Apple made their big yearly announcement today, coming down off Mt. Cupertino with the word from on high of new MacBook Pros and new iPhones. While the announcement was something of a mixed bag – a (very) few surprises, a lot of nice, new features, and one or two that didn’t make it into the products – overall it made for a pretty savvy media/marketing event. Nobody but Apple (even in the absence of Steve Jobs) can whip the faithful to a frenzy, not to mention get some serious ink by the mainstream media, like Apple can.
Earlier today, I read an editorial by marketer Laura Ries that reflected on the popularity of the iPhone. She offered that she’d originally believed that the iPhone would fail, because “convergence” is generally a bad idea, but owned up to the fact that the iPhone has been a success in spite of – not because of – it’s blending of a cell phone and a PDA. She then cited reasons she believed the iPhone took off (here’s a clue: “marketing”), and finished up by admonishing Apple to “keep it simple” and not continue to add functionality and features to the iPhone.
With all respect to a marketer that usually hits it out of the park, analysis-wise, I think she’s got a swing and a miss here. Here’s why… Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you know I love Jack in the Box ads. (I admit it…I’m a fanboy.) The latest Jack ad has attracted the attention of the media – specifically Bill O’Reilly. Here’s the ad – sans editorializing on my part. It strikes a little too close to home right now…and I’m too busy laughing.
One of the weird things about being on the web is a lot like being on radio…I remember in my salad days, I spent an hour doing the sign-on/morning show, when somebody rushed in and told me “You’re not on the air!” seemed that the master switch had a short in it, and I’d been essentially broadcasting to myself.
A few days ago, I installed an update to a key plugin (Google Analytics for WordPress). Without realizing it (until today) the blog was down, and visitors saw a blank white page, with NO code displayed, even if you chose “view source.” I don’t wanna get all Mr. Propeller Head on you, but that’s weird. Finally tracked the error down to a plugin upgrade malfunction. It’s fixed now. My appologies to anyone who wondered where the blog went off to.
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