(Via Mckinsey Quarterly) Consumers have always valued opinions expressed directly to them. Marketers may spend millions of dollars on elaborately conceived advertising campaigns, yet often what really makes up a consumer’s mind is not only simple but also free: a word-of-mouth recommendation from a trusted source. As consumers overwhelmed by product choices tune out the ever-growing barrage of traditional marketing, word of mouth cuts through the noise quickly and effectively.

Indeed, word of mouth¹ is the primary factor behind 20 to 50 percent of all purchasing decisions. Its influence is greatest when consumers are buying a product for the first time or when products are relatively expensive, factors that tend to make people conduct more research, seek more opinions, and deliberate longer than they otherwise would. And its influence will probably grow: the digital revolution has amplified and accelerated its reach to the point where word of mouth is no longer an act of intimate, one-on-one communication. Today, it also operates on a one-to-many basis: product reviews are posted online and opinions disseminated through social networks. Some customers even create Web sites or blogs to praise or punish brands.

Gareth, the social guru at Levi HQ, just recently released what is turning out to be a very cool platform for engaging consumers and social media (this time Facebook).  Levi’s partnered with Facebook to bring you a unique social shopping experience. Now you can Like, Share, and Shop for Levi’s. This is the way the world is going… time to embrace it. Levi’s was one of our first clients here at IG, when we helped them with the Eva Jean range. Ever since then Levi has always tried to keep the consumer as close to what they do, produce, launch etc… here is just one more way that they are keeping their consumers in the loop…   i LIKE!

Everyone!

Yesterday we took part in an event that was too much fun not to talk about. As part of the Spier Contemporary 2010 a flash mob was organised to run through the streets of Cape Town. Why you ask? Some people want to turn the beautiful Cape Town City Hall into a business district. Nasty. Everyone else wants to save it as a space for Cape Town creatives to exhibit their work. To show how much we wanted to save it we ran recklessly from Greenmarket Square to Cty Hall- so here are some pics of the IG team as well as the rest of the crazy folks running a riot in the city.

We just received this pics from one of our grasses, and it spurred me to write a short post about a rising trend amongst South Africans to take the piss / laugh about the political tensions / idiosyncrasies of some of our most prominent ministers / politicians or even presidents.

Thanks to Mr Visage, and an E-TV journalist, there has been a swell in music remix’s / t-shirts / creative ad’s / sayings & slogans … so at least they are sparking creative talent across various fields (when they are not just F*U&#$in things up).

I had the privilege of being at an event on Tues with Riaad Moosa, well known South African Comedian, and got chatting to him backstage just before he went on to do his set. He said “You know with all this KUK that is going on with our country at the moment, its very important to stay positive…” What better way than to laugh about it! Local comedians have a field day when they come up with their material, they don’t have to look offshore, they got a gold mine of material right here… “in this revolutionary house!”

Now days, one can’t walk down the street without hearing someone shout “You Bloody Agent!” … or “Dont touch me on my studio!”. As the battle continues between Julius & Mr Visagie in terms of which slogan gets the most airtime on local radio stations, we as South Africans just enjoy the flurry of creative talent pouring out as they take a jab at the RIDICULOUSNESS of it all!

With that in mind…

Stay postive. Stay cool…. “Dont Touch me ON my Studio!”

I will leave you with the latest remix to hit youtube…

A Few weeks ago Mr Max Mogale @maxmantshane graced us with his ill photo skills on what turned out to be an awesome photo shoot… at IG HQ in Greenpoint, Cape Town. We thought we would put a face to the name, and give you a little background about each person…

…The Bosses…

Greg Potterton (Mr GQ)

Always rocking a new pair of designer jeans, Greg is our very own in house Mr GQ. One of the co-founders of Take That Instant Grass, Greg heads up all things Strategic. When not sitting in his office, strategizing and listening to any band started by David Grohl, Greg can be found trademarking his latest catch phrases ” I can tell you for free” and ” Are you driving the business forward? ” His new found love for Jack Russles has established him as The Leading Dog Whisperer in Cape Town. True Story.  When not taking long walks on the beach, Greg can be found rocking his Ray Ban shades in The V&A Waterfront. All seriousness aside, Greg is a brand consultant, marketer and strategist extraordinaire. With over 15 years of branding and experience, Greg is always on the forefront of all things cool. True Story.

Ian Calvert (The God Father)

Ian, aka ‘Bert’  co-founder of Instant Grass, began his EPIC career at Ogilvy in London, before moving to Ogilvy Cape Town, becoming the youngest ever Board Director at the age of 29 (no jokes) back in  nineteen fifty… something! Originally from Yorkshire, some say that he invented the words “Pub” , “Spud” and ” Grass “. Others say that back in the UK, Ian once posed to be the face and body of Strongbow Cider. When he is not managing the various clients Instant Grass have, he can be found sitting back, rocking a pair of newly polished cow boy boots and strumming his newest guitar whilst singing in Russian. Since Instant Grass opened in Russia, Ian has been working hard on his russian. He has since learnt the basics and can say things like “I like your furry hat” , ” Where can I catch some good swell this weekend?” and ” They don’t make them how they used to.” Apart from his many years experience at Ogilvy, starting Bull Calvert Pace in 2002 (now Lowe Bull) his strategic mindset and client service wisdom has put Instant Grass on the map both in Africa and Internationally, and 7 years later is heading up the worlds leading youth trendspotting and insight agency.

… stay tuned from more behind the scenes office stories… and the rest of the crew!…

Ian, (The Grand Daddy Boss, aka Bert) recently spoke at a very high profile conference in Jozi, and this is what went down… courtesy of Biz Community:

[Flux Trends] The rise of the machines has produced one of the strangest human tribes the planet has ever seen: the digital junkies. Their behaviour, deemed ‘unconventional’ by some observers, upsets conservative society, which believes these ‘outcasts’ are leading schizophrenic lives.
“Lot of people who are not part of this generation bemoan what is happening to this generation,” Ian Calvert, Instant Grass co-founder, said late last week at the Digital Lab workshop held at the University of Johannesburg in conjunction with Dion Chang’s 2010 Flux Trend Review conference.

Who are they?

But who are ‘these people’?

Calvert quoted New York-based Emily Nussbaum, who said of this generation: “They have no sense of shame. They have no sense of privacy. They are show-offs, fame whores, pornographic little loons who post their diaries, their phone numbers, their stupid poetry – for God’s sake, their dirty photos – online.

She added: “They have virtual friends instead of real ones. They talk in illiterate instant messages. They are interested only in attention—and yet they have zero attention span, flitting like hummingbirds from one virtual stage to another.”

Some say these people are anti-brand, fringe, socially inept, thieves, loners, schizophrenic, egocentric and don’t understand privacy, Calvert said.

Refutes accusation

However, Calvert refutes the accusation that digital junkies are anti-brand, citing an Instant Grass study that reveals the following: 52% have blogged about a brand, 69% have provided feedback on brand’s website, 77% watched a TV commercial on YouTube, and 69% have read a corporate blog post.

Furthermore, 73% have posted a product or brand review, 40% befriended a brand, while 26% follow a brand on Twitter.

To Calvert’s understanding, ‘these people’, whom he called a bunch of informed and opinionated people and vocal extroverts, are simply being misunderstood.

Instead of brands bemoaning and wondering, Calvert said they should start a ‘digilogue’ (digital dialogue), which consists of listening, participating, influencing and collaborating.

“Brands created in boardrooms will not survive the streets of today,” he said, adding that the easiest way to get consumers to notice your content is to get them to create it.

Ten key drivers

Calvert revealed 10 key drivers which he said drive the digital generation:

1. freedom
2. customisation
3. ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out)
4. gravanity
5. transparency
6. integrity
7. entertainment
8. collaboration
9. speed and
10. innovation.

According to Calvert, the 10 key drivers could be translated into the following:

1. Freedom: I can get anything I want from the Internet.
2. Customisation: I need to be able to make things ‘me’.
3. Transparency: if I don’t know what car to buy, I can just ask my friends on Facebook and get hundreds of honest opinions.
4. Integrity: a brand must respect in order to earn my respect. They can’t hide anymore. They will be found out.
5. Entertainment: I can keep myself busy for hours when connected the Internet; there are just so many clips and cool websites or even friends’ profiles to see.
6. Collaboration: if a brand wants my attention, then they must ask for it before they start trying to sell to me.
7. Speed: I want things now; I hate waiting, that’s why Internet banking rocks. I can check my balance hassle free, no standing in queues. Imagine the days before online banking and ATMs… horror.
8. Innovation: I got so happy when FNB added cellphone banking; it makes so much sense.
9. FOMO: I need to know what is happening all times. When Facebook is under construction, I get nervous… it is weird but true, like a junky.
10. Gravanity’: I have this need to heard, can’t really explain it. That is why I am constantly updating my blog. It feels good to get things off my chest.