• ONLINE SPIN
    Will Twitter Be The Operating System Of McLuhan's Electric Age?
    Why is Twitter in the headline of today's column, instead of Microsoft, Yahoo and many others? In my view, the most important emerging operating systems for the electric age of communication and media -- and, by extension, the companies that build and own them -- are those that enable people to communicate, consume and process content holistically in real time, not necessarily those that help people compute, discover or manage content. The latter companies may ultimately provide people with many very successful and valuable applications, but they won't control the heartbeat or dial-tone of the electric age, its operating system.
  • ONLINE SPIN
    Say Goodbye To The Buzzwords Of 2009
    As we get ready for the new year, a new decade even, it's time to bid a fond farewell to the buzzwords of 2009. These are the words and terms that most of us were deluged with during the last twelve months. These are the words that have etched themselves so deeply into my psyche that when I wake up in the middle of the night from my dreams, which appear in a 728x90 frame, they roll off my tongue and into the night.
  • ONLINE SPIN
    10 Things Changing Marketing In 2010
    With 2009 coming to a close, and this being my last post of the year, I figured a list of the hot issues facing marketers in 2010 would make sense. I have written more extensively on most of the subjects over the course of the year, but I'll keep it short here and just provide the most relevant links to past musings. So, in no particular order, here comes 2010....
  • ONLINE SPIN
    Who Owns Social Media?
    There's been a lot of talk lately about exactly who should own social media inside the agency or within the brand or client organization. Who leads, who executes and who's accountable for performance of social media programs? It's clearly debatable.
  • ONLINE SPIN
    Are Social-Media Experts Snake-Oil Salesmen?
    I grow more skeptical of the social-media consulting business each day. Self-proclaimed expertise is running rampant. I especially question consultants whose reputations are built more on their ability to socialize and promote themselves versus exhibiting a clear history of brand accomplishments and client referrals.
  • ONLINE SPIN
    Most TV Viewers Don't Know What To Watch
    Most TV viewers are lost when it comes to deciding what to watch. According to a new Knowledge Networks report, 56% of U.S. television viewers usually turn on their TV's without the intent to watch a specific program. It certainly sounds like the days of "must-see TV" are over. While I've written before about the "discovery problem" faced by TV viewers today, the issue certainly justifies a little revisiting.
  • ONLINE SPIN
    Has Anyone Been Accused Of Spending Too Much Online?
    Someone posed a very interesting question to me this week, and it inspired me to write an article that I may not have otherwise written. In a strategy discussion regarding online, this person asked, "Has anyone ever been accused of spending too much of their budget online"? At first pass, this sounds like a really simple question, and you'd expect the answer to be just as simple -- but it's not.
  • ONLINE SPIN
    2010, The Year Of Mobile -- Finally
    Almost three years ago, I wrote a column titled "2007 Mobile Advertisers Ask: Can You See Me Now?" It was fun to go back and read the piece again, and I am proud to say, I believe I was right on target predicting that despite all the promise, mobile marketing would continue to fall short of the hype. But this year, I am ready to call it. This is it. 2010 will be the year mobile marketing begins to realize the promise marketers have imagined for so long.
  • ONLINE SPIN
    The Lions Of Digital
    As is often the case this time of year, when I spend concentrated periods of time among the digital brood at industry gatherings, I realize there is a breed whose value sustains, year over year. To me, they are the Lions of digital. Who are these Lions? Well, they are not self-professed gurus or fame-motivated lightning rods. They are a steadier, wiser sort: the progressives in our midst who know that making change doesn't always mean breaking glass. They raise questions and are the keepers of business ideals and sound marketing principles -- yet encourage ground-breaking and risk-taking as we …
  • ONLINE SPIN
    2009 Year-End Search Trends
    Performance-based advertising, particularly search, is poised to lead the eventual recovery in online advertising. Considering search advertising's dominant role in our industry, especially during this holiday retail season, I thought I'd share some analysis my colleagues and I recently conducted.
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