So…today I’m in a meeting discussing an online venture and the topic turns to blogging. Of course, I say that it would be a great addition to an online portfolio. But one of the meeting’s participants was completely turned off by the concept of blogs as a marketing and information tool. “I think people want to get […]

In my main keynote, I take the audience through a series of three essential elements for successful marketing. The first element, “Marketing begins with the Product” is usually met with a collective “Duh” from the room. But so many organizations skip this step. Many start-ups don’t even consider marketing in the early stages of product […]

I love it when I’m right. I predicted a few months ago that the C-level masses were going to take the concept of The Long Tail and corrupt it. And today, I received an email newsletter from the CEO of a major online media CMS. And while he was in the neighborhood of being right, he was […]

Sometimes you hear complaints that it’s hard to sell things to today’s healthy and environmentally conscious consumer. Or instead of complaining, you could have a huge success with an environmentally unfriendly dye used on a piece of pesticide-laced tissue that consumers are supposed to rub on their faces. It’s up to you. Published by Chris HouchensContinue reading: You […]

While getting there felt like this, I had a great time delivering the “Blogs/Social Media - Marketing as Conversation” presentation to the Michiana chapter of the American Advertising Federation yesterday. I told the group I would have the presentation on the blog for them to download. Anyone who would like to can click here to get […]

The next time you have to explain what “Web 2.0″ or “social media” is to someone…just forward them the link to this… The last 15-30 seconds are the best (on the Wikipedia page). We ARE going to have to redefine and rethink ideas like commerce, authorship, copyright, identity, and a thousand other things. Published by Chris HouchensContinue […]

I’m thinking of moving the whole show. I have a wild hair to take my speaking/consulting/project site currently at http://www.shotgunconcepts.com and this blog and marry them both under a new unified site. To do this, I am considering abandoning the Blogger/Blogspot blog and developing a WordPress blog at the new site. (importing all the current Blogspot posts) Obviously, […]

Ahh….the snow….the decorations….the wasted advertising dollars. It’s the time of year that salespeople go out and bilk unsuspecting small business owners into wasting their “advertising dollars” for holiday greetings. In case you’re thinking of buying, here’s some ready-made copy… Shotgun Concepts:3012/1 - 12/25(mx fade in)Everyone here at Shotgun Concepts wishes you and yours the very very best […]

There’s been quite a bit of talk over the past few days about some remarks that Jim Buckmaster, an executive at Craigslist, made at a media conference in New York last Thursday. It seems that Buckmaster stated that he has no intentions of “monetizing” his online classifieds service with any sort of advertising. The room full […]

Hey! I’m at the center of a blogger meme. (and at the top of a pyramid scheme!) Mack over at the Viral Garden thinks some of the “Z-listers” are getting messed over by the insane way that Technorati ranks “authority”. (Read his original post here) Mack was kind enough to recognize this blog as one that needs […]

Prediction: Time Magazine’s announcement of “You” as Person of the Year will be greeted this week in 2 ways… 1) Here in the blogosphere, on You Tube, in WikiPedia, etc…there will be great fanfare that social media has hit the tipping point. 2) The majority of the public will say…”What’s a blog?….”What’s a YouTube?”…”Wiki-what?” Don’t believe me? Ask […]

Last year around this time, I posted the “Best of 2005” posts here on the Shotgun Marketing Blog. And once you start something like that…it never stops. The rationale for what’s on the 2006 list? These are posts that got lots of feedback from readers…became mini-ideaviruses around the web…or are just posts that I like alot. And […]

While the common marketer is making great strides to have the customer LOVE the product and company, the sly cunning marketer knows that an alternate strategy is to make them hate you. It worked for Phillip Morris aka Altria. Click on the player below to see a “Philip Morris marketing consultant” work to reposition the Wallstrip […]

Even though one of the “A-listers” recently corrupted the meme, the Z-list has had an amazing effect (for me anyway) Rising 70,000 spots in a few weeks makes you dizzy. After rising so quickly, I may get the bends. But it is artificial since my traffic and RSS subscriptions have only increased slightly over the same timeframe…proving […]

You’re an agency and you’ve just landed the Orville Redenbacher popcorn account. During the brainstorm session, someone says “Let’s have Orville Redenbacher in the spots!” Don’t let the fact that he died 11 years ago stop you. CP+B apparently aren’t content with just having the Burger King creep you out while watching the teevee. Now they’ve […]

First off, let me make clear that I’m a huge fan of Southwest Airlines. When I travel, they are my first choice for an airline. The price, the company culture, and common sense methodology that they use to run a business impresses me everytime. But two separate things have come up about SWA in the past […]

It’s not exactly scientific, but it subconciously makes me want to ride the D.C. Metro (actually, it’s an overlay of the Tokyo subway).This is a map produced by Information Architects (IA) detailing the supposed trends of the 2007 Internet.While it’s fun to look at and try to figure out where your stop is….IA also produced […]

Fellow Kentucky marketing blogger Nick Rice recently emailed and asked me to submit a post to be included in his Marketing (r)evolution Carnival which he sees as an aggregation of some of the best thoughts on the future of advertising, branding, marketing and strategy. I sent him a link to my recent post about placing users […]

Because I was on that side of town today and needed a quick easy lunch, I found myself inside a CiCi’s Pizza It’s one of those places that for under 5 bucks, you can pull a chair up to the trough. Their slogan is “The best pizza (slight pause) value anywhere”. That pause is important. The entire […]

I don’t know where this story should be attributed. But ever since I heard it several years ago, I’ve always remembered it…. There was a businessman who was having lunch with an older collegue. The businessman was telling his friend how much he was working and what important things he was doing for his company.When the […]

So many things to say about the marketing campaign/terror scare in Boston. First off, I’m a huge fan of unconventional low cost marketing, but I hate “guerrilla marketing” with a passion. The original concept of guerrilla marketing was a good idea. And that original idea is still good. But today, guerrilla marketing has degraded into dumping trash […]

Two upcoming events on the speaking calendar…1) Next Tuesday, I will be presenting at a private corporate event in Las Vegas2) In around 3 weeks on Feb 7, I will be delivering the “Blogs - Marketing as Conversation” talk for the Michiana chapter of the American Advertising Federation. You can find details on how to […]

The local fishmonger sent this insert in the paper. So which is it? Are all the combos the “one price” of 3.99? Or is just the cheapest one 3.99? Maybe the Captain had malt vinegar in his eye during the proof. Published by Chris HouchensContinue reading: Include cracklins on all fish orders

Mr. Cartoons-drawn-on-the-back-of-business-cards and Global Microbrand uber-guru Hugh Macleod over at GapingVoid requested an under 500 word marketing manifesto. I sent him an expanded version of one of my most quoted posts from back in March of 2005. The Marketing-by-Committee manifesto on Gaping Void tags:: marketing - hugh macleod - marketing by committee - recycle Published by Chris HouchensContinue reading: […]

Just now, someone popped into the office and said they’d heard some shocking news…“People are shopping today” It ranks right up there with the hard hitting headline of…“The sun came up this morning” It reminded me of a post I did last year about the lie of “Black Friday”. And while we’re at it, the true date of […]

Read this news story from Boston I wonder if the City of Boston will make the City of Boston pay for the response to their terrorist traffic counter. I also wonder if the head of the Traffic Counter network will resign. –My original post from Mooninites scandal Published by Chris HouchensContinue reading: Keystone Cop Chowda

Vizu Research in conjunction with Ad Age has done a blog readership study. Some interesting numbers, a few things you already knew, and some surprises: –How many and how often do people read blogs?-30.8% of blog readers read more than three blogs regularly–and of the blogs they read most often, 68.3% of respondents said they read […]

For new readers and for those who liked it last year, here’s my widely circulated post on why marketing is like filling out a NCAA bracket. Published by Chris HouchensContinue reading: NCAA Brackets and Marketing

It’s pledge week for both my local public television stations. And frankly, it’s annoying on many levels. Don’t get me wrong. I really like public TV. I watch both these channels quite a bit. But here’s the problem. The shows that they air during “pledge week” are REALLY hard to find on the station during the rest […]

Lately, I’ve noticed lots of companies have adopted a Forrest Gump marketing philosophy. This occurs when you’re not taking care of the marketing side of the business, but you’re still growing and opportunities are presenting themselves because of destiny and/or blind luck. Does it work for some businesses? Yes. Is it a sound philosophy? No. Because while sometimes you […]