Archives for the 'marketing' Category
Book Review – “The Long Tail”
Although I’ve been peppering my conversations with the phrase “the long tail” for nearly two years, only recently did I get the opportunity to actually read the book that spawned the term. On a recent vacation to Sanibel Island (when I tend to do most of my “pleasure” reading), I devoured Chris Anderson’s book in [...]
The Ultimate Positioning Machine: Leveraging the BMW Brand to Sell the Pontiac G8
While watching the Kansas-North Carolina game last night (what a game, by the way), I saw an interesting ad for the Pontiac G8 that positions the car in a most unexpected fashion. Here’s the ad if you haven’t seen it:
At first blush, it seems odd that Pontiac would compare the G8 to any BMW model, [...]
MakeMyLogoBiggerCream.com
I recently came across a very clever website that pokes fun at the fundamental rift between the “creative” and “sales/marketing” groups within an organization. As folks from either group can attest, the process of creating mutually agreeable marketing collateral, be it a one-sheet tradeshow flyer or a 30-second television spot, can often seem more difficult [...]
Waiting for gBay
In what has become an anticipated and beloved annual rite, on February 2nd of each year thousands of people descend on a small Pennsylvania town to see Punxsutawney Phil. According to local lore, the presence or absence of the renowned rodent’s shadow on that day can predict the weather in the ensuing six weeks.
Far less [...]
Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (Lifelock TV Ad)
One of the best ways to strengthen your value proposition for potential consumers is through testimonials. When faced with a choice, many people look to the experiences of others to help inform their decisions.
Usually, the best testimonials are provided by people who are seen as impartial. We put our greatest trust in those people who [...]
“Mad Men” on AMC — The Best TV Show You’re Probably Not Watching
Although you’ll hear more buzz around shows like the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff “Private Practice” (ugh) and “Cavemen” (double ugh), “Mad Men” on AMC is the best television show you’re not watching right now.
Set in New York in 1960, “Mad Men” focuses on the fictional Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency and the imperfect group of men and [...]
Cracking the Code: How to Build a Brand Through Direct Marketing
While I often use this space to examine some of the newer trends affecting marketing and advertising, today I wanted to step back and take a closer look at the relationship between two of the more fundamental disciplines within the marketing function: branding and direct marketing. More specifically, I’d like to take this opportunity to [...]
MySpace Beats Facebook to the Punch With Ad Customization
A few weeks back I wrote about some of the savvy moves that Facebook has made in the last six to 12 months to make them a prime acquisition target for one of the big three. Toward the end of the post I wrote:
“However, what makes Facebook unique – and thus valuable to companies like [...]
iRate: Apple mistreats its customers yet again
As was reported last week, Apple cut the price of its 8 GB iPhone from $599 to $399, just 10 weeks after the phone was first introduced amid a sea of hype and countless television commercials. The move left many of the hundreds of thousands of early adopters feeling not only bamboozled, but angry as [...]
Spock’s Clever Traffic-Driving Contest
It seems I’m writing a lot these days about social networking. As I mentioned a few posts back, Facebook and others are garnering the buzz that was previously afforded only to Google, so this topic has been very much top of mind for me recently.
At lunch earlier this week, a former colleague tipped me off [...]
