Have You Heard

Researchers at the University of Pensilvania tracked over a 6 month period, the most e-mailed articles from the NY Times. The objective was to find out what type of information spread the furthest. (Click on the Awe inspiring image to read the full article).

The good news was positive messaging rather than negative messaging spread furthest. And it was awe inspiring articles  that generated the furthest spread. "They used two criteria for an awe-inspiring story: Its scale is large, and it requires “mental accommodation” by forcing the reader to view the world in a different way."

And the reason for this sharing of Awe inspiring stories: People who share this kind of article seem to have loftier motives than trying to impress their friends. They’re seeking emotional communion."

My personal take-out is that 2009 was a hell of a year for almost everyone and it turned the focus for people on wanting to feel good - not in a superficial way, but from within the soul. Lets hope that continues.

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In Andy Sernovitz's third example of create brand stories, we look at where it is from...

"As consumers grow more and more conscious of where their stuff is manufactured, whether or not it's local, and how it got to your shelf, it helps to show them where it's from. Stone-Buhr -- which touts itself as the first certified flour from sustainable farming -- has created what they call, "Find the Farmer." It's a website where you can enter the lot code from your sack of flour to find the exact small group of farms that contributed to making your batch, where they're located, and even links to learn more about the farmers themselves. Try a simpler version of showing where it's from by creating a simple booklet to include with orders showing the communities in which your products are made, or by reminding customers that you're a local by including stuff that they'll appreciate in your publications like area news or local history.

The Lesson: If you've got the advantage of being locally made, or your business supports a worthy community, show it off whenever possible."

Click on the image to view the site.

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In Andy Sernovitz's second example we look at the story behind the story...

"Make it more than just another sale by sharing the history and the inspiration behind your stuff. Bruno's Chef's Kitchen in Eugene, Oregon is loved for its personal, friendly nature. Founders Tom and Bessie Bollag have built their business on word of mouth and make a point of putting their love and passion for what they do on display -- including devoting a detailed section of the restaurant's website to how they met, how they got started, and why they do what they do. You could show your fans who made it by putting your CEO or founder on the front-lines, by putting your regular employees on stage, or by hosting "open house" events where customers can meet the whole staff.

The Lesson: To see how contagious passion can be, make it easy for your founders and dedicated employees to share their love for what they do with customers." Click on the image to check out how they do it.

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Over this week - I will be posting a series of interesting articles, courtesy of Andy Sernovitz, highlighting how brands   have created 'conversational currency' and stimulated positive Word-of-Mouth around their brands.

"Your biggest fans love to see how your stuff is developed, tested, and manufactured. Take them behind the scenes by trying what Nokia does and put a bunch of your tests on tape to share on your blog, website, and YouTube. In Nokia's series of videos and blog posts focusing on "a bunch of guys who break phones for a living," they showed their engineers using elaborate machines to test phones in extreme temperatures, against repetitive button mashing, and undergoing some serious abuse. Options for showing off your testing and manufacturing process include opening up your facilities for tours, letting customers join in on trying out new products, and sharing a few photos and videos from your research facility.

The Lesson: Put the quality of your products on stage and share all the dorky details that true fans love by showing them how it's made."

Click on the Nokia Logo to check out their site/ video's and content.

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