startups

Minecraft’s Winning Social Strategy

by JC Hewitt December 9, 2010

I’ve got some quick questions for loyal Marcana readers.

Which popular independent video game focused on mining and building sold over 500,000 copies?

What was the size of its budget for marketing and advertising?

The answer to the first question is Minecraft. The answer to the second is $0.

By any measure, Minecraft – a simple, independent game mostly [...]

8 comments full article…

Why Your Guru Sucks

by Mark Brimm October 4, 2010

Why you’re listening to the wrong gurus.

4 comments full article…

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The Matrix Bleeds Into Reality

by JC Hewitt July 7, 2010

Lessons from the virtual worlds have begun to seep into mass consciousness. What began as a niche pursuit for nerds looking for an escape from drudgery has begun to leak into the real world.

Google, Facebook, and other major companies already track, measure, and utilize a large portion of the data on consumer behavior pulsing through [...]

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The Invincible Boom

by JC Hewitt June 30, 2010

The internet as a social force is poorly understood. Only 15 years ago, commentators pooh-poohed the potential of the internet. Even now, many expect a completely web-enabled global society to be largely similar to what came before.

It’s not the same.

Geography, costs, and information scarcity used to enable small cliques to gain power and influence over [...]

8 comments full article…

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Linchpinning Off a Steep Cliff

by JC Hewitt June 16, 2010
Crash and burn

The dangers of mandatory linchpinning as part of a ‘business strategy’ are many. As JC Hewitt opines, being a linchpin, if not kept within bounds, can become the downfall of a company, instead of the intended saving grace that Seth Godin envisioned.

7 comments full article…

What Makes a Company Valuable?

by JC Hewitt June 9, 2010
Startups & Brand Equity Likened to Marathon Readiness

Many companies consider that most of their strength comes from their brand. But traditional branding has come under criticism. It used to be possible to label a commodity like potato chips with a brand name strengthened by television, print, and radio advertising and mark up the products considerably. Generating that brand strength is no longer as easy as it used to be. And it’s impossible to measure.

9 comments full article…

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FB Alternative Funded by Zuckerberg?

by Jamie Steadman May 28, 2010

For whatever reason, Facebook now wants to be known as the social media forum you can’t, and really shouldn’t, trust with your personal information. A little late in the game to show your crazy face to millions and millions of adoring users? Not for Zuckerberg and company! Now Zuckerberg has recently announced that he has [...]

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