Sure, it has been around for what seems like forever (or at least since the first season of Project Runway, which seems like forever) but I never thought I’d say it:  I love what’s happening with mobile marketing.  I have resisted texting in my vote for favorite contestant on every Bravo show (they’re all my favorite), and even held my fingers back from seeing if my husband and I are compatible love mates if I text LOVE to 62253 (I don’t need to spend $1.99 to find out we’re obviously not compatible).

The great things I’m seeing ahead are blowing my mind – and I would have never guessed this was the future of mobile marketing back when my dad’s cell phone battery pack weighed 25 pounds and the only place it could fit was underneath the car seat.

At Mary J Blige’s Radio City Hall concert this year (yes, she was amazing), attendees could donate to her Foundation For the Advancement of Women Now all through a text that would bill cell-phone accounts.

WHAT?

While waiting for the curtain to rise at the new Broadway show, 13, I texted my raffle submission to win a back-stage tour and cast introduction.  Right after the show’s last number, I got a text that I didn’t win, but did get a discount coupon from the concession stand!

HUH?

And a company called Socialight has developed a platform that is like the three-way brainchild of TomTom, Facebook and Zagat.  Merging GPS with social-network and venue-review platforms, anyone can map where they are (restaurants, cafes, hot dog stands, park benches), leave comments about the place, and search, read comments and even connect with people who have visited locales anywhere.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO AMERICA?

Will my cell-phone carrier become my new credit lender?  Will I become a bigger philanthropist through my LG?  Will I just have to text the cash register at Banana Republic with my Friends-and-family discount coupon?  Will I be able to find like-minded people who love Veselka’s chili just as much as I do?

Most of all, how do I break the news to my Dell Inspiron 1100 that I’m in love?

The Human Resource Management Association of Chicago teamed up with Deloitte to host the Young HR Leaders Summit last Thursday

I was lucky enough to speak on a panel with Mike Gamson, VP, Corporate Solutions LinkedIn, Zachary Nold, Sr. Executive Recruiter Human Resources International, and Susan Alexander, Sr. Manager of Talent Acquisition & Sourcing Lead at Deloitte. The panel discussion provided tools and insights to HR professionals on advanced social media use.

Deloitte has long been an advocate of online communication and internal growth through corporate immersion. Susan Alexander provided some insight into Deloitte’s process for finding great candidates for its consultant group. Finding the right candidate is a lot like being a sales person looking for new business.  You must educate yourself and learn about the “client’s” industry and competition.  Social Media facilitates this learning process by allowing users to access invaluable informational and networking resources, as well as highlight the user’s knowledge and visibility in the marketplace.

Deloitte’s embrace of social media is exemplified with its recent development of an internal community called “D Street”

Mike Gamson who is in senior management at LinkedIn echoed the HRMA panel’s emphasis on personal branding. More specifically, Mike highlighted the need to keep networks growing by adding value in online communities. In other words, be sure to keep your network of business connections growing.  While it’s easy to connect to people, the work does not end there.

• You must cultivate and grow those relationships by developing interest in your site.
• Submit articles to your LinkedIn contacts where appropriate.
• Target specific groups within LinkedIn and interact and answer and ask questions.

As you interact with your community, you will build awareness of your personal brand. We as marketers are continuing to learn how to expand our network of peers to maximize our communal knowledge bank. Let’s keep in mind that, in the ever-changing atmosphere of Corporate America 2.0, our marketing opportunities do not stop when we log off.  A couple of things to remember:

• Attend trade and association events within your specific marketing discipline;
• Blog about your expertise within an organization and industry; and
• Grow your online network of peers and keep in mind the value of adding meaningful content.

Consistency and content are the keys to networking and are essential to build a strong, well-developed web.  Further, there are many FREE resources at your disposal to aid you in this effort.

I was reading the Adweek today and read this interesting article. What do you think?

Is the End Near for Display Ads?

As ad budgets shrink, buyers and publishers face growing pressure to prove value of banners.

Innovation from New York and Los Angeles? Sure, but what about Chicago? In the past two years there have been several emerging social media and cutting edge consumer marketing agencies based in the Windy City. Chicago has a multitude of CPG and large B2B companies looking to have more individualized conversations with their consumer. All of the buzz around social media of course is being driven by the consumer. People are looking to each other as trusted sources to help them make wise, lasting purchasing decisions. This is reflected in the agencies sprouting up across the US including Chicago to help connect the company and consumer.

The Zocalo Group is the only “word-of-mouth” marketing agency in the Omnicom family, and they have built their headquarters right here in downtown Chicago. ZG is creating online communities, initiating blogger relations, and designing conversational messaging for a multitude of blue chip brands.

Let’s swing from full service WOM agencies like Zocalo to a more specific online consumer community company like Viewpoints www.viewpoints.com. VP builds communities and motivates “social influencers” to share their experiences online by writing reviews, postings blogs, and participating in forums. The company was started by a relatively well known entrepreneur by the name of Matt Moog, who previously worked as the CEO of Coolsavings.com.

Finally, even though we hear and see a lot about “social media”, I rarely see “socially conscious” campaigns. A very interesting new company located here in Chicago called www.thepoint.com is enabling consumers, employees, citizens, activists, and parents to enact change through social media. It’s an amazing concept that will change the face of social organization, and would certainly have been an advantage for Barack Obama back when he was a community organizer.

You might be asking yourself? What does this mean to me as a Marketer? Well, everything. All three organizations advocate and promote online communities. Thus as the consumer continues to rely on each other for TRUSTED information concerning their buying decisions, community will play a growing and very important role.

Keeping apprised of what is going on in your local marketing community is an easy and tangible way to be ahead of the 1000mph train called the social media rollercoaster, and you don’t have to be on the left or right coast to appreciate it.