Approximately 4 out of 5 African American men suffer from razor burn or bumps after shaving (otherwise known as pseudofolliculitis barbae). Bump Patrol provides a shave system complete with gels and aftershave treatments to heal and prevent these razor bumps and burn. When the team at M&M Products approached us about social media, we knew we had a great fit. Not only is Bump Patrol a perfect match for social media with their target audience of males, 21-35 – but the problem their product solves is one that needs to be shared. Bump Patrol’s product lineup, combined with shaving industry best-practices and education are what this social media program is all about – when you are equipped with both, you can be as smooth as you want…
Along with Bump Patrol’s marketing team, Vert partnered with The Visualab, who assisted with the graphic design and photography. The Bump Patrol Twitter presence has been outfitted with the look and feel of the brand – clean, smooth, and confident. Similarly, tweets from Bump Patrol are full of tips, news, and ideas on how to stay informed and get the closest and smoothest shave possible. Some of our favorite followers include: @ShaveReview, @ComplexMag, and @MasterBarberWms.
Facebook is the cornerstone of the campaign, serving both as a forum for interaction as well as a medium to reach out and find new fans and customers. Vert built a branded Facebook fan page effectively educating visitors and fans, while also giving them the ability to share and interact.
To bolster fan adoption and early growth – Vert created the “Shave Kit Contest” to incentivize Facebook users to become a fan on Bump Patrol and learn more about the products. In addition, Vert provided daily monitoring, posts, and fan interaction for the page – effectively boosting engagement and brand impact. A highly targeted Facebook display media campaign accompanied the page, focused on finding brand advocates and existing customers and users of Bump Patrol products. Future plans will work to leverage this initial fan base to effectively grow brand awareness of Bump Patrol nationwide.
For more information on the Bump Patrol social media campaign, Vert Mobile, or any of our partners – please email agency@vertmob.com.
Mike and I just got done moving into our new offices in the Inman Alley loft complex in Inman Park, just east of downtown… We are sharing some space with Atlanta INtown Paper and will be partnering on a number of new projects with them moving forward – be on the lookout! For now, here are some snazzy shots of our space:
For the past decade, someone has called nearly every year “The Year of Mobile”. Even now, professionals and pundits alike continue to brand 2009 or 2010 as a mobile breakthrough year. What is required for any year to be considered “The Year of Mobile”? The fact is that there will NEVER be a year of mobile – and here’s why:
Mobile technology and adoption is under the strict and unwaivering control of the carriers. Giant, paranoid, mult-million dollar institutions want to make sure nothing is done to jeopardize their profits. This is good in that the medium doesn’t get abused, but is bad because it causes a slower, more careful adoption of new technology. We have had the technology to crank out an iPhone for 5-10 years, but it was not until a carrier was equipped and willing to support that level of connectivity and vision that it could be realized (thanks AT&T).
This painstaking process allows for innovation and adoption – but at a much slower rate than we are used to in the information age. Phenomenon like “the green movement”, reality television, and social networking can expand literally over night thanks to the internet. But if Facebook were limited to the careful oversight of a “Social Carrier” – you better believe we would have not seen 100,000,000 users for another couple years… With that said there have been many years of mobile in our time:
1908 – The Year of Wireless Telephony
1947 – The Year of Cellular Telephony
1983 – The Year of the Car Phone
1991 – The Year of the Zach Morris Phone
1998 – The Year of the big fat Nokia
2008 – The Year of Text Messaging
???? – The Year of Mobile Advertising
Interestingly, the dates are getting closer together – and there is no doubt about the communication revolution that is happening because of this technology. However, I doubt there will ever be a single, identifiable “Year of Mobile” – instead we will see a slower, steady adoption as users, carriers and marketers alike all become much more comfortable with these devices as being much more than a phone…
I want to say we toiled over this video to make it pristine and perfect and that it took hours of intense labor under the hot southern sun. In reality, we had a blast driving all over Atlanta on a beautiful Saturday in February meeting people and talking shop… Then when it came to get down to the nitty gritty our pal Nick Pride (vimeo.com/pride) swooped in to tackle the fancy effects and video editing!
We think it paints a beautiful picture of our world’s mobile future… Enjoy!
Mobile + Social = The Perfect Storm… Thanks to TechCrunch for grabbing this great exclusive interview at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona! Although, as Clate Sanders would say “mobile phones don’t STREAM video!” – haha. Enjoy!
Two words together:
- RE: meaning to do again
- CESSION: “a surrender; a yielding; a giving up.”
To give up again. A cycle of surrendering. We have already been here before, may times… the question is – have we learned? Our leaders recently passed a piece of legislation that seems to send the message that we have not. How will it effect the mobile industry?
Will consumers “give up” their phones? Or perhaps brands will “surrender” their marketing budgets to the perceived safety of what is familiar to them… At any rate, we certainly aren’t in Kansas anymore (p.s. They are delaying their tax returns, bummer). But, if we learn anything from history it is that people DO give up things, in exchange for new things. It is the cleansing and re-birth of markets and all that make them tick; supply, demand, profits, and losses.
The mobile phone is the perfect “new thing” – albeit not THAT new anymore. Maybe it is better to say that the SMARTPHONE is the perfect new thing, for both consumers and brands. On the Main Street side we see families untethering their wire and their monthly bills. Wall Street likes this because it provides a measurable, interactive direct link to the pockets off each individual family member. Talk about a win-win.
Ultimately, the American economy will rebound. It always does. It has to. In its wake will grow big players in new industries and fresh competitors in old ones – mobile will be a big piece of this. A recession is only a slowing of the inevitable, and as we begin to regain our momentum look to wireless communication to be a front runner.
So I’ve decided there are a lot of creative people in this world…. Original people with original ideas. While being innovative and truly pushing the boundaries of what can be done with mobile, and anything else I do, I see the importance of taking note of what other people are doing. Two heads are better than one…. Two million….Two hundred million… even better.
So with each creative venture I embark on I’ve challenged myself to be mindful of other great innovators in the field and learn from them…and sometimes look at their creativity and innovation and build from it…make it better, twist it, turn it and make it my own in a new way that continues to push forward….
Prioritization is the keyword as we prepare to launch this thing…there is so much to be done and sometimes the little things get in the way of the key elements we really need. For example – I spent 2 hours last night tweaking the website contact form to be JUST RIGHT! In reality – we just need something that works… I suppose it is the perfectionist inside.
The good news is that we have gotten most of the required elements taken care of and can focus on what is really most important – mind-blowing mobile advertising for the masses! The LLC is formed, website is up (sort of), business cards are being printed… now bring on the multi-variate text message campaigns that drive to the mobile web!
Seriously – bring it on. What are you waiting for? Contact us
