Insights on Today’s Marketing Issues

The great Stan Lee died almost a month ago − the renowned comic book writer, creator of Marvel super heroes, and late in his life, actor in television and movies featuring his creations. Stan Lee hated to see an idle artist. He (like me and many others) felt that idle talent was bored talent and bored talent was easy to lose to the competition or to the client side.

It’s a digital world. Technology and data are givens today with marketing directors. At the end of the day, clients only want folks like us to help them transform their business, amplify the love for their brand, and sell boat loads of product; plus stick to the estimate, provide them 45 days until the invoice is paid, and don’t rock the boat.

Forget big data. Think small. Imagine how much easier it would be to build a powerful brand if you knew as much about your customers and prospects as you know about your spouse or in-laws? Imagine how well you could reach out to them with a compelling, customer-focused message if you knew who they were and what they liked. Imagine how easy it would be to pick social media sites, type styles, and headline copy if you actually knew which ones your customers and prospects would find most attractive.

When last checked, there were 987,119 “Thought Leaders” on LinkedIn. It won’t be long until there will be a million or more. How many of these self-titled “Thought Leaders” do you dare trust with your company’s marketing?

The Facts It’s Halloween, the ghosts and goblins will be knocking on your front door tonight. And I’ll be especially short here today so you have time to get your costume on and get home in time to scare the little ones and hand out the treats.   Spiker Insights...

The Facts Remember the Kodak advertising from the 60’s and 70’s? Paul Anka sang “Memories pressed between the pages of my mind. Memories sweetened through the ages just like wine.”  It progressed into “Kodak Moments” or “Kodak Memories.”  It wasn’t about the Kodak...

The Facts One in every four American adults is a grandparent. Nearly 80 million of us are grandparents now and growing by leaps and bounds as we baby boomers become more of the proper age to be grandparents. Most of today’s grandparents are aged 45 to 64, with the...

Several weeks ago I wrote about KFC offering free college tuition to any new parents that named their baby Harland, after their founder.

I’m a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas cards. But today, most brands want to go cheap and send a digital e-card that just doesn’t convey the Holiday Spirit I feel the holiday deserves. Most of the e-cards look alike, are self-promotional in tone, and come across to me as a last-minute attempt to get something out to your clients and friends for the holidays.

In a recent survey of 2,000 Americans, here is what the perfect day looked like to the majority of them: