While it might seem surprising, Univision’s recent partial purchase of The Onion isn’t quite so unexpected, according to former Onion video director JJ Shebesta, who joined Dave Donars, Cardwell Beach chief of research, to talk about the deal. In this first part of the conversation, JJ and Dave dive into The Onion’s legendary independent streak, […]
Quid pro quo. I’ll scratch your back, you scratch mine. Pay it forward. Whatever you call it, reciprocity is alive and well online today, especially in marketing. But that doesn’t mean that every referral program out there works equally well. It takes a careful approach to ensure that a good referral program doesn’t alienate your […]
This week I sat down with Matt Hansen, who interviewed me about my philosophy on working as a creative director, common misunderstandings about the job, and the management advice that I try to bring to my work everyday. Q: Many people are familiar roughly with what a creative director does, but not the intricacies of […]
It’s a mobile world, as the data shows: users spend more time-consuming media on mobile than any other digital platform and spend more of their day looking at smartphone screens than desktop computer screens—and in 2014, more consumers purchased mobile devices than desktop devices for the first time ever. So, at first glance, it would […]
For drones, 2015 was the best of times and the worst of times. In the plus column, the little flying machines became ubiquitous across the country and around the world, resulting in some breathtaking visuals: and some fun new sports (drone racing, anyone?) But then there were the mishaps. Drones ended up crashing the US […]
It’s time for the business trip to the annual conference, yet again. But this year, you’ve decided to do some comparison shopping to find the best hotel deal and save some money on expenses. Do you choose the stalwart hotel that has served you well in the past or the newly re-named property that was […]
Just as it has in nearly all aspects of our personal and professional lives, technology has made a splash in the marketing world, too. Firms increasingly look to so-called “marketing technology” services to automate campaigns, increase conversion rates, and glean valuable data from analytics across platforms. So what will marketing technology look like in the […]
Sometimes it pays to change. That’s what CMOs at companies from entertainment to personal finance are finding as they grapple with the digital revolution, where customers flock to online (and often mobile) alternatives to the traditional stalwart services that made up the 20th century economy. But with the right rebranding strategy, three companies have found […]
It’s hard to envision New York’s Penn Station—an entirely underground train station filled with winding hallways that have been little updated since their construction—as a marketing opportunity for the city of New York. But that’s how New York governor Andrew Cuomo sees it, and that’s why Cardwell Beach chief of research Dave Donars and I […]
Eating healthy is a priority for many consumers—at least they say so when asked in surveys. But in reality, factors like convenience and price often eclipse the need for healthy eating. A group of researchers tried to figure out what shoppers would need in order to be persuaded to eat healthier, and it turns out […]
As 2016 dawns, it’s a good time to revisit the perennial head scratcher of the marketing world: brands. Are they overrated, over-thought examples of tepid consensus thinking? Or are they essential, pick-poorly-at-your-peril keys to marketing success? We’ve reviewed some recent thinking on brands (and the pursuit of the perfect brand) for insights into the age-old […]
TMI: it’s the web’s shorthand for “too much information”—details we didn’t really need to know, stories that didn’t need to shared publicly, squirm-in-your-seat comments that were probably best left unsaid. But it’s also the current state of the Internet itself: simply too much information, served up too quickly to absorb. This week, we’re looking at […]
Not long after the confetti is swept up and the champagne bottles are tossed out, many revelers wake up New Year’s Day with a new goal. ‘This is the year I’m going to exercise more, or quit smoking, or eat healthier,’ they say. And for a lucky few, they’re right. For many more, though, obstacles […]
Mobile devices allow shoppers to buy items from anywhere in the world with a single scroll-and-tap. But what happens when users are presented with ads from real-world locations? Are they more likely to buy at those stores over others? A research team took a look at this idea and put the concept of so-called “geotargeting” […]
We continue our discussion about the differences between the Australian and American markets as Jenna Barrott, Australian native and Cardwell Beach account executive, and I explore everything from beach attire to slang words for brands looking to enter the Australian market.
Look in the back of refrigerators across America and you’ll see a little, half-opened orange box. Chances are it’s Arm and Hammer brand baking soda, which cooks throughout the country use to improve their baked goods, clean their counters, and yes, deodorize their refrigerators. The familiar orange box and its trademark “arm with hammer” logo […]
With the growth of online shopping, a product for every need, whim, or desire is available through easy pay-click-and-ship interfaces. But how do consumers choose one product over another, especially when the product is less of a “need” or more of a “want”? That’s the question tackled by a new research study that examined how […]
It’s a move that’s captivated both the New York Times and Ad Age, and left football fans to make last-minute adjustments to their evening plans: ESPN is making New Year’s Eve a football event. After high rates for New Year’s Eve play-off games last year, the sports giant is trying the maneuver again, scheduling two […]
As the year comes to a close, prognosticators of all stripes have taken to their keyboards to write up their predictions for 2016. We’ve sifted through the analyses and selected the most intriguing, well-reasoned ideas for trends to watch in the coming year, from emails that look good on every device to personal digital assistants […]
It’s that time of year again. In addition to the crush of holiday ads, there’s another annual tradition that greets us as we watch our TV marathons, browse our favorite sites, and engage in some last-minute shopping. It’s the end of the year charity drive. While December 31 might mark the end of the fiscal […]
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