Don’t space out
The people at NASA have our deep respect. They are extremely intelligent, truly dedicated and possess a remarkable vision for the future. Consider some of the milestones our space program can claim: Launched the first U.S. satellite Put the first American in space Landed the first humans on the moon Created reusable spacecrafts with the Space Shuttles Captured astonishing images with the Hubble Space Telescope Facilitated collaboration and exploration with the International Space Station Even when things are bleak, NASA finds a solution. The “successful failure” of Apollo 13 defined crisis management for generations to come. Which leads us to an almost unfathomable fact: NASA never trademarked their logo. How can that be? The
Created or generated
Going forward, all creative work will be separated into two categories: Either it is created or generated. How can we distill all creative down to such a clear distinction? After all, there are so many nuances to original human thinking and an infinite number of possibilities with AI produced work. The simple dividing line is this: Created If humans developed the work through their own imagination and experience, it is created. That applies even if the execution of the ideas were supported by AI tools. Generated Ads that are concepted, designed and written by AI are generated. That applies even if humans monitored the AI tools, including chatbots and image generators. How common is AI generated work?
The cat that killed a presentation
The following story is true. Ridiculous, but true. The big presentation day dawned golden with promise. In the quiet northern Ohio town, the agency team met in the hotel lobby before heading off to the famous industrial client. “Better go through one last check,” advised the CEO. “This is a big one, after all.” “Creative, are all the concepts tight? Good. It’s almost showtime.” “Media, are we ready with a bulletproof plan for every segment? Thought so. We’ll own this market.” “Account, do you have the budget estimated down to the last penny? Nice. We’re really buttoned up.” “IT, is the presentation loaded and ready to roll? Perfect
B2B success in three words
Assets, insights, trust. Those three simple words hold the key to B2B success. It really is that basic: If you can provide your B2B agency with assets, insights and trust, you will get their best work in return and stay within budget. Why do these essentials matter so much to the end results? And why are they so often neglected in the client-agency relationship? Let’s consider the role of each one and find out. What they are Assets come in a myriad of forms, including brand guidelines, logos, image libraries, fonts, videos, websites, sales data, market research and any other elements that will help give structure to the agency’s thinking. Assets may also include
The happy accident of B2B
You wanted to work on Nike. Or Coca-Cola. Or Apple. You wanted to create commercials with A-listers like Snoop Dogg, Tina Fey, Peyton Manning and Aubrey Plaza. And you wanted to win so many awards that those celebrities would ask for your autograph. Yes, once upon a time you wanted it all. That’s the allure of B2C. Then something inexplicable happened. You accidentally stumbled into B2B. At first, you wondered what went wrong. Instead of being a rising star on some famous B2C brand, you were stuck on an account with a microscopic budget
Thanksgiving Survival Kit
Thanksgiving is a wonderful concept. Family and friends gather, they share good food and gratitude, and everyone goes home happy and satisfied. However, like many great concepts, it sometimes falls flat in the execution. Thanksgiving has become the dreaded day when some of life’s most probing questions are asked. “Did you ever choose a major?” “When are you going to get married?” “Why don’t you have any children?” “When are you going to buy a house?” Ouch. And if you happen to be a B2B marketer, Turkey Day brings an entirely different set of mood-destroying comments. It’s the holiday when your family tries to figure out precisely what you do for a living and determine why anyone
5 journalism best practices for your content marketing
Journalism and content marketing are not identical twins, but they’re in the same family photo. Both are intended to tell an illuminating story using relevant facts and expert analysis. When they do so, journalism and content marketing serve to enlighten their readers, which frequently leads them to more informed opinions and better decisions. Given those similarities, content marketers can take a page from the journalist’s notebook to improve the focus and effectiveness of their work. The following are five foundational best practices of journalism that will take your content development from inception through the finished article. Create an outline A well-constructed outline leads to a good article. The outline does not need
Tools of the transition
Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of articles that reflect upon the 25th anniversary of Boomm B2B Marketing and the significant changes in our industry over that time. Gary Mattes is the CEO of Boomm and the proud son of an advertising creative director. There is a compelling fact that Gary likes to share about his father’s professional world because it gives everyone a unique perspective on today’s technology-driven industry. “My father used the same tools of the trade from the day he started in advertising until the day he retired,” Gary confides. “We have changed our tools countless times in the last year alone.” [caption id="attachment_7490" align="alignnone" width="206"] Mr.
Stepping outside the comfort zone
Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of articles that reflect upon the 25th anniversary of Boomm B2B Marketing. Each article examines a significant milestone in the agency’s history, why it transpired, and its lasting relevancy to today’s marketing landscape. Marketers love to ruminate on original thinking. They romanticize big ideas, out-of-the-box approaches, breakthrough concepts and game-changing strategies. Professionals who drive original thinking on a regular basis are given lofty titles such as thought leaders, strategic savants and creative geniuses. There are countless award shows that recognize brilliance in all its forms from every area of marketing and many industries. In short, original thinking is single most important force in
How to review creative (without being a jerk)
By Randy Mitchell The marketing manager was a notorious jerk. Every Friday morning, he would stalk into the center of the creative department and scan the room slowly. In his clenched fists was a crumpled stack of storyboards, web layouts, ad proofs and radio scripts—all submitted earlier in the week for his review. Then he would erupt; loudly spewing his molten creative criticism around the room. No one was spared and nothing was positive. Until he had an epiphany. On this particular Friday, the marketing manager was already beet red as he stared down the copywriter. Everyone averted their eyes as he launched in on his toxic rant. “YOU