http://www.psfk.com Your Go-To Source For New Ideas And Inspiration Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:43:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.psfk.com/2010/11/nielsen-study-shows-online-viewers-still-like-regular-tv.html Tue, 16 Nov 2010 18:45:49 +0000 New research reveals that Internet TV viewers are just as, or more likely to watch regularly scheduled programming.]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/12/recap-good-ideas-in-2009-in-digital-shaping-our-online-identities.html Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:58:17 +0000 At our Good Ideas in 2009: Digital salon yesterday, much of the conversation surrounded how our online identities are created, both actively – through our own decisions of what we share about ourselves – and passively – through the actions and perceptions of others. Given that we only have control over half of that equation, how do we ensure that the best and brightest portrait of ourselves is seen by the wider community? Piers posited his “Red Coat, Black Coat” theory back in 2006, which proved to be a harbinger of conversations to come about approaches to online privacy asRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/hands-on-with-the-engaging-ideas-card-pack.html Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:21:37 +0000 A while back, we wrote a short post about the Engaging Ideas Card Pack and mentioned, “We haven’t gotten our hands on the full set, but it looks like a neat package for a broad range of ideas.”  Well, now (thanks to Rob Fox) we’ve gotten our grubs on the entire pack and sifted through the stack of colorful cards. The first impression is that they look like a deck of large novelty sized playing cards printed on thick stock cardboard.  The front side of each card is an image meant to invoke the message or activity presented on theRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/hands-on-with-the-engaging-ideas-card-pack-2.html Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:21:37 +0000 A while back, we wrote a short post about the Engaging Ideas Card Pack and mentioned, “We haven’t gotten our hands on the full set, but it looks like a neat package for a broad range of ideas.”  Well, now (thanks to Rob Fox) we’ve gotten our grubs on the entire pack and sifted through the stack of colorful cards. The first impression is that they look like a deck of large novelty sized playing cards printed on thick stock cardboard.  The front side of each card is an image meant to invoke the message or activity presented on theRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/innocent-drinks-fosters-user-feedback.html Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:54:49 +0000 The folks at innocent drinks, makers of tasty smoothies, have revamped their site to include a rating and review section. Hoping to foster a more robust brand culture and connection with their audience, innocent is trying out a consumer-centric website. The new feedback area provides simple ratings along with more detailed reviews. A built-in feature promises to randomly select comments to be highlighted on the homepage and further entices visitors by awarding funky prizes each month. The site layout was designed by Soup with a goal of pushing the playful nature of the company into the digital arena. [via EllieRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/the-risk-of-combative-ad-campaigns.html Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:39:31 +0000 Eschewing the prevailing theory in advertising that one should never mention your competitor’s product, many companies are taking a page out of the political campaign season and going with attack ads or in the parlance of the industry, “comparative advertising” that do just that.  The trend towards negative marketing is being attributed to the downturn in the economy, forcing businesses to compete for a smaller pool of consumer dollars. Although a dangerous proposition with plenty of potential to backfire, agencies tasked with creating these campaigns have found injecting humor to be the best method of ensuring success.  Additionally, the chargesRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/sea-change-new-attitudes-on-pirated-material.html Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:34:24 +0000 MySpace and Viacom’s MTV Networks announced a deal that will partner them with Auditude, a technology firm that has developed a means of identifying whether uploaded video clips belong to a particular TV Network by recognizing unique electronic signatures.  Auditude approached these two companies with this technology, marketing it as a means of incorporating advertising.  Essentially, any content appearing on MySpace belonging to MTV Networks will be tagged, allowing either business the option of inserting ads. This represents a significant change in attitude for both companies.  In the past, MySpace TV, the second largest video site behind YouTube, might haveRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/are-brands-compromising-their-morals-to-increase-sales.html Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:28:03 +0000 As pop-culture and celebrity gossip blogs continue to see increased traffic, particularly with the youth demographic, advertisers’ views on what counts as acceptable have started to change.  Given the uneasy economic climate and tightening budgets, it’s become increasingly important for mainstream brands to be mindful of where their ad dollars are going.  As a result, following the crowds, even if that means entering non-traditional venues on the web with less respectable material, makes a good deal of sense.  Despite the inherent logic of this move, some in the media still question whether this issue has more to do with negligentRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/11/wpp-google-to-partner-fund-academic-research.html Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:20:48 +0000 Famous frenemies WPP and Google are joining forces to the tune of $4.6 million dollars to fund a joint research project that establishes conclusively the ways online marketing impacts consumer behavior. Despite an often cited statistic that people spend 30 percent of their time online, current studies don’t show this activity translating into an equivalent amount of total spending on the web.  This inquiry will examine the ways offline and online interact and, one suspects, search for creative methods to bridge this gap. Considering the fact that these two giants rely so heavily on the online space for generating theirRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/next-generation-marketing-2.html Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:43:24 +0000    View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: collaboration brand) The way we influence and interact through the internet is constantly changing. We’ve all witnessed how user generated content has brought new creative potential to consumers and opened up the doors of online collaboration. But while UGC’s impact on marketing and the way youth consume and create web content is significant, some believe it still has a long way to go. Screenplay‘s Strategic Director Helge Tennø offers a compelling argument on the limitations of the current means for online collaboration, deeming them too rigid and presenting “artificial barriers” forRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/building-a-citys-brand-sometimes-its-the-small-things-2.html Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:09:22 +0000 Creative Cities Summit 2.0 concluded this week in Detroit, Michigan, a three-day conference bringing together creative practitioners from across industries (from city planners to educators) in a discussion about the integration of innovation, social entrepreneurship, sustainability, arts & culture and business and their roles in our urban ecologies. Brand Avenue points us to one of the conference’s most enlightening panels – a talk between Who’s Your City?‘s Richard Florida, COMEDIA’S Charles Landry, and The Creative Economy author John Howkins (moderated by Carol Coletta of Smart City Radio). As Brand Avenue retells, Landry brings up the important distinction between how bigRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/is-advertising-the-new-graffiti-2.html Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:05:17 +0000 Gawker and Gothamist report that New York City is putting their subway advertising program into overdrive. First off are plans to wrap entire subway cars with ads (as graffiti artists did in the early days of the art form). The next public transport-ad scheme involves placing a series of ads inside subway tunnels that will create a rough animation as the car passes by. Also up for grabs are turnstile arms and pretty much any available surface. Although you would hope that all this surplus cash would mean a reduction in fare (it will cost advertisers $95k a month toRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/milk-marketing-in-the-21st-century.html Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:35:56 +0000 The dairy lobby has always been a powerful force in America, but recently they saw their classic ad campaigns overtaken by cartoon characters that children more readily relate to.  These new school cultural icons easily sway children in purchasing choices.  The proliferation of SpongeBob snacks or Spiderman cereals drove Big Milk to form a modern marketing group known as “Milk Media.”  In the venture’s first deal, school milk consumption increased 34% after the implementation of Disney’s Doug into the milk campaign.  While milk has enemies, they certainly have fans in the federal government who wish to promote the milk alternativeRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/the-dilemmas-of-tv-product-integration.html Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:33:42 +0000 As technology like TiVo or internet streaming enables individuals to avoid advertising, the industry has sought ways to sneak into the shows themselves.  The moral dilemma of corporate control was often dodged during the age of record viewers, but as television budgets tighten and viewers seek alternatives to the tube, network execs push product integration into the plots themselves.  While this long hated practice is often fought by the writers and actors, it is arguably an inevitable development in our favorite characters’ lives.  Tina Fey mocked product placement on 30 Rock, but it was in response to actually needing theRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/strategies-for-product-foresight.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:53:42 +0000 After recently finishing Peter Schwartz‘s classic, The Art of the Long View, this article from Core77 was particularly resonant.  Both these works reflect on the important distinction between predictions & assumptions and carefully crafted foresight. The article deals specifically with product design while Schwartz looks at the broader strategies for society and the marketplace. With regards to product foresight, it pays to be able to differentiate between what’s hip or cool and what signifies actual change.  Kevin McCullagh writes: The cause of analysing change in a systematic way has not been helped by the self-importance of so many forecasters. IndeedRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/the-engaging-ideas-card-pack.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:50:48 +0000 The Engaging Ideas card pack is a set of colorful photos paired with a simple approach or exercise to make a product more innovative.  Instead of presenting business ideas on a static PowerPoint or written report, these cards add some flavor to the realm of development, strategy and management.  We haven’t gotten our hands on the full set, but it looks like a neat package for a broad range of ideas.  From the Engaging Ideas website: It comprises 54 cards split into three suites – discover, design and deliver – along with a booklet providing contextual information. The face ofRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/better-pr-through-friendfeed.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:49:15 +0000 The PR industry as we once knew it is dead.  We’ve written about this topic before, but recently we came across some advice on creating the best PR through the social aggregator, FriendFeed.  SocialTNT explains the most efficient way to market yourself or your company in a well organized article. The important lessons detailed involve staying current on the feed to maximize media research opportunities and taking advantage of the contacts you have.  In a new world that values usefulness over experience, staying current is critical.  Becoming involved is one of the central aims of FriendFeed and you can easilyRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/10/creative-magazine-ads-incorporate-folds.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:46:49 +0000 The image really says it all, but recently a series of Adidas ads have incorporated the nature of the magazine media into the advertising itself.  The spine of the magazine serves as the flexible point in the photograph and as the viewer turns the page, the model performs a workout.  The whole campaign includes a variety of workouts such as crunches, stretches and bends. [via Comunicadores]]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/microsoft-pokes-fun-at-the-death-of-advertising.html Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:07:10 +0000 Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions has come up with a series of videos that highlight the changing relationship between marketers and consumers. While it’s staged as a humorous love tryst, it does raise some valid and entertaining points on the ‘death of advertising.’ This advertising campaign begs companies to love the consumer and try their best to listen to them. Not only is it bizarre that the campaign is targeting other advertisers (rather than consumers) but it is also in the format of a full fledged movie, with a trailer and multiple lengthy episodes. However, the message of “The Couple” isRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/08/microsoft-pokes-fun-at-the-death-of-advertising-2.html Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:07:10 +0000 Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions has come up with a series of videos that highlight the changing relationship between marketers and consumers. While it’s staged as a humorous love tryst, it does raise some valid and entertaining points on the ‘death of advertising.’ This advertising campaign begs companies to love the consumer and try their best to listen to them. Not only is it bizarre that the campaign is targeting other advertisers (rather than consumers) but it is also in the format of a full fledged movie, with a trailer and multiple lengthy episodes. However, the message of “The Couple” isRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2008/07/china-cracks-down-on-unauthorized-marketing.html Wed, 09 Jul 2008 20:21:24 +0000 The growth and cost-effectiveness of “Ambush Marketing” has driven offical sponsors of the Olympics to push for a ban.  Luckily for them, China has a well established system for clamping down on all things lacking government approval.  China has banned athletes from bringing their own drinks to events and will take over all prominent advertising locations, allowing only promotional material carrying official sponsorship. The Economist reports: Ambush marketers have replaced hooligans as the villains of sporting events, because they undermine official sponsors, which are the main source of revenue in some sports. The stakes are highest at the Olympics. ThisRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2007/12/los-angeles-times-20-at-the-psfk-conference-los-angeles-2.html Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:00:27 +0000 Jason Oberfest, head of Product Strategy and Business Development at the Los Angeles Times reveals how they are working on building a content business in a digital era. Click To Play Key Points: - The LA Times, a paper with a weekly circulation of 3.6 million and 5-11 million unique monthly visitors to its website, still faces the issue of establishing itself as a dynamic online go-to source, as almost all papers do: “Newspapers are in an interesting time trying to reinvent themselves online – and there is a lot to be done. The fundamental issue is that engagement onRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2007/12/our-role-in-your-new-world-at-the-psfk-conference-los-angeles-2.html Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:22:23 +0000 Conn Fishburn, Director of the Advanced Strategies Group at Yahoo!, speaks on how the rise of social networks gives agencies and their creative teams a new and expanded role in shaping consumer experience. Click To Play]]> http://www.psfk.com/2007/12/a-suicide-girls-stories-at-the-psfk-conference-los-angeles-2.html Tue, 18 Dec 2007 01:38:20 +0000 George Parker interviews Missy, the founder of Suicide Girls, to understand how she took a different route to create a well loved modern brand. Click To Play KEY POINTS: About Suicide Girls - Suicide Girls started in 2001 as an experiment art project. After the dotcom burst there was nothing to do. I went back to school in Portland and started photographing my friends. What we found was that where most models had a vacant look, these girls had a point of view. We decided to take these girls with something to say and put them on the web andRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2007/06/sony-starts-blogging.html Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:48:53 +0000 After several embarrassing attempts at utilizing blogs, Sony has learned from their mistakes and has created a much more transparent blog to create a dialog about their PS3. Reuters reports: Sony’s new effort is no mere toe in the water. Dave Karraker, head of Sony Computer Entertainment’s U.S. PR team, said the company spent 6 months getting the format right and then sent out a company-wide memo encouraging all employees — from hardware engineers to game testers — to post material, which will of course be reviewed to make sure corporate secrets are not exposed. Karraker: “The main thinking aboutRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2007/05/branded-myspace-video-channel.html Wed, 16 May 2007 23:06:01 +0000 MySpace is launching a new section within MySpace video featuring news and lifestyle channels specifially created for the channel. The New York Times, Reuters, Fox’s IGN Entertainment, The National Geographic Channel, and Vice’s VBS.tv are just some of the heavy hitters getting in on the new portal. “The upcoming branded channel launch continues the growing momentum of MySpace Video,” said Jeff Berman, the general manager of video and senior VP of public affairs for MySpace. “We’re empowering our partners to customize their own video channels and use them as hubs to create a niche experience for users. Today’s announcement isRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2007/05/in-favor-of-corporate-blogs.html Tue, 15 May 2007 21:06:36 +0000 Russel Davies had an interesting article run in Media Perspective entitled “How blogs can bring progressive brands closer to customers” in which he highlights how Innocent Drinks has effectively utilized their blog. His basic argument in favor of corporate blogs is that they enable a direct line of communication between consumers and companies and that their transparency allows for more acurate feedback. The first great thing about it; the channel actually exists. There’s a direct, live channel right there on the Innocent website that can host the conversation, un-mediated by anyone else…. Secondly, while conventional market research can be incrediblyRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2007/03/check-that-blogs-traffic.html Tue, 13 Mar 2007 17:41:42 +0000 Tech blog Valleywag calls out high traffic site the Drudge Report by saying that it overly auto-refreshes their web-pages in people’s browsers to hype their traffic. VW says: A site’s ‘meta refresh’ setting is a web page’s meta tag used to specify a time-interval after which a web browser will automatically refresh the page. Most sites leave it to readers to call for the latest version of a page; but popular news sites often assume that visitors will leave their pages open, and ensure the page is reloaded so that the latest headlines show. Nothing wrong with that — exceptRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2007/03/local-tv-advertising-20.html Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:19:43 +0000 The Springwise team spotted an interesting system called Spot Runner that allows small businesses to make TV ads simply and cheaply. SW says: The entire process is online and automated: customers pick from a wide range of ready-made videos that are tailor-made to their industry. After selecting an ad, the business customizes voice-over text and on-screen information, and tells Spot Runner how much it would like to spend on air time and which markets the ad should run in. Complete campaigns, including production and airtime, start at USD 1,500 and can be up and running within weeks. While some businessesRead more...]]> http://www.psfk.com/2007/03/blog-advertising-the-deck-expands.html Fri, 09 Mar 2007 16:06:07 +0000 The Deck, an advertising network for creative and design blogs, has expanded its portfolio to include Subtraction, swissmiss and Zedelman. More info: The Deck By Coudal Partners]]>