You could spend the rest of your life reading and not get through half of the books ever written on the topic about how marketers, and companies more broadly, win by putting customers first. How many times when a company relaunches a brand have you heard corporate leaders say "we started with the customer?" Near … Continue reading Customers Come Second
Thought For the Week
'Tell me a fact and I'll learn. Tell me a truth and I'll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.'" Ed Sabol
How Great Advertising Can Sink Your Brand
Yesterday I was talking with a friend and veteran industry exec who has held top level positions at world class brands and agencies about Mike Bloomberg's exit from the presidential campaign. He's worked closely with some of the top agency people involved with the campaign and can vouch that Bloomberg 2020 had access to the … Continue reading How Great Advertising Can Sink Your Brand
“Hey Fred, why should I give a sh#t?”
That was what the voice on the other end of the phone said to me almost 30 years ago. I was working for an organization that built housing for the homeless in New York. We were pitching a community in Westchester county, one of the more expensive collection of zip codes in the country, for … Continue reading “Hey Fred, why should I give a sh#t?”
Don’t climb the career ladder
I'm not a fan of ladders. While I wouldn't describe myself as afraid of heights, they aren't my thing either. And as I get older I grow increasingly afraid of falling. What I've learned to be more debilitating than a fear of heights, however, is the mindset that one should view their career path like … Continue reading Don’t climb the career ladder
Thought For the Week
"Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who'll never find out." Frank A. Clark
On Big Data and Big Ideas
Big data. Big ideas. Both are the realm of marketers these days. It seems like most of the talk in the industry these days is about data. But which one is more important? To clarify, by ideas I mean concepts for campaigns designed to inspire, engage and persuade the people with which a brand wants … Continue reading On Big Data and Big Ideas
Social Media Experience NOT Required
I bet you haven't seen the headline of this blog in any marketing job postings recently. Experience managing the creation and distribution of content through social media seems to be table stakes for marketers these days. And why not? Social media is used by hundreds of millions of people every day and, when executed properly, … Continue reading Social Media Experience NOT Required
We’re all surfers
During the course of your career, there will be times when your job or project makes you feel like you caught the perfect wave. When that happens, revel in the ride. Professionally there's nothing better. But just like every wave eventually breaks at the shoreline, no job or project lasts forever. Inevitably you will need … Continue reading We’re all surfers
Thought for the Week
"When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you die the world cries and you rejoice." Unknown
Impressions Matter
TV ad sales organizations are moving as quickly as possible to an "impressions based" world. This means that rather than selling on ratings, the size of an audience for a particular show or event, advertisers will have the ability to target and pay for the specific consumers they seek to influence regardless of what program … Continue reading Impressions Matter
Who Do Your Play For?
There’s a great scene in the Disney film “Miracle” about the 1980 US Olympic hockey team. Coach Herb Brooks is making the team endure countless punishing sprints following a lackluster effort in an exhibition game. At one point he reminds the players that who they play for is bigger than them: “The name on the … Continue reading Who Do Your Play For?
Thought for President’s Day
"The best way to predict your future is to create it." Abraham Lincoln
Thought for the Week
I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken
The 3% Merit Fallacy
It's performance review season at many companies right now. Managers are sitting with their direct report and, hopefully, having thoughtful discussions about areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Employees, hopefully, are sharing their thoughts on past performance and goals for the future. How one's performance is rated - and companies use various tools from … Continue reading The 3% Merit Fallacy
Artists & Plumbers
How do you describe yourself? Are you an artist or a plumber? Before answering, let me clarify. In this context, particularly for marketers, artistry refers to the creative idea generation process. Marketing is about big ideas. You need ideas to generate attention and interest for whatever it is you're selling. Landing on a big idea … Continue reading Artists & Plumbers
Time for a Breather
Some compare life to a marathon. You maintain a steady pace and grind out the miles without stopping until the finish. That’s one way to look at it. But with all due respect to marathoners, if we’re going to stick with the running metaphor I prefer to think of life as a series sprints. Sprints … Continue reading Time for a Breather
Thought for the Week
"These are exciting times. Your attitude means everything at this time. Stay positive and remember life is not about waiting for the storms to pass but rather learning to dance in the rain." — Thomas Farinola
Couldn’t have said it better
If you don't already, subscribe to Seth Godin's daily blog. It's a must for anyone interested in marketing. As a 20 year veteran of media I found his post today about the industry right on point. I share it in full below: The imbalance between media and advertisers For a very long time, major magazines … Continue reading Couldn’t have said it better
Enter Sandman
Unchecked institutions with absolute power are fertile feeding grounds for cynics, like me. One of the hallmarks of classic liberal thought is such entities are to be regarded with grave suspicion because of the potential danger they pose in a free society. Yet such an institution offered an all to rare moment this week to … Continue reading Enter Sandman
What Marketers Can Learn From Bad Football
From My LinkedIn Blog - 1/17/19 January is great time for football, unless, like me, your team is the Giants. If you’re in the same, sad boat, you might hear something like this from the head coach at the team’s year-end press conference: “We’re going to trade all our offensive lineman and only hire skill-position players on … Continue reading What Marketers Can Learn From Bad Football
TV’s Marketing Problem
Television is still the #1 brand builder, but it needs some brand building for itself. Television, the #1 brand builder, has a marketing problem. Nothing gets your business known like TV. And yet, many of the same businesses that would benefit the most from the affordability and undeniable effectiveness that TV advertising offers don’t consider … Continue reading TV’s Marketing Problem
Why I Suck At Blogging
I broke every rule in the "how to be a successful blogger" handbook. Publish early and often. This is my first blog post since 2012. One blog post every 3 years? Even the IOC can organize an Olympics every two years. The good news is that my productivity still exceeds FIFA's. It takes them four years to … Continue reading Why I Suck At Blogging
More Interesting Sportscenter Discussion…
The folks at The Sports Complex, the official blog of the Sports Management Student Union at Drexel have some interesting things to say about the future of sports news. Check it out below.http://drexelsmtsu.blogspot.com/2012/05/chasing-giant-finding-answer-to.html?showComment=1340135860968#c1394063872269560831
The Rise of Rugby
As the world of soccer turns it attention to the European Championships and the upcoming World Cup qualifiers I’m reminded of the eternal lament of aficionados of the sport in this country: if the U.S. could somehow win the World Cup, or even make it to the finals, the sport would rise to unprecedented heights … Continue reading The Rise of Rugby
SBJ Publishes My Sportscenter Piece
A belated thanks to Sports Business Journal for publishing my Sportscenter piece in the May 28 edition. Here's the link. http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/05/28/Opinion/Fred-Bucher.aspx
The Masters App – A Tradition Unlike Any Other
Perhaps this is a bit late but before Bubba Watson hangs the green jacket in his closet and this year’s tournament fades from view I wanted to share my thoughts on the Masters digital experience. The leadership of Augusta National has been rightfully criticized in my view for their unwillingness to expand the television windows. … Continue reading The Masters App – A Tradition Unlike Any Other
Where’s the competition to SportsCenter?
Bloomberg broke the news recently that Fox executives are considering a plan to launch a national sports network to compete with ESPN. The media largely focused on the impact of another deep-pocketed player in the lucrative sports rights marketplace. No doubt live events are the core of the business, attracting large audiences and driving big … Continue reading Where’s the competition to SportsCenter?