Bio: Tangerine Toad
Alan Wolk
One of the only new voices to come out of the creative side of the ad business, Alan Wolk has staked out a distinctive space for himself and his Toad Stool consultancy. The wide-ranging appeal of Wolk’s common-sense approach to strategy, combined with his hands-on experience as an advertising creative director, has made him the go-to guy for social media thought leadership, speaking and consulting.
His blog, The Toad Stool, is a popular thought leadership site that’s been described as a “frank but fair” look at the confluence of advertising, marketing and Web 2.0.
Adweek Editor Brian Morrissey has called it “one of the ‘must read’ blogs for our industry.”
The most popular series, "Your Brand Is Not My Friend"which deals with the false assumptions marketers make in the 2.0 space (and how to remedy them), has gotten much play in the blogosphere and that has led to columns in Adweek, as well as a national syndication deal via Newstex.
The blog’s popularity has also resulted in numerous requests for speaking engagements. A book is also in the works.
Prior to “seeing the light,” Wolk was a highly successful creative director who spent years at ‘90s hot shop Anderson & Lembke and went on to start up Atmosphere, BBDO’s digital agency, with stints at Ogilvy and JWT along the way. A New York City native and Stuyvesant High School graduate, Wolk currently lives in New Jersey with his wife and 2 kids, where he doubles as a Little League and basketball coach.
Posts by Tangerine Toad:
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What Is Digital Marketing?,
10 Jan 2008 in Featured Posts
While the rise of digital advertising seems to be the only thing anyone in the business is capable of talking about these days, I often find myself wondering what digital advertising really is. Is it a “viral” video like Dove “Evolution” or Smirnoff …
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Design Is the New Advertising,
10 Dec 2007 in Featured Posts
The other day, I came across a t-shirt that read “I’ll pay more for good design.” Now granted, I found it on a site I’d gotten from CoolHunter as I was looking for Hanukkah gifts, and the store was in Brooklyn and all that.
(For those of you not in…
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The Exit Plan,
19 Nov 2007 in Advertising& Featured Posts
The “Exit Plan” is a conversation I seem to be having with more and more of my peers these days. As in “what’s your Exit Plan” for when you’re deemed too old to work in advertising anymore?
It’s a real threat for anyone close to or over 40 and scar…
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Defeating The Armies Of ‘No’,
08 Nov 2007 in Featured Posts
Having spent close to 20 years in the creative departments of ad agencies, I’ve always found it curious how the vast majority of companies all but ensure that their marketing efforts end in failure. Why? Because they’ve burdened themselves with the…
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The Real Digital Revolution,
29 Oct 2007 in Featured Posts
The real digital revolution has nothing to do with advertising or marketing. In fact, it’s the mortal enemy of advertising and marketing.
Because the real digital revolution is about consumer empowerment, the ability to research and learn about pro…
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Not Everyone Is an Upscale, Urban, 30something, White Male Hipster,
18 Oct 2007 in Featured Posts
If all the ads you see on television sound like they’ve been written by the same person, a slightly snarky, all-knowing young hipster, odds are they have. Or, more accurately, by a crew of people who all strive to have the same voice: that of the…
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Social Media Is Only ‘Social’ If You’re Alone,
09 Oct 2007 in Featured Posts
As I mentioned in my post last week, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter would have made my teens and twenties a far more interesting time. These sites are ideal for the sort of audience whose social life is of paramount importance,…
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Your Brand Is Not My Friend,
01 Oct 2007 in Featured Posts
I mean when you think of it, it’s kind of creepy. Facebook is the 21st century diner or malt shop. It’s where teens and young adults go to hang out….
