· Social media conversations need meaning

· Advertising can be credible

· Your best sales and reputation weapon is truth

Everything you thought you knew about marketing was right after all. It’s time to get real about it again and reaffirm not the "how" to do marketing but rather the commercially relevant "why." Baskin has the perspective and examples to give your business a renewed sense of what’s possible.

Cutting Through the Chatter of Social Media
Will Facebook manage every online consumer relationship? Does your brand need a Twitter account? Do your customers really want to run your business for you? Jonathan Salem Baskin’s POV is refreshingly different:

· It’s not about technologies and you don’t “have” to do anything

· Purpose and substance are better than engagement and humor

· If you give up your brand to the conversation you’re just giving up

“I don’t want to have a relationship with my toothpaste,” Baskin says. “The opportunity is to make everything your business does relevant to the ongoing conversation you have with your marketplace.” His case and proof are contrarian and compelling.

The Elements of Meaning
Jonathan Salem Baskin gives audiences a unique insight into his ongoing research for his new book, and then asks for their thoughts and contributions. His proposition is that “meaning” is the lingua franca of successful communications:

· It’s the unseen driver of the best uses for social media

· It could renew marketing’s use of ads, irrespective of medium

· It’s at the core of real and dependable customer relationships

Contemplating the elements of meaning is a useful way to step back from the latest headlines and popular gimmicks to explore the strategic opportunity for effective communications, and Baskin is a ready guide for seekers of competitive advantage and, specifically, marketing plans that result in sales.


About Jonathan Salem Baskin

He’s been called “a merry iconoclast,” “lucid and cutting,” “groundbreaking” and “the new bad boy of branding.” Jonathan Salem Baskin looks beyond the gimmicks and hype to uncover what really works when communicating with the marketplace.

Baskin is regularly quoted by the news media because he speaks honestly and passionately about today’s latest trends, “providing thinking that goes way beyond what could be found with a Google search,” according to one client. He has three decades of experience marketing some of the world’s biggest brands, having run communications for Limited, Blockbuster and Nissan while later advising such iconic brands as Apple. He’s a columnist for the CMO Strategy section of Advertising Age, has written extensively on technology and brands for InformationWeek and his award-winning blog Dim Bulb earned has earned him the title “chief heretic.” Baskin has written two books: his first book Branding Only Works on Cattle (2008) earned him positive reviews from media worldwide such as Publisher’s Weekly and The Economist; his second book, Bright Lights & Dim Bulbs: The Year in Marketing Buzz, Brilliance & Buffoonery (2010 Edition), have proven to be a resourceful guide for marketers.

Some of the great comments we've received for Jonathan Salem Baskin:

“Baskin was insightful about the major issues and trends related to corporate reputation and communications management. His session rated very highly with the attendees, and I look forward to working with him again.” - Lee Hornick, Worldwide Program Director, The Conference Board

“In addition to being an author and a speaker, I’ve observed over thirty marketing authors speaking in the speaker series I run in New York City. Jonathan is an engaging, effective speaker who is one of the most intelligent marketers on the speaking circuit today.” -David Vinjamuri, ThirdWay Brand Trainers, Author, Accidential Branding

“Baskin has something important to say, and he says it well. He provocatively probes and pokes conventional marketing maxims. He urges marketers to eschew image making and to instead facilitate a clear, reality-based engagement with prospective buyers in ways that are important and relevant to them, integrating messaging over time with different prompts to encourage buyer action.” - Tom Waller, Commonwealth Club of California