justicemitchell

A couple years ago I tried to explain why a client needed to understand that each social channel has its own communication style. All the client wanted to do was shoot out a message that said, "Go back to our website and buy shit!" Because, of course, social media would then become a river of gold. We all know that's the dumbest thing ever, right? Or do we? I consistently see very large brands make a huge mistake when they have customers engaged in a social channel. They ask those fans to... Read Full Story

Amon Tobin 'ISAM' Live (Extended Trailer) from Ninja Tune on Vimeo . I've reported to you my recent education of the modern electronic recording artist . This old dog can indeed pull his head from his ass if given the time and inclination to do so. Therefore, I found myself exploring new artists and came across a recommendation of Amon Tobin . Needless, to say I was stunned when I saw the brilliance not only in his music but the amalgam of talent they've assembled to rethink the physical... Read Full Story

Now that we've covered the basic methods of identifying topics, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. This can be tough work, but I don’t mind getting a little messy. I’m like the Mike Rowe of trend hunting – but without the contract to pimp Ford trucks .  Maybe you have a gut feeling about something that might be a trend. Before you unleash your mind-dazzling observations on the community, put a little more thought into exactly WHY you think it is a trend. There's a very fine line... Read Full Story

Look at the fantastic group of Type-A brainiacs you gathered around that table to brainstorm the next great Web-based, mobile or tablet application. You have a list of goals, functionality and UI/UX ideas. However, I bet that nowhere on the list is anything about how advertisers will use the tool But I bet you DID think about how brands will use the tool – didn’t ya? SURE! Of course you considered the big household consumer names that will certainly have a banner year if they get on board... Read Full Story

Where would Bruce Springsteen be without his trusty blonde Telecaster ? What would Annie Leibovitz do without her camera ? How could Elmer Fudd hunt Bugs Bunny without his shotgun ? Whether you are a rock star, a celebrity photographer, a cartoon archenemy … or a trend hunter – you need the right weapon to get the job done. We already established that everyone is a trend hunter to some extent. But your level of success depends on the time, tenacity and tools that you bring to the table... Read Full Story

I'm very excited. I woke up to find this morning that my webinar, that I presented yesterday, made the cover of slideshare ! We've admittedly created  a nice body of good content here. I'd higly recommend you sift through the decks of your specific interests, give em' a look and give me your feedback! Enjoy!  Starmark 2012 Trends Report View more presentations from Starmark Key delivered takeaways for me were: Rethinking the term 'social media' to a the model of " social business... Read Full Story

Every day I wake up, look in the mirror and marvel at the gorgeous physical specimen staring back at me. I soak it all in and think about how lucky my wife is to have me.  Then I shake off the remnants of that final pre-alarm dream and take another look at the disheveled guy with unruly red locks and badass Jedi boxers . That’s when I see the 40-year-old father of a 4-year-old daughter, a husband, and a friend to what seems to be an endless array of people. I am blessed with innumerable... Read Full Story

No one in my industry is going to like what I’m about to share. I'm not a fan of “buying followers” or trading follows in social media. But if you want quantity and you don’t give a damn about quality, then consider this your guide. In the interest of transparency, I’ll tell you straight up that social media (SEO, content, online media buyers) professionals want you to believe there's no way to you could possibly do what we do. But that's a lie. It might be more accurate to say there's no... Read Full Story

So many people ask me, "Why does it seem like you know everyone?" Well, my friends, that's very much by design. It’s true that I love people and I love being social. But the new-world rolodex (my social graph) is becoming increasingly valuable to your employer and your clients. Case in point: The other day I was speaking with a friend in a rapidly growing social media tool (look for an interview with him in an upcoming post). He asked, as many do, "Hey, do you know someone who does …" – in... Read Full Story

If you had a chance to read any business news during the holidays, you probably saw several stories about retail spending being up significantly during Q4. Of course this could be new info to those of you with small children, because you were consumed by the eternal search for more AA batteries in the house, and styling parties for Silly Hair Dolls .  But yes - the big news is that shoppers spent more aggressively during the 2011 holiday season compared to 2010. I'm not an economist... Read Full Story