Starbucks’ media empire strikes back! And… Brands beware: McDonald’s YouTube Fail. Plus, rants and raves about the bot that argues with Internet trolls so you don’t have to, new research revealing that many of us lie about what we watch on TV, and a great Airbnb promotion where the grand prize is a night in Dracula’s castle – in a coffin. It’s episode 52 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Listen as we go inside media to re

Have you checked out the Media Unplugged podcast I do with Tom Asacker? If not, the holiday season is a great time to catch up. Just go here for the iTunes link (other links are below). We reveal what’s really happening in media. And so far, the ‘cast has been good enough to be distributed by Media Village, NetNewsCheck, the prestigious American Marketing Association, and more. Maybe you’re missing something! About this new episode (the last of 2015): Meet your new cable comp

Ad-Blocking is About to Go Mainstream, and it’s Ad-Mageddon for Publishers! And… Mashable Teams Up…with Dan Rather?! It’s episode 25 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Plus, rants and raves for Donald Trump, Amazon’s strange new “Dash” button, the Lexus Hoverboard, and more. Listen as we go inside media to reveal the ugly truth! Click the play button below: And if you’re reading this by email, click here for the audio. For

How do you make a news story go viral? Also: Marriott – it’s a hotel chain; no, it’s a film studio! And what that means for all brands. It’s episode 11 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Plus, Tom rants about the Pope who pulls no punches and Mark rants about TV’s Celebrity Apprentice, which is setting back the practice of marketing by 50 years. Listen as we go inside media to reveal the ugly truth! Click the play button b

Want to peek behind the curtain of Apple’s PR machine? That’s just what branding authority and celebrated author Tom Asacker and I do in episode 3 of Media Unplugged, our new twice-monthly podcast where we go behind the big media spin to spell out what’s really happening and what it means for media, brands, and consumers. Plus, ABC’s Dancing With The Stars managed to find an actual star this time – assuming you’re a fan of Bethany Mota on YouTube. What does that say about “st