VIVAMEDIA http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/ en Copyright 2008 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:22:54 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.35 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss What Advertising Is and Isn't Well, after 10 years in business it was bound to happen. A client let us go. Yep, we got fired, but not for the reasons you may think. For us, it's difficult to know that no matter how brilliant, our strategy would have fallen flat in this case. Worse still, is knowing that this client may continue to blame advertising and advertising agencies for its failure.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/11/what_an_advertising_agency_is.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/11/what_an_advertising_agency_is.html Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:22:54 -0600 We Don't Need No Stinkin' Special Keyboards! The September edition of VOZ, (our monthly newsletter which you can download or subscribe to by clicking here) has an interesting story about how it appears The Des Moines Register cannot reproduce special characters when typesetting stories. This is of particular importance when typesetting something in Spanish.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/09/we_dont_need_no_stinkin_specia.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/09/we_dont_need_no_stinkin_specia.html Fri, 07 Sep 2007 15:53:51 -0600 Why Does Hispanic Marketing Have to be an "Issue"? In the 10 years we have been in business, The Des Moines Register has not, until today, featured our firm's work as the main focus of an article. So this is a big happening for our business.

When I received a call from writer Bonnie Harris indicating that Lynn Hicks - Business Editor for The Register - had shown interest in writing a story about Hispanic marketing and its impact on business in central Iowa, we were ecstatic. This was the profile we had been waiting for.

But, after reading the comments made by State Representative Dwayne Alons (R) in the article, I have one question to ask: Why does Hispanic marketing have to become an "issue"?

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/08/why_does_hispanic_marketing_ha.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/08/why_does_hispanic_marketing_ha.html Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:33:20 -0600 A Puerto Rican at RAGBRAI XXXV, Day 6 - LIVE from Dyersville, IA The day began less than stellarly. We were late. While trying to ensure proper tire pressure, I broke the stem off Joann's rear tire. We had to follow the riders 10 miles into Winthrop. It was 10 a.m. before we got off to a start and when we did, the skies opened and it started to mist down on us. Little did we know the universe was conspiring to align something amazing to happen.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/07/a_puerto_rican_at_ragbrai_xxxv_1.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/07/a_puerto_rican_at_ragbrai_xxxv_1.html Fri, 27 Jul 2007 21:56:25 -0600 A Puerto Rican at RAGBRAI XXXV, Day 5 - LIVE from Waterloo, IA This is exciting. I am breaking my hiatus from blogging during summer to blog LIVE directly from RAGBRAI XXXV . I am participating on RAGBRAI for the fifth (I think) year. Today, I find myself in Waterloo - the only place where I could find a hotel room to stay overnight for the departure town for Day 6 - Independence, Iowa.


Here's why I RAGBRAI.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/07/a_puerto_rican_at_ragbrai_xxxv.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/07/a_puerto_rican_at_ragbrai_xxxv.html Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:45:21 -0600 How to Dissect a Web Design Estimate We were recently contacted by a prospect in Charles City, Iowa to provide an estimate of what our fees would be for redesigning their company's existing Web site. This prospect was an OEM representing a large product line who recognized the importance of having a presentable Web prescence. He had researched firms offering Web design and programming and contacted us after looking through our own site. While responding to his request for an estimate, I realized the information I was sharing with him could be beneficial to other professionals and business owners searching for a Web design and development firm.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/04/how_to_dissect_a_web_design_es.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/04/how_to_dissect_a_web_design_es.html Thu, 05 Apr 2007 12:52:40 -0600 Guerrilla Marketing is Not Dead Last February, Boston authorities scrambled to deploy a bomb unit and dismantle what appeared to be explosive devices set around the city limits. The devices turned out to be backlit boards, much like "lite-brite" toys depicting characters from the upcoming film release Aqua Teen Hunger Force. The incident was all over the news, people resigned from their jobs and fines were assessed. Brandweek even proclaimed the stunt "the end of guerrilla marketing" in a recent issue. But the Aqua Teen guerrilla phenomenon marched on this past weekend, this time through new media and the blogging community.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/04/guerrilla_marketing_is_not_dea.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/04/guerrilla_marketing_is_not_dea.html Thu, 05 Apr 2007 10:13:27 -0600 If You'd Like Pro Bono Work, Read This The term "pro bono" comes from the Latin "pro bono publico" meaning "for the good of the public." The term is often used to describe work done in kind or at no cost for organizations that serve the public good, without any monetary compensation. Recently, our firm had a very dissapointing experience working with a local non-profit.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/03/if_youd_like_pro_bono_work_rea_1.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/03/if_youd_like_pro_bono_work_rea_1.html Sun, 25 Mar 2007 12:26:30 -0600 What Did 2006 Teach You? If you're an active reader of this blog (thank you, by the way), you may have noticed that I started the blog in 2005 and one of my first posts was titled "What Did 2005 Teach You?" Now that the first month of the new year is almost behind us, I've pondered the same question about 2006. Here's what I learned.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/01/what_did_2006_teach_you_1.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2007/01/what_did_2006_teach_you_1.html Fri, 26 Jan 2007 18:08:15 -0600 Want Diversity in Your Campaign? Go Custom I forgot to blog about an article that ran in the "Marketplace" section of the Wall Street Journal the last week of November of 2006. The article was titled "When Marketer's See Double" and talked about the use of stock photography and imagery in ads being recycled to the point where it's inevitable that companies may use the same image in marketing different products altogether.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/12/want_diversity_in_your_campaig_1.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/12/want_diversity_in_your_campaig_1.html Fri, 22 Dec 2006 15:48:54 -0600 All Latino That Was Fit to Print in 2006 What a year it's been. As December winds down, 2006 will go down in the books as a phenomenal year as far as press attention goes for the Latino population right here in Des Moines and all over the nation. Here's a review of my favorite stories this year:

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/12/2006_all_latino_thats_fit_to_p_1.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/12/2006_all_latino_thats_fit_to_p_1.html Thu, 21 Dec 2006 15:12:47 -0600 Is it Ankeny or the Acrobatic "A"? The city of Ankeny just announced that it is unveiling a new community identity and slogan. This makes sense in light of this city's rampant growth and development, but something about this new "look" is just too familiar for comfort. The question around our office right now is…is it just us or does Ankeny's new marque look a little too much like Adobe Acrobat's flying "A"?

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/10/is_it_ankeny_or_the_acrobatic.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/10/is_it_ankeny_or_the_acrobatic.html Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:36:53 -0600 The Latino Village? Here's the deal. It's one thing for reporters to misspel my name. Rodrigues, Rodriquez…whatever. But recently, KCCI News Channel 8 ran a short news segment as a human-interest story with a lead-in that just floored me. Kevin Cooney starts up the newscast by saying "Des Moines' Latino community is getting a new view and a new heritage." The lead-in was introducing the progress being made around the area just east of Grand Avenue downtown – an area that is becoming known as the Latino Corridor. But wait, it gets better.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/10/the_latino_village.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/10/the_latino_village.html Mon, 02 Oct 2006 20:34:54 -0600 Looking for Goya at the Super Target I wanted to blog about a recent article written by Sarah Bzdega from The Des Moines Business Record. I wanted to thank Sarah for using our newsletter, VOZ (she incorrectly called it "La Voz," but that's OK) as a springboard for her article titled "A new aisle for Hispanics in local grocery stores."

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/08/looking_for_goya_at_the_super.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/08/looking_for_goya_at_the_super.html Wed, 16 Aug 2006 16:19:19 -0600 Here We Grow Again! Most people don't pay attention to statistical figures, but I came across some data that I couldn't wait to communicate to our readers and clients. New census figures out last month show the Hispanic population in Iowa has increased once again.

]]> http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/08/here_we_grow_again.html http://www.virtualviva.com/weblog/2006/08/here_we_grow_again.html Thu, 10 Aug 2006 15:47:35 -0600