Gordon Plutsky

Articles by Gordon All articles by Gordon

• NFL Ratings Signals The New Media Order  in Marketing: Sports on 11/29/2016
  

  The big sports media story for 2016 has been the decline in TV ratings for the NFL. They will likely pick up over the remainder of the season, but it is clear that there is something going on with America's football watching habits. There are no shortages of theories why the game seems to have lost some appeal.

• 2016 Election: Boomers Turn The Tide For Trump in Engage:Boomers on 11/14/2016
  

  Despite all the polls and predictions, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. How did this happen? It's a complex answer but one thing is clear: He used superior marketing to get Boomers to pull him over the line. His campaign saw an underserved audience and directed the campaign at them knowing it exploited a weakness in his competitor.

• Tech Empowers Boomers To Redefine Aging in Engage:Boomers on 09/12/2016
  

  A few months back, we introduced the idea of the longevity economy. The convergence of new technology and the desire for boomers to age gracefully is going to generate many new business opportunities. Boomers have embraced personal technology, and they are as attached to their mobile devices as any card carrying millennial. Last week's Apple announcements provided a glimpse of where this is heading and how it plays into the longevity economy.

• 5 Things We Learned About Media From The Rio Olympics in Marketing: Sports on 08/30/2016
  

  Let's take a look at what we can take away from the 2016 Rio games and what it tells us about the direction of sports marketing and media.

• Are You Ready For The Longevity Economy? in Engage:Boomers on 07/11/2016
  

  For most of the recent past, when you thought about health care for people over 50, a few images came to mind. Mostly managing chronic illness and helping to keep sick people alive. Our grandparents' frequent trips to the doctor were often consumed with pain management and dealing with the negative results of the aging process. They'd go from specialist to specialist, getting treated for chronic diseases until they died or became too sick to care for themselves. A depressing prospect for those of us who just crossed the line into the 50 - 64 demographic.

• Logos On Team Jerseys: Here To Stay in Marketing: Sports on 05/31/2016
  

  A recent sports marketing development is the decision by the NBA to allow small logos on player jerseys. The Philadelphia 76ers were the first to jump in with a deal with StubHub, the online ticket broker. There was some negative backlash, but not enough to make waves or give them second thoughts. The other major pro leagues (MLB, NFL, NHL) came out and said hey are not following, but it is likely just a matter of time until our beloved pro athletes are covered in logos or at least a logo. At look at why the NBA went this route shows us the other leagues will eventually follow.

• Disrupted: Do Generational Labels Matter? in Engage:Boomers on 05/09/2016
  

  If you work in marketing, you have likely heard about Dan Lyons' new book, "Disrupted." It's the story of his exploits as a 51-year-old journalist trying to reinvent himself as a marketing guy at HubSpot, the Boston-based company that sells marketing automation software. It's a funny and insightful look at a clash of cultures (him vs. nearly everyone) inside a tech startup on the road to an IPO. A major theme is the ageism Lyons perceives at HubSpot, which can also be found in the tech business as a whole. Watching the cynical newsroom veteran navigate around jargon-spouting marketers makes for good entertainment and imparts a few lessons, too.

• CrossFit's Secret Of Success: Crowd Culture in Marketing: Sports on 03/29/2016
  

  The 2016 CrossFit Games Open competition just wrapped up another successful year. It is on to the regionals and then the finals for the elite competitors. However, that is not the whole story of the The Open. The real action is what happens at the affiliate level - the grassroots and how it embodies a new type of branding.

• For Authenticity, Drop The Ads And Find The Influencers  in Engage:Boomers on 03/14/2016
  

  I just saw a commercial from a financial institution that used a familiar technique - the "real person" story rather than featuring actors or paid celebrities. This approach has been in fashion and was effective for a while, but once you've seen it for the 67th time, it starts to lose some punch. Financial, healthcare and politics are the usual suspects. They find real customers to tell their heartfelt and/or inspiring story and how the advertiser made it all possible. The desired message: "If we care this much about a random stranger, imagine what we can do for you." These ads always feature a properly diverse group of salt-of-the earth people with whom everyone can relate.

• Want To Reach Boomers? Try The Local Newspaper in Engage:Boomers on 01/11/2016
  

  One of the most important lessons I teach MBA students is to look at audience data and hard evidence when making marketing decisions. It's a danger to let your personal bias cloud a strategic decision. I was reminded of that advice last week when the Boston Globe's decision to change delivery companies caused a torrent of subscriber anger. In an effort to save money and supposedly improve service, they switched to a new and untested company to deliver roughly 115,000 daily newspapers. It was a poorly handled fiasco, both from an operational standpoint and the PR efforts to sooth upset readers, but that's another story.

Comments by Gordon All comments by Gordon

• The End Of Age-Based Campaigns by Gordon Plutsky (Engage:Boomers on 01/13/2015)
  

  Laurie and Pete - thanks so much for the comments. Appreciate it.

• Why Mobile First Should Be The Mantra For Web Design by Gordon Plutsky (Engage:Boomers on 09/10/2014)
  

  Hi Craig, my point is that 50% of Boomer who own a mobile phone have a smartphone. That does not mean that 50% of their internet browsing is done by smartphone. In fact, I would would expect it to be around 20-30% depending on the site content. For example, sites that cater to travelers would likely have higher mobile usage. Your site is not typical with 30 min average visit, that is a great number, but most product information sites have a much lower time per visit. The larger trend is the one you mention at the end, consumers are slowly and surely moving to mobile and it is important for brand to provide a consistent and even user experience for all customers.

• Media Usage On Rise Due To Multitasking by Gavin O'Malley (Online Media Daily on 08/01/2013)
  

  I wrote about this new study, it has big implications for marketers, especially those that depend on advertising. As Douglas points out above, it is very hard to pay attention to two things at once. I'd surmise that that traditional ads will be ignored and skipped as consumers focus on the content they care about. http://www.kingfishmedia.com/ThinkTank/bid/98097/Turning-Point-for-Media-Digital-tops-TV

• Reebok: Huge New Campaign Touts Healthy Lifestyle by Karl Greenberg (Marketing Daily on 02/15/2013)
  

  This is a really smart approach for Reebok. In fact, last year on Media Post's Sports Marketing blog I talked about their original campaign which didn't feel authentic. This new campaign sounds like are appealing to customer with storytelling and creating an emotional connection. Below is what I wrote last May. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/175828/advice-for-reebok-tell-us-a-story.html#axzz2LMMzxgN3

• How To Win The Long Game On Super Sunday by Gordon Plutsky (Marketing: Sports on 01/29/2013)
  

  Jonathan, thanks for the comment and kind words. I agree, if done right as part of an integrated program it can be worth it. The key is driving traffic and providing value for the customer above just an TV ad.

• 50 Is No Longer 50: What It Means For Marketers by Gordon Plutsky (Engage:Boomers on 10/12/2012)
  

  Thanks for all the great comments, really appreciate it. I can also see 50 from here, and it does looks pretty good.

• Take 'The Pitch,' Please by Michael Miller (Marketing Daily on 05/31/2012)
  

  Great post - could not agree more. At our marketing agency our mission is to solve business problems for our clients that result in measurable sales improvement. Too many people think marketing or advertising is a collection of tactics or award winning creative. The whole point of marketing is to move the sales needle. Gordon Plutsky King Fish Media

• Why Marketers That 'Like' Results Must Spend With Care In Social Media by Bob Fetter (Metrics Insider on 06/01/2011)
  

  Really great post. It is easy for marketers to get seduced by the "free" nature of social media. But, it does not appear to be a direct response medium for many types of companies. And, you need to have a continuous stream of quality content to engage customers via Facebook or Twitter. While all brands should have a social persona, it should not take the place of proven profitable marketing tactics.

• Safe at Any Speed by Joe Mandese (Media Magazine on 04/13/2011)
  

  Very interesting piece. I FF through almost all commercials and you do need to concentrate to do it correctly. I don't know how much value advertisers are getting from those ads whipping by. I have been surprised how much advertising is still being done on TV. Some of it is just inertia of people doing what they have always done. There is also a glamor value to advertising on TV that can't be discounted.

• Social Media Is About Content, Not Platforms by Morgan Stewart (Engage:Millennials on 08/20/2010)
  

  Great article - could not agree more. Compelling original content is both a traffic driver and a conversation starter with customers. We recently completed a piece of research among marketers and they clearly felt that content, not platform nor technology was the key to social media success. The study is avaliable for free download if interested: http://www.kingfishmedia.com/marketing-resources/research/social-media-usage-2010

About Edit

You haven't told us anything about yourself! Surely you've got something to say. Tell us a little something.