Insights

TechCrunch on My SmarterChild, AI, and ChatGPT

Peter · July 31, 2023 · Leave a Comment

The Bot SmarterChild, AI, and ChatGPT

TechCrunch on AI and One Of My Puppies.

My Activebuddy co-founder Robert Hoffer and I were recently interviewed by TechCrunch’s Amanda Siberling about our intelligent bot SmarterChild as in. Sure, I sound smart (yeah, yeah). However, it is a good story about early-stage AI (way pre AI and ChatGPT)think fast conversational interface, and where we are today. No, SmarterChild was not #ai but, we had a super smart real-time/natural language instant messaging interface. Y’all (30 million of you) talked to a smart computer about sex, drugs, rock and roll, and lots of super fast to get to information.

The article is here: Twenty years ago, AIM chatbot SmarterChild out-snarked ChatGPT. ChatGPT’s younger sibling was ahead of its time.

A Bit From TechCrunch

And yes, read the whole article.

Far before there was ChatGPT there was SmarterChild, an instant message chatbot whose encyclopedic knowledge and quick wit could put Google to shame. Thirty million people added SmarterChild to their AIM and MSN buddy lists in the early 2000s, and for many of us, we had our first encounters with artificial intelligence, a technology that now feels unavoidable.

In the early aughts, millions of preteens raced home from school and hopped onto their parents computers, opened a chat window and typed… probably something like “” “” (I had to edit cause LinkedIn did not like the article’s words).

“Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” SmarterChild would reply in an instant. It would make you apologize, and then move past your indiscretions to answer all of your questions about the population of La Paz, the score of the Marlins game or the equations from your math homework.

SmarterChild was far less sophisticated than ChatGPT, but then again, this was 2001. The chatbot was special enough that it inspired to fund Siri, which paved the way for Amazon’s Alexa and other robot assistants.

Levitan has remained level-headed about the future of AI. But another ActiveBuddy co-founder, Robert Hoffer, isn’t as calm. Dubbed “the bot father,” Hoffer describes himself as “cautiously skeptimistic” and repeatedly references stories like “Frankenstein” and the myth of Prometheus. The common denominator of these tales? Perhaps humans have gone too far, just because we can.

Hope you enjoy it and pass it on to your very own “Buddy List”… I need more subscribers.

Best AI Directories For Marketers

Peter · July 28, 2023 · 1 Comment

A Short But Sweet List of The Best AI Directories For Marketers

We are all a bit (understatement) overwhelmed with the barrage of new AI tools. To help sort this overload, here is a list of what I think are today’s easiest-to-use AI directories for marketers. Note, this is a short list.

Futurepedia – From Google Bard: “This directory is one of the largest and most comprehensive, with over 3,000 AI tools and resources listed. It’s a great place to find AI tools for a variety of tasks, including machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.” Just today… 18 new tools. Yikes.

Zain Kahn’s Superhuman – The world’s biggest AI newsletter with 350k+ readers.

iLib – AI websites listed by popularity.

Product Hunt – As they say: “Product Hunt surfaces the best new products, every day. It’s a place for product-loving enthusiasts to share and geek out about the latest mobile apps, websites, hardware projects, and tech creations.”

Crunchbase – A comprehensive list of AI startups. Wowzer, this is a hot venture universe. Go find your new marketing agency client here.

GPTE – Just in case you need MORE!

More directory stuff? Head over to my Resources list.

Just For The Hell Of It…

Here is a QUICK video I made with Opus Clip. It’s about predictions.

A WOW! Advertising Book Review For You

Peter · July 21, 2023 · Leave a Comment

I Really Dig This Advertising Book Review

As an author, one has to pray to and then thank the book Gods for a great review. Just for you here is a damn good review – on LinkedIn and on Amazon. In my case, it is an advertising book review.

Why Write Your Advertising Book?

Before I get into the review of my book, How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency…

We write books for many reasons. But your business book (not your wanna-be Hemmingway book) is most likely written to prove your expertise. My two books on advertising have driven the perception that I am an expert. Sure, I have a good bio. But the books rock as a biz dev tool for my advertising agency consultancy. In fact, in addition to driving high-quality new client leads, their sales paid for themselves over and over.

By the way, if you need some insights on how to write and publish a book in 6 months give me a shout. I’ve lectured on this subject for years.

Now — A Great Advertising Book Review

LOL, a secret coming… Good reviews drive sales. This works for restaurants, products, and my consultancy. A smart book will drive your company’s Unignorable-ness to help you stand out.

A smart new book also gets you interviewed on large audience podcasts. Like The Marketing Book Podcast.

That’s why I am reprinting a wonderful review of my Kick-Ass Advertising book from Lee McKnight, Jr. of RSW/US – a great outsourced lead gen company. Subscribe to Lee’s newsletter.

OK – I can’t help myself…

The Advertising Book Review…

As I’ve mentioned, was in Lee’s LinkedIn newsletter and on Amazon. Here you go.

“I don’t write a lot of book reviews here at RSW, (in fact, there are none) but a recent release from our friend Peter Levitandeserves one.

“How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency” is a solid work that provides aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned advertising professionals with invaluable insights and actionable strategies for building a successful advertising agency.

I first met Peter at the Fuel Lines conference in Nashville several years ago and since then, we’ve been in touch, predominantly on business development topics.

If you don’t know Peter, go to his LinkedIn to view his bona fides, which include an impressive run at Saatchi & Saatchi.

But on to the book: from the very beginning, Peter’s writing style is engaging and relatable.

He blends personal anecdotes, industry experiences, and practical advice seamlessly, making the book not only informative but also enjoyable to read.

This is not a slog folks, Peter’s passion for the advertising industry shines through, and it is evident that he genuinely wants to help others succeed.

One of the book’s standout features is the, from the beginning, step-by-step approach Peter takes in guiding readers through the agency-building process.

He covers everything from conceptualizing your agency’s unique selling proposition to hiring the right talent, to building a solid client base.

Each chapter is well-structured, offering clear action points that readers can implement immediately.

The Big Two: Business Development and Client Relationships

One of the most valuable aspects, IMO, of “How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency” is Peter’s emphasis on two pillars of a successful agency: business development and client relationships/management.

He emphasizes the significance of understanding and addressing clients’ needs, maintaining open communication, and delivering exceptional results-fundamental to building trust and fostering long-lasting partnerships.

And in regards to business development strategies, he provides practical tips for branding, networking, and promoting your agency effectively.

As someone who has experienced the challenges of establishing a business in a dynamic industry, Peter’s advice is not just theoretical; it’s rooted in real-world experiences.

“How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency” really is a must-read for anyone aspiring to thrive in the advertising industry.

Whether you’re a marketing professional looking to venture into entrepreneurship or an advertising enthusiast eager to understand the mechanics of building a top-tier agency, this book will be an invaluable resource.

I highly recommend it and consider it a real guidebook for building a kick-ass advertising agency.”

Just do it.

Buy my book, grow your agency, and give me a great Amazon review. I will love you forever.

Since I like to be useful, here is a link to how to improve your LinkedIn profile — fast.

How To Public Relations Advice

Peter · June 30, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Ya Want Some Sweet Public Relations Advice?

I write about company and personal branding in my Kick-Ass book (link below). Public relations plays a major role in getting your brand out there.

Here is a bit of my book’s perspective that transmits the thinking from the very smart PR firm – NATA. Check out their extensive thought leadership on their blog and in their podcast. Here is a good one: “147 – Public Relations – Nobody’s Waiting for Your Press Release.” So true!!!!

OK, let’s go.

Few “inbound” marketing platforms deliver the positive awareness of having your #advertisingagency mentioned in a Campaign Magazine or ADWEEK article, or in the case of your industry expertise – the category’s trade pubs.

So how does an agency or agency leader (or frankly any company) get into the right publication with the right brand-building copy?

Public Relations — PR Advice

The PR firm NATA offers this simple path to quickly get the attention of the busy (as in inundated) press by keeping the messaging straight and to the point. A few words can deliver a big message via being on-point and clutter-free. NATA’s advice:

If you run a company or have a job, you almost certainly have to write emails every day. Telling your story should be just as easy as your regular discussions with clients or suppliers.
We’ve developed a point-by-point technique at NATA PR that helps us get straight to the point when we’re talking to journalists or influencers. The purpose of this technique is to make information easy to read and maximize the chances of a journalist talking about you.

Practice this technique using these simple questions. Answer them and then remove the questions before sending your email:

What:

• Brand Z is launching a new vitamin C serum.

Why:

The vitamin C doesn’t become oxidized and retains all its properties that help reduce skin pigmentation.
It’s a completely new patent from company Z and they are the only ones in the world that have it.

When:

• It’ll be launched on X.

Where:

• On Z’s website and in reputable pharmacies.

Contact:

• Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.

Getting Sweet PR Sounds Simple… Right?

An issue is that PR wanna-get types don’t follow simple rules like these from NATA. Remember that your audience are busy pr professionals. Get to that great point fast.

Want more PR and marketing agency business-building advice? Buy this new marketing book.

Why Be A Thought Leader

Peter · June 21, 2023 · Leave a Comment

The marketing term thought leadership has become a bit overused. Well, what marketing term is not a bit overused? I mean, do I really want to hear the word disruption again and again?

However, if we step back a bit and ask ourselves if we’d like to be perceived as an insightful, strategic, and problem-solving creative thinker—um… a thought leader—well, I’ll take the words thought leader.

Thought leadership takes time and brain power. Why bother?

Thought leaders deliver actionable…

• Information

• Insights

• Strong opinions

• Solutions to big problems

• Inspiration

• Creativity

• Innovation

• Even piece of mind

Since I started my marketing agency consultancy, I have produced more than 850 blog posts; videos using impressionists to talk me up (think Trump and Gandhi); have been a host and a guest on dozens of podcasts; and have spoken at conferences and produced white papers. I’ve recently launched a LinkedIn newsletter. Oh, this is it.

I wrote my book on pitching, The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches. and my new book How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency to build my brand by offering business-building advice. These books generate interest and proof of expertise.

My thought leadership, which is 100% dedicated to advertising agency management and business development, works. Specialization works. People pay attention. My books drive leads.

The benefits of thought leadership are clear: It demonstrates expertise and authority.

It delivers compelling, relevant business-building information and insights. Value!
It excites
It generates peer-to-peer conversations and builds relationships over time
It generates marketing-qualified leads
It can be amplified and repurposed for efficiency. One thought can be modified and spread over a range of distribution platforms
Kick-ass problem-solving thought leadership is unignorable

I need to repeat this: Kick-ass thought leadership is unignorable.

The Unignorable Insight

Your expert positioning (yes, be an expert) will drive your thought leadership. The power word is authority. Market-building insights are created and delivered via your knowledge, experience, and creative approach to problem-solving. In this case, it is OK to be authoritarian.

Just to be clear, what is an insight? From the Planning Dirty Academy’s Julian Cole:

“Insight unlocks the way around a problem. It reveals a new path.”

Thought leaders reveal that new path. Just look at the people who are quickly building their own personal brands by becoming AI experts. Example: Sam Suzchan and his 122,000 LinkedIn followers.

I’m A Thought Leader Right Here.

In my brand new book… How To Build A Kick-Ass Advertising Agency