If you are working for a traditional advertising agency, it is time to quit your job. No we are not being bold, we are giving you some sound advice. Many of the large agencies are simply adapting… way… too… slow. They are sitting around brain storming the next 30 second spot, maybe they are even trying to be progressive and have hired an “interaction designer” who is hot with actionscript. It is too late however, they will not last. Mark our words.

The fact of that matter is that people are fed up with advertising in every way, shape and form. TV commercials are edited out with TIVO, banner ads are blocked or ignored, peoples spam filters catch that most recent mailing campaign you sent out. Don’t even get me started with direct mail and how much of that ends up in the trash.

I have yet to even mention how YouTube is slowly replacing TV and how online media is replacing print and print advertising. Podcasts are going to out run radio, and e-mail an online transactions will render most mail useless. Our traditional methods of connecting to consumers are failing, and the methods in which we try and target them will only become more and more obsolete. People do not want to be sold.

So what is replacing advertising? Simple… content.

Content is king, period. Great design can make up for weak content, but MySpace is a great example about how a site that is content rich can be fugly as hell and still be successful. Brands need to forget about their next big TV campaign, think about how you can offer consumers content that they will seek out. Instead of trying to shove your message in their face, create a message that they will want to find.

The smart brands are already doing it, whether it is a wealth of content about parenting by a company that sells diapers or legos builing a whole community of content around their product, some brands “get it.” People online are always searching for relevant content, these companies have found out how to advertise them with value rather than tricks or interuptions.

There are thousands of ways to create real value to consumers, and it is no secret that we think blogs are a great way. Don’t limit yourself or your company however. Simply sit down and think about what you can offer your consumers, and you will quickly find a long list of methods to offer said content.

Forget about the thirty second spot. Delete your banner templates. Throw away your ad rate cards and media kits. Think about value, the ROI and attention you get will shock you.

It seems funny that every blog has a first post such as this. Is anyone all that interested in the how and why of this blog, or rather do they care more about the content of each article that we publish. The point that I am alluding to drives at the heart of successful blogging as whole. Today, right now, and even months into the future, no one will care about this post. It is simply the ramblings of another blog explaining the how and why.

However a year into the future those who know of the BlogFire studio blog will want to know the history and where it all started. This post becomes interesting in historical context, once there is a story the beginning is important. However with out a story, the beginning is shallow.

So here we are, a company of blog consultants looking to show the businesses who “get it” how to take advantage of one of the most powerful tools in media today. This blog will be part factual content, part musing, part humor. If you don’t like the content, well sorry, because we will.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!