I’m a stickler for following Associated Press Style when I write, so I’m thrilled the 2010 AP Stylebook includes a new Social Media Guidelines section. The new book, released June 2, gives writers guidelines for using social media like Facebook and Twitter as professional tools. It also features 42 entries on terms like app, friend [...]

Every generation has that must-have fad toy:  hula hoop, Slinky, pet rock, pogs, Trollz, Nano pets, Furby, Webkinz and now Silly Bandz. Silly Bandz are rubber bands sold in packs of 24 to 36, and retail for about $4.95 a pack. Each pack features a theme (think rainforest, baseball or under the sea), and the rubber [...]

Few websites are built on existential philosophies. Sites are built with a purpose: to be seen, to draw interaction and to create relationships. Just as we could ask if a tree makes a sound when it falls alone in the forest, we could also question if a website truly exists if it has no page [...]

ATLANTA—Arch Chemicals Water Treatment Dealer Division and Imagination recently launched the latest version of POOLLifeMag.com, an informational webzine that provides pool and spa care advice to consumers. The new POOLLifeMag website offers visitors an improved presentation of consumer information on pool and spa care. The site is now easier to navigate and offers visitors a [...]

I am by no means a Foursquare expert. In this way, I’m a lot like many Fortune 500 brands. Currently, the Foursquare landscape is dominated largely by small businesses—mostly restaurants, hotels and other local service-related businesses. There’s no reason why national brands of all sizes can’t utilize the service and create meaningful and ultimately profitable [...]

Facebook is no stranger to negative feedback. Nearly every advancing step of Facebook’s social platform has been met with an equal push back from users. The most recent batch of changes, announced at the Facebook Developer’s conference last month, have been no exception. They’ve incited backlash from both users and the media, and raised serious [...]

As I laughed along to the new Saturday Night Live episode that ran on May 8, it struck me how my enjoyment that evening, fueled by the hosting skills of Betty White and a bevy of the series’ most popular female cast members, was made possible by the sheer power of social media. The idea [...]

After taking a look at TOMS’ social media efforts for the most recent issue of Orange, Imagination’s custom media and marketing magazine, two of our staffers—Rene Ryan and Kelley Hunsburger—were eager to get their hands on (and feet in) a pair of the charitable slip-ons. As a company of marketers and content developers, we are [...]

Anyone that owns an Apple iPhone, Google Android phone, or any modern smartphone is surely aware of the problems with viewing Flash content on the Web. While some mobile device manufacturers have tried to work with Adobe to create a mobile-friendly version of the browser plug-in required to view this content, a flawless cross-platform solution [...]

Last year Fast Future asked me to come up with three pieces of advice for how to get out of the recession for a book they were “writing” on Twitter. In case you’re interested, they were: 1.       Mass appeal or niche. Nothing middle of the road but a white line. 2.       Housing got us into [...]

It appears that television executives are attempting to solve the problem that has plagued the music and publishing industries for years: with so much available free access to songs, articles and videos, how do you charge online audiences for professionally produced content? Last week, insiders close to Hulu, the free streaming video service, reported that [...]

Social media has revolutionized the way companies and customers interact.  It’s provided an exposed platform for consumers to voice their opinions about brands and products—a terrifying thought for most, if not all companies. In an interview entitled Customer Service is the New Marketing (see video) Lane Becker provides insight on the power of building relationships [...]

Chicago, Illinois—Imagination Publishing is pleased to announce it recently received three prestigious 2010 EXCEL Awards from the Association of Media and Publishing (formerly SNAP) for the following custom publications: Silver Award—General Excellence: Forward magazine Gold Award—Best Redesign: The Conference Board Review magazine Gold Award—Design Excellence: Perspective magazine According to the Association of Media and Publishing, [...]