“Steve would’ve killed these.” “Lee oughta know better.” It’s no secret that Apple’s current spots, featuring a typical Apple store “Genius,” are getting panned. I’m not here to pour more criticism on. My question is simple: How did they get these done? By that, I mean: Who approved this strategy? Who thought this kind of [...]
New MarCom Man To Take The Wheel At GM
July 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Goodby’s man on the inside is now on the outs. According to The Wall Street Journal, General Motors Co.’s ousted its global marketing chief, Joel Ewanick at the end of last week. Ewanick, 52, was head of one of the largest advertising budgets in the U.S. ($4.5 billion/year) and a key player in the company’s [...]
Small Shops Don’t Have Room For Big Problems
July 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
I’m not big on industry awards, but “Small Agency of the Year” sounds like the kind of award I’d like to win. No offense to agencies of size, but small agencies deserve more accolades. Clearly, it’s not easy to keep the roof on a small agency, nor is it easy to provide the kind of [...]
The Language of Pinterest Is Sign Language, Which You Can Strengthen With Real Time Copy
July 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment
For me, Pinterest is one of those sites that I can’t stop making fun of. I mean, since when are mood boards a mass movement? I guess “Express Yourself!” really is back. Of course, I wouldn’t feel the need to have a Pinterest page myself, or know much about the site except for the fact [...]
Are You Your Own Boat?
July 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Colle+McVoy’s new public service announcement for the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation asks anglers pertinent questions like “Are you a pelican?” and “Do you use your feet as fishing hooks?” According to the agency, many anglers believe buying a fishing license simply lines the pockets of big government. In reality, the money goes to local [...]
Guest Post: Are Words Obsolete in Marketing?
July 25, 2012 By 2 Comments
Laura Ries, is president of Ries & Ries, a marketing consulting firm in Atlanta. Laura and her partner/father, Al Ries have co-written six books on branding. In her new book, Visual Hammer, Ries argues that recent marketing successes are visual successes, not verbal ones. As a writer, I’m not certain how I feel about the [...]
Measure The Impact of Social Media, Unlock The Massive Opportunity In Online Brand Advertising
July 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Jeff Dachis, CEO of Dachis Group is excited about data. To his mind, data can help brands unlock the potential of social. Furthermore, Dachis believes that authentic social engagement at scale is the pot at the end of the online brand advertising rainbow. The Internet has proven to be the perfect direct response marketing medium, [...]
The Truth Is The Truth, Not What The Client Says It Is
July 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Rance Crain is President, Crain Communications and Editor-in-Chief of Advertising Age, Crain’s Chicago Business, Crain’s New York Business and TelevisionWeek. As such, he has seen and heard a lot of bullshit in his day. You might even say he has an especially sensitive bullshit meter, something Ernest Hemingway declared essential for any writer. Given his [...]
Disruptive Patriots Are On The Job At Made Movement
July 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment
BOULDER—If there is hope for advertising, it can be found in a non-descript retail bay on the east end of Pearl Street. Ad people aren’t cynics, they’re “crest fallen idealists,” says Dave Schiff, partner and Chief Creative Officer of Made Movement, a new agency boldly dedicated to growing the American economy by promoting American-made goods. [...]
Chick-fil-A Shows That Radical Transparency In Marketing Sometimes Isn’t Pretty
July 20, 2012 By 1 Comment
The news this week that Chick-fil-A’s President spoke out against gay marriage has once again ignited passions among both its supporters and its detractors. All you have to do is a quick Google news, Facebook or Twitter search for “Chick-fil-A” and you’ll see plenty of stories and opinions surrounding the controversy. Marketing people aren’t immune [...]
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