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Tech Needs TV

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October - 10 - 2010 - Sunday

Offline Advertising is Necessary for Online Growth

If you are pure B-to-B or consumer marketer with extremely limited goals, then this article may not be for you. But if you need to drive growth in large markets, then read on. And start by considering Angie’s List, Eharmony, and GoToMeeting. All are perceived to be pure “online plays”. Yet each surprisingly uses massive [...] . . . → Read More: Offline Advertising is Necessary for Online Growth

New Media Noise: Living in a Third World Airport?

I generally enjoy reading Bob Garfield’s work. So I read his recent AdAge blog post about new media with interest. In this post he recounts being bombarded in a foreign airport by loudly shouted commercial offers. I know what he’s talking about — offers for time share presentations, people who want to be your “friend” [...] . . . → Read More: New Media Noise: Living in a Third World Airport?

“Most Consumers Don’t Want to Be Your Friend”: Six Axioms of Social Media.

We’ve been sold the grand myth of social media marketing based on some rather flakey ideas. In particular, the ad biz has somehow convinced itself that the vast majority of consumers have a driving desire to be a company’s friend. Now a study by the Harvard Business Review and the Corporate Executive Board suggests there [...] . . . → Read More: “Most Consumers Don’t Want to Be Your Friend”: Six Axioms of Social Media.

Five Reasons Consumers will “Friend” Your Company.

In my last post, I noted six hard truths or axioms I’ve developed about social media. And while these are sobering thoughts, it’s only by facing a medium’s weaknesses that you can truly leverage its power. So let’s look at another sobering set of thoughts today. If we’re going to look at the people who [...] . . . → Read More: Five Reasons Consumers will “Friend” Your Company.

“Free Internet TV” Will Hurt Consumers

Claims of “FREE!” drive purchases of cheesy TV products from Shamwow’s to those (supposedly) Amish heaters. But somehow, it escapes notice of the tech press that equally cheesy claims of “free” run deep amid marketing of the internet. Free music, free newspaper articles, free magazines, and now supposedly free television. Everybody offers free. And it’s [...] . . . → Read More: “Free Internet TV” Will Hurt Consumers

Smart Choices Make Online Videos that Drive Web (and Retail) Sales

Marketers are encouraged to fill websites with exotic videos made with the most expensive production value. But too often those videos aren’t useful to consumers. And most manufacturers can’t afford them if they have extensive lines of products. So how can you create online videos for your product line with today’s tight margins? . . . → Read More: Smart Choices Make Online Videos that Drive Web (and Retail) Sales

People Ignore New Media – Much More Than They Ignore Traditional Media

Media Daily News recently published an article by Wayne Friedman covering key statistics about viewing of advertisements. It shows a striking truth: 63% of people say they ignore all internet ads while only 14% say they ignore all TV ads. And even more interesting: young consumers (18 to 34) ignore banner ads much more than [...] . . . → Read More: People Ignore New Media – Much More Than They Ignore Traditional Media

The Key Truths About Social Media Are Already Known by Direct Marketers

Social media experts have spent the last few years telling us how hard it is to calculate the value of social media connections to monetize their efforts. I’ve read their posts and articles with high interest – because we all want to learn where social media has the most substantive value. But it’s time to [...] . . . → Read More: The Key Truths About Social Media Are Already Known by Direct Marketers

How Segmentation Becomes Fragmentation: Online Advertising’s Incredible Blind Spot

In the late 1990′s, the tech industry hype machine went into over-drive telling us that the web would replace retail and become the biggest sales channel for every product on earth. Of course, it didn’t happen. Today, brick & mortar retail dominates purchases – and does so while using the web as one of many [...] . . . → Read More: How Segmentation Becomes Fragmentation: Online Advertising’s Incredible Blind Spot

Reject Bah Humbug; Embrace the Physical Holiday Card

It’s holiday time – when good cheer arrives from people you’ve worked with all year. When old friends get back in touch with you. When it’s great to be reminded of the relationships you’ve built and to touch base with people you haven’t had reason to contact in the past bit of time. And so, [...] . . . → Read More: Reject Bah Humbug; Embrace the Physical Holiday Card

Doug Garnett, DRTV and Technology Industry Expert

Doug Garnett is founder and CEO of DRTV agency Atomic Direct and a leading expert on innovative uses of DRTV, infomercials and other in-depth TV and non-TV messages to build brand and drive sales.

Doug has been working in and around the technology field for 27 years. After starting in aerospace, he spent 5 years selling and marketing supercomputers. Since shifting to advertising, his clients have included AT&T, IBM, Apple, Disney Mobile, Ugobe, Presto, and Netpliance.

Doug sits on the editorial board of Response Magazine, is an adjunct professor of general advertising at Portland State University, and is a member of the Jordan-Whitney Greensheet Panel.

Join the conversation or just see what Doug has to say about the latest in TV and advertising.

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