http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/ work inspired en-us Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:55:25 EST Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:55:25 EST http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Movable Type Pro 4.33-en 60 http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2010/02/donations_add_up_despite_little_trust_in_texting_for_relief.html When it comes to Texting for Relief, the incredible figures the Red Cross is posting for its Haiti relief effort show that a lot of people are on board with this simple, easy-to-do donation process.But at the same time, many... Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:44:50 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2010:/aquentblog//11.2282 Julia Thahar Current Affairs Ethics Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2010/01/wow_that_looks_a_lot_like_a_big_flat_iphone.html So the much anticipated iPad got its unveiling yesterday and ... well, the jury's still out.My first thought, it looks and acts like a gigantic iPhone. Which I'm not against. But there's no phone.It works like a NetBook, but the... Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:38:54 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2010:/aquentblog//11.2273 Tim Donnelly Branding Communication Marketing Movies Music Practice: Marketing Publishing Tim's A Day in the Life Blog Trends Video http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2010/01/what_red_balloons_have_to_do_with_social_media.html In late December DARPA or the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency held a challenge to help mark the 40th anniversary of the Internet (it was they who, incidentally, did actually invent the Internet).The agency launched, simultaneously, 10 tethered large... Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:53:31 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2010:/aquentblog//11.2262 Tim Donnelly Marketing Marketing Technology Practice: Marketing Practice: Online Marketing Social Media Social Networking Technology Tim's A Day in the Life Blog Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/11/marketing_as_a_conversation_isnack_20_versus_new_coke.html When I was at university, my all time favourite subject was Consumer Behaviour.I loved learning about the relationship between organizations, their brands and their customers.In those days though, most marketing messages were delivered via a one-way street - broadcast... Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:33:45 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2203 Karen Thompson Advertising Branding Communication Digital Food and Drink History Market Research Marketing Marketing Management Marketing Technology New vs Old Media Practice: Marketing Practice: Media Practice: Online Marketing Public Relations Social Media Social Networking Technology Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/10/rocktober_1.html Heck yeah, we still celebrate Rocktober. Through the good times and the bad, Rocktober, my friend, is here to keep us company.Wasn't it Led Zeppelin who said: "Good Times, bad times, you know I've had my share. Well, my woman...... Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2196 Tim Donnelly Tim's A Day in the Life Blog Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/09/better_world_by_design.html You know, it seems like we're seeing more and more design-related conferences like the "A Better World by Design" one being held in Providence, Rhode Island this weekend.Here's the pitch from their site: "The conference will focus heavily on design,... Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:31:22 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2194 Tim Donnelly Career Design Ecology Ethics Events Networking Practice: Graphic Design Tim's A Day in the Life Blog Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/08/ugh_resumes.html Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:16:21 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2151 Joe Rinaldi Aquent Career Career advice Communication Design Freelancing Graduates Interactive Design Interviewing Job Search Networking Practice: Graphic Design Practice: Interactive Design Practice: User Experience Project Management Resumes Trends Web Design http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/08/its_about_time_its_about_twitter.html If you weren't surprised when Bloggers were paid to promote companies' brands, you won't be shocked when I tell you that a company has cropped up that pays "Twitter users for every sponsored tweet they send to their followers,"Personally,... Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:47:27 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2139 Tim Donnelly Advertising Ecology Market news Marketing Tim's A Day in the Life Blog Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/05/green-tea_pushing_panda_kirin_beverage.html Kirin Beverage has scored big time with yet another sales record breaking marketing campaign combining three Japanese passions: The every day: Green tea, the cute: A panda bear, and the mechanical: Vending machines. Green tea is to the Japanese what... Wed, 13 May 2009 00:21:55 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2055 Harold Moya Food and Drink Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/05/twitter_the_next_bubble_to_burst.html Do you tweet? Like MyFace, Spacebook and LinkedIn before it, Twitter is the new 'micro-blogging', social-networking phenomenon that has taken on a life of its own over the past few months. Millions of people worldwide are literally falling over themselves... Fri, 08 May 2009 01:08:42 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2052 Tim McNamara Blogging Networking Social Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/04/casual_fridays_its_always_been_a_point_of_contention.html According to Wikipedia Casual Friday is an American and Canadian custom which has spread to other parts of the world, where some offices celebrate a "semi-reprieve" from the constrictions of a formal dress code. Whereas, during the rest of the... Fri, 01 May 2009 03:58:38 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2048 Paul Slezak At work Trends Workplace http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/04/the_soundtrack_to_work.html Do you listen to music during work hours? For many workplaces, having the radio on in the background is just another subtle way of fostering a relaxed yet focused atmosphere during the daily grind. For other workplaces though, the only... Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:15:32 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2045 Tim McNamara At work Music Trends Workplace http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/04/instant_chinese_noodles_who_hasnt_had_them_tasty_quick_painless.html What would Asia be without them? A quick bowl of "ramen," as they are called here in Japan, can bring you back to life on chilly winter nights or make you sweat like a hog in the summer. The busy... Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:11 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentblog//11.2043 Harold Moya Experiential Marketing Food and Drink Marketing Social Media Social Networking Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/04/psas_rfps_eois_rfts_tenders_audits_bids_agreements_where_do_you_draw_the_line.html One thing I have noticed in the last few months during the economic downturn has been the dramatic increase in the number of businesses requesting for (existing or potential) suppliers to re-pitch or re-tender for their business. More often than... Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:28:36 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/clone//11.2038 Paul Slezak At work Recruiting Trends Workplace http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/04/twitter_talk_exploring_market_research_and_consumer_intelligence_in_a_digital_age.html Imagine this ... you've just been to the movies and seen ... either the best spine tingling, edge-of-your-seat, popcorn spilling cinematic block bluster, or the worst and most painful sleep inducing insult to the silver screen ever! As an avid... Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:22:57 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentoracle//6.2020 Rowan Haylett Blogging Digital Generation Y Market news Marketing Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/04/marketing_outsourcing_a_positive_force_for_change.html I recently came across an interesting debate online around whether or not outsourcing can be a positive force for innovation. The conversation went something like this: "Offshoring takes jobs from country A and places them, as low wage jobs, in... Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:45:49 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentoracle//6.2016 Jon Fraulo Industry Resources Market news Trends Workplace http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/03/from_sushi_to_sugar_coated_bread_the_japanese_develop_a_sweet_tooth.html If the bad economy is dragging you down, pick yourself up by snacking! Anything from chocolates, bubble gum, candy, potato chips to sugared French bread (why would someone eat bread with sugar on it?) are selling like hot cakes at... Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:18:58 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentoracle//6.1985 Harold Moya Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/03/some_lessons_in_viral_marketing_part_2.html As friend of mine recently pointed out that the oldest viral marketing meme was a "yawn". A yawn is an expression, transmitting itself, that is contagious in spreading and does so with great rapidity. Marketers true to their profession immediately... Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:40:12 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentoracle//6.1981 Mahalakshmi Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/03/interweb_the_rainbow_or_design_as_ambient_arrangement.html Ms. Pistachio was the first to alert me, via Twitter, natch, that Skittles had gone all Social Media on us. Sure as shootin', the current (March 2, 2009) Skittles.com is a mash-up of social media sites where the name of... Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:45:21 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1975 Matthew Grant Creativity Design Interactive Design New vs Old Media Social Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/03/some_lessons_in_viral_marketing_part_1.html Why is it that a sure shot way of spreading information by word of mouth is telling a bunch of people something and asking them not to pass it on? Why is it that bad news always travels faster than... Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:32:07 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentoracle//6.1976 Mahalakshmi Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/03/is_the_recession_making_us_soft.html I've commented on this before, but the Rebranding Bandwagon just refuses to slow its roll. It seems like every day more and more major consumer product brands are slapping on a happy face to combat the mid-depression blues. Past approaches... Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:15:45 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1977 Creativity History Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/as_a_recent_college_grad.html As a 2-year-removed college grad, an adherent to no particular religion (other than The Religion of Non-Stop Awesomeness), and a relative newcomer to the Facebook scene, I was surprised to hear the WSJ report that giving up Facebook for Lent... Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:40:05 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1957 Advertising Branding Marketing Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/are_web_talent_sitting_pretty.html Aquent partnered with Monster to uncover the key to "attracting, keeping and developing Web talent in an uncertain economy" and we presented our findings in an AMA webcast today (I've embedded the slides below for your viewing convenience). It would... Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:18:08 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1954 Matthew Grant Careering Design Management Flash Freelancing Interactive Design Job Search Market Research Trends Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/is_this_downturn_less_bad_for_the_creative_class.html I heard Richard Florida on the radio this morning. You may remember him as the author of The Rise of the Creative Class, which traced "the fundamental theme that runs through a host of seemingly unrelated changes in American society:... Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:44:24 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1948 Matthew Grant Careering Creativity Design History Job Search Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/forget_about_transparency_how_ome_kin.html Good news for all you wannabe Mad Men (and Women)! There's now an alternative to getting into advertising: becoming an advertisement. That's right. Anyone with untouched skin space and no self-image issues can now create an online profile and pimp...I... Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:38:27 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1939 Advertising Branding Careering Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/transparency_casts_a_harsh_light.html Back when it was the latest thing, I wrote about Modernista!'s new "website", which is really more like a widget that connects you to Modernista!'s pages on Facebook, Flckr, Wikipedia, etc. I thought then and still think now that this... Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:34:06 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1936 Matthew Grant Agencies Interactive Design Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/careers_on_the_time-space_shifting_continuum.html The concepts of time-shifting and place-shifting (originally called "space" shifting) come from the realm of consumer electronics. The classic time-shifting device is TiVo, which allows you to "shift" the time of your favorite TV programs to a time of your... Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:13:12 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1930 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Job Search Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/enough_with_the_rebranding_already.html This post was written by Aquent's Alex "Get Your Damn Re-branding Off of Me" Weaver. This is a picture of him. Maybe it's the sinking feeling that what we've been doing with our lives up to this point is precisely... Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:37:06 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1931 Branding History Public Relations Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/just_because_the_technology_exists_doesnt_mean_you_have_to_use_it_-_erik_hauser_on_the_state_of_expe.html Well, I'm back in the podcast saddle (thought I did one in September, but turns out I've maintained radio silence since May - yikes!) and talking with my friend Erik Hauser (with whom I've spoken once or twice before. Erik... Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:35:17 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1913 Matthew Grant Careering Creativity Experiential Marketing New vs Old Media Podcast Social Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/02/surround_yourself_with_competent_specialists.html Aquent and the AMA engaged the Dihedral Group to conduct a couple surveys asking marketers about salaries and hiring trends, as I mentioned in this post. Well, the findings have been analyzed, reflected upon, and transformed into a convenient white... Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:57:22 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1891 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Market Research Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/01/working_for_the_man.html Unless you spend your days managing a healthy portfolio, spending your inherited wealth, or begging on the streets, then you have to work and, specifically, you have to work for somebody. The question is, "Are you getting your money in... Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:53:48 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/thetalentblog//5.1880 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Job Search Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2009/01/there_really_is_something_to_be_said_for_good_packaging_design.html I have always been a fan of really good packaging design. And although I have certainly never been a packaging designer, on every trip to the supermarket I become the ever critical compere of my own packaging design awards show!... Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:20:20 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2009:/aquentoracle//6.1828 Paul Slezak Creativity Design Industry Resources Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/12/obliterated_by_twitteration.html In the aftermath of the horror in Mumbai last week, Twitter has come of age, or, as the New York Times put it "evolved from an oddity to a full-fledged news platform." I followed the hype about Twitter when it... Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:05:19 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1769 Matthew Grant Blogging Social Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/11/what_are_you_really_looking_for_in_a_career.html I was reading Tim McNamara's article in Australia's Desktop magazine (issue # 244 - November 2008) on Finding your Creative Path. Whilst the entire article was certainly quite thought-provoking, two particular paragraphs struck a chord. Tim writes: "In an industry... Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:47:33 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/aquentoracle//6.1746 Paul Slezak Job Search Market news Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/11/flexible_work_practices_how_important_are_they_to_you.html Many of us talk about how great it would be to have more flexibility in our work. Perhaps the ability to have a rostered day off every two weeks, to be able to work from home every now and then,... Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:52:48 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/aquentoracle//6.1734 Paul Slezak Salaries Trends Work-life balance http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/10/whats_the_point_of_writing_or_reading_blogs.html Interesting article from Wired, "Twitter, Flickr, Facebook Make Blogs Look So 2004." Gist is: the blogosphere has been taken over by professionals. This blog is kind of a case in point, if I'm reading this dude correctly. Long story short,... Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:28:39 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1693 Matthew Grant Blogging New vs Old Media Social Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/10/are_any_marketers_designers_or_heaven_forfend_web_analysts_really_rock_stars.html C.C. Chapman mentioned yesterday during his New Marketing Summit presentation that he hated terms like "rock stars" when used in the context of new media/marketing folk. Having myself once aspired to be a rock star, I tend to wince as... Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:50:53 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1680 Matthew Grant Careering Design Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/10/marketingprofs_digital_marketing_mixer_in_arizona_-_october_22-23.html A few weeks back, I conducted a webcast in which I said that the ongoing and relentless convergence of marketing and technology was THE factor determining the course of marketing careers for the foreseeable future. Many asked how they could... Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:35:33 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1660 Matthew Grant Events Experiential Marketing Marketing New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/10/qa_if_ur_an_old-school_marketer_how_do_you_get_enough_knowledge_to_catch_up.html First of all, if UR are someone who uses "UR," then you can't be TOO old school. Second of all, I should mention that this question was actually a three-parter, the other two parts being: "How much is schooling vs... Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:48:25 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1658 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing New vs Old Media Project Management Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/qa_do_you_consider_seo_a_part_of_marketing_or_a_separate_job.html Got this question after our AMA webcast on marketing careers t'other day and I'm reading it this way: Should all marketers be thinking about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or should there be a specific individual in the organization who focuses... Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:36:34 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1640 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Management SEO Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/the_decline_of_traditional_marketing.html I have been a senior marketer for many years now and recently I have really started to feel that marketing is moving more and more to a digital or on line function. Am I being a bit too paranoid? I... Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:35:46 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/aquentoracle//6.1631 Ask the Oracle Ask the Aquent Oracle Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/i_was_recently_reading_an.html I was recently reading an article published on BtoB online talking about the surge in the use of temporary staff and contractors within both the marketing sector and media industry in the United States. The idea of contracting or working... Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:00:00 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/aquentoracle//6.1626 Paul Slezak Freelancing Trends Work-life balance http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/inbound_marketing_summit_-_i_was_there_and_my_brain_hurts.html I was out of the office yesterday attending the Inbound Marketing Summit at the behest of Ann Handley, esteemed editorial doyenne at MarketingProfs. You can view videos of the presentations here, but, for your convenience, I'm happy to provide the... Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:51:48 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.1553 Matthew Grant Creativity Design Events History Interactive Design Marketing New vs Old Media SEO Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/09/id_rather_be_smashing.html SMASHING Magazine, that is. I wrote about this amazing resource for designers of all ilk back in April but then was reminded of it's magnificence once again after seeing it on theweblist.net (a cool and informative snapshot of popular pages... Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:19:42 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.374 Matthew Grant Creativity Design Interactive Design New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/08/generation_y_the_google_genera.html Take a look around you next time you are on your way in to work and you will notice two distinct groups of people. There are those reading a newspaper, magazine or book, and then there are others bobbing their... Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/aquentoracle//6.396 Paul Slezak Generation Y Talent Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/08/photosynth_is_up_and_running_t.html Photosynth, which I wrote about after seeing this amazing TED conference demo reel, is finally available for the technophilic masses. Not on the Mac, however (insert "sad-face" emoticon here). Nevertheless, I will grant that the Microsofty's have a sense of... Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:30:06 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.369 Matthew Grant Creativity Design Interactive Design New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/08/does_social_media_frighten_you.html Thoughtful post over at The brandbox on why companies are hesitant to take the social media plunge. Reason Number One: Fear of transparency and losing control of the "message." Important Lesson Number One: You don't control your message. Thanks for... Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:25:52 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.365 Matthew Grant Branding Marketing New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/08/have_you_seen_the_future_latel.html If the future of the web doesn't look exactly like this, it will probably look something like this: Aurora (Part 1) from Adaptive Path on Vimeo... Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:30:49 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.360 Matthew Grant Design History Interactive Design New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/08/sorry.html I'm sorry we freaked out a bunch of people in the design community by running a contest to redo our homepage. There might have been a right way to do this thing, but we didn't do it the right way.... Mon, 04 Aug 2008 01:35:17 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.358 Matthew Grant Aquent Design History Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/08/betrayal_of_everything_we_stan.html We're in the process of rethinking our on-line presence/strategy and redesigning our website. We've already changed the homepage fairly drastically and continue to experiment with it, even as we reconsider our whole approach. As part of the experimentation, I started... Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:09:49 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.357 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Design Design Management Ethics New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/repetition_compulsion_why_do_p.html Checking out my daily email of NY Times headlines, I was intrigued by this story, "Overcoming the 'Sway' in Professional Life." Looking into, I discovered it contained an interview with two fellows who recently published "a provocative new book about... Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:20:36 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.356 Matthew Grant Design Experiential Marketing History Interviewing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/i_recommend_the_book_here_come.html It's not a revolution if nobody loses. - Clay Shirky I just finished reading Clay Shirky's masterpiece, Here Comes Everybody, and feel compelled to recommend that you read it. It's thoughtful, insightful, and well-written. It also a "business" book that... Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:50:38 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.353 Matthew Grant Blogging History New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/apparently_the_united_states_i.html Looks like we're in a recession, my fellow Americans (if you happen to live somewhere else, more power to ya!). Home prices are dropping and foreclosures are up. Over 500,000 private sector jobs have evaporated since November 2007. We're even... Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:29:52 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.350 Matthew Grant Advertising Careering Content and Content Management Copywriting Design History Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/i_dreamed_i_saw_seth_godin.html When you have a dream worthy of mention, it's best to write it down immediately, otherwise it disintegrates beneath the day's remnants. Case in point, I had a dream on Sunday night in which Seth Godin made an appearance. The... Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:28:59 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.348 Matthew Grant History Marketing New vs Old Media Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/the_promise_and_peril_of_3d_in.html Back in the days when Second Life was being hyped as the future of the web, Clay Shirky quipped that "3D is a crappy way to search." I totally agree, in part because I've often had the experience of looking... Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:11:09 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.344 Matthew Grant Agencies Content and Content Management Design Flash Interactive Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/07/against_all_odds_or_why_this_b.html Our CFO was kind enough to forward me an article from the Wall Street Journal, "Most Corporate Blogs Are Unimaginative Failures." Once I recovered from his passive-aggressive attack, I actually read the article and was relieved to discover that, for... Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:44:30 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.342 Matthew Grant Aquent Blogging Market Research Marketing New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/the_digital_people_vs_the_trad.html If you're reading this blog, then you probably read this story in ADWEEK, "Agencies Seek the Right Mix." If you didn't read it, the article describes a kind of power shift in agencies from the "traditional creatives" to the "digital... Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:29:55 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.340 Matthew Grant Advertising Agencies Aquent Creativity Design Design Management History Interactive Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/give_it_away_part_2.html On the "giving it away as a business strategy"-front, check out this WSJ article on Google offering a free tool to measure web hits. I quote, "Existing ad-serving systems don't currently provide detailed Web-audience data about the sites where they... Wed, 25 Jun 2008 23:31:35 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.339 Matthew Grant Advertising Data Analytics Market Research Marketing New vs Old Media Trends Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/whats_twitter.html I was iChatting with a former colleague who left a while back to join a fast growing design and production agency. I told him that I was on Twitter (my handle is @aquentminister, if you're interested in my sporadic digital... Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:34:19 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.338 Matthew Grant Careering History Marketing New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/give_it_away_give_it_away_give.html On Twitter the other day talking with the Conversation Agent about the Associated Press' decision to go after sites that quote too much of their content - apparently, they called the Drudge report out for quotations ranging in length from... Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:13:31 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.337 Matthew Grant Aquent Marketing New vs Old Media Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/how_much_does_your_boss_make.html Aquent and the AIGA, in cooperation with Communication Arts magazine, recently published a survey of design salaries for the US. Aside from showing how much people make in different design roles, it also comes with a handy salary calculator. Analysis... Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:54:39 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.336 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Design Design Management Talent Talent Spotlight Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/06/simms_jenkins_and_the_truth_ab_1.html Simms Jenkins is the CEO of BrightWave Marketing and the author of The Truth About Email Marketing. He will also be the featured speaker on an upcoming (June 26, 1pm EDT) webcast hosted by the AMA and sponsored by Aquent... Sun, 08 Jun 2008 21:25:36 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.332 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Marketing Marketing Management New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/why_is_web_design_for_roi_a_ho.html The slides from Aquent's recent webcast featuring Lance Loveday and Sandra Niehaus were "featured" on slideshare.net last week and have already been viewed over 8000 times. Indeed, we had over 2000 people sign up for the webcast in the first... Wed, 28 May 2008 20:56:45 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.329 Matthew Grant Aquent Design Interactive Design New vs Old Media Trends Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/is_staffing_obsolete.html Aquent is, first and foremost, a staffing company. If you are unfamiliar with that phrase, allow me to explain that a staffing company is what the lay-person might call a "temp agency." A temp agency will tend to call itself... Tue, 27 May 2008 19:24:09 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.328 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/first_solo_cast_whither_the_we.html As a follow-up to our webcast with Lance Loveday and Sandra Niehaus, I thought I would proffer my two cents on ways that the evolution of the web is and will affect careers in web design. It's the first time... Fri, 23 May 2008 13:42:18 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.327 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Content and Content Management Creativity History Interactive Design New vs Old Media Podcast SEO Trends Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/getting_on_sally_hogsheads_rad.html Sally Hogshead is the author of Radical Careering, a book that "helps you visualize your no-compromises future, so you can start to build it, piece by piece." I came across Sally's work via Ad Age where she writes a career-oriented... Mon, 19 May 2008 17:51:52 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.326 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering Creativity Interactive Design Public Relations Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/what_do_web_designers_want.html Greg Kuchmek, who is represented by Aquent's DC office, has been working on the web since 1994. That's when he was hired to help produce a webzine, Stim, started by Prodigy. [Editor's Note: For an interesting flashback to 1996, read... Thu, 15 May 2008 02:29:43 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.324 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Flash Interactive Design Interviewing Talent Talent Spotlight Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/random_aquentrelated_randomnes.html Thanks to Google, I was alerted to an Aquent reference on a blog called, "Give, Get, Take, and Have." I don't know much about it, but, astonishingly, "This blog has often been found swimming miles from shore in the Indian... Tue, 13 May 2008 14:34:08 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.323 Matthew Grant Aquent Globalization Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/05/did_you_know.html I saw this video on DeanHunt.com. Well, actually, Dean posted a slightly earlier version of it. The one below dates from June 2007: The main point seems to be that the world is bigger, more connected, and changing faster than... Mon, 05 May 2008 18:43:53 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.321 Matthew Grant Careering Data Analytics Globalization History New vs Old Media Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/04/do_presentations_bore_you.html I am generally bored by presentations, business, academic, or otherwise. I fidget, I doodle, and my comments or questions tend to fall into the "distracting/sometimes comedic" category. And while I've sat through my share of boring presentations, I will freely... Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:43:32 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.317 Matthew Grant Copywriting Design Events Globalization Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/04/a_simply_smashing_resource_for.html Random searching in Google brought me to this site: Smashing Magazine. Created by two German fellows (they live in Germany, anyway), who claim that, "Our aim is to inform our readers about the latest trends and techniques in web-development -... Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:44:24 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.314 Matthew Grant Creativity Design Interactive Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/new_podcast_erik_hauser_talks.html Ever since I spoke to Erik Hauser last year I've been looking for an opportunity to speak with him again. He's optimistic, he's infectiously enthusiastic, and he has a lot to say on a lot of different topics almost any... Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:03:50 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.310 Matthew Grant Advertising Branding Careering Creativity Experiential Marketing Interviewing Job Search Podcast Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/what_is_a_website.html This is a snapshot of Modernista!'s new website. Yes, they are using their Wikipedia page as their homepage (though apparently Wikipedia took it down for a while due to this unconventional usage). They also use Google News for their "news"... Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:46:28 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.308 Matthew Grant Agencies Branding Design Interactive Design New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/love_to_link_link_to_love.html Here are some lovely links for loving. Link 1:The ORIGINAL Aquent Blog Tim Donnelly in Aquent's Los Angeles office started Aquent's first-ever blog several years ago and it's still going strong. He's a good, funny writer who finds weird stuff... Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:07:08 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.307 Matthew Grant Aquent Blogging New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/make_your_content_a_powerful_a.html On March 27, 2008 at 1:00 pm ET, Aquent and the AMA will present a webcast entitled, "Make Your Content a Powerful Asset in 10 Steps." The presenter will be Todd Tibbetts, a digital media entrepreneur who, among other things,... Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:49:09 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.306 Matthew Grant Aquent Content and Content Management Marketing New vs Old Media Public Relations Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/brains_on_brands_part_2_straw.html In Part 1 of our podcast interview with James Intriligator, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Wales in Bangor, we talked about branding, loyalty, and consumer psychology. In Part 2, we discuss personae and customer motivation, different neuormarketing... Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:50:06 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.305 Matthew Grant Branding Careering Creativity Design Experiential Marketing History Interactive Design Marketing Podcast Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/brands_and_brains_marketing_me.html The other day an SEM specialist told me, "Marketing is a hard science." She said it, at least in part, ironically. "Marketing? A science? Come on! What's next? Fishing?" Marketing may not yet be a hard, or even soft, science.... Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:46:20 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.304 Matthew Grant Branding Careering Design Experiential Marketing History Interactive Design Marketing New vs Old Media Podcast Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/03/designer_vs_stylist_a_timeless.html Way back in late 2001, Adam Greenfield published an essay entitled, "The Bathing Ape Has No Clothes (and other notes on the distinction between style and design). In this essay, he posits "problem-solving within constraints" as an essential component of... Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:05:26 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.302 Matthew Grant Creativity Design History Interactive Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/reputation_compulsion.html Fri, 22 Feb 2008 04:06:23 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.294 Matthew Grant Aquent Marketing Marketing Management New vs Old Media Public Relations SEO Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/needtoknow_technology_trends_f.html Yesterday - February 7, 2008, in case you are reading this in the far, distant future - Aquent hosted a webcast on changes in creative technology (like InDesign, Acrobat, etc.), that not only have an impact on the type of... Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:47:54 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.289 Matthew Grant Aquent Creativity Design Management Marketing Management Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/02/integrating_broadcast_and_web.html Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:45:50 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.287 Matthew Grant Advertising Interactive Design New vs Old Media Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/gary_katz_on_marketing_operati.html Gary Katz is the CEO and founder of Marketing Operations Partners. Gary is a thought leader in the emerging field of marketing operations, a field to which he brings both a keen intellect and a missionary zeal. I caught up... Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:57:33 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.283 Matthew Grant Aquent Marketing Marketing Management Podcast Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/so_many_channels_so_little_tim.html The writing is on the FunWall: Marketing is undergoing an unprecedented and overwhelming proliferation of channels. This isn't new news, naturally. It's been going on for a while, what with computers in taxicabs and digital bulletin in elevators and all.... Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:02:27 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.281 Matthew Grant Advertising Agencies Branding Careering New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/is_bad_economic_news_good_for.html We've been hearing about the credit meltdown and the bursting housing bubble for a while, but Fed Chief Bernanke was talking yesterday about a worsening economic outlook and even the President is finally copping to the notion that the economy... Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:12:43 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.280 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering History Talent Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/we_are_all_temps.html In my last post, I floated out various reasons why people "temp" in hopes of dispelling the notion that people temp because they can't find permanent work. In this post, I want to debunk the myth of the "perm job"... Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:39:37 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.279 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Job Search Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/why_do_people_temp.html Anyone watching Aquent over the last few years would see that we've shifted the emphasis in our marketing from "the world's largest talent agency for creative, web, and tech," back in 2001, to "a professional services firm that specializes in... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:38:10 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.278 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Job Search Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2008/01/do_people_hate_marketing_or_ju.html I know I said in my last post that I was going to talk more about Aquent and give the folks who are Aquent more of a voice here. Believe me, I will. But it's sort of late in the... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:33:17 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2008:/thetalentblog//5.277 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/12/plan_on_going_global_with_your.html As part of the follow-up to webcast Aquent sponsored devoted to Seven Key Insights for Global Marketing and Brand Management, I called up Sarah Schuh who is general manager of Aquent's Multilingual Communications offering. Sarah has been working in the... Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:31:49 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.272 Matthew Grant Aquent Design Management Globalization Interactive Design Marketing Marketing Management Podcast Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/12/marketing_a_hallucination_the.html Many years ago, I met a group of people who, having encountered absinthe in Spain and despairing of it's unavailability here in the United States, decided to take matters into their own hands and distill it themselves. The concoction they... Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:58:18 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.270 Matthew Grant Branding Creativity Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/11/brand_narratives_and_other_tal.html The Advertising Research Foundation, which publishes The Journal of Advertising Research, released a white paper last month entitled, "On the Road to a New Effectiveness Model," (you can purchase it from the ARF here), which got written up in Brandweek,... Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:19:19 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.266 Matthew Grant Advertising Branding Copywriting Creativity Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/11/sales_and_marketing_permanent.html I came across two things yesterday that reminded me how much people don't want to be sold to and how even biology helps us resist the impulses that marketers, advertisers, and sales-folk wish to unleash within us. First, on my... Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:41:46 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.262 Matthew Grant Experiential Marketing Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/11/eric_t_peterson_on_the_emetric.html I spoke with Eric T. Peterson about a month ago as he was on his way to the eMetrics Summit in Washington, DC. With the summit now behind us, Eric was kind enough to speak with me again on his... Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:35:19 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.260 Matthew Grant Data Analytics Events Trends Web Analytics http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/10/podcamp_boston_2_or_why_we_do.html Over the weekend I attended the second annual PodCamp un-conference here in Boston. It was great for a lot of reasons, chief among them being the chance to meet people I've corresponded with or spoken to, but had until... Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:20:27 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.258 Matthew Grant Blogging Creativity New vs Old Media Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/10/the_greening_of_graphic_design.html As everyone knows, "Green" is in. Even car manufacturers and oil companies are green! If you are a graphic designer and want to get greener, you may be interested in this blog: 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the... Mon, 22 Oct 2007 18:31:24 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.257 Matthew Grant Creativity Design Ethics New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/10/peter_rojas_of_engadget_a_podc.html The other day I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Peter Rojas, co-founder of Engadget and Joystiq, and formerly editorial director at Gizmodo. Although our conversation initially focused on the most, and least, successful ways for marketers and PR... Tue, 16 Oct 2007 14:33:28 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.254 Matthew Grant Blogging New vs Old Media Podcast Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/10/paul_gillin_on_the_new_influen.html Aquent is sponsoring an American Marketing Association on-demand webcast, which will first air tomorrow, Tuesday, October 16, at 1pm EST. The webcast will feature Paul Gillin, author of The New Influencers: A Marketer's Guide to the New Social Media. Paul's... Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:34:00 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.253 Matthew Grant Aquent Blogging Social Networking Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/10/sticky_advertainment_the_webki.html I was checking out the buzz log over at Yahoo! and came across this ominously titled post, "The Webkinz Will Rise," about the collectible and cuddly phenomenon known as Webkinz. Apparently, "Webkinz" ranks in the top 100 searches on Yahoo!... Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:21:59 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.249 Matthew Grant Branding Interactive Design Marketing Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/08/erik_hauser_experiential_marke.html If you are a marketer with an eye to the future and you don't know who Erik Hauser is, you've got some catching up to do. Aside from serving as founder and creative director at Swivel Media, who introduced Wells... Wed, 08 Aug 2007 20:02:22 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.228 Matthew Grant Creativity Experiential Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/07/new_product_experts_can_write.html Aquent recently held a large training event for out staff here in Boston (well, technically, Cambridge). In one session two product managers whom we represent talked about their accomplishments, what they are looking for in a job, and what sorts... Mon, 02 Jul 2007 18:49:15 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.216 Matthew Grant Careering Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/visual_information_design_and.html A friend of mine passed this link along to me. It is a video of a software demo at the TED Conference back in March. The speaker is Blaise Aguera y Arcas who was demoing two software packages - Seadragon,... Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:59:27 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.213 Matthew Grant Interactive Design New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/the_iphone_and_the_eclipse_of.html The New York Times published an article yesterday on the significance of Apple creating the iPhone without a physical keyboard. While some may find this foolhardy - apparently humans have grown use to the responsiveness afforded by pressing keys with... Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:10:07 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.210 Matthew Grant Design Interactive Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/web_content_how_can_you_tell_i.html Gerry McGovern, an "authority on managing web content as a business asset," posted an interesting article entitled "Impediments to seeing information as a task," in which he makes some interesting claims on establishing the true value of content on the... Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:17:14 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.206 Matthew Grant Blogging Copywriting Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/where_science_fiction_and_mark.html This is just insanely cool: Thanks Popular Mechanics!... Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:07:04 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.205 Matthew Grant History New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/do_people_read_online.html Brought to you by our Guest Blogger, Nomi. Image courtesy of fo.ol. In the nineties, one of the loudest voices to proclaim that people don't and won't read online was Jakob Nielsen, never one to shy away from sweeping declarations.... Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:47:53 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.203 Matthew Grant Interactive Design New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/06/work_life_its_not_about_balanc.html Aquent, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and Work+Life Fit, Inc., collaborated to survey hundreds of working professionals and corporate executives on the subject of flexible career paths and work arrangements. (A summary report entitled, "Changing the Career Ladder: Paving... Fri, 01 Jun 2007 19:37:39 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.202 Matthew Grant Aquent Careering Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/icons_for_the_igeneration.html Brought to you by our Guest Blogger, Nomi. The word "icon" comes from the Greek word "eikon," meaning "image. " Put simply, an icon is an image, picture, or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it.... Fri, 25 May 2007 19:30:02 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.198 Matthew Grant Design History Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/fabulous_design_and_fabricated.html Pete Mortensen, on the Cult of Mac section of Wired's blog, wrote a head-shaking post describing how an academic journal was beaten down by the secrecy surrounding Apple's design group and their ultra-esoteric process for creating great products. Of course,... Sat, 19 May 2007 13:59:47 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.193 Matthew Grant Design Ethics Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/the_volcanic_force_of_usergene.html Brought to you by our Guest Blogger, Nomi. In response to my last post, commenter Rob weighed in with an interesting question: "Do you think that the evolution of user-produced media (YouTube, Current.tv, etc.) is a positive or negative trend... Mon, 14 May 2007 18:33:36 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.189 Matthew Grant Advertising Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/05/related_search_terms.html So I've started adding photographs to my blog, as you may or may not have noticed. The impetus was Mack Collier's post entitled "Your Company Blog Sucks, Now What?" in which he suggests adding images to make one's post... Wed, 09 May 2007 19:25:52 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.187 Matthew Grant Blogging Ethics Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/a_few_seconds_on_second_life.html I haven't written about Second Life in a while and, truth be told, I haven't been "in-world" in a while either, but, thanks to the eclectic, ubiquitous, and industrious link-gathering of Joseph Jaffe, my interest in Second Life goings-on was... Tue, 24 Apr 2007 20:29:02 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.177 Matthew Grant New vs Old Media Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/experience_design_an_exercise.html Brought to you by our Guest Blogger, Nomi. As a designer, have you ever thought that the life of your design has only just begun when your work is "done"? First, you are designing a thing: a product, process, page,... Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:27:01 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.176 Matthew Grant Blogging Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/brands_are_people_too.html A few weeks back, I wrote about brands which have switched genders. Of course, "switching" implies that brands are gendered in the first place, which pretty much everyone would agree is true. Turns out, according to the New York Times,... Tue, 17 Apr 2007 01:38:50 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.174 Matthew Grant Branding Marketing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/field_trip_to_the_jelly_bean_f.html Brought to you by First Official Guest Blogger, Nomi. Within the constellation of stellar design talent working today, what sets a true innovator apart? One way to define design innovation is that it goes beyond aesthetic appeal or even functionality... Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:00:06 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.173 Matthew Grant Blogging Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/04/amazon_myspace_and_yahoo.html Back in the days when I was teaching newbies at Aquent about the Web, they would ask, "What's your favorite website?" I would respond, "Amazon.com." I wasn't joking. I've visited Amazon.com thousands of times because, as I've written before, I... Tue, 10 Apr 2007 01:52:47 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.169 Matthew Grant Marketing Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/blog_blog_blog.html I've tried desperately to avoid blogging about blogging and I've succeeded, more or less. When I have found myself blogging about blogging, I've striven to make sure that my comments were at least arguably career-related (for example, back in December... Fri, 30 Mar 2007 20:52:26 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.163 Matthew Grant Blogging Careering Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/joseph_jaffe_and_marketing_blo.html Joseph Jaffe, of Life After the 30-Second Spot fame, is asking on his blog for people to recommend those blogs which are best at providing "smart, original thought leadership and guidance for people trying to understand and navigate through the... Thu, 22 Mar 2007 14:59:57 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.158 Matthew Grant Blogging Market Research Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/provocation_by_design.html If you are currently pursuing a career in design, then you might want to read a recent post by Bruce Nussbaum over at Business Week Online entitled, "Are Designers The Enemy Of Design?" Aside from the provocative question of the... Mon, 19 Mar 2007 21:03:21 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.155 Matthew Grant Design New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/more_thoughts_on_design_thinki.html I'm a latecomer and a slow learner. My thoughts on "design thinking" began as a reaction to something written by Dan Saffer of Adaptive Path. Little did I know as I was penning my post entitled, "Thinking about 'Design Thinking,'"... Wed, 14 Mar 2007 19:37:25 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.152 Matthew Grant Design Interactive Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/thinking_about_design_thinking.html I subscribe to the feed from Adaptive Path's blog because, as they say here in Boston, the people who work there are "wicked smaht." As a result, and thanks to the magic of RSS feedings, I spotted this impassioned plea... Wed, 07 Mar 2007 19:41:53 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.150 Matthew Grant Blogging Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/03/overindulging_in_innovation.html At a recent marketing conference, the catchphrase was "innovation," as in, "We've entered the age of the 'innovation economy,'" or, "Today, innovation is the key to differentiation." Given the premium placed on innovation, a colleague who attended this conference wondered... Thu, 01 Mar 2007 22:03:38 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.147 Matthew Grant Advertising Careering Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/02/when_business_process_improvem.html A semi-controversial memo from Starbuck's chairman Howard Schultz to Starbuck's CEO Jim Donald is circulating though the Internet's bustling tubes. In said memo, Schultz outlines how business decisions - specifically, the replacement of traditional espresso machines with automatic ones and... Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:56:08 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.146 Matthew Grant Experiential Marketing Interactive Design Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/02/should_interviews_be_outlawed.html If you are not a recruiter or an HR professional, and chances are that, if you found your way here via Aquent's website, you are not, then you're probably not familiar with ERE.net, which is an online resource center for... Thu, 22 Feb 2007 04:35:31 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.145 Matthew Grant Careering Interviewing Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/02/of_guerrilla_marketing_ethics.html News travels fast these days, so I don't need to tell anyone that, right here in Boston, a guerrilla marketing stunt mobilized the police force and shut down significant parts of the city for several hours. If you don't know... Fri, 02 Feb 2007 14:28:51 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.137 Matthew Grant Ethics Trends Viral Marketing http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/01/web_20_versus_cicero.html Sad to say, even though I have PhD from an Ivy League university, I never learned Latin. So, when looking at some layouts for a newsletter the other day, I was trying to decipher the greeking, and failed. The words... Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:23:05 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.136 Matthew Grant Design New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/01/social_networking_101_for_the.html Marketing and creative careers are increasingly "impacted," as some like to say, by the social networking phenomenon. On the one hand, marketers are called on to figure out strategies that take advantage of the potential offered by social networking sites... Sat, 27 Jan 2007 15:09:40 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.135 Matthew Grant Market Research Social Networking Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/01/liftout_recruiting_and_freelan.html Repeat after me: I am my network. When a company recruits an entire team or group from another company, it's called a "lift-out," according to this article from Business Week. (Of course, sometimes its referred to as "employee raiding," and... Sat, 20 Jan 2007 13:46:39 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.130 Matthew Grant Careering Ethics Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2007/01/erin_mckean_a_dress_a_day.html It's late in the week. I've got a lot of thoughts to share about the value of working for demanding bosses, sarcasm as a pedagogical tool, and the art of making oneself invaluable, but that's going to have to wait... Fri, 12 Jan 2007 22:17:58 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2007:/thetalentblog//5.127 Matthew Grant Blogging New vs Old Media Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2006/12/marketing_innovation_vs_produc.html Bringing an innovative product to market is the best way to increase revenue growth for consumer packaged goods companies, but it's not always possible to load your product pipeline with breakthrough offerings. Fear not, for a recent study [registration required]... Sat, 09 Dec 2006 03:15:45 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2006:/thetalentblog//5.112 Matthew Grant Data Analytics Market Research Trends http://blogs.aquent.com/aquentblog/2006/11/marketing_trends_in_2007.html It's that time of year again, and I'm not talking about "pine cones and holly berries." No, I'm talking about the time for vendors and pundits alike to weigh-in with their prognostications concerning trends for the coming year. To quickly... Tue, 28 Nov 2006 15:41:22 EST tag:blogs.aquent.com,2006:/thetalentblog//5.107 Matthew Grant Trends