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And Links - 23 Ideas for Leveraging PC in TV

January 31, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Leveraging User-Generated Content (shimon sandler)
“Besides being a way for big brands to engage with their consumers, UGC can also add relevant content to a webpage, thereby optimizing the content for Search. There are several methods that User Generated Content can boost SEO. Did you ever wonder which type of UGC carries the most trust?”

History of the PC in TV Commercials (downloadsquad)
“When the computer takes a big step forward, I always like to take a look back.”

23 Ideas for Attracting Readers to Your Blog (problogger)
“Over the weekend I ran an ‘open mike’ discussion which asked the question of How do you find Readers for Your Blog?
There were quite a few responses to the question - some of which went a little unnoticed as they were moderated until I got home. So I thought I’d summarize some of the main themes that arose in the discussion with a few quotes from those who left comments.”

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Blogging, Humor, Links, Video

A Wedding Thriller

January 31, 2007 | 2 Comments

Everyone talks about choreographing an amazing, memorable dance for their wedding, but few do it. This wedding party raised the bar big time!

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Links, Video

Windows Vista Ultimate

January 30, 2007 | Leave a Comment

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Humor

The Complex Meaning of Brand

January 29, 2007 | 6 Comments

My latest MBA course - Brand Planning and Message Strategy - had its first class last week. Normally, I don’t write much about my classwork; however, a discussion ensued in my Brand Planning course that made me want to pull perspective and insight from the marketing and branding blogosphere.

What is a brand?

One of the books we’re reading in the class is called Brand New Brand Thinking by “11 experts who do” and the first chapter basically suggests that we are careless in the way we use (or overuse) the term. Sure, this is understandable, but there seems to be a lot of rules that differentiate the brands from the nonbrands.

After a short dialogue with my fellow students and the professor, a SVP at Leo Burnett, I was second guessing everything that I had originally labeled a brand in my head.

According to the professor, there are four types of marketed concepts:

1 // Traditional Brands (i.e., Crest, Heinz)
2 // New Generation (i.e., Las Vegas, Spice Girls, Cirque du Soliel)
3 // Marketed Entities (i.e., Michael Jordan)
4 // Trademarked Commodities (i.e., Utilities, Milk)

The professor thought that Madonna and Rolling Stones were brands, but said she wouldn’t classify U2 as a brand. She said the Chicago Bears are a brand, but not the Chicago Blackhawks. She said the City of Chicago is not a brand, no matter how much Mayor Daley would like to think it is one.

According to the professor, a brand is:

Alternatively, a brand is NOT:

Does your definition conflict with this one? Personally, I’m of the mindset that 10 people in a room will have 10 different definitions of the word brand. But I’m sure there is plenty of common ground and I’m certain that many brand experts have opinions on this matter. Can you think of your own examples for traditional brands, new generation, marketed entities and trademarked commodities? Perhaps Toyota, Google, Superman and Soy, respectively?

Personally, I don’t think I have a problem deciphering traditional brands from new generation brands. My big question mark comes with differentiating a brand from a marketed entity. Anyone? How many shades of gray can we find?

I’d really like to hear from some of the branding bloggers and any other marcom blogger with thoughts on this topic. To start, how about John Moore, Gareth Kay, Brand Noise, Brand Flakes for Breakfast, Branding Strategy Insider, Anne Simons, Clay Parker Jones, etc.

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Advertising, Educational, Management, Marketing

Which Brands Have The Greatest Global Impact?

January 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Brandchannel’s Reader’s Choice Awards were announced recently, recognizing the brands with the greatest impact on our lives in 2006.

In addition to ranking the brands with the strongest global impact, winners were also categorized by region (Asia-Pacific; Central & Latin America; Europe & Africa; US & Canada).

According to Joseph Jaffe, “Roughly 5 built their “brands” with barely a cent of advertising and 4 of these are under 10 years old. That said, the enduring power of brand is still evident (Coca-Cola), whereas innovation (Nokia) and change (Toyota) are both rewarded.”

Below is a list of all ranking brands with the greatest global impact over the past six years.

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Advertising, Management, Marketing, News

And Links - 01 | 30 | 07

January 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The Kevin Federline Super Bowl Commercial
“Here’s that Nationwide insurance spot with Kevin Federline that’s set to air during the Super Bowl this weekend and which, sight unseen, has apparently upset countless fry cooks across the country (or at least one oversensitive and publicity-seeking executive from the restaurant industry).”

Top 100 Alternative Search Engines
“Ask anyone which search engine they use to find information on the Internet and they will almost certainly reply: “Google.” Look a little further, and market research shows that people actually use four main search engines for 99.99% of their searches: Google, Yahoo!, MSN, and Ask.com (in that order). But in my travels as a Search Engine Optimizer (SEO), I have discovered that in that .01% lies a vast multitude of the most innovative and creative search engines you have never seen. So many, in fact, that I have had to limit my list of the very best ones to a mere 100.”

Famous Buildings Become Branding Tools
“These are examples of a trend called “Building Marketing” that employs unusual and eye-catching architecture to promote a company’s brand, a trend which is catching on in Korea. Often competing for space and eyeballs with multi-story towers, these buildings rely on exquisite design to promote and enhance a brand image.”

Video nod to Beyond Madison Avenue

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Advertising, Links, Video

Monday YouTubers

January 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Here is an assortment of great YouTube videos to start your work week.

Here is another one, two, three

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Humor, Random, Video

Dancing Across The World

January 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment

No, this isn’t Lionel Ritchie’s Dancing on the Ceiling and this is even cooler than Michael Jackson’s best dance.

Matt is a self-proclaimed deadbeat who quit his job in 2003 and used every penny earned to travel the world. He used this site to keep friends and family updated.

Adding dance to his travels, Matt became the quasi-famous “Guy who dances on the internet. No, not that guy. The other one. No, not him either. I’ll send you the link. It’s funny.”

The success of his first world dance tour caught the attention of Stride long lasting gum. Stride offered to pay for another trip around the planet. Matt spent six months traveling through 39 countries on all seven continents. He danced a lot. As a blogger who loves to travel (I’ve reached 15 countries), this is one of my new favorite internet videos. Enjoy!

And if you liked this video, be sure to check out the other videos by Matt, including his first ’round-the-world dancing montage.

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Posted by toddand | Filed Under Links, Marketing, Random, Strategies+Tactics, Video

Insanely Amazing Chicago

January 26, 2007 | 1 Comment

Trey Ratcliff has a mean photo hobby that can be monitored via his blog Stuck in Customs. What’s unique about his photography is his use of High Dynamic Range (HDR), which, according to his tutorial, is a software technique of taking either one image or a series of images, combining them, and adjusting the contrast ratios to do things that are virtually impossible with a single aperture and shutter speed.

Based out of Austin, Texas, he is the CEO of John Galt Games, an international gaming conglomerate that aims to “bring great games to great gamers.” Apparently, his job requires frequent and exotic travel, which translates into really cool photography. Below are some of my favorite Chicago shots by Trey. Awesome stuff!