Todd And = Marketing + Media

So … taking a timeout from cleaning up DWB, I go to see what’s available in my drafts. Not to write a blog post mind you. But to see what I could throw away. Plenty.

After the ‘plenty’ comes a post from Todd And dated 2007/01/20 – The Faces of 2000 Bloggers.

I’m in there somewhere (my hits say it’s so, but my memory is muddled). And like so many, I’m blog vain. (But unlike so many, I have no cause…). And unlike many, I’m lazy so I haven’t checked. Yet. Not lately.

So as this is a good time to check, I wait. And wait. And I’m still waiting.

Which is good, as it gives me time to finish writing this post, along with two left over bread sticks and the G&T I’m sipping out of a tea cup sans ice. And sans the bug (this is Bangkok, remember?)

BUT, before I move on, I just want to clarify why I’m writing this post on a Sunday night after shagging keys nonstop for two days. That, after being rattled for four.

It’s because Todd said the magic words in answer to “What blogs do you read most often?”

“When I’m not browsing them all, I tend to read Matt Dickman, David Airey, Kami Huyse, Neatorama, Boing Boing, Techcrunch and the rest of my blog roll.”

On my soi, anyone reading David Airey can’t be too shabby. Not at all.

So, on to the review while we wait …

From Todd And:
Really, all you need to know is that I’m passionate about marketing and PR. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be constantly reading, writing and talking about the topics. For those who need more details about my credentials, read on.

Interesting Posts:
I need to fess up. I have a thing for posts in May (if you are anal, just check back over the years), so that’s where we’ll go first … and what do I find? Another friend, Darryl Ohrt with Power Profile: Brand Flakes For Breakfast.

I’ve put together more than a few of interviews in my time, so I have to hand it to Todd for asking Darryl “How would you describe your blog to your mom?”

I mean, my mom is in her late 70′s and still thinks I’m an interior decorator. And that’s when I’m having a good year. It’s usually “That child of mine, she’s a PIECE OF WORK! She NEVER calls, she NEVER writes, and I haven’t seen her in like, TWENTY years!” Sorry mom …

WAIT! (I almost missed this gem) … Tisk tisk … “What two blogs do you read most often?” to which Darryl answers, “I love all blogs evenly.” Groan. Darryl. Email on the way …

Let’s see, there is only one May … scrolling … scrolling … kids (no) … contest (no) … ok, a winner … Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War.

I’m a history buff. Just, not American history. It’s a background thing. Problem is, I belong to a Quiz Night team at the British Club. Even though I protest that I was an expat (expatriate) coming up as a child, that I don’t exactly have ton of American knowledge floating around my head, they ALL look at me when it comes to American type questions. AWK!

And that’s why I ordered three books:

These two sounded interesting. Mainly due to their opposing political views.

The Twentieth Century – A People’s History: The title is misleading because it’s about AMERICAN history in the twentieth century. Not world history. (You British People’s out there, no comments. Please.)

A History of the American People: Finally. A history book with a marketing / branding team involved.

The third is my absolute fav …

Don’t Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned.

Yes, that’s me. ‘Never learned’ mixed with a bit of humour. So yes, I did enjoy this book over the previous two. It’s well written. It’s written for me.

Reason number one: I’m American history lacking.
Number two: I find most books on American history dry because I’m starting from nil (see books above).
And number three: I find European / Britain history better suited to my artistic temperament (all those castles, fairies, and whips and all. Kidding).

And on a Sunday night, I guess that’s plenty enough about me.
Anon …

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The Marketing Fresh Peel

Lovely blog design, great chatter. I’m sure you’ll find The Marketing Fresh Peel well worth waiting for.

From Inside The Fresh Peel:
A Fresh Perspective
The Marketing Fresh Peel is peeling back the old ideas and traditions of marketing and exploring new and innovative strategies for moving messages. Ripe ideas are all around us. Open your mind and let the creative juices flow.

Interesting Posts:
Designers are communicators (or so we say). Communicators have conversations (or so we should). In Are We Abusing the Word Conversation? , Chris Wilson says, ‘conversation’ is one of the hottest buzz words rolling off the lips of marketers to date.

Apparently ‘empathy’ is another big word thrown around by advertisers, marketers, bloggers and even dentists (dentists?). So go on, take a peek at Discovering Empathy.

Found at The Marketing Fresh Peel:
A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future by Daniel H. Pink

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Conversation Economy

This just came across my Google Alerts. As it was so interesting, I thought I’d throw it out there to move the conversation along.

(I’d comment but I’m in the UK on a family emergency, so no time to figure out something brilliant to say. Not that there ever would be time enough for that).

It’s the Conversation Economy, Stupid
If you think of marketing as facilitation as opposed to communication, it is. My background is in design, and I like to think that at the core, design is about facilitation. We designers should stop talking and start designing conversations. We should convert from marketers and information architects to conversation architects. Information is a one-way street, conversation isn’t.

Insight by: David Armano

Discovered via: Google Alerts

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russell davies

About:
This is a collection of blogs, reflecting some of my strange obsessions. the main one here reflects the things I notice because of my job. I’m an account planner and I spend my days thinking about brands and marketing and communications and stuff.

Check out:
gardeners’ answer time and in praise of overthinking

Found at russell davies:
What Brand Are You? A branding viral by The Design Conspiracy and The Design Conspiracy Internal Comms Blog and Working with creatives 2

Discovered via: Commarts 50 Essential Bookmarks

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Fast Company Now

About:
FC Now is Fast Company magazine’s staff Weblog. Every work day, Fast Company team members, contributors, and special guests will offer frequent short, sharp, and substantial entries. FC Now posts will feature new ideas, address business news and current events, share useful Web resources and tools, highlight crucial conferences and news services, and otherwise shed light on the Fast Company team’s perspective on the world of work.

Check out:
An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth and 5 Ways to Chill

Their First Impression Quotes Archive is amusing. No fav, but out of a quick glance I’ll pick “I look for bright people with strong personalities who will argue with me.”

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Ilise Benun, Peleg Top and Colleen Wainwright

About:
The Marketing Mix | official blog of the Marketing Mentor community. Ideas, tips and conversation about self-promotion for clients of Marketing Mentor and small business owners, freelancers and independent professionals everywhere.

Check out:
Thinking outside the (chocolate) box and Ilise’s Corner | How to Close the Deal, Part Three: Don’t Forget to Ask! and Don’t forget your verbal business card

Website: Marketing Mentor

The Marketing Mix is by: Ilise Benun, Peleg Top and Colleen Wainwright

Discovered via: Tortorella Design

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Wendy Maynard

About:
Kinetic Ideas: A Marketing Blog written by Wendy Maynard, the Marketing Maven

Check out:
Website Design and Marketing: How We Really Use the Web and Authenticity Builds Remarkable Relationships

Website: Marketing Maven

Kinetic Ideas is by: Wendy Maynard

Discovered via: Submit a blog

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Alyson B. Stanfield

About:
Art marketing secrets, resources and motivation from ArtBizCoach.com

Check out:
Bob Parson’s 16 Rules to Live By and More Evidence that You Must Have a Contract

Website: ArtBizCoach.com

Art Biz Blog is by: Alyson B. Stanfield

Discovered via: paris breakfasts

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On the Contrary

About:
Jason Dolenga has been called “a lone salmon, swimming against the stream”, a “frustrated creative”, and “the strangest accountant I’ve ever met”. When he’s not playing with his little daughter, he runs triathlons, fools around with improv theatre, and seeks out opportunities to sing Karaoke. Locally famous for having an opinion on almost everything, he started a blog just to keep track of them all. He is currently dreaming up new products with the Gatorade company. Prior to that, he was an Assistant Marketing Manager on the Cap’n Crunch Brand.

Check out:
Working with Designers (and other creative people) and We hate your idea…But we’re launching it.

On the Contrary is by: Jason Dolenga

Discovered via: Seth’s post on ‘How to live happily with a great designer’.

EDITED: On the Contrary changed to The Marketing Mix, then …. stopped posting in 2006 … there’s still good stuff there, so I’m waiting it out.

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Christopher Carfi with the Social Customer Manifesto

The Social Customer Manifesto

NOTE: This is a diversion from my regular features, but one I feel is useful to designers in business. What first caught my attention was ‘So…were you create-ive today?’

The Social Customer Manifesto is about:
Taking the radical stance of looking at business from the customer’s point of view.

The Social Customer Manifesto

I want to have a say
The website questionnaire has been completed. Your website proposal has been approved and contract signed. A design angle has been agreed. The down payment is safely in your bank. Working away, you code the site and present it to the client. Not always, but there are times when this phase of the project becomes your first stumbling block.

While you’ve been galvanized by your creative juices, your client has had time to show their new toy to their spouse, sister, mother, colleague or neighbor down the road. Somewhere out there is one acquaintance who knows just enough to throw a wrench in the works. Someone who was not involved in the brainstorming and the design process. Someone out of the loop. It could even be your client’s boss.

What do you do when this happens? I generally take them over the reasons leading up to the decisions made. We discuss where the new idea would fit, or not. If we don’t go back to the original agreement, we go through the process from the beginning to make sure all the new elements work together, scrapping the original proposal in its entirety if needs be. And of course, I’ve explained the necessary for an additional payment to cover the change of direction.

A client having their say at any stage of a job is obviously good business practice (and common sense). But face it, at certain stages of a project it creates tension. And in my experience, a jog mid job does not always improved a project. At times it changes from what was a smooth creation, to one with a zerky flaw. But for me, what releases some of the pressure is knowing that it’s their dime, their project, therefor their right to have a say. And like mentioned in a previous post, you can always leave it out of the portfolio.

Other points Christopher makes in his Social Customer Manifesto (pertaining to the design industry, IMO) are:

The Social Customer Manifesto is by: Christopher Carfi

Discovered via: John T Unger Studio

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