Marketers Studio - David Berkowitz's Marketing Blog

Search Insider: "Seeing What's Next"

Seeing What's Next is one of the smartest books I've read. In this week's Search Insider, I dumb it down considerably and probably get half of it wrong. That didn't stop me from publishing it.

Just who is all the search innovation really serving, anyway?

This is a question I've been asking myself while reading Seeing What's Next: Using the Theories of Innovation to Predict Industry Change by Clayton M. Christensen, author of The Innovator's Dilemma and The Innovator's Solution. The book's tone ranges from brain-achingly esoteric to enlighteningly accessible, and while I might not do Christensen justice, a kernel of his thesis is worth distilling here in reference to search engines and their developments for both consumers and marketers.

The goal of the book is to present a theory that objectively evaluates innovation, and the theory addresses a number of angles: whether the innovation is sustaining or disruptive, whether incumbent companies or startups will fare best in capitalizing on the changes, and what types of consumers are targeted by the innovation.

I'm almost done with the book and will post more soon on that. In the meantime, read the butchered version in MediaPost.

Mr. Google Goes to Washington

Sad? Hardly, Ms. Dyson.

It's about freakin' time.

New York Times: Google Joins the Lobbying Herd.

Mad Bull Disease

Here's a book title that's hard not to love: Why Business People Speak Like Idiots. As a bonus, Love is the Killer App author Tim Sanders recommended it in a recent newsletter he sent out.

Idiots is the brainchild of the team that developed Bullfighter, the downloadable Word plug-in that hunts for corporate jargon and provides a welcome reality check. There's also an online version called Mystery Matador (you only need to preview some text and not send it, like the site implies, to get some value out of it). I played with Matador and entered an upcoming column, and then also evaluated the copy of a search engine marketing firm's website. Mercifully, the column was nearly jargon-free, while it considered the site a big load of cowpie. If you write web copy, press releases, business collateral, or anything remotely corporate, prepare to be humbled.

JetBlue: Revolutionary?

I'm excited to have finally flown JetBlue on this jaunt to OMMA Hollywood. With all the case studies written up about this company, you'd think the flight would be some remarkable travel experience.

The truth: it felt like just another airline. The free wi-fi at the JFK terminal wasn't working, at least where I was sitting (no one near me could get on). The cranberry juice cans on the plane were 5.5oz, compared to the full 12oz can you get on major airlines. The bathroom was as dull as any airline bathroom. The legroom was no better than Continental, even in the "roomier" rows in the middle-rear of the plane.

In short, there's nothing remarkable to write home about, except for two things:

1. The Terra Blue potato chips. I hope they have those at the Trader Joe's or Whole Foods in Union Square. These things are outrageous. I don't know what they're frying those chips in, but my guess is it's an imported substance from Afghanistan. Must have more chips. Mmmmm.

2. The front and rear exits on the plane. What kind of brain surgeon did it take to install a second door? And it's not like these are the biggest planes you'll ever sit in. It was a pleasant bonus at the end.

The DirecTV in the seats was a nice touch, as this was the first time I watched a show on either the History Channel or the National Geographic Channel. (To be fair, it wasn't all academic; I also caught Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: Texas edition). Yet I would have been just as happy with mediocre movies that didn't require a $5 charge.

I know a lot of the hype around JetBlue is that it's no frills, but it wasn't more fun or more comfortable or even cheaper. Great chips though.

Save Darfur Rally - April 30 - DC

While this blog is hardly political, rallying to raise awareness of ongoing genocide and promote human dignity spans political and ideological spectrums.

If you're attending the April 30 rally in DC (2-4pm), let me know - especially if you're heading down from NYC (perhaps we can catch a spot on the same bus).

If you can't make it, blog it, or e-mail the link around.

Some additional background:

"The Rally to Stop Genocide" is organized by the Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of more than 155 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations. www.savedarfur.org

The rally is part of the "Million Voices for Darfur" campaign to generate one million postcards for delivery to President Bush, who recently pledged to push for additional UN and NATO help to protect the people of Darfur. We applaud the President's leadership, but the work is far from done. We are urging President Bush to take steps necessary to end the genocide and build a lasting peace.

Job Alert: Interactive Project Mgr - Chi

This just in... Interactive Project Manager, Chicago area. If you know anyone, send a line.

Interactive Project Manager

Responsibilities

• Ensures that the departments projects and initiatives are properly and efficiently executed.

• Works with the design and development teams in the production and management of interactive projects

• Develops project scope documents, estimates and timelines

• Develop detailed project plans for project delivery, communicate and track project milestones and monitors progress for all team members against plan.

• Manages the project cycle from inception through completion by monitoring project status, managing client feedback, updating deliverables and processes when needed, and partnering with client management team to ensure project success

• Monitors the development process and project budgets to minimize scope creep and ensure on-time and on-budget delivery.

• Prepares status reports and conducts internal and external status meetings as necessary.

• Manages third party vendors as needed, including finding resources, gathering estimates, handling billing and managing the working relationship

• Works with interactive team members to develop and improve processes and standards

• Compiles and analyzes website statistics

• Manages requests for banner ad, email and other interactive creative; oversees delivery of creative to proper partners

REQUIREMENTS:

• Undergraduate degree.

• 3-5 years’ project management/account executive experience in interactive/digital marketing.

• Familiarity with and understanding of the process of building and maintaining Web sites.

• Strong understanding of online tools, technologies and best practices for the Web

• Experience with email marketing and CPG companies a plus

Why Everything Won't Go Video

With so much enthusiasm for the potential of video search, video advertising, video podcasting, and all things video, we need to step back lest we enter a video bubble (a poppable one, at that).

Video has two key limitations:
1. It's harder to produce.
2. It's harder to consume.

The first seems more accepted, though it's perhaps not reported enough. Video is much easier to shoot today than it ever was before; most digital cameras, even those going for $100 or $200 now, can handle at least a meager quality. Still, producing something of quality, especially something that people would want to watch, is hardly easy.

The more overlooked point is #2. Even if you can get video out there, it takes time to watch. You can't skim video. You can't easily multitask with online video (you can with the TV and internet, if the TV is background noise; it's not so easy with online video). You can't easily highlight, bookmark, and clip a relevant section of video to share with others. I bring this up in light of a column written about video e-mails.

As the consumer, I'm trying so hard to skim what content can and save the good stuff. If it's really interesting, I'll forward it to a friend, though usually condensing it further by alerting them to what matters most to them. Most e-mails, even the meatier ones, I'll read in a matter of seconds; the thought of needing to sit through a video makes me squirm.

That doesn't mean the market won't expand. There are plenty of logical uses for video, even as a marketing tool. However, it does have its limits, and those should be acknowledged up front, not when we get there.

Job Lead - DC - VP Sales - Social Networking

This just in from a friend:

We're looking for a Vice President of Sales for a DC
Metro based privately held on line community / social networking company.  While
early stage the site averages over 17,000,000 uniques and over 500,000,000 page
views as of this past January.

Inquire within if you're interested or know someone...

Mixing Business with Sausage

I'll admit that I loved the research for this Search Insider column. I met up with Gil Mandler, son of the owner of Mandler's Original Sausage Co., and it turns out he's better versed in search engine marketing than people I've met working full-time in the field.

That night I first met Gil, as I ordered, I placed the book I was reading, David Vise's The Google Story, on the counter. Gil, then eponymous to me, asked if the book was any good (it was so-so; John Battelle's The Search is much meatier). I mentioned I was reading it because it was relevant to my job. He asked what I did, so, avoiding any jargon, I told him my company helped other companies advertise through search engines.

He replied, "You mean SEO and SEM?"

Get the full sausage at MediaPost.

Meanwhile, one anecdote I couldn't work in is that the first time I saw the restaurant, I took a picture of the sign out front that read, "Ours is 9.5" long, come and get it!" I forwarded that on to a few friends who I knew would get a kick out of it. I asked Gil about it. It was his father's idea, and Gil didn't think he could get away with it.

While most businesses can't get away with it, Mandler's is on a crowded block, right next to or around the corner from Rainbow (felafel), Chopp'd (salad), Havana Central (Cuban), Starbucks, Subway, Republic (Thai), Heartland Brewery, and McDonald's. Those are all within about a hundred feet of the place. Adding something to catch the eye and surprise some passers-by is a great idea; it gives people something to talk about. And it has a competitive advantage here because most brands wouldn't take such a risk.

Everything in Moderation

Thanks to Mike May, I read Guy Kawasaki's post on how to moderate a panel. I'll be moderating one next week at OMMA Hollywood (Tues, 11am, "Online Video - Starring in Advertising's Big Picutre"), so this was welcome inspiration. If you ever find yourself in that spot, print this and read it en route to the event (and, of course, before).