Mark Wanczak

Listen, I understand the importance of a blog post title. Just like any other headline, it needs to grab attention, spark curiosity and ultimately make you read the body of the post. Still, blog authors are allowing concerns over attracting traffic to undermine the quality of their content. The blogosphere’s informality doesn’t justify writing headlines of suspicious intent and curious immaturity.

For example, let’s look at a post from the well-known inbound marketing company, Hubspot. Today, they’ve published a post titled, “What Did Jane Austin Know About Social Media.”  It’s insulting to anyone smart enough to read this blog post to imply that Jane Austin knew anything about social media, let alone to suggest she’d be involved in social media if alive today. I’ve insulted myself by even having to write that last sentence. Furthermore, the post transitions from headline to body content not via Jane Austin’s own literature, but instead a TV series interpretation. What would Jane Austin say about that kind of etiquette?

While they have good intentions, Hubspot and many others are simply trying too hard. Weakly framing social media etiquette around Pride and Prejudice is amateur, poorly thought out and, more importantly, unconvincing. I know Hubspot is much smarter than this and expect better. While I may be too hard on Hubspot, the truth is they’re just the latest in a long line of well recognized internet marketers to fail its readers by creating content that stretches too far to make a simple point.

This kind of content runs rampant in the SM industry. There are far too many posts of this nature, most of which simply repeats the same vague advice only with a different, absurd frame. I’d love to be able to blame on all the supposed “social media gurus,” but the truth is some of the most respected names in the industry are guilty of similar tactics.

Posts such as Hubspot’s are easily identifiable and share similar characteristics:

1. Titles that don’t hold up for the length of the blog post. The post’s headline will often promise a connection between social media and some pop culture reference, only to force fit the content into the format, creating a mess of words trying too hard to satisfy the unrealistic metaphor set up by the post’s headline.

2. Vague advice. Swap out “social media” for a different subject and the post still makes sense. Go ahead, try it.

3. Starry-eyed, irrelevant comments. The comments left for these posts contain over-the-top exclamations like “how true!” Absent are comments initiating debate or contributing further to the topic discussed because there is nothing substantial enough to debate.

The criticism of Hubspot’s post above and similar posts below is rooted in the high expectations readers have when reading content from industry leaders. There are some influential, well-known names in the list below, many of whom I respect and enjoy reading other content from.

My message to these authors: you and your readers are too smart for this dumbed-down content. Most of you have proven you’re better writers than posts like these lead on. Think twice before writing that next headline.

Some other equally as stupid social media blog post titles:

What Socrates Can Teach You About Social Media

What Seinfeld can teach you about social media

6 Things World of Warcraft Can Teach You About Social Media Success

What Jason Bourne Can Teach You About Social Media

What Tyler Durden Can Teach You About Twitter And Social Media

What Zig Ziglar Can Teach You About Social Media

What Chad Ochocinco Can Teach You About Social Media

What Brett Favre Can Teach You About Social Media Strategy

What the State Department can teach you about social media

Photo via striatic.

If you were drawn in to the emotional news stories from Haiti this week and forgot what was happening elsewhere, you’re not alone. Fortunately, I gathered most of these stories before the ‘quake struck. If you haven’t, donate now.

Here’s what you missed this week:

1. Everyone’s talking about Dominos. Reactions are mixed on the pizza company’s approach to launching a new pizza. I think they haven’t changed a thing and it’s one big hoax on us all. Instead of evidence to support this theory, I give you two opinions on the campaign, from Bob Garfield and Laura Reis.

2. Gatorade also faced some controversy this week when a “pop artist” swapped the sports drink’s inspirational labels for something less… inspirational:

3. One brand that could use some coverage this week? Google. Their new Nexus One phone is tanking quick, selling only 20,000 phones in the first week. Note to Google: Advertise!

4. Or maybe Google should take a hint from Kraft who is now sponsoring the implosion of Texas Stadium for $75k. Come on Kraft, hire me for 75k and I’ll come up with far better ideas.

5. Go big or go home seems to be a trend not just limited to Kraft. Check out this latest spot from LG:

6. If you saw one of those 50-foot bras hanging off a building, you might post a pic to Facebook. An anonymous Facebook insider reveals that your photo and every other one you’ve ever uploaded will be kept forever by the social networking giant. Very informative and impressive interview.

7. If you have Google Alerts set up for yourself, you’re probably noticing random tweets of yours showing up in Google. How does Google determine which tweets are good enough? Read this.

8. Simplicity is a reoccurring theme here, but former Pittsburgh (is there really such a thing?) Justin Kownacki reminds us that simplicity can be taken too far.

9. Quote of the week:

The most frustrating part of running an ad agency is that sometimes you are at the mercy of people you wouldn’t hire to sweep the lobby.

- The Ad Contrarian

10. The weather is finally starting to break here in Pittsburgh, a cause for celebration and happiness. So I leave you with Coke’s version of happiness. Have a great weekend.

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Between The Cracks is a weekly roundup of noteworthy links that you may have missed. It is most definitely not a weekly commentary on defecation. Get your mind right.

I have to say that if the first week of 2010 is any indication, we are in for a good year. Found so many good tidbits of creativity this week, I couldn’t limit my list to just ten.

Here’s what fell between the cracks this week:

1. Artist Sean Woolsey is giving advertising a better image by transforming traditional bus stop billboards into messages of positive reinforcement. We all know there’s a few bus riders who need it.

2. I blogged about this last March, but it actually has a chance of happening. The House passed a bill to limit the volume of TV commercials. I absolutely hate when a show goes to break and the commercials are twice the volume of whatever I was watching. I bet my neighbors do too.

3. Speaking of commercials, I wouldn’t mind this one being loud. As Heavy.com suggests, it may be the best Mexican restaurant ad ever:

4. If you spend those commercial breaks browsing the web, but can’t finish an entire blog post or article before the show starts back up, Instapaper is for you. Add Instapaper’s handy ‘Read Later’ bookmark button to your browser and anything you can’t finish reading automatically aggregates into newspaper format with the click of a button. Syncs up with your iPhone, too. (thanks to BrandsforBreakfast)

5. One blog post I had no trouble reading until the end was Jeff Louis’ write up of the History Channel’s image problem over at Beyond Madison Avenue. Good stuff.

6. Take a quick jaunt back through history to your high school English class for this next video. Sci-Fi channel’s promotion of it’s new series loosely based on Alice in Wonderland is as wonderful as the book:

7. If you’re looking for something a bit less weird, but just as cool, Ray-Ban’s new implementation of augmented reality should do the trick. Unlike many AR examples, this is a smart application of technology that actually makes sense for the product it’s promoting:

8. Back in the real world, photographer Shane Rich is making 2010 his own year by lending his photography talent and website to a different client each day. January 1st will cost you $1, while December 31st will run $365. Smart idea, but it sounds like a lot of work. I’m interested to see how it goes. (Thanks to The Denver Egotist)

9. What does an orthodontist and a crosswalk have in common? Inventive advertising.

10. The Aflac duck took over USA Today this week. Enjoy the little guy while he lasts.

11. 2010’s best music video so far definitely goes to C-Mon & Kypski who got a little help from their fans:

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Between The Cracks is a weekly roundup of noteworthy links that you may have missed. It is most definitely not a weekly commentary on defecation. Get your mind right.

This is my last day of work for 2009. If you expect some kind of year in review or a list of my favorite campaigns or ads over the past year, you’re kidding yourself, that’s a lot of work.

Here’s what you’ve missed over the past two days:

1. I Believe in Advertising featured that nifty bus artwork above.

2. If you haven’t heard, Edward Boches (Creativity Unbound, CCO of Mullen) has started The Next Great Generation, “a new blog written entirely by Gen-Y 18-25 year olds willing to share their thoughts regarding life, work, brands, technology, environment, money, faith, sex, love.” It’s good to see my generation coming together to defend the stereotypical criticisms often tossed our way. Most recently, we answered the (stupid) question, “Do you still read books?”

3. Seth Stevenson over at Slate.com wraps up the most hated ads in 2009. I may just be including this because Seth calls out Zach Braff, who I unfairly despise. (Scrubs is childish. Had to be said)

4. If you’re not sick of augmented reality yet, grab your puke buckets. Adidas and BMW jump on the hard-to-use bandwagon. In all fairness, both new campaigns are better than most.

5. Grey out of Melbourne has this gruesome shocking awesome effective drunk driving PSA for the Australian Transport Accident Commission, featuring REM’s “Everybody Hurts:”

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Between The Cracks is a weekly roundup of noteworthy links that you may have missed. It is most definitely not a weekly commentary on defecation. Get your mind right.

What you missed while trying to cram in all your work before the xmas holiday:

1. Copyranter makes my week with this vintage ad (above) for After Six polyester. I feel a little bit better about those old Polaroids with relatives sporting the same get up. Great headline, by the way.

2. Speaking of great photography, Vince Aletti at the New Yorker chooses his Ten Great Photographs of 2009. Love that the Levi’s campaign is included (another great headline).

3. Simplicity is a theme here on this blog and Time Magazine has a thorough read on how Americans are trading in excess for simplicity.

4. Elsewhere in societal commentary, AdAged highlights a David Brooks article and adds some worthwhile views concerning the standardization of America.

5. Keeping with the America theme, how much is our brand worth? Increasing post-G.W.B.? Interesting approach and research from Simon Anholt.

6. Those last few links were pretty heavy stuff. Lighten up and determine if there’s a difference between Usher’s talent and a goat’s. Really.

7. Slate’s timely exploration of Santa in Advertising:

8. I really dig JetBlue’s new “Flyers Collection” promotion on their Facebook page. Essentially a catalog for items you’ll need when flying with JetBlue competitors, the digital piece is executed as though it’s running in mainstream media. Interesting that this much work is going into a Facebook feature. Love the copy in this as well, “Do note that consuming 100% of the Marshpillow defeats 50% of its purpose.” Kudos to JWT New York.

Favorite Post of the Week:

Dave Trott brings the noise again with a phenomenal post that ties in a WWII misstep and modern marketing. I just did his post a great disservice by summarizing it so poorly, so just go read it.

Favorite Video of the Week:

Agency Xmas cards fill the spectrum from poor to excellent, but I think everyone can agree MotherLondon takes the fruitcake in 2009 for this effort: (that guy on the right looks like an Al Borland intern)

Merry Xmas to those who celebrate. To those who don’t, good for you.

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Between The Cracks is a weekly roundup of noteworthy links that you may have missed. It is most definitely not a weekly commentary on defecation. Get your mind right.

A brief round-up of what you missed this week:

1. Dominos is entirely changing its core pizza recipe. No word on how many Facebook groups were created to protest.

2. Seen that talking pothole commercial? You know, the one with the awful Southern, Britney Spears-ish accent? Yes, it’s been remixed and yes, it’s kinda catchy.

3. Speaking of annoying ads, how about those singing, way-too-happy Gap ads? People are starting to mock them via YouTube.

4. If you’re not buying me that vintage MP3 radio I posted last Friday, do your best to get me this.

5. If you have a skateboarder in your secret Santa raffle, these clever ads may give you some ideas.

6. The Ad Aged blog (not to be confused with AdAge) does a nice summary of  ad industry euphemisms for being fired.

7. I change my Twitter a bit ago and never posted it here. So just in case, you can now find me @Mark_Wanczak.

8. Best Post of the Week: Steffan Postaer poses a very interesting question, “Is it hypocrisy to advertise (even celebrate) the Vegas lifestyle and then crucify those who enjoy it?” Recommend reading that.

9. Worst Post of the Week: Didn’t come across anything worth calling out. If you did, post it in the comments.

10. Best Early Xmas Present: Pens beat the Flyers in a home-and-home series for the first time in like 30 years. I could receive nothing for xmas and be totally content with just this.

Go out and finish up that last-minute xmas shopping.

Between The Cracks is a weekly roundup of noteworthy links that you may have missed. It is most definitely not a weekly commentary on defecation. Get your mind right.

Here’s what you missed this week:

1. Haven’t had enough of the AT&T/Luke Wilson commercial bashing? Read some more.
2. Google quietly releases Goggles, allowing you to search by picture taken from your phone. Sick.
3. If you had $500 to spend on a digital campaign, what would you do? I bet it’s not as smart as this.
4. Social media gives branding a bad name. The Grumpy Brit straightens it all out for us. (Love the last line of this)
5. How to make street flyers a little bit better.
6. Think online video is huge? Think again.
7. Dave Trott takes simple soccer advice and eloquently applies it to advertising. Love it.
8. Worst post of the week: 137 Twitter Marketing Tips for Small Businesses. 137? Really? Twitter is the simplest tool on Earth, don’t complicate it.
9. Best post of the week: The Content Strategist as a Digital Curator. Really unique perspective on managing online content. Long but certainly worth it.
10. Timely post of the week: The Art of Manliness Holiday Gift Guide 2009. Definitely asking Santa for that vintage tweed MP3/Radio.

Not satisfied? This 5-minute video of Dan Wieden should do the trick.


Between The Cracks is a weekly roundup of noteworthy links that you may have missed. It is most definitely not a weekly commentary on defecation. Get your mind right.

Music through the headphones, ideas through the pen. Working hard on some web headlines today. See you Friday for some links.

Not as cute and cheesy as the title of the video lets on…

Teasing a new product requires a delicate touch. Give too much away and you’ll ruin all ‘newness.’ Give too little and no one will understand (care) about what you’re about to launch.

Auto manufacturers have a bit of an advantage in the product teaser department. Many ‘new’ cars may look so, but often share a large majority of their component with existing platforms. As a result, we could be teased about a new innovative design. But there are plenty of other options these days: parking assist, direct injection engines, pedestrian radar, to name a few. With all this new technology quickly evolving, auto new is no longer limited to only auto design.

But what if the design is what you’d like to tease? What if it has a story behind it? A compelling, completely unique story?

Volvo’s new has car this story. The Volvo S60’s story could have just been a paragraph deep in it’s new press release or a brief reference in a line of ad copy. Instead, we’re presented with a captivating tale of the car’s design. The story below (and subsequent videos on Volvo’s Facebook page) is emotional and fascinating. After viewing the video, I’m left amazed and curious. In short, I can’t wait to see what the car looks like.

I should also note that this is the first time I’ve actually gone to a company’s Facebook page after viewing a video. You know what? I’m not disappointed. Kudos to Volvo for putting together a nice video portal inside their fan page. I forgot I was on Facebook for a few minutes.

(via BrandsforBreakfast)