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| Countries that have Google Street View Maps |
Check out this amazing compilation of maps of the world, from a map that shows Internet usage around the world by time of day to places that rapper Ludacris mentions having “hoes.” Some of these maps have quite literally changed my world view: For example, finding out that the majority of the highest paid U.S. public employees are sports coaches.
I may be no techno-whiz, but having started with a Mac 512K and now working under Windows 8, I have learned some software is essential and some is just not. I’m not crazy about Windows 8, and after 4 months am still not happy about having to swipe off into unmarked areas of my screen to access my programs or turn off the computer. So, for revenge, I am swearing off most things Microsoft. If you’re an independent and vengeful copywriter, or agency, like me, you may want to also. Here is a list of tools that I recently downloaded FOR FREE that might make your work flow more smoothly and/or give you hours of fun (vs. frustration) on a stream-lined budget. But non-buyer beware, there is loads of crap bundled with some of these programs — so carefully read what you’re installing (a lesson learned when installing Windows 8).
Concept Board is another Google app which is great for virtual brainstorming. It lets you put ideas on stickies, keeps an outline of what you add, and lets you rearrange thoughts. Your collaborators/clients can sign in and add comments.
Let me know what you think the winning combination might be.
In a recent discussion on LinkedIn, in the marketing communications group I think it was, several people were opining on the issue of an unsettling trend toward devaluing copywriting. Pretty much like for everything else one makes, compensation is being squeezed. Editorial and writing skills are often considered a commodity, and outsourced to other english-speaking countries, like India. Or, even worse, companies distribute writing tasks amongst their various managers, without training them in editorial/writing guidelines.
But what I think is fundamentally happening is that most people are not reading. And college-graduates, who may include the marketing and product managers that copywriters service, are becoming less proficient. And those who are proficient readers (and naturally writers), may have trouble comprehending this fact.
So when the account person at the ad agency says about your beautifully written copy, “dumb it down”, they do know what they’re talking about.
Here’s some interesting statistics about how much Americans read:
In 2004, a National Endowment for the Arts report titled “Reading at Risk” found only 57 percent of American adults had read a book in 2002. Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20381678/ns/us_news-life/t/poll-one-four-adults-read-no-books-last-year/
• 44 percent of American 4th grade students cannot read fluently, even when they read grade-level stories aloud under supportive testing conditions. (ref. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Pinnell et al., 1995)
• 50 percent of American adults are unable to read an eighth grade level book (ref. Illiterate America, Jonathan Kozol)
• According to the Journal of American Medical Association, 46% of American adults cannot understand the label on their prescription medicine.
Source: http://kristimaloney.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Get-Your-Elementary-School-Kids-Reading-Reading-Practice-Reading-Program-Beyond-Grade-Level
So, if you’ve understood this much…read on and hope you are in the minority of proficient readers. The situation is getting worse.
The National Center for Education Statstics tested 19000 adults to measurse how well they comprehend basic instructions and tasks through reading — such as computing costs per ounce of food items, comparing viewpoints on two editorials and reading prescription labels.
Source:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/24/AR2005122400701.html