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The Archives
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05.15.08Update: I Got Kicked Off Facebook
Brands and Marketing, Social NetworkingJust an update for RSS readers becasue many have inquired what happened that resulted in my Facebook Account being deleted. Nick O'Neill has a post at AllFacebook explaining what happened. I have been in contact with both Ralph Lauren and Facebook and hope to be back soon. I will provide an update when/if that happens.
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03.24.08The Resurrection of Starbucks
Brands and MarketingIt’s been a while since I wrote about brand reputation optimization, a term I coined last year. However, Starbucks has recently been facing a storm of controversy and I believe how it is handling the adversity is well worth paying attention to. Not too long ago as I sat in a Starbucks already annoyed at having to pay $9.95 for wifi, a barista awkwardly approached me – clearly something was up. “Sir, all Starbucks will be closing early tonight. We are having a major training session among all locations worldwide.” The events of that ‘training session’ have been chronicled on many blogs. While ...
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02.02.08Do I Want to Be Friends with a Brand?
Brands and Marketing, CSRThe relationship of brands within and among social media communities is still in flux. Facebook is one of the first new media companies to attempt to embrace brands outside the context of paid-advertising with the creation of Facebook’s “brand pages.” These pages essentially allow brands to have profiles and friends just like regular Facebook users. At a breakfast I recently attended several people were outspoken over the “friends-with-brands” concept, believing it absurd that people would choose to be friends with a brand. They questioned what benefits a brand could really extract from a ‘social relationship’ with an individual and ...
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01.22.08Business Idea: Amateur Produced Commercials
Business ModelsSeveral months ago an amateur commercial originally created by a student for the iPod touch was picked up by Apple and run in major television spots. I think we are in an age where amateur content is frequently superior (at least in ideation) to stuff professionally produced. In his brilliant Ted Talk from 2007, JJ Abrams (Creator of Lost and Cloverfield) talks about the democratization of media. Specifically, Abrams suggests that whereas he used to tell aspiring writers to “go write” now thanks to advances in technology he can tell aspiring directors to “go make movies.” According to Abrams, innovations ...
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01.11.08Poor Form From Startups: “The Take-Back”
Brands and MarketingSomeone is holding the Twitter handle “Geico” for ransom. While this is an anomaly, it highlights an important issue and increasingly common occurrence that I strongly oppose: Certain web companies have assumed the misguided practice of repossessing user names from individuals (who originally signed up for them) and then re-gifting those names to “more powerful” users (names like Sony, Apple, or celebrities) who are theoretically the rightful owners. First, possession of a name is not the same as a misrepresentation. Just because I have the name Apple, doesn’t mean I am a gold digger after a free iPhone. Understandably, ...
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01.10.08There’s Something Happening Here…
Brands and MarketingInteresting stuff happening in the interactive space! Brand Architect reports via the Wall Street Journal that, “In an unusual arrangement, which began Jan. 1, (Nokia) has hired Wieden + Kennedy, an eight-office agency with a reputation for creative work, and JWT, the 196-office behemoth based in New York, to market its cellphones globally.” States Patrick, “The implications...are enormous…Global advertising agencies become the production shops of smaller agencies that are essentially the idea company.” So small is the new big, at least in terms of ideas? Can reach and creative be balanced? Innovation Playground believes so, suggesting the future belongs ...
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01.10.08A Key Difference Between Worlds
Social NetworkingI’ve recently been wondering whether or not virtual worlds will replace social networks as the social environment of choice over the next few years. At this point, based on directionality and trends, I think they will not. The primary reason being that ‘convention’ among social networks is that users are actually who they say they are. For example, when I sign up for Facebook or Last.FM, I am Sam Huleatt. I may use a strange handle like Squasher98, but the information I enter tends to be legitimate and tied into my online properties (links to Leveraging Ideas, for example). However, ...
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12.28.07Sam Huleatt’s Beautiful and Bold 2008 Predictions
Business Models, Social MediaIn no particular order: It still looks, feels and tastes like 2007. [Brilliant Post] The domain real-estate business is going to blow up. Thrice this week I heard someone describe a business model involving the purchase of high-octane URLs as key to strategy…twice from startups and once from an investment firm. Tactics are already gaining sophistication and personal real estate is key to social graph identity Web 2.0 upstarts not generating cash ...
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12.24.07Identity Through Brands
Brands and MarketingMore articles discussing the role brands and consumer products play in self-identity and personal branding... In The Only Sweater a Mom and Analyst Could Love, author Matthew Weiner describes the ‘between the lines’ nature of gift giving, “…the reality is that getting a gift is like being set up on a blind date. Like it or not, your friend or family member is sending you a message telling you in a coded way what they think you want, what you deserve and, on some level, who they think you are.” Weiner then unfolds a wonderful story, culminating in his ...
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12.22.07Why Banana Republic’s Website Sucks
Business ModelsI have been thinking a lot about how particular demographics use brands as a means for self-actualization and identity. Today I was with my sister at new outdoor fashion mall in Connecticut doing some Holiday shopping. I was marveling at how Banana Republic was filled with attractive young people with charge cards and thinking what a great demographic Banana has in its stores. I began to wonder how Banana appealed to this great demo online, so when I arrived home, I typed in the URL. I was shocked! The website (IMO) is one of the most poorly designed websites for ...
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