Published on 27.01.2012 by Daryl Woods
Category Social Media
Not another social network! I still feel that way about Google+. We don’t need more of the same. Beyond its surging popularity, that’s one of the reasons Pinterest caught my attention. It’s different and yet familiar. Pinterest incorporates the visual impact of Facebook with the open sharing and relationship building of Twitter.
So, what is Pinterest? According to their website, “Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.” You can also upload your own content from your computer. There’s also a smartphone app.
Currently, Pinterest is still in its naive beginning stage. It isn’t intended for marketing or self promotion. A note on Pinterest etiquette states “Pinterest is designed to curate and share things you love. If there is a photo or project you’re proud of, pin away! However, try not to use Pinterest purely as a tool for self-promotion.” Still, brands are finding a way to integrate Pinterest. Read the Mashable article, Pinterest for Brands: 5 Hot Tips.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time on Pinterest recently, observing the way people use it and interact but also evaluating opportunities for personal and brand promotion that fits within Pinterest community culture. Here’s my introduction and usage guide.
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From an article in the Toronto Star. “This year again, the label on the Negrar Novello from Italy features a lion design by Toronto designer Daryl Woods.” The article also appeared in the newspaper edition.
One of the best marketing books I’ve read in recent years is Punk Marketing by Richard Laermer and Mark Simmons. It has nothing to do with raucous music and safety pins. The book focuses on alternative approaches to connecting with consumers. Stuff that takes guts to do. (disclosure) The book mentions the original getmoredone.com website I did but that was a shock to me.
Novello del Veneto is an Italian wine released annually along side French Beaujolais Nouveau. It’s a flash in the market expected to sell out in about six weeks. To me that’s an opportunity to
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Published on 29.10.2011 by Daryl Woods
Category Tips
I was scheduled to attend a conference today but it was cancelled. Though I regret the loss of a great learning opportunity that’s not why I’m extremely disappointed. I signed up because attending would give me the chance to meet two people I’ve communicated with through social media. Both were to be speakers at the conference.The first was Joshua Garity, a user experience expert who I’ve had many exchanges with in the past year or so. We were really looking forward to meeting in real life (IRL for the 140 crowd). The other was Olivier Blanchard (see last post).
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Published on 05.10.2011 by Daryl Woods
Category Social Media
I’m not an expert on Social Media ROI (return on investment). I’ve experienced it both for myself and for my clients but I couldn’t write about it extensively. If you really want to understand Social Media ROI, read the book by that name from Olivier Blanchard (The Brand Builder). This was a book I anxiously anticipated. I believed this would be a book to constantly reference. One I would want with me at all times. I could do that if I could download it to my iPad. That’s one of the reasons I bought the device – to store resource books. Unfortunately, the book never appeared in Apple’s iBookstore in Canada.
I contacted Olivier Blanchard (@thebrandbuilder) on Twitter to see if he could help.
Here’s the string of tweets.
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Advertising is not the most reputable business to be in. In terms of respect for professions, ad people are pretty close to the bottom – just above lawyers. It’s little wonder. Much of what we do is attempt to persuade people to buy things they neither need or even want. We can be pretty good at it too. But occasionally we get the opportunity to do something worthwhile. Something that in some small way will make a difference in someone’s life.
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29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.
I love this video by TO-FU. Very inspiring. Enjoy!
If you come here often, you might be surprised by such a straight forward post title — a direct tie-in to the visual. But you won’t be surprised by the segue into a discussion of web analytics which is the real reason I’m writing this.
The ad is pretty direct. Headline. Visual. No copy. The product is white Sambuca. Though clear, it is considered a white spirit (think white rum). Sambuca is often served straight in a shot glass and set on fire for a few seconds. Hence the “White Hot” headline and flaming background behind the bottle. The ad is targeted at people who know the product. It directs attention to this brand and reminds the occasional Sambuca drinker of their appreciation for the product.
Segue time. There’s another reason for title of this post.
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Credible brand identity is a tremendous asset to startup companies. Look like the company you want to be from the beginning. It demonstrates serious commitment and marketing prowess.
Right Channel Speakers is a startup speakers bureau I’ve been working with recently to establish their brand identity. I already knew the principals of the company and they consulted me early in the process of developing their brand, including creating the brand name. They were very clear on the mandate for the company – deliver the right speaker with the right message for the audience.
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Graphic design is truly a misunderstood profession. Many people are aware of what we create – logos, advertising, packaging, websites. But few comprehend the analysis, strategic thinking and decision making that empowers communication beyond decoration. Kudos and thanks to the Design Council UK for this brief primer on “What is graphic design”.
