April 5th 2010
Another UsefulArts friend, the watchful Dr. Jo Myers Drahos, kindly sent in this clever, well-executed public service advertisement from the airport in Denver. The visual carries the ad. It tells a smart story, has a sense of discovery and strength, and projects reputability and authenticity for the organization. The composition uses negative space to take […]
April 4th 2010
The promise of extensive water conservation is how this public agency welcomes visitors to Florida. This completely wasted public-service ad lacks any sign of investment in creative or execution. And that’s too bad, because, in the age of green-washing, a value proposition can be made for sustainability. But this ad doesn’t answer the basic question: […]
April 2nd 2010
This Tuesday I had the challenge and opportunity to talk with a team of 20 legal marketers about how online experiences build and validate brands. It was a smart room; I’m glad to have been invited. How Do You Make a Great Page? Since my presentations are illustrations, you may get only the flavor of […]
April 1st 2010
Last month, the mayor of Topeka, Kansas, stunned the world by announcing that his city was changing its name to Google. Now Google has honored that gesture by changing its name name to Topeka for April Fools’ Day. This makes Bill Bunten the Mayor of Google and Eric Schmidt the CEO of Topeka, Inc. Of course, […]
April 1st 2010
Just yesterday CNET featured Twitter’s roll-out of its homepage, which has been redesigned for newbies. One of the new features is a built-in view of the Tweetstream of a popular keyword. When I logged in this morning, the featured word was “Moscow” — but all the Tweets it featured were pornographic images. This may have […]
March 26th 2010
My friend Steve Singer just emailed that Marketing Sherpa is quoting me on one of my favorite contrarian email tactics. Act like a person, not a marketer. Most people don’t send html emails full of images to their friends; it’s just not necessary. They already have a relationship with the recipient and something of value […]
March 25th 2010
New Haven law firm Stratton Faxon sued Google for selling competitor ads triggered by searches on their name. Specifically, they alleged that these ads interfered with the firm’s business relations with clients, were an unfair business practice under Connecticut state law, and resulted in unjust enrichment. Read the details on Lawyers and Settlements. Note the […]
March 24th 2010
Everyone likes samples. To advertise, the Mint should offer money. James Gardner of Adverlicious kindly shared this bad airport advertising from Boston’s Logan Airport. It stands outside the gate for the commuter flights to New York at Boston’s Logan Airport. James doesn’t recall ever seeing a child on the commuter flights he frequents. Further, the […]
March 22nd 2010
Today, Prime Minister Gordon Brown will announce a massive IT project to move in-person transactions with citizens online. (See coverage in the Telegraph.) This will change a wide range of interactions, including tax disputes and payments, vehicle licensing, applying for school, public housing issues, and passport applications. No less than Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the World […]
March 20th 2010
This week, Greenpeace posted a gruesome anti-Nestlé commercial on YouTube complaining that Nestlé SA buys palm oil from companies that destroy the Indonesian rainforest to plant oil palms. The 60-second video depicts a bored office worker enjoying a Kit Kat, which, rather than being the popular chocolate-hazelnut ladyfinger-style confection, appears to be a chocolate-covered ape […]
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