Sheffield Institute Blog - Narratives, Message Mapping, Digital Fluency, PR, Marketing, Online Video

Is PowerPoint dead yet?

cthornton — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:55:17 +0000

You don’t have to be in the world of marketing long before you hear someone take a shot at PowerPoint, branding it as an antiquated tool whose days are numbered. But this sentiment is tempered by the reality that more than 500 million people still use PowerPoint and no clear successor or alternative has presented itself.

An article in last week’s WSJ explores the topic yet again, this time accusing PowerPoint of everything from boring students to killing astronauts.

While I acknowledge that PowerPoint has clear limitations (particularly as a live presentation tool), I do think that the easy-to-use, bullet point format holds a simplistic value that won’t be easily pushed aside. Maybe we just need to reevaluate how we use this tool; perhaps exploring how it can be paired with audio and video to create simple presentations that can be easily shared.

But I’m interested to know what you think. Is PowerPoint dead?

Good news for liberal arts majors

cthornton — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:21 +0000

An interesting book review in today’s WSJ caught my eye – not so much for its position against the world of consulting, but for the profound compliment it pays to those of us who were brave enough (or naïve enough) to spend our university years pursuing knowledge instead of marketability. Matthew Stewart, author of Bogus Theories, Bad for Business is paraphrased as saying:

“Don’t go to business school, study philosophy. The secrets of business, are to be found in history, literature and the classic ruminations on life and existence, not in the half-baked ramblings of business academics, consultants and gurus.”

As a former student of literature and theater who now works in the world of marketing, I have to admit I find it secretly satisfying when someone tosses a proverbial elbow in the face of conventional business protocol. After all, referencing business theories and textbooks is all well and good, but being able to think never hurts either.

An easy way to share your presentations

jcleveland — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:45:29 +0000

Slideshare.net is a great way to take your presentation viral – and share it with everyone from partners to prospects; colleagues to customers. The free hosting platform allows you to upload a presentation and embed it on your website, blog, or social network profile. Definitely worth checking out – it’s simple and makes a lot of sense with social communities such as LinkedIn and Facebook commanding our attention on the Web.

jmccormack — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:58:47 +0000

It’s always better to deliver your message through the voice of the customer. Getting them to put it the right way is always a balance.

jmccormack — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:33:39 +0000

According to this article, storytelling will be in high demand in this century. A new wave of journalism and right-brain thinkers. http://ping.fm/qhihd

Bringing home the bacon – through blogging

cthornton — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:18:01 +0000

Once considered a hobby for opinionated political junkies and techies, blogging is fast becoming one of America’s newest and most influential professions, the Wall Street Journal reports today (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124026415808636575.html).

With newspapers desperately trying to redefine themselves, almost half a million Americans now call blogging their primary source of income. But in a nation with more than 20 million bloggers, the science of how some blogs break through the wall of noise to win an audience is still uncertain for writers eager to turn a profit. Over time, I think we will see that the bloggers who stay gainfully employed are those who master the art of digital storytelling, making their posts compelling, relevant and brief.

Sheffield Institute trailer

jmccormack — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 12:40:34 +0000

Inside Message Mapping and Fluency

jmccormack — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:32:57 +0000

The History of PR: Edward Bernays

jmccormack — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:01:31 +0000

Online video: a comprehensive roundup

jcleveland — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:26:55 +0000

As a result of the current explosion of online video content, there are countless Web sites devoted to creating, hosting, sharing and promoting online video. In fact, there are so many that it can be difficult to know which ones are really worthwhile. Thankfully, Mashable.com’s Video Toolbox provides a comprehesive review of more than 150 Web sites, platforms and resources for all things online video.