As I seem to do more often these days – reflecting upon a 40+ year journey in the advertising agency industry – and given I have a daughter who is an advertising agency executive, I began to think about how the role of Account Manager has changed. From Mad Men days (when I began) to...
At the end of every Super Bowl the clock starts on the countdown to the day that pitchers and catchers report to spring training camp; a subtle reminder that our spring reprieve begins in a few short weeks. The commencement of each new baseball season is celebrated by fans all over the country as our...
Another Ad Bowl – I mean Super Bowl – Sunday is behind us, and I’m sure everyone is standing around the water cooler this morning chatting about the best commercials of the game – are water coolers a thing anymore? I thought the commercials were trying too hard to be creative and on top of...
It’s that time of year again – Super Bowl Sunday – where there is a football game taking place. But we all know the real appeal of this momentous day is the ads. Right? Ok, ok, I own an advertising agency and have been in the business for 46 years now, so I might be...
I recently met with several young advertising agency entrepreneurs whose interest is to someday start their own advertising agency, and the number one question was “What are clients primarily looking for?”. My immediate answer was that all clients crave great communications more than anything else. They want to know that their agency hears them and...
As we begin a new year, the 78Madison team, among other things, has begun to think about what our blog strategy will be for 2024. Believe it or not, “what to blog” is one of the most common questions asked, particularly at the beginning of a new year. Sometimes it’s a fleeting moment of writer’s...
Every December my wife and I watch the 1954 movie classic “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye (music by Irving Berlin). In a nutshell, the guys put on a Christmas show bringing their old Army unit to Vermont to surprise their former commanding officer (now a struggling innkeeper – played by Dean Jagger)....
Growing up, Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday. There’s great food and you get to spend quality time with friends and family. But some aren’t so into it, and they always ask me “but why? What is so special about Thanksgiving?” So I put my list together. THE PREPARATION Now this will come across as...
Here is a marketing truth: existing customers innately have more value than one that requires being won over. The fact is, you either have customers or prospects. One is committed to your brand, and one is not. Yet it feels like businesses continue to dedicate more time and attention to the notion of winning new...
Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. I guess that means we should wear nice shoes. I’ve got to be honest; I never look at a person’s shoes. If you sit for more than 11 hours a day, there’s a 50% chance you’ll die within the next 3 years. A little...