From Facebook to Talking Points Memo to the New York Times, often what looks like fact-based journalism is not. It’s advertising. Not only are ads indistinguishable from reporting, the Internet we rely on for news, opinions and even impartial sales content is now the ultimate corporate tool. Reader beware: content without a corporate sponsor lurking behind it is rare indeed. Black Ops Advertising dissects this rapid rise of “sponsored content,” a strategy whereby advertisers have become publishers and publishers create advertising—all under the guise of unbiased information. Covert selling, mostly in the form of native advertising and content marketing, has so blurred the lines between editorial content and marketing message that it is next to impossible to tell real news from paid endorsements. In the 21st century, instead of telling us to buy, buy, BUY, marketers “engage” with us so that we share, share, SHARE—the ultimate subtle sell. Why should this concern us? Because personal data, personal relationships, and our very identities are being repackaged in pursuit of corporate profits. Because tracking and manipulation of data make “likes” and tweets and followers the currency of importance, rather than scientific achievement or artistic talent or information the electorate needs to fully function in a democracy. And because we are being manipulated to spend time with technology, to interact with “friends,” to always be on, even when it is to our physical and mental detriment.
The Explosive National Bestseller A memoir by the highest-ranking covert warrior to lift the veil of secrecy and offer a glimpse into the shadow wars that America has fought since the Vietnam Era. Enrique Prado found himself in his first firefight at age seven. The son of a middle-class Cuban family caught in the midst of the Castro Revolution, his family fled their war-torn home for the hope of a better life in America. Fifty years later, the Cuban refugee retired from the Central Intelligence Agency as the CIA equivalent of a two-star general. Black Ops is the story of Ric’s legendary career that spanned two eras, the Cold War and the Age of Terrorism. Operating in the shadows, Ric and his fellow CIA officers fought a little-seen and virtually unknown war to keep USA safe from those who would do it harm. After duty stations in Central, South America, and the Philippines, Black Ops follows Ric into the highest echelons of the CIA’s headquarters at Langley, Virginia. In late 1995, he became Deputy Chief of Station and co-founding member of the Bin Laden Task Force. Three years later, after serving as head of Korean Operations, Ric took on one of the most dangerous missions of his career: to re-establish a once-abandoned CIA station inside a hostile nation long since considered a front line of the fight against Islamic terrorism. He and his team carried out covert operations and developed assets that proved pivotal in the coming War on Terror. A harrowing memoir of life in the shadowy world of assassins, terrorists, spies and revolutionaries, Black Ops is a testament to the courage, creativity and dedication of the Agency’s Special Activities Group and its elite shadow warriors.
A deadly international mission reunites a sexy Black Ops, Inc. hero and his sizzling former love in Cindy Gerard’s seductive new romantic thriller. A RED-HOT ATTRACTION . . . Twelve years of chasing bad guys didn’t erase beautiful Sophie Baylor from Wyatt Savage’s memory. If he had another chance, he’d never let her leave. So when she tracks him down from El Salvador and begs for help, he doesn’t ask questions—he just goes. STARTS WITH A TERRIFYING THREAT . . . Sophie is grateful her daughter survived a kidnapping attempt, but she won’t forgive herself until the girl who was mistakenly abducted is safe. Wyatt is the only man brave enough to take on the mysterious terrorists behind the crime—and the one irresistible man she wishes she had never let go. . . . AND UNLEASHES AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE. Sophie knows Central America’s steamy jungles and sticky politics better than anyone. Yet she refuses to hide in fear. Then she becomes the enemy’s number one target. Wyatt lost her once, and he won’t lose her again—even if he has to fight, kill, or die to save her.
Now in its second edition, this comprehensive text offers a classroom-tested, step-by-step approach to the creative processes and strategies for effective IMC. It also details changes in traditional advertising and marketing principles. Blakeman covers key areas, from marketing plans, branding/positioning, and creative briefs to copywriting, design, and considerations for each major media format. Throughout, she explores visual and verbal tactics, along with the use of business theory and practices, and how these affect the development of the creative message. This user-friendly introduction walks students through the varied strands of IMC, including advertising, PR, direct marketing, and sales promotion, in a concise and logical fashion. Several new chapters address the latest additions to the mix: Internet, social, mobile, and alternative media, plus guerrilla marketing. The text builds students’ skills in developing a creative idea, employing the correct message, and placing it appropriately—and will continue to serve as a handy reference to using the most effective communications approaches throughout their careers.
The internet has had a major impact on the way businesses market their products and services. Every business has a marketing strategy that is heavily influenced by the internet. The number of companies selling goods online through e-commerce has increased rapidly, as one might expect. Some businesses are entirely online. Many bricks-and-mortar businesses ('bricks-and-clicks') are also selling their goods and services online. However, many other business models are making use of the internet to advertise their products and services via websites, content marketing, email, apps, search marketing, social media sites such as Twitter, and networking sites such as LinkedIn, among other methods. You can do a wide range of marketing activities using the internet, from market research to customer service improvement. Aside from the lower overhead and the ability to reach a larger audience than traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, ecommerce has many advantages over them. Customer loyalty can also be increased by providing excellent online sales service. However, it's a highly competitive world out there, and small businesses must be on top of their game to be successful in it. Website design, search engine optimisation, and pay-per-click advertising must all be flawless. Even if you don't have a brick-and-mortar location, you can still benefit from a well-designed business website. However, the internet's marketing potential extends far beyond this. It is possible to inform visitors about your product or service and advertise special deals. The best way to improve customer service is to provide useful information and allow customers to provide feedback. If no one visits your website, it is of no use to you. Choosing a memorable name, promoting your site via email marketing campaigns, and including your website's URL in printed marketing materials and company stationery are all simple ways to boost traffic to your site. It's possible to use online equivalents to traditional marketing methods such as putting up ads on other websites that your target customers are likely to use or establishing affiliate marketing relationships with other companies. If you want to build your online reputation, you can use content marketing techniques such as blogging, commenting on forums, or writing articles for industry websites. Search engine rankings are also a great way to gain visibility. It is generally accepted that search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising are the most effective ways to attract relevant visitors. It's easy to communicate with current and potential customers via email, which is both convenient and cost-effective. You can use email to promote special offers and new products, as well as drive traffic to your website. Traditional marketing mailings have lower costs, but email marketing has higher response rates. When it comes to testing and tweaking your mailings to increase response rates, it's simple to do so. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are essential tools for promoting your business online. Using social media can help you build your brand, demonstrate your expertise, and build relationships with your customers. Finally, they allow you to promote yourself and your business in a wide range of ways that will ultimately result in increased sales.
In New York Times bestselling author Cindy Gerard's fiery new romantic suspense series, when danger threatens, the seductive heroes of Black Ops, Inc. turn up the heat. AN INDECENT PROPOSAL... When a high roller at the Vegas casino where Crystal Debrowski manages security makes a scandalous proposition, she flat-out refuses, especially given rumors of his shady overseas connections. But then counterfeit bills mysteriously flood the gaming tables, and her reputation -- and her life -- are on the line. REVEALS A SIMMERING DESIRE... Despite his big, flirty grin, Texas heartbreaker Johnny Duane Reed can't get sassy Crystal off his mind. When she is abducted by an international crime lord with a threatening obsession, Reed enlists his Black Ops, Inc. team to pursue a dangerous mission to rescue her. ...WITH DEADLY CONSEQUENCES. Between Crystal and Johnny burns a scorching flame, but as they battle her relentless abductor, they uncover a malicious arms trafficking and white slavery ring. Together, they must destroy the tyrant's wicked enterprises or face his reign of terror themselves....
Over a decade ago, tech companies began using algorithms to personalize our experience of the web. Using sophisticated technology and vast amounts of consumer data, companies began to predict our tastes better than we could ourselves. In response, ecommerce expanded, and journalism adapted itself to the personalized attention economy. However, there was a hidden side effect, which Eli Pariser termed "the filter bubble," which is the exclusion of other perspectives from our tech-assisted preferences. Raising many hard questions including data security, political propaganda, and the pervasiveness of digital "junk food," filter bubbles reveal the future challenges of a personalized, automated web. Features such as media literacy questions and terms enhance this collection, encouraging readers to analyze reporting styles and devices.
It's back and it's bigger and more brutal than ever before. There's no better way to navigate the futuristic wars and wastelands of Call of Duty Black Ops II than with the Call of Duty Black Ops II Signature Series Guide from BradyGames. Travelling to the near future for the first time in the franchise's history, and with expanded multiplayer gameplay and high-tech weapons, as well as the ever popular Zombie mode, Call of Duty Black Ops II is an unstoppable force.The complete campaign walkthrough takes you from start to finish of the single-player storylines, with detail on every mission and enemy encounter. Multiplayer coverage is full of expert tactics, for either solo or team-based play. You'll be dominating every game mode - learn about achieving higher ranks, the weapons, attachments, perks, challenges and killstreaks. Failure is not an option.Amazing artwork makes this a real collector's item for any Call of Duty fan, and exclusive, highly detailed maps show you how to get around all of the single and multi-player terrains. A full arsenal guide tells you what you need to know about each weapon and its stats; achievement and trophy rosters reveal how to earn awards and unlock secret features and items.
Journalism permeates our lives and shapes our thoughts in ways that we have long taken for granted. Whether it is National Public Radio in the morning or the lead story on the Today show, the morning newspaper headlines, up-to-the-minute Internet news, grocery store tabloids, Time magazine in our mailbox, or the nightly news on television, journalism pervades our lives. The Encyclopedia of Journalism covers all significant dimensions of journalism, such as print, broadcast, and Internet journalism; U.S. and international perspectives; and history, technology, legal issues and court cases, ownership, and economics. The encyclopedia will consist of approximately 500 signed entries from scholars, experts, and journalists, under the direction of lead editor Gregory Borchard of University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
The Advertising Handbook provides a critical introduction to advertising and marketing practices today. Contributions from leading international scholars and practitioners offer extended coverage of the contemporary shifts and pressures reshaping the marketing communications (or advertising and marketing) industries and their relationship to the consumer. Profiles and case studies illustrate innovation and diversification among advertising, marketing and public relations companies. Discussion questions aid learning and encourage debate about the activities and influence of advertising today. This Fourth Edition explores the growing significance of: the influence of ‘Big Data’ and automation in digital advertising; tracking and profiling users across digital communications for targeted and personalised marketing communications; the rise of media and advertising integration through sponsored content, product placement, native advertising and other forms of branded content; the dynamic shifts in ad spending and media–advertising relationships across legacy media, online and social media; and the complex profile of consumer behaviour that produces new challenges for brands and branding. Fully revised and updated, this new edition of The Advertising Handbook is a comprehensive and accessible guide to contemporary advertising and marketing theory and practice, designed to meet the requirements, interests and terms of reference of the most recent generation of media and advertising students.
