David: A New Monthly Magazine

When you think Jews and Las Vegas, what comes to mind? If you answered Bugsy Siegel, we're on the same page, says Fern Siegel, Deputy Editor of MediaPost. Or maybe you guessed Mo Greene, the Siegel stand-in, in "The Godfather." He's the one who slaps Freddy Corleone around -- and gets shot in the eye as payback. Greene is also referenced in "Godfather II," when Hyman Roth, aka business tycoon Meyer Lansky, fondly recalls that his vision transformed a once-dusty stopover for GIs into, according to David magazine, "the world's most dynamic city." I'd challenge that assertion, as a New Yorker, but I agree: Jews do wondrous things in the desert.

The magazine's editorial and target audience is Las Vegas' Jewish community. As such, it covers Jewish life and interest in the city. According to its founder, Max David Friedland, “it is called David, for a person, Jewish or otherwise who knows where they come from and what is important in life.” The magazine promises to deliver every month a mix of serious journalism, lifestyle features and entertainment presented with exciting artwork and design.

So let's see where the pastrami meets the rye: page 43. The photo is a healthy serving (and by that I mean as big as your head) of pastrami on marble rye, served up nice at The Bagel Café -- an East Coast deli for West Coasters. The 14-year-old restaurant boasts such favorites as raspberry rugelach, matzo ball soup, knishes and potato pancakes. The lox platter, like a Grecian urn, is a thing of beauty -- only tastier and more accessible.

Now, Judaism is an ancient civilization -- and our contributions to the world are exemplary: medicine to entertainment, law to psychoanalysis. From Jesus to Freud to Spielberg, we're rocked almost everyone's world at one time or another. But food is a great leveler -- and if you want to understand a culture get to know its cuisine. And the Bagel Café, should you visit Sin City, is a great place to start.

We're all aware that Las Vegas is expanding its reach. "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," is a familiar refrain. At the same time, the city is a growing retirement and family city. Currently, it is the 28th-most populous city in the U.S. with an estimated 2009 population, per the Census Bureau, of 567,641 -which means there is ample subject matter.

Because this is a lifestyle monthly, launched with 20,000 copies being distributed throughout the Las Vegas Valley at over 100 locations, David covers health, dining, arts and shopping. Given the city's nightlife, there is a profile of nightclub entrepreneur Jason Strauss, who, with partner Noah Tepperburg, already runs an A-list club in the Hamptons. Together, they oversee the $20 million complex known as the Tao Nightclub and Asian Bistro.

But LV is not all glitz and glam; the article titled "Help" underscored the pub's larger aim of inclusion. Project Ezra, spearheaded by the Jewish Family Services Agency, is committed to giving Jews and non-Jews aid with job placement and training. The goal isn't just economic sustenance, but enhancing self-esteem.

Given its Jewish bent, David also includes candle-lighting times for Shabbat and synagogue options, covering every denomination from Reform to Hasidic-run Chabads. If Madonna is in town, she can check out the Kabbalah Center.

The big kick is the ads, two in particular focus on funeral directors. The Kraft/Sussman tagline: "Who better to care than 2 Jewish mothers?" It's billed as the "No. 1 choice of independent Jewish funeral directors across America," adding: "Allow us to show you why." If Sarah Palin wins in 2012, they'll get their chance.

Strong Brands Are Clear About What They Represent

Successful branding clearly and simply conveys its brand promise, and makes it evident why this promise is relevant. These are the most essential components to successful branding building. According to Allen Adamson who writes in Forbes, that applies as well to products whose attributes are a bit more difficult to convey than cars and soft drinks.

Adamson was impressed by a recent campaign by Cisco, starring Oscar-nominated actress Ellen Page in slice-of-life stories with the citizens of Lunenberg, Nova Scotia. The campaign makes it clear how the Cisco brand connects people with the things that make life better, safer and healthier. One "welcome to the human network" spot shows, for example, how Cisco's IT equipment allows health care professionals to treat patients remotely.

Adamson also applauds BASF -- "The Chemical Company" -- whose branding is based on the idea that its chemicals are being used for good things like forming a plastic product that decomposes in weeks. "For those of us who couldn't make the connection between the initials and purpose of the company, the chemistry between branding and understanding is now right on," he says.

Finally, Aflac is doing more than quacking like a duck. Its latest branding initiatives, from television to social media, make sure we understand that it pays policy holders cash benefits when they are sick or hurt for essentials such as childcare. "Strong brands are strong because people know what they stand for and how they fit into their lives," Adamson concludes.

The Difference between Social Media and Social Networks for Businesses

It is important not to confuse social media and social networking — both terms are used interchangeably — with e-commerce, says Alan Radding, business finance blogger. With e-commerce, you put up a Web site for the purpose of conducting business, making sales, and generating revenue.

Social media is not overtly transaction-oriented. Rather, it revolves around content-driven marketing. For example, one large consumer packaged-food company put up a social media Web site. It does all the expected customer service things through the site, includes discussion forums for use by its customers, offers recipes and enables customers to share recipes, and provides ask-the-experts forums on related topics — all content-driven. However, the one thing you cannot do through the food company’s social networking site is actually buy its products. The closest it comes is providing a way for visitors to download discount coupons.

Social media generally avoid explicit commercial transactions. Instead, you create content with social media to build the business and the brand, everything from recruiting talent to rallying the faithful to countering bad news. (It will be interesting to see if and how Toyota leverages social media to rebuild its brand.)

With that in mind, here are 6 content-driven things that any business can and should do with social media:

(1) Establish presence. With hundreds of millions of active participants (Facebook alone has several hundred million registered users), you want continuous visibility among the people who are important to your business, be they customers, partners, or other stakeholders.

(2) Build rapport and relationships with specific audiences. Cultivate relationships with your important stakeholder groups through two-way communication.

(3) Establish your business as a leader and authority, by providing helpful and insightful content that can’t easily be found elsewhere, information people want.

(4) Engage prospective customers and partners interactively. Invite feedback and input, and be responsive, attentive, empathetic, and supportive.

(5) Listen and learn from your customers, supporters, and all your various stakeholders. Encourage constructive criticism, conduct surveys, and solicit suggestions.

(6) Build brand and company loyalty. Social media is an ideal vehicle to grow whatever loyalty initiatives your organization engages in.