Notes from a speech by Paul Saffo, Professor from Stamford University, the opening speaker at the World Innovation Any interesting change looks like an S curve .... except in Silicon Valley where it looks like a hockey stick The ghost behind the S curve is Moore's law .... i.e. the ... more

By Mark Ivey Sometimes I walk away from a conference with as many questions as answers. Such was the case at last week's Inbound Marketing in SF. Great speakers, great content, great ideas-- an idea-fest for social media types like me. But after the two day session ended, I couldn't ... more

Frozen food is a gamble if ever there was one. Sometimes you luck out and lunch is a 5-minute microwaveable miracle. And other times? You kick yourself for being so easily seduced by the scrumptious images on the package– since the product inside tastes less like those pictures and far ... more

When times get tough, enterprising small business owners rethink their strategies and MOs in order to survive and thrive. Apparently, the old "there's strength in numbers" has taken on a whole new meaning these days. A recent LA Times article points exciting possibilities if business owners–even competitors--are willing to break ... more

Frankly, it's just not a fun time to be a marketer. Those who have a job are fearful and waiting for the axe to fall and those without a job are struggling to secure one in a sea of rough competition. How can marketers prove their value during a * ... more

Here are some of the things that I did to get our website to the first page in Google search results for keywords that matter to us. I followed basic "white-hat" (ethical) techniques to get us there. It required consistent effort to achieve results. I hope you benefit from these ... more

I first saw video challenge to CNN in CK's thought-provoking on celebrity worship and social media. Oddly enough, what struck me first was not that Twitter had jumped the shark, as Mack Collier , or that I should run out and follow Ashton (which I was already doing - what? ... more

Nonprofits are increasingly using social networking platforms. That's the good news. According to the newly released, Nonprofit Social Network Survey ," sponsored by , Common , and , over are using commercial networking sites for marketing purposes, while almost a third use house networks. So, why the dilemma in One ... more

On days like today when I am made painfully aware of the fact that I have far too many projects on my plate and far too little time to get to them all. I sure do wish that my brand communications could all be handled with just one channel. But ... more

Let's start off by discussing what marketing is. According to the American Marketing Association (from "Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. The term developed from the original meaning which ... more

There's been so much talk about the need for true innovation in recent years, it's bound to be a surprise when a consumer product touts the fact that it's saying "no" to innovation. A short MediaPost article, Post Shredded Wheat Celebrates , was startling, refreshing and downright terrific–for just that ... more

As marketers, data is our friend. We use it as a tool to better understand our target audiences, we leverage it to build strong business cases and we rely on it to help guide where our marketing spend should go, and Many times we pore through the Web to find ... more

We know plenty about Twitter's crazy growth rates and mushrooming membership. We know about brands on Twitter, celebrities on Twitter, politicians on Twitter. We know Twitter apps, hashtags, trends, tools, tips and tricks. But we understand less about the motivations of Why do people use How do its users feel ... more

The global financial crisis of 2008 and beyond has shaken countries, markets, and individuals, in turn causing increased pessimism, angst and even anger. And yet, for those wishing for things to "return to normal", a new survey argues that we're in the "new normal". What are the lasting impacts of ... more

I was a gift card virgin - until recently. Now, I will not use them anymore. Number one - they aren't worth the trouble. Number two - they aren't worth their full face value. There's hidden info that consumers don't know about until they try to use them, which brings ... more

According to a recent Reuter's "Foodmakers tout innovation to battle imitation," food manufacturers stated at the Reuters Food and Agriculture Summit in Chicago in mid-March "that they are the ones who develop innovative new products and spend marketing dollars to draw shoppers into retailers' This statement was issued, no doubt, ... more

Creativity is hard Sure, an idea can strike out of the blue, but very few of us are paid for ideas alone. If you are like me, it is in the alchemic work that follows ideation where the true rewards are to be Shepherding an idea through various checkpoints and ... more

By Kevin Horne Several iconic brands of note such as Heinz and Bumble Bee have recently revived once-memorable taglines, for nostalgic purposes or maybe because the newer ones weren't any good. Among them is Nationwide Insurance, who is bringing back its "on your side" theme. (If you're as old as ... more

By Kevin Horne Several iconic brands of note such as Heinz and Bumble Bee have recently revived once-memorable taglines, for nostalgic purposes or maybe because the newer ones weren't any good. Among them is Nationwide Insurance, who is bringing back its "on your side" theme. (If you're as old as ... more

No one's got a big budget these days, but we've all got big goals. For email marketers, the pressure is high to build the file, despite the lack of resources. Get actionable tips from three direct marketers on what works * * * * The high attendance and palpable energy ... more

Business Week published its 50 Best in the magazine's April 6th issue. The caption, "Our 13th annual ranking of the top-performing companies in America shows innovation remains a powerful engine of success." No surprise Consumer product companies have long known that continually filling the pipeline with innovative new products is ... more

Social Marketers beware. Tapping in to highly vocal, critical, loyal, active and chatty network on Twitter may seem like a great opportunity - but it isn't for the faint of heart. Further, you can't just take traditional marketing tactics, throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks - or ... more

I recently registered for a business summit that includes a year's subscription to a national business publication. If I don't want to receive this magazine, I need to send a copy of my registration e-mail to a third-party fulfillment company in order to get $12 refunded. What would you do? ... more

By DJ In the midst of a recession, most marketers are preoccupied with keeping their current job. Unemployment continues to rise and job opportunities are That's why you must take full advantage of any opportunities to improve your job prospects. The tips below illustrate ways for you to easily optimize ... more

In Western countries where internet and social media marketing is the hot topic, some marketers have called a time of death for the traditional . And while marketers in Western countries debate whether the are pertinent in their markets, Chinese retailers are discovering that the traditional 4Ps are as relevant ... more