Vinny Warren of The Escape Pod likes what he calls "the hard sell." What is the hard sell? The hard sell is the ad that instantly makes you want what's being advertised. You'd think this would be the permanent orientation of advertising ALL THE TIME. But it isn't. People can get a bit lax in good economic times. And forget their real job. Recession makes you keener. We're all watching our spending a lot more …
Win the Influencers, Win the Game
Shiv Singh of Razorfish names 10 trends in "social influence marketing," a term his agency coined to describe what old timers simply call Word of Mouth. It's just that it's digital now, so the lexicon is expanding (not always in a good way). Here's what Singh and his colleagues see unfolding: 1. Social media usage will result in more influence. 2. The focus will shift to influencers. 3. Top-down branding will …
What Content Can Do For You
Because I'm looking for work right now, I need to explain what it is that I do in plain terms. It can be difficult to do. Brands may not know they need a strategic content plan for the social space. Hence, their agency doesn't know it either. That's why my elevator pitch has to be perfectly in tune every time. Here it is: Stop pitching so much and start talking. When you "talk" you share common interests. That's what …
Go Big Or Go Home
Online ad units are about to blow up. Their increased size could be rejected as an unwanted intrusion, but it's just as likely that the larger canvas for branded storytelling will bring heightened creativity from the developers and greater consumer engagement. According to Adweek's Brian Morrissey, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, ESPN and over a dozen more of the Web's most-trafficked sites that belong to …
New Looks for Public Works
Rob Walker drew my attention to the Obama administration's recent branding efforts for The Recovery. Portland's Aaron Draplin, who loves early 20th century design (appropriately enough) helped make the DOT logo. …
Disposable. Just Another Word for Garbage.
Lighting up with a Zippo makes a statement about one's individual style. Now, thanks to Brunner, lighting up with a Zippo makes another kind of statement that's equally powerful in the culture today. [via Adrants] …
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Hulu Has A New Spokesalien
Self-Promo Ad #6
While AdPulp itself is clearly a showcase for a certain type of writing that I do, sometimes people ask to see my traditional portfolio. You know, 'cause they might need my help someday making print ads, point-of-sale materials, micro sites and the like. Sometimes people also ask to see my traditional resume. Other entries from this series: Self-Promo Ad #5 | Self-Promo Ad #4 | Self-Promo Ad #3 | Self-Promo Ad #2 …
