All Blog Posts (21)

Brands Becoming Media

Seems to be more often than not, there is a “if you build it, they will come” attitude when talking about marketing within social formats, but rarely does that work for a multitude of reasons.

Today Mashable had a great article about Brands Becoming Media. The article did a great job of not only outlining the difference between paid media, owned media (proprietar

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Added by Adam Dyer on February 12, 2010 at 10:24am — No Comments

Over the years, you’ve experienced great pleasure, extreme pain, and everything in between. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. That’s life. Count on it. When you invest your well-being on the scoreboard of circumstances, you set yourself up for an uncertain, bumpy ride. About 2000 years ago, a Greek philosopher named Epictetus offered a way to reclaim your power to be happy without giving that power away to circumstances. He said, “People are not disturbed by things, but by the view th… Continue

Added by Stan Lankowitz on February 2, 2010 at 11:09am — No Comments

The New Measure of Intelligence

TVO, A Canadian Public Media Company, recently posted a video on YouTube titled “Does the internet make you dumber?” The video highlights our diminishing attention spans, how we’re losing our memory skills because we have instant access to full information. The host also postulates that maybe the concept of intelligence should be more about what we can do with information and less about the ability to sign ou… Continue

Added by Adam Dyer on January 26, 2010 at 3:32pm — No Comments

A Bundle of Artistic Love for 2010

This one is for all of you creatives! I’m passing you on a bundle of artistic love in the form of one of the best free design sites on the net. CreativeNerds is jam-packed with tutorials, articles, galleries and a sweet monthly collection of the ‘best of the web for graphic/web design’. Whether it’s 50 photoshop tutorials for creating poster designs, 22 amazing real life photo manipulations, step by step walk throughs for award winning logo designs or even 50 photoshop tutorials for creating pos… Continue

Added by Jesse Drew Humphreys on January 5, 2010 at 10:31am — No Comments

Accountability is Queen

Here at MOOv, we operate a bit differently than most companies. As the Chief Accountability Officer here, my gig is to be Air Traffic Controller. From all the creative folks to the account managers to dabbling in operations. Promises are huge here. We, collectively, (like the borg) do not make promises that we cannot keep. Your word is worth gold, your effort is always 110% and you live true. Those are my thoughts on my job  I love it and the culture that we have created here. Some cool quotes… Continue

Added by Lori Waknin on January 5, 2010 at 9:55am — No Comments

The Power of Belief

New Year’s Resolutions! Here we go . . . again. This year, I recommend an alternative. Years ago, I heard this cryptic advice. “Don’t just do something, stand there.” Here is my simple, practical interpretation. When we “do something,” we focus on taking action in the world. When we “stand there,” we turn our attention inward to thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. If you believe as I do that change happens from the inside out, the way to make the most of this New Year is to not take action, but r… Continue

Added by Stan Lankowitz on January 1, 2010 at 1:55pm — No Comments

Mashable just recently posted an article about the business applications of Google Wave and how it c…

Mashable just recently posted an article about the business applications of Google Wave and how it can help streamline collaborative projects as well as sync up teams that are split across different times and spaces. I completely agree, but feel there is also a lot of power in using the application for learn… Continue

Added by Adam Dyer on December 22, 2009 at 10:33am — No Comments

Give Thanks

While sharing a delicious Thanksgiving meal, most of us celebrated our jobs, health, families, and the many blessings in our lives. Now, getting back to the “real” world, our gratitude often fades and our focus returns to the stability of our career, buying Christmas presents, the balance in our 401k, the national economy, terrorism, or whatever else concerns us. Directing our attention to what is wrong and what is missing is reinforced by the news media. It’s about the Madoff scandal, police of… Continue

Added by Stan Lankowitz on December 3, 2009 at 2:06pm — No Comments

"Why" doesn't matter

I coach people who want to make changes and improve their lives. Many are trapped by believing that before they can make changes, they need to examine the past and figure out why life turned out the way it did. Asking “why” can be useful. Knowing why your car won’t start helps fix the problem. But, human beings are complex creatures. Considering all the variables, we cannot be certain about what really caused our circumstances. Was it a special relationship with a grandparent, the books we’ve… Continue

Added by Stan Lankowitz on November 16, 2009 at 10:16pm — No Comments

Epiphany

Recently, I had the good fortune of facing a possibly lengthy jail sentence. The exact length was never actually disclosed, but sixty days, six months and one year were all mentioned. For some sad reason, I was totally prepared to do the sixty day one. I figured "Eighteen days on thirty, that's thirty-six days and I'll be home for Christmas." I don't know why my thought-process still works that way. I'm going to have to work on that. Another thought that kept coming to mind was "Maybe I'm meant… Continue

Added by Mike Martinez on October 25, 2009 at 6:22pm — No Comments

Manage Your Interpretations

There are observable facts about other people’s behavior, and then there are your interpretations regarding those behaviors. Be careful of confusing the two. Fact: You greet an acquaintance on the street and she ignores you. Interpretation: She is rude. Fact: You see a man on the bus who is oblivious to his two small children running around being loud and obnoxious. Interpretation: He is an extremely bad parent. Without more information, you cannot know the truth. You probably trust your inte… Continue

Added by Stan Lankowitz on October 22, 2009 at 9:26pm — No Comments

Forgive and move on

Sometimes emotional pain from past relationships prevents people from moving forward. Emotional wounds are like physical wounds. If you continually irritate a cut on your hand, it remains open. If you clean it up and leave it alone, it heals. Holding on to resentment and anger about hurts and betrayals prevent them from healing. Some of us were abused, grew up with alcoholic parents, or had unfaithful spouses. Perhaps a “once-in-a-lifetime” soul-mate romantic relationship tragically ended years… Continue

Added by Stan Lankowitz on August 22, 2009 at 4:34pm — No Comments

Standing Out Doesn't Have to Mean Loud and Flashy

It's hard to stop watching this video and yet it is simply an aquarium (yes, the 2nd largest aquarium in the world) but the music and setting create an awe that can only be experienced. Many times as marketers, we look to the loud and outrageous to capture attention and cut through the clutter. This video shows us there are many ways. Enjoy!

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Added by Jeff Swaim on July 31, 2009 at 12:00pm — No Comments

Choose Peace

About 20 years ago, I read the book A Course in Miracles. Somehow an idea from that book recently resurfaced and grabbed me ─ I can choose peace instead of this. “No way,” I argue. “Peace is the direct result of certain circumstances. Peace comes from peaceful events and situations. I can’t just choose it.” But, OK. Even though it made no sense, I decided to try it. To my surprise and delight, it worked . . . well, at least some of the time. My experience suggests that with practice I’ll be able… Continue

Added by Stan Lankowitz on June 29, 2009 at 7:54pm — No Comments

Must-Listen State of the Digital World Forum

Author of Wikinomics and Chair of nGenera, Don Tapscott delivers a message to attendees of Net Change Week. Take this message back to your tribes! It is one of the most eloquent and current synopses of what digital means today in the world as you will find. It's worth the time and focus on every word. (Thanks to Stan Lankowitz)

A message from Don Tapscott from SiG @ MaRS on

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Added by Jeff Swaim on June 14, 2009 at 11:18pm — No Comments

Your Business Card is Crap!

You have to love the polish and passion! While the particulars are laughable, the principle of your business card being your "everything" has a lot of truth. What story does your business card tell of your brand, your promise, your personality, your values? Did you "save a lot of money" going with cookie-cutter graphic design and fly-by-night printing deals? I'd suggest you re-evaluate your priorities, what you stand for, and how you communicate that stand! I hope you aren't using sixty-pound St… Continue

Added by Jeff Swaim on June 9, 2009 at 9:36pm — No Comments

A Lesson in Not Thinking Black & White

I remember the feeling of being selected to create the brand identity and launch a $100 million fundraising campaign for future Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus and his wildly successful Grameen Bank. Their pioneering work in the development of successful microcredit programs as… Continue

Added by Jeff Swaim on June 3, 2009 at 9:30pm — No Comments

When a Website Disappears

To apply "purple cow" thinking to a Website for a client ... stay locked in the room and keep asking the question.. not what is the product, the copy, the images, the site map, the technology.... ask yourself what is THE EXPERIENCE. What EXPERIENCE can we deliver that will engage a user so fast and deep they forget they are on a Website because they are so into the experience. Think about your brand promise and then what experience will make a powerful connection to your viewer. THEN and only th… Continue

Added by Jeff Swaim on May 1, 2009 at 1:00am — No Comments

"...It's like Web 4.0 dude."

It seems like every day I happen across some crazy wild new technology or application that can be delivered through the Web. The General Electric Smart Grid deploys technology that is interactive with the content viewed via a user's Webcam. The software recognizes a specific shape from a printed sheet of paper and then builds a 3D platform that reacts based on the shape and its relative perspective. Try it for real if you want to blow your mind. Imagine the possibilities. Here is the link >… Continue

Added by Jeff Swaim on April 1, 2009 at 3:30pm — No Comments