May 2012
7 posts
5 tags
Joomla - 30 Million Strong and Growing
When you do one thing day in and day out (building kick ass websites, in my case) you can sometimes loose some perspective. Of course when that perspective involves the Internet it’s pretty easy to lose.
In April, the folks at Joomla (IMHO the worlds best website platform and the software we use at TDG) laid down some statistics that stopped me in my tracks. Joomla runs 2.7% of ALL...
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What the 'L'? It's a very important letter
There’s an old saying — OK, I just made it up — Anything that is printed can be misprinted. One letter in a word can change its meaning. And there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s not funny … when it’s your mistake. Case in point: this printed piece from the University of Texas School of Public Affairs — not Pubic Affairs.
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It Pays to Do Photo Research
Lazy graphic designers and cheap clients, beware: copyright infringement isn’t the worst thing that can happen when you source photos from the internet. An article on the BBC website this morning illustrates that the consequences can be much worse in some cases - for example, when you use a photo from one of the most well-known child disappearance cases in recent history. Oops. Paying for...
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Does Your Klout Score Matter?
In general, I think people pay a bit too much attention to Klout scores. They’re a useful metric, but they’re certainly not a window into anyone’s soul. Still, people in the marketing universe are more commonly using them as a hiring tool, and companies are starting to use them as a way to evaluate their customers. According to an article in Wired, if you have a high Klout score,...
1 tag
I've got an itch for 'The Pitch'
OK, I’ve never been a real fan of reality television. I’ve always been convinced that there is very little reality in reality TV. But last night I saw AMC’s “The Pitch,” and I have to admit I was fascinated.
I’ve done a few pitches with the TDG team. You work out your ideas, go in, make your case, go back to the office and wait for the phone to ring....
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"Driving It Is Better Than Your Last 4 Romantic...
Spotted over on Regretsy, what may be the best used car ad ever posted on Craigslist:
There’s been a lot of hyperbole in ads lately - particularly ads targeted to men (*cough*Old Spice*cough) - but this ad seems to pull it off without seeming derivative or tired. In fact, it’s a great example of how awesome an ad can be when the seller isn’t afraid to take some risks. I hope...
April 2012
2 posts
3 tags
Marketers + Mathematicians = Your Secrets
Marketers call it “predictive analytics.” Science fiction writer Isaac Asimov called it “psychohistory” and wrote his Foundation series around the idea. The end result is pretty much the same: using historical statistics, psychology and mathematical algorithms, it’s possible to predict a person’s behavior and life events.
Take, for instance, the marketers at...
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PBS, NFL, DIY Viewers Most Likely to Buy
Want people most likely to buy your product? Try ads on the NFL and DIY Networks. PBS Kids Sprout wouldn’t hurt you, either. A story over on Media Daily News reports that a new study from Beta Research ranks cable networks according to which viewers are “most likely to buy products advertised.” Other networks that do well include Food Network, Disney XD and Nick Jr. I don’t...
March 2012
4 posts
3 tags
Rub-a-dub-dub, come sit in my tub
I’ve always been a bit bothered by the ads for Cialis, the erectile disfunction drug. You know the ads I’m talking about: a man and a woman sit lovingly in outdoor bathtubs as they watch the sun set over a sweeping view of the ocean.
I understand that they must soft-sell sex for prime-time TV and major market publications. Obviously, they can’t do a traditional product...
New Old Spice Commercial →
I thought the last Old Spice guy had some character. Well, check out their latest commercial. Pretty funny stuff.
-Molly
Variety: More Ads Set for Video Games →
And I’ll bet that a lot of those dollars end up in Angry Birds: Space.
February 2012
6 posts
Sundance Visitor's Guide is going to be nice
TDG has been creating Visitor’s Guides for Chambers and Convention & Visitors Bureaus for well over a decade, but it is especially exciting when we get to develop a brand new guide for a community that has never had one.
This month we are starting work on the Sundance, Wyo., 2012 Visitor’s Guide. The community has been great to work with, and we’re sure this will be the...
3 tags
Service my account, baby
Dear Laura,
If this email is not suitable for you and inappropriate, please delete you. Thank you for not pressing spam.
I get a lot of solicitations in my inbox - mainly from people who are trying to sell me recruiting services, IT services, mailing lists, and seminars. So many seminars. But I’ve never before been...
Dippin' design could solve condiment conundrum
Package designers are making my meal-on-the-go life easier. Or they would be, if I could find Heinz’s new “dip-and-squeeze” ketchup packages.
In September, 2010, Heinz announced plans to introduce the newer, bigger ketchup packets in smaller-chain fast-food restaurants. I haven’t seen one yet, but this change has been a long time coming.
Over the years, decades...
4 tags
Using Social Media to Become a Queen
Lately, I’ve been reading quite a few articles on social media “influencers” and how to use them to spread your message on the internet. So when I had the chance to put this theory to the test, during Historic Deadwood’s Mardi Gras King & Queen competition, I did.
The theory:
“Successful social media marketing isn’t simply about amassing thousands of followers,...
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There's still a place for print
These days it seems that advertising agencies — TDG included — spend a lot of time working in digital media. Websites, banner ads, social media platforms and, yes, blogs.
But it’s important to remember: there’s still a place for print. An eye-catching brochure, a magazine ad, business cards and posters. At TDG, print work remains one of our strong suits.
Lately...
January 2012
6 posts
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The Internet Hammers SOPA/PIPA
The blackout action on the Internet today (ranging from mostly complete blackouts on sites like Wikipedia and certain Tumblr blogs to conspicuous messages on Google and Wired) seem to have made a dent in the anti-piracy legislation currently working through Congress. The Washington Post reports that at least six lawmakers have withdrawn their support for the House (SOPA) and Senate (PIPA) versions...
6 tags
In the Classroom Once Again
I spent three years as a TA for the economics department at Mills College. As much as I complained about the work, the hours and the students’ lack of motivation… I loved it. So when TDG was approached by the SDCEO (South Dakota Center for Enterprise Opportunity) at BHSU to develop a marketing seminar series, I jumped at the chance.
On Wednesday January 11th, TDG big wig, Dustin and I...
Take a look at our new look
Some of the folks who drive past TDG’s Deadwood office might notice something different about the building. We have a new sign, and it’s a dandy. Chad Blair, Madison Zimmerman and I put it up on Tuesday.
It’s one of the steps in our 2012 project to rebrand TDG. Jack Hughes built us a new website — which you are reading right now. Madison designed a new logo. Molly...
5 tags
Internet Explorer 6 Use in the US Finally Dips...
Why is this a big deal? A browser is a browser right?
WRONG.
IE6 is 10 years old. That’s a lifetime on the Internet. Microsoft even created an initiative to kill it called Internet Explorer 6 Countdown. Why? A lot has happened on the World Wide Web in the last 10 years.
Modern web browsers
load web pages faster
display webpages as they were designed
offer more interactivity
more...
December 2011
10 posts
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“There is no single “right” way to build a website, however there are...”
– Jack Hughes TDG Web Wizard
Annoyed by the annoyed
The new Marist Poll surveyed 1,000 adults in different parts of the country about annoying words. Here’s the top 6 (with my personal confession of guilt.)
Whatever. (Never.)
Like. (OK, maybe.)
You know. (Guilty as charged.)
Seriously. (Seriously guilty.)
Just sayin’. (OK, I just quit sayin’ that one.)
Unsure. (What’s wrong with unsure?)
I’ve always been ...
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Why mainstream organizations are buying .XXX URLs
General availability of the new top level domain (TLD) .XXX started earlier this month. This was created as an industry-specific TLD for pornographic websites. However this virtual “land grab” has some important ramifications for non-pornographic related websites, their owners and their brand managers. Many of these websites are defensively buying up .xxx versions of their existing...
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A mystery is afoot at TDG...
Hey! Has anyone seen Frank…?
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TDG: from our mile-high perspective
Welcome to the TDG BlogStream. We’re going to feature good ideas, bad ideas, new ideas and ideas that … well, we’re not what to make of them. (That’s what happens when brainstorming hits high gear.)
Speaking of good ideas, I wanted to thank Jack Hughes, our web wizard, for creating this great new website for TDG Communications. He’s truly TDG (too darn good).
By...
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The rise of the smartphone-toting teen
It’s a slam dunk to say that teens are the dominate age demographic in mobile texting (or sms). However, a new study by Nielsen shows that the average data usage by teens nearly tripled. The study shows that average monthly data usage among teens is now at 321 MB. So what are they doing? Surfing the internet, social networking, emailing, and downloading & using apps. Actually...
April 2011
1 post
2 tags
