The marketing environment has changed a lot since we started working with the National Chicken Council in 2001, to promote the consumption of chicken and get consumers excited about September as National Chicken Month. Over the past nine years Cyphers has helped promote the brand with everything from national campaigns, to retail promotions, to updating and maximizing their web presence.

Each year we take a fresh look at the brand and the emerging marketing techniques and trends available to us. This year, with the creation of the new Push-n-Pull division we’ve had plenty of new, unique and effective word of mouth options to propose to the National Chicken Council.

Nine years ago we were organizing massive direct mail projects. Today, we’re organizing features on foodie blogs, making twitter friends, and creating a very non-traditional approach to promoting September as National Chicken Month. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to create some buzz and make some waves for the National Chicken Council using the power of our Push-n-Pull division. To stay updated on all the fun things happening for the NCC this year, log on to Twitter and follow @ChickenFTW and check out www.eatchicken.com in the coming months.

Recently, a study of over 800 consumers by Bazaarvoice and richrelevance, and conducted by JupiterResearch showed that 48% of all online shoppers plan to spend less this year, that’s a lot less spending. It also means that consumers are going to be a lot more picky about what they purchase, relying on reviews, ratings, and recommendations to make purchase decisions.

Here’s a look at what the survey revealed about reduced spending plans:

If you are connected to any of these industries, now would be a good time to consider your online reputation and take an active role in managing it. Spreading yourself out to cast the widest net possible can not only increase the likelihood that consumers will be able to find you, but it helps consumers get the information they need to make a purchase decision.

The study also found the major sources that influence purchase decision. Here’s a look:

Are you leveraging the web to work in your favor? If not, feel free to get in touch, we’d love to talk to you about how you can expand your reputation and help consumers find the information they need about you.

Ok, so there may not be a Fiesta in my pants, but there may be one in my future. Ford and digital think tank, Undercurrent, have recently launched the Fiesta Movement. Ford will be giving away new Ford Fiestas for six months to 100 drivers complete with free gas, insurance, parking, and concierge services. All you’ve got to do is upload a 2-5 minute video explaining why you should be chosen to participate in the Fiesta Movement, upload it to your YouTube account, add the tag “fiestamovement.” Check out some current entries here.

If you’re chosen to participate, you’ll be asked to complete monthy missions and document your activity the whole time via tweets, blogs, videos, picures, and any other way you can for public consumption. To enter, you’ll have to complete the full application by midnight March 23, 2009.

It seems many brands are moving their marketting efforts from more traditional avenues to opportunities to gain social capital. See also: The Best Job in the World and Lost in America.

At The Cyphers Agency, we embrace opportunities like these. If you’d like to talk about how you can do things differently and get people talking about your brand, give us a call, we’d love to talk to you.