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Mitch Joel

Is Google Breeding an Army of "Glassholes"?

Mitch Joel | Posted 04.30.2013 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

It is becoming increasingly obvious that our connected computers will be more a "part of us" than ever before. Many are quick to dismiss wearable technology such as Google's Project Glass as a parlour trick and some are already calling those who use them "glassholes."

The Problem With Allowing Consumers to Opt Out

Mitch Joel | Posted 04.15.2013 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

As a marketing professional, there is nothing I hate more than receiving any form of communication (email, Web experience, social media, mobile, whatever) and not see an obvious place where I can either opt out of the communication or protect how much information is being captured. As a consumer, I probably hate it more.

Is Automated Marketing the end of Creative Advertising?

Mitch Joel | Posted 04.02.2013 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

We live in a world where hip creative directors are being positioned against ad monitoring technology that is able to create and serve the best-performing ad... regardless of how lacking it may be of creativity and a big idea.

Welcome to Digital Narcissism

Mitch Joel | Posted 05.19.2013 | Canada
Mitch Joel

Is it any surprise that flashy headlines and fake celebrity death memes on Twitter get so much attention? In this era of digital narcissism, where our gateway to content is through the lens of the people we like and admire most, traditional and digital publishers must now grasp for attention in an even flashier way.

The Other Story Of The Smartphone

Mitch Joel | Posted 05.05.2013 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

Most people interested in media, marketing and technology think of smartphones as the device that is putting the PC world to rest. Yes, personal computers are still pervasive, but the growth of smartphones has been exponential and astounding all in one breath.

The Future of Advertising: Messages on Your Toaster?

Mitch Joel | Posted 03.10.2013 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

Everything is getting connected to the Internet. From your toaster and home thermometer to your fridge and your car. As these appliances do "come online," can you even begin to imagine the media opportunities that arise from such a wealth of human information?

Have We Traded Our Iconic Brands for One Hit Wonders?

Mitch Joel | Posted 01.27.2013 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

The speed with which our world now lives could well put an end to the world of iconic brands. Before all of this connectivity, a great brand could stand the test of time. It now seems like insanity. The Beatles were iconic. Do you believe that any of the musicians today that we admire will be able to leave this kind of legacy? What about companies?

Why Email Needs a Facelift

Mitch Joel | Posted 01.13.2013 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

For almost as long as email has existed, people have complained about getting too many emails. We celebrate inbox zero as if we just gave birth to a new child. While some lauded the arrival of the first BlackBerry, many saw it as a digital manifestation of the ball and chain that would shackle them to their office.

The Perfect Marketing Strategy That Fell Out of the Sky...

Mitch Joel | Posted 12.17.2012 | Canada
Mitch Joel

When someone jumps from the edge of space back to earth and it's all supported by one brand, you know you are staring at a winner. Felix Baumgartner's supersonic freefall from 120,000 feet not only broke the speed of sound and a world record to go along with it, it practically broke YouTube as millions upon millions of people watched the drop from space online. And with that event, Red Bull also captured the hearts and minds of marketers all over the world.

Are Brands Failing the Speed Test?

Mitch Joel | Posted 12.01.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

It turns out that consumers want one thing: their issues resolved. And, they want it done fast. Faster than fast. The challenge is this: the majority of brands act fast... as fast as they can. Sadly, it's not even close to being fast enough for consumers. Now, brands and consumers are going to have move forward and figure out a way to define what the true speed limits are.

What Digital Media Can Learn From Comic-Con

Mitch Joel | Posted 11.19.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

After walking the floor at Montreal Comic-Con for a few hours on Saturday, one thing became abundantly clear: the majority of the commercial activity that was taking place at this physical event cannot be duplicated or replicated in a digital format. By cultivating true fans and giving them unique opportunities to connect and share, they're not only keeping alive a traditional media channel (or two), but they're inventing new and fascinating ways to extend their characters and build interest.

Is Podcasting Poised For a Comeback?

Mitch Joel | Posted 11.02.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

In short, everything that you thought the Internet wasn't about in a world of 140 character tweets, Facebook status updates and YouTube viral video sensations. These deep and rich treasure troves of content are also gaining mainstream attention, and it all seems to be drawing more and more energy towards podcasting: a medium that many have already written off.

What New Media Has Taught Us About Truth

Mitch Joel | Posted 09.23.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

Where do we go for the truth... the whole truth and nothing but the truth? In essence, new media is most amazing because people are beginning to doubt what they read, hear and see. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's probably one of the best thing that has happened to the news since it was created.

Is Your Business All About the Product? Or the People?

Mitch Joel | Posted 09.09.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

There is a major shift in business focus that is under way. Digital media has forced businesses to change. Dramatically. This is nothing new. What's interesting is that we're seeing two, distinct, breeds of business being born: product-focused businesses, and customer-focused businesses. Which one do you work for?

Are Startups The Future Of Media?

Mitch Joel | Posted 08.26.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

If you take a serious look at the media world, there are only a handful of significant players. While it may be easy to define "significant" as a company doing interesting things, it's more practical to look at the media landscape. Last time I checked, no media company was behind the creation of Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or any other new media darling du jour. My guess is that they'll be investors as soon as they physically can be.

Facebook Should Not Be Treated like Other Media

Mitch Joel | Posted 07.29.2012 | Canada
Mitch Joel

What does Facebook sell? You could say advertising. They sell advertising to the tune of several billions of dollars each and every year. If Facebook is a media company, we then have to ask ourselves: What kind of media channel does Facebook provide and how does it compare to those other media channels?

Can Breastfeeding Save Time Magazine?

Mitch Joel | Posted 07.15.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

When was the last time you discussed Time Magazine around the dinner table? Probably last week, when they published the one with the mother and her older child... breastfeeding (shhh, not so loud). Why did Time run with such a controversial cover story? They need to sell magazines.

Why We Shouldn't Cast Away Podcasting

Mitch Joel | Posted 07.01.2012 | Canada
Mitch Joel

Podcasts enable each and every one of us to become the eclectic, program directors of our own radio stations, and best of all, it's the cheapest way to learn that you can find.

The E-commerce Tipping Point

Mitch Joel | Posted 06.03.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

Recently, a very senior marketing professional who works at one of the world's largest corporations was recounting a story of how they saw a postal truck outside of their corporate head offices in Silicon Valley, and every single parcel that was being offloaded from this truck was from Amazon. He thought to himself: "This is the what retail looks like in 2012."

Are Those Robots or People Clicking on Your Site?

Mitch Joel | Posted 05.20.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

The use of robots to crawl the Internet to grab as much information for possible in a malicious way is nothing new. The ability for website owners to get smarter and ensure that they are protecting their consumers (from both the robots and third-party deals) is nothing new, either, but the numbers are getting out of control.

Consumers Control The Brand (And Other New Media Myths)

Mitch Joel | Posted 04.22.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

In the past few weeks, I've come across a handful of blogs that are regurgitating this myth about consumers and control. As someone who spends the majority of my time in the boardrooms of some of the biggest brands in the world, please trust me when I tell you that the marketers are firmly in control of the brand.

Social Media and the Humiliation Effect

Mitch Joel | Posted 04.07.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

The true humility and humiliation of social media is not what the web analytics tell us: it's what the audience does (or doesn't do) with the content. You can buy audience, links, and clicks, but you can't buy people who care and want to share whatever it is that you are doing.

Does This Blog Make Me Look Fat?

Mitch Joel | Posted 03.25.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

When it comes to blogging, we're still insecure. With over a decade of blogging under our global belts, it's still a new and developing form of communications and media that has yet to fully mature and find it's permanent place in the media landscape. But it could help your company a lot.

The Fallacy Behind "Social Media Gurus"

Mitch Joel | Posted 03.10.2012 | Canada Business
Mitch Joel

While it's nice to get drunk on the social media Kool-Aid and point fingers at those who have gained exposure and popularity through it (both positive and negative), all of that pales in comparison to the fact that we still don't even really know just how powerful this new media is.

Quebec's Thin Line Between Journalist and Blogger

Valerie Belair-Gagnon | Posted 10.26.2011 | Canada
Valerie Belair-Gagnon

Is the plan announced earlier this week by Culture Minister Christine St-Pierre, in part a reaction of the government towards increasingly the sensationalist press in the province and the blur between the boundaries or professional journalists and bloggers?