FreeThink Blog

That’s right! Facebook has officially added support for the popular tagging feature already prevalent on Twitter and Instagram, making hashtags both clickable and searchable. Currently available for a limited number of people and Pages, Facebook will be rolling out this feature more broadly in the coming weeks.

Seventy-three percent of Americans think that ads should tell a story, not just try to sell. And brands are listening, with 72% increasing their spend on branded content marketing this year. With “content strategy” and “content marketing” obtaining buzzword status over the past year, agencies and clients alike are trying to sort out “native advertising” from “sponsored posts.” And while there are a plethora of vehicles and channels to try out, at the core of every strategy is a good story. 

Last week, a few of us joined Dave Miller of OPB’s Think out Loud for a conversation with Michael Pollan on his latest book, Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation.

Sean Timberlake started writing about eating, drinking, and generally living the good life in San Francisco on his blog Hedonia in 2006. In 2010, he founded the popular online DIY food community Punk Domestics, designed to evangelize and enable the growing trend of preserving old foodways (i.e. canning, curing and the like). Here, he shares tips for how brands can best work with bloggers to ensure successful programs and build lasting relationships. 

Like every party, the first annual Portland Bubbles Week with Argyle Winery had to come to an end at some point, but not without first generating a buzz about bubbly among the city’s foodies that’s sure to last for months to come.

A relative of the popular SXSW Interactive festival, SXSW Eco has become the place for inspiration, information and connections for professionals working to solve complex problems facing society, the economy and the natural world.  Here’s your chance to help decide what gets discussed.

Public speaking can strike fear in even the most talented communicators. While many offer a valuable perspective, sometimes the pressure of the audience prevents them from articulating that insight into a clear message. Other times, speakers are bitten by the “Mr. Wonderful” bug and try to be too perfect.

The average American checks their phone every 6 minutes. Yep, that’s me at a conference. Don’t get me wrong. I also network and exchange business cards with my fellow professionals, but when I’m not shaking hands and meeting new people, I’m scanning the conference hashtag stream for the latest observations. 

Last week I had the opportunity to hear several brilliant people speak at the PRSA Communicators Conference at the Governor Hotel in Portland. With the likes of Shel Holtz, Lee Odden and even Maxwell’s own Jen Maxwell-Muir speaking, there was a lot to take in. However, one presenter’s message in particular seemed to really stick with me, former Sports Broadcaster Ann Schatz.

The Answer is Yes. I wish the creative services industry would call a truce already. Instead the debate still rages: who should own social media? PR or advertising? If ever there was a case for the “Yes, and” approach, this is it.

Okay, maybe I wouldn’t go that far, but festival-goers at the Northwest Cherry Festival in The Dalles couldn’t get enough of the sweet, bite-sized fruit on April 27. At Maxwell, we work with a variety of clients, but Oregon Cherry Growers (OCG) is definitely one of the sweetest!

It's "crush" time here at Maxwell. Months of vigorous planning and promotion all culminates next week with the first annual Portland Bubbles Week, a city-wide celebration of sparkling wine with Argyle Winery.

Earlier this month, a few of us at Maxwell were fortunate enough to attend the Food + Agriculture Media Project at Ecotrust here in Portland. The event included presentations from journalists and writers, as well as opportunities for group discussions and small workshops. 

The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Annual Conference is the Holy Grail for those of us in the food and beverage industry. Where else can one be surrounded by authors of the hottest cookbooks on the market, editors of the top food & beverage magazines, chefs from around the world, photographers and stylists, and fellow food marketers – all sharing experiences and learning together?

Do you have a nose for news, a passion for helping organizations tell their stories and college degree in communications, journalism or PR? If so, consider applying for our summer internship position. Strong attention to detail and ability to multitask are musts.