Modern Marketing - Blog by Collaborate PR & Marketing

Is Google Base Evil?

The mind-boggling system that is Google Base has launched.  It appears to be Google's effort to subsume the web which leads some to think that the company's 'Don't Be Evil' mission is looking a bit, er, evil.  Tom Coates offers a considered, helpful view here, the prolific Alex Barnett is already conducting experiments but A VC just thinks it lame.

Poor Focus Groups

The focus group is on its knees as a marketing tool according to this BW article.  Ironically, the reason is that people don't say what they actually think in such articifical situations.  As anyone who has ever been in one will know, these groups create all sorts or weird behaviour and allow companies to read what they want to read.  (Which, let's face it, may be why they have been so popular).  Not surprisingly, with the growth of the blogopshere...

IBM's Blog Army

AdAge has an enthusiastic summary of the state of play of blogging within IBM.  "The company now has 15,000 registrants on its internal blog, with more than 2,200 of those employees maintaining external blogs."  I think the most remarkable thing about this article is that it's in AdAge.  It shows that the US marketing press is ahead of its UK peers.  (Via Netfeeder).

Lutz 'Digging GM's Grave'

Stefano Hatfield, who writes about traditional advertising for the Independent, says that executive blogs and web video are taking, "content back to the dark ages".  Hatfield writes that Bob Lutz's 'rantings' on the GM Fast Lane blog are doing the company a lot of harm, and that he is, "digging GM's own grave among the youthful audiences it is seeking to attract."  He points out that, "they would never let him off the leash like this in an ad." I think Hatfield's view is a perfect example of the concerns and fears created in traditional marketeers...

Beyond Blogs

There's a darn sight more to this blogging business than notching up a few posts and studying your referral stats.  VC firm Union St are offering a way into the deeper trends arising in a networked world with their Sessions groups.  Here they banter about the ways in which trust has become so valuable in a world where content is no longer scarce.  Slightly mind-bending stuff but good brain fuel.

Levi's Antidote

SMLXL gives a great account of Levi's Antidote campaign which brings together niche zines from around Europe to create and underwrite a youth-community.  It focuses on participation and letting indviduals set direction.  Makes sense.  Modern marketing needs to be about modern individuals, who are increasingly using technology to shape their own environments, including their relationships with brands.  No area is that truer than in the wired generation, as today's Guardian notes.

Amex NYC

Brand New nominates the new city-based cards from American Express as inspired modern marketing.  The idea appears to be that using the cards gives residents of NYC, Chicago and LA the chance to pick up extras as they cruise through their metro-lifestyle.  No doubt holders feel a special tang of belonging.  Very simple, very clever.

Right Now

I agree with American Copywriter that right now is a fascinating time to be involved with media and marketing because we are right in the middle of such a staggering amount of innovation.  AC points to tapeitofftheinternet.com which started out as a vague notion to create a community-driven global TV guide based on BitTorrent, but is quickly catching people's attention as a good idea!

Dwek Blog

Robert Dwek, Marketing Week columnist and long time industry commentator, has started a blog called UK Marketing Blog.  Robert knows the business inside-out and his blog should be well worth a read.   It's also a great example of the way in which the 4th and 5th Estate continue to blend.

Fear & Loathing In Blogland

Uber-players Martin Sorrell, WPP's boss, and his arch-rival Maurice Levy of Publicis agree on one thing it seems.  While Sorrell spoke last week of 'panic' among media owners watching their ad dollars and quids slip online at a 'tremendous pace', Levy says the ad industry is on a 'cliff edge' moment where it keeps on pedalling madly, only to look down and see it's in freefall.  'Panic' and 'freefall' are reactions I come across fairly regularly when talking about blogs and the world of consumer generated media to brands and corps.  The state-of-mind is well expressed in Forbes' crazed diatribe...