Category Archives: Marketing

2017 Snapchat Buys: Cui bono?

The digital tsunami continues. Word today is that Snapchat is asking for commitments from the big agency holdcos for commitments to spend as much as $200 million on buys in 2017. That’s advertiser money, by the way. Why is Snap … Continue reading

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As a proper marketer, before you begin segmentation and targeting to create your strategy, look first to the first P of marketing. Your product. Why? If your product doesn’t work, the most brilliant targeting strategy can’t work. You’ll have no monthly recurring … Continue reading

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Alexa = This Year’s Pokemon Go

This year, I predict you’ll be forced to participate in many pointless meetings because some company will use voice recognition to make some money. The campaign will be breathlessly promoted as the next big thing in marketing. As a result, and because … Continue reading

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You’re Buying Digital Media All Wrong

The only people who ever got rich by developing exotic solutions to common problems are the ones selling the solutions. FOMO (fear of missing out) is not a reason to be wasting your dollars on untested media or unproven “audience” schemes pitched by salespeople. If the media works, it will be there tomorrow. Continue reading

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Use Real Metrics, Not Social Media Nonsense

Don’t focus on lousy Facebook social media metrics. Instead,look at sales, retention rates, and ARPU. Don’t waste your time with the little kids’ metrics, which make for easier-to-understand and flashier charts at the next convention you attend. Don’t track them in your data warehouse. Don’t put them in Powerpoint slides. Don’t even talk about them. After all, the people that promulgate this nonsense have told you that they are worthless.

Worry about the things that actually generate profit. And win. Continue reading

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An Odd Industry: “Marketing Leadership”

Increasingly, marketing is being taken over by charlatans. An example of this is the so-called “marketing leadership industry” one that is, so far as I can tell, devoid of metrics and accountability. When you see a CMO bragging of their accomplishments in said “industry” you can be sure you’ve been had. Continue reading

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Gaming AdTech: Easier Than Go Fish

How easy is it to game the AdTech ecosystem and steal–yes, steal–money from advertisers? Incredibly easy. The sad thing is that very few players in the industry care enough to do anything about it. Continue reading

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Still Trust in Big Data?

We had an election yesterday where hundreds of millions of dollars of models, data collection and analytics predicted one outcome. We got the other. Still think you can predict how a particular ad impression will impact a purchase decision for the … Continue reading

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Marketing dashboards are poor maps of where you’ve been. You need first-hand experience with the terrain you’re now encountering, not more lousy maps. To improve your marketing, don’t hire a cartographer. Hire the hiker who’s seen the terrain up close. … Continue reading

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Where’s the Digital Tear Sheet?

Digital advertising is a mess. Your ads aren’t likely to be seen because: Ad fraud is out of control and getting worse Most of our ads are shown to bots Only 35% of ads actually shown to humans are viewed … Continue reading

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