When I recommend blogging as tool for marketing for my professional and small business clients, they have a hard time getting their heads wrapped around the idea. They find it hard to believe that the time they invest in writing about their niche on a consistent basis will actually accumulate an audience — and lead to profits. Or that readers will in turn generate new readers – and so on and so on. That’s because they’re looking at it from the short term – a point of view we’ve all been wired to for marketing. I’ve discovered a neat exercise that opens the mind through real-life demonstration. All you have to do is go back in time.
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Since the early years of this decade, emerging technology has forced the Caples Awards judging panel to redefine what an acceptable entry is — and what direct marketing is. There’s been continuous debate about entries meeting the criteria, adjustments to categories, and lots of soul-searching around the role of Caples in this new age. Thankfully, I can report that this year marks the end of the introspection — and now we’re back to the basics of judging the work.
Less “Is It Direct?”, More “Is it good?”
As judges, we’re becoming very comfortable reviewing complex ecosystem campaigns that connect an assortment of media to sell products and services. The connection between mass, web and social media are second nature to us, so now we can focus more on the read more…
A few weeks ago, negotiations between Cablevision and the Fox Network went sour. That’s when Cablevision went Hugo Chavez on its subscribers. Cablevision unleashed a propaganda campaign the likes of which hasn’t been seen since Cablevision’s propaganda campaign against ABC last year. Owner James Dolan can now be credited with making monopoly synonymous with dictatorship.
What would it be like if we conversed the way we’re “supposed” to write blogs? Let’s listen in on such a conversation:
Jen: The Top 4 Reasons Why I Had An Awesome Day.
Some days are OK. Some just plain suck. Today, I’m gonna tell you why it was awesome.
Mike: Your Awesome Day: The Reasons Why I’m Happy For You.
You just got home and your all excited about your day. Here’s why I’m happy, too.
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Loren Feldman (left) & Chris Brogan
On Saturday, the second (and hopefully annual) Audience Conference was held at Caroline’s Comedy Club in NYC. Loren Feldman of 1938Media organizes the event made up of leading authorities in social media — including bloggers and the techies that make blogging possible. To make a fundamental point, Loren inserts another group of speakers: comedians. Loren’s soup turns out to be mighty entertaining and remarkably educational. All of the speakers (including the comics) are there to provide context to Loren’s message: it’s the content, stupid. read more…
Or, “Here’s something I think you should read even though I probably didn’t.”
I enjoy staying connected with my colleagues in the ad biz on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. I like to keep up – be in the know just as much as everyone else. But there are some who need a little talkin’ to. See, I’m on to you. You’re aggregating someone else’s content because it’s smart reading – so logically YOU must be smart, too. Not so. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate good reccos for reading from the people I follow. But you shouldn’t use aggregation as the primary reason to communicate. You gotta give me something unique about you. C’mon – write something from your own little head and aggregate that.
The columns. The blue links. The breadcrumbs at the top. The peace sign. Looking at Craigslist is like looking at a ’74 Dodge Dart. There’s nothing pretty about them, but you can’t help but like them for what they are. When you think about the evolution of design from the first Dart or the first Craigslist, so much has changed in their respective categories — but how much is actually better? I’m sorry, but I’d prefer driving the Dart over many of the new cars out there. And if I need to find something on the web, I know I can still rely on old Craig to get me there. read more…
It’s July 4th and I’m thinking of Yogi Berra’s comment about a restaurant his teammates wanted to go to. If catching didn’t pan out for him, he might have been a good media strategist. read more…
If you’re an over-40 suddenly-feeling-irrelevant advertising professional freaking out because of a sudden career meltdown, you should enroll in BU right away. At Bloggislinkersocialtaggingnetwork University the tuition is free, there’s no room and board, and you set your own class schedules. read more…
Last night, I discovered my DVD tray wouldn’t open. In the past I would have shrugged and bought a new one. But not today. I got a screwdriver and began to take it apart. That’s when I encountered an ominous threat on the back – a seal overlapping the base and the cover of the unit declaring NO STICKER NO GUARANTEE. The box was threatening me – you will suffer the consequences if you break this seal in a botched attempt. I laughed and thought about my life as a creative director today, and how critical it’s become to get accustomed to the unknown. read more…
