By Andrea on November 6th, 2009 in General Thoughts | No Comments
In honor of the man who makes my trips to the gym and morning commute a bit brighter…here’s to you Steve Jobs for helping innovate the greatest musical contraption since the phonograph.
The Decade Belongs To Steve Jobs - Around the Net in Brand Marketing from Media Post via CNN/ Money
The “decade” of Steve Jobs actually began in 1997, when he returned to Apple after having been ousted from the company a dozen years earlier. There’s not a lot of new material here, but Adam Lashinsky’s look at how Apple’s “imperious, brilliant CEO transformed American business” is an excellent round-up of Jobs’ influence on the past decade in America — not only in business but on the culture at large.
“I cannot count the number of clients who have marched in and said, ‘Give me the next iPod,’” writes product designer Tim Brown in his book “Change by Design.” “But it’s probably close to the number of designers I’ve heard respond — under their breath — ‘Give me the next Steve Jobs.’”
It’s not just fawning media types who admire Jobs as a showman, a perfectionist, a visionary and, despite the anti-corporate attire, one of the shrewdest businessmen to have ever created a distorted reality field.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin recently told The New Yorker that Jobs is their hero, Lashinksy writes, and the “Jobs envy was obvious” when Jeff Bezos released Amazon’s Kindle 2. Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, who co-founded Netscape, tells budding entrepreneurs: “The threshold for the release of the first product should be, ‘What would Steve Jobs do?’”
Read the whole story at CNN/Money
The MONSTER MASH (2009 Edition)
By Julia on October 30th, 2009 in General Thoughts | No Comments
Tomorrow is one of the most festive, party-filled (yet children-centric) days of the year. On the rare event that Halloween happens on weekend night, the volume is definitely turned up.
Unfortunately, I am still without costume for tomorrow’s celebration. What to do? The answer is definitely to peruse the internet for sparks of inspiration and creativity, but hopefully something I can make from the belongings and clothing in my apartment.
In my search of the world wide web, I’ve learned that this year’s most popular costumes pull from pop stars, celebrities and one most-beloved vampire saga. According to CNN, the top costume is the King of Pop - Michael Jackson. With Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Billy Mays other popular choices. Apparently, Halloween is really about a penchant for the macabre…
If i had the time and the energy to pull it off, I would wrangle friends to be the entire Cullen Clan. Sadly, I have missed the boat.
Another statistic about Halloween costumes this year is that consumers are saving money… I guess I’m the rule and not the exception on that stat. The searching for inspiration continues… Will let you know what I whip together come tomorrow night.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Hope everyone gets to drink some goblin punch and eat buckets of candy.
More Magazines Closed Than Launched in 2009
By Andrea on October 16th, 2009 in General Thoughts | No Comments
As conventional, glossy covered magazines take their final resting places among other print mediums, E-Zines and online web publications secure their space in the spotlight.
To read more, please following this link: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=115515
By Erinh on September 30th, 2009 in General Thoughts | No Comments
We at DBC are happy to say that we’ve moved offices! Still in Georgetown, we’ve relocated to a hip, modern loft on Canton’s Walk — an alley off of 33rd Street. We are closer to Dean & Delucca, Sweet Greens and heart of Georgetown and we love it here!
Want to take a quick tour? Our new space is a loft which makes for an open floor plan. Here are some pics:
This is where we sit, under a big window with TONS of natural light (don’t mind the boxes, we are still unpacking!)…
And here is the back wall — check out the super high ceilings…
And finally, for the best part, check out the view!!
So come by and visit!!
Facebook Bringing the ‘Sexy Back’ To Social Media Marketing
By Andrea on September 18th, 2009 in General Thoughts | No Comments
Facebook fan pages are all the rage in social media campaigns. However, some companies are going to greater lengths to secure the attention of the 18-35 audience that Facebook knows so well. Instead of building a solid corporate page to engage consumers, some are merely clogging the social networking giant with not one, not two but multiple group and fan pages!
Here is an interesting article from PR Week on how the appeal of Facebook is leading brands to clutter the site.
Facebook fan page clutter dilutes brand
Aarti ShahSeptember 17 2009
Since Facebook launched its fan pages feature earlier this year, it has become a popular component of many recent campaigns and other brand marketing efforts.
Some companies – like PepsiCo or Jim Beam - have created multiple pages for their numerous brands to better customize the content. But, according to some in the marketing industry, building a single corporate page instead, offers more meaningful ways to connect online.
Samantha Lucas, Burson-Marsteller brand marketing chair, says online clutter is often a problem facing companies looking to gain traction on Facebook. There are already so many fan pages on the site and some products even have multiple pages, making it difficult to tell a cohesive story about a brand.
“If people are feeling good enough about a brand to find it on Facebook, the company should spread that goodwill to the other brands,” Lucas says. “For example, how many people were really excited about AMC before Mad Men? Now they have this incredibly sexy draw to their brand.”
Of course, this “halo effect” is complicated because huge conglomerates own many beloved brands. For example, popular earthy brands like Burt’s Bee, Naked Juice, and Odwalla are owned by powerhouses like Clorox, PepsiCo, and Coca-Cola – and these affiliations are often intentionally kept quiet.
But Lucas says, even in situations like this, it can make sense to “create the groundswell away from the mothership but then bring that halo back into the fold” with the corporate page.
Ivan Kayser, VP digital at Hill & Knowlton, agrees. He says, while single product pages are good for promotions, they often can’t go far beyond that. He warns against companies diluting their pull by spreading themselves thin over many brand pages and missing the chance to build a deeper connection with consumers.
“If you want to talk about innovation, social responsibility, or industry topics – it’s imperative that you have a corporate page,” Kayser explains. “It’s a bit less natural, it takes a bit more explaining, but you can tell an overarching story.”
When building a Facebook application for client Michelin, Kayser says they opted to go the corporate route rather than have specific applications for Michelin’s tires. This, he says, made it easier to make the application, which helps users find balance in their lives, more lifestyle-focused, rather than just promote tires.
Dan Cohen, PR manager for Beam Global Spirits & Wine, says companies shouldn’t dilute their brands on Facebook but should also be open to exceptions. For example, he says, because Beam is a global company and its fans range from bourbon connoisseurs to young party-goers, it maintains 14 Facebook pages which includes its Tequila brands, as well as Knob Creek, and others. Even so, it considers its Jim Beam page, for its trademark White Label bourbon, its corporate site.
“If we were to have other brand news we might post it there,” Cohen says. “And if you’re on the Jim Beam [White Label fan page], you’ll likely naturally hear chatter about Red Stag or our other brands from other visitors through comments or wall posts.”
Wendy Clark, manager of social media communications at General Motors, says even though GM has pages for its four remaining brands, OnStar, and the Chevy Volt, it is trying to streamline its Facebook presence.
“We really don’t want to have 30 pages for GM even though we could,” she points out. “
By Courtney on September 17th, 2009 in Inside DBC | No Comments
With clients all over the country, it’s not rare for DBCers to be hopping on planes left and right. New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Peacham … Yeah, I said Peacham. As in Peacham, Vermont, better known the best spot in New England to see fall foliage. And according to some folks, the second most photographed place in the U.S. Don’t ask me (or them) what is first or third though.
I recently had the chance to scout this small town located in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont as a potential site for a media tour. About 1 1/2 hours east of the Ben & Jerry’s factory and slightly south from the Cabot –as in Cabot cheese- Creamery, lies a sleepy little town with a whole lotta history. With dirt roads and a population of about 600 people, it certainly was eye-opening. I mean, I’m not exactly a big-time city girl, but my graduating class in high school was slightly bigger than this town (and by slightly, I mean by 50 people. I’m just saying.).
Known for the beautiful colors of its foliage each fall, the town attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. And traveling there on a gorgeous day where trees were as green as spring and the people are as nice as can be wasn’t half-bad either.
Despite having John Mellencamp stuck in my head for about 3 days, my visit to Peacham was one of those perfect visits to a quintessential American small-town. And if all goes as planned, I’ll be there again soon in the height of fall.
Ok, fine … Not exactly jet-setting, but hey, life could be a whole lot worse.
By Erinh on July 31st, 2009 in General Thoughts | No Comments
So in response to last week’s Friday Fun, I’d like to post what happens when, unfortunately, Jill + Kevin find that despite an elaborate entrance routine, they just can’t make the marriage work and head to divorce court.
Additionally, as most people in my life know, I’m a big fan of kids’ movies. So for your weekend viewing pleasure, here is a list of the top children’s movies that adults love (to see the full article, click here):
- #12 — Iron Giant (1999)
- #11 — Finding Nemo (2003). The surfer turtles make that movie
- #10 –Babe (1995). Love the singing mice!
- #9 — Shrek (2001)
- #8 — Up (2009)
- #7 — Ratatoullie (2007)
- #6 — The Muppet Movie (1979). I’m sorry but that movie is hysterical!!
- #5 — Willie Wonka (1971)
- #4 — Toy Story (1994)
- #3 — Wall-E (2008)
- #2 — The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- #1 — The Princess Bride (1987). MY FAVORITE MOVIE!!! Sigh…
Ok so for me, I’d trade Iron Man for Aladdin. What would you add?
By Courtney on July 24th, 2009 in General Thoughts | No Comments
It’s no secret around the DBC offices that I love weddings. I love talking about them. I love going to them. I love thinking of them. I LOVE weddings. It doesn’t help that this newlywed is now surrounded by two brides-to-be and even a recently engaged client - office wedding talk lives on!
I loved every second of my own wedding and wouldn’t have changed a thing. That was, until, I came across this video, which is creating a sensation online and now on TV (um, Today Show much?).
A dance party before the wedding?
Sign. Me. Up.
It is NOT a love story, and I want to see it BAD.
By Julia on July 17th, 2009 in General Thoughts | No Comments
(500) Days of Summer debuts this weekend. It is the first movie in a long while that I can remember anxiously waiting to see. With previews starting over the holidays in 2008, it feels like a long time coming!
I’ve heard amazing reviews from friends who have seen the film, and I am a big fan of Zooey Deschanel - both her acting and singing. Will provide a review for all come Monday!
If you haven’t seen it already, check out the trailer at: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/500daysofsummer/
By Andrea on July 10th, 2009 in Blogs General Thoughts PR+New Media 2.0 | No Comments
Evian’s Dancing Babies…need I say more?
Multi-use platform campaign at its best!