Sep 6, 2007
I was skipping 
around the internet looking for inspiration and found this wonderful quote - "To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity." Douglas Adams
Then I received an eMail from Qui Diaz, 360° Digital Influence - Ogilvy Public Relations. I met Qui at the Success In The City's Social Media Conference this June. She is smart and kind and likes Diva Marketing and Max .. so of course we hit it off right away.
Seems Ogilvy has developed A Blogger Outreach Code of Ethics. So I clicked over to see what they were doing and dropped a comment. Sometimes the best "posts" are the comments that I leave on other people's posts. Do you feel that way too? Here's what I said -
Nice to see a large agency thinking through and putting together "ethics" on how to work with bloggers. My thanks to Qui Diaz for the email about your guidelines.
Taking into consideration that the title of your post is "Creating A Blogger Outreach Code of Ethics" there is an element that is not mentioned and although it might not fall into a 'code of ethics' is one of the most significant reasons bloggers will even begin to consider reading your emails and then posting. It is the reason I clicked on Qui's link. Relationship. Qui and I have developed a relationship over the past several months and I trust her ideas will be of interest to me and to my community.
MK's #9 and #10 address how you might begin to build relationships with bloggers. In my post, 12 Blogger Relations Secrets For PR, Advertising and Brand Marketers, I offer a few tips that run similar to MK's list.
10. Remember what your Mama taught you. A follow-up thank you for mentions would really be over the top.
11. Join me in the conversations. Drop a comment on a post. Send me an email note about a post I wrote.
One note of caution, be careful who you offer payment to and/or freebies. Some bloggers are dead set against accepting anything because they feel it compromises their integrity with their community. They would prefer a way to give back to their community. Be creative. Keep in mind bloggers are not journalists.
MK Milker's, The Not Quite Crunch Parent, comment should be a post. Here are #9 and #10 that I referenced. Her comment alone is worth a click to the post.
9. Respond to or engage me. You can comment on my blog – you can. Jump in any conversation that seems to fit with your client’s marketing message. Unlike in the mainstream media where you play a background role, you can respond to my commenters’ questions or ones I raise myself. Come on, Mattel, get out there and tell us what you’re doing about the recall. Don’t you have a crisis plan in place for the blogosphere?
10.Follow up. Not with me. Don’t ask me to send you the link to my article when it runs. Run a search for it. Send me a gushy thank you note thanking me for my time.
There are as many beliefs about what is ethical when it comes to blogging as there are bloggers. Each bloggy village e.g., Mommy bloggers, Real Estate bloggers, Golf bloggers, Business bloggers, Baseball bloggers has its own culture and acceptable norms. A few weeks ago, in the biz blogosphere, there was a lively debate on the ethics of accepting an expensive camera to test. Some bloggers felt it was cool while others had very different views and concerns.
MK's #4 is a reminder that some bloggers do accept and encourage samples. "Don’t expect something for nothing. In the early days of blogging, bloggers were so thrilled to receive an email from a large company to that they were happy to write a review. Now, as blogs gain more influence, bloggers are bombarded with requests. Send me the product you wish me to review. At least I receive a free sample."
Recently Alison Bryan Fields, Ogilvy, conducted an interview with Chris Jordan - Notes From The Trenches. I hope Chris will forgive me for posting my 2 favorite lines out of context but they bring home two very important concepts.
I think a lot of PR people haven’t realized that — and I think a lot of bloggers haven’t realized it. It is valuable real estate that you’re asking me to give up for free.
Even if a blog doesn't have thousands of RSS subscribers or thousands
of visitors there is significant value in a niched, loyal community, as
well as, value in visitors coming in through the search engines. A post
about a product/service/ offers one more customer touch point. One more
viral pass along. One more opportunity to create a sale. Valuable real estate.
On the other hand, most bloggers understand my second favorite line from Chris' interview -
If you don’t value what you are putting out there, you lose your voice. Your readers are not going to come back.
My but it's been interesting to watch as the PR/AD/Brand Marketers circle round trying to figure out how to tap into the buzz from bloggers. Assuming that bloggers are, as MK put it, " .. thrilled to receive an email from a large company .." Or anyone who ass-u-me-s that bloggers are waiting to tap their keyboards about anything that comes into their in-box.
Which leads me full circle divas and divos to what inspired this post, Douglas Adams' quote, "To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought
or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity."
Now if our PR/AD/Brand Marketing friends can understand that we'll have a triple win for the bloggers, for their communities and for marketer's clients.
Thanks to PR Couture for the use of the graphic.
Jul 17, 2007
Diva Marketing Talks - a 30-minute tapa bite of fun and information about social media.
Toss of a pink boa to Jeneane Sessum - Allied and Wayne Hurlbert, Blog Business World Blog Business Success BlogTalkRadio for guest hosting 
today's Diva Marketing Talks: The Company You Keep: The Ethics of Social Media. They totally rock! This is a must listen show for anyone interested in the issues of surrounding social media.
The thread of who we are goes across our entire participation. - Jeneane
Every action that you take and everything you do should be made with fair treatment helping others in mind. - Wayne
Tips From Diva Marketing Talks: The Company You Keep, The Ethical Side Of Social Media
Jeneane Sessum, Allied
- Be Yourself - Figure out who you are and carry that across all social platforms.
- If you can't figure out who you are, at least be FUNNY.
- Admit when you're wrong, unless the other party/blogger/company is wronger.
- Don’t Quit. Take breaks, but don’t quit because longevity counts.
Wayne Hurlbert, Blog Business World Blog Business Success BlogTalkRadio
- Respect other people's work. Incorporate attribution if you are including parts of a post in your blog post. Credit should include the name of the blogger, the blog title and a link to the blog and/or post.
- All concepts used from other blogs should be linked and credited to the source.
- It’s okay to modify posts with details such as event dates, times or typos. However, it’s not a good idea to delete and then change major concepts on a published post. If you need to update the information indicate and date the change. Or write a new post and link back to the original post.
- Admit to mistakes. It increases your credibility if you offer a correction and an apology.
Jul 17, 2007
Girlfriend, there comes a time when you just have to try on that cute pair of Jimmy Choo's that you've been longing for but were not sure if they'd fit. To take a chance on something new.
Tonight Diva Marketing Blog takes to the air waves with a BlogTalk Radio Show - Diva Marketing Talks. The focus is similar to where Diva Marketing has morphed .. to help organizations understand social media marketing and how to join the conversation without getting blown-up. It's a 30-minute tapa bite of intense flavors in the form of conversation and fun. Time: 6:30p - 7P Eastern
Tonight's show is focused on The Company You Keep - The Ethics of Social Media and who better to join in on this conversation than Jeneane Sessum - Allied and Wayne Hurlbert, Blog Business World Blog Business Success BlogTalkRadio?
Jeneane was blogging since before blogging was cool. She launched Allied in 2001 and as you can imagine she's has a few thoughts on how ethics fits into the changing world of social media.
When I think of Wayne Hurlbert, the words "gentleman of the blogosphere" comes to mind. Wayne frequently writes about ethics and he believe ethics is a good business strategy.
I most cordially invite you to join Wayne, Jeneane and me in a Diva Marketing Talks conversation about the ethical side of social media marketing. If you miss the live show it will be available for download into your MP3 player of choice.
Diva Marketing Talks
Date: Tuesday, July 17th
Time: 6:30p-7p
Toss of the pink boa to Wayne for his encouragement to start this adventure and his technical consulting help!
Mar 30, 2007
Friday Fun is Diva Marketing's virtual happy hour from cosmos to
Jack to lemonade. A waiting for the weekend 'playground' time to be
sophisticated-silly. Or sometimes just plain silly.
Today's Diva Marketing's Friday Fun post is suspended. A word of caution .. this is a messy post.
Weblogs are a messy extension of (the blogger’s) identify … links and multiple views in conversation with one another. David Weinberger
Sidebar: On 11-19-04 I wrote a post that quoted David Weinberger's C-Span speech (well worth your time). This is such a post.
This week there were dark events in the blogosphere. 
Visualize a beautiful tapestry that has been vandalized by a group of thugs. Then visualize the impact that would have on the artisans who spent days and nights of their lives designing and weaving that intricate work.
Let me say right off, this post is a risk for me. It's a risk because I've drawn a line in the sand to build my business practice helping companies use social media communications as a marketing initiative. Something that I believe in and am passionate about.
It's a risk because this post exposes the dark side of the blogosphere to people who many think twice about the credibility of blogs, podcasts and vlogs as a marketing initiative. Marketing has changed and like it or not there is no turning back. The old world is no longer and we all need to understand the how the game has shifted .. the good, the bad and the ugly. This post is a risk worth taking.
I talk a lot about the culture of social media and the importance of being part of the community and conversation. In addition, I felt the need to join in the discussion of a critical issue in 'my industry.' As well as, to support the people who have been caught in the crossfires and to raise my voice among many who are outraged about the a situation that goes far beyond spam, negative comments or disagreements.
Many eloquent bloggers have posted an analysis of the situation. I encourage you to read their thoughts - Lewis Green, Susan Getgood, Marianne Richmond, Mack Collier, David Armano, Shel Israel, Lisa Stone, Elisa Camahort, Elana Centor, Tris Hussey, Jim Turner, Ronnie Bennett, BL Ochman
But this post is not about that. It is to give back. It is to remind us what seems to be lost this past week. Thus the title: Suspended For Friendship.
.. because although not nearly to this extent, I too found myself in the whirls of very public blogosphere flames. I launched GourmetStation's Delicious Destinations, one of the first character blogs. The situation was far more beign than what happened this week, but my experience was very real to me.
Friends supported me. People like Tris Hussey and Paul Chaney. People like Susan Getgood, who I didn't know at the time. And yes, sometimes friends did disagreed like my pal Shel Israel.
This Is For - Jeanene Sessum .. You Rock. I have no doubt that you were as much a victim as Kathy Sierra or Maryam Scoble.
We bloggers talk much about friendships, community and relationships that lead to deeper appreciation of the people who author blogs and the people who comment on blogs. Seems to me that in some posts and off list email this has gotten lost. We are quick to point fingers. Quick to pronounce guilt. Quick to join the crowded, emotionally raw conversation.
We who profess to forge conversations have forgotten that there are People behind these funny websites called blogs. People with feelings and families and businesses that are dependent on their online presence.
In a recent interview with Jane Gevona, author Robert L. Dilenschneider, Power and Influence: The Rules Have Changed, reinforces the concept that it is technology that has made the world of influence and power flat.
We who write blogs, tape podcasts and film vlogs, no matter how many visitors, views, downloads or comments, are part of a new influential group. Our thoughts skip through a global community with the reach of a million rain drops or in this case a million tear drops. Frequently our ideas don't remain in cyberspace but are passed along in the 'real world' and even landing in main stream media.
This week too many people lost an innocence that may never be reclaimed. Like a home that that has been violated, doors that were never locked will be .. moderator filters will be turned on, comments and trackbacks turned off. Our conversations may not be as naked.
Is social media marketing a risk worth taking? I still say yes. Why? Because the old business world has changed. The doors have been thrown open. There is no going back.
A word of caution .. this is a messy world, but working together BBF (best blogger friends -thanks to Masiguy for the phrase) I believe can create a way of doing business .. and do it even better.
Perhaps we should take a cue from my Westie pup
Max and his friend Tab the cat.
Or the Astro Divas ~ whose post seems to dovetail into this situation.
business astrology for fun -
from The Astro Divas Paula Dare & Donna Page
Pluto turns Retrograde Sat. 3/31/07 – 9/8/07. Take this period of time to review your business. It maybe a very good time to let go of outdated modes of operation and habits that don’t serve their purpose anymore.
In addition Jupiter also turns Retrograde Thurs. 4/5/07. This ties in with your belief system. Do you still have faith and belief in yourself that you are accomplishing what you set out to do? Have you bitten off more than you can chew? If you’ve overextended yourself, you may feel overwhelmed. Take care of previous commitments before saying yes to anything else.
Mon. afternoon 4/2/07 the Full Moon falls in Libra ruling relationships. This is a good time to discover new ways of relating to one another. Try being nice to that irritating obnoxious co-worker. You know the old saying about how you get more from honey than vinegar. By being diplomatic you just may find the cooperation you desire.
This isn’t necessarily a good time to make final decisions but it’s a better time to experiment with many new ideas until you discover the one that suits your need the best.
Dec 22, 2006
Friday Fun is Diva Marketing's virtual happy hour from cosmos to
Jack to lemonade. A waiting for the weekend 'playground' time to be
sophisticated-silly. Or sometimes just plain silly.
Girlfriend, one of my most fav movies - holiday or not - is Miracle on 34th Street. I even like the new updated version; but the film with Maureen Sullivan and Natalie Wood is still The Classic Christmas Flick - a little romance, a little conflict, Santa, children, imagination, hope for the future and simple miracles. However, it is also one of the best lessons in customer service.
Favorite Miracle on 34th Street quote: Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to. Don't you see?
It's not just Kris that's on trial, it's everything he stands for. It's
kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles.
Miracle on 34th Street offers a great lesson in customer service and in the philosophy of social media marketing.
Look Doris, someday you're going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn't work. And when you do, don't overlook those lovely intangibles. You'll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile.
For your reading pleasure, here is a post I'd like to share with you from the 2004 Diva Marketing archives. Enjoy .. and happy holidays to you and yours!
It was
Christmas 1947. Before blogs, buzz marketing and building online community strategies.
The CEO of a major retail organization briefs the company's ad department.
"No high pressuring and forcing the customer to take something he
doesn't want. We'll be known as the helpful store. The friendly store.
The store with a heart. The store that places public service ahead of
profit. The plan sounds idiotic and impossible .. consequently, we'll
make more profit than ever before."
With those words Macy's Department Store launched the most innovative sales program ever viewed...on the silver screen. It was a Miracle on 34th Street.
Fast forward 59 years. The use of the internet is one of the most
exciting sales and marketing strategies we've seen in the last 59
years. However, in this model there is no room for high-pressure sales
techniques. The customer is in control of the sales experience. The customer is also in control of the marketing message.
Include a blog strategy to an internet marketing mix and yet another
dimension is added. The company steps out from behind the shadows of
traditional PR, customer service and research (all valid in their own
right) and declares it's ready to listen and learn from prospects and
customers .. on the their terms.
It's not afraid (ok. perhaps there are a few wobbles) to show the
world that there might be a few warts. That's a giant step from old
world marketing to open communication new world marketing.
The plan sounds idiotic and impossible .. consequently, we'll make more profit than ever before.
As the year 2007 approaches, high-tech developments spin even faster
taking the possibilities of internet marketing into areas that were
impossible in '47 or '57 or even '06.
Imagine a site that holds current inventory and pricing, allows for on-line financing and results in better, faster cheaper processing.
Imagine a site that allows for product customization.
Imagine a site where you can start a conversation with a real person about what matters to you regarding a product or service.
Imagine a site where you can talk to a real person who doesn't respond with an FAQ list.
Imagine a site where you can actually help change the direction of a product or service before it's even launched.
Imagine a company that doesn't close the door (or comment section) to you or your ideas.
The plan sounds idiotic and impossible .. consequently, we'll make more profit than ever before.
It's interesting to compare a 1940's film, where finding solutions
to customers' problems was perceived as unique, to 2006 where finding
solutions to customers' problems is considered ingenious.
The techniques may have changed. New buzz words may be added to the
mix. Bells and whistles may be a little louder. However, after all is
said and done, the premise remains the same:
- Listen
- Understand
- Add value
- Do what it takes to go the extra mile to delight your customer
The plan sounds idiotic and impossible .. consequently, we'll make more profit than ever before.
So Very Bloggy!
And with that I wish you and yours a very merry holiday season!
Sidebar: Based on an article written for Marketing News
Sidebar: Take a cue from Diva Marketing <wink> dusty off your classic posts .. with a little polish and updating they will take on a fresh new read.
business astrology for fun -
from The Astro Divas Paula Dare & Donna Page
MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH AND HAPPY KWANZAA
Take time to relax and have some fun after being harried from working and then shopping and decorating and wrapping packages and, on and on.
It maybe difficult to get anything accomplished this coming week after the Christmas Holiday and then preparing for New Years Eve festivities.
On Wed. Mercury enters Capricorn. The mind has a chance to settle down and focus on practical matters like “How on ea rth am I going to pay for all of those presents?” I wish everyone Many Blessings, Happiness and Joy this holiday season.
Sidebar: Special joyful wishes to my dear Astro Diva Bloggers friends Paula & Donna who have put a unique spin on Diva Marketing's Friday Fun. Girlfriend, I ask you where else in the biz blogosphere can you find business astrology?
Dec 21, 2006
Great print ad from AstraZenca. My favorite lines - "We'll be the first to admit we don't have all the answers. But as a pharmaceutical company, we recognize that when you trust us to help you, we feel we owe you the same trust in return."
To me that implies mutual respect. After the last Diva Marketing post, it's nice to see that some marketers get that good marketing does not = customer manipulation.
From the website AZandME.com - "This web site, AZ&Me, is our first step toward realizing our goal of creating a more personal, more positive healthcare experience. Are we there yet? Certainly not we've only just begun.
What we are wondering now is, where do we go from here?"
AstraZeneca, glad you asked. How about a step into social media with a blog or a podcast or two or how about a vlog that brings the static content to life?
Toss of a pink
boa to AstraZeneca for taking the first steps in understanding that the new world of marketing means building relationships with customers not jumping through trick hoops.
Sidebar: Let's take a from AstraZeneca. What can you do to let your customers know that you trust and respect them? So very bloggy!
Nov 1, 2006
Andy Sernovitz from WOMMA sent me an email last week that included the new WOMMA Ethics 20 Questions.
He did not ask me to blog about it. Okay, so we are now at full disclosure.
Ooops. He did provide his contact information if I wanted to talk with him including his cell number. Okay, so now we are full disclosure
Ooops. He also offered a press pass to the December event - which I would take up if it didn't conflict with the class on management consulting I'm teaching at Emory University. Okay so now we are at full disclosure. I hope.
This disclosure thing can get a bit tricky. Ethics can get a bit tricky too. We are living in a world comprised of shades of gray. What is ethical to me may not be to you. Does that sound odd? I tell attendees in my customer service workshops .. in business the Golden Rule does not apply.
Forget what you learned at Sunday School. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Does not work in business.
In business .. in marketing .. in customer service (which is a part of marketing!) it's not about what is good for ME but what is good for YOU .. the customer.
Sorry Dave and Doc the blog world that you created when Jeneane began playing in this space has changed. There are millions of people using blogs for millions of reasons. One of segment is business. That means customers. That means they (customers) have the right to honest information. And isn't that what's it's all about at the core of blogging?
What does this have to do with WOMMA's Top 20 Qs or WOMMA's Code of
Ethics, which by the way were written way before the latest blogosphere
debacle? Because the world is made up of shades of gray, creating
ethics for an emerging industry is setting standards so we can play
nicely together.
The WOMMA Ethics 20 Questions is the first draft of a series of questions to help marketers determine if a word of mouth campaign is aligned with WOMMA Ethics Code. It's it perfect? No. Is it a start to helping establish an emerging industry where many professional marketers question its crediblity? Yes.
In true bloggy style WOMMA is asking for your feedback. Take a look at the 20 Qs and add your comments. Deadline is November 9th. Final version will be published on November 20th.
Jul 13, 2006
Checking blog stats one finds interesting links .. a referral to David Schatsky's, President JupiterKagan, blog. Both David and Greg Dowling, the Jupiter Research analyst of the infamous Jupiter Research corporate weblog study, provide additional information about the methodology and the results .. some are rather surprising.
Sidebar: If you missed the threads here's a link to the back-story.
David Schatsky's post is titled Bashed By The Blogosphere For Our Blog Research. My high level take aways ..
- Jupiter will do better interfacing with "interested parties" (as long as they don't perceive you to be a competitor).
- They will look into how to provide more methodology information so "interested parties can better interpret the information."
- David will personally talk to Jupiter Research's "PR firm and provide them with
clearer guidelines on how to handle inquiries from bloggers in the
future, and (he'll) look into providing a bit more information in news
releases as well, at least in the versions we post on our site.
Sidebar: If anyone from Jupiter Research or Peter Arnold Associates is popping by (or any other research firm), I suggest you check out the AAPOR Press page for specific guidelines on what an organization is ethically obligated to provide to the public. I had an interesting chat with Tom Guterback, 2006-07 Ethics Chair of AAPOR and director of the University of VA Center for Research, this afternoon. Disclosure of research methodology applies to any publicly cited research finding including media releases.
However, the company is only obligated to provide information the pertains directly to the results revealed. Although Jupiter Research offers general information about the process of their research methodology, it by no means meets the standards of AAPOR Ethic Guidelines for disclosure of specific results.
I strongly encourage anyone who has posted information regarding the results of this study to read Greg Dowling's post. No one that I read got it right. The "...nearly 70 percent of all site operators will have implemented corporate blogs by the end of 2006." did not refer to marketing or business bloggers but to "Web site decision makers from companies with more than $50 million in revenue."
Directly from Greg's post:
"It should also be noted that the term " "Weblogs" in the context of this report (and press release) does not differentiate between external Weblogs or internal "dark" Weblogs and is referring to the deployment of Weblog authoring technology not the creation of customer facing Weblogs.
To reiterate, the survey respondents were Web site decision makers with budget authority asked about technology deployments, not marketers asked about their use of Weblogs. However, marketers were surveyed for the data point, "Only 32 percent of marketing executives said they use corporate Weblogs to generate WoM around their company's products or services."
I appreciate everyone's support and comments on Diva and on so many great blogs. Thanks to Fard and to Neville for staying the course on this one. Working together we might have made a difference in the way a company conducts business that will result in a win-win that positively impacts the blogging and marketing research industires.
As Mack, Dave, Eric and Ann would say this is what it means to belong to a community ~ where the voice of one turns into the voices of many.
Sidebar: Lou woulda liked this one!
Technorati Tags: Jupiter_Research, JupiterKagan, David_Schatsky, Greg_Dowling, Marketing_Research, Business_Blogs, PR, Bloggers_Relations
Jul 11, 2006
Back-story
A few weeks ago JupiterKagan/Jupiter Research issued a press release that provided results from a study about corporate blogs - Jupiter Finds That Deployment of Corporate Weblogs Will Double in 2006. I was puzzled by one particular finding - "... nearly 70 percent of all site operators will have implemented corporate blogs by the end of 2006." The stat seemed high to me.
I contacted JupiterKagan/Jupiter Research, via their agency Peter Arnold Associates, to lean something about the methodology (not included in the release). JupiterKagan/Jupiter Research refused to provide additional information (which in all fairness was their right). However, concerned with the study's conclusions, I voiced my questions - which I felt was my obligation to the readers of Diva Marketing. Here's the link to the Diva Marketing posts one and two and three.
The posts caught the attention of many in the biz blogosphere including Fard Johnmar who bought the research and came to his own conclusions; and Ian Betteridge who commented on NevilleHobson.com that I should have contacted Jupiter directly. Ian I took your advise.
JupiterKagan's/Jupiter Research's Response
I left a voice message for David Schatsky, President, JupiterKagan, Inc. I offered Mr. Schatsky an opportunity to tell his side of the story. The following is the unedited eMail exchanges that Mr. Schatsky kindly gave me permission to post on Diva Marketing.
David Schatsky's eMail response #1
Hi Toby.
Thanks for your voice mail. I appreciate your interest in our research.
You must be aware that it is disingenuous in the extreme to publicly voice "concerns about JupiterResearch's lack of methodology information to support the findings of a study" when in fact our methodology is transparent to all of our clients.
We do not tend to devote time to providing information of this type for free to anyone, as it's generally beyond the scope of the interest of publications who follow the sectors we cover and does not benefit Jupiter or Jupiter's clients--who pay for the privilege of exclusive access to this information. You owe your readers a correction of this misrepresentation.
I'll tell you that some of the data cited in the report you are discussing and mentioned in our press release is from a survey of 251 executives from a variety of industries who make decisions about their company's Web site spending and who work at companies with $50 million or more in revenue.
It's worth noting that some of the other bloggers you engaged in dialog thus misrepresented the focus of our study, suggesting it focused on Fortune 500 companies. That's not what we said in our report or in the release. For the sake of your own credibility, it's worth correcting that misrepresentation as well.
Thanks and best regards,
David Schatsky
President
JupiterKagan, Inc.
Toby's eMail response:
Mr. Schatsky -
Appreciate your email response to my message.
I want to make it very clear that my intention was never to bash JupiterKagan; however, when an organization provides research findings to the general public, for example, as stated in a media release, without the benefit of background details don't you agree it may cause people to question how those findings were determined? Although JupiterKagan's clients may be familiar with its methodologies, I'm sure JupiterKagan doesn't expect the marketing community at-large to accept results from (any) research at face value.
In my message to you I offered the opportunity to present your side of the story. Would you like me to post your response to Diva Marketing? I will be happy to publish your comments unedited. If you prefer that this remains a private conversation between us I will certainly honor your request.
Looking forward to your response.
Very best.
Toby
David Schatsky's eMail response #2
I agree that our news releases may cause people to question how our findings were determined. That's a good thing from our perspective. An aim of those releases is to motivate people that have a significant stake in understanding and applying out findings to inquire with us about becoming clients.
JupiterResearch clients have unfettered access to our analysts. Our analysts can not only explain the finer points of methodology, but also provide market intelligence, advice on best practices, insight into trends, and so on.
Feel free to post my response on your site.
Regards,
David Schatsky
Mr. Schatsky seems to think that I owe you an apology. I apologize to all readers who feel I misled them. I stand firm in my belief that any marketing research firm that offers results to the public should include information about the methodology. If not, don't be surprised if marketers, bloggers, the media or prospective clients question your findings and draw conclusions based on the information provided including questioning the credibility.
Sidebar: The debate for the marketing research community - Is it a business decision not to include methodology with publicly published findings or is it an ethical issue? Thanks to Bill Neal, SDR, Inc. for the link to the AAPOR Code of Ethics - reference - III. Minimal Disclosure of Research Findings (American Association for Public Opinion Research).
Technorati Tags: Jupiter_Research, JupiterKagan, David_Schatsky, Marketing_Research, Blogger_Relations, JupiterResearch, Toby_Bloomberg, Diva_Marketing
Nov 25, 2004
Interesting article by Philip Kotler, the guru of marketing, in the current Marketing Management about ethics in marketing. Dr. Kotler challenges marketing professionals to examine not only how we market but what we market.
“What if the customer wants something that isn’t good for him or her?”
“What if the product or service, while good for the customer, isn’t good for society or other groups?"
Example: At a time when the American public is battling a war on obesity, Hardee's rolled out Monster Thickburger™. The “mother of all burgers” is a two, one-third pound slabs of Angus beef, three slices of American cheese, four strips of bacon and mayonnaise on a buttered sesame seed bun weighing in at 107 grams of fat and 1,420 calories. Yo Mama!
According to Hardee's chief executive Andrew Puzder this is "not a burger for tree-huggers." However, The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a advocate for nutrition and health, had a different word for the Baby Huey Burger - "food porn."
[Sidebar: To be fair, Hardee’s also has low carb choice. The company is also launching a cause marketing program where one “monstrous” NFL player will work the drive-thru of a local Hardee’s for two hours. The proceeds from every Monster Thickburger sold at that location on that day will be donated to the player’s charity of choice.The Center for Science in the Public Interest calls this - "sinister."]
The debate rages on … “Are we our brother’s or sister’s keeper?” Kotler poses a bigger question, “Do public interest groups and government agency have the right to intervene in the free choices of individuals?” Kotler believes that the problem stems from conflicts among different ethical systems.
More questions arise and there are no easy answers. What are a professional marketer’s social responsibilities? Should social ethics be part of a marketing code of ethics?
Establishing a code of ethics for the blogosphere is something that has been an issue for several years. How do you build a community based on trust? Does the blogosphere need a Code of Blogger Ethics? Here are a few ideas.
Cyber Journal’ Code of Blogger Ethics
1. Be Fair and Honest
2. Minimize Harm
3. Be Accountable
Rebecca Blood’s Code of Blogger Ethics from the Weblog Handbook
1. Publish as fact only that which you believe to be true.
2. If material exists online, link to it when you reference it.
3. Publicly correct any misinformation.
4. Write each entry as if it could not be changed; add to, but do not rewrite or delete, any entry.
5. Disclose any conflict of interest.
6. Note questionable and biased sources.
Joho The Blog (David Weinberger) - Blogger Code of UnProfessional Ethics
I can’t figure out if Doc or David or Chris wrote this. Posted October 16, 2002!
My readers:
...know me. They will judge me according to context.
...are smart. They will not be misled by some stray comment I may happen to make.
...are kind. They make allowances and forgive me ahead of time.
In return:
I will speak my mind about what I care about.
I will not revise too much or too carefully: Blogging about opera is still jazz.
I will not anticipate and reply to every objection: Punctilliousness in pursuit of the appearance of propriety kills voice.
If I apologize, it will be because I have actually betrayed my readers' trust, not because I may have, might have, or could be misread as having done so.
I pledge to keep the reading of my weblog purely optional.
[Sidebar: Take a look at the thread on “Blogo culpa” – integrity in the blog world – on Doc’s site.]
As recently as this month the beat goes on. Jason Calcanis Blogethics.org, wants to organize a committee to draft A Code of Ethics for Blog Advertising .
Heard if from NickDenton
Business Ethics – Top 10 Best Corporate Citizens 2004
1. Fannie Mae
2. Proctor & Gamble
3. Intel
4. St. Paul Companies
5. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc
6. Deere & Company
7. Avon Products
8. Hewlett-Packard
9. Agilent Technologies Inc.
10. Ecolab Inc.
around the internet looking for inspiration and found this wonderful quote - "To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity." Douglas Adams
