Marketing inspiration is everywhere.

I tend to ignore online media ads. (Shh, don’t tell my clients) Being in the advertising business so long and having to troll through so many Web sites daily, my attention span is limited. I usually do stop for animation, eye poping colors or out of banner actions.

So why did this static media unit on the Seattle Times catch my eye?

Smart marketers have been using forms in rich media units for years to perform a basic function (e.g. loan calculator) or capture a few key pieces of contact info. I realized this one also specifically called attention to Washington drivers and posted in a Washington media site. Again, nothing startling. But just something I hadn’t seen executed before. It’s smart.

A geo-targeted ad, customized to the audience most likely to read the publication. Capturing key data points in the ad allows the user to get prescreened and directed to an appropriate solution. It’s also beneficial for the advertiser since it prescreens/prequalifies prospects early on. Smart and efficient!

I get inspired in other ways too.

• Podcasts (Ask A Ninja, TikiBar TV, TWiT, DL.tv)
• Professional Blogs
• Exploring new “Web 2.0″, social networking, and AJAX apps

So, challenge yourself. Stop and look around you. Something might catch your eye and spark your imagination. Marketing is more fun when it’s challenging, smart and measurable.

Enjoy!
-Roland

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