While the subject of Psychology is not isolated from the disciplines of marketing and advertising, creating a wave of mental and emotional panic pulls down the curtains of confidence quicker than an actual scenario of dwindling financial assets could. This is to say that the more we are fed with downbeat information that tend to clog our defenses, the more our natural instincts to put up a fierce fight are paralyzed. In times of uncertainty, human resources or manpower are the best bets to rebuild a crushed and demoralized economy.(Source of public domain photo on left: Child Labor in America 1908-1912; Lewis W. Hine; URL-http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/)

There is enough reason for advertisers to mull thrice over maintaining their advertising budget. For those who has a domestic market base, the Social Weather Station’s latest result on self-rated poverty survey, stating that 52% or 9.4 million Filipinos feel (and believe) that they are hungry and poor may overshadow optimism. No amount of advertising can make consumers spend on goods and services other than on food, clothing and education, is a thought that may stalk an advertiser for costume jewelry or a career workshop. Think again, before you actualize cutting down on advertising expenses, which you had been contemplating on immediately after the Lehman Brothers declared a shutdown in the last quarter of 2008…

Let’s face it. There are a good number of so-called good clients—one who really make purchases or keep your business afloat; however, not-so-good clients sometimes seem to outnumber the good ones. But before we let loose the rein on the latter group, we should consider evaluating our clients portfolio and be able to effectively weed out the so-called “unwanted” clients.Who are they anyway? They are consumers who can make life a little more difficult for a company. There is not enough sales pitch that can make this type of customers ring your cash register happily…

Personal branding is a more complicated, yet more challenging way of advertising yourself and defining your stance in the midst of a great mob of competitors offering almost identical propositions as yours. Once you established personal branding for yourself, you already have the edge to withstand the pressures of change in consumer behaviors and economic demands. It takes thorough inward investigation of what you are, what you can do, and how you do what you can do. On a smaller albeit personal level, what it takes to create a personal brand is similar to creating brand for a company. Some books say it is easier to do personal branding as it only takes into consideration one variable—you—to brand. We think otherwise.

One incorrect notion about an editor is that his or her task is confined to proofreading. Sadly, the global outsourcing trend perpetuates this limiting notion about what editors are, and what they really do. The larger aspect that an editor develops over time of discipline and performing his or her task is the eye to determine, which story is worth reading, and which deserves to go to the bin.

Is your WIFI affair making you Claustrophobic? Un-hook from the Internet and Get a life. The internet, which is thought to be a cheaper lifestyle alternative and, relatively speaking, gives more convenience via armchair shopping, traveling and socializing, has a costly trade-off…

A study of the Stanford Institute for the Quantitative Study of Society (SIQSS) in 2000 reveals that an increased internet usage is actually eroding real-time human interaction and steals from users the real pleasure of interacting with the society, and the environment.

Maginhawa Street at the U.P. Village coddles interesting spots , such as the Green Papaya Arts Project—a former two-car garage-cum-art gallery that can house a motley of artworks and art-related activities in its 60-square meter space.
Managed by Peewee Roldan, a visual artist, and Donna Miranda, a dance artist, the arts house gets niche audience from arts students and fellow artists. “We are still working on widening our audience base, and eventually touch the other sectors of society as well,” says projects director, Donna Miranda. Opens on …

Eye-friendly It. Because reading materials on screen strains the eyes, it is suggested that articles are short, bulleted, and important words highlighted for ease in reading.Readers are not really reading but rather scanning, according to a study spearheaded by Jakob Nielsen, co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group.

More and more writers are trying to bag content writing assignments from third party entities, or people who source out writing projects, then outsource the project again to a willing and able writer then split the profit into 2: the 1.5 part to the third party, and the 0.5 part to the writer. I get the chills whenever I come across ads (several samples can be culled from Craigslist) hiring writers to do a 300 to 500 word count article for a measly USD1. The writer does the …

Gone are the days when trade secrets remain pad locked and marketing strategies are bunnies in hats. Nowadays, clients assert for their freedom to choose, and marketers have no choice but to let go of stinginess of information, even if it meant letting them participate in their business’ decision and policy making via polls, surveys, and forum. It used to be that marketers alter the mindset of the consumers by creating needs and wants. The tables are slightly turned and it’s a half and half deal: Marketers create wants and needs but the clients evaluate and have the final say. That becomes the yardstick for developing a product, service, or even policy . Ultimately, the goal is to come up with whatever that can make everybody happy.(In the photo, left: Jonas delos Reyes, Community Manager or Yahoo! Philippines)