GUEST BLOGGER: Merrilyn Astin Tarlton, Co-Publisher - Attorney at Work

Child development experts call it “impulse control.” A key measure of a child’s maturity, the traditional test for it involves marshmallows. A 4-year-old is offered two marshmallows if he can wait 15 minutes for them. If he can’t wait, he can have a marshmallow right away—but just one. At four, some choose two and work hard to get through the wait and others just want one and want it now.

Nike's "Just Do It" didn't just happen.

The tagline and the brand that's been built around it was developed through a process–and a fairly long one, at that. It most likely entailed numerous interviews in focus groups with athletes and aspiring athletes to understand not only their wants, needs and thoughts about Nike, but what drives and inspires them to compete and/or workout. The process included market, competitor and SWOT analyses, demographics, consumer psychology studies and a host of other data and research.

As the NFL’s Super Bowl approaches this weekend, the game will draw millions of viewers. Many will be tuning in strictly for the TV commercials, with the game being secondary.

"Close to 50% of viewers tune in to actually watch the commercials, more than they watch the game," said Stephen Master, vice president of Nielsen Sports media research.

True story: back in the heady days of the .com and tech boom, the ad agency I worked for got a client who was going to revolutionize computer diagnostics and repair via the Internet. There were only a handful of companies offering this service and our client had been the first to market. Among their many other marketing goals, they wanted to establish their leadership, highlight their cutting-edge technology and portray themselves as innovative and entrepreneurial. They offered an exciting product and service, and it was a great opportunity for them to stand out in the industry.

Are iTunes, Pandora and turntable.fm so 2010? Like many around the world, I am a big user of iTunes and I have the premium version of Pandora. BUT, Spotify has given me immediate access to new music, with the opportunity to share with my friends. By now, is it safe to assume that we all have heard of Spotify?

Q: You speak 5 languages and are a double major in Political Economy and Computer Science. Why marketing?

A: I feel that versatility is the biggest merit in being young. Taking chances, experiencing new things and finding the right niche is my approach to finding the true passion that will build my career.

On January 28 I moderated an innovative virtual panel discussion examining three of the first efforts at law firms to implement integrated social media campaigns. Kelly Hoey from 85Broads, Russell Lawson from Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, PC, Andrea K. Stimmel from Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP and I explored our social networks in real time while participants connected, shared their thoughts and posed questions on twitter using the hastag #ISMC.

If you’re not looking ahead you’re falling behind. To help you stay on the leading edge in 2010, here’s a list of top trends you should consider when developing your marketing plan for 2010.

So I guess you figured out by now, that no one really has the magic bullet. But there are a few things that you, the marketing professional, can do this year to help make your firm successful. And seriously, if there were such a formula that produced marketing results, then that would probably negate any need for our strategic services. Don't you think?

Besides going to the gym and trying not be such an agressive driver, here are 5 new year's resolutions we can all shoot for this year.

The FTC recently extended their guidelines for endorsements and testimonials in advertising beyond traditional media to include social networks and blogs. Starting December 1, 2009, you must disclose any relationships with advertisers when you endorse a product or service on a blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or any other online forum. What does this mean for you? If you’re active in social networks or contribute to a blog and offer an endorsement, you must announce: