“We believe in always innovating and never being satisfied with the status quo. If you don’t try, you’ll never know.” Andrew J. McKelvey (1935-2008), Founder of Monster.com
Widgets are cheap, easy and the perfect expression of the “Post-Advertising Age.” So, why are marketers so slow to use them?
Some guy lives in Albuquerque, which is really great, because it is sunny and really convenient to Vista Encantada and Hottmantown. But he has relatives in Denver, a limited budget, a lot of outstanding family obligations and a seven-hour, 450-mile gulf between them. Then, one hot and dry Thursday, he’s sitting at his computer, and it goes… “DING!”
An icon on his desk has some breaking news: a special Albuquerque-Denver fare on Southwest Airlines for $49 each way. It send him that alert because he’s asked for it, by downloading the Southwest “Ding” widget. Most of the time it just sits there, apparently idle, a tiny Southwest logo on a tiny Southwest tail section reminding him, at some extremely level of consciousness, that Southwest exists… and is here to meet all this guy’s travel needs.
Branded widgets are the refrigerator magnets of the decade. These compact, portable little software apps- from video players to countdown clocks to makeup simulators- are inexpensive to distribute, free to the user, and often distinctly useful. At a minimum, they carry an ad message wherever they go.
At a maximum, the widget is something like the magical connection between marketers and consumers, not only replacing the one-way messaging long dominated by media advertising but vastly outperforming it. Because online the link is literal and direct, and along its path, data of behavior, preference, and intention are left at every step. Oh, and your target consumers actually go out searching for your branded gimcrack. Oh, and they display it within easy reach. Oh, and they pass copies along to their friends and associates. Oh, and because they’ve been turned on by a friend, they are hospitable and receptive recipients. And, oh, in case you didn’t see it the first time I mentioned it, the barriers to entry are preposterously low.
Let’s look at some examples because the widget’s value is due to the fact that the marketing becomes part of the product:
1. Miles, a 3-D desktop avatar that looks like a refugee from “Teletubbies” but resides on your desktop to encourage (i.e. nag) you to run (yes, as in work out and work off those holiday calories), and keeps track of your progress via the astonishing Nike Plus technology. He also keeps you apprised of local weather, running events, and promotions. And, he organizes your RSS feeds, so you can easily download to your iPod.
2. UPS widget: This guy looks like a cousin of Miles. He allows you to schedule and track shipments worldwide with a click or two. If you are any sort of frequent shipper, why wouldn’t you install him on your desktop?
3. CokeTags is a Facebook app that displays your favorite links, allow you to itemize your online self- an keep track of who is following the trail of self you blaze.
4. Johnnie Walker has Jennie, a cute avatar. If you’re in a strange land and looking for a drink, Jennie will guide you to the bar and back to your hotel.
Of course, engagement- and even community- cannot be directly correlated to sales. But, apart from direct-response advertising, what can? A study by online-market-research firm, Marketing Evolution, found that return on investment from widgets increases in approximately direct proportion to virulence. The consulting firm calls this the “momentum effect,” and clearly the momentum is a function of sharing. And, when users love the convenience of an app like these, why not share the widgets?
from Advertising Age magazine, December 1, 2008 edition
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