“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ernest Hemmingway
The concept of buyer personas, as a means for understanding buyers, has been around now for over a decade. It is an understatement to say many things have changed in the world of buying and selling since their beginning.
We have witnessed the changing dynamics of the buyer-seller relationship. The dynamics I refer to are buying behaviors and buyer goals. On the other side of the coin, we see marketing and sales making attempts to adapt. The concepts of content marketing, lead nurturing, insight-based selling, customer experience, and brand management emphasized. These practices have been introduced as gateways to connecting with buyers in the new digital age.
Adapting to New Realities
Personas, at their core, were introduced as a tool to communicate the goals and behaviors of users and buyers. Specifically for informing strategies related to product design and marketing to buyers. For B2B Marketing and Sales, a clearer picture has begun to emerge around the goals and behaviors of buyers. Yet, there are many more miles to go. My endeavor and work with organizations over the past decade lead me to... Read more
Tagged 'brand' 
7 Steps for Better Branded Journalism
I don’t pretend to be a savvy shopper, but when I dive wallet-first into the clearance section at The Gap, I tend to stock up on accessories in my favorite color — black. Why? It’s a universal truth that black goes with everything.
So does branded journalism. In the words of veteran digital content guru Ann Handley, “Content is the new black.”
Handley is right, branded journalism (also known as brand journalism or branded content) has caught on like a wildfire this year. From Tory Burch’s fantastic branded blog to Mint.com’s MintLife section, brands realize the value of consumer-facing content like articles, photos or videos, and are rushing to create some with the company name on it.
Why? For a lot of the reasons we discussed in the first post in this series and mainly because consumers are demanding it. As brands become more accessible to fans through social media, people want more from brands than their products and services. So much so, even Twitter is looking to hire a Head of News. That leads us to branded journalism.
But branded journalism breaks the natural order of business that advertisers, journalists and businesses have subscribed to for decades. This makes some people nervous, traditionalists... Read more
You've Got A Video Problem
In the pre-digital days there really wasn’t a need for brands to produce more than the ads that went on traditional media. Now they need to produce an almost constant stream of fresh content to keep up with digital channels and social media.
The Rise and Ruckus of Branded Journalism
For brands, the need for journalistic content stems from growing branded communities in social spaces. As brands and consumers engage in more personal conversations via social, consumers simply demand more from them.
Photos from the iMedia Brand Summit Super Bowl Party
What do you get when you cross the iMedia Brand Summit and Super Bowl XLVII? A wild and exciting Super Bowl party.
Sponsored by TubeMogul, the welcome reception and Super Bowl party at the iMedia Brand Summit was amazing. Whether you were from the east or west coast, the atmosphere was saturated with cheers, laughter and overwhelming energy.
In the end, the Baltimore Ravens would take home the trophy, and more than a few attendees left hanging their heads, (followed by an equal amount jumping for joy). Check out some of the images captured during the action at this awesome event.
The game was projected on three huge screens
TubeMogul sponsored the fun event and handed out prizes throughout the night. Visit their website here
A table of attendees watch intently, two plays before the Ravens second touchdown
The venue had a great tailgate theme, TubeMogul brought in two huge Ford F-250 Super Duty trucks to keep the drinks cold
The party was a fun way to connect early into the summit
The best tables were up front
The stage was set for some awesome prizes throughout the night
Of course, both the attendees and the NFL announcers were baffled by the 30 minute Superdome mid-game blackout
The food was amazing,... Read more
