@web smith
Branding, Media, Strategy, Creation, and User Experience. I build brand advocacy.
Web Smith, L.L.C.
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ME AND ANNE IN THE WHIP.
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Why, Hello General.
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Classic.
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GQ Endorses: The New White Suit
Don’t treat the white suit like some dainty costume. Split it in two, dress it down, get it ...
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Tag Results
146 posts tagged Business
The Psychology of Appearance
Linkedin love. The most important social platform for anyone over the age of 20? Linkedin. It is the most misunderstood and underestimated social network. But as solid connections continue to be forged and business deals continue to be affirmed, us grown ups will eventually value Linkedin’s more meaningful social interactions. For many, in business, life depends on it.
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Fast Forward. Hard to believe that in 2009, we experienced this same event in a North Texas parking lot. There was a patch of grass that we called “Hell’s Half Acre”. But it was much smaller than a half-acre. Jeff Tucker had a jumbotron at the event and we almost didn’t know how to watch the competition on it. The idea was so alien back then.
Any spectator around in 2009 was an immediate relative, likely an athlete’s mother or father. This year? People cheered on athletes that they’ve never met. The best cameras, back then, were owned by a few guys from Massachusetts. Satellite trucks and ESPN, four years later? Most of us would have scoffed at the thought, back then.
Thanks to everyone - from the offices of CrossFit HQ to Rogue Fitness to Reebok who’ve made global growth of a sport a reality instead of just a catch phrase.
A snapshot of creative professionals. There is an element of hyper connectivity in play but while some may see the crowd as “abnormal”, it appears that this surveyed group is into technological early adoption. The gap between these two groups would greatly dwindle, in just the next six months alone.
Politics Aside: Observations on “Breaking the Cycle”
1.8 miles. It began as a routine visit to a branch office of J.P. Morgan Chase to talk to my banker about my business accounts. I was staring out of his window, noting the presence of upward mobility (in the capitol city of a state that continues to fight for economic strength). Soon after, we began the most interesting conversation.
A routine 20 minute visit evolved into an hour long discussion on the dynamics of Columbus. James is a 44 year old African-American male. He worked his way up to VP of Chase’s local operations; he had a lot to say. Columbus is a unique city. According to him, the city’s lines of demarcation aren’t temporary, they are permanent. The lines that separate different neighborhoods also divide groups between: up and down, chance and none, money and little, connections or self-dependence, poor and supreme education, benefit of the doubt and persisting doubt. True, this exists in every city. But according to James, not quite like this. And I agreed with him.
Just under 1.2 miles to the left of our home is the house on the left. Abandoned and canvassed with the sentiments of more than a few. Just 600 meters to the right of my home is the other that you see. In total, 1.8 miles separates these two completely different worlds. If you live in the neighborhood on the left, you currently possess little chance of achieving line-transcending success. If you live in the house on the right, you will surely suffer failure (that’s life) but with little chance of fatal failure. You will not ever likely live in the city’s slums. These two worlds don’t seem to voluntarily collide. Our home is close enough to venture back and forth, between both worlds. And I do, daily. It reminds me of my blessings and my responsibility.
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How time flies. All it took was one news search on the Twitter platform to realize that relevantnews was no longer fastest through CNN, ESPN, or even Mashable. 2009 wasn’t early adoption by any means but even in the last three years, I’ve watched the platform develop into a necessity for many personal and corporate brands.
The keys to any unlikely accomplishment. Surround yourself appropriately. Work your butt off. Stay grounded; and especially - stay faithful. - ws.
When was the last time you’ve picked up your phone to tell your friend how great your new ______ from Amazon, Best Buy, or Target was? You haven’t. And neither has anyone else. If the goal is to understand information and use it to your advantage, why wouldn’t a business focus on social analytics - the concept of who is talking and what’s the context? Here are the nuts and bolts of the social analytics strategy.
“The thing about fear is that it can be a friend as much as it can be an enemy. Fear is a reminder that nothing is to be taken for granted in life. And something had better get done to set that fear aside. In this way, fear can be the greatest of catalysts. There’s literally nothing like that sort of anxiety. In a way, it rewires your mind to compensate loss by gaining an advantage - whether it’s a groundbreaking idea, a flash of brilliance, or the clarity to move with certainty. The greatest positives are often the results of great bouts of fear. No other emotion will drive you more to answer the question faster - where are you, victory?”
ws.
Branding. There is what the service a company provides or what products the company sells and then there is what the company represents. The strength of the brand is directly proportional to the level of unsolicited enthusiasm from those that a) have supported your business b) are actively supporting your business c) anticipate supporting your business. So many get it wrong, here is how to get it right.
Master It. Bubba Watson is a genuine, humble, likable guy. In sports marketing circles, he has a high “q score”. You just have to like him. He’s a guy that a) wears pink b) drives the General Lee and c) communicates with just about anyone that gives him a shout out - from actors to us every day Joes.
Needless to say, the search for the word “Bubba” has dramatically increased and for him, so has the value of his name (because of his knee-jerk humility and poise). How long until the search for “Bubba” will return all front page photo / video / information relating to him? And will he take the necessary steps to capitalize on his amazing victory and make his next majors win a little bit more likely?
Launchpad. Admit it! Redbull Real would absolutely crush all other energy drinks (as if RB needed help). Total Zero just launched yesterday and it made me wonder, how can great a drink be improved to appeal to more people? By getting rid of artificial ingredients like aspartame, acesulfame, sucralose, and artificial flavors for more “natural” components. The can’s artwork (blue / light blue) communicate a mix of the two versions - “sugar” and “sugar-free”. Wings.
UPDATE: Redbull “approves” of the realness of this message as of 1:34 AM.
April Swoosh. Nike’s beginning influence over the NFL has been one of the most anticipated changes in professional sports in years. With Under Armour too compact to compete in bidding, Adidas focused on the NBA, and Reebok (apparently) ready to give up the throne and responsibility, Nike is due to break even on their investment in year two of five of the estimated $250 Million contract.
As you can see, part of the way they will do this is by designing more apparel and gear more likely to be worn outside of the stadium - especially by women. The new jerseys are going to be unveiled on Tuesday. Hysteria will likely commence. (Source: NFL Shop)
