I came across a fantastic video recently entitled, Every Presentation Ever. This parody, brought to you by Growing Leaders Inc. and Habitudes for Communicators, includes nearly every blunder and annoyance that creeps its way into 99% of presentations (just my educated guess). I posted it on the Presentation Advisors Facebook page a few days ago. Watching it made me cringe, knowing that these mistakes aren’t a product of PowerPoint or the content, but because the presenter doesn’t know the very basics of effective presentation design and delivery. However, I didn’t want…
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Most Topular Stories
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10 Lessons Learned from “Every Presentation Ever”
Presentation Advisors25 Jan 2012 | 6:07 am -
Hans Rosling: The Jedi Master of data visualization
Presentation Zen26 Jan 2012 | 11:31 pmDr. Hans Rosling is one of my presentation heroes; he's been featured or mentioned in all my books and several times on presentationzen.com over the years. If there is a Jedi Master of presenting data clearly, visually, and simply, then it is Hans. He proves time and time again, that data are not dull—and when you are trying to change the world, there is no excuse for boring presentations. Most people are aware of Dr. Rosling through his popular TED Talks, but just in case you've never seen him present, below is a nice 5-minute piece he did on CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS. At TED.com you'll… -
Creative Like a Fox! Dan Roam and I Compare Notes on Creative Process
Duarte Blog3 Feb 2012 | 6:15 amDan Roam schools me on creative process. His new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH, offers awesome tips on how to utilize visual and verbal concepts to refine ideas to their most pure state. -
Find a Presentation Designer Here
Speaking about Presenting: Presentation Tips from Olivia Mitchell25 Jan 2012 | 12:22 pmAre you looking for a presentation designer? I’ve been asked so many times if I could recommend a presentation designer that I’ve decided to publish a list of PowerPoint and Keynote slide design companies and freelancers. I asked each presentation designer to talk about their approach to presentation design and to give me an example of a slide that represents their brand. I’ve used a very traditional method to order these presentation designers – it’s alphabetical based on the principal’s last name. You’ll see a tremendous variety in approaches… -
Are you giving the audience tools they can use?
Speak Schmeak7 Feb 2012 | 1:28 pmOne of the things I find lacking in many presentations is the useful take-home tool. Sure, I hear lots of good ideas from speakers, but I don't often go home with action steps rather than concepts. I don't often go home with concrete things I can DO to improve my business, my presentations or my life. That's why I enjoyed Jason Womack's presentation so much last week, based on his book Your Best Just Got Better: Work Smarter, Think Bigger, Make More. First, I'll share my thoughts on why Jason's presentation was effective from a public speaking perspective. I can be a bit jaded when I watch…
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Presentation Advisors
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10 Lessons Learned from “Every Presentation Ever”
25 Jan 2012 | 6:07 amI came across a fantastic video recently entitled, Every Presentation Ever. This parody, brought to you by Growing Leaders Inc. and Habitudes for Communicators, includes nearly every blunder and annoyance that creeps its way into 99% of presentations (just my educated guess). I posted it on the Presentation Advisors Facebook page a few days ago. Watching it made me cringe, knowing that these mistakes aren’t a product of PowerPoint or the content, but because the presenter doesn’t know the very basics of effective presentation design and delivery. However, I didn’t want… -
20 Best PowerPoint Presentation Design Posts for 2012
1 Jan 2012 | 5:31 pmIn order to create an amazing PowerPoint presentation, you have to learn the process of effective presentation design. After four years of blogging, I’ve written a number of posts designed to help you create better, visually engaging and effective PowerPoint presentations. As all blogs posts do, some resonated better than others and often provided great discussion in the comments. Instead of forcing you to sift through my site, page after page, or trying to search my site with keywords just to find the best posts, I have aggregated 20 of my best blog posts, including the 5 most viewed… -
Dance vs. PowerPoint as a Visual Aid
12 Dec 2011 | 6:50 amThanks to a tweet from fellow presentation designer and visual communicator Tony Ramos, I came across this impressive TEDx talk by John Bohannon, biologist and journalist, entitled, “Dance vs PowerPoint: A Modest Proposal.” Just hearing the title, I was intrigued. I’m no stranger to the numerous arguments against PowerPoint, but I’d never heard of dance as an alternative. Take 11 minutes out of your day to watch this video and I’ll give you my thoughts after the jump. I’m not sure how you saw it, but it seemed his presentation was divided into two distinct… -
What The Long Tail Has To Do With Effective PowerPoint Design
5 Dec 2011 | 8:59 pmRecently I was sitting at a conference with the keynote speaker as he prepared for his afternoon keynote. He admitted to me that his PowerPoint skills were “basic at best,” as if that meant it was impossible for him to create an effective, enjoyable presentation. I told him, “If you can import a picture, you can create an effective PowerPoint.” He smiled and went back to making his last minute edits, but it left me thinking about the general (mis)perception of what it takes to design effective PowerPoint presentations. You don’t need to know as many PowerPoint… -
Building Your Personal Brand with PowerPoint
28 Nov 2011 | 6:10 amI was recently browsing twitter and saw a tweet from my friend Kyle Lacy (Founder/CEO of BrandSwag) about a presentation he and his firm had created and placed on SlideShare called “Building Your Personal Brand.” I wanted to share this presentation with you for a number of reasons that I’ll outline below, but particularly because I truly believe that one of the most valuable yet underutilized uses for PowerPoint is developing your personal brand. Building Your Personal Brand What the internet, particularly social media, has done over the last 15 years is to level the…
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Presentation Zen
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Hans Rosling: The Jedi Master of data visualization
26 Jan 2012 | 11:31 pmDr. Hans Rosling is one of my presentation heroes; he's been featured or mentioned in all my books and several times on presentationzen.com over the years. If there is a Jedi Master of presenting data clearly, visually, and simply, then it is Hans. He proves time and time again, that data are not dull—and when you are trying to change the world, there is no excuse for boring presentations. Most people are aware of Dr. Rosling through his popular TED Talks, but just in case you've never seen him present, below is a nice 5-minute piece he did on CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS. At TED.com you'll… -
New: Presentation Zen (2nd Edition)
18 Jan 2012 | 10:36 pmFour years ago my first book Presentation Zen was published by Peachpit Press. Since then I wrote two other presentation books and a sketchbook/storyboard book and a DVD (plus an additional DVD/Book just for Japan). Although a lot of time had passed, I was still happy with the original Presentation Zen. And yet, the original Presentation Zen book could benefit from a little freshening up in the form of a 2nd edition for 2012. This 2nd edition of Presentation Zen has the same look and feel as the original book and I still did all the design and layout myself. The biggest difference is the book… -
10 great books to help you think, create, & communicate better in 2012
10 Jan 2012 | 4:54 amIn the spirit of personal kaizen, I have listed below a few books that I read (or reread) over the past year that you may want to read as part of your own continuous improvement journey. (Clicking on the book's icon takes you to Amazon.com.) (1) Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long. Over the last 10-20 years scientists have made many remarkable discoveries concerning the brain and how it works. David Rock is not a neuroscientist but he is a good "neurotranslator" of the scientific evidence and does a good job of… -
Progress and the intentional selection of less
30 Dec 2011 | 5:26 pmMany people today talk about presentation technology as if it were a panacea for boring lectures and ineffective presentations. Technologies such as our laptops, iPads, and cool software packages are wonderful tools that can, when used well, increase the quality of communication and engagement. This is especially true when we need to engage with people live on the other side of the planet via tools like video conferencing, webinars, Skype, and so on. However, while technology has evolved in dramatic ways over the last generation, our deep human need for visceral connections, and personal… -
Steve Jobs: "People who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint"
20 Dec 2011 | 5:12 amOne thing we need to constantly remind ourselves is that slides and other forms of projected visualization—no matter how "cool" they may be—are not appropriate for every context. Multimedia is great for presentations before large groups such as keynote addresses or conference presentations, but in meetings where you want to actively discuss issues or go over details in depth, slides—especially the snooze-inducing bulletpoint variety, which are never a good idea—are almost always counter productive. I stressed early on in the first version of Presentation Zen four years ago—and ad…
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Duarte Blog
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Creative Like a Fox! Dan Roam and I Compare Notes on Creative Process
3 Feb 2012 | 6:15 amDan Roam schools me on creative process. His new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH, offers awesome tips on how to utilize visual and verbal concepts to refine ideas to their most pure state. -
Are You a Fox or a Hummingbird? Dan Roam Explains Your Brain
2 Feb 2012 | 6:27 amDan Roam uses an animalistic metaphor to explain how your brain processes information, and reveals how to help facilitate communication between our verbal and visual minds. That and more in his new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH. -
Grammar Ain’t Just for Words Anymore
1 Feb 2012 | 8:58 amDan Roam used the rules of verbal grammar to build a Visual Grammar Graph that bridges the gap between verbal and visual concepts. Vivid Grammar is featured in his new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH. -
Quit Talking and Start Thinking
31 Jan 2012 | 4:03 pmDan Roam explains why we talk too much, and how we can use our predilection for vision to become better problem solvers. “Vivid Thinking” is one of the many gems in his new book, BLAH BLAH BLAH. -
Obama’s SOTU: What Is, and What Could Have Been
25 Jan 2012 | 3:46 pmLast night President Barack Obama delivered what could be considered the biggest presentation of the year. In outlining his vision for America and his legislative priorities for 2012, the President attempted to persuade a variety of different audiences – including the United States Congress, business leaders and 25 million members of the American public – that he has a plan to continue improving the lives of Americans. So how did he do? Leaving aside the merit of his proposals, did he tell a story compelling enough to convince such a broad audience? Graphic recording of the State of the…
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Speaking about Presenting: Presentation Tips from Olivia Mitchell
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Find a Presentation Designer Here
25 Jan 2012 | 12:22 pmAre you looking for a presentation designer? I’ve been asked so many times if I could recommend a presentation designer that I’ve decided to publish a list of PowerPoint and Keynote slide design companies and freelancers. I asked each presentation designer to talk about their approach to presentation design and to give me an example of a slide that represents their brand. I’ve used a very traditional method to order these presentation designers – it’s alphabetical based on the principal’s last name. You’ll see a tremendous variety in approaches… -
6 Presentation Links Worth Clicking
14 Jan 2012 | 5:33 pmWhen I was in the States last year, I met up with Nancy Duarte… and she interviewed me. She’s now written up the interview on her blog. Find out more about my story and why I’m passionate about helping people be better presenters – and particularly helping people overcome the fear of public speaking. Here’s the link: Nancy Duarte interviews Olivia Mitchell. And here’s five more links to great writing on presentation skills: Even TED speakers get nervous TED is an elite conference where invited speakers give 18 minute talks on the ideas they’re… -
The sobering truth about what an audience remembers
27 Sep 2011 | 8:40 amLast week I spent three awesome days at the Presentation Summit. In this post, I want to explore what audience members remember from a presentation, using the first three keynotes of the conference as my examples. I asked as many people as I could what they remembered from each of these keynotes. This was an informal, non-random, non-scientific survey. Nigel Holmes Photo Credit: Rikk Flohr – www.rikkflohr.com Nigel Holmes is a phenomenal graphic artist who used to be Art Director for Time magazine. His presentation didn’t start well – there were a few technical hitches and it took him… -
The two types of presenter: which are you?
25 Aug 2011 | 3:03 pmThis is a post written by Tony Burns, my partner and co-trainer. There are two types of people in the world – those who divide the world into two types of people, and those who don’t. I’m one of the former. I find models useful – they show distinctions that can help explain and predict behaviors – and they can help us see other opportunities and ways we can grow. One distinction that, as a presenter and presentation trainer, I’ve found useful, is to look at whether a person is “careful” or “carefree” when it comes to creating and delivering presentations. It’s a question… -
The 5-step cure for boring body language
16 Jun 2011 | 2:05 amCould your body language be more expressive? Do you inhibit your natural body language when you’re public speaking because of your self-consciousness? Or maybe you’ve been told (by a well-meaning but misguided person) that you wave your arms around too much? As a result you’ve shut down your natural gestures and become stiff and boring. The secret to curing boring body language in public speaking is to replicate the state you’re in when you’re in an animated one-on-one conversation. When you’re in that state your gestures unconsciously complement what…
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Speak Schmeak
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Are you giving the audience tools they can use?
7 Feb 2012 | 1:28 pmOne of the things I find lacking in many presentations is the useful take-home tool. Sure, I hear lots of good ideas from speakers, but I don't often go home with action steps rather than concepts. I don't often go home with concrete things I can DO to improve my business, my presentations or my life. That's why I enjoyed Jason Womack's presentation so much last week, based on his book Your Best Just Got Better: Work Smarter, Think Bigger, Make More. First, I'll share my thoughts on why Jason's presentation was effective from a public speaking perspective. I can be a bit jaded when I watch… -
12for12 February Challenge: Be present
3 Feb 2012 | 12:29 pmHave you joined my 12 Speaking Challenges for 2012 program yet? Build your "confidence muscles" with monthly challenges designed to help you get out of your comfort zone and build confidence in a variety of settings that will prepare you for your upcoming speaking engagements! Each month, there will be several levels to the challenge, so you can tailor the challenge to your own level of comfort. But remember, this is all about getting out of your comfort zone. So if the Level 1 challenge seems difficult, but you accomplish it, then move onto the next level. You have a whole month to practice! -
Don't say "you" when you mean "I"
3 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amIn this interview with Ellen Degeneres, Seal talks about his separation from his wife, Heidi Klum. Notice his use of second person ("you") narrative in telling his story in this clip, rather than the more appropriate first person ("I"). Here are a couple of quotes: "You go into these things with the greatest intentions." "When you say 'I do,' when you say, 'Till death do us part,' those vows hold value, they're not just words." "You just grow apart after awhile. I mean, you try and you work through it, and the thing that you quickly realize when you're married and you become a parent, is that… -
Too hot, too cold, or just right?
31 Jan 2012 | 10:35 amI recently attended a conference with my husband, and in comparing notes afterward about the sessions we had attended, I realized we had a case of the Goldilocks. (If you don't know the story, here's a brief version similar to the one I grew up with.) One session featured a speaker who was bold and colorful. She swore, she used provocative images, she told stories and she challenged us to think differently. I would have enjoyed this presentation had she not been trying SO hard to engage us emotionally. She was trying so hard to be a rebel, to be cool and hip and shocking, that it actually… -
How is a speaker like a cinnamon roll cake?
27 Jan 2012 | 11:11 amKathy Shields' cinnamon roll cake at Savoy Cafe Yesterday I met a friend for an afternoon treat at one of my favorite Santa Barbara eateries: Savoy Cafe and Deli. Hubby and I have known the owners, Paul and Kathy Shields, for many years, and we love to support our friends and local businesses. (Stay tuned, by the way, for an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, where you'll see me and my husband eating a meal at Savoy on camera!) As I stepped up to the counter, Kathy saw me and invited me into the kitchen to show me her fresh-from-the-oven cinnamon roll cake. We chatted for a bit as she…
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Sticky Slides
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Pick your battles when pitching
8 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pmArguing until the bitter end about small facts, when the VC thinks she right because she has a reliable source (in her opinion) is not a good idea. You might be right, BUT you will not convince her, you will do no good to your credibility, and you raise doubts about how the future CEO-Board Member relationship is going to pan out. Better focus that energy in disagreements that are really worth arguing about. Pick your battles. -
Write notes after the meeting
7 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pmIf you are reviewing your presentation with your boss, here is a thought. Write down your notes immediately after the meeting. It makes for a better 2-way conversation as you are not scribbling all the time looking down on a piece of paper, and strangely it makes you remember things better. This article in Wired explains how your brain is refreshing the memory that is only slightly faded, that process makes future recollection stronger: Along these lines, Bjork also recommends taking notes just after class, rather than during — forcing yourself to recall a lecture’s information is more… -
Video summary in stills
6 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pmEmbedding video in presentations has its drawbacks. It adds another technical risk factor when setting up the presentation outside your office environment. File sizes become so big that it is hard to email a document. And a PDF version of the presentation does not show the video. As a solution, you can put in a video summary in your presentation consisting of a few key still images taken from the video. Our brain is powerful enough to make up most of what happens in between, and might even imagine the Star Wars sound track in the background when looking at last year’s Volkswagen Super Bowl… -
No need to show that monitor
5 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pmIn technical pitch presentations, you often have to show the application through screen shots. While a picture of the application inside a monitor frame might look nice, it is a poor way to get your audience to see the content of the screen. I would cut the monitor, cut the window bars above and below your application, and even zoom in to parts of the screen to highlight what is important. Cover everything that is not relevant (ads for example) with white boxes to keep things clean. Having said that, there might be 2 uses for the monitor shot. One for a very quick 5-second slide that enables… -
Not reality, not a cartoon
2 Feb 2012 | 7:30 pmHave a look at these great images (on Fubiz) in the series “Enlightened Souls” by French photographer Fabrice Wittner. He uses images of people with a stencil-like effect and puts them on a background of a real photo. This effect might be very useful in presentation design. It is very hard to a series of images with a consistent look and feel on either stock photo sites, or Flickr. Moreover, I find that using images with real people not working very well in slides. It is too personal. This slight distortion of the characters might just solve these 2 problems in one go.
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The Webinar Blog
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Gartners Take On Web Conferencing
8 Feb 2012 | 7:58 amA big thank you to Sierra Peoples from InterCall for posting a link on LinkedIn to Gartner’s latest Magic Quadrant report on Web Conferencing. Those can be hard to get if you aren’t a Gartner client, but it looks like InterCall got permission for distribution. You can view the report through this link: http://j.mp/xg89JG (hopefully that works even if you are not a LinkedIn user). Analyst David Mario Smith published the report last December. He points to continued acquisitions and consolidation in the marketplace (not news to any of us who follow the industry!). He also calls out the… -
Evolving Your 2012 Webinar Strategy
6 Feb 2012 | 8:45 amThis Wednesday, February 8, I will be giving a free talk on ways to enhance your webinar strategies for 2012. Brainshark is the gracious host for this live webinar. As always, I solemnly promise not to do any marketing or try to sell you anything. This is true educational value. We’ll look at ways to get people to register and attend your events, how to deal with multi-regional/multi-cultural audiences, build engagement, and use social media more effectively. This is a compact session… Just 30 minutes of presentation time and 15 minutes of live Q&A to address your concerns. So… -
AnyMeeting Giving Away A Kindle
3 Feb 2012 | 10:20 amAnyMeeting just announced a new promotion for users of their web conferencing platform. During the month of February, each time you hold an AnyMeeting web conference of at least 10 minutes with 2 or more people, you get an entry into a drawing for a Kindle Fire. Not a bad deal, considering that the basic product is free! Technorati Tags: AnyMeeting,web conference,web conferencing,webinar,web meeting,online meeting,web seminar,web collaboration -
MediaPlatform Puts Webcasts On Facebook
1 Feb 2012 | 6:55 amMediaPlatform is a webcasting software vendor that sells their product direct (MediaPlatform WebCaster) as well as letting other webcast service providers OEM and relabel the technology. The company put out a press release today announcing a new capability for WebCaster. Companies can now embed the webcast viewing window on a Facebook page or a SharePoint Online team site. This is a nice feature for companies taking advantage of those social collaboration platforms. For enterprise clients who use SharePoint as their main work portal, employees can stay inside the corporate firewall and within… -
omNovia Adds Web Conferencing Features
31 Jan 2012 | 1:30 pmomNovia keeps adding interesting and unusual features to its web conferencing software. The company doesn’t make formal product release announcements… It has a habit of just slipping new functionality into the product and letting users discover it on their own. The latest addition hasn’t even hit their Product Enhancements notification page as of this writing! A couple of weeks ago, they added an option for administrators to enable a Notes module in the conferencing console. omNovia tends to address different functional tasks inside a webinar through the use of modules that show up as…
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Boston.com -- Local news
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2 suspects in Boston massacre seek dismissal
9 Feb 2012 | 3:48 amTwo men charged in connection with the fatal shootings of four people, including a 2-year-old boy, on a Boston street in 2010 have asked a judge to dismiss charges just days before their trials are scheduled to start. -
Georgia primary may not be a Gingrich slam dunk
8 Feb 2012 | 11:18 pmThe Georgia presidential primary may not be a slam dunk for Republican hopeful Newt Gingrich, a congressman from the state for two decades. Rival Mitt Romney is signaling that the biggest prize on Super Tuesday could be up for grabs. -
Student tries to throw glitter at Romney in Denver
8 Feb 2012 | 9:28 pmA 20-year-old college student tried to throw glitter on Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney as he greeted supporters in Denver following Colorado's caucuses. -
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Fidelity: 401(k) balances little changed over 2011
8 Feb 2012 | 9:08 pmWorkers stashed money in their 401(k) retirement plans at a faster clip last year, but didn't get an immediate reward for their savings strategy. The biggest 401(k) administrator says the average account balance was essentially unchanged in 2011, compared with 2010.
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Sports of Boston
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Sabres Crush Both Rask and Thomas in Buffalo
8 Feb 2012 | 9:55 pmThe Buffalo Sabres played Wednesday’s game as a team desperately needing wins to keep its playoff hopes alive should: intelligent but physical, controlled but aggressive. The Boston Bruins played as a team with a chance at the Eastern Conference’s top spot should not: lazy, disorganized, brainless. Who do you think won? The Sabres scored twice in each period Wednesday, cruising to a 6-0 blowout victory over the Bruins in Buffalo. Poor Defense Rattles Rask It was clear just minutes into the game that Tuukka Rask hadn’t brought his A-game to First Niagara Center. When… -
Basketball AP Top 25 – Week 14
8 Feb 2012 | 8:07 pm1. Kentucky (63) I would be remiss if I did not mention UK’s obliteration of #8 Florida last night. They are just amazing. Almost too much talent, if that’s possible. Last week Anthony Davis averaged 7.5 blocks per game. Blocks! That’s absurd. Chad Ford has four of the team’s starters ranked in the top 30 for this year’s draft. Do you think they make fun of Doron Lamb (37th in Ford’s rankings), because he’s the only starter not expected to be drafted into the first round? 2. Syracuse (2) Fab Melo is important. That’s what we’ve learned. 3. Ohio State Up 51-50 with 3:39 to go… -
The Atlantic, Week 5: Paul Pierce and a Recent Harvard Grad Trending Up
8 Feb 2012 | 7:43 pmPrepare for yet another installment of “The Atlantic,” Sports of Boston’s weekly look at who’s ‘trending up’ and ‘trending down’ in the NBA’s Atlantic Division! Paul Pierce is the hottest player in the Atlantic division, but do the Knicks have a new star? And are the Sixers on the brink of being considered a contender? It may not be as competitive as the Northwest, but there’s still plenty of drama in the Atlantic. Boston Celtics (14-10, 2nd place) Trending Up: Paul Pierce Pierce is unstoppable right now, earning Eastern Conference player of the week honors… -
New England Patriots Report Card: Super Bowl XLVI
8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 amWell… crap. Just like four years ago, the New England Patriots came up just a couple plays short of beating the New York Giants and claiming their fourth Lombardi Trophy Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI. Instead, Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning once again bested Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, with Manning executing yet another fourth-quarter comeback highlighted by an improbable reception. Brady’s quest to tie Joe Montana and Bradshaw continues. The Patriots under-performed on their last test of the season. Which Patriots will get credit and which are now on academic probation? Here’s… -
Tyler Seguin: Star in the Making
8 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amTyler Seguin recently celebrated his birthday turning 20 years old. In Sunday’s win over Washington Seguin celebrated his 20th goal making him the first Bruin to hit that mark this season. What a difference a year can make: in 74 games last season Seguin had 22 points. This season Seguin has 44 points in 50 games. If Seguin played on a top line last year and was on the ice more than 12 minutes a game his rookie numbers would have been much better than what they are. His stats this season don’t come as a surprise to anyone, we knew he was fast and has all the tools he needs to be…
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New England Patriots : New England Patriots News
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Patriots.com News Blitz - 2/9/2012
9 Feb 2012 | 7:27 amThe Patriots start their offseason after Super Bowl XLVI. Which players will the Patriots sign in free agency? It’s all inside today’s edition of the Patriots.com News Blitz. -
Ask PFW: Super Bowl post-mortem
7 Feb 2012 | 2:38 pmQuestions in this week's PFW mailbag begin with -- what else? -- the Patriots' loss in Super Bowl XLVI. -
Patriots sign seven players to future contracts
7 Feb 2012 | 2:05 pmThe New England Patriots have signed LB Markell Carter, WR Britt Davis, OL Matt Kopa, DE Aaron Lavarias, LB Mike Rivera, WR Tiquan Underwood and DB Ross Ventrone to future contracts today. -
2012 Patriots Opponents Announced
7 Feb 2012 | 2:40 amThe National Football League has announced the New England Patriots opponents for the 2012 season. -
Patriots eager for another Super Bowl shot
6 Feb 2012 | 3:19 pmLess than an hour after losing the Super Bowl, Tom Brady slowly slipped on his dark vest and suit jacket and walked to the postgame podium. The next time he puts on his New England Patriots uniform, he hopes to start another, more successful, run toward the NFL championship.
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UFC News
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John Albert - More Than Just A "TUF" Guy
8 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pmIf after watching the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter the name John “Prince” Albert was still foreign to you, then you’re probably not alone. Over the course of 10 episodes, the young bantamweight shared little screen time in either Octagon action or house drama. But Albert’s name jumped to the tip of the fight community’s collective tongue when he bested fellow housemate Dustin Pague at the TUF finale. On December 3rd at The Palms Casino Resort, it took a mere 69 seconds for Albert to go from relative obscurity to future 135er royalty.“I appreciate that fight with Dustin so… -
From Nightmare to Dream - The Quotable Diego Sanchez
7 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pmIf there’s one thing practically every mixed martial arts writer can say, it’s that there’s no such thing as a bad Diego Sanchez interview. When The Ultimate Fighter season one winner and former world title challenger gets rolling (and it usually doesn’t take much), it’s best to just set up your recorder and let him roll, because you’re about to get enough quotes to last you for a week’s full of stories. With his UFC on FUEL main event against Jake Ellenberger approaching a week from today, here’s a sampling of memorable musings from “The Dream.”THE GOALS HAVE NEVER… -
UFC 143 Musings - Part II
6 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pmNELSON IS AS TOUGH AS THEY COMERoy Nelson is one bad dude. Not bad in the behavioral sense. Bad in terms of toughness. Anyone watching his last four fights knows that this guy is near the top of the food chain in terms of durability, heart and grit. He also has better than average power for a heavyweight. The problem, of course, is that Nelson isn’t a true heavyweight. Not by a mile. The six-foot mixed martial artist has the frame of a middleweight. Despite the fact that he has shed 20 pounds over his last two bouts, he still carries no less than 30 pounds of excess body fat. And I’m… -
UFC Ultimate Insider Premieres on FUEL TV
6 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pmLOS ANGELES, CA – FUEL TV premieres “UFC Ultimate Insider” tonight at 10:30 PM ET/7:30 PM PT. Go beyond the Octagon, as “UFC Ultimate Insider” delivers an all-access pass with unparalleled coverage of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, making it the hardest-hitting sports magazine show ever, bringing you unprecedented access, including in-depth profiles of the UFC’s biggest stars, tell-all features, and compelling backstage footage.Each week, host Jon Anik presents exclusive cinematic coverage of the biggest names and stories in the world’s fastest growing sport. “UFC… -
Jonathan Brookins Returns to the Right Track
6 Feb 2012 | 10:00 pm"Contestants of "The Ultimate Fighter" almost always emerge as vastly improved versions of themselves on the reality-show's finale."They're no longer in the pressure cooker of the house, time has passed, and they've picked up useful skills."'TUF 12' winner Jonathan Brookins largely did what he was good at – taking backs and locking in chokes – during the show and won the competition. But after a nine-month layoff, he appeared not to have improved, but gone downhill in a bout with Erik Koch at UFC Fight Night 25."read full article
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Recent News on Sherdog.com
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‘Shogun’ Rua Talks Changes in Management, Training Camp
9 Feb 2012 | 7:58 amMauricio “Shogun” Rua surprised many Tuesday when he announced on Twitter that he will no longer work with Eduardo Alonso, the manager who has overseen his career for nearly five years. -
Rousey: ‘Cyborg’ a Detriment to Women’s MMA
9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amRonda Rousey has no sympathy for former Strikeforce 145-pound women’s champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. -
Pictures: KOTC ‘Reckless Abandon’
9 Feb 2012 | 12:04 amKing of the Cage champions on both ends of the scale defended their belts at KOTC “Reckless Abandon,” including bantamweight ace Frank Baca and super heavyweight titleholder Tony Lopez. -
Askren-Lima, FW Semis, Horodecki Booked for Bellator 64 in Ontario
8 Feb 2012 | 4:21 pmBen Askren will defend his welterweight title against Douglas Lima at Bellator 64, promotion officials announced Wednesday. -
Anderson Silva Visits, Wrestles with Amazonian Tribe
8 Feb 2012 | 3:43 pmAnderson Silva is a master of many disciplines, including the standup art of muay Thai and the ground game of jiu-jitsu, but the UFC middleweight champion recently got an education in an entirely different style.
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Post-Advertising
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8 Traits of Successful Viral Videos
8 Feb 2012 | 8:47 amMaking a viral video is just like that carnival game where you throw the whiffle ball into the big basket. It looks easy, but when you try it, it’s surprisingly tough. Then you fork over more money to try again because your girlfriend is obviously disappointed in you. After three more misses your now ex-girlfriend has left you and you’re wondering what went wrong. Viral videos seem so easy to make. I mean, even Rachel Black made one! However, the reality is that virality is ever-elusive. There’s no single equation. You can’t buy it anywhere. No internet marketer/video editor, no… -
Crowdsourced! Eight Ways to Involve Your Most Important Allies
1 Feb 2012 | 1:33 pmBrand-hatched crowdsourcing is nothing new. But constructive crowdsourcing with usable output? Crowdsourcing that evokes a palpable sense of togetherness? That’s new. Steps being taken by nimble branders like Warby Parker and Betabrand to engage (and we mean really engage) fans and enthrall newcomers will soon become tomorrow’s staples for sourcing success. Want in on the unique new ways brands can use advanced crowdsourcing to engage followers? Read on. Each of the eight ideas we’ve carefully chosen has the potential to send your engagement numbers through the roof, as long as requests… -
The Future of (Auto)Mobile Advertising
25 Jan 2012 | 1:23 amGrowing up, all I wanted was a black Pontiac TransAm that spoke to me and helped me fight crime through a shadowy flight into the dangerous world of criminals operating above the law. What I got was a 1985 Peugeot 505s with cigarette burns on the canvas seats and a tape player that didn’t have a reverse button. Cars have come a long way since the “forward-thinking” days of Knight Rider. Cars not only speak to us, they can drive for us, give us directions, and show the kids some Dora the Explorer while en route to a ski trip in Vermont. And this is just the beginning. Like it… -
Is Google’s Social Search the New Normal?
23 Jan 2012 | 9:56 amAdditional reporting by Story’s Director of Audience Generation Cyrus Karimi. In early December, Google updated their search algorithm to provide each user with personalized results—the information Google deemed most relevant to the specific user. The news garnered little chatter in the social media realm. According to Danny Sullivan at Search Engine Land, less than 50 news articles and blog posts were written about in its initial week (and only 290 to date). Earlier this month Google made another important change, updating their search algorithm to include personalized search… -
Social As We See It: Digital Trends For 2012
19 Jan 2012 | 1:08 amThis post originally appeared in our January issue of “Live Report from the Future of Marketing,” our monthly Post-Advertising newsletter. Subscribe for free here. In the marketing world, getting in on the ground floor of the latest digital trend can pay huge dividends for users, particularly if they’re brands. But it’s difficult to know exactly which emerging site or app to dive into with both feet. Not every idea pans out, regardless of how much VC funding is acquired. True success depends on widespread adoption of the masses, or at least a dedicated community who simply…
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The Content Marketing Revolution
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What Can a Super Bowl Ad Buy You in Content Marketing?
6 Feb 2012 | 7:14 amSo, another Super Bowl gone. For those who advertised during the Super Bowl, the average cost of a Super Bowl ad this year was $3.5 million to promote their brand in front of 111 million viewers. For those counting, that’s $116,000 per second. Back in 2008 I looked at how much content marketing you could buy for the price of a Super Bowl ad. Four years ago, the price for a 30-second-spot was $2.7 million (folks, in this market, the economy is working just fine). That bought you A LOT of content. Today, you can buy even more. Here are a few examples. 47 Issues of Your Own… -
Lethal Generosity: The Key To Your Online Content Strategy
2 Feb 2012 | 6:16 pmThe concept of Lethal Generosity was first coined by social media pioneer Shel Israel in 2008. Simply put: Lethal Generosity is the concept that the most generous members of any social media company are the most credible and influential and as such, they can devastate their competition in the marketplace. In short, the company whose representative posts the most tips, links, advice, case studies, best practices that followers find useful will always [rise] to the top, not just in influence but also in search results. The more outbound links you post, the more inbound links you are likely… -
47 Essential Social Media Tools for Content Marketers
1 Feb 2012 | 9:29 amIt’s hard to believe the sheer number of social media tools we use everyday to help grow the Content Marketing Institute and SocialTract, as well as my own personal brand. Since there are so many, I decided to update this post from almost three years ago. It’s amazing the number of social media and content marketing tools that I continue to use, as well as the many that died over the years from lack of use. Which ones am I missing that you cannot live without? [disclaimer: many of the tools below are CMI partner tools] The Basics LinkedIn - Start the practice of connecting… -
McDonald’s Social Media Goes Wrong? Not a Chance
26 Jan 2012 | 4:49 pmYou’d have to be living in a cave not to be aware of the now historic McDonald’s Twitter campaign launched a few days ago. If you’ve been out of it for a while, here’s the CliffsNotes version: McDonald’s promoted a Tweet using the Twitter hashtag #McDStories that went like this: ‘When u make something w/pride, people can taste it,’ – McD potato supplier #McDStories http://t.co/HaPM5G9F‘ (source). The link is a video of McDonald’s potato supplier Frank Martinez and includes a heartwarming story about his life as a potato farmer. -
Tablet Content Marketing: Crazy Stats and Time to Move
25 Jan 2012 | 4:14 amIf you are not up on the latest statistics on the tablet, here are some to chew on: Apple reported first quarter earnings, selling over 15 million iPads during the quarter. This is a 111% increase from the previous quarter. In just under two years, Apple has now sold over 55 million units. According to Pew Internet’s latest findings, the share of Americans who own a tablet computer nearly doubled from December 2011 to January 2012. The number of Americans now owning at least one tablet device is now at 29%. Tablet: The Curl-Up Device Historically in marketing, we have talked about…
