I read with interest a post on Sports Marketing 2.0 by Tim McGarry. In it, Tim discussed the hits and misses of social media in Super Bowl XLV and made some suggestions for how it can be improved in the future. (Speaking of the future, I for one can hardly wait for next February when […]
Blog
Since 1998, we have been reflecting on marketing, design, code, and much more.
You Don’t Have to Wonder Anymore
Now that you can get online pretty much anywhere and the devices have evolved to be carried in your pocket, it seems obvious that we would be using the Internet a lot more. And yet, I still find myself occasionally surprised how easy it is to access almost anything you’re looking for, from anywhere, at […]
It takes a team to deliver great email.
When I open my email inbox on an average day, I see a wide variety of messages. Like many of you, I sort through a lot of emails from companies offering me the latest and greatest deals on the Internet. As email designers and marketers, many of us at Rare Bird can’t fight the urge to critique messages making their way into our inboxes. In fact, we keep an eye out for emails that make for interesting conversation around the office.
The Power of Non-Verbal Communication
I’ve been debating writing this post, but in the spirit of Sir Richard Branson‘s approach (“screw it, let’s do it”) I’ve decided to go ahead. We’ve been working on a few sites for institutions of higher learning and, in the process of researching the competition, happened upon the site for Elon University. I really like […]
Write Clearly and Be Understood
An awards ceremony was recently held at the National Press Club, but you probably missed it. It wasn’t heralding the latest movie, song or television show, it was, instead, focused on something far more important and often overlooked: plain writing. For some time now, I’ve encouraged our clients, friends– and even my kids– to toss […]
Need a problem solved? Think like a designer.
In a recent article (and accompanying video), award-winning author Warren Berger suggests that designers have just the right toolset to answer a whole range of questions; many of which fall outside the traditional role of ‘design’. “Don’t think about design just as your logo or the visual aspect of your business; think of it as […]
Why Nobody Cares About ‘Billions’
Here’s a great idea about how you should present your business data to investors, prospects, or even just Mom: forget the billions. In a recent article, author and business plan expert Tim Berry explains that these numbers and this top-down approach just don’t mean anything to anyone. “As an investor, as a business plan contest […]
Can social media replace traditional marketing communications? Doesn’t look likely…
Dan forwarded me an article today that ranks right up near the top of my “Things to read that are relevant” list. Titled “What If Giving Up Your Brand Really Means Giving Up?” this Advertising Age article from Jonathan Salem Baskin asks some very pointed questions and draws some mildly controversial conclusions. (At least, I’m […]
Circa 1995: “Hype alert: Why cyberspace isn’t, and never will be, nirvana”
Clifford Stoll was wrong. And partly right, too. A Newsweek article from 1995 titled, “The Internet? Bah!” and sporting the unfortunate subtitle “Hype alert: Why cyberspace isn’t, and never will be, nirvana” has recently begun making the rounds on the internet. As you can imagine, it’s normally passed along with some comment about how short […]
Is integrity vital for success?
We think so. Over the years, we’ve prided ourselves on our ability to have fierce conversations based on the principles of honesty, integrity, and truth. This is not to say that feelings are completely overlooked or that we take a tack where the complete truth must told despite the personal cost. We do, however, believe […]
Can you afford to be authentic in business?
I often say that true authenticity– being exactly who you really are and nothing else– is one of the most important things you can do to help be successful in whatever you’re doing. When I saw this article from Business in Blue Jeans CEO Susan Baroncini-Moe talking about some of the issues people struggle with […]
Social self-promotion: arrogance or confidence?
I read this quote today from Jeffrey Zeldman, a well-known web designer and blogger, talking about the difference between being a loud-mouthed self-promoter and sharing valued information about work; either yours or others: “There is a difference between being arrogant about yourself as a person and being confident that your work has some value. The […]
