In the wake of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, leaders in the industry came to the conclusion that change is necessary in climate and energy policy. The discussion began with an overview of the energy challenges currently facing much of our world. Energy is in high demand, a demand that has doubled in 2010, and, as a result of extensive CO2 emissions, global temperature has increased and dependency on energy imports has also hiked steadily upward.

Dr. Martin Schoepe, Head of the Renewable Energy Division of International and EU Affairs, explored the options for renewable energy based on the European Union’s standing use of hydropower, biomass, wind energy and photovoltaics. In the EU today, 40% of energy in new buildings is renewable energy and new cars have reduced the emission of CO2 significantly. Sylvia Pilarsky-Grosch, Vice President of German WindEnergy, explained that Germany has currently installed 25,777 megawatts of renewable energy capacity via wind turbines, proving that wind energy is a viable option for the United States.

Howard Learner, President and Executive Director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center, focused on the renewable energy situation on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, particularly in the Midwest. According to Learner, Midwest states will have 20 to 25% renewable energy by the year 2025 and enormous technological improvements have already decreased the cost of renewable energy by half. While the improvements in Illinois are not on-scale with the massive improvements in Berlin, recent growth has lead to the recognition of Illinois, along with Ohio, as the solar energy leaders in the United States. Currently, the United States has 70 to 80% acceptance rates for the use of renewable energy. Energy efficiency and the positive effect on global warming emissions will help to raise the acceptance rate even higher for the United States to adopt performance standards that support renewable energy. Additionally, Thomas Cushing, Senior Vice President of the Chicago Climate Exchange elucidated a six percent reduction in emissions simply due to companies that made a commitment to reduce their emissions through trade.

So why does it matter to I Imagine Studio? Policies and advancements that support our world, support our agency. I Imagine Studio is dedicated to corporate social responsibility, as evidenced by our clients, our work, and our investment in community endeavors such as the Chicago Green Festival. In order to be a leader in revamping a socially responsible world, we must arm ourselves with knowledge of advancements and challenges in all aspects of the Green movement. Support for renewable energy, and a safer, healthier planet for our families and friends, begins with companies like I Imagine Studio. This conference was only the first step in the impact we can have on the world we live in.

To support Rotary’s campaign to eradicate the disease, I Imagine Studio has created an interactive, strategic viral communications initiative that allows anyone to sign a symbolic virtual soccer ball online. At www.kickpoliooutofafrica.org, individuals can learn more about Rotary’s polio eradication efforts in Africa, make a donation, autograph the digital ball, and then see their signatures and comments alongside those of world leaders.

Rotary’s “Kick Polio Out of Africa” program was launched earlier this year in Cape Town, South Africa, one of the host cities for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The effort began with the kicking of a real soccer ball that was signed by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, a polio survivor.

That ball has since been signed by numerous African heads of state, government ministers and famous “footballers” as it travels to special events in 22 polio-affected countries across the continent. After zigzagging across Africa, the ball’s tour will end in Alexandria, Egypt. Following a trip to the Rotary International Convention in Montreal in June, the ball will return to South Africa as the centerpiece for a special FIFA World Cup event.

Online Campaign Mirrors the Tour

I Imagine Studio’s “Kick Polio Out of Africa” application and microsite allows digital signatories to view the signatures and comments of other signatories from around the globe located on a map per the signatories’ provided locations, follow the ball’s journey through Africa on a map and via links to blogs, and learn more about the horrific effects of polio. Participants are encouraged to invite others to sign the ball via e-mail, Facebook and Twitter.

“This online campaign is a true testimony of the power people have today to promote causes using social media to help each other to live in dignity,” said Alena Tsimis, I Imagine Studio’s managing director.

I Imagine responded quickly and creatively to Rotary’s need to create awareness for the “Kick Polo out of Africa” initiative online.

Kick Polio out of Africa has been a true inspiration for the team at I Imagine Studio.  We are especially proud that we were able to make this sophisticated program come together in five days to meet Rotary’s needs.

Help Rotary International eradicate polio by checking out the microsite (www.kickpoliooutofafrica.org).  Sign the ball and join millions who are united in the effort to Kick Polio Out of Africa!  Once you’ve signed, click on the “Share” bar to pass the ball along to your friends via Facebook and Twitter.

Over 50% of Facebook fans and 67% of Twitter followers said that they are more likely to make a purchase from at least a few brands that they follow.  This statistic is evidence of the direct return on investment brands can generate when they employ successful social media strategies.

Social media has also proven to be incredibly powerful with regards to word-of-mouth marketing. Those who become fans of and follow brands are significantly more likely to spread the word; 60% of  Facebook fans and 80% of Twitter followers say they would recommend brands they follow to their friends.

If the result of increased Facebook fandom and Twitter following is sales, how can marketers grow their social media fans? The most popular reason for becoming a Facebook fan of a brand, chosen by 25% of respondents, is to receive discounts and promotional information. Other top reasons included simply being a customer of the company (21%) and wanting to show others that they like the brand (18%). On Twitter, the top reasons for following a brand were discounts and access to up-to-the-minute information and exclusive content.

The numbers speak for themselves. In this day and age, social media is a necessary component of any brand’s online strategy. Brand loyalty via social media extends far beyond the social media world and into the real world. Nurturing your revenues means nurturing your customer base, and social media may be one of the most cost-effective ways to do so.

Read the full article from emarketer.com here.

Facebook and Twitter have numerical metrics, such as numbers for followers and fans, which provide a good foundation for analyzing social media impact. However, marketers can take these metrics a step further, calculating the ratio of followers to followees on Twitter, or studying the number of times their messages are re-tweeted. Grader.com is one of the tools that could help you analyze your organization’s Twitter, Facebook, blog, and Web site influence by evaluating such factors.

One way to measure - and boost - a company’s online presence is by evaluating the content posted on their blog, Web site, etc.  The social bookmarking site Delicious is a great tool for identifying the type of content that is resonating with your consumers by evaluating the articles and blog posts that are being bookmarked. The number of retweets and inbound links are also good indicators of content’s success. Organizations can drive social media success by simply generating content that is interesting and valuable to their customers.

Tracking the origin of the traffic to your site and conversions is another effective way to measure success of your social media strategy. Knowing which sources are bringing in the traffic and conversions and which are lagging will help you determine which of the platforms to focus on and which to abandon.

Below is some practical advice from the AMA Social Media: Cracking the Code for Business Marketers Webinar on how to improve your customer service via social media:

• Know your customer. In the realm of social media, some customers are more important than others. When users sign up for information on your site, ask if they have a blog, Facebook, or Twitter page.  Try to go a step further and identify consumers who are especially influential and respected throughout the social media networks. These influencers can be immensely helpful or harmful to your business, depending on their customer service experiences.

• Practice real-time problem resolution. The longer it takes to solve a problem, the more likely it is to escalate and enter the public domain, and the more likely it is that the customer will undertake a personal crusade against the company.

• Utilize interactive customer service tools. Customer service widgets and wikis encourage customers to engage with the brand. And since consumers appreciate easily accessible, direct customer service, it’s a good idea to bring customer service to consumers where they already are: on social media outlets.

Since its inception Imagine Studio has worked with a number of non-profit and good will organizations, helping educate the public about their missions. As part of their commitment to corporate social responsibility, the agency dedicates 20% of their time to pro bono work.

I Imagine Studio created an online banner campaign for Rotary International to raise awareness about their End Polio Now campaign. When Organic Association of New Zealand needed to establish global brand awareness, I Imagine Studio helped them create a clear value proposition. A strong supporter of education, I Imagine Studio was also excited to work with the Meritas Family of Schools on developing outstanding admissions materials to educate parents about the importance of investing in their child’s education.

I Imagine Studio has extended its pro bono services to other organizations such as the American Jewish Committee, La Rabida Hospital, and the Emergency Fund for Needy People. Alena Tsimis, Managing Director of IIS, recalls, “When we started our agency, the very first project we took on was pro bono work for the Emergency Fund for Needy People. At the time, we had $100 in our business checking account and worked from home in our pajamas. However, helping NFPs has always been important to us.”

Communitas Awards honors businesses, and individuals that go beyond simple rhetoric about voluntarism and corporate responsibility. Their commitment to bettering communities and the environment sets Communitas Awards winners apart from their competition.

A complete list of Communitas Leadership Awards winners can be viewed online at http://www.communitasawards.com/list_leadership.php

I Imagine Studio is not your everyday ad agency. Each day, they strive to make their work - and our world - a little better. I Imagine Studio chooses to dedicate their creative energy to the well being of individuals and society at large, focusing on companies that are making a positive impact on how we live. They care about their clients because they believe in what they do. They care about what they do because they believe that’s how you begin to make a difference. Their clients include Black & Decker, Harmonic Environments, Infiniti, Lifeway Foods, Pee-Wee Herman, Dish Network, George Forman Grill, and Lamin-Art. A full-service, award winning branding and marketing firm, they have offices in Evanston, Illinois and Santa Monica, California. For more information on I Imagine Studio visit www.iimaginestudio.com

McNerney has some serious concerns about America’s economic position. He described a declining level of education in the United States, especially in science and math, which is contributing to a lower relative GNP compared with the rest of the global economy. This is especially troubling for a company like Boeing, which relies on skilled engineers and is having trouble replacing the retiring generation of employees with trained, talented newcomers. McNerney also addressed the major economic problems that have hit the global economy over the past year and a half, saying that free and open trade, not protectionism, is the answer to these current issues.

Boeing’s success, like that of many companies, depends on two critical components: innovation and productivity. Customers, he said, should inspire innovation. Business intelligence and market research are important ways to gain insights about what customers want, therefore driving innovation. Productivity is threatened because the United States is producing fewer engineers than growing economies like China, India, and the Middle East. This intelligence deficit puts the United States at a disadvantage. Global companies like Boeing, however, have been relying heavily on international talent to drive success globally. Boeing currently generates $42 billion in sales from 70 overseas operations.

McNerney and other top business executives who attended the Job Summit at the White House in December agree on many of the above points and share a common vision for improving the US economy. The group identified three points of action for the federal government. First, investing in education is a vital step toward alleviating the intelligence deficit that many companies are facing. Second, the US must establish a tax policy that is mindful of the global playing field without penalizing innovation. Finally, the group encourages the administration to develop a trade policy that breaks down trade barriers and enforces trade agreements. This means addressing the US import tax, which is currently at a high 12%. It also includes improving commercial diplomacy to win over new customers, enhancing negotiation strategies for fair trade opportunities, and employing an aggressive competitive strategy.

But there are other demographics that may be equally important to marketers. African Americans are one example. A recent BET study claims that the African American population is expected to have risen 13.4% since the 2000 Census. This population growth has corresponded with sharp increases in African American buying power, which was up 55% to $913 billion from 2000-2008. By 2013, that number is expected to rise to $1.24 trillion.

Meanwhile, AdWeek ran an article last week indicating that the tastes of some African American are changing as well. AdWeek specifically points out one sector of African American consumers: Affluent African Americans, or AAAs. According to AdWeek, this group has massive untapped purchasing potential since marketers have not figured out how to communicate their messages effectively to AAAs. Marketers must recognize that individuals in this demographic have new interests, refined tastes, and larger pocketbooks.

That brings up another point: the BET study divided participants into seven categories, which were meant to control for factors such as socioeconomic background and media consumption. But it seems as though the best demographic insights cannot be generalized to fit a diverse population. Umbrella terms (“Hispanics,” and “African Americans”) may be far less meaningful than more nuanced demographic categorizations.

The expanded Menu section of the site engages visitors with its visual presentation of the diverse flavor, topping, and health boost options available at Starfruit locations and creatively integrates nutritional information for available products. Among other additions to the site are a What’s New section, which allows visitors to view photos from past events and announcements for upcoming ones, and an About Us section, which presents visitors with information on the health benefits of kefir t and Starfruit’s community involvement and environmental efforts.

Integration of Facebook and Twitter interfaces enables visitors to become Starfruit fans without even leaving the site, maximizing social media reach and building brand awareness across multiple media platforms.

With its effective use of animation and colorful visuals, paired with educational and interactive features, the redesigned Web site successfully conveys Starfruit’s brand personality and generates consumer interest in the Starfruit Universe. I Imagine Studio has created a fun and exciting venue for Starfruit Café to tell its story and engage with potential and existing customers.

About I Imagine Studio

I Imagine Studio is not your everyday ad agency. Each day, they strive to make their work - and our world - a little better. I Imagine Studio chooses to dedicate their creative energy to the well being of individuals and society at large, focusing on companies that are making a positive impact on how we live. They care about their clients because they believe in what they do. They care about what they do because they believe that’s how you begin to make a difference. Their clients include Black & Decker, Harmonic Environments, Infiniti, Lifeway Foods, Pee-Wee Herman, Dish Network, George Forman Grill, and Lamin-Art. A full-service, award winning branding and marketing firm, they have offices in Evanston, Illinois and Santa Monica, California.

According to Paul Verna, an eMarketer senior analyst, “The low cost of social media can lull marketers into improvising solutions.” But marketers must take into account the amount of time and resources spent managing and executing social media campaigns, as well as creating the quality and quantity of content necessary for success.  While there may not be any explicit costs for joining social media networks, there’s no such thing as a free social media campaign.  Since money-both costs and potential earnings-are at stake, it’s clear that marketers need a though-out plan.

Furthermore, social media users are increasingly savvy, as are competitors in the marketplace who are quickly becoming more sophisticated in their use of social media.  Consumers who use social media have high expectations for companies operating in that space.

Most importantly, social media strategy must be considered in conjunction with other company strategies and goals.  Social media is obviously useful as a marketing and communications tool, in which case social media campaigns must be aligned with other branding strategies.  But social media is being used increasingly for other aspects of a company’s operations, such as sales, customer service, and IT.  Social media channels must be both consistent and streamlined so that information can be effectively communicated between consumers and relevant departments within the firm.

For more information and links to other eMarketer Insight Briefs on the subject of social media, click here.