Social media is dead (August 10)

Yippee! We knew Twitter was a fad and Facebook a farce! Not so fast. It's not the idea and practice of social media that is (nearly) dead. It's just the term "social media." That's because it's becoming so ingrained and cross-pollinated that it will no longer be distinguished from general digital content.

One powerful way to use social media (July 10)

Be glad you’re not Nestlé. They got hammered online after Greenpeace issued a report on the company’s use of palm oil and its effect on Indonesian rainforests and wildlife. Protestors are using social media tools—namely YouTube, Facebook and Twitter—to criticize the company in what is just the latest example of how vulnerable corporations are online.

Marketing, Layer by Layer (March 10)

How is marketing like an onion? Sometimes it makes you cry! No, seriously, there is a relevant analogy. Onions have a center with layers that get larger as you go out. Similarly, if you imagine your product at the center, the layers of marketing get broader the further you get from the product.

Email may be simple, but it’s not easy. (December 09)

There is no other medium as cost-effective as email. But email boxes are always getting more crowded. And customers are getting more selective about which emails they subscribe to and read. Never forget that there is a real person behind that email address. Before you hit the send button, ask yourself, "Would I care if I got this email?"

Use your secret weapon (October 09)

One that will give you new insights into your customers’ behavior? Something to help make your marketing more targeted and efficient? Or increase your customer satisfaction and loyalty? Sound too good to be true? You may already have this powerful weapon at your disposal but rarely pull it out of its holster.

Maybe you oughta audit. (September 09)

It’s all too easy to get locked in. Locked in to the same mindset and locked in to the same tactics you’ve worked with for years.

Say No to Status Quo (August 09)

If you haven’t already, you’re way overdue. Marketing and advertising don’t work the same way they used to. Yeah sure, you’ve heard all that before. But it’s never been more true.

What is your brand doing? (July 09)

At its core, traditional brand marketing is a singular message, delivered consistently over time.

5 rut-busting methodsOrange Paper to improve your marketing (June 09)

Surely there's something more creative you could be doing. There's gotta be a way to get your staff or your agency inspired to do more. Something better.

When the message bubble pops, where will your brand be? (May 09)

Bubbles suck. Remember the housing bubble, the stock market bubble? Like all bad ideas, they seemed fun at the time.