Scalpel...sponge...iPad

Medical device manufacturers who are considering putting the iPad in the hands of their sales reps need only look at this video to see proof that surgeons are truly embracing this device. While it's not likely to play a major role in most surgical procedures, it's almost certain to become an invaluable tool for helping to sell the devices used in those procedures. 

http://www.padgadget.com/2010/06/05/ipad-assists-in-surgery/

Today’s DIYers: “Don’t tell me, show me!”

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is clearly priceless. So it’s no surprise that as the first of Bostik’s consumer-focused DIY products hits the shelves today, a major component is the new Bostik DIY Tube. For GrayMatter, developing the positioning, packaging and point-of-sale material was just the first step. Our research told us that simply saying our products offered commercial grade performance with DIY simplicity wasn’t enough.  We had to show them. And we did, with easy-to-access and easy-to-follow instructional videos.  Today, as SingleApp, Bostik’s single-step hardwood floor adhesive hits the shelves in Lowes, consumers will see that GrayMatter and Bostik are listening — and delivering.

See for yourself:  http://www.bostikdiytube.com

The Boy Scouts Know The Challenges of Mobile Video

Anyone developing videos to play on all of today’s wide range of mobile devices would be well-served to follow the motto of the Boy Scouts. Be Prepared — for quirks, anomalies, gremlins and a wide range of potential ghosts in the machine. We might have encountered each and every one as we prepared to extend our web-based bostikdiytube.com to a mobile platform.

As advanced as video formatting programs has become, achieving 100% compatibility is a long-shot at best. What loads in an instant and looks phenomenal on an iPhone 3Gs may take forever to load on an iPhone 3G. Blackberries? Even the most advanced programmer will have difficulty formatting video that will work with every one of the dozens of models currently in use. Bottom line — test, test and test again. Program for maximum compatibility, but as the Scouts say, Be Prepared, there will be hiccups.

A former client helps make the case for spending in a recession

Anyone who's spent any length of time in our business knows that when the economy falters, marketing budgets are the first to be cut and the last to be restored. It's a "circle the wagons" mentality that may save in the short run, but can cost big-time in the long run. That's why it was so good to see TJX Companies sitting atop the 2010 Boston Globe 100 — a ranking of the top performing Massachusetts businesses. Over the last year, while other retailers where cutting their marketing efforts, TJX took the opposite approach and expanded theirs. They found other areas to cut costs and redirect money towards marketing. Their efforts paid off handsomely. Granted, the fact that TJX stores are off-priced, so they tend to see an upswing in business in bad economic times; but the results over the last year reveal that TJX was successful in attracting new shoppers to the franchise — something that's virtually impossible when your marketing efforts go dark. Having worked with TJX companies in the late 90's, I was happy to see that management had fully embraced marketing and resisted the temptation to go for the short term savings. If only more marketers were willing to follow their lead.

Not nearly as fun as getting your hands on the real thing

I admit it. I used to love receiving promotional pieces from Structural Graphics. As soon as I'd see that logo on their return address, I just knew there would be something cool inside — a spring loaded car that would pop up, a image on an envelope that would change when you opened it, an interactive "Flapper" messaging device. Recently, while going through our vendor samples cabinet I noticed that it had been a while since we'd received anything new. The link below reveals why. I can't argue with the logic. It's a far more cost effective and far-reaching way to promote Structural Graphics capabilities, but it's just not the same as holding that envelope in your own two hands.