There have been rumors circling the Internet that Facebook would begin to include Sponsored Stories in users’ News Feeds in addition to the standard ad units already displayed on the right hand side of the page. It appears that these rumors have now come true.
On a recently released page on Facebook’s help site, users can [...]
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FACEBOOK ROLLS OUT FEATURED STORIES IN YOUR NEWS FEED
THE MONUMENTS WE CARRY: AN ODE TO STEVE JOBS
When I heard the news of Steve Jobs’ death, my mind detoured back almost 300 years to the great English architect, Sir Christopher Wren.
Wren’s most famous design is St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, whose dome vies with the towers of Parliament as the city’s most recognizable structure. When Wren died, his body was placed in [...]
QUICK – WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE YOU?
I’m a consumer. I’m thinking about buying your product or service right now, at this very moment. Quickly, now – why should I? Have you given me a reason?
Did you make me feel special? Did you offer me insider privileges if I “Like” you on Facebook? Am I on your e-mail list for discounts – [...]
THE HANGOVER, PART 136
Preakness officials are triumphantly crowing that ticket sales are up over last year, especially in the beer-soaked infield. Excuse me if I’m less than excited.
Don’t get me wrong: I want the Preakness to succeed. Its value to Baltimore – especially in this battered economy – is inestimable. But while shouting their success to the housetops, [...]
MGH CREATIVES PICK THE BEST AND WORST SPOTS FROM SUPER BOWL XLV
Everybody’s got an opinion about Super Bowl commercials. But what do people who actually make TV spots for a living think about last night’s collection?
We asked a few MGH creatives to select their favorite and least favorite spots. They didn’t hold back.
John Patterson, EVP, Creative Director
Best: Daimler Chrysler, “Eminem Detroit”
You could argue that the best Super Bowl [...]
A CHALLENGE FOR 2011: STAND FOR SOMETHING
Originally printed in INSTORE, a top publication for jewelry professionals (January 2011 issue)
If you’re reading this, you have my congratulations. In the most challenging economic environment for luxury retail in 50 years, you survived. Maybe thrived. You probably watched with glee as some of your competitors went belly-up. You’re still in business — feeling pretty good about yourself.
But [...]
BABY BOOMERS: BENDING THE RULES OF MARKETING
Traditionally, marketers have been found to focus the most on the 18-34 demographic, believing that they are more easily influenced and therefore likely to be captured as lifetime customers.
But, recently marketers have begun started shifting their focus to the Baby Boomer generation, those born from 1946-1964.
According to a recent article in USA Today, the boomers [...]
PITY THE POOR (NON-POLITICAL) ADVERTISERS
Originally printed in the Baltimore Sun Opinion & Editorials section (Oct. 28, 2010)
I had one of those life-changing epiphanies this week.
I realized that I am responsible for the endless, mind-numbing, aggravating avalanche of political advertising we’ve all endured this election cycle. And it’s not because I’m president of an ad agency. We don’t even do political ads.
No, it’s [...]
COULD CREATIVITY HAVE HELPED BOB EHRLICH’S CAMPAIGN?
With Bob Ehrlich’s poll numbers slipping in the final days of Maryland’s gubernatorial race, he’s got to be asking himself what he could have done differently.
Take it from a creative director, Governor Ehrlich. You should have been more creative.
We all know there’s no shortage of political campaign commercials on television right now. What’s lacking is [...]
GOOGLE UNVEILS BOOST FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
First there were AdWords location extensions and Google Tags. Now, Google has unveiled a new paid product offering for businesses — Google Boost.
It looks like Boost is essentially a way for Google Places accounts to place paid search advertising without diving into the AdWords interface firsthand. The official Google word is as follows:
To create your ad, [...]
MGH’S FAVORITE MAD MEN MOMENTS
Every once and a while, a show comes around that becomes like a drug you can’t stay away from. You may DVR it, but you try to stay up late so you can discuss what happened at the water cooler. That show for many of us in marketing and advertising is AMC’s Mad Men. And [...]
ONCE AND (OVER) DONE
by Dave Spivey, Senior Copywriter on Feb 06, 2012 in Advertising, Commentary
New rule: if you want to predict how the Super Bowl commercials will go, your best barometer is the National Anthem.
This year, Kelly Clarkson larded her performance with quavers and grace notes until the poor “Star-Spangled Banner” sagged under their weight like Charlie Brown’s forlorn Christmas tree. And as the anthem went, so went the [...]