Goldman's Facebook Fiasco, Or, Stupid Regulator Tricks by Erik Sass

Nobody much likes bankers nowadays, and I'm no different. I also try to maintain a healthy skepticism about the surging value of social media companies, since the nascent social media market has many characteristics of a bubble. So it feels odd to be sticking up for Goldman Sachs following its Big Fat Facebook Flop. But this fiasco -- however satisfying it may be in terms of schadenfreude -- strikes me as another instance of pointless, counter-productive regulatory intervention. ...Read the whole story

  • food Cabot Soup Swap Mixes Events, Social Media by Karlene Lukovitz

    Cabot Creamery can't spend millions on media campaigns for its award-winning cheeses. Fortunately, grassroots marketing and social media fit like a glove, since Cabot is a cooperative of 1,200 dairy farming families. ...Read the whole story

  • Pew: Groups Embrace Internet, Social Media by Mark Walsh

    When it comes to participation in voluntary groups and organizations, the Internet, and especially social media, is playing a key role in how people interact and share information, according to a new study. Overall, 80% of Internet users are involved in groups compared to 56% of non-users and 75% of all American adults, according to a new survey from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. ...Read the whole story

  • Experian Takes Stake In Social Marketing Firm Techlightenment by Gavin O'Malley

    Demonstrating high demand for social media expertise, Experian on Monday said it bought a majority stake in social marketing specialist Techlightenment. Founded in 2007, the UK-based Techlightenment develops strategies and applications for social media marketing and advertising campaigns, while its brand research division monitors and analyzes social data to understand what people are saying about products. ...Read the whole story

Women Have Different Expectations Using Retail Social Media by Jack Loechner

According to a new Empathica study, reported by Richard H. Levey, men and women use social media differently, with more men citing looking for information as a primary goal (36%) than women (28%) when interacting with a retail brand through social channels. But the gender split among those looking to stretch their budgets was far greater: 47% of women say searching for coupons and promotions is their primary use, compared with 33% of men. ...More

  • Search And Social Like Dark Chocolate And Beer by Laurie Sullivan

    Steve Jobs became a wildly successful CEO based on his ability to visualize the benefits that tie together a variety of digital content across media, music to movies, from companies such as Apple and Pixar. It's about having a vision, finding the perfect combination, and putting heart and soul into making it happen, even when stricken with pancreatic cancer. No doubt about it. Jobs built a brand icon. There are many perfect combinations. ...More

  • Make Way For The One True Fan by David Berkowitz

    There's a lot of reflection now about the lack of civil discourse in America. I hit my low point last week, thanks to a site you probably haven't heard of called One True Fan. Here's how it happened: ...More