For at least a few years, marketers have been talking about “integration” - instead of buying obvious advertising, we’ll find ways to integrate our client products, promotions and messages in with TV & Radio shows, magazine articles and more.

At the same time, a growing trend that was sparked by reality TV and then supercharged with easy YouTube videos is people getting their own few minutes of fame, and even if they don’t get a lot of views - its still nice that we have easy access to broadcast ourselves to the world.

Now Disney has taken it a step further with this promotional video that is almost impossible to resist and spreading across the internet at lightening speed, all while promoting Disney vacation packages, parks & merchandise.  It’s brilliant, and according to reports from the author of Secrets of Social Media Marketing, Paul Gillin, the promotion paid for itself in approx 18&1/2 hours.

It really is hard to resist - be sure to watch to the end & listen for Goofy~

Want it?  You can have it too - spread the Disney love~

Seth Godin is so excellent.  His blog is really valuable to me; it gets me regularly questioning everything I’ve thought about marketing and advertising, customer service and corporate communications.  

Here’s a quick video interview with Seth from T.E.D. conference (who wouldn’t want to be there?)

Seth is honest when he says he responds to everyone who emails him - before I knew what a big name he is in marketing I took exception to the tone I thought was inferred in an early blog post (early in my following him), and I responded!  By Email!  And he responded back personally.  I’m almost embarrassed now.  ;  )

This was a HUGE lesson for me in how I conduct business and represent myself online, that it is like having a one-on-one conversation, in the most public forum in the world.

That’s a big change of thinking for me, after years of mass media buying on behalf of top-tier brands.

Ultimately, Seth is changing the way we all think, as his message infiltrates agency folks (like me) and our clients, and eventually their advertising strategies & tactics, which in turn affects the business model & execution of all our ‘branded’ communication forms like newspapers, TV, radio, etc.

I’m on Twitter, a lot.  Why?  So that I can be the most knowledgeable on behalf of my clients & readers on how Twitter may be an effective way to start/contribute to developing your Tribe of close contacts.

Leave comments here, but talk to me publicly on Twitter, please! Click here:  @Debbie_h2o

Want help on Twitter? All the Twitter experts are there; just ask.  Want a quick, free survey for your business?  Just ask; your Twitter followers will answer.

OVERDRIVE INTERACTIVE HAS DEVELOPED A FANTASTIC SOCIAL MEDIA MAP TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY YOUR TOP OPTIONS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITY BUILDING AND MARKETING

Here’s a helpful Social Media Map, developed by Overdrive Interactive - feel free to pass it on to your contacts, don’t forget to give credit (and links!) back to Overdrive Interactive.  Thank you for all the hard work (it is well done), Overdrive Interactive, and for sharing!

Click on the picture to link back to Overdrive & download a copy of the map if you’d like one for yourself.

Overdrive Interactive is an online marketing services firm that helps companies create genuine and lasting connections with their target audiences and customers using Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Marketing and Online Media.

Follow Up: I’ve been asking around Twitter and it appears there’s been some controversy over Magpie in Twitterland. While I take the time to consider what else I want to “test” on my Facebook, blog, Twitter, LinkedIn etc, I have disabled the Magpie “promote” activity and require pre-approval of any ads purchased to run in my Twitterstream. I guess I just have to decide which of the two distinct groups of internet marketers I want to be -

1. Smash & Grab - build up links & traffic for people I never know or meet or talk to & just try to earn, earn, EARN!
2. Community Builder - take my expertise (traditional advertising media planning & negotiating) and gain a better understanding of how large & small companies can take advantage of the opportunity to interact with online communities (Social Media), to improve their offerings.

Jan 26th: I’ve been trying something new recently, instead of blogging often, short posts, I’ve been wandering around Twitter and trying to figure it out - how users use it and how real small businesses can use Twitter to promote themselves.

Click on the ad above and see if you can earn money and advertise your business on Twitter.