Ban Campaign Promises and other Electoral Rants
Campaign promises. What are they good for. Absolutely nothing. I wish we could get rid of campaign promises. If you are in government then a campaign promise is just something…
Marketing
It’s *NOT* Junk Mail
I recognize that we all like to apply labels to categorize things, as shorthand in communication and in conversation, and to identify common views and beliefs. I do it myself;…
Learning Junk Food Marketing Manipulates, Teens Consume Less
Healthy eating can be a challenge when millions of dollars are spent everyday trying to convince us to eat junk food. It turns out that telling the truth to teens…
Local media is letting us down
Rule number one in The Elements of Journalism is: “journalism’s first obligation is to the truth.” Number three is “Its essence is a discipline of verification.” Keep those two in…
An Ad Campaign That Sells More Than a Product
It can be hard navigating the world as a person with a disability, be it mental or physical, and it can be even harder to make friends. Unfortunately there is…
Why Fonts Matter
The first problem I have when receiving a new book on typography is that I spend far too much time looking up the typefaces described or sampled therein, and searching…
Marketing Wow
Advertising and marketing, design and public relations, influence and persuasion – they all fascinate me. I love to listen to Terry O’Reilly’s show on CBC (both Age of Persuasion and…
What goes into a web/analytics report for higher ed?
Last week, I posted about Key Performance Indicators for independent school and higher ed admission advertising. Those figures can be used together to measure the performance of online advertising efforts…
Responses to my article in CURRENTS (CASE’s Magazine)
Back in January, CASE published my article on using inbound marketing to reach admissions marketing goals in their magazine and online. I’ve been trying to keep track of the responses…
The ‘Sharing Economy’ is a Hoax
Stop calling it the sharing economy. It’s an oxymoron, like ‘creation science’ or ‘sustainable capitalism.’ It’s not collaborative: it’s the new indentured servant economy. If you believe these corporations are...
Progress Alberta, new progressive advocacy group, will make waves … not just with opponents but maybe on own side too
PHOTOS: The Alberta Legislature, suitably decorated for the province’s progressive and proudly diverse population. Below: Progress Alberta Executive Director Duncan Kinney. Progress Alberta, a new group that describes itself as…
Law Firm Marketing: Finding an Online/Offline Balance
There is no shortage of evangelism out there on the importance of the Internet as a platform for marketing law firms. I’ve certainly attempted to be a strong voice on…
The Gauche in the Machine
Rudibus ex machina: criticizing Collingwood’s latest newsletter feels a bit like punching a puppy. Or commenting on the sloppy grammar of local bloggers. Both are far too easy, like catching…
HubSpot Academy Inbound Certification
Hi all, I’d like to share that I retook the Inbound Certification exam offered by HubSpot, which follows their Inbound Methodology (and passed)! I also took today to learn all…
The advancement of digital and social media campaign development and analysis
You might not expect something with a title that dry to be thrilling for me to write, but it is. Four years ago I was completing a project I had…
SlawTips: 5 Tips on Marketing for Law Firms (Video)
The world of marketing remains a bit of a mystery for many legal professionals. We know enough about it that many of us become do-it-ourselfers for our websites, blogs and…
I’m teaching copywriting at UBC
This week I begin teaching a UBC Continuing Studies course on copywriting. While I’ve given plenty of workshops and conference presentations, I’m very much looking forward to working with the…
Hugs With Arms: art for folks who give a damn
After a little more than a year quietly toiling away between client projects, I’ve finally unveiled my own pet project, Hugs With Arms. Spurred by stories of socially-engaged artists who…
A Treasure Trove
A recent trip to Toronto to see family and friends – and celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary – also netted me a treasure trove of books, thanks to the proximity…
Ontario’s liquor sales conundrum
The C.D. Howe Institute released its report on beer and wine sales in Ontario, today, advocating for a more liberal approach and allowing beer and wine to be sold in…