"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 comedy was needed? Did the client really want this campaign (and insist upon it)? …
New MarCom Man To Take The Wheel At GM
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 restructuring efforts. Mr. Ewanick, in a recent interview, acknowledged that his style can be …
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Small Shops Don’t Have Room For Big Problems
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 compensation and work opportunities that larger firms do. I also appreciate Ad Age's approach to this annual showcase, as …
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The Language of Pinterest Is Sign Language, Which You Can Strengthen With Real Time Copy
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 that I'm supposed to know about these things, and so are you. According to Venda, a provider of cloud-based (SaaS) …
Are You Your Own Boat?
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 conservation efforts to maintain fish populations, boat …
Guest Post: Are Words Obsolete in Marketing?
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 author's POV, but I will consider these 10 examples from her book, and take it (to our comments …
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Measure The Impact of Social Media, Unlock The Massive Opportunity In Online Brand Advertising
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, but a wasteland useless to any marketer that cannot sell their product directly …
The Truth Is The Truth, Not What The Client Says It Is
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 profession, it's not surprising that Crain rejects …
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Disruptive Patriots Are On The Job At Made Movement
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. The genesis of the idea for the agency came from discussions …
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Chick-fil-A Shows That Radical Transparency In Marketing Sometimes Isn’t Pretty
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 from weighing in with their personal beliefs. Not to pick on a …