Leo Burnett’s 9 predictions for the radical new world – iMediaConnection.com

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CPMs crashing, but Q1 is shaping up okay for online – iMedia Connection Blog

iMedia Connection Blog: CPMs crashing, but Q1 is shaping up okay for online

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Google TV’s first ads scheduled to air this week – iMedia Connection Blog

iMedia Connection Blog: Google TV’s first ads scheduled to air this week

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Cool new Gadget that I Covet

Today I stumbled up a cool little gadget that I’ve seen before, but never really gave much thought about – the Flip MinoHD.  The first time I saw one in action was on New Years Eve at my cousin Stephanie’s wedding.  A close friend of her husband was walking around with (what looked to me) like his cell phone.  As I held onto my trusty Camcorder, I snickered – “what kind of quality can he possibly get out of that video”….I love when I’m proved wrong. Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Black) is one of the coolest new products I’ve seen on the market – and I just begged my wife to buy it for me for my birthday. Considering we have a 9 month old – the options are endless.  I hope this baby will live up to the claims regarding quality.  If the images are good, I can see myself ditching my trusty camcorder and making a full migration to the Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Black)  It can hold up to 60 minutes of video (just like my camcorder), and it’s a fraction of the size. Great for a new dad that’s loaded down with diaper bags and the like.

If anyone has one, I’d love to learn more about he quality of the images you’ve shot?  Thanks!

The Power of a Smile

This afternoon I had a great lunch meeting with my good friend and former colleague Alex Baydin.  Al’s the CEO of Performline.  He and his team are having a great start to their year, and we had a great “catch up” lunch.  I was in the best mood after I left our meeting.  It always gets me fired up to see good people doing big things-  kudos to the Performline team.

On my way back downtown to the office, I was feeling energized. I called my wife and then hopped onto the 1 train back down to Houston Street from 23rd.  When I sat down I saw an older, somewhat downtrodden black gentleman sitting directly across from me.  He had slumped shoulders and was looking down at the ground.  I had a smile on my face, and when he picked up his head and made eye contact with me – of course I offered this gentlemen a smile.  He immediately sat up straight, smiled back and pulled out a pad and pencil – and began to sketch me.

A few people sitting around us realized what was happening and started to smile.  I looked at them and said “I guess I should keep smiling”…they laughed and the gentleman continued to sketch.  We stopped at 18th, then 14th, – the person who had been sitting next to me got off and smiled at us both.  A new person got on at 14th and sat next to me – when she realized what was happening she smiled and we both chuckled a bit.  When we got to Christopher street you could see his 

drawing come together – I was getting off at the next stop so I stood up next to the gentleman and placed my hand on his shoulder .  I held my hand on him, leaned down and said “that looks great”…a woman next to me prepared to get off at the same stop said “is that supposed to be you”?  I said ” I believe so” and with that the man signed the sketch, ripped it off his clipboard and handed it to me over his shoulder with a smile.  I took it, said thank you smiled back – and got off the train.

Behold the power of a Smile.  You gotta love New York City – and you gotta love life.

Check it out:

5 Things I’m grateful for

1. My wife Laura – I paid her $50 if she could last 1/2 hour without talking last night (seriously, she won and I was a happy man to pay up)…but I love that woman.  Plus we laugh together….all the time..

2. My daughter Talia

– Feel the touch of a 9 month olds open hand on your cheek and feel the hand of God.

3. My home – I worked my buns off to provide a home for my family, and although it’s no palace, it’s a great place, and I feel like I enter the “no stress zone” every time I come home at night.

4. My family – I actually CHOSE to live in the same town as my brother.  Crazy right? Wrong.  He and his gorgeous family rule.  We all dig spending our Sundays together, and we even invite my PARENTS! For my Mother’s 60th Birthday we’re sending my parents to Sciacca, Sicily – the town of origin for my Mother’s family.  Family is EVERYTHING. We surprised her.  Priceless..

5. My job – I work with some of the smartest people in the online world, and they’re nice to me.  Not sure what I did to deserve that?   

Life is good people.  take a minute to list your top 5…I promise, you’ll feel great afteward!

Recession? What Recession?

Recently I saw an interview with Rush Limbaugh.  I know, I know but hear me out.  Throughout the course of the interview Rush was his normal cuddly, narrow minded fool blabbering on about some gibberish that I was just about to turn off when he made a statement that got me.  He said (now I’m paraphrasing here)_….”I know there’s a recession, I just don’t choose to participate”…..and I have to say that this may be the first time I can ever say  – I AGREE WITH OUR BOY RUSH.  Amen!  Let’s not participate. 

I’m sure Rush didn’t mean it the way I’m going to interpret here – but I don’t really care.  I choose not to participate in the gloom and doom.  I choose to see the silver lining. I choose to be happy.  Put that in your pipe and smoke it.  I’m grateful for my lovely wife Laura, my perfect baby girl Talia, for my friends, my family and my job.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I don’t chose to participate.  

You shouldn’t either.  Smile, you’ll live longer.  I promise.

2 Tips for Running an Offsite

Recently the executive team here at Miva Direct had a phenomenal offsite meeting.  We were disciplined, focused and produced a comprehensive agenda for Q1 that thus far has been a huge success.  I’m really proud of the team, and I thought I’d share some of the outline I presented prior to the meeting to help keep us on point. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Define 4 Key Elements
2. Define roles and responsibilities

1. Define 4 key elements

• Defining and organizing the project
  • Define the projects objectives as clearly as possible.
  • Organize the right people and all necessary resources around the objectives
• Planning the project ie, given our objective.  What set of tasks must we complete?  -GHANT chart etc
• Managing project execution – should we name a project manager to oversee all execution/timelines etc?
• Closing down the project – What went well – what went badly – should we do this quarterly etc.

2 .Define roles and responsibilities

Project sponsor

• Championing the project at the highest level
• Clearing away organizational obstructions
• Providing the resources required for success
• Communicating effectively with CEO about our progress

Project Manager

• Recruit effective participants
• Provide framework for the projects activities – timelines
• Keep vision clear
• ID resources
• Mediate conflicts
• Manage budget
• Ensure everyone contributes and benefits
• Keep work on track
• Assure goals are delivered on time and on budget

Project Leader (s) –

• Emphasize the higher-level goals of Miva Direct and how successful team action will contribute to them.
• Emphasize how the other party will benefit by helping the project – ie, product team will benefit if each of our ideas generate revenue
• Regularly communicate progress and problems with Project Manager
• Periodically assess team progress, the outlook of members (morale) and how each member views his or her contribution (we need to be aware of how product feels)
• Do a share of the work
• Resist the urge to act like a “boss”

 Our offsite while arduous proved to be one of the most effective things our team has done to date.

I’ll keep you posted on our execution of  proposed tactics.

Cool App of the day

Just reading my new Wired Magazine, and came across a pretty cool App that combines GPS technology with a practical need for the weary commuter like myself. iNap, is a travel alarm that keeps you from sleeping through your stop. As long as your iphone can get a GPS signal, the program will track your location and alert you when your stop is on the way. Cool. Very Cool.

Nap away commuters!