Peter Levitan & Co.

The New Business of Advertising

social media

Finally, A Fcking Ad Agency Blog Worth Reading

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I’m talking about The Escape Pod’s blog.

The Escape Pod

Ok, its not the only ad agency blog worth reading, but, hey, lets face it, how many of these word-rich-self-loving missives ever enrich anything? Ooops, I’m being harsh.

 

In my line of work I read (well, actually scan) a bunch of ad agency blogs. Note to my clients: I actually do read your blogs, I swear it!

Ok, for all of you other ad agencies. Here are some thoughts on what to do and some reasons I like The Escape Pod’s blog.

  1. Please be fun to read. Fun does not have to mean witty (although Escape Pod is witty) — it just means fun (which can also, for me, mean intellectually stimulating.)
  2. Have a (fresh) point of view.
  3. Have a personality. Its OK if your blog sounds like a human wrote it.
  4. Don’t parrot everyone else. We’all don’t need more words on how to blog; the joy of  responsive design; Twitter for marketers; or the post (this is real) -> “The New Landscape of Content Marketing” from one of Chicago’s leading agencies. Note to self: I might err on this “don’t parrot” thing, since this post is about an agency’s blog.
  5. Enlighten me: Like “Behold the Power of  Video Demonstration” does, even if it isn’t what you’d expect a creative agency to love.
  6. Get the idea of Portland.
  7. Oh, and have a really smart kid.

One more point. Have an agency About page that moves the reader.

Bottom line? The Escape Pod is interesting and makes interesting advertising. Interesting is good. Interesting sells.

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Email me – look up and left for an email link – and lets discuss how your agency will never do irrelevant (as in not strategic) blog postings.

Advertising Agencies: Follow The Money: Social, Mobile, Video

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marketers use of ad platformsFrom the land of “you know” this, comes a reinforcing eMarketer article and graphic showing you where the marketing / advertising budgets are going and you know what’s coming… I say follow the money.

Wow, so many opportunities for your agency to: build out social media, mobile and video expertise; so many opportunities to recalibrate your brand positioning and sales proposition. So, are you? I got to go WTF if you aren’t.

 

Social Media Complexity As Advertising Agency New Business Tool

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Just when you thought it was safe to go out…. comes the brand new 2013 version of the Conversation Prism.

The first Conversation Prism was created by JESS3 and Brian Solis in 2008. I used it in many social media presentations for both current clients and new business pitches. It helped demonstrate the complexity of the social media space.

The new version has expanded to include business-based social networks, social marketplaces, influence measurement and on.

If you are looking for a chart to help show clients that they should be way confused about the growing array of social media options this one os for you. Frankly, it kinda gives me a headache (and makes me want to go to a Thai Kho.) But, since you job is problem solving… this one is for you.

ConversationPrism-2013-update-cropped

Storify = Instant Content Creation For Ad Agencies

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paula_DeanThere is a link to my first Storify story on Paula Dean a bit further down. I created this magnificent piece of totally compelling can’t-miss viral content in about 30 seconds using Storify. Considering how important, and occasionally painful, content creation is, building stories in 30 seconds is a rather good thing.

What is Storify? Let’s ask the Wiki…

“Storify is a social network service that lets the user create stories or timelines using social such as Twitter, facebook and Instagram. Storify was launched in September 2010, and has been open to the public since April 2011.

Users search through multiple social networks from one place, and then drag individual elements into stories. Users can re-order the elements and also add text to help give context to the readers.

Media organizations have used Storify in coverage of ongoing news stories such as elections and meetings and events. Poynter.org recommended using Storify for covering social movements, breaking news, internet humor and memes, reactions and conversations, and extreme weather.  CBC used Storify to cover the 2011 London Riots and Al Jazzera has a show called “The Stream” that collects perspectives on news stories using Storify.”

The Paula Dean Story

I am showing the  URL for my SEO sensitive friends.  http://storify.com/PeterLevitan/5-video-paths-to-a-heart-attack-from-paula-dean … its all about Paula Dean (nice use of video, frying kinda crackles.)

My 2nd and 3rd stories are all about the impending Vine vs. Instagram video war. I even manage to get “Hugh Hefner” in one of the stories …. https://storify.com/PeterLevitan/instagram-vs-vine  (Interestingly, this was immediately re-tweeted by the Playboy Centerfold – you’ll figure out which one she is.)

My Storify profile page For Vine vs. Instagram story …

Top 10 Instagram vs. Vine Reactions with tweets · PeterLevitan · Storify

 

8 Vine Ideas For Ad Agency New Business

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I’ve written about the opportunity for an ad, digital or PR agency to leverage the growing awareness and use of Twitter’s Vine, its short-form (as in 6 seconds) video service that runs on iOS and Android, as a new business tool.

I suggested that there has to be an ad agency out there that sees the potential of becoming the first 6-Second ad agency. No, you don’t have to shut down your other services. Just create a Vine division. I think that this could take about 2 hours. Hey, your agency’s new business program probably needs something new to talk about.

Well, here is more fuel. Vines are now shared more often that Instagram photos.

Instagram-vs-VineFrom Memeburn: “According to insights from Twitter-certified analytics partner Topsy the number of Vine posts shared on the site passed the number of Instagram posts late last week, just days after the previously iOS-only Vine launched on Android. It’s an interesting trend, considering the fact that Vine has a much smaller user base than Instagram — it has just 13-million registered users against Instagram’s 100-million active users.For all I know, an agency is doing this.But, I bet that there is still room to grab this tool and run with it. Here are a few thought starters.”

So to help you get going, here are:

8 Ideas For Using Vine For Ad Agency Business Development

  1. Write about Vine on your agency Blog.
  2. Write a Vine (and video marketing) white paper and send it to current and prospective clients.
  3. Run a micro-information-oriented Vine Twitter strategy. Do 3 to 5 Tweets a day for a couple of weeks and watch the stats.
  4. Create a Vine Pinterest site. Think “Best of Vine.”
  5. Do some sample Vine “ads” for client types.
  6. Hire a local comedian to do 6-second comedy skits for your agency.
  7. Get your Vine out: do Vine local reviews of anything: products, services, bars, clubs, bands, dogs, cats (people love dogs and cats.)
  8. Do a Vine about everyone in your agency and add it to your website.

I could keep going but… I’ll save more ideas for my agency clients.

Oh, just in case you need a bit more info, here is today’s infographic.

introducing-vine_5155dc0b885cc