Ciao Bella Turns a Fan into an Advocate
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Feb 15, 2010
About ten days ago, I left the office at around 8:30 pm and walked to Grand Central Terminal to catch a train home. As I walked towards the correct track in the lower level, I spied the Ciao Bella Gelato sign and my grumbling stomach and sweet tooth together lobbied successfully for a treat. I [...]
Product Integration for Avatar Is Over the Top
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Dec 4, 2009
The other night I watched the latest episode of the television show Bones and was surprised to see a substantial product integration by none other than the soon-to-hit-theaters James Cameron epic movie Avatar. It started off pleasantly, but then degraded, in my opinion, into an hour-long commercial for the movie. It got to the point [...]
Leading a Company in Tough Times
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Aug 3, 2009
I recently read an article from the July 2009 issue of the McKinsey Quarterly called “Leadership lessons for hard times” (registration required) as part of their “managing in the new normal” series. The article is a collection of tips gathered from interviews with 14 CEOs of large (mostly multinational) companies. A few of the companies [...]
Interesting Examples of Hispanic-Targeted OOH Ads
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Jun 5, 2009
On my way to the office this morning, as I looked out the window on the train, I saw an OOH/Transit board for Continental Airlines targeting Hispanics. My first thought was “congratulations, Continental, for getting the word out among Hispanics!’ Then I read the ad and thought even more of it. The copy reads “Si [...]
Taking a Look at Poor Leadership
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Jun 1, 2009
In a short article in the June 2009 issue of Harvard Business Review, authors Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman (from leadership consulting company Zenger/Folkman and authors (with Scott Edinger) of The Inspiring Leader: Unlocking the Secrets of How Extraordinary Leaders Motivate) take a very different look at leadership.
Instead of talking about how good leaders lead, [...]
On Better Writing
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Apr 16, 2009
Here are several good short articles from Harvard Business Publishing’s blog by David Silverman, where he addresses writing in business. Even the ones referring to email apply to other forms of business writing like letters and memos.
How to Revise an Email So That People Will Read It
Quiz: Are You a Grammar Geek?
4 Tips for Writing [...]
Does Recession Beget Consolidation? When myopia displaces reason
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Mar 28, 2009
In trying economic times like the ones in which we now find ourselves, knee-jerk reactions abound. The power of the mighty dollar (or better said, the might of saving dollars) makes many generally-reasonable people make unreasonable decisions. Some people purchase failing financial institutions. Some others slash marketing budgets. Yet others take money out of their [...]
A Hispanic-Targeted Site Is a Need-to-Have, Not a Nice-to-Have
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Mar 18, 2009
This very challenging economic climate (to put it mildly) is making otherwise rational business people make some misguided decisions. In the now-in-fashion-more-than-ever hunt for saving money, those in charge are looking everywhere for savings. On the one hand, I understand that when business realities call for leaner expense budgets, changes need to be made. On [...]
The Confluence of Brand Advertising and Direct Response
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Mar 3, 2009
In an unfortunately-titled op-ed piece in DM News magazine (“Branding and response are the same”), Young & Rubicam’s John Gerzema and Wunderman’s Daniel Morel discuss the changes to the traditionally-held beliefs of how brand advertising works with direct marketing that have come about mostly because of advances in digital technologies.
Although at times the writing is [...]
Account Management or Client Service
Posted by Alberto Ferrer on Aug 1, 2007
You say “toh-MAY-toh” and I say “toh-MAH-toh,” the song exclaims, suggesting that it’s the same thing simply pronounced a little differently in each instance. Does a similar dynamic apply in the ongoing debate of Account Management versus Client Service? As I understand it, this is not a matter of simple semantics. It is a deeper [...]
