Brand Mix

Here's my summary of interesting things I read or seen recently. This week's edition focuses on some of the blogs recently added to my Google Reader (the best way I've found to keep track of different blogs, btw):

1) The Responsible Marketing Blog: Patrick Byers
A blog where "commerce and conscience come together." Recent posts include a story about Whopper's (banned) dump-your-friends app. on Facebook and a post about a couple of companies sponsoring the second "Evolution of Dance" video. (The first EOD video is #2 on YouTube's all-time most popular and this second one is nowhere near as good, IMHO)."

2) Thought Gadgets: Mediassociates
Ben Kunz responded with a great comment to my post about the elasticity of brand equity which led me to the Thoughts Gadget blog: "Advertising, marketing and the media ... what works." Recent posts include thoughts about MTV sexing things up to keep its flagging ratings up and this post about pricing in a deflation.

3) The Phoenix Principle: Adam Hartung
Adam has a very decided point of view about the need for businesses to reinvent themselves in the 21st century. Sort of Blue Ocean Strategy with a twist. His posts like this one about The New York Times hammer away at his themes about disrupting lock-ins and not getting dependent on old success formulae. (Sidebar: The posts use bold type a lot which is mildly irritating. If ALL CAPS is considered shouting, is too much bold type considered raising your voice?)

4) stuff for your brain to chew on: Denise Lee Yohn
"Insights, information and observations about brands" including a recent post taking on Al Reis for his opinion that brands need to stay focused and this one that questions whether anyone wants to be BFF with a detergent.

5) Marketing Geek: Michael Fassnacht
The "intersection of marketing and the 3 forces of revolution: data, technology, and great ideas." Posts include this one about the difference in growth expectations between the U.S. and Europe and this one about reasons to blog.

6) Fairfax Town Manager's Blog: Michael Rock
My home town reaches out to its local community with this blog that includes things of absolutely no interest to those living elsewhere like an update on FEMA projects post the 2005 floods (Rebuilding the Creek Road Bridge is completed - yeh!) and information about the 2nd Annual Ice Skating event (it was actually plastic skating). For another example of hyperlocal see here (so much more potential than realized so far).

That's it. See you next week for more stories from the world of brand strategy.