Holtz Communications + Technology

Upon returning to Apple in 1997 after years of exile (or so the story goes), Steve Jobs observed that employees were hunkering down in their offices. Wanting a more free-flowing exchange of knowledge, Jobs ordered urns of coffee and boxes of donuts delivered to Apple’s buildings on Fridays. Employees emerged from their offices to enjoy the caffeine and sugar but, while…

I drink Peet’s coffee. There is none better. I enjoy several Peet’s coffees, but am partial to Arabian Mocha Sanani. Before I moved to the Bay Area 13 years ago, I thought Starbucks was as good as it got, but I’ve never bought a single bag of Starbucks since discovering Peet’s.

Despite the fact that the CEO’s wife was part of the communications practice I…

Despite the fact that, statistically, corporations aren’t adopt blogs at a rapid pace, it’s possible we’ve passed the point of exclaiming each time a big company does opt to start a conversation with its customers or other constitutents.

Time was, a new blog by a major brand roused all kinds of attention. Early adopters were quick to criticize the newcomers’ shortcomings while others heaped praise…

I always love seeing statistics like these. According to a U.N. report, workers in the U.S. lead the world in productivity. The report’s statistics conclude that Americans stay at work longerand produce more per person than any other country, and and get more done per hour than anyone except Norwegians.

The average American worker generates $63,885 of wealth per year, according to the…

When we talk about industries that haven’t yet figured out the social media space, the grocery business rarely finds its way into the discussion. The venerable U.S. grocery chain A&P may have changed that with one single remarkably stupid legal action.

Here’s the story: Two brothers—Mark and Matthew D’Avella—worked at an A&P in New Jersey (where their dad happens to manage the produce department). They’re also in…

From a business standpoint, one of the critical advantages social media bring to the table is the ability to tap into what important segments of the population are thinking. GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, for example, is on the record claiming that the Fastlane blog has provided him with better intelligence than any traditional form of market research.

So now comes…