From the monthly archives:

September 2009

Can “sponsored journalism” really work?

by amy mengel on September 29, 2009

If you still even subscribe to your local newspaper, you’ve probably noticed that it’s getting thinner and thinner. What once would have passed for a phone book is now, at best, a placemat. Even if you consume your news online, news organizations are having a harder time keeping reporters on staff as they struggle to [...]

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Locally targeted McDonald’s TV ads turning heads

by amy mengel on September 23, 2009

New York City might only be 120 miles away from Albany, but lifestyle-wise it’s a lot further. Often we Upstaters are saddled with “regional” advertising campaigns directed toward New Yorkers (the city dwellers, not the state residents). I frequently see billboards or TV commercials referencing terms like “The Big Apple” and alluding to New York [...]

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How I use Google Reader without going insane

by amy mengel on September 17, 2009

It’s a never-ending refrain in the social media world: “There’s just so much content out there!” So many good blogs to read and think about. For a while my Google Reader was getting out of control as I continued to add RSS feeds. I’ve tried various ways to get a handle on the many blogs [...]

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“Become a Fan” of Facebook brand fatigue

by amy mengel on September 14, 2009

I grabbed a bagel sandwich at Bruegger’s today, which is somewhat of a weekly habit for me. On a large poster in the store depicting their fall sandwiches, I saw it in the lower right corner: Become a fan of Brueggers on Facebook. I’ve seen similar exhortations lately in restaurants, retail stores and on brand [...]

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What baby names can teach us about viral marketing

by amy mengel on September 10, 2009

If you were born in the 1980s, how many Jennifers and Jasons did you go to school with? A lot, right? And then gradually, those names fell out of favor and were replaced by Ashley, Aidan, Madison, Ethan. Jennifer and Jason don’t even make the top 50 anymore. Other names have been more consistently popular, [...]

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