Wouldn’t it be great to have the media clout of Oprah Winfrey, Arianna Huffington, Rupert Murdock, or Mark Zukerberg? While all these icons have carved out substantial media empires on broadcast, print and online platforms, never before has there been such opportunity to leverage your own content and channels in building awareness and a brand position. If you’ve got expertise … [Read more...]
Ever wonder what the 1978 WKRP in Cincinnati “Turkeys away” episode might look like in the age of social media?
Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers! Website analytics tell me that while this blog has readership worldwide (which is totally awesome!) 19% is from Canada and 30% is from the US. So I thought in honor of Thanksgiving stateside, I'd invite you to reflect and speculate on how an iconic WKRP in Cincinnati episode might unfold in the age of social media... At the very least, … [Read more...]
Did GAP goof? Remembrance Day Sale goes wrong in Canada
GAP appears to be retracting big time on a promotional email put out by head office on Monday Nov 10, that didn't go over too well with Canadian customers. The offer was on a "puffer vest" for $19.99 on special during a Remembrance Day Sale. Seems many Canadians took issue with the company provoking commercial gain, on what is universally accepted as a somber day of thanks and … [Read more...]
A campaign to make the fur fly
I remember well a day back in 1988 when the advertising sales department at the Georgia Straight, Vancouver’s urban weekly where I was working at the time, fell in the cross hairs of activists on behalf of the inhumane treatment of animals in the commercial fur trade. You see, long before desktop publishing, newspapers were constructed like puzzle pieces – ads created and then … [Read more...]
5 Reasons why a picture is now worth 10,000 words
They used to say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Now it’s worth at least 10,000 words and perhaps more. Here’s why: In a world of ready access to visuals with the prevalence of smart phones and easy to use photo editing software, combined with social media platforms that enable and encourage sharing, one photo can easily reach 10,000 viewers even if it is only … [Read more...]
