Here’s the promise I was hoping Apple would better yesterday.

It’s interesting that Steve Jobs spent most of yesterday’s press conference reminding us how secure and established Apple is.
What’s with the chest beating? He doesn’t need to remind us how many time’s we’ve bought new iPods over the last nine years. We know. I’ve personally replaced [...]

Pringle is a schickimicki fashion brand from Scotland. They’ve made cardigan sweaters for nearly 200 years and as such, their advertising is categorically predictable. Think Tilda Swinton in an evening gown spouting incoherent poetry as she stumbles through the woods, scales castle walls, swims out to sea … sigh.
The fashion business has taken itself oh, so seriously for [...]

A few years ago, Duncan Watts — a network-theory pioneer at Yahoo! Research — wanted to test a theory. He ran a series of tests to see if popular music could be made popular again or if the original success was just plain luck. Watts wondered, can you browbeat people into thinking something is popular [...]

“Ink” is a high-concept visual thriller that movie buffs might rank alongside Brazil, Dark City, Being John Malkovich and Pan’s Labyrinth.  Husband and wife team, writer/director Jamin Winans  and producer Kiowa Winans, created the feature-length digital picture on a shoestring budget with no support from Hollywood in terms of production or distribution.
Trailer:

Upon completion of Ink, [...]

25 years of the Commercial Internet

Part 5:  The Remix Years 2010-2015
Although this time has yet to pass, it’s clear that the next five years will see a great shift towards innovative media. Soon, (if not already) the amount of content on the web generated by individuals will vastly outnumber that which is created by organizations, [...]

25 years of the Commercial Web
Part 4. Web 2.0 and The Social Media Years 2005-2010
It could be argued that the most significant period for internet fans was set in motion when Terry Tim O’Reilly and friends identified the principles of Web 2.0 in the fall of 2005. As of today, over 411,000,000 Google results can [...]

25 years of the Commercial Internet

Part 3. The Advertising Years 2000-2005
There was a lot of coin to be made if you were dealing in digital advertising between 2000 and 2005.  And even though the fledgling digital department was a ghetto within the mass advertising agency, three profitable advertising platforms were established and able [...]

25 years of the Commercial Internet
Part 2. The e-Commerce Years 1995-2000
By 1995 those ahead of the curve were now online. Success could be measured via clear business objectives. The most direct path to ROI for the typical business was the relatively new notion of e-commerce. The larger retailers saw big dollars in turning their bricks [...]

25 years of the Commercial Internet
Part 1. The Brochureware Years 1990-1995
I came into this business at the tail end of the brochureware years. For most companies adopting the web early, the goal was simply to “get online”. Web architecture of the era used basic taxonomy to sort the content flowing from the home page [...]

25 years of the Commercial Web

Introduction:
2010 marks the 15th year of my career working in digital media. In that time I’ve seen a massive shift in the attitude towards the medium, and perhaps most fundamentally, the end of the idea that this is about technology. The key concept that first got me into this [...]

You don’t need me to tell you why all of this is awesome. 
Enjoy:
Google Chrome – Artsy Fartsy explanation of the Google Chrome offering. Awesomesauce!

 
Google Goggles – A new mobile Google mash-up tool tied together with Augmented reality. Awesomesauce!

 
Google – Real Time Search – New service that helps you determine what is happening right now! Awesomesauce!

 
And [...]

Icebreaker is a New Zealand-based manufacturer of Merino wool garments including shirts, socks and outdoor wear. Icebreaker customers will find a number on each sales tag that uniquely identifies the garment they bought.  When you enter this  “Baa Code” (clever Kiwis) on their website, you unlock  the supply source of that specific garment.
One of over [...]

The “blog” is well-understood, having become a household word in the Americas and Europe, but in a Monrovia, the capital city of the west African nation of Liberia, you may not even recognize them.
Liberia has suffered two decades of civil war. Here, television and radio have all but been destroyed. The internet is very expensive, [...]

Today’s post is from Guest Blogger James Pew, owner and head soundwave cruncher at Euphonic Sound and blogger at Studio Manifesto, who offers a unique perspective on radical trust. – collin

In order for recording artists and music producers to fully commit to trust, they must let go of the Loudness War.
Loudness War Background:
The loudness [...]

Ze’Germans (actually, the Swedes) are up to something very interesting for Volkswagen: they’ve created a site as a hub for something they’re calling “The Fun Theory”.
The idea is based on the notion that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better. Be it for yourself, for the [...]

You, me, the internet, South Park, the white house, even Kanye West knows that Kanye West is a “jackass”… So reflecting on his recent interruption of Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV music awards, I wonder if it was another Kanye blunder or a slimy marketing stunt from a fledgling industry.
I’m not the first [...]

Much has been written about the decline of journalism over the last several years. Major publications like the New York Times in the US and The Globe and Mail in Canada are now competing with millions of bloggers and citizen journalists for share of voice in an ever-fragmented media landscape.
Some traditional journalists are quick to [...]

My wife Tweeted me this morning to tell me that I have an unusual FedEx package waiting for me at home today, five chocolate grasshoppers and a link to this video:

It turns out that 5000 of the most influential people in North America have been sent five chocolate grasshoppers with the hope that they will [...]

The automotive business is highly competitive. Future products and feature innovation make up the key competitive edge when it comes to earning show-stopper headlines on the autoshow circuit – but headlines can’t be the only goal. We’re at a point in history when innovation is desperately needed to green up the fleet on the street [...]

Rigid restrictions on mobile marketing in Canada have hindered the development of ideas and programming, often relegating the marketing channel and its potential to the back burner. However, with the roll-out of both 3G networks and smart phones like Blackberries, iPhones and Windows mobile devices, the social networking and asset platforms that dominate the web [...]

I’m joining Proximity Canada’s interactive team as Vice-President, Social Media. In this newly-created role, I’ll be identifying new opportunities to expand Proximity Canada’s current social media offering, while assisting clients in building their brand voice in the evolving digital space. I’ll be working primarily with the Gillette global and Mitsubishi Motors of Canada accounts and [...]

The internet is not a “virtual world”. It is this world and it’s time you wrapped your head around it.
There was a time when you could dismiss the internet as some geeky flight of fancy. Then people started to make billions of dollars and you took notice. Didn’t you? I did.
There was a time when [...]

[TORONTO]  Segal Communications will end their representation of Facebook media in Canada on March 31st, 2009.
The relationship between the two began in January 2007, when Segal Communications (an IPG company) inked a deal to represent Facebook advertising media and “sponsored groups” in Canada. Out of that deal, a small sales team of about five people [...]

Who: The Guardian
What: The Guardian launches Open Platform, a suite of services that allows content publishers to freely access and integrate Guardian content with their own (with the requirement that Guardian content must not be altered or misrepresented, with watermarks retained).
Where: http://www.guardian.co.uk/open-platform
Why: Traditional media is having a hard time sustaining a business [...]

RIP: A Remix Manifesto is an open source documentary about copyright and remix culture. Created over a period of six years, the film features the collaborative remix work of hundreds of people who have contributed to this website, helping to create the world’s first open source documentary.

Larry Lessig:
“Corporations are completely taking over our culture and [...]

A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about Queensland Australia’s campaign for “The Best Job in the World”.
Quick Recap (full post):
“The department of Tourism in Queensland, Australia have created a new position: “The Best Job in the World”. The job’s most important duty is to report to Tourism Queensland (and to the world) to let [...]

What is clear about Skittles.com:

it has transformed into a social media portal to social platforms including Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Flickr and Wikipedia
it has caused much buzz on many of these platforms, particularly Twitter, in the last 48 hours
it continues to cause much debate amongst the social media pundits
it resembles other websites, particularly this one. (have [...]

I’ve been in web development/creative for over 14 years. Until the mid-2000s, you had to be an expert in web technologies to be a publisher … or at least have the money to hire the experts. The game has since changed and now anyone can be a content producer and apparently, anyone can be [...]

Who: Wonga
What: Wonga provides quick, short-term cash advances. The system uses its own dynamic trust mechanism to determine how much money can be borrowed: “Once you become a Wonga customer, your trust rating determines how much cash you can apply for. In line with our responsible lending, if you’ve never used our service before the [...]

According to the book “Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)” by Tom Vanderbilt, “Caution: Children Playing” signs have not been shown to reduce speeding or accidents. The evidence is so compelling that most traffic departments don’t plant the signs voluntarily.
Yet these signs are nearly as ubiquitous as, [...]

Sometimes video captured and uploaded to YouTube and other video-sharing sites is so graphic, the content is in violation of the platform’s policies. I’m not talking about porn or fictional horror flicks not suitable for children. I’m talking about videos that document witnesses to real-life crimes against humanity, evidence of ethnic cleansing, the plight of [...]

In the late 1990s, the media was operating in an environment controlled by a few influences. Because this impinged on freedom of expression, people in the internet scene began creating their own content, organizing their own websites, and creating their own media. This is known as the do-it-yourself (DIY) ethic, ie: “don’t hate the media, [...]

**UPDATE: Submissions now closed. Check out the Short-list here
The department of Tourism in Queensland, Australia have created a new position: “The Best Job in the World”. The job’s most important duty is to report to Tourism Queensland (and to the world) to let us know what’s taking place on the islands of the Great Barrier [...]

Consistency and trust continue to challenge corporate communicators in the social media space. As Sr. Counselor with Hill & Knowlton Canada, I worked with the digital team to create a concept for corporate social media communications.  This concept illustrates a consistent, consolidated approach to integrated social media communications.
Dubbed “The Social Media Platform,” the model below [...]

It’s been 28 months since I started blogging about radical trust and social media. The following is a compilation of hard lessons I learned and attitudes I needed to adjust to understand the potential of this extraordinary media.
28 months later, there’s so much more to learn.
“Social Media is a cultural revolution, not a commerce one.” [...]

I’ve listened to hundreds of keynotes this year, in person and online, regarding the social media revolution that’s now upon us. I always have a soft spot for those who see this medium for what it truly is: a cultural revolution, not a commercial one.
In order to understand social media, you must understand the cultural [...]

When Scott Monty (blog/twitter) from Ford or Richard (blog/twitter) from Dell make a mistake, they correct it. People respond, trust is earned, the brand is protected and everyone moves on.
When Motrin, Wal-mart, Target, Hasbro, Ticketmaster or any other brand make a mistake in social media, credibility is lost. Consumers lose trust and the offending brand [...]

When I worked in mass advertising, I asked the CEO of an ad agency to recommend the best book on strategy in advertising. Without missing a beat he replied, “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.
During my read, I recognized many parallels between advertising and war, not the smallest of which was the lexicon. The [...]

As social media/digital experts, we tap each other every day on our blogs, podcasts, tweets, etc, to find the latest examples of amazing social media work. The problem is, many folks are stuck on everyone else’s favourites like Dell, SouthWest or any other of the top ten usual suspect/success stories. Recently Peter Kim crowdsourced [...]

The social media / blogging glitterati have sporadically debated the strategy and tactical execution of SMPRs over the last year. The comments/no comments debate still has traction in this space. Tamera Kremer raises a call for better SEO in SMPR development. Others claim that the general public is not the target of this content. Is [...]

Some of the most popular Fan Pages on Facebook have earned their position because of good strategy combined with outstanding publicity, a strong brand or simply a random spot of luck. Finding that sweet spot within your brand or message could mean the difference between major exposure and undistinguished obscurity. In this series, we’ve already [...]

This, the second of my series on Facebook Fan Page Best Practices, discusses a common issue facing global brands. Should you create a global page or a series of regional ones?
The vibrancy of a Facebook community is connected greatly to the size of the group and to the amount of activity within it. Maintaining one [...]

Welcome to the first of radical trust’s series on “Best Practices for Facebook Fan Pages”.
Every Facebook Page is a unique experience where users can become more deeply connected with your business or brand as they would a friend or family member. This first of several posts will deal with understanding the Facebook fan page user [...]

I can’t imagine how different it is to go to college, university or even high school in this digital era. How much easier is to research your book report now that the combined reference knowledge of human civilization can be found simply by asking the right question to Google?
The educational potential of the internet is [...]

It’s election season in Canada and the politics are thick as ever. Stephen Harper, Jack Layton and pals don’t want Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, participating in the televised debate for the upcoming Canadian federal election. Despite the Green’s earning a seat in the house and over 600k popular votes in the last [...]

Web 2.0 platforms continue to shake all verticals in the business world. The book publishing world, still vibrating from wikis and blogs, should prepare for another potential quake. WEbook has hit the ground.
Infamous for being reject-ful, spiteful and outright mean to up-and-coming authors and content creators, the old-world book-publishing elite have amalgamated into a handful [...]

When eBay founder Pierre Omidyar was asked what the most significant lesson he had learned from his peer-to-peer auction site, he replied, “…that 135 million people have learned they can trust a complete stranger”.
The story goes that Pierre sat down over a long holiday weekend about 13 years ago to write the original computer code [...]

A couple of weeks ago Facebook surpassed MySpace as the most-trafficked social media site in the world (comScore). What does it mean to carry a moniker such as this? I decided to crack open the Facebook ads and pages application to look at the numbers on a global level.
Insights:
A few surprises turned up in Canada’s [...]

Guest Post: Danielle Holke, Digital Media Consultant
When Napster, Limewire, Morpheus, et al ruled the web, record execs unanimously and very publicly cried foul. Simultaneously, these same boardroom bandits were quietly working behind the scenes – partnering with datamining companies to scour the P2P networks and gather learning on users’ behaviour. With the cocaine-fueled days of [...]

Joe Jaffe got a book cover and many of us got link love, but was the 2k bloggers list really worth it?
In late 2006, a colleague invited me to join a compiled list of over 2000 bloggers. The purpose of this opt-in list was not clear, nor was any sort of strategy beyond gathering a [...]

Radical Trust is often-quoted in magazines, radio, newspapers, trade-journals and, of course, blogs and podcasts, but recently we have a first – Tom Hayes, quotes Radical Trust in his new book Jump Point: How Network Culture is Revolutionizing Business.
Thanks for the nod Tom, and good luck with the book!
Check it out:

Tags: books, business books, champions, [...]

Terry Fallis, author of a self-published Canadian political satire entitled, “The Best Laid Plans“, podcasted his book, “chapter by chapter” for free, in order to gain an audience for his literary effort.In June, Terry won a Leacock award and a publisher.
Cory Doctorow releases his books in digital format for free in order to gain word-of-mouth [...]

I’m learning a lot about trust this week. When I look at my new baby boy, Finnegan, born a few days ago on July 10th, I see that he trusts Danielle and I completely. He trusts us to feed him, to protect him and to keep him warm. He trusts that we will be there [...]

In marketing, people are called consumers. The marketing definition of a consumer is, “the ultimate user of a product or service”; while the dictionary says that a consumer is, “a heterotrophic organism that ingests other organic matter in a food chain.”
Given these definitions, it’s no wonder marketers are having a hard time seeing consumers as [...]

It’s in the ads, or at least that’s what Google is banking on in the latest scheme to make YouTube a big profit centre.
Since Google bought YouTube for $1.6 billion at the end of 2006, three questions, in one form or another, have continued to circulate in the social media fishbowl:
1: How will Google make [...]

Since the advent of the internet, artists of all sorts have been using it to express their creativity and passion. With the proliferation of user-generated-content platforms like YouTube, homegrown storytelling has become the mainstream.
It’s ubiquity is certain – over ten hours of content is uploaded to YouTube every sixty seconds – but it’s the quality [...]

Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom, also known as VMK, was a free multiplayer online community run by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online. It was created and operated as a virtual representation of both the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom theme parks, containing areas and mini-games which were based on real park scenery and attractions. VMK [...]

[Update: I have written a follow-up post to this with the latest top ten fanpages on Facebook with deeper insights in determining best practices here]
Facebook Pages have been out for several months now in an effort to create a better brand experience for both advertisers and users of this leading social network.
From Facebook:
Every Facebook Page [...]

For years scientists have been working on the technology to grow tissue cultures fit for consumption – think meat – to skip the complexities of farming. As the world’s population continues to grow, so too does its effort to raise, feed, house, kill and keep meat healthy and disease-free. Using a unique approach to pick [...]

Raising funds for this year’s Terry Fox run or Pink Ribbon campaign is no longer limited to your door knocking abilities. From Facebook apps asking you to “chip in” to crowd-sourcing real-world solutions, the ability to tap the wealth and knowledge of your social network may just be the solution you’re looking for. [...]

You can’t buy your way into social media. What may require tens of millions in traditional media simply isn’t necessary in the social media space. In fact, tossing more money at your advertising issues simply will not solve them the way it may have in the past. You must look at your goals [...]

Around the time radio started broadcasting, so too began radio advertising. It wasn’t long before entrepreneurs saw strategic opportunities in this highly-engaging new medium. Radio advertising began with basic sponsorship schemes and product placements. Their biggest challenge, however, was to develop a strategy that reached consumers effectively at a time when few consumers had [...]

I was recently invited to speak to third-year Ryerson University students about the influence “radical trust” can have on interior design.
At first I wasn’t sure what I would say, but now, after having completed the journey, I’m sure that the result was worth the effort. If not for them, at least for me.
Radical Trust (the [...]

This is a good idea
Kathleen Edwards gets it. Not only is she a talented musician, she clearly understands that a credible “celebrity” needs to put her money where her mouth is when supporting a “cause”.
I’ve worked with enough musicians to know that most of them consider themselves “the cause”. Although I don’t work with Kathleen [...]

UPDATE**** Congrats to Jen Gould for winning the Children’s Album of the Year Juno last night (April 6th 08) in Calgary.
The children’s music CD “Music Soup” by Jen Gould had been out for a few months when her husband Hayes Steinberg (a former colleague of mine at MacLAREN McCANN in Toronto) came up with [...]

I have a busy week coming up with 3 talks on 3 amazing topics at 3 diverse un/conferences. Here are the details:
Event Style Show: Expo and Awards
Host: BizBash
Talk: Gen 2.0: Join the Viral Marketing Revolution
9:15am February 20, 2008 Direct Energy Centre, Toronto

Social Media Marketing
Host: Open Dialogue
Talk:”Social Media Strategies that Work”
3pm February 20, 2008, The [...]

Attitude has a lot to do with social media. If you want to change the way the world sees your organization, you first have to change the way your organization sees the world.
Gaping Void once wisely scribbled;

Ask yourself:
If a consumer decided to take a swing back at you for saying something stupid, would you win [...]

The proliferation of blogs, podcasts and online versions of print and broadcast media channels have created a new kind of influencer. Savvy public relations departments and firms are beginning to realize that these new influencers have different needs than their traditional journalist cousins. Most of these new influencers have not been assigned the [...]

There are two areas of my life that are colliding in a big way; fatherhood and the notion of radical trust.
As you may already know, Danielle and I are expecting to become parents for the first time in July . The significance of fatherhood is creeping in at a quickening pace. Many hours [...]

Marketing Facts Night: Discover Your Industry Identity
Host: UofT – Management & Economics Student Association (MESA)
Keynote: “Don’t Follow, Lead” with Collin Douma of Social Media Group.
January 28th, 2008 – Grand Baccus, Toronto Ontario (Scarborough)
Event video:

From MESA
Who knew that dancing silhouettes could sell MP3 players? Or talking beavers would generate massive mobility sales? In this continuously [...]

The conversation can be deafening, like the screaming buzz of a stadium at the peak of a rock concert. Other times the conversation is mute, like smiles exchanged on a jogging path. Friendly gestures or screaming anguish, it’s conversation that literally defines our humanity.
Good conversation can be traced to antiquity, if not on record, then [...]

#1 Focus on success in social media
2008 will be the year that determines which agencies actually understand social media, and which ones should stick to their core competencies. In 2006, most people were asking, “what is social media?” By 2007, the tone had changed to, “how can we participate in social media?” In 2008, success [...]

I got served.
Maggie tagged me with the Meme – “8 Things you didn’t know about me“. I will do my best to shock and amaze… but no promises, 8 is a tall number and I’ve used 5 good ones already.
#1 I grew up sailing out of Port Rowan, Ontario.
Port Rowan is a small freshwater [...]

There is a significant cultural revolution going on right now which affects all forms of communication. This boom is redefining every aspect of how we communicate and relate with one another. Social media is the echo to that boom and we should all remember that people are not mediums for our messaging – agencies [...]

Nothing replaces passion for a particular subject when determining who should write for your corporate/collective blog. You can recognize a good blogger from a mile away. It may be the gleam in their eye when they talk about their work, it might be their gift to consistently teach something new. Whatever it is, rank in [...]

When developing strategy for a group or corporate blog, don’t forget that “blogger motivation” is a key factor in the formula for overall success. As in any other community, the needs of its members must be considered to ensure each remains active, current and topical. Even with the best technology, design, widgets, etc, the [...]

As Gov. Schwarzenegger urges an end to the Hollywood writers’ strike over access to digital dollars, a new level of remix-ability and creative liberation emerges from Hollywood North. The Tracey Fragments, a new film from Bruce McDonald (Hard Core Logo, Highway 69) is taking the right to remix, and creative commons to a [...]

YouTube meets craigslist at HotSwap, a US-based video-classifieds site for used cars. HotSwap allows anyone to publish a car ad to sell their own car. Sellers use a video-capable handset or digi-cam to capture a walk-around of their ride, register with HotSwap and upload. For buyers, a simple navigation system makes it a cinch to [...]

Facebook stats are like crack when you first get a hold of them.
The Flyers Pro application lets you do some deep digging on Facebook user stats.
Here are a few things unearthed today just playing around with Canadian Stats on Facebook;
Canadians on Facebook: 7 669 540
4+ million users aged 13-25
3.6+ million users over 26
2.5+million users [...]

Sponsorship is becoming a very cost effective way to enter the social media space. How do sponsors get into this space and remain credible? This and many other topical questions will be explored in an upcoming talk by Collin Douma at the Strategic Sponsorship Marketing Summit in Toronto on November 6th.
Strategic Sponsorship Marketing: The Canadian [...]

Sometimes I read gaping void for a laugh.
Mostly I read gaping void for some truth.
The truth …

…of positions …

…of careers …

…of advertising …

…of marketing …

…of open source…

…of mediocrity…

…of naysayers…

… of Radical Trust.

Tags: gaping void, Hugh, Marketing Insights, PR, radical trust, Reviews, social media, Truth well told

In it’s simplest form, the SMPR (Social Media Press Release) is not unlike the TMPR (Traditional Media Press Release). Basically, you’re communicating details about a particular product, event or program so that content creators (bloggers, journalists) can disseminate that information across their respective media.
TMPRs tend to be long-winded, often-not very creative and many times they [...]

As marketers continue to strategize around the notion of community-building for their brands, it’s important to consider which tools and concepts foster a ’sense of community’ and keep an online village from becoming a digital ghost town.
A sense of community can be broken down into four main categories:
Membership
Membership may offer boundaries, emotional safety, belonging and [...]

There are still tickets available for next Tuesday’s keynote “Social Media and the Age of Dialogue” I will be giving in Toronto.
I hope to see you there!
Here are the details:
Facebook. MySpace. Web 2.0 Flickr …..What’s all the buzz about Social Media?

Social media is changing the landscape and mindscape of doing business in advertising, journalism, public [...]

Social media communities are online properties in which members relate common experiences and interests. From micro-stock photo offerings like SnapVillage to colossal social networks like FaceBook to the ever-expanding blogosphere, communities online are as diverse as those found offline.
Just think of metropolitan areas where most neighborhoods are known for offering a different experience. When in [...]

By all appearances, Marié Digby had the makings of a modern music legend. She had all the math: young, beautiful and talented. She’d garnered over 2.3 million views of her simple homemade video covers on YouTube (see below). Her humble beginnings likely helped her earn a place on MTV and radio play in influential music [...]

We have a lot to learn from the Swedes. For instance, how do they make a profit serving a meatball lunch for a buck? Or how do they compress an entertainment wall unit down so tight it can fit into a surfboard case? How do they know I’ll love something for exactly one year, [...]

Radicaltrust.ca is thrilled to announce that I (Collin Douma) have teamed up with the Social Media Group.
As you know, SMG is co-founded by the incredibly talented Maggie Fox. Over the last year, SMG has had tremendous success, not only being the first dedicated social media agency in Canada, but also by consistently creating and [...]

I will be speaking at the upcoming Canadian Women in Communications event in September. I hope you can make it out.
Topic: Social Media and the Age of Dialogue
Date: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 5:30 – 9:00
Location: Velma Rogers Theatre, 333 Bloor Street East, Toronto (Jarvis & Bloor)
Details:
Social media is changing the landscape of advertising, journalism, public [...]

A podcast is a multimedia file transmitted via the internet to a personal computer, often-then downloaded to a portable device, such as an iPod, for viewing or listening.
Podcasting continues to make its ascent out of obscurity with greater production values and a wider variety of content, making the medium as diverse and relevant as any [...]

Some time ago, I blogged on the notion of the “brand immune system” in social media. Check out the following article, published today at MediainCanada.com where I expand on the notion.
From MediainCanada.com, July 23rd, 2007
Top Stories: Your brand needs an immune system
Remember the days when a disgruntled customer would start a letter-writing campaign, distribute petitions [...]

Microstock photography is an offshoot of traditional stock photography – the main difference being that microstock shots are almost exclusively gathered by crowdsourcing via the internet. Typically the photos come from shutterbugs who provide royalty-free shots in exchange for a share in the revenue of their sale, ranging from a few cents to around $50.
The [...]

Curiously, the Dutch have a word for “free of traffic signs” and it’s “verkeersbordvrij”. My ancestors over in the mother-province of Friesland, Netherlands are up to a very interesting traffic-planning experiment and it just may spark a world-wide trend in radical trust.
In order to make the streets safer for everyone, traffic planners have removed all [...]

Most people would agree that social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Flickr are largely about ego. The more ego you stroke in a social media application, the more addictive the platform becomes. A quick look at a Facebook user profile illustrates how many addictive little ego strokes there are, and how they contribute to [...]

One month of neglect and a simple sync to iTunes may find you playing catch-up with twenty or more hours of podcasts.
A three-week vacation may lead to a dozen trade magazines missed.
Two days away from a healthy RSS feed and you could be rifling through hundreds of blog posts.
Every night I go to bed and [...]

Good news! I will be speaking at the 4th Annual MARKETING to MOMS Conference in Toronto on the topic of Internet Advertising to Moms. I hope you can make it out on the short notice.
See you June 6th, at 2:30
- That’s tomorrow! ahhhhhhh!
Event Overview
4TH ANNUAL MARKETING TO MOMS
The 24/7 of Mom: When, Where, [...]

Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was famous for being many things. He was an entertainer, an entrepreneur, an author, a debunker, a politician and a reformer. Perhaps at present he’s most notably remembered for his showmanship and fantastical hoaxes.
A man infamous for hoaxes may not be the most credible [...]

How many times have you heard (or thought) “this is too risky. What if they say something bad?” when weighing the merits of social media for your client or product? The fact is, if your product or service fails, disappoints or inconveniences the customer in any way, count on them to say something negative.
Gone are [...]

Understanding the demographics of social media is to understand the demographics of any society. No matter how you slice it, vertical or horizontal, age, wealth or interests, there is a call to action in the empowerment of any demographic.
As marketers, we’ve been profiling consumers for years, categorizing them into demographics for our convenience. It’s a [...]

In general, the overall numbers are surprising, you might even say shocking. Canadians are buying into social media on a grand scale, with Facebook leading the charge. Per capita, Facebook users from Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary outnumber their nearest American cousins from Boston! And the curve continues…
In sheer numbers, Torontonians dominate Facebook’s global population. [...]