Vanity Fair Blogopticon

Vanity Fair have published a 'blogopticon' that offers an interesting guide to blogosphere.

"Navigating the blogosphere can be trying, what with everyone from Al Roker to your Wiccan cousin out in New Mexico vying for the attention of the world’s billion-plus Web surfers. In an effort to make some sense of it all, Vanity Fair has charted the most influential or amusing blogs about politics, gossip, Hollywood, media, and miscellany, and located them on two basic continuums: tone and content."

While you're there read James Woolcott's blog. Very savvy.

The CEO blogger - Kevin Roberts, Saatchi & Saatchi

Kevin Roberts is the CEO of ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi. He is probably the most switched on senior executive in the advertising world in that he has embraced blogging. He recently posted these remarks about blogging that I thought were interesting.

Researchers asked 6,000 women:

"…Assuming you had to make the choice, would you rather blog or eat chocolate?”

Ok, they did ask other questions too. That’s how they also discovered that 55 percent would give up alcohol rather than lose the right to blog, 42 percent (the musically challenged, I imagine) would give up their iPod, and in an alarm bell for the women’s magazine industry, 43 percent would give up newspapers and magazines. As I have already flagged, only 20 percent would give up chocolate. So what does this tell us, apart from the fact that chocolate is irresistible? (especially Cadbury’s Dairy Milk - a Lovemark for gorillas everywhere!) To me, it says that these women are finding the sense of community and identity they need in blogging, which should be worrying for the people who market magazines and newspapers as this is something they once owned.

As I have found with my own blog, the ability to exchange ideas and experiences with a global community is both exhilarating and fruitful. It is a world where you can float an idea or an opinion in your own time, at your own speed, and to an audience that grows or diminishes on nothing more than your powers of attraction. Blogging is revealing itself as deeply emotional and an important way to unleash communities and passions, commitment and truth. Newspapers and magazines have already dipped their toes into this world, but their next reinvention will have to take blogging from their readers far more seriously. Selected columnists blogging is not the same as readers becoming activists, creators, connectors. Magazines and newspapers need even more audience participation. If they do it right, women night even sacrifice their beloved chocolate now and then."

Go to Kevin Roberts' blog.

Russell Davies - Adland's Mr Nice Guy

I'm delighted to introduce you to Russell Davies.
Principally because of his delightful ability to present you with great ideas, but also because he connects you with other very, very clever people.
Check out his interview with the grandpappy of planning Jon Steel. Listen to the recording realted to his book Perfect Pitch
His realm is advertising account planning. A dreadful, meaningless term.
Step beyond the description and you will revel in the reality.
The essence of planning (as I understand it) is INSIGHT and understanding how people behave - in order to serve them well.
Of course that is my take on the topic and not Mr Davies'.

Visit his blog.

Jack Yan - The smartest guy I've never met

I've known Jack Yan since the late 90's when I was filled with the joys of the Internet Spring. I'd launched a men's magazine online that grew a substantial audience but never made a bean.

The experience was invaluable in many ways. One: I learned about building an audience on the web. Two: That the audience likes quality and something different and Three: that Jack Yan must never go to sleep.

Jack was publishing Lucire magazine online and offered a great deal of encouragement at times when I wondered why I was bothering. His own online publication was a huge success and, importantly unlike anything else I had seen on the web.

He has subsequently turned the magazine into, well, a magazine and has launched editions all over the world. He's a pioneer, not just of the web, but also as a media entrepreneur. He's also something of an outsider in the New Zealand business environment from where we both operate.

Lesser figures are offered breathless column centimetres and yet Jack is almost ignored. Too bad for the ignorant I say. His thought provoking insights are worth RSSing, or even simply bookmarking.

I've just discovered his blog and give it an 'A'. Not only for his insights and quality of writing, but also because it has Jack wriiten all over it. Blogs should be personal.

Inspite of the long association I've never met him in person. You've gotta love the web.

How to promote your blog.

I had heard of Guy Kawasaki but didn't really ever know what he was about. Stumbled across his blog by following a link on another blog - you know how it goes. Before long the afternoon is gone, the beds aren't made and the dishes remain undone (so to speak).

I thoroughly enjoyed his speech, The Art of the Start. It is filled with insight and, as they say in advertising, it has cut-through. Watch the video here.

I liked it so much I showed it to the marketing communications class I teach at Massey University. I was nervous that the student's wouldn't see the relevance. But they got it.

Kawasaki's engaging style and obvious enthusiasm makes the difference. Easy to understand how he went from being a jeweller to being an evangelist for Apple Computer.

Among the posts on his blog I recommend is The 120 Day Wonder - How to evangelise a blog. It makes for essential reading.

Idealog Blogs

The Idealog blogs haven't quite clicked as a conversation with the magazine's growing audience (people in the creative economy). Mostly it is a notice board. Worth checking out though.

I should add that I contribute to the Idealog blog (expression of interest).

I have begun to read this book about blogs, full review to follow.




Naked onversations

Here are some of the key points from the book:

Talk, don’t sell – You lose credibility if you are trying to sell on your blog.

Post often and be interesting – Easier said than done I know, but if you post once a day at the minimum you will have nearly 365 post in a year. Being interesting is the tougher of the two mentioned in this success tip. Be creative and interest should follow.

Write on issues you know and care about – Be the authority on something you love and are passionate about.

Blogging saves money but costs time – You can save advertising dollars by blogging…but you will pay for it in time spent generating compelling content so be ready for the time investment.

You get smarter by listening to what people tell you – Blogging is not a one way communication but a many to many communication. So allow your readers to respond and listen to what they have to say. You will be rewarded while opening your mind to new thought streams.

English Cut

This was one of the first blogs I became aware of. It's curious that the topic is bespoke tailoring from the tradition steeped world of Saville Row in London, England.

The blog is very personal and written with an easy candour. I returned recently and see that it has obviously been a very successful business decision for its author. (below)







Thoroughly recommended

EnglishCut.com

Maiden Voyage

The first stop on this little journey through the blogosphere is the weblog of Dave Gray Communication Nation, the guy who started X-Plane, the graphics company famous for deconstructing processes and ideas in a way that makes the complex simple.

I first encountered their work when it was a consistent feature of the magazine Business 2.0 (which, like Fast Company magazine was a stalwart of the 'New Economy' before the bubble burst in 2002 - remember those jumbo editions?....)

I've just dipped into this blog, but I can immediately tell that it will be a favourite.