All posts by Freddy Tran Nager

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Amateur Undead Enthusiast. Photo by Mathias P.R. Reding on Unsplash. Note: This article contains affiliate links, and buying through them supports the Atomic Tango Martini Fund… For reasons I can’t fully explain, this pandemic inspired me to read apocalyptic books as an “escape.”Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Marketer + Consumer… I’ve never taken a microwave oven off roading. Or tough mudding. Or deep sea diving. I’ve never abused, misused, or spindled a microwave. Heck, I just reheat coffee and make popcorn. Yet every five years or so, a microwave decides to fail on me.Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Former Music Industry Ad Guy… In another chat with musician, marketer, and fellow USC Annenberg adjunct professor Bobby Borg, I delve into the elements of word of mouth (WOM) marketing in the music industry…Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Veteran of the Job Hunting Wars; Photo by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash… As the tragically revamped LinkedIn algorithm continues to elevate hype over substance, the once informative wall has become plastered with inanity…Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Not A Doctor (I Don’t Even Play One On TV); mad scientist image from the 1940 movie Dr. Cyclops (public domain via Wikimedia Commons)… Sorry, real scientists, I understand these times have been brutal for you, given the willfully ignorant troll in the White House, plus the hyperventilating hordes of anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers, and global-warming deniers. No wonder Scientific American endorsed a presidential candidate for the first time in its 175-year history. (Hint: it’s not Trump.)Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Professional Who’s Been There, Survived That; photo of a Great Depression soup kitchen created by gangster Al Capone… This makes four. Over the course of my 30-year career, I’ve survived three other recessions: 1990-1991 — The inevitable collapse of Reaganomics. (Borrow, borrow, borrow… wait, we have to pay it back?) 2000-2001 — The first dotcom bust — the most painful one for me. I was riding high as a web nerd, then hit bottom. I even got rejected for a bookstoreRead More

Q: Dear Freddy: I recently graduated with a master’s degree in communication, and am hoping to find a full-time job in marketing. In the meantime, I’m interviewing for a part-time, independent contractor gig with a small agency. This could include more responsibilities than average, such as project lead for new clients. The agency’s most recent email asked me for my hourly requirements. I did some research and found a huge range of hourly rates for marketing contractors. How should I respond?Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Ardent Foe of Laugh Tracks… I know little about diplomacy — indeed, I occasionally dish out some rather vicious tweets — but I do know media manipulation…Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Copyeditor with an Attitude; photo by Free To Use Sounds on Unsplash… I’ve noticed an odd writing habit on LinkedIn — and I’m not talking about my pet peeves, the abuse of “authentic” and “humbled”…Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + A Man With A Plan (Or Three)… In another chat with musician, marketer, and fellow USC Annenberg adjunct professor Bobby Borg, I delve into the value of marketing plans…Read More