Blogging styles: a master Class

Mister Snitch!: Blogging styles and traffic stats: "Blogging resembles investment in that the blogger invests time and energy in hopes of a return. Bloggers' return on investment is readers. Like most investors, most bloggers go belly-up. Here are the blogger types, as we see them, compared with different investment styles."

Testing my Picassa BlogImage tool

Looks like it works really well. Dang... this will open a whole new area of discussions. And images. And screen grabs... wow.
(-that's enough now - ed.) Sorry. 

Are you a Photographer or an Innovative Imagist?

....hmmmmmm.

Design Observer: writings about design & culture: Innovation is the New Black: "It's not hard to see why innovation is becoming the design world's favorite euphemism. Design sounds cosmetic and ephemeral; innovation sounds energetic and essential. Design conjures images of androgynous figures in black turtlenecks wielding clove cigarettes; innovators are forthright fellows with their shirtsleeves rolled up, covering whiteboards with vigorous magic-markered diagrams, arrows pointing to words like 'Results!' But best of all, the cult of innovation neatly sidesteps the problem that has befuddled the business case for design from the beginning. Thomas Watson Jr.'s famous dictum 'good design is good business' implies that there's good design and there's bad design; what he doesn't reveal is how to reliably tell one from the other. Neither has anyone else. It's taken for granted that innovation, however, is always good."

Think Regional, Act Annual: at Design Observer

An interesting, if not a little self-serving article, by Lorraine Wild at Design Observer. She has some strong opinions about the state of design in America (not the States of Design that the Print Regional Design Annual uses for segmentation). She takes many shots at both the magazine and the design work presented inside. You should read the article and possibly comment. I am not sure what my comment would be though. I find it difficult to look a other folks work and just dismiss it as 'flat' or 'mediocre'. Having worked in this field for many years, I know how many other influences can be involved in the end product. I find it also difficult to criticize people who pose themselves as arbiters, as they have already defined themselves as above the fray, not embroiled in it.

I have always found the PRDA an interesting and fun publication to peruse during the rare moments of inactivity that I enjoy. The idea of design being regional is, Iguess, one of those little things that Print does to distinguish itself from other types of annuals.

That said, I think the idea of design having something to do with region has long been a moot point. I also don't buy the idea that design can be divided by ethnicity or gender or age... and we see that crap all too often.

Great design is simply great design. Design that satisfies the client, gets the job done and proves to be a positive asset in the clients marketing arsenal is good, solid design.

Personally, I try not to engage in looking down at any one elses work. I stay focused on what is positive. But, hey, that's just me and what I do... ya know.

Design Observer: writings about design & culture: Think Regional, Act Annual: "Today, designers and their clients identify themselves by engaging in practices that are framed by “regional” issues, yet their business is often directed, ultimately, at bigger audiences; the success of those regional designers depends on their ability to visually communicate on a national or even international level. It may be, too, that the designers or agencies who enter competitions like the Print 'Regional Annual' are already within a subset of designers deeply invested in working at the national/global level. Or maybe that’s just the work that Print’s in-house team responds to, since it’s “professional” and appeals to contemporary, even more visually-savvy audiences. One exception here is the plethora of birth announcements, moving announcements, wedding announcements and other self-promotional pieces entered — and frequently chosen; here, it’s worth suggesting that while the ego may be local, the dreams are transcendent. And with the exception of a few lonely chile peppers or howling coyotes or blobby Hatch Show print headlines, I dare any reader to cover up the location names and try to guess where this work comes from. The same can be said for the descriptions of the business climate for design, which are basically mediocre from sea-to- shining-sea; nevertheless, each regions’ designers remain optimistic despite it all — which either speaks to the indomitability of the human spirit , or to the ongoing proliferation of serotonin-uptake inhibitors. Or both."

Allison Dubois is the real "Medium"

Allison Dubois the "Medium"
Originally uploaded by Wizwow.

This is Allison Dubois, the real person that the TV show "Medium" is based on. I was waiting to do the cover shot and started snapping while she was being interviewed by the writer. Ms Dubois is a fascinating, friendly and very sharp woman. Her husband was wonderful as he opened the house to us to find whatever location would be the best. We ended up shooting the cover in the kitchen... I'll post that shot later.
By the way... she is also beautiful, but I guess you already knew that. It is fun to meet someone with such an interesting story. It is even more fun to create images of them. That is the magic that is photography, and why I love it so.

Fast Company article on Coffee Wars and Donuts (mmmm - donuts... what'll they think of next)

Sometimes re-writing your story may not be enough if you don't understand the cast of characters. While Dunkin Donuts can deliver the same product faster and for 40% cheaper may not be enough for Starbucks loyals to switch. People looking to buy a Hummer for 70K are not going to be swayed by a Santa Fe that costs 1/3 - even though they both function exactly the same on a macro level... transportation. Part of the reason for owning is the fact that they paid a lot for it. (Design plays a HUGE part as well, but we are comparing only price/functionality)

I hope that Dunkin Donuts also rewrites the story of their stores as well. Starbuck's has a cozy, intimate atmosphere with modern colors and well appointed stores. DD is a brightly lit white donut store. The name has such strong connotations as well...

It will be fun and interesting to see how they work at changing thier profit model from pastry-centric to beverage-centric. Taking on Starbucks, McDonalds and the corner convenience market is a mighty task. Personally, I like DD donuts better than KK and I very seldom go to Starbucks as I am not a coffee drinker (and personally I find the long wait for a cup of coffee a time waster).

Read the whole article... you will get some interesting perspectives on re-branding and storytelling.

It's Not About the Doughnuts: "If you're going to take on Starbucks, the leviathan of the coffee business, you need an edge. And Dunkin' Donuts, the 54-year-old New England chain famous for its Boston Crème doughnuts and award-winning beans, thinks it's found the key to being a contender: speed and price. So this, then, is the new management team's new strategy: be the faster, cheaper, user-friendlier alternative to Starbucks -- the average Joe's average joe.

Sounds logical, right? No silly faux Italian. No lattes that require an Amex mogul card. Just value and speed. But Dunkin's strategy is already raising concerns among some industry observers. The idea that the latte-drinking customer will respond to speed and price is, they say, an out-moded view of the market. Sure, it worked for McDonald's, a pit stop for customers with little time, many kids, and thin wallets. But for trendy coffee aficionados, those features may be missing the point."

Rewriting the Story

Interesting phenomena in the greeting card business. Seems that greeting cards were being supplanted by e-cards and other digital messages that were supposedly faster and easier than the hassle of buying cards.

So the greeting card people fought back. Realizing that the story of ease over hassle was essentially true, they sought to re-position that reality as a positive. Why fight truth when you can just redefine it much easier.

Going out, taking the time to pick one out, choosing the right message with just the right envelope was positioned to be a positive reason rather than negative. Greeting card producers re-framed the so-called 'hassle' into a point of differentiation. "Show them that you care" by going through the 'hassle' to purchase just the right card.

In addition, much has been made of the physicality of a paper greeting card. Opening the envelope, looking at it closely, saving it... all hallmarks (heh) of a paper card that isn't possible with digital.

Turn the negative spin into a positive spin and you end up with a very healthy greeting card industry. Try respinning your story and see where it goes.

A Photo Worth Owning

Powerful images seem to go beyond the surface and take us to a place that can seem almost mystical. This image is so powerful and carries such a deep message that it makes it an icon of an age, or a time... or maybe just a moment. Nonetheless, it is an image you can now own for a limited time. And it will become a timeless piece in your collection.

Michael Yon : Online Magazine: "It occurred to me that even national treasures have practical costs associated with them. No one protests the admission fees or government supports that maintain and preserve their legacy. Museums don't diminish the value of art when they sell prints in a gift shop. I'm not claiming to be Picasso, and this blog is hardly the Louvre, but my readers have convinced me that this image inspires them and I've learned to listen to my readers.

I’ve decided to offer a limited number of signed photographs, available in two formats."

The Beauty of Simplicity

Fast Company talks about simple-to-use design and apps. It is one of the things that is driving Daniel and I as we build the PHOTOtoool, our Total Control Sites and our new Project Management tools. We aren't building huge apps with bells and whistles no one will use. Instead, we are focused on ease of use and powerful tools that do the job at hand. We add extras as needed, but we focus on useability and results.

The Beauty of Simplicity: "John Maeda runs the Media Lab's Simplicity Consortium. His goal is to find ways to break free from the intimidating complexity of today's technology and the frustration of information overload. He is a gentle, soft-spoken man, dressed elegantly in a crisp, white collarless shirt and black pants. And he is an unusual amalgam: having the mathematical wizardry of a computer geek with the soul of an artist. Indeed, in 1990, he left MIT for four years to study art. 'My whole life changed,' he says. 'I thought, This is a great way to live.' But rather than throwing over his digital life entirely, he conceived a mission. 'I came back to MIT to figure out how you could combine simplicity, which is basic human life, with this thing--technology--that's out of control.'"

One of my favorite actors

has passed. I loved his natural screen presence, and always felt he was underrated as an actor. I heard from some folks that had worked with him that he was a very fine person and incredibly talented.

BREITBART.COM - Actor Pat Morita Dies at 73: "Actor Pat Morita, whose portrayal of the wise and dry-witted Mr. Miyagi in 'The Karate Kid' earned him an Oscar nomination, has died. He was 73"

If you don't know Al...

... you should read this article. Al Satterwhite knows what changing markets mean, and how to react to them. Maybe we all learn a little from Al...

NikonNet: "'You have to change with the times if you're going to be in advertising photography,' Al Satterwhite says, 'because in advertising photography the clients are into the flavor of the month. Actually, it's more like the flavor of the hour.'

Still, Al doesn't chase trends or follow fads. 'I don't change radically,' he says, 'because I don't like doing stuff for the sake of doing it. I still hold to my vision. I'm not much of a chameleon.' He does makes adjustments—in the highly competitive world of advertising photography you have to—but he stays true to his ideas."

It's like a train wreck...

...you cannot look away, yet the scene of carnage seems to be making you more and more ill. What's Chinese for "Dude, somebody put it online - we're screwed."

BSB-I want it that way - Google Video

Yeah... I watched the whole thing. I feel really sorry for sending this to you... blame KC.

Yeah... sometimes I'm just exhausted from, you know, focusing.

...ooops - wait a minute, I gots them dang new autofocus camrees. So what does this thing do again? Oh yeah, the adjustment between the lens and subject and sensor, formerly referred to as "focusing" has always been a stress inducer. Soon, we will have software that helps with other tiresome problems, like discovering a subject, choosing the moment to snap, and my favorite, cleaning up the studio after a shoot. Sheesh.

Wired News: Say Sayonara to Blurry Pics: "The student, Ren Ng, ran out of patience with taking pictures the traditional way -- adjusting the distance between the camera lens and sensor or film before snapping each shot. So he created something that far surpasses Photoshop. A photograph can be modified after the fact even if nothing is in focus, he said."

Texas sues Sony

I hope this sn't an isolated case.

Texas sues Sony BMG for spyware violations - Yahoo! News: "HOUSTON (Reuters) - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed a civil lawsuit on Monday against Sony BMG Music Entertainment (6758.T) for hiding 'spyware' software on its compact discs in a bid to thwart music copying.

According to the lawsuit filed in Travis County, several of the company's music compact discs require customers to download Sony's media players if they want to listen to the CDs on a computer.

Software included with that media player 'remains hidden and active' after installation, the Attorney General's office said, and makes users vulnerable to security risks and possible identity theft."

Carnival of Digital Cameras and Photography

Carnval of Digital Cameras... what a cool idea.

Carnival of Digital Cameras and Photography: "Weekly Roundup of Latest News, Hot Reviews, Tips and Advice
The Carnival of Digital Cameras and Photography is a weekly round-up, scouring the Web for the best of all the latest news, trends, digital camera reviews, top blogs, photography tips and professional advice."

Lynne in White Fur 3

Lynne in White Fur 3
Originally uploaded by Wizwow.

Just another example of why I love my job. I absolutely love shooting white fur. Notice the very subtle tones in the white ribbons and white fur. Getting that was difficult, but I was relentless in the persuit of excellence in tonal control... heh heh heh.

Comments are on hiatus - Signal vs. Noise (by 37signals)

I agree with their decision. Comments just seem to bring out wierd negatives. I have a Flickr page, and recently I have this guy coming on and posting the most inane comments, like some sort of lame-ass print exhibition. He feels totally compelled to make negative comments. Look, it doesn't bother me, cause I took a moment to look at his images and realized that he has his own issues, but it does get tiresome. Negativity is a very, very powerful force. Keep it to a minimum in your life and you will be so much happier.

I would turn the comments off on Flickr, but it doesn't seem to be an option. I don't post for comments, I post to share and show.

Comments are on hiatus - Signal vs. Noise (by 37signals): "For the past few months we’ve been pretty disappointed by the noise. The readership on this blog has grown five fold in just the past year or so. It would be great if the quality of the comments and perspectives increased as our readership increased, but instead comments quickly fly off topic. Mud flinging is the norm, not the exception. An occasional cynical comment is good (and welcome!), but when 75% turn negative then it’s just no longer fun. We think that’s a shame and, frankly, we’re tired of the negative energy filling up the threads."

Seth's Blog: Not what it used to be

Yes. It is akin tobegging.

Seth's Blog: Not what it used to be: "Once your business becomes a commodity, you can struggle or you can re-invent. I consider door-to-door selling to be struggling."

Why There is no VIAO in my Future

These guys have gotten way out of control. Time to do some legal bitch-slappin'. And I mean soon. Wanna piss me off... just open a browser window to 100%, don't give me resize ability and I go ballistic. Put crap on my computer and I get really really - uhhh- irritated. The music industry is their own worst enemy. Sony has lost me as a client. I will seriously look for alternatives to their products. (And I will no longer covet that really cool Sony 8MP camera I blogged about a while ago. It aint cool anymore.)

Assholes.

Globetechnology: Sony's uninstall tool worse than the problem: "The uninstall tool posted by Sony BMG to get rid of its controversial digital-rights management software is worse than the original software, a security company says.

Computer Associates, maker of eTrust PestPatrol anti-spyware software, says that the technological protection measure (TPM) uninstall routine itself can be classified as spyware."

Update: Mac users not immune.

Sony BMG's "rootkit" copy protection technology may affect Macs -- and the software can also be exploited by malicious hackers, reports claim.

MacInTouch reports claims by a reader who recently purchased a Sony BMG CD. The reader found that the CD installs a Mac application, "Start.app" which itself installs two files: PhoenixNub1.kext and PhoenixNub12.kext.

This is not the same software as is currently causing such a furor against Sony BMG. The Register claims: "It's a Mac version of SunnComm's DRM software, MediaMax, which Sony BMG uses to copy-protect a range of CDs."

Sony BMG faces consumer backlash.

Good grief. They fight piracy with fraud, piracy, invasion of privacy, digital intrusion, breaking and entering and theft of information. Yeah, that's a real good idea. Jerks.

Cost of Entry / Economy of Scale

We are announcing our new Project Management tool next week, and it has had me thinking a lot about the cost of entry and its relationship to the economy of scale. I remember spending every nickel on equipment and studio tools when I started my photography career. The amount I have invested in darkroom equipment would astound you. Today, with digital, a starting out photog can invest as little as 10K and have a complete business infrastructure: cameras, lights and computer(s).

Many of the tools we had to have on hand are now available through 3rd party. Labs like Mighty Digital can handle all of the large print orders and retailers like Target and Costco are doing a good job for proof prints. All of these companies offer online solutions for sending the images to them. Tools like the PHOTOtool offer ways to show proofs and 'digital 'roids' to art director in nearly real time. And with Photoshop doing your post production, there are a whole world of effects and corrections that are easily applied.

In software development, the teams used to be huge. Each programmer writing code by hand-sometimes going into un-charted areas and developing tiny little parts of a larger product. Today, Daniel and I were able to build a very robust project management tool that will allow teams in diverse locations to collaborate on everything from documents to images to strategy.

What does this all mean? Well, faster delivery, less costs associated with creation, more upgrades coming faster, and a large group of talent with less challenges. Will that translate into lower fee rates in the industries? Probably... supply and demand thing. However, it will also allow a smaller group of talent to rise to the top through doing a little more than is expected with less than previously needed.

When we first designed our PM tool a few years ago, we made it specific to a vertical. Now we are redoing it for a much wider spectrum of users and dropping the price to a fraction of our niche price. This should allow us to reach a wider group of potential users and thus the cost of entry for the user drops precipitously as well.

Cost of entry declines and the economy of scale creates a powerful set of tools for the entry level creative to produce their work.

The challenge now becomes (again) marketing.

Featured Photographer :: Rick Lee

Nice article Rick...

Photographic Production Services - PPS Featured Photographer: "Featured Photographer Rick Lee"

Brand Autopsy: If You Want to Lead, Blog

Brand Autopsy: If You Want to Lead, Blog: "Throughout the recently held BLOGGING ENTERPRISE conference, Jonathan’s blog was mentioned as a benchmark blog for c-level execs. And whattaya know … in the November issue of Harvard Business Review (HBR), Jonathan has written a must-read article for any business wrestling with the idea of starting a company blog."

Taking Stock... Taking Control

I have just spent time talking to investor types about start-ups, costs, ROI and market trends. What seems to be the gist of it is... get something unique going, get some customers, learn from the feedback, get some projections and then... ONLY then... come and talk to us about venture funds.

Yep. That sounds about right.

Seth's Blog: How the New Marketing changes Local Max

Whoa...

Seth's Blog: How the New Marketing changes Local Max: "There are two mistakes that satisfied Local Max folks make:
1. believing that they can get to the next Max in a linear, pain-free way
and
2. believing that the best way to get there is with brute force. More products more salespeople more ads more buildings more staff...

In fact, the opposite is true."

Damn - it's more of that "Take responsibility" stuff. It's so much easier to find excuses and blame others.

... Effective Search Engine Optimization

Daniel and I are "White Hat" SEO folks. We do not look for 'cheats' and gimmicks for achieving higher rankings for our client's sites. We know that a Search Engine friendly page will achieve more than a 'tricked-out' site trying to ply higher rankings through gimmicks.

We have caught some heat recently from folks who just love Flash, and want us to design our pages in Flash. We love Flash too, in it's place. But totally Flash sites do not index well. And we are deeply rooted in the position that the web is not a magazine, so static web pages (which is what the SE sees) don't fit our view of the web.

Some designers believe that adding a meta tag or a page name will do the job. Nope. Not possible. This well written article tells why good design, good strategy and pages that are accessible increase the sites ranking and visibility.

We think that being found in the billions or web pages that are out there is important. More important than logos that bounce or sliding portfolio pages... ya know.

A List Apart: Articles: High Accessibility Is Effective Search Engine Optimization: "Not only are search engines unable to understand image and movie files, they also cannot interpret any textual content that is based on vision (such as ASCII art). alt and longdesc attributes will, therefore, help them understand the subject of any such content.

Search engines are also “deaf” in reference to audio files. Again, providing textual descriptions to these files allows search engines to better interpret and rank the content that they cannot “hear.”"

Pensive Moment

Pensive Moment
Originally uploaded by Wizwow.

I want to post a photo or three per week just for fun. Big announcement coming this week as well.

Got Ego?

I believe it is a good thing to have a healthy ego. Barret shows what can happen when healthy becomes maniacal... or even nearly so.

GiddyupGuy.com: The Rise and Fall of the Modern Male Ego
(Or...'How Ego Put the KO on TO'): "And finally, your ego will sell you short, make you look stupid, make you 'lose your temper,' 'fly off the handle,' just to 'be right.' Those who are ego-driven are completely oblivious to the power of 'the sympathy vote,' and of constructive ways to take action and be heard, when necessary."

OMG.... All Trane all the time!!!!

Well, I guess I am a bit behind the curve. I just discovered OnLine Radio. ITunes has an awesome one, and I just hooked up with the free AOL version. And... get this... it has an all John Coltrane channel. Along with 20th Century 'Classical' avant garde... John Coltrane all the time!! I used to have the complete Coltrane discography back in 85, but haven't kept up with re-releases and such. I have all the Impulse recordings. Those that are my favorites I have unopened vinyl copies of - as well as CD's. Coltrane was the most important musician of the 20th century, in my mind.

In '66 a friend brought over some records his uncle had given to him and we were gonna shoot them with our pellet guns (don't ask). He was the bass player in our garage rock band. Before we went out to destroy them, I grabbed one and put it on my turntable. What came out of the speakers made my buddy grab his head and laugh hysterically. It was Ornette Coleman and his amazing plastic saxophone. I listened. He laughed. I put on another record...Coltrane's "Naima." I couldn't stop listening. He got bored and left. To say that moment changed my life would be an understatement. I can remember that moment as well as I do any of the life-changing moments we all share.

Needless to say, we didn't destroy the albums. I still have them. The following week found me at the record store spending my band money on John Coltrane records. Every one I could find. Then Miles, Coleman, Lloyd, Jarrett... My friends thought I was nuts, my girlfriend disowned me (musically) and I got into a hot jazz quartet. That was followed by me talking my way into being a music major although I could barely read music... that's another story. That is where I discovered modern and contemporary music. To me, the music of Copleland and Ives and Trane and Miles are one continuum of music. Improvisation, tonal / atonal challenges on players and listeners... resolution. It's all there.

Stravinsky, Carter, Boulez, Copeland, Barber and Ives were incredibly important inspirations for me, but Coltrane gave fire to improvisation and spirituality. I love his music more than can be explained in words, so I'll just sit back and listen to 'Kulu Se Mama', 'Blue Trane', and 'Afro Blue' for now.

Tempe, Mill Ave

Tempe, Mill Ave
Originally uploaded by Wizwow.

Recently I purchased a JVC Digicam. It is very small with an incredible zoom. It takes great little movies and I think the still capture is pretty good. The image is a respectable 1025 x 765, and I get about a gazillion of them on my 512SM Card.

Fits in the palm of my hand, so I can take it everywhere. Only problem so far is the incredibly bad battery life... less than an hour on a full charge.

Overall though, I really like it so far.

Customer Advocate...

Yep.

10 Ways to Please Us, the Customers - New York Times: "DEAR electronics makers,

You must be getting pretty excited about the holiday season. No wonder. That's when we, your customers, hand you a huge chunk of your annual income - about $17 billion of our cash.

But what will you give us in return? Yes, of course, the finest gadgets technically possible for the amount we're willing to pay. But what else will you give us? Do you really want to earn our love and loyalty? Do you want us to be back next year?"

On a Lighter Note

Now I know what happens to my PC at night. And all this time I thought it was a virus.

Those Classy and Debonair Europeans

I really stay away from Politics on this Blog... but damn, some things just really piss me off. This should never be tolerated in a civilized society, even though the solution may be a bit uncivilized itself.

Disabled Woman Set On Fire In Riots: "A handicapped woman was doused with petrol and set on fire by youths during another night of rioting in Paris.

The 56-year-old suffered third degree burns to 20% of her body in the attack.

Witnesses said a youth poured petrol over the woman and then threw a Molotov cocktail on to the bus she was travelling on in the suburb of Sevran."

"I See Barriers"

Good long post on perceptions and realities.

I Will Teach You To Be Rich: Barriers are your enemy: "It's surprising to me when I hear someone come up with something they want to do, but--in the same conversation--they go through every conceivable thing that could go wrong, and conclude that it will never work.

It's like they have all the physical manifestations of running a marathon, but they never left their chair.

At these times I want to throw something at them and scream!!! But I don't. Instead, I come home and write an article on a blog. If only all criminals were like this."

Cool.

... that's all I gotta say about this.

IKEA | DR�MK�K �T ALLA

Oh, and hat tip to Rick...

Rick Lee Explains the Intricacies of Developing a Creative Strategy Involved in Choosing Whether to Use On-Camera Flash or Natural Light

On Location With Rick Lee: "Why is this important? Why not just shoot at ISO 100 and turn on the flash? On-camera flash looks like crap."

Word-of-Mouth Worthy?

I always stress being excited about what you do and how you do it. The excitement can be contagious. I agree with John's take below, because I see mediocrity as nearly pandemic.

Rising above the din of 'gud 'nuff' takes planning, execution, commitment and a story that is genuine, compelling and, above all, interesting. That means activity. Passive marketing (advertising, source books, PR) is getting cold. Buzz, WOM, Viral... they are warm and getting hotter.

Terrific challenge, this new world of marketing.

Brand Autopsy: Measuring Word-of-Mouth: "The major reason why word-of-mouth hasn’t taken off is not because marketers lack the metrics to measure it. It’s because most products, services, and businesses simply aren’t worth talking about. Marketers should worry less about the metrics of “WOMUnits” and more about the message of the word-of-mouth activity. The more compelling and interesting the “WOMUnit,” the more people will talk about it.


Also marketers need to realize word-of-mouth is more than a marketing issue -- it’s a business issue. Marketers cannot simply sprinkle magical word-of-mouth marketing dust to create long-lasting word of mouth. For endearing and enduring word-of-mouth to happen, the activity must become part of the company’s culture. Sustainable word-of-mouth is much more a way of doing business every day than a component to a two-week heavy-up marketing blitz."