Annual List of Banned Words

We all have words and phrases we hate; in fact, our Dec. 1 post about it generated more comments than any other post we’ve written.  Well, as I was reading the Boston Globe recently (yes, I still read a real newspaper, delivered to my porch each morning by a real paper boy), I came across […]

Content Is the New Customer Service

  Here’s what it takes to keep people coming back. A few weeks ago, I was at a conference on new media and heard this quote: “Content is the new customer service.” At which point I jumped up on my chair and shouted, “YES!” You know, since we provide content. Then I was like, “Wait, what […]

Anna interviews hot new eco-designer

… And we mean “hot” as in up-and-coming, but Shana also happens to be quite lovely.  So how did we happen to do this interview? It’s part of our ongoing effort to help spread the word about Down:2:Earth, Boston’s first sustainable living expo. (Go! Go!) And why are we helping out? Well, it’s a great show, and […]

How to get the dream life of your dreams

This is a hysterical video I found through Chris Brogan (chrisbrogan.com) all about the power of social media to, um, get the dream life of your dreams …   Gabe and Max on YouTube

The Hired Pens Wins Big with the Skinny at MITX

Last summer we worked with Genuine Interactive — a great Boston interactive agency headed by Chris Pape — on a Web-based ad campaign for French’s mustard. The goal was to get health-conscious consumers (and those who should be!) to make the switch from mayo to mustard. How’d we do it? Scare tactics and humor, baby. Check it out. […]

Well, it’s about time!

These days we’re all about SoMe here at The Hired Pens. No, not as in “Girlfriend, you have got to let me borrow your fuchsia goulashes — they are SO ME!” SoMe as in “the new, in-the-know way to abbreviate ‘Social Media.’” And as I learned at the recent New Marketing Summit, if you’re not […]