Mark your calendars for February 2010.  Internet video advertising standardization is on its way.  And now I direct your attention to the full article here: 

“What Works in Online Video Advertising?

Advertisers and Web publishers have embarked on an ambitious quest to learn which types of Web video ads best deliver eyeballs and clicks.”

Humor is easily the most overused, poorly executed advertising tactic.  With so many companies producing so many not so funny ads, it’s almost impossible to remember who was responsible for the noise. However, two companies have broken the mold at the beginning of 2009.  Take a look at these successful uses of humor in televison advertising. 

First up is the new commercial for Denny’s Breakfast.  When “Giggle Drops” won’t cut it for breakfast anymore you need to take yourself to Denny’s.

Next is the new addition to the Domino’s “Two to One” campaign.  Was the letter from Subway’s laywer’s real? If so, then this commercial is that much better.  We were glad to see Domino’s stand behind their message.

Author: Travis Guilbeau works in the marketing & advertising industry in Richmond, Virginia | Member,streamingrichmond.com | Contributor, tallglassmedia.com

According to a report in Forbes Richmond Virginia is 4th on the list of best cities for jobs in 2009. At the time of this report the unemployment rate was at 4%, well below the national average.

Why Richmond?

Richmond has a healthy variety of industries and businesses of all sizes that happened to not be affected by the economic downturn. The area doesn’t rely on one or two large companies. Accounting, manufacturing and service are strong fields, and with the nation’s capital just two hours away, there are many jobs in government contracting and defense available. Richmond is also the home of 9 fortune 500 and is also listed as one of the top cities for the ‘creative class’.

Web design is not just about looking good. It’s about usability. Designers are often challenged to walk the fine line between innovation and expectation. To be creative and yet adhere to standards and best web practices can often be a daunting task if we are not well-informed as a designers. To make things even more unclear for designers are some of the ideas that we may think are best practices, but in fact are not. One such instance is the idea of content being above the fold.

The term ‘above the fold’ comes from the newspaper industry and refers to the front page stories. If it is an important story, than you want your readers to see it before having to flip over or unfold the newspaper. What this means in web design is that you want your most important content to be visible on your homepage before a user has to scroll. If not, the user will simply leave the page (as some research would suggest).

While some standards clearly apply, like putting the navigation and identity above the fold, much of this concept is not so much based on myth as it is based on completely depreciated research and thought process. Much of the research done in this area of interest was done in the 90’s.

Yes… I said 90’s.

In fact, new research suggest that the expectations of the average web user is to scroll down the home page. What this means for designers is that we do not have to compromise on common principles and standards in our design and allow for the proper distribution of information throughout a web page - which leads to a greater user experience.  And not to worry! Those visitors aren’t going to leave before exploring your content (so you better have CONTENT!)  For more information on content above the fold There is an in-depth blog post on this topic here at boxesandarrows.com

Go ahead, insert some names and pass this along.  Your friends will think its hilarious - even if their not Obama supporters. Click here

We’ve all been paying close attention to the unsettling economic times in which our country and now the rest of the world seem to falling into. When things get tough financially, it is only human nature to clutch your money and draw your purse strings a little tighter. However, while it is healthy to trim the fat when it comes to cutting business cost, does it make the most business sense to stop advertising during an economic downturn?

Contrary to what you may think, advertising during a recession cannot only help you survive, it may be an opportunity to attract new business. Take a look at a study that analyzing the recession of the 80’s:

In a study of U.S. recessions, McGraw-Hill Research analyzed 600 companies from 1980-1985. The results showed that business-to-business Firms that Maintained or Increased their Advertising Expenditures during the 1981-1982 recession Averaged Significantly Higher Sales growth, both during the recession and for the following three years, than those that eliminated or decreased advertising. By 1985, sales of companies that were Aggressive Recession Advertisers had Risen 256% over those that didn’t keep up their advertising.

As demonstrated by this study, it is clear the advertising is a must during recession period for, in some cases, survival, and aggresive adverstising can even lead to big increases in business.

The question is then, how do you maximize your ad dollars for maximum return. This question is important in any economic climate, especially when consumers seem to want to hold on to their money. First, businesses must adverstise in smart and measurable ways. The internet still remains one of the most inexpensive ways to advertise and to see a high ROI on your money. However, some strategic thinking needs to be involved. In some cases, a landing page with a good offer and a compelling (but short) message may be a great way to get good returns. Secondly, you don’t have to hire the biggest agency on the block. It may be a good strategy to find a small agency or a knowledgeable freelancer/consultant to help you. Small agencies tend to have less overhead and will charge less for high quality work.

You might wonder, “how did you come up with the name Tall Glass?” As you probably know, from babies to business, coming up with a name is difficult.  The name needs to be symbolic, memorable and relevant. After all when you are providing a service like design and marketing, your are often producing an extension of yourself.

The name “Tall Glass” was born from a mixture of my personal experiences and philosophies. I am 6′4″ and have always been an avid basketball player. My athleticism lead to a full basketball scholarship from Savannah College of Art and Design. Most people don’t associate athletics with an art school, much less tall basketball players. Although I was not the tallest player, I did stand out from the crowd (the tallest guy was a 6′10″ German). My height and unique disposition often produced comments like “you’re a tall glass of water.” It’s kind of a strange, old southern slang phrase for people of above average height.  For some reason it has stuck with me through the years.

So, that’s how the name was born, but now the name means so much more.  It represents refreshing design, and a positive client experience. It means that the glass is always half full.  It signifies all the good things you love when you pour a “tall glass” of your favorite drink, lounge back in your most comfortable chair and think “ahh, now that’s refreshing.”