Ever see Brittany Spears and Math Geek in the same sentence?

I heard a great speaker today (Alex Filimon from Dalhousie University) talking about some of the issues we face in Canada; he pointed out that 62% of new jobs over the next few years will require math but only 5% of degrees awarded in Canada are for Math, Computer Science or IT. And the picture would be even worse if you remove foreign students (who often intend to take their degrees home to China or India) from the mix.

Math is still viewed as a geeky non-sexy subject when put alongside Marketing, Finance or Medicine. This is a huge disconnect when you consider that "analytics" is becoming a hot business buzzword ....check out new bestsellers in the business market like "Competing on Analytics" and "Super Crunchers"

We must be doing something wrong.....we need to work to engage students at all levels to understand the relevance and importance of math. I still hear far too many students say "What am I ever going to use this for?" Teachers need to present math in an engaging way; cirriculums need to provide practical math not simply theories and formula; and those of us who work in this field must promote what math has done for them and their business careers.

If we don't get more students engaged in math, we are going to fall behind.

To reinforce the point, my new favourite quote:

“In China today, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America today, Britney Spears is Britney Spear s- and that’s our problem.” Jerry Yang, Co-founder Yahoo

Priceless PR?

Last week, MasterCard Canada announced that it will donate $160,000 to the City of Toronto to be used to operate the city’s 49 outdoor rinks in the month of December (earlier the city had announced that it couldn't afford to open the outdoor rinks until January). Good for them!

And while MasterCard says that it is not looking for reciprocation from the city in terms of signage or sponsorship, it will reap many other marketing benefits.

I’ve written before about the benefit and need to make all marketing spending accountable and PR is no different. Public relations campaigns can, and should, be measured like any other marketing initiative. Their cost needs to be compared to the benefit you achieve. It is not enough to pat yourself on the back for getting the company in the paper but you need to take a hard look at what the benefit was.

Start by considering the coverage they've received....front page news, radio and TV coverage. One way to measuring the value of this would be to consider what similar coverage would cost for an advertising campaign. My guess is considerably more than $160,000.

Awareness and attitude changes -Change in awareness (aided and unaided) and attitude towards MasterCard. All of the articles I saw focused on the positive – how MasterCard was helping kids get out and skate (contributing to the fitness levels of our youth) and how there were no strings attached (no signage at the rinks etc.) - so my guess is there will be a postive impression created for the public.

Of course, for most organizations the rubber hits the road not with increased awareness but with actual sales. I am sure MasterCard will be watching more concrete metrics too – they want more people pulling out their MasterCard and more applications.

I am sure MasterCard will be watching these measures carefully. No business spends money for solely altruistic reasons.

And for MasterCard’s sake, hope for a cold December and lots of rosy- cheeked kids on the rinks!

Do you do CRM?

For a long time, I have debated whether to use the term CRM (Customer Relationship Management) in my marketing materials - the acronym has been so closely associated with the technology - and so many different types of technology - that I am always afraid that I will start getting questions about whether to buy ACT!

I notice thatEurope's www.CRM-Forum.com has rebranded recently and is now www.MyCustomer.com

Do you use the term in your organization?

If so, is it used to refer to a business project? An IT one? A piece of technology? All of of these?
If not, why not?

I have consciously stayed away from it for two primary reasons:

1) Everyone has a different definition of what it is.....case and point, this week I had two calls using the term ...with very different meanings "My sales people input data into the CRM" and "Our CRM steering committee is looking at change management issues"

2) There have been too many articles on the failure of CRM.

Is it time to retire CRM for good? If so, what replaces it? Customer-centricity? CVM?

Changing face of marketing

I heard from an old friend today ....one I hadn't seen in 20 years.

All because of Facebook. Yes, I have finally joined the modern age and signed on to Facebook. Once the bastion of college and university students - and a few who were still clinging to youth - Facebook use is becoming prevalent even amoung old folks like me!

What does this mean for Facebook (other than the fact that the college students will start going elsewhere?!) And for those who market using the Internet?

Facebook is a non-commercial entity so marketers can't really capitalize on its success directly. That being said, Bill Sweetman recently tried an experiment recently that shows that the potential is there (http://www.sweetmantra.com/2007/07/my-facebook-coa.html).

The rapid growth and viral success of Facebook is however a lesson for all marketers.

Facebook works by getting people like me to actively want to:

1. Tell other people and encourage their participation
2. Come back regularly (I have to come back to the site whenever someone sends me a note/tags me in a photo etc.)
3. Self-segment by joining groups and inviting others to join.
4. Provide information.
5. Interact within communities.

If only every Web site had that power over its visitors....of course, noone would get any work done but still.....

Branding vs. DM

Do you ever feel that your direct marketing message is lost in a focus on your brand? That the call to action is diluted in your attempts to confirm to the brand strategy?

Thought this was an interesting thread....
http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/story/story.bsp?sid=50583&var=story&publication=Target%20Marketing&publicationDate=4/1/07&slug=TM0407_BtoBInsights&category=Sales%20&%20Marketing&section=Unknown

I have too often seen the CMO-vision for the brand corrupt the direct marketing message. It is critical to remember that direct marketing is about selling....the offer and the call-to action are key. Branding is an entirely different exercise - one that will likely help the response to your direct mail but should not be the reason for it.

I remember having this discussion with an organization I worked with. In an attempt to become customer, rather than product, centric, they lost the strong call to action in their direct marketing. Their messages were diluted into brand messages - and direct mail was the wrong medium. The result: dismal 'response' rates to the dm messages .....because they really never told the customer what to do to "respond".

This article comes from B2B but the same applies across the board.

Are you really a data miner?

As we plan for the next Data Mining Users Group (May 9), we find ourselves debating what data mining really is. How does your organizaiton define data mining? Does it include classical statistics (like regression and clustering)? Is it limited to machine learning and artificial intelligence? Does it include OLAP and reporting?

We'll be discussing this topic - and why it matters - on May 9 at the Toronto Data Mining Users Group (www.torontodatamining.ca )

A Pandora's Box of Data

I think we've all heard of the Human Genome Project - the analysis of data to determine the complete genome sequence for the human body.....how about the Music Genome Project?

A group of musicians and music-loving technologists have analysed hundreds of musical attributes or "genes" into a very large Music Genome. One of the results is Internet Radio station Pandora

As a analytic marketer, I am fascinated by this site as it endeavours to match my specified music tastes with other music I might like based on the similarity of its attritbutes....not simply other music of the same genre or artist but based on such things "heavy use of rythmic syncopation" and "accoustic rhythm guitars". It builds each user a customized "radio station" giving a chance for feedback to help it "learn". A rather fun application of data!

Make your own station at http://www.pandora.com/