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Some thoughts on how the media you choose can bias communication. Do YOU think about permanence vs. portability in your communication?

Mentioned in this episode:

• Harold Innis
• Podcasters Across Borders
• Archive.org

 

 Episode #12 - Does the media you use bias YOUR communication?: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Popularity: 2% [?]

A bit of a funny follow-up to my blog post Advertising Hiding in Plain Sight from a little while back: it seems Home Depot will be using branded recyclable lawn bags to advertise not just their own brand, but a third party.

In this case, it’s the eco-friendly Smart Car that will be advertised on these bags. From my reading of the article posted on Media in Canada today, it sounds like these bags will be given out for free by product reps in southern Ontario travelling door to door in (what else?) Smart Cars.

Clearly I’m only prescient when I’m not really trying…

Popularity: 4% [?]

(REPOST — I posted this earlier with a link to the last show MP3, my apologies for anyone who already downloaded the show!)

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…or more correctly, the myth of fragmentation being something new, and the opportunities presented by being able to better identify audiences based on their content choices.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The X-Files
• Battlestar Galactica

 

 Episode #11 - The Myth of Media Fragmentation... (repost): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Popularity: 12% [?]

This morning I was surveying a familiar scene — Toronto subway passengers reading the the Metro free daily. However, the scene was a little different than usual:

The Metro went pink this morning in support of the Run For The Cure, a breast cancer research fund-and-awareness raiser.

What struck me about this was the power of the concept and the profound effect all those pink newspapers had. It really changed my ride to work, and definitely made me think more about the charity and the event.

What do you think about the pink newspapers? What similar executions have you seen? Were they were effective in communicating their message?

Popularity: 15% [?]

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This one has been bugging me for a while — why is it that most brands get lambasted if they don’t “join the conversation,” but a select few are given a free pass to ignore it?

Mentioned in this episode:

• Seth Godin
• Apple Computers
• Joseph Jaffe’s “Join The Conversation”
• Charlene Li & Josh Bernoff “Groundswell”
• Michael Arrington on his Twitter/Comcast experience

 

 Episode #10 - Do Seth Godin and Apple (and Their Fans) Screw Up the Conversation?: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Popularity: 70% [?]

Sarah Wurrey of Custom Scoop very kindly approached me last week about writing an article for Media Bullseye, Custom Scoop’s online magazine. Sarah asked me to expand on some of the ideas I’d expressed in the last episode of the Media Driving podcast, where I mused about who “owns” social media, at least in terms of offering advice to clients.

I’m very happy to say that the article Strategic Direction in Social Media is now live on Media Bullseye. I’d love for you to check it out! 

As a taste, here’s the summary table I put together as quick reference for the ideas in the article.

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This may have been around for a while, but I just noticed it for the first time yesterday.

Background first: Facebook launched their self-serve ad program late last year, around the same time as the infamous Beacon program came out and wrecked Christmas. The idea of Facebook Ads and their extension, Social Ads (wherein I became an unwitting pitchman for Blockbuster to Joesph Jaffe) is that advertising could be targeted to Facebook users based on the potentially highly comprehensive information from Facebook profiles. The targeting does seem to work well enough — I’m regularly seeing ads that are clearly aimed squarely at me based on my profile information. For example, I have a lot of bands listed in my favorite music, so I often get ads that offer cheap Springsteen tickets near Toronto, or free downloads from artists who apparently sound like Ben Folds or Dave Matthews.

So, yesterday I noticed that underneath these ads in Facebook is a link to “More Ads” which leads to the Facebook AdBoard, apparently a listing of ads that have been displayed to me in the past for my clicking pleasure.

It’s an interesting idea. I know for my part I’ve often seen an ad out of the corner of my eye and thought “hmmm, that looks interesting but I don’t have the time right now to check it out.” Now, in principle anyway, I could peruse the ads later on at my leisure, the same way I might peruse the many flyers in my Saturday Star.

What about you? Would YOU use this page?

Popularity: 35% [?]

I’m very proud to be on the organizing committee for this year’s Mass to Grass - Word of Mouth Marketing Conference, put on by the Canadian Marketing Association.

The line-up of speakers is quite stellar, and includes the likes of Westjet VP Richard Bartrem, musician & blogger David Usher, author & docuumentarian Douglas Rushkoff, Mabel’s Labels Founders Julie Cole & Tricia Mumby, Molson Relationship Marketing Director Ross Buchanan and many others.

BONUS! Sign up for the Mass to Grass Facebook Group and get $50 off registration.

Also check out blog posts from fellow WOM committee members Kate Trgovac, Dave Jones and Sean Moffitt.

Popularity: 46% [?]

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW (playing time 17:52)

A great audio comment and thoughts about who best can serve client needs in the very broad and wonderful space that we call “social media”.

Would LOVE for you to post your comments here on the blog!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Bob LeDrew’s FlackLife blog
• Genres vs. Media
• Inside PR Episode #107
• Inside PR Episode #106
• Brian Solis’ PR 2.0: Will The Real Social Media Expert Please Stand Up?
• Google Alerts
• CustomScoop Online News Clipping Service
• Ning - Create Your Own Social Network
• Social Media Executions: Location, Location, Location!

 

 Episode #9 - So, Who Does "Own" Social Media Anyway?: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Popularity: 54% [?]

I live on a quiet suburban street in the east end of Toronto. Unlike the streets around my work or many others in the city, there is basically no obvious branding in sight when I walk down the street — no billboards, no store signs, no buses driving by with ads on the side. Except on certain days. Fridays in the spring and fall, to be exact.

Friday is garbage day in our neighborhood, and the spring and fall is when the yard waste bags come out. Walking down the street yesterday, I couldn’t help but be struck by the fact that suddenly there were 4 foot tall ads for big brands including WalMart, Costco, Home Depot, Canadian Tire and Presidents Choice.

I think it would be hard to find yard waste bags that didn’t have obvious branding.

Are there other examples of this kind of “stealth advertising” that you have seen?

Popularity: 44% [?]