Author Archives: Michele Warther

Marketing Infographics – Are They More Than Pictures and Words?

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As I was updating my Pinterest board on Marketing Infographics, I got to thinking.....if a picture says a thousand words and then you add to it, does it say a thousand and one words now? Infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge. These graphics present complex information quickly and clearly.
Modern practitioner Edward Tufte describes the process of incorporating many dimensions of information into a two-dimensional image as 'escaping flatland'.
Nigel Holmes calls them "explanation graphics" - dealing not only with the visual display of information but also of knowledge – how to do things.
How are you using them? Or are you over them? Want to create one? Here's an infographic on making infographics - I think I hear the space-time continuum folding over on itself.

May The Force Be With You. And Maybe Some Antacid too!

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While we were spending some time reading in the living room this afternoon Vivian was pulling out toys from her bins, when out popped - Watto the cup topper. He was followed in short order by Anakin, Queen Padme Amidala, Nute Gunray, Sebulba, Jar Jar Binks and Darth Maul. I had to chuckle a little as I thought back on how we came to get these.

It was 1999, living in LA and working for Razorfish. When Episode One tickets went on sale the whole office was online, on their cell phones and on land lines trying to buy tickets for the show. There were tons of promotions going on but the KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell (Tricon Global) one wasn't to be beat. A new limited edition cup topper "head" with cup "body" each week highlighting main character and they were different to each restaurant so you could only get 1 a week or until they were gone. I remember BJ, Tom and myself visiting each location each week to get a new one. Of course by that time I think we had also seen the movie 3 or 4 times too!

Opening night was in Marina Del Rey and that same weekend in Westwood Village, followed by 3rd St. Promenade and Mann's Chinese Theatre.

We still have a few of the cups around and most of the toppers, but no Mace Windu, R2D2 or Yoda.  Looks like a could get the whole set on eBay for $85 (including straws!) but I'll settle for the ones I have and the laugh I got thinking about collecting them.

Happy 3rd Anniversary to the Webtrends Blog

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wt.blog logo from jeremy - updated from orangeIt was three years ago today that the Webtrends blog was launched with an inaugural post from Barry Parshall. I recall being at home when it got finally got online around 9:00pm, we originally hosted it with WordPress.com using their VIP services (many thanks to the Automattic team!) about 5 minutes after the launch was surprised to see our first comment from Avinash Kaushik come in - he is definitely on top of what's happening. The launch was quickly followed by securing our brand name in about 85 other locations and establishing our corporate standards for social media. The first piece I created was for the blog, which was later modified to be more encompassing of all channels and integrated into our HR polices which are reviewed during the on-boarding process for new team members. Earlier this year the blog won a top 10 corporate blog award in great company with Radian6, Exact Target, Hubspot and Playstation. As the editor I was humbled to be included along with the best-of-the-best examples of businesses using blogging for real results. Over the years the blog has gone through many changes from a change in the corporate palette (from Orange to Blue to Black) to a mobile version and migrated to a WordPress MU hosted with Network Redux which now what many of the Webtrends sites run on from the Engage Conference to the Webtrends Agency site and Release Notes to the recent re-launch of the Webtrends.com. Many thanks to the vibrant, bright and opinionated authors who have put together some prolific content over the years and many thanks to all the talented developers, designers & code-monkeys who have have poured their heart and soul into the blog through it's many iterations. Thank you Vince, Mark, Jeremy, Mr. Diggles, Ben, Peter, David and Ilana - you are all amazing! Below are a few highlights of those changes over the years from the original launch including the mobile site. mobile blog from ilana

How to Raise a Happy and Healthy Community

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During curriculum night at my daughter's preschool this week I was struck by some of the recurring themes they had around building community. It reminded me of a brief exchange with Rachel Happe recently following this tweet:Both our preschoolers are in emergent learning or child-led programs and I mentioned I should reread positive discipline to polish up my community management skills. There are so many parallels between the negative tweeter or blogger, forum member etc. and the misdirected child; they both need to be heard, be involved in the solution, share their ideas and they quickly become happy contributing members of the family/community. I took the basics of the philosophy and updated them from child POV to more of a community-focused. Do you think your community meets these criteria?
  1. Helps community members feel a sense of connection. (A sense of belonging and significance)
  2. Is mutually respectful and encouraging. (Guidelines are kind but firm and people know what to expect)
  3. Is effective long term. (Considers what the member is thinking, feeling, learning, and deciding about himself and his community – and what to do in the future to thrive within this or the greater community/industry. Are you facilitating continual growth and learning experiences?)
  4. Supports important social and community skills. (Respect, concern for others, problem solving, and cooperation as well as the skills to contribute to the larger community.)
  5. Invites the community member to discover how capable they are. (Encourages the constructive use of personal power to solve problems and when/how to reach out for assistance when needed)

A Good Intention Clothes Itself In Sudden Power - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Every community’s success is based on each individuals understanding of the core values and philosophy of the organization. Whether that organization is a preschool or a global corporation. Each year our daughter's school goes over their intentions - more on this later - and their focus for the year. 2011-2012 brought us:
  • Strengthen the idea of school as a place of collaborative research.
  • Focus on exploring the values, structures and rituals that make up our school community.

Each classroom then decides how they will support those focuses - think taking corporate values and then creating departmental goals. Our class chose exploration around:

  • I am a contributing member of a community. To develop a learning community based on what each individual brings to the whole.
  • I am a communicator. To define and support how children document what is important to them and use their documentation for observation, reflection and sharing.
The teachers also invited parents to share their hopes, dreams and wishes for their child's year. Our wish for our daughter was that she never stops asking questions that don't have easy answers. The conversation following "Does King Tut, my goldfish and Jesus all play together now that they are dead?" has been an on-going discussion that isn't answered with a yes/no.  I've been asked hard questions by members of the communities I participate in over the years and I approach them in the same way- from a place of curiosity and interest. What is the focus for your community? How do you nurture and grow it? What is your "wish" for those communities you are a part of?