Jim Nichols

7 more bad habits that are ruining your career

You think of them as your little "quirks." Others see them as serious personality flaws that impede your ability to get the job done. Here's why.

2012 in digital: Summed up in 10 quotes

Our industry has seen a lot of action over the last 12 months. Check out these quotations that let you relive the year in just a few poignant sentences.

6 seller secrets to building a killer branded website

Brands that don't sell online can learn a lot from the people who make a living by getting us to "buy now." All marketers would do well to heed this advice.

6 seller secrets to building a killer branded website (page 3 of 3)

8 campaigns that broke the rules and still went viral

There's a lot of conventional wisdom about what makes campaigns go viral. However, these brands proved that even the most accepted rules can be thrown out in lieu of a good idea.

9 infographics marketers need to see

Good infographics present information in a clear, entertaining, and telegraphic way. These illustrations are tailor-made for the viewing pleasure of the inquisitive marketer.

7 reasons people think you're too old to work in digital

Are you too old to work and succeed in digital? Here are the reasons why those around you might think you are -- along with concrete ways you can prove them wrong.

Looking for a new job? LinkedIn can help

The world's largest professional social network has made a lot of changes since you first logged on years ago. Learn the tools and the professional etiquette that make this powerful platform work its hardest.

9 startups that marketers will love

The most successful brands are particularly adept at finding the startups that are going to make a big difference in the marketing landscape. Consider these companies that hold great promise.

7 reasons why your agency pitch doesn't work

You've got the capabilities and the passion, so why aren't your prospects choosing you? Here's why what you're saying is falling on deaf ears.

A quick and dirty guide to social commerce

Social commerce is one of the hottest digital sectors right now. Here's what you need to consider as you evaluate platforms for your brand.

A shopper marketing cheat sheet

As retail goes digital, brands must keep pace with new developments to ensure in-store engagement. Here's a guide to the changing face of shopper marketing.

9 shocking ads and how they fared

As the rules of marketing change and evolve, brands are trying "shock advertising" to garner awareness and attention. Here are some great examples of what works and what flops.

7 bad habits that are ruining your career

Every career has its ups and downs. But things will go a lot better for you if you simply avoid these common tendencies.

9 brands taking Pinterest by storm

Pinterest has captivated millions of people since it exploded on the scene. Here are several examples of how brands are successfully using the platform.

5 ways to captivate every generation

Reviewing Boomer, Millennial, and Gen X profiles can help you refine your marketing efforts. Here's how to appeal to all of your potential customers.

How to thrive as a second city agency

New York, Chicago, and L.A. may dominate the ad biz, but there are lots of strong agencies doing stellar work in smaller markets. Here's what it takes to succeed away from Madison Avenue.

5 reasons why the banner will outlive us all

It's fashionable to criticize banners and predict their imminent demise, but here's why they'll be around to shovel dirt onto our coffins.

3 brands that made the wrong friends

When brands open up to make friends, they become vulnerable to enemies lurking around the corner. Here are brands that attracted the wrong kind of "support" and four tips to avoid it.

Digital marketing's 4 biggest disappointments

As an industry, we expect too much from new tools -- and are constantly disappointed. Check out these digital developments that couldn't live up to marketers' expectations.

2011 Super Bowl wins and fails

From tawdry tactics to comedic storytelling, competing brands will use just about any trick to try and dominate the Super Bowl ad space. Here's a look at the winners and losers of last year's epic ad-off.

9 campaigns that won with humor

These nine brands did what many try but few succeed in doing -- create funny campaigns that capture our attention and drive action.

9 digital campaigns to learn from

These crafty campaigns reveal how far marketing has moved toward embracing digital creativity. Read on to learn from these integrated, multi-execution efforts and powerful one-offs.

10 tech startups that wowed us

Successful startups know that the fastest way to growth and profitability is to target common problems. Check out these new solutions to some of digital marketers' woes.

7 ways you're abusing your best customers

Although digital helps marketers treat people better, it also gives companies unique tools to violate consumer trust and respect. Ask yourself if your company is guilty of these bad behaviors.

5 scary client stories to tell in the dark

The problems! The missteps! The sheer horror of it all! Check out these client stories and the lessons they offer on how to work better together.

5 secrets to extending your brand's "15 minutes of fame"

When a great campaign makes your brand white-hot, you want to keep that excitement going. Learn Madonna's secrets to fanning the fires of fame.

Sexy digital brand makeovers

Can digital help reinvent a consumer brand? You bet! Here are three brands that have used digital to transform themselves, and the principles these efforts have in common.

The digital marketer's checklist

No one wants to work on something they know is misguided. Here are five questions to help keep your team -- and yourself -- on the smart track.

13 startups that wowed us

Hundreds of startups offer ways to help brands connect with consumers and deliver messages. Here's a baker's dozen of new companies worth checking out.

5 new (and powerful) targeting methods

In the targeting game, we're always looking for new data and insights. Check out these novel approaches that are making a real difference for brands.

The 10-minute guide to digital out-of-home

With $3.5 billion in sales expected for 2011, DOOH is way too big for anyone to ignore. Get a succinct download on this fast-growing media category.

The ABCs of the DMP

People are talking about so-called data management platforms, but will they make a real difference for your brand? Find out why the industry really needs to know about this new kind of marketing services provider.

Why outsourcing media makes you a better expert

Afraid to farm out your media planning operations because of quality or control concerns? Take a look at some scenarios where outsourcing can improve your client service.

How to choose a social media management tool

The need for powerful, efficient tools that manage and analyze social media has never been more essential. Here are four tips on how to pick the one that performs best for your brand.

3 ways privacy could play out for marketers

How might new privacy laws affect your brands and their targeting strategies? Explore these plausible scenarios to see how popular opinion and potential legislation could reshape our industry.

4 companies that can help you drive real engagement

One thing that's apparent in the rush toward engagement -- there is no one way to drive it. But here are just a few of the solutions that can help you sustain the vital marketing relationship.

The internet's greatest marketing bloopers

Everyone loves a good blooper -- until your own brand becomes the butt of the joke. Let's examine some digital flubs and what we should take away from them.

Should your brand join the group couponing craze?

Group couponing is powerful, addicting, and a whole lot of fun for consumers. But can these social-enabled discounting services move the needle on sales and customer counts? Find out if your brand might benefit.

3 ways privacy could play out for marketers

How might new privacy laws affect your brands and their targeting strategies? Explore these plausible scenarios to see how popular opinion and potential legislation could reshape our industry.

Brands that made consumers love them forever

How do we cultivate relationships with consumers that create lifelong loyalty? Let's take a look at some fantastic brand romances and see what we can learn.

8 marketing blunders to avoid

Repeating mistakes can take a significant toll on your brand. Take a history lesson from these marketing calamities.

5 fantastic campaigns where digital came first

Your digital marketing shouldn't support your TV advertising -- it should be the other way around. Check out these brands that get it right.

The 7 newest interactive trends: How will they affect you?

After a tough year, digital is jumping again. Take a look back at the biggest stories so far and how they will affect the rest of the year.

Social media: The next generation

Facebook and Twitter are constantly evolving, but a wave of Facebook-like social networks is gaining steam. Here's a look at the social media landscape as it stands right now.

It's time to do something about privacy

Privacy talk bores many people, but this is an area where you need to be well informed to make smart choices. Here's a guide for getting started.

Attracting and retaining the agency staff you need

When hiring for your company, it helps to draw from a wide variety of philosophies and skill sets. Follow these pointers to make sure you have the gaps covered.

Digital demographics: 11 brands that are doing it right

Online marketers are finally getting smarter when it comes to demographic targeting. See which brands know how to hit their audiences in the digital sweet spot.

5 fantastic digital branding campaigns from 2009

This year saw brands use digital to complement their traditional advertising more than ever. See why Levi's, Dos Equis, and others stood above the rest.

Smutty campaigns that wouldn't fly

Sexuality, race, religion -- the fine lines that marketers must walk on these topics shift depending on where you are. Get educated on the cultural differences you need to respect.

5 things agencies want from their clients (besides more money)

Here are some simple ways to improve the impact of digital marketing efforts by making small changes in the way agencies and their clients work together.

4 masterfully integrated campaigns

When a brand successfully promotes across media platforms, the pieces fit together into something far greater than the sum of the parts. Here are four brands that can show us the way.

14 hilariously effective online campaigns

As digital media have evolved, humor has largely supplanted other emotional styles of online marketing. Here are ways to more effectively use laughter to build your brand.

Santa Claus' open letter to the ad industry

You've all been very naughty in 2008. But rather than drop lumps of coal in your stockings, Santa wants to give you his sage advice on how to make 2009 a better year.

7 ways to ensure an emerging platform's success

A lot of promising media opportunities fail because they never gain acceptance from brand marketers. Here's how emerging media platforms (and the marketers urging their adoption) can make it into brands' budgets.

What "Desperate Housewives" has that skateboarding dogs don't

It's a scary user-generated world out there. Marketers should consider bucking up for high-quality video content.

6 questions for potential targeting providers

One provider's definition of targeting can vary markedly from another's. Find out what to consider when choosing the partner that will work best for you.

Intrusive ads: a necessary evil

Today's marketers live in fear of annoying their audiences. Here's why you shouldn't be sorry when you intrude.

Build a robust marketing plan in 4 steps

Create a media plan that fits your long-term and big picture objectives with this mix of analysis, strategy and tactics.

13 tips for closing the deal

Good sales skills can improve your job performance no matter what your title or role. Here's a primer on how to sell effectively.