The History of Daddy Claxton

Yesterday, the Modern Media Man Summit received it’s greatest level of support to date: A whopping, super duper sponsorship from Chevrolet and General Motors.  This one announcement has taken M3 to a new level of credibility, and today, we’ve been in touch with two other significant sponsors from two other spaces in the marketplace.  

What we as men and dad bloggers now must also come to realize is that it’s now our job to reciprocate in the generosity of Chevrolet and GM,  P&G’s project Man Of  The House, PitchEngine, and iContact, and bring our A-Games to the equation.

In our quest to seek sponsors, we’ve heard from a good many of them about the frustration brands have when they get taken for granted by other bloggers in the past who seemed a little less savvy to the principles of doing business.

Companies are into social media because of the value of the relationships they have with bloggers and social media mavens.  And like all good relationships, there needs to be a balance between give and take.

I’m not speaking on behalf of any of our sponsors specifically, but brands make investments in conferences like M3 so that they also yield a return on their investment.  They are, after all, in existence to make money.  Investing in conferences like M3, is a newer form of traditional marketing.  Likewise, if they make a buy in a local/national newspaper and they don’t see any shifts in purchase trends, they move away from that modality in the future and put it somewhere else where there will be a positive return with measurable metrics.

Seriously, isn’t this how all of us do business?  We try something.  If it brings tangible results, we consider it a success.  If we’re making such investments on behalf of a client and we place their money on something and if in the end, there’s a low ROI, how likely is it that your client is going to let you do it again the following year?

This is one of the prime factors M3 is seeking to make sure doesn’t happen as we assist men and dad bloggers in their formations of partnerships with brands in the future.  Let’s face it, there are some Wanna Be Mom Diva bloggers out there, whom we all know and “love,” who contact brands and say, “Hi, I’m @SuzieSweetieSnazzle on Twitter, and I’d like for you to let me know when I can come pick up:  a car … try out a new phone …  get a whole exercise gym in my house … get a new house to live in … etc. Now, can I come get one tomorrow or when will it be delivered?”

How do you think brands feel when they get this sort of treatment?   How would you feel if you were a brand manager and got a DM from @SuzieSweetieSnazzle? **

My guess is the first thing you’d say to yourself is, “Well, let’s ship one out to Suzie right now!”  Uh, no.

Ultimately, the questions would start with, now how much would that cost me?  How much reach does @SuzieSweetieSnazzle even have?  Oh, she has 69 followers on Twitter, is following 1,996, and has 98 friends on Facebook, and has an Alexa ranking somewhere between 5-6 million worldwide.  Seeing that, you’d say, “Let me pick up the phone and call shipping!”  Uh, no.

Guys, we have our chance to show that we understand how to participate in the social media space with brands.  Several of our guys have been knowingly joking in their tweets about how they’d like to use Chevrolet products for the drive to program to M3 since we made the announcement.  While I’m sure all of us would like to get our own Camaro or Corvette to drive cross country to the event, that’s not what our sponsor has in mind.  (I’m sure they’re happy though to see us using their product names, so don’t let that stop!)

Indeed, they’re trying to reach family men; Guys who are excited to have a turn at the wheel of one of their new lines of Chevrolet or GM SUVs or Crossovers.  (And guys, on a cross-country road trip, it’ll be okay to share the wheel.)

They want us to feature cars that look sleek on the outside, but also are practical enough to use back at home with moms who you have 2.5 kids with; who like 2-2-3 row seating configurations because that means you’re not going to have to fool with a bench row when you get the kids out of the car for school/soccer drop offs; and yet is still sophisticated enough with OnStar, cool gadgets like the back up camera, the Bluetooth connections for your cell phone, and the Bose speakers so you can crank it when you get to drive to the ZippyMart to pick up a gallon of milk at 9:30 p.m or put gas in the car for the next morning’s routine.

And by reaching guys who are interested in those particulars, it’s then where we’re going to be looking for guys who are the mayors of great places to eat on FourSquare, who tell great photo and word stories on Whrrl, who Tweet their business–”Hey Y’all, I just passed a (insert name of cool-looking @Chevrolet product) that looks like the one I’m in & damn, I know I’m hot because she looked hot in hers.”  (Obviously, there’d be the hope at that point that the Mrs. doesn’t follow your Tweets.)

And then there’s the prospect of blogging, posting pictures of your adventure, and, even asking others to write about their experiences in the same make of car. (My example to you of such would be from my relationship with @GMTexas, who loaned me a 2010 Traverse in June and we created www.TraverseAdventures.com)

At Modern Media Men Summit, we’re thrilled to have a sponsor like Chevrolet on board.  They’ve been great to work with and are really excited about coming to Atlanta Sept. 9-11 for our first-ever event.  Obviously, we’re still looking to close the deal on other great brands and get others to join with them.  Our essential point to all brand managers and potential sponsors out there reading this is simple:  As men and dad bloggers, we get it.  We’re happy to do the Quid Pro Quo dance with you in Hotlanta.

Like I’ve said, a sponsor like Chevrolet is fantastic to have aboard as our Platinum Sponsor.  The company that forever has burned the notion of “Baseball, Apple Pie and Chevrolet” has stepped up to the proverbial plate.  Now it’s time for Modern Media Men to bring their bats.  We’ve got some social media hitting to do.

** (For clarity’s sake, I do not know anyone named SuzieSweetieSnazzle and the characters make the name impossible to have on Twitter.)

1. iFroggy

   iFroggy

   @daddyclaxton I think that a lot of it has to do simply with how you were raised, too, oddly enough. I’ve been talking with companies and receiving free products since at least 2003 or so, when I would have been 18. I never had the obnoxious, gross sense of entitlement that your post mentions and that I’ve seen in people. Definitely ugly! 17 minutes ago via web

• • Chevrolet becomes Platinum Sponsor for 2010 Modern Media Man Summit
  • Christopher Barger, director, Global Social Media, General Motors attending
  • “Drive To” cars available to limited number of Men/Dads Attending
  • Sept. 9 – 11 Modern Media Man Summit now 51 days away

Sponsorship includes “Drive To” program for selected men/dad bloggers, other fun surprises

ATLANTA—The Modern Media Man Summit Thursday announced that Chevrolet has become the first platinum sponsor for the first-ever blogging conference for men and dads to be held at the Omni Hotel – CNN Center in Atlanta from Sept. 9-11, 2010.

Christopher Barger, director, Global Social Media, for General Motors, who will be in attendance at M3, said sponsorship with Modern Media Man was an easy decision to make.

“Chevrolet and General Motors recognize the increasing influence of men and dad bloggers in the marketplace,” Barger said.  “We are looking forward to the Modern Media Man Summit as our opportunity to continue fostering positive relationships between this emerging sector of social media.  Through our relationship, we are providing resources to make this event happen, while at the same time providing Chevrolet vehicles for a ‘drive to’ program, vehicles to test drive at the event, and very likely, a ‘player to be named later.’”

Debbie T. Lawrence, M3’s co-founder Tuesday thanked Chevrolet and GM for its participation in the upcoming event.

“The Modern Media Man Summit was designed to bring big brands together with the increasing number of men and dad bloggers involved with social media,” Lawrence said.   “Bringing GM and Chevrolet to M3 as a Platinum Sponsor far and away exceeds our expectations and we are honored this internationally recognized brand is being so active in our upcoming event.”

Organizers have arranged to bring together the entire men’s marketplace; bloggers, podcasters, videobloggers, online TV and radio broadcasters, social media influencers, consumers and small business owners for the event.

With it’s sponsorship, Chevrolet is providing a limited number of vehicles that will be used by selected men and dads across the country to drive to the Atlanta venue.  During the cross-country adventure, those using the cars will be providing social media updates via such sites as Twitter, Facebook, their blogs, FourSquare and Whrrl as part of their participation.

At the Atlanta event, M3 participants also will have the opportunity to drive a wide-range of Chevrolet vehicles, which could include the Traverse, Equinox, Malibu, Corvette, Camaro and Volt.

Kevin Roy, M3’s other co-founder also said that GM’s Barger, aka @CBarger, will be attending the conference and offering a great opportunities for men and dads to put a face to the name.

“Social media is a great platform for creating relationships online, however, there’s still nothing better than a handshake and the ability to look someone in the eyes and know that you’re working toward establishing long lasting bonds,” Roy said.  “Most guys know Christopher Barger as @CBarger on Twitter.  As of September 9^th, they’re going to have the opportunity to get to know him in person which will add significant value to the relationship for Chevrolet and for M3’s individual bloggers themselves.”

Details about event sponsors, a menu of the speakers/panelists, costs for credentials, and venue information are available on www.ModernMediaMan.com.

Modern Media Man Summit

The Modern Media Man organization was founded with the focus of becoming the first dedicated blogging conference in the United States focused solely on the issues facing men and dad bloggers as they pursue their interests in blogging about personal, business and educational issues.  The organization is focused on meeting the needs of bloggers, podcasters, videobloggers, online TV and radio broadcasters, social media influencers, consumers and small business owners, while also bringing them together with key corporate brands affected by the active purchasing power of today’s Modern Media Man.

The M3 Summit will feature a host of recognized speakers; include a variety of essential seminars, panel discussions and keynotes from some of the best known in the industry.   Held in Atlanta, the three-day conference lends a once-a-year opportunity for contact and lead generation, the exchange of ideas, and a look into the heart of men and dad bloggers.  More information about Modern Media Man and the M3 Summit can be found at www.ModernMediaMan.com.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is one of America’s best-known and best-selling automotive brands, and one of the fastest growing brands in the world. With fuel solutions that range from “gas-friendly to gas-free,” Chevrolet has nine models that offer an EPA-estimated 30 miles per gallon or more on the highway, and offers two hybrid models. More than 2.5 million Chevrolets that run on E85 biofuel have been sold. Chevrolet delivers expressive design, spirited performance and strives to provide the best value in every segment in which it competes. More information can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

—30—

As noted in this space many, many times, I’m a big fan of Gary Vaynerchuk and his book Crush It! My copy of the book is covered in as much self-applied ink as what the publisher printed.  As a man/dad blogger, I’ve really stepped up my social media presence in 2010 thanks to reading and re-reading Crush It! and other noted books, and the results are really beginning to show.

One of the primary points we’re trying to make to men/dad bloggers through the Modern Media Man Summit is that besides the great one like GaryVee, women and moms aren’t the only ones who can do social media and do it successfully.  And wisely, in the blog world we’re beginning to see brands begin to better recognize that we men/dads are out here wanting to do good things with our social media presence and do something quid pro quo as well.

@SnickersIceCrm

Last Thursday morning before Mom and I headed out the door to go to on our adventure trip for the Taste of Creede, CO for the weekend, I stumbled upon the mouth-watering taste at the thought of  Snicker’s Ice Cream brand’s Twitter account and sent them the following tweet:

@SnickersIceCrm: I’ll bet with lots of dry ice & some ingenuity I could sample some samples & tell the world how good your product is!

Their almost immediate response was simple and to the point:

Ha! How about I send you some coupons!

With a follow up DM of my mailing address, I smiled, told mom how cool that was and we walked out the door on our trip.

ONE WEEK LATER

Today, June 3, a week later, I received in the mail 6 coupons:  Three for $1 off the Snicker’s Ice Cream product lines and three coupons for FREE boxes of their product lines. 

Feast your mouth-watering eyes on this: The coupons are good for “Any one MULTI PACK: DOVEBAR Brand 3 Pack, DOVEBAR Miniatures, DOVE Brand Packaged Ice Cream, TWIX Ice Cream Bar 6 Pack, M&M’s Brand Cookie Ice Cream Cone 6 Pack, SNICKER’S Ice Cream Cone 6 Pack, SNICKER’S Ice Cream Bar 6 Pack, SNICKER’S Ice Cream Bar Miniatures.”

Until I just typed that, I didn’t know there was a Twix Ice Cream Bar, and to know that there are six of them in a pack, well, I’m all that about that. (Just don’t tell my EA SPORTS Active friends!)

You see, the other great thing about all this is that I did this as a man blogger/dad blogger!  Yes, even with testosterone in my system, I’m able to reach out to brands, make contacts, offer to do something positive for their company, and reap incredible rewards because of it.

Hey, and now I also get to enjoy SIX TWIX Ice Cream Bars that I won’t be telling my DDs that I have!  Sorry girls, I don’t know where they went…..

“YASEETIMMY”

If you ever watched the 1994 movie “Speechless” with Michael Keaton and Geena Davis, you will recall that Keaton said at the end of a good story, there’s a “YaSeeTimmy,” just like in Lassie when they always said, “You see Timmy ….” and passed on an important lesson from the episode.

The Ya See Tim,/Jim/Gary/Chuck/Don, of this lesson is two-fold:

1. Brands want to have relationships with men/dad bloggers. At the present, it’s sort of a challenge for them to find us.  Without parsing any words, it’s been a Mom Blogger World for far too long.  Moms do a lot of the buying in a household, but so do we men/dads. Reaching out to brands and connecting with them can be a positive experience.  There needs to be a system for helping brands find dads.  I know some peeps who are working on just that!
2. Men/Dads, we need to do a better job of reaching out to brands. They’re not going to come looking for us.  Well, they’re kind of having to, but it makes it a challenge for them when they can find 500 mom bloggers at the click of an enter button on Google and they can’t do that when they go looking for us.  We must step up our efforts to present ourselves to brands online, to build positive mutually-beneficial relationships with the brand managers, and then do honest and positive things to support that relationship.

There is an ever-increasing role in the blogosphere for men/dads.  There are some great pioneers in this field–e.g. Gary Vaynerchuk, etc.  but there are more of us still standing around on the shoulder of the information highway wishing we had the courage or knew the right way to stop a top brand coming down the expressway.

@GMTexas

I can’t give a better current example of the benefits of a quid pro quo men/dad blogger exchange than my relationship with Donna M. from @GMTexas. Our connectivity began through her own Twitter account and then through the corporate account.

I’ve been invited to three events with GM now in the past two months and been in town to enjoy two of them.  While I was savoring the thought of eating the Snicker’s Ice Cream bars, I received a phone call on behalf of GM.  From roughly noon June 21, 2010 to noon June 28, 2010, I’ll be the driver of a 2010 Chevy Traverse LTZ, complete with OnStar, XM Radio and free to go anywhere I want to with it during those seven days.

The girls and I are planning an adventure for that week.  As a matter of fact, you already can go to TRAVERSEADVENTURES.com and find yourself right back here at www.DaddyClaxton.com.  Just wait, in a few days, there will be a specific page set up just so you can find out great things about this new product from GM.

And that, my friends, makes all this even better than the convertible roadster Keaton was driving Davis around in Speechless.

Courtesy of the kind fokes @GMTexas today, I went to the Texas Motor Speedway for what was planned to be a great day at the races.  Being a social media Daddy Blogger, this was my first chance of working with a major car company and I have to say, after seeing that the Chevy 2010 Traverse will hold 30 percent more than the Honda Pilot; has a third row perfect for a dad with three girls who love to travel; and just looks darn good with myself in it–I want one.   

I'd never heard of this car before today.  But I'm all about it now.  I looked at the GM specs and it's a cool ride.  It's got more horsepower than the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and the Ford Flex. 

It also has more space: 116.4 cubic feet v. the 87 of the Honda Pilot–hence the 30 percent comparison.  I got to watch people put odd shaped boxes in one just to show how much stuff you can pack into this car and again, I want one.  (See photo below)

Remember when I moved my stuff a few weeks ago in the Chrysler Sebring convertible?  I could have cut the number of trips in half with a Traverse.   

And then something that's immensely important to any dad–safety.  The Traverse has a 5-Star crash safety rating.  That's the highest there is.  It has six standard air bags, and head-curtain side air bags in each of the three rows.  As a dad, that's critical to me and something I just don't have in the convertible.  Not to mention On-Star.

Other cool features include the built-in DVD, Bluetooth and even a Flash connection you can plug in with music files.  And if you're really wanting it, you can also add the rear view back up camera and screen.

My situation in life has seemed pretty grim over the past couple of months.  So far 2010 has brought some fairly significant changes in my life–and while at times it's felt like I was getting lemons, I'm starting to make some sweet, sweet lemonade. 

Dads and moms, you really should go visit a GM dealer near you and take a look at this car.  I think you're going to be surprised at the product selection at a GM dealership. 

I got into that Traverse this morning and I felt like I was sitting in the lap of luxury, all the while feeling like I was in a solid vehicle.  GM has taken a lot of hits on their chin just like I have in the past couple of years.  For me, they're now an inspiration because even as they were in the midst of financial stress and despair, struggling for survival, they, too, pulled it all together and are now turning out a far superior product.   

In a few months, certainly by this time next year, I'm hoping to be in a more sound place, just like GM is today. 

But for today, I now have a new dream to chase, thanks to GM.  I had a great time today.  It even rained so I didn't see the first race car going around the track.  But that's okay.  I have a new appreciation for a car company that my dad only used to buy when I was a kid.  I have a reason to come back to GM now, too.  And now I have a new journey in which to traverse.