The only thing that sets you apart is your story. – 4th Avenue Media

By Jay Nelson

Print media is dying. Magazine and newspaper sales continue to plummet as more and more people venture online for news and entertainment. Single-copy sales of magazines fell 7.3% in the second half of 2010 compared to 2009, an even greater drop than the 5.6% decline experienced during the first half of the year. Newspapers are also struggling, with circulation and advertising revenues tumbling, which is only partly due to the recent economic downturn. What we’re now seeing is a changing of the guard, a phasing out of the old journalism model and the evolution into a new digital standard.

The iPad is revolutionizing the way people view and interact with content. Publishers are now offering many of their products in digital form to take advantage of the emerging tablet market. Digital versions of magazines and newspapers are allowing for a more engaging user experience by implementing video, 360-degree photographs, and social network integration to go along with conventional pictures and text.

One individual who has fully embraced this technology is News Corp. CEO, Rupert Murdoch, who recently launched “The Daily,” the first iPad-only news publication. According to Murdoch, “new times demand new journalism,” and with this new product, he hopes to reconnect with an audience that abandoned print media long ago. Others, like Sports Illustrated, are also exploring ways the digital model can benefit their businesses. SI’s annual swimsuit edition is hitting the App Store this week, complete with bonus photos and video footage, as well as connections to social media to create a more immersive experience that extends beyond the pages of the magazine.    

This is just the beginning of the digital revolution. The new standard presents many challenges and opportunities in terms of platform development, enhancing the user experience, advertising, and distribution, and it’ll be exciting to see how far companies and developers are able to push the boundaries in the years to come.

For more, check out the following links:

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=148741

http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=148620

http://mashable.com/2010/11/21/the-daily-ipad-journalism/

http://mashable.com/2011/02/14/sports-illustrated-swimsuit-issue/

By Jay Nelson

It’s only the fourth week of my internship here at 4^th Avenue Media, but I really feel like I’m part of the team and have fully embraced the unique culture that exists within these walls. We may be a relatively small firm (9 people) and fairly young (about 2 ½ years old), but we are doing tremendous things and are growing fast- the sky is the limit!

It’s exciting to be part of a team that is so committed to a single vision, a vision that will enable 4AM to become the number one media marketing company in the Northwest. Observing this synergy and dedication to the work each day, is by far the most beneficial aspect of my experience. I now understand the importance of a clear mission and how it inspires the actions of each individual.

This is most apparent on Friday mornings at our team meetings. Each week, we get together to discuss who we are as a company and reinforce what it is we are trying to accomplish. Lucas presented a great analogy last Friday that really stuck with me over the weekend; he likened 4^th Avenue Media to a high-rise building. People admire the steel and the glass and the architecture of a majestic skyscraper. They gaze in awe at its remarkable height and stature. But what most people look past is the structure’s core, its foundation. All great buildings start with a great foundation.

The work we do for our clients is what others evaluate 4AM on. The relationships we form and the service we provide influence how our customers perceive us. However, at the root, the team is the foundation of this firm. We are the story creators, the message makers, and the vision shapers. Each of us is helping to build the foundation of 4^th Avenue Media, so that one day, we will become that great skyscraper.

Victory!

By Jay Nelson

Many marketers argue that social media is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It can do wonders for your business and allows you to interact easily with customers via websites such as Facebook and Twitter. However, when used inappropriately, social media has the capability to cause tremendous damage that can ruin your brand’s image. Take for example the following tweet posted by Kenneth Cole on Thursday, which sent the blogosphere into a frenzy:

Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo -KC

I’ll give you all a moment to digest this.  If you find this to be outrageous commentary, you’re not alone.

What’s even more shocking is that Kenneth Cole himself was behind the tweet. The namesake and figurehead of the company experienced firsthand the power of social media.  What he didn’t get, is brand management and how quickly people will react to inappropriate comments.

Everyone need to understand that words and actions are a representation of the brand you represent and how you conduct yourself on social media sites can reflect either positively or negatively your organization as a whole. When using social media, the goal is to create raving fans, not raging critics.

Someone is always watching and people are always talking. Be aware of this fact, and please act accordingly.  And remember, once it’s out in cyberspace… you can never take it back.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/03/kenneth-cold/

http://mashable.com/2011/02/03/kenneth-cole-egypt/

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/218751/how_not_to_use_twitter_learn_from_kenneth_cole.html

By Jay Nelson

Super Bowl Sunday is coming up this weekend and for most people, that means football, cold beer, party platters, and commercials. This is the only time of the year that I can think of that people actually look forward to the advertisements, let alone pay attention to them. However, in the words of Bob Dylan, “the times they are a-changin.” No longer is it sufficient to just air a humorous ad that will get everyone talking about your company the next day. This year, marketers will be integrating social media into their campaigns to generate buzz before, during, and long after the game is over.

The goal is to expand conversations out of the living room and onto sites such as Facebook and Twitter to get viewers engaged with the brand or product. Audi will be debuting a spot during the first commercial break that contains a hashtag, so that viewers can log-on to Twitter and follow discussions about the ad. Budweiser has generated some pre-game buzz with their Clydesdales-themed, 15-second teasers that encourage viewers to work together on Facebook to guess the plotline. If guessed correctly, Budweiser promises to air another commercial. If not, well, you’ll just have to wait until sometime after the game to view it on YouTube.

Tremendous value is added to these multi million-dollar investments by leveraging the power of social media. Consumers now have more of a reason to talk, and to continue talking. Companies just hope that all this conversation translates into action, more sales, and an increased ROI.

It’ll be interesting to see what people will be talking about the day after the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl (hopefully… I’m still bitter about the game five years ago and probably always will be). Will they be raving about their favorite commercials? Or, will they be encouraging their friends to join the conversation and interact with others online? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

http://adage.com/superbowl/article?article_id=148568