Let me begin with a look backwards. Throughout most of the modern history of advertising, virtually all media rates have been predicated on the notion that if you can determine the audience of the media vehicle, the exposure to the embedded advertising is equivalent.

Think about it. For decades, outdoor rates have been determined by the number of cars that drive past a billboard (the Daily Exposure Count); print rates have been based on circulation (or audience, if you include reader-per-copy data), while program ratings have determined TV and radio pricing.

The lynchpin of this concept is essentially, the law of averages. In other words, the likelihood of a newspaper reader missing your ad in the Sports section or a TV viewer heading out of the room when your commercial aired were seen as random acts that afflicted all advertisers without any measure of predictability. And while flawed, the system worked. ...read the rest of this post»

What happens when you marry crowd sourcing, discounts and social media? Ask the more than 2 million subscribers to Groupon, and the thousands of businesses who have welcomed those subscribers through their doors – happiness all around.

Groupon is one of the fastest growing “deal-a-day” Web sites. Here’s how it works: people sign up for deals in their city. Each day, Groupon features a different deal (50 percent off at a nail salon, for example). If enough subscribers sign up for the deal, the deal is “on,” and subscribers are e-mailed the coupon the next day. Subscribers must purchase the deal before printing the coupon and Groupon then pockets a 30 to 50 percent finder’s fee....read the rest of this post»

Hi. My name is Craig Thompson and I am a recovering awardaholic.

It’s been two months since our last Addy.

But did we really need to get an award for “Best use of two-colors or less in a fractional page magazine ad, business to business, regional, less than $5,000.00”? Really?

I used to justify our firm entering the local Addys by citing the local publicity that the Addys get and that’s got to be good for new business, right? But the fact is most of our clients are national, non-profit and out-of-town. And, after the 25th year of entering and winning our share, I think most of the local folks are aware of who we are.

So maybe it just boils down to ego. I want to see how we stack up against our peers. I have always been competitive (just ask anyone who has played softball against me) and enjoy the challenge of trying to be the best design firm around. ...read the rest of this post»

I propose a toast.  So if everyone who’s following The Tournament would please lift your glasses. Here’s to the astonishing trio of Cinderellas who shredded just about everyone’s bracket, but had us cheering for them as they did it.  Northern Iowa, St. Mary’s and Cornell did more than merely make this year’s edition of the Madness one of the best ever. They also silenced the talk about expanding the field.  Hopefully....read the rest of this post»

Business, marketing and communications strategy is challenged like never before. In today's 'nanosecond culture' of social networks, empowered consumers and hyper competition, implementation without an overarching, holistic strategy can be more detrimental than at any time before.

Think about it: communication tools are more accessible, making it easier for every generation and every level in a business environment to almost instantaneously 'pull the trigger' on ideas, thoughts or observations...sometimes without fully realizing the mid-term, much less longer-term implications. If managed well, those implications can be very positive. If managed sporadically or not at all, they can be devastating....read the rest of this post»

How many places have you been in the past week? Think about it - coffee shop, daycare, movies, work, gym, etc. You're constantly on the move, and you're not alone.

Today's consumers are increasingly mobile. This in itself is not a new revelation, but now marketers are using location-based marketing to make sure their messages are not only heard, but customized, for their on-the-go audience. ...read the rest of this post»

Now here's something really special. I'm no soccer fan (excuse me, "futbol") but human emotions are human emotions no matter what country you're in. Guys are guys the world over, and they hate missing scheduled sporting events. What do guys who like sports also like? That's right, drinking beer. So in walks Heineken with a great idea that takes advantage of the target's emotional weak spot. The result? 1.5 million viewers saw user reaction on live TV, 5 million unique hits to the site, and bookoos of press. Watch and learn.