BREAKAWAY

[breakawayboston-blog]

Red Sox, Car Rides, and Quiet Moments

A fun new piece from Breakaway’s Brand Activation Director Tim Linberg.

Here’s an excerpt:

As marketers we have to decide what kind of relationship we want with our customers. Is it a speed date? A fling? Or is it a serious, long term thing? It really comes down to the desired quality of the bond between brand and consumer. Sometimes a fling is all you need if a quick conversion is the goal. But don’t mistake that for loyalty.  

[breakawayboston-blog]

3 Lessons in Motivation from CoachUp

CoachUp Founder and President Jordan Fliegel published a great article in Inc. on how to keep employees motivated. 

[breakawayboston-blog]

Look out Match.com, Here Comes FanCred!

Fun Mashable article that details how love blossomed into a marriage on FanCred. It turns out that smack talk isn’t the only byproduct of combining millions of passionate sports fanatics into a fun, accessible platform. Good luck, you crazy kids. 

[breakawayboston-blog]

WANTED: New Director of Talent Acquisition

We’re looking for an exceptional talent recruiter to lead retained talent acquisition for our clients and portfolio companies. This job is a full-time role leading our Talent practice at Breakaway headquarters in Boston / Back Bay.

The ideal candidate is currently a successful recruiter with an extensive network of trusted marketing, product, sales and business development talent at executive to entry levels, along with a history of successful placements at well-known companies. If this sounds like you, head over to LinkedIn to apply.

[breakawayboston-blog]

If You Think Amazon’s “Prime Day” was a Failure, Guess Again

Two days ago, thousands of angry Tweets decried Amazon’s “Prime Day” as a dismal failure. The sales looked like a “garage sale.” Strange items like Velveeta Shells & Cheese were on sale while most books were not. This was an unmitigated disaster for Amazon, right?

Well, while the site design could have used some work, Prime Day was an unmitigated ecommerce success. GeekWire did a great job breaking down the numbers: 

56,000 Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy sets. Priced at $50 apiece, Amazon made $2.8 million in one day from a trilogy whose first movie is 14 years old.  

47,000 Televisions sold, which was 1300% year-over-year growth

51,000 Bose Headphones, compared to 8 the previous Wednesday

Members ordered tens of thousands of Fire TV Sticks in one hour, making it the fastest-selling deal on an Amazon device ever

28,000 Rubbermaid 42-Piece Easy Find Lid Food Storage Sets, compared to 428 the previous Wednesday

24,000 Instant Pot 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cookers, compared to 182 the previous Wednesday

14,000 iRobot Roomba 595 Pet Vacuum Cleaning Robots, compared to 1 the previous Wednesday

10,000 Meguiar’s X2020 Supreme Shine Microfiber Towels, compared to 244 the previous Wednesday

[breakawayboston-blog]

A Peek into Polartec’s Textile Mill

During a ramp-up meeting with Polartec, our newest brand activation partner, our team had a chance to tour the company’s Lawrence, MA mill. It’s an expansive space that harkens back to a different era. While the machinery looks archaic, the technology making it possible for Polartec to churn out millions of yards of fabric is beyond impressive. Some of the biggest performancewear brands in the world buy Polartec fabrics created in this very building. Considering their popularity, it’s likely that you own a garment that was made in this very building. Take a look for yourself:

[breakawayboston-blog]

Fun video our creative team put together featuring PR Director Tim Morin. Those with delicate constitutions - or aversions to blindfolded taste testing - should venture no further. 

[breakawayboston-blog]

Facebook is Changing the Definition of a Click. Don’t Freak Out.

In the wake of Facebook’s announcement that the platform is changing how they value a “click,” Breakaway’s digital systems expert Mat Bernstein explains why that is not necessarily a bad thing. 

Check out his article here: http://breakaway.com/blog/facebook-is-changing-the-definition-of-a-click-dont-freak-out/

[breakawayboston-blog]

Social Media’s Seven Deadly Sins

Breakaway’s Brand Activation Director Tim Linberg put together some thoughts on “Social Media’s Seven Deadly Sins.” Some great insights around selfies, originality and Alec Baldwin. 

[breakawayboston-blog]

CVS’ Strong Stance on Smoking; and Why We Love It

We love brands that stand for something. Brands that stand by their principals regardless of the short-term effects on their bottom-line. That’s why we respect CVS taking a $2 billion revenue hit by dropping cigarettes and tobacco products. 

CVS further proved its commitment to public health - and cemented a place in our hearts - when the company announced it was leaving the US Chamber of Commerce because the organization was lobbying against anti-smoking laws overseas. CVS isn’t letting any of its partners, however powerful or influential, tarnish its brand in any way. That unwavering commitment is rare and commendable.

[breakawayboston-blog]

Alamo Drafthouse Brings Experiential to ‘Jaws’ Fans

The Alamo Drafthouse put together an awesome experience for theater goers when it created a man-made lake and screened Jaws over the 4th of July weekend. Pretty epic. Our only regret is that they didn’t send out a few robot sharks to mess with people.

[breakawayboston-blog]

WTF Do You Do When Your Spokesperson Goes Radioactive?

Interesting article from AdWeek on Subway’s communications strategy in the wake of their lead spokesperson’s legal crisis. Here’s our favorite quote:

"Until all of the facts come out, they shouldn't show too much support and presume innocence or cut all ties and throw him under the bus by presuming his guilt," he said. "The reality right now is that we know very little about the details of the case at this point, so Subway has to walk a pretty tight rope. [They need to] acknowledge the situation without confirming or implying any management decisions that will paint the company into a corner later on."   

[breakawayboston-blog]

The People vs. Tom Brady vs. the NFL

With Tom Brady’s appeal taking place today, Breakaway’s PR Director Tim Morin weighs in on some important PR and crisis communications lessons brands can take away from Deflategate.  

[breakawayboston-blog]

It Takes One to Know One: Humans and the Art of Recruiting

Breakaway Talent Director Larry McSheffery’s latest blog examines the importance of human decision-making in an app-based recruiting world. Here’s an excerpt:

“There is an art to what great recruiters do. More than just checking off boxes on a job description and resume, we can identify cultural fit. You can’t assess a person via text. And you shouldn’t necessarily vouch for someone by swiping right. Placing people in roles that will strengthen a company culture and further a business objective requires an intimate knowledge of their working style, personal values, and habits.”

[breakawayboston-blog]

T Swift to the Rescue!

The big news from over the weekend was Taylor Swift getting Apple to reverse their decision to not pay artists for music streamed during the 3-month trial of Apple Music. Amazing to see one of the most powerful companies in the world kowtow to a pop singer in under 48 hours. Just goes to show how influential the 25-year old Swift has become. 

[breakawayboston-blog]

How to Throw a Party in 10 Minutes

International Business Times included Drizly in a fun article on apps that allow you to host a party without leaving your home. Perfect reading for a Friday afternoon. 

[breakawayboston-blog]

Check Out IdeaPaint’s New App, Bounce

Portfolio company IdeaPaint just launched its app, Bounce, on the app store. Pando Daily’s Dennis Keohane has a great rundown of how the app can help you get the most from the Idea Walls in your office.