Thought Balloon

For those who still don’t think the Internet is a winner takes all ecosystem, David Solomon suggests you look at Amazon, Or Zappos. Or Newegg.

As he noted at last week’s New England Mail Order Association conference in Boston, Internet Retailer reports that the top 500 sites account for a whopping 69.1% of all online sales. And the top 100 dominate 55.3% of retail.

Now, that doesn’t mean everyone else should roll up their virtual sidewalks and weep quietly, said Solomon, head of the specialty retail and direct marketing group at Lazard Asset Management. But you do need to be a smart marketer.

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So, do you “reek” your brand?

That’s the goal of Vineyard Vines, a purveyor of Martha’s Vineyard-styled clothing and goods.

The company’s founders, brothers Ian and Shep Murray, spoke at the New England Mail Order Association’s annual conference here in Boston today about their philosophy of building a “lifestyle” brand.

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WiFi willing, that’s what I’m doing today. Follow me at http://twitter.com/bethnviveiros for live updates from today’s New England Mail Order Association conference in Boston.

Nah. Not really.

If you have a TV, you likely know that’s the punch line to a very funny commercial for Old Spice.

Well, I think it’s hilarious. My husband thinks its just kind of dopey. That’s the thing about humor. Not everyone’s funny bone flexes in the same way.

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For B-to-B marketer Pitney Bowes, on a corporate level e-mail isn’t about selling, it’s about awareness.

In a recent chat Dan Kohn, vice president of marketing, noted that the goal is to stay on message and keep communications integrated across media. Testing is continual, although with a branding focus, it’s hard to test things like subject lines, because you’re not plugging offers or products. more

Those who follow the late night TV wars know that NBC is retreating to a past position, moving Jay Leno back to his 11:35 p.m. foxhole and moving Conan O’Brien…well, no one knows where Conan will land yet.

It’s an interesting mess the network has created for itself, and one has to wonder how viewers and advertisers will react once the smoke clears.

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