There is an inclination for brands to want their stories and their images to tie up neatly into a simple narrative – into a slogan or catch phrase or topic sentence that captures the brand and allows 1 + 1 to equal 2. What was interesting for me about this mini-documentary on Ken Burns and storytelling is… read more>>

In last week’s post, I talked about CEOs who are using Twitter to connect with employees, customers and industry leaders. The infographic below, based on research by UMass,  shows a decline in corporate blogging among the Fortune 500 and an increase in Twitter use. A full 90% of the executives interviewed for the study felt that social… read more>>

If you write something and publish it on the web, do you give up your right of privacy? For many people looking for a job they are being asked to do just that. According to some of today’s employers, your posts and photographs are public domain. In this economy, companies can be more prudent with who they… read more>>

It’s a waste of time. It’s an unstoppable barrage of information. It takes too long. Who’s in there, anyway?  All of these statements have been made at one time or another by clients, colleagues, friends – and if I’m being honest, by myself. The industry has a way of going in circles on this – with the… read more>>

I’m usually one to curl up for a good afternoon nap during the Masters (what better than those long green shots and quiet announcers to help you doze off?), but this year, I couldn’t help but watch transfixed by a relative newcomer named Bubba Watson.  If you didn’t watch, or don’t follow golf, the 33 year old… read more>>

In 1984, as part of his re-election campaign, Ronald Reagan ran a now-famous commercial titled “It’s morning again in America,” which was written and narrated by legendary adman Hal Riney.  The spot, which in a very soothing and optimistic manner spoke to economic prosperity, was in short a hit, and while it did not single handedly re-elect… read more>>

In an article in the Economist, titled “The Quantified Self: Counting Every Moment,” the author summarizes the growing number of people who are gathering and tracking a range of data – from sleep patterns to activity levels, to money spent and caffeine intake – saying: “What they share is a belief that gathering and analysing data about… read more>>

It’s that time of year again—March Madness! March Madness has always been an exciting time of year across the country for students and alumni alike. As an alumni of a Big Ten school, the only thing that has changed for me this year is my location. I will not be in East Lansing, Michigan, surrounded by fellow… read more>>

Today Facebook started rolling out the new design format for Pages, closely following the Timeline layout that’s been adopted by profiles since September. A few of Facebook’s partners have already posted their Pages, including Burberry, Tiffany & Co, and Starbucks.  Here’s how Louis Vuitton is handling the new design: From a design standpoint, there are a few… read more>>

The buzz has steadily been building for the latest rapidly-spreading social media site, Pinterest.  In the past few weeks, a SMWNYC panel member dubbed it “the Jeremy Lin” of the internet, compete puts site traffic over 11 million this month, and I’ve watched as work colleagues, old friends, and extended family members have jumped on board.  It’s… read more>>