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An Interview with Jake Swearingen from C|Net / B|Net

May 27, 2008

We had the pleasure of interviewing Jake Swearingen from C|Net / B|Net. The new C|Net venture interested us greatly since it’s backed by one of our favorite news outlets.

We were surprised to see how open and upfront Jake was with us. We especially enjoyed his views on the InterActive vs Traditional sides as we share his opinion on the matter.

Enjoy the Interview -

1 - How long have you been writing in the industry? What made you start working in the industry? Tell us about yourself?

I’ve been working in the Bay Area for about two and a half years, working at Wired and then Business 2.0 and now BNET, but I’ve been blogging about the advertising industry since 2008. BNET Industries launched April 15th, with 11 blogs covering specific industries, from Advertising to Travel, and it’s growing very fast. We have a great staff that publishes very solid reporting. The Advertising area of BNET focuses more on the insiders view of the industry – I try to stay away from reviewing an ad campaign, and focus more on strategies and trends within the industry, to give a more of the insider scoops of what is going on. I’d like to branch out a bit as the blog moves forward, do more things like agency profiles, or Q&As with ad people about the industry. Like all of us, I bow down to George Parker, who is (no offense to Tribble) the best ad blogger out there.

2 - How do you like working for CNET/ BNET? Why did CNET opt for a new domain name and new branding (BNET) for this specific area rather than lump it into the existing brand CNET?

CNET wanted to open a site targeted for management and managers rather than technology. It’s fairly new, the main site has been around for a little over a year, but BNET Industries is even newer.

3 - Since you report on the industry and have your finger on the ‘heartbeat’ of how things are heading, what’s your opinion on how the industry will be moving in the next few years?

Internet Advertising is the place to be, the industry is moving more and more towards that direction. Print is dying, and it’s only a matter of time before television stars to die as well. I am not exactly how it will happen online. I am not exactly sure of the exact model, it could be a Hulu model perhaps… But internet advertising is eventually going to be where most people place their chips, especially since we are heading into a recession, and internet ads allow you to measure ROI. On the other hand, I think people sometimes write that the Internet will save the industry… but I’m not exactly sure that’s true either.

4 - Do you feel the recession will affect all divisions of marketing equally (Traditional vs InterActive) ?
It seems that traditional marketing will be hurt more when companies are trying to cut costs, so interactive will fare much better, especially if this recession lasts awhile.

5 - If there is anything you want to add to this, please do! Do you have a personal blog? Hobbies? Etc Etc….

I’ve been in McSweeney’s a few times, and I’m going to be in the 2008 Best American Nonrequired Reading for a story I wrote about zombies, so yeah, I like words a whole bunch. Also, I’m always looking for tips and ideas for the blog, so PR flaks, bored creatives, anyone with an idea, hit me up (jake.swearingen (AT) cnet.com).

Thanks Jake!

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Written by TheFounder · Filed Under Advertising Agency News 


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