New Season, New Site, New Ideas

Hello and welcome to Fall.

Here in Chicago, I'm not sure we actually experienced Summer.

In any event (no pun intended), I've launched a new web site - MarcPortugal.com. No it is not fancy or even designed or coded by me (thanks GoDaddy) but it's time to "refresh" for the coming season and (more importantly) for the new frontier of ideas to explore in marketing.

Here's the rub: the "new" frontier is actually linked (pun intended) to the "old" frontier. I had a interesting discussion with a friend who is also a partner at Diamond Consulting. He pointed out (and I have recently experienced...) that many traditional agencies are trying to "force feed" old ideas into the digital space, and digital agencies are creating applications that have no application when it comes to requisite brand and/or marketing strategy.

No, this does not apply to all agencies and/or all brands. However, one thing is clear. A brand must always deliver its promise - especially those living in a physical space. The more seamless the connection is between the online space and the physical space - the higher the probability of connectivity with consumers. All the SEO keywords, Facebook Fans and iPhone apps mean nothing if the actual product or service is not connected to the intended audience on a regular basis: Captivate > Cultivate > Continue (Retention/Loyalty.)

Having said that, the path to captivation is plowed with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, proprietary online communities, events, partnerships, cause marketing, SEO, SEM, etc. Just make sure your brand is securely in tow as you travel your path.

MP