We recently put out a call to readers everywhere for a short video on what they thought of our most recent book. Below are the best three we received! Wow! We’re honored! Thanks a lot!

From Mike

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From Suzanne

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From Bethan

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Click the image below to get our book on your Kindle or Kindle app!

Wait, you want it in print? No problem!: CLICK HERE

So before you ask us why we charge what we charge, read these blog posts and you will be given a breakdown of how and why.

The best line from the entire piece is quoted below. Taking your brand management, web or print design pricing into consideration, check out this rationale for hiring an Agency to do the job versus handling the project by yourself.

“So, can you go to Kinko’s and make your own brochures? Of course you can. Clients may elect to facilitate production on their own. However, will you be able to identify issues with the spot varnish, color saturation or adjust issues from pagination? If not, the commission is well worth the quality assurance.”

Part 1 in Full

Part 2 in Full

Part 3 in Full

Who Should Attend The Mashable Media Summit Meetup in Las Vegas?

The Mashable Media Summit attracts a diverse range of professionals in digital, tech, advertising, sales, marketing, mobile, and publishing. Whether you’re a brand, agency, strategist, entrepreneur, startup, journalist, community manager, blogger or a creative, the Mashable Media Summit is a valuable opportunity to learn from and network with leaders in the industry.

When it comes to the future of media, the possibilities are endless and a number of questions arise: How will we consume news and information? Can media companies be sustained? Is print truly dead? Come to discuss all of these topics and more!

Click here to RSVP

Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 5:00 PM

The Loft by Freevi (Downtown)
450 Fremont St, Suite 167 Las Vegas, NV 89104

Here are a few topics the Mashable Media Summit will spotlight that we encourage you to discuss at your local Meetup:

Reinventing journalism with social reporting
Advancing the relationship between news organizations and their communities
Reinvigorating advertising and creating new business models
Changing the way we consume media and entertainment
Redefining the way we view privacy and our senses of self

Make Sure you use the #MediaSummit #Vegas and #Vegastech hashtags on Twitter!

Click the image below to engage the podcasts:

Digital World Expo debuts an annual forum for professional education in all forms of interactive marketing, media, communications and advertising. Attendees will learn, train and build awareness of technology application in media and what’s to come. Four areas are presented to meet the needs of today’s media professionals in digital advertising, marketing, public relations, development and strategy:

Will Assurance Advertising be there?

Our very own Shahab Zargari will be one of many choice speakers of the event! You won’t want to miss his session!

Classroom-Style and “How-to” Instruction

• Seasoned professionals and newcomers finding over 30 classes ranging from viral campaigns to virtual worlds.
• Digital media channels discussed with attendees walking away with applicable takeaways for “next steps”.
• Social Media, Viral Campaigns, Video Advertising, Display Advertising, Behavioral (and data) Targeting, Mobile Advertising, APPs, In-Game Advertising, Analytics and more designed in both “beginner” and “advanced” attendee formats.

Media Opportunities

• First-hand exposure to media placements offered by publishers, creative agencies and service providers.
• Interactive exhibits featuring today’s opportunities across all channels.
• New media channels and strategies presented in an exciting atmosphere.

The “Future” of Media

• Our “digital future” witnessed through special interactive exhibits and keynotes.
• High-profile brands and professionals engaging attendees in a fun, high-energy atmosphere as they experience what’s to come.

Entertainment and Networking

• Accents with special attractions and events appealing to all the senses.
• Specialty acts and casual game tournaments presented for everyone’s participation and enjoyment.
• Cocktail “Mixers” in unique venues during evenings of assembly.

DATES: Sunday, Sept 25th – Tuesday, Sept 27th, 2011

Digital World Expo’s mission is to bring more focus on education in an engaging and fun atmosphere. Classroom sessions, hands-on activity, and engaging media opportunities will arm attendees with tools and next steps for their business endeavors at an affordable price. Become a registered attendee today for the conference you will never forget!

PRINT and eBOOK editions out now!

The ultimate advertising survival guide!

The book features tips, case studies and easy to digest how-to segments for all business owners and marketing managers.

What’s In It For You?

Without this book, you will be hurled into the world of trial and error, which can be costly.

Consider the small price of this guide as a way to invest in your marketing, advertising and social media education. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration in the process.

This guide will teach you the in’s and outs of gaining expert status in your niche or brand.

You’ll learn how to create a powerful campaign that people will not only be receptive to, but will remember and respect. You will have people beating down your door to buy your products and services.

CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO READ TESTIMONIALS FOR THE BOOK AND TO ORDER YOURSELF A COPY NOW!

ISBN 978-1-257-90685-7

Editor’s Note: Flora Nicholas is the Chief Executive Officer of Brainwave, Inc., and the author of many great posts on the Mad Woman Blog. The following post is from her blog and is reposted with permission.

I have to confess that I know a thing or two about McDonald’s. It’s one of the brands that I’ve worked on in the course of my career, so I therefore understand the McStrategy, the McMessaging and the McGoal of the advertising. And I also understand McDonald’s consumers — the guys and gals who go out of their way daily to literally consume any combination of McDonald’s fast food that they can get their hands on.

However, even I was surprised by the lengths that one guy went to in order to eat a Golden Arches breakfast recently. It all unfolded last Monday morning outside the McDonald’s near our office in the suburbs of D.C.

There in the drive-through line, alongside the Toyotas, Fords, Hondas and Chryslers was, well, er, um, a hearse. As in…A HEARSE! There was an undertaker at the wheel who was obviously a die-hard McDonald’s fan, and a coffin in the back with an expired, probably former McDonald’s consumer, inside it.

As onlookers watched in amazement, the hearse crawled through the drive-through line at a very slow, funereal speed of course. And it soon became clear that the undertaker was on his own journey to meet his maker — the maker of a McDonald’s Extra Value Breakfast!

In true keeping with the solemnity of the situation, the undertaker ordered a full body of McDonald’s products — including what appeared to be a Sausage and Egg McMuffin and a coffee to go. (He already had a “coffin to go” in his possession but we won’t dwell on that any further at this point.)

The undertaker then paid for his breakfast quietly and graciously, and drove carefully out of the parking lot and back out onto the road as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

Luckily for me, and everyone out there who loves black humor, Brainwave’s very own Paul Gayter was on hand with his trusty iPhone to record everything for posterity. So you can view this whole, hysterical “I’m an undertaker and I’m loving it” episode by watching the video in, pardon the pun, the dead center of this page. It provides conclusive proof that consumers love McDonalds products and will go well out of their way to devour them — even if it means taking a detour on the way to a funeral parlor, a cemetery, or hey, even the morgue!

Now, I believe that it’s my job as marketer to pass on new consumer insights to companies as I see them. So I am planning to contact McDonald’s and advise them to introduce a range of fast foods aimed specifically at undertakers — Die-t Cokes, Ash Browns and Southern Style Chicken-in-a-Casket all come easily to mind. It could be big, big business, and I will of course let you know how they respond.

In the meantime, I think it’s safe to conclude that, even in the gravest situations, undertakers really do dig McDonald’s.

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Things you like, but wouldn’t necessarily share through email or social networking sites…you plus one it.

Still confused? Straight from the horses mouth, check out this new video from Google.

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Bring current events into your brainstorming sessions

The prince is getting married and the whole world was more than ready to soak up the sappy moments and luxurious décor.

Women were all focused on what the dress would look like and men were wondering what the wedding would ultimately cost.

The royal family even advertised the event all over their official website, twitter, and official flickr stream!

The entire globe was interested in what the big day would look like, and everyone is now more than obsessed.

Now that the whole world is thinking about weddings, this is a great time to figure out how to write an ad that taps into this renewed passion

Here are some ideas:

Fast food: There is a luxurious wedding and when everyone sits down to eat and the waiters pull off the lids we see the fast food under there.

Hotel: Church bells are going off and the bride and groom are driving away they get to their honeymoon suite. Once they get there they see that the hotel is nothing like the brochure. “Not getting what you paid for? At ___resorts you get….”

Landscaping: We see our couple pull up to their new house still in wedding outfits. The groom lifts the lady in his arms and opens the white picket fence to reveal a front yard that looks horrible and is filled with obstacles. We see the groom work his way up to the door with difficulty, finally when he is 2 feet from the door he steps on a rake and just as the rake is about to hit him in the face– cut to the logo of the landscape company “ _____landscaping, more than just nice lawns”

These are just simple starting points that would need to be polished and revised, but you can see how easily you can take a trend and turn it around to benefit you.

If you would like some ideas for your company leave a comment or contact us! We’re always happy to help…and we don’t look good, unless you look good! (Queue wedding procession music)