Kottke's version of BarackObamaIsYourNewBicycle.com is monetized via small display ads from companies like Rackspace, Shutterstock, Emma and GoodBarry. His content is also user-submitted. The original, written by a Wired editor, is monetized via a book strategy. …
Record Turnout On Tuesday Fueled By Hope And Coffee
According to CNN, 127 million Americans voted in this fall's election. That's 61 percent of eligible voters, compared to 67 percent in 1960. …
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Fear Not This Word: Commitment
On Slide 22, Paul Isakson says "Committing = building your brand on principles that never change." It's a wonderfully conservative notion for an unusually progressive brand. For instance, Patagonia achieves this. …
Blogs Become News Sites. News Sites Become Blogs.
Adoption by the mainstream is the natural state of affairs for edge trends that gain traction. It can be a sad affair or a celebration, depending on one's point of view. Nicholas Carr, a serious writer and editor with a blog, makes some astute observations about the state of blogging as we head toward 2009. Stylewise, little distinguishes today's popular blogs from ordinary news sites. One good indicator is page …
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Spotlight On NW Creative: Sonic Branding by Rumblefish
Portland's Rumblefish is a unique agency, to say the least. They specialize in sonic branding. What's sonic branding? For Pabst Brewing, Rumblefish produced PBR-branded CDs and 7" vinyl records and gave copies to the bands--no strings attached--to distribute to their fans. Bands were so enthusiastic about the project, many threw CD release parties on their own. In 2005, Rumblefish worked with Red Bull on Red Bull's …
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My Migration Strategy: Search Friendly, Multimedia Content
Bob Hoffman of Hoffman/Lewis and I had breakfast this morning in downtown Portland. One of the things Bob said that really resonates with me is: "There's money to be made in the cracks." So true. Last Wednesday, I had lunch on NW 23rd with another agency principal, Kent J. Lewis of Anvil Media. I don't know if search marketing is "a crack," but no one's turning off the hose in Kent's world. Quite the contrary. …
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Don’t Advertise, Connect.
Mailing lists are not sexy, but they can be highly effective tools for reaching one's core audience. Take this simple email newsletter from Trumpet in New Orleans that comes to my inbox once a month: It's a nice newsletter, but there has to be something on the other side of my click for it to work. In Trumpet's case there is. From a content perspective they have the ideal website and the best example I've seen from …
Today In Twitterverse: Humanizing The Brand By Allowing People An Inside View
John Byrne, Editor-in-Chief, BusinessWeek.com calls himself a "Digital Journalism Advocate." One thing that's clear is his belief in transparency. If you've ever tried to explain how Twitter can help build interest in one's company, you know it can be tricky to convey. Byrne's example is a good place to send someone. By letting us in on his daily doings at work, we're more inclined to take an interest in …
