We noted here several times last fall that Barack Obama's rise to power is a new textbook for brand marketers worldwide. In it, they'll find chapters on crafting a winning vision, speaking from the heart, and how to motivate people on the ground. All good things to know. Matt Bai, who covers politics for the New York Times Magazine, explores another question from the campaign--virtual proximity. The 20th century was …
Bring A Balanced Attack
Earlier this week a student in England asked if it is now more beneficial for companies to advertise on the internet rather than on television? Bob Hoffman, who owns an agency in San Francisco that makes TV spots for McDonald's and Toyota, says, "no." Beverly Thorne, senior VP-marketing, Century 21 is of another mind. According to Ad Age, Century 21 will stop running national TV and put that money into online …
Creative People Find Elegant Solutions (It’s Our Job)
Bill Taylor, co-author of Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win with Polly LaBarre, reminds us that tough economic times are also times of innovation. Don't let risky times dull your appetite for taking risk. More then ever, companies and their leaders have to offer a positive alternative to a demoralizing status quo. So why wouldn't you move now to shake up your market and transform your …
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There’s Gold In Them ‘Tubes, I Swear
Huffington Post and Digg are two Web 2.0 companies that have been valued north of $200 million. Now editors from BusinessWeek, AdAge and Gawker are looking at the books and saying, "not so fast." According to Simon Dumenco, HuffPo collected just $302,000 in ad revenue last year. He says soberly that the company might be worth $2 mil. Dumenco also says HuffPo has "an ethically questionable content-generation scheme." …
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What W+K Sounds Like
I started an internet radio station at The Integer Group in 2002. It was called KTIG and featured playlists from about a dozen associates in the Denver office. After I left the agency, the project withered away. The reasons we made the effort in the first place: a) to create a working model for our client, Coors Brewing Company b) to provide Integer staff with an outlet for expression c) to generate PR and WOM for …
Content Is Omnipresent. Cash Is Not.
Once upon a time, JPG Magazine was a good idea. It was also a new idea. Derek Powazek and Heather Champ were all in, and the future looked bright. But things-- as they are wont to do--changed. Derek and Heather walked away, the economy spun backwards on its axis and now JPG Magazine is folding. Maybe. TechCrunch says, "It's not a good time to be a print magazine right now. Even a crowdsourced magazine with a …
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Before An Ad Can Be Placed, It Has To Be Created
Just about all media companies dabble in the creation of advertising. They have to, since the placement of said advertising is the lifeblood of their revenue stream, and advertisers often do not have the time, nor the inclination, to contract with a creative agency. Particularly when the media entity is offering to create the ads for free in return for the media buy. According to The New York Times: The Condé Nast …
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A Sliver of Social Media, An Entire Helping of TV
Alan Wolk sees a new dawn for branded communications when he speaks of "The Great Unleveling". ...for the past fifty years, brands have been able to rely on marketing to "create a splash" for low-interest products and services. So that a clever TV spot with a catchy tag line really could have significant impact on brand awareness for the general public. That's because that TV spot was competing for your attention …
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