Greg Storey doesn't like the word "bucket," nor what it implies. I just got off the phone with another in a long list of clients who used the word "bucket" several times during a conversation about information architecture. In olden times we used words like "categories" or "sections" but these new kids are dropping their own slang as if creating a website is the new rap-battle. Does the word really work that much …
An Honest Identity For A Highly Suspect Firm
"Old black water, keep on rollin Mississippi moon, wont you keep on shinin on me" - The Doobie Brothers Rob Walker cracks me up with this take on Blackwater USA, the private security firm fighting for oil in Iraq. Let’s say, just for the sake of argument, that you’re starting a business that happens to be more or less an extragovernmental army. Your employees will be weaponized, trained to kill, and available for …
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Cavemen Battle Stereotypes In Prime Time
I watched the debut of Cavemen last night on ABC. I kept waiting for a Geico commercial to air, but no. How can Geico not buy air time on this show? …
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We’re Ad People First, Bloggers Second
Since most news-based firms (and many in entertainment) are now moving fast into blogging, reporters and editors have learned to respect the medium, albeit begrudgingly in some cases. On the flip side, Mike Smock's recent experience with a potential client shows how some in business are still slow to grasp full picture. Since almost all of my prospects see my blog first, and even though I have my campaigning …
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Pepsi Meets The Diversity Challenge
Facing South, a blog from the Institute of Southern Studies in Durham, NC, points to a book by Wall Street Journal editor Stephanie Capparell. According to the book's publisher, The Real Pepsi Challenge: The Inspirational Story of Breaking the Color Barrier in American Business, is at once "a straightforward business book about the birth of niche marketing" and "a key chapter in the social history of our …
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Pitching Boomers With A Bus
If you're an aging hippie with a bunch of money, Bank of America wants to hold your hand. According to The New York Times, B of A paid $3.3 billion for U.S. Trust, a storied institution whose clients have included Rockefellers, Astors and Vanderbilts. This new $25 million campaign by Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos is the bank's first effort to market their newly acquired wealth management capabilities. …
Pushing The Buttons Of A Fussy Child
I don't surf the mobile web, but Scott Karp of Publishing 2.0 does. Thing is, he's not fond of the experience. I’ve had it with all the hype about mobile being the next big thing — more to the point, I’ve had it with the mobile web. Here are five reasons why the web on the go still has a long way to go. 1. Wireless carrier networks are SLOW 2. Public WiFi access is a SCAM 3. Sites aren’t formated for small screens 4. …
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Better Business Starts Here
Better Business Bureau is a 95-year-old nonprofit organization. It's brand image is entrenched; yet, the BBB will challenge consumers to wake up to its full identity with a $700,000 rebranding campaign that launches this week. Its rebranding campaign -- including a new Web site, logo, book series and commercials during shows such as "CSI" and "Grey's Anatomy" -- drives the point home with its slogan: Start with …
