Kiwano Marketing » On the media

Social Media Crisis Management: Best Practices and Horror Stories

Sofia Ribeiro — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:40:09 +0000

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of talking with Elisa Birnbaum, an established freelance writer and contributor at Charity Village. Elisa writes about social media strategies and tactics for non-profit organizations. This time around, she focused on social media policies – and what can happen when you don’t have guidelines in place.

”If you’re an avid devotee of social media, chances are you’ve already heard about this infamous gaffe,” writes Elisa on her cover story, Social Media: What’s Your Policy? ”A Red Cross employee uses HootSuite to send out an otherwise-innocent tweet about her alcohol-induced evening in the company of a specific beer. She thought she was sending it from her personal account. But she was wrong.

As we all know, mistakes like that are not easily repealed and once you’ve hit that send button it’s hard to take things back. But here’s the thing about the Red Cross and their reaction to the incident: no one got fired, nothing hit the proverbial fan and no one went into heavy crisis mode. In fact, they made light of the situation with an affable response.”

Elisa goes on sharing similar stories (with not so similar happy endings). After interviewing a handful of social media experts, Elisa compiled a list of top 5 tips for crafting your own social media policy:

1. Don’t forget it will have an impact on internal operations. For example, your hiring process may be affected and you may now need to re-evaluate who you hire and the type of qualifications they offer.

2. Make sure your policy is comprehensive, but yet easy to understand. Your goal is to get people to read and follow your policy (and not just scan through it).

3. Work on your policy with your marketing and sales team. Make sure your policy and your social media presence are aligned with your brand.

4. The policy should cover every possibility, including the likelihood of replacing your social media manager. People may be attached to a certain voice, making it hard for new staff to take over.

5. Keep in mind that your social media policy is always a work in progress. Social media is a dynamic, evolving medium and you want to make sure your policy stays relevant at all times.

Read the complete article at CharityVillage.com.

The CarbonFund Blog: CarbonFree Event Partner Kiwano Marketing Wins Green Achievement Award

Sofia Ribeiro — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:22:55 +0000

It’s not every day that you win the Better Business Bureau Green Award. We’re very proud to receive this recognition, and we know this wouldn’t have been possible without our great partners. Becoming environmentally and socially responsible it’s a journey – and organizations (especially small businesses) need any help they can get.

One of the great supporters of our mission is CarbonFund. Read what they wrote about us:

“Add one more to the list of Carbonfund.org partners who have won awards and recognition for their sustainability efforts. Kiwano Marketing, based out of Vancouver, Canada, won the Better Business Bureau’s Green Award for their outstanding fundraising campaign for the Stanley Park Ecology Society.

Kiwano joins Dell, Staples, Samsung, Motorola, JetBlue, Virgin America and many other Carbonfund.org partners who have been recognized for their carbon offset and sustainability programs.”

Continue reading this article at CarbonFund’s blog.

The Vancouver Sun: Sustainability Training For Small Business

Sofia Ribeiro — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 22:53:03 +0000

We’re proud supporters of sustainable businesses here at Kiwano Marketing, and we’re always looking for organizations that can help companies – especially small businesses – become (more) environmentally sustainable. We’re very excited to have the Vancouver Sun supporting our mission.

“Most sustainability programs are aimed at big business and require investments that small business just can’t afford.

Climate Smart and the City of Vancouver are offering two training groups (starting Nov. 25 and Nov. 30) that take small businesses through creating a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and developing reduction strategies.

‘The focus is cost savings, operational efficiency and brand lift,’ says Sofia Ribeiro of Kiwano Marketing, which recently won a BBB Torch award.”

Continue reading Jenny Lee’s article at The Vancouver Sun.

The Vancouver Sun: BBB honours companies’ excellence

Sofia Ribeiro — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 22:44:47 +0000

It’s not every day that you win the Better Business Bureau Green Award. We’re very proud to receive this recognition, and we know this wouldn’t have been possible without our great partners, clients and the local community. Read what the Vancouver Sun wrote about us:

“The British Columbia Automobile Association, Kiwano Marketing, Smart Cookies and EcoEco are winners of the third annual Better Business Bureau Torch Awards. These four companies ‘meet the BBB’s high standards while also contributing to taking care of the environment and promoting corporate social responsibility in their local communities,’ Lynda Pasacreta, BBB president and CEO, said.

Kiwano Marketing, a marketing agency for local, sustainable businesses, won the Green Award. As part of a fundraising campaign for the Stanley Park Ecology Society, Kiwano encouraged attendees to take public transit, made sure all communications were paperless, sourced food and wine from local and organic farms, and worked with the Carbon Fund to offset carbon emissions for the event.”

Continue reading this article on the Sun’s website.

Kiwano Marketing Finalist For The BBB Torch Awards – 2010 Green Award

Sofia Ribeiro — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:00:15 +0000

We’re excited to announce Kiwano Marketing as a BBB Torch Awards finalist for the 2010 Green Award. As one of the forefront sustainable marketing agencies in the West Coast, Kiwano is thrilled and honoured to receive this recognition by the Better Business Bureau, a staple organization that promotes ethical business practices across North America.

The Torch Award is a symbol of a company’s commitment to honesty and integrity toward customers, employees, shareholders and their community, and is the highest achievement the BBB awards to the business community.

“These companies were selected by a panel of experts for being model examples in the marketplace,” said Lynda Pasacreta, BBB President and CEO. “Each company clearly demonstrates superior character and goes the extra mile in its relationships with customers, employees, suppliers, industry peers and in the communities they do business in.”

In partnership with the BC Ethics in Action Society, the Green Award honours businesses for its forward-thinking, sustainable business practices that involve a social purpose, contributing towards positive social change in their communities.

Kiwano is proud to be running side-by-side with Whistler Blackcomb and Lilith Fair, two local companies that are setting up the bar in environmentally and socially responsible business practices.

The winners will be selected by an independent panel of business ethics experts and announced at the Torch Awards luncheon on October 26, 2010, at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver.

For more information, read the BBB official release and book your seat for the awards ceremony – we’d love to see you there!

Interview: the Networking Ninja on NetSquared Camp Vancouver

Sofia Ribeiro — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:45:41 +0000

Our unique Networking Ninja Cecilia Lu was recently interviewed by Sam Zipursky, blogger at AdviceTap, a community that helps marketing and creative professionals find quality projects, connect and collaborate with others.

Sam and Cecilia had a great time chatting. Check out the interview:

“Hey there Cecilia, thanks for dropping by the Advicetap towers…we weren’t really expecting you, but now that you’re here have a sip of your coffee and give us a run down of who you are and what exactly you do?
Thanks for having me! I guess you didn’t hear me skulking around in the back— I’m a Ninja, after all! More specifically, I’m the Networking Ninja of Kiwano Marketing, a sustainable marketing agency specializing in online marketing strategies and tools to help spread the word for our awesome clients.

My passion is (stealthily) making new connections; helping companies grow their online web presence by using a combination of public relations and social media. I love starting conversations, so you can easily find me on Twitter, LinkedIn and, of course, Advicetap!

Very cool, Kiwano Marketing sounds like an interesting company for sure! So I know you have an event coming up very soon called NetSquared Camp
Vancouver…give us the break down on what that’s all about?
That’s right, this very Saturday, downtown Vancouver will host the very first NetSquared Camp in all of Canada! It’s a full day, unconference-style event bringing together non-profits and social entrepreneurs with all kinds of experts in technology and communications. NetSquared Camp will focus on hands-on learning, practical skill development, and (my inevitable favourite) lots and lots of networking.

In true unconference tradition, anyone can pitch a topic and lead a session. Check out some of cool session proposals we’ve received over the past few weeks. So if you’re curious, join me this Saturday and find out how ninjas do it:

Ninja School: Kicking Ass at Social Networking
What are the top do’s and don’ts for using social media networks as a networking tool? How do you portray your non-profit’s personality online and engage your volunteers, stakeholders, and sponsors? When’s the right time for moving the conversation offline? Join the Ninja for a casual, down-to-earth discussion on practical tips about how to get personable online.”

Read the complete interview at AdviceTap.

Light Wallet, Lighter Footprint?

Sofia Ribeiro — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:45:54 +0000

Earlier this week, I was interviewed by Galia Myron, a journalist that focuses on green trends. This time around, Myron was interested in the link between green lifestyles and economic down-turns: in rough times, do we become more environmentally sustainable?

A new Harris Interactive poll reveals that in efforts to save money, more Americans are using mass transit and carpooling, cutting back on dry cleaning, using refillable water bottles, cancelling print subscriptions, and more. As a result, are consumers living greener lives?

“Nearly half of Americans (48 percent) are brown-bagging their lunch, up from 45 percent back in February. About one-fifth of poll respondents said that they also have stopped purchasing morning coffee before work (22 percent), and more than one in ten (12 percent) have started using mass transit or carpooling to get to work. Additionally, some Americans have also cancelled print media subscriptions, with nearly one-third (31 percent) having stopped one or more magazine subscriptions, and nearly one-fifth (17 percent) have cancelled newspaper deliveries.

Do these small changes mean that Americans are living greener while they strive to save money?”

Here are some of our insights on this topic:

”These eco- and budget-friendly changes may be happening in other nations as well, says Sofia Ribeiro, founder and co-owner of Canada-based green marketing services provider Kiwano Marketing.

‘Across the border, in Canada, it seems that people are still caring about the environment,’ she says. ‘According to a Harris/Decima poll conducted in August 2009, tough economic times, contrary to popular wisdom, have not led Canadians to abandon the environment: over 70 percent said environmental consciousness has become more important to them over the past few years. It’s always during difficult times that we tend to innovate, and to try to achieve more with less.’

Once prosperity returns, will people continue these money-saving, green-minded habits even as they enjoy relative wealth?

‘In the long-term, this will represent a new way of living—but, unfortunately, I believe we will see an increase of wasteful habits once prosperity returns,’ Ribeiro says, citing historical cycles.

‘If you take a careful look to the 20th century, you’ll notice that after a period of economic crisis, there’s one of prosperity and wasteful behaviors: the First World War and the crazy 1920s; the end of Cold War and the hippie movement; and so on,” she contends. “Most of the generation born after the Baby Boomers are more aware of their consumption habits. But, if you keep in mind the socially-accepted behaviors during the last century, you will notice that the scale is pending to reducing our consumption levels. In the early 1930s and 1950s, it was socially accepted to use one-time-use products and to throw away perfectly good items—and even food. Nowadays, this type of behavior is frowned upon.’

‘The opportunity here for businesses is to set up environmental and social standards across their supply chains, in an innovative way that won’t necessarily increase manufacturing costs,” Ribeiro says. “Large corporations such as Wal-Mart are already taking steps in this direction. More importantly, we are witnessing a rise of green products across mainstream retailers—a clear sign that environmentally responsible products are not just a fad, but are here to stay.’

This new social trend has significant impact on all businesses, she adds, especially green-minded ones.

‘Consumers are starting to look for products that will deliver on their promises—[that will] compete with non-green products—but that also last longer,” Ribeiro maintains. “We are also witnessing a rise of environmental-minded moms who will only buy products for their babies that are safe for the earth and for the health of their children.’”

Continue reading this article.

The Green Economy Post: 7 CSR Best Practices – Avoid Greenwashing Through Stakeholder Engagement

kiwano — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:39:51 +0000

Kiwano Marketing is a regular contributor to The Green Economy Post. This is our latest article on one of the leading sources of information for businesses in the sustainability sector.

“In today’s competitive market, companies that incorporate social and green policies can leave a lasting impression on the consumer. As Sofia Ribeiro pointed out in her post Using Community Involvement as Part of Your Green Marketing and CSR Strategy, a Cone Inc. survey revealed that 83% of people will trust a company more if it is socially/environmentally responsible. With this in mind, how do companies go about communicating their best initiatives?

Recently, Perry Goldschein took the podium at Sustainable Brands 2010 to talk about the seven best practices of corporate social responsibility (otherwise known as CSR). As the founding partner of SDialogue LLC, a strategic sustainability communications firm, Perry provided insights on how to engage your consumers and stakeholders. Follow this recap with CSR’s 7 Best Practices to learn how to put your organization’s best social and environmental practices in the spotlight.”

Continue reading this article at The Green Economy Post.

Kiwano Shares Time Management Tips

Sofia Ribeiro — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:04:49 +0000

Last week, Sara Shaw from The Entreprenette Gazette was working on an article on time management for young entrepreneurs. She felt that more and more people simply are running out of time. Why is this so? And how can business owners handle this constant busyness? Read this article (and our favourite tip) below.

“Wow – this has been such a blast to read! I have this discussion with just about every client….and it often comes up on my Ask Sarah calls……and constantly with friends and colleagues. Are we running out of time? Feels like it to all of us at some point I’m sure! As much as I rely on my schedule running like clockwork, we can all get distracted. I have taken a liking to my Google calendar as I can share it with my assistant who feels free (I begged her to order me around) to post things I need to do that I don’t even know about…..Guest blogs I am suppose to write, interviews she schedules, my twins doctor appointments etc… and this awesome reminder pops up and gives me a 10 minute warning!

I am sure you can find some fabulous time saving tips and tricks from my 129 Entreprenette Experts who so generously gave a few moments of their precious time to help you out.”

Here’s our favourite tip:

”KNOW THYSELF AND TRACK YOUR EFFORTS – Are you a morning or an evening person? Do you find yourself more focused when you’re by yourself or in a busy environment filled with people? Knowing which one works for you will actually maximize the time you allot for each task. Try to experiment with what works for you and make an analysis after. For instance, I found out that I easily write during the morning than in the afternoon. Cool tools: Toggl, Paymo and Basecamp.”

Continue reading this article at the Entreprenette Gazette.

Globe-NET: Motivating Mainstream Consumers to Make Sustainable Choices

Sofia Ribeiro — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 01:33:53 +0000

Kiwano Marketing regularly writes about green marketing issues and how to communicate with the LOHAS market. This is our most read article on one of the leading sources of information for businesses in the sustainability sector.

“Mainstream consumers are complicated. They know just enough buzz words to make you think they know more than they do, and most don’t actually go green to save the planet. How do mainstream consumers ACTUALLY make decisions about which green products to buy? Suzanne Shelton, President and CEO of Shelton Group shared her insights at the Sustainable Brands ‘10 Conference, last week.

Green is Officially Mainstream
According to Eco Pulse 2010, a study of green consumer trends by Shelton Group, 64% of the population is now actively looking for green products. Most consumers start small, adopting easy-to-buy products such as home cleaning products (versus a hybrid car or a green home, which require a higher investment).”

Continue reading this article at Globe-NET.