An interesting article from Economist.com

“Online advertising: New ad-targeting systems, which determine users’ interests by monitoring which websites they visit, are proving controversial”

http://www.adrail.com/

They are paid to sell others’ brands, but how do ad agencies sell themselves?
Click here to read the article

Everyone knows that Jonathan Ive revolutionised Apple with his design of the iMac a decade ago. What many people don’t know is that Ive’s design philosophy is heavily influenced by visionary designer Dieter Rams for Braun.

Click HERE to read article

Could this man have the solution as to how brands can infiltrate the social networking market?

A very interesting article indeed.

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/17959.asp

“When you’re trying to draw your readers into the text of your article or sales page, your headline is a crucial first element. Writers should carefully consider their headlines before publishing, to be certain that the headline they use is one that makes the best first impression on the reader. Here are 99 proven headline techniques that any writer can add to their arsenal.”

http://www.chrisbloczynski.com/99-headline-techniques-revealed/

Widgets Catch Fire With Advertisers
Forget static banners. Online ads are evolving into mini-applications with video, games, and dynamic content that people like enough to embed in their…Read more
http://innovation.ogilvy.com/broadband/articles/full/14275

Here’s a worthwhile blog called iMedia Connection. It’s got lots of industry news including an article onwhat challenges agencies face in the near future, and what an agency model might look like in 5 years time.
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/17746.asp

This is a blog written by a guy who helps professionals in the creative sector maximise their creative time by more effectively managing other important tasks encountered in the work day. It’s a really great, easily accessible site with a 32 page downloadable guide that takes no time to read. What’s also a real bonus is that the guy writing works in the UK, so nothing’s lost in translation like it sometimes can be in an American article.
Visit Wishful Thinking.

This is the very best blog for digital marketing I have found so far. It has something for everyone - design, innovation, strategy - the works. From how ‘Greening Your Brand in a Web 2.0 World’ and ‘Who clicks on ads? And what might this mean?’ through to bleeding edge reports from top industry types on every topic of our industry - it is a great way to stay on to of what is going on.
Check out FutureLab here.

Guys want to be him, and girls want to be with him…yes indeed - it’s Michael Dowell’s secret design resources!

Ever wondered what sites make Mike’s little black book of design? Well ladies and gents – all has been revealed. In an exclusive interview from his palatial offices in W6, Mr Michael Dowell has chosen to share his inspirations with us all at the Clicked Creative blog.

German design goodness (and Mike’s favourite) : http://www.iconwerk.de/
Good world advertising: http://www.hemmy.net/2006/10/15/creative-advertisements-around-the-world/
http://www.checklandkindleysides.com/
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/08/21/creativity-spark-from-masters-of-graphic-design/
It’s shiny…it’s binary…it’s Shiny Binary! http://www.shinybinary.com/
http://www.siscottstudio.com/
http://brandnu.co.uk/index.php?showcase&ref_id=80&id_hl_obr=&id_detail_obr=288&skip=
http://dache.ch/index.php/portfolio/Logo/social_generation
Need a boost? A style boost that is…http://styleboost.com/
http://www.refreshlinks.org.uk/
http://www.mateuniverse.com/
We like that – it’s nice. http://www.itsnicethat.com/
Some Tools Links
Who’s tha font? We’re da font! http://www.dafont.com/
Consider yourself tutorialized http://www.tutorialized.com/
Looking for a royal texture? http://www.textureking.com/
Does what it says on the tin http://webdesignerstoolkit.com/
Tutorials http://psdtuts.com/
http://www.misprintedtype.com/v3/
http://vectormagic.stanford.edu/