Category: Content Management

We Deserve Better Quality Business Events, Conferences & Seminars

Too many conferences and events over sell and under deliver. I am increasingly finding this unacceptable.

BORING event
Only Another Seven Keynotes To Go Before Coffee…

Over the last twelve months I have attended a lot of marketing, digital and innovation themed conferences, seminars and industry events. A few were a great investment of my time and money. Some were disappointing – but free. Too many of them however were, universally awful. The worst offenders were more hype over substance and I felt ripped off paying for them as I gained nothing from the experience. Isn’t it time we deserved better, smarter and more productive business conferences, events and seminars?
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Book Reviews Part Two: Social, Digital And Innovation

Six Books That Have Crossed My Desk Recently
Six Books That Have Crossed My Desk Recently

In the second of this two-part series I am reviewing three more excellent books; ‘The Little Black Book of Innovation’ by Scott D Anthony, ‘Likeable Social Media’ by Dave Kerpen and ‘Pioneers of Digital’ by Paul Springer and Mel Carson. Together they deliver some great answers  to relevant questions, such as; What are the deadly sins of innovation? How should a brand develop digital content and engage with consumers in social media? And what kind of people helped create digital landmarks such as iTunes, Lastminute.com and TED? Read on to find our more. Or, alternatively go to Part One to see my reviews of ‘Strategic Partnering’ by Luc Bardin, ‘Brandscaping’ by Andrew M Davis and ‘Media Franchising’ by Derek Johnson by clicking right here…

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Book Reviews Part One: Partnership, Franchising And Brandscaping

In the first of this two-part series I am reviewing three recent books; ‘Strategic Partnering’ by Luc Bardin, ‘Brandscaping’ by Andrew M Davis and ‘Media Franchising’ by Derek Johnson.

Six Books That Have Crossed My Desk Recently
and  Six Books That Have Crossed My Desk Recently

I try to keep my radar tuned-in whilst trying to avoid too much of the noise. And for that reason there is still something essentially useful about a well structured book with quality content. My lecturing work at Tech Music School in Fulham and developing a paper on media industry collaboration for Henley Management School has seen me explore a number of interesting avenues from a range of great writers recently. From the latest thinking on strategic partnering and innovation to the lessons to be learnt from digital pioneers and brand & media franchising.

In the first of this two-part series I am reviewing; ‘Strategic Partnering’ by Luc Bardin, ‘Brandscaping’ by Andrew M Davis and ‘Media Franchising’ by Derek Johnson.

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My Blog Cloud 2013 – Not A Bitcoin Or Selfie Or Twerking In Sight.

blog cloud 2013 B2013 was a year that saw conversations speckled with comments on recovery, growth and creativity. The Economist says that Selfie and Bitcoin were the big words of the year. And many learnt the delights of twerking. But the big words for me last year were Data, Cafe Workshops and Collaboration. And according to my blog tag cloud, there was a fairly large amount of innovation, creativity, working and reading too.

Will Spotify Kill iTunes?

When iTunes Store launched in 2003 it seemed like a gift from the future, so simple, so efficient so obviously better than other distribution channels. Spotify now changes that future, making iTunes now appear expensive, complicated, restrictive.

Two recent articles in HBR comment on the likely impact of Spotify – and how the launch of the Swedish music service could spell a radical change in the future of the music business, the broader content industry – and even Apple’s iTunes service. Maxwell Wessell points out that Spotify is a classic ‘low end disrupter’ that ironically could now have the same impact upon Apple – that iTunes originally had on the music retailing business – whilst James Allworth suggests consumers could get a shock if the Swedish system changes its pricing..

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Content: It’s All A Little Bit More Complicated Now

The digital technologies have changed the world of entertainment licensing and its all a little bit more complicated now.

Its often a little bit more complicated...

Last week I was lucky enough to spend an evening being entertained by scientific stats, facts and wonders presented by Professor Brian Cox, Simon Singh and Ben Goldacre on their Uncaged Monkeys Tour. Whilst at times the science both baffled as well as entertained – one particular part of the show struck a chord: that the natural response of a good and rational scientist to people making sweeping statements, should always be along the lines of –  ‘things are a little bit more complicated than that‘.

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Why Benchstone?

A bench stone is used to build and sharpen valuable blades and other important tools. Bench stones are specialist resources and some are even diamond coated. Over twenty years I have come to passionately believe that partnerships and alliances are vital and valuable marketing tools that when properly managed can give businesses a unique cutting edge  – creating an advantage that is difficult, expensive if not impossible for rivals to replicate. And Benchstone Marketing Limited is established to support senior management, brands and organisations plan, pioneer and sharpen their marketing partnerships.

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Google Launches ‘Think Quarterly’ Magazine

The creative industries and Google have not always been a perfect union and the term ‘frienemy’ better describes it. Interesting to see Google therefore creating its own digital magazine -‘Think Quarterly’ – designed by The Church Of London Agency and distributed for their top partners and advertisers. As befits Google, it has no advertising and all the content is free. Just the way Google likes it. Do No Evil and all that. And – it is a decent read. The first issue is based around the theme of data – and has a lot of proper articles on the good, the bad and the ugly side of data, plus Near Field Communications, Mobile marketing and of course – Search. Further issues are set for May, July and October – and you can receive RSS. A nice article explains more about it in Media Guardian.  Google launches Think Quarterly magazine.

ITV’s Crozier: Collaborative Media Partnerships Are Key

Adam Crozier, the Chief Executive of ITV reveals in an interview in The Guardian that collaborative partnerships will be vital to the future of the broadcaster – and in a multi-channel and ‘non-linear’ world, content owners and distribution channels will have to look at challening new models, including working with brands and organisations traditionally viewed as their media rivals. This reflects the broader trend for collaboration and partnerships to be increasingly seen as the key driver for innovation (see my earlier post on this trend at http://tinyurl.com/6cyhyzp.

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Hollywood leads the way on how to create brand partnerships

An interesting piece reminding how the movie industry uses promotional marketing Partnerships to drive massive value and exposure. Many marketers will no doubt consider the unique appeal of entertainment means such partenrships sit more naturally in Hollywood. However – the principles are the same as for any other marketing partnership. What can you build and offer your collaborators and how can you gain leverage for what they can offer you?

For more information, see Benchstone.

via Hollywood lead’s the way on how to create brand partnerships.