Believe it or not, I have nothing negative to say about Charlie Ray's (Director of New Media at Austin-based KXAN TV Station) take on the importance of LinkedIn.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
LinkedIn Opinion Video
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Brussels Anyone?
"Most of us are familiar with the terms "social networking" and "Web 2.0". Very few companies however really understand how to integrate these trends profitably into their corporate strategy. ThinkTomorrow is THE European platform where you will meet Industry Leaders and peers from other companies who have successfully implemented Web 2.0 elements into their online recruitment campaigns or sales & marketing departments."
ThinkTomorrow Conference
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Worst Ad Agency in Austin Award 2008
Ok readers, you've all seen the best of lists, the top ten lists, and all the others but, while those are all good, here's something a bit different:
**The Worst Ad Agency to Work for in Austin Award 2008**
Cast your vote by posting a comment and make sure to share why you feel the way you do.
Vote early and often....We'll crown a ~winner~ on Friday May 9th, 2008.
Text Messaging Question
Is it great or sad that I am using text messages to set a haircut
appointment?
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Wednesday's Work Whereabouts #7
On (some) Wednesdays I post a few online marketing, advertising, creative jobs.
Your end of the deal:
Job seekers: If you apply to one of my posted jobs, please tell them you heard about the job at Adomatica.com.
Job Posters: If you have any openings you would like for me to post, please send them my way. Also, If someone applies for a job and tells you they heard about it at Adomatica.com, please let me know.
That's a fair deal, right?
Here are today's postings:
Marketing Manager - Unsubcentral - Austin, TX (job not listed, but link will get you to the contract info to apply.)
Email Marketing Specialist - Spiceworks - Austin, TX (Also an unlisted job.)
Bomb Threat Ad Exec has Austin Tie?
I got this note from a reader last night:
"Rosalinda Baez who was arrested for making a false bomb threat at JFK on Monday currently works at Schematic in NY and used to work at Tocquigny a couple of years ago. She claims to be a web consultant for Dell, but that is a lie."
If you haven't heard about Rosalinda's little arrest-worthy remarks check these articles out:
JetBlue Bomb Scare's Rosalinda Baez May be Agency Exec
Jail her for air scare, passenger fumes
Bomb remark lands executive in cuffs
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
LatinWorks adds to la familia
Austin-based advertising agency LatinWorks has announced the purchase of Dallas-based ad agency Cultura. The amount paid has not been disclosed. Both agencies focus on the hispanic market and both had previously given up a minority stake to Omnicom. The media conglomerate will still hold a small stack in the merged group. A majority of Cultura's Dallas-based staff as well as chief executive Greg Knipp will be moving down to Austin to join the LatinWorks familia in their new digs in the newly renovated Capital Tower. Capital Tower will also be home to Dell/WPP's Project Davinci.
The Price is Wrong for GSD&M
GSD&M and Southwest Airlines are being sued by the owners of "The Price is Right" TV game show. At question is a Southwest Airlines campaign that involves a man waiting for a flight and is offered a spin at the prize wheel. The group that owns the TV game show will have to prove that the ad may confuse consumers and might also show that the music used in the commercial is too similar to the actual show theme song.
You be the judge: Watch the commercial
Monday, April 21, 2008
Right direction does not equal success
"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."
Will Rogers (1879-1935) American humorist
Friday, April 18, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
GSD&M Loses one to Wieden & Kennedy
Not a client, but an employee.
Wieden & Kennedy appoints Lee Newman as MD
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
What does Airlines Mergering Mean?
1. Fewer and more expensive flights :-(
2. Less companies with disappointed customers satisfaction :-)
3. Less clients for ad agencies :-I
Out on a Limb?
"Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?"
Frank Scully (1892-1964) American newspaper columnist
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
NCAA Slammed for Beer Ads (?!?!?)
I thought the beer ad volume was just about right (I also enjoy a cold beer from time- to-time.)and they were actually some of my favorite spots next to the Nike Sparq commercials.
Colleges Criticize Quantity of Beer Ads During NCAA Broadcasts
Wearing Out Not Rusting Out
"For us is the life of action, of strenuous performance of duty; let us live in the harness, striving mightily; let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out." Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) 26th president of the United States
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Kids and GSD&M
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Now...only $1799 to go!
I am training for a marathon.
I am raising money for cancer research/services.
I need your support.
I need you to click here to learn more.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
How do you use LinkedIn?
An interesting string/conversation at door64, an Austin-based tech online forum/group:
How do you use LinkedIn?
Tocquigny, Why not #1 ?
Austin-based Tocquigny was recently ranked #2 B2B interactive agency in the nation by BtoB magazine.
Press release: BtoB Magazine Ranks Tocquigny as No. 2 Interactive Advertising Agency in Nation
BtoB list: BtoB Top Agencies: Agency business strong despite tough economy
Congrats, but my question is this for the fine folks at Tocquigny: Why not #1?
Monday, April 7, 2008
Coremetrics Lands 5th Round $60 Million
In a fifth round of venture funding, Coremetrics raised $60 million. Originally founded by Brett Hurt (now of Bazaarvoice), the company provides digital marketing optimization solutions. 3i led the round, while Accel Partners, FTVentures and Highland Capital Partners chipped in some funds. Coremetrics is head-quartered in San Mateo while their R&D office in Austin.
Full press release: Coremetrics Secures $60 Million in Financing Led by 3i
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Who's Watching Who #30
Here's a Who's-Who of folks that have checked-out the blog
and/or emailed us to praise/complain, and/or any combination thereof over the past week...and here's the deal...If you visited us in the last week and don;t see your name, send me an email (robert at adomatica dot com) and tell me you visited and how much you love the blog and I'll be sure to give you some linky love next time:
Adconion - Ad Network - Global
Art Technology Group - Ecommerce solutions - Cambridge, MA
Burson Marsteller - PR Agency - Worldwide
Clay Finlay - Portfolio Management - NY and worldwide
Copy Craft Printers - I've used these guys...they are good...ask for Don Denny - Lubbock, TX
Dell - PCs - Austin, TX
Dryken Technologies - Austin, TX
Edelman - PR Agency - Worldwide
GCI Group - PR Agency - NY
GSD&M Idea City - Ad Agency - Austin, TX
GSI Commerce - e-commerce and multichannel solutions - King of Prussia, PA
KSL Media - Media Solutions Agency - NY and LA
McKool Smith - Lawyers - Austin, Dallas, Marshall, NY, and DC
Neiman Group - Ad Agency - PA
newScale - IT service catalog solutions - San Mateo, CA
National Instruments - Electronics - Austin, TX
Other World Computing - computer upgrades - Online Retailer
Pavone - Ad Agency - Harrisburg, PA
Powered - social commerce (at least for today) - Austin, TX
SpringBox - Interactive Marketing - Austin, TX
Stalelife - Creative Agency - Austin and Chicago
SXSW - Music, Interactive, and Movie convention/event - Austin, TX
TBWA - Ad Agency - Worldwide
Ticketmaster - Tickets for everything - Worldwide
Wieden+Kennedy - Ad Agency - Worldwide
Windy City Publishing - Chicago, IL
WPP Group - Agency Network - Worldwide
WRC Holdings - Investment group - London, UK
Yokubaitis Holdings - Texas
Crispin Porter + Bogusky - Where the hell were you last week? Are you tired of Adomatica? Have I been posting too much about other agencies? I'm sorry that one of yours moved to GSD&M. :-(
Also, this post marks the 30th Who's Watching post, so keep reading and we'll keep posting that you did.
Friday, April 4, 2008
GSD&M still in wild blue yonder
I'm so happy to be able to post some really good news regarding GSD&M. The greed, sex, drugs, and money gang, that keeps west 6th street bars in business, has retained the United States Air Force account (9 nine year / ~$372 million contract). Interpublic Group of Cos.' DraftFCB was the other agency invited to pitch for the business which GSD&M had first won back in 2000.
Thank you USAF for not dropping a bomb on GSD&M...this time.
Nike Sparq - List of Demands
The song by Saul Williams from the Nike Sparq commercial by Wieden+Kennedy.
Here is the Nike Sparq commercial that has to be my favorite of all the new ads that have been running during the NCAA basketball games (March Maddness) on CBS.
Possible New Names for DaVinci
Dell Vinci
Inside the Box
Project Consolidation
Dell Central
Client One
Omnidell
Got any other suggestions?
More Da Vinci Pieces in Place
There is still no CEO or permanent name, but here are some new folks who have joined WPP/Dell's Project Da Vinci:
Joe Scangamor, previously chief financial officer for the Americas region at WPP's Group M, will be global CFO and COO
Ken Segall, executive creative director
Valerie Hausladen, general manager of the Austin office
Kelly McGinnis, will head-up public relations.
and a bit of news on Project Da Vinci's locations (from an Advertising Age article):
"The global agency will be headquartered in New York, the spokesman said. Other locations domestically include a large Austin office, a San Francisco office and a Miami office -- focusing primarily on marketing Dell in Latin America."
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Pessimist vs. Optimist
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
McGarrah/Jessee Hits the Slopes
Austin-based McGarrah/Jessee has won its second new client of the year. (The other is high-end sunglasses manufacturer Costa Del Mar.) Heavenly Mountain Ski Resort in Lake Tahoe has award Mc-J with its ~$2 million branding account. The prior agency of record was San Francisco-based Y&R.
I am waiting with giddy anticipation for the first Mc-J produced radio or TV ad that features that same deep voice they use in most of their ads i.e. Whataburger or McCoy's.
T3 April Fools' Day Party 2008 Update
So, I went to T3's April Fools' Day party last night. I had heard about their April 1st parties, put together to celebrate CEO Gay Gaddis' birthday, for quite some time and was lucky enough to get an invite. This year's theme was Arabian Nights and this manifested itself with hookahs, belly dancers, and Baba Ghanoush....oh, I almost forgot the very Arabic Shiner Bock...come on...Shiner is at least sorta east of Austin.
The highlight of the evening was getting a chance to chat with T3's, SVP of Creative Services & Account Planning, Jay Suhr. You might recall that Jay is a major award winner. Jay now also holds the honor of being the first person to call me an "agency spy" to my face. I think he was joking around...or at least I hope he was as he also mentioned something about having me "sacrificially thrown out" of the party. Well, I wasn't thrown out and I was also able to say hello to several other T3ers I have befriended over the years.
Thanks to Gay and Lee Gaddis for putting on such a nice party and for keeping the T3 ship afloat all these years. I could tell from the partying clients and team members that they really have built a happy family.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
T3 April Fools' Day Party 2008
year's theme is "Arabian Nights". I'll report back later.