April 23, 2008
The Publisher's Paradox: Why Traditional Advertising Models Are Dead
Against the backdrop of incessant reporting about record reductions in newspaper subscriptions and advertising revenue, I read a recent article that stated the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review is losing about $20 million per year.
April 16, 2008
Fear: It's Not Sociable
When we read what people write -- on blogs, in newspaper editorials, etc., it's easy to take for granted our knowledge of that person and the concept of a shared experience. The truth is, though, that it is an interaction that often takes place only in our own minds, and as wonderful as the Internet is and is becoming at bringing people together from vast distances, nothing compares to meeting face to face.
February 18, 2008
The Difference Between Success and Failure
One of the most difficult things to do when you know something is remember what it was like to not know it. This is of particular importance when you are building websites for for someone other than you. This was brought into clearer focus when I finished reading The Design of Everyday Things, which explained that not only must websites be attractive, but they must also help prevent errors by creative and constructive use of design constraints.
January 10, 2008
The Myth of Brand Engagement
Marketers call what they do "engagement," "interaction," "relationship-building" or worse yet, "encouraging the customer to experience the brand." However, substitute "brand" with "Tabasco enema," and you can picture the usefulness of such tactics and how uncomfortable your audience is with them.
October 22, 2007
Take My Spam... Please!
In an effort to put a lid on the crippling effect unsolicited and unwanted email had become to productivity, Congress enacted laws to give consumers the means to protect their email inbox, and software companies vying for business from the same consumers, created programs to help filter spam.
August 14, 2007
Taking Responsibility for Our McActions
Stanford University researcher Tom Robinson recently published a study linking brands with the perception of quality in children. Apparently kids think McDonald's-branded products taste better than its unbranded (but identical) counterparts. This "revelation" is supposed to make us think that McDonald's is evil because their marketing is responsible for making kids fat.
June 4, 2007
Hiring Matters: What Veterans Can Do For You
There are few things that irk me more than when people misrepresent or otherwise unjustly disparage the quality of the people serving in uniform. MSNBC recently published an article that typifies this a form of subtle disrespect, even if it was written in good faith.
May 25, 2007
Curing Customer Service at the Doctor's Office
I love my children’s pediatrician. He’s great not only with the kids, but also with the parents. Although he’s got to be under enormous pressure, he never makes direct conversations feel rushed.
May 18, 2007
Marketing So Good It's To Die For
Do you ever get the feeling that, in our effort to master the tactics of marketing in this ever-changing environment, we lose sight of what we are supposed to be doing in the first place? None of us are completely exempt from the lure of the Next Big Thing. First it was blogs, then mobile advertising and Second Life. Now, we're wondering how companies can utilize Twitter in the marketing mix.
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