The decrease in commenting can be accredited to none other then social media. More and more people are opting to share posts they find interesting rather then comment. And guess what? It’s good for business! Think of it this way… having a client tell you they are happy with the work you provided them is great, but what’s even better is having that client tell 5 friends they are happy with the work YOU provided them.

Adding a sharing tool (a widget that allows your blog visitors to easily send your link out to their social networks) is a great way to get visibility and drive your brand values.  It’s also a great way to get a group of people talking about your brand who otherwise wouldn’t.  Be sure to look for sharing plugins that make it easy for you to track who is sharing your link. (AddThis is the industry standard, it’s easy to install and best of all free).

As nice as it is to hear all the positive feedback you also want to be able to track down any negative issues as well (remember social networking is a great opportunity for customer service . Add sharing tools to your blog today to open the conversation… to everyone.

3D Printing on YouTube

My good friend Dan recently shared this incredible video about 3D Printing. I am familiar with 3D printing—in fact my engagement ring was made possible through the use of a 3D printer—but I had never stopped to think about the possibilities. What really amazed me was that this printer can create moving parts. Genius!

They mention space in the video and I can only imagine that astronauts must need to pack every tool imaginable in case of potential problems while in space. With a printer like this all they would need is a computer file and if need be they could print the tool on demand. Not only is that a space saver but such a sense of security as well.

Now all I want to do is own a 3D printer. I am told that this sounds something like the Makers from the futuristic comic Transmetropolitan:

Makers are great. No argument. You turn to your maker and say, “Give me a roast dog leg, tossed salad, a black linen shirt, and a taser,” and bang, out it all comes. Makers aren’t particularly bulky, nor power-thirsty, and an average middle-class family can afford a good one.

But.

Makers are designed to operate with base blocks—superdense chunks of neutral matter which the maker breaks down and recombines into whatever you’ve requested. And base blocks are horrendously expensive. Out of a middle class family’s price range. So the stores sell a converter that allows the maker to use ordinary garbage as the base. Not as efficient, and the mileage stinks, but there you go.

Which leads me to the city’s new pest. Middle class families raiding the backyards of the lower classes for garbage—because if you’ve got a maker, you don’t make garbage. Only those without makers buy prepackaged food and clothing… Transmetropolitan #2, “I Hate It Here”

The predicted future from a comic book could become our reality? Given a 3D printer can not produce a tossed salad, it still has a vast array of objects it can create.

So say that these printers become affordable and a part of our everyday life, like computers and cell phones; what will this mean for the brand names that manufacture the products we are now able to print at home? Will this push brands to create higher quality products? Will it force them to reduce their prices drastically? Perhaps their business will completely change and instead of selling us the finished product we will purchase Craftsman 3D printer files from their website, from the comfort of our own homes.

Also, imagine the reduction of waste if this printer material is recyclable. Or the impact this may have on the global economy and products imported from foreign countries. Could this be the next technology to change our everyday lives?

Sealed with a K.I.S.S. – The look and feel of this site is very simple and clean.  The Keep It Stupid Simple principle is most certainly applied.  With social networking the content is driven by users whose content cannot be anticipated.  Keeping the site design simple allows the website to avoid looking cluttered.

Easy Catch – The usability of the site is also pretty intuitive. The different sections on the site all have catchy names that make it easy for you to associate them with their purpose.  All your updates and friends updates can be found on the Stream, Your friends can be found and grouped together in the Circles section, conversations happen over in the Huddle, and Spark is the section dedicated to showcasing and discovering things that interest you – a strategic repurposing of Google’s all powerful search.  Finally if you need some face time with a friend or two head on over to the Hangout section for video chatting.

Seamlessly Annoying – Since this is a Google product naturally the site seamlessly integrates all your Google accounts into your profile.  No need to upload pictures.  Your Picasa (soon to be Google photos) automatically feeds into your Google+ account.  As much as I enjoy having one less thing to do this ended up being even more of a hassle as I had to go into my Picasa account and change the visibility settings to a ton of my albums.

Out of Business – If you are wondering how and if your company should set up a Google+ account the only answer is no.  Google has yet to open up the new site to businesses and brands and in this early stage most users are just familiarizing themselves with the network and are more focused with building their personal circles.

Even though Google+ isn’t a place for brands just yet I think Google definitely has the clout to make this a top contender in the social networking scene which in the future could lead to a new venue for online advertising. I encourage you to bookmark the site and keep your eye on it for future marketing opportunities.. In the interim take note on Google’s simple, clean, and catchy approach to social networking which is a + in my book.

Right under your nose – The first place to look for social media followers is your client list.  Current or past clients are the ideal audience to build a foundation for your fan base because they (hopefully) have a good relationship with your company and will have no problems letting people in their network know how much they enjoy working with you.

If WE build it – We’ve all heard the saying ‘If you build it, they will come.”  Unfortunately it isn’t that easy with social media.  Including your audience in decisions and encouraging them to voice their opinions will make them root for you much harder. When WE build it instead of YOU not only will people come they will tell their friends about it.

Make it worth their while – The more brands realize the importance of social media, the more saturated social networking sites are becoming.  People have the option to follow hundreds upon hundreds of their favorite brands. In order to stand out you’ll need something exclusive to offer your followers. Whether it is exclusive information or special offers/discounts, show your online community you appreciate them.

Follow the leader – A great way to build a following is to tap into a community that already exists by building a relationship with its leaders. Look for popular bloggers in your field, follow them and engage in online conversations.  Their networks will soon notice your back and forth and their curiosity will most likely get you a few new followers.

Make friends, not enemies – Definitely  try different tactics for gaining new followers to see what works and what doesn’t however, there is one method that has proven to be a social networking no-no.  Do not bombard your followers’ networks with unsolicited messages/request to follow you.  Most social networking sites have strict rules on this practice; mainly it’s spam. Spamming is counterproductive to building your network since your account will most likely be suspended.

Taking these tips into consideration, your follower count should go up in no time.  Remember to provide valuable information and engage with your new found friends. Staying an active member of your own online community is just as important as seeing the numbers rise.

1. Fonts for Websites: Probably the #1 complaint of web designers is being forced to use web-safe fonts in an HTML environment, selection of which is extremely limited (14 to be exact). Much to my joy Typekit and Fontdeck were introduced as solutions to this limited number of web-safe fonts problem. These handy websites make it possible to use non-web safe fonts with a simple line of code. They way they work is that sign up and basically subscribe to their font library which are pretty expansive.  I have had the opportunity to use Typekit and was extremely satisfied with the results. It is a great way to enhance websites and a fantastic step forward for the future of web design.

2. Letterpress: Letterpress is like the little engine that could. As much as people tout that print is dead, letterpress manages to keep paper looking elegant and worthy of simple and beautiful design. Letterpress is a type of printing that involves pressing an inked letter or pattern block into a piece of paper leaving behind an impression in the paper. The effect is subtle but this unique aesthetic continues to be showcased on business cards, packaging and invitations as the go-to method for making the “best impression.”

3. Apple continues to pave the way: The iPad is the biggest selling gadget of last year, selling over 8 million of them. These touch screen tablets have been an overwhelming success for Apple. The minimal and sleek design seems to really resonate with consumers and has raised the bar as far as product design goes (it doesn’t hurt that the technology encased inside is incredible too). Along with this surge of tablets, designers and developers are continually coming together to create smart and intuitive interfaces and apps. The increased use of mobile devices (cell phones and tablets) is a growing trend and products will only continue to get smaller and faster.

4. Great design in product packaging: Packaging continues to be in my opinion, some of the most innovative and best design out there. As competition on the shelf heats up and consumers gravitate more towards the picking products based on design and packaging. Studies have shown that if two items are similarly priced, the consumer will purchase the one that has a better design. Brands such as Mrs. Meyers, Bausch + Lomb, Archer Farms continue to breakaway from conventional types of packaging and design. Check out the Dieline for a fantastic showcase and resource for packaging design.

5. Typography for Lawyers: This is a great website that does an excellent job of explaining typography in a thoughtful and practical way. It also gives a great overview on how to make documentation look better. It’s refreshing to see recognition of typography by the professional set and not just designers.

6. 30 Conversations on Design: This website is a great resource that is both inspiring and intriguing to watch. It centers around what 30 of the top designers answer is to a themed question.

Do get noticed – While I certainly do not agree with Mr.Sheen’s approach for attention I do encourage a marketing campaign that is a little out the box.  If you already follow this blog, then you know I am a big fan of giveaways, viral campaigns, and clever messaging as ways to add some pizzazz to your existing marketing efforts.

Do use catchy one-liners – It is undeniable that the reason people are obsessed with Charlie sheen is his clever [or crazy] one liners. Consumable sound bytes resonate with your target audience and, if you’re lucky, can become part of their everyday speech (think about Nike’s Just Do It or the Army’s Be All That You Can Be.)  Catchy messaging can go far beyond a campaign to give your brand sustainability.

Do use social media – Much like Kanye West, after Charlie had his public breakdown, the celebrity joined Twitter and continued his media frenzy online.  Using some of his more popular catch phrases as hash tags Sheen managed to extend his 15 min of fame.  Whether it is Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or even just a blog, having a presence on social media is a great way for your company to connect with new audiences, help with search engine optimization and, just like Charlie Sheen, continue your offline momentum on a new channel.

Don’t respond negatively – From TV execs to media personalities, part of Charlie Sheen’s antics have been to publicly insult anyone he feels [or has felt] offended by. With social media it is particularly important to know how to respond to negative feedback.  If someone posts negative feedback on your company’s profile see that as an opportunity for customer service.  Respond to the person and try and resolve their problem.  Your other followers will appreciate your dedication.  If someone is posting nasty comments that can not be resolved simply ignore the posts.  If the post are offensive to others and are happening very often you may want to block the user and delete their comments.

Don’t confuse your audience – Although people are living the Sheen dream and loving all of the one liners, sometimes Charlie Sheen gets to into his own head and starts nonsensically rambling. When marketing your business it is important to stay on target and have clear messaging in all your communications.

Taking these 5 lessons into consideration will keep your companies marketing efforts winning.

Black Swan
There were two very different posters done for this movie. The above is the one released stateside. It is a straight-on shot of a red-eyed Natalie Portman in full black swan regalia with an enigmatic Mona Lisa smile set against a highly contrasting white background. The contrast is interesting, maybe representing being in the spotlight or the innocence of ballet. Or maybe it’s just a juxtaposition of color used to emphasize the heavy make-up and sinister expression. Either way, it’s a good representation of the movie. Rating 4/5

In addition, there was a second set of limited edition, art deco-inspired posters released internationally. (The film wasn’t released outside of the U.S. until after the new year). There were a total of four posters in this series, all of which I think were beautifully done and a testament to the power of good design. They are simple but well executed with a three-color palette of black, red and cream, interesting typography and clever illustrative use of negative space that captures different aspects of the movie. Rating 5/5

The Fighter
This poster was one of my least favorites. With such a powerful title and two big name movie stars, it wasted so much potential. The photography of Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale leaning against the ropes of a ring looking slightly pensive and uninterested is underwhelming. If a picture is worth a thousand words, there is only one that comes to mind, boring. The photography could have been far more interesting and dynamic. The same goes for the typography. With a two word title like this, it could have been more creatively executed with something more bold and unique. The whole look is too safe, uninspiring and lacking a fighting spirit. Rating: 1/5

Inception
The poster for this interesting and mind-bending movie was well-done. It does a good job of capturing the look and feel of the movie with the foreboding use of the grays and blues. The movie title is creatively executed so that it is mimicking the other buildings. This movie had multiple posters, but this one was by far my favorite. It represents the movie well, is smart and well executed. Rating: 5/5

127 Hours
This poster does a great job showcasing the spirit of adventure and creating a visual tension for the  protagonist. Caught precariously between two rock formations, its as if to say he is between “a rock and a hard place.” (Which from my understanding is an underlying theme to of movie.) The photography is well chosen with the gorgeous colors of the sunset as a backdrop. I liked the fact that there was tagline of  “Every Second Counts;” it is a nice addition. Rating: 4/5

The King’s Speech
This poster leaves a lot to be desired. The three main characters are shown, but the fact that they are looking in different directions eliminates any connection between them. The choice of photography is questionable and unflattering. Since the story is based on royalty, they should look far more dignified and refined. I also don’t understand the clouds in the background. Something denoting the war might have been a better choice considering the film is set during war time. I think that this poster lacks any real thoughtfulness or creativity. It looks like a period-piece poster template from the mid-90′s. Rating: 1/5

The Social Network
The “Facebook” movie poster is interesting. The type over the face of the main character makes it look much more like a book cover then a movie poster. The statement is provocative and is a good tease to the movie’s theme. The type over the face may also serve as a visual metaphor for the main character taking up an endeavor that completely overtakes him, for better or worse. The Facebook-branded sidebar on the right of the poster, however, is unnecessary and out of place. If the poster was trying to emulate a Facebook page that would have been a good solution but combining the two different themes certainly doesn’t work. Rating: 2.5/5

The Kids Are All Right
This poster is all right. The type being front and center is nice and the color palette is smart. The blue and yellow go nicely together and provide an overall cheery outlook.  The photo shows the family from the movie gathered around a meal smiling and laughing. This is slightly misleading since the theme of the movie is centered around the “alternative family.” This photo does not really capture that and I can’t help but wonder if that is because they didn’t want to emphasize the sensitive topic of same-sex parents. I think I would have rather seen an illustrated solution for this poster. It could have been a more creative and clever way to explain the premise of two lesbian parents and their children who go looking for their biological dad. Rating: 3/5

Toy Story 3
The Toy Story brand is very well established. For its third installment, the poster is fantastic. It includes all of the toys that are included in the movie with our heroes, Buzz and Woody atop holding the number 3. Visually there is a lot to take in reminding me of one of those arcade games that is a filled with toys and has a mechanical “claw” to pick them up. Overall it is a fun and colorful poster for a beloved movie franchise. Rating: 4/5

True Grit
The poster is a straightforward typographical solution. The Western theme is clear with the bold use of type and yellowed paper. The bleeding bullet hole is an interesting element, foretelling gun play. The movie type could have gone on the top and the actors’ names could have been smaller and possibly depicted through daguerreotype photography that was common at that time. Overall, it’s a good poster, but it could have been better. Rating: 3/5

Winter’s Bone
This independent movie has a very mainstream feel to its poster. The overall mood is dark and serious. The premise of the movie is that the main character is looking for her dad, and I think that is shown well here. She certainly looks like she is in search of something. Overall, I think that the poster is well done. I especially like the silhouette lining of trees as it does a great job of breaking up the space into an interesting v-shape.  Rating: 4/5

2011 Oscar Winner of the Best Movie Poster goes to: Black Swan for their illustrated poster series

Tumblr is a microblogging site that has been gaining popularity thanks to its super simple interface that allows users to post and more importantly share posts of interest easily.   Many media outlets  have started to use Tumblr as a tool to gain visibility and new traffic to their sites and blogs. Newsweek pioneered the way with many others such as NPR, Huffington Post, & the Economist jumping on the Tumblr band wagon. These companies have all been using the site to post condensed content that redirects readers to their main blogs and/or websites. This has helped them attract a newer audience almost daily.

If your blog or website views are coming to a lull you may want to look into signing up. Keep in mind as great as Tumblr is, it isn’t for everyone. Organizations that cater to mass audiences versus B2B may find more benefits to Tumblr. If you do decide to give Tumblr a whirl here are a few tips:

• Your Tumblr posts should be related to the content on your main site but not as intense.
• Try following Tumblr pages with similar content as yours.
• The more people you interact with on Tumblr the more people will interact with you (ensuring higher visibility to your brand and message.)

Following these simple guidelines and maybe Tumblr can have the blog views rolling in.

The  new logo is significantly different from the former, going from the colorful and bold illustrative logo with the words Comedy Central  brandished atop of buildings/globe to a much more sterile and simple  word mark. That is not to say that simple is necessarily a bad thing, it is just a huge contrast for the look of the network. The strength of the new logo lies within the clever typography; a humorous wink of “central”  spelled backwards and is upside down. It is well done, but the choice of type in both its all-caps and proportion, looks a little like the Cartoon Network’s.

That aside, the icon is made up of two C’s, one backwards C surrounded by a smaller C. Already there has been speculation that it looks like the  copyright symbol, and I believe that was the actual intention. If you  look closely at the brightly colored branded pieces below, the C icon is superscripted in the corner as if they are trying to convey they are “copyrighting” comedy. It’s an interesting solution once the intention is realized maybe suffering from being a little too clever for its own good.  The logo by itself is a bit lackluster – within its branding it’s refreshing and comes to life. Overall it is a smart and subtle solution. Appropriate for the digital space that it will occupy for the next decade. Nowadays it is no longer about a static singular logo but more about being able a wrap a brand around constantly evolving content/media.  This logo does that successfully.

Video explaining the new logo and launch: http://www.comedycentral.com/jan2011/

In this video this flashes across the screen:
“We   should explain…Our logo has changed. No longer do you see the big   buildings and globe that quite literally said COMEDY CENTRAL on top of   it. Please welcome the new mark. We affectionately call it the   COMEDYMARK. It works WAY F*CKING better than that other one we had. Big   building y globe, you served us well, but we moved on.”

In  closing, a new logo for a beloved brand is always an uphill battle.  Unless of course the logo that is being updated is truly awful. In this  case it wasn’t.  Comedy Central is doing an excellent job launching it. Announcing the logo, showcasing how the brand is going to roll out  and defending both the new look and explaining the departure from the old look, is a very smart move.

Customer Input Reinvented – Starbucks My Idea is a social community that lives on the Starbucks website. The concept is simple. Customers make suggestions on what they want to see in the stores. Sounds like any other forum right? Well the genius behind this is that Starbucks actually selects the ideas with the most buzz and makes them happen. It’s taking listening to its customers to a whole new level and paying off in a big way for the coffeehouse.

Adapting to Your Target – There is no doubt that social media had a huge part in the last presidential election. President Obama’s campaign truly embraced this new era of marketing. Not only did his campaign set up profiles on all the major social networking sites, they also used tools such as Ustream to broadcast speeches on the web and an IPhone app that encouraged people to spread the word and vote. Obama’s approach captivated younger voters and they came out in droves to the polls. His fresh approach to politics and marketing were a winning combination. Let’s see if he can use these techniques to bring up his approval ratings…

Interacting With Your Audience – When Old Spice wanted to sell more body wash they realized they had to take a new approach – they bypassed their customers and went straight to their girlfriends. Old Spice launched a comical commercial featuring a tall dark and handsome guy enticing women to buy Old Spice body wash for their boyfriends so that they could smell just like him. The commercial was a hit and Old Spice took it to the next level. Old Spice launched personalized YouTube video responses to people who tweeted the Old Spice guy. Fans of the commercial loved this unique interaction so much that the campaign gained nationwide recognition for its innovative use of social networking.

Building a Brand – Chicago-based T-shirt company Threadless lives, breathes, and eats social media. For those who aren’t familiar, Threadless is a company that allows people to submit t-shirt designs to their site. Threadless customers then vote on which shirt designs will be sold for that week and the winning designers not only get their shirts sold but also some cash. Basically the company’s website in itself is an online community. Threadless is known for using social networking to build their brand and secure brand buy in. Their customers love how accessible and interactive they are and they have the following to prove it.

As you see with the examples i mentioned social media marketing is not to different from traditional marketing efforts you are use to yet when done correctly the results speak for themselves. With a little research, time, and effort your brand could also see big results by implementing social media into your marketing plan.