August 24th 2010
Since 2007 I’ve been noting a set of changes that collectively are changing the foundations of communications on the Web in ways that are more far-reaching than what we refer to as Web 2.0. These include: Highly interactive application experiences that don’t use browsers Decentralized web and email communications – branding and 1:1 messages are […]
August 13th 2010
Extending the digital marketing investment and IPO streak we called back in December, today the Wall Street Journal reports that IBM will acquire Unica for $480M. See details: Wall St. Journal Related Posts on Digital Investment: 2010 Prediction: Digital Marketing IPOs Skyrocket <Dec 27> Read the Steamy FriendFinder Prospectus: A Dating and Porn IPO <Jan […]
August 9th 2010
Look around: These *are* amazing times. Who would imagine, in the “Summer of the Great Recession,“ that a digital content start-up and a phone company whose majority of customers pay nothing would be hot IPO news. But that’s the point. These two companies shift the status away from the status quo. And they’re heating up […]
August 6th 2010
I was part of a manic panel discussion on sales strategies for a Web 2.0 world. Amidst the usual Rorschach of social media advice were a few killer moments I have to share. Framing Idea: What’s the result of an abundance of information? Attention scarcity. This is what makes insight a premium in the digital […]
August 3rd 2010
NASCAR drivers should watch out: the position of Chief Marketing Officer is fast replacing race-car driver as the riskiest job in North America. According to Business Week, a CMO’s average tenure is only 28 months. Only 14 percent of CMOs for the worlds top brands have been in their jobs more than three years. That’s […]
July 30th 2010
Recently, numerous political groups have been quite upfront about their intent to exert authority over different parts of the online world. It seems everybody want to rule the Web. Dept of Justice moves to regulate Web through accessibility standards. FCC proposes to regulate Web access via broadband, claims it’s part of regulating telcos. Commerce Dept […]
July 26th 2010
It’s been six months since my post that 2010 investment in digital marketing would occupy an increasing share of marketing dollars. Since then, Oracle, CDC, and Hearst Media have taken the leap. And now, social business software company Jive has taken a $30M series C investment round from Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers (KPCB). Here’s […]
July 23rd 2010
When you partner with a firm, their weaknesses become yours. So reading an agency and its stress points is a client-side survival skill. With that in mind, last month I connected the stories of three Boston-area interactive agencies, each of which diversified from selling services to products: BigBad Interactive, Magic Hour and Fable Vision. To […]
July 22nd 2010
Yesterday I tweeted about a technique for using images to get traffic statistics on Facebook fan pages. While sizing traffic on social sites is fascinating, the playbook for many businesses is to acquire awareness on social sites and then drive qualified leads to the corporate site for deeper engagement. If you can segment social traffic, […]
July 16th 2010
A friend of the blog emailed this question last week. He’s new on Twitter and wants advice on getting going. What would you say? Q: How does anyone know I’m on Twitter? Spam?! A: People know you’re on Twitter because you use it Okay, let me put some meat on that bone. Why do you […]
The future of digital experiences will be built by strategists who grasp the full array of emerging business, social, and technical models. Specialties in user experience, branding, application design, and data science are laying the foundation for richer user experiences and business models breakthrough products and revenue based marketing.
UsefulArts is a soapbox to discuss the front line of digital experience, and the agencies and platforms that enable it. Digital business needs a cadre of leaders who can connect c-level enterprise thinking with the ways these new interaction models can help organizations to matter more to their most important stakeholders.