Bob Greenberg, CEO of R/GA told Adweek why his agency is opening an office in San Francisco. "We opened in San Francisco not based on business but based on talent," he said. "Talent is the biggest issue facing agencies today. It's the biggest open creative and technology talent pool other than New York." "It's not so much the agencies but the Yahoo!s and Googles," he said. "All the technology companies have many …
Ad Age Summons Bloggers To The Table
Advertising Age Editor Jonah Bloom recently led a roundtable discussion with some prominent marketing bloggers. Contributors included Power 150 founder Todd Andrlik of Toddand; Paul McEnany of Hee Haw Marketing; Anna Farmery of The Engaging Brand; David Armano of Logic & Emotion; Matt Dickman of Technomarketer; Daryl Ohrt of Brand Flakes for Breakfast; Ann Handley of Mp Daily Fix; Mark Goren of Transmission …
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Beijing Olympics Not A Good Ad Buy Domestically
China's recent crackdown on violent clashes in Tibet and its imprisonment of human-rights activists has spurred world-wide demonstrations and has turned its elaborate plans for a globe-girdling Olympic torch relay into a show of dissent. According to The Wall Street Journal, despite the criticism, it appears that most sponsors have made the decision to refrain from criticizing Beijing rather than risk angering the …
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Green Washing Storm Brewing Inside Sierra Club
Once upon a time I helped to orchestrate a deal between Calistoga Mineral Water and American Rivers, where I worked on the development team. So, I know firsthand what it means to bring corporate dollars to an environmental group. The basic premise is tread carefully, so as not to upset the dues-paying grassroots members of the group. According to sources, Sierra Club may have glossed over that key point when it …
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Talk Value
Eighty percent of the world's population has access to a mobile communications network, but only half the people have a mobile phone. That kind of opportunity--literally billions of potential customers--has big business on the move. Everyone from product designers to marketers to academics are working to advance the cause of global connectivity. The fact of which explains why Sara Corbett, writing for The New York …
Not Digging “Dig The Digs”
Bill Green wants to hit something. This is why: So another brand--Century 21 this time--is jumping on the consumer generated content promotion bandwagon. Is that really reason enough to hit something? Before you answer, consider that the contest is void in several states, one's home has to be listed with Century 21 (duh!) and one's listing agent must appear in the video. Are you ready to hit something now? The …
Take Your Rice Beer And Go Home
A microbrewer, like a small scale wine producer, creates passion around its product and, by extension, its brand. By forgoing the mass market, the microbrand actually can have a meaningful dialogue with its base (something big brands desperately want right now). Here's an example of the kind of "talk" that perfectly presents a brand's value proposition. Rogue Nation Beer Manifesto est. May 1996 I. We hold that beer …
Drive One, You’ll Like It
According to Adweek, Ford management has asked its 750,000-person network of employees, retirees and dealers to talk to friends and family about the quality and features of Ford vehicles. The new marketing initiatve created by JWT/Wunderman, known as Drive One is also supported online, in print and on TV. "The whole idea behind this campaign is not fancy ads. It's talking to the customer, who talks to a friend," said …