List of Free Data Sets for Analytic and Forecasting Efforts
I’ve compiled a list of free, downloadable data sets that are useful for analytic & forecasting efforts. This list is by no means exhaustive and will be certain to evolve with time. Recommendations are appreciated. Population & Geography Data US Census Data Access ToolsStarting point for accessing data sets in the US Census. US Zip CodesA free source of USPS Zip codes. National Center for Health StatisticsMarriage data occurring in States that meet reporting criteria for inclusion in the marriage-registration area, except for California unlicensed marriages. Economy & Finance Data Bureau of Labor StatisticsContains information on inflation & prices, employment, unemployment, pay & benefits, spending, productivity, workplace, employee...
razorfunfish : how I grabbed high organic rankings
If you’re reading this during the Razorfish Client Summit, I’m hoping it’s because I had the #1 organic spot for razorfunfish on Google. I had to leave early this AM on the redeye to Atlanta for another work engagement, but I’ve asked our Razorfish team be my representative. They asked that I blog about how I seized 31 on Google for the ‘razorfunfish’ term. For reference, I was trying to gain top rankings for this search: http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHMA_enUS313US314&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=razorfunfish How can you leverage the learnings from this exercise? The easy solution is to come work for MillerCoors. Great brands, great people, we get free beer, and I’d be able to partner with...
Breezing Across the Country
Growing up in Nebraska, one becomes accustomed to a constant 15-25 MPH wind. I jokingly reason that we have this wind because there is only one tree separating us from the North Pole, but in reality the prairie is unique situated for wind. I’m not a climatologist, but I suspect the warm, moist air that is generated over the Pacific rises up as it warms, then hits the mountains, cools, and descends along the prairies generating a constant wind. I took a trip from Omaha to Minneapolis by way of Des Moines. In the north central part of the state is a massive array of wind turbines. It’s an amazing drive through the area, and I suspect that we’re only slightly leveraging the capacity of wind in the area. It seems T. Boone Pickens has an idea...
Post-event: Magic Kingdom & Wal-Mart Neighborhood Stores
I have a theory that there aren’t many “new” ideas. Most ideas claimed as “new” are really evolutions of older ideas, ideas that have been combined to a new purpose, or an existing idea which had a technological innovation to allow for a new use. History is dotted with breakthrough ideas of this sort. Since the early part of the 20th century, humans had been communicating with radio, and even earlier by land line phones. Two-way walkie-talkies were extensively used in World War II. Engineers in the 1970’s unlocked a way to combine these ideas, with a few innovations, to allow for cellular technology. Mobile phones operate in a similar fashion to radios, at a higher bandwidth, and with the ability to hop from tower to tower, but conceptually...
CPG Summit: Day 2
The majority of the sessions and activity seems centered around day 1, and for whatever reason I always have a firedrill to deal with on day 2. I was dealing with a recall last year, and this year I was dealing with an extract we were manually creating. Not sure who the winner is, but I know I’m always on the losing side. Note to presenters, choose shorter names for presentations. Here’s three select presentations: Putting Innovative Customer-Centric Strategies to Work in Meeting Customers Healthcare Demands Translating Granular Shopper Understanding into Optimal Store Experiences Across Multiple Retail Banners Customer Marketing: Driving Enhanced Retailer and Manufacturer Partnerships Where’s the element of surprise? Best...
CPG Summit: The Hotel
We’re staying at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. The exterior of the hotel is built in classic, grand Florida style and reminiscent of the Breakers. The interior of the hotel consists of a very large atrium and two smaller atriums. The main atrium is large enough to house a ballpark, while the two smaller atriums are still large enough to host a lake and a jungle. The quality of the hotel is very nice. It’s not the same level as the Wynn, but very few hotels are. I was a bit surprised to learn there are 4-5 foot alligators in the atrium. I’m not fond of reptiles. The conference facility is adjacent to the hotel, and connected by a walkway. The conference facility is immense. The main speaking hall was divided into...