Modern Marketing - Blog by Collaborate PR & Marketing

Typepad 'Business Class' Service

In a frank email exchange about Typepad's recent problems, TP's CEO Barak Berkowitz told me that Six Apart is to launch a "Business Class Service" after the big move.  Watch this space...

Control Freakery

John Seeley Brown and John Hagel have published an article on the McKinsey site (free sub) that's worth a peek.  It's basic argument (I think) is that it's increasingly difficult in today's world for companies to anticipate demand and to plan accordingly.  But that doesn't stop them spending huge amounts trying!  The article says that, "greater control will no longer be the appropriate response to growing uncertainty, which must be seen as an opportunity, not a threat."  An interesting thought for marketing which traditionally is so focused on control of the message and command of the media. Via Business Innovation.

Sainsbury in the Blogopshere

Johnnie Moore says the most interesting part of 173 Drury Lane, his JS Sainsbury blog project, is realising how, "Sainsbury's and its brand affects millions of people's lives - but in very small ways".  This is at odds with (some) brands' which see themselves at the centre of people's lives.  So the question is - how does a big company have a small conversation?

Audi TV

Big Picture likes the launch of Audi's own TV channel.  It's a big branded content project which has been partly inspired by Ofcom's decision to let companies become broadcasters.  According to BBH which put the channel together, “Success won’t be defined by viewing figures or the number of sales generated, it will come down to how effectively the channel impacts on consumers’ perceptions of the Audi brand."  Mmm, I just can't see...

Open Source Marketing Critique

The guys at Vsente are just not happy about the notion of Open Source Marketing and call on myself, Bob Garfield, Jeff Jarvis and Steve Rubel to make the mud stick.  I don't consider myself part of such rariefied company, but I've had some good banter with the Vsente guys in the past and appreciate a bit of push back.  So for what it's worth...

Blogs Give Brands Insight

The New York Times has a piece here about how blogs can be used by brands including this helpful quote, "Companies are starting to pay attention to blogs, using them as a kind of informal network of consumer opinion."  That's been the way-in for the companies and brands we are working with in the UK.   Maybe Listenomics is on the way...

Harvard On Consumer Empowerment

Here's Harvard Business School's take on bringing customers into the marketing cycle. HBS Prof Luc Wathieu offers this helpful notion..."The idea involves letting consumers take control of variables that are conventionally pre-determined by marketers: product characteristics, place of access, exposure to advertisements or product information, and even price."  Or in other words, let's rethink the classic marketing idea of the 4Ps. Via Consumer Empowerment.

P2P Production

Union Street Ventures has got together a great bunch of people to discuss the economics of peer-to-peer production and open standards in business.  That might not sound very exciting but there's a wiki here with a transcript of the whole discussion - and it's pretty provocative.  Here's a sample from Jeff Jarvis..."I don't need to be big anymore to be successful.  And so that's what has essentially changed the economics. We're no longer a blockbuster economy."  It reminds me of Reboot earlier this year, very interesting cross-over between people from different disciplines.

Department of Conversation?

Tom Hespos asks what a conversation department might look like in a large organisation.  "I think the first step has already happened – blogs and citizen publishing are already on the radar screens of corporations that engage in mass marketing."  Scoble chips in in the comments and Doc Searls adds a helpful post here.

Murdoch's Web 2.0 Strategy

Fortune has a great article explaining how Rupert Murdoch is changing News Corporation to work in the Web 2.0 environment.  A couple of juicy quotes from the mogul's mogul..."Before, we were pushing media at them. Now the new generation and the generations to follow are going to be pulling out of the universe what media they want to feel relevant."...