Keeneland Spring Race Meet strategy session. Naturally, we discussed the comprehensive marketing plans including the traditional advertising methods that were in development for the Spring Race Meet, but we knew a large audience awaited us in the online community.

It was during this meeting, we brainstormed the KEENELAND VIP EXPERIENCE GIVEAWAY. This was Keeneland’s first interactive offer with banner ads on Courier-Journal.com, Kentucky.com, Cox Ohio Publishing and Collective Media’s targeted channels enticing people throughout Ohio and Kentucky to register their email for a chance to spend an incredible day of Thoroughbred racing at the nation’s premier race track, Keeneland, located in Lexington, Kentucky. The first week showed a tremendous response with 3,495 clicks and 2,501 sign-ups, which was an amazing 72% click-thru rate! The second and third weeks of the promotion continued to produce outstanding results with the total response being 8,452 clicks with 3,955 sign-ups – an unbelievable engagement rate of 47%!  Needless to say, these results were above our expectations. I am confident this campaign contributed to the success of the Spring Race Meet at Keeneland engaging over 240,000 people to attend the live race meet, which was the third largest attendance ever!

To further expand the campaign, we captured all the emails from the contest, and followed up with a re-engagement email campaign asking them to sign up and select which relevant emails they wished to receive in future communication in Cornett’s continuing email marketing efforts with Keeneland’s many departments including sales, racing, simulcasting as well as the Keeneland Gift Shop.

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Effective Use of Landing Pages - Sample

In response to Bill's blog, here is a sample of how to effectively use landing pages for a sophisticated SEM campaign:

We bid on hundreds of keywords for Urban Active. Two of the leading search terms are "Personal Training" and "Spinning." Instead of sending people that are searching for "Personal Training" or "Spinning" to the Urban Active Home Page, we created landing pages that speak to these terms specifically and work to capture the lead right away. We know that someone searching for "Spinning" is a hot lead. We want to capitalize on that by offering them a free pass right there on the landing page to come in and try one of our classes.

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Effectively Using Landing Pages

Today’s advertiser expends time and energy across multiple channels to drive viewers to their website. From traditional advertising such as billboards, trade magazines and radio – to digital solutions like flash banner ads or sophisticated SEM campaigns. This takes a considerable amount of time and money to do it properly. Focus your message, and make it easy for your viewers to find what they’re looking for.

Don’t make your viewers dig for the relevant content they were searching for. Direct viewers to a landing page or specific area of your website. In some instances, directing viewers to your home page can be a missed opportunity, if they were looking for a specific promotion or service. When directing viewers to your home page, it’s considered a best practice to create a banner or prominent link that cross-promotes your promotions/offers. Again, make it easy for them to find what they’re searching for.

To better engage your viewers, create a custom landing page with more information on your promotion, and a form to capture their name, phone and email. Here’s the most important part... respond to the inquiry within 24 hours.

Landing pages offer a chance to turn a lead into a prospect, volunteer or sale. Get the most of your advertising and marketing budget by properly converting viewers that you drive to your site. Wasn’t that the goal in the first place?

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