Whether we’re mining for insights into the ever-shifting world of advertising, seeking inspiration to get our creative juices flowing, or just trolling for a good laugh, 11 websites in particular shine like diamonds in the rough world of the wide web. Of course, there are the industry staples – Advertising Age, Adweek, Mashable, TechCrunch, etc. – we like to pore over every morning with a tall cup of stiff, smoking Joe in our hands…but then there are those lesser known, but equally compelling, ad sites we just can’t miss.
In a sense, we feel like kindred spirits to the publishers of these sites. Like Plan B, they tend to be a little less traditional, a little more irreverent, and their ears are a little closer to the ground when it comes to picking up on the industry’s hottest innovations. Today more than ever, being in touch with the advertising industry requires being in close contact with the smaller, nimbler guys as well. So without further ado, here are the Top 11 Advertising Websites You Should Be Reading.
- Copyranter (http://copyranter.blogspot.com) A simple blogspot site has given voice to Mark, an 18-year industry veteran who tends to hate everything according to this bio. Copyranter looks at the best of the best and the best of the worst in advertising, from horribly executed ideas to hilarious campaign work.
- The Inspiration (http://www.theinspiration.com/) From photography to film to advertisements to design work, the Inspiration is a collection of creative masterpieces that an artist of any kind can appreciate or incorporate into projects.
- The Oatmeal (http://theoatmeal.com/) Cartoonist and self-proclaimed “web comedian” Matthew Inman’s site may have started off as merely lists that didn’t make any sense, but since then The Oatmeal has grown capture the current environment of web marketing in a sarcastic and creatively cynical way.
- Design Follow (http://www.designfollow.com/) There’s a lot more than goes into graphic design than just pretty pictures. Design Follow serves as inspiration for art directors as well as a resource for those looking to understand the intricacies of web design.
- Inspiration Feed (http://inspirationfeed.com/) What this site has going for it is variety and a ton of content to reference. With recent article titles like “20 Incredible Examples of Guerilla Marketing” and “50 Striking Vintage and Retro Logo Designs,” it’s no wonder we keep coming back.
- Ads of the World (http://adsoftheworld.com/) It’s safe to say that this blog is in the running for the most comprehensive gallery of ads online. Be it print, film, outdoor or online, Ads of the World has all the new work making waves covered.
- Smashing Magazine (http://www.smashingmagazine.com/) Designing for the web is a much different game than designing for a print magazine. Smashing Magazine is a wonderful web-focused view of design, giving as much insight into technology as it does into art.
- The Egotist Network (http://www.thechicagoegotist.com/) Aside from our work, we are first and foremost fans of good advertising. However, it can be difficult to keep up with great work from smaller agencies around the country that gets lost on the national level. With regional sites in Chicago, Toledo, Salt Lake City, Denver and Orlando (to name a small few), the network of Egotist sites keeps its eyes toward the best of the best in local advertising.
- Devour (http://devour.com/) As this website proclaims, “Around 48 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute. It would take you approximately 2800 years to watch all those millions of videos.” Devour cuts out the fat, leaving a collection of viral video gems, many with a marketing focus.
- She-conomy (http://she-conomy.com/) You don’t have to watch “What Women Want” to have some idea of, well, what women want. ECD and agency partner Stephanie Holland gives a handy guide for those looking to market to women with supporting statistics and tips.
#1 SOCIALOGIC MARKETING
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