Just so I don’t waste anyone’s time, this is a digital-marketing-related post. I know the title might seem racy–especially coming from a tool such as Twitter, where article titles spread quickly. But it’s a good one, so please read on….

Last week I had an onboarding with a new Marketing Director on one of our long-time businesses at Bridge Worldwide. As agency folks know, these can sometimes be tense affairs. We worry about what the new leader will think about our historic work, and pay close attention to how he or she might shift gears on everything we’ve been doing to date. And for a digital agency like ours, we also closely pay attention to how much the new client is engaged in this new media. Sometimes you find that a new client is ready to leap three steps forward on the digital playing field, but it’s just as likely that the new guy or gal will wonder why we’re not spending more on TV commercials instead.

In this particular meeting, it didn’t take long for our new client leader to start sharing his beliefs–mainly because we cleverly put an agenda item early on in the meeting titled something like: “Mr. Client Shares His Beliefs.”  Like many traditional marketers, this particular client admitted that he is still learning about how the digital space is evolving, but certainly wants to crack the code quickly.  Then he said something that I had never heard before; it went a little something like this:

One of the things I do to learn how our consumers are using digital and social media is to read my wife’s Facebook page. When I do this, I see the kinds of things that she and her friends are talking about–and it’s usually not brands or marketing. My wife and her friends talk about their children, plans for the weekend, hobbies, and reactions to what’s in the news. So if we want her to talk about our brand, then we need to do something that connects our brand in some meaningful way to what really interests her.

There are a few things that made this comment remarkable in my mind. First, it is an example of a marketer who understands that the answers don’t come from expensive research reports and fancy insight graphics–they come from paying attention to what people are doing and saying, even in your own home.

The second lesson here is the admission that many of the brands we work on are usually not chat-worthy on their own. Despite our desire to “join the conversation” and put up Facebook profiles for our brands, the reality is that we are competing for attention against topics that are much more engaging than whether our new product formula is 20% better. We have to admit this reality and talk about it openly.

And, finally, I love his point that we have to “do something” (i.e., not just talk) that connects our brand in some meaningful way (i.e., ties to higher-level needs).  This is exactly what I’ve been preaching here for two and a half years.

There is nothing better than working for a client who is strategically smart, is wise enough to admit he needs to learn, and commits to working with agency partners to crack the code.  This story is an important lesson for any marketer who is struggling to figure out the future of marketing, and shows how in small ways you can inspire agency partners to help you lead the way.

I need to purge myself from the decadence of Cannes and its endless flow of both wine and drumming gorilla videos. So it’s a great time to dive into the healthcare category. Healthcare is one of our favorite industries because our clients’ products and services themselves significantly improve lives. And we find that marketing in healthcare is fertile ground for marketing that itself can improve lives.

One of our favorite clients is Align, a new brand at Procter & Gamble that is in a pretty unique category. Align is a entrant into the growing probiotic category. Probiotics are digestive supplements that introduce helpful bacteria into your system. They are gaining acceptance and acclaim for a wide range of benefits - from preventing colon cancer to lowering blood pressure.

Align specifically helps build and maintain a healthy, balanced digestive system. It is made with a probiotic called Bifantis. Both are getting some very positive reviews from consumers whose lives have been upended by digestive issues. Moms are missing kids’ soccer games because they are stuck in the bathroom. Dads have to know where the closest public bathrooms are at all times.

As you might imagine, the key consumer and business challenges for Align are the fact that it is a pill that must be taken daily, and it can take a month for the full benefits to come into effect. And as a business school marketing professor warned me on the first day of class: “Habit change is really hard.” Further, the daily supplement is not covered by insurance, and it costs about $1 per day. People who try Align desperately want to adopt the habit, but they need help to ensure that they experience the desired results. Otherwise, it can be a frustrating loss of time and money with nothing to show for it. We saw an opportunity for marketing with meaning.

Based on our years of work in healthcare, we know that people are actively seeking online tips and advice that will help them start a new medication habit or make a significant lifestyle change. So several months ago we brought our client team the idea of creating “My Align Advisor” – a relationship marketing program that would help people adopt the Align habit and ensure that they get the maximum benefits of their investment in the product. Here are a few of the ways we help build the habit:

• Invite consumers into the program at the time that they first buy the product.
• Offer a “digestive tracker” that they can use to measure their progress and results.
• Send weekly emails that explain what people are likely feeling and experiencing at every stage of the process. This helps encourage them when they may feel frustrated.
• Request that they share their results with others through a “Tell Us Your Story” program.

We know that by engaging people with reminders, journal entries, and social reinforcement, we can significantly improve compliance. And the My Align Advisor program test showed real results. In terms of meaning, our survey of users showed that a majority agreed that the program “added to the overall value of Align” and that “Align allows them to enjoy life again.” As for the business, I cannot share results here, but suffice to say that the program continues and our clients are happy. The best news for all of us – including consumers – is that Align has expanded from an online-only test and is now available in select cities as well.

The My Align Advisor program is a model of meaningful marketing that many brands could follow. Other daily prescription and OTC medications are a natural, but I could see similar models anywhere a frequent habit needs to be created. It could be Scotts helping people get their new yards off to a good start, or Toyota helping Prius buyers get used to hybrid driving.

At the end of the day, habit change IS hard. But marketing that helps people adopt the habit can be extremely meaningful for both consumers and businesses.

I’m back in the office today after a whirlwind week in Cannes, as seen in the daily posts below. Here are a few random thoughts:

More Meaning in Cannes

Jonah Bloom in Ad Age has a summary of his favorites from the show. Two that I should have featured myself are here:

• “Lowe Bangkok’s “Torture Test” used a white T-shirt as an envelope for a direct-mail piece containing a sample of Unilever laundry detergent. Consumers’ addresses were written on the T-shirt, and by the time the T-shirts made it through the Thai postal system they were filthy — presenting a real stain-removal test for the recipient. An ingenious way to put the product at the center of the marketing and show faith in its efficacy.”
• “Publicis Mojo Auckland’s effort for Speight’s beer played off the fact that New Zealanders in London had to do without their native ale. The agency put a Speight’s-serving pub on a boat that would sail around the world, via numerous ports, to England. It then ran a contest to find barmen who’d sail with the bar. Six percent of the male population of New Zealand applied for the job, and Speight’s regained its best-selling-beer slot in the country.”

Great Client Feedback

Last week I got a message from one of my Account leaders saying that her client actually built Marketing with Meaning into the brief for a big upcoming project! Apparently they were inspired by our Ad Age article and wanted to jump right in. Very, very cool and inspiring.

We’re a Best Place to Work – Again!

Finally, we just got an all-company email to announce that Bridge Worldwide has been named the #6 Best Small Company to Work For in America. This is our third consecutive year on the list and our highest ranking yet! Did I mention that we continue to hire? Why are we a great place to work, you ask? Tons of stuff. Meaningful marketing is one. Another is the fact that our people get together for events like the 48-hour film festival, which was sponsored by Bridge Worldwide. Check out our entry below – and, yeah, that’s me as Captain Bob…