Google+ has been a hot topic in the Twitterverse and other social media scenes recently, with many people having hopped on board already. Most people seem to enjoy it and think it will be the best thing since Facebook, and it very well may revolutionize social networking. Conversely, social networks come and go, and Google+ could flop just like its predecessor—Google Buzz.

Here are three reasons why Google+ will fail: Continue reading →

I read an article in Adweek by @Mike_Chapman earlier this month about a recent poll conducted by the news magazine on the impact of celebrity product endorsements. The results were somewhat surprising to many ad honchos: Consumers don’t seem to care if Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, or Jennifer Aniston have their name attached to what they buy.

Through years of complaining that athletes and celebrities are grossly overpaid for the work they do, are we as consumers finally legitimately surrendering our star worship? Take a look at the table (taken from the Adweek article) of the survey results below:

Continue reading →

With graduation right around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to use this blog as a space to give my thanks to the university I have been a part of the last four years.

I came to DePaul in 2007 for three reasons: 1. It had a great business program and is located in the heart of commerce in downtown Chicago, 2. It was close to home (I am from Wheaton, IL), and 3. I didn’t get into University of Illinois’ business school.

So first off, thank you U of I for denying me admission into your school. I have been a Fighting Illini fan since about 5th grade and always thought I would end up there. As I progressed through high school I realized U of I may ultimately not be the best choice for me, and was swooned by DePaul when I made a campus visit. When the colleges started sending out acceptance letters in Fall/Winter of 2006, I was pretty set on DePaul. Still, had I gotten into U of I, I may have actually gone there. These last four years would have been quite different if that were the case. Continue reading →

Preface: I’ve been slacking on the blog recently. My apologies. Hopefully you’ll enjoy this return post. But don’t call it a comeback! Shout out to one of my professors, Dr. Zafar Iqbal, for teaching me the concept of the value curve in the first place. Thanks, Zaf!

I would like to note that some of the videos that there are links to in this article are not for the weak of heart. If you don’t like realistic-looking violence, don’t watch. #BlogginOut

More blood.

More violence.

More shocking finishing moves.

Mortal Kombat is back, and although it was released only 15 days ago to date, it is safe to say that this version is the best installment of the long-running series. The franchise that sparked a nationwide debate about animated violence in 1992, with Tipper Gore as the lead opponent, and, as a result, was the reason for the creation of the ESRB rating system, nearly performed a self-fatality in the last decade after churning out a handful of run-of-the mill products. But, just as signature character Scorpion does, Mortal Kombat rose from the dead and is once again making diehard fans and curious spectators “Get over here!” to play the newest game. Continue reading →

Preface: I told you in the welcome post that I would work sports into this! #BlogginOut

It has been 10 months since LeBron James announced that he was taking his talents to South Beach. 10 months since he embarrassed the city of Cleveland on national TV. 10 months since “The Decision”.

And 10 months later the Miami Heat, whom many pontificated whether they could top the ’95-’96 Chicago Bulls record of 72 wins and 10 losses, sit in third place in the Eastern Conference behind the Celtics and this year’s Bulls.

Many questioned LeBron’s toughness, character, and supersized ego after “The Decision”. joining superstars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami was considered a cop out. ‘Destroying his legacy,’ they said. He went from most likable to most hated. A symbol of cowardice at work in today’s society.

While I agree with many of the criticisms LeBron has faced in the last 10 months, I can’t help but think that “The Decision” was a phenomenal marketing ploy. Let’s take a look back at the timeline for James:

July 4 – James reveals he will announce free agency decision on 1-hour ESPN special July 8^th.

July 8 - James announces on national ESPN special entitled “The Decision” that he will sign with Miami Heat.

July 8 – Fans throughout Cleveland seen burning effigies and jerseys of James

July 8 – Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert releases statement on Cavs website admonishing James and criticizing him of being ‘narcissistic and quitting on the team during the playoffs.

July 9 – Miami Heat hold “welcome party” for James, Wade, and Bosh to celebrate their signings with the team.

October 24 – Nike releases brand new “LeBron Rise” commercial featuring James asking the question, “What Should I Do?”

October 26 – Miami Heat lose first game of season to Boston Celtics, 88-80

November 24 – Heat lose to Magic in Orlando, 104-95, for third straight loss, and seventh loss of season.

December 2 – James returns to Cleveland for first time in opponent’s uniform. Game is a sellout and security for game heightens. Heat blowout Cavs, 118-90, James is boo’d nearly every time he touches the ball, but scores 38 points without playing most of 4^th quarter.

December 18 – Heat complete 12-game winning streak after defeating Washington Wizards, 95-94.

As we wind down the season now, it appears James and the Heat will finish with either the #2, or #3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

I bring up these dates in the timeline because of what surrounded each event. In the days leading up to, and on the actual dates of the aforementioned events, people were talking. They weren’t talking about the Bulls, the Celtics, the Lakers, or the Spurs (all teams with better records); they were talking about LeBron James and the Miami Heat. With one simple phrase on national television, James transformed into the most notorious figure in sports today, and put the Heat on a level of national hatred that only the New York Yankees can rival.

“The Decision” was a phenomenal marketing ploy. James has become the most talked about sports figure in recent memory, and quite possibly, as Kanye West puts it, ‘of all time’. In fact, James has pulled off what I like to call the “Kanye West Effect”: You either love him, or you love to hate him. Either way, you are talking about him.

LeBron capitalized on the modern sports media that analyzes if Brett Favre’s facial stubble results in more interceptions because of a desire to release the ball earlier so he can scratch his face sooner, and a market that eats up that news with a spoon.

Remember the round-the-clock coverage and speculation about where James would end up in the days leading up to “The Decision”. Remember the analysis afterwards? He enraged his former owner so much it caused him to write a public reprimanding of him! How about when all eyes were on Cleveland December 2^nd for LeBron’s return? Even following the Heat season has been somewhat like taking a ride on the Enron rollercoaster.

Need quantitative proof? “The Decision” was the highest-rated program on cable and network TV July 8^th, and drew more viewers to ESPN than the network’s interviews with Tiger Woods post-adultery scandal, AND Alex Rodriguez post-steroids scandal.

Lebron’s return to Cleveland on TNT posted an overnight 5.0 TV rating, and actually peaked at 6.7 before the Heat began to dominate.

Nike’s “LeBron Rise” commercial has garnered 5,353,830 YouTube views in only a little more than six months. Compare that to the YouTube video sensation “Charlie Bit Me” which has racked up only 1,353,904 views in two years.

ESPN has a special page entitled “Heat Index” chronicling Miami’s season on a day-to-day basis.

The bottom line is EVERYONE talks about LeBron James.

“The Decision” may have destroyed his legacy as a player, but it certainly perpetuated his brand.

@RajNATION

Twitter recently celebrated it’s 5th birthday earlier this month, and even though it’s been five years, people still don’t know what exactly this thing is. Many claim to be social media experts, but I believe many are greatly exaggerating. I mean no disrespect, but with services that have evolved so much in just a few years (and been leveraged for business in even less time), how can there be so many so-called “experts”? Perhaps we have the definition of expert wrong. But that’s a story for another day.

I am no expert. I am merely an observer. And while Twitter is constantly evolving, its core has remained constant. At its core, Twitter is the largest frat party on Earth, except there is no cover charge, and everyone’s invited.

Allow me to break down this metaphor. Frat parties are typically reserved for members of the fraternity and the circle of friends of each member. You have to be a member of Twitter to get in and get to know the frat. Sure, you can get into the party and view tweets without joining, but you can’t interact with the other frat members as much as you’d like.

Frat parties are filled with hundreds of people and dozens of conversations that don’t ever have much substance because of all the background noise made from music and other chatter. On Twitter there are millions and the noise is generated from each person trying to say something and have their voice heard. Unfortunately everyone is trying to talk at the same time and rarely is anyone ever heard.

With all that noise at the party, how much can you really say? Let’s take a sample conversation from when you meet someone at the party:

Hey

What’s up?

Not much, you?

Same, gettin’ my drink on

Me too this party is insane

What?

I said this party is insane

No I don’t think it’s gonna rain

I said insane! The party is insane!

Ooh, yeeah, so many people…do you know where the keg is?

Down the hall, to your left, in the kitchen

Ok I’m gonna get a drink, you good?

Yeah, full cup

Ok, see ya around

Now let’s break that conversion down a little bit. There is so much noise around you that you frequently struggle to have your own voice heard. How often are you heard on Twitter? Check out this article to find out. The above example of a standard casual party conversation breaks down to roughly 140 characters spoken by each person. It’s hard to say anything of value that will trigger an engaging response at the frat party. Are you just saying things, or really talking on Twitter? How many replies or retweets do you average per 20 tweets?

I recently had a Twitter boom, but I’ll consider that an outlier. Starting with March 10^th and working backwards 20 tweets all the way to February 18^th, I have eight @mentions, and zero retweets. That’s only 40%, or a .400 RMPT (Replies + Mentions Per Tweet) average. Yes, I am creating my own Twitter statistical category. Think it will catch on? Maybe if I tweet about it.

Not even HALF of what I say triggers conversation, and I like to think I’m one of the most talkative guys at the party. There is so much background chatter that I can only muster shallow small talk.

Do you have something definite to say, or are you falling on deaf ears? Does it even really matter? You’re at a party, who cares? So long as everyone’s having fun, right?

Twitter is also the largest frat party in the sense that you can walk up and talk to anyone you want. From the hot guy/girl to the star athlete on campus, all you need is the courage to walk up, say their name, and say hi–unless, of course their tweets are protected. You might encounter some of those people at the party, the shy ones who haven’t totally broken out of their shell yet.

Trying to really get conversation going, or get intimate with that guy/girl across the room? Don’t feel like yelling across the beer pong table? Send a direct message.

Those on the outside of the frat party are just like those on the outside of Twitter. They don’t get why everyone goes to it. Some of them secretly wish they could join the party, but stay away for odd personal convictions that don’t really make much sense to the rest of us.

Welcome to the world of Twitter, where only a few people know you’re name, but everyone is glad you came.

So come on in, join the party. You can bring a friend if you’d like.

Just make sure you speak up when you talk.

@RajNATION

I write this blog post having recently returned from New Orleans for the 33rd annual American Marketing Association Intercollegiate Conference. I return from this conference with a big smile on my face. I’m smiling because the folks I had the opportunity to travel with made that trip one of the best moments of my life. I learned a great deal about marketing from the various conference lectures and seminars, but, more importantly, I learned a great deal about myself and the amazing people that I get to call my friends.

We had late nights/early mornings out on Bourbon Street and the French Quarter where we dined, danced, and drank (probably more than any physician would recommend). This was all good and fun, and what I have done during my last 2 years visiting NOLa, but that smile I came back with was not because of the Hand Grenades (local mixed drink) and Huge Ass Beers (actually the name of a large sized beer) we shared.

Our final night we went for drinks at my favorite NOLa hangout, Pat O’Brien’s. Pat O’Brien’s is a very relaxing place in an otherwise chaotic strip. It has a beautiful patio with fountains surrounding fires. The plan was to go here for starters then make our way out to one of the more rowdy spots on Bourbon. We never made it out to the rowdy spots, however. No, it wasn’t because we consumed too many Hurricanes (the establishment’s signature drink) and therefore became non-functional. It wasn’t because we were too lazy either. We did share drinks, and we did get pretty comfortable while sitting there, but we never left because we began one of the most engaging and heartfelt conversations I have ever been a part of.

I’m not exactly sure how we started on the topic in the first place, but somehow we all began talking about, believe it or not, each other. We literally went around and shared our views and thoughts on one another. Everything from our first impressions, to our favorite physical characteristics of each person became talking points in our discussion.

We all knew each other pretty well going into this trip, having worked together on various projects and assignments in the past. What I learned though, is that you may think you know someone, but you don’t ever really get to know them if you don’t take the time and simply talk.

I left New Orleans with a smile on my face. It was because on that last night at Pat O’Brien’s, something changed in my mind. Going into the trip, these people meant something to me. Coming out of the trip, these people mean something special to me.

This is a valuable lesson marketers can learn when assessing their brand, and their target market. The question to ask is, “What really matters?” Brand awareness, or brand relevance? I was friends and, for lack of a better-known term, colleagues, with this group of people. I was aware of them, but didn’t really know them. The conversation we shared allowed me to connect with them on a level I never had before, and now they are relevant to me.

It wasn’t the dancing or drinks during our trip that made us closer, it was the experience we had. It will be a great shame if our group does not stay connected five, 10, and 15+ years from now.

Companies act with the hope that their brands can have this kind of lifelong emotional connection with their consumers.

Marketers, think about the experience your target market deserves, and find your brand’s relevance.

It may be as simple as having a conversation.

@RajNATION

Hello blogosphere, Raj Nation, twitterverse, and anyone else who may find themselves perusing this blog.

For those who know me, you know it was only a matter of time before I started up my own blog. I talk enough in person, and tweet on the regular, so putting my thoughts down for all to see was the next logical step. Welcome to The Biz Insight, a blog where I share my thoughts on contemporary topics in business, with a focus on marketing.

For those who don’t know me, Hi. My name is Rajiv Nathan. I’m finishing up my undergraduate studies at what I consider to be one of the finest institutions in America, DePaul University. I’ll be graduating with a degree in marketing and graphic design. I have had four passions throughout my life thus far: Running (specifically track & field), writing, music, and marketing. I am fortunate enough to have experienced varying degrees of success in each of these. The Biz Insight allows me to directly continue living out my passions of writing and marketing. I guarantee there will be times that I connect music and running to business topics as well. So, the way I see it, The Biz Insight allows me to keep living out my four passions.

I have to give a shout out to two people who directly inspired me to start this blog literally two days ago: My boy Aaron who told me he wanted to start up a foodie blog (you have to do it now Aaron!), and @TomMartin. I attended a seminar from Tom at the 33rd Annual AMA Intercollegiate Conference in New Orleans on March 25th, and his words encouraged me to continue to leverage the digital realm to my advantage. Thank you, Aaron and Tom.

So, without further ado, let the blogging begin! Track your eyeballs over to the first official post of The Biz Insight. I just have one request: If what you read engages you in any way, leave a comment in the comment box. I love hearing others opinions and partaking in interesting discussion. The only thing is you have to click on the article title hyperlink to be able to comment

Thank you in advance for reading The Biz Insight.

*Two final disclaimers: First, I like most of the people around me, so shout-outs in posts may become a pretty regular thing. Second, the site is pretty mundane right now, it will get prettier in the coming months.

Ok, seriously, that’s all! Enjoy!

@RajNATION