CEO Point of View: Fall 2009

2010. Just typing in the year on my keyboard feels wrong. Has it been ten years since the turn of the century? Since Y2K? Since the much bemoaned Internet boom? Since “interactive marketing” was a barely heard, rarely understood term? 

Over the last ten years, there’s been an explosion of online channels, marketing venues, advertising options, and measurement and reporting tools. The social space has created unlimited opportunities to meet consumers; search engines have become incredibly sophisticated; and even the banner ad has undergone a transformation into a complex and powerful vehicle. 

This proliferation has created a complex mix of intermingled tactics and ideas, approaches, and interactive ingredients—a witches’ brew that seems to fail as much as it succeeds. 

Logic + Magic is dedicated to candidly, systematically, and sometimes humorously demystifying the online channel. It isn’t written by a team of writers or editors, it’s written and assembled by the same people who develop strategies, execute plans, conduct SEO, brainstorm new ideas, buy media, design sites, build banners, program functionality, and manage projects for our clients. 

In this issue we talk about controlling online media costs, balancing risk in new interactive channels, and understanding the direction in which search is heading. All of these are topics our own clients have been asking about, and we hope our analysis and viewpoint is helpful to you as you plan for 2010. 

Please let me know your feedback about Logic + Magic. I’d love to hear from you and learn what you’re finding helpful, what you disagree with, or what things you’d like us to address in future issues. Email me any of your thoughts or ideas. I look forward to hearing from you!