Atomic Tango

Now You See ‘Em… Well, No You Don’t: Why Banner Ads are Still Big Business Despite the Blindness

April 23rd, 2013 · Marketing 101

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango LLC + Early Banner Ad Creator

I’ve written a few articles about why banner ads don’t work:

The biggest reason why banner ads don’t work? It’s simple: people simply don’t see them. We marketers call it “banner blindness.” [Read more →]

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Social Media Witch Hunts: When the Wisdom of the Crowd Turns into the Stupidity of the Mob

April 20th, 2013 · Manifestos

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Social Media Professional and Professor

Witchcraft Trial

“Twitter says you’re guilty…”

We need to stop treating social media like it’s some kind of miracle cure that will turn dictatorships into democracies, water into wine, and rats into kittens. (I know, I’ve tried.)

Social media is just another communications tool. Because of its vast, always-on, right-here-right-now digital network, social media can work very quickly … or not at all, since vast human networks tend to favor what’s sensational, not what’s rational.

In other words, social media is a rumor mill on steroids.

If your mill is limited to just a few like-minded friends and family, then maybe the little things you do will create a buzz. But if your rumor mill is massive and planet spanning, like Twitter, Facebook and the other popular social networking platforms, then generating a buzz requires something truly extraordinary.

Or truly awful… [Read more →]

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House of Monkeys: Why We’ll Soon Be Saying R.I.P. To The P.C.

April 12th, 2013 · Case Studies

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango LLC + No Fan of Monkeys

Bring in the consultants! (illustration by Shane Clester)

Bring in the consultants! (illustration by Shane Clester)

I recently bought a laptop running Windows 8, which was apparently designed by monkeys on acid. As operating systems evolve, they’re supposed to make computers easier to use. But these monkeys don’t believe in evolution. Devolution, yes, progress, no. With Windows 8, I actually had to Google how to turn the computer off! I never had that problem before in my 25 years of owning computers. And according to Google, that’s a fairly common search.

(Windows 8 suffers from other issues as well, but this was the biggest, well, turn off.)

How could this happen? [Read more →]

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Always Something There To Remind Me: Retargeting Ads Won’t Take A Hint

December 8th, 2012 · Marketing 101

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango LLC + E-Commerce Addict

I just had a shopping experience I can’t forget — and not because it was memorable in any way. I can’t forget it because the Internet won’t let me… [Read more →]

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Stupid Job Ad: The 24/7 Renaissance Social Media Manager

November 21st, 2012 · Stupid Job Ads

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Happy to not be on the Job Market

The Most Interesting Man In The World

“I don’t often apply for jobs, but when I do, I sure as hell wouldn’t apply for a job like this.”

I keep my eyes open for job openings that I can pass on to my students, but too often I encounter ads that get my eyes rolling. The job requirements are so excessive and irrational, not even a combo of Chuck Norris and the Dos Equis Man could fulfill them.

So I’ve started a new feature here on my blog called “Stupid Job Ad.” For now, I’ve decided to change the names of the companies to protect the poor HR drones who likely had to take dictation from a dipstick senior manager or a committee of dipstick senior managers.

Today’s Stupid Job Ad comes from a company that I’ve renamed Total Buffoonery Inc. My comments appear in bold italics.

Social Media Manager

Develop and manage social media campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Pinterest, Instagram and other social platforms (as necessary) for Total Buffoonery Inc. in downtown Los Angeles.

Cool. Tell me more… [Read more →]

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Fantasy, Meet Reality: Think About This When You See Those Weird NFL Commercials

October 10th, 2012 · Media Review

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango LLC + Fan of Both the NFL and Andrew McGregor

So maybe you’ve seen these NFL commercials with the bearded guy in the suit (created by agency David & Goliath)…

And perhaps you said to yourself, “WTF? Who is that guy and why is he the spokesman for the NFL?” Or maybe you said, “Wow, what a great character, how did they come up with that idea?”

I had another take on the commercial: “Is that my friend Andrew McGregor?” [Read more →]

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Betting to Lose: Why Extended Warranties are a Rip-Off

September 26th, 2012 · How To Tips

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango LLC + Guaranteed for Life

AppleCare Protection Plan

iDon’tCare

I’m not much of a gambler, unless you count my dismal dabbling in the stock market. So naturally, I look at any betting offer with skepticism and a deep lack of enthusiasm — even when it comes from my favorite technolust pusher, Apple.

Apple recently sent me an offer to extend the warranty on my MacBook Pro for three years for $349. Like most Apple creations, the pitch was good, using terms like “peace of mind” (in bright red letters at the top) and “protect your investment.” The only things missing were the free drinks as I laid my bet…

[Read more →]

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Clark Kent – Role Model: The Dubious Virtues of Leading from the Rear

August 24th, 2012 · Random Observations

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango LLC + Hardcore Differentiation Advocate

Role Model for Today's Leading Providers of Leadership

Role Model for Today’s Leading Providers of Leadership

Thanks to the jury in the Apple-Samsung case, product differentiation is now mandated in the marketplace (at least in the smartphone industry). Unfortunately, differentiation — and creativity and boldness — are harder to come by, despite every company’s claim of “leadership.” That’s what inspired this sardonic rant. Here’s hoping it won’t take more jury decisions to spark more creativity in the world…

I’m always amazed by what I can learn about businesses on the Internet. For example, did you know that roughly 99.999% of all companies are “leaders” or “leading providers”? I discovered that by reading their press releases online. I admit, I’ve only read a few million, so my estimate may be off by plus or minus .001%, but I think it’s pretty close.

AND YET… [Read more →]

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Simply Wrong: What Do You Mean By “Social Media” And “Engagement”?

July 7th, 2012 · Media Review

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango LLC + Hype Assailant

Slater's 50/50 Ground Bacon Burger

So simple… yet so wrong. (photo via Foodbeast.com)

My regular readers know that I LOVE to dispel the hype surrounding social media and marketing clichés like “engagement.” So when I see an article that attacks the hype, I devour it like it’s a ground-bacon bacon burger.

But sometimes, even my fellow hype-assailants go astray and perpetrate some nonsense of their own. And that’s like discovering your bacon burger is actually made of tofu… [Read more →]

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5 Myths about 5 Myths about Marketing: Where Inc. Magazine Goes Wrong

June 26th, 2012 · Marketing 101

by Freddy J. Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango LLC + Avid Inc. Reader

Betamax vs VHS

What does it mean to be Betamaxed? Read on to find out…

If you’re an entrepreneur or run a small company, you should read Inc. magazine. One issue contains more insightful, practical advice than some of the semester-long classes I endured in business school. And a subscription to Inc. will put you back a whopping $13 – or less than the price of a movie ticket. (Should you invest in advice from business experts or Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter? You decide…)

But no one is infallible. Not even me. Really. And while Inc. is usually right, sometimes they get it wrong…

[Read more →]

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