While this is a marketing blog, there are certain issues that come up in every business that can derail not only any marketing campaign, but also the entire company. That’s why, every so often on here we focus on these key issues, and then relate it back to the world of marketing. Recently I was out with a friend who was telling me about her boss. She claims to likes her job, however she told me multiple times that her boss is “an idiot”. She said she felt like her boss lucked into his position and was doing more harm…

Tags: advertising, advertising agency, business, business tip, corporate culture, Joel Matlin, leadership, marketing, marketing agency, marketing blog, marketing issues, matlin, matlin creative

The marketing world keeps getting weirder and weirder. It’s almost as if marketing agencies are trying to one up each other, seeing who can get their clients to agree to task them to create the strangest campaigns. It’s like a bizarre version of dare. I’ve been fixated on this trend for a while, evident in my past blog post (When Did Weird Become The New Normal – http://bit.ly/1iJTUua). So with that trend in mind, I’ve created an ongoing series of blogs of strange commercials. The latest company to “drink the weirdness kool-aid” is Little Caesars. Gone is the cartoon logo…

Tags: advertising, Barton F Graf 9000, commercial, Fast Company, little caesars, marketing, marketing advice, marketing agency, sales, TV, TV commercial

To use a pitchman or not use a pitchman? That is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the minds of customers to overcome the slings and arrows of objections… Or take arms against a sea of competitors… Blah, blah, blah… Shakespeare would have made a fantastic pitchman. His prose would have to be updated to something more current, but I think he’d have tremendous appeal fronting a marketing campaign. Perhaps the new face of Medieval Times? Well, now that I have your attention, think of marketing campaigns that have successfully used pitchmen. Empire Flooring, Billy Mays for OxiClean, Jamie Lee…

Tags: Activia, advertising, advertising tips, AlarmForce, Billy Mays, Empire Flooring, Jamie Lee Curtis, Joel Matlin, Lynn Hauldren, marketing, marketing campaign, marketing tip, Medieval Times, OxiClean, pitchman, pitchmen, radio, radio advertising, radio marketing, TV, TV advertising, TV marketing

The Smartest Guy In The Room. Every company has one. You know, the guy who doesn’t think he can do everything, he knows that he can. He has to be included in every decision, never takes advice, doesn’t ask for help and is an “expert” on all topics. Right now, there’s a good chance you’re smiling to yourself, saying that that sounds like ______ who is in the ________department at work. And if nobody comes to mind, there’s a good chance the S.G.I.T.R. is you. Why should we be cautious of the S.G.I.T.R.? What makes him or her dangerous? It…

Tags: advertising, advertising tips, biz tip, business tips, customer care, management, manufacturing, marketing, marketing tips, smartest guy in the room

Over the past 8 years I’ve purchased close to $100 million dollars in various media. I’ve negotiated hundreds of contracts and created numerous marketing plans. Some were as simple as one ad in a local newspaper, while others had over a hundred different media types, each consisting of varying creative content. While each campaign is different, one thing that’s common when placing a campaign: the use of the Venn Diagram Theory. A venn diagram is one that consists of several circles, each representing a different set or thing. In marketing, each circle in the venn diagram represents a different marketing…

Tags: marketing, marketing agency, marketing plan, matlin creative, media, media buyer, media buying, media mix, radio, radio station, TV, tv station, venn diagram, venn diagram marketing theory, venn diagram theory