Rippe Keane Marketing

KMC On Demand Announces Partnership With I-CAR

2010-03-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

KMC On Demand, a leading provider of e-Learning and Online CE credits to the insurance adjusting industry, recently announced a partnership with I-CAR to deliver the organization's auto collision repair courses online. Colm Keenan, KMC's VP of Knowledge Management, is enthusiastic about combining the capabilities of the two organizations. “This collaboration brings together two industry leaders to seamlessly integrate the e-learning capabilities of KMC On Demand and the training expertise of I-CAR,” said Keenan.

Currently, I-CAR delivers the majority of its auto collision repair and training courses in the classroom, with only a few classes available on the web. In recent years, the organization has seen an increase in the demand for online training. KMC's e-Learning technology will enable I-CAR to "respond to this industry need and greatly expand the access to I-CAR training for all industry segments," according to John Edelen, President and CEO of I-CAR.

For more detailed information about the partnership, click here.

What Will They Think of ME?

2010-03-09T11:36:00.000-08:00

I recently attended a funeral for a man that I have known for about 16 years. I didn’t know him very well. His daughter married into our family, so I knew him through casual conversation at birthday parties and Christmas gatherings.

He had one of those way over-the-top personalities. You know the type; silly, boisterous, center of attention, rude – but in a very humorous way. He often broke into a goofy song, especially if he could embarrass someone while doing it. He was always happy to see you, but pretended not to remember your name, and maybe called you Agnes for the remainder of the 2 year old birthday party…..you get the idea.

This man had been an educator, a high school band director. There were past students that came back into his life during the last few weeks of his life; an employee at the hospital, a lawyer, a nurse at Hospice, and they lined up out the door at his visitation. But what really struck me, and caused one of those “ah-ha moments”, was the number of teachers and co-workers that came to pay tribute to him.

Two eulogies were given at the funeral, both by teachers that had worked with this man for many years and had become the best of friends. They told stories of when his zany personality had gotten the best of someone, explained how this man had changed the way children receive music education, and shed tears as they bid him farewell. At the luncheon following the service people were invited to stand up and share their favorite story about him. We heard stories from teachers, the school secretary, principals, music teachers from districts around the state, school district officials…even the Home Ec. teacher! Each had at least one, and often several, funny stories to share with the group. The school secretary knew he would over spend his budget every year…for 39 years. The quiet little orchestra teacher once opened a storage closet to get a music book, as she opened the door, he stepped out, handed her the book, and told her to have a nice day. This was a prank he pulled on several teachers throughout the building; imagine the heart attacks that could have resulted! One nice lady was in the teacher’s lounge alone trying to take a five minute break with a cup of coffee, and was terrified when something grabbed her ankle under the table…yep, you guessed it! It was him. Then there was the “trip while carrying a cup of coffee” trick that he had evidently pulled about a hundred times…..

Every one of those people remembered this man with a smile. He left a mark professionally; earning countless awards, and being credited for making music education a priority in his district. But he also made a positive impact on everyone he worked with, and they cared enough to come and share the impact he made.

Kinda made me wonder…..what will people remember of me when I’m gone? What kind of impact do I have on those that I work with? Will they smile when they remember me?

This man, that I really didn’t know very well, has shown me the relevance of my actions…both professionally and personally. He has set the bar pretty high. But I think every one of us has the ability to impact those around us in a positive way every single day. I know I will be trying a lot harder.

And now, I think I'll break into a goofy song.....

Super Bowl 2010

2010-02-12T12:28:00.000-08:00

Yet another year of football has come and gone and much to our surprise the underdog came out on top. It was by far the best Super Bowl game in years. With an estimated 106.5 million viewers, the expectation of the famed million dollar commercials did not live up to the hype. Jay Leno and David Letterman being in the same room together might have caught people off guard (possibly even NBC), but how many people winced as Betty White was about to get hit playing football. Click here for a recap of all the 2010 commercials. My favorite, although not funny or too clever, was James vs Howard in the remake of the Jordan vs Bird commercials for McDonalds. What was your favorite?

We introduce to you, 1stGiG.com

2010-01-22T11:20:00.000-08:00

We started our relationship with Al Marco and Mason Kemp last Fall as they were in the midst of starting a new venture. After over 20 years of executive search experience with the Trovato Group, they had come to the conclusion that something just wasn't right about the recruiting game.

HR professionals told them time and time again of their frustrations with finding motivated college graduates.

It’s expensive to recruit nationally and time consuming to sift through piles of resumes.

It’s disruptive to continually start, stop, and restart the recruitment process as positions become available, are filled, and open again.

That’s why 1stGiG.com is the first college undergraduate and graduate job site that’s not really a job site at all. Here, the focus is on careers.

This week, we are happy celebrate the launch of the culmination of a lot of hard work and initiative. We highly recommend that you check out the site for any career fulfillment needs your company may have.

Here is a little snap shot of how the system works:

A matching matrix identifies compatible profiles between young career-bound talent and potential employers.
When the “talent” accepts the match, an introduction is made with the prospective company.
Over time, both parties make multiple connections, establish a relationship and create “opportunity pools” based on their mutual interest.
When the right opportunity arises, the parties are prepared to move forward in the hiring process – eliminating the time-consuming process that has been the norm so far.
The talent is charged a one-time fee of $20. This way we know the talent is serious and uphold the integrity of the system. Also, it reduces the cost to the employer so we can offer greater access to small-to-midsized companies nation-wide.

New talent and employers are added every day so follow 1stGiG.com for updates.

Most Expensive T.V. Programs

2009-12-04T13:43:00.000-08:00

In a recent survey of conducted by Advertising Age, the results show NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” ranks highest on the list at $339,700 per 30 second spot. Fox’s “American Idol” will not make its debut until 2010 and is expected to bring in between $360,000 and $490,000 per 30 second spot. Other T.V. shows such as “Two and a Half Men”, “Family Guy”, “The Simpsons” and “CSI” are also near the top. So where does the return of Jay Leno rank? Well, it is one of the cheapest new shows of the year with an average cost between $48,803 and $65,678 per spot depending on the night. Click here to read about other prime time TV hits.

Snazzy Apps with Utility

2009-11-30T13:51:00.000-08:00

AdWeek posted their list of what they deem the most successful iPhone apps. Ranking at the top are brands that utilize mobile marketing by offering something… get this… useful. Placing an extension of your brand in the palm of your customer builds a pretty tight relationship, considering people act like a fish out of water when they forget their cell at home. Overall, equipping your customers with a tool instead of mere entertainment (although that doesn’t hurt) will cause them to actually rely on it.

A perfect example is Amazon Remembers, Ranked No. 9 in the App Store lifestyle category. A user takes a picture of the newest gadget his or her daughter wants for Christmas and Amazon tries to match it to an item in their store. It’s an experimental feature at this point but since well over half of it’s users rate it 4 or 5 stars, I would say the frugal shoppers are rejoicing!

As a fellow foodie, I gotta love the Kraft iFood Assistant. Everyone can use a little helper when it comes to cooking, so the 99 cents they charge seems like nothing when you get quick access to 7,000 recipes. The iFood Assistant ranks No. 53 in the App Store lifestyle category (paid apps).

The No. 1 music app in the App Store is none other than Pandora. Users create a personalized radio station that streams music and even takes your preferences from your online account. This proves to be incredibly convenient when a user can avoid loading up the iTunes playlists with music that can get old, fast. This every-changing radio stream keeps the music fresh and in your ear buds anywhere you go.

These are just a few examples of apps that fulfilled their promise of utility, but there are plenty who missed the boat. Check out AdWeek’s iPhone Apps Put Brands in Hands for their full list of noteworthy apps and other missed opportunities.

2009-11-11T07:41:00.000-08:00

Socialnomics

A YouTube video was recently passed around our office. This is not an uncommon occurrence; we all enjoy a good giggle now and then. But this one had a much different effect. It was actually rather scary. Not scary in the “Boo!” kind of way, but more scary in a professional, “this is unbelievable!” kind of way. Maybe even more so for those of us in the over 40 category that tend to nervously tremble and perspire as we try and navigate our way through the unfamiliar terrain that is Social Media.

To a generation that grew up thinking the only way to reach a market audience was through a comprehensive mix of radio, TV, and newspaper, this new information on social media is mind blowing. This video speaks of the time it took those dinosaur mediums to reach 50 million users: radio…38 years. TV…13 years. The internet took 4years. IPOD took just 3 years to reach 50 million users. In comparison, Facebook recently added 100 million users in less than 9 months!

Is this possible? Really? How can this be?

Well, the video goes on to say that if Facebook was a country, it would be the world’s 4th largest! Number 1 would be China, number 2 would be India, number 3 the United States and number 4 would be Facebook!

Oh, and it’s not just Facebook that people are paying attention to; Twitter has also taken the world by storm. There are two celebrities (Ashton Kutcher and Ellen DeGeneres) that have more followers on Twitter than the entire population of Ireland, Norway and Panema! In China, QZone has over 300 million users. Wikipedia has become more accurate than Encyclopedia Britannica, posting more than 13 million articles.

The title of the video is “Socialnomics”. I watched it the first time and was intrigued. I watched it a second time and was amazed… OK, and slightly terrified. I watched it a third time and felt compelled to share it with all of you. Take a peek for yourself….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVXKI506w-E

So, is social media just a fad? I’m thinking it’s not only here to stay, but it’s redefining the way we think about the world as we know it.

FTC Cracks Down on Bloggers

2009-11-02T10:03:00.000-08:00

Last month, the FTC issued a new set of guidelines concerning bloggers’ endorsements of goods and services. Savvy marketers have been sending “power bloggers” products for trial and review for quite some time – a good move on their part, given Jupiter Research’s finding that 50% of blog readers seek out product information on blogs.

In a nutshell, the new FTC guidelines advise bloggers that they could face an $11,000 fine if they receive free services, goods, or money and write about the goods or services without disclosing their “material connection” to the company. Facebook and Twitter also fall under the guidelines, leaving one to wonder how to make such a disclosure AND endorse a product in 140 characters or less.

Companies have long employed “under-the-radar” methods to get cultural influencers to endorse their products - think of a retailer sending an actress this season’s “it” bag in hopes that she’ll be photographed carrying it (spurring thousands of women to make a purchase). Will these celebrities now have to disclose the nature of their relationship with the designers they wear on the red carpet? With the uptick in product placement on television shows, will the FTC extend their disclosure guidelines to this and other “non-traditional” media? It seems that television programs have fewer reasons than bloggers to be concerned with the validity of the claims they make – is anyone else skeptical of the Biggest Loser’s promotion of Extra gum as a viable snack substitute?

While I can see the value in the FTC’s intentions, I think their 81-page rule book creates more questions than it answers (and I’m not alone in my sentiment). The scope of the blogosphere is tremendous – the WSJ reports that more than 20 million Americans author a blog, and 1.7 million profit from it. Given these statistics, just who will be tasked with enforcing these guidelines?

Bloggers have such tremendous clout because they’ve made a point of being transparent and honest in their product reviews. Though the appeal of receiving free products could lead some to write glowing reviews of everything that comes their way, a smart blogger would realize that a slew of favorable reviews of “bad products” would seriously undermine their credibility with their readers. And, at the end of the day, a blog without an interested audience holds no appeal to advertisers and marketers.

AT&T Predicted Today

2009-10-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

Who knew what a wired (and unwired) world would look like?

Turns out...that would be at&t.Check out these TV ads from 16 years ago that are so uncannily insightful.

Isn't it simply amazing how far we've come in such a short span of time?

Apple "1984"

2009-09-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

With football back on the air, the Super Bowl commercials are already on the minds of many marketers. Do you have a favorite commercial that comes to mind? How about Larry Bird and Michael Jordan playing a game of Horse for a McDonald’s Big Mac or Coca-Cola's “Mean Joe” Greene where the little boy gives up his Coke to the “Mean Joe” Green?

Did you know that the #1 rated Super Bowl commercial is “1984” by Apple Computers, introducing Apple Macintosh? Surprisingly enough, it was only aired as an ad on television ONCE during the Super Bowl XVIII. It had a production budget of $900,000, which was unheard of at the time. When first presented in Dec 1983, the Apple Board of Directors hated the spot!

Check out the Top 10 Super Bowl commercials here.

Where are your customers? Most likely on Facebook.

2009-09-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

Rippe Keane Marketing knows the power of social media...and good strategy starts with good information. Social media can be downright addicting and when we get your brand involved, we like that!

The world's largest social network, Facebook, announced on Tuesday it has finally become profitable. On top of that, they also passed the 300 million registered-user milestone.
On Thursday, Twitter said they have become a billion-dollar company.
As social media companies join the million-dollar club and membership numbers continue to skyrocket, it’s hard to ignore the opportunity to get your brand into the arena. However, as with anything new, some companies encounter push back from management teams who are hesitant to jump into uncharted waters.
Confidence prevails despite potential risks
A new study from Russell Herder and Ethos Business Law takes a close look at management teams’ perception of social media. The group’s research confirms that confidence exists in social networking as a viable communication undertaking, but so do worries about the potential liabilities.
Eighty-one percent of surveyed executives believe social media is a corporate security risk, while 49 percent said that using social media could damage company reputation.
Despite these concerns, respondents view social networking as a key strategy. According to survey results, eight in 10 senior management, human resource and marketing executives believe social media can enhance relationships with customers/clients (81%) and build brand reputation (81%). In doing so, it’s important to have a social media policy grounded in honesty and respect.
Communication with results
Above all, companies want to know what results they can expect. A recent USA Today article highlighted several businesses that have embraced social media tactics and reaped the benefits.
Intuit added customers quickly when they integrated elements of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn into a new site for small businesses. It generated more than 1 million visits in 12 weeks and increased QuickBooks unit shipments 57% in June.
National pizza chain Papa John’s launched a guerrilla marketing campaign on Facebook to add 148,000 fans. They offered a free medium pizza to anyone that joined and ultimately got 300,000 fans and drove Web site traffic up 253%.
Comcast pioneered the use of Twitter to talk directly to customers and has 28,000 amassed followers. Customers can talk to a representative immediately on Twitter, making the days of waiting on hold on the phone a thing of the past.
Software maker Sage North America receives instant feedback from hundreds of people to improve their products and services. Typically, companies rely on third-party focus groups to observe reactions of customers that can cost up to $15,000.
Social media can be the ideal forum for a CEO to speak directly to customers. Companies can say “I’m sorry” when necessary on Twitter to respond to a customer service slip-up.
Follow consumers online
Increasingly, consumers don’t proactively search for products and services but encounter them via social media. Nine in 10 consumers trust their peers more than marketers, according to a recent survey of 25,000 by Nielsen. Consumers are exchanging messages and advice online more than ever. In April, Facebook members spent almost 14 billion minutes on the site, up 700% since April 2008, Nielsen NetView said. In that same month, Twitter users spent nearly 300 million minutes on the site, up 3,712% since April 2008, reported Nielsen.
As customers spend less time with traditional media and more online, companies have no choice but to follow. Some of the largest companies, including Ford, Levi Strauss and Chevron, are reinventing their marketing operations to embrace digital tools to support customers through online communities and implement aggressive outreach programs.
“It was an easy call. This is where our customers are,” said Megan O’Connor, director of digital marketing at Levi’s, a 150-year-old company.
Ask Rippe Keane about the possibilities of social media. We can help.

The Rippe Keane Summer Golf Classic

2009-09-03T07:55:00.001-07:00

"Golf...or No Golf?" was the question posed to invitees of the tenth Rippe Keane Summer Golf Classic; their enthusiastic response of "GOLF!" assured all of us at Rippe Keane that these spectacular people would help us make this year's classic one of the best yet! Clients and friends lived it up on August 26th as contestants at the "Classic Game Show" themed outing, which brought “Vanna White” and “Bob Barker” out to get things rolling at The Meadows of Six Mile Creek in Waunakee.

The weather forecast called for cloudy and cool….but the very persuasive marketing powers of Scott and Lucy produced sunny and warm! A perfect day for golf, with a few classic game show prize winning opportunities sprinkled in. On the course, guests had the opportunity to “Name That Tune,” play a round of “Card Sharks” and “Plinko,” and enjoy a few themed adult beverages as they went.

One special hole gave guests an opportunity to help The Rippe Keane Foundation make a donation to The Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation, an organization that helps breast cancer patients deal with the emotional aspects of battling cancer. With current statistics stating that 1 out of every 4 women will be touched by this horrible disease, we felt it was a cause very worthy of support. This hole was designed to honor the family of our own Matt Kemp, who just lost a sister to cancer this spring. Our wonderful clients and FORKS (Friends Of Rippe Keane) made bets to increase donation totals, and generously added additional bills into the collection.

Cash prizes that were awarded at the end of the day were given back to be added into the donation total, all of which was matched by The Rippe Keane Foundation. Is it any wonder why we love working with these people?? Thanks to the help of our wonderful and very generous golf guests, Rippe Keane will be making a sizable donation to The Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation.

As we all reveled in the glory of our golf games….or not…. a wonderful dinner was being prepared by the staff in the clubhouse. As we dined, awards were handed out for the dubious golf honors, including “Lovable Losers”.

Scott showcased his game show hosting prowess (and gave Regis Philbin a run for his money) during Rippe Keane's version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” Edgewood College’s Ed Taylor did a spectacular job in the contestant "hot seat," making the most of his opportunity to win big! The whole audience chipped in to help Ed to become a millionaire, and he left winning a cruise for two!

Fun! That’s the only word I have to describe the day! We laughed, we golfed, we ate, we donated to a wonderful cause, and we made enough fond memories to last us until the next Rippe Keane Summer Golf Classic, scheduled for summer 2011. Can’t wait to see you there!

Bank of Sun Prairie Helps "Stuff the Bus"

2009-08-06T07:31:00.000-07:00

I was the type of kid that began looking forward to the beginning of the new school year in the middle of July. By the second week of August, I had my backpack stocked with the requisite supplies: Freshly sharpened pencils, neon colored Lisa Frank folders, and the biggest box of crayons I could convince my mom to pony-up for.

For the more than 1,500 students in the Sun Prairie Area School District who can’t afford school supplies, the prospect of going back to school with an empty backpack is disheartening and anxiety-inducing. To brighten up their back-to-school experience, the thoughtful folks at Bank of Sun Prairie recently partnered with other area businesses in the first-ever “Stuff the Bus” school supply donation drive. This past weekend, area residents showed their generous support by donating enough school supplies to fill the bus outside of Copps, and more than $500 was raised to purchase additional supplies.

I remember how self-conscious students could be when it came time to write down the vocab words of the week and they didn’t have a notebook, or when craft time was announced only for them to shyly ask to borrow markers and scissors as they had none of their own. It’s wonderful to hear about businesses and citizens partnering to provide students with the basic supplies they need to succeed in school. You can read more about the event here at the Sun Prairie Star.

Clipping from Sun Prairie Star, August 6, 2009

Edgewood College's 6th Annual Tee Up for Nursing

2009-07-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

The 6th annual Tee Up for Nursing event held at Nakoma Golf Club was a huge success again this year! One hundred golfers enjoyed a beautiful day of sunshine, great golf and camaraderie as we raised scholarship funds for nursing students at Edgewood College.

A golf clinic with LPGA Tour Hall of Fame Member Kathy Whitworth kicked off the day, followed by a quick brunch before the shotgun start at noon. Golfers were treated to many games and contests along the way, including a chance for Kathy Whitworth to “get you on the green” on one hole. There were treats like Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream and margaritas from Outback Steakhouse to keep everyone cool and refreshed. Volunteer nursing students from Edgewood’s School of Nursing were great at meeting and greeting the golfers at each hole, and helped us all understand how important scholarships are to them during a presentation at dinner.

Most importantly, this year’s event was the most successful to date! Our two Title Scholarship Sponsors, Wind River Financial and Bank of Sun Prairie did a wonderful job raising awareness to the national nursing shortage with WKOW TV and WIBA Radio interviews promoting the event. At the end of the day, more than $150,000 was raised for nursing scholarships. Although the true impact of the support the sponsors provided can not be measured in dollars….those scholarships will go a long way in helping many nurses graduate. With 83% of Edgewood Nursing graduates accepting their first jobs in Wisconsin, that’s good news for all of us.

Welcome to the New RK Website and Blog!

2009-06-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

You know that old metaphor about the cobbler's children having no shoes? Yeah -- not unlike a marketing firm having no website.

The new Rippe Keane Marketing website has been "under construction" for quite some time -- mostly because our own self-promotion is a back-burner priority to client priorities, but also because we're just so damn picky around here. I guess that's a good thing.

We're anxious to not only get your feedback on the design and function of the website, but to engage our clients and FORKS (Friends of Rippe Keane) on this blog.

Each person on the Rippe Keane staff has authoring rights on the blog, and there is no censoring by anyone named Scott or Lucy. So while I'd like to give you a preview of what you might expect to read here, the truth is, I have no idea myself.

My hope is that this little corner of the RK website will become a valuable client resource. Maybe you'll get some good industry news about the economy or about advertising or about a client's industry. Maybe you'll read about client success stories or new strategies. Maybe there will be links to good articles.

Or, maybe this will just become a virtual playground for agency staff.

Either way, you'll learn a little something.

You are always welcome and encouraged to leave a comment (which you can do anonymously, or through a free Google/Blogger ID). You can "follow" the blog (kind of like a subscription) if you use Google as your homepage. Or, you can just do what most blog readers do, and lurk around laughing at the rest of us.

For those of you new to blogging, we'll be posting an article soon titled, "What You Can Do Here." It will include all the instructions and how-to stuff for participating.

Thanks for visiting!

~Scott