Shiseido or how much a woman is willing to spend on stopping the inevitable!

Yes, i know, deep down I know that there is really not much anybody can do about erasing the effects of time on your skin. Yet, as a woman, I can tell you that I hold on to this hope that maybe there is a small chance if I buy a good cream and I religiously apply it to my skin.
I have always envied the Shiseido look, the smooth, spotless, ageless skin of those Asian women they show on their ads. I wanted to be like them, and the only way I could get close to that thought was by buying their products.
I am loyal to Shiseido: on the surface, I think of it as buying wine,...I love wine, I do not know what to buy, and how you define quality, so I tell myself, "this must work like many other things in life, the more expensive, the better". Of course, my logical self thinks this is a silly logic, and that wine, and cosmetics (even more than wine) are marketed that way, precisely to make you feel that way. I am an easy prey.
Deep down, however, it is not about price, but about hope, so it deals with something that pulls from me more effectively than price. I hope I get to stop time somehow.

Sony - make.believe

The first electronic device I ever bought with my own money was a Sony Walkman. I would walk around the neighborhood jamming to my Michael Jackson cassette tapes. This was the beginning of my relationship with Sony electronics.

From the Walkman I upgraded to the Sony Discman and continued with a Sony boombox in my room. There was a period of time; we’ll call it college, where I spent a lot of time with my Sony Playstation. Fast forward to today and as I blog on my couch I can see my Sony TV, Sony BluRay player. Eventually, I’ll get up and download the pictures off of my Sony A330 camera.

I’m a Sony nut, but why?
1. Sony makes every kind of electronic I’ll ever need.
2. I’ve only had one bad experience with Sony, and that was with my old Vaio laptop, but you know what? I’d buy one again.
3. Every Sony device I’ve owned has been great. Headphones to cameras, TV to walkman everything has worked pretty much perfectly.
4. Aside from the products working well, the design of the products are sleek and the company is cutting edge. Also, I love the high-end feel of a Sony when compared to a Casio or Magnavox.

My favorite thing about Sony is that all the devices work together, much like Apple products do. When I brought my Bluray player home I was concerned about having to set it up. I plugged in one cable and it was done. The TV recognized the new device and like old friends they were up and running together in a split second. Then I thought, what if I plug the camera into the tv…you guessed it, they were showing my photos instantly.

I’m now looking for more Sony products to plug in to my TV. I’m thinking a Sony Bloggie or perhaps a new Vaio Laptop.

Audi - Always Ahead

Innovative, sporty, stylish, sexy, fresh, unpretentious, unapologetic are some of the words that I use to describe the Audi brand.

There is something about the Audi brand that for me differentiates it from its competitors: BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Others. I think its a combination of things:

• Memorable personal experiences - like driving from Holland to Italy in an A4 via Germany's Autobahn, or driving in snow (without a care or concern) passing other cars and their somewhat shaken drivers
• Audi's unfair advantage - Audi Quattro was banned from motorsports because of its dominance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ETRpE3Xpw
• Welcome one and all - the sense of inclusiveness of the "Audi Club"

Audi's commitment to engineering brilliance and innovation coupled with a welcoming, no frills culture sets Audi apart from its competitors. In my opinion, this combination is Audi's "secret sauce"...one that is hard to match.

When the time is right I will join the ranks of very satisfied Audi owners. For now, I'll continue to make memories behind the wheel of my 1995 Honda Civic...a.k.a. Little Red.

MAC

When I walk into the downtown Nordstrom store I go out of my way to use the entrance closest to the best make-up experience of I know of. MAC Cosmetics.

I usually try to stroll by and take a peek out of the corner of my eye so that I am not lured by the glamour of the make-up artists. Of course, I cave and walk right to the first available one. Where are your new "HOT" selling lip colors I ask. As she is applying the lip color I am thinking that I may already have a shade similar at home. The lipstick looks terrific so I go ahead and buy it anyway. Happy that afternoon I continue my shopping. When I get home I add it the bathroom drawer with the rest of my collection.

My next trip I enter with a purpose. I desperately need a make over! Spring has arrived with a new color line I must try. They key is approaching the most attractive make-up artist. I want to look like her! She applies my make-up with the expertise of a talented artist. As she tells me how beautiful I am I tell her I will take it all. What an experience. I take a look in the mirror and beam as I walk out with a bag full of cosmetics hoping I am able to create the same experience in the privacy of my home. I know I will be back......

Perfect Recipes!

Ever wanted to make the perfect gourmet dish to surprise a significant other, friend or family? How about if you could do it without having to practice and be 100% confident it will be delicious? That's what Cook's Illustrated as done for me! I've tried many other cookbooks and magazine subscriptions only to confirm that Cook's has it figured out. They focus on testing each recipe many different ways, explain their reasoning and then list the perfect recipe! Not only that but they constantly come up with new unique dishes from around the world with ingredients you can find at your local supermarket.

After years of fine dining from dating and corporate functions it was time to figure out how to make over the top meals at home. I knew I was on to something when my husband finally started eating leftovers. Think about how exciting and interesting dinner could be with a simple Spaghetti al Limone, Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp) or Doro Wat (Ethiopian Chicken Stew). Additionally, Cook's focuses on the right techniques to help you with anything from the consistency of mashed potatoes, rolling empanadas or perserving guacamole.

Perhaps it's the analyst/chemist in me to know why and how they decide the details/ingredients for each recipe but Cook's easy to follow and VERY TASTY recipes is helping me understand and actually made it fun to cook again. I hope you will give it a try!

My Favorite Brand of the Moment: Diet Coke

What is the Brand?
Diet Coke

What is it about that brand that has such appeal for you? Product? Reliability? Customer Service? Price?

I don't know if it is the flavor, the bubbles, or the jolt of caffeine, but there is rarely a day that goes by when I don't crack open a frosty can of DC as I like to call it. No matter where you are in the world DC is available. It may be called Coke Lite but it still has the same dependable flavor. I can always rely on DC to get me through even the roughest of days and provide some comfort when needed. There are other similar products in the market place that are often times on sale or start off at a bargain basement price but they are just not the same. Stores try to offer generic diet cola or natural brands offering a healthy alternative but when I see the silver can with red and black writing I feel secure and comforted in the fact that I know I'm getting quality and consistency. Plus Diet Coke has a great advertising campaign right now encouraging their consumers to "Stay Extraordinary"... don't mind if I do.

Standard 5- Genuine Honesty in Communication

When a customer is giving their opinion of a business, they are speaking of their personal experience. To ensure that only positive messages are being discussed, it is most important to impress a lasting, positive image on your representatives, not telling them about what COULD be. Telling people what to tell others, leaves them with a script-like description, rather than an actual memory or experience to speak of. Allowing your representative to tell others about the unique things that they expereinced gives a sence of genuine loyalty. People tend to believe in things they hear, especially when it is coming from a trusted source, and it's a story they can remember or relate to.

While not everyone is going to leave your business 100% satisfied, if the experience is a generally good one, the referrals will come. Letting people speak about your business and their personal experiences is most important in Word of Mouth Marketing.

True Beauty!

One of the most successfull celebrities for promoting products is Jessica Simpson for her work with Pro-Active. She is seen in advertisements with her imperfect skin before the media takes over thus making her a true and honest, professional spokeswoman.

This is an example of WOMMA Standard 5 in which we can relate to the customer and believe in her honesty. Since the FTC implemented their guidelines on endorsements and testimonals (also WOMMA Standard 4) we will likely continue to see more reliable and unpretentious feedback from celebrities.

Marketing to Children and Adolescents

I found Standard 7 and 8 to be intriguing. In a generation of accessibility and social media, guidelines should be set to protect those with less understanding of web tactics and marketing. The importance of this ethical standard is set by having two ideas designed to protect the rights of children. Adolescents typically do not have the mentality or knowledge to see through advertisements that may be marketing using different motives. Coinciding with Respect, it is our responsibility to shield children from being exposed earlier then necessary.

Tony Marconi Gave Me a GR8T Deal!!!

Disclosure of Identity is the cornerstone of all the Standards of Conduct required of WOMMA (Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association). Imagine you are talking to a new friend, Fran, about car troubles. Fran raves about her mechanic. She swears that Tony Marconi provides great service at a great value. In fact, he even vacuumed the interior and picked her up from work after finishing the job. Take my word - Tony is the best, she says. You whip out your smart phone and search for Tony Marconi Auto Repair. Yelp and Judy’s Book bring up a mix of good, bad and lukewarm reviews. The only glowing review was posted by Fran007.

“Uh oh. Tony Marconi got some bad reviews,” you say

“He’s always been good to me,” says Fran.

“How do you know Tony again?” A trace of doubt flashes across your mind.

“Tony and I go way back,” she says with a swish of her hand. “Oh, that’s right. I thought you already knew. Tony is my son-in-law.”

Fran didn’t benefit from sharing her opinion of Tony Marconi Auto Repair. Her words were genuine, she wasn’t paid or otherwise compensated, she wasn’t restricted in what she said, she wrote reviews for her personal blog as well as Yelp and Judy’s Book, she wasn’t targeting her message to kids and if she did, she would have complied with all requirements. And yet, it’s weird that she never told you that Tony was her son-in-law. Clearly, she’s biased, and you don’t fully trust her opinion now.

A word of mouth campaign boils down to building relationships and building trust. Would you have brought your car to Tony Marconi if Fran told you in the first place that he was her son-in-law? Maybe not, but her forthrightness would have gained your trust. Revealing any kind of relationship, paid or otherwise, shows integrity and builds trust and respect between your representatives and your customers.

Moreover, Disclosure of Identity as a membership requirement of WOMMA safeguards the value and reputation of word of mouth marketing as a whole. After all, one bad apple spoils the bunch.

WOMMA's 3rd Standard: Genuine Honesty in Communication

I think WOMMA's third ethical standard, "Genuine Honesty in Communication," is its most important. Word of Mouth (WOM) is the voice of consumers seeking advice from each other, and its power comes from honest communication upon which others can rely. If the communication process isn't transparent or honest, then the usefulness, and ultimately the potency of the conversation is lost.

If WOM Marketers are not complying with this fundamental condition of successful WOM, then they are missing the entire point. At best, they will find themselves in the more traditional marketing postition of communicating a pre-determined message, instead of truly listening and naturally joining the consumer conversation. At worst, they will be accussed of manipulating the truth or flat-out lying. In either scenerio, the Marketer has missed the opportunity to harness the power of WOM by not being honest.

On a side note, I feel compelled to mention WOMMA's Core Value of Respect in conjunction with my opinion about ethical standard 3. It notes that "WOMMA members believe that the industry is best served by recognizing that the consumer, not the marketer, is fundamentally in charge and control, and that is the consumer that defines the terms of the consumer-marketer relationship." It seems to follow that if an individual holds this opinion, and understands the basic nature of WOM, then honest communication would be a natural result.

Rule #1. The Importance of Being Transparent

When it comes to traditional media, it's pretty obvious who's behind the advertising. Most ads have a logo in the bottom right hand corner, and most television spots end on a corporate jingle or tag line. But in the age of product review blogs, web forums, "Likes" and Twitter feeds, it's tough to figure out exactly who's at the keyboard on the other side. It is said that 90% of consumers would trust the recommendation of a friend. But who exactly are your friends in the world of digital marketing?

Here's a metaphor to illustrate the importance of transparency: what if a salesperson at Nordstrom or Best Buy dressed themselves in plain clothes and walked around the store, offering up suggestions like, “I really love those boots, I’ve got two pairs!” or “I've got the new MePhone 4 and it's amazing!” You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between an honest recommendation and a company shill. Now imagine the situation online. How easy would it be to have your brother-in-law submit a YouTube video raving about your product?

Social marketers need to be honest with their customers and themselves. The anonymity and largely uncontrolled nature of the Internet and social media make it easier than ever to blur the lines between advertising and advertorial. Ethical marketers have a responsibility to be transparent and accountable in their dealings with the public in today’s world of electronic marketing.

This message paid for by Americans for Accountability.

Standard no. 2

One of the key factors for the decision making in getting a product or service is word of mouth. When consumers look for information about a product or service they hope that the reviews are real so they can have a better idea about the performance of it.

Trusting the Expert’s Opinion

Although a few of the standards of conduct for WOMMA really stand out to me, the one I feel is most important from my point of view as a consumer is standard 2 - disclosure of consideration of compensation received. When I am in the market to buy something that I’m not that knowledgeable about, whether it be a tool for my kitchen or a new hair product, I rely on the expertise of the people who are around those products and goods and therefore are much more well-informed about them. When I go to a store and shell out my hard earned cash, I want to know that they are being honest and I can trust them about their opinions of certain products instead of wondering if they are only recommending something for their own personal gain.

Genuine Honesty in Communication

WOMMA calls for the standard of honesty in communication. I think that this is important in any word of mouth or social media marketing campaign. Many consumers have had reason to doubt that people are being honest in their push of a product, and rightly so. Especially with word of mouth marketing, it is important to not influence people with what to say and promote. It is important to allow both the good and the bad to come out and to address both appropriately. I think that this is an important standard for any marketing campaign, and having used word of mouth marketing in the past, I know that it is important to not influence what people say - it allows consumers to be much more comfortable with the person/people who are promoting a product.

Word of mouth marketing? Honoring my word as myself? Integrity? (Same difference.)

Honoring one's word and integrity go hand in hand. They are obviously connected and the consequences of incongruity are straight forward. When I make a declaration I am putting myself out in the world as my word. Consequently, others view this declaration with varying levels of skepticism based on the declaration I have made and the history of our relationship. Finally, my follow through actions are the current state of my integrity.

Now does that mean I don't screw up? Of course not, I'm a human being and lack of integrity is inevitable. So, what's a person to do? Clean it up! Identify and correct it when you've made a mistake. Acknowledge the impact on yourself for not living up to your own standard of integrity and the impact your lack of integrity has had on others in your community. Make a revised declaration and follow through on it with integrity!

How does this play out in an ethical company or an organization? Exactly the same way. As an employee, I am a member of a community providing a service or product to a larger community. As such those principles of integrity function in the same way for a community of employees and community of customers. Companies and organizations with integrity identify and stop the actions that lack integrity. They publicly disclose what happened and implement procedures to prevent it from happening in the future. The principles of integrity and word of mouth among humans (no matter what the relationship) is as consistent as is gravity on Earth.

Most of us (individuals and communities) have honorable ethics. And often times we fall short of meeting those standards we set forth. It's what we do when that happens that makes a difference in our world.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Respect is by many accounts something that means a lot to people, but opinions vary widely on what is that exact meaning. In calling respect out as their third core value WOMMA traces a broad guideline of focusing on the welfare of consumers. They couch this issue in terms of control rather than a list of do and don’t. This provides background for the 6th WOMMA Standard – Respect for Venue.

The inherent assumption of this rule is that the customers the marketer is trying to reach are administrators and participants in the forum that is being targeted. These are potential end users and the WOMMA member is approaching them at their virtual doorstep. Advocating for a rule change in a forum, seeking exclusion of negative press, or going negative against a competitor may all be against the rules of a venue, and they are also bad for customer relations.

In setting this standard, WOMMA seeks to shield their industry and their members against any negative perception by publicly banning practices that customers themselves have outlawed. In doing so they re-emphasize that wherever they go, customers should have the control.

Standard 3 - Disclosure of relationship

As we all know, marketers place significant value on positive word of mouth campaigns.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know if Sarah Jessica Parker's true favorite hair color is Brown Sugar # 63 from Garnier Nutrisse or if a generous remuneration or other consideration had anything to do with her positive feedback regarding this product?

In my opinion, disclosure of relationship is critical in order to build and maintain loyal customers. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkjdeNdzxSQ

The Early Years of Home Depot...

I worked for Home Depot for many years when it was still a "young" company - only 10 years old with stores located only in a handful of states across the country.

ETHICAL STANDARD #2, Disclosure of Consideration or Compensation Received, resonated with me most and brought me back to those early days at Home Depot. I was a starving student, just 18 yrs old, working in the Paint Department at a Home Depot store located only a few miles away from the Headquarters of The BEHR Paint Company in Santa Ana, California. My fellow co-workers and I were were spoiled by their Manufacturer Reps who were HOT for us to sell their products. At the time, Home Depot was strict about their dress code of wearing collared polo shirts to work. Home Depot's mascot, a cartoon Do-it-Yourself character named HOMER, was all the rage amongst employees who claimed to "bleed orange". The BEHR company supplied the paint department employees with custom polo shirts with the BEHR logo on front and a picture of Homer using and promoting the BEHR products on back. I must have had 7 different ones... and they were cool! The elaborate luncheons put on by the BEHR reps were enticing, too. At the time, I had plenty of positive things to say about the products sold by a company who was putting clothes on my back and putting food in my stomach! The marketing and sales training of employees about BEHR products far exceeded those of other paint manufacturers. The presence of their reps in the stores was the most frequent of any other vendor I'd seen, too. Not that it's a bad thing! They were very attentive as a company. They had the customer service thing DOWN!

I ended up transferring stores to a location back east and discovered that even 3,000 miles away from the BEHR plant, the reps were pressing just as hard for sales - and rewarding those employees who made the sales - with even more elaborate perks. Other vendors had caught on by then and the "purchasing" of store employees had gotten so out of control and competitive among the big suppliers that The Home Depot had to step in and prohibit such activities. I believe a story had been made public, too, and Home Depot had to do some damage control.

ETHICAL STANDARD #2 of the WOMMA Code of Ethics is about DISCLOSURE OF COMPENSATION - which is ultimately all about HONESTY. Essentially, without disclosing that I was compensated in some way by the BEHR company to EACH AND EVERY customer I recommended the BEHR products to was dishonest. I was just out of high school and didn't know squat about paint (except for what they told me) - nor did I really care at that age. It doesn't matter that I honestly, to this day, STILL believe in the premier quality of BEHR paint... and it's still the only paint I will use for MY OWN projects. It doesn't matter. It was still a form of bribery. The BEHR company was "Engaging in marketing practices where the marketer provided goods to the communicator as consideration for recommendations".

Torn about Privacy

I am most definitely torn about Privacy when it comes to social media. When I began thinking about the core value that I thought best, Privacy stood out without any doubt in my mind. Like most people, I have been bombarded by unwanted emails, particularly of the commercial nature, that I am still wondering how I ended up being part of, where did I happen to put my name without being aware it would be captured somehow, whom did I give my email to...to this day, even after life has given me some training to deal with unwanted emails, I find it slightly annoying (and funny at the same time) when stores try to capture your email address in order to send out their ads. I was at Old Navy recently and was asked, in a very matter-of-fact kind of way: "shall we start with your email address" at the register. An untrained and unprepared customer would have easily given such information to the store rep. These days, I am prepared to say: "no, thank you", end of topic ;)

Yet, as other folks have already mentioned in this blog, it is an open medium, and whether I like it or not, privacy is taking its own shape. I can only assume that as we get more and more involved in this medium, the definition of privacy will change and so will our threshold of comfort as to what we would like others to know about us.

At the same time, it might be a cultural thing (and take into account that we live in a multi-cultural world), but I am not particularly bothered by others knowing about me. This somehow makes me think about the recently highly mentioned topic of airport pat-downs, excuse my getting side tracked. I was personally surprised to see that people would choose to go through untested, and likely dangerous for their health scanners, before being pat down. Though I cherish my privacy, I frankly cherish my health even more...there are many different ways to think about the importance of privacy.

Standard 7 – Marketing with children and adolescents

Word of Mouth Marketing is a very delicate marketing instrument, indeed. It is very hard to control and can easily become a snowballing unethical information chaos.
I believe that one of the most important points of marketing ethics is audience.
Not only are children and adolescents more vulnerable to advertisements and communication, but the newest generations have unlimited access to media messages in all of it's forms. The newest generation is one that will not have known life without internet and social media.
Therefore, by keeping true to this WOMMA standard, we do our best to protect the younger generations from advertising manipulation.

Genuine Honesty in communication

In today's market place honesty in communication is important. With all of the different avenues to gain information or hear news updates, consumers expect to receive transparent communication about a company's goods or services. They demand to be given the proper facts and if they aren't presented they will seek them out. One of the most trusted sources when making a purchase are consumer opinions or reviews. With this standard in place it helps ensure companies will maintain honest communication with the consumers to empower them to make the right decision and build strong relationships.

Branding by integrity.

The eight Standards of Conduct taken as a whole point to an organization protecting and building its brand. WOMMA seeks to be a symbol of integrity, the Better Business Bureau of word of mouth marketing. If WOMMA is to keep pace with this burgeoning marketing channel, it must fiercely guard its credibility. Members who desire to grow and leverage the strength of the WOMMA brand will have to self-police in order to guard it.

Consumers today are particularly adept at sniffing out the disingenuous and manipulated -- no one likes a pitch. In Standard 5, WOMMA ensures a framework of freshness and honesty by guarding against propaganda. Each testimonial builds WOMMA's brand simply by its truth.

Honesty in Communication

When you hear about a new product or service, you want to know what others honestly think about it. What is so cool about that new smartphone? What makes this restaurant so popular? You might read reviews in articles or blogs, or see friends post their opinions on Facebook or Twitter. Which opinion do you value the most?

No matter who writes or shares their review of a product, we assume that they are communicating their honest opinion. The WOMMA Code of Ethics was established to help promote consumer protection. Marketers can provide consumers with the background on products, but consumers should be free to express their own opinions about it. Genuine honesty is the best way to communicate.

Standard 5 – Genuine Honesty in Communication

How refreshing would it be to be able to get out of the proverbial ‘spin’ and get honest opinions about products and services? Whether you love it or hate it getting the opportunity to voice that opinion and stand behind it is the most fundamental of all rights in this country.

I find that I’m more drawn to products/places where I feel the reviews are genuine and not bought by rewarding the author or dictated by the business. I value honesty and think that if a marketer wants a positive image of their product or service that is something that needs to be earned.

standard 3

I think Standard #3 disclosure of relationship may be more important than standard #2. The relationship may explain a marketer’s motivations more than the specific details of compensation. Disclosure of identity (Standard #1) could be easily manipulated since businesses, associations and nonprofits may be structured in such a way that it’s difficult to find out who founded the organization, funds it, controls it, etc.

Standard 1: Disclosure of Identity

Standard 1: Disclosure of Identity

I find that standards 1 and 2 go hand in hand with Standard 1 being the foundation for Standard 2. Standard 1 states that "WOMMA members shall require their representatives to make meaningful disclosures of their relationships or identities with consumers in relation to the marketing initiatives that could influence a consumer's purchasing decisions" while standard two is merely an extension of standard 1 requiring representatives to disclose any compensation they may be receiving. These to me from the basis for understanding who and how a word of mouth trail begins. It adds credibility and honesty to the word of mouth marketing we, as consumers, receive because it highlights motive and cause for representative or consumer participation in the word of mouth campaign. To me, this ethical standard is easily equatable to the the short audio blurbs we hear at the end of political advertisements; "this advertisement has been paid for by the committee to reelect...." Knowing whether an ad has been paid for by the rival politician or actually by the local teachers' organization changes our view of the ad's content. As such, standard 1 creates the foundation for our interpretation and value of what we hear through word of mouth.

Integrity

Word of Mouth = ROI (but be careful your reputation is at stake.) I would say that integrity above all is the most important because it is always on the line. You better do what you say you’re going to do. You can’t hide behind an ad. Any mistake in your integrity becomes instantly visible to everyone you deal with.

Standard 1 Disclosure of Identity

All of the standards of conduct that are required of WOMMA members are important. The disclosure of identity standard adds to the transparency model that businesses need to adopt. The growth of the social media has added another layer of exposure to each and every business. Disclosure of identity is another step in creating transparency so that the consumer is able to make an informed buying choice.

WOMMA Standard 2

Excellent Customer Service. Amazing Food. Great Ambience. These are some of the few things that we read on reviews, but, are they TRUE? Do they really love it or do they just get paid to write it? How would we know?

Standard 2, which is the diclosure of any gifts/compensation, would make it easy for consumers to judge if it's true or not. It will most definitely influence the purchasing decisions of customers, especially if they know that the person is paid to promote it. It would then lower the credibility of the review. If you believe in a product/service, you would not need to be compensated to promote it. This standard eliminates the tendency of companies to deceive consumers by paying people to promote their products/services.

WOMMA standards--respect for venue?

I don't know that this is the most "important" standard, especially when it comes to protecting consumers, but I do think this one is surprisingly far-sighted and shows real thought. In the days when Congress seems to be zeroing in on online media, wanting to charge for bandwidth and attacking the idea of Net Neutrality, I respect WOMMA for agreeing not to bring the considerable clout the marketing and advertising world can wield to gain control of online channels.

"Respect for venue: a WOMMA member shall respect the rights of any online or offline communications venue...to create and enforce its own rules as it sees fit."

I think the standard as it's written is perhaps a little unnecessary, as many of these channels likely don't give a wet toss whether WOMMA has designs on them or not, but I like what I understand it to mean. YouTube and Google and Wikipedia (and Wikileaks) and other WOM media platforms have managed (mostly) to escape legislated limitations for now, and even were Congress to somehow limit the power of such Internet behemoths, I think the Web is slick and nimble enough that other channels would take their place and continue offering a "free" platform for Net users. But I think it's nifty that WOMMA won't try to manhandle the evolution of the Internet for its own purposes.

-Shannon

Standard 2

I find standard 2 to be most important. In order to maintain a trust-based relationship with the consumer, a marketer has to require their representatives to disclose any compensation they're receiving. Part of what is so powerful about word of mouth marketing is the honest opinion-based feedback from peers that resonates with consumers. If representatives are being compensated, they have to disclose it so consumers can consider that when deciding how much power to put behind their words.

WOMMA - Responsibility

I chose "Responsibility" because I believe that companies need to bear responsibility when marketing to the public, especially minors. I like that WOMMA focuses on sensitivity of the subject and protects consumers from being manipulated and deceived.

WOMMA Core Values: Honesty at its Foundation

Each of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association's (WOMMA) core values: Trust, Integrity, Respect, Honesty, Responsibility and Privacy are instrumental in ensuring that the word of mouth and social media industry continues to grow and play a positive role in the relationship between consumers and marketers.

When I looked at each of the values, I concluded that 'Honesty' carried the most weight. Honesty is the foundational component of any meaningful relationship. True forms of 'Trust' and 'Respect' can take root only if 'Honesty' has already been established. Similarly, 'Integrity' requires 'Honesty' for it to be established. Lastly, 'Responsibility' and 'Privacy' (in this context protecting the privacy of consumers) have the best chance of developing with 'Honesty' in place.

For additional information regarding WOMMA and its core values, please visit: www.womma.org/main

WOMMA Core Values - Integrity

The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) positions Integrity as one of its core values - and to me, it is the most important. You can have a lovely product - even the best. But if the way you market it is manipulating or dirty, it sullies your offering.

I love 20-question WOMMA's Ethical Assessment; how to check yourself before you enter market with a campaign. But the answer to the most telling question sits outside the top 20:

• Would I be uncomfortable if my family or friends were involved in this campaign?

For clarity's sake I'd like to take it a step further: What if you were rolling out your campaign to friends/family? Would it make you uneasy?

It's easy to hide behind marketing to "general consumers." But to put a face on it - faces of your core group - holds you accountable and is a true gut-check of the ethics of your practices.

WOMMA Core Values - Privacy

Balancing marketing efforts with consumer privacy is a key aspect of any social media marketing program.  The link to EPIC below is a good resource for current case studies/issues.

http://epic.org/privacy/socialnet/

Clever Advertising

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb5C0fM4EyA&feature=player_embedded

PSBJ reports on Best Customer Service Companies

Zappos, Amazon, Nordstrom tops in customer service: Survey


Link to article: http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2011/01/11/zappos-amazon-nordstrom-tops-in.html?s=print