Archive for the ‘Marketing’ category

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We get no respect

August 1st, 2006

I don’t write about my job — neither current nor past employers. I feel as though there’s enough things to write about that I don’t need to get into any trouble writing about a specific company or organization. So with that in mind, I’m going to take a second to write about my career.

First off, I work in Internet Advertising. Let me take this a little bit further and say that my department (Advertising Operations) is responsible for developing new advertising models for publishers as well as putting these ads online. Now, before you start booing and hissing, hear me out.

The Advertising Operations departmnent for most online publishers has the same primary role — to support the sales team in developing successful advertising strategies, implement the ads that have been sold across the site, but at the same time (and most importantly) developing and adhering to advertising standards.

It’s this last part that I think most people don’t quite understand. When I think about the Ad Ops department, I feel as though we kind of get a bum rap by just about everyone. Editorial or Content dislikes us because we’re pro-advertising (that’s a given). Sales dislikes us because (even though we help them out tremendously) we’re always shooting down their ideas or trying to hold some sort of line. We’re not that good friends with the tech department either, as they typically view us as the troublesome pro-advertising department that is always looking for help to implement another cockamamie advertising intiative dreamed up by the sales team.
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Posted in Internet, Marketing, Technology

They got a lot, a lot of culture there

July 6th, 2006

What is the deal with this four-year-long advertising blitz pushing Philadelphia as the new hot vacation destination???  I admit, the only time I’ve been to Philly was when I flew in and prompty took a cab to Delaware.  I don’t have a frame of reference, but I’m pretty sure Philly is not more fun when you sleep over. 

First, we had to deal with the same commercial for at least three years.  You know the one – the spiffy little ad where the only exciting aspects Philadelphia residents could tell us was that Philly has culture, preztels, the Liberty Bell, cheesesteaks, and restaurants.  A “baby New York,” is it?  Really? 

I’ll probably check out Philadelphia sometime, but it’s far down on my list.  I’m pretty sure I can get pretzels, Cheez Wiz, and culture in Boston.  After a few years, the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce finally rolled out a new ad and I already miss the toothless cabbie sputtering about Philly’s culture.  How is a pudgy guy who’s light in the loafers and prancing around in his pajamas while channeling the spirit of Judy Garland supposed to attract more visitors to Philadelphia?

If anyone has the data to back up this marketing blitz, then prove me wrong.  Until then, I’ll be on line making my vacation plans to Flint, Michigan.

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Posted in Marketing, Television, Vacation

Ads

May 23rd, 2006

So, you might notice something a little different about The Diatribe today. That’s right, I’ve gone and added some ads to the site. Now, I’m not trying to make a profit, it’s actually a research project that I’m working on.

Frankly, I don’t intend to make more than a few cents here or there, but what I actually find more entertaining is the fact that all of the ads are for Jesus Christ or some such nonsense. That’s more entertaining than anything, I think.

In any event… I don’t expect them to be around for too long (though you never can tell) — so please don’t start bashing me about them. Over the next few weeks or so, you might see them move about.. don’t panic. I’m just playing around trying to see what can and can’t be done, and how their tags work.

I hereby openly promise to share the revenues made with all of the authors on The Diatribe — I’m not trying to run away with a profit.

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Posted in Internet, Marketing

Thing my mother does _not_ want for Mother’s day

May 5th, 2006

For some reason there’s been a big push this year for Mother’s day gifts that are not really suited for mothers.. I don’t quite understand, but here’s a list of things that I’ve been recommended to give my mom for mothers day — that I can guarantee she does not want:

It’s amazing how much crap they try to market to people to buy on Mother’s day.. Most of which, the majority of mother’s out there probably don’t want.

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Posted in Life, Marketing

Akeelah

April 20th, 2006

If you’ve been to a Starbucks anywhere in the country latley, you’ll have more than likely noticed all of the strange green signs with various words written on them. My first few times I was there, I was completely baffled as to the reasoning or what this was. I didn’t actually think to ask anyone, but later realized that it was their way of marketing a movie entitled “Akeelah and the bee” which I had mixed feelings about.

I never really felt that compelled to write about it, until I read Joseph Jaffe’s Post about his take on this campaign from a marketing perspective. I have to completely agree with his arguments, and I think that Starbucks has done a poor job of marketing this campaign.

First off, let me say that when I originally saw the pile of vocabulary words on my table, I was outraged. At first, I had thought that Starbucks was trying to single-handedly improve the vocabulary of the average American and was trying to make a statement. I only later realized that they were trying to promote some sort of film, and began to calm down a little.

The problem with their marketing campaign, though, is that I have been to Starbucks probably five or six times since this campaign launched, and it took at least four times to realize what it was trying to promote. And even now, besides being Spelling Bee related, I don’t know much more about the movie.

So while it has cluttered up your local Starbucks with various green signs and vocabulary words, I really don’t think I could consider this a very successful campaign on their part. Just my two cents.

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Posted in Marketing

Blogs are like beer…

March 19th, 2006

I happened to stumble upon a review of a book on the Economist about the changing media marketplace entitled An Army of Davids written by Glenn Reynolds, and found the review very intriguing.

His theory:

JOURNALISM is like making beer…. Without formal training and using cheap equipment, almost anyone can do it. The quality may be variable, but the best home-brews are tastier than the stuff you see advertised during the Super Bowl. This is because big brewers, particularly in America, have long aimed to reach the largest market by pushing bland brands that offend no one. The rise of home-brewing, however, has forced them to create “micro-brews” that actually taste of something.

He does go on to say that “many blogs are awful” — and I resent that as he clearly has not read The Diatribe — but, even to that point. True, I’m sure to the mainstream population many blogs are awful — however to the writers and followers of said blogs, they’re still a community.

I can’t speak to my fellow Diatribe columnists, however, I’m not trying to change the world with our little corner of the Internet. I’m merely trying to create a community for our friends and family, where we can joke, share thoughts, and carry-on in a “public” sort of way. It’s a way of communicating that didn’t exist a 10 years ago.

I think back to New Years Eve 2005 (2004-2005), when sitting outside on the front stoop smoking cigars. Jeremul says to us “Can you believe that the Time person of the year is George W. Bush — only second to some group called Boggers [sic]. Who are these Boggers?”
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Posted in Internet, Life, Marketing, Technology

Matthew Strikes Again

February 24th, 2006

While I’m on the subject of strange business practices, while walking to the PATH this morning, I noticed a new sign by our friend Matthew, who is at it again, with his bizzare signage trying to get people to use his services. I wish I had my camera with me to take a snapshot of his latest advertising attempt.

This time, the flyer was very oddly put together:

Need work done? Matthew can help:
Dog Walking + Cat Sitting + Cleaning + Yard Work + Advertising Needs + Much Much More…

Then there was a large list of things he can do, but instead of using bullets, he used periods, so it read like this:

.Babysitting
.House Sitting
.Dog Walking
.Bulletine Boards [sic]

And again, another typo in the ad. One of the greatest additions to his latest advertising effort is his thoughts that the reason that people aren’t him up on these items is because they don’t have enough ways to get in touch with him. Email and phone weren’t enough, instead he has added the line “Need something soon? Send me a text message at xxx-xxx-xxxx.” He also had something strange on the bottom that read “If you left a message, and you haven’t heard from me in a few days, please call xxx-xxx-xxxx and ask for Jay.” Now, what does Jay have to do with Matthew? I don’t get it. And if this guy is that eager for business, why would he not return your call for several days? What kind of operation is this?

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Posted in Business, Marketing