It seems there’s always a big, looming argument or problem that eats up all our time and energy. We obsess about it. We replay it in our heads over and over. We methodically plan our reaction to every possible scenario. And, we wake up in the middle of the night with new ideas on how
Breakfast cereals, chips, cookies, and crackers all have multi-million dollar marketing budgets. How much is spent advertising broccoli and cauliflower every year? The Lorax, in Dr. Seuss’s eponymous children’s book says, “I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.” But, what happens to the good-for-us “products” or
That you’re too old… Or too young. That you’re too short… Or too tall. That you’re too scrawny… Or too fat. That your teeth aren’t perfect and white. That your voice is too nasal. That your nose is too big and beak-ish. That you didn’t go to an ivy league school. Or, whatever other story
Google’s annual revenues are in the neighborhood of $160 billion dollars; roughly 70% comes from advertising. Facebook’s revenues are around $70 billion. Together, they represent about $180 billion dollars in annual advertising spend. Many companies are spending a meaningful amount on on one or both platforms. Some companies spend 10%, 15%, 20% or even more
Dieting is all about consistency; weight loss goals are made or broken in the 5% of the time you’re at your worst. Compare that to weightlifting, where prowess is measured by a single maximum. What’s the most you were ever able to lift in an attempt? Professions can be similarly characterized. Celebrity chefs win based
I’m a morning person. I do my best writing early in the morning, when I’m fresh and distractions are limited. But, that’s not when my best ideas usually arrive. My best ideas come late at night or when I let my mind wander during manual tasks, like washing the dishes. Unfortunately, by the time I’m
Seems like an odd question. It feels like the answer should be that any fraud is too much, right? When it comes to programmatic display advertising, I’ve seen estimates that peg fraudulent clicks somewhere between 17% to 40%. If that’s the true, should you invest in this channel, or are you destined to be taken
Led Zeppelin enjoyed their share of commercial and critical success during their heyday in the early 1970s. And, 40 years after their last album, Zeppelin’s place in rock history is secure. In fact, few bands – outside of The Beatles – have enjoyed as much posthumous attention and success as Zeppelin. The chronicler of the
“I don’t know” might be the three most honest words in the English language. The phrase instantly conveys so many positive attributes about the speaker, including: Humility – I’m aware that I don’t know everything Sincerity – I’m not the kind of person who makes things up when I don’t know an answer Respect –
You can’t cut your way to growth. But, you can cut your way to lower acquisition costs and stronger economic performance. Just identify the worst marginal use of your marketing dollars and cut it. Then just rinse and repeat. This will open up some available capital that you can use to then invest in growth,
