PowerBlog Review: Ad Blog

Editor's note: This is the nineteenth in our popular weekly series of PowerBlog Reviews of other weblogs...



Ad Blog, is published by San Diego-based freelance advertising copywriter John Kuraoka.



Kuraoka promises "news and views about advertising, branding, marketing, and copywriting." He delivers all that and more.



Going by the Ad Blog archives, Kuraoka has had Ad Blog up since February 2003. However, it is obvious that he has been a longtime collector of tidbits, advice, concepts, and creative approaches to advertising and marketing.



What makes this blog worth visiting is the quality of information posted and the links to other of Kuraoka's projects and articles. (Be sure to visit his Tightwad Marketing Project.) Kuraoka mixes timely observations of what is happening in the advertising and marketing world with solid advice on how to take a message to an audience.



Graphically this is a pretty plain-vanilla blog, but don't be fooled by the absence of bells, whistles, and color illustrations. This is a blog produced and hosted by a pro with a lot to say, and we would all do well to listen.



There is one thing I wish he would change. All his blog entry links are made from the phrase "Advertising copywriter blog link." Ad first I thought this was a permalink. It turns out that this is how he links to his sources. Not the most intuitive approach, and by the way, permalinks would be nice.



Ad Blog ranges off topic from time to time, but as Kuraoka says, …it's my blog," and when the postings are as interesting as Kuraoka's are, why complain. A recent post that I enjoyed was the June 11 link to a series of BBC radio programs on branding. Kuraoka seems to pay particular attention to BBC articles on business and marketing.



Kuraoka promotes his freelance copywriting services throughout the blog. That's fine with me. From what I've read, he deserves to be hired as often as someone needs a strong, knowledgeable copywriter.



The Power of Ad Blog, is in the two decades of copywriting, advertising, and marketing experience Kuraoka brings to his blogging. His posts and articles add up to a primer on how to do it. Along the way he delivers a few chuckles and gets you shaking your head in astonishment over what seemingly smart people sometimes do.