In 1964 a student at the University of California Berkeley named Jack Weinberg coined the immortal phrase, "Don't trust anyone over 30." When he invoked that sentiment in 1964, Mr. Weinberg was a civil rights activist frustrated by bureaucratic inaction. Yet today, curiously that line still exists, in particular with respect to technology. I call it the 35-divide. My company … [Read more...]
Marketing faces a year of major changes in 2010
5 predictions for marketing in 2010: 1. Digital will continue grow. It hardly seems to be going out on a limb to forecast that one; however, the degree to which it will take over our lives will be considerable. Marketing is a lagging indicator. Forrester Research estimates our TV viewing at 35% of entertainment time. Currently 31% of marketing budgets are spent on TV. … [Read more...]
Word of mouth, mouse and mobile
I teach a media course at one of our local universities. Recently I brought some newspapers in to my class for the students to look at. My father was a “newspaper historian” and had saved papers from noteworthy events over time such the Halifax Chronicle the day WW11 ended, and the Toronto Star marking man’s first walk on the moon and Paul Henderson’s goal I watched with … [Read more...]
Internet ad spending out paces TV
Internet ad spending in the UK out paced TV ad spending for the first time ever in history. While TV ad spending commanded 22%, the internet took up 24% of advertising expenditures. While some were quick to write the obituary for traditional media, the UK market is a bit of an anomaly with its restricted advertising on the BBC and an abundance of broadband penetration. However, … [Read more...]
The rise of the RENEGADE and the EVERYMAN
Meet the renegade and the everyman. The renegade is a challenger. He does things differently. Frequently seen as the underdog initially, he can often grow to become quite powerful. Never one to shy away from a dust-up, he is at his best when matched with a challenger, knowing he has identified an underserved populist niche. The everyman is synonymous with the common masses. … [Read more...]



