Today is my last day writing at Brandcurve.  I wanted to take a moment to thank all of my readers for spending your time with me, joining in on the conversation, and making this such an enjoyable blog to write and manage.

While I’m sad to leave Brandcurve, I’m thrilled to announce that today I am launching a new branding and marketing blog, KeySplash Creative Conversations.  The new blog is part of my new company website, and you can find me there publishing the same type of content (and more) that you’ve come to expect from me everyday.

I hope you’ll visit me on my new marketing and branding blog as well as my other blogs.  Here’s a list of sites where you can find me blogging:

• KeySplash Creative Conversations: branding, marketing, advertising, etc.
• Women On Business: women working in the field of business
• About.com Guide to Web Logs: all about blogging
• Everyday Marketing: small business marketing tips and tools
• Corporate Eye: branding contributor

I hope this is not goodbye but simply, “Change your bookmarks, because I’ll see you on my new blog!”

Post from: EveryJoe

Susan Gunelius Launches New Branding and Marketing Blog

Post from: EveryJoe

Rate the Impact of the Barack Obama Infomercial on the Obama Brand

A year and a half ago, an online conversation between two marketing professionals in the U.S. and Australia evolved into a collaborative writing effort by more than 100 bloggers from nine countries that created a book called The Age of Conversation.  The project raised nearly $15,000 for Variety, the international children’s charity. 

Following the success of the first book, which was published in the summer of 2007, Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton, organizers of the first project, are about to publish Age of Conversation 2, which compiles written thoughts on the role of  conversation in marketing today from 237 marketing professionals who blog in the U.S. and 15 other countries.

McLellan, who heads McLellan Marketing Group, a Des Moines, Iowa advertising agency, has been writing a blog for more than two years.  His blog, DrewsMarketingMinute.com, is among the 25 most-read marketing blogs.   Heaton, who works for global software giant, SAP, writes ServantofChaos.com blog from Sydney, Australia, which is also a top 25 marketing blog.

The project has an unusual story behind it, involving online connections between people around the world who had never met each other face to face.

After McLellan had written about Wharton University’s effort to create a collaborative book, Heaton suggested online that they get a few fellow bloggers to try it.

“Three e-mails later, we had named the book and the charity.  It just fell into place,” McLellan said.  “The Age of Conversation was the perfect topic. The marketing industry is abuzz about how citizen marketers are changing the landscape, and these books capture that new phenomenon from a uniquely global vantage point.”

Through their blogs, McLellan and Heaton invited other marketing professionals to commit to writing essays about conversation.  They set what they thought would be an impossible goal – 100 bloggers.  Within seven days they had commitments from 103.

No sooner had the first book been published when the two began planning for Age of Conversation 2.  The new book will be available on October 29, 2008 in three formats – an e-book, softcover and hardcover.  All proceeds will again be donated to Variety, the international children’s charity.

Pricing for The Age of Conversation 2 is:

• e-book: US$12.50  ($10.00 going to charity)
• paperback book: US$19.95 ($8.02 to charity)
• hardback book: US$29.95 ($4.60 to charity)

Purchases can be made online from October 28, 2007 at www.lulu.com/ageofconversation.

A social media release is available at: http://pitch.pe/961

Age of Conversation 2 Author List

Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Farmery, Armando Alves, Arun Rajagopal, Asi Sharabi, Becky Carroll, Becky McCray, Bernie Scheffler, Bill Gammell, Bob LeDrew, Brad Shorr, Brandon Murphy, Branislav Peric, Brent Dixon, Brett Macfarlane, Brian Reich, C.C. Chapman, Cam Beck, Casper Willer, Cathleen Rittereiser, Cathryn Hrudicka, Cedric Giorgi, Charles Sipe, Chris Kieff, Chris Cree, Chris Wilson, Christina Kerley (CK), C.B. Whittemore, Chris Brown, Connie Bensen, Connie Reece, Corentin Monot, Craig Wilson, Daniel Honigman, Dan Schawbel, Dan Sitter, Daria Radota Rasmussen, Darren Herman, Dave Davison, David Armano, David Berkowitz, David Koopmans, David Meerman Scott, David Petherick, David Reich, David Weinfeld, David Zinger, Deanna Gernert, Deborah Brown, Dennis Price, Derrick Kwa, Dino Demopoulos, Doug Haslam, Doug Meacham, Doug Mitchell, Douglas Hanna, Douglas Karr, Drew McLellan, Duane Brown, Dustin Jacobsen, Dylan Viner, Ed Brenegar, Ed Cotton, Efrain Mendicuti, Ellen Weber, Eric Peterson, Eric Nehrlich, Ernie Mosteller, Faris Yakob, Fernanda Romano, Francis Anderson, Gareth Kay, Gary Cohen, Gaurav Mishra, Gavin Heaton, Geert Desager, George Jenkins, G. Kofi Annan, G.L. Hoffman, Gianandrea Facchini, Gordon Whitehead, Greg Verdino, Gretel Going & Kathryn Fleming, Hillel Cooperman, Hugh Weber, J. Erik Potter, James Gordon-Macintosh, Jamey Shiels, Jasmin Tragas, Jason Oke, Jay Ehret, Jeanne Dininni, Jeff De Cagna, Jeff Gwynne & Todd Cabral, Jeff Noble, Jeff Wallace, Jennifer Warwick, Jenny Meade, Jeremy Fuksa, Jeremy Heilpern, Jeroen Verkroost, Jessica Hagy, Joanna Young, Joe Pulizzi, John Herrington, John Moore, John Rosen, John Todor, Jon Burg, Jon Swanson, Jonathan Trenn, Jordan Behan, Julie Fleischer, Justin Foster, Karl Turley, Kate Trgovac, Katie Chatfield, Katie Konrath, Kenny Lauer, Keri Willenborg, Kevin Jessop, Kristin Gorski, Lewis Green, Lois Kelly, Lori Magno, Louise Manning, Luc Debaisieux, Mario Vellandi, Mark Blair, Mark Earls, Mark Goren, Mark Hancock, Mark Lewis, Mark McGuinness, Matt Dickman, Matt J. McDonald, Matt Moore, Michael Karnjanaprakorn, Michelle Lamar, Mike Arauz, Mike McAllen, Mike Sansone, Mitch Joel, Neil Perkin, Nettie Hartsock, Nick Rice, Oleksandr Skorokhod, Ozgur Alaz, Paul Chaney, Paul Hebert, Paul Isakson, Paul McEnany, Paul Tedesco, Paul Williams, Pet Campbell, Pete Deutschman, Peter Corbett, Phil Gerbyshak, Phil Lewis, Phil Soden, Piet Wulleman, Rachel Steiner, Sreeraj Menon, Reginald Adkins, Richard Huntington, Rishi Desai, Robert Hruzek, Roberta Rosenberg, Robyn McMaster, Roger von Oech, Rohit Bhargava, Ron Shevlin, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Karpeles, Ryan Rasmussen, Sam Huleatt, Sandy Renshaw and James G. Lindberg, Scott Goodson, Scott Monty, Scott Townsend, Scott White, Sean Howard, Sean Scott, Seni Thomas, Seth Gaffney, Shama Hyder, Sheila Scarborough, Sheryl Steadman, Simon Payn, Sonia Simone, Spike Jones, Stanley Johnson, Stephen Collins, Stephen Landau, Stephen Smith, Steve Bannister, Steve Hardy, Steve Portigal, Steve Roesler, Steven Verbruggen, Steve Woodruff, Sue Edworthy, Susan Bird, Susan Gunelius, Susan Heywood, Tammy Lenski, Terrell Meek, Thomas Clifford, Thomas Knoll, Tim Brunelle, Tim Connor, Tim Jackson, Tim Mannveille, Tim Tyler, Timothy Johnson, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Toby Bloomberg, Todd Andrlik, Troy Rutter, Troy Worman, Uwe Hook, Valeria Maltoni, Vandana Ahuja, Vanessa DiMauro, Veronique Rabuteau, Wayne Buckhanan, William Azaroff, Yves Van Landeghem

Post from: EveryJoe

Age of Conversation 2 Released

Images: Google.com, Yahoo.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Rate the Competitor Logos – Google vs. Yahoo!

They’re not fooling anyone.  The cheap looking 7-11-esque packaging doesn’t make me feel any better about forking over a whole lot of money so my kids can get their Vitamin C in the morning.

Your thoughts?

Hat tip to Brand New for this brand packaging faux pas.

Image: Tropicana

Post from: EveryJoe

Tropicana Goes Generic with New Packaging

What are your entrepreneurial tips?  Leave a comment and share!

Image: Flickr

Post from: EveryJoe

Susan Gunelius Interviewed at Wealth Together

Your thoughts?

Hat tip to Seriouseats.com for this story

Post from: EveryJoe

New Axe Body Spray Commercial Succeeds in Grossing Consumers Out

The site just launched, but it appears that the site has potential, particularly with a younger crowd.  Users can create groups and send private messages as well as public messages. 

At the very least, I think brand managers would want to listen to the InternetShout buzz about their brands just as they should be listening to the online buzz on blogs and other social web tools and websites.

A voice-based social website is an interesting idea that might just hold water.  What do you think?  Will InternetShout.com sink or swim?  Is it the wave of the future?  Would you promote your brand on InternetShout.com?

Image: InternetShout.com

Post from: EveryJoe

InternetShout.com – The World’s First Voice-Based Social Networking Site

I should point out that the taste-test survey was conducted by A&G Research for Dunkin’ Donuts.  According to Brandweek, 476 adults in 10 cities (including Starbucks’ home turf of Seattle, Washington) sampled fresh packs of Dunkin’ Donuts Original Blend vs. Starbucks House Blend (the packs were purchased from actual Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks stores).  Dunkin’ Donuts claims that the results showed that 54% of participants preferred Dunkin’ Donuts coffee over Starbucks (6.3% had no preference). 

What do you think?  Do you think a taste-test will be enough to drive consumers away from their relationships with the Starbucks brand?  Relationship branding creates brand loyalty, but with the economic downturn and now a buzz about Dunkin’ Donuts tasting better than Starbucks, is this yet another blow to the Starbucks brand?  Or is it another effort by a Starbucks competitor that won’t do much to affect consumers’ beloved Starbucks brand?

Your thoughts…

Image: Flickr

Post from: EveryJoe

Starbucks vs. Dunkin’ Donuts Smackdown

Now, Apple has responded to Microsoft’s attempt at chipping away at the positive Apple brand and negative Windows Vista brand by releasing a new Mac Guy vs. PC Guy ad that pokes fun at the amount of money Microsoft paid for its ad when that money should have been spent to fix Vista. 

Check out the new Apple commercial below.  What do you think – the ultimate diss or not?

Hat tip to AdFreak for this story.

Post from: EveryJoe

Apple Disses Microsoft – Again