Targeting The Target While They Are A Target

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Here are the numbers just released: 86% of adult Americans who DO NOT want political ads tailored to their interest. The total number of display ads delivered to U.S. internet users in the first quarter of 2011-$1.11 Trillion.

Today the amount of display ads are $10.9 billion. That is a staggering number to understand for a media outlet that didn’t exist 15 years ago. That’s right on October 27th will be the 15th anniversary of the industry’s first banner display ads which appeared in Hotwired.com. The Interactive Marketing Forecast from Forrester Research states that number will be $28 billion in 2016. So, seriously, you still don’t believe it’s a powerful tool? What could be stopping your product, brand or company from diving in head first? Read more

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20 Years Later, Start Up Lessons From a Chicago Advertising Agency

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Typically when you start a new business, you have no idea what you are getting into or the curves along the way. Being in this position today and having survived 20 years, I feel this list will help any new business start-up.

1. The manager is incompetent

Most small businesses fail because the owner does not have the knowledge to run a business properly.

Solution: Go to a business class before you open your doors.

2. Finances are not in place

Solution: Write a business plan or get an accountant to assist you. Cash is king and without proper funding even the best idea will fail.

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Advertising Consultants Say “Why Can’t Politicians Brand Themselves?”

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The other day I watched an Old Navy spot. They have used those spots to get a jingle inside your head with dancers, moving cameras, vibrant colors and of course driving home what they are selling. They completely understand the relationship between visual and hearing. Read more

Do You Truly Know Your Competitive Advantage in B2B Advertising?

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In business-to-business advertising, it’s essential your messaging distinguishes your company, products and/or services from the competition. That’s because when advertising in trade publications or on industry-specific business websites, your ad is likely to be seen next to or around the ads of your competitors. When targeting the same audience, what will make your ad—and therefore your company—memorable?

The best way to differentiate your business-to-business advertising is to focus your messaging on what truly sets your company apart…your competitive advantage. It seems simple enough, but surprisingly, many companies don’t really understand their competitive advantage or don’t exploit it. Read more

Branding for the SuperBowl

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Well it’s that time of year again where the majority of agencies, design firms and anyone selling marketing gather around the television to watch commercials. It’s Superbowl time again. And to get you ready for the commercials, a national network ran a special on the best commercials for the Superbowl a few days ago and added live voting on their site during the broadcast. Budweiser won hands down. Read more

The New Media Mix Will Solve Planning Season Fears

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This time of year can terrify even the most seasoned builder and new construction marketing teams…it’s the heart of the dreaded planning season! Don’t fear; there are ways to make the experience less frightful and more insightful. Here are some things to consider as you approach 2016.

Is your spending mix designed to optimize results for how media is consumed today or are you relying too much on what has worked in the past? There’s a new media mix—and it is far different than ever before, with more media channels, more devices, and even more opportunities to connect with home shoppers. How do you find the most effective balance within a budget that makes sense now?

Take social marketing, for example, which has completely redefined the digital media space. Many builders are still struggling to understand how to monetize social media. The key is to treat it like any other corporate initiative—establish a business and messaging strategy that elevates your brand and execute it. Read more

Packaging That Sells Conference

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“Reinvent Everything” is the tagline for the Brand Packaging Conference I am at currently. With those powerful words, I want to reinvent my blog.

Not sure the strategy of reinventing my blog. Should it be pictures only? Should it have contents of only what’s happening now at the show? Should it even be more off-center? Should I share my learning each day as we go? Read more

How Marketers Can Connect with the 3 Mindsets of Search

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A recently released research study by About.com and Latitude identifies three distinct mindsets in search and offers insight into how marketers can offer ads and align them with content that better appeals to each mindset. Three Mindsets of Search examines 59 variables in search behavior and also revealed that the meaning of “expertise” in the eyes of searchers is evolving. Read more

iCloud, iPad, and Seniors

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How The Apple iPad and New iCloud Can Connect More Seniors

Research continues to show the positive, life-enhancing effects that the Internet can have on senior adults. Beyond just staying in touch with family and friends, going online provides seniors with an interactive outlet to the world – and studies show that it can also provide a myriad of health benefits. For example, increasing personal communications can decrease feelings of depression and isolation, as well as stimulate the brain and enhance cognitive abilities.
Today, seniors access the Internet via their computer for a variety of things, from researching information and keeping up with modern culture and society, to socializing, watching videos and sharing pictures. Being active online can ultimately enrich their lives by connecting them to their families and the world around them. Read more

Death of Traditional Outlets Has Been Greatly Exaggerated

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Mark Twain famously quipped that news of his death was exaggerated when the press mistook his cousin’s serious illness for his own. Today, much the same could be said about traditional media. It seems that its death is foretold by any number of pundits with every new release of data on social media and digital devices. (Facebook’s 500 million members would make it the third-largest country in the world! Ashton Kutcher has more than 7 million Twitter followers! IPad-mania sweeps through coffee shops around the world!)

There is no denying the rapidly growing and truly disruptive impact of new devices and social media. But at the same time, there is also no denying that traditional outlets are thriving in the lives of consumers today, and that they form the core of how most consumers interact with media. This is true for the general population, and it is even true among the affluent Americans that we study, even though they have the discretionary income to indulge in an array of devices, as well as the digital literacy to get the most out of them. Read more