MarketingInsideOut.com

The newly redesigned Wall Street Journal hit newsstands this morning, and nearly 500,000 copies were available free at newsstands across the country.

The new look includes bolder headlines, a brighter look, a reduced page width and even a new font created specifically for the WSJ called “Exchange”.

The Readers’ Guide highlights the whats and whys of the redesign. According to the press release, “A cornerstone of the Journal will be an increased focus on interpretation, insight and ideas—more of what the news means, not just what happened. Other changes include new content features, innovative newspaper navigation, and better print-online alignment.”

The reference to gently pointing folks online underscores the delicate balance between tradition and relevancy. The fact is, our expectations of media have shifted, making this an era when we expect media to embrace that change or we go elsewhere. More synopsis, bolder headlines, a brighter colors and visuals are all techniques that have been used by long-copy web sites and other print publications to help people get through content quickly, but just how far can WSJ go and still be “the” business icon?

I get the feeling the WSJ is engaged in a tough balancing act going forward. They need to stay true to their brand, the cornerstone of which is long-form, text-oriented content. But they also need to accomodate reader “scanning” in order to reflect today’s consumer desire for an easier-to-use newspaper that adds value as readers get news tidbits from multiple sources and channels throughout the day.

It looks like via this redesign they are trying to preserve their brand tradition while acknowledging that the way people absorb content has and is continuing to change rapidly. Supporting readers who “submerge” as well as those who “skim” will be their ongoing challenge.

Geting caught on camera being this totally inept and then having millions of people laugh and make fun of you could be the next thing in law enformcement. I know I couldn’t stop laughing. Perhaps Law enforcement should create a YouTube channel and broadcast stupid criminal videos (including their names)…maybe complete and total public humiliation would work as a deterrent.

All I can say is EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Business 2.0 asked 50 of the brightest minds in business how they do what they do - and how you can cash in on their advice in the year ahead.

Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google advises a focus on simplicity. Chris DeWolfe. co-founder of MySpace says be true to your community’s norms and values. Rachael Ray suggests to turn your passion into an empire. Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group advises us to learn to say no. Howard Schultz of Starbucks dares us to be social entreprenuers.

All good advice…but I really like what Jeff Hicks of Crispin Porter & Bogusky advised…”Make Your Brand Part of the Conversation.”

There are three things I think about the most when it comes to making it as a marketer these days. The first one is there’s no amount of money I can pay to get my commercial in front of you, because you can powerfully edit what you spend time with. So my job as a marketer is no longer to interrupt, but to produce content that is so relevant, interesting, entertaining, and involving that my best consumers won’t want to live without it.

The second thing is understanding that instead of brochures and trade shows, marketing now really begins with the product. Great companies are investing a lot of time and attention into trying to make products that market themselves.

The last piece is that user-generated content has made it possible for consumers to own your brand, and if they don’t, you’re not doing your job. The brands that are adopted, blogged about, and parodied the most are the ones that are going to win because they’re involved in the evolution of pop culture. If you’re scared to have your brand played with, you’re going to be left behind.

Well said.