ShipCrunch

The state of social media in shipping

 When will social media cross the "can no longer be ignored" barrier in maritime? Has it already?

By Ryan Skinner (email)

I've talked to many communications professionals in shipping about social media, and it's clear that social media is now definitely hitting their desks. Either it's an executive who's read about it in The Economist (special insert a couple of weeks ago) or one or more employees who've already taken the plunge (and are quickly touching upon communications policy issues).

So far, many have been able to say, in both directions: "Sure, it's happening. But it's happening independent of us. We don't need to get into this." Why the hesitation? I think most communications directors file social media in the digital box. And the whole digital thing gives many of these people hives. So they ask whoever handles their website to keep an eye on the thing, and exhale.

That's a mistake. 

What would Google do - if it was in shipping: Part 3

In the age of Google, shippers with narrow interests can be profitably marketed, served 

By Ryan Skinner (email)

For this third instalment in the series inspired by Jeff Jarvis' excellent book What Would Google Do? (previous instalments here and here), I found the perfect example to illustrate Jarvis' third precept - "the mass market is dead; long live the mass of niches." Who better to talk to than Franck Kayser, the rebel shipowner who defied the market and launched The Containership Company in the teeth of a recession?  

I talked to Kayser at length about the business plan that drove him and his partners to found their company last year, and much of that will come in an article later this week. But here I'll look at how he's managed to prize away a market segment with specific needs, from the grips of the big container lines, and how this tactic can be exploited in the age of Google.

Digibooths: High-tech stands at low-tech prices

ShipTek 2010's new concept, digibooths, makes the sales reps' baggage lighter

By Ryan Skinner (email)  

We all like plug and play. Now our friends at MarineBizTV introduce their own take on plug and play for exhibition stands. The digibooth is, according to Arun Menon, a three by three meter stand space with installed DVD player and plasma screen.

Fancy name for a pretty straightforward little offering? Maybe it's the magic of marketing, but there's more to it. I like the idea of salesmen parachuting into exhibits with a slim briefcase, and calling up interactive presentations at the flip of a switch. More has been made of less. Go digi at ShipTek 2010 then.

Deadwood Part III: A new mission for shipping media

Old media revenue models will crumble. What next?

By Ryan Skinner (email)

The recent launch of Oasis of the Seas illustrated the trend perfectly. Every magazine, newspaper or web-site in the industry had their "Oasis of the Seas" feature article and in-depth reporting. And they were all trashed for quality, depth and engagement by the ship's owners themselves, who stuffed their own channel, www.oasisoftheseas.com, with rich video, picture, audio, opinion and text comment.

It's only going to get worse. The cost for companies to make that kind of content is rocketing downwards, the ease is rocketing upwards and the incentive (nailing the customer relationship on your own terms) is looking better and better. That's going to grab ad and subscription dollars.

The new information economy's not a good one for old media models. The trade media that is simply an agglomeration of press releases and recooked information, with a few good feature pieces wedged in, is in trouble. These publications howl that they provide today's busy executives with a time-saving review of what's important. Yeah, that'll work for a while, but not long enough.

So what do you as a publisher or media type do? One word: Gowiththeflow. Your job is not conveying information anymore. Information's free. Your job is to create a platform for commentary. You have to become the central, organizing node for everyone else's participation.

That means putting some juice into:

• Your discussion forum(s). Some of you already have them, but they're sad affairs that you're neglecting nine times out of ten.
• Your blogs. They need to be real blogs, with free commentary and trackback, and you need to scratch the opinion itch. Be more provocative. Flex your voice.
• Your outreach. You need to reach out to other people and groups that have strong fan bases and networks on line, and collaborate more.
• Your virtual networking. You used to run a castle keep. Now you need to be a brothel. Show off what you've got, give away some stuff and make yourselves available.
• Your new revenue streams. You need to start thinking about every way you can make money where people gather. Advertising, yes, but also other things. TradeWinds' ShipX is a good try.
• Your content management. All those Royal Caribbean's are going to be pumping out the content. How can you co-opt it, and build more value off of it?

Yes, traditional media models are going to get ravaged in an environment where everyone is a channel. But for those eager and willing to go where this can take them, it could get very interesting.

So how about all those typical B2B marketer companies that are suddenly going to become media organizations, at zero cost, overnight? How's that going to happen? Marketers may wonder. Well, that's the topic of the next installment of Deadwood...

DAM999 - a d*mn good shipping movie?

Marketed as the first Hollywood movie by mariners, DAM999 is due for mid-2011 release

Well, hot d*mn! According to Arun Menon, the film will feature both established Indian actors and Hollywood faces. And much of the action will take place onboard ships, in shipyards and ports. Finally, product placement opportunities come to the maritime industry!

From the movie script:

[Captain Shepherd, played by George Clooney, looks up from the Kongsberg ECDIS display]

Capt. Shepherd: Thanks to our radar antenna from Raytheon we'll avoid the shoals, but prepare the Viking lifeboats anyway, sailor!

[First mate Smiley, played by Stellan Skarsgaard, clutches his stomach]

First mate Smiley: I can't, Captain. I think I had some bad oysters. I can't wait 'til we reach Port of Rotterdam's excellent medical facilities.

Capt. Shepherd: That's right, Smiley. Who doesn't love Port of Rotterdam? It's your world-class port!

[Chief engineer Frizzlenut, played by Selma Hayek, enters the bridge]

Chief Engineer Frizzlenut: Did someone say Port of Rotterdam? Ooh, I just love the port of Rotterdam. It's Europe's number one shortsea hub!

Capt. Shepherd: And it's number one feeder hub!

All: Let's get to Port of Rotterdam right away!

[Cue "Port of Rotterdam" dance number]

Anyone wanting help with product placement, let me know. I've already got the scene where everybody's absorbed in their reading of 59° 56' N all worked out....

The first Big Blue Report is now available! Check it out!

Maritime marketer, this is the ideal tool for planning strategic campaigns and staying up-to-date on new opportunities!

By Ryan Skinner (email)

Big Blue Report - February 2010 has hit the street! Check it out here!

What is the Big Blue Report? This monthly report includes the latest in offers and opportunities for maritime marketing, from the industry's leading publications, trade shows and web-sites. In addition, there are articles to help you sharpen your maritime marketing toolkit.

If you want to receive the Big Blue Report every month, subscribe by sending an email to me. If you think a colleague or contact would like it, share it! Just fire him/her this link: http://marinemedia.ning.com.

The Big Blue Report itself is only one of many new tools to help maritime marketers nail opportunities, win renown and plan strategic campaigns. Other tools include:

• A number of value-added resources at http://marinemedia.ning.com, including a full list of maritime trade publications, maritime trade shows and maritime web-sites, and a master editorial calendar!
• A LinkedIn group called Marine Media where maritime marketers and the maritime media and trade show representatives can discuss opportunities and ideas and share opinions.
• An online library of advertisements, tagged up by date, publication, print or web, product area and company name.

Go ahead and share this with colleagues who work in marketing, PR, communications, sales, advertising, trade shows or digital! And remember to subscribe, so you get the March report too!

New for maritime media and marketers: Talk shop!

 New forum aims to speed communication and spread opportunities for marketers & media

By Ryan Skinner (email)

Marketers in the maritime industry and publishers, trade show organizers and site owners have tremendous potential from increased co-operation. A LinkedIn forum called "Marine Media" seeks to create it.

Marketers:

• Tell trade magazines, publishers, web-site owners and show organizers what you want
• Discuss what you find that works, and what doesn't
• Share your experience and discoveries from related industries 
• Establish key contacts in the maritime media community, for further co-operation

Media & trade shows:

• Create polls of marketing professionals, to gauge future developments
• Share new developments, in terms of coverage, displays and events
• Discuss which areas are not covered well enough (or covered too well?)
• Establish closer contacts with opinion-makers in the maritime marketing world

Simply go to the Marine Media LinkedIn group page and apply. If you have anything to do with marketing, media, trade shows or services to these in the maritime or offshore industry, you're right in the profile. Join today and discuss new opportunities!

Another feature of this group is access to (and the ability to influence) a key monthly report for marketers in the maritime industry: The Big Blue Report! The inaugural report will be published tomorrow. Want to get one? Either send me an email to subscribe or keep your eyes on marinemedia.ning.com.

Maritime marketers and media, let's talk!

Do you need time at sea to work in shipping?

The same prejudice that may hamper shipping's growth, makes communication possible

By Ryan Skinner (email)
WWII poster apparently aims to recruit gay sailors 

If you work in the shipping industry but you haven't worked on a ship, you'll know what I'm talking about. The condescension, even the contempt, of the mariner for the land-lubber. Even if the mariner has long since come ashore and he's talking to an accountant, or lawyer, or PR flack (about accounting, law or PR), he'll make it clear that only he knows what's what in this industry.

It's infuriating, to put it mildly. How many times have I asked myself: "Do astronauts express condescension for the rocket scientists who make space travel possible? Does anyone give a damn if you've flown a plane if you're working in the airlines business? So who cares about time at sea?"

Yet, I've discovered a reason for this prejudice. The shipping business regularly requires its practitioners to get very up close and personal with people they might otherwise have nothing in common with. Perhaps the quickest and easiest route to any common ground goes via the shared experience of battling the sea (and perhaps battling the crap equipment installed on the ship).

Good communication is very dependent on cultural values. If the least common value denominator in shipping is time at sea, that becomes the gold standard. And if you don't share it, well, you're just out of the picture. You don't understand.

As a communicator in this industry, and one without any professional time at sea, it's a challenge. So mariners, what do you think? Is this a gross over-simplification, or not? And non-mariner types, do you empathize? Felt the same pain?

A grin too wide - Was justice served in Norway?

Retroactive laws are unjust and should be stricken, but why all the big smiles?

By Ryan Skinner (email)

"Whew! This year we'll have enough dough to put salt in our soup, eh, Andreas?" 

"Norwegian shipping lines win back-tax case" was the headline in the Financial Times Friday. Four years of legal battles between Norway's shipowners and its government ended 3.6 billion dollars in the shipowners' favor. Yet the shipowners did themselves few favors by breaking out the fat grins after the verdict.

If I was the Norwegian Shipowners' Association's PR advisor (note: I'm not), I would have strongly advised them to appear just as sober and aggrieved at news of the victory, as they had been previously. They want the point here to be: "The government has tried to get away with a terrible abuse of power. This has now been redressed. During these hard times, this will benefit society."

Instead, under headlines pronouncing the shipowners' victory and multi-billion dollar reward, they smile like they won the lottery. For the 90 per cent of readers who go no further into the story, it looks like the fat cats have pulled another coup over Norway's clumsy socialist government.

The Norwegian supreme court justices who decided this case no doubt concerned themselves only with interpreting the law. But that the back-tax was imposed during high times, when it seemed as if shipowners were amassing tremendous wealth, and is now repealed during a recession, must have had an impact. No matter how you cut this cake, the flavor is politics.

The next time that Norway's shipowners' fate is in the grip of the public will, these shipowners may rue those smiles.

NOTE: It would surprise me very little if Norway's left-leaning press corps skewed the coverage to the shipowners' disadvantage ("quick, they're smiling, take a picture!"), but the shipowners themselves made it too easy for them.

"Sturla, release the pigeons." 

Probably the best shipping ad you'll see this year

It takes boldness to communicate well, as DSME illustrates well with a new campaign

By Ryan Skinner (email)

As if in answer to yesterday's post, I stumbled over this advertisement for DSME in Fairplay Solutions.

This ad is rich in so many ways. Many advertisers - out of fear to lose an opportunity - stuff as many products, messages and taglines as possible into their ad, and fail to communicate anything.

Here DSME says very little, but manages to succeed at communicating something very important: a feeling of trust and cohesion. We're in this together. This advertisement would do just as well in The Economist (and, perhaps, it would achieve more there). It's worth noting that it's an Eastern company that has so successfully used the visual medium. And for those who read closely into the text and understand the dynamics of shipbuilding today, there is more to discover.

Bravo.