EAS Competitor Analysis - Social Media by Cory Morrison

EAS Compet i t orAnal ysi s, SubsequentSt r at egi cPl an Cr eat edMar chMay2010

How This Report Works This report is a competitor analysis for McKinney’s EAS account, focusing specifically on social media use. The competitors in this report are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Muscle Milk PowerBar Clif Bar FRS MET-Rx Gatorade

The report is broken into two parts: 1. 2.

Data presentation and analysis (sections one through five) Strategic plan for how EAS should leverage social media (sections six through seven)

Breakdown of the sections: • • • • • • •

SECTION ONE: Executive Summary Charts o Includes charts and graphs that illustrate which competitor used which social media platform, what each competitor’s identities were for each social media platform, and overall rankings of the competitors. SECTION TWO: Twitter SECTION THREE: Facebook SECTION FOUR: YouTube SECTION FIVE: Blogs SECTION SIX: Strategic Plan SECTION SEVEN: Appendix

Other points to help better understand the report: • A social media “identity” is a user name. For example, Gatorade’s YouTube user name is “whatsg,” but “identity” is the word used in this report. • Social media programs are referred to as “platforms.” • “Attached to the brand” or “officially attached to the brand” means that an identity is linked to and run by the brand it references rather than a consumer. • The analysis for YouTube and Blogs appears under each individual brand’s identity rather than at the end of the section like Twitter and Facebook. • If there is more than one identity listed under the sections for Facebook, YouTube, or Blogs, that means that every identity other than the first one listed is not the most important identity. However, it is still obviously attached the brand and is important enough to feature in the main section rather than the appendix. Furthermore, these identities are valuable in some way, so even if an identity is clearly attached to a brand, it is listed in the appendix section if it is very poorly maintained.

THIS REPORT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE PDF form (full): http://issuu.com/corymorrison/docs/eascompetitoranalysis Interactive microsite form (shortened): http://www.cory-morrisonspecialprojects.com/eascompetitoranalysis/mckinney.html

Contents 1 - SECTION ONE: Executive Summary Charts • 2 - Which Brands Use Which Social Media Platform • 3 - List of Identities for Each Brand and Platform • 4 - Overall Rankings 5 - SECTION TWO: Twitter • 6 - Twitter Most Important Thing • 10 - Twitter Analysis • 14 - General Twitter Notes 15 - SECTION THREE: Facebook • 16 - Facebook Most Important Thing • 17 - Muscle Milk Main Identity (Muscle Milk) • 19 - PowerBar Main Identity (PowerBar) • 21 - Clif Bar Main Identity (Clif Bar) • 23 - FRS Main Identity (FRS Healthy Energy) • 25 - Gatorade Main Identity (Gatorade) • 27 - Facebook Analysis • 30 - General Facebook Notes 31 - SECTION FOUR: YouTube • 32 - YouTube Most Important Thing • 33 - Muscle Milk Main Identity (CytoSportInc) • 36 - PowerBar Main Identity (PowerBarDewTour) • 38 - FRS Main Identity (TheFRSHealthyEnergy) • 40 - MET-Rx Main Identity (METRxTraining) • 43 - Gatorade Main Identity (whatsg) • 47 - Gatorade Other Identity (GatoradeCanada) • 50 - Gatorade Other Identity (GatoradeUK) • 53 - Gatorade Other Identity (Gatorade Tiger) • 55 - Gatorade Other Identity (FreeFlowTour) • 61 - General YouTube Notes 63 - SECTION FIVE: Blogs • 64 - Blogs Most Important Thing • 65 - Muscle Milk Main Blog (Generic MySpace Blog) • 67 - PowerBar Main Blog (PowerBar: Insider Blog) • 69 - Clif Bar Main Blog (Clif Blog) • 71 - MET-Rx Main Blog (Generic MySpace Blog)

• • •

73 - Gatorade Main Blog (Generic MySpace Blog) 75 - Gatorade Other Blog (Gatorade: The World’s Most Researched Sports Drink) 77 - General Blog Notes

78 - SECTION SIX: Strategic Plan • 79 - Overall Analysis and Recommendations for EAS Strategic Plan • 80 - Case Study: Tampax • 82 - The EAS Social Community • 95 - EAS Social Community Mock-up 96 - SECTION SEVEN: Appendix • 97 - MySpace: Muscle Milk Main Identity (CytoSport) • 100 - MySpace: Gatorade Main Identity (Free Flow Tour) • 103 - MySpace: MET-Rx Main Identity (MET-Rx Engineered Nutrition) • 105 - Facebook: Muscle Milk Supplemental Identities • 112 - Facebook: PowerBar Supplemental Identities • 114 - Facebook: Clif Bar Supplemental Identities • 116 - Facebook: FRS Supplemental Identities • 117 - Facebook: Gatorade Supplemental Identities • 124 - YouTube: Muscle Milk Other Identity (musclemilkla) • 126 - YouTube: PowerBar Other Identity (2010powerbar) • 128 - YouTube: PowerBar Other Identity (PowerBarNYMarathon) • 131 - YouTube: Clif Bar Identity (GreenNotes) • 132 - Blogs: Muscle Milk Other Blog (Muscle Milk Reviews) • 134 - Blogs: Muscle Milk Other Blog (Muscle Milk Review: Comprehensive Muscle Milk Reviews) • 136 - Blogs: Clif Bar Other Blog (CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cross Team) • 138 - Blogs: FRS Blog (FRS Healthy Energy Review: Notes from my FRS Healthy Energy free trial experience…) • 140 - Blogs: MET-Rx Other Blog (Metrxproteinonline) • 142 - Blogs: Gatorade Other Blog (Darren Rovell's Gatorade blog: An Unauthorized Look At One Of America's Most Dominant Brands) • 145 - Technographics Profiles • 148 - EAS Fact Sheet

SECTION ONE: Execut i veSummar yChar t s

W hi ch Br andsUseW hi ch Soci alMedi aPl at f or ms *Bestuser . Not e:Onl yl egi t i mat eusesar eshowni nor dert oi sol at et hemosti mpor t antt hi ngsEAS i scompet i ngwi t h.I l l egi t i mat eusesi ncl udeusest hatar enâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tcl eari ft heyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; r eact ual l yr un byt hebr and,orusest hatar ever ypoorover al landt husposenor ealt hr eatt oEAS.

* * * *

Li stofIdent i t i esf orEach Br and and Pl at f or m Not e: •Pr i mar yi dent i t yl i st edf i r st ,suppl ement ar yi dent i t i essecond. •Bl ackdenot esani dent i t yobvi ousl yat t achedt ot hebr and. •Reddenot esani dent i t yt hati snotat t achedt ot hebr and. •Bl uedenot esani dent i t ywher ei ti suncl eari fi t ’ sat t achedt ot hebr and.

Muscl eMi l k Muscl eMi l kRace

Power Bar Power Bar Canada Power Bar 2010

Power Bar Muscl eMi l k Power Bar Muscl eMi l k-Bost on Power BarCanada Muscl eMi l k-DC,Bal t& Power BarSpai n Phi l l y Muscl eMi l k-San Fr anci scoBayAr ea Muscl eMi l kChi cago Muscl eMi l k-Por t l and, Or egon Muscl eMi l k-New Yor k Muscl eMi l k-Los Angel es Muscl eMi l kOhi o Muscl eMi l kDenver Muscl eMi l kCommer ci al s Muscl eMi l k:Or egon St at eUni ver si t y Muscl eMi l k:Uni ver si t y ofOr egon Muscl eMi l kNEK Col l egi at e

( Bl ogt i t l el i st ed)

Cyt oSpor t I nc muscl emi l kl a

2010power bar Power Bar DewTour Power Bar NYMar at hon

Gener i cMySpacebl og Muscl eMi l kRevi ew: Compr ehensi ve Muscl eMi l kRevi ews Muscl eMi l kRevi ews

Power Bar :I nsi der Bl og

cl i f bar l over

FRSHE f r saf f i l i at es

Of f i ci al _METRx

Gat or ade Bl ueGat or ade LemonLi meGat or ade r edgat or ade Pur pl eGat or ade Yel l ow gat or adecan al waysquench yourt hr i st Or angeGat or ade Pur pl eGat or ade Yel l ow Gat or ade Gat or adePl ayerof t heYear LaLi gaGat or ade Gat or adeCanada Gat or adeRD Gat or adePhi l i ppi nes Gat or adeBr asi l

FRS Heal t hyEner gy Cl i fBar FRS Heal t hyEner gy Cl i fBar& Company i nk Cl i fBarDevel opment Dr Cycl ocr ossTeam Cl i fBar2Mi l e Chal l enge

METRxTr ai ni ng TheFRSHeal t hyEner gy -

FRS Heal t hyEner gy Cl i fBl og Revi ew:Not esf r om CLI FBAR t hy Devel opmentCycl o- myFRS Heal Ener gyf r eet r i al Cr ossTeam exper i ence…

Gat or ade GFFT _gat or ade Gcanada gat or ademex Gmoment s event osgat or ade gat or adeccsr ock

what sg Gat or adeCanada Gat or adeUK Gat or adeTi ger Fr eeFl owTour Gat or ade:t hewor l d’ s Gener i cMySpacebl og mostr esear ched Met r xpr ot ei nonl i ne spor t sdr i nk Gener i cMySpacebl og Dar r enRovel l ' s Gat or adebl og: An Unaut hor i zedLook AtOneOfAmer i ca' s 3 MostDomi nant Br ands

( Number sbasedonr anki ngsf eat ur edt hr oughoutt hi sanal ysi s)

Twi t t er Facebook YouTube Bl og Tot al

Over al lRanki ngs

Low number si ndi cat egooduse

20-

18-

16-

141210-

86-

42-

SECTION TW O: Twi t t er

TWITTER - MOST IMPORTANT THING Data Compiled 3/20/10

Brand Comparison Chart Muscle Milk How many Twitter identities?

2 -Muscle Milk -Muscle MilkRace

PowerBar 3 -PowerBar -PowerBarCanada -PowerBar2010

Clif Bar 0 but there is one unofficial person’s identity that focuses primarily on the brand.

FRS 2 -FRSHE -frsaffiliates

MET-Rx 1 Official_METRx

-clifbarlover

What does the bio say?

Official Muscle Milk® Twitter page - an amazing tasting, protein-enhanced formula for healthy, sustained energy and recovery for performance and lifestyle.

We play by the same rules. Commitment. Passion. And the push to help you succeed.

Racing in the American Le Mans Series

PowerBar: Sports Nutrition & Training. Power to Push. Energy Drinks, Energy Bars.

No bio.

How many Clif Bars can a girl eat in a week? Stop asking and start eating...

Fueled by Quercetin The Official FRS.com Twitter Roll for FRS Affiliates hosted by FRS's Mike - Affiliate Program Healthy Energy drink, chews, concentrate, and powder

Makers of top selling high protein bars, powders, drinks and shakes for fitness enthusiasts.

Gatorade 8 -Gatorade -GFFT -_gatorade -Gcanada -gatorademex -Gmoments -eventosgatorade -gatoradeccsrock - The official Gatorade Twitter page; managed by @tamquach and @bekahlockner -Seeking the best amateur skateboard, BMX, snowboard, and ski athletes Http://www.gatorade.com.br Get closer to the Action, and Experience G. Stop by our Facebook page for your chance to Win seats to some of the hottest sporting events in North America. Cada es juego es grande y con Gatorade llegas + lejos! Unofficially tagging G Moments around the world! Información de todos los eventos y actividades de Gatorade Venezuela

Muscle Milk

PowerBar

Clif Bar

FRS

MET-Rx

Gatorade

Informacion relacionada con la carrera Gatorade Caracas Rock

How many followers?

1,609 248

1,213 12 34

2,920 87

364

How many following?

737 4

12 10 102

40 5

March 12, 2009 August 6, 2009

August 19, 2009 February 19, 2010 February 24, 2010

August 30, 2009

January 27, 2009 January 29, 2009

June 26, 2009

Avg. # tweets/day on days they tweet

1-2 7-9

1-2 2-3 1

1-2 1-2

1-2

Do they link to ads?

Yes No

No No No

No, but refers to them twice Once

Tweeting sinceâ&#x20AC;Ś

9,196 1,519 890 245 484 58 182 177 2,418 1,994 222 200 215 101 112 47 April 23, 2009 March 23, 2009 June 9, 2009 April 22, 2009 July 13, 2009 June 12, 2009 September 27, 2009 September 18, 2009 7 3 2 1-2 3 8-9 1-2 3 Yes, but mostly to updates about their ad photo shoots No, but they do to videos about

Muscle Milk

PowerBar

Clif Bar

FRS

MET-Rx

Yes. 9 times, but not until Jan 20, 2010 Once

Yes, 9 times, so not often No No

Yes, 93 times, but not until May 2009 Yes, 8 times

Yes, 5 times

Yes, quite often. No

Yes, about 15 times Once No

Yes, 16 times

Yes, 194 times Yes, 8 times

Hardly at all

How many Tweets total?

357 167

74 7 1

579 42

How many tweets drive users elsewhere? (not including TweetPics)

53.2% (190) 23.3% (39)

About 42% (31) About 14% (1) About 0% (0)

About 45% (258) About 38% (16)

55% (17)

Is their feed attached to a person or the brand in general?

Brand Brand

Brand Brand Brand

Person (unconnected to Clif Bar)

Brand Person

Brand

Do they RT their followers?

Do they mention their followers?

Gatorade

the competition ? Yes, to ad shoots as well as ads themselves ? No No No Yes, 40 times Yes, 18 times No Yes, 20 times No Yes, every tweet is a retweet Once Twice Yes, more than they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Yes, just as often as they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Yes, about 30 times, often with multiple mentions in one tweet Yes, quite often, but not consistently until September 2009 Yes, about 24 times No, not other than the retweets Only once Once 1,116 767 130 174 49 100 16 39 About 22.4% (250) About 38% (292) About 67% (87) About 63% (109) About 53% (26) About 2% (2) About 25% (4) About 10% (4) Person Brand Brand Brand Brand Person Brand Brand

Muscle Milk

PowerBar

Clif Bar

FRS

MET-Rx

How are people listing them?

-77 lists Ex: Fitness, nutrition, sports -28 lists Ex: Sports cars, racing, motorsports

-86 lists Ex: health, food and beverage, fitness, running, cycling, brands. -0 lists -0 lists

-4 lists Ex: Funny, PR, cycling

-100 lists Ex: twibes-fitness, cycling, health -1 list Ex: hmmmmm

-12 lists -Ex: Fitness, body building, sports, sports-nutrition

Do they send a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thank you for following usâ&#x20AC;? message?

No No

No No No

No No

-Recognition of their athletes -Support of individual followers -Links to places Muscle Milk is mentioned

-Event announcements -Shout outs -PowerBar news -Undeterminable

-Hunger -Daily updates unrelated to Clif Bar

-FRS news -Trafficking users to other FRS endeavors -FRS affiliate program news

Many of the tweets focus on motivating followers and giving them tips.

Overall focus of feed

-Updates on race -Preparation for race -Almost every tweet has hash tags of #alms and #sebring12

Best use of Twitter 1-6 (best-worst)

Gatorade

-211 lists Ex: Food & beverage, sports, brands, companies, sponsors, athletics -12 lists Ex: Brands, sports, BMX -24 lists Ex: empresas, esportes, -7 lists Ex: brands, business, companies -14 lists Ex: services-orgs, brands, deporte, news -1 list Ex: athletics-running -7 lists Ex: Running, events, training, deportes -10 lists Ex: deportes, outdoors No No No No No No No No -Professional athletes -Conversations with followers -Event updates -News on BMX riders and snowboarders -Gatorade news- Brazil -Gatorade news- Canada -Gatorade news- Mexico -Gmoments: times when someone does something cool related to sports or accomplishes a sports goal -Gatorade news- Venezuela -Gatorade news- Caracas

Twitter analysis Muscle Milk Their main identity, MuscleMilk, is very active. They monitor their followers often, making personal connections to them through mentions. One individual (GuruJohnC) was mentioned three times and retweeted once by MuscleMilk. This shows that Muscle Milk values its followers enough to keep a conversation with them going, even if it takes up space on their followers’ feeds. One unique thing Muscle Milk tweets are pictures, or TweetPics. They have done this 68 times. Most of these are strict product shots or Muscle Milk bottles being held by celebrities. They are also sometimes pictures of product placements- basketball courtside ads, Muscle Milk vending machines, etc. TweetPics are a good tactic to use because attached to every picture is a person- someone took the picture. While the Twitter identity reflects the brand instead of a brand representative, the common mobile-phone look and feel of the TweetPics suggests that the brand is human. Therefore, the brand is not talking to them; a person is. That is the most appealing function of social media- people talking to people. Their secondary identity, MuscleMilkRace, is a team of three Muscle Milk employees participating in the American Le Mans Series car race. Tweets refer to their status in the race and preparation leading up to it. MuscleMilkRace tweets many times a day. On March 18, 19, and 20, they tweeted 17, 7, and 48 times, respectively. While these high numbers likely occur on big racing days, they can dominate a follower’s Twitter feed and overwhelm him or her. This prevents the follower from seeing anyone else’s tweets.

PowerBar “PowerBar” is PowerBar’s official Twitter identity. With a good following (1,213), they have only tweeted 74 times since August 2009. Their last tweet was early February 2010. It seems as though they are missing an opportunity to have a substantial presence. PowerBar is a well-known name, so there is potential to get more followers than they currently have. A few tweets link to products or PowerBar’s Facebook page, but most of them are simply news about PowerBar and athletes. Most tweets have a motivational or excited tone.

“PowerBarCanada” is PowerBar’s Canadian Twitter feed based in Toronto, Ontario. Since the feed is relatively new, perhaps PowerBarCanada will start tweeting more often as it gains followers. Right now, though, the feed does not do much for the brand since it is so minimal. “PowerBar2010” is PowerBar’s German Twitter feed based in Munich. With only one tweet, the feed does not correlate to the bio, which to onlookers seems like a legitimate PowerBar Twitter identity. However, it is difficult to tell whether this feed is officially attached to the PowerBar brand.

Clif Bar Clif Bar’s Twitter presence is nonexistent. The only mention of Clif Bar is “clifbarlover,” a woman that loves Clif Bars. The reason this is noteworthy is that Clif Bar has generated enough brand loyalty with this woman to empower her to make this feed. In a sense, Clif Bar’s brand is going viral through someone else; it has turned an enthusiast into an evangelist. This is very common on the Internet, and brands should take advantage of transparency rather than fight it. Clif Bar has an opportunity to use this lady to create a fun Twitter feed attached to a real person. This would connect the brand to an individual that other people can then follow. A great and recent example of this occurred when Conan O’Brien randomly decided to follow a woman named Sarah Killen. Sarah now has over 28,000 followers.

FRS A lot of tweets from “FRSHE,” FRS’s main Twitter identity, start with “come to” or “check out,” driving followers to something elsea website, an event, or a new product. A lot of tweets mention Derek Fisher, an athlete sponsored by FRS. It is very clear he is their “go-to” athlete. FRS’s other Twitter identity, “frsaffiliates,” is a feed about the FRS Affiliates Program, although tweets sometimes refer to Derek Fisher and general FRS news as well. The FRS Affiliates Program is similar to Google AdWords. People who sign up to be an affiliate put a hyperlink on their website that links to www.frs.com. If there is a conversion, such as signing up for a free trial or ordering an FRS product, the affiliate is paid. This feed seems appropriately sized for the audience it targets- FRS affiliates. Mike, the

person attached to the feed, does a good job of keeping the affiliates informed on goals they can set to make money, as well as making any changes or new offers regarding the affiliate program. MET-Rx MET-Rx does not utilize Twitter very well. Since their first tweet June 26, 2009, they have only tweeted 30 times. Therefore, their feed is very spaced out. The best thing about the feed is that MET-Rx has done a lot of “Shaping Your Nutrition” and “Shaping Everybody Guide” tweets, both of which are motivational and/or tips for eating healthy, staying fit, and setting goals. It looks like MET-Rx thought about starting a “Tip of the Day” but only did it once. They started another tweet with “Tip of the week” a month and a half later, and again did not make it consistent. There is an opportunity for MET-Rx to make their tips a daily update- something that users can come to expect. Not all of them will be relevant to each follower, but people are likely to wonder what the tip of the day is going to be. A great example of this principle is a website called woot.com. Woot.com sells one item each day, and the item from the day before is no longer available. Woot.com has become successful because people want to see what is for sale each day. All of MET-Rx’s retweets are of businesses, not individuals. This does not foster a mutual connection between the brand and its consumers. People like shout-outs, even on a small scale. MET-Rx could be more active in watching the feeds of its followers, and retweeting them every so often.

Gatorade Gatorade’s main Twitter identity, “Gatorade,” is well managed. The feed clearly represents Gatorade, but does not have a corporate feel to it. Two people whose Twitter identities appear in the bio section manage it. Anyone can follow those two people. The language used in the feed is mostly conversational. Especially when mentioning followers, the language of the feed features typical online abbreviations and phrases such as “lol” or “k.” Furthermore, most posts do not follow typical grammatical rules, giving the feed a rugged feel. There are also few instances of shouting- Gatorade rarely uses all capital words and exclamation points. Perhaps the greatest strength of this feed is that when Gatorade mentions people, they are quick to do so. Mentions often come only a few hours

after the follower mentioned Gatorade. Gatorade will then respond with a “thank you” or a question, showing they care to continue the conversation. The “GFFT” identity features tweets about the Gatorade Free Flow Tour, the official amateur series of the Dew Tour. The Dew Tour is a five-part American sports competition that features BMX, motocross, and skateboarding. The purpose of the GFFT is to identify the next wave of top athletes in summer sports like skateboarding and BMX, and winter sports like snowboarding and free skiing. The feed’s tweets serve and look like a news source on specific athletes of the aforementioned sports, as well as those sports themselves. Gatorade has multiple foreign Twitter identities, but its Brazilian “_gatorade” identity seems to be the most reputable. It has the second most tweets out of all of Gatorade’s foreign identities, and highest number of followers and people it follows. “Gcanada” is Gatorade’s Canadian Twitter identity. Almost every tweet had a link when it first started. There were no mentions, though. Not until a little over four months did Gcanada start conversing with followers. Perhaps the following took a while to grow. Mentions are now very common in the feed. “gatorademex” is Gatorade’s Mexican Twitter identity and the feed is minimal. The last tweet was in December 2009. “Gmoments” is a fun Twitter feed that does not appear to be officially linked to the brand. It serves as a feed of retweets. These retweets are of people who have tweeted something they have done in sports (e.g. achieved a goal, made a team, etc.). It is similar to Gatorade’s “That’s G” phrase, but the author of the feed may not use that phrase because it is probably trademarked. It is a similar idea, though. “eventosgatorade” is Gatorade’s Venezuelan Twitter identity. The feed is very minimal. The last tweet was early February 2009. “gatoradeccsrock” is Gatorade’s other Venezuelan Twitter identity. The feed has more than “eventosgatorade” but is still minimal. The last tweet was early October 2009. *Note: all foreign Twitter identities’ tweets are in that country’s native language.

General Twitter notes •

The use of an ® in the bio makes the identity easiest to recognize as that brand’s official Twitter feed. o People like to know what they are getting. If a brand is using Twitter, it should make that clear to prevent any uncertainty.

•

Tweeting too much in one day is overwhelming to followers. Users generally do not mind scrolling down, but clicking “more” at the bottom is not always popular.

•

None of the Twitter identities send a “Thank you for following us!” message to new followers. Unless a following is substantially large, it is a good practice to thank followers. That “give and take” relationship is very common in social media.

•

Do not simply link to products. Tell why they are good. Advertisers should show instead of tell. With Twitter, though, you have to tell. Furthermore, tell the benefits of a product rather than its features.

•

Humor goes a long way on Twitter. It can stand out on a person’s feed, which is sometimes comprised of friends’ meaningless updates.

•

When mentioning, make the reason for the mention clear so that it does not arbitrarily take up the feed space of everyone else that is following. Tell what the person being mentioned did to deserve the mention. This is unnecessary for retweets because they handle this naturally.

SECTION THREE: Facebook

FACEBOOK - MOST IMPORTANT THING Data Compiled 4/1/10

Brand Comparison Chart *Note: “General appearance of wall” refers to how often the brand posts status updates on its own wall. This is ranked on a 0-10 scale, with 10 meaning the brand is the only poster on the wall and 0 meaning the fans are the only posters.

Muscle Milk Main Identity Name Fans General appearance of wall Tabs used *Blue indicates tabs used by every brand *Green indicates tabs used by only 1 brand

On last 10 (brand) status updates:

PowerBar

Clif Bar

Muscle Milk

PowerBar

Clif Bar

7,478

23,390

MM scale: 3.5 -Wall -Info -Photos -Video -Twitter -Discussion -Boxes -YouTube -Links -Notes -Poll -Other Pages -Favorite Pages 188, 118 18.8, 11.8

FRS

MET-Rx

Gatorade

N/A

Gatorade

2,467

FRS Healthy Energy 969

N/A

524,304

PB scale: 3.5

CB scale: 0

FRS scale: 9

N/A

G scale: 1.5

-Wall -Info -Photos -Video -Events -Boxes

-Wall -Info -Photos -Links -Discussion

-Wall -Info -Photos -Discussion -Events -Links

N/A

172, 208 17.2, 20.8

N/A - no brand status updates

13, 6 1.3, .6

N/A

-Wall -Info -Photos -Locker Room -Video -Ustream -Boxes -Poll -Events -REPLAY -MJ Vote -Discussion -Favorite Pages 360, 292 36, 29.2

Likes, Comments Avg. Likes, Avg. Comments

Best user of Facebook 1-6 (best-worst)

Facebook: Muscle Milk (Main Identity)

Identity name

Muscle Milk

Fans

7,478

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 3.5

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

YouTube

Yes, 6 (3 are ads)

Info

Yes

Links

Yes, 79

Photos

Notes

Yes, 3 (last on 12/23/09)

Video

-15 albums, 180 photos -7 fan photos Yes, 2 (not ads)

Poll

Yes, 1 (fav. MM flavor)

Twitter

Yes

Other Pages

Yes, but no content displayed

Discussion

Yes, 2

Fav. Pages

Yes, 17

Boxes

Yes, 4

â&#x20AC;&#x153;MUSCLE MILKâ&#x20AC;? RECENT STATUS UPDATES Status/Post *Blue indicates a link was provided *Red indicates a photo was provided *Green indicates a link and photo were provided

Date

Likes

Comments

3/29/10

Images of the Muscle Milk family of products

3/28/10

Billboard of Muscle Milk athlete and 3-time NBA All-Star Brandon Roy in Portland, OR

3/27/10

The Muscle Milk Motorsports trailer for the Porsche RS Spyder!

3/25/10

Which Is Your Favorite Muscle Milk RTD Flavor? *This was a poll

3/25/10

(Picture only)

3/24/10

The Muscle Milk Defender cruising the streets of San Francisco!

3/23/10

Minnesota Vikings All-Pro Running Back loves him some Muscle Milk! Check out the Muscle Milk in his home on CMT Cribs. Fast foward to the 1:34 marker.

3/22/10

Congratulations to Team CytoSport/Muscle Milk for their Class Victory and 4th Overall Finish at the historic 12 Hours of Sebring Race!

3/16/10

Pure Pleasure! Our all-new Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavor is available now exclusively at Bodybuilding.com

3/16/10

Congratulations to Muscle Milk athlete and Olympian Matt Reed for finishing 3rd at the Miami International Triathlon! www.mattyreed.com

Facebook: PowerBar (Main Identity)

Identity name

PowerBar

Fans

23,390

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

PB scale: 3.5

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos

Events

-8 albums, 65 photos -8 fan photos -Yes, 5 (one ad) -2 fan videos Yes, 1 (Boston Marathon)

Boxes

Yes, 1 (Discussion board - 1 post)

Videos

“POWERBAR” RECENT STATUS UPDATES

Date

Status/Post *Blue indicates a link was provided *Red indicates a photo was provided *Green indicates a link and photo were provided

Likes

Comments

3/29/10

The latest from Christopher D. Jensen, PhD, MPH, RD

3/26/10

PowerBar Time for the weekend rundown. Are you killin' it or chillin' it for the next 48 hours?

3/22/10

POWERBAR TEAM ELITE—Killin' it. Luke McKenzie - 1st at IM China, Belinda Granger - 1st at IM China 70.3, Hillary Biscay - 3rd at IM Malaysia, Chris Lieto - 2nd Miami International Triathlon

3/19/10

The weekend is here. Are you taking it on or off? Are you're training for it, doing it, or chillin' it?

3/18/10

Boston is a month away—Here's the course map and the location of our Gel Zone. We'll be there with all our PowerBar Gel flavors. We'll look for you at mile 17.

3/17/10

PowerBar congratulates Julie Dibens on taking 1st at the inaugural Abu Dhabi International Triathlon

3/14/10

Life/Sport balance: Advice From Alex M. McDonald, MD

3/5/10

Its Friday. Many of us are training for spring events. Are you taking the weekend on or off?

3/2/10

PowerBar Team Elite athletes bring home some heavy metal from Vancouver One gold, three silver and three bronze.

3/1/10

Have you tried the PowerBar Gel Blasts yet? Here's a link to the sampling program. While the program isn't new news, if you haven't tried them yet—do, they are remarkable.

Facebook: Clif Bar (Main Identity)

Identity name

Clif Bar

Fans

2,467

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

CB scale: 0

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos Links

-1 album, 11 photos -7 fan photos Yes, 18

Discussion

Yes, 1

“CLIF BAR” RECENT STATUS UPDATES Status/Post *Blue indicates a link was provided *Red indicates a photo was provided *Green indicates a link and photo were provided

Date 6/28/09

Clif Products

Likes 0

Comments 0

No other updates…

Facebook: FRS (Main Identity)

Identity name

FRS Healthy Energy

Fans

969

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

FRS scale: 9

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos Discussions

-3 albums, 24 photos -0 fan photos -Yes, 1

Events

Yes, 12

Links

Yes, 26

â&#x20AC;&#x153;FRS HEALTHY ENERGYâ&#x20AC;? RECENT STATUS UPDATES

Date

Status/Post *Blue indicates a link was provided *Red indicates a photo was provided *Green indicates a link and photo were provided

Likes

Comments

3/31/10

Keep an eye out for Krista Park's clinics happening in your neighborhood. Here's a recap of last weeks program.

3/31/10

Looking for something fun to do? Check out PacWest Athletics training program for the Giant Race!

3/31/10

Check out this great article on FRS!

3/30/10

Congrats to @TeamTopeakErgon for the great results @ 70 mi Ouachita Challenge. Results: WOMEN: Sonya Looney: 2, Namrita O'Dea: 5; MEN: Jeff Kerkove: 6, Eddie Odea: 8

3/30/10

FRS Sponsored Sunrise Classic is just around the corner!

3/26/10

Come hang out with FRS partner PacWest Athletes at the Oakland Marathon this weekend!

3/23/10

Ronny Turiaf has been named the recipient of the NBA Cares Community Community Assist Award For February. Warriors Center Earns Monthly Honor for raising awareness and funding for the prevention, detection, and treatment of life-threatening heart conditions. Great people working for a great cause!

3/23/10

Check out the winners of FRS sponsored Ultimate Boarder. It was a tough competition and a great event!

3/19/10

There's still time to help Jordan out! Donate today to make his dream of conquering Everest come true!

3/17/10

FRS sponsored athletes US Army Corporal Chuck Hutcheson won for the second week in a row and Navy Ensign Ryan McFeely stood atop the podium for the first time of the season.

Facebook: Gatorade (Main Identity)

Identity name

Gatorade

Fans

524,304

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

G scale: 1.5

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Poll

1 (When do you typically drink Gatorade?)

Info

Yes

Events

1 (Nov. 2009)

Locker Room

High School sports teams submit their best locker room ritual in this competition.

REPLAY

Nominate your team to replay its greatest game against its greatest rival from back in the day.

Photos

-6 albums, 43 albums -114 fan photos

MJ Vote

Vote for Michael Jordan’s best career G Moment

Video

-54 (only a few are ads) -2 fan videos Live broadcast and chat. “Watch athletes test and ask them questions!”

Discussions

Yes, 11

Fav. Pages

Yes, but no content listed on the tab. On the side bar, 13.

Ustream

*Done on Facebook, not externally.

Boxes

Yes, 2

“GATORADE” RECENT STATUS UPDATES

Date

Status/Post *Blue indicates a link was provided *Red indicates a photo was provided *Green indicates a link and photo were provided ** Indicates link was to another section on Gatorade’s Facebook

Likes

Comments

3/31/10

**Check out our G Series Mobile Locker Room contest: Share a photo and brief paragraph highlighting your team’s signature locker room ritual & you could win a visit from the G Series Mobile Locker Room for your school, and a $500 gift card for yourself!

124

3/29/10

**Everyone - go to http://www.facebook.com/Gatorade?v=app_388133513888&ref=ts and let us know what you gets you going before a game! You could win $500!

3/27/10

Did you guys know that we are going to REPLAY a match between the 1999 Detroit Catholic Central Shamrocks and Trenton Trojans? Check out the teams kick-off training with reunion, first practices and pro-style athletic assessments from this weekend!

3/26/10

**Got a signature locker room ritual? Let us know and you could win $500!

3/25/10

**Fans - take 10 mins to nominate your hs to be the 9th stop in the mobile locker room tour and you could win $500 too!

3/25/10

Congrats to Chiney Ogwumike, our 2009-10 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year! Chiney was just surprised during an assembly at Cy-Fair High School (Houston, Texas) by her sister Nneka Ogwumike, who earned National Girls Basketball POY honors in 2007-08 and currently plays for Stanford. To vote for... your favorite Girls Basketball POY of all time, visit:

3/24/10

Hockey championship game in NJ to replay after being cancelled 20 yrs ago! http://bit.ly/biw04K Do you have a game you want to REPLAY?

3/23/10

**Want the G Series Mobile Locker Room to come to your school? Submit an entry!

3/23/10

Congrats to Brandon Knight, our 2009-10 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year! He joins 2009 NBA MVP LeBron James and 2007 NBA Draft Number One Overall Pick Greg Oden as the only student-athletes to win National Boys Basketball POY honors in consecutive seasons. For more info on the Gatorade POY program,...

3/19/10

Guess what? Replay the Series: Season One is nominated for a Sports Emmy:

Facebook analysis MUSCLE MILK - IDENTITY “MUSCLE MILK” Muscle Milk’s main Facebook identity has a wall consisting mostly of fans’ comments instead of Muscle Milk’s. The statuses that Muscle Milk writes are about products or Muscle Milk public appearances. Some are also about getting ready to get in shape, or reminding people how Muscle Milk can help them before, during, and after workouts. The “other pages” tab is Muscle Milk’s weakest, as it has no content. Muscle Milk utilizes a Twitter tab, a good way to connect two social media platforms. There are actually two “polls” tabs, so one of those should be deleted. Having a good fan base, Muscle Milk should probably run more polls. Considering that fan base, the amount of likes and comments on the average status update is adequate. There is a noticeable amount of conversation happening on Muscle Milk’s wall. Lastly, the amount of links (79) Muscle Milk has may be too high. Perhaps it would be better if they were categorized.

POWERBAR - IDENTITY “POWERBAR” The main drawbacks of PowerBar’s main Facebook identity are its events and boxes tabs, which each only have one item of content. The amount of likes on PowerBar’s statuses is good, but comments are sporadic. However, when comments are popular, they are very plentiful. Some of them have reached 57, 51, and 69, for example. The amount of photos is an appropriate number. However, with 65 photos for eight albums, the number of albums could be smaller. Many of PowerBar’s status updates serve to encourage people to exercise. Many ask questions such as, “We are working out hard this weekend. Are you?” This feel to the wall reflects how many people are inspired to get in shape- by their friends. Many people workout with other people to hold each other accountable, so it feels like PowerBar is trying to create a sense of team, accountability, and self care among its fans on Facebook.

CLIF BAR - IDENTITY “CLIF BAR”

Clif Bar’s main Facebook identity is very weak despite its 2,467 fans. There is only one discussion board topic, eleven photos, and one status update. If not for fans’ wall posts, which hardly ever occur on consecutive days, the wall would be empty. Clif Bar is missing an opportunity to interact with a decently sized fan base.

FRS - IDENTITY “FRS HEALTHY ENERGY” FRS’s main Facebook identity has few fans (969), but the company is new. The page utilizes links and events well. Events are lacking in other brands’ pages, but FRS has 12. The discussion board again is weak with only one post. Another touch point that FRS’s page presents is what to use as the profile picture. They used one that has over 15 products, which probably does not focus on the brand itself as much as it could. A logo often suffices as a profile picture. The other FRS Facebook identity called “FRS Healthy Energy Drink” might be the official FRS page because it has the ® symbol in its bio. However, that page has only 312 fans, whereas “FRS Healthy Energy” has 969. They both look like legitimate FRS pages, though, which can be confusing. Many of FRS’s status updates either congratulate an athlete or drive fans to FRS events and other pages. The wall is hard to categorize into a certain overarching theme, though.

GATORADE - IDENTITY “GATORADE” Gatorade’s main Facebook identity is the strongest of the six brands. The wall is dominated by fans rather than Gatorade, likely because the following (524,304 fans) is so large. The likes and comments on Gatorade’s status updates are very good. However, fans are generally not commenting on other fans’ posts. Gatorade’s strongest aspect of their Facebook page is its tabs. There are four (Ustream, Locker Room, REPLAY, and MJ Vote) tabs Gatorade has that no other brand uses. Some of them are contests, which make sense to be on a Facebook page because social media is about user-generated content and a mentality of sharing information. By entering these contests, fans are sharing their stories and reasons for winning, and are doing so in a way that anyone can see.

Gatorade’s weakest parts of their Facebook page are the “polls” and “events” sections. Neither should overwhelm people with too much content, but not enough is there currently for Gatorade to get any use out of them. Both tabs take up space and make their individual components to the main profile weak. The best part about Gatorade’s Facebook page in comparison to the other brands is its discussion board. There are eleven topics, whereas on the other brands’ pages there are only one or two. This shows that Gatorade’s fans are willing to put more time into expressing their opinions where it is accepted (unlike the main wall) to go into greater detail. The most important take away from Gatorade’s page is that the brand treats Facebook not as a product promotion platform, but rather as a platform for Gatorade-related events, contests, etc. This is a good strategy because Gatorade does have a “products” page. Viewers can see that if they choose. If Gatorade opted to focus primarily on strengthening its revenue through mostly product promotion throughout the profile, that would not be very “social” in “social media.” What Gatorade’s Facebook identity does is serve as a community for people to see what is happening with the brand, not its products. However, Gatorade can afford to do this more than other brands because of its market dominance.

General Facebook notes •

Overall, the weakest Facebook tabs were “discussion” and “boxes.” Discussion board topics were substantially weak for every brand except Gatorade, and boxes served hardly any purpose for any brand. In these instances, those tabs clutter the page and do not achieve anything.

•

Keep the amount of Favorite Pages to a minimum. The more there are, the less credibility you have.

•

Do not treat a Facebook feed the same as your Twitter feed. The two should complement each other, especially if there is a Twitter tab on the Facebook page.

•

Write open-ended statuses- something that inspires people to comment on other people’s comments and keep the conversation going. If a status update has a link, maybe ask what people think of the link. This would drive users to the site you want them to go to, and then back to the Facebook page for feedback. However, be mindful that with open-ended updates tangents will inevitably occur.

•

Many statuses updates are not descriptive. Make them lead into something more. Do not just mention a site you want fans to visit and then make them go there to understand what it is.

•

When using “YouTube” tab, it is probably best to only feature the best videos from your YouTube identity. You do not want to feature everything because nobody would have a reason to go to YouTube. Moreover, using a YouTube tab is a good idea because it tells people you have an identity on that platform. If a brand’s main website does not link to all social media platforms it uses (which is the case in these six brands), how will people know the brand utilizes those platforms?

•

There are a fair amount of typos across the Facebook pages. In one instance, a fan commented about a typo in an FRS status update. Just because it is social media does not mean a brand can get away with looking unprofessional.

SECTION FOUR: YouTube

YOUTUBE - MOST IMPORTANT THING Data Compiled 3/23/10

Brand Comparison Chart Muscle Milk Main identity name

PowerBar

Clif Bar

FRS

MET-Rx

Gatorade

CytoSportInc

PowerBarDewTour

N/A

TheFRSHealthyEnergy

METRxTraining

whatsg

N/A

Avg. video length

1:34

1:35

N/A

15 sec

4:34

1:16

Total channel views

4,562

291

N/A

71,551

25,403

200,984

Total upload views

126,826

4,005

N/A

146,268

536,469

2,685,790

N/A

1,526

1,147

Commercial

Event

N/A

Promotional (with Lance Armstrong)

Training Videos

Athlete narration, interview

Videos

Subscribers Most common subject matter Best user of YouTube 1-6 (best-worst)

MUSCLE MILK YouTube identity: CytoSportInc CytoSportInc Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

1:34

4,562

126,826

Aug. 29, 2008

cytosport.com

USA

Bio: N/A

• • •

Similar to Gatorade’s “whatsg” YouTube identity, Muscle Milk’s “CytoSportInc” identity has a good average video length of 1:34. This means that viewers can watch a video quickly and move on to the next one. That is a good guideline to follow. Since Muscle Milk recently released a brand new ad campaign, it is natural that this identity features those ads. Those three videos have attained a lot of views. Overall, this identity seems to have a lot of potential as Muscle Milk strengthens its advertising presence. Muscle Milk is a well-known brand, so perhaps not tying it to CytoSport could get the videos more hits.

MUSCLE MILK YouTube identity: CytoSportInc Specific Videos Stats (1-6)

Views

5,741

4,521

2,791

197

Oakley Learn to Drive Audi Experience Fueled By Muscle Milk 302

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

5.00

0.00

Most popular with

Undetermined

Length

0:17

2:06

1:43

1:14

Type

Commercial

Sponsor

Event

Katie

Dave

Oakley learn to ride snowboard Sundance

Chet

Muscle Milk Light Goes to Fashion Week 365

MUSCLE MILK YouTube identity: CytoSportInc Specific Videos Stats (7-11) Muscle Milk Team CytoSport Driver Klaus Graf Takes You For a Ride at 12 Hours of Sebring!

CytoSport founder Greg Pickett Discusses His Racing Background

Muscle Milk and Kevin Windham take over the XGames!

Adrian Peterson Muscle Milk TRUCK

Adrian Peterson Muscle Milk FOOLIN'

Views

450

38,318

76,406

152

Comments

Favorites

136

Ratings

Avg. Rating

5.00

0.00

4.00

5.00

Most popular with

Male 13-17

Male 18-44

Male 13-17

Length

2:12

0:15

4:12

4:24

Type

Event

Commercial

Athlete behind the scenes

Interview

POWERBAR YouTube identity: PowerBarDewTour PowerBarDewTour Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

1:35

291

4,005

Nov. 20, 2009

N/A

USA

Bio: N/A

• • •

PowerBarDewTour follows the Dew Tour event and PowerBar’s participation in it. All videos are from the event except for videos with “XChange” in the title, which are videos designed for “fueling conversations between athletes and artists.” Overall, the identity does not do much for PowerBar. There is not a lot of brand presence in the videos.

POWERBAR YouTube identity: PowerBar @ Dew Tour Specific Videos Stats

PowerBar at the Dew Tour Mt. Snow, Vermont

Views

First Look PowerBar PowerDome, Breckenridge, Winter Dew Tour

PowerBar's The XChange Full Episode w/ Ruben Najara & Blake Lewis

Inside the PowerBar dome at Breckenridge

307

150

187

838

479

126

134

277

702

442

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

0.00

5.00

0.00

2.50

5.00

0.00

5.00

0.00

Most popular with

Undetermined

Length

1:16

1:37

0:17

4:37

0:41

0:08

0:44

0:42

0:40

5:11

Type

Event status

Event

Event status

Event

Custom PowerBar snowboard benches.

PowerBar's The XChange w/ Ruben Najera and Blake Lewis

PowerBar's The XChange w/ Colin Tucker and Iglu & Hartly

PowerBar's The XChange Full Episode w/ Colin Tucker and Iglu & Hartly

PowerBar at the DewTour - Highlights

PowerBar @ Snowbasin for the Dew Tour

FRS YouTube identity: TheFRSHealthyEnergy TheFRSHealthyEnergy Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

15 sec

71,551

146,268

Dec. 29, 2009

frs.com

USA

Bio: FRS Healthy Energy is a different kind of energy. Energy that comes from our secret weapon, Quercetin, an antioxidant found in foods like blueberries, grapes and apples.

• • •

“TheFRSHealthyEnergy” has a very good viewership considering there are only seven videos. However, since FRS is a new company, these high numbers could be reflective of Lance Armstrong’s popularity. All seven videos feature him. For being an identity with no intent other than to promote through quick clips, the short average video length of 15 seconds is appropriate. However, if the identity is to go anywhere, more clips of longer length might be a good idea. The problem with having such a short average length is that little can be communicated, especially in the way these videos are edited. A lot of text is quickly thrown at the viewer and it is hard to follow. Overall, this identity seems to be off to a decent start, but FRS has not quite mastered how to utilize YouTube like some of the other brands have.

GATORADE YouTube identity: TheFRSHealthyEnergy Specific Videos Stats Lance Armstrong Has A Secret QUERCETIN FROM FRUIT

Lance Armstrong Has a Secret ON THE RANCH.

Lance Armstrong Has a Secret IN THE POOL.

Lance Armstrong Has a Secret ON THE TRAIL.

Lance Armstrong Has a Secret ON THE RUN.

Lance Armstrong Has a Secret ON THE ROAD.

Lance Armstrong Has a Secret IN THE GYM.

Views

60,122

10,417

25,121

9,262

4,789

25,196

12,128

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

3.12

3.31

2.16

3.08

2.55

2.18

2.61

Most popular with

Male 25-54

Male 35-64

Male 25-54

Male 35-64

Male 25-54

Length

0:31

0:11

0:12

0:13

0:12

Type

Promotional

MET-Rx YouTube identity: METRxTraining METRxTraining Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

4:34

25,403

536,469

Oct. 21, 2008

1,526

metrx.com

USA

Bio: Official Training Videos from MET-Rx®, featuring Team MET-Rx® Athletes, Fight Team and Calendar Girls. Visit www.metrx.com for more on Team MET-Rx and MET-Rx products. All content ©2009 MET-Rx. About Me: MET-Rx® is on the cutting-edge of sports nutrition with a diverse range of products engineered for the next generation of athletes. All those who use state-of-the-art nutrition to achieve their goals — and who never, ever accept limits of mind, body or spirit — are the ones we call Team MET-Rx◊. Visit www.metrx.com for more info. (◊ MET-Rx Athletes are paid endorsers.)

• • •

MET-Rx’s “METRxTraining” YouTube identity is very well managed and cohesive. Almost all of the videos are professional body builders demonstrating various exercises. There are only three people instructing these videos, so the viewer is easily able to figure out what types of exercise each person teaches. Each instructor is good on camera and likeable. The videos are long. The average video length is 4:34. However, because they are demonstrational and health-related, rushing through them would be counter-productive. Overall, this is a very successful YouTube identity not only because of its amount of views and subscribers, but its continuity as well. METRxTraining has focused on one area: training videos. It does not stray from that, and viewers will know exactly what to search for on YouTube to find training videos.

MET-Rx YouTube identity: METRxTraining Specific Videos Stats (Videos 1-8) MET-Rx Fan Testimonials at the 2009 Arnold Classic

MET-Rx Booth at the 2009 Arnold Classic

Phil Heath Shaping Every Body - MET-Rx Products

Greg Plitt Shaping Every Body - MET-Rx Products

Coed Workout Pt 1 - MET-Rx Training

Coed Workout Pt 2 - MET-Rx Training

Derek Panza: Defense Techniques MET-Rx Fight Team

Derek Panza: Kicking Technique MET-Rx Fight Team

Views

1,772

3,111

30,669

64,002

4,154

1,916

3,443

8,241

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

5.00

4.60

4.39

3.71

5.00

4.69

Most popular with

Male 13-17

Male 18-34 Male 45-54

Male 18-44

Male 18-34 Male 45-54

Male 18-44

Male 18-34 Male 45-54

Male 18-44

Length

3:22

2:35

0:31

0:33

5:45

7:05

8:11

4:55

Type

Event/Customer interviews

Event

Commercial

Training

MET-Rx YouTube identity: METRxTraining Specific Videos Stats (Videos 9-15) Derek Panza: Punching Technique MET-Rx Fight Team

Greg Plitt: Cardio Workout - MET-Rx Training

Greg Plitt: Chest Workout MET-Rx Training

Greg Plitt: Abs Workout MET-Rx Training

Phil Heath: Quad Workout MET-Rx Training

Phil Heath: Biceps Workout - MET-Rx Training

Phil Heath: Chest Workout MET-Rx Training

Views

6,856

40,963

105,909

27,625

40,113

46,576

153,143

Comments

Favorites

173

677

266

213

250

664

Ratings

166

264

Avg. Rating

4.27

4.64

4.66

4.94

4.92

4.51

4.64

Most popular with

Male 18-44

Length

6:33

2:23

6:12

5:05

5:22

4:11

5:27

Type

Training

GATORADE YouTube identity: whatsg whatsg Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

1:16

200,984

2,685,790

July 1, 2006

1,147

gatorade.com

USA

Bio: Welcome to the G collection. The place where you can see the latest and greatest from Gatorade. When you're done here, check out the cool new stuff going on at Gatorade.com. For Information about our Products and Athletes visit: http://www.gatorade.com. Become a fan of Gatorade visit: http://www.facebook.com/Gatorade

• • •

•

“whatsg” is Gatorade’s main YouTube identity. It is very successful and well-managed. It is approaching 3 million total views, and has already surpassed 1,000 subscribers. Despite the high viewership, however, there are very few comments on whatsg’s videos. Most comments occur on advertising-related videos. An average video length of 1:16 means viewers can watch a video and quickly move on to the next one. That is a good guideline to follow. Most commercials are 30 seconds long and thus an attention span for that amount of time has been engrained in people while they watch commercials. Although (a little over) 30 seconds longer than normal commercial length, 1:16 is a good average length because people are seeking out YouTube videos. Therefore, the extra time is acceptable because of an extra willingness to watch. Overall, Gatorade manages this identity well. There is a good balance of the “locker room” videos and advertisements. Since Gatorade has a large presence in the advertising industry, it is smart of them to feature ads on their main identity. O The video titled “The Making Of” (video 20) is a good way to feature an ad but also show how it was created. This limits the amount a consumer is “told” by the brand with no basis for understanding. The video allows the viewer to learn more about the effort that went into making something they (may) have seen on TV. Plus, it grays the line separating a brand’s advertising from its consumers.

GATORADE YouTube identity: whatsg Specific Videos Stats (Videos 1-8) G Series Locker Room: Dwight "Driven"

G Series Locker Room: Dwight "Gaaaaaatorad e!"

G Series Locker Room: Ellery "GSSI"

G Series Locker Room: LT "Looking Back/Forward"

G Series Locker Room: LT "Against All Odds"

G Series Locker Room: Peyton "A Family Affair"

G Series Locker Room: Peyton "Preparation"

Views

830

1,264

747

730

660

519

586

783

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

5.00

0.00

4.20

Most popular with

Undetermined

Male 13-17

Male 18-44

Male 25-54

Male 13-34

Length

1:02

0:32

1:01

2:44

3:55

2:07

0:30

0:17

Type

Commercial

G Moment interviews -Jr. athletes

G Moment interviews

Commercial

WARNING: Don't Fight GSP says Gatorade ad

GATORADE YouTube identity: GatoradeCanada Specific Videos Stats (10-19) Usain Bolt & JFK... more than most can do in 9.69 sec let alone 9.58

Cassie Campbell: G Moments presented by Gatorade

Chantal Petitclerc: Moment G presenté par Gatorade

Chantal Petitclerc: G Moments presented by Gatorade

Ray Zahab: G Moments presented by Gatorade

Paul Rosen: G Moments presented by Gatorade

Georges StPierre: G Moments presented by Gatorade

Georges StPierre: Moment G présenté par Gatorade

Gordie Howe: G Moments presented by Gatorade

Bradd Arseneau: G Moments presented by Gatorade

Views

1,095

1,439

2,778

548

1,483

1,445

35,841

673

978

6,368

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

4.20

4.75

4.83

5.00

4.00

4.73

4.67

5.00

4.83

Most popular with

Male 13-17

Male 35-64

Male 13-17

Male 18-44

Male 13-17

Male 13-17 Male 25-44

Length

0:17

0:45

1:25

1:05

1:33

1:57

1:00

1:04

1:34

1:12

Type

Commercial

Commercial shoot- on the set

GATORADE YouTube identity: GatoradeUK GatoradeUK Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

3:35

4,195

104,530

June 27, 2008

148

gatorade.co.uk

Bio: N/A

• • •

“GatoradeUK” has a good viewership but a very low comment rate. Of the 18 videos, 15 have fewer than five comments. The average length of 3:35 is probably too long. While many of the longer videos have the most views, that fact may be deterring people from watching GatoradeUK’s other videos. This identity’s strength is not as strong as the U.S. Gatorade YouTube identity, but does not reflect a bad light on Gatorade. The identity is well managed but it appears as though videos are uploaded in batches instead of continuously. Therefore, viewers cannot “follow” the progress of GatoradeUK.

GATORADE YouTube identity: GatoradeUK Specific Videos Stats (Videos 1-9) Gatorade Swimming Masterclass: Dive Starts with Joanne Jackson World Record Swimmer

Gatorade Swimming Masterclass: Tumble Turns with Joanne Jackson World Record Swimmer

Gatorade Usain Bolt Nutrition and Sprinting Masterclass: Nutrition with Dr Mark Gillett, Chelsea FC

Gatorade Usain Bolt Nutrition and Sprinting Masterclass: Sprinting with the World's Fastest Man

Hydration Advice for Rugby players; Allan Ryan (London Irish)

Role of a Strength & Conditioning Coach; Allan Ryan (London Irish)

Pre-Season Planning; Toby Booth (London Irish)

Importance of Hydration; Toby Booth (London Irish)

Gatorade Swimming Masterclass: Freestyle (Front Crawl) Technique Tips

Views

1,973

965

1,226

340

2,981

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

1.00

0.00

3.00

5.00

Most popular with

Undetermined

Male 13-17

Length

1:41

0:38

2:44

1:22

1:44

1:37

2:05

6:58

6:44

Type

Athlete interview

Presentation

Athlete interview

GATORADE YouTube identity: GatoradeUK Specific Videos Stats (Videos 10-18)

Usain Bolt Talks About Gatorade

Usain Bolt Talks To Gatorade

We Love Sweat

Gatorade Triathlon Training Series; Top Tips For Race Day

Gatorade Triathlon Training Series; Running For Triathlon

Gatorade Triathlon Training Series; Biking for Triathlon

Gatorade Triathlon Training Series; Transition Top Tips

Gatorade Triathlon Training Series; Open Water Swimming

Gatorade Triathlon Training Series; Essential Equipment

Views

121

3,645

368

3,509

5,329

6,172

9,798

61,517

7,113

Comments

Favorites

278

Ratings

Avg. Rating

0.00

5.00

0.00

4.5

4.33

5.00

4.83

4.56

Most popular with

Male 13-17

Male 25-34

Male 35-64

Male 25-54

Length

1:03

2:37

0:36

5:15

2:46

2:35

6:42

10:10

7:19

Type

Athlete interview

Commercial

Tips

Training

GATORADE YouTube identity: Gatorade Tiger Gatorade Tiger Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

56 sec

6,516

336,697

March 17, 2008

124

N/A

USA

Bio: When you're the greatest golfer on earth what's next. INTRODUCING GATORADE TIGER™ Designed for Tiger Woods so he can go where no man has gone before. With 25% more electrolytes, nothing hydrates better on any planet.

• • •

Gatorade Tiger has been very successful. With eight videos, there have been 336, 697 views. This is likely because of the two icons in the identity: Gatorade and Tiger Woods. Most of the views come from the “Tiger Moonshot” commercial. Now that Gatorade has cut its ties with Tiger Woods, this channel will probably not grow. This channel oddly does not appeal to people aged 18-34. It appeals mostly to young teenage males and older adult males.

GATORADE YouTube identity: Gatorade Tiger Specific Videos Stats Jimmie Takes His Pit Crew Golfing with Gatorade Tiger

Jimmie Johnson at the Gatorade Tiger Moonshot Challenge

Dolphins' Parcells at the Gatorade Tiger Moonshot Challenge

Bears' Tommie Harris Golfs Like He Tackles

Bears' Tommie Harris at the Gatorade Tiger Moonshot Event

Jason Terry at the Gatorade Tiger Moonshot Event

LaDainian Tomlinson at the Gatorade Tiger Moonshot Event

Views

446

1,066

409

323

473

598

627

332,765

Comments

390

Favorites

195

Ratings

1,454

Avg. Rating

3.33

5.00

0.00

5.00

3.76

Most popular with

Male 13-17

Male 35-54

Male 13-17

Male 18-34 Male 55-64

Male 13-17 Male 35-54

Length

0:20

1:24

1:15

0:22

1:07

1:13

1:14

0:31

Type

Event

Event, interview

Event

Commercial

TIGER MOONSHOT

GATORADE YouTube identity: FreeFlowTour FreeFlowTour Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

3:10

2,464

46,325

July 15, 2009

141

gatoradefreeflowtour.com

USA

Bio: The Gatorade Free Flow Tour is the Official Amateur Series of the Dew Tour. For five consecutive years Gatorade Free Flow Tour has searched the countrys premier skateparks giving top ams the once in a lifetime chance to Flow to Pro. The goal is to find top talent from across the country while giving skaters and bmxers of all abilities the opportunity to have fun while competing in a contest. Past winners have gone on to become some of the Dew Tour's most popular and successful athletes, including Mike Spinner who was second overall in the 2008 BMX Park standings and Chaz Ortiz, winner of the 2008 Dew Cup for Skate Park. The 2009 Gatorade Free Flow Tour will include a total of 33 skateboarding competitions (five skate vert and 28 skate park) and 20 BMX contests (four BMX vert and 16 BMX park) at 33 parks across the United States. The winners in each of the 53 skate and BMX competitions will be flown to the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals, taking place at the Dew Tours Toyota Challenge, September 17-20. Encompassing the Flow to Pro theme that is the cornerstone of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour, the two overall skate and BMX park champions and the two overall skate and BMX vert champions earn a spot to compete against the pros at the final stop of the Dew Tour, the PlayStation® Pro in Orlando, Fla., October 15-18.

•

• • •

“FreeFlowTour” tracks Gatorade’s participation in the Dew Tour. With 46 videos, the amount of total upload views averages each video out to about 1,000 views. This is not a very high number considering Gatorade’s brand presence. However, all of these videos are event videos and therefore not very different from each other. Plus, because the Dew Tour focuses on sports that are not vastly popular, the amount of people looking for the type of content seen in these videos is low. The statistics show that the most popular age group to view this channel’s videos are male teenagers, so Gatorade is achieving its goal of targeting “up and coming” athletes. The average video length is 3:10, which may be too long. For event updates, less than three minutes should suffice. Overall, this identity correctly targets the viewers Gatorade is hoping to attract. It is well maintained and viewers know exactly what they are getting from FreeFlowTour.

GATORADE YouTube identity: FreeFlowTour Specific Videos Stats (Videos 1-9) Winter Gatorade Free Flow Tour Freeski Finals - Daily Habit

Winter Gatorade Free Flow Tour Brendan Wall Freeski preview

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Vail

Winter Gatorade Free Flow Tour Mammoth Daily Habit

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Snowboard Finals Daily Habit

Winter Gatorade Free Flow Tour Jack Kyle snowboard preview

Winter Gatorade Free Flow Tour Freeski Finals - Daily Habit

Winter Gatorade Free Flow Tour Mammoth Daily Habit

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Snowboard Finals Daily Habit

Views

1,241

138

220

214

411

153

1,241

214

411

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

5.00

0.00

5.00

0.00

5.00

0.00

5.00

Most popular with

Undetermined

Length

2:07

2:47

2:00

2:07

2:06

2:27

2:07

2:06

Type

Event & athlete interview, narration

GATORADE YouTube identity: FreeFlowTour Specific Videos Stats (Videos 10-18) Winter Gatorade Free Flow Tour Brendan Wall Freeski preview

Winter Gatorade Free Flow Tour Jack Kyle snowboard preview

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Killington

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Keystone

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Vail

Gatorade Free Flow Tour M.I.A. Webisode Episode 3

Gatorade Free Flow Tour M.I.A. Webisode Episode 2

Gatorade Free Flow Tour M.I.A. Webisode Episode 1

Gatorade Free Flow Tour YMCA Webisode Episode 3

Views

138

153

370

495

220

1,688

806

750

1,090

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

0.00

5.00

4.36

5.00

4.50

Most popular with

Undetermined

Male 13-17

Undetermined

Length

2:47

2:27

2:06

2:00

5:01

4:02

4:12

5:58

Type

Event & athlete interview, narration

GATORADE YouTube identity: FreeFlowTour Specific Videos Stats (Videos 19-27) Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap Windell's Camp 8/9 BMX

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Windell's Camp 8/8 Skate

577

1,285

2,016

5.00

4.82

5.00

4.78

Undetermined

Male 13-17

4:03

5:55

2:31

3:11

1:50

2:57

4:14

3:07

3:18

Event & athlete interview, narration

Event

Gatorade Free Flow Tour YMCA Webisode Episode 2

Gatorade Free Flow Tour YMCA Webisode Episode 1

Mykel Larrin's BMX video blog at the Dew Tour

Views

613

666

201

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Jack Olson's Skateboard video blog at the Dew Tour

Clay Kreiner's Skateboard video blog at the Dew Tour

Gatorade Free Flow Tour M.I.A. Skatepark 8/16

3,138

2,685

2,613

Avg. Rating

5.00

Most popular with

Undetermined

Length Type

8 29 Jaycee Nate Lee H 264

GATORADE YouTube identity: FreeFlowTour Specific Videos Stats (Videos 28-36) Gatorade Free Flow Tour Epic Skatepark 8/1

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Rye Airfiled 7/11 BMX Park & Vert

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - 4 Seasons 6/20 BMX Park

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Solution Skatepark 8/2

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - Ramp Rats 8/2

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - Saylor Skatepark 7/26 BMX Park

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - Saylor Skatepark 7/25 Skate Park

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap Academy Skatepark 7/19 Academy

Gatorade Free Flow Tour MissionValley - YMCA Skate 7/18

Views

3,813

1,783

795

1,471

825

701

530

259

500

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

5.00

0.00

5.00

0.00

5.00

0.00

Most popular with

Male 13-17

Undetermined

Male 13-17

Undetermined

Male 13-17

Undetermined

Length

3:37

4:07

2:40

3:13

3:46

3:45

4:18

4:51

2:05

Type

Event

GATORADE YouTube identity: FreeFlowTour Specific Videos Stats (Videos 37-46) Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap Skaters' Edge 7/12

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - Rye Airfield 7/11 (Skate)

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - 6th Avenue 7/11

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals - Promo

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - Warp Skatepark 6/20

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - Ollies Skatepark 6/13 (Skate)

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - The Compound 5/30

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap - Talent Skatepark 5/16

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap Modern Skatepark 5/23

Gatorade Free Flow Tour Recap Incline Club 5/24

Views

2,881

2,332

350

213

1,486

1,612

175

534

339

1,638

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

0.00

5.00

0.00

5.00

0.00

5.00

Most popular with

Undetermined

Male 13-17

Undetermined

Male 13-17

Undetermined

Male 13-17

Length

4:53

3:16

3:31

1:07

3:27

4:00

2:55

2:16

2:42

2:30

Type

Event

General YouTube Notes •

A good average video length should hover around 30 to 90 seconds. Especially in the case of playlists, you want to show quick videos so the viewer will want to watch more. If there is an average length of three minutes, for example, a viewer is likely to only watch one or two videos. If the average length is 45 seconds, that same viewer may watch four or five, especially if multiple videos are part of a series (playlist).

•

Showing ads is a great idea on YouTube. Many people upload ads on their personal YouTube identities. Brands should take ownership of the ads it has created and make them a part of their social media conversation. o Ads generate many views because they are quick and people love to see something creative. In the case of YouTube, someone may be searching for a particular ad they either saw and liked or were told by a friend to watch. Allow them to find something. o A good idea might be to have one identity devoted solely to advertising.

•

Comments, favorites, and ratings should not be overlooked but do not reflect the popularity of a video. The amount of views is the most important statistic to monitor because it is reflective of how much conversation that video is generating. Many people watch YouTube videos because a friend has recommended them. Furthermore, due to the social proof principle, which states that people are likely to follow in the footsteps of others, a high amount of views can often convince someone unfamiliar with a video to watch it. The social proof principle explains that people who prefer not to make decisions (on what to watch, for example) will make the popular choice others have made. Therefore, the total number of views a video has is very important.

•

YouTube does not allow for much brand to consumer communication, so it should mainly serve as a container for content and not try to do too much.

â&#x20AC;˘

Subscribers may not necessarily be a highly important statistic because YouTube does not have the same widespread interconnectedness that Facebook and Twitter does. Most people log onto YouTube to view a video, not to check up on someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s profile. Furthermore, ratings and reviews are not very popular on YouTube. Comments can have value, but they can often be people bickering with each other as well.

SECTION FIVE: Bl ogs

BLOGS - MOST IMPORTANT THING Data Compiled 3/24/10

Brand Comparison Chart Muscle Milk Generic MySpace blog

Blog Name(s)

PowerBar PowerBar: Insider Blog

Clif Bar Clif Blog CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cross Team

Muscle Milk Review: Comprehensive Muscle Milk Reviews

FRS FRS Healthy Energy Review: Notes from my FRS Healthy Energy free trial experience…

MET-Rx Generic MySpace blog

Blog URL(s)

http://www.powerbar.com/a bout/blog.aspx

http://www.clifbar.com/blog /

http://www.frshealthyenergy reviewed.com/

http://sustainablecycling.blo gspot.com/

http://www.muscle-milkreview.com/

Gatorade: the world’s most researched sports drink

Metrxproteinonline Generic MySpace blog

Muscle Milk Reviews http://blogs.myspace.com/in dex.cfm?fuseaction=blog.Li stAll&friendId=348758850

Gatorade

http://blogs.myspace.com/index .cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&f riendId=62229462 http://www.metrxproteinonline. com/blog

Darren Rovell's Gatorade blog: An Unauthorized Look At One Of America's Most Dominant Brands http://gatoradeuk.wordpress.com/ http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cf m?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&frien dId=75931050 http://firstinthirst.typepad.com/

http://musclemilk.blogspot.com/ Yes Officially Attached to Brand?

270 537 words

341 words

522 words

325 words

100 words. No more than 23 paragraphs January 22, 2009

N/A

October 22, 2009

December 28, 2009

September 27, 2006 -Muscle Milk product information and appearances

Typical Topics

453

517

109 words March 12, 2010 Last Post (if long time ago)

Yes

7 100 words Avg. Post Length

Yes

No No 64

Posts

Yes

-PowerBar news

-Exercise tips, techniques, and equipment -Muscle Milk reviews (positive and negative) -Muscle Milk information

-Nutrition -Events -Storytelling -Human interest

-FRS critique -Bryan’s FRS brand experiences

Yes

Undetermined

Yes

No 13

60 words

120 458 words

1 paragraph or less

361 words

May 15, 2009

160 words January 25, 2010

N/A

September 23, 2009

-MET-Rx news -Pictures -Videos

April 16, 2007 -Sports news -Gatorade athletes -Contest updates and tour dates

-Customer questions -Events -Rider News

-Gatorade news -Commercial, logo, web, etc. critiques

-Muscle Milk information

Best user of blogs 1-6 (best-worst)

MUSCLE MILK Blog 1/3: Generic MySpace blog Blog title

N/A - Generic MySpace blog

Blog URL

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=348758850

Bio

N/A

Total number of posts

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

N/A

Blogging since

April 6, 2008

Posts per month

4-5

Approx. avg. length of posts

100 words

Typical topics

Muscle Milk product information and appearances

Last post (if long time ago)

March 12, 2010

Notes: • • • •

Most of Muscle Milk’s blog posts include large pictures and either a lot or a little text. Few posts are of normal length (approximately 500 words). Text size is inconsistent. Most posts are quick blurbs. For example, one post reads: “Jersey Shore Get's Hard Body with Muscle Milk!” It simply has a picture of The Jersey Shore cast. However, when something bigger happens (e.g. Shaquille O'Neal partnering with the brand), the posts are more thought out. Overall, the blog looks both like a Twitter feed and an actual blog. It is inconsistent in multiple ways.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=348758850 screenshot

POWERBAR Blog 1/1: PowerBar: Insider Blog Blog title

PowerBar: Insider Blog

Blog URL

http://www.powerbar.com/about/blog.aspx

Bio

From company news to the latest, innovative sports nutrition products, learn how PowerBar is making advancements in the sports community.

Total number of posts

Number of authors

Undetermined, but likely 1

Number of and names of categories

N/A

Blogging since

October 23, 2008

Posts per month

Approx. avg. length of posts

537 words

Typical topics

PowerBar news

Last post (if long time ago)

January 22, 2009

Notes: • • • •

Although it is a good idea to make a blog look similar to the brand’s main website for continuity, it should still be obvious that it is a blog. PowerBar’s Insider Blog looks like one of PowerBar’s main website’s pages. The blog should be a separate entity. The blog’s navigation bar on the left is confusing because it is unclear if it refers to the blog or the website as a whole. o The whole blog is very confusing. If you click the headline on the front page, you are routed to a different story. This is not the only time this happens. Furthermore, there are a few dead links that lead nowhere. The only way to view a story is to click the story’s headline on the right of the page. If a user clicks the headline of the featured (and most recent) post, that article does not show up. Rather, something unrelated to it shows up and the navigation bar on the left is suddenly different. This blog looks well maintained but it is not. It has content from January 2009 sitting on its first page.

http://www.powerbar.com/about/blog.aspx screenshot

CLIF BAR Blog 1/2: Clif Blog Blog title

Clif Blog

Blog URL

http://www.clifbar.com/blog/

Bio

Total number of posts

We like getting our heart rates up, taking a big breath of fresh air, savoring delicious food. But we also love telling stories and here's where we type 'em up. (BTW, it works both ways; leave a comment—please and thank you.) 453

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

Blogging since

12 -Events -From the kitchen -Natural Energy Tour -Podcasts -Sustainability -2080 April 21, 2005

Posts per month (past 12 mos.)

9.7

Approx. avg. length of posts

341 words

Typical topics

Nutrition; events; storytelling; human interest

Last post (if long time ago)

N/A

-Food Matters -From the Road -Office Life -r@nd0m -Team Clif Bar -Tour

Notes: • • •

The three categories marked in bold above are categories that Clif Bar features in separate navigation bar tabs, indicating higher importance. They are also listed in the categories section. Blog has the same look and feel as their homepage, giving the two good continuity. Therefore, it makes sense that Clif Bar does not have a URL including “Blogger” or “WordPress.” The blog is very well maintained and organized. It is easy to navigate. It has a typical blog layout but does not scream “Blogger” or “WordPress.” It looks like Clif Bar either constructed their own blog from scratch or took control of the CSS of a WordPress blog. The latter is probably unlikely, because that would probably mean that Clif Bar’s main site was done in WordPress as well.

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

For as well-kept as the blog is, comments are minimal. Many posts have zero comments, and the ones that do usually do not have more than one. Since November 2009, there have been 40 posts and only about 20 comments. Posts are written in a typical blog (conversational) tone.

http://www.clifbar.com/blog/ screenshot:

MET-RX Blog 1/2: Generic MySpace blog Blog title

N/A - Generic MySpace blog

Blog URL

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=62229462

Bio

N/A

Total number of posts

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

N/A

Blogging since

December 27, 2007

Posts per month

Approx. avg. length of posts

60 words

Typical topics

MET-Rx news; pictures; videos

Last post (if long time ago)

May 15, 2009

Notes: • • •

MET-Rx’s MySpace blog is treated more like a Twitter feed because post lengths are very short. Posts include MET-Rx exercise training YouTube videos, event announcements, and the promotion of a MET-Rx calendar. Overall, this blog is weak and does not do much for MET-Rx. It does not have a traditional blog feel in any way.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=62229462 screenshot

GATORADE Blog 2/3: Generic MySpace blog Blog title

N/A - Generic MySpace blog

Blog URL

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=75931050

Bio

N/A

Total number of posts

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

N/A

Blogging since

March 25, 2009

Posts per month

4-5

Approx. avg. length of posts

361 words

Typical topics

Contest updates and tour dates

Last post (if long time ago)

September 23, 2009

Notes: • • •

The Free Flow Tour’s MySpace blog consistently had tour updates and news. It seems that tour dates dictate the posts. This blog was only updated in the spring and summertime last year. Most posts are very similar in length and end with a list of dates. There are pictures on some posts, but most do not have them. Overall, the blog is weak and was probably put on MySpace simply because MySpace was still somewhat popular last year.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=75931050 screenshot

GATORADE Blog 1/3: Gatorade: the world’s most researched sports drink Blog title

Gatorade: the world’s most researched sports drink

Blog URL

http://gatoradeuk.wordpress.com/

Bio

Total number of posts

Bio is filled with “filler Latin,” commonly used in mock ups to get an idea what something will look like with text. Therefore, there is no bio. 13

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

Blogging since

3 -Athletes -Beth Stover, MS -Uncategorized September 23, 2009

Posts per month

3.25

Approx. avg. length of posts

458 words

Typical topics

Sports news; Gatorade athletes

Last post (if long time ago)

January 25, 2010

Notes: • • • •

Blog does not offer much. Aesthetically it is average, but the content is lacking. The posts are often very long and feel more like news articles than blog posts. They are not written in a typical blog’s tone. Most of the posts were in January 2010, so it looks like there was a push to keep the blog up to date. However, that has dwindled since then. The text on the homepage reads, “This is an example of a WordPress page, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many pages like this one or sub-pages as you like and manage all of your content inside of WordPress.” It is clear this blog never came to fruition.

http://gatoradeuk.wordpress.com/ screenshot

General blog notes •

It can be a good practice to use creative titles for posts. However, it is also beneficial to use a title that serves as a “lead.” First time viewers to a blog will probably look at two things first: categories and recent posts. Categories are self-explanatory, but a post’s title may not be. A good practice for titling posts is to simply say what that post is about, especially if the first couple of sentences in the post do not answer that question.

•

Aesthetics are very important to a blog because, generally speaking, all blogs look the same. A well-designed blog stands out and does not mimic the layout and color schemes provided by blogging platforms.

•

To give a blog more continuity in its tone and writing style, a minimal amount of authors should update it.

•

Widgets are good additions to a blog’s sidebars. A great one to use is a Twitter widget so the blog and Twitter feed communicate with each other.

•

Generally speaking, a blog post should not exceed 500 words.

•

MySpace blogs do not cut it. They are a cop out and are poorly designed. MySpace blogs are also hard to find, as they are not part of search engine results when “MET-Rx blog” is typed, for example.

SECTION SIX: St r at egi cPl an

OVERALL ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EAS STRATEGIC PLAN: * Colored text denotes reoccurring ideas found in multiple areas. All green text is similar, all blue text is similar, etc.

Summary of problems: 1. The six brands have too many identities on too many platforms. It should all be in one place. 2. Brands post information that is not specific to the individual. Advertisers call that shouting. It is throwing things into space with the hope that something will stick. a. These posts are not substantive. 3. Social media is just as much about conversation as it is about listening. Giving consumers the chance to talk with other consumers does two things: a. It fosters collaboration, thought, and sharing of information. b. It gives the brand ongoing qualitative data similar to that of a focus group. Analysis of problems: Muscle Milk, PowerBar, Clif Bar, FRS, MET-Rx, and Gatorade all have one thing in common: their social media content is too spread out. It needs to be in one place. Another problem with the way that these brands utilize social media is very similar to any brand’s use: Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are restrictive in design and what they allow you to do. For example, brands must follow the rules of Facebook and create a page based on a predefined architecture. Twitter is always light blue. YouTube is always red. These restrictions not only limit what a brand can create, but they also equalize brands that are trying to be better than the competition. Another issue common in the six brands is a lack of substantive updates. Many companies see social media as a way to publicize as much information about their brand as possible. Some of these Twitter feeds have links, mentions, retweets, pictures, etc. There are Facebook pages for brands, brand events, brand products, etc. Advertisers talk about breaking through the clutter. This is clutter. Seeing the brand you are following mention seven people throughout the day clutters a person’s Twitter feed. While mentioning followers fosters brand and consumer communication, other people do not need to see it. The emphasis should be on the individual, not on publicizing the fact that a brand is speaking with someone. Furthermore, a mention gets pushed down within a few hours or days anyway, so the limelight of a follower getting recognition is short-lived. Brands should let people talk to people. Some comments on brands’ social media pages can be insignificant. Comments with the most value occur when people are talking to people rather than the brand. **This all leads to the core question: WIIFM - What’s in it for me?

CASE STUDY: TAMPAX (Taken from The Groundswell by Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li) The goal: Tampax wanted to communicate with an audience (teenage girls) embarrassed by the products the company makes. The problem: Teenage girls on the verge of puberty are embarrassed to talk about feminine products, hormones, etc. Some cannot even stand to be in the same room as their parents if a tampon commercial is playing. “Shouting doesn’t work so well when people are embarrassed to listen.” The strategy: Focus on the girls’ problems, not Tampax’s problems. The creation: beinggirl.com Beinggirl.com is not a site about tampons. It is a site about being a girl. It was a place for teenage girls to go and learn about that which embarrasses them, and to prepare for the inevitable changes they were about to undergo. Again, it was designed to answer their questions and solve their problems, not to promote a brand. However, the catch was that Tampax’s presence on the site was enough to be obviously associated with the topic. Here is how the site worked: Girls could communicate with other girls and experts. The site encouraged girls to ask questions and for other girls to chime in. Throughout the site, girls were invited to tell their most embarrassing story, answer the question “Have you ever done it?” or ask the expert a question. One girl asked, “How should you react when you get your first period?” The answer from the expert was: Dear Jody, I think you should celebrate…this is a huge “rite of passage” in your life. You should tell your mom first and let her set the tone. It’s a really important event in your life and you’ll always remember just how it happened. You can also click here to find good information on what to expect when you get your period. Good luck, Jody, for beinggirl.com, brought to you by Always pads & pantiliners and Tampax tampons.”

That little branding tag at the end is part of the reason the site was so successful. The site was about the girls, not Tampax, but by clearly associating with the site and answering the girls’ questions with a snippet of branding, Tampax became a steward for the girls.

The success and relevance to EAS: Beinggirl.com was highly successful. It eventually expanded to 29 counties. It was able to do this because “the things that excite a girl in the U.S. are similar to a girl in China or Japan.” EAS is similar in this regard in that the reasons Americans work out are the same as people in other countries. This is similar to the upcoming notion of intangible value proposed by Rory Sutherland (see below). Beinggirl.com also established partnerships with brands such as Venus razors and Herbal Essences. Since Gold’s Gym is one of McKinney’s clients, EAS could presumably do a similar partnership with its site. The site I am referring to is my idea for how EAS should leverage social media. It should have a social community similar to beinggirl.com.

THE EAS SOCIAL COMMUNITY The EAS social community (website) should focus on two themes: • •

MOTIVATION o The site should motivate people already in shape to stay in shape and people who are not in shape to start exercising. CONSISTENCY o The end goal after getting motivated is maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle.

The site should also tackle the aforementioned WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) question. There needs to be clear benefits to a variety of site services and features (mentioned later). The biggest hurdle to overcome is driving people to the site and getting them to stay. Advertising can get them there, but the right messages, benefits, and rewards can keep them there.

Target audience: • Psychographic 1 (P1): Men and women (the targets skews slightly male) who are fit, who participate in a variety of athletic activities, and who are constantly striving to achieve their personal bests. o Psychographic 2 (P2): This site also creates an opportunity to not only reach new customers that currently exercise, but to empower those that do not exercise to do so. These people are then “nurtured” with EAS branding and free samples (explained later) as they begin to exercise.  P1’s can also be case studies for P2’s. If P2’s see that the site is getting a lot of activity from the P1’s, the principle of social proof (we follow in the footsteps of others in times we are uncertain or not confidentexplained further later) takes over.  This group refers to the intangible value of exercise. Rory Sutherland of Ogilvy & Mather spoke at TED about intangible value- the unseen value in things. • Ex: Coca-Cola has intangible value because the president cannot get a better coca-cola than a bum on the street. It is a highly democratic product. Denim is another example. • The intangible value of “exercise” is that anyone can do it. You do not have to already be in shape,

•

strong, athletic, or a certain age. It can also make anyone more confident. By attaching EAS to a site that encourages and helps people become confident, EAS is joined with something of significant positive connotation. More information on intangible value: o My blog about Sutherland’s presentation at TED: http://bit.ly/26as0R o Sutherland’s presentation: http://bit.ly/QozoZ

Both P1’s and P2’s are people who would be on this site for a reason. With half of the target audience being people who are motivated and the other half being people who are interested in improving their health, coming to this EAS site is not just another way to waste time. It is a place to visit that puts them in a mindset of believing they are doing good for themselves. The site should deliver positive messages that provoke: •

• • • • •

Empowerment o P1: To get more in shape than they already are and improve on an already healthy lifestyle. Ex: Maybe they exercise a lot but do not eat well. o P2: To change their current lifestyle to something more active and healthy. Confidence o P1: Recognizing the confidence their fit bodies gives them now and can continue to give them. o P2: That improvement is possible. Pride o P1: In the results they have already achieved. o P2: In the results they can achieve and in the decision to start exercising. Optimism o P1: For even better health and results. o P2: That a healthy body can be achieved. New lifestyles o P1: With nutritional products (EAS) they may have never tried or are unsure about. o P2: That are clearly better than their current lifestyle. Collaboration

• •

o P1: Between the individual, his or her friends on the site, and EAS. o P2: Between the individual, his or her friends on the site, and EAS. Goal setting o P1: To surpass current goals or achievements already made. o P2: To be more proactive about their health and… Accountability o P1: To want to stay committed to those goals and a healthy lifestyle. o P2: To want to stay committed to those goals and a healthy lifestyle.

Theories and persuasion principles to harness: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:

This site focuses here. Exercise is as mental as it is physical.

Theories: •

Social Networks Theory o The Social Networks Theory describes the relationship between members of social systems. Boundaries of these social systems can be weak or strong, and thus determine how effective information dissemination can be. Strong boundaries limit interaction while weak boundaries encourage it. Boundaries should not be too weak, though, or users will have too much control.  Ex: Sites like Facebook and MySpace have weak boundaries, allowing users to share as much information as they are comfortable with. This lets users of these networks achieve a high level of information sharing. o Why this is relevant? This EAS site could potentially have many features and customizations. It is important to remember that too many options overwhelm users, so the “happy medium” must be found. The goal of establishing a community comes first. The bells and whistles of the site comes second.

•

Reptilian Theory o Digs deep into consumers’ subconscious to rediscover memories associated with certain words. The Reptilian Theory explains that “reptilian hotspots” are what trigger behavior. Pushing these hotspots taps into the subconscious, and exposes information that people would otherwise be unable to vocalize.  Ex: A “reptilian hotspot” could occur when someone is driving and sees a jogger. That may (subconsciously) inspire the person to go for a run when he or she had not planned to. o Why this is relevant? The data collected in a site like this is highly qualitative. Look for patterns of words that could explain why someone does or does not exercise. Use this information to improve the site and in future campaigns.

•

Powerful Effects Theory o The effects of media are most powerful when they reach people in multiple ways. For instance, one is probably likelier to trust a media story if he or she sees it on multiple platforms. o Why is this relevant? Part of the problem the competitors of EAS have is that they are using multiple social media platforms that are not connected to each other. EAS should give each platform a specific purpose and use them to connect users to the other platforms. This would work best if all of the platforms were housed in one location. o The Power Law Effect

 

•

The Power Law Effect explains how people follow in others’ footsteps. Google is a perfect example. The top search results on Google often hold that status because people see that they are at the top and assume the top results get the most clicks. Why is this relevant? If people see that the site is getting a lot of activity from its users, they are more likely to be more active on it. Quick interactive things like the “You just exercised- what’s your mood?” (see below) feature that any viewer can partake in will engage them, especially if they see it being updated in real time.

The Fun Theory o Coined by Volkswagen in 2009, The Fun Theory used viral techniques and asked the question: Can we change human behavior by making mundane tasks more fun? The answer was a resounding yes, and is illustrated by social experiments Volkswagen did. In one experiment, Volkswagen made a piano out of a staircase located beside an escalator to see if more people would take the stairs over the escalator. They did: http://bit.ly/4AzH0C. o Why is this relevant? Never underestimate how much fun people can have on the Internet. Furthermore, the question “Can we change human behavior by making things fun?” is in line with the goals of this site. Interactive advertising should draw consumers to spend longer amounts of time with brands. If advertising is fun for people, they are likely to accept and partake in it.

Persuasion principles by Robert Cialdini: •

Social proof o People behave according to how the person before them behaved, much like the Power Law Effect. The social proof principle also bears resemblance to the bandwagon phenomenon, where one person joins the bandwagon because everyone else has. Using social proof and the thought of an egalitarian society, consider the following point: “Intangible value can come from things that are scarce or ubiquitous. Ubiquitous things create social norms or trends, and to align one’s self with such trends creates a perception that one is adapting value because others are as well.” -Rory Sutherland

o Rory Sutherland (mentioned above) says the goal of advertising “is to help people appreciate what is unfamiliar but also to gain a greater appreciation and place a far higher value on those things which are already existing. Social media does this by using third-party enjoyment out of the little things in life and giving them intangible value.” A

groundswell “creator” (see appendix) who combines two kinds of empowerment by using the groundswell’s intangible value to promote a product or brand’s intangible value becomes a driving force for influencing others. An enthusiast is made into an evangelist. o We are most susceptible to social proof when we are either uncertain (about how to act) or similar (to others who do know how to act). o Ex: Ticker clock- how many people have bought something. o Ex: Testimonials- add credibility and proof that others are endorsing something. •

Reciprocity o People who receive something feel obligated to give something in return. It is often shown in marketing. o Ex: Grocery stores give out free samples for a reason- to get the customer to buy more of it. In this example, the employee is the giver and is anticipating reciprocity. o Ex: Someone may write a blog post or post a YouTube video in hopes that others will comment on it. Furthermore, this comment may feature a link to the commenter’s website, an instance of the commenter using the reciprocity someone else has established.

•

Liking o We identify with and follow people like us because it is comfortable. o Ex: The site’s “Find a workout buddy” (see below) reflects this.

•

Commitment/Consistency o Once someone has acted a certain way multiple times and feels comfortable and successful doing so, it becomes routine. o The commitment principle relates to the Reptilian Theory and the Powerful Effects Theory. The Reptilian Theory can be used to interrupt, redefine, or even define the day-to-day behavioral patterns consumers consistently follow but cannot verbalize. The way to do this is to examine an individual from all angles. Market research too often focuses on groups of people and thus generalizes. Consider a person who consistently buys Tide and one day randomly decides to buy Cheer. There will never be a concrete way to explain human behavior and attitudes, but treating consumers as individuals (see above) during research certainly helps and can later be applied to larger groups.

These words were conceived from the following summary and subsequent analysis of cognitive and behavioral patterns that surround the topic of “exercise:” Note: analysis is based on observational research only.

Summary of cognitive and behavioral patterns that surround the topic of “exercise:” •

• • • •

Exercising is about the INDIVIDUAL. We have our own routines, nutritional habits, days of the week we exercise, music playing in our ears, and goals. o It can also be SOCIAL. We work out with FRIENDS. We go to public places where people are doing the same thing we are doing.  We serve as encouragers for friends and relatives. Exercise, especially in the gym, is very OBSERVATIONAL. We wonder if what the guy across the gym is doing would be good for us to do. We wonder what is playing in people’s iPods. We are often motivated by OUTSIDE FACTORS- complements we receive, societal pressures to look good, or friends or trainers that encourage us. As mentioned earlier in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (see above), exercise is just as mental as physical. MOTIVATION to get started is the hardest part. Many people are CURIOUS about exercise even if they do it a lot. We want to know what will give us the best results, if what we are doing is worthwhile, and what foods we should eat to stay healthy. Most people do not have a trainer to ask these questions.

Full analysis of cognitive and behavioral patterns that surround the topic of “exercise:” 1. Companionship a. When we exercise, we like to go with a friend- someone to motivate us and hold us accountable. We also like serving as the motivator for the other person. b. One gym partner is better than multiple because small groups often wander and do a little bit of everything. This stresses the importance of that one person to be with. Even going with someone to the gym and not working out with them is enough for some people. It does not always have to be a turn-taking workout routine. Just going into the building with someone is enough.

c. Guys usually exercise with guys, and girls usually exercise with girls. Some people exercise with friends, but some people think friends distract. d. Adventure sports are usually done with groups of people (e.g. groups of cyclists). Observation a. The gym is a spot where people can all do the same thing in their own way. It is also an observation tower. People love to people watch. Time between sets is filled by either by zoning out on the floor or scanning the gym. There is a lot of motion at the gym. People walk around constantly to change machines. b. For some people, going to work out is a social experience even if they do not talk to anyone there. Outside Factors a. When people start noticing or giving us compliments about our appearance, it motivates us to continue exercising. b. People may get into shape based on outside peer influence (i.e. workout friends, trainers, compliments, how society reflects weight (“in shape” is subjective). c. People who do not work out look at people who do with envy. They may think something like, “I would give anything to have abs like that.” Since people know that attaining fitness goals and getting in shape can be a long process, many shy away. This is due to a lack of motivation. People need to realize they are not behind. Motivation a. The hardest part about getting in shape is getting the motivation to start exercising. Once exercising becomes routine, though, it is craved. i. People feel they can “get out of shape” very quickly if they know they are in shape, so they begin to want to exercise more. 1. The key word is consistency. The goal for someone wanting to get in shape is to get to the point where consistency becomes desired. Once someone has that “thirst” to exercise, the results really start to roll in and a lifestyle change has occurred. In the long run, the preservation of a healthy lifestyle is the goal. a. Getting in shape can change a lifestyle completely. People commonly start eating healthier because they do not want to “lose” what they are achieving. It also creates confidence, and it is amazing what confidence can do for a person. b. Some people use photos of themselves as motivation to keep going, and some are motivated by the aforementioned outside factors. Individualism, but a desire to share a. People have their own workout routines or nutritional practices, but they also love to share them with others. Our routines become dear to us and we love to talk about them (e.g. what type of exercise we do, how many sets, how many repetitions, etc.). b. People also like to get insight from others. i. People adopt many workout routines by observing or asking what others are doing. c. Everyone has his or her own music. Some people listen to different music while exercising than they normally do.

i. When people go to the gym and see someone working out, they may wonder what that person is listening to on his or her iPod. ii. Working out is a stress release for people. It is a time to “lock into” their own world with their own music. 6. Care for others a. Many young adults stress to their parents the importance of exercise. When parents exercise, it makes children happy. We all want our parents to live a long time, so it is comforting to hear when they are taking care of themselves. 7. Intangible value a. Working out is not just about being physical. It is also mental. You do not have to be athletic to work out. You do not have to have great balance or flexibility. You do not have to already be in shape. It has intangible value in that anyone can do it. The real challenge with exercising is overcoming mental inhibitors- laziness, lack of motivation, procrastination, depression, or pessimism, for example. b. The intangible value in a brand like EAS complements something already important to a lot of people: health. It is like attaching a baseball tee to family- a father enjoys playing with his son, and the baseball tee provides him a way to do that. c. Advertising is about: i. “Helping people appreciate what is unfamiliar, but also to gain a greater appreciation, and place a far higher value on those things which are already existing. There is some evidence, by the way, that things like social networking help do that. Because they help people share news. They give badge value to everyday little trivial activities. So they actually reduce the need for actually spending great money on display, and increase the kind of third-party enjoyment you can get from the smallest, simplest things in life, which is magic.” - Rory Sutherland

1. What is intangibly valuable about exercising? In short, a greater quality of life achievable by anyone. 8. Curiosity a. A lot of people have questions about the best ways to work out. Many of those answers are dependent on the individual because everyone’s health is different. What works for one person may not for another. i. Many people exercise under generic assumptions like “the more I lift the bigger I will be” or “the more I run the less I will weigh.” While this can be true, the key point is efficiency. A minor flaw in a lifting motion may be preventing the best results. Many people work out with improper form, causing them to think they are achieving results they actually are not. 1. We do not want to waste our time on something that will not give us the results we want. ii. Many people would like the advice of a trainer but do not want to pay for it, and the access to information the Internet gives us creates expectations of not having to pay for things. 9. Confidence a. Despite being exhausted and sweaty after working out, many people consider that time to be the pinnacle of their attractiveness. This feeling drives people back to the gym. b. People who are in shape and happy with their body love to talk about it. It is self-rewarding, and many people see it as a vital way to “fit into” a society that stresses beauty over personality.

Ideas for different pages within the site: 1. Twitter a. Anyone can tweet from the EAS identity OR b. EAS tweets a: i. Workout routine of the day. ii. Tip of the day. iii. Fact of the day. 2. Facebook a. If possible, embedded onto the site. If not, linked to from the site. b. I Play Clean. c. Body for Life. 3. Blog a. People can write their own blog posts about their personal success or reasons for starting to exercise that get added to the blog. b. EAS writes about how its products work, what is really happening to muscles while exercising, etc. to educate readers. 4. YouTube a. YouTube channel that has embedded videos on the site. b. Could be comprised of (one or a couple of the following- no more or else it gets cluttered): i. Commercials. ii. Testimonials from users of the social community. iii. EAS athlete interviews. iv. Information on what Myoplex® is and what it does for the body. v. EAS “inside the science lab” clips that feature scientists explaining how (specific) EAS products work on the body. vi. An “everyday man” video logs his progression. 5. Product flow chart a. Ask a series of questions the user answers by clicking. This leads him or her to a certain EAS product. i. At the end, a full product comparison chart is presented that outlines what product is good for specific things. 6. Profiling flow chart

a. Ask a series of questions the user answers by clicking. They lead him or her to a pool of people who answered the questions similarly. The person can then view those people’s profiles, see what they are doing for themselves and on the site, and connect with them. 7. Find a workout buddy a. Someone regional you can meet up with to go to the gym or for a bike ride. b. Someone virtual you can check in with every few days. i. Did you work out today? Yes, I ran six miles. What did you do? 8. Ask the expert a. Any exercise or nutrition questions you have that are answered directly to you. They can be publicized for everyone to see if you wish. 9. Before/after pictures a. Upload pictures of yourself that show your progress to inspire others. 10. Share your routine a. Share your workout routine and/or nutritional habits with others and compare ideas through comments. 11. Find a routine a. Routines that people post can be searchable. For example, someone could choose: i. A specific type of routine they are thinking about doing (e.g. mountain biking, marathon training, muscle building). ii. A specific group of muscles they want to target (legs, arms, back). iii. A specific diet (weight loss, carbohydrate substitutes, more fiber). 12. “Now playing” a. What did you listen to on your iPod today while exercising? i. Anyone can respond freely, and the most popular songs and artists go to the top of the list. 13. Relatives a. Tips on how to motivate your parents. i. A lot of parent/child communication tips are for parents talking to their kids (i.e. drugs or sex). b. Sign up a relative and you can be in charge of recording their progress since older adults are less likely to use social sites. They can be rewarded for their progress and you get recognition for referring them. 14. Personal log- keep a record that you can look back on to see how far you have come, which builds confidence. a. Track your body weight over time. b. Tracking your lifting weight over time.

c. Changes in your psyche. d. Changes in eating habits. e. When you worked out and what you did. 15. Profiles a. Picture. b. Location. c. How often you exercise. d. What you do to exercise. i. Weights, run, bike, swim. e. Goals. Ideas for other generic site features (not specific to a certain page): 1. Giveaways a. Gym memberships (possible partnership with McKinney client Gold’s Gym). b. Bicycles for bikers, goggles for swimmers, iPods for anyone. 2. Free EAS samples upon sign-up, goal achievements, referrals a. Social media platform Reddit has a cool feature that gives users positive “karma” for doing good things. EAS could do something similar. If you are active on the site, you get free samples. 3. Rewards/shout-outs on the home page for accomplishing goals 4. “You just exercised- what’s your mood?” a. Similar to The New York Times “How do you feel about the economy?” interactive feature seen here: http://nyti.ms/12HCS. b. It updates in real time with a cloud of words users submit. 5. Testimonials a. Lifestyle changes. b. Boosts in confidence. c. Physical appearance changes. 6. Points and rankings

a. People love games. Interactive advertising often involves people doing things that are fun (see “The Fun Theory” above). If the site were made into some sort of game with rewards, users would be likelier to stick around. They would then associate EAS with the fun experience they are having on the site. b. Points could be awarded for various things: i. Signing up. ii. Referrals. iii. Blogging or tweeting on the site. iv. Achieving goals. v. High participation levels. 7. Customizable home page a. WIIFM? b. You pick which site features are displayed on your homepage. 8. Games/Quizzes a. Name as many muscles as you can in 90 seconds. b. Trivia questions. 9. Take a look a. Looking for a bike path nearby? “Take a look” tells you the closest paths and how long they are. b. Personal perspectives: show a first-person panoramic shot of a fitness room. Users can drag their mouse and look around. People are working out and passer-bys talk to you: “Are you new here?” or “MAN my arms feel like jello!” i. Gives the user the gym experience. 10. Create your own monster a. Psychologists say that before tackling stressful situations, we should vividly visualize that which holds us back. i. Ex: If you are afraid of public speaking, you should go to the room you will be speaking in the day before, stand in your spot, pretend there is a crowd, practice your speech, and pay close attention to your five senses. The next day when it is time to speak, you will think, “I have been here before and I succeeded.” b. Users create a visualization of something that holds them back. It serves as a “demotivator.” i. Give that “thing” an identity, such as the EAS Sloth, that could represent laziness, for example. ii. Users create their own sloth and respond to its taunting because it is a monster they created. iii. Could be made into a desktop widget- a constant reminder of how annoying it is to be taunted for being lazy. iv. As you progress toward your goals, the sloth’s messages start to change until finally after a certain time you could “slay the sloth.”

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SECTION SEVEN: Appendi x

MUSCLE MILK MySpace identity: CytoSport Data compiled 5/7/10

• •

Identity name

CytoSport

Bio

The Official MySpace Page for CytoSport™, Inc. The Makers of Muscle Milk®, MONSTER MILK™, and Cytomax®. Driven by Science, Inspired By Performance

About Me

CytoSport products supply what you need to successfully complete and recover from the most intense workouts and events. CytoSport products are scientifically designed to help you recover from life and exercise-induced stress quickly, maintain your ideal body weight, and bolster your immune system. This helps you enjoy higher daily energy levels and avoid common pitfalls like over-training and burnout. At CytoSport, we understand your drive to achieve the ultimate in your activities and sports, and our products are created with those goals in mind. We're here to help you succeed! CytoSport.com

Friends

532

Friend Comments

Photos

Videos/Total Comments

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Muscle Milk’s MySpace page has a very clean design and layout. It incorporates Muscle Milk’s main Twitter identity, “MuscleMilk,” as well as Muscle Milk’s official blog (see blog section). Muscle Milk should either use Facebook or MySpace, not both. With only 532 friends compared to its Facebook fan base of 7,478, Muscle Milk is not getting as much out of this page as it could.

CytoSport screenshot 1/2:

http://www.myspace.com/cytosport screenshot 2/2:

CytoSport screenshot 2/2:

GATORADE MySpace identity: Free Flow Tour Data compiled 5/7/10

Identity name

Free Flow Tour

Bio

Look for the full announcement at the end of the month. Posted at 12:34 PM Apr 7.

About Me

The Gatorade Free Flow Tour is the Official Amateur Series of the Dew Tour. For five consecutive years Gatorade Free Flow Tour has searched the country’s premier skateparks giving top ams the once in a lifetime chance to “Flow to Pro”. (see full bio below)

Friends

1,813

Friend Comments

Photos

459

Videos/Total Comments

10/1

Full Bio: The Gatorade Free Flow Tour is the Official Amateur Series of the Dew Tour. For five consecutive years Gatorade Free Flow Tour has searched the country’s premier skateparks giving top ams the once in a lifetime chance to “Flow to Pro”. The goal is to find top talent from across the country while giving skaters and bmx’ers of all abilities the opportunity to have fun while competing in a contest. Past winners have gone on to become some of the Dew Tour's most popular and successful athletes, including Mike Spinner who was second overall in the 2008 BMX Park standings and Chaz Ortiz, winner of the 2008 Dew Cup for Skate Park. The 2009 Gatorade Free Flow Tour will include a total of 33 skateboarding competitions (five skate vert and 28 skate park) and 20 BMX contests (four BMX vert and 16 BMX park) at 33 parks across the United States. The winners in each of the 53 skate and BMX competitions will be flown to the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals, taking place at the Dew Tour’s Toyota Challenge, September 17-20. Encompassing the “Flow to Pro” theme that is the cornerstone of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour, the two overall skate and BMX park champions and the two overall skate and BMX vert champions earn a spot to compete against the pros at the final stop of the Dew Tour, the PlayStation® Pro in Orlando, Fla., October 15-18. • •

Gatorade’s Free Flow Tour identity on MySpace is not as aesthetically pleasing as Muscle Milk’s, but its design is not bad. Free Flow Tour makes good use of the “stream” feature, which is similar to Facebook’s “wall.” Gatorade can post status updates, pictures, videos, music, bulletins, links, apps, blogs, and events on it. The last post was April 8, 2010.

100

Free Flow Tour screenshot 1/2:

Free Flow Tour screenshot 2/2:

101

Free Flow Tour screenshot 2/2:

102

MET-RX MySpace identity: MET-Rx Engineered Nutrition Data compiled 5/7/10

• •

Identity name

MET-Rx Engineered Nutrition

Bio

MET Rx

About Me

N/A

Friends

833

Friend Comments

103

Photos

Videos/Total Comments

1/1

MET-Rx’s MySpace page looks very bad. Furthermore, the page as a whole is so bad that it probably hurts MET-Rx’s brand. The page is treated like a bulletin board for random information. There are videos and images scattered throughout the page in random order.

103

MET-Rx Engineered Nutrition screenshot:

104

Muscle Milk: Supplemental identities (1-2)

Identity name

Muscle Milk Boston

Fans

280

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 10

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos Video

-4 albums, 26 photos -0 fan photos Yes, but no content

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Links

Yes, 2

Identity name

Muscle Milk DC, Balt & Philly

Fans

334

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 9

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos Video

-15 albums, 412 photos -2 fan photos -3 (no ads)

Discussion

Yes, 1

Reviews

Yes, 1

Fav. Pages

Yes, 11

Links

Yes, 45

105

Muscle Milk: Supplemental identities (3-4)

Muscle Milk San Francisco Bay Area

Identity name

Muscle Milk-Chicago

Fans

206

Fans

295

Founded?

Yes

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 10 before 12/15/09, 3 after

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 8

Tabs/Features

Identity name

Tabs/Features

Wall

Yes

Wall

Yes

Links

Yes, 26

Info

Yes

Info

Yes

Events

Yes, 5

Photos

Notes

Yes, 3

Discussion

Video

-6 albums, 72 photos -0 fan photos 4 (all ads)

-9 albums, 50 photos -0 fan photos Yes, but no content

Notes

Yes, but no content

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Links

Yes, 4

Boxes

Yes, 1

Fav. Pages

Yes, 8

106

Muscle Milk: Supplemental identities (5-6)

Identity name

Muscle Milk Portland, Oregon

Identity name

Muscle Milk New York

Fans

327

Fans

409

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 7.5

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 8

Tabs/Features

Wall

Yes

Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos

Discussion

-5 albums, 27 photos -0 fan photos Yes, but no content

Video

-5 albums, 29 photos -0 fan photos 5 (4 ads)

Links

Yes, 5

Discussion

Yes, 1

Fav. Pages

Yes, 1

Links

Yes, 7

107

Muscle Milk: Supplemental identities (7-8)

Identity name

Muscle Milk Los Angeles

Identity name

Muscle MilkOhio

Fans

385

Fans

594

Founded?

Company overview?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Mission?

Products?

Yes

Products?

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 9.5

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 7.5

Tabs/Features

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Notes

Yes, 1

Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Fav. Pages

Yes, 5

Info

Yes

Photos

Links

Yes, 13 Videos

-3 albums, 30 photos -0 fan photos 3 (all ads)

Video

-1 album, 11 photos -0 fan photos 4 (3 ads)

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Links

Yes, 6

Boxes

Yes, 1

108

Muscle Milk: Supplemental identities (9-10)

Identity name

Muscle Milk Denver

Identity name

Muscle Milk Commercials

Fans

227

Fans

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

Yes

Products?

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 10

General appearance of wall

2 posts (both MM) MM scale: 10

Tabs/Features

Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos Discussion

-7 albums, 72 photos -0 fan photos Yes, but no content

Links

Yes, 5

Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos

Yes, but no content

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Links

Yes, 1

109

Muscle Milk: Supplemental identities (11-12)

Identity name

Muscle Milk: Oregon State University

Identity name

Muscle Milk: University of Oregon

Fans

274

Fans

381

Founded?

Yes

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 9.5

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 9.5

Tabs/Features

Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos Discussion

-4 albums, 25 photos -0 fan photos Yes, but no content

Links

Yes, 6

Wall

Yes

YouTube

Yes, but no content

Info

Yes

Fav. Pages

Yes, 27

Photos

Links

Yes, 10

Videos

-8 albums, 43 photos -0 fan photos 2 (no ads)

Events

Yes, 4

Discussions

Yes, but no content

110

Muscle Milk: Supplemental identities (13)

Identity name

Muscle Milk NEK Collegiate

Fans

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

MM scale: 10

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos Links

-2 albums, 18 photos -0 fan photos Yes, 1

Discussion

Yes, but no content

111

PowerBar: Supplemental identities (1-2)

Identity name

PowerBar

Fans

1,470

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

PB Scale: 0

Tabs/Features

Identity name

PowerBar Canada

Fans

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

PB scale: 9.5

Wall

Yes

Tabs/Features

Info

Yes

Wall

Yes

Photos

-0 albums -6 fan photos Yes, but no content

Info

Yes

Photos

-1 album, 7 photos -0 fan photos 3 (no ads)

Boxes

Videos

112

PowerBar: Supplemental identities (3)

Identity name

PowerBar Spain

Fans

Founded?

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

PB scale: 10

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos

-2 albums, 5 photos -0 fan photos Yes, but no content

Discussions

113

Clif Bar: Supplemental identities (1-2)

Identity name

Clif Bar & Company

Fans

1,171

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

CB scale: .5

Tabs/Features

Identity name

Clif Bar Development Cyclocross Team

Fans

183

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

CB scale: 3.5

Wall

Yes

General appearance of wall

Info

Yes

Tabs/Features

Photos Discussions

-1 album, 4 photos -5 fan photos Yes, 1

Links

Yes, 4

Wall

Yes

Info

Yes

Photos Boxes

-1 album, 36 photos -2 fan photos Yes, but no content

Fav. Pages

Yes, 3

Events

Yes, 1

114

Clif Bar: Supplemental identities (3)

Identity name

Clif Bar 2 Mile Challenge

Fans

459

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

CB scale: 6.5

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Events

Yes, 14

Info

Yes

My Flickr

Yes

Photos

Notes

Yes, 2

Videos

-2 albums, 24 photos -1 fan photo 2 (no ads)

Boxes

Yes, 2

115

FRS: Supplemental identities (1)

Identity name

FRS Healthy Energy Drink

Fans

306

Founded?

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

FRS Scale: 7.5

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Discussions

Yes, 4

Info

Yes

Notes

Yes, 17

Photos

-1 album, 6 photos -0 fan photos

Promotions

Yes, but no content

Video

Yes, but no content

Fav. Pages

Yes, 1

Boxes

2 (1 with content)

116

Gatorade: Supplemental identities (1-2)

Identity name

Blue Gatorade

Fans

2,633

Founded?

Yes, 8/26/09

Company overview?

Mission?

Yes

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 6

Tabs/Features

Identity name

Lemon Lime Gatorade

Fans

1,354

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 9.5

Wall

Yes

Tabs/Features

Info

Yes

Wall

Yes

Photos

Info

Yes, but no content

Discussion

-1 album, 1 photo -0 fan photos Yes, 1

Photos

Links

Yes, 1

Discussion

-1 album, 5 photos -0 fan photos Yes, 1

Fav. Pages

Yes, 2

Links

Yes, 1

Fav. Pages

Yes, 2

117

Gatorade: Supplemental identities (3-4)

Identity name

red gatorade

Identity name

Purple Gatorade

Fans

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 5

General appearance of wall

N/A

Tabs/Features

Wall

Yes

Wall

Yes, but no content

Info

Yes, but no content

Info

Yes, but no content

Photos

Yes, but no content

Photos

Yes, but no content

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Reviews

Yes, 1

118

Gatorade: Supplemental identities (5-6)

Identity name

Yellow gatorade can always quench your thrist

Fans

1,268

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 6

Tabs/Features

Identity name

Orange Gatorade

Fans

1,555

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 6.5

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Info

Yes, but no content

Wall

Yes

Photos

Yes, but no content

Info

Yes, but no content

Discussion

Yes, 1

Photos

Yes, but no content

Links

Yes, 2

Discussion

Yes, but no content

119

Gatorade: Supplemental identities (7-8)

Identity name

Purple Gatorade

Identity name

Yellow Gatorade

Fans

454

Fans

1,309

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 4

General appearance of wall

G scale: 1.5

Tabs/Features

Wall

Yes

Wall

Yes,

Info

Yes, but no content

Info

Yes, but no content

Photos

Yes, but no content

Photos

Yes, but no content

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Reviews

Yes, but no content

Links

Yes, 2

120

Gatorade: Supplemental identities (9-10)

Identity name

Gatorade Player of the Year

Identity name

La Liga Gatorade

Fans

1,977

Fans

1,498

Founded?

Yes

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Yes

Company overview?

Mission?

Yes

Mission?

Products?

Yes

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 9

General appearance of wall

G scale: 2

Tabs/Features

Wall

Yes

Links

Yes, 14

Wall

Yes

Boxes

Yes

Info

Yes

Fav. Pages

Yes, 3

Info

Yes

Notes

Yes, 1

Photos

Yes, 75

Discussion

Yes, but no content

Boxes

Yes, 1

Grupos y Fixture

-4 albums, 26 photos -31 fan photos -1 (ad) -3 fan videos Yes, Gatorade League 2010

Links

Video

-33 albums, 264 photos 13 (no ads)

Promoci贸n

Yes

Video

121

Gatorade: Supplemental identities (11-12)

Identity name

Gatorade Canada

Fans

35,278

Founded?

Yes

Company overview?

Mission?

Yes

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 7

Gatorade RD

Fans

660

Founded?

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Yes

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 3.5

Tabs/Features

Tabs/Features Wall

Yes

Discussions

Yes, 1

Info

Yes

Fav. Pages

Yes, 20

Photos

-2 albums, 2 photos -2 fan photos 1 (not an ad)

Links

Yes, 21

Video

Identity name

Experience G

Yes (a Facebook App)

YouTube

21 videos tied to GatoradeCanada

Wall

Yes

Boxes

Yes, 1

Info

Yes

Links

Yes, 2

Photos

-5 albums, 66 photos -0 fan photos 3 (3 ads)

Events

Yes, 1

Video Gatorade 10 K Deja Tu Huella

Yes, microsite for 10K race Yes, microsite for kids social event

122

Gatorade: Supplemental identities (13-14)

Identity name

Gatorade Philippines

Fans

1,202

Founded?

Company overview?

Mission?

Products?

General appearance of wall

G scale: 10

Identity name

Gatorade Brasil

Fans

492

Founded?

Company overview?

Yes

Mission?

Products?

Yes

General appearance of wall

G scale: 8.5

Tabs/Features

Wall

Yes

Fav. Pages

Yes, 6

Yes

Info

Yes

Links

Yes, 5 (3 from Gatorade)

Video

-2 albums, 135 photos -0 fan photos 1 (not an ad)

Photos

Poll

1 (Favorite G flavor?)

Video

-1 album, 7 photos -1 fan photo 2 (2 ads)

Links

Yes, 1

Discussions

Yes, but no content

Fav. Pages

Yes, 8

Boxes

Yes, 1 (Flickr- 8 photos)

Wall

Yes

Info Photos

123

MUSCLE MILK YouTube identity: musclemilkla musclemilkla Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

3:52

705

Jan. 8, 2010

N/A

USA

Bio: N/A

• • •

“musclemilkla” tracks Muscle Milk’s team in the Pasadena Marathon in California. “musclemilkla” does not do much for Muscle Milk or CytoSport. With only 705 total views and two videos, there is not enough content in this identity to keep it. Muscle Milk should focus primarily on CytoSportInc. It seems that this identity was created for a one-time event, so it currently has no purpose. These videos could be moved to the CytoSportInc identity and “musclemilkla” could be deleted.

124

MUSCLE MILK YouTube identity: musclemilkla Specific Videos Stats Pasadena Marathon 2010

Muscle Milk Rider Justin Brayton on Good Day LA

Views

121

657

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

0.00

4.75

Most popular with

Undetermined

Length

5:18

2:25

Type

Event

125

POWERBAR YouTube identity: 2010powerbar 2010powerbar Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

31 sec

263

92,966

Feb. 3, 2010

N/A

USA

Bio: N/A

â&#x20AC;˘

This identity is weak for a number of reasons. First, despite its high number of views, there is only one video. Second, there is no picture attached to the profile, which means the identity probably does not belong to PowerBar. It looks as if someone created this page using PowerBarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and has not maintained it as an identity with PowerBar content.

126

POWERBAR YouTube identity: 2010powerbar Specific Videos Stats PowerBar Lamar Odom Commercial Views

95,180

Comments

240

Favorites

629

Ratings

259

Avg. Rating

4.58

Most popular with

Male 13-17

Length

0:31

Type

Commercial

127

POWERBAR YouTube identity: PowerBarNYMarathon PowerBarNYMarathon Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

1:12

3,249

Oct. 15, 2009

powerbar.com

USA

Bio: N/A

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

This identity supposedly tracks the PowerBar team in the NY marathon, but it also features the Boston Marathon and athlete interviews. Therefore, the identity has no continuity. The videos featuring Boston have hardly been viewed at all. Overall, the identity is fairly weak. Most of the total upload views come from only two videos.

128

POWERBAR YouTube identity: PowerBarNYMarathon Specific Videos Stats (1-6) Meb Keflezighi & Nutrition for the New York City Marathon Views

362

Meb Keflezighi discusses nutrition and training at elevation Mammoth 1,217

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

5.00

3.00

0.00

5.00

Most popular with

Undetermined

Length

2:27

2:47

0:14

0:11

0:48

2:58

Type

Interview

Athlete behind the scenes

Athlete workout

Event

Squat 2

P3260145

P3260142

NYC Marathon: Powerbar Team close-up

277

129

POWERBAR YouTube identity: PowerBarNYMarathon Specific Videos Stats (7-11) New York City Marathon 2009 Powerbar team

PB Boston 2009 Recap Break 1

PB Boston 2009 Recap Break 2

PB Boston 2009 Recap Break 3

PB Boston 2009 Recap Break 4

Views

1,339

Comments

Favorites

Ratings

Avg. Rating

4.00

Most popular with

Undetermined

Length

2:14

0:26

0:22

0:23

0:20

Type

Event

130

CLIF BAR YouTube identity: GreenNotes GreenNotes Identity Stats Videos

Avg. length

Total channel views

Total upload views

Member since

Subscribers

Website link

Country

3:49

2,049

78,280

June 29, 2007

clifgreennotes .com

USA

Bio: CLIF BAR GreenNotes, from the makers of the natural and organic CLIF energy bar, is a program that marries the power of music with a passion for the environment in the interest of protecting the places we play for our and future generations. GreenNotes supports emerging musicians - passionate about the environment in their own right who may not yet have the resources, expertise, or funds to integrate environmentally friendly touring practices. By helping artists reduce the environmental impact of their tours and sharing their experience with audiences along the way - we hope music fans will be inspired to take action in their own lives and communities.

Note: GreenNotes was founded by the people who founded Clif Bar, but none of this identityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s videos mention Clif Bar. 19 of the 21 videos are of people playing music at small outdoor shows.

131

MUSCLE MILK Blog 2/3: Muscle Milk Reviews Blog title

Muscle Milk Reviews

Blog URL

http://muscle-milk.blogspot.com/

Bio Total number of posts

Reviews, news, and cheap deals on the awesome Muscle Milk line by Cytosport. 6

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

N/A

Blogging since

September 15, 2006

Posts per month (past 12 mos.)

Approx. avg. length of posts

109 words

Typical topics

Muscle Milk information

Last post (if long time ago)

September 27, 2006

Notes: • • •

This blog does not appear to be officially attached to CytoSport or Muscle Milk. The blog itself has a mediocre design and layout that clearly mimics a typical blog platform’s restraints. The author of the blog is clearly a fan of Muscle Milk, so the blog is a positive brand representation. Overall, the blog is weak because it is outdated and only has six posts.

132

http://muscle-milk.blogspot.com/ screenshot

133

MUSCLE MILK Blog 3/3: Muscle Milk Review: Comprehensive Muscle Milk Reviews Blog title Blog URL

Muscle Milk Review: Comprehensive Muscle Milk Reviews http://www.muscle-milk-review.com/

Bio

N/A

Total number of posts

517

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

8 -Fitness -Health and Fitness -Light Muscle Milk Reviews -Muscle Building -Muscle Milk News -Muscle Milk Questions -Negative Muscle Milk Reviews -Positive Muscle Milk Reviews

Blogging since

September 9, 2008

Posts per month (past 12 mos.)

Approx. avg. length of posts

522 words

Typical topics

Exercise tips, techniques, and equipment; Muscle Milk reviews (positive and negative); Muscle Milk information

Last post (if long time ago)

N/A

Notes: • • •

This blog is a nonbiased look and analysis of Muscle Milk. Since it includes negative reviews, it is probably not officially attached to the brand. The words “DONOTCHANGE” appear often on the site, so it looks like the blog is improperly maintained. It is found on all of the buttons’ pages from the navigation bar. There is content on those pages, but they also say “DONOTCHANGE.” The blog has a tone that resembles someone giving advice. The author writes in a way that shows he or she is willing to help people achieve their fitness goals and inform them on best practices regarding exercise. The author also asks a lot of questions that he or she then answers in posts. In these posts, they have an “ask the expert” feel and read like an FAQ. Some of the questions, though, sound like the typical lead-in to many

134

â&#x20AC;˘

advertisements (i.e. rhetorical questions that ask you if you are experiencing something negative that then lead to the benefit of a product to counter that negative). In the reviews part of the blog, the author posts customer testimonials. This is a good way to engage people, add credibility, and limit bias in a brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blog or general online presence. However, since this blog does not appear to be officially operated by Muscle Milk, the effect of the testimonials may be limited.

http://www.muscle-milk-review.com/ screenshot

135

CLIF BAR Blog 2/2: CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cross Team Blog title

CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cross Team

Blog URL

http://sustainablecycling.blogspot.com/

Bio

Total number of posts

The CLIF BAR Development Cyclo-Cross Team strives to not only develop top young cyclo-cross racers and give them the best opportunity to succeed at the national and international level, but also to help them develop into true leaders of the cycling community and their own communities through the team's "sustainable cycling" mission. This season, leading up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (in Copenhagen this December) we are focusing our energy on climate change awareness and action. 270

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

N/A

Blogging since

December 4, 2005

Posts per month

Approx. avg. length of posts

100 words. No more than 2-3 paragraphs.

Typical topics

Events; rider news

Last post (if long time ago)

December 28, 2009

Notes: • • •

The blog is maintained by the bike riders in the Clif Bar Development Cyclo-Cross Team. The design is bad. There are ads everywhere, the home page of the blog scrolls too far down, and images on the left are cut off by the blog’s main feed. Aside from the fact that “blogspot” is in the URL, it is very evident this blog was hardly customized at all. It bears no resemblance to the strong aesthetics of Clif Bar’s main site and main blog. With hardly any comments and very few followers on Facebook (183), this initiative by Clif Bar seems like a side project that never fully developed.

136

http://sustainablecycling.blogspot.com/ screenshot:

137

FRS Blog 1/1: FRS Healthy Energy Review: Notes from my FRS Healthy Energy free trial experience… Blog title

FRS Healthy Energy Review: Notes from my FRS Healthy Energy free trial experience…

Blog URL

http://www.frshealthyenergyreviewed.com/

Bio

Hi, I’m Bryan Smith, the creator of this site. I am a health enthusiast, but not a hardcore fitness fanatic. I enjoy researching and reading about interesting health-related products and concepts, and sharing my findings with others. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you have. Thanks for visiting!

Total number of posts

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

Blogging since

3 -FRS Customer Service -FRS Healthy Energy -Ordering August 13, 2009

Posts per month

3.3

Approx. avg. length of posts

325 words

Typical topics

FRS critique; Bryan’s FRS brand experiences

Last post (if long time ago)

October 22, 2009

Notes: • • •

This blog is not officially attached to FRS. The subtitle indicates that clearly. It says: “Notes from my FRS Healthy energy free trial experience.” Blog is designed well, but it is clear this was not intended to be an ongoing project for the author. He only posted during a three-month period. This blog is a mostly positive critique of FRS. It is just not very detailed.

138

http://www.frshealthyenergyreviewed.com/ screenshot:

139

MET-RX Blog 2/2: Metrxproteinonline Blog title

Metrxproteinonline

Blog URL

http://www.metrxproteinonline.com/blog

Bio

N/A

Total number of posts

Number of authors

Undetermined

Number of and names of categories

Blogging since

4 -Auctions -How To’s -More information -Products March 21, 2010

Posts per month

Approx. avg. length of posts

1 paragraph or less

Typical topics

Customer questions

Last post (if long time ago)

N/A

Notes: • • •

This blog does not actually appear to be a blog and may not be. The site looks like an outdated MET-Rx website. There is a link to the blog on it, but there are only two pages of posts. The posts are tweetable by readers and are very minimal. It resembles a forum more than a blog. Overall, this blog is ineffective. When you search the title of the blog on Google, it does not appear. The only two meta tags for SEO are “title” and “content.” Metrxproteinonline offers very little and is hard to understand what it is trying to do.

140

http://www.metrxproteinonline.com/blog screenshot:

141

GATORADE Blog 3/3: Darren Rovell's Gatorade blog: An Unauthorized Look At One Of America's Most Dominant Brands Blog title

Blog URL Bio

Darren Rovell's Gatorade blog: An Unauthorized Look At One Of America's Most Dominant Brands http://firstinthirst.typepad.com/

Total number of posts

Darren Rovell is CNBC's Sports Business Reporter. He is responsible for both analyzing and reporting on the sports business world on all of CNBC's programming including "Squawk Box," "Power Lunch," "Closing Bell," and "On the Money." (see full bio below) 120

Number of authors

Number of and names of categories

N/A

Blogging since

May 30, 2005

Posts per month

6.7

Approx. avg. length of posts

160 words

Typical topics

Gatorade news; commercial, logo, web, etc. critiques

Last post (if long time ago)

April 16, 2007

Full Bio: Darren Rovell is CNBC's Sports Business Reporter. He is responsible for both analyzing and reporting on the sports business world on all of CNBC's programming including "Squawk Box," "Power Lunch," "Closing Bell," and "On the Money." Prior to joining CNBC, Rovell served as sports business writer for ESPN.com and reported on the world of agents, stadium deals, endorsements and contracts on ESPN's flagship, "SportsCenter," its investigative show, "Outside the Lines," and its morning show "Cold Pizza." During his six-year career at ESPN, Rovell interviewed many of the world's greatest athletes including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong, among others. He also sat down with the sporting world's top power brokers ranging from NBA commissioner David Stern to Reebok chairman Paul Fireman. Rovell is also the author of two business books. First In Thirst: How Gatorade Turned The Science of Sweat Into A Cultural Phenomenon and On the Ball: What You Can Learn About Business From America's Sports Leaders. First In Thirst was named by Soundview Summaries as one of the top 30 business books of the

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year, while On the Ball, co-written with industry insider David Carter, was named to the Top 25 list of "What Corporate America Is Reading" by the Knight Ridder/Tribune News. In 2004, Rovell was named to Newsbios' "30 under 30," a list of the top 30 national business reporters under the age of 30. He was the first sports reporter in the 17-year history of the awards to be honored. Rovell graduated cum laude from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he is on the advisory board for graduate programs in sports administration.

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The author was doing a good job of tracking everything that was going on with Gatorade. Since 2007, though, he has not blogged. o He covered all the bases- Gatorade athletes, commercials, websites, logos, product appearances and publicity, etc. Readers commented often on the posts. This could be because the blog does not have a corporate feel; it is a customer’s real interpretation of the brand, and therefore not officially attached to the brand. The author is someone readers can trust. He gives both positive and negative feedback. Rovell says, "The book and the blog are completely unauthorized. I have their cooperation, but I report on the good and the bad and they know that.” Source: http://www.adrants.com/2005/05/brand-fan-launches-gatorade-blog.php). More information on Rovell: http://www.businesspundit.com/interview-the-gatorade-guy-and-his-fan-blog/

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http://firstinthirst.typepad.com/ screenshot:

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EAS Fact Sheet - According to website Athletes: • • • •

Chase Utley Larry Fitzgerald Mark Weir Matt Hasselbeck

Programs:

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I play clean http://eas.com/News/EAS-brand-announces-a-partnership-with-I-Play-Clean Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series http://eas.com/news/Kirk-Herbstreit-Varsity-Football-Series Body-for-life http://bodyforlife.com/

Partnerships: •

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NSF International o An independent, not-for-profit organization, that helps protect you by certifying products and writing standards for dietary supplements, food, water, air and consumer goods. National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) o In early 2006, EAS entered into a partnership with these two leading nonprofit organizations. Athletes Performance (AP) o Training Centers that provide the highest level of integrated performance training in the world to professional and elite athletes. EAS and AP help ensure that these athletes have the latest in performance nutrition to reach their goals. Football University o By position, by professionals, by invitation only… Football University operates elite, invitation-only regional mini camps offering by-position instruction and training from NFL athletes and former NFL coaches. Impact Basketball o The leading basketball coaching center offering summer training camps for amateur and professional players in the USA.

Products:

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DAILY NUTRITION (3) - These products are the foundational tools of a successful fitness or sports program and are considered to be Core Nutrition. o Myoplex®  The essential core in performance nutrition for hard-training fitness enthusiasts and athletes. Myoplex® is available in powder, bar and ready-to-drink versions with a wide array of scientifically-developed, goal-oriented formulations.  Sub products: • Myoplex® Lite Nutrition Bar • Myoplex® Lite Ready-to-Drink • Myoplex® Lite Powder • Myoplex® Carb Control Bar • Myoplex® Carb Control Powder • Myoplex® Carb Control Ready-to-Drink • Myoplex® Original Ready-to-Drink • Myoplex® Original Powder • Myoplex® Deluxe Bar • Myoplex® Deluxe Powder • Myoplex® Mass Bar • Myoplex® Strength Formula Ready-to-Drink o AdvantEDGE®  Perfect for nutritious snacking. This line of products is available in both bars and ready-to-drink shakes. AdvantEDGE® Carb Control™—Created for those interested in nutritious snacking and managing net carb intake. Net carbs are calculated as total carbohydrates minus dietary fiber and minus sugar alcohols. See Nutrition Facts panel for carbohydrate information.  Sub products: • AdvantEDGE® Carb Control Nuitrition Bar • AdvantEDGE® Carb Control Ready-to-Drink o 100% Whey Protein  The highest grade whey protein product available on the market. Excellent for boosting daily protein or for making a custom meal shake or smoothie. • 17g of high quality protiein • 3g net total carbs • 110 calories  Sub products: • EAS 100% Whey Protein Powder

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• EAS 100% Soy Protein Powder STRENGTH BUILDING (4) - These products support Training Intensity to help you reach your maximum exercise potential. o Betagen®  Maintenance levels of creatine plus HMB. Perfect for athletes striving to be lean and tone. o Phosphagen™  The original creatine monohydrate. This is a versatile and economical product that can be mixed in water, juice or in a Myoplex® shake. o Phosphagen™ HP  EAS' 2nd Generation, high-performance creatine that includes precision carbohydrates and taurine to support optimal uptake and storage in tissues. o Phosphagen Elite™  The clinically tested high-performance formulation with added beta-alanine to help buffer the build-up of musclefatiguing acid. For those wanting to increase workout capacity and training volume. MAXIMUM RECOVERY (4) - These products support Maximum Recovery from bouts of training. o Athlete's Defense®  A unique formula designed to support an athlete's immune system by supporting antioxidant defenses. The formula contains antioxidant nutrients (vitamins E and C, beta-carotene, selenium, and zinc) that play key roles in supporting the immune system during stress associated with strenuous physical activity. o HMB  To help to minimize muscle protein breakdown associated with hard-training and calorie-restricted diets. For athletes not using Betagen® or Muscle Armor™. o L-Glutamine  A “conditionally” essential amino acid important for immune system support, digestive tract health, and protein balance in tissues. o Muscle Armor™  Includes Juven Technology™, a clinically-tested blend of L-glutamine, arginine and HMB. Muscle Armor™ works on two fronts; helping minimizing muscle breakdown and helping maximizing tissue repair. PRECISION (4) - These products offer Precision Supplementation for serious fitness enthusiasts and athletes to help manage their unique, individual goals. These products are not for use by athletes under the age of 18. o CLA  A special type of Omega-6 fatty acid that may help support lean mass and fat loss. A great alternative for athletes sensitive to stimulants containing thermogenic products. o Catapult™

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 Has been designed specifically to boost exercise intensity and energy. o Endurathon™  Helps take your endurance performance to the next level. Fuels muscles and may enhance endurance during strenous, long-lasting workouts.

o Race Recovery™  This protein and carbohydrate blend helps you replenish glycogen stores that are lost during exercise. Articles & Tools: • •

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Training Articles o Fitness news and information focusing on performance and sport specific training. Read the latest weight training articles, healthy fitness headlines, gym advice and exercise routines. Nutrition Articles o Nutrition news and information to help you learn and understand exactly what protein, carbohydrates and fat are, and how they work in your body. Read the latest news about vitamins and minerals, hydration, balanced nutrition, and how EAS supplements can help you with your healthy eating program. Tools o In this section, you’ll find the training tools to evaluate where your current fitness level is and measure your progress. FAQs o You have questions, we have answers. We've taken some of the most popular questions we've received over the past 10 years and combined them all into our Frequently Asked Questions section of this site. We answer questions regarding training, nutrition, and supplementation in this section.

Events:

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Arnold 5K Pump and Run - 3/2/08 o The Arnold 5K Pump and Run has changed the sport of running. What began as a way for athletes to show their overall fitness by pressing their body weight and completing a simple 5K run has evolved into the premiere event to demonstrate complete fitness for athletes.

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