When making hard decisions, there’s a directness that’s required and a need for contemplative thought that full transparency can compromise. I just finished reading Keith Richards’ memoir, Life. I found his candor refreshing and illuminating. By the end of the … Continue reading
Any marketer worth their salt has always understood the power of storytelling. Stories are the blood that pumps through any vital community. They document our histories, they educate generations, they entertain us and at their best they inspire us to … Continue reading
When my wife and I were trying to potty train our youngest of three children, we were more than ready to be done with diapers. We had encouraged our son, read to our son, coached our son, and cajoled our … Continue reading
My latest piece for Fast Company, “Brand Endearment: Why Super Bowl Ads Aren’t Dead Yet”, was published yesterday: “There is an old truism in the sales profession—people buy from people they like. The same goes for brands. Being “liked” … Continue reading
My latest piece for Fast Company, “7 Ways Daring Brands Walk The Line”, was published today: “People want to feel alive. We want to have new experiences and see things that surprise, inspire, or yes, even shock us a little. But … Continue reading
Convergence and cloud computing mean you won’t have multiple screens and multiple devices, you’ll have one screen everywhere you turn—and it will be yours: I was watching people play a very sophisticated video game on a pretty dumb device in … Continue reading
Last month VIA hosted the annual holiday party for our employees and their guests and we had an excellent time, as we do every year. As the cliché goes, here at VIA we work hard but we also know … Continue reading
My take on the advantages of being a small agency like VIA originally appeared in in the December 13, 2011 digital issue of Fast Company. When I started VIA in 1993, my mother sent me a card with the famous quote … Continue reading
Evolving from demographics to psychographics to socialgraphics Yahoo! Advertising Blog asked me how advertisers and marketers are integrating social media, and my post is below. Enjoy! – John Most marketers are obsessed with adding big social media initiatives to the … Continue reading
I’m pleased to announce that VIA has submitted two proposed panels for this year’s SXSWi: “Crowding Out the Experts—Social Taste Formation” and “Shock But Don’t Offend—Daring Brands Walk the Line.” “Crowding Out the Experts—Social Taste Formation” examines how social and … Continue reading
