Insights from Nebo

It seems there aren't many complicated tasks that can't be boiled down to pushing a button or reading a pie chart, these days. Automatic transmissions make shifting gears effortless. Point and shoot cameras eliminate the need for interchangeable lenses and aperture adjustments. And, in the web metric analysis world, Google Analytics makes evaluating site traffic easier and more intuitive than it's ever been. But what about those of us that want full manual control? What about those of us who know what we're doing and don't want to be constrained by ease-of-use features? Where do we turn when we want maximum performance, not just a pretty interface?

This past weekend was the New York Comic Convention, a major event that drew hardcore enthusiasts and casual spectators to celebrate their favorite heroes in the Big Apple. Not far behind this crowd were marketers, plotting ways to engage the unsuspecting crowd. Two of the most interesting and media worthy came from Craftsman Tools and Kia Motors.

To turn a $5,000 investment into a net worth of $1 billion is one thing. To maintain a sense of humor throughout the process is another. A short time before Oprah endorsed the "figure-fixing" hosiery and celebrities subsequently began relying on them for their sultry red-carpet debuts, SPANX was a small start-up run out of an apartment.

Twelve years later and millions of items sold, SPANX is not just an undergarment brand but a household name and staple for women of all ages and sizes. However, making bodycon dresses a wardrobe possibility isn’t the only reason we love this hosiery company with humble beginnings.

There are a multitude of reasons why we love SPANX, but to understand them it’s important to first understand the story of Sara Blakely, the indomitable, incandescent spirit of SPANX and its founder.

We've all seen the headlines.

"Peyton Manning Leaves Waiter $400 "

"David Beckham Drops $1,000 on $100 Check"

"Johnny Depp Doubles Down on $4,000 for Steak Dinner"

They're inspiring stories of 'hard-work meets great generosity' (meets extreme jealousy from everyone reading along). But are they media fodder or are they representative of a greater trend?

It's hard to believe we're ramping up for Q4 of 2012. Under the assumption that the Mayans were wrong, I've already started thinking about 2013 and what might happen in digital marketing next year, specifically paid search.

We all know that paid search is a fast-paced industry, but I think 2013 is set up to be especially frenetic.  Even though the world won't be ending, lazy marketers who refuse to evolve aren't going to survive in 2013. It's going to take a lot of hard work to keep up with the big changes coming in PPC, but the payoff is that advertising should improve across the board, for users and marketers alike.

Here's what you can expect in 2013:

With fall kicking into full gear, bringing cold weather and football, our office decided to reminisce on some of our favorite ads from Summer 2012. Check out our top ads, and tells us about some of your favorites!