In digital media, there is often a knowledge pyramid within organisations, both marketing and agency. That means that the closer you get to the top the thinner the knowledge base.

That is why I thought it might be worthwhile sharing a channel I found on YouTube with you. It is called "Explanations in plain English" by Common Craft and covers a wide and varying range of topics.

Of particular interest are the videos on digital media and digital marketing such as Social Networks, Twitter and the like.

Perhaps if you, or someone you know in your organisation, is at the top of the knowledge pyramid on digital technology you can send them to this blog where they can get the information they need in plain English without anyone knowing.

A Marketing Director once asked me "What software do I need to use Web 2.0?" I am not joking. But what is a joke is the fact they were spending several million dollars on digital media.

If you want to view more example just click.

Continue reading "All things digital in plain English" »

In the past six months many companies (marketers and agencies) have gone through the downsizing process in response to the GFC. This email has been floating around for a couple of years, but it is probably more relevant.

1. Never walk without a document in your hands
People with documents in their hands look like hardworking employees heading for important meetings. People with nothing in their hands look like they're heading for the canteen. People with a newspaper in their hand look like they're heading for the toilet. Above all, make sure you carry loads of stuff home with you at night, thus generating the false impression that you work longer hours than you do.

2. Use computers to look busy
Any time you use a computer, it looks like "work" to the casual observer. You can send and receive personal e-mail, chat and generally have a blast without doing anything remotely related to work. These aren't exactly the societal benefits that the proponents of the computer revolution would like to talk about but they're not bad either. When you get caught by your boss - and you *will* get caught -- your best defense is to claim you're teaching yourself to use new software, thus saving valuable training expenses.

3. Messy desk
Top management can get away with a clean desk. For the rest of us, it looks like we're not working hard enough. Build huge piles of documents around your workspace. To the observer, last year's work looks the same as today's work; it's volume that counts. Pile them high and wide. If you know somebody is coming to your desk, bury the document you'll need halfway down in an existing stack and rummage for it when he/she arrives.

Continue reading "Top 10 ways to avoid redundancy in marketing & advertising" »

With technology advancing at such an incredible pace and the impact this is having on communications and media, it is no wonder we often feel overwhelmed.

Damian Black @ Fosters sent me a link to this "Did you know?" presentation on YouTube. It powerfully puts into context just how quickly technological change is impacting our world (both marketing and our day to day life). Take a seat for the next 4 minutes and 55 seconds. It is worth it just to put a little perspective on what as communicators and marketers we are dealing with.

Opportunity? Obstacle?

An agency managing director was bemoaning the demise of the media commission system, because under this system there were no discussions about FTEs, overhead and profit multiples, retainer resource levels, or the like. Simply, the agency was free to get on with what they did, which was create advertising ideas knowing that they would be generously rewarded for their efforts through a commission on the media spend and a service fee on their total spend.

A decade on and still the industry struggles with developing a remuneration approach that is equitable, sustainable, transparent and easy to manage. We still have some media commissions, retainers, project fees, head hour charges in almost every possible combination. Yet advertising is not the only area of commerce where creativity is remunerated. Perhaps if we look at the other creative commercial categories, there will be lessons and insights into a new and better way forward.

Continue reading "What cost creativity?" »