Category Archives: Rants

Hallelujah! Millennials Are Dead. Here Comes Generation Z

Just when I was about to open a vein over the incessant furor about how Millennials are different, unique and in need of such nonsense as influencer marketing, they’re dead. Here comes Gen Z (sheesh–will somebody brand the next round … Continue reading →

Aside | Posted on Tuesday, 30 January 2018 7:01 am by | Tagged , , ,

The Finish Line in the Race to the Bottom

Posted on Thursday, 11 January 2018 8:48 am by

Last night, I was doing some analysis of a premium publisher’s site. I encountered RPM optimization in all its glory. And it made me sad and sick. The malvertising at left attempts to: Hijack browser settings Encourage installation of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Data, digital marketing, Media, Privacy, Rants, Security, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fake News Root Cause: Digital Advertisers

Posted on Wednesday, 10 May 2017 9:32 am by

Somewhere in our rush to use digital media, we got obsessed with reach and the size of audiences (the magic word again) and impressions. We got taken for a ride by the ad tech industry hucksters, who built an almost-perfect money-making machine on top of fake inventory created on phony websites. Continue reading →

Posted in fraud, Leadership, Marketing, Philosophy, Rants | Tagged , , , , , ,

Partner? Nope. Vendor!

One word that seems to have been banished from business is “vendor.” It has been replaced by the kinder, everybody-gets-a-medal term “partner.” I hear this all the time in pitches to my clients. “We want to partner with you to … Continue reading →

Aside | Posted on Friday, 24 March 2017 8:50 am by | Tagged , ,

Publish The Denominator, Google.

Posted on Wednesday, 25 January 2017 1:37 pm by

You might have seen Google patting itself on the back today for taking down 1.7 billion ads–2X last year’s total!–that violated the company’s policies. The problem, like most digital media hype and nonsense, is that they didn’t bother to publish … Continue reading →

Posted in Communications, Data, Media, Rants | Tagged , , ,

Pokémon Go: This Year’s Ice Bucket Challenge

Posted on Tuesday, 12 July 2016 8:59 am by

Starting roughly, oh, today, marketers and ad agencies will be asked to “do the same thing as Pokémon Go.” Continue reading →

Posted in Communications, Marketing, Media, Product Development, Rants, Tactics | Tagged , , , ,

Trident Gum: Paying Peanuts and Getting Monkeys?

Posted on Monday, 9 February 2015 6:55 am by

Think your advertising copy is lousy? It could be worse. You could work for Mondelez. I was standing in line at Walmart–hoping that nobody I knew would notice me there–when I looked up and saw this POP display right over … Continue reading →

Posted in Branding, Communications, Marketing, Rants | Tagged , , ,

Four Easy Articles to Improve Your Testing Today!

Posted on Tuesday, 12 August 2014 10:11 am by

I’ve seen a few examples lately where the word “test” was bandied about when no such thing took place. One of my recent favorites was this article by the MD of a digital trading desk who claimed to be testing … Continue reading →

Posted in Analysis, Direct Response, Education, Marketing, Rants | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Improve Your Content Marketing With One Simple Trick

Posted on Wednesday, 2 July 2014 5:30 am by

How do you know if your content marketing is any good? Well, if you’re using the term “content marketing” to describe what you’re publishing, it’s a good sign it probably stinks. If the generic “content” is the best you can … Continue reading →

Posted in Communications, Media, Rants | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Yes, Doc Searls, Direct Marketing *IS* Advertising

Posted on Monday, 7 October 2013 12:20 pm by

Doc Searls, one of the authors of the Cluetrain Mainfesto (excellent book), blew it yesterday in his blog post. In it, he writes of the need of “real” advertising to exorcise the influence of Direct Marketing. It’s direct response, you … Continue reading →

Posted in Direct Response, Marketing, Rants | Tagged , , | 1 Comment