Archive for December, 2009

Name Brands: Not Just for Consumers Anymore

Have you been watching 30 Rock lately? Or The Office? CSI:NY? Heroes? If so, you probably know about Cisco TelePresence, a high-end videoconferencing system that makes it seem as if everyone participating in a virtual meeting is actually in the same room. Cisco TelePresence is a B2B brand—at least, it started out as one when [...]

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Speech-Crafting Lessons from the White House

Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, it’s hard to deny that President Obama has brought powerful speech-giving back to the White House. Much of the credit goes to Obama himself. The award-winning author is heavily involved in the drafting of his speeches—and packs a punch with his delivery. It is also clear [...]

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Design Trend for 2010: Purple

Calling trends is classic chicken-egg stuff: does a tendency only become a trend when one labels it so? The line is thin and grey enough that by the time most trends are “predicted,” they’re actually simply being reported. But the stakes are low here, so let’s play pundit. Over the years, I’ve gone through a [...]

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How to Write a Review of a Classical Concert You Didn’t Attend

Staying late at the office one Friday night, you take a casual look at the list of quarterly deliverables your boss is expecting from you. Produce a new 500-page microsite. Check. (Thanks, Content Bureau!) Update all marketing collateral with screen shots of a yet-to-be-built middleware platform. Check. (Thanks, summer intern!) Write a 400-word review of [...]

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Writing Titles That Hook the Reader

Those first six or seven words on the cover can be the hardest part of writing! To make sure readers keep reading, we need snappy, ultra-compelling titles and sub-headlines that are also relevant, informative, and comply with corporate branding guidelines. Stuck in a rut? Here are some tips for getting out. . .

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