With so much attention on digital media these days it almost seems a little retro to be writing about print catalogs but Bloomingdale’s have released

We look at trends that are empowering consumers and giving them a reason to open their minds, hearts and wallets.

1. Gamification
2. Status Upgrade
3. Random Act of Kindness
4. Social Influencers

Trawling through the archives recently I came across a great article by Heidi Cohen in ClickZ (6.8.12) on what makes really hot content for social media – photography!

Spanish Chef Miguel Maestre has been appointed as the latest face of the Howards' Kitchen campaign – Spice Up Your Kitchen. The Cumming's team designed and produced the video which launched this event on their website.

Long feared by bricks and mortar retailers as yet another weapon used by online, it would seem that showrooming is not as big a threat as first feared. In fact it's a great opportunity.

Recently one morning my day started pretty much like every other day. However something I witnessed while walking in my local park got me thinking.

The other morning I got up and took the dog for a walk. On this one particular day, two observations I made while in the park prompted me think about what branding means in today’s world of consumers.

So, you want content that engages, inspires and turns audiences into customers? Look no further than Paddy Pallin’s latest “Northern Territory Experience” video.

Australian retailers have always been fond of print catalogues and now Roy Morgan has given us the numbers that show why. According to a report released end December 2012, it seems that even in the digital age, this hard-working, traditional tool is valued highly by all age groups from 61% in the 14-24 group through to 75% in the 50+.

This morning on my run (a great way to clear the cobwebs) I was mulling over a brand positioning issue that we seemed to be stuck on… until I realized what was needed was to bring the thinking back to first principles…

There’s plenty of talk these days about content. What the focus should be on, though, is what we call “Creative Content”.

Did you know that YouTube, the #2 search engine, rewards those with more engaging content? Back in October they released details of adjusting the ranking of videos to elevate those that keep viewers watching longer.

So, the more creative, clever and engaging the content the higher your video will perform.