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• Most Topular Stories

• Can dessert for breakfast help you lose weight?

  Holy Kaw!

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:39 pm

  New research suggests that, in the early morning, you can have your cake and shed pounds too A new study from Tel Aviv University finds that eating a small dessert as part of a balanced breakfast can actually help you shed unwanted pounds. Staying skinny and eating chocolate? Here, a brief guide to what sounds, frankly, impossible: Full story at The Week. Photo: CC by ::paqman:: All the top stories from The Week. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• In taste, brand matters

  Brand Mix

  Martin Bishop

  19 Jan 2012 | 10:04 am

  My latest post is out on MarketingDaily. In it, I talk about the power of packaging to influence taste. Research has show that people are highly sensitive to non-taste cues when they are evaluating the taste of something. As I say in the post: "It’s not just about the product inside. The brand matters because it tells consumers what to expect and influences how they evaluate a product."  You may be curious which beer was the "outright loser" in my blind taste test (maybe as curious as I am about why this part of the story was edited out) but, hopefully, your curiosity is now satisfied.

• Time For Brand Marketers To Lead A Comeback

  Branding Strategy Insider

  Derrick Daye, The Blake Project

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pm

  It’s a good thing the game between the NFL's New England Patriots and the New York Giants was exciting because this year’s Super Bowl commercials were dull, and what a weird thing to say about the Super Bowl. Generally, it’s the very opposite of that. Perhaps it’s best not to read too much into Super Bowl ads vying for viral buzz (many of which adopted a new pre-game, social media preview approach to generate buzz, albeit some have argued it was poorly done). But there was one thing that stood out. In a noticeable departure from the tradition of Super Bowl Sunday, this year’s crop…

• The 5 things that will derail your marketing in 2012

  Drew's Marketing Minute

  Drew McLellan

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:37 am

  I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade but the truth is — most organizations’ marketing efforts stink.  And they stink for reasons well within the marketing department’s control. If you’re worried that your own efforts might fall short — beware of these five danger zones that can derail you in a blink! Inconsistency:  Does your monthly newsletter go out 5 times a year?  Does your copy tone/style fluctuate between somber and casual?  Are your weekly sales calls happening every week? Inconsistency not only waters down your results but it also…

• JC Penney roots

  ICC/Decision Services

  drich

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:13 am

  On Feb 1st, JC Penney unveiled its new pricing strategy and service policies called Fair and Square. JC Penney describes it as three kinds of pricing, one happy return policy. It got our attention for a couple reasons. Simplicity of message: The three kinds of pricing are everyday low pricing, month-long values and best prices. The “best prices” will happen on the 1st and 3rd fridays of every month. Leadership change: Ron Johnson used to be the Senior VP of Retail for Apple and is now the CEO of JC Penney. He helped shape the Apple Store concept and Genius Bar. At first blush, we…

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  Holy Kaw!

• Can dessert for breakfast help you lose weight?

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:39 pm

  New research suggests that, in the early morning, you can have your cake and shed pounds too A new study from Tel Aviv University finds that eating a small dessert as part of a balanced breakfast can actually help you shed unwanted pounds. Staying skinny and eating chocolate? Here, a brief guide to what sounds, frankly, impossible: Full story at The Week. Photo: CC by ::paqman:: All the top stories from The Week. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• Romance survey [infographic]

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:02 pm

  Via Hotels.com. Infographics to put you in the mood. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

• Do aliens go invisible by 'going green'?

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:24 am

  As we discover more and more planets around other stars, the Fermi Paradox is becoming, well, more paradoxical. The Fermi Paradox simply asks the question "where are they?" Our Milky Way galaxy is so big and so old -- and we are estimated to be accompanied by at least 100 billion planets -- that aliens should have visited us by now. Instead, when we peruse the heavens, we are faced with the Great Silence, which is one of the biggest challenges to modern astronomy. Full story at Discovery News. More news from Discovery Communications. Photo credit: Fotolia Permalink | Leave a…

• Mysterious sounds reported around the world

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:23 am

  People around the world have reported hearing strange sounds from the skies over the past month. Sometimes they describe it as a hum or low rumble; other times it’s a whine, thump, or even a melody. Often the sounds have been recorded and posted online, fueling rumors and conspiracy theories. One blogger wrote, "either the world is ending, aliens are landing or everyone is getting hoaxed. Or, possibly, there’s an actual scientific explanation for the mass amount of YouTube videos capturing bizarre sounds that are being heard around the globe. Are we witnessing the beginning of a…

• Costa Concordia: an ecological time bomb

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:21 am

  As workers begin to extract the half-million gallons of fuel in the shipwrecked cruise liner, locals are worried that their pristine waters are in danger. Reporting by Rossella Lorenzi. Written and produced by Rossella Lorenzi and Martin Berman. Full story at Discovery News. More news from Discovery Communications. Permalink | Leave a comment  »

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  Brand Mix

• In taste, brand matters

  Martin Bishop

  19 Jan 2012 | 10:04 am

  My latest post is out on MarketingDaily. In it, I talk about the power of packaging to influence taste. Research has show that people are highly sensitive to non-taste cues when they are evaluating the taste of something. As I say in the post: "It’s not just about the product inside. The brand matters because it tells consumers what to expect and influences how they evaluate a product."  You may be curious which beer was the "outright loser" in my blind taste test (maybe as curious as I am about why this part of the story was edited out) but, hopefully, your curiosity is now satisfied.

• 15 Social Media Tips for the holidays

  Martin Bishop

  14 Dec 2011 | 7:28 am

  Here's my holiday gift to my readers. To be honest, it's a regift, since these social media tips were originally published (in longer form) in the MarketingDaily. There are five tips on basic social media principles and approach and ten tips on criteria for planning social media programs. Principles 1. Be human Social media is about engaging with customers on a personal level, something marketers sometimes forget. In social media interaction, you should be asking yourself: 'What would a human do?' And do that. 2. Don’t overreach Most brands, especially CPG brands, aren't all that engaging…

• Lululemon puts an Ayn Rand stamp on yoga

  Martin Bishop

  21 Nov 2011 | 8:50 am

  Lululemon has ridden the wave of yoga's popularity with great success, selling high end yoga clothes and promoting healthy living. So deciding to associate with a philosophy that's the antithesis of what yoga is all about seems a little odd, to say the least.  As reported on NPR, the company's new shopping bags feature the question: "Who is John Galt?". And who is John Galt? He's the protagonist of Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged where she laid out her Objectivist philosophy, including the idea that selfishness is a virtue,a very un-yoga-like position. Why this seeming act of…

• Australia's new cigarette law bans branded packaging, tests branding principles

  Martin Bishop

  14 Nov 2011 | 8:06 am

  Australia has become the first country in the world to ban the branding of cigarette packages. From next July, all packs will look like the one in the picture--they will be a deliberately unappealing olive green color, the brand of the manufacturer will be printed in a tiny, generic font (i.e. no trademarks) and the only images will be graphic health warnings. Thus the Australians are setting up an interesting, real world packaging test. What will happen when the new, generic packaging hits the shelves? The one thing that the government and the cigarette manufacturers agree on is that the…

• Moleskine misstep miffs most-loyals

  Martin Bishop

  25 Oct 2011 | 12:20 pm

  Committing social media suicide by upsetting your most loyal fans is something of a trend. Netflix blazed a trail. And now it's Moleskine, maker of the "legendary" notebooks so beloved by the designers, following along. With apparently no sense of a design community hot button issue, Moleskine thought it might be kind of cool to organize a competition to design a new logo. In other words, to crowdsource it. That's, to say the least, not going down too well with one-time Moleskine lovers, now turning into Moleskine haters. Here's a comment posted on Moleskine's Facebook page by Seth Johnson…

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  Branding Strategy Insider

• Time For Brand Marketers To Lead A Comeback

  Derrick Daye, The Blake Project

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pm

  It’s a good thing the game between the NFL's New England Patriots and the New York Giants was exciting because this year’s Super Bowl commercials were dull, and what a weird thing to say about the Super Bowl. Generally, it’s the very opposite of that. Perhaps it’s best not to read too much into Super Bowl ads vying for viral buzz (many of which adopted a new pre-game, social media preview approach to generate buzz, albeit some have argued it was poorly done). But there was one thing that stood out. In a noticeable departure from the tradition of Super Bowl Sunday, this year’s crop…

• When To Reposition Your Brand

  Derrick Daye, The Blake Project

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pm

  Brand repositioning is necessary when one or more of the following conditions exist: Your brand has a bad, confusing or nonexistent image. The primary benefit your brand "owns" has evolved from a differentiating benefit to a cost-of-entry benefit. Your organization is significantly altering its strategic direction. Your organization is entering new businesses and the current positioning is no longer appropriate. A new competitor with a superior value proposition enters your industry. Competition has usurped your brand's position or rendered it ineffectual. Your organization has acquired a…

• How To Transform An Under-Performing Brand

  Thomson Dawson

  5 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pm

  Once the decision has been made to continue to invest in an under-performing brand, brand owners will be faced with a new set of challenges completely foreign to them. The temptation is always to do more of what got you there. That rarely works when brands face reinvention.  By that I mean brand relevance. The main reason brands begin to under perform is that people no longer care. When that happens, like it or not, you’ll be starting over from scratch. This is a hard pill for brand owners to swallow, particularly if the brand was once an iconic leader in its category.  For brand owners…

• Logo Design Requirements

  Brad VanAuken, The Blake Project

  4 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pm

  A brand’s identity is a combination of visual, auditory, and other sensory components that create recognition, aid in memory encoding and decoding, represent the brand promise, provide differentiation, create communications synergy, and are proprietary. The logo is one key component. Here is what we look for when we evaluate logo design: Memorable – highest recognition and recall (both of which can be tested for) Including recognition at maximum distances (can be tested for) Aesthetically pleasing Timeless quality - the logo will not become dated Appropriate for the product/service…

• Brand Tagline Requirements

  Brad VanAuken, The Blake Project

  3 Feb 2012 | 9:10 pm

  In definitive global research, The Conference Board has found the development and consistent use of a tagline to be a key factor in brand strategy success. A tagline that succinctly and powerfully communicates the brand’s promise is one of the quickest, easiest and least expensive ways to communicate the brand’s new position to internal and external audiences. It should consistently accompany the brand’s logo in situations outlined by the brand architecture. I believe that developing brand taglines (and elevator speeches) are the most important next steps one can take once a brand has…

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  Drew's Marketing Minute

• The 5 things that will derail your marketing in 2012

  Drew McLellan

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:37 am

  I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade but the truth is — most organizations’ marketing efforts stink.  And they stink for reasons well within the marketing department’s control. If you’re worried that your own efforts might fall short — beware of these five danger zones that can derail you in a blink! Inconsistency:  Does your monthly newsletter go out 5 times a year?  Does your copy tone/style fluctuate between somber and casual?  Are your weekly sales calls happening every week? Inconsistency not only waters down your results but it also…

• Crisis communications – don’t wait to create a plan

  Drew McLellan

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:10 am

  Does your organization have a crisis communications plan that you could actually put into action at this very moment? All of the hubub surrounding the Susan G. Komen decision to stop funding Planned Parenthood and then their reversal of that decision following a 72+ hour firestorm of public outrage should have scared the bejesus out of you. If an organization as large, powerful and well respected as Komen can get into that much hot water — and is that ill-prepared to handle it then what in the world would happen to you if there was an accident on your job site, if your CFO embezzled…

• Don’t add frill until your core is rock solid

  Drew McLellan

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:15 am

  A couple times a month a cleaning company comes into our house and does a deep clean. Every time I walk into the house after they’ve cleaned… the toilet paper rolls and tissues sticking out of the boxes are folded in some sort of origami art.  Sometimes, they leave a truffle on the kitchen counter. I get what they’re trying to do.  And it’s a lovely little extra.  Unfortunately, I also find things like: Every waste basket in the wrong spot (they’ve been cleaning the house for over a year) The back door unlocked or a window left open A few lights left on…

• What you don’t know about your sales funnel

  Drew McLellan

  30 Jan 2012 | 5:56 am

  We all think and talk about our sales funnel a lot.  We’re always saying things like: We need to keep it full. We need to stay active with the prospects that have been in it for awhile. On average, it takes a prospect X months to move through it. And so on…. But consider the statistic to the right.  60% of your sales efforts are what happens before you have actively put someone into the funnel.  In other words — it’s not you who is doing the selling. Who is? Your existing customers The customer who left and is working with your competitors Your vendors Your website…

• What’s your purple goldfish?

  Drew McLellan

  11 Jan 2012 | 11:30 am

  Get your free copy of Stan Phelp’s book! A few years ago, I met Stan Phelps, another marketing guy, online (I think he commented on my blog and we started chatting via email) and before I knew it — we were friends.  He was just dipping his toe into the blogging waters and I tried to be helpful along the way. Fast forward to today, January 11, 2012. Stan’s first book, What’s Your Purple Goldfish*, is being released today.  I’ve read it and know you’re going to love it.  Really love it. I’m also very humbled to say that Stan asked me to write the…

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  ICC/Decision Services

• JC Penney roots

  drich

  6 Feb 2012 | 5:13 am

  On Feb 1st, JC Penney unveiled its new pricing strategy and service policies called Fair and Square. JC Penney describes it as three kinds of pricing, one happy return policy. It got our attention for a couple reasons. Simplicity of message: The three kinds of pricing are everyday low pricing, month-long values and best prices. The “best prices” will happen on the 1st and 3rd fridays of every month. Leadership change: Ron Johnson used to be the Senior VP of Retail for Apple and is now the CEO of JC Penney. He helped shape the Apple Store concept and Genius Bar. At first blush, we…

• Expanding your footprint without adding footage

  drich

  26 Jan 2012 | 6:11 pm

  Speed Theory is not your ordinary bike shop. Besides selling some sweet Cervelo, Felts and Argon bicycles for your next Ironman, it is also a place where anyone can get a great bike to compete in the local mini triathlon or just to cruise on some backroads. Speed Theory makes great use of its real estate, even when the shop is closed. When I arrived at 5:30 am, the temperature was –22° F and I watched people trickle in — carrying their bicycles and trainer apparatus — until there were about twenty of us in all. They were all coming for spin class, but this was not like the…

• Kelly Swallow knows who she is

  drich

  6 Jan 2012 | 8:29 am

  Watch this video. It is very short (7 seconds.) And that’s kinda the point I’m about to make. Kelly Swallow makes chairs that make people smile. To do Service with Boundaries well, you need to start off with a solid foundation. You have to know who you are. Who is Swallow? She’s the designer who makes chairs that make people smile. It is short, simple and direct. In setting and sticking to her core DNA, Swallow’s entire business has a natural flow to the other two formula components: Listen to your customer… most of the time and You can’t improve what you…

• No reservations

  drich

  27 Dec 2011 | 9:22 am

  I’m vacationing with my family in Europe over the next week, visiting Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. One of my favorite places to visit when I am in Paris is Le Relais de l’Entrecôte. I like it mostly because they have defined the boundaries of dining experience They serve only one entrée; steak frites cooked rare, medium rare or medium. You order your steak the way you like it and the server writes it on your tablecloth, then brings out your salad — lettuce topped with walnuts and a mustard vinaigrette. After your salad starter, your steak is brought to you in two stages,…

• No rain, no rainbows

  drich

  21 Dec 2011 | 6:27 am

  What do you do with almost $10,000 worth of merchandise that you can’t return to online retailers because their return procedures are so dysfunctional? If you are STELLAService, you break out the wrapping paper and bows, have a wrapping party and donate the items to various charities throughout New York City. And we decided to help them. STELLAService tests online retailers by purchasing and returning real products as a normal customer would. Usually they return the items, but due to poor customer service they were stuck with this stuff. Turning rain into rainbows. In this case,…

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  Orange Element

• It’s Quite Possible That I’m Your Third Man

  Dave Colson

  31 Jan 2012 | 2:15 pm

  Orange Element is now the proud owner of a Third Man Records Portable Record Player. Straight out of Nashville, Tennessee Third Man Records is the brick and mortar brainchild of producer, songwriter and musician Jack White. They record, print and press vinyl records right there in the store (the majority of which are produced by Jack). The rest of the building is set up as a record label, photo studio, dark room and venue. Any White Stripes fans out there may recognize the name “Third Man” from the song “Ball and Biscuit” or from Jack’s former career at Third Man…

• The Baltimore Creative Community’s “Evil Plans”

  Neal Shaffer

  20 Jan 2012 | 1:27 pm

  Anyone with even half an ear to the ground in Baltimore lately has surely noticed that we’ve got a lot going on. There’s Create Baltimore 2 this weekend, Ignite 10 in March (of which I’m a co-organizer), Full Circle Storytelling, and dozens of others, with new initiatives popping up all the time. It’s a lot to keep track of, especially if you’re involved in organizing your own thing. Luckily, the GBTC is on the case. On Thursday, January 26 a handful of the finest minds in Baltimore’s tech/creative/culture scene will convene for Evil Plans 2, a meetup…

• Linotype: The Film

  Kuoting Lian

  12 Jan 2012 | 1:26 pm

  On February 3rd a movie will premiere that will explore the history and impact of a near extinct creation that many people today don’t normally give thought to, and no, I’m not talking about dinosaurs, I’m talking about Linotype. Linotype is a part of the printing process that doesn’t exist much, if at all, now in the modern days of technology, but back in the day it was revolutionary. It sped up the printing process by casting an entire line of type at one time (hence “Line o’ Type”) instead of the typesetting everything by hand. Fun fact for those of us in Charm City, Ottmar…

• Orange Element Is Hiring!

  Orange Element

  8 Jan 2012 | 1:34 pm

  We are very excited to add several new positions to our growing team. More details about the open positions can be found below, and if you think you would be a good fit, please send your resume, cover letter, and samples to info@orange-element.com. We’re looking forward to hearing from you! Business Development Manager We are seeking a highly motivated, self-starting Business Development Manager, based in our Baltimore office, to generate opportunities for creative branding and design with progressive companies in need of integrated branding solutions. Candidates will possess a high…

• Ultimate Wedding TV Spots, Continued

  Neal Shaffer

  5 Jan 2012 | 1:02 pm

  Back in December we debuted some of our latest work, the first two TV spots for the Bistro at South River’s Ultimate Wedding Giveaway. The series is a total of four and today we wanted to let you know how it all turned out (in case you hadn’t guessed)… Here’s part three and part four: “The Engagement” “The Wedding” As for the contest itself, entries have started to come in and we’re excited to see what we end up with. So if you’re engaged to be married, or know someone who is/soon will be, head over to www.bistroultimatewedding.com…

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  GIRVIN | Strategic Branding Blog

• APPRECIATIVE LISTENING: watchful feelingness

  Tim Girvin

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:26 am

  Which way are you listing? open, sourced? foundation: sharing. –––––––––––––––– Vince — good question last night, listening into our meeting; “how does a meeting with people that you’ve never met becomes a familial love / hug fest?” Silence — and observative, feelingness –– listening. The way that you hear is by being quiet and watching the person that you’re paying attention to. And connecting with them. Bringing them into yourself. You’re holding them. That hug starts at the beginning. Someone just said –…

• The rise of “spec:” doing creative work for free

  Tim Girvin

  3 Feb 2012 | 4:52 am

  Doing creative speculative work — a pitch that costs nothing for the client — and everything for the creative team. I was in an argument with the team at Toyota — for what seems like months; lots of errors, miscommunications, challenges and failures to really provide the kind of service support that Toyota is famous for. Or, at least — they say they are. And it all started with money — going in for a $100.00 service, that ended — as I finally drove away, at $1500.00. These days, this past year, that might be changing. The past several years, and 2011, were…

• Palm Springs Designed Modernism

  Tim Girvin

  1 Feb 2012 | 6:13 am

  Designing in the otherworldly — futurism found and built — in the scarcity of the desert. It might not be certain what the effect of the desert air, broad and brilliant skies, ranges of mountainous channels could be in the sentiments of design and architecture in the 30s to the 50s, Palm Springs — roughly an hour plus journey from Los Angeles. Being there, staying at a lodge that had these stylings (The Ace) it was worth it to head out and explore more. Ace Hotel Palm Springs Room art But the idea of desert modernism might really not have had its start in Palm Springs, or…

• THE RAVENOUS HUNGER| THE CREATIVE PREY

  Tim Girvin

  24 Jan 2012 | 2:36 am

  the creative hunger, the force of passionate making raven, verb i"m thinking about the hunger that is beneath the hunger. I’m talking less about food and more about the notion of the food beneath food — that is, what drives the hunger itself? Emptiness? Or rather, fullness? When that comes to the creative place – the place of making – what does that mean? There is a hunger that lies beneath, another drive to action. That is the passion, the heated fire to building, making,  drawing on, and from, the fire that lies within that sensing of hunger; it is the…

• You’re so cool.

  Tim Girvin

  18 Jan 2012 | 12:08 pm

  Design, brand foundations and Silicon Valley: opening the channels to brand origination. “I know that there’s a story here, but how will people get it? What is the story, what’s cool about it — and why would anyone care?” I was thinking about the beginnings. Technology: story, relevance, resonance, relationships — and the carrying of ideas and ideals. Is there a way to get people to love an enterprise, and what it offers? There is a process — never perfected, never perfect — but always abetted by design. We have history in exploring that…

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  BrandingBlog by Dave Young

• BrandingBlog Radio: Brett Feinstein – Political Advertising

  Dave Young

  3 Feb 2012 | 12:16 am

  Brett Feinstein - no doubt going negative Brett Feinstein is a partner in the political advertising agency Pound & Feinstein. He’s one of those guys that you have to get to know to understand. He’s loved and admired by those who take the time. If you know Brett Feinstein only superficially through Facebook or another near anonymous web arena, you probably only think you know him. That’s because he treats Facebook as his own psychology lab; questioning, pushing, shocking and provoking to see what kind of reaction he can get. It can be alarming…if you don’t…

• Soundbites: Super Bowl Reach

  Dave Young

  31 Jan 2012 | 3:18 pm

  NOTE FROM DAVE:  The “SoundBites” podcasts are usually re-written in an article style (via Shortcut Blogging), but this one was such an interactive conversation that I decided to simply use the transcript. Enjoy the game! So far…in these pre-game days, this is my fave: Beuller? Beuller? Want to read the transcript? Chris Loghry: Welcome to BrandingBlog SoundBites with Wizard of Ads partner Dave Young. Dave wants to talk Super Bowl. I didn’t know you were into football. Dave Young: I’m not into football, Chris. Chris: Oh, you’re into advertising. Dave: Yeah, that’s…

• BrandingBlog Radio: Chandra Clarke – CEO of Scribendi

  Dave Young

  26 Jan 2012 | 11:55 pm

  Remember the scene in the movie Pulp Fiction where Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) accidentally create a serious mess of their car by shooting the guy in the back seat? The only solution is to call in an expert…a cleanup guy. Winston Wolfe (brilliantly played by Harvey Keitel) to the rescue. I love the Winston Wolfe character. He knows how to fix a bad situation. When you’ve got a writing mess (a dog’s breakfast, as my Aussie friends would call it) you need to call in an expert. Scribendi is to bad writing as Winston Wolf is to Jules and…

• Soundbites: Fire Fast, Hire Slow

  Dave Young

  25 Jan 2012 | 7:54 am

  This is age old advice in management circles. Kinda funny how hard it is to do in practice. And it’s one of those topics where you look at business owners and managers and you think, “They really should take this advice.” I really want to talk about the “fire fast” but I’ll just touch briefly on the hire slow, because there are loads and loads of resources on how to hire people. Just remember that the worst thing you can do is hire the first person through the door that you think could probably learn to do the job. The biggest pressure point on hiring somebody too fast is that…

• Blog Ghostwriting with no time-sucking Ghost

  Dave Young

  23 Jan 2012 | 10:23 am

  I know I’ve mentioned Shortcut Blogging to you quite a few times, but we’ve finished our web site and have our infrastructure in place to take on new clients in bigger numbers than onesy-twosies. Many business owners know that they should be blogging. Why? Because, blogging creates relevant content on your site, gives you increased credibility as an expert and gives people a reason to talk about you in a good way. Trouble is, most business owners are so time-deprived that they just can’t make writing a priority. Hiring a ghost writer for your blog won’t save you much…

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  Igor

• Brand Identity Evolution – From Kinky to “Smile & Wave”

  igor

  27 Jan 2012 | 6:46 am

• Udderly confusing

  Snark Hunting

  26 Jan 2012 | 6:20 am

  The children’s film & television series “Barnyard”, made a strange branding choice when developing the appearance of their characters. The main characters are cows, both male and female. Why do characters named Ben and Otis, voiced by Sam Elliot and Kevin James, sport udders??? In this film, cows of both genders do. The protagonist “Otis” is pictured here. We can understand why they might not want to equip the bulls with their actual equipment, but why transgender them? Why not just do a Barbie and Ken-like omission on the bulls? We don’t expect a kid’s film like…

• Hotpoint ad from the 70′s targets the Irish

  igor

  26 Jan 2012 | 6:11 am

  Click on image to engorge

• Crochet cachet

  Snark Hunting

  24 Jan 2012 | 12:17 am

  Of all the fetish magazines on the market, this one makes us feel the naughtiest. Crochet Fantasy, by virtue of its absurd name, has made the mundane oddly compelling. And disturbing. And sublimely subliminal. Simultaneously squeaky clean AND tawdry. It’s so bad, it’s good. Perfect. Or maybe it’s just our predilection for coarse, mustard-colored yarn… Touché. [ More posts about naming | More blogs about naming ] [ More posts about naming products | More blogs about naming products ]

• We get this a lot

  igor

  21 Jan 2012 | 12:16 pm

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  Rocketseed » Blog

• Case Study: SDG Christmas promotion generates 21% unique click through rate for Symantec using Rocketseed Mail

  mtalisman

  25 Jan 2012 | 5:52 pm

  The Specialist Distribution Group (SDG) is part of Europe’s largest independently owned IT group. With annual turnover in excess of $2.34b and international coverage in 47 territories, SDG is the EMEA Specialist Technology Distributor. The group offers a complementary range of channel-enabled services that provide reseller partners with both the capacity and the capability to meet the demands of their customers in the most agile and economic way. “Rocketseed Mail is a proven marketing channel for SDG. It delivers quantifiable results and provides our sales teams with a constant flow of…

• Keeping up with your Business New Year’s Resolutions?

  mtalisman

  25 Jan 2012 | 5:49 pm

  Why growing your database should be top of your list in 2012. It’s January, the traditionally introspective time when individuals look to self-improvement and businesses look to…well, self-improvement. With lists of resolutions piling up and actions needed, here at Rocketseed we think “CRM” and “Customer Database” should be at the top of every list, as a key way for businesses to improve in 2012. As a business, your database could be one of your most valuable assets, allowing you to engage with customers, build relationships and most importantly, generate new business. But how…

• Our highlights from 2011 & projections for 2012!

  mtalisman

  25 Jan 2012 | 5:28 pm

  As we tidy our desks, file our 2011 emails and start to scan the 2012 calendar here at Rocketseed, we are delighted to share with you some key highlights of 2011 as well as a number of exciting prospects and projections for the year ahead… 2011 2011 has seen new Managing Directors, Robyn Woods-Child (Australia) and Fiona Robson (UK) enjoy equally successful first years at Rocketseed. Both sets of feet are firmly under the desk, high-heels are at the ready and new business is rolling in on both sides of the world. The roll-out of the upgraded Rocketseed platform is now near completion,…

• Festive Rocketseed Banner Competition – Vote Now

  admin

  14 Dec 2011 | 1:09 am

  Many of our clients have used Rocketseed mail to launch their Christmas campaigns, boost seasonal bookings and pass on good wishes to their customers. We love some of these festive touches so have picked a shortlist of what we think are the best Christmas banners. We want you to vote for your favourite, and the client’s banner with the most votes will win a Rocketseed voucher in the New Year. Here are the entries in no particular order: 1 – Carton House promote their Christmas breaks special with strong call to action. 2 – vitra. showcase their Christmas Market from 5…

• Rocketseed Customer Support – Festive Season

  admin

  7 Dec 2011 | 10:46 pm

  Our team of professionals are on standby to assist you over the festive season. If you require Rocketseed customer support services during this time, please contact the team in your local area as follows: United Kingdom The Rocketseed Office will operate normal business hours until 1pm on Friday 23rd December 2011 and will resume on Tuesday 3rd January 2012. While our offices are closed: For urgent queries please call: 0845 881 2290 For non-urgent queries please email: supportuk@rocketseed.com South Africa The Rocketseed Offices will operate normal business hours up to 5pm on Thursday 22nd…

• 

  How to Change the World

• Raising Money: What Not to Say and What Not to Believe #OfficeandGuyK

  GuyKawasaki

  20 Jan 2012 | 10:46 am

  Over the past two weeks via my partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve provided templates of models for you to create enchanting PowerPoint pitches, Word business plans, and Excel financial models. They are all available for you to download from my SkyDrive account. I hope these documents and blog posts help you save a boatload of time and increase the quality of your efforts.I leave you with two sets of top ten lies: one of entrepreneurs and one of investors so that you know what not to say and what not to believe. Top Ten Lies of Entrepreneurs “Our projections are…

• Design a Sam Adams beer

  GuyKawasaki

  20 Jan 2012 | 8:24 am

  Now this is a fun project. I’m helping Sam Adams “tap” the knowledge of beer drinkers and crowd source its next brew. Join the party by getting the app and designing your beer: The final brew will be released in Austin in the first week of March. #sponsored

• How to Create an Enchanting Financial Forecast #OfficeandGuyK

  GuyKawasaki

  17 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pm

  This is the third post in my Microsoft partnership, and it’s all about numbers. The topic is crafting your financial forecast to include in your pitch. Bill Reichert, my partner at Garage Technology Ventures, created an Excel model and wrote this blog post. There’s a lesson in this too: Get the best person for the job. His grasp of financial models and how to present them exceeds mine by two orders of magnitude. The Purpose of Financial Projections When it comes to financial projections, there are two types of entrepreneurs: first, the “visionary entrepreneur” who…

• How to Create an Enchanting Business Plan #OfficeandGuyK

  GuyKawasaki

  12 Jan 2012 | 8:16 am

  Here is the second post in my series about planning, pitching, and launching a new business venture. In partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps, I’ve created a Word document that outlines a good business plan. It’s saved to my SkyDrive folder here. Feel free to download it and use it as inspiration. And if you’re working with a partner, you can use the free Word Web App to stay in sync. I provided the PowerPoint document before the Word document because a good business plan is an elaboration of a good pitch as opposed to a good pitch being a distillation of good business plan.

• How to Create an Enchanting Pitch #OfficeandGuyK

  GuyKawasaki

  9 Jan 2012 | 8:01 am

  Welcome to the first in a series of blog posts I’ll be doing as part of a partnership with Microsoft and Office Web Apps. Over the next two weeks, I’ll cover everything a budding entrepreneur needs to turn an idea into an enchanting investment opportunity—from the perfect pitch to a killer business plan to financial forecasts. I’m going to start with a little dissertation on creating effective PowerPoint pitches for your company. I embedded the sample deck for you to click through by using the PowerPoint Web App. When you’re ready to get started, you can download the…

• 

  Neuromarketing

• Super Bowl Ads: “Second Payoff” Pays Off

  Roger Dooley

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:11 am

  The Super Bowl is the biggest day of the year for football fans, and just about as important for neuromarketing companies. The first results of neuromarketing studies from the big game are trickling out, and Innerscope Research observed a strategy employed by multiple advertisers: a “second payoff” at the end of the ad, after the [...]

• Neuromarketing Fun: Add Your Caption

  Roger Dooley

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:32 am

  Want to win a signed copy of my new book, Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing? I thought we could have a little fun while we’re waiting for the results of the Super Bowl neuromarketing studies to roll in. Read on… Neuromarketing scares some people, even though the techniques used by [...]

• NeuroBowl: Neuromarketing and Super Bowl 2012

  Roger Dooley

  3 Feb 2012 | 5:51 am

  The Super Bowl may be the biggest sports event of the year and the biggest advertising event of the year, but it’s also the biggest event of the year for neuromarketing companies. With $3 million being spent on every 30 second spot, you can be sure that lots of advertisers rang up their favorite neuromarketing [...]

• Social Personalization and the Doppelganger Effect

  Roger Dooley

  1 Feb 2012 | 5:18 am

  Are you overlooking a way to personalize your ads that goes far beyond the usual “Dear Roger” salutation? In my recent article, Put Your Customer in the Ad, I mentioned that LinkedIn was using profile pictures for targeted ads. Since then, I’ve been able to capture a couple of examples. The first one surprised me [...]

• Time Warner Opens NYC Neuromarketing Lab

  Roger Dooley

  26 Jan 2012 | 5:42 am

  Time Warner Inc. is opening their new “Medialab” at its New York City headquarters. The media giant expects to “generate valuable insights into consumer behavior, evolving media habits and industry trends across all of Time Warner’s businesses, brands and advertising partners.” The lab sounds like one of the more diverse facilities dedicated to this kind [...]

• 

  MarketingProfs How-To Articles

• Never Waste an Opportunity: The Value of Lead Nurturing

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  When new visitors arrive at your website, you have two ways to seize the opportunity and guide them toward becoming customers. Both opportunities can evaporate in the blink of an eye--if you don't have the proper systems in place. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

• Four Keyword Research Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  If you are serious about the words "sales," "profit," and "conversions," you must master keyword research. Learn four common pitfalls marketers make when selecting keywords--and how to avoid them. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

• The Inside Scoop on Using Twitter Lists for Profit and Sanity

  3 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  The dirty secret of Twitter is that as helpful as it can be, it's also a time sink. Learn how properly using and cleaning up your Twitter lists can help you save time--and generate leads for your business. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

• 10 Hot Tips (and a Promo Campaign Planner) for Seasonal Sale Success

  2 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  Customers today expect more deals and offers during holiday seasons, so it's important to create seasonal campaigns to increase revenues. Here are 10 tips--and a campaign planner--to help you achieve seasonal sale success. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

• Five Tips for Implementing a Successful QR Code Campaign

  1 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  QR codes can be inexpensive to implement and can provide you a measureable return on investment--if you use them correctly. Learn five invaluable tips for implementing an effective QR code campaign. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

• 

  Brian Solis

• Meet the Mother of All Processes

  Brian Solis

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:32 am

  Guest post by John M. Bernard, author of the new book, Business at the Speed of Now, and Chairman and Founder of Mass Ingenuity. Imagine going to work in one of Henry Ford’s factories a century ago, proud that management referred to you a “hand” or a “hammer” or maybe even a “wrench.” The labels reflected Ford’s emphasis on automation and management’s view of laborers as mere cogs in the machine. Screw this nut onto that bolt; weld this strap to that frame; do it over and over and over again until your brain froze with boredom. Of course, management needed workers to get the…

• 2011 Was the Year of the Mobile Consumer, What’s in Store for 2012? Value.

  Brian Solis

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:10 am

  Chris Silva, my colleague at Altimeter Group, released a useful report today that I wanted to share with you here. Mobile is important and I believe you know this. However, when we consider mobile, we often think about the experience when and where it begins. But, we often miss the opportunity to lead a more meaningful journey as it may travel from small screen to larger screens across laptops, desktops and beyond. And along the way, we must now determine our role in this journey to provide information, shape decisions, and influence behavior. In Chris’ report, he reminds us that 2011…

• Season 2 Finale: How Yamaha invests in new customer experiences

  Brian Solis

  3 Feb 2012 | 10:52 am

  This is it…the Season Finale! And, what a way to end Season 2 of (R)evolution…. In this episode, Yamaha shares what is by far the most expansive view of disruptive technology’s impact on business infrastructure and culture on the show to date. What you’ll see is a genuine discussion with Jeff Hawley and Rick Williams of Yamaha explore how an already successful business is exploring new opportunities to better define the customer experience before, during and after transactions. It comes down to workflow. Nowadays, it either works for you or works against you. Here,…

• Smartphones, Tablets, PCs, The Devices People Use to Discover Information in Social Media (and when)

  Brian Solis

  2 Feb 2012 | 3:13 pm

  My friends over at bit.ly published an interesting graph that reveals the devices as well as the days/times that people use different devices and how and when they consume information. As you can imagine, it’s across the board, but as you can see, there are waves that every device follows, except the desktop. Desktops are of course the devices that we can assume people use during work hours. As such, they are most heavily used on weekdays before noon. Interestingly enough, phone traffic peaks at about the same times, but not to similar effects. What’s also telling is that tablets…

• What’s Love Got to Do with It? The 3P’s of Identity

  Brian Solis

  2 Feb 2012 | 6:16 am

  Guest post by Allison Cerra, author of Identity Shift With the 2012 Presidential election looming, there’s no shortage of polls to help narrow the field of candidates. I find a recent one from Fox News to be particularly fascinating. Among other questions, Republican primary voters were asked which Republican presidential candidate is most likeable and which they would most trust with a nuclear weapon. While Newt Gingrich scored at the top of the heap in earning the trust vote, he scored only marginally well on the likeability scale. The topic was discussed on the network’s “Fox &…

• 

  Marketing Interactions

• Expectations and Experience are the New Competition

  ArdathAlbee

  6 Feb 2012 | 11:51 am

  For years, B2B marketers have been worried about competitors' products and solutions. They spent a considerable amount of effort trying to differentiate their features and prove their offering is better than another company's version of something similar. As technology continues to shorten product time-to-market and allow for rapid updates and improvements, it's also enabled marketers to become publishers, applying even more pressure to move faster to produce more information than competing vendors. Online publishing is the new version of one-upping. (Competitor A just…

• Marketing Cloud Computing to Non-Believer CIOs

  ArdathAlbee

  2 Feb 2012 | 4:16 pm

  Cloud computing is a pretty big deal. It's one of the top priorities for many CIOs. So, it should be a pretty easy process to build a B2B content strategy that helps CIOs make a purchasing decision. Or is it? I subscribe to a lot of newsletters and have a ton of Google Alerts to help me mine for information I use to learn more about the buyers my clients sell to. In my Inbox today was a bonanza of a resource. SearchCIO sent me a link to: Quick take: Why iRobot's CIO doesn't like enterprise cloud computing This resource is a quick interview with Jay Leader, CIO of iRobot, in…

• Why B2B Marketers Must Address Status Quo

  ArdathAlbee

  31 Jan 2012 | 4:15 pm

  When I do stategic planning workshops with my clients, we get into a lot of discussions about buying stages. Anyone who's followed me for a while or read my book knows that I always start very early in the process with the stage of Status Quo. My definition of status quo is the buyer's current situation. We get to that by answering questions such as: How are they doing what your product enables today? What workarounds may be in place that could be escalating pain? Why should they care about what you're talking about? What would get their attention? What would they need to learn…

• The Content Marketing Continuum: Part 1

  ArdathAlbee

  29 Jan 2012 | 12:25 pm

  Online publishing has changed the game. Yes, the Internet changed everything. You've heard it before. But, what many B2B marketers haven't yet grasped is the shift from start and stop marketing campaigns to approaching online publishing as a Content Marketing Continuum. To make this shift, marketers need a framework, not just the ability to publish content. Marketers are under pressure to create a sustainable buyer experience that results in a profitable outcome. Pushing out stand-alone events or campaigns that stop and start and continuously change in focus is not going to…

• Are Shorter Sales Cycles a Wake-up Call for Marketers?

  ArdathAlbee

  24 Jan 2012 | 4:47 pm

  Marketing Sherpa's chart of the week shows the answer to this question. Q. Please select the time period closest to the length of your organization's entire sales cycle, from first lead inquiry to purchase. In the commentary, Jen Doyle states that these results showing shorter sales cycles correlate to the lower deal prices Marketing Sherpa's annual benchmark survey also discovered. But I think there's more at stake here than lower prices. Everyone has been talking about how much time buyers spend self-educating and researching prior to identifying themselves to vendors.

• 

  Strategic Public Relations

• Links for 2012-02-06 [del.icio.us]

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:00 am

  Super Bowl Twitter, Facebook Use Up More Than 6X Over 2011 If you remember that mobile doesn't simply mean outside and that most everyone watching the game probably owned a mobile phone or had access to a laptop, the above is not a surprise. Advertisers had plenty of "conversation starters" -- from hashtags to shazam tags -- in their ads this year too. Balance your Mix of Stock and Flow Content Like A Pro | The Content Strategist The need for a mix of content and the advantages of mixing it.

• Links for 2012-02-05 [del.icio.us]

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:00 am

  NYPL Labs | The New York Public Library New York Public Library is doing some interesting things in their labs. 4 Ways to Tweet as a Visual Brand Some helpful reminders from mashable that apply to more than visual tweets. Not sure I agree about only using Twitter. As a default, it makes sense. But if you're a luxury brand, for example, I'd suggest using instagram. It all depends on audience...per usual.

• Like Angry Birds [Flickr]

  prblog

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:38 pm

  prblog posted a photo: Great to see folks skipping the F icon and simply using the thumbs up. Makes sense as its a clear call to action. In fact, Facebook changed the Fan action to Like because twice as many people would click Like. And now we will be seeing similar actions offered on Facebook. It's a move to create more "lightweight user actions" on Facebook and create an environment of frictionless sharing. It helps their advertising for one. But it also makes it easier to participate on Facebook.

• Like Orange Tic Tacs [Flickr]

  prblog

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:38 pm

  prblog posted a photo: Great to see folks skipping the F icon and simply using the thumbs up. Makes sense as its a clear call to action. In fact, Facebook changed the Fan action to Like because twice as many people would click Like. And now we will be seeing similar actions offered on Facebook. It's a move to create more "lightweight user actions" on Facebook and create an environment of frictionless sharing. It helps their advertising for one. But it also makes it easier to participate on Facebook.

• Links for 2012-01-27 [del.icio.us]

  28 Jan 2012 | 12:00 am

  Tips for Better Listening based on 7 Types of Listeners | Lead Change Group There's a great stat about how much of communication involves listening. And it's a higher percentage than you think. Yet we're never taught about it in professional development of even college.

• 

  Advertising Lab

• Instead Of Sales, They Seek Applause

  7 Feb 2012 | 11:03 pm

  From a book about which David Ogilvy is quoted as saying: "Nobody, at any level, should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book seven times":  "Advertising is salesmanship. Its principles are the principles of salesmanship. Successes and failures in both lines are due to like causes. Thus every advertising question should be answered by the salesman's standards. Let us emphasize that point. The only purpose of advertising is to make sales. It is profitable or unprofitable according to its actual sales. It is not for general effect. It is not to keep…

• Why Facebook Will Do Search And Why Google Needs Social

  3 Feb 2012 | 1:03 am

  Mark Zuckerberg posted a picture of himself in front of his computer, and an eagle-eyed blogger noticed that his version of Facebook sports a larger-than-usual search box. An unintended leak or not, Facebook competing in search is only a matter of time just as, in retrospect, it was inevitable that Google would integrate social elements deeper into its main product. This is why. It wouldn't be a revelation to say that no large-scale ad delivery system is perfect. Reason one is that, at any given moment, only a fraction of the exposed audience is actively on the market for the benefit…

• Convert Your RSS Into Email Newsletters With Ads

  2 Feb 2012 | 9:17 pm

  This is a sponsored post. RevResponse, a company that helps bloggers make money by selling and giving away white papers and magazine subscriptions, has a new nifty tool that converts a blog's RSS feed into an email with automatically inserted promo offers. RevResponse's aptly named RSS to Email Tool is a welcome addition to the pretty small group of  RSS converters. A field once teeming with start-ups, it is now the domain of a few email newsletter providers, notably MailChimp,  and Feedburner,  a once innovative product that has become stale after its sale to Google and the…

• How To Remove Ads from YouTube Videos

  1 Feb 2012 | 9:07 am

  Simple. Except for the pre-roll.

• Future: The Pirate Bay Loads Up on Physical Goods

  24 Jan 2012 | 3:25 pm

  Not science fiction anymore, this: "Once chairs and other things become content, the prospect of rampant chair piracy turns from unimaginable into very real."  The Pirate Bay is opening a new category for the new kind of piratable stuff: "We believe that the next step in copying will be made from digital form into physical form. It will be physical objects. Or as we decided to call them: Physibles. Data objects that are able (and feasible) to become physical. We believe that things like three dimensional printers, scanners and such are just the first step. We believe that in the nearby…

• 

  Marketing & Strategy Innovation Blog

• Why Super Bowl Ads Suck

  Futurelab

  7 Feb 2012 | 12:18 pm

  I know, they’re funny, and ads with animals and/or kids can't lose. Last night was a ritual for some of us to judge and compare the commercials during a football game that we otherwise wouldn’t have watched. We’re going to spend a few days enduring incessant “best of” lists, marketers will perform some complex gymnastics to explain why the spots are brilliant business strategy, and ad agencies will refer back to all this buzz when it’s time to revive their pitches to sell Super Bowl spots to their clients next year. read more

• So You Want To Be Customer-Centric? (video)

  ath

  7 Feb 2012 | 7:32 am

  I spend a large part of my professional life telling companies that if they truly take their customer's interests to heart, these customers will reward them with their business, their recommendations and their support. But even though I preach this gospel, I have to admit that I never really understood the impact of super-promoters until I experienced it around my book "So You Want to Be Customer-Centric?". read more

• The Next 80% (manuscript)

  Futurelab

  7 Feb 2012 | 3:22 am

  The following text is the manuscript to my presentation The next 80%.     read more

• Research Claims that 25% of Tweets Are Not Worth Reading. So What?

  Futurelab

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:01 pm

  According to research from a team at Carnegie Mellon University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Georgia Institute of Technology, we think that 25% of tweets are not worth reading. The study found that, when asked to rate tweets by people they follow, only 36% of tweets were marked favourably, 25% were marked less favourably and the balance (39%) received no strong feeling either way. read more

• Brand Experience Brief: Steak ‘n Shake Signature

  Futurelab

  6 Feb 2012 | 12:11 pm

  (Here’s my latest “brand experience brief” — insights and analysis of new and interesting restaurant and retail concepts.) read more

• 

  THE NEXT WAVE...

• We’re All Marketers Now

  paultroberts

  16 Jan 2012 | 6:46 pm

  Courtesy of McKinsey Quarterly For the past decade, marketers have been adjusting to a new era of deep customer engagement. They’ve tacked on new functions, such as social-media management; altered processes to better integrate advertising campaigns online, on television, and … Continue reading →

• Bare Naked Brand Names

  paultroberts

  11 Jan 2012 | 8:14 am

  Courtesy of Internet Business Law Journal  by Naseem Javed Last century business names were colorfully dressed with uniquely stylized lettering, colorful logos, slogans and contextual support. This century, such ‘stylized dependency’ has been pushed over the cliff by neo-socio-mobile-media-lingo. They’re … Continue reading →

• Use Storytelling Skills to Transform Your Web Content

  paultroberts

  14 Dec 2011 | 3:43 pm

  Courtesy of PR NEWS. By Stephen Terlizzi Traditional PR approaches relied mostly on a well-defined network of contacts to whom you pitched news or an idea and some facts, and the reporter created a story. However, like that famous book … Continue reading →

• Introducing the NEW Facebook Timeline

  paultroberts

  23 Nov 2011 | 12:28 pm

  Courtesy of SOCIAL MEDIA TODAY. You may have heard that Facebook will be rolling out their new profiles and features, including “Facebook Timeline”. As developers for Facebook, the team at MarketMeSuite got early access to it.  This post explains the … Continue reading →

• When Your Brand Message Doesn’t Match How People Search

  paultroberts

  4 Nov 2011 | 3:38 pm

  Courtesy of SEARCH ENGINE LAND. SEO is all about words. Which words people search with; how to use them; and where to put them. Choosing the right keywords is imperative to the success of any SEO campaign. Unfortunately, selecting these … Continue reading →

• 

  Digital Strategy

• #btvsmb Social Hack Recap

  Rich Nadworny

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:34 am

  What a day: 72 talented and creative people spent a Friday together at Champlain College’s Emergent Media Center trying to reimagine Vermont’s localvore world through the lens of mobile and social technology. With little or no preparation six teams of twelve people each had less than four hours to come up with an idea. And what ideas they came up with! We started the day listening and watching Richard Ting of R/GA and Liz Gerber of Design for America. Richard took us through some amazing examples he and his team have worked on, such as USAID’s FWD or Nike+ GPS. It was heady stuff but it…

• #BTVSMB Social Hack

  Rich Nadworny

  30 Jan 2012 | 6:15 am

  This Friday, February 3rd, the Burlington Social Media Breakfast series takes a new twist. We’re still bringing in great, smart, national speakers, like R/GA’s social and mobile executive creative director Richard Ting, and Design for America founder Liz Gerber.  As with our past events, we want to inspire area marketers and digital folk.  We also want to do something beside listening, learning and networking. While that’s good, it doesn’t feel like it’s enough. So on Friday, we’re combining the inspiration part with a Social Hack. We’re going to focus our collective…

• Kill Them With Kindness

  Rich Nadworny

  24 Jan 2012 | 6:10 am

  It’s election season and in the U.S. we’re getting ready for a good solid year of negative advertising. It’s sad that it works so well. The negativity so easily spreads to the social channels. There we end up with a cacophony of anger and insults rather than any interesting interaction. As a result, one ends up disliking all of the candidates (which may be a good description of what’s happening with the GOP voters this year). But what about brand and product advertising? Does negative advertising work there as well? Most of the negative advertising we see today is clearly aimed at…

• Sweden’s Social Experiment

  Rich Nadworny

  19 Jan 2012 | 6:45 am

  For the last several weeks, the tourism and marketing arm of the Scandinavian country of Sweden has allowed various Swedish citizens to take over its Twitter account. Called “Curators of Sweden” The idea is: “...that the curators, through their tweets, create interest and arouse curiosity for Sweden and the wide range the country has to offer. The expectation is that the curators will paint a picture of Sweden, different to that usually obtained through traditional media.” The end goal, though unstated, is to attract more tourists to visit the country. I’ve been following this…

• Use Social Media to Connect Friends and Family

  Rich Nadworny

  13 Dec 2011 | 2:18 am

  Brands want people to connect with them through social channels. Social media usage among U.S. Internet users has more than doubled in the last three years (28% to 65% between 2008 and 2011). So brands are increasing the time and money they spend in these channels with the hope of attracting people through deals, content and, in some cases, customer support.  That’s what brands want. What do most people using social media want? They want to connect with family. They want to connect with their current friends. They want to find old friends. Only a small group of people wants to use social…

• 

  Mindshare Strategy

• Data versus Meaning

  Eric

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:00 pm

  At a conference last week, I was subjected to all kinds of talks on data, data integrity, data storage, data in the cloud, and data-centered design patterns.  One speaker summed things up perfectly: If you make the center of your world data, then everything else becomes easy. This got me thinking.  From a computer-centric viewpoint it all makes sense.  Our machines are built specifically to store data, crunch data, and present that data to the user. But I don’t just work with computers.  I also read a lot.  And I write a lot.  And I publish books.  And even in the computer…

• Domains, Registrars, and DNS … oh my!

  Eric

  13 Jan 2012 | 12:35 pm

  About a year ago, I bought a short url so I didn’t have to use tinyurl.com or bit.ly on Twitter.  It’s a .me address, and at the time the best/cheapest .me registrar was GoDaddy. I don’t host sites there, but I registered the domain there anyway.  Then I immediately pointed the domain at my old shared hosting account over on 1and1. Things worked perfectly! After a few weeks, I decided to add an email at this short url.  But I didn’t want to use 1and1′s email system, so I set up Google Apps for the domain and pointed my MX records at Google. Again, things…

• Post Supplements – A Concept

  Eric

  22 Dec 2011 | 7:37 pm

  A few months ago, WordPress UX Lead Jane Wells posted a request to WordPress’Trac ticketing system.  The idea was to find a better way to insert “stuff” below WordPress posts: Inserting the sharing and like rows at the bottom of the post text before the byline/classification metadata seems wrong. It should go below that, so it is closely related to commenting, not part of the content itself. The plugin-generated widget is not “by” the post author, after all. I haven’t used very many social media plugins for exactly this reason.  Nor have I ever used a…

• Apple Patents Multi-tasking

  Eric

  21 Dec 2011 | 10:00 am

  The Apple-vs-Google-vs-EveryoneElseInTheWorld patent battle has gotten beyond ridiculous. I just read that Apple’s latest patent victory is for: A portable electronic device displays, on a touch screen display, a user interface for a phone application during a phone call. In response to detecting activation of a menu icon or menu button, the UI for the phone application is replaced with a menu of application icons, while maintaining the phone call. In response to detecting a finger gesture on a non-telephone service application icon, displaying a user interface for the non-telephone…

• Should Free Software Have Free Support?

  Eric

  16 Dec 2011 | 7:38 am

  I do professional (paid) consulting for WordPress.  But I also write and distribute free plugins and themes for WordPress.  My paid business depends a lot on my reputation on the free side of things. And that’s where I face a dilemma. A lot of people use my free stuff.  And several of them come to me from time to time asking for new features, bug fixes, or just regular “I can’t figure this out” support.  Up ’til now, I’ve offered that support for free. And that’s proven to be a bad idea. So my question to you, how much is reasonable to charge for…

• 

  Post-Advertising

• 8 Traits of Successful Viral Videos

  Jon Thomas

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:47 am

  Making 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

  Luke Dringoli

  1 Feb 2012 | 1:33 pm

  Brand-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

  Adam Uhrynowski

  25 Jan 2012 | 1:23 am

  Growing 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?

  Jon Thomas

  23 Jan 2012 | 9:56 am

  Additional 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

  Jon Thomas

  19 Jan 2012 | 1:08 am

  This 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…

• 

  About.com Marketing

• Great Customer Service Captures a Consumer

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pm

  Customer service is the key to turning a prospective buyer into a customer. Often, people think that the buying choice is made via price, but nothing could be further from the truth....Read Full Post

• Top 6 Marketing Consultants Share Their Secrets

  6 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pm

  There are times that a company seeks to outsource their marketing efforts. Often, when a company does this they seek out marketing consultants. A marketing consultant works with companies to create and implement marketing strategies. A great marketing consultant will be able to not only think creatively but analytically....Read Full Post

• QR Codes - Understanding Best Practices

  4 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pm

  You've seen them, those technical looking badges that are appearing everywhere. They are called QR codes, QR stands for "quick response."  More than likely you are seeing at least one daily, perhaps in a magazine, on a billboard, flyer, business card or a sticker on a window....Read Full Post

• Social Coupons - Good for the Small Business?

  29 Jan 2012 | 3:56 pm

  As consumers we love great deals, but do the social coupon offers  make sense for small businesses? For most businesses they are tempted to buy into social coupon sites like Groupon and Living Social. I've seen so many small businesses walk away after they have bought into the "social coupon craze" realizing they may have not only lost money, but diluted their brand....Read Full Post

• Ten Ways Restaurant and Entertainment Industries Can Use Social Media to Market

  24 Jan 2012 | 9:00 pm

  Many businesses are trying to figure out how to use social media to grow their business and increase their revenue. The industries of restaurants and entertainment is no different. I'm always surprised at how many of these businesses are not using social media marketing, but for most, it boils down to the lack of knowledge on how to use this new medium to create commerce in their businesses. Commerce won't come overnight; that I can guarantee you, but by getting involved and adopting social media as a way to engage and interact with your customers and patrons you will find that commerce will…

• 

  The Future of Ads

• Pricing: It’s All About Trust

  Cory O'Brien

  6 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  One byproduct of the economic recession is that companies are afraid to make money. That’s not to say they’ve given up on maximizing profits, just that they’re trying to minimize the public perception of that profit, and keep any increase in fees as low profile as possible. Recent examples of this include the Netflix pricing model changes, Bank of America’s $5 debit card fee and Verizon’s $2 bill pay fee. In each case, the company raised the amount that it charges customers, received a wave of negative feedback from those customers (often through social media)…

• Kia Gives YouTube Five Hours of Adriana Lima

  Cory O'Brien

  3 Feb 2012 | 9:15 am

  Of all the things I’ve seen companies do to hype their Super Bowl commercial this year, I think Kia’s is the most interesting. While the spot itself is great, and features the entertaining mix of Adriana Lima, Chuck Liddell and Motley Crue: It’s actually the video that appeared in the YouTube sidebar while I was watching this spot that caught me by surprise: What you’re looking at is a video titled “5 Hours of Adriana Lima” that just features a five hour long loop of slow motion b-roll footage of Adriana Lima waving a checkered flag. While a video like this…

• Shazam Could Replace The QR Code

  Cory O'Brien

  27 Dec 2011 | 8:12 am

  Admit it: The QR Code is never going to catch on with mainstream users. (Hell, it’s barely getting used by advertisers, and we’ll try anything once.) Asking people to download and use a 3rd party app so they can scan a code to get mysterious content related to an ad is a bit much, and until Apple decides to include a QR code scanning app with every iPhone, they’re just not going to get used by more than a fringe minority of the mobile audience. That said, the reason advertisers want QR codes to take off is clear: We live in an increasingly mobile world, and with campaigns…

• Acceptable Ads Are Good For Everyone

  Cory O'Brien

  15 Dec 2011 | 1:58 pm

  There’s a war being waged in the world of online advertising: On one side, advertisers desperately trying to get their product in front of as many readers as possible; on the other, readers desperately trying to ignore ads and get to the content they’re looking for. In this war, the readers have many weapons: Instapaper and Read It Later strip out a site’s content and present it in an easy to read way, free from ads. Apple’s Safari browser includes a new feature called Reader, which lets you view content “in a clean, uncluttered space free from blinking, annoying…

• Lay’s Potato Chip Vending Machine

  Cory O'Brien

  21 Nov 2011 | 8:13 am

  Lay’s Potato Chips contain just three ingredients: potatoes, vegetable oil, and salt. However, in a world where ingredient lists frequently cover half a product’s packaging, and ingredients themselves are 20 character contractions that even scientists struggles to understand, it’s safe to say that most people assume a snack food like potato chips must contain a smorgasbord of unnatural ingredients and chemical byproducts in order to taste so good. To prove them wrong, Castro, an agency out of Argentina, developed a special vending machine the turns raw potatoes into bags of…

• 

  adland.tv

• Super Bowl advertisements critiqued by eight-year old.

  Dabitch

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:27 am

  Listen up, ad pros. Arturo the eight year old super bowl adcritic has a few choice words for you. Mainly "stupid" and "fools stupid". He thought the Lexus ad was "funny stupid", the E*trade talking babies are "not even funny or anything like that. People may think so but I don't." You tell'em kiddo! The Dannon spot was met with giant eyes and a "what in the world...?" which is honestly the only reaction one can have to an ad that shite. He also thinks there should be more monkeys in advertising. I think the person behind the camera who works at crowelladvertising should teach this kid that…

• Gatorade G Moments: Eli Manning - Topical NYT ad yesterday

  Dabitch

  8 Feb 2012 | 12:17 am

  print Credits

• McDonald's Poppy guerilla stunt might last forever as it's illegal to remove it

  Dabitch

  7 Feb 2012 | 8:57 am

  Sean Click may have come up with the everlasting ad, as "it is illegal to pick, destroy, or dig up a California poppy" in California where this McDonald's logo appears on the side of a road. (California Penal Code § 384a actually this law applies to any plant, not just poppies.) Yes, Sean did a classic seed bombing with a twist, and the Next web calls it possibly official, but whether McDonald's bought this ad or not is still unclear. Either way, all you really have to do to get rid of this logo built out of the invasive species known as the California poppy, is to throw down more seeds of…

• Chrysler's "Halftime in America" ruffles more political feathers than Reagan's "Morning in America"

  Dabitch

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:13 am

  The Chrysler ad that made me think Clint Eastwood was running for President, upset Karl Rove while David Axelrod applauded it. "'I was, frankly, offended by it,' said Karl Rove, strategist behind President George W. Bush’s two presidential campaigns, told Fox News this morning. 'I'm a huge fan of Clint Eastwood, I thought it was an extremely well-done ad, but it is a sign of what happens when you have Chicago-style politics, and the president of the United States and his political minions are, in essence, using our tax dollars to buy corporate advertising.'" The opposing team, of course,…

• Bud Light - LMFAO - Halftime (2012) - 0:30 (USA)

  claymore

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:12 pm

  Aired at halftime - good media buy!

• 

  5 Blogs Before Lunch

• Starbucks is selling more beer, wine and savory snacks as they expand their afternoon menu.

  daveibsen

  24 Jan 2012 | 9:10 am

  Starbucks wants people come back for more, and more--all throughout the day. Over the last couple of years, they've been market testing an afternoon menu of alcohol (beer and wine) and savory snacks. "As our customers transition from work to home, many are looking for a warm and inviting place to unwind and connect with the people they care about," Clarice Turner, Starbucks' senior vice president of U.S. operations, said in a news release. Way back in July 2009, we posted a report that Starbucks was about to beging testing a new retail concept in Seattle that included the…

• Macy's goes on the attack, suing Martha Stewart for its J.C. Penney deal

  daveibsen

  24 Jan 2012 | 8:20 am

  A month ago we posted the news that Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia had inked a deal to sell housewares at J.C. Penney. It sounded like a great deal for Penney's and MSLO, but it seems to have made Macy's feel like a jilted bride. And there is nothing like a mega conclomerate's scorn. Macy's is now suing MSLO in New York State Supreme Court claiming the deal with J.C. Penney violates the terms of an exclusive deal to sell MSLO products at its stores. The J.C. Penney deal involves opening store-in-store Martha Stewart shops inside most of its stores beginning next year.

• Saab owners stay true to their loyal friend until its last breath

  daveibsen

  22 Jan 2012 | 3:55 pm

  For decades, Saab owners have dealt with endless electrical problems, hose leaks and other mechanical defects that were just part of the Saab experience. Still, through all of the mechanical troubles Saab owners suffered through, they have always been some of the most loyalfanatically loyal fans. Even now, with Saab in bankruptcy after being tossed to the curb by General Motors, and effectively no longer in operation, Saab enthusiasts are gathering this weekend across this counrty and around the world in rallies, caravans and other meet-ups designed to show their affection for the Swedish…

• As baby boomers become seniors, they get their own television network--RLTV (Redefine Life TV)

  daveibsen

  22 Jan 2012 | 2:57 pm

  As the number of baby boomers who offically become  "seniors" grows exponentially over the next years, we will see more and more companies targeting this still highly active group. They are currently the fastest-growing and wealthiest segment of the population, and were least hurt by the recession. According to data from the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey, adults over the age of 50 spent $2.7 trillion on consumer goods in 2010. Everyone from pharmecetucal companies to insurance carriers to retirement communities see the opportunity with the senior class. Television is also a…

• 1-800-GET-THIN Lap-band ads getting congressional scrutiny for "aggressive marketing"

  daveibsen

  22 Jan 2012 | 10:02 am

  The controversy around a surgically implanted device to help people lose weight has been festeringin the Los Angeles area for months. Opponents of the "Lap-Band" a ring that is surgically implanted around the stomach to discourage overeating have questioned the effectiveness and safety of the device, as well as its marketing claims. The 1-800-GET-THIN weight-loss surgery billboard campaign is ubiquitous along Southern California freeways--in a town known for its obsession with physical appearance. Local opponents have questioned the "aggressive marketing" of the device…

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  Ads of the World™

• Ed Hardy: Tattoo Stickers, 3

  ivan

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:50 am

  Ed Hardy. Tattoos without needles. Advertising Agency: Y&R, Beijing, China Chief Creative Officers: Nils Andersson, Marcus Rebeschini Executive Creative Director: Gunny Park Creative Directors: Ronnie Wu, Donghai Liu Copywriters: Donghai Liu, Nils Andersson, Gao Han Art Directors: Ronnie Wu, Roy Luo, Rex Rui, Shi Jian Photographer: Shi Zhong Via: adgoodness Watch all the best Super Bowl 2012 Commercials

• Ed Hardy: Tattoo Stickers, 2

  ivan

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:50 am

  Ed Hardy. Tattoos without needles. Advertising Agency: Y&R, Beijing, China Chief Creative Officers: Nils Andersson, Marcus Rebeschini Executive Creative Director: Gunny Park Creative Directors: Ronnie Wu, Donghai Liu Copywriters: Donghai Liu, Nils Andersson, Gao Han Art Directors: Ronnie Wu, Roy Luo, Rex Rui, Shi Jian Photographer: Shi Zhong Via: adgoodness Watch all the best Super Bowl 2012 Commercials

• Ed Hardy: Tattoo Stickers, 1

  ivan

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:50 am

  Ed Hardy. Tattoos without needles. Advertising Agency: Y&R, Beijing, China Chief Creative Officers: Nils Andersson, Marcus Rebeschini Executive Creative Director: Gunny Park Creative Directors: Ronnie Wu, Donghai Liu Copywriters: Donghai Liu, Nils Andersson, Gao Han Art Directors: Ronnie Wu, Roy Luo, Rex Rui, Shi Jian Photographer: Shi Zhong Via: adgoodness Watch all the best Super Bowl 2012 Commercials

• Británico English courses: Beach

  ivan

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:41 am

  Hey, kid, in five minutes the tide will have covered everything around here. In real life, English doesn't come with subtitles. Advertising Agency: Y&R, Lima, Peru Executive Creative Director: Flavio Pantigoso Copywriter: Daniel De León Art Director: Alejandro Bottas Head of Art: Christian Sánchez Agency Producer: Michel Motte Photographer: César Guerrero Published: February 2012 Watch all the best Super Bowl 2012 Commercials

• Británico English courses: Park

  ivan

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:41 am

  No, wait! He just drank toilet water! In real life, English doesn't come with subtitles. Advertising Agency: Y&R, Lima, Peru Executive Creative Director: Flavio Pantigoso Copywriter: Daniel De León Art Director: Alejandro Bottas Head of Art: Christian Sánchez Agency Producer: Michel Motte Photographer: César Guerrero Published: February 2012 Watch all the best Super Bowl 2012 Commercials

• 

  Seth's Blog

• The Weird interview

  Seth Godin

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:06 pm

  To celebrate the launch of Squidoo's new UpMarket magazine, we got permission to post an audio interview I recently did with Darren Hardy of Success. You can find it here. Thanks for listening.

• Inaccurate labels and why we need them (and need to improve them)

  Seth Godin

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:46 am

  If I tell you, "I'm going to the baseball game," it seems as though you're likely to understand what I mean. Of course, you won't. When George Will goes to a baseball game, it's a religious experience. Me, I don't even like baseball. Or maybe it's my nephew's ball game (the playoffs), or maybe going to the game causes me to miss an important event, and on and on. We label the experience with just two words, and two words can't possibly capture the emotions and circumstance surrounding an event. The same thing is true with brands. If I tell you that a new business was funded by USV, that might…

• How do they know you're not a flake?

  Seth Godin

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:43 am

  Before your link gets clicked or your proposal gets read, a busy person is going to triage it to find out if it's even worth glancing at. Since everyone is now connected, the new permeability has created a deluge of noise, and just about everyone worth contacting is taking defensive measures. Do I know this person? Did someone I trust send them over? Where does she work? (Ideo? the FDA? The New York Times?) Has she won an award? Is she famous? Are there typos and is the design sloppy? Are they pestering me? Do I already follow this person online? Does music play when I visit the website? Will…

• Horizontal marketing isn't a new idea

  Seth Godin

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:09 am

  But it is the new reality for just about every organization. Vertical marketing means the marketer (the one with money) is in charge. Vertical marketing starts at the top and involves running ads, sending out direct mail and pushing hype through the media. Your money, your plans, your control. It might not work, but generally the worst outcome is that you will be ignored and need to spend more money. Horizonal marketing, on the other hand, means creating a remarkable product and story and setting it up to spread from person to person. It's out of your control, because all the interactions are…

• Who is your customer?

  Seth Godin

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:26 am

  Rule one: You can build a business on the foundation of great customer service. Rule two: The only way to do great customer service is to treat different customers differently. The question: Who is your customer? It's not obvious. Zappos is a classic customer service company, and their customer is the person who buys the shoes. Nike, on the other hand, doesn't care very much at all about the people who buy the shoes, or even the retailers. They care about the athletes (often famous) that wear the shoes, sometimes for money. They name buildings after these athletes, court them, erect…

• 

  Adverblog

• Audit your Friends. Visualize your relationships

  Martina

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:15 pm

  Over the past year or so I’m sure you’ve seen dozen of social media related infographic. Most of them are pretty interesting and certainly very nicely done. But probably none of those is as beautiful and, I would say, intense, as this project by Colin Pinegar. Colin “audited” his Facebook friends and visually mapped out his relationships. He asked himself questions ranging from personal (do I know this person’s phone number?) to generic (can I recognize this person by their name alone?) and assigned each of his cyber-friends a score ranging from 1-25 (those that…

• Is Pinterest The Next Hot Property In Digital Advertising?

  Michael

  7 Feb 2012 | 10:05 am

  Pinterest is the hottest thing in social content curation right now and has been billed as one of the top web properties in 2012, even though it still remains invite only. If you want an invite, leave a comment at the end of the article with your email and we’ll invite as many as we can! So what is Pinterest? It’s a visual curation site where you can create boards for the things that interest you. And those boards, probably say more about what you’re really interested in than any other site. For business, recent research has shown that Pinterest is driving more traffic than…

• Marni at H&M by Sofia Coppola

  Martina

  4 Feb 2012 | 8:54 am

  One of the great things about H&M creating special collections with high-end fashion brands is that the advertising of such co-labs is usually as beautiful as the collection itself. The latest commercial has been directed by Sofia Coppola. The video is set in Marocco and presents a 1 minute story featuring Marni at H&M collection and a fascinating Brian Ferry’s Avalon song. Check in out, the photography is beautiful.

• The notebook that became a love letter

  Martina

  4 Feb 2012 | 6:28 am

  Possibly one of the sweetest and nicest promo pieces for Valentine’s Day I’ve ever seen. And possibly a sign that the creative “war” between Field Notes and Moleskine has officially begun. After a lot of recent great videos by Moleskine, FN fights back with a lovely little artwork. The video has been created to promote the Red Blooded notebook which has been recently added to the Field Notes standard product line. The notebook that becomes a love letter: a further proof that life, love and commerce can intersect nicely. Well… maybe the description that they added…

• An annoying great work

  Martina

  3 Feb 2012 | 1:09 am

  As someone commented on Vimeo, this is an annoying great work. What happens to your brain when you get an email, an sms, a phone call, a Facebook message and two tweets all within about 5 seconds of one another? This creative re-interpretation of such event will show you. I warn you, watching and listening to this video will freak you out. Yes, it’s a pretty annoying one. But hopefully it will also make you think about how crazy our “always on” lives have become. Kudos to Chris Crutchfield for the “scary” idea and lovely execution.

• 

  AdWeek: AdFreak

• Sir Paul McCartney Loves His New Wife…and JBL Equipment

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:09 pm

  Two of this week's big themes—love and music—come together in this Doner commercial for JBL starring none other than Sir Paul McCartney. The former Beatle recently married again and wrote a song called "My Valentine" for his new wife. The song is featured in the JBL spot, which will break Sunday during the Grammy Awards, two days before Valentine's Day. "JBL is synonymous with great sound and has consistently met the standards for my music," McCartney says. "I've used JBL's professional equipment throughout my career as a recording artist…

• Clothing Brand Helps You Love the One You're Not With

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:58 am

  If your idea of a great Valentine's Day gift is passionate sex with someone other than the person you're actually dating, then Moosejaw Mountaineering has got your back. The quirky clothing retailer has created a permission slip (link goes to a PDF) that asks your loved one to officially endorse your fling with someone else. The form, offered up today to Facebook fans, begins with a description of how nature's notoriously promiscuous bonobo apes use sex to alleviate social conflict. "With that beautiful spirit in mind," the form says, "I'd like to ask you…

• Ben Stein Is Pissed He Wasn't in Honda's Ferris Bueller Ad

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:34 am

  Ben Stein would have enjoyed Honda's Ferris Bueller ad for the Super Bowl, if it hadn't disrespected him so badly. "They had a guy imitating my voice, they should've had me in it," Stein tells one of the goons from TMZ upon being ambushed at an airport. Frankly, if RPA passed on having Alan Ruck (aka Cameron) appear in the spot, there wasn't much chance for Stein—even though a bellhop in the ad (above) does imitate Stein's teacher character from the movie by droning "Broderick? Broderick?" Asked if he feels disrespected, Stein replies, "A…

• Courtney Stodden Stars in Worst Ad of 2012 So Far

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:04 am

  [Note: This is not a real FreeCreditScore.com ad. See update below.]      Jezebel's writers can be a little overly sensitive, but they're right to heap abuse on this Courtney Stodden ad for freecreditreport.com, because it's just aggressively stupid. The "I'm so wet" line makes no sense, which the article points out. Plus, how do you even catch a mermaid with a fish hook. Plus, Stodden doesn't turn 18 until August, meaning the natural reaction male viewers might have is still technically a felony. That didn't stop her chickenhawk husband,…

• Cycle of Life: Resetting L.A.'s Smoking Deaths Billboard

  31 Dec 1969 | 4:00 pm

  Ushering in the new year at the Smoking Deaths billboard above Santa Monica Boulevard in West L.A. has become a somewhat morbid yet surprisingly meaningful tradition. Each year, just before midnight on Jan. 1, locals gather to watch as the numbers, which tally the nation's annual smoking-related deaths, are manually reset to zero. Onlookers aren't necessarily drawn by personal ties to smoking or cancer. A mixture of curiosity, camaraderie and community compel most to make the scene. Gideon Brower, in an affecting piece in the L.A. Times, describes the scene this past New Year's…

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  The Hidden Persuader

• "Microwaves Ruin Everything"

  hidden persuader

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:04 am

• "Hurricane Weather"

  hidden persuader

  7 Feb 2012 | 9:15 am

  Client: JeepAgency: Draftfcb+ Shimoni Finkelstein Barki

• "Last greeting card ever"

  hidden persuader

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:25 am

• "Porn is moving"

  hidden persuader

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:10 am

  MC Saatchi

• "Three Primary Colors"

  hidden persuader

  1 Feb 2012 | 3:07 am

• 

  adverbox

• GiffGaff – The CONtract feat. K-Orville

  axelk

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:09 am

• Artisan

  PaigeC

  3 Feb 2012 | 9:25 pm

  Koko Productions is a sound house that claims it can make anything sound good. So we asked: anything, anything? Yup, turns out it’s anything. Even this. Title: Artisan Client: KOKO Productions Client Name: Steve Lowe Agency: DDB Canada, Vancouver Creative Director(s): Dean Lee, Cosmo Campbell Associate Creative Director: Daryl Gardiner Copywriter: Amina Halim, Daryl Gardiner Art Director: Daryl Gardiner, Amina Halim Agency Producer(s): Sue Bell Account Services: Sue Bell Film Company: Transmission Inc. Director: Joe LaFleur Director of Photography: Mike Hawley Line Producer: Joe La…

• Peugeot — The Making of Just Add Fuel

  axelk

  2 Feb 2012 | 5:28 am

• Honda Cultural Engineer – Chris Wheeler

  Andrew Bac

  1 Feb 2012 | 9:29 pm

  The films focus on ‘Cultural Engineers’, inspirational people from the worlds of science, technology, art and culture. All of whom have harnessed the power of dreams to truly innovate in their chosen fields. Clients: Name, City, Country Honda Dream Factory, UK Clients website: www.dreamfactoryuk.com Creative Director: Dan Chaput Director: Dan Chaput Production House: Knock Knock Productions Published: Month, Year: October 2011

• Converse Threads

  Andrew Bac

  1 Feb 2012 | 4:36 am

  Converse Padded Collar created for Foot Locker.

• 

  PSFK

• Springwise: Japanese Restaurant Serves The Food From Popular Video Games

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:26 pm

  A new eatery from game developer Capcom offers a menu inspired by its best-sellers.

• Is Twitter Becoming The New Google?

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:17 pm

  There is now a new way to discover new media using TasteKid's unique search engine service on the social network.

• Music Site Lets Indie Bands Hold International Live Concerts Anywhere

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:01 pm

  Awdio provides easy access to larger audiences for local groups through the online plug-n-broadcast features.

• Will Samsung Be Launching A Voice And Gesture Controlled Tablet?

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:44 am

  Intuitive devices, rumored to be released, will allow users to operate them using speech and motion commands.

• Sustainable Skeletal Buildings Function Like Living Organisms

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:28 am

  SOMA architects present a tower and museum concept whose structure reflects how plants and animals interact with nature.

• 

  advertising/design goodness - advertising and design blog

• Ed Hardy Tattoo Stickers

  Freddy

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:04 am

  “Ed Hardy. Tattoos without needles.” Agency: Y&R, Beijing, China Chief Creative Officer: Nils Andersson, Marcus Rebeschini Executive Creative Director: Gunny Park Creative Director: Ronnie Wu, Donghai Liu Copywriter: Donghai Liu, Nils Andersson, Gao Han Art Director: Ronnie Wu, Roy Luo, Rex Rui, Shi Jian Photographer: Shi Zhong

• Medicus Health Insurance

  Freddy

  8 Feb 2012 | 2:04 am

  “Medical assistance for travellers.” Agency: TBWA, Buenos Aires, Argentina Chief Creative Officers: Juan Cruz Bazterrica, Guillermo Castañeda Copywriter: Emilio Pastore Art Director: Cecilia Astengo Photographer: Blumencweig-Benitez Fotografia

• Beijing Sports Radio

  Freddy

  7 Feb 2012 | 2:08 am

  Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, Hong Kong Executive Creative Directors: Simon Handford, Sandy Chan Creative Director: Alvin Lim Art Directors: Alvin Lim, Sonny Tjahjadi, Jason Pan, Hubert Yeung Associate CD / Copywriter: Richard Sorensen Retoucher: A Thousand Eyes

• Amnesty International

  Freddy

  6 Feb 2012 | 2:36 am

  “We’re celebrating 50 years of fighting against violence, torture and executions.” Agency: TBWA, Berlin, Germany Chief Creative Officer: Kurt Georg Dieckert, Stefan Schmidt Copywriter: Bahador Pakravesh Art Director: Behnaz Pakravesh Illustrator: Dinoso.de, Dino So, Axel Mewes

• Axe Anarchy

  Freddy

  3 Feb 2012 | 3:25 am

  “New Axe Anarchy for him + for her. Unleash the chaos.” Agency: BBH, London, UK Creative Director: Dominic Goldman, David Kolbusz Creatives: Daniel Schaefer, Szymon Rose

• 

  I Believe in Advertising | ONLY SELECTED ADVERTISING | Advertising Blog & Community

• National Ballet of Canada: Lost In Motion

  Filippo

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:43 am

  Opening on a lone male figure, Ben Shirinian’s two-minute film pulls its viewer into the world of dancer Guillaume Côté as he loses himself to his movement in an undefined, mysterious space. Combining live action with subtle visual effects, Lost in Motion encapsulates the precision and technique of the dance to beautiful effect, exposing the strength and athleticism behind it. Dancer / Choreographer: Guillaume Côté Director: Ben Shirinian Producer: Leslie Aimée Gottlieb Production Company: Krystal Levy Pictures Executive Producer: David Miller Director of Photography: Jeremy Benning…

• Boost Mobile: Bill From Hell

  Filippo

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:12 am

  Advertising Agency: 180LA, USA Executive Creative Director: William Gelner Creative Directors: Matt Elhardt, Gavin Lester Copywriter: Dave Horton Art Director: Matthew Woodhams-Roberts Executive Producer / Managing Partner: Peter Cline Senior Producer: Natasha Wellesley Assistant Producer: Tina Diep Group Account Director: Chad Bettor Account Director: Jerico Cabaysa Account Manager: Cassie Jackson Planning Director: Martin Ramos Production Co.: Imperial Woodpecker Director: Simon McQuoid DP: Dion Beebe Sr. Executive Producer: Doug Halbert Producer: Adam Cramer Production Designer: Robb Buono…

• McDonald’s McCafé: Rainy Day, Lots of Questions, Good Ideas, Confession, Shy Girl

  Filippo

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:35 am

  “Everything good begins with a good cup of coffee.” Advertising Agency: TBWA, Berlin, Germany Chief Creative Officer: Stefan Schmidt, Kurt Georg Dieckert Creative Director: Vesna Koselj, Lucio Regner Art Director: Andrew Morgan Account Supervisor: Christoph Erdmann Designer: Andrew Morgan

• Ed Hardy Tattoo Stickers: Legs, Belly, Waist

  Filippo

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:35 pm

  “Ed Hardy. Tattoos without needles.” Advertising Agency: Y&R, Beijing, China Chief Creative Officer: Nils Andersson, Marcus Rebeschini Executive Creative Director: Gunny Park Creative Director: Ronnie Wu, Donghai Liu Copywriter: Donghai Liu, Nils Andersson, Gao Han Art Director: Ronnie Wu, Roy Luo, Rex Rui, Shi Jian Photographer: Shi Zhong

• Rialto Channel: The Kings Speech

  Filippo

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:43 pm

  “Independent film for independent ideas.” Advertising Agency: DDB, Auckland, New Zealand Executive Creative Director: Toby Talbot, Andy Fackrell Creative Director: Regan Grafton Art Director: Damian Galvin Copywriter: Rory Mckechnie Head of Art: Dave Brady Planner: David McIndoe Account Director: Danielle Richards Agency Producer: Andy Robilliard Photographer: Lewis Mulatero Retoucher: Gordon Moir Designer: Renee Lam Account Manager: Brad Armstrong, Victoria Meo

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  Influential Marketing

• The Best And Worst Of Super Bowl Marketing Strategy 2012

  Rohit

  6 Feb 2012 | 1:40 am

  I couldn't help but feel sorry this year for anyone who only watches the Super Bowl ads for entertainment. Perhaps the most defining feature of all the ads this year was how uniformly uncreative and dated they were. Marketers turned to old and obvious gags like girls in bikinis and dogs (lots of dogs) to try and carry their ads. The result was a very disappointing collection of ads for anyone who loves marketing and the hype of Super Bowl advertising. Still, there is plenty of marketing to learn from all the efforts this year, so let's get started in breaking down the strategy behind the ads…

• What The Amish Paradox Can Teach You About Marketing

  Rohit

  3 Feb 2012 | 4:01 am

  Last year on a trip back to the US from South Africa, I picked up a magazine about a topic I knew very little about. It is of the common tricks I use to learn about different industries outside of the ones I work directly with – and in this case, the magazine I ended up with was called Farmer’s Weekly. The content was as you would expect, advice for farmers on techniques, information about regulations that will affect their industry and ads for tractors and things like that. In the middle of the issue I picked up was a feature article about what the author called the “Amish Paradox”…

• The 4 Principles Of Delusional Economics

  Rohit

  27 Jan 2012 | 4:59 am

  When it comes to economic theories, there is plenty of fascination in the business world around how to explain what drives business and purchasing activities. Behavioural economics, the field of economics concerned with examining why people behave the way they do when it comes to their purchasing behaviour, is hot right now.  Bestselling books like Freakonomics and Predictably Irrational dig deep into the psyche of people to try and explain seemingly illogical actions. My own upcoming book called Likeonomics, to some degree, looks at a similar theme of why we do business with people and…

• FinnAir, Republic Day & Why Celebration Is The Best Marketing Strategy

  Rohit

  26 Jan 2012 | 8:28 am

  A few weeks ago it was my birthday. The day before on a Saturday morning, my two boys came leaping into our room very excited to wake me up. It wasn't so much about my birthday, unfortunately, as it was about getting ready to do their favourite thing on a Saturday morning: going to IHOP for pancakes. And when there is a birthday involved, it is an even bigger deal. Your birthday is a celebration there. They bring over at least 6 of the wait staff to sing their own version of the birthday song to you. You get ice cream for breakfast (what kid wouldn't love that?). People love celebrations -…

• Honda Masters The Art of Marketing Timing

  Rohit

  23 Jan 2012 | 6:44 pm

  Every year at the start of the new year there is something that most of us do without realizing it. It is related to making new year's resolutions, but it is more about sequencing your long term goals into the order in which you want to achieve them. One example might be saying to yourself, "I want to be married and then have a kid before I turn 35." Life is full of these little promises. So full, in fact, that often we make them to ourselves without even thinking. It raises an interesting marketing question as well. What would it take to get a customer to reevaluate the life sequence they…

• 

  Latest articles from PRWeek US News

• Pepsi eyes PR agency reduction as second executive departs

  PRWeek US

  9 Feb 2012 | 2:00 pm

  PURCHASE, NY: PepsiCo will put some of its food and beverage brands up for review with the aim of decreasing its roster of PR agencies.

• Former H&K CEO Taaffe joins Groupon

  PRWeek US

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:56 pm

  NEW YORK: Paul Taaffe has joined Groupon as global head of communications nearly 13 months after resigning as global chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton.

• O'Kane exits MSLGroup

  PRWeek US

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:14 am

  NEW YORK: Jeanine O'Kane, North American director of healthcare at MSLGroup, is leaving her position after two years at the company.

• Publicis Groupe 2011 revenue up 5.7%

  PRWeek US

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:23 am

  PARIS: Publicis Groupe reported global organic revenue growth of 5.7% in 2011, reaching $7.7 billion for the year. Net income was $795.1 million for the full year.

• Critical Mention triples radio coverage

  PRWeek US

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:48 pm

  NEW YORK: Critical Mention has tripled the number of radio stations it covers.

• 

  Social Media PR Blog Feed

• EndGame PR’s Steve Mullen on WRVA Radio

  Steve Mullen

  2 Feb 2012 | 5:53 pm

  Another media opportunity popped up for EndGame PR’s Steve Mullen this week.  This time he was interviewed by WRVA Radio’s Jay Hart about the impact of the Facebook IPO on everyday Facebook users.  Clips from the interview were used during several newscasts.  Here’s a taste… No tags for this post.

• EndGame PR’s Steve Mullen on NBC12

  Steve Mullen

  28 Jan 2012 | 1:12 pm

  If you watched the NBC12 (WWBT in Richmond, VA) news at 11pm on Friday, January 27 or the station’s morning show on Saturday the 28th, you may have seen me talking about social media privacy with Yvette Yeon.  If you didn’t, here’s the video … after a commercial message: No tags for this post.

• Can Google+ Become Your “Default” Social Media Outlet?

  Steve Mullen

  22 Sep 2011 | 9:12 am

  I’ve been participating in an interesting discussion on Facebook this morning about the future of Facebook, and it led me to this blog post.  The discussion centered around a question posed by Jeff Kraus.  He wondered, and I quote, “How many brands are rethinking the priority they place on their FB presence given the unpredictable nature of the platform these days?” The overwhelming opinion from those who chimed in was that right now brands and businesses have nothing to fear, because while Facebook has made a lot of changes that have ticked off its user base, the growth…

• Facebook Creeping Toward Google+

  Steve Mullen

  15 Sep 2011 | 10:59 am

  Facebook made an announcement this week that once again shifts the ever-evolving service.  The subscribe button added by the social media service allows you to subscribe to public updates posted by anyone on the site — even if they’re not your Facebook “friend”. This move is being widely reported as making Facebook more like Twitter.  I think those who are reporting that are missing something — this new feature makes Facebook more like Google+.  On Google’s new social media service, you can add anyone to a circle, which adds their public updates to your…

• Apparently You Need to Meet Me

  Steve Mullen

  10 Aug 2011 | 5:41 pm

  A big “thanks” to Work It, Richmond, a website and newsletter produced by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.  This week they included me in a feature called “People You Need to Meet”. The feature is an interview about me and EndGame PR. You can check it at this link: People You Need to Meet: Steve Mullen. No tags for this post.

• 

  Online Public Relations Thoughts

• Credibility Gap

  Jim Horton

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:18 am

  Groupon, unlike Facebook, is a company with a credibility gap.  Its report of a fourth quarter loss yesterday didn't help its case.  Analysts have been skeptical for some time about its business premise, citing a number of potential competitors and low barrier to entry.  Groupon has apparently decided to grow big quickly in order to outdistance the pack and that has pushed it into the red.  Amazon.com did the same thing when it launched.  Groupon's challenge is much the same as Amazon's.  It must show a consistent profit to regain support from financial markets.

• What Not To Write

  Jim Horton

  8 Feb 2012 | 6:21 am

  This is a leaked memo providing background on a reporter.  Note the highlighted section.  Even if what the memo writer penned is true, he shouldn't have typed it in a document.  That is an opinion that should have been expressed only in words to the client.  You can imagine what the reporter is thinking as a result of the accusation that she is biased.  She will look all the harder to prove that she isn't.  The memo might have been safe had personal opinion not been injected into it, and there was no reason for doing so.  The facts speak for themselves.

• Everybody's Talking

  Jim Horton

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:31 am

  Everybody's talking at me. I don't hear word they're saying....  The opening of the Harry Nilsson song is a fit description for the use of social media during the Super Bowl.  Here are statistics on the noise.  Imagine if you were the communications director of an organization and your job was to penetrate this raucous buzz with your own message.  Your success would be slim at best.  The compelling need to express oneself has become indulgence.  It is now time for listening, or silence, getting away from ruckus and listening to oneself.  Unfortunately, that…

• Delay And Pain

  Jim Horton

  6 Feb 2012 | 4:56 am

  When an organization or country faces painful choices, delay is often the response.  This is the tactic Greece is using in responding to terms for an EU/IMF bailout.  Greece's politicians are worried about internal public relations rather than what the world thinks.  Citizens are fed up with austerity and don't want to live with even less, as the bailout terms demand.  One can't blame Greeks for anger.  On the other hand, Greece lived beyond its means far too long and is now trying to avoid paying the bill.  It is easy to blame the country's leaders for this…

• PR Gaffe

  Jim Horton

  3 Feb 2012 | 4:25 am

  A non-profit foundation can fund any organization it wishes and also not fund it, if it chooses.  But, this was a PR gaffe of the first order.  Although I won't go as far as this commentator, it is clear that the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation could have handled its decision in a far better manner.  For example, it could have shifted its funding to another organization and publicly said so.  It could have cut funding over a period of years to give Planned Parenthood time to find other funding sources.  It could have announced publicly a change of direction a…

• 

  PR News

• Is the Next Target for Web Activists Your Favorite Device Maker?

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  Apple might want to take seriously the 200,000 signature-strong petition being delivered to store locations....

• PepsiCo's Big Gulp: 'Team, Great Q4! 8,700 of You Have to Go'

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  The soft-drink and snack-food giant must find a way to share with its employees news about its positive quarterly results and details about a 3% workforce reduction....

• New Reputation Index Features Long-Established Brands

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  The newest reputation index reveals that a brand's corporate reputation is bolstered by its longevity in the marketplace....

• 5 Questions for PRSA Chairman and CEO Gerry Corbett

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  In an interview with PR News, Gerry Corbett says that realizing more value for PRSA members—particularly in career development—is a top priority....

• PR News Q and A With Danielle Brigida: Document the 'Little Victories' in Social Media ROI

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  In advance of PR News' April 18 PR Measurement Conference, Danielle Brigida of the National Wildlife Federation shares tips on how to establish social media benchmarks and measure success....

• 

  Richard Edelman - 6 A.M.

• Down from the Mountain

  3 Feb 2012 | 8:17 am

  I just returned from the World Economic Forum’s 2012 meeting in Davos. These nine issues were the focus of discussion and attention. 1. The European Crisis. German Chancellor Angela Merkel talked about a coordinated Europe having more power. “We need more steps of integration in the interests of competitiveness… We need structural reforms leading to new jobs…We should have a common foreign policy and binding agreements on the debt levels allowed... Just because we have been at the top for the past 50 years, we cannot take competitiveness for granted.” Mrs. Merkel’s vision of a…

• 2012 Trust Barometer: Business Can Earn the License to Lead

  25 Jan 2012 | 8:18 am

  In 2008-2009, in the wake of a recession that saw large, global companies such as Lehman Brothers and AIG collapse, trust in business imploded. Government stepped in with bailouts and new regulations. But in 2011, government became paralyzed by the politics of extremism and endless haggling – and the public lost confidence. The 2012 Edelman Trust Barometer sees an unprec¬edented nine-point global decline in trust in government. In twelve countries, it trails business, media, and non-governmental organizations as the least trusted institution. This has pushed more countries into the…

• Media Cloverleaf Comes to Life

  20 Jan 2012 | 10:14 am

  I met with senior management of two of the best emerging media companies this week. I come away even more impressed with their ambition and willingness to experiment within the boundaries of quality and integrity. Mike Allen of Politico addressed our global public affairs team in Washington on Wednesday. He said that there are 225 people working at the company. They have gone beyond their digital roots to offer a print product. He joked that Politico is now available in vending machines along Park Avenue in New York City (4,000 print copies are distributed every day in NYC). He noted that the…

• Implementation Science

  13 Jan 2012 | 9:50 am

  I went to a breakfast Wednesday hosted by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health at the World Economic Forum offices in NYC. It was a terrific panel, with five professors and senior members of the corporate healthcare community from important companies such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi and BD. The Dean of Mailman School, Linda Fried, started the conversation by challenging the group to come up with new healthcare modalities to offer better quality and broader access within the present level of spending. The first big idea was Implementation Science, based on customer…

• Government and New Media

  6 Jan 2012 | 10:51 am

  I had a chat this morning with my friend Steve Goldsmith, professor at the JFK School of Government at Harvard. He was mayor of Indianapolis and deputy mayor of New York City. We commiserated about the low opinion of government. He believes its reputation problem worsens the farther away its get from a close connection to the people. Local government is still liked by more than 50 percent of voters, state government is in the middle, while Congress has only a nine percent approval rating. Goldsmith had a wonderful anecdote likening government’s reputation woes to a quip he heard growing up…

• 

  IMDb News

• Berlinale Jury Meets The Press

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:07 pm

• Radcliffe — Miffed About Academy Snub Of Harry

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:56 am

• Shut-down-protected Peer-to-peer Technology Developed

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:45 am

• Despite Costly Hacking Scandal, News Corp Profits Soar

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:41 am

• Harrelson Wanted To Channel Bale's The MacHinist Look For New Movie

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:06 am

• 

  Hollywood Reporter - Movies

• Berlin 2012: 'Farewell, My Queen' Star Diane Kruger Talks Arab Revolution, Lack of Sleep

  Georg Szalai

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:36 am

  Georg Szalai The star also answered the question if Marie Antoinette, who she portrays in the festival's opening film, was a lesbian.read more

• Berlin 2012: Jeff Norton Sells Teen Sci-Fi Script to British Banner Multistory Films (Exclusive)

  Stuart Kemp

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:32 am

  Stuart Kemp Outer space set drama to be produced by Emma Biggins who is participating in the Berlinale Talent Campus 2012.read more

• Berlin 2012: 'Paris Je t'aime' Producer Settles With 'Love Berlin' Makers (Exclusive)

  Scott Roxborough

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:12 am

  Scott Roxborough Emmanuel Benbihy will now co-produce the omnibus production “Berlin, I Love You.”read more

• 'This Means War' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals

  Philiana Ng , Kyleen James

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:23 pm

  Philiana Ng , Kyleen James Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy promoted their latest action/romantic comedy, directed by McG, on Feb. 8 in Los Angeles. "This Means War" centers on two CIA agents, also best friends, who fall in love with the same woman.

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  Metacafe - Top Videos & Best Movies

• Highlights Milan Juventus 1 - 2 Raimerd

  8 Feb 2012 | 9:32 am

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  Funny or Die - All Videos - Most Viewed This Week

• Controversial Racist Pete Hoekstra Ad

  Funny Or Die

  7 Feb 2012 | 5:12 pm

  Controversial Racist Pete Hoekstra Ad 1:09 Former Congressman and current Michigan Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra really crossed the line with this new commercial! Submitted by: Funny Or Die Chosen Keywords: pete hoekstra michigan racist asian senate debbie spend it now chinese china korean korea japan japanese trade import racism gross embarassing congress congressman Views: 52,897

• Bros vs. Hipsters

  PatStansik

  6 Feb 2012 | 7:20 pm

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• Mob Wives 2: The Christening

  Funny Or Die

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• Cougar Town Cast Pitches New Show Titles

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  2 Feb 2012 | 12:40 pm

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  StupidVideos.com - New Videos

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  This cute dog loves to play with tennis balls so much that he smiles even when his mouth is full of them.

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  This dummy succumbs to the power of a slippery floor after tossing his friend into the pool.

• Falling Towers Cry for Help

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  RollingStone.com: Music News

• Lana Del Rey, Skylar Grey Perform In L.A. to Honor Jimmy Iovine

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:40 am

  After an impressive video tribute looking back on a career that has seen him work with John Lennon Bruce Springsteen Dr Dre Eminem and Lady Gaga to name a few Jimmy Iovine joked "Oh that thing gives me a headache" The producer and executive was honored at LA's Village Studios last...

• Bret Michaels New Album to Include Duets With Loretta Lynn, Jimmy Buffett

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:35 am

  Bret Michaels' upcoming solo album Get Your Rock On will include a few friends "Loretta Lynn and I are gonna redo 'Every Rose Has It’s Thorn' together" he tells Rolling Stone "And for me growing up in a family that my father loved country music and Coal Miner’s Daughter this is...

• Van Halen Rocks the L.A. Forum for Thousands of 'Friends and Family'

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:35 am

  There were still kinks to be worked out last night at what David Lee Roth called "the final dress rehearsal" for Van Halen's upcoming North American tour Onstage at the Forum in Los Angeles Roth happily admitted "I forgot the fucking words!" halfway through "China Town" one of several songs...

• 'Portlandia' Book Due in November

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:05 am

  Portlandia the IFC sketch comedy show starring Wild Flag's Carrie Brownstein and Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen will gets its own book later this year The comedy duo have signed on to pen Portlandia A Guide for Visitors for Grand Central Publishing an imprint of Hachette The book a parody...

• Clarence Clemons' Nephew Jake Clemons Joins the E Street Band

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:05 am

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• 

  NME News

• Noah and the Whale, Arcade Fire, Florence and the Machine feature on Barack Obama's Spotify playlist

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pm

  Bruce Springsteen, Wilco, No Doubt and U2 also make the President's campaign soundtrack

• Paul McCartney to receive star on Hollywood Walk of Fame today

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:13 am

  The former Beatle will also be streaming a live performance of 'Kisses On The Bottom' songs tonight

• The Chemical Brothers to release concert film 'Don't Think' on DVD

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:47 am

  The Adam Smith directed movie will be released on March 26

• Lady Gaga launches her own social networking site

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:37 am

  Little Monsters is the 'Born This Way' singer's own version of Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter

• Adele responds to Karl Lagerfeld's 'fat' slur

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:28 am

  The '21' star says she 'never wanted to look like a model'

• 

  TREND HUNTER - The Latest Trends

• Structurally Abstract Stem Holders - Union Suiza Vases Challenge Convention and Configuration (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:37 pm

  (TrendHunter.com) For thousands of years now, functional vases have also been treated to striking aesthetic embellishment. Such items have been long sculpted to take smooth and symmetrical shapes, then these Union Suiza...

• Wrist-Worn Cardiac Devices - The Basis Health Monitor is a Truly Mobile Wellness Piece (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:27 pm

  (TrendHunter.com) Upon first appearance, the Basis Health Monitor seems like a simple watch; however, it's more than just that, it's a state-of-the-art heart monitor. The new monitors by Basis have done away with the uncomfortable...

• Mural-Mounted Gravity Games - The Wall Coaster Will Enhance a Playroom's Other Surfaces (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:16 pm

  (TrendHunter.com) Toy room floors are hazards to the safety of anyone passing through. But the tears of children and adults alike may be reduced, should more games like the Wall Coaster Extreme Stunt Kit be relocated. Sold...

• Solid Bucket Seating - The Hug Stool by Emo Design Can Be Playfully Picked Up and Repositioned (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:05 pm

  (TrendHunter.com) The concept behind the Hug Stool by Emo Design is a simple one. It incorporates the friendly features of a supportive seat with ability to be easily carried around. It's the perfect furnishing item for...

• Handy Doorjamb Accessories - The 2nd Shift Key Plate Provides a Conveniently Placed (TrendHunter.com)

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:54 pm

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• 

  Cool Hunting

• TC+ BJ = 23 Art Intervention

  Karen Day

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:15 pm

  Artist Tofer Chin shrinks his trademark stalagmites for a set of rings befitting Bijules Artist Tofer Chin's signature stalagmites have taken many forms over the years—as massive installations popping off gallery walls and planted in parks, and as the geometric force breaking up mathematically-derived Op Art patterns in mind-bending paintings. But the LA-based artist's sharp expressions, on view in his current solo show "Totally", are about to receive a fashionable change-up from Bijules' NYC-based jewelry designer Jules Kim. For one night only, the collaborative duo will present "TC+…

• Eau Good

  Evan Orensten

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  Reusable water bottle incorporates traditional charcoal filtration From design powerhouse Black + Blum comes a stellar new alternative to wasteful disposable water bottles. Eau Good uses Binchō-tan, a traditional Japanese charcoal, to naturally filter tap water over the course of six hours. The plastic bottle has a small indent to hold the charcoal in place while drinking, and a simple squeeze releases the piece for replacement. Held in place with a metal ring, a natural cork stopper secures the opening. Sourced from sustainably harvested timber, the charcoal is created by burning the…

• CH Editions: Our Photo Safari With The Bushcamp Company and Pentax

  Evan Orensten

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:44 am

  Travel with Cool Hunting editors on a very special trip to Zambia's South Luanga National Park When we learned about The Bushcamp Company, the only safari operator in the southern part of Zambia's game-filled South Luanga National Park, we not only wanted to visit, we wanted to share it with our readers in a way that a story or video couldn't provide. We decided the best way to share the experience was to actually share the experience, and we are proud to announce our first CH Edition trip, which is available exclusively through Jetsetter. This trip of a lifetime combines adventure, education…

• Almond Water

  Evan Orensten

  8 Feb 2012 | 3:45 pm

  A nutty French refreshment from LA's Victoria's Kitchen A longstanding French tradition, almond water has been produced in small batches by nut lovers around the globe for hundreds of years. Bringing this all-natural treat to the masses is Victoria's Kitchen, a small, family-run company started by husband-and-wife duo David and Deborah Meniane to "honor the importance of family and traditions that are passed on from generation to generation." Loaded with the nutrients found naturally in almonds, the gluten-free beverage still uses Grandma Victoria's original recipe of water, natural almond…

• Vim Beget Jewelry

  Graham Hiemstra

  8 Feb 2012 | 1:36 pm

  The one-man machine behind beautifully antiqued hand-woven accessories Seattle-based Vim Beget makes jewelry and accessories with a vaguely antique aesthetic, blurring the barrier between past and present. Each piece of burnished silver is finished with rusted steel, affording it its own unique look and feel—the upshot of hours spent in the hands of sole designer Billy Bartels. Deeply rooted in the process, Bartels believes a hands-on approach makes the the end result worthwhile, and cuts each link separately before hand weaving them into a chain for bracelets and necklaces. "It's a…

• 

  Yanko Design

• The Quantum Theory

  Radhika Seth

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:46 am

  Quantum Tap gives you a good reality check on how much water you ‘think’ you use and the actual. Working on the lines of how syringe works, the tap activates by pulling up a pump action-handle. Scaled markings on the stem of the handle indicate the amount of water that will be released by pulling the handle to a specific correlating height. You can choose how much water you want to use and pull up the handle accordingly. The faucet looks neat and the idea pretty simple; my only concern is soapy hands and a messy tap.Quantum Tap is a 2011 red dot design concept winner.Designers: Dennis…

• Chop ‘n Pour

  Radhika Seth

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:55 am

  Experience is a good teacher they say and designer Junjie Piao learnt a good lesson with it. A stint in chopping celery sticks left him frustrated, especially when it was time to scoop and transfer them to a bowl. He decided to “design something to make this process easier without disturbing slicing.” Thus was born Pour-Smart, an L-shaped plastic piece and a bar of strong magnet. The contraption allows you to chop and easily transfer food from the cutting board to a bowl. Simple and very useful is my verdict!Designer: Junjie Piao- Yanko Design Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts…

• Wrap-around BB

  Radhika Seth

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:08 am

  Very rarely do designers venture into the BlackBerry turf. I think the perception of it being a serious business phone deters concept enthusiasts. For the moment we have this refreshing concept, which capitalizes on the new screen technology that is flexible, lightweight and transparent. Iterated as candy bar and a slider, the phones feature a “smart” wrap around screen and knows the difference between an intentional command and a hand holding the phone!John explains, “The front and back cameras are positioned underneath the screens. When needed the area around the camera…

• Tiffin Proportions

  Radhika Seth

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:02 am

  Dabba means lunchbox in Hindi and is inspired by the Dabbawallas of Mumbai. This ingenious design aims at making you choose healthy food options and pack a balanced meal for work. Each box displays a food icon and is sized to keep portions in check. I love the combination of bamboo and silicon used, and if things go well soon the Dabba will be available at a store near you.Dabba Features:Series of stackable dishes with silicone bases act as both a seal and a cool touch bottom for reheatingSustainable bamboo lid and a reusable felt placemat with integrated utensil storageUnique elastomeric…

• A’Design Awards – Your Claim To Fame!

  Radhika Seth

  8 Feb 2012 | 5:06 am

  Steve Jobs said “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, everything else is secondary.” Finding the correct channels to promote our creativity or even get them recognized are very limited. Design Competitions are a good medium, but is recognition from peers and prize money the only push you need? The A’Design Award and Competition fills the void by highlighting, advertising and advocating good design, designers and design oriented companies. They have the knack of grabbing the attention of press, interactive medias, design critics, distributers and buyers for…

• 

  NYT > Art & Design

• Art Review: Renoir’s Full-Length Paintings at the Frick Collection

  By KAREN ROSENBERG

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:58 pm

  The emphasis in this fashion-conscious show is less on the clothes than on the traditional portrait format and the imposing scale that displays them to best advantage.

• ArtsBeat: Dealer Settles with Artist in California Royalties Case

  By PATRICIA COHEN

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:27 am

  The art collector Dean Valentine settled a lawsuit brought against him by the painter Mark Grotjahn over a failure to pay resale royalties on the artist's work, as required by a rarely enforced California law.

• ‘Full Metal Jousting’ Gear. No, It’s Not Tinfoil.

  By NEIL GENZLINGER

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:49 am

  A skeptic finds out that wearing a 60-pound suit of armor like the kind used on the History channel’s new series “Full Metal Jousting” is not for the faint of ... anything.

• ArtsBeat: Behind the Poster: 'Peter and the Starcatcher'

  By ERIK PIEPENBURG

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:25 am

  John W. Long, a Vermont artist who works with wood, talks about helping to create the poster for the Broadway production of "Peter and the Starcatcher."

• Retha Walden Gambaro’s Sculptures at Heard Museum

  By MARC LACEY

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:47 am

  Some of Retha Walden Gambaro’s sculptures are on view through May 13 in an exhibition at the Heard Museum’s new sculpture garden in Phoenix.

• 

  TheDieline.com - Package Design Blog

• güd from Burt’s Bees

  Gina Angie

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:32 am

  Burt’s Bees takes Natural to the next generation with güd, a brand targeting millennials, women 18 – 34. (güd is pronounced “good”)

• Sofi Bath Bombs

  Gina Angie

  9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 am

  Beautifully designed bath product incorporating gold foil, unique typography, and a handmade print quality.

• The Tea Bar

  Gina Angie

  9 Feb 2012 | 7:00 am

  "Tea Bar company in Amsterdam. Tea Bar is a Amsterdam based tea shop where you can select, mix and drink your own blend of loose leaf tea. We were asked to create a pack for their most favorite and special blends of loose leaf tea.

• Angioletta

  Gina Angie

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  "National importing company, Wein-Bauer, Inc., engaged Kaleidoscope to develop a simple and elegant packaging design for Angioletta, a sweet, “casual” white wine produced in Italy from a Spanish Moscato.

• Hobel Wine Works

  Gina Angie

  9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 am

  In response to this weeks trending topic: Wood, we received this submission for a  wine bottle design that was inspired by German woodworking.

• 

  Dezeen

• Ion by Ziiiro at Dezeen Watch Store

  Amy Frearson

  9 Feb 2012 | 9:18 am

  Dezeen Watch Store: Ion is the second new watch in our 2012 Dezeen Watch Store collection and is also the first watch by Hong Kong brand Ziiiro to use two archetypal hands to display the time. (more…)

• Cabello by a2rhitektura

  Amy Frearson

  9 Feb 2012 | 5:14 am

  Threads of plastic hang like hair from the ceiling of this dark beauty salon in Belgrade, Serbia. (more…)

• Share by Thomas Bernstrand for Nola

  Rose Etherington

  9 Feb 2012 | 3:04 am

  Stockholm 2012: these outdoor chairs by Stockholm designer Thomas Bernstrand are joined together like shopping trolleys to encourage park visitors to tidy them away when they leave. (more…)

• Duikklok by Bedaux de Brouwer Architecten

  Amy Frearson

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:23 pm

  Huge window bays project from the fat cylindrical volume of this apartment block in Tilburg, the Netherlands, by Dutch architects Bedaux de Brouwer. (more…)

• House in Tijuana by T38 studio and Pablo Casals-Aguirre

  Amy Frearson

  8 Feb 2012 | 11:00 am

  Architects T38 studio and Pablo Casals-Aguirre have completed a house in Tijuana, Mexico, with a twisted first floor that cantilevers across the garden. (more…)

• 

  Design You Trust - Design and Beyond!

• How to Choose the Right Graphic Design Agency

  Ovsyannykov

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:29 pm

  Advertise here with BSAIf you are looking for a design agency to create a new website for your company, assist with a new identity and branding or perhaps to design and supply some printed literature, you need to make sure you are choosing the right graphic design company for the job. With many agencies available it isn’t simple the lowest price you should be looking for; continue on as the areas you should be paying attention to are discussed. Experience It is always worth doing a bit of research into how long the design agency you are considering have been established for. A combination…

• Fusion Table Transforms Pool Table to Dining Room Table

  Hiconsumption

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:18 pm

  Advertise here with BSAAt first glance, the Fusion Table appears t to be nothing more than a modern designed dining room table, but removing the table top will reveal an awesome pool table underneath. The table top removes quickly with the help of the spring assisted Easy-Lift system. Check out more photos of the Fusion Table here! Check out more photos of the Fusion Table here! Start your own Design Contest today and choose from 50-200+ custom design made just for you. Design You Trust RSS Feed | Design You Trust on FB | Design You Trust on Twitter | Design You Trust | Subscribe to DYT by…

• Designer Pops

  thaeger

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:06 pm

  Advertise here with BSA Fashion designer (Andre Leon Talley, Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, Vivienne Westwood, Donatella Versace and Victoria Beckham) Cake Pops by Molly Bakes. More fashion designer cake pops here. Start your own Design Contest today and choose from 50-200+ custom design made just for you. Design You Trust RSS Feed | Design You Trust on FB | Design You Trust on Twitter | Design You Trust | Subscribe to DYT by Email

• Verner Panton Visiona

  Glance02

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:04 pm

  Advertise here with BSA Experiencing the Sixties to mid-Seventies learning under Verner Panton would have been amazing. He was commissioned multiple times to design an exhibition for the chemical company Bayer. Each year the company rented a boat during the Cologne furniture fair and turned it into a temporary showroom. The designed by Panton were titled ‘Visiona’ and ‘Visiona 2′. Both showcased surreal organic interior home furnishings that consisted of vibrant colors. The word psychedelic is continually lingering in my mind and I do wonder his process of coming up with these color…

• Photography by Mecuro B Cotto

  jusone

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:59 pm

  Advertise here with BSA Amazing Photography by Mecuro B Cotto. Mecuro is a photographer based in Moscow, Russia. More photos Start your own Design Contest today and choose from 50-200+ custom design made just for you. Design You Trust RSS Feed | Design You Trust on FB | Design You Trust on Twitter | Design You Trust | Subscribe to DYT by Email

• 

  Brand New

• Toledo Zoo

  Armin

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:48 am

  Established over 100 years ago, the Toledo Zoo has over 9,000 animals representing over 800 species. A new logo was introduced recently. Thanks to Matt Rower for the tip. Don't forget to cast your vote about this post online

• Brandiose is Grandiose

  Armin

  9 Feb 2012 | 4:34 am

  Established in 2000 as Plan B Branding by life-long friends Jason Klein and Casey White, Brandiose, as the new company has been named, is a branding firm focused on designing official logos and uniforms for Minor League Baseball teams with awesome names like the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs and the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Having been called to the Majors, they also revitalized the Cincinnati Reds logos and uniforms. With the new name comes a new identity with lettering by Ken Barber. The Brandiose signature pays tribute to the mid-century lettering that captured an optimistic, utopian view of…

• Ecova

  Armin

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:53 am

  The result of the recent merger between Advantage IQ and Ecos, Ecova is a "total energy and sustainability management company". The new identity was designed by Sandstrom Partners. Don't forget to cast your vote about this post online

• Rescuing the American Red Cross

  Armin

  8 Feb 2012 | 4:31 am

  Established in 1881, the American Red Cross is one of the most well-known emergency response organizations in the world aiding victims of natural disasters and other emergencies. It counts with more than half a million volunteers and 35,000 employees across 700 national chapters. Recently, a new logo and design standards designed by Turner Duckworth have been quietly implemented. The Brand Standards manual can be seen here [PDF] and covers more than is represented in this post, in case you are interested. The pin is a symbol of enthusiastic participation. It is a personal, grassroots and…

• SOCAN

  Armin

  7 Feb 2012 | 4:15 am

  Established in 1990, SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) represents and works with more than 100,000 Canadian composers, songwriters, lyricists and music publishers "to protect, preserve and promote the performing rights of music creators." At the end of January SOCAN introduced a new logo. Story here. Don't forget to cast your vote about this post online

• 

  Fuel Your Creativity

• 10 Designs Inspired by Microsoft’s Metro UI

  Joel Falconer

  25 Jan 2012 | 5:09 pm

  Advertise here via BSA Since Microsoft first unveiled the Metro UI on Windows Phone 7, the rollout has been gradually taking place across every Microsoft product and website. It is the cornerstone of the Windows 8 interface and one of the most notable official uses of Metro UI available now is the excellent implementation on the Xbox 360 dashboard. The new design language has been a refreshing sign that Redmond cares about fixing its messy, bloated and ageing image, and the company is following through and executing. In the process, Metro has picked up a lot of fans in the design…

• Timeless Design, Ferrari

  admin

  25 Jan 2012 | 10:10 am

  Advertise here via BSA To begin with what I hope will end up being a mindful, thought-provoking article on the essence of timelessness in design, I felt it only fitting to start with what gave birth to this idea. As a designer and all around technology consultant, it’s my job to stay up-to-date with current trends and product offerings, which by its very nature is contradictory to the idea of timelessness. I’ve been grappling with this concept for over two years now. A lot of you that follow me on Twitter know that I’m an absolute nut about cars. Up until about 24 months ago my passion…

• Free Web UI Wireframe Kit

  Jeff Olson

  24 Jan 2012 | 3:00 am

  Advertise here via BSA Sometimes you don’t need to build interactive wireframes, or may not feel all that comfortable in Visio or OmniGraffle. I know there are times I just want to open up Photoshop and start laying things out. This web UI template kit is made completely with shape objects and in some cases converted into SmartObjects. So they’re totally scalable. There are no usage restrictions but if you find them helpful give us a shout. We love hearing from you! CLICK TO DOWNLOAD via

• Shape, Color, Content – The Language of Logos

  sara tack

  9 Jan 2012 | 5:00 am

  Advertise here via BSA Before you approve that new logo you’re considering, stop for a moment to consider how people perceive visual information. The content of your logo is third in the sequence of recognition, behind shape and color, because the brain takes more time to process language. Letterforms can be very powerful in creating content and meaning. The use of initials as an identifying mark has been around for centuries, since medieval kingdoms became economic enterprises. Letterforms are often abstracted to create clever symbols which act as metaphor for the core brand positioning.

• Starting a T-Shirt Line with No Money

  blakepoutra

  5 Jan 2012 | 8:25 am

  Advertise here via BSA I have to admit right up front that the title of this article is a bit of hyperbole. You might be quick to think that a t-shirt line that can be started without any money cannot possibly be a good one. It’s true that we could easily end this post in a few sentences by suggesting one of the many turnkey websites that sell one-off digital printing on every product imaginable. However, I am actually referring to starting a high quality screen printed t-shirt line without any money. Thanks to the internet…this is very possible. Tell Your Story One of the main…

• 

  Mashable!

• LinkedIn Hits 150 Million Members

  Todd Wasserman

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:26 pm

  LinkedIn on Thursday announced it has 150 million members in its network, a 20 million increase over November. The figure was disclosed in a press release the company issued Thursday announcing its fourth quarter and full-year 2011 results. The company posted revenues of $167.7 million, beating the analysts’ consensus of $160 million for Q4. Earnings were $0.06 cents per share, which was on target. LinkedIn’s stock was up more than 5% in after-hours trading. The Q4 revenue figure was a 105% jump over the same period in 2010. Revenues for full-year 2011 was $522.2 million, a 115%…

• FarmVille Toys Are Coming: Zynga and Hasbro Sign Licensing Deal

  Christina Warren

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:14 pm

  If Angry Birds and Cut the Rope can have toys, why can’t FarmVille? Social gaming juggernaut Zynga is teaming up with toy maker Hasbro to create a “wide range of toys and gaming experiences” based on Zynga properties and brands, a release read. The first products are expected to hit the market in Fall 2012. The agreement gives Hasbro license to develop and distribute an array of products in various toy and game categories for Zynga’s various properties. The companies will also be able to co-brand merchandise, which could potentially lead to digital product tie-ins. The…

• Hipstamatic Releases Lens for New York Fashion Week

  Lauren Indvik

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:02 pm

  In conjunction with New York Fashion Week, iPhone photography app Hipstamatic has released a cool-toned lens (i.e., filter) designed to capture the aesthetic of classic American beauty. The lens was developed in partnership with fashion photographer Chiun-Kai Shih, whose work has appeared in GQ, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, among other well-recognized publications. This is the second lens Hipstamatic has developed with Shih to commemorate NYFW. Last year, the pair released a lens called “Chunky,” which gives images a highly saturated, hazy glow. A spokesperson for Hipstamatic…

• Apple Hit With 250,000 Signatures Protesting Labor Conditions in China

  Kate Freeman

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:46 pm

  Fair-labor organizers delivered 250,000 signatures to Apple stores in six cities around the world on Thursday in protest of the company’s working conditions in China. Apple’s main factory, Foxconn, has faced numerous accusations of providing an inhumane work environment to Chinese workers. “It’s hard to hear tales of people jumping off buildings and using their hands until they can’t anymore,” said senior organizer of Change.org William Winters, who delivered a stack of petitions to the San Francisco Apple store on Stockton Street. The rest of the 250,000…

• Live LOLz: Cheezburger Plans Grammy Awards Memes in Real Time

  Brian Anthony Hernandez

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:35 pm

  I Can Has Cheezburger plans to turn the 54th Grammy Awards into a laughing matter by giving viewers an outlet to write funny captions for red carpet and ceremony photos. The “Live LOLing” event starts Sunday at 4 p.m. PT when Cheezburger’s ROFLrazzi site, Twitter profile and Facebook page will begin publishing Grammy images with humorous captions — in lolcat meme format. People can click “Recaption This” to plop their own witty text on the photos. Participants can then share their creations on their social networks. Cheezburger editor in chief Emily Huh…

• 

  Gizmodo: Iphone

• iPhone Thief Confronted in Extremely British Fashion

  Michael Hession

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:20 am

  After witnessing a fellow train passenger swiping an unattended iPhone, one brave chap decided to take action—in the form of video taping and yelling. Oh, the yelling. This could not be more hilarious and silly and proper and kind. More »

• Aluminum Speaker Dock Looks Right At Home Under Your iMac

  Andrew Liszewski

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

• Nature's Greatest Predator Reduced To Blaring Your LMFAO

  Andrew Liszewski

  8 Feb 2012 | 8:20 am

• An iPhone Used as a Hockey Puck at 82 MPH

  Sam Biddle

  8 Feb 2012 | 7:36 am

  If you want to sell something in tech, you can either employ cleavage or violence. In this case, the boys at G-Form are demoing their new iPhone case by beating the hell out of it with a hockey stick. Sure! More »

• TripLingo Romance Edition: Love Abroad

  Roberto Baldwin

  7 Feb 2012 | 3:28 pm

  More »

• 

  Facebook Developer Blog

• Developer Blog Subscriptions

  Facebook

  8 Feb 2012 | 10:45 am

  We recently launched the ability to manage your email subscriptions on the Developer Site: A month ago, we discovered a bug in our Developer Blog email subscriptions that prevented posts from getting emailed. We fixed this bug today and sent out all posts that were never delivered. This ensured that you didn't miss any important announcements (some posts dated back to mid-January). We apologize for sending the emails all at once and any confusion that this may have caused. Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

• Join the Facebook Platform team at GDC in March

  Facebook

  6 Feb 2012 | 6:30 am

  We're excited to announce Facebook Developer Day at Game Developer Conference in San Francisco on Monday, March 5th. Conference attendees are invited to join the Facebook Platform team for interactive discussions throughout the day on best practices and pro-tips for building social games. At this all-day event, developers will learn the fundamentals of building successful social games across platforms, including mobile and console, and how to deeply integrate apps with timeline through Open Graph. Register now for an "All-Access" or "Summit & Tutorials" pass to GDC San Francisco to secure…

• Creating Featured Stories with Action Specs

  Facebook

  3 Feb 2012 | 6:01 pm

  Recently we announced a new way of creating Featured Stories (previously "Sponsored Stories") on the Ads API by using action specs. These changes make the Ads API more flexible and will make it easier for developers to adapt to new story types as we launch them. We will be deprecating the old sponsored stories creative types as of May 1. Prior to this change Sponsored Stories were defined by choosing the correct Ad Creative type for the specific Sponsored Story type. E.g. a page like sponsored story was type 9, a page post like sponsored story was type 17 etc. This made it complicated for…

• Platform Updates: Operation Developer Love

  Facebook

  3 Feb 2012 | 10:00 am

  This week, we published a How-To on subscribing to data changes using the Real-time Updates API, as well as a games update on driving more discovery for games and shared Single Sign-On best practices for iOS and Android mobile developers. Lastly we announced a guide on How to Migrate your Application Profile Page. Ability to set the Password on Test Users We have long had a feature on the Developer App to enable you to create a new test user and to switch to it as needed. We've heard that it was still difficult for developers to test their mobile apps. To address this need, we have added the…

• How-To: Migrate your App Profile Page

  Facebook

  1 Feb 2012 | 9:00 am

  In December, we announced that we will be deprecating App Profile Pages on Feburary 1st. Many developers have asked for some tips on how to smoothly migrate their page. Below are some common issues, questions, and pro-tips for how to handle. What happens when users go to my deprecated App Profile Page? We recommend updating any links that you've shared to your App Profile Page to point to your new target Page. Existing links to the old App Profile Page will go to the following destinations, in this order: Canvas (if you have specified a Canvas URL for your app) Page (if you have associated a…

• 

  Facebook Blog

• Introducing New Apps for Timeline

  Carl Sjogreen

  18 Jan 2012 | 5:26 pm

  New timeline apps are now available from Foodspotting, Foodily, Ticketmaster, Pinterest, Rotten Tomatoes, Pose, Kobo, Gogobot, TripAdvisor, and others.  You can now enhance your timeline with apps that help you tell your story, whether you love to cook, eat, travel, run, or review movies.Apps bring your timeline to lifeOnce you've added an app, you can begin updating your timeline with your activities as they happen. For example, if you love design, shopping or fashion, you can add the Pinterest or Pose apps to make your favorite items part of your timeline.If you love to cook, you can add…

• Listen to Music With Your Friends

  Alexandre Roche

  12 Jan 2012 | 10:00 am

  Music is one of the most powerful and fun ways to connect. Whether it's at a concert with a bunch of people or on a long car ride with your best buddy, we love listening to music with our friends. But what if you could listen to music with your friends when you're alone, like at work, at home or on the go?Today, with music services on Facebook, there's a new way to listen with friends. This feature lets you listen along with any of your friends who are currently listening to music. You can also listen together in a group while one of your friends plays DJ.  You can listen to the same song,…

• Timeline: Now Available on Mobile

  Mick Johnson

  15 Dec 2011 | 10:00 am

  UPDATE on Sunday, December 18th 2011: We're excited to announce that timeline is now available on Facebook for iOS version 4.1, for iPhone and iPod Touch devices.Originally Published on Thursday, December 15, 2011: Timeline gives you an easy way to see the things you've shared, and collect all your best moments in a single place. In addition to making timeline available on the web, today we're also launching timeline on Android and m.facebook.com.Mobile timeline starts with your unique cover photo. As you scroll down, you'll see your posts, photos and life events as they happened, back to the…

• Timeline: Now Available Worldwide

  Paul McDonald

  15 Dec 2011 | 4:30 am

  UPDATE on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012: Last year we introduced timeline, a new kind of profile that lets you highlight the photos, posts and life events that help you tell your story. Over the next few weeks, everyone will get timeline. When you get timeline, you'll have 7 days to preview what's there now. This gives you a chance to add or hide whatever you want before anyone else sees it. You can learn more about these new features by taking the quick tour available at the top of your timeline. If you want to get timeline now, go to the Introducing Timeline page and click "Get…

• A Faster Facebook for Android

  Keith Peiris

  7 Dec 2011 | 11:30 am

  Today we're launching an updated Facebook app for Android. It's now quicker and easier to view photos, get messages and navigate around the app.Photos get betterPhotos and albums are up to two times faster than the previous Android app. It's also easier to share photos, view comments and edit captions on the go.View photos with tags, comments and likes Messages on top Your messages and notifications are now at the top of your screen. You can respond to friends and stay updated without leaving the page you're on.Get notifications and messages at the top of every screenMenu on the side You can…

• 

  All Facebook

• $100 Buys A Lot, Like Control Over Facebook

  David Cohen

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:26 pm

  More amusing nuggets continue to be unearthed from the trove of documents Facebook filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for its upcoming initial public offering, including one referencing $100, which was the amount class-B shareholders received in exchange for surrendering their voting control to Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg. The New York Times’ DealBook reported that notable investors who signed the $100 agreements, which were likely formalities, included first Facebook President Sean Parker and venture-capital backers DST Global and Accel Partners.

• Facebook Is Testing Advanced Chat Visibility Settings

  David Cohen

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:15 pm

  Facebook is testing new advanced chat settings that allow users to specify who can see when they’re logged into the site. Eti Suruzon, vice president of planning and media at Blink, sent the screenshot pictured here, showing more granularity in the visibility settings than has previously existed in chat — with the ability to only allow certain individuals or lists of friends to see you. Readers, have you seen anything along these lines when you’re on Facebook?

• How Facebook Timeline Could Help Political Pages

  Jennifer Moire

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:23 am

  Facebook’s timeline may become available for pages at the end of the month, offering unique opportunities and challenges for elected officials and their campaigns. The powerful visual and graphic elements of timeline give politicians and candidates the chance to present a more complete image — even humanize them. Don Seymour, director of digital communications for the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner, believes that timeline will provide lawmakers with a powerful communications tool: I think timeline will open new opportunities for lawmakers to really tell…

• Facebook Woos Investors And Developers With fbStart

  David Cohen

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:47 am

  Facebook launched an initiative aimed at giving third-party developers included in the portfolios of seed funds advanced notice of new tools and features, with the aim of encouraging those developers to build their businesses around the social network. The Wall Street Journal reported that the fbStart program has signed up early stage business-investment groups including Seedcamp, sFund, 500 Startups, TechStars, and Y Combinator. In its initial public offering filing earlier this month, details were included on Facebook-centric developers including Zynga, BranchOut, and Color Labs. TechStars…

• Facebook’s IPO May Boost ROI For Advertisers

  Guest Writer

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:02 am

  Facebook’s value is rising in both the eyes of investors and marketers alike. The forthcoming initial public offer will increase pressure on the company to monetize traffic more efficiently. Right now, retail marketing executives are still learning how advertising on Facebook offers a return on investment in a way that’s different from other types of promotions — as this understanding grows, so will social ad spending. Based on our client data, 40 to 60 percent of all transactions that start on a Facebook ad end in a different channel. That can make the return on investment…

• 

  All Facebook

• $100 Buys A Lot, Like Control Over Facebook

  David Cohen

  9 Feb 2012 | 1:26 pm

  More amusing nuggets continue to be unearthed from the trove of documents Facebook filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for its upcoming initial public offering, including one referencing $100. That’s what each class-B shareholder received in exchange for surrendering voting control to Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg. Is that $100 per share or $100 per holder, you ask? It looks like the latter, according to the legal agreement signed by the shareholders. The document says [unedited by us]:  This agreement is being entered into in exchange for a…

• Facebook Is Testing Advanced Chat Visibility Settings

  David Cohen

  9 Feb 2012 | 12:15 pm

  Facebook is testing new advanced chat settings that allow users to specify who can see when they’re logged into the site. Eti Suruzon, vice president of planning and media at Blink, sent the screenshot pictured here, showing more granularity in the visibility settings than has previously existed in chat — with the ability to only allow certain individuals or lists of friends to see you. Readers, have you seen anything along these lines when you’re on Facebook?

• How Facebook Timeline Could Help Political Pages

  Jennifer Moire

  9 Feb 2012 | 11:23 am

  Facebook’s timeline may become available for pages at the end of the month, offering unique opportunities and challenges for elected officials and their campaigns. The powerful visual and graphic elements of timeline give politicians and candidates the chance to present a more complete image — even humanize them. Don Seymour, director of digital communications for the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner, believes that timeline will provide lawmakers with a powerful communications tool: I think timeline will open new opportunities for lawmakers to really tell…

• Facebook Woos Investors And Developers With fbStart

  David Cohen

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:47 am

  Facebook launched an initiative aimed at giving third-party developers included in the portfolios of seed funds advanced notice of new tools and features, with the aim of encouraging those developers to build their businesses around the social network. The Wall Street Journal reported that the fbStart program has signed up early stage business-investment groups including Seedcamp, sFund, 500 Startups, TechStars, and Y Combinator. In its initial public offering filing earlier this month, details were included on Facebook-centric developers including Zynga, BranchOut, and Color Labs. TechStars…

• Facebook’s IPO May Boost ROI For Advertisers

  Guest Writer

  9 Feb 2012 | 10:02 am

  Facebook’s value is rising in both the eyes of investors and marketers alike. The forthcoming initial public offer will increase pressure on the company to monetize traffic more efficiently. Right now, retail marketing executives are still learning how advertising on Facebook offers a return on investment in a way that’s different from other types of promotions — as this understanding grows, so will social ad spending. Based on our client data, 40 to 60 percent of all transactions that start on a Facebook ad end in a different channel. That can make the return on investment…