June 23rd, 2010
Make art- not advertising. Whether it’s a two page spread in a print publication or a vertical banner on a website, at BlackDog, we believe if the ad you’re placing isn’t as interesting, attractive, and useful to readers as the content it’s sandwiched between, you’ve missed the Big Idea. Promotions that are […]
July 9th, 2010
The secret to brand relevance isn’t a Cracker Jack prize, Twitter account, or Facebook Fan page. If you don’t have anything to say, you’re not worth listening to. Social Media is a valuable tool when it’s used as a relevant and meaningful contribution; when your company’s web chatter is driven […]
August 17th, 2010
If your brand is irreverent, your brochure should be too. Conscious design should be applied to more than just your color schemes and typography. Every billboard you put up and business card you hand out should reflect the essence of your brand. One of the secrets to attaining true cohesion […]
October 1st, 2010
We came across a newsletter this week that actually said: “‘like’ our Facebook page and receive an exclusive offer.” We’re not sure what the offer was, because we’re not interested in being bribed, manhandled, or coerced into social media engagement (…but we’re guessing it’s free shipping or a discount promo […]
November 2nd, 2010
Prescient, timeless and oft quipped, Marshall McLuhan’s Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man and its iconic quote [1] are as relevant today as when it was penned in 1964. Here are ten examples of McLuhan’s foresight in action: @YesIamPrecious The personified tweets of cross-country fundraising cyclist Janeen McCrae’s (@thenoodleator) bike. As the technologically savvy ventriloquist […]
December 7th, 2010
“Social Media isn’t a fad, it’s a fundamental shift in the way we communicate.” Erik Qualman, The Social Media Revolution(1) Unfortunately, most companies use their Facebook pages as little more than a new medium for their old school marketing tactics. Facebook isn’t a place for interruption marketing, engagement through bribery, […]
February 17th, 2012
12 tips for writing a rockin press release that captures your brand and conveys your relevance
July 18th, 2012
I hate the word “branding” for 2½ reasons, all of which have everything to do with popular usage and connotative meaning…. Courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/trimmer741/ 1.) When Branding is used as a verb, it typically refers to the isolated one-time or occasional applying of tactics to improve brand image. “Branding” typically […]
February 19th, 2013
Brand is many things: a promise that drives customer engagement; a set of values that differentiate a company from its competitors; guidelines that align the working culture; a resource to simplify customer purchasing decisions. Simply put, a brand is a solution. For the social media, SEO and digital advertising industries, […]
March 3rd, 2013
Iceland is a very small country with a big “brand” influence in a state of recovery, discovery and evolution. “Few countries blew up more spectacularly than Iceland in the 2008 financial crisis. The local stock market plunged 90 percent; unemployment rose ninefold; inflation shot to more than 18 percent; the […]