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What Marketers Can Learn from the Wu-Tang Clan

Many of those who are familiar with the Wu-Tang Clan might not know much about what they are, but certainly know what they ain’t. But now, listeners can add the moniker “ingenious marketers” to the list of phrases that could be used to describe the hip hop collective.

WuTangClanThe New York City-based rap group recently announced that it will sell only one copy of its “secret album,” tentatively titled “The Wu—Once Upon a Time in Shaolin.” Before that copy ultimately ends up in the hands of a collector—who will either hoard the music or share it with the world—fans will be able to hit “tour dates” across the country and fork over $50 to hear the 128-minute album’s 31 tracks. Continue reading “What Marketers Can Learn from the Wu-Tang Clan”

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Ready to do Some Content Marketing Spring Cleaning This Year?

If you’re anything like me, then you’ve been counting down the hours—not days, but hours—until spring comes rolling along. And now that it’s just around the corner (only 10 days away!) it’s time to start thinking about everything spring: birds chirping once again; buggies buzzing around; the soon-to-be beach weather; and the 2014 MLB and NCAA seasons if you’re a sports lover.

spring cleaning

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What Marketers Can Learn from Derek Jeter’s Retirement

Derek Jeter’s Feb. 12 announcement—that after spending 19 years in the Bronx, he plans on retiring after the 2014 season—wasn’t a huge shock to me. It’s likely Yankee management knew the news prior to the public, but how far in advance remains a mystery.

ImageThat said, the legendary shortstop will turn 40 in June and is only under contract through the end of this season. Whether he planned on playing after this year might have been unclear, but the fact that one day a man not named Jeter would patrol the shortstop dirt at Yankee Stadium sometime in the future was guaranteed (every athlete has a professional expiration date). Continue reading “What Marketers Can Learn from Derek Jeter’s Retirement”

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#Undefeated: What Marketers Can Learn from Cuse’s Incredible Win over Pitt

Wow… I don’t even know where to begin. Did you watch last night as Pitt came within 4.4 seconds of stealing my alma matter’s undefeated record? Am I rubbing salt in the wound? Should I stop now?

As a former Cuse grad who truly bleeds orange, last night was literally awe-inspiring. If you missed the game, the undefeated Orange went head-to-head with the incredible Pitt team to hold on to their winning record. It was nothing short of nail-biting and heart-pumping as Pitt looked as though they would finally be the team to steal our record-breaking run. And with 4.4 seconds to go in the game, Cuse down by one, freshman Tyler Ennis nailed a 35-footer to protect our record. Take a look right here if you missed it:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAOIdhEJ1Hg]

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Valentino Makes Egregious Marketing Mistake Using Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Funeral

Don’t get us wrong, content marketing is all about creating custom copy using unique sources, and that includes real-life events, but we don’t think the team at Italian fashion house Valentino fully understood this concept.

A wide array of A-list celebrities emerged to pay their last respects to award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman at his funeral on February 7—American Hustle star Amy Adams being one of them. However, Valentino was quick to play up the fact that Adams was toting its Garavani Rockstud Double bag, going so far as to specifically highlight the fact in a recent press release sent out.

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When Push Comes to Shove, Quality Content Wins the Day

I must confess, I have an unlikely favorite new TV show. That the show would become my new darling was improbable not only because it airs on PBS, but because the British accents and colloquialisms mean I often have to rewind to make sure I understand what is being said. Still, I have fallen in love with “Sherlock.”

Holmes

“Sherlock”—starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the famed detective and Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson—is produced by the BBC in England and airs on PBS in the U.S. Seasons consist of just three episodes, all running 90 minutes without commercials. Essentially, each season is like a trilogy of three movies that follow the adventures of younger, modern-day versions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famed characters.

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Content Marketing: The Power of a Compelling Story

shutterstock_143009551It is hard to believe that just a few days ago I was in beautiful Miami, Fla., attending TMC’s biannual ITEXPO event, the technology event of the year. It’s especially hard to believe considering the fact that Sunday night I left a city that was a balmy 80 degrees—sporting shorts and a tank top—for a city that hours later was pummeled by inches of snow.

But our week in sunny Miami was truly awe-inspiring. For five days our team had the chance to meet with countless companies, to hear the tales of their company, and to witness marketing and branding at its best. From the impressive trade show booth displays to the must-have swag (thanks CallTower for my awesome lip balm!), ITEXPO was buzzing with best-in-class marketing tactics. And we all took notice.

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